Boy have I been busy!

Within the last few days, there have been a number of issues that I have yet to respond to. I apologize for the delay. For the record, I was not “mourning” the New England Patriots loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.

It was indeed one of the biggest upsets since the 2004 American League Championship Series, which the New York Yankees lost to the Boston Red Sox despite being up 3-0 in a best-of-seven series (the Yankees went on to lose the next four games). Furthermore, the Yankees lost a trip to the World Series. I guess payback sucks. Although I did not particularly enjoy the Giants victory, because all of MY predictions were WRONG, I have been very VERY busy with college and therefore have been unable to update. So here we go:

1- Obviously the number one topic on a lot of peoples minds around here is indeed that Super Bowl upset, so let’s make this as brief as possible. Flat out, the Patriots stunk! They came out flat from the get-go Tom Brady looked like a deer in headlights because the offensive line could not give him any protection and most importantly the Giants defensive line was simply too fast and too strong for the Patriot blockers.

One could easily blame the game on the coaching staff because of their failure to run the ball and control the clock, but let’s face it people the Patriots lineman did NOT do their job therefore the Patriots did NOT win the Super Bowl and finish the dream 19-0 season. Had the Patriots ran the ball more it wasn’t going to get them any further because the blocking was simply not there.

Let us not forget Giants QB Eli Manning, he DID have a good game, as a slight sickness brews inside my stomach (it hurts to even say that a Manning beat us). However, let’s face it New England the Patriots were simply out-played, out-hustled and out-coached. Congratulations to the New York Giants, Super Bowl XLII Champions.

2- What is going on with Brian McNamee? I am finding it hard to believe that the evidence he provided to the government is valid. Last year when asked by federal prosecutors if he had any physical evidence that could link Roger Clemens to steroid/human growth hormone usage he said “no”. Why is it over a year later he suddenly reveals that he does have such evidence?

McNamee turned over vials, syringes, color photographs of testosterone and needles to government officials today during his deposition hearing. What exactly McNamee discussed during his deposition hearing is classified as confidential. However, we can be sure that next week during the House Oversight Committee hearing with McNamee, Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch and Kirk Radomski, that one of the individuals will be lying and therefore committing perjury, a felony that is not taken lightly in our country’s court system. (Although Pettitte is at a lesser chance of committing perjury because he has already admitted to his usage of HGH and Radomski was sentenced Friday to 5 years probation and an undisclosed fine)

3-SHAQUILLE O’NEAL TO THE PHOENIX SUNS? LeBRON JAMES MUST BE GOING INSANE! Honestly, are the Cleveland Cavaliers trying to drive LeBron out of town when his contract expires?
LeBron has been putting up insane numbers over the past six games. He has scored over 30 points in five of the Cavaliers six games, most recently scoring 32 Thursday night in a loss to Houston. This season he is averaging 30 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists per game.

Meanwhile it looks as if the Phoenix Suns are going for it all with this trade. They traded power forward Shawn Marion and point-guard Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat in exchange for O’Neal, who is now 36 years old. His size and age will force the Suns to restructure their offense during the All-Star break.

The Suns will convert current center Amare Stoudamire back to his normal position as a power forward, while Shaq will assume the role as the teams’ new center. Meanwhile, Suns point guard Steve Nash will have a field day feeding the ball to Shaq and Stoudamire in the low-post area. As we all know Nash is probably the most talented and smartest point guards in the NBA. Sometimes it looks as if he plays on pure instinct while he makes the hardest things look so simple.

4-When I found out about Curt Schilling’s “bicipital injury”, (an injury that has NEVER happened before in MLB and doesn’t even exist in the dictionary), I believed it was a blessing in disguise for the Boston Red Sox. If Schilling does indeed come back from the shoulder/”bicipital” injury (boy what a stupid name for an injury the name makes the injury hard to believe), the Red Sox will be able to keep gifted phenom pitcher Clay Bucholz fresh towards the end of the season.

According to Schilling’s blog (38pitches.com) he believes he could be ready to return after the All-Star Break in July. If the Red Sox were smart they would try to impose an innings limit on Bucholz, in order to keep him from exhausting himself at an early age. The New York Yankees currently have innings limits set on their top-three pitching prospects: Philip Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy. However, the details of the constraints have not been disclosed to the public.


5-Speaking of which, the New York Yankees announced today that the new stadium being built across from the current “House That Ruth Built” on 167th Street in Bronx, NY, (a place all too familiar too me), will indeed keep its name Yankee Stadium, (or as I like to call it The Stadium). They have decided against making it a commercial ballpark with sponsors, such as Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay or Petco Field in San Diego.

All I can say about this is: would you expect anything less from the most renowned team in the Planet? The Yankees are the most traditional sports organization of all time. (In my opinion, the Boston Celtics are the second most traditional; although they do have commercial advertisements, the word “garden” is still present in their new stadium TD Banknorth Garden in Boston)

The Yankees could never change the name of Yankee Stadium, hell they could not even move it out of the Bronx, as owner George Steinbrenner once dreamed of doing. Instead, the Yankees spent a record $1.3 billion on the new confines, which may well be regarded as the most fan friendly ballpark in the major leagues once it opens and the entire construction project is complete. Keep in mind that the Yankees had to shelf out $600 million to the New York City Parks and Recreation Department and the New York City Transit Authority in order to build new playgrounds for children as well as new subway stops.


Well that’s it for this week folks, hopefully next week I won’t be so busy. Until then enjoy your week, and keep your heads up New England the Boston Celtics are 38-9.


P.S.: If anyone wants to read a pair of unbelievable baseball books check out David Halberstam's October 1964 and Summer of '49.