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That's now SEVEN overtimes ... and one Devendorf buzzer-beater that counted

2009-03-14T09:46:00.001-04:00

Yes, 'Cuse is in the Big East Final after another OT win (this one only took one extra frame). And Eric Devendorf finally got his buzzer-beater.

Blazers 109, Nets 100

2009-03-14T09:43:00.001-04:00

Well whaddaya know ... the Nets are now tied with the Knicks and Bobcats for ninth place in the East, all just a half game out of the eighth and final playoff spot. (Knicks video wasn't available at this time, but they have now won three straight on the road, including last night's win against the T'Wolves.)

Best. Game. Ever.

2009-03-13T12:10:00.001-04:00

Okay, that might be a little hyperbole ... but SIX OT's??? Man! I was watching at a bar and the place absolutely errupted on Devendorf's buzzer beater ... and then collectively groaned when it was waived off. But in typical 'Cuse fashion, they pulled it out (afterall, this is the Big East Tournament, and they always seem to save their best basketball for this venue).

Big East Tournament: Syracuse 89, Seton Hall 74

2009-03-12T13:07:00.001-04:00

The Hall ends its season at 17-15.

Big East Tournament: Marquette 74, St. John's 45

2009-03-12T00:37:00.001-04:00

Sniff, sniff ... what's that smell??? Oh, it's the stinker the Red Storm put up against Marquette!

Knicks 120, Bucks 112

2009-03-11T08:32:00.001-04:00

Larry Hughes goes off for 39 points, Nate Robinson adds 32 and David Lee gets his double-double on again with 19 points, 18 rebounds ... and one ridiculous spa-quality facial about a minute into the highlights.

Big East Tournament: St. John's 64, Georgetown 59

2009-03-11T00:11:00.001-04:00

Well, the Hoyas can officially kiss the Big Dance goodbye.

Note: Even if you have no interest in this game, you have to see what happens about :18 into these highlights, when the Red Storm's D.J. Kennedy collides with referee Mike Kitts.

Big East Tournament: Notre Dame 61, Rutgers 50

2009-03-11T00:05:00.001-04:00

Rutgers finishes the season 11-21.

Devils 3, Flames 2

2009-03-11T00:03:00.001-04:00

Martin Brodeur is now just two wins away from tying Patrick Roy for the most in NHL history.

Maple Leafs 3, Islanders 2

2009-03-11T00:00:00.001-04:00

Isles fall less than a minute into O-T ...

Hurricanes 3, Rangers 0

2009-03-10T20:33:00.001-04:00

There goes that winning streak. (And the playoffs?)

Cody Ransom Can Jump

2009-03-09T18:51:00.001-04:00

Can A-Rod's temporary replacement play ball? Who knows -- but the man can jump! Check this out ...

Tim Kurkjian on A-Rod's Impending Surgery

2009-03-09T01:21:00.001-04:00

My favorite squeaky-voiced ESPN reporter on A-Rod's injury.

Nets 106, Knicks 101

2009-03-09T01:19:00.001-04:00

Those slim playoff hopes the Knicks had are getting slimmer by the day, as they now fall 3 1/2 back of the eighth and final playoff spot. Meanwhile, the win puts the Nets just a game out of that eighth spot.

Oh, and this just in ... Devin Harris has game.

Rangers Fans, This Guy Must Make You Proud ...

2009-03-06T09:36:00.001-05:00

Like a car wreck, you can't help but look.

And maybe this is why I never really got into hockey ...

Over the River and Through the Legs ...

2009-03-05T14:00:00.001-05:00

BASB's play of the night, courtesy of Larry Hughes ...

U2 is taking over our city

2009-03-05T01:15:00.001-05:00

Drummer Larry Mullen was interviewed by Jill Martin at halftime of the Knicks game Wednesday night. I have two observations from this interview: 1) There's a reason Larry Mullen is the drummer and not the band's frontman. 2) For a brief second, I thought Mullen was going to pull a page out of Broadway Joe's playbook and utter the phrase, "I want to kiss you!" Seriously. Check out the opening sequence.

Play of the Night

2009-02-24T08:17:00.001-05:00

Okay, I know it's the Nets and all, and the Rangers fired their coach (more on that here: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/2009/02/23/2009-02-23_rangers_fire_head_coach_tom_renney_and_r.html - sorry, can't hyperlink when blogging through YouTube), but one local, hour-long sports show last night (that shall remain nameless) waited 50 MINUTES to show this???

Peace Out, Shea!

2009-02-20T16:54:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I know I'm a little late with this, but better late than never ...

Am I sad to see Shea go? Uh, no. Even the most loyal, diehard Mets fan will tell you the place was a dump. However, I am sad to see the name go with the building. I understand naming rights are big business, but these corporate names are leaving the newer ballparks with an identity crisis. (Especially since the names seem to change more often than Oprah's waistline!)

Growing up, I knew the name of every ballpark in the bigs. Now? I have no idea how many times I've called a stadium its name ... from 10 years ago.

So farewell, Shea. It was nice KNOWING you.

2009-02-17T10:25:00.005-05:00

Update: Alex Rodriguez answered questions (with no follow-up questions allowed, might I add) for 26 minutes. Before fielding questions, A-Rod read a statement, proclaiming he made a "stupid mistake" and telling the gathering that his cousin told him about an over-the-counter drug with a street name of "Bole," which he took twice a month for six-month periods in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He said he and his cousin "didn't know what we were doing," and that he stopped taking the drug in 2003 because of a scare he had with a neck injury and also because of baseball's new drug policy.

My thoughts? This was a well-orchestrated sham. First, his admission that he took "Bole" is not an admission at all. Do a google search for "Bole" and "steroids" and one learns Bole is urban slang for using steroids. So, we still have no idea what on earth A-Rod took (though speculation is that "bole" is Primobolan).

A-Rod kept going back to the fact that he was "young and stupid," but never went as far as calling what he did cheating. "It really was amateur hour," A-Rod said. "We probably didn't take it right." Again, it's as if he wants us to believe that this substance he took while he was young and naive had no effect on his game and that we should move on from this silly misunderstanding.

One of the best questions asked of A-Rod was when a reporter wanted to know how an athlete who monitors what he puts in his body very closely wouldn't know what it was he was putting in his body. A-Rod didn't really have an answer for this, except, like an athlete trained by a top-notch PR firm, to go back to saying he was young.

Then came maybe the best question of the afternoon, when A-Rod's own words were used against him. Rodriguez was asked if he didn't think he was doing anything wrong, then why was he so secretive about the process in the first place? After a long pause, A-Rod responded by saying, "good question." Then, he carefully admitted that he knew what he and his cousin were doing could be wrong. (Huh?)

The whole thing came off like a prepared PR circus. A-Rod showed only fake remorse (when giving his opening statement, he took a long, dramatic pause as if he was choking up before thanking his teammates for supporting him). When asked why he told Peter Gammons a week ago that he didn't know what substance he took but today was able to reveal details of his use, A-Rod eagerly answered that he "didn't want to speak from a position of non-factual" and that he "didn't really remember" at the time, the speed at which he answered making him look like a student who studied very hard for a test and wanted to prove he knew the correct answer to this question.

A-Rod even went as far as to claim his best years were before and after he used "bole," the drug which, as I said earlier, really could be any drug (again, how convenient). He even tried to play the sympathy card!

The news conference ended with A-Rod asking to be "judged from this day forward." Really? After this scripted performance, I don't buy a word this guy says. At least that's my judgement.

From earlier today ...

All eyes are on A-Rod's big spring training news conference today. What exactly
will this spectacle yield? While it's his first news conference since admitting to using steroids while with the Texas Rangers, will A-Rod really be truthful when answering question after question from the New York and national media? There's a great read in the Star-Ledger that says ... well ... probably not.

Meanwhile ... ho-hum ... the Mets (yeah, remember them?) are also doing that whole spring training thing. And -- gasp! -- the discussions in Port St. Lucie revolve around (drum roll please ...) baseball! You know, things like the pitching rotation and where Jose Reyes and David Wright will bat in the lineup this season.

Personally, I'm sick of the circus that is the Yankees. (Full disclosure: yes, I am a Mets fan.) Seriously. I'm ready to talk baseball, and it seems the only place a New York baseball fan can do that these days is in Port St. Lucie, not Tampa.

Kryptonite

2009-02-17T08:43:00.001-05:00

After a nice, long three-day weekend, welcome back! If you strayed from the NY sports scene for a few days, here's (literally) the highlight from the weekend that was -- Nate Robinson, sporting the green (a.k.a. "kryptonite") Knicks' jersey, dunking over "Superman," Dwight Howard, to win the Slam Dunk contest.

2009-02-11T09:59:00.002-05:00

Breaking news: The Brett Favre era is over!

ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Ed Werder are reporting that Favre has instructed his agent to inform the Jets that he plans to retire. And, for once, I don't think he's going back on his decision.

HIP-HIP .... HOOOORAAAAAAY!!!!!!

From my post the after the Jets were eliminated from postseason play:

But as the weeks passed, it became obvious that this man had lost "it," and "it" wasn't coming back. He was what he was: a 39 year old playing a young man's game; a gunslinger carrying a starter's pistol into a shootout.

That pretty much sums it up for me.

I'll take my chances this year with anyone else at quarterback, so long as they don't make dumb mistakes. With the way Rex Ryan plans on coaching, you don't need a stud at QB, just someone who can manage an offense ... which Brett Favre couldn't do and, with his stubborn streak and "gunslinger" mentality, wouldn't do.

Peace out, Brett.

2009-02-11T09:48:00.003-05:00

It seems tell-all books are all the rage these days.

The Post reports Darryl Strawberry is the latest to join the club. Strawberry's book, "Straw: Finding My Way," will chronicle all the drinking, drug abusing and womanizing the Mets did back in the 80's.

Hmmm ... funny thing. I feel like that book has been written before. Oh wait, it has!

2009-02-09T15:23:00.002-05:00

Update: Here's ESPN's story on the interview with Gammons.

So A-Rod is admitting to using 'roids from 2001-2003? I'm actually impressed. That's three whole seasons we're talking about. Does this mean he's telling the truth? Heck, I have no idea. But it's very easy to "come clean" and say you "only tried it once," or "only did it for a few weeks." But to admit to using for that entire period? That takes balls. And I think he's going to get off easy because of it.

However, it's funny how these things are so calculated and planned. It's almost too perfect that the years he said he used coincided with when he signed that massive contract with the Rangers, and that he decided to use steroids because he was under so much pressure from signing that contract. Yeah, like we're supposed to feel oh-so sorry for him. Boo-freakin'-hoo!

2009-02-09T14:20:00.003-05:00

A-Rod admits to using steroids while with the Rangers in a taped interview he's conducting with Peter Gammons that will air on ESPN later this evening (I'm assuming SportsCenter). Really, what other option did he have? Look like a fool, ala Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds? Now I can't wait to see how he's going to explain his "no" answer to Katie Couric in 2007 ...

2009-02-07T22:04:00.004-05:00

Well, I guess we won't be discussing Joe Torre's book ad naseum anymore, will we?

No, New York (and, in this case, the rest of the nation) now has a newer and juicier topic for sports talk radio consumption: Alex Rodriguez allegedly testing positive for steroids.

According to this Sports Illustrated story, A-Rod tested positive for 'roids in 2003 when he won both the home run title and MVP honors. This has come as a shock to the baseball world, as A-Rod was considered to be "clean," a player that could (and would) and break Barry Bonds's tainted home run record; he would be the man to remove the asterisk from the most hallowed record in all of sports.

But why is this a shock? In this day and age, why should we ever be shocked when we learn someone has been using steroids? Here's a better question: why wasn't Rodriguez suspected of using steroids before?

The sad thing is, I want to be disgusted by all of this, yet I'm not. I'm numb to steroid allegations at this point. Daily News columnist Bill Madden thinks this cost A-Rod his ticket to Cooperstown. But I'm not sure if a blanket rule of "if you did or were suspected of using steroids, you're not getting my vote for the Hall" is fair. For starters, we don't know how long Rodriquez used steroids. (Was it a week? A month? A year? Multiple years? The majority of his career?) And if everybody was using steroids during this era, then will the writers refuse to elect anyone to the Hall until we know for certain the game is clean? And how exactly will we come to that conclusion?

Funny, maybe Torre was onto something in his book. You know, the part about A-Rod being called "A-Fraud."

2009-02-05T23:50:00.002-05:00

Programming note: I am exploring ways to "spice up" the blog. The format, as it has been, will most likely cease to exist. In its place will be more commentary and less "recapping" since you can do that for yourself by checking out the constantly-updating RSS feeds to the right of the page. (Lazy bums.) Any suggestions? Respond to the post below.

Be on the lookout in the coming days ...

2009-02-03T08:48:00.006-05:00

18 after the first quarter. 34 at halftime. 46 after three. And when it was all said and done, Kobe Bryant dropped a Garden-record 61 points on the Knicks in the Lakers' 126-117 win Monday night. (Amazing to think he broke Bernard King's record; one would almost assume MJ held the record. Or maybe Reggie Miller.)

Mitch Lawrence on Kobe's performance.

No Citi Field for Citigroup? Maybe. Citi's exploring backing out of their deal with the Mets, according to The Wall Street Journal. (Thank God! That stadium would have been cursed with that name ...)

The Mets get their pitcher ... and it's the guy they already had. Oliver Perez will be back in Queens, agreeing to a three-year, $36 million deal.

This would be our lead story just about any other day (and one could argue it should have been) ... Roger Clemens's DNA has been linked to the syringes provided by former personal trainer Brian McNamee, according to The Washington Post. If these tests hold up, there will finally be concrete proof that Clemens used performance-enhancing drugs.

A Rangers' great will be honored tonight.

2009-02-02T00:20:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, I had a hard time getting up for this year's Super Bowl. But damn, that was a good game! Santonio Holmes earned his MVP honor, as the Steelers topped the Cardinals, 27-23.

Now if you watched the 85 hours of pregame coverage, you may have heard what Peter King said about Brett Favre and his future with the Jets. King reported that Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum told Favre this week that he shouldn't "rush" his decision as to whether or not to return and that there is no timetable for a decision. Well, either King made everything up or the Jets are in serious spin mode. My guess? Spin mode.

Dwayne Wade cool with Stephon Marbury in a Heat uni.

Vince Carter expects to be ready to go Tuesday when Richard Jefferson returns to Jersey.

St. John's improved to 3-6 in the Big East after a 65-48 win over South Florida.

2009-02-01T00:04:00.007-05:00

We'll get to the recaps and stuff in a moment, but first ... take a moment to read Wayne Coffey's feature on Dan Hurley. It's an interesting read. (And there's no mention of Joe Torre! Hooray!)

Okay, moving on ...

The Knicks won again, topping the Pacers, 122-113. That's now three straight wins and eight wins in their last 11 games. Al Harrington dropped 31 points and David Lee had yet another double-double with 23 points and 17 boards (okay, how is this guy not an all-star?).

The Nets also won, 85-83 over the Sixers, but Vince Carter goes down with a right ankle sprain.

The Rangers fell in a tough one to the first-place Bruins, 1-0.

Would you believe the Islanders now have a three-game winning streak? Yup. The Panthers were the Isles' latest victims, 3-1.

Rutgers is winless no more in Big East play, as they topped DePaul Saturday, 75-56.

And finally ... some loyal Mets' fans say a last goodbye to Shea Stadium.

2009-01-31T11:10:00.007-05:00

Finally, Joe Torre speaks about his new book. Torre gave his first interview to Larry King on CNN last night. (Read the transcript here.)

In other Yankees-related news ... we may finally learn the truth about Roger Clemens and steroids. And Jason Giambi is expected to be summoned in Barry Bonds' upcoming perjury trial.

So, what's in a name? A lot ... if you're a financial institution receiving federal aid and paying millions for naming rights to a new stadium. Two congressmen want Citigroup to drop its 20-year, $400 million naming rights deal with the Mets to call the team's new stadium Citi Field. Newsday's Wallace Matthews couldn't agree more.

LeBron and D-Wade in Knicks uniforms in 2010?

Nets continue their struggles, this time falling to the Hawks, 105-88.

Jamie Langenbrunner did it again. The right-winger scored the game-tying and game-winning goals for the Devils, as they beat the Penguins 4-3 in OT. That's now eight-straight wins for New Jersey.

Bernard Lagat owns the Millrose Games.

2009-01-30T00:18:00.008-05:00

In today's episode of "As the Torre Turns" ... David Wells tells Michael Kay he wants to go LL Cool J on Mr. T (Listen here). And Torre's book may lead to a future confidentiality clause for the Yankees.

Eli Manning discredits Amani Toomer.

David Lee, the Knicks' double-double machine, is not an All-Star. However, Nets' point guard Devin Harris is.

The Devils continue to roll. Jamie Langenbrunner's OT goal gave New Jersey a 4-3 win over the Bruins Thursday, running the Devils' win streak to seven games.

Oh my goodness, what do we have here? Yes, an Islanders' win streak! Two in a row now for the Isles, as they topped the Thrashers, 5-4.

And in a Big East battle of Jersey teams, Seton Hall knocked off Rutgers, 70-67. Jeremy Hazell led the Pirates with 35 points.

2009-01-29T08:54:00.008-05:00

So, did you hear Joe Torre has co-penned a book on his time as Yankees' manager? (Yes, that was sarcasm. If you were not aware of this, then this is not the blog for you. Go try this one on for size.)

Look, I'm all for Torre telling it like it is, but dude, wait till you're retired! As you can expect, the Yankees are not happy -- even if they're not commenting publicly. (This is as close as you're going to get. For now.)

On to basketball ... and hey, break up the Knicks! Their 112-104 win over the Hawks was their fifth straight at home and their seventh win in their last 10 games overall. Nate Robinson went bonkers, dropping 20 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter. Also, Wilson Chandler will represent the Knicks All-Star weekend in the Rookie Challenge game.

As for the Nets ... rough night at Izod Center. Devin Harris missed a wide-open shot at the buzzer, as the Nets fell to the Raptors, 107-106. On the bright side, Brook Lopez will square off against Chandler in the Rookie Challenge.

Tough night as well for the Rangers ... the Blueshirts get blown out by the Penguins, 6-2.

As you could imagine, Amani Toomer's not happy he won't be back with the Giants next season.

Rex Ryan continues to fill out his staff, bringing on Henry Ellard as receivers coach and keeping former defensive coordinator Bob Sutton around ... as senior defensive assistant/linebackers.

St. John's loses to West Virginia, 75-52.

2009-01-23T10:30:00.002-05:00

When you're a staff of one ... and you have something big on your plate ... well, you shut down for a few days. I'll be back next week. In the meantime, keep up-to-date with all that's going on by checking out the RSS feeds to the right.

2009-01-22T00:00:00.009-05:00

If Rex Ryan's introductory news conference were a movie, he'd have earned four stars for his performance. A sampling:

* New coach Rex Ryan has a message for the NFL: 'The Jets are coming' (Daily News)

* Jets Begin Ryan Era With High Hopes (Times)

* How Rex Answered Our Questions (Post)

* Jets' Ryan could be blend of his dad and Parcells (Newsday)

This could get interesting ... Both the Mets and the Yankees are after the same pitcher: Freddy Garcia.

Mike D'Antoni got revenge over his former team, as the Knicks beat the Suns, 114-109. It's the Knicks' fourth win in their last six games.

Talk about teams going in opposite directions ... Nets lose their fourth straight, 102-92 to the Hornets.

At least one team knows how to win in Jersey, as the Devils enter the all-star break atop the Atlantic Division after a 5-2 over Montreal.

Amazingly, the Islanders won their first game of '09, beating the Ducks, 2-1.

But that's not the most amazing, shocking, unbelievable win of the night. No, that title clearly goes to the young men of NJIT, as they snapped a 51-game losing streak by beating Bryant University, 61-51.

2009-01-21T10:32:00.006-05:00

After listening to Rex Ryan's introductory news conference on the radio, I'm wishing training camp started today. Seriously, this guy is good. Funny, smart, dynamic ... he seems like the total package and, more importantly, the anti-Mangini. Some highlights:

* Mike Pettine will be the Jets' defensive coordinator. Pettine was the Ravens' outside linebackers coach last season.

* This Jets defense (and team, as a whole), will be far different from what we saw under Mangini. "Aggressive" was a word Ryan often used. “The message to the rest of the league is, ‘hey, the Jets are coming,’” said Ryan. “We want to be known as the most physical football team in the NFL.” (Swagger, anyone?)

* Plenty of questions were thrown Ryan's way regarding Brett Favre. He did a good job of dodging those questions before finally admitting he's not ready to answer whether or not Favre should be back next season. But he did give somewhat of an endorsement to Favre returning, saying, “My point right now is that anybody would want Brett Favre to be their quarterback. Not just me, anybody.”

* Ryan also didn't go as far as saying Brian Schottenheimer has the final say as to whether he returns as offensive coordinator, but he did praise Schottenheimer and seemed to want him to stay on. “I would be doing myself a disservice by not talking to him and seeing if he wants to be a part of this Jets family,” said Ryan.

2009-01-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

Tuesday was a slow sports day/night for New York standards ...

The Rangers moved a point ahead of the idle Devils for first in the Atlantic Division with a 4-2 win over the Ducks.

More good news for the Isles (sniff, sniff ... what's that I smell? Yes, sarcasm!): Rick DiPietro is done for the season. As for that rumored Islanders' move to KC ... Newsday's John Jeansonne says not so fast.

Xavier Nady and Melky Cabrera will be back with the Yankees.

Over in Queens, Ryan Church and Angel Pagan avoided arbitration.

2009-01-20T00:01:00.001-05:00

It's official: Rex Ryan is the New York Jets' new head coach. As a Jets' fan, I like the move. He seems like the anti-Mangini, which is cool with me. He's fiery, has a swagger, his players swear by him and he's a "mad scientist" when it comes to defensive schemes. My only question has to do with the offense (and I'm not even going down the Favre road ... at least not yet). If Brian Schottenheimer leaves his post as offensive coordinator, word has it Ryan will replace him with Ravens' QB coach Hue Jackson. Now I don't know much about Jackson. I know he did wonders with Joe Flacco. But the Ravens have never been known as an offensive juggernaut. We'll see ...

(Glauber: Will Ryan have enough firepower with Jets?)

The Giants didn't have to look far to replace Steve Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator, promoting linebackers coach Bill Sheridan.

The Knicks beat the Bulls, 102-98 in their MLK day matinee. Meanwhile, Chris Duhon turned down Obama for ... practice?

Brendan Shanahan scores in his debut, as the Devils topped the Predators, 3-1.

Big surprise, the Islanders dropped another one, this time to the Caps, 2-1. That's now eight straight losses for the Isles.

Mets sign Sanchez, Reed.

2009-01-19T00:56:00.004-05:00

Okay, so explain to me how the Arizona Cardinals went from ...

To ...

Anyway, now that we have the Cards and the Steelers in the Super Bowl, it looks as though the Ravens' loss is set to be the Jets' gain.

2009-01-18T08:54:00.007-05:00

The Giants lost their defensive coordinator and the Jets lost a head coaching candidate when Steve Spagnuolo took the Rams' vacant head coaching position Saturday. This seems to clear the way for the Jets to hire Rex Ryan. Meanwhile, the Giants may be on the verge of losing their offensive coordinator, as well.

The Knicks couldn't keep up with the Sixers at the Garden last night, falling 107-97. But the real story was the return of rookie Danilo Gallinari. Despite plenty of rust, the reviews have been favorable.

As for the Nets ... their 20-point loss to the Celtics ticked off Lawrence Frank so much that he decided to bench his two best players, Vince Carter and Devin Harris, for the entire second half.

The Islanders lost a goalie and a game; Devils 3, Isles 1.

2009-01-17T00:10:00.009-05:00

Just to let you people know how dedicated I am, I'm sporting a winter coat indoors as I write this. Yes, that's how cold it is in my apartment. A busted pipe and sub-zero temps outside will do that to ya. Okay, moving forward ...

Gruden's out in Tampa. The Jets aren't saying anything as to whether Gruden will be a candidate for their opening at this point. Chucky's at least worth a look, isn't he?

The Giants lose an assistant ... and it's not "Spags."

The Knicks kissed their winning streak buh-bye, as the Wiz (the Wiz!) beat NY in the Garden, 96-89.

The Islanders are once again relevant, but not for the right reasons. With talk of the team leaving Long Island heating up after they agreed to play an exhibition in Kansas City, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman went on record as saying the Isles need a new arena. Meanwhile, the Isles are moving one thing: their training camp.

The Devils beat Columbus, 2-1, on a controversial goal. See for yourself below:

Rangers beat the Blackhawks, 3-2 in OT.

The Yankees and Mets get more in tax-free bonds for their news stadiums.

Also ... the Yanks are looking to move Nick Swisher or Xavier Nady.

Brian McNamee met with federal investigators to talk about whether Roger Clemens should be charged with perjury. Oh, and don't expect the Rocket to receive a pardon.

2009-01-16T08:25:00.007-05:00

Sports took a backseat yesterday to the "Miracle on the Hudson River." Since I'm still TV-less, I watched the news stream on WABC's website as information trickled in. And one of my great media theories proved to be right once again -- sports journalists are great at covering breaking news.

When a story of this magnitude hits, it's all hands on deck. That means if you're a sports reporter, you become a news reporter for a day (I know, I've been there). WABC had Jessica Taff on the scene. Anchor Diana Williams tossed to Taff for what Williams thought was going to be a one-on-one phone interview with one of the survivors. Instead, the survivor was mobbed by the media horde. Taff stuck her phone into the crowd to get the sound over the air and the crew back at the station did a good job of adjusting to the situation.

It was after that interview that Taff showed why sports journalists are so good in these situations. Like a good radio play-by-play person, she painted a picture for us with her words, told us what we couldn't see and gave viewers a sense of how this man was feeling.

Now, for full disclosure's sake, Taff is a friend of mine. However, I bring this up not to cheerlead a friend, but to prove a point. Remember Al Michaels during '89 San Fran earthquake? He won a News Emmy for his work during that catastrophe. I didn't get to see how the other stations covered the crash yesterday, but I'm sure the Len Bermans and Sam Ryans of the world would have been great in that spot, as well.

Transitioning to sports news ... Vince Carter saw the crash.

And the Nets? It's tempting to do a little "crash" play on words here, but I will take the high road. Blazers 105, Nets 99.

It's clear Rex Ryan is the frontrunner for the Jets gig (he's really growing on me; seems like the anti-Mangini). But "Spags" isn't out of the running ... he met with Woody Johnson earlier this week.

College hoops ... UCONN 67, St. John's 55.

The Isles fell to Boston, 2-1. Highlights below:

Also related ... could the Isles be testing the waters ... in Kansas City?

It's official: Shanahan is a Devil again.

And finally ... the Rangers will be bonding with their dads this weekend.

2009-01-15T08:08:00.008-05:00

Holy cow, stop the presses ... the Knicks have themselves a winning streak. David Lee goes for 30 and 10 in the Knicks' 128-122 win over the Wizards.

Nets, on the other had, get clobbered by the Celtics, 118-86.

Oh boy, Plax news! Yay! ... First, there's Tom Coughlin saying he's not ready to endorse a Plax return the Giants next season. Then, there's the possibility that Plax could be in more legal trouble. On the bright side, Plax gets out of some other legal trouble.

Both Giants' coordinators have interviews for head coaching gigs today; Steve Spagnuolo with the Rams and Kevin Gilbride with the Raiders.

Political posturing with the new Yankee Stadium?

Johan Santana's still not sure if he'll play in the WBC, but he does know one thing: Santana wants Perez back. Meanwhile, Alex Cora will be a Met.

College hoops ... the 'Cuse get schooled by Georgetown, 88-74 and Rutgers loses to Cincy, 71-59.

2009-01-14T11:24:00.006-05:00

The Daily News is reporting that Rex Ryan is now the leading candidate to coach the Jets next season. As a Jets' fan, I'd be okay with Ryan. However, I sure as heck wouldn't be cool with Brian Schottenheimer.

$120 million for Eli Manning?

Speaking of hefty pricetags ... what's up with Yankee Stadium?

I don't know if I agree with this Post headline: "Mets' Offseason Foundering As The Braves Swipe Veteran." Why? Because the Mets refused to overpay for Derek Lowe? Granted, I'd rather have Lowe than Oliver Perez, but not for what he got at his advanced age.

Hockey: Rangers beat the Isles, 2-1.

2009-01-13T08:44:00.009-05:00

The Giants cleaned out their lockers on Monday, collectively facing the media one last time. Highlights (or lowlights, depending on your perspective):

* Manning and Mates Say Give Plax Second Shot
* Derrick Ward Blue Over Likely Farewell
* Amani Toomer Avoids Media
* "Spags" The G-Men's "Head Coach-In-Waiting"?
*Pierce Not Taking Blame For Burress Mess (WFAN audio)

As for the Jets ... Rex Ryan is a name we're hearing a lot more of as their coaching search continues.

News of the weird ... okay, where do I go with this one? Oh, what the heck, I'll just play it straight: Knicks' Curry accused of soliciting gay sex from his former driver, asking him to "come and touch it." On the court, the Knicks ended a three-game losing streak, upsetting the Hornets, 101-95.

Brook Lopez dropped a career-high 31 points as the Nets topped the Thunder (that's Oklahoma City for those who are uninformed), 103-99 in OT.

Baseball ... it doesn't seem the Mets are going to land Derek Lowe afterall, possibly losing him to the Braves (gulp). Now the focus is shifting to resigning Oliver Perez.

Hey, I heard Rickey Henderson said that Rickey Henderson is now a Hall of Famer.

The Baracklyn Cyclones? Gotta love minor league baseball.

2009-01-12T11:03:00.004-05:00

As a Jets fan, I'm happy today. Well, happy and disappointed. First the happy part. For at least a couple of days, no one will be talking about the joke that is the Jets. Instead, it's the Giants who now have a ton of questions to answer after (cough, cough) choking away their season to the Eagles, 23-11 yesterday.

First, what on earth happened to Eli Manning? Second, did Tom Coughlin and Kevin Gilbride lose their minds? Third -- and you knew this was coming -- would this team still be playing if Plaxico Burress hadn't shot himself in the leg?

Now I did not see the game, so I'm going to refrain from analysis. "What?" you ask, why did I not see the game? Excellent question!

Because my wife dragged me to Ikea.

"But Rob," you say, "you didn't have to go! You could have stayed home and watched the game!" The answer to that would be, well, no. For one, I would have gotten the 'it's not your team, so what do you care?' argument which, while flawed, is bulletproof to my wife. And second ... I don't currently have a TV in our new apartment. However, I figured a furniture store like Ikea would have to have a TV somewhere inside, right? And this is where I outsmarted myself.

I thought I could appease my wife by going with her to Ikea. Once there, I would pretend to be helpful by, say, scouting barstools or measuring the width of an armoire ... which would conveniently be nowhere near where we were at the time. Essentially, I'd ditch her. I'd find a TV somewhere in the showroom (HD, flatscreen, over 47" preferably) and watch the game. Being that she was in Ikea, it would take her a few hours to even notice I wasn't by her side. And when she did? "Oh, I'm sorry baby, my cell phone wasn't getting any reception!" (I know, brilliant. Thank you, I appreciate it.)

But damn those Swedes! They're too busy with their stylish-yet-inexpensive furniture and marinara-less meatballs to even notice there's a football game going on. And my wife did spend hours in Ikea. With me by her side. By the time we returned home, it was the second quarter of the Chargers-Steelers game ...

Now I said earlier that I'm also feeling disappointed. I'm disappointed -- no, check that, disgusted -- because watching these playoffs unfold, the Jets truly did blow it. The Arizona Cardinals (Cardinals!) are in the final four. Remember what the Jets did to them? This could have been their year. There's not a single team left that, when the Jets were 8-3, would have scared me, with the possible exception of the Steelers.

And this is why the Jets need to hit a home run in this coaching search. The difference in talent between most NFL teams is negligible. In no professional sport does the head coach make more of a difference in wins and losses than football. Period. Get a good coach and you'll go places. Simple as that.

I'm Back!

2009-01-12T11:01:00.001-05:00

After a short hiatus to deal with some personal "stuff" ... I'm back and I'm feeling, well, I'll let Larry tell you.

2008-12-31T08:39:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year! ... Now, with Bill Cowher out of the running, one can only hope the Jets land Mike Shanahan.

Anyway, I'm dealing with some "stuff," so we will be on a holiday break until further notice.

2008-12-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

How do you like your Mangini pink slip 4-1-1 served?
* Times
* Daily News
* Post
* Newsday
* Star-Ledger

Then there's the opinion pieces and side stories ...

* Rhoden: Jets, Stung by Loss, Are Hit With Mangini's Firing
* Mangini ... doing TV? HA!
* Myers: Jets Need Cowher
* More Cowher (or Billick)
* Glauber: Esiason thinks Cowher could be enticed by Jets
* Jets want Favre back. (Really? Seriously?)

Believe it or not, there were other stories Monday ...

Rutgers beat NC State, 29-23, to win the Papajohns.com Bowl.

The Rangers topped the Isles, 5-4.

The Nets fell to the Bulls, 100-87. NJ's now 5-12 at home.

The Mets are interested in Andruw Jones???

Hey, "Mangenius" ...

2008-12-29T23:29:00.001-05:00

You're fired!

2008-12-28T20:29:00.007-05:00

C'mon, admit it. When you saw Brett Favre fall awkwardly on his throwing arm after gift-wrapping that pick-six in the second quarter of the Jets' 24-17 loss to the Dolphins, you were hoping he was injured and wouldn't return to the ballgame. That, like an aging, ill dog, he would be put to sleep and the misery (for all of us) would finally end.

Instead, Favre played on. But the Jets won't. Even if they had won the ballgame, it wouldn't have mattered, as Baltimore beat the Jaguars to clinch the AFC's last playoff spot. (If you're looking for a silver lining, at least the Pats didn't make the playoffs.)

Favre completed just half his passes, throwing for one touchdown against three picks. The 39 year old finished the season with two touchdown passes and nine interceptions in his last five ballgames. Now, let's just hope that's how he finished his career.

Seriously. Watching the Jets this month has been an exercise in the cruelest kind of torture. Everytime Favre dropped back to pass, I held my breath. The wheels -- or in this case, the arm -- had come off. And I have to wonder ... why wasn't Kellen Clemens given a shot?

Yes, I know Favre's the soon-to-be Hall of Famer and Clemens is, well, Kellen Clemens. I know everyone was hoping -- praying -- that Favre would regain his mojo at some point in December. But as the weeks passed, it became obvious that this man had lost "it," and "it" wasn't coming back. He was what he was: a 39 year old playing a young man's game; a gunslinger carrying a starter's pistol into a shootout. And he even hinted he may have been playing hurt. Really, what did the Jets have to lose? I'm just throwing it out there.

Now I'm not going to say the Jets made the wrong decision by bringing Favre in and getting rid of Chad Pennington. Jets fans were tired of Pennington's tired arm and I believe Chad benefited from the change of scenery. Favre was worth the risk. But you have to know when to pull the plug.

Favre needs to retire and stay retired. I don't care what his MRI says on Monday. (And honestly, if he has been playing hurt all these weeks, wasn't that pretty selfish of him to keep playing and not get his shoulder checked out?)

Also, Eric Mangini needs to be shown the door. This collapse was inexcusable. At the very least, Schottenheimer and Sutton should not be brought back. The offense became unbelievably predictable and the defense played soft down the stretch.

Okay, enough about the Jets. Thank you for letting me vent.

The Giants lose to the Vikings, 20-19, in a game that doesn't really matter for the G-Men.

The Knicks shuffle their starting lineup, but still fall to the Nuggets, 117-110.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-24T23:40:00.001-05:00

I have been forced to take a sabbatical of sorts from this blog while I visit the in-laws for Christmas. (Don't worry, it sounds worse than it is. My in-laws are actually very nice people.) I'm sure I'll be back Sunday to rip the Jets a new one and ponder what went wrong. In the meantime, just remember: "It's a major award!"

2008-12-24T17:24:00.002-05:00

A 9-mm handgun. A .30-06-caliber rifle. Ammunition. The bloody pants. This was just some of the lovely loot police seized when they searched Plaxico Burress' home Wednesday.

Now that the Jets' season is (all too quickly) coming to an end ... let the Brett Favre retirement questions begin.

The Mets may still be a player in the free agent market.

2008-12-24T00:20:00.000-05:00

Is it fair that the Yankees were able to land Mark Teixiera for eight years and $180 million after signing CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett for a combined $243 million? No, probably not. But they are, after all, the Yankees. So they can afford things like luxury taxes. On the bright side, the big spending won't affect ticket prices -- at least not early on.

David Wright will play for the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic this March.

Devin Harris hit a buzzer-beater to give the Nets a 108-107 win at Indiana. Vince Carter broke out of his mini-slump to score 38 points. The Nets are now 9-4 on the road this season.

Eddy Curry is nearing a return to the court for the Knicks.

The Rangers blew a 4-0 lead to Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals, falling 5-4 in OT.

The Islanders continued their longest slide in over a decade (0-9-1 in their last 10 games) ... 4-2 losers to the Thrashers.

And a winning streak comes to an end ... the Devils have their three-gamer snapped, 2-0 against the Bruins.

2008-12-23T15:41:00.002-05:00

Okay, I'm not a fan of this term, but I'm going to use it anyway ...

BREAKING NEWS!!!

Mark Teixeira will be a New York Yankee. (New York Times.)

2008-12-23T13:35:00.001-05:00

Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis was fined $10,000 by the NFL today for doing what your kids do every time it snows. The offense takes place about 35 seconds into the video.

2008-12-23T01:00:00.001-05:00

Of all the stories to lead with today, this shouldn't be it ... however, it's not often I can say my alma mater beat a (technically speaking) Big East team: James Madison 70, Seton Hall 64 (Go Dukes!!!)

Okay, now on to the news of the day.

Is Eric Mangini's job in jeopardy? Only time will tell. But Mangini and his Jets' players aren't worried about that right now. Instead, they're (cliche alert) worried about their next (and probably last) game of the season against Miami (kickoff for Sunday's game has been moved to 4:15).

Meanwhile, Giants' fans are riding high after clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. But the G-men don't plan on taking it easy this weekend in a game they don't need to win against the Vikings. And if you thought Plaxico Burress had faded to the background, think again.

The Nets lost to the Rockets, 114-91. But the story -- at least in China -- wasn't the two teams, but two players: Yao vs. Yi. The loss dropped the Nets to a game under .500 for the season (13-14). As for Yi ... he may not be who he says he is. (I didn't know he was a gymnast!)

And your daily Yankees update: Hal says the Yanks are not on the verge of signing Manny Ramirez. Derek Jeter doesn't think the Yankees need Manny Ramirez. And the club avoids arbitration with Chien-Ming Wang.

2008-12-22T00:01:00.003-05:00

The Giants clinched home-field advantage with a huge 34-28 OT win over the Panthers. The G-men rushed for a whopping 301 yards, including 215 by Derrick Ward.

As for the Jets ... well, I think I made my feelings on their 13-3 loss to the Seahawks known in the video portion of the post below. Turns out the players are also questioning Mangini. And I'm not the only one who thinks he should be shown the door. Now, for the Jets to make the playoffs, they need a win against Chad Pennington and the Dolphins Sunday, plus a Buffalo win over New England or a Jacksonville win over Baltimore.

The Knicks lost to the Celtics, 124-105. Boston tied a franchise record with its 18th-straight win and tied an NBA record for best start by a team with two losses (26-2).

The Devils beat the Flyers, 3-2 in a shootout. That's now three straight wins for Jersey.

No Holiday Festival win for St. John's ... Virginia Tech topped the Red Storm, 81-67 in the championship game in front of -- ready for this -- just 2,043 fans at the Garden.

2008-12-21T20:00:00.003-05:00

The Jets failed to show up. Again. 13-3 losers to the Seahawks. Essentially, their season is over. And as a lifelong Jets' fan, I'm not exactly happy about this. Consider this a "special commentary":

2008-12-21T00:10:00.009-05:00

So, you know how the Knicks retooled their roster to make cap room for LeBron James in 2010? Well ... what if I told you King James may never make it to free agency? LeBron told the Cleveland Plain Dealer he would consider signing an extension with the Cavs this summer. Oh boy ...

For a second night in a row, someone went for 40+ in Jersey. But this time, it wasn't a Net. Dwayne Wade dropped 43 points, as the Heat topped the Nets, 106-103.

The Daily News is reporting Manny Ramirez expects at least a three-year offer from the Yankees. (Let the Manny debate begin ... or continue.)

The Jets hope to avoid going 0-4 on the West Coast when they take on Seattle today.

For the Giants, it's a battle for NFC supremacy against the Panthers.

In college hoops ... a big day for the Big East Saturday ... St. John's, Rutgers, Syracuse and UConn all winners (the last two beat ranked teams). But the upset bug bites Seton Hall.

Hockey ... the Islanders lost top scorer Doug Weight and yet another game, 1-0 to Nashville.

The Rangers lost to the league-leading Sharks, 3-2.

2008-12-20T00:01:00.003-05:00

"Thank You, Cuban!"

That's what Nets fans chanted as Devin Harris torched his old team for 41 points and 13 assists, as the Nets blew out the Mavs, 121-97. Jason Kidd wasn't half bad against his old team, dropping 17 points and dishing out 7 assists.

As for the Knicks ... that's another story altogether. The snowy weather kept Al Harrington from showing up on time. One look at the final score says the Knicks didn't show up at all: Bucks 105, Knicks 81. And to think, the last time these two teams played -- almost a month ago -- Stephon Marbury became the story.

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Andy Pettitte returning to the Yankees is "virtually inevitable."

Big game for the G-men this weekend against the Panthers ... but will Brandon Jacobs play? Or won't he?

On the ice ... Patrik Elias had two goals and two assists, as the Devils beat the Senators, 5-1.

And tough night for the Isles ... they fell to the Wild, 4-1, giving up three goals in the final period. That's now eight straight games without a win (0-7-1), but who's counting? (Oh wait, I guess I am.) They also lost defenseman Andy Sutton to a broken foot in the first period.

Speaking of injuries ... tough break for St. John's this weekend.

2008-12-19T00:20:00.004-05:00

First Sabathia. Then Burnett. Now the question is ... will the Yankees' spending spree continue?

With the Mike Cameron trade now officially dead, does this open the door for the Yanks to go after Manny Ramirez? Oh, and now the Red Sox are claiming they are "not going to be a factor" in the Mark Teixiera sweepstakes. Could the Bombers be involved here, as well? Stay tuned ...

The welcome mat was rolled out for Mats Sundin ... in Vancouver. Sundin turns down the Rangers and signs with the Canucks, accepting their offer of two years for $20 million.

In Jets news ... the team names Thomas Jones its MVP. Hard to argue that one. Meanwhile, Brett Favre's workload in practice has been scaled back. Is this a result of old age? A long December? According to Eric Mangini, it's nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.

2008-12-18T13:29:00.006-05:00

The Yankees introduced CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to the media, in what may be the last news conference held at the old Yankee Stadium.

At one point, Sabathia was asked about dealing with the massive number of reporters who cover the Yankees, a phenomenon like no other. The reporter asking the question referenced the fact that many players have come before Sabathia and said the right things at their introductory news conferences, only to crumble under the immense spotlight. Sabathia seemed at ease with the question and, really, the entire affair from what I saw. He was comfortable and confident, exactly what you want from a number one starter.

Then Burnett took the mic.

Quite frankly, A.J. seemed nervous and overwhelmed by the moment. When asked a similar question, Burnett responded by saying, "I think I'll fit right in." It was a good answer and the crowd chuckled. If you read a transcript of the Q and A, Burnett said all the right things. But the tremble in his voice and hesitation in his delivery of those words told me something else.

New York is not for everyone.

Related: Sabathia's "all-in."

Meanwhile, is the Cameron-Cabrera deal dead?

And a little overshadowed today ... the Mets introduced their setup man. (FYI - in case you were wondering, his last name is pronounced "puts," not "putts.")

2008-12-18T00:26:00.003-05:00

I'm calling an audible ... an audible audible. Today's information comes via webcast.

2008-12-17T11:20:00.004-05:00

Francisco Rodriguez news conference recap:

It turns out the pressure on Omar Minaya to sign Fracisco Rodriguez wasn't just coming from Mets fans. It was coming from his own family.

"Daddy, you gonna get K-Rod?" the Mets' general manager was asked by his sons.

As we know by now, Minaya got K-Rod. And today, the major league record-holder for most saves in a season took the podium in Long Island City for his introductory news conference.

Sporting his new #75 Mets jersey over a pinstriped suit vest, Rodriguez said he has always wanted to play in New York and cited the "atmosphere" and "passion" that Mets fans bring to the ballpark as reasons why. He doesn't think it will be difficult to adjust to living in New York ... except for that pesky cold weather.

K-Rod said he was aware of the team's bullpen woes from last season, adding that he was "here to help them get where they need to be," the playoffs. Minaya also acknowledged last year's inability to close out games, saying that signing Rodriguez was their "number one priority."

If not for his sons, then for Mets fans. With K-Rod in the fold, another September swoon is unacceptable.

2008-12-17T00:16:00.013-05:00

Oh, the Knicks had a shot (a damn good shot) to knock off the Lakers in LA. Instead, they waste a 33-point effort from Nate Robinson ... the Lakers beat the Knicks, 116-114. Stephon Marbury -- remember him? -- bought a ticket.

Manny a Yankee? The Daily News has some conflicting sources on this one.
(Harper: Yanks should go for it.)

As for the team's two big signees ... Sabathia and Burnett are "getting physical."

Newsday says the Mets want Oliver Perez back, but Derek Lowe would do.

In football news ... the Jets and Giants combine to send 13 players to the Pro Bowl.

The Jets lead the NFL with seven Pro Bowlers. Thomas Jones is one of three Jets who will start the game. It's well deserved. But Brett Favre? He sure hasn't looked like a Pro Bowler of late. (NYT: From Baghdad, Watching Favre Evokes Memories)

The Giants land six on the Pro Bowl roster, but Brandon Jacobs isn't one of them. However, Jacobs made news Tuesday.

On the ice ... The Rangers top Anaheim, 3-1. However, the Isles fall to the Caps, 5-4 in OT. And the Devils drop one against Toronto, 3-2 in a shootout.

2008-12-16T10:22:00.001-05:00

Here's the buzzer-beating, 60-foot heave that beat the 'Cuse. Unbelievable.

2008-12-16T00:19:00.008-05:00

1. Mike D'Antoni got a standing ovation in his return to Phoenix, but the Suns weren't hospitable guests. The Knicks fell to Phoenix, 111-103. Nate Robinson scored 27 in his second game back from a groin injury.

Now I've always thought Mike D'Antoni didn't get enough credit as a coach because, quite frankly, what was Steve Nash before D'Antoni arrived in Phoenix? A good player? Yes. An MVP? Heck no.

Moving along ...

2. While D'Antoni was cheered, Vince Carter was booed in his old stomping grounds of Toronto. But Cater and the Nets had the last laugh, as they beat the Raptors, 94-87.

3. In "Hot Stove" news ... the Phils re-signed 108-year-old Jamie Moyer ... while the Mets show interest in Randy Wolf.

4. The Daily News says the Yanks wouldn't mind Manny ... but on the cheap. Mark Texiera, meanwhile, seems to be a lost cause with all the $$$ the Red Sox are willing to throw his way.

5. Syracuse loses on a 60-footer at the buzzer ... you have got to see this!

2008-12-15T00:25:00.002-05:00

J-E-T-S ... Jets, Jets, JETS!

Gang Green beats the Bills, 31-27 to snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 9-5. The Jets keep pace with the Dolphins and Patriots in the AFC East. Shaun Ellis, the longest-tenured Jet, saved his team's season by miraculously scooping up a fumble and returning it for the game-winning TD. Meanwhile, William C. Rhoden wants to know: Has Favre been worth it? And not to be overlooked ... a record-setting day for Thomas Jones.

Then there's the G-Men ...

The Giants lose a second-straight game, 20-8 to -- of all teams -- the Cowboys. It's the team's first losing streak of the season, dropping them to 11-3. Eli Manning is sacked eight times. Now, next week's game with the Panthers is HUGE!

In other Giants' news ... Corey Webster signs an extension.

2008-12-14T09:59:00.004-05:00

1. There were not one, but two James sightings in Sacramento, as the Knicks improved to 11-12 with a 114-90 win over the Kings.

2. Nets lose third straight. This time the Bulls get the best of them, 113-104. Vice Carter got his groove back, however, dropping 39 points.

3. Yankees not done? Post is reporting Mark Texiera and -- yes -- Manny Ramirez are on their radar. And if you're looking for a good Mets read, check out this story on K-Rod.

On the ice ...

4. Rangers beat Carolina, 3-2 with Mats Sundin in the audience.

5. The Devils have their four-game win streak snapped, 4-2 to the Sabres.

6. And make it six straight losses for the Isles, as they fall to Columbus 3-1.

Oh, and in case you were wondering ... your Heisman winner was ... (drum roll, please) ... Sam Bradford.

2008-12-13T11:30:00.005-05:00

Having internet issues, so today's update is shorter than usual ...

1. Nets lose an ugly one at home to the Raptors, 101-79. Vince Carter had just three points -- all from the FT line.

2. Devils beat up on the Rangers, 8-5.

3. St. John's soccer eliminated from NCAA semifinals by Maryland, 1-0.

4. Plax speaks.

2008-12-12T17:00:00.003-05:00

Another day, another pitcher for the Yanks. This time it's A.J. Burnett. 5 years, $82.5 million.

Bad news for the Giants: Brandon Jacobs will miss Sunday's game with the Cowboys. As for the Cowboys ... well, you can't spell "Drama" without a Big "D" ...

2008-12-12T00:06:00.000-05:00

I'm officially hating on Andy Pettitte. $10 million a year a pay cut?

1. Cashman flies to Houston to tell the hurler "take it or leave it." Pettitte made $16 million last year. If Yanks' offer isn't good enough, would Pettitte retire? Mike Cameron, meanwhile, no longer seems like a priority.

2. G-men banged up. Brandon Jacobs and Domenik Hixon both missed a second-straight day of practice Thursday. Jacobs hurt his left knee and Hixon sprained an ankle and foot against Philly last weekend.

3. Brad Smith has a concussion. And if you saw the hit the Jets' receiver took from Patrick Willis Sunday, you'd know why. But if you didn't see the hit ... click here (warning: not suitable for all audiences).

4. Penguins smoke Islanders, 9-2. Petr Sykora and Pascal Dupuis both score hat tricks. Wow.

2008-12-11T18:59:00.005-05:00

Not so fast ... The Mets may have been one of the big winners at the winter meetings, but will that translate into an NL East title? Cole Hamels had a thing or two to say on WFAN today (cough, cough).

WFAN

2008-12-11T16:11:00.004-05:00

Fans like Favre: By all accounts, Eli Manning is having a better season than Brett Favre -- higher QB rating, fewer picks and, most importantly, more wins. But don't tell that to the fans, who gave Favre the second-most votes in the Pro Bowl balloting. Manning finished third.

2008-12-11T09:54:00.005-05:00

Brian McNamee on Roger Clemens and his chances of getting in the Hall: "He's done ... There's no chance."

Uh oh ... Is J.J. Putz going to be, well, a putz?

Rosenthal: Putz packing for New York

Mike Cameron returning to NY? Not so fast.

2008-12-11T07:55:00.005-05:00

Update: It's official: Cuttino Mobley will never wear a Knicks uniform. His heart condition had gotten worse, forcing him to retire.

Mobley was lucky he was traded to the Knicks; it may have saved his life.

2008-12-11T00:47:00.005-05:00

The "Hot Stove" was on fire late Wednesday evening/Thursday morning ...

1. The Mets land Seattle closer J.J. Putz. It was a three-team deal with the Mariners and Indians. The Mets also landed reliever Sean Green and outfielder Jeremy Reed. Sent packing were Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith, Mike Carp ... and the man who made "the catch," Endy Chavez. As the New York Post points out, it wasn't long ago that Putz was a 40-save guy. Not a bad setup man to K-Rod, who passed his physical and got a tour of Citi Field Wednesday.

Can you even imagine if there's a September swoon this year?

2. As for CC ... The Yanks' deal for Sabathia: Seven years, $161 million. But will CC stay in NY for the length of the deal??? He still needs to pass a physical; reports say he won't likely take one until next week.

3. Yanks not done? Now they're going after A.J. Burnett with a five-year, $80 million offer. AND they're still interested in Lowe??? No recession in the Bronx, kids.

In other news ...

4. Quote of the day comes from Brett Favre: "I expect us to make the playoffs." Not exactly a Joe Willie guarantee, but at this point you just hope Favre can back up his expectations.

5. Knicks top the Nets, 121-109 in what was a homecoming for the Knicks' two stars of the game, Al Harrington (39 points, 13 rebounds) and Tim Thomas (26 points). Knicks improve to 10-12; Nets drop to 11-9.

6. And on the ice ... Rangers beat the Thrashers, 3-2 in OT. Scott Gomes scores the game-winner just 15 ticks into the extra session. Rangers (19-10-2) snap two-game losing skid. And the Devils win for the eighth time in nine games, 4-1 over the Penguins. Scott Clemmensen had 26 saves for New Jersey (15-8-2).

For more, check the RSS feeds at the bottom of the page.

2008-12-10T22:11:00.002-05:00

Warning - This site is in its infancy. A lot of changes will be made in the coming days and weeks. In fact, you may not recognize it from one day to the next. Please be patient with me while I "experiment" until I get it to look the way I want it to.

If you have any ideas, suggestions, or feedback ... let me know! My goal is to give New York sports fans an easy-to-digest look at the daily top stories.

2008-12-10T11:31:00.005-05:00

Here's what you need to know:

1. CC Sabathia will be a Yankee. The free agent pitcher's deal is reported to be between six and seven years and $140 and $160 million. SI.com’s Jon Heyman is also reporting the Yanks are close to a deal with Derek Lowe.

2. K-Rod is a Met. Free agent closer Francisco Rodriguez signed a three-year, $37 million deal Tuesday. K-Rod saved a major league single-season record 62 games last year.

3. Plaxico Burress backed by Union. The NFL Players' Association filed a non-injury grievance on Burress' behalf, claiming Giants' punishment was "excessive."

4. Knicks fall to Bulls, 105-100. Knicks outscored 8-3 in game's final minute to drop to 9-12. Chris Duhon had 15 points, 14 assists and 9 rebounds in his return to Chicago.

5. Islanders lose to Flyers, 4-3. Simon Gagne scored game-winning goal for Flyers. Isles drop to 10-16-2.

Make sure to check the RSS feeds at the bottom of the page for any breaking news throughout the day.