The McCareins Files: Unleashed

Like last year, the New York Jets find themselves in need of a wide receiver. Lavernaues Coles, who is still an exceptional receiver, is gone. Jerricho Cotchery is not a number one receiver. Chansi Stuckey lacks size and breakaway speed. Brad Smith could still be good, but hasn’t begun to approach his ceiling yet, and I don’t know if he ever will. And David Clowney is a perfect third receiver.

The Jets Quarterback, whoever that ends up being, needs a big time receiving threat, going forward. Acceptable selections are available through free agency, trade and the NFL Draft.

Free Agency

Antonio Bryant
6’1”, 205lbs, 27 years old
Unrestricted Free Agent (Tampa Bay)
83 rec. – 1248 yds. – 15.0 avg. – 7 tds.

Bryant had a breakout year, in 2008. That was his first season over 70 receptions, second over 1000 yards and set a career-high in touchdowns. He has a big body and can get physical with defensive backs, but also has some speed. Bryant has consistent hands and could be a number one receiver. 27 years old is pretty enticing as well. However, he is a career journeyman, which may say something about his skill or character. Bryant will probably command a high contract for a receiver with one good season, so I might avoid him for that.


TJ Houshmandzadeh
6’1”, 199lbs, 31 years old
UFA (Cincinnati)
92 rec. – 904 yds. – 9.8 avg. – 4 tds.

Houshmandzadeh fell off significantly. He declined in every receiving category from 2007 to 2008, which is most likely due to Chad Johnson’s declined performance. Ocho Cinco’s flashiness and insurmountable skill took a great amount of attention and pressure off of Houshmandzadeh. When Johnson went down, so did Housh. So if he is on the Jets, he will need someone else to step up and be a playmaker, to be able to produce, but that’s something they don’t have.

In addition to Houshmandzadeh not being a number one receiver, he is 31 years old and will want a big contract. New York should probably not touch this guy, but still, another threat could spread opposing defenses out.


Amani Toomer
6’3”, 202lbs, 34 years old
UFA (NY Giants)
48 rec. – 580 yds. – 12.1 avg. – 4 tds.

This is interesting. Toomer is solid and was probably hurt by Plaxico Burress’absence, but 34 years old is up there. Also, I don’t think he’s a number one, at this point. But if Mike Tannenbaum can convince him to sign for 1 year at a relatively low amount, I see signing Toomer as doable.


Trades

Andre Johnson
6’3”, 223lbs, 27 years old
Signed with Houston (8-year, $60 million deal in March of 2007)
115 rec. – 1575 yds. – 13.7 avg. – 8 tds.

Johnson is undoubtedly a top 5 receiver in football and arguably the best. He is coming off of his best season; doing it with Matt Schaub and Sage Rosenfels throwing to him. That’s talent. He’s has a great combination of size and speed; something every team would enjoy.

While he is reportedly being shopped by his agent, the Texans have not posted an asking price for Johnson. It would most definitely cost a team two first round picks and possibly more. For the Jets, it’s not the best move. While Johnson is incredible, why would New York spend several draft picks on him when they are not a win now team? I would hold on to the picks.

But if he did go to the Jets, I wouldn’t be mad.

Roy Williams
6’3”, 211lbs, 27 years old
Signed with Dallas (5-year, $45 million extension)
36 rec. – 480 yds. – 11.9 avg. – 2 tds. (Overall)
19 rec. – 198 yds. – 10.4 avg. – 1 td. (10 games w/Cowboys)

Right off the bat, you notice that Roy Williams has been inexplicably inconsistent. A man with that size and athleticism has no excuse to perform as streaky as Jamal Crawford. Jerry Jones has to be regretting the extension gave Williams. To only catch 19 passes in ten games is unacceptable for a starting receiver.

So why should the Jets get him? If you can trade a lower round pick – which is possible – and have the Cowboys pick up some of the money on his deal – less likely, but still possible – Williams is a no brainer. He has too much upside to pass up. He can still catch, run and jump at an above average level, which can open a lot up for Cotchery.

The last big (in terms of size) receiving threat the Jets had was Keyshawn Johnson. When he got to the Jets in 1996, he allowed Wayne Chrebet to have one of the best seasons of his career, and Jeff Graham to have a solid season.

Terrell Owens
6’3”, 218lbs, 35 years old
Signed with Dallas (4-year, $34 million deal in summer of 2008)
69 rec. – 1052 yds. – 15.2 avg. – 10 tds.

Although declining, Terrell Owens is still one of the best receivers in football. At his advanced age, he can still display his superiority; being one of the fastest, strongest and most cunning wide outs, on the field. Aside from his on-field attributes is his off-field work ethic. His teammates often describe Owens as the hardest worker on the squad. His workout regimen is unmatched; evidenced by his physique, which doesn’t look like any other 35 year old wide receiver. That drive to be better would be extremely beneficial for any team.

The one obvious knock on Owens is his attitude. He is known to be abrasive with the media, coaches and teammates, but work ethic is contagious. For that, he is priceless for any team to have. On the other hand, he is another guy who will set his sights on a big contract with years. The Jets definitely don’t want a 38 year old diva on their hands. Regardless, he is still one of the best pound-for-pound athletes, if not THE best, in the NFL

If the Jets can get him for no more than a 2nd round draft pick, Terrell Owens would be a good fit.

Chad Ocho Cinco
6’1”, 195lbs, 31 years old
Signed with Bengals (6-year, $35.5 million deal in April 2006)
53 rec. – 540 yds. – 10.2 avg. – 4 tds.

Ocho is interesting. The rumored deal for him is two 3rd round picks and a fourth, a very low asking price for a 5-time (5-time, 5-time, 5-time, 5-time) Pro Bowler who is coming off of his first bad season. Ocho Cinco deserves the benefit of the doubt. He is still one of the biggest names in the NFL, but one can’t help but wonder what he can do after he had an extremely underwhelming season in 2008.

Ocho may be due for a bounce back year, but the overriding aspect with him is his ego and outspokenness. I know Rex Ryan will run a much looser locker room than Eric Mangini did, but Ocho Cinco’s tendency to request the ball from his quarterback is not worth having on the team. With a young quarterback set to start, it would be an awful idea to subject him to Ocho Cinco, especially if the season goes awry.

Plus, Mike Tannenbaum will most likely turn those draft picks into valuable players.



Anquan Boldin
6’1”, 217lbs, 28 years old
Signed with Arizona (Signed 4-year, $22 million extension in 2005 – will be free agent after 2010 season)
89 rec. – 1038 yds. – 11.7 avg. – 11 tds.

Getting Boldin has just about no downside. He’s relatively young, he’s quick, and has proven that he has the capability to be a team’s top wide receiver. He is a top 15, arguably top 10, receiver in the NFL. While he only played 12 regular season games in 2008, he still caught 89 passes in an offense where Larry Fitzgerald caught 96 and Steve Breaston caught 77. Even if he is not as great a playmaker as Fitzgerald, you must get the ball in his hands. That’s about that.

He’s dissatisfied with his role in Arizona, with the emergence of Larry Fitzgerald as the best wide receiver in the league.

The downside is the compensation. It will probably be a first round pick, and while worth it, relinquishing that pick could take a stud away from the team. Boldin has come out to state that his chances of returning to the Cardinals are slim. "It takes more than, 'Well, we did you wrong and we'll pay you this,'" said Boldin. "It's not about the money. It was always about the principle.” That causes Arizona to lose a great deal of leverage in trade discussions.

Even if a first round pick is warranted, GM Mike Tannenbaum has drafted in the later rounds. The Jets could almost certainly afford to make this move.


NFL Draft

Darrius Heyward-Bey
6’2”, 210lbs
Maryland
42 rec. – 609 yds. – 14.5 avg. – 5 tds.

Heyward-Bey had a huge combine, launching himself into a first round projection. With a 4.30 in the 40 Yard Dash and a 38.5 inch vertical, he has cemented himself as the third best receiver in the draft, behind Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin. While he is a great athlete and vertical threat, Heyward-Bey may not know how to use his stature to his advantage, in the middle of the field. He reportedly lacks the will to catch the ball in traffic and his inexperience in that situation, along with his average sized hands, could lead to dropped passes. Still, the Jets could always use a pure athlete.

He ran for 202 yards and 1 touchdown on 15 carries, in 2008. New York runs will most likely run a lot more wide receiver reverses under Brian Schottenheimer, especially since his play-calling will not be heavily influenced by the conservative Eric Mangini, so Heyward-Bey would be another effective option to run, other than Brad Smith.

However, Heyward-Bey is probably not worth the 17th overall pick, and will most likely not be there at #52, in the second round.


Hakeem Nicks
6’1”, 212lbs
North Carolina
68 rec. – 1222 yds. – 18.0 avg. – 12 tds.

Nicks is a guy who can impose on a defense with his size and exceptional athleticism. Although he did not stand out in any particular combine workout, he can get open and make plays. His 4.50 40-yard dash is just slightly above average and may be a testament to a lack of downfield speed, but he is quick off the line of scrimmage. He is solid in just about all areas of the field. Also, if he is hit, don’t expect Nicks to drop the pass. He is extremely aware of his surroundings and has freakishly large hands.

The Jets could definitely use Nicks, but he is similar in size to Jerricho Cotchery. Nicks is certainly a different type of player, but unless they play him differently, the Jets should deviate from him. Also, like Heyward-Bey, Nicks is not worth the 17th selection and will most likely not be available when the Jets pick in the second round.


Kenny Britt
6’3”, 218lbs
Rutgers
87 rec. – 1371 yds. – 15.8 avg. – 7 tds.

Anthony De Franco of WCWP Sports and 3rd String Safety compared Britt to Plaxico Burress, and after watch Britt’s highlights, I would agree 100%. Britt is able to get separation and use his height to his advantage. After the catch, he is elusive and hard to bring down. Playing like Burress is never a bad thing. His 40 time of 4.47 is great for a man his size. So he has the speed and the height, all he needs is a few extra pounds. He is very close to being an above average NFL receiver.
Like Nicks, he probably won’t be around at Pick #52, and may not be worth the 17th overall pick, so the Jets are in a dilemma.


Ramses Barden
6’6”, 230lbs
Cal Poly
67 rec. – 1257 yds. – 18.8 avg. – 18 tds.

Barden is the most intriguing receiver in the Draft. He is the tallest and also has the biggest hands, which measured in at 10 ¾ inches. Barden can reach over any defender and can get separation. One knock on him is the level of competition he played against at Cal Poly. Regardless, he displayed a barely reachable amount of talent.

Barden is the only receiver who may very well be available at Pick #52. He seems like a perfect fit, as he can get just about any ball thrown to him and make the Jets’ young quarterback look and feel good with attainable success.


The Jets need to trade down in the draft. The two receivers who fit their team the best are not worth the 17th pick. If they can move down a few slots, while gaining some more picks, that would put the Jets in the best position to succeed. But assuming they do not swap draft picks with anybody, Ramses Barden is the most logical pick for the Jets.

If they choose free agency, Antonio Bryant would be the guy, and trade would be Roy Williams, being that he wouldn't warrant several high draft picks like an Anquan Boldin would. Nevertheless, Boldin would be a great pickup if Arizona is indeed shopping him. But in my research, given that the Jets make no moves with draft picks, Ramses Barden is the best choice.

--Max Caster

Jets Make More Moves

From Rich Cimini of the NY Daily News:


A shocker: The Jets, spurned by Steelers free-agent G Chris Kemoeatu
earlier in the day, have re-signed RG Brandon Moore, the Daily News has
learned.

Moore agreed to a four-year, $16 million contract, including $10
million in guarantees.

This is a smart move by the Jets, who cut Moore yesterday because they
didn't want to pay a $7 million roster bonus. They quickly came to their sense
and re-signed their best run blocker, keeping their line in tact.


Re-signing Moore is just as, if not more, important than signing Bart Scott. The Jets need their line to be complete, especially when they will most likely be starting a young, unproven quarterback.

Plus, remember what happened the last time the Jets decided to cut one of their offensive linemen loose? That resulted in the 2007 season.

I can't wait to see what the Jets will do next.


UPDATE: I waited, and the goods were delivered.

According to the NFL's Adam Schefter, the Jets have traded two draft picks to Philadelphia for Lito Sheppard. The picks will be a 2009 5th rounder and a conditional pick in 2010, that can be as high as a second round pick.

Sheppard, who is only 27, has started for most of his career, and was only ousted in Philly because of the arrival of Asante Samuel.

Yes, I'm happy. New York gets a proven veteran cornerback to play opposite Darrelle Revis and give up picks. Now they can focus their attention in the first round away from a defensive back, and onto another position. Preferrably wide receiver.


As Gus Johnson once said: "HA-HAAAA!!"


--Max Caster

Guess Who's Bizzack!

Mardy Collins returned to the LA Clippers lineup 10 days ago, on February 17th. Since coming back, he has proceeded to provide the team with solid production. 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 5 games. In the game on Wednesday, when the Clippers upset the Boston Celtics, Collins dropped 12 points, 5 boards and 5 assists. With Al Thornton and Eric Gordon nicked up, Mardy will only see more court time.

This guy has extraordinary value, which brings me back to the puzzlement brought on by the trade that sent Collins from New York to LA.

As Cormega once said:

“I can hear gossiping.
They question my potential like Pearl Washington.
Yet I’m here blossoming.”

Sleep well, everyone.

---------------

Gallinari Highlights:

Wednesday's game against the Orlando Magic was by far Danilo Gallinari's best game in the NBA. Gallo finished with 8 points, all in the 4th quarter, on 3-of-3 shooting. At that point in the game, the Knicks were trailing the Magic, and Gallinari hit three high-pressure clutch shots. He consistently ran up and down the court; making hustle plays on both ends and finding himself around the ball several times.

As well as 8 points, The Rooster finished with 5 rebounds and 2 dishes.

That is why he should be playing regular minutes, especially in crunch time, over Quentin Richardson and, at this point, Larry Hughes.

Forget about developing him in the offseason. He's ready to play now.

--Max Caster

The Yankees' Next Move

The New York Yankees' lineup has been tremendously improved with the addition of Mark Teixeira, but it's not at an elite level yet. If Robinson Cano can improve upon his horrid 2008 season and Johnny Damon can have another great year, this team's offense will be closer to being the best in the league. But you can't just rely on Damon to replicate his 2008 production and , who is the biggest question mark right now. They also have to count on other players, like Derek Jeter, who has been on the decline for a couple of years now. Hideki Matsui has never been a great Major League hitter and Jorge Posada is coming off of an injury and New York needs them to play well, too. If all of these players can have some of their best years -- and that's a big 'if' -- the Yankees will have the best lineup in Baseball.

Realistically, that is not likely to happen.

So the logical move is to get Manny Ramirez. Ramirez would be the perfect fit for Designated Hitter; replacing Matsui in the lineup. The combination of Ramirez, Teixeira, and Alex Rodriguez would be the most feared in baseball, even if the rest of the hitter do not live up to expectations.

Without him, this Yankees lineup is excellent, but incomplete. Cano, Jeter, Damon, Matsui, and Posada have all proven that they can fall off at any time. Manny, however, would be motivated by his new, world-title contending team; causing him to play like he did in Los Angeles last year.

But New York seems set on not signing Manny. So they need to make another move to enhance the offense. The only other move that makes sense would appear to be a minor one, but could be as effective as acquiring Manny Ramirez.

Micah Owings has established himself as the best hitting pitcher in Major League Baseball. In 56 at bats, in 2008, Owings drove in 6 runs and hit 304.

In addition, he is excellent on the mound. He began the year going 4-0 in his first 4 starts, and ended April with a 3.48 ERA. He would end the year with a 1.39 WHIP.

My proposition is for the Yankees to make a deal with the Cincinnati Reds to get Micah Owings on their roster. Owings is making close to the minimum, and ended the year on a bad note, which makes him extremely accessible. New York would have him as a reliever and occasional starter, while inserting him into the lineup; either playing outfield or DH.

Owings would add another dangerous hitter to an already threatening Yankees batting order, while providing another pitching option, which is a need for any team.

To me, it's a no brainer.

If not Manny, get Micah.


--The Dodgers have offered Manny Ramirez a 2-year, 45 million dollar contract. If the Yankees want, they can easily offer him the same deal with an extra 5 million and get him.

The Yankees need Ramirez more than any other team. The Mets and Dodgers could desperately use his bat, which leads to a common misconception about those team's necessities. But even with Manny, they wouldn't be a lock for the World Series. The Yankees, however, would be in the World Series with Manny Ramirez along with Rodriguez, Teixeira and the rest of the team.

The Yankees need Manny more than any team in Major League Baseball.


UPDATE: Manny Ramirez has rejected this latest offer from the LA Dodgers. The deal had him making $25 million in the first year, and a guaranteed $20 million player option for the second year.

Looks like Boras will continue to play hardball. Hopefully, he and Ramirez will allow the Yankees, a World Series contender with Manny, to get him with a similar contract.

Either way, this situation is funny.


--Max Caster

Who Will Run for the Football Giants?

After slapping the franchise tag on Star Halfback Brandon Jacobs, the Giants will most likely not be able to re-sign their other back, Derrick Ward, as well. Ward is set to get big money on the Free Agent Market -- his reported biggest proponent being the Denver Broncos -- and New York will not match that.

That leaves a gaping hole in their backup running back spot. Ward is not a great player, by any stretch, but he was the perfect spell to Jacobs and without him, the Giants offense will suffer greatly.

I'm not completely confident in Ahmad Bradshaw taking over for Ward. Bradshaw is reminds me of Leon Washington without the ability to run the ball consistently. Yes, he can break a long outside run, but he is not as good when he has to go through the line.

For a quick fix, I suggest JJ Arrington (UFA). He's solid and can hit holes, especially behind that Giants offensive line. He is only 26 years old and is nowhere near being worn down. His highest carries total came in 2005, when he rushed 112 times. Last year, he only got 31 touches on the ground.

Another option would be Fred Taylor (UFA). I know he's hurt alot, but when he is healthy, Taylor is one of the most effective backs in the league. He is similar to Ward, in the sense that he is has a balanced attack of speed and power. If he can realize his diminished worth and sign for a 2-year contract, Fred Taylor would be an optimal pick for New York.

--Max Caster

The End of an Era (for Now)

With the additions of Larry Hughes and Chris Wilcox, Knicks Head Coach Mike D'Antoni has admitted that Rookie Danilo Gallinari will lose minutes on the court. This is his last performance as a part of the regular rotation:



Not one of The Rooster's best performances, but he did bust out the Yo-Yo Dribble again.

I'd expect Gallo to get more minutes next season, barring an injury or a revelation by D'Antoni that points out Quentin Richardson's inability to shoot or run effectively.


--Also, with Chris Wilcox, the big man who provides energy off the bench, there is no need for the Knicks to sign Patrick Ewing Jr. anymore. So stop crying, Internet Fans!


-Max Caster

Jets Will Release Chris Baker

The New York Jets are planning to release Tight End Chris Baker, who spent all seven years of his professional career with the team. Baker caught 21 passes for 194 yards, in 2008, as New York's second option at tight end, behind the phenominal Dustin Keller.

He was set to make over $2 million next season.


This is a problem.

Looking at Baker's numbers isn't a valid indicator of his abilities and his worth to a team. He was tremendously underutilized in the passing game, which is a mystery to me, as Baker has terrific hands. He is a well-rounded tight end; able to run speedy routes and get open, while maintaining the capability to block. He's physical on all parts of the field, and that's what you want from any player.

Coming off of a contract dispute that brought criticism from both Eric Mangini and Mike Tannenbaum, Baker did not let his personal issues alter the way he played. That speaks volumes on his commitment and will to play.

And although he didn't start last season -- and, as it turns out, rightfully so -- Baker can be a starter on several teams.

Where in the world will you find a better backup tight end!?

Update: From The New York Post - The Jets yesterday released tight end Chris Baker, but according to sources with knowledge of the situation, they hope to re-sign him for a lesser salary.

I'd love to see him back in green, but after quarrelling all of last offseason for a new contract, I dont know if Baker will comprimise his pride.

"They definitely want him back," someone close to Baker told The Post yesterday. "They just didn't want to pay the $9 million."

But Baker almost certainly will hit the free-agent market, where he will gauge the interest and, unless he is blown away by an offer, possibly re-sign with the Jets. Baker, who's from New York, always has expressed a desire to stay with the Jets.

--The NFL Combine is going on now, so after the results for the Wide Receivers come out, expect the release of 'The McCareins Files: 2009' - an in-depth look at potential WR acquisitions for the Jets.


--Max Caster

Who Can Unseat L.A.?

Before anyone gets confused the title is referring to the Lakers.  Now that is taken care of, the Western Conference is very competitive right now.  The only problem is, there is a 7 game difference between #1 and #2.  It is almost inevitable the Lakers will finish atop the conference at season's end but let's examine the rest of the pack and their chances of unseating the Lakers in the playoffs. 

Phoenix Suns: Under new head coach Alvin Gentry, the Suns got back to their uptempo style of play and proceeded to score 140 and 142 points in their first two games.  But with Amare Stoudemire possibly out for the rest of the season, you have to wonder who can step up and compensate for the points.  Shaq will be playing more but does that hurt them in the long-term? Will Nash be able to get out of his shooting funk?  Out of all the teams, Phoenix is least likely to pull off an upset.

Utah Jazz:  This is a team that is scary and I do not expect them to be in the 8th seed come April.  If they can get a healthy Carlos Boozer combined with a front court rotation of Mehmet Okur and Paul Millsap in addition to the great play of point guard Deron Williams, Utah in my mind becomes one of the West's Best.  The success of Utah all lies in Boozer's health.

Dallas Mavericks:  Dallas has surprised me this year but at the same time, when have the Mavs put together a solid playoff performance.  Not since the crushing loss in the '06 Finals.  Jason Terry who was a leading 6th Man of the Year candidate is currently sitting on the side with a hand injury which has left Dirk and Josh Howard playing more of a role offensively.  To me, Dallas is still a soft team that would honestly need a miracle to pull off an upset.  

New Orleans Hornets: I would have been much less confident in Nawlens if the Tyson Chandler trade went through.  Despite his injury problems, Chandler gives them front court depth, toughness, and defense.  Paul and West will perform nightly but inconsistent outside shooting and health concerns leave a big question mark for this team.

Houston Rockets: Coming into the season the main thought for the Rockets was this, "if the big three can stay healthy, this team can contend."  Well Tracy McGrady is out for the year with a bum knee and the Ron Artest experiment isn't working out as well as I thought they would. The Rockets have okay depth but I am not sure if they have the offense to win a 7 game series against L.A.

Portland Trail Blazers: Portland definitely is a unique team with their athleticism and age. Rumors swirled about trying to get Gerald Wallace, Richard Jefferson, and Caron Butler but none of them happened.  Brandon Roy can lead any team in the NBA and he has a pretty good supporting cast.  How healthy will Oden be?  

Denver Nuggets: Chauncey Billups has been the difference-maker for this team providing leadership, clutch offense, and defense.  Iverson/Melo never worked out and Melo has certainly been benefited knowing that this is his team now.  That is why, as good as Billups has been, Melo will be the key to any sort of run in the playoffs.  The difference has improved this year and Nene has enjoyed a productive season as well.  

San Antonio Spurs: They are old but they have experience and talent.  Parker, Manu, and Duncan have been there before and are probably going to look for revenge against the Lakers after they were outed by them in the playoffs last year.  Can Ginobli stay healthy?  The Spurs bench is also going to have to continue to play at a high level.  

In conclusion, here is the order in which teams have the best chance to beat the Lakers:

1. San Antonio

2. Utah

3. Denver

4. Portland

5. New Orleans

6. Dallas

7. Houston

8. Phoenix

-Matt Soldano

What's going on in the Tennis World?

Well, hasn't this year started off with a bang. Going into the Australian Open on the men's side there were two heavy favorites in Andy Murray and Roger Federer. Neither won the title and Murray got knocked out before the quarterfinals. Andy Roddick forced Novak Djokovic into submission as he retired in there quarterfinal match ( Djokovic quitting surprise, surprise) and to top it all off we got the first Spaniard ever to win the Australian Open in Rafael Nadal. Whether Nadal was in the final or not, I as well as many believe a Spaniard would have taken the title anyway. Fernando Verdasco was playing like a man on mission. He could not be stopped and the only reason he fell to Rafa was the conditioning. You cannot fault the man for that because nobody matches Rafa in conditioning. The only guy on tour who comes close is Andy Murray.

So in review what have we learned so far in the season and what can we look forward to. This rivalry between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer just might be the greatest in Sport. The quality of tennis that takes place when these two meet is unreal and not only that but you can almost feel the emotion and the drama of the match. It finally got to Federer in the Final as he just fell apart in the fifth set almost giving Nadal the title. But at the same token you cannot take anything away from Rafa. He swept through everybody leading up to his semi-final match against fellow Spaniard and friend Fernando Verdasco. He didn't give up a set to that point and it took all of his power to outlast Verdasco in a five set thriller that lasted more than five and half hours. Rafa then went out and outlasted Federer in another five set thriller that nearly lasted another five hours. After the win Nadal was very gracious as always saying Federer is still the best player of all time and that he will indeed surpass Pete Sampras record of fourteen grand slams. Federer's emotions got the best of him at the post-match ceremonies. But that just goes to show you he really wants the record. Now where do both go from hear? Barring Nadal getting hurt he will win the French Open once again as he is still the King of Clay. The question is will he see Federer in the Final? Its easy to see that Nadal is in Federer's head but can anybody else crack the Federer armor of invincibility? We'll have to wait and see.

As for the French Open and everybody else on tour. Jo-Wilified Tsonga had another impressive run at Aussie Open. He was ousted in the quarterfinals by Fernando Verdasco but Verdasco also took out Murray and pushed Nadal to the brink. Expect a big French Open for the charismatic Tsonga. Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, James Blake, and Novak Djokovic are still in the mix but don't expect anything more than the quarterfinals for any of them as clay isn't their best surface. Do not, I repeat do not be surprised to see Fernando Verdasco pull another huge upset and make the final at Roland Garros he is peaking right now and playing at his highest level. That's what everyone has to look out for in the coming weeks. That and vamos Rafa!!!


WCWP Sports
Brian Rodriguez

Knicks Make Moves at Deadline

The New York Knicks have completed two trades before today's deadline. They sent Tim Thomas, Anthony Roberson & Jerome James to Chicago for Larry Hughes. This takes James' massive contract off of the Knicks' hands, while giving them a legit shooting guard. New York has been starting Wilson Chandler and Quentin Richardson -- both better suited as forwards -- at shooting guard. Hughes has only played in 30 games, this season, and is averaging a career-low 12 points a game.

The Knicks also shipped Malik Rose and his expiring contract to Oklahoma City for Chris Wilcox. Wilcox is a physical low post player, which New York desperately needed. He is averaging 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds so far this year. Rose has played limited minutes this year, so this trade will get rid of dead weight on the bench.

----------

I have no significant issues about these moves. Hughes is solid but has been inactive for the past 16 games. Plus, he hasn't been known to add as much positive as Tim Thomas, offensively speaking, which isn't saying much.

If anything, this gives them another reason to take Patrick Ewing Jr. from the NBDL's Reno Bighorns.

Wilcox is a nice pickup. If he gets time, I'm sure he can make an impact. New York hasn't had a presence in the paint, other than David Lee, since Zach Randolph, and it's hurt them at times.

At least these moves make some sort of sense. Although, the team wouldn't be in the predicament if they hadn't traded Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford (and Mardy Collins).

----------

Gallinari vs. The Spurs





Not much here other than that one dunk, which was more of a Nate Robinson play. Regardless, Gallo showed great hustle getting down the court and into a position to clean up Robinson's mess; something that no other Knick did. And they don't have injured backs.

On the next possession, Gallo shook Roger Mason Jr., a play that would have been phenominal had Mason not fouled to make up for his mistake.

Also in the clip: The smooth sounds of Gus Johnson.


--Max Caster

NBA Trade Rumors Update!

Let's get everyone up to speed on everything that has happened since WCWP's Max Caster gave you the original trade rumors.

- Chicago Bulls trade Andres Nocioni, Drew Gooden, Michael Ruffin, and Cedric Simmons to Sacramento Kings for Brad Miller and John Salmons

The obvious names here are Nocioni, Gooden, Miller and Salmons and I think the Bulls made a great move here. Miller is averaging 12 points and 8 rebounds while Salmons is averaging a career high 18 points per game this season. Nocioni is a guy who can be a spark off the bench but I imagine he will be a starter in Sac-town. Imagine the starting lineup for Chicago of Rose, Gordon, Salmons, Noah/Thomas, Miller...not bad

-Los Angeles Lakers trade Chris Mihm to Memphis Grizzlies for a conditional 2013 2nd round pick

THE BEST TRADE IN THE WORLD!!! Lakers cut cap space and Mihm is no longer on the team.

Now onto the rumors: (UPDATES ARE THE LATEST)

UPDATE: - The Suns are still trying to work out a trade to the Memphis Grizzlies that would send Amare Stoudemire to Memphis for Rudy Gay, Hakim Warrick, Mike Conley and a first round pick.

UPDATE:- The Knicks and BullS who were discussing a trade for Larry Hughes has fallen apart

UPDATE: The Cavs are trying to pry James Posey from the New Orleans Hornets but the Cavs doesn't have any spare bigs to send in return

- The Clippers have offered Baron Davis to the Mavericks and the Clippers, for whom is not known

- The Washington Wizards have interest in acquiring Jared Jeffries from the Knicks

- The Blazers are still trying to complete a trade that would obtain Gerald Wallace from the Bobcats. The Cats turned down an offer for Lafrentz and now want the Blazers to take on Nazr Mohammed or include Nicolas Batum into a deal.

- The Nets and Blazers are beginning to outline a deal that would send Vince Carter, Maurice Ager, and Chris Douglas Roberts for Raef Lafrentz, Travis Outlaw, and Sergio Rodriguez

The most coveted man in all of trade season, Raef Lafrentz has an absolute giant expiring contract so the Nets would obviously use that to their advantage in free agency. The Nets will still have their young nucleus of Harris and Lopez while Outlaw is a guy who can average double digits for the season.

- The Cavs and Blazers are battling for Milwaukee swingman Richard Jefferson

The Blazers are said to offer Lafrentz and Outlaw while the Cavs would send Wally Sczerbiack's expiring contract.

- Portland was pursuing hard after Knicks David Lee for a package of Jerred Bayless and Travis Outlaw. Donnie Walsh said he'd only trade Lee if the Blazers took Eddy Curry.

- The Washington Wizards have said Antwan Jamison and Caron Butler are officially off the market as well as Clippers Center Marcus Camby

The NBA Trade Deadline ends Thursday 2pm. We'll be updating the blog as all the trades come through.

Also, check out The Sportswire with Max Caster at 9 pm on mywcwp.com as they talk about all the trades.

-Matt Soldano

NBA Trades Heating Up

-The Oklahoma City Thunder made themselves a lot better when they traded Forwards Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith (and DeVon Hardin, for what it's worth) to the Hornets for Center Tyson Chandler. Chanlder, although underachieving this year, is still a monster on the boards and a defensive stopper. With consistent play from Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook, Chandler will revert back to his elite form of 2007.

The Thunder are just a few more players away from being a competitive in the Western Conference. Lately, they've improved greatly. They almost beat the 2nd place Hornets on Wednesday night.

-The Nets are very openly shopping Vince Carter. Trade talks with several Western Conference teams have surfaced.

The Rockets are said to be offering a combination of Tracy McGrady or Ron Artest, with Carl Landry, Shane Battier or Luther Head. Getting McGrady would be a horizontal step, if anything, for New Jersey. He is more injury prone than Carter. Artest would be a step up talent-wise, but he can never get along with anybody, no matter the situation (It's being said that Artest has had his differences with McGrady). I wouldn't put him on a young, talented team like the Nets. And none of those three role players will make a monumental difference.

Update: Rockets' Owner Leslie Alexander stated that McGrady will not be traded, so a trade would be a combination of the other four players.

San Antonio is offering Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto and Roger Mason for Carter. Bowen is always great as a lockdown defender, but Mason cannot duplicate Carter's offense, nor can anyone else on the Nets.

The Portland Trailblazers have put Sergio Rodriguez, Travis Outlaw and the widely coveted Raef Lafrentz on the table. Unless New Jersey is planning on some huge offseason signing, this is a no-go.

And the Dallas Mavericks have offered their star forward Josh Howard. This makes the most sense. Howard is younger and could be more productive than Carter, at this point. But I don't know why Dallas would make another move that would send one of their brightest, youngest stars away for a veteran who is over the hill. Remember the last time they did that? But I'll keep my mouth shut. I want to see this trade happen.


Tune into The Sportswire this Thursday at 9pm EST on WCWP to get the first reactions to the fallout from the NBA Trade Deadline.

Until then, keep it tuned to WCWP Sports.
Check out our new YouTube page.


--Max Caster

Peter Vescey on Off The Glass Tonight (Feb. 17th)

New York Post NBA Columnist Peter Vescey joins Matt Soldano, Mike Tramontozzi, and Nick Malone on Off the Glass tonight to discuss all the NBA Trade Deadline rumors, the New York Knicks, and of course a second half preview of the NBA season.

Make sure you tune in to mywcwp.com at 9 pm (est) to check out the show!

-Matt Soldano

Big East Breakdown- Matchup of the year

Hey everyone, Mike T here again with your look at the Big East conference. First off once again, my thoughts on the weekend:

- Syracuse with a big win on Saturday, holding on to beat Georgetown in OT. The Orange almost blew a 16 point lead, but Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf led the Orange to their 19th win of the year. A win Sunday against Villanova would all but assure the Orange of a return to the NCAA Tourney.

- Georgetown's bubble is on the verge of bursting. The Hoyas (13-10, 4-8) have 8 losses in conference and have to run the table and get to perhaps the finals of the Big East tournament to get back into talks for the big dance.

- Despite going 1-1 last week, West Virginia (17-8, 6-6) played very well against Pitt on the road, and roughed up Villanova on Saturday. With Notre Dame in Morgantown on Tuesday and at Rutgers on Sunday, the Mountaineers should win both and further put themselves in the talk for the NCAA tourney.

- Cincinnati suffered a bit of a setback with a loss to Pitt on Saturday, but with 17 wins and a chance to beat Louisville in Cincy, the Bearcats are still very alive in the tourney talk.

Now on to the game of the year in the Big East- #1 UConn against #4 Pitt.

#1 UConn (24-1, 12-1) vs. #4 Pittsburgh (23-2, 10-2)- XL Center, Hartford CT- 7:00

- This game will be phenomenal in so many ways. Both teams are ranked in the top 5 this year, and one could make an argument that they are the two best teams in the nation based on the teams they've played.

- Both teams play fantastic defense- both teams give up under 65 points a game.

Matchups to watch: DeJuan Blair against Hasheem Thabeet.
- As if it would be anything else. Blair is averaging a double double on the year, with 15 points and 12 rebounds a game. The 6'7" Sophomore gives Pitt muscle down low, and Senior Sam Young leads the Panthers in scoring with 18 a game. Blair also leads the nation with 6 offensive rebounds a game. Despite the notion of Pitt being a grind it out team, they actually score more points a game than UConn (78-77).

- However, Blair will be giving up 7 inches to the 7'3" Junior Thabeet, who is coming off a 25 point, 20 rebound, 9 block perfomance against Seton Hall on Saturday. Thabeet continues to stake a claim to not only the most improved player in the nation, but player of the year as well. Thabeet is averaging 14 points and 11 rebounds a game- as well as 4 blocks a game. In his last three games Thabeet is averaging 7 blocks a game. Thabeet comes into the game 2nd in the nation with a 64% FG percentage, and 2nd with his 4 blocks a game.

- Another interesting matchup will be how UConn tries to contain Levance Fields, Pitt's Senior point guard. Fields comes into the game averaging 11 points and 8 assists a game, and leads the nation with a 4.15 assist/turnover ratio. Fields is also shooting 37% from three, and in his last four games is averaging 12 points and 12 assists a game- and just 2 turnovers a game in that same span.

- UConn will be without Jerome Dyson for the rest of the year as the Junior guard decided on surgery for a torn meniscus. Dyson was injured against Syracuse on Wednesday and was third on the team with 13 points a game. This will now heap more responsibility in the backcourt on AJ Price, Craig Austrie and freshman Kemba Walker.

The Pick: Pittsburgh. This game can go many ways- UConn is definitely the more talented team top to bottom, but Pitt is a very veteran group, led by Young and Fields. Pitt feels a little slighted because they feel they are the best team in the conference, yet UConn gets all the talk. Pitt is #1 in the RPI rankings, while UConn is third.

If DeJuan Blair can stay out of foul trouble, then Pitt will win. Remember he left the Louisville game with Pitt up 10, and Pitt ended up losing by 8. If Blair cant stay in the game, then it could be a long night for Pitt. However I think Blair stays out of foul trouble and the Panthers stake their claim- for now- as the Beasts of the East.

One more note- if this game lives up to the billing, who can wait until March 7th, when these two teams meet at Pitt and the Oakland Zoo, to end the regular season.

Once again, see ya on Friday with my week in review and look to the weekend.

- Mike T

Just Like Old Times...

Sunday's All-Star Game was awesome plain and simple. Some people I know (Mike T.) hate the All-Star Game with every fiber in their being but I love it. I don't compare it to the Pro Bowl because it is not at the end of the season. Plus the NBA markets stars more than any other sport so it is great to see the best of the best come out for one night and just play loose and have fun. And for that reason, seeing Kobe and Shaq take home co-MVP was the perfect ending.

8 Years ago, Shaq proclaimed the two the biggest big-man little man combo in the history of the game. It was sad to see everything break up the way it did and the way the media over-hype every little move. Despite me being the biggest Kobe fan, I still never disliked Shaq post-L.A. To me he's by far the best entertainer in the game.

Final stats for the night: Kobe: 27 Points 4 Boards, 4 Assists and Shaq: 17 points 5 rebounds and one amazing give and go.

Also, great slam dunk contest. Nate deserved the crown...bottom line he won over the crowd in the 2nd round more than Superman. But I still contest that the dunk off of the side of the rim was the best of the night.

Max has already posted the greatest moment of the weekend. Simply put, Shaq is awesome. From Kazamm, to Scrabble, to his dance moves, he is awesome.

-Matt Soldano

The Big Shaqtus

Shaq's entrance dance from the All-Star Game:




He's still got it.

--Max Caster

Gallinari Highlights

Just catching up on some Danilo Gallinari action from before the All-Star Break.







Go check out the official WCWP Sports YouTube page for Nick Malone's interview with Ring of Honor World Champion Nigel McGuinness.

--Max Caster

Snubbed: The David Lee Story

In a land of overexposed superstars, there lies a seldom appreciated, rarely duplicated player, who, due to his deficiency of flashiness, hardly ever receives recognition on a wide scale. A man with dexterity, strength, ubiquity, balance and etiquette. An individual who is adored in the world’s biggest city, yet neglected everywhere else.

The disregard for David Lee’s heroism is sickening to behold.

Going into All-Star Weekend, David Lee had a streak of 16 straight double-doubles, 21 in his last 22 games. That would help him amass 41 double-doubles; enough for a share of the lead with All-Star Starter Dwight Howard. Lee was in third in the NBA in rebounds per game, with 11.8, not to mention his 16.4 points per game, which is leads the Knicks.

On these numbers alone, Lee should have made the squad over the Magic’s Rashard Lewis. Other than scoring almost 20 points a game, Lewis does not bring a variety of abilities to the table. He is an offensive player, and nothing else. He doesn’t kill you on the boards and does not use his 6’10” stature to his advantage in areas other than scoring.

Then Lee had a second chance at redemption when Orlando Guard Jameer Nelson went down with a shoulder injury. Alas, Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics was selected.

As all hope, for the honor he deserves, disappears Lee had another opportunity at making the All-Star roster, when Toronto Center Chris Bosh went down. Once again, Lee was passed up for Cleveland’s Mo Williams.

I respect both Allen and Williams, but they have excellent, Hall of Fame players complementing them. Allen has Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to take some of the load off of him, and Williams is blessed with having LeBron James, the most dominant player in the NBA, by his side. Their stats are there, but are nowhere near as impressive as Lee’s when you take his responsibility to his team into consideration. The best player David Lee plays with is Nate Robinson, and he’s great, but can be hot and cold. Lee carries the Knicks by himself.

Lee has a desire for the basketball on every possession and omnipresence; thus the creation of his outstanding rebounding statistics and love & respect from the New York fan base. But it’s kind of strange that he doesn’t receive that recognition on a national scale.

This is the best player on one of the worst franchises in sports, and he is single-handedly maintaining the Knicks’ respectability.

--Max Caster

Hmm... Needs More Energy

During the past two weeks, I've noticed one major absence in the Knicks roster. No, it's not Mardy Collins (this time). It's the lack of an energy player off of the bench.

Sure, Nate Robinson is there, but his stature limits his abilities. He can't get a clean layup in the paint and is often relegated to shooting three-pointers. What the team needs is a player similar to Robinson, in terms of energy, athleticism and defensive prowess, but a lot taller and more physical.

The Knicks have an extremely easy shot at acquiring such a player, as he currently plays in their developmental franchise, the Reno Bighorns.

Patrick Ewing Jr. would be a perfect fit for the Knicks. He is 6'8", 240lbs, and can get to the ball. Right now, he's averaging 16 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks for Reno.

He's played with most of the Knicks' players already, albeit only in the summer, but it's not like he is walking into a completely different locker room.

Also, the Bighorns have a running offense, similar to Mike D'Antoni's, so Ewing Jr. would not have to make major adjustments when he enters the NBA.

Another reason New York should get him, is their short bench. They have 14 men on their roster, and three (Eddy Curry, Jerome James, and Stephon Marbury) haven't seen any action all year. I'd be surprised if they do.

That leaves 11 active players. In that group, there are two elite players: David Lee and Nate Robinson. Both can get the ball where it needs to go and excite the crowd.

Now we're left with 8. Pull Danilo Gallinari and Chris Duhon out of the pile, and you're left with 5 duds and Jared Jeffries. That's 6 active players that cannot do more than one thing well. Ewing can do multiple things at an above average level.

Give Ewing Jr. the 15th spot on the roster, deactivate Malik Rose or whoever is hurt, that night, and watch the team's production go up.

End rant.

------

Here's a great picture of former New Jersey Net Kerry Kittles:

Looking like a G, Kerry!

--Max Caster

Big East Breakdown- Notre Dame did what?

Hey guys- Mike T here again with your Big East breakdown. First off my thoughts from the week that was:

- UConn is really good. Losing Dyson for possibly the year will be tough, but Jim Calhoun has too much talent for it to affect their push towards the #1 overall seed in March.

- Syracuse is really having trouble playing a half-court game. Against UConn they made too many mistakes in the first half, including poor transition possessions that ended with a bad 3 or a turnover. And it's too bad that Arinze Onuaku doesnt realize how good he really is, because he is the only hope for a low post game that the Cuse has- and if they cant play a halfcourt game, they wont go far in March.

- Notre Dame with a nice win on Thursday against Louisville. Whatever tournament chances they have left are still alive now. But 10 losses will be extremely tough to get in with, so there still is work to be done for Mike Brey and the Irish.

- 5 straight conference wins for the Seton Hall Pirates have them at 5-6 in the conference, and in position to not have to play on the first day of the Big East tourney. What a job by Bobby Gonzalez and his team. Kudos to the Hall.

Now onto the picks for Saturday and Sunday:

Georgetown (13-9, 4-7) at #22 Syracuse (18-7, 6-6)- Saturday at Noon
- Both teams have struggled mightily in the last month, with the Cuse still hanging on to the Top 25, while the Hoyas are just trying to keep a lost season together. The last game for the Hoyas was an OT loss to Cincinnati. Syracuse lost to Villanova and to UConn in their last 2 games, so both teams can use a win.

- The matchup: Jonny Flynn vs. Chris Wright. Flynn is adept at getting to the basket and causing havoc. Wright has been steady but a solid player for JT3 in his sophomore season. However Flynn is a super sophomore too, and is on another level. Syracuse wins if Flynn goes wild.

- The Pick: Syracuse. In the dome against a struggling opponent is what the Orange need to further their bid for the Tourney. G'Town watches their bubble burst.

#1 UConn (23-1, 11-1) at Seton Hall (14-9, 5-6)- Saturday at Noon.
- This one would be such a big win for the Hall to keep their winning streak alive, but UConn is too good. Jeremy Hazell may keep it close for the Hall, but Hasheem Thabeet will prove too much for the Pirates to stop. UConn all but clinches a #1 seed in the NCAA Tourney with this win.

- The Pick: UConn.

Cincinnati (17-8, 7-5) at #4 Pittsburgh (22-2, 9-2)- Saturday at 4:00
- I love Cincinnati, and Deonta Vaughn is one of the best guards in the Big East (as I said here last week). The Bearcats would help their cause alot for the Tourney with a win here- and its not out of the question. They've won 7 out of 9, and come in with alot of confidence. However, the combo of Young and Blair will be tough for Cincy. But the guards of Pitt can be exploited at times, which is where Vaughn will come in. A big game from him could equal a shocking upset.

- The Pick: Pitt. Even though I wrote that last paragraph, the idea of Pitt losing at home just isnt smart. It doesnt happen. Pitt will win a game that is close at the half- and maybe into the second half, but the final score wont show that.

The other two games wont be interesting or close. #12 Marquette will trounce St Johns to get back on the winning track. And Providence will beat Rutgers because everyone can beat Rutgers.

Sunday doesnt look too promising either- South Florida will not beat Notre Dame in South Bend, and Louisville will have no problem with DePaul and their 0-12 conference record.

Hopefully my picks this week will work out like they did last week. Enjoy the weekend everyone.

last week: 5-1

- Mike T

Pennington Still Popular in Florham

"Why did they get rid of Chad in the first place?"

That is what an anonymous Jets player said to Rich Cimini of the Daily News.

The player went on to say:

"Eric (Mangini) treated him like a first-year quarterback from Day 1. It was a bad decision from top to bottom, from beginning to end. Now we're paying for it. We put ourselves in this situation."

It's good to know that the players acknowledge the mistep that was made by the organization.

And this isn't a Pro-Chad statement as much as it is an anti-Favre statement. With attitudes like that, in the Jets locker room, Brett Favre's departure will make the team better. Not necessarily from a statistic standpoint, but, more importantly, in the sense of team unity.

Hopefully the Jets locker room likes Brett Ratliff, because that's what they're getting.


------

From Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel:

Assuming Brett Favre stays retired, the Green Bay Packers are going to have to ship a seventh-round pick in 2010 to the New York Jets as part of the trade they made in August.

There were conditions to the trade based on how much Favre played this past season, how well the Jets did and whether he played more than one season.

NFL.com reported at the time of the trade that compensation would start out at a fourth-round pick.

However, the pick became a third-round selection if Favre played in 50% of the plays in 2008, a second-rounder if he played in 70% of the plays and the Jets qualified for the playoffs, and a first-round pick if he played in 80% of the plays and the Jets made it to the Super Bowl.

Favre played in well more than 70% of the snaps this past season, but the Jets didn't make the playoffs, so the Packers will get a third-round pick in the '09 draft.


A third round pick is not bad, but Tannenbaum has been a great drafter, especially in later rounds.

2006:
3rd Round: S Eric Smith (2008 Starter)
4th Round: RB/KR Leon Washington (2008-09 Pro Bowler)
4th Round: WR/QB/ST Brad Smith (should have made the last two Pro Bowls as a Special Teamer)
6th Round: CB Drew Coleman (Dime Defensive Back)

2007:
7th Round: WR Chansi Stuckey (3rd Wide Receiver)

2008:
4th Round: CB Dwight Lowery (Rookie Starter)


--Max Caster

Things Looking Roseate for Ratliff

Since Brett Favre's retirement, there has been a media swarm -- not around Favre, this time -- but surrounding the Jets' vacant starting quarterback position. The questions have been posed several times. Will they go the Free Agency route? Will the Jets acquire a quarterback through the NFL Draft? Or will they stay in house and let the young guys battle it out?

But from that last question, comes a similar answer. Brett Ratliff has an infinite amount of potential.

Last night on WCWP, Newsday's Erik Boland was on Sports Talk for Dummies. He said "If they had replaced Favre with Kellen Clemens or even, I'd so far as to say, Brett Ratliff when they were 8-3, I think we would have been talking about a playoff team." Just the fact that Erik would include Ratliff in that statement is promising.

Erik later added "When they had the competition between Pennington and Clemens [In 2008, before Favre arrived], Pennington clearly was ahead of everybody, but the second best quarterback, without question, was Brett Ratliff." That's a first hand testament that Brett Ratliff is better than Kellen Clemens. Obviously he wouldn't be better than Pennington. Chad was second in the MVP voting, last season. But Boland's statement proves that Ratliff should have been Favre's backup, not Clemens. The Jets actually put themselves at a disadvantage.

This morning, Jets Owner Woody Johnson stated that he expects the young quarterbacks (Ratliff, Clemens & Ainge) to duke it out for the starting spot. If you let Ratliff go head-to-head with either Clemens or Ainge, he will display his superiority.

And later on in the morning, Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShae were on Sportscenter, talking about possible QB moves for the Jets. McShae presented the Draft route, as a Draft guru would, but Kiper went another way. He strongly campaigned for Brett Ratliff; citing his NFL arm and unlimited potential. He actually shut down Todd McShae with his bullet proof defense of Brett Ratliff.

This is Mel Kiper Jr., the master talent evaluator. I think we need to listen to him.

With support from the Jets beat writer, the Jets owner, and football genius, Brett Ratliff is qucikly rising up in the ranks of Jets quarterback options.

A Double Shot of Newsday Writers on Dummies Tonight

Stay up late with us tonight. It'll worth it.

Heres the steller lineup we have planed for Sports Talk for Dummies:

Anthony Reiber from Newsday at 11pm will join us to talk all things A-rod and gives us a preview of the Mets and Yankees as they head into spring training.

........

Then at 11:45, Newsday Jet writer Erik Boland will join us to discuss the post-Brett Favre era in Florham Park, New Jersey.

And of course, College Basketball Tonight at 12am.

So join Matt Suldano, Anthony DeFanco, and I at 11pm for all the fun.

Jordan Lauterbach

Not So Fast

Upon learning of Brett Favre's second retirement from football, I was elated. It was easily the high point of my day (so far). But then I remembered that nothing is final, especially when it comes to Favre; evidenced by last year's Favre travesty. And that realization was definately the low point of my day.



Hmm... Building something up and then letting crash down to crush a spirit...



Sounds like Favre.



--Max Caster

The Next Best Thing

For those of you who remember my Mike Martz blog, you must have sensed my pain when it was announced that Brian Schottenheimer would resume his duties as the Jets' Offensive Coordinator. But something that flew over the heads of many was the Jets' pick up of Henry Ellard to be their wide receiver coach. Ellard is a Martz prodigy, as both a player and a coach. Hopefully he brings some success to a New York wide receiver group that needs it.

NewYorkJets.com has a good article up about Ellard.


--Speaking of Jets wide receivers, "The McCareins Files", profiling the optimal wide receivers the Jets could pick up, is due to be out after next week's NFL Combine. Stay tuned to the WCWP Sports Blog for that and more.

In the meantime, head over to the official WCWP Sports YouTube page.


-Max Caster

Why all the Cheating?

So what's been going on with all the cheating or accusations of cheating as of late. Whether your talking about boxing, baseball, or mixed martial arts. It seems like there has been a lot of foul play as of late and it starts with baseball. Alex Rodriguez has finally come out and acknowledged that he used Steroids from 2001-2003. Why does this come as a shock to anyone? This will always be remembered as the "Steroid Era" in major league baseball. Was Alex Rodriguez the only player in the MLB to take steroids this past decade? Absolutely not. Sure A-Rod used steroids along with Bonds, Clemens, Pettite, Palmiero and others but who hasn't. The truth is its not just a couple of players taking Steroids, its the majority. I'm not saying a lot of players do it on a constant basis, but a majority of the players in the league have done it one time or another. Brady Anderson is the perfect example. How is it a player can hit 16 home runs with 64 RBI's one year and then hit 50 home runs and 110 RBI's the very next season. Consider that before the 50 HR season he averaged 11 home runs a season. Not only that but he nearly doubled his RBI's from one season to the next. Sounds like somebody was juicing for one year. Got signed for a multi-million dollar extension and decided "well I got the money so now there's no need to juice again". It's just like Jose Canseco said (right before his book came out)"You might think I'm lying about all of this, but think about this. Do you honestly think that after everything that has happened I was the only one doing steroids?" Alex Rodriguez is a hall of famer. Barry Bonds is a hall of famer and so is Roger Clemens. Did they cheat? Yes. But this just in, almost everybody else did too at one point or another.
Now to boxing, which has become just as corrupt as a sport can get. Whether you're talking about the promoters, judges, referees, or even the fighters, boxing has become pretty corrupt. Its bad enough that we have to deal with bogus decisions and horrible stoppages to fights. Now we have to worry about fighters loading there gloves. Former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito was caught with a "plaster-like substance" in his gloves before his welterweight title fight with Sugar Shane Mosley. Margarito and his camp are refusing to admit there has been any foul play but how could you? The plaster-like substance was taken as evidence from the California State Athletic Commission and they are going to test it to see just how hazardous it is when hardened. This totally taints not only Margarito but boxing as a whole. Margarito vs Cotto was 2008's fight of the year. But now it is being put into question because many feel Margarito stepped into the ring with Cotto with loaded gloves. Isn't it ironic how Mosley just knocked out Margarito and yet Cotto beat Mosley by unanimous decision when they fought. Cotto was dominating Margarito for the first six rounds of their fight and yet Cotto mysteriously sucummed to the pressure of Margarito even though when he fought Mosley he took all of Mosley's beat punches. Listen lets keep it clean and let the best man win. Cotto is headed to a rematch with Margarito in the summer and then a rematch with Mosley soon after that. Lets see who wins that fight now that Margarito's gloves will be checked thoroughly before the fight. I got my money on Cotto.
And last but not least Mixed Martial Arts. Georges St. Pierre successfully defended his UFC Welterweight crown against BJ Penn over the weekend and that didn't even end without some controversy. St. Pierre dominated Penn from the 2nd round on and ultimately forced a doctor stoppage (TKO) at the end of the 4th round. Penn's camp as filed a complaint with the Nevada State Athletic Commission saying that GSP's corner used an excessive amount of vaseline on his chest and back which prevented Penn to defend St. Pierre when the fight hit the ground. After seeing the clips for myself there was minimum vaseline and it barely went on his back. Penn needs to stop with the accusations, look at himself in the mirror and say "Hey, I lost and I lost to the better man". Congrats to GSP for his win and I wish all the best in his title defense against Thiago Silva this summer. Lets try to stop with the accusations of cheating and stop with the cheating in general and lets bring some honor back to what we all love, Sports!!!

Signing off,
Brian Rodriguez

Life Without Bynum Off To a Great Start

So like I said when I wrote a week ago: When Andrew Bynum went down for 8-12 weeks I thought the Lakers opportunity to win a title was shot.   Considering the original diagnosis for Bynum's injury last year was 8-12 weeks and he missed the rest of the season and in the midst of all of that, the Lakers looked like the poor 2nd grader against the 5th grade bully searching for some milk money when they played the Celtics in the Finals. I thought the Lakers would still get the top seed in the West but I felt teams like the Celtics and Cavs were better with the absence of Bynum. However, this team is better than last year's because Pau Gasol has a full year under his belt in the triangle and Trevor Ariza is healthy and is an absolute spark off the bench.

But now a week has passed for the Lakers and they have played nothing but road games without Bynum.  They have gone 4-0 with wins against the Knicks (Kobe's 61), Raptors, Celtics, and Cavaliers and one thing that I have seen in these games is that the Lakers are playing more as a cohesive unit.  Kobe's performance against Monday has been well documented and Toronto was by far the weakest opponent they played this week.

On Thursday, the Lakers showed a ton of moxie fighting back against the defending champs. Despite all the "Beat LA" chants, Los Angeles was able to stay in the fight.  Pau Gasol had 24 points and 14 rebounds while Bryant scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.  They did everything opposite than last year in June when they played the Celtics.  Scored points in the paint, took care of the ball, weren't outhustled and made sure that whenever the Celtics went on an 7-0 run it didn't turn into a 15-2 run.  

Sunday's game against the Cavs impressed me the most.  Cleveland was 23-0 coming into the game and in my opinion were the best team in the Eastern Conference.  With Bryant playing at about 70% with flu like symptoms he only scored 19 points.  The Lakers shut down Lebron James though making sure whenever he drove down the lane, there was a purple jersey that met him.  He scored 22 points on just 5-20 shooting but did have 8 rebounds and 12 assists. After being down 10 at halftime, the Lakers outscored Cleveland by 20 in the 2nd half to secure the win.

I've been mostly thrilled with the play of Lamar Odom in the past two games who is averaging 24 points and 11.5 rebounds.  He is showing a sense of aggressiveness since coming back into the starting lineup that he's never shown in gold and purple.  He's got to keep it up for the entire season if his team wants to raise the championship trophy.  

Signing out,

Matt Soldano

The Rooster Cannot Roost

For another game, Mike D'Antoni has made significant mistakes with his lineup, in the 4th quarter. Against Portland, he played Nate Robinson and David Lee, which was fine. Robinson was on fire down the stretch (his Mom was in the building), and Lee is Lee. But the players who filled the rest of the court had no business being there.

Chris Duhon had dead legs all night and it showed. He couldn't drive, run the court or get an open jumpshot; resulting in 4-12 shooting from the floor. The Streaky Al Harrington characteristically fell off in the final quarter, in which he scored only 5 points; 2 of those coming on free throws. And Quentin Richardson took only three shots all night, and has made 12 of 40 field goals in the previous five games.

D'Antoni needs to realize who is spry enough to play efficiently in his offense, on a given day. He has done a poor evaluation of his players, late in the game, several times this year.

I cannot see any solid reason for D'Antoni refusing to play Danilo Gallinari when the game is on the line, or for serious minutes.

Take the Portland for example:

Gallinari hits his two first shots (three-pointers), plays for about 7 minutes, and lays on the sideline for the rest of the half. The second half was the same exact way, minus the points. He never gets a chance to get going, and when he gets into some sort of a rhythm, D'Antoni pulls him out. He still doesn't know if The Rooster can repeatedly play more than 15 minutes without his back hurting, and that's his own fault.

Gallinari is long, athletic and an above average shooter. Those are three things that the Knicks lacked down the stretch.

My argument is: If your crunch-time players are consistently not going to produce, try out your young stars. Gallinari has earned the shot, but moreso, Richardson and Harrington have definitively lost their shot.


Gallinari Highlights




Once again, subscribe to our new YouTube page.

-Max Caster

Solution to the Jets' Punting Problem

Possbile future Hall of Fame Punter Shane Lechler is an unrestricted free agent, this offseason, and would be an excellent addition for the New York Jets.

The Jets' punter for the majority of 2008 was Reggie Hodges. Hodges averaged only 42.8 yards a punt and was one of the most inconsistent players on New York. He couldn't get the Jets out of trouble when they stalled deep into their own territory.

Lechler, on the other hand, had the second best average, in terms of yards for punt, in the NFL.

This could be one of those initially overlooked signings, but in time, will benefit the Jets, immensly.


-Max Caster

First Black Starting QB to be Honored by Congress

Marlin Briscoe, the first black man to start at quarterback in professional football, will receive a special honor from Congress.

The Omaha native was recognized by U.S. Rep. Lee Terry last week on the House floor as part of Black History Month. A Congressional Record will be presented to Briscoe on Monday during a ceremony.

Briscoe was a quarterback in college, but was drafted in 1968 by the Broncos as a cornerback. He moved to quarterback after an injury sidelined the starter.

Briscoe was released by the Broncos in 1969. He went on to become an all-pro receiver with the Buffalo Bills and Miami, winning two Super Bowls with the Dolphins.

From The Denver Post.


I have always had a connection with and an admiration for black quarterbacks, and none are as significant as Marlin Briscoe. During a time where blacks were considered inferior and unintelligent - much less, black quarterbacks - Briscoe became the first to lead a professional offense.

His achievement is comparable to Barack Obama's election. Both began to cause a blurring of the emphasis and scrutiny of race, on their respective positions. Of course, underlying predispositions have never disappeared, despite barriers being broken. Even recently, Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb spoke out about the discrepancy between criticisms of white and black quarterbacks.

Here's an account of what he told James Brown on HBO's Real Sports, in 2007.

"I pass for 300 yards, our team wins by seven, [mimicking] 'Ah, he could've made this throw, they would have scored if he did this,' " McNabb tells HBO.

"Doesn't every quarterback go through that?" Brown asks.

"Not everybody," McNabb replies.

Brown then asks if the media is tougher on him than on white quarterbacks such as Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning.

"Let me start by saying I love those guys," McNabb tells HBO. "But they don't get criticized as much as we do. They don't."


Although McNabb doesn't have physical or statistical proof that his claims are true, I do see some validity in his statements. Prejudice and bias will never be eliminated in any part of the world. Even if every human was exactly the same, physically and mentally, the people would still sense inequalities in society. And since it is easy to notice a person's skin color before their skill or personality, African-Americans are susceptible to harsher evaluations, due to the somewhat hidden past culture of this country, and the amount of pressure that is cast upon any quarterback.

Unlike Obama, Marlin Briscoe does not get nearly enough credit or outward respect he deserves. It's great to see him get some recognition 40 years after his first start.

--Max Caster

Amare on the Market

The Phoenix Suns are currently shopping their leading scorer, Amare Stoudemire, and rumors indicate that he could be reunited with Mike D'Antoni in New York. The Knicks would surely have to give up David Lee, but would get rid of expiring contracts.

As much as a consistent scorer would aid New York, New Jersey would be a better fit for Stoudemire. They have numerous moveable contracts, and lack a dominant presence. Brook Lopez is their best option, in the paint, and he looks like he's 150lbs. Amare Stoudemire would add another dimension to a Nets team that has a better shot at succeeding in the playoffs than the Knicks.

Here's what ESPN's Chad Ford wrote about a move to New Jersey:

It's hard to imagine that New Jersey wouldn't do it. Amare can come off the books in 2010, meaning that New Jersey could still pursue LeBron and other free agents then, even if they make the trade. In the meantime, they would be relevant again.

Ford's suggested trade was the Nets giving up Yi Jianlian, Stromile Swift, Ryan Anderson, Jarvis Hayes and a 1st round pick. The only real loss would be Yi, as he is a solid scorer. Anderson is young, but is not a difference maker, and the 1st round pick is negated by Amare Stoudemire's dominance.

It's a great move for the Nets. It would make those YES Network broadcasts watchable.


Gallinari Highlights:




Also, Wilson Chandler's MASTER BLASTER!




Kendrick Perkins' face afterwards is priceless.

-Max Caster

Big East College Update- Marquette shocked down South

Hello everybody- Mike T here with what will be a continuous Big East all the way up until the NCAA Tournament. First we're gonna start off with a recap of Friday Night's huge upset- South Florida getting their first win ever over a top 10 team, handing 8th ranked Marquette their first lost in Big East play.

Marquette lost the game shooting just 10-23 from the foul line. Jesus Verdejo scored 21 points for the Bulls, who improved to 8-14 overall, but just 3-7 in the Big East. Marquette was once again led by Senior Jerel McNeil, who scored 21 points for the Golden Eagles (20-3, 9-1). McNeil has scored over 20 points in seven straight games.

What this game showed you is that there is officially no team in the Big East that is unbeatable. Every team is capable of playing with anyone- as Providence, Seton Hall and St Johns have shown. And even the bottom teams like Rutgers and South Florida have shown improvement over last year. Onto the weekend games plus Big Monday. First Saturday:

Cincinnati (15-8, 5-5) at Georgetown (13-8, 4-6) Noon.
- Id be terrified of this game if I was Georgetown. Yeah they got back on the winning track against Rutgers, but they are now going up against a Bearcats team that is flying high after their win over Georgetown at home on Jan. 28th. Cincinnati is actually scoring just 70 points a game while the Hoyas are closer to 72, but watching the games Cincy has more fire power than the Hoyas, who have shown a great penchant for going long stretches without scoring (see Seton Hall game).
- The game will come down to how the duo of Deonta Vaughn and Yancy Gates play for the Bearcats. Vaughn is one of the best guards in the Big East, and can take over a game. And Vaughn is just a freshman, but has put up very respectful stats at 10 points and 6 rebounds a game. Georgetown is going to need a big game from their big guns, DuJuan Summers and Greg Monroe, if they want to hold off the surprising Bearcats. Georgetown is 11-2 at home, while Cincinnati is 3-5 on the road.

The Pick: Cincinnati. Vaughn will be too much to handle for Chris Wright and the Hoyas, and the Bearcats will send Georgetown to a shocking 4-7 in conference while they continue to rise towards "bubble" level.

#20 Syracuse (18-6, 6-4) at #16 Villanova (18-4, 6-3) Noon.
- Syracuse is coming off a huge win at home against West Virginia, while Villanova is coming in on a four game winning streak. The big problem in this game will be if the Cuse can get Andry Rautins going from downtown. If Rautins can hit some early threes, it should open the court for not just Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf, but Arinze Onuaku down low. Dont discount the impact of Paul Harris either- Harris having an active game usually results in an Orange win.
- Villanova isnt the most talented team in the conference, but they play with heart and tenacity. Dante Cunningham has matured into a dominant low post player, averaginf 17 points and 7 rebounds a game. The Wildcats only score 75 points a game while the Orange score about 80 a game. The big difference is Nova giving up just 63 points a game, while the Orange are giving up about 70.
- The game will feature great backcourt play from Flynn and Devendorf for the Cuse, and Corey Fisher and Scotty Reynolds for Villanova. However, the battle between Cunningham and Onuaku down low will truly decide this one.

The Pick: Syracuse. When they are clicking, they are a real tough team to beat. I think Nova keeps it close, but in the end they just cant keep up with the scoring of Syracuse.

Providence (14-8, 6-4) at West Virginia (15-7, 4-5) 4:00pm.
-A game between two teams who are becoming real good at playing the underdog role in the conference. And with that both teams have begun to build a preliminary resume for the NCAA tourney. Both teams would love to have this game. A Friar win and they are surprisingly 7-4 in the conference, while West Virginia would get to .500 with the win.
- Providence has lost two in a row, a blowout against UConn and a heartbreaking two point loss to Villanova. Weyinmi Efejuku leads the team in points (14), but the Friars have a ton of players that contribute, with 4 players averaging double figures in points. Marshon Brooks and Sharaud Curry are very good at penetrating to the basket, yet both players shoot over 35% from three. Brooks, just a Sophomore, shoots 69% from the foul line- yet Curry is around 82%. Curry is coming off a 25 point, 5 assist game in the loss to Villanova.
- Safe to say, this will be another test for the West Virginia guards, who just had to deal with Jonny Flynn and Syracuse's guards. However, Senior Alex Ruoff might be the best guard on the court. Ruoff averages 15 points a game with 4 assists, and his freshman backcourt mate, Darryl Bryant, averages 10 points and 3 assists. West Virginia will undoubtedly rely on De'Sean Butler to dominate. The 6'7" Junior from Newark averages 17 points and 7 rebounds a game, and has scored over 20 points in 6 straight games. Butler also shoots over 43% from three point range, making him tough to cover.

The Pick: West Virginia. Both teams come in on two game losing streaks, and Providence has surprised me in terms of how well they are playing (I pegged them as my sleeper for next year- so theyre a year ahead of schedule). I think Butler and and Ruoff will be too much for the Friars.

#5 Pittsburgh (20-2, 7-2) at DePaul (8-15, 0-10) 2:00pm.
- Nothing much to say here, except DePaul would love to get their first Big East win this way. Not going to happen though. Have fun with DeJuan Blair and Sam Young fellas.

The Pick: Pittsburgh. By alot.

The rest of the games on Sunday are out of conference, with #1 UConn taking on Michigan at home and Notre Dame traveling to California to take on #12 UCLA. Notre Dame will tip off at 1pm (10 am West Coast time), and should have lost yet again by the time UConn tips off at 6pm. Michigan has had success against top teams, beating UCLA and Duke, but UConn is too much. The Wolverines might keep it close for a bit, and I really love Manny Harris for Michigan, but UConn is way too good. And thats an understatement.

The Picks: UConn and UCLA.

On Sunday, Seton Hall-Rutgers will go to the Pirates, and #7 Louisville will have no trouble with St Johns. By the way- Congrats on Bobby Gonzalez and the Pirates for taking their upset of Georgetown and parlayed it into 3 straight conference win. A win Sunday over Rutgers and they'll be 13-9 and 4-6 in conference. Well done.

I will take a break and be back Monday for my thoughts on West Virginia and Pitt, as well as my thoughts on the weekend games. Until then- see ya.

- Mike T

Alan Hahn Interview

Here's the interview with Newsday's Knicks Beat Writer Alan Hahn from The Sportswire on February 5th.

Make sure you subscribe to our new YouTube page.





-Max Caster

Cassel Gets Tagged

The New England Patriots have slapped their franchise tag on Quarterback Matt Cassel. This means that the first year starter will remain a free agent, but the Patriots will get compensated with two first-round picks if Cassel signs on with another team.

Well... there goes one option for the Jets. Although, I'm not surprised Belichick did this. He knew that New York was looking to ink Matt Cassel, and Belichick C-Blocked (as in Cassel Blocked) them.

Alan Hahn will be on The Sportswire tonight (2/5) to discuss the Knicks in the middle of 'Hell Week.' Just tune into WCWP at 9pm EST.

-Max Caster

Dark Horse

The NBA has decided to add another event to its All-Star Weekend festivities. That event: HORSE. The three participants will be announced at a later date.




The NBA All-Star Weekend has 4 other non-game events, and all of them deliver. The Dunk Contest, the 3-Point Contest, the Shooting Stars Competition and the Skills Competition all provide fun and excitement, and the Horse Game will do the same. The concept is simple yet innovative, similar to the Dunk Contest.

Also, this is an event that everyday people can participate and succeed in. I feel that the fans will take to this.

The decision to add this old school game is one that is so obvious, that the NBA has overlooked it for so long. But no more.


I, personally, cannot wait to see how this turns out.


--Gallinari Update: vs. Cleveland - 7pts (hit his first shot [3 pointer]), 2 rebounds, 2 assists in 24 minutes, his largest minutes total this year.




Here's what he did Monday night against LA:




-Max Caster

Excuse me Nick Malone- can I see your fan credentials?

First off, even though I despise the man, you're a fool if you weren't impressed with Kobe Bryant's 61 points last night- a Garden record for an opposing player, taking away the mark from Michael Jordan's famous "double nickel" (55 points for those not up on the term). Now onto more pressing matters- Nick Malones attack on Knicks fans ( as seen below this entry).

First off Nick- you're a Hornets fan, so explain to me why you even care what Knicks fans do? You have no idea what it really means to be a Knick fan because you jumped ship to root for the Hornets. See, this game was setting up to be a perfect storm: weekday, possible snow storm, potential for a blowout...some Knicks fan probably didnt want to make the trip, maybe they want to see LeBron more. But also, the Lakers fans were loud because it's the only trip into the Garden for them this year. But the Knicks fans were there, and they did get loud when the Knicks would play well. It was a fun atmosphere because of the fact that there was like a college game feel to it. Listen to what the crowd was like in LA in December when the Knicks went there- it was the polar opposite, with Knicks fans being loud and "taking over" the Staples Center.

But for you to insinuate that Knicks fans have given up on the team or dont care anymore is blasphemy. Knicks fans are coming back in stages, with the hardcore fans ofcourse never having left. I have been a Knicks fan since watching the team in 1993, so for 16 years Ive done nothing but root for this team- and for 16 yrs ive gotten nothing out of it but heartbreak. Or in the words of Max Caster's idol Gus Johnson "HEARTBREAK CITY!!"

But Nick Malone you have no grounds to rip a fan base that has been through enough, just because Lakers fans showed up to see their team play. And yes, while many of them may be front runners and Lakers fans since 2000, there maybe some ones who grew up on Magic and Worthy and Jabbar. I hate the Lakers, but I can't call everyone a front runner.

And also- you cheered an Ariza three because of fantasy purposes. And didnt get mad at David Lee for turning the ball over because it gave the Lakers a fast break- you got mad because it took away a potential assist for Chris Duhon, another player on your fantasy team.

I follow a golden rule- fantasy takes a back seat to your real team. I couldve had Kobe on my team and I wouldnt be pissed because he beat the Knicks. That and rule #2- never cheer an opposing player. I dont care if he scored 1,000 pts, if its against my team forget it.

So Nick Malone, I ask you again sir- can I see your fan credentials. If you dont have them, please refrain from trying to dump on a fan base thats gotten it from everyone the past couple yrs.