Another Lost Year in NY Sports

As a new year starts, a quick thought on three lost sports seasons in New York. The Mets and Jets have just finished seasons which started with much hope and expectations and ended with colossal choke jobs. The Knicks, well, we can consider their season over even before the all-star break, which begs the questions: What is wrong with these three teams that play in the largest market in America and have deep pockets?

The summer of '08 was supposed to make us all forget the major collapse suffered by the Mets last season. It was suppose to erase the memories of blown ninth inning saves. It was suppose to make us forget one of the, if not the worse pitching performances in Mets history. Yes, you know the game, the one where major free-agent flop Tommy Glavine could not record an out in the biggest game of his ill-fated Mets career. However, all we were left with were more sad memories and heartache as the Mets waved goodbye to Shea Stadium like only they could manage. It was another blown lead to the hated Phillies, who to add insults to injury are now World Series Champions. Once more the Mets were put out of their misery by the no-frills, low cost, last place Marlins. This time around, the Marlins not only eliminated the Mets, but also ruined what should have been a happy farewell for Shea Stadium. Once more they wasted a pitching gem the day before they were eliminated. All-world ace Johan Santana took the ball on three days rest and gave the Mets a performance that we will always remember. No one will deny that they missed closer Billy Wagner, but the true problem was the "core" of the team. Beltran, Reyes, Wright, and Delgado all came up small once more, stirring rumors that the core needs to be changed.

Will the summer of '09 be different? Will the Mets treat the fans to a playoff run similar to '06? Will Citi-Field be witness to the first World Series since '86? Billy Wagner's career in Flushing is over, but in comes K-Rod and Putz to try to shore up a bleak bullpen situation for the Mets. Once again the men in Flushing will only go as far as Beltran, Delgado, Wright and Reyes can take them. Anything less than a division title is a total disappointment for a team in such a big market and such deep pockets.

Where as the Mets keep their fans on the edge of their seats as they fight for the playoffs, the Knicks are simply unwatchable most of the time. The most expensive team in the NBA that plays in the world's most famous arena is a collection of misfits and role players. The one bright spot this season has been the vanishing of Isaiah Thomas and his band of clowns. Also out are Brooklyn icon and perennial loser Stephon Maubury, whose last good game might have been when he was winning his only championship with Lincoln High School. Mike D'Antoni has banished Eddy Curry, whose best moments are most likely at the local McDonald's. Jerome James (yes, he is actually still on the Knicks) is now the most expensive 12th man in NBA history and the Knicks are trying to create salary cap room for 2010. To this effect, free-shooting and erratic Jamal Crawford is now chucking up shots for Golden State. In the mean time, Knick fans have to pay premium price to watch a team led by mediocre players such as Chris Duhan, Al Harrington, and Tim Thomas. There is little hope for Knicks fans for the rest of this season and the whole of next year. That’s at least another 120 games of losing basketball as we hope to hit the lottery in the summer of 2010 with Wade, Boch, or the big prize....King James himself. Knicks management better get this right. Knick fans will be patient in the hopes of landing one of those high price free agents, but if this is not the case, D'Antoni and company may want to head for witness protection.

However, The Mets gave us 1986 and that magical run to the subway series in 2000 and the NL East Title and a gut wrenching NLCS loss in 2006. The Knicks gave us those rough and tumble Pat Riley teams led by hall of famer Patrick Ewing, the Allen Houston runner in the lane to eliminate Pat Riley’s Heat, the 4-point play, and Charlie Ward's supplex of punk PJ Brown, but the Jets???? Well besides Joe Nameth's finger wagging, its been "the same old Jets." There was that flash when the Big Tuna (Bill Parcells for those who have been living on Mars) led the Jets to the AFC title game in which they had a 10-0 lead over the Broncos in Denver at halftime. Since then........well I'm thinking......NOTHING! Vinny got injured early the following season and the Jets have never recovered. Glen Foley and Ray Lucas disguised themselves as starting QBs and the Jets have been losers ever since that ill-fated AFC title game in Denver. Chad Pennington proved to have the heart and desire to be a winner, he just didn’t have the physical tools. All of which makes this last season even more tragic for Jets fans. Eric Mangini was given a revamped offensive line, a hall of fame QB and 7 pro-bowlers, and did he do with it? Well is started well enough with an 8-3 record, with away wins at then undefeated Tennessee and at arch nemesis New England. The media was talking about an all New York Super bowl and Brett Favre looked like he was going to finally bring the Jets to the promised land. Then everything went wrong. Brett Favre ended up with 23 INTs and the Jets crashed to a 9-7 finish, with the final insult coming on the last day of the season. With their fading playoff hopes on the line, the Jets hosted the Miami Dolphins led by Chad Pennington. Pennington came to the Meadowlands and finished off the Jets in route to a division title and a playoff berth. Now the Jets are left to wonder if they will ever be winners again. Brett Favre will most likely retire (for real this time) and Eric Mangini has been told to clear his office ASAP. Wasted were All-Pro performances by Thomas Jones and Revis. Wasted was an opportunity to win a division which was without its best player since the first play of the season...Tom Brady. The Jets have no capable QB in waiting and who really wants to coach this team? Seems like there may be a 2-12 season in the future with no hope in site for the Jets. At least they are not the Lions right? Just another year for THE SAME OLD JETS.....

All of this may sound like complaining and whining, however, we are talking about teams in the biggest market in America. Nothing less than winning in acceptable with teams with a payroll the size of which is almost embarrassing.

World Cup Qualifying

As i watch the Minnesota Vikings try to recover an onside kick (which they did not), I wonder how many things are going on in the sports world. Brady is out for the year, The US Open Finals, the tight division races in MLB, heck even the NASCAR Chase for the Cup are all legitimate sports topics. However, this first post (any many more to come) will be related to soccer. The sport that most Americans do not understand, much less care about. Beckham must be the best player in the world right? No, its that Pele guy! Isn't that a girl sport?.......

Well let us answer those questions real quick: No Becks is not the best player in the world (nor was he ever), Pele is retired (although arguably one of the best to ever grace a soccer field), and no, it is not just a girls sport. For the sake of full disclosure, Leonel Messi is the best player in the world right now.

Let us not digress, this Wednesday will be the 8th round of South American qualifying for the World Cup to be held in South Africa in 2010. It is a simple process: All ten South American nations play each other twice (home and away games). 3 points for a win, 1 for a tie, 0 for a loss. At the end of this two and a half year marathon, the top 4 teams qualify directly to the World Cup. The 5th place team plays a home and away playoff with the 4th place team from CONCACAF (North and Central America, and the Caribbean) for an additional spot in the premier soccer tournament.

The most important match of this round will be played in Santiago, Chile. The host nation will receive a visit from Colombia. Both of these countries are currently tied for fifth place with 10 points. Chile comes off a crushing 3-0 defeat to Brazil on Sunday night at home. Chile will need a better performance from Villareal play-maker Matias Fernandez as well as better finishing from Monterey striker Suazo to have a chance to knock off the Colombians. Although there is no shame in losing to Brazil, losing points at home will not book you a ticket to the big party in 2010. Colombia, likewise, come off a brutal home loss to Uruguay 1-0. The Colombians will rely on play-maker Geovanny Hernandez and River Plate striker Radamel Falcao Garcia to put pressure on a weak Chilean defense. Nothing less than a win will be acceptable for the home team, however, the Colombians would walk away happy with an away draw.

First place Paraguay (14 points) will host 7th place Venezuela (7 points). Paraguay come off an impressive away draw against 10-man Argentina. They will hope to have back from injuries star strikers Roque Santa Cruz and Salvador Cabanas. Venezuela need to recover from a shock loss against then last-place Peru. They will need a better performance from play-makers Arango and Rojas to have any chance of rescuing a point in Paraguay.

In Montevideo, Uruguay (11points) will host Ecuador (8 points) in a battle of teams that will most likely battle for one of the final qualifying spots in this region. Both teams come off impressive wins. Uruguay got a valuable away win at Colombia, while Ecuador disposed of also-ran Bolivia at home.

Peru (6 points) will try to hold on to its fading World Cup chances at home against start studded Argentina (12 points) . Peru comes off their first win of the qualifying campaign against Venezuela. Argentina could only tie at home to Paraguay and will be without the services of goalie Abondazieri, midfielder Macherano and start striker Carlos Tevez. Even so, Peru would be well served if they can hold Argentina to a tie, thus keeping their hopes alive.

In the last game of this round, 5-time world champion Brazil (12 points) will host last place Bolivia (4 points) Brazil easily disposed of Chile on Sunday night and should have no problem doing the same to Bolivia. Ronaldihno, Robinho, Diego, etc., will be too much to handle for a Bolivia side that will be hoping that the game ends as soon as humanly possible.

PREDICTIONS:

Brazil 5 - Bolivia 0
Chile 2 - Colombia 1
Peru 1 - Argentina 1
Uruguay 1 - Ecuador 2
Paraguay 3 - Venezuela 1