Tiki Barber continues to defy logic. In the first few years of his career, he didn't have the size to be an every down back. When fumbling problems threatened to unseat him as the featured back, he managed to fix that. When he hit the running back wall of age 30, he inexplicably took his game to MVP-caliber heights. Finally, just when it seemed he resigned himself to his post-football career, Tiki torched the Redskins last night to virtually assure the Giants will make the playoffs. Barber set a new franchise record for rushing yards in a game with 234 and notched his first ever three touchdown performance as the Giants defeated the Redskins 34-28. If some of Barber's magic can rub off on the rest of the team, they will put up a fight in either Dallas or Philadelphia next weekend.
Everytime there's been a microphone in Barber's face, he's used it to conduct unofficial auditions. The comments he's made regarding his post-football life have lead many (including myself) to question his ability to focus and perform on Sundays. He answered all those critics emphatically by turning in the finest performance of his career. Unfortunately, his brilliant performance concealed several issues that could send the Giants to a quick playoff exit.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Giants-Redskins Preview
Week 17 kicks off tonight with the Redskins hosting the Giants at FedEx Field. In their first meeting, the Giants were dominant in a 19-3 win at Giants Stadium. Unless you've been living under a rock the past two months, you know many things have changed. The Giants went from chic Super Bowl pick to "team turmoil", whose members haven't missed an opportunity for a detrimental sound bite. For the Redskins, Coach Gibbs benched starting quarterback Mark Brunell in favor of young Jason Campbell and an injury to Clinton Portis has led to the emergence of Ladell Betts. The Skins have been playing better football of late, including a win on the road in New Orleans two weeks ago. Running back Ladell Betts has eclipsed 100 yards in five consecutive games. No matter what the records, a December game between the Giants and Redskins will always be intense. Tonight figures to be no different.
The Giants Will Win If... they can stop beating themselves. Out of all the errors the team has made this year, the worst has been consistently putting themselves in bad situations with penalties. Coach Coughlin finally has made his players accountable and supposedly will bench major culprit Bob Whitfield. With the switch of play callers, the Giants hope Kevin Gilbride will put the offense in better situations to score points. It all starts with getting more touches for Tiki Barber. Between Eli's struggles and their inability to keep their defense off the field, the Giants must establish a consistent running game. In the passing game, someone needs to step up. The perfect man seems to be Sinorice Moss, who would allow Eli to develop an early rythym with some short passes and screens. His speed could be a great mismatch for a depleted Redskins secondary. Defensively, the Giants need to challenge Jason Campbell to beat them. He has a talented trio of WR's and a great pass catching tight end but is still very inexperienced. Betts has been extremely effective running between the tackles, so Barry Coefield and Fred Robbins need to get penetration. Antonio Pierce always has a chip on his shoulder facing his former team, so he should be ready to neutralize Betts. On special teams, they can not afford to give away great field position like they did last week. They could really use a spark from the kick return unit that has failed to produce all season. Again, this is an area where Sinorice Moss could be a difference maker.
The Redskins Will Win If...they can shut down the Giants running game. Eli Manning's struggles have been well documented, so the Giants should be expected to give a heavy dose of the ground game. The offense has been given a huge boost by the play of Ladell Betts. Since filling in for the injured Clinton Portis, Betts has topped 100 yards rushing in each of the last five games. He's taken a lot of pressure off inexperienced QB Jason Campbell. Campbell's numbers are nothing spectacular, but he's been efficient. He's shown the ability to make plays down the field and is starting to get better play from his receivers. Last year's December matchup in Washington turned out to be the Santana Moss show. The Giants had no answers for him and he could give a struggling secondary nightmares all day. If the offensive line can give Campbell time to throw, they should have opportunities to attack down the field. Defensively the Redskins have been susceptible to deep passing plays and that should continue now that cornerback Shawn Springs is out. Sean Taylor has terrific ball skills but can be caught being too aggressive. Like the Gians, they should stack the box and make Eli Manning beat them. With Shockey out and other receivers struggling, they need to make the Giants one dimensional.
Prediction: In the past two months, nothing has gone right for the Giants. They've squandered fourth quarter leads, they've shown dissension in the locker room, and they've nearly played themselves out of the playoffs. But that's just it: NEARLY played themselves out of the playoffs. With a win tonight, they're virtually assured of a playoff berth. For all that's gone wrong, one victory can change everything. Unfortunately, the Giants have been in this situation for weeks and still can't play well enough to win. The Redskins would love to spoil the Giants postseason plans, so I imagine they'll come to play. Former Redskin Antonio Pierce said earlier this week he expects the Redskins to be physical, so at the very least the Giants have to limp in to the playoffs battered. Everything surrounding this game indicates it will come down to who can run the football. The NFL has been so crazy this year, it'll probably turn in to a shootout. With a loss, the Tiki Barber era and Tom Coughlin era will come to a close. It may just be foolish optimism, but expect the Giants to get themselves in great playoff position.
The Giants Will Win If... they can stop beating themselves. Out of all the errors the team has made this year, the worst has been consistently putting themselves in bad situations with penalties. Coach Coughlin finally has made his players accountable and supposedly will bench major culprit Bob Whitfield. With the switch of play callers, the Giants hope Kevin Gilbride will put the offense in better situations to score points. It all starts with getting more touches for Tiki Barber. Between Eli's struggles and their inability to keep their defense off the field, the Giants must establish a consistent running game. In the passing game, someone needs to step up. The perfect man seems to be Sinorice Moss, who would allow Eli to develop an early rythym with some short passes and screens. His speed could be a great mismatch for a depleted Redskins secondary. Defensively, the Giants need to challenge Jason Campbell to beat them. He has a talented trio of WR's and a great pass catching tight end but is still very inexperienced. Betts has been extremely effective running between the tackles, so Barry Coefield and Fred Robbins need to get penetration. Antonio Pierce always has a chip on his shoulder facing his former team, so he should be ready to neutralize Betts. On special teams, they can not afford to give away great field position like they did last week. They could really use a spark from the kick return unit that has failed to produce all season. Again, this is an area where Sinorice Moss could be a difference maker.
The Redskins Will Win If...they can shut down the Giants running game. Eli Manning's struggles have been well documented, so the Giants should be expected to give a heavy dose of the ground game. The offense has been given a huge boost by the play of Ladell Betts. Since filling in for the injured Clinton Portis, Betts has topped 100 yards rushing in each of the last five games. He's taken a lot of pressure off inexperienced QB Jason Campbell. Campbell's numbers are nothing spectacular, but he's been efficient. He's shown the ability to make plays down the field and is starting to get better play from his receivers. Last year's December matchup in Washington turned out to be the Santana Moss show. The Giants had no answers for him and he could give a struggling secondary nightmares all day. If the offensive line can give Campbell time to throw, they should have opportunities to attack down the field. Defensively the Redskins have been susceptible to deep passing plays and that should continue now that cornerback Shawn Springs is out. Sean Taylor has terrific ball skills but can be caught being too aggressive. Like the Gians, they should stack the box and make Eli Manning beat them. With Shockey out and other receivers struggling, they need to make the Giants one dimensional.
Prediction: In the past two months, nothing has gone right for the Giants. They've squandered fourth quarter leads, they've shown dissension in the locker room, and they've nearly played themselves out of the playoffs. But that's just it: NEARLY played themselves out of the playoffs. With a win tonight, they're virtually assured of a playoff berth. For all that's gone wrong, one victory can change everything. Unfortunately, the Giants have been in this situation for weeks and still can't play well enough to win. The Redskins would love to spoil the Giants postseason plans, so I imagine they'll come to play. Former Redskin Antonio Pierce said earlier this week he expects the Redskins to be physical, so at the very least the Giants have to limp in to the playoffs battered. Everything surrounding this game indicates it will come down to who can run the football. The NFL has been so crazy this year, it'll probably turn in to a shootout. With a loss, the Tiki Barber era and Tom Coughlin era will come to a close. It may just be foolish optimism, but expect the Giants to get themselves in great playoff position.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Offense Limping In to Washington
On the eve of the regular season finale, TE Jeremy Shockey and all purpose OL Rich Seubert did not travel with the team to Washington. They both have been ruled out for what may be the team's final game of 2006. In their place, expect Visanthe Shiancoe to start at TE and Grey Ruegamer to start at left guard. With Seubert out and Ruegamer starting inside, the Giants will have to rely on newly signed TE Darcy Johnson in multiple tight end sets. They have preferred to use Seubert and Ruegamer as additional blockers in those situations, but expect Johnson to be thrown in to the fire.
With Shockey out, there is additional pressure on the Giants' receivers to step up. Coughlin has shown desperation in many of his choices this week, so hopefully that'll lead him to give rookie Sinorice Moss a shot. Until he definitively proves he is uncapable of stepping up, I'm going to continue touting him as our best option behind Burress. As I've previously stated, this could be a big week for him to get involved. A matchup with his older brother Santana should have him focused and the Redskins secondary is depleted with an injury to Shawn Springs.
With Shockey out, there is additional pressure on the Giants' receivers to step up. Coughlin has shown desperation in many of his choices this week, so hopefully that'll lead him to give rookie Sinorice Moss a shot. Until he definitively proves he is uncapable of stepping up, I'm going to continue touting him as our best option behind Burress. As I've previously stated, this could be a big week for him to get involved. A matchup with his older brother Santana should have him focused and the Redskins secondary is depleted with an injury to Shawn Springs.
Tired of Tiki
Let me preface the following paragraphs with this important piece of information: there is nothing Tiki Barber could ever do to erase how important he's been to the New York Giants for the past ten years. However, the more interviews he conducts, the more magazines that feature articles on him, and the more radio spots he does is making his impending retirement a lot easier to handle. Quite frankly, it is time for him to go. His heart is not in the game and the more evident it becomes, the harder it is to root for him. I've been fighting this feeling for weeks, but his constant dismissal of being sentimental about his last few games is troubling. He claims he's not focused on himself as part of an effort to put his team first, but it's clear that's not the case. Ironically, his general lack of focus is hurting the team far more than the "Me-Ki" label he was given earlier this year. The following quote appeared in today's Journal News. It reads like every other sound bite he has given the past few week's, but is especially telling in where his focus truly lies.
"My focus is on winning. That's what I've been thinking about for the last few weeks. Just like it wasn't overly emotional last week [the home finale]. I love this game, but I also have great excitement about what I'm going to do next."
Tiki's philosophical take on the next phase of his life may be endearing to network executives, but it's as nauseating as that face Eli makes after a foolish mistake. Look, we're all happy that his hard work has translated in to a very successful NFL career which will enable him television opportunities. But Tiki needs to learn, as far as his appearance and intelligence would have gotten him in life, it is nowhere as important as his NFL pedigree. To forsake that, to label it only as "a character I've been playing for 10 years" as he suggests in ESPN the Magazine, is a disservice to the New York Giants organization and his fans. No one can question he's still being productive when called upon, but that's more of a testament to his fierce competitiveness. And I would never suggest he's not trying to help win ball games, but to focus so much on his post-football days while still suiting up is unacceptable. I'm not questioning his decision to retire; he has every right to hang it up after this season. But leave the candid discussion about retirement until his playing days are officially over. The worst part of all is watching his mannerisms on game day.
The cameras follow him around as often as they can on Sundays, but all that can be seen are blank stares by a man already thinking about his post game interviews. For once, I'd like to see him in a group with the other running backs, giving out a few last pointers. Or maybe pulling his quarterback aside, telling him the days of relying on his all-purpose back are numbered so he better get his act together. Maybe he could talk to his ego-maniacal receivers, show them you can achieve great things with some class and a lot of hard work. Instead, he's fantasizing about being the next Matt Lauer. Think I was disgusted by the comments he made above? I'd rather watch the Red Sox 2004 Championship DVDs than have to read that again. Now I'm not trying to say Lauer is not good at what he does, or that Tiki shouldn't try and emulate a professional in a field that he's interested in. All I'm saying is save that talk for the offseason. Right now, he is a member of the New York Football Giants. He has always been the consumate professional, which should include being 100 percent focused on the tasks at hand for your current employer. He's certainly not doing that right now, and it's hard to handle. Saturday could be the last time Giants fans see Tiki Barber running for Big Blue. Unfortunately, they care about it a hell of a lot more than he does.
"My focus is on winning. That's what I've been thinking about for the last few weeks. Just like it wasn't overly emotional last week [the home finale]. I love this game, but I also have great excitement about what I'm going to do next."
Tiki's philosophical take on the next phase of his life may be endearing to network executives, but it's as nauseating as that face Eli makes after a foolish mistake. Look, we're all happy that his hard work has translated in to a very successful NFL career which will enable him television opportunities. But Tiki needs to learn, as far as his appearance and intelligence would have gotten him in life, it is nowhere as important as his NFL pedigree. To forsake that, to label it only as "a character I've been playing for 10 years" as he suggests in ESPN the Magazine, is a disservice to the New York Giants organization and his fans. No one can question he's still being productive when called upon, but that's more of a testament to his fierce competitiveness. And I would never suggest he's not trying to help win ball games, but to focus so much on his post-football days while still suiting up is unacceptable. I'm not questioning his decision to retire; he has every right to hang it up after this season. But leave the candid discussion about retirement until his playing days are officially over. The worst part of all is watching his mannerisms on game day.
The cameras follow him around as often as they can on Sundays, but all that can be seen are blank stares by a man already thinking about his post game interviews. For once, I'd like to see him in a group with the other running backs, giving out a few last pointers. Or maybe pulling his quarterback aside, telling him the days of relying on his all-purpose back are numbered so he better get his act together. Maybe he could talk to his ego-maniacal receivers, show them you can achieve great things with some class and a lot of hard work. Instead, he's fantasizing about being the next Matt Lauer. Think I was disgusted by the comments he made above? I'd rather watch the Red Sox 2004 Championship DVDs than have to read that again. Now I'm not trying to say Lauer is not good at what he does, or that Tiki shouldn't try and emulate a professional in a field that he's interested in. All I'm saying is save that talk for the offseason. Right now, he is a member of the New York Football Giants. He has always been the consumate professional, which should include being 100 percent focused on the tasks at hand for your current employer. He's certainly not doing that right now, and it's hard to handle. Saturday could be the last time Giants fans see Tiki Barber running for Big Blue. Unfortunately, they care about it a hell of a lot more than he does.
Coughlin Sick Of Head-Butts; Whitfield sent to the bench
Tom Coughlin's week of shake-ups continued with the announcement that Bob Whitfield will be replaced at left tackle by David Diehl. Diehl's vacant left guard position will be assumed by Rich Seubert, if healthy. If he can't go, Grey Ruegamer would get the nod. While most Giants fans would like to see Coughlin fired, I must applaud the moves he's making to try and win this weekend. The biggest thing to question is what took Coughlin so long to make these moves. Whether it was purely speculation or had some substance, the shifting on the offensive line has been an issue since mid-November. In an entry from November 16th, I discussed several possibilities, one of which is the lineup Coughlin will be using this weekend. It's clear he is making a last ditch effort to save his job, but if he tried these things earlier, he probably wouldn't be facing the same predicament.
Whitfield has been woefully ineffective and surprisingly stupid. He committed two more personal fouls against the Saints, including his second headbutting penalty in four games. Either it's been such a long time since he's been a full time starter that he has forgotten the rules or headbutting wasn't expressly a penalty when he entered the league 15 years ago. Either way, his replacement is long overdue. It's a shame to interrupt Diehl's progress as an interior lineman, but desperate times call for desperate measures. He's big and quick enough to fend off speed rushers off the edge. If Seubert can play, there really isn't a drop off in production from the left guard position.
Other News and Notes:
Jeremy Shockey has missed practice all week with a sprained ankle and will be a game-time decision. If he has to sit, Vishante Shiancoe would get the start. I expect Shockey will do everything he can to play, but he's had nagging ankle injuries for quite some time. He leads the team in receptions and his absence would be a devastating blow to a struggling offense.
Some good news for Michael Strahan. Doctors have informed the star defensive end that he will not need surgery to repair the Lisfranc sprain in his foot. Strahan confirmed on his weekly WFAN spot that if he needed surgery, retirement would have been a very real possibility.
Whitfield has been woefully ineffective and surprisingly stupid. He committed two more personal fouls against the Saints, including his second headbutting penalty in four games. Either it's been such a long time since he's been a full time starter that he has forgotten the rules or headbutting wasn't expressly a penalty when he entered the league 15 years ago. Either way, his replacement is long overdue. It's a shame to interrupt Diehl's progress as an interior lineman, but desperate times call for desperate measures. He's big and quick enough to fend off speed rushers off the edge. If Seubert can play, there really isn't a drop off in production from the left guard position.
Other News and Notes:
Jeremy Shockey has missed practice all week with a sprained ankle and will be a game-time decision. If he has to sit, Vishante Shiancoe would get the start. I expect Shockey will do everything he can to play, but he's had nagging ankle injuries for quite some time. He leads the team in receptions and his absence would be a devastating blow to a struggling offense.
Some good news for Michael Strahan. Doctors have informed the star defensive end that he will not need surgery to repair the Lisfranc sprain in his foot. Strahan confirmed on his weekly WFAN spot that if he needed surgery, retirement would have been a very real possibility.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Zito Becomes Richest Pitcher Ever
The prize pitcher of the 2006 free agent class found the highest bidder, but it wasn't who many expected. With the deep pocket Yankees, Rangers, and Mets in the mix, it did not seem likely Barry Zito would remain on the Pacific Coast. However, with a 7 year deal worth $126 million the Bay Area will retain one of its stars, just in a new uniform. Zito joins the San Francisco Giants to fill the void left by Jason Schmidt. The seven year deal is the richest package ever given to a pitcher and seventh all time. It also includes an eighth year option which would boost the package to $144 million. Now that the ace of the free agent class is off the market, it'll be interesting to examine how the remaining crop plays out.
With Zito gone, there's only one guy still considered a front line starter and his status is very questionable. If Clemens does decide to come back, the Astros, Red Sox, and Yankees seem to be the only likely destinations. This spells trouble for teams such as the Mets who are in the market for a top tier guy. Fresh off his impressive outings in the 2006 playoffs, there could be a competitive market for Jeff Weaver. He's widely regarded to be the best free agent pitcher not named Clemens. A wild card could be fellow Cardinal Mark Mulder. He proved to be just as effective as Barry Zito and Tim Hudson while part of the "Big Three", but has disappointed during his stay in St. Louis. A change of scenery, plus some luck curing up some nagging health issues, could make Mulder a steal.
With Zito gone, there's only one guy still considered a front line starter and his status is very questionable. If Clemens does decide to come back, the Astros, Red Sox, and Yankees seem to be the only likely destinations. This spells trouble for teams such as the Mets who are in the market for a top tier guy. Fresh off his impressive outings in the 2006 playoffs, there could be a competitive market for Jeff Weaver. He's widely regarded to be the best free agent pitcher not named Clemens. A wild card could be fellow Cardinal Mark Mulder. He proved to be just as effective as Barry Zito and Tim Hudson while part of the "Big Three", but has disappointed during his stay in St. Louis. A change of scenery, plus some luck curing up some nagging health issues, could make Mulder a steal.
Starbury Shines Bright; Knicks PG Nets 41 in 3 OT Win Over Pistons
Although no one likes to admit it, the Melee in Manhattan may have lit a fire under the Knicks. Since the brawl the Knicks have won 4 out of their last 5 games, including 4 straight on their home floor. Last night the Knicks received a terrific effort from several key players in defeating a tough Pistons team after 7 periods of play. Even more incredible, the win vaulted the Knicks to the top of the division. Just to reiterate, the much maligned Knickerbockers are now in first place. Granted they are in one of the worst divisions in the history of the NBA, this team is actually putting a good product on the floor. There are many reasons to watch this team right now, below are just a few:
The Evolution of Eddy Curry. It is still hard to justify the steep price Isiah paid (and is still paying in draft choices) to bring the young big man to New York, but the 25 year old "veteran" is shaping in to one of the most talented Centers in basketball. With Shaq sidelined for a while, Curry has a good chance to be selected to his first All-Star Game. His strong play continued with 33 points last night, including 11 of 15 from the free throw line. Unlike many of today's big men, he knows his place is filling the lane. He can score in a variety of ways close to the basket and has not been trying to take shots out of his range.
The Return of "Starbury". A few weeks back, Isiah had his star point guard talk to former Knick great Walt "Clyde" Frazier. Although he may be terribly irritating to listen to on Knicks tv broadcasts, he may have struck a chord with their court general. To borrow a line from Frazier, Marbury is back to "swishin and dishin". His numbers are up all across the board and he's providing a ton of energy. With Robinson and Francis out of the lineup, it seems he enjoys having more responsibility in the offense. He's developed a nice rapport with Jamal Crawford, who has also played very well during this recent run. Isiah clearly trusts Crawford with the game on the line, opting to let Jamal let loose in the final seconds of every tight game.
The Sophomore Forwards. Whenever there's a discussion on Isiah Thomas, it always goes something like this: "He's never enjoyed success running a team, but he always has drafted well." Watching the progress of second year forwards Channing Frye and David Lee, it's hard to argue that. Frye, who enjoyed success as a rookie but struggled early in the year, is finding his rythym again. He knocked down a long range jumper at the buzzer to send the game in to triple overtime and totaled 26 points for the game. For many, the bigger story has been the emergence of David Lee. Lee has been a rebounding machine since his minutes have increased and leads the team with over 10 per game. Unfortunately, with the return of Jared Jeffries last night, he resumed his role as sixth man. For a team that struggled at the beginning of games to start the season, it seems more than coincidental that they've been more competitive since Lee cracked the starting rotation. Hopefully Isiah can realize this and keep the team rolling.
For all that's been made of the Garden crowd booing the home team, excitement is back in the world's most famous arena. Last night's thriller with the Pistons had the fans out of their seats and involved in all the key moments. As they say, winning cures a lot of ills. It's been a while since the Knicks have been perched on top, but the fans must have cautious optimism. The team is still five games under .500 with a lot of season to play. For Isiah Thomas, the current winning streak at the Garden has made his seat a little cooler but still has little chance of survival without a spot in the playoffs.
The Evolution of Eddy Curry. It is still hard to justify the steep price Isiah paid (and is still paying in draft choices) to bring the young big man to New York, but the 25 year old "veteran" is shaping in to one of the most talented Centers in basketball. With Shaq sidelined for a while, Curry has a good chance to be selected to his first All-Star Game. His strong play continued with 33 points last night, including 11 of 15 from the free throw line. Unlike many of today's big men, he knows his place is filling the lane. He can score in a variety of ways close to the basket and has not been trying to take shots out of his range.
The Return of "Starbury". A few weeks back, Isiah had his star point guard talk to former Knick great Walt "Clyde" Frazier. Although he may be terribly irritating to listen to on Knicks tv broadcasts, he may have struck a chord with their court general. To borrow a line from Frazier, Marbury is back to "swishin and dishin". His numbers are up all across the board and he's providing a ton of energy. With Robinson and Francis out of the lineup, it seems he enjoys having more responsibility in the offense. He's developed a nice rapport with Jamal Crawford, who has also played very well during this recent run. Isiah clearly trusts Crawford with the game on the line, opting to let Jamal let loose in the final seconds of every tight game.
The Sophomore Forwards. Whenever there's a discussion on Isiah Thomas, it always goes something like this: "He's never enjoyed success running a team, but he always has drafted well." Watching the progress of second year forwards Channing Frye and David Lee, it's hard to argue that. Frye, who enjoyed success as a rookie but struggled early in the year, is finding his rythym again. He knocked down a long range jumper at the buzzer to send the game in to triple overtime and totaled 26 points for the game. For many, the bigger story has been the emergence of David Lee. Lee has been a rebounding machine since his minutes have increased and leads the team with over 10 per game. Unfortunately, with the return of Jared Jeffries last night, he resumed his role as sixth man. For a team that struggled at the beginning of games to start the season, it seems more than coincidental that they've been more competitive since Lee cracked the starting rotation. Hopefully Isiah can realize this and keep the team rolling.
For all that's been made of the Garden crowd booing the home team, excitement is back in the world's most famous arena. Last night's thriller with the Pistons had the fans out of their seats and involved in all the key moments. As they say, winning cures a lot of ills. It's been a while since the Knicks have been perched on top, but the fans must have cautious optimism. The team is still five games under .500 with a lot of season to play. For Isiah Thomas, the current winning streak at the Garden has made his seat a little cooler but still has little chance of survival without a spot in the playoffs.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
MLB Forced To Hand Over Drug Tests
As part of the new collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and the Players association, over 100 positive drug tests from 2003 were kept private by the league office. Earlier today an Appeals Court ruled that MLB is required to hand over the results of the tests to the committee investigating steroid use in baseball. The league office could petition the Supreme Court to hear the case, but only about 1 percent of cases submitted to the high court are ruled on in a given year (and who says Political Science and sports never mix). This is a significant blow to the players' association because it is only a matter of time that these names are leaked. With an estimated 100 failed tests, lots of current players will certainly be dragged in the mud.
From a fan's standpoint, this is a bitersweet victory. It's anyone's guess who will go down once the name's are leaked, but it will be refreshing to learn who the "clean" players are. However, the shadow cast by steroid use has become too large to definitively assess any of the innocent players. For the 100 or so who get caught now that the Government is in possession of the list, it simply means they were not smart enough to take a substance the league didn't or couldn't test for at the time(such as HGH or the BALCO designer steroids). It wouldn't be surprising if many of the men we suspect of steroid use (Bonds, Giambi, Sheffield, etc) do not appear on any of these documents. In terms of players being prosecuted, it does not seem likely this far after the fact. The presumed revelation of these lists will only serve to tarnish images around the league, not for them to face any punitive charges.
From a fan's standpoint, this is a bitersweet victory. It's anyone's guess who will go down once the name's are leaked, but it will be refreshing to learn who the "clean" players are. However, the shadow cast by steroid use has become too large to definitively assess any of the innocent players. For the 100 or so who get caught now that the Government is in possession of the list, it simply means they were not smart enough to take a substance the league didn't or couldn't test for at the time(such as HGH or the BALCO designer steroids). It wouldn't be surprising if many of the men we suspect of steroid use (Bonds, Giambi, Sheffield, etc) do not appear on any of these documents. In terms of players being prosecuted, it does not seem likely this far after the fact. The presumed revelation of these lists will only serve to tarnish images around the league, not for them to face any punitive charges.
Playoffs?!? As crazy as it sounds, Giants nearly in control of destiny
It would take a pretty convincing argument to persuade anyone to believe that the New York Football Giants are a playoff caliber team right now. However, if they win at Washington on Saturday, it is extremely likely they will hold on to the sixth seed in the NFC. The scenarios have been described over and over in articles all over the web. However, it always seems easier to learn from a graphic than discern sports writer babble. For Giants fans, the only 7-8 team of any concern is the Green Bay Packers. They own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Atlanta and Carolina, as well as the conference record tiebreaker over the St. Louis. Due to an identical conference record, no head to head matchup, and an even winning percentage in common games if both win their remaining game, the tiebreaker goes to Strength of Victory. Strength of victory is calculated by adding up the records of all the teams beaten by the team in question. For example, if you beat a 5-0 team and an 0-5 team, your strength of victory would be .500 (5-5) percent. Right now the Giants hold a huge advantage in this department, so the Packers need everything to break their way in this weekend's action. A lot to digest, right? With that in mind, below is an easy to follow chart on the only way the Giants could be left out of the Super Bowl tournament with a win.
SCENARIO FOR GIANTS NOT TO MAKE PLAYOFFS WITH WIN:
(All Packers Victims Projected to Win, All Giants Victims Projected to Lose)
PACKERS VICTIMS RECORD GIANTS VICTIMS RECORD
Detroit 3-13 Philadelphia 10-6/9-7
Miami 7-9 Washington 5-11
Arizona 6-10 Atlanta 7-9/8-8
Minnesota 7-9 Dallas 9-7
San Francisco 7-9 Tampa Bay 4-12
Detroit 3-13 Houston 5-11
Minnesota 7-9 Carolina 7-9
Bears 13-3 Washington 5-11
FINAL TOTALS: 53-75 52-76
*Philadelphia and Atlanta play each other in Week 17
As you can see, if all of the Packers previous victims win they will have a total of 53 wins compared to the Giants 52 if all of theirs lose. This chart only explains how the Giants DO NOT qualify with a win. What is not evident from this chart is that Dallas hosts Detroit on Sunday. If Dallas wins, the tiebreaker is clinched for the Giants. It seems pretty reasonable that a playoff team fighting for the division can beat arguably football's worst team on their home field. There are many other reasonable scenarios that put the Giants in the playoffs with a win, but the last part may be the trickiest. Getting a win, although its the only thing they can control, looks to be the toughest for them to handle.
The Giants are playing terrible football, but are hoping a change in play-calling duties can spark a stagnant offense. Instilling Kevin Gilbride as the play caller seems to be a way of improving Eli Manning. Gilbride is the man most responsible for dealing with the young quarterback and his selection may signal concern within the organization about Eli's lack of progress. Coach Coughlin suggested he'd been mulling the decision to strip Hufnagel of his duties, but it seems his loyalty to a long-time employee got in the way of rational decision making. Hufnagel has been connected to Coughlin for many years and the head coach has always been known for his dedication to people he trusts. It's just unfortunate that his own personal dilemma has disrupted the success of his football team for possibly an irreparable period of time.
SCENARIO FOR GIANTS NOT TO MAKE PLAYOFFS WITH WIN:
(All Packers Victims Projected to Win, All Giants Victims Projected to Lose)
PACKERS VICTIMS RECORD GIANTS VICTIMS RECORD
Detroit 3-13 Philadelphia 10-6/9-7
Miami 7-9 Washington 5-11
Arizona 6-10 Atlanta 7-9/8-8
Minnesota 7-9 Dallas 9-7
San Francisco 7-9 Tampa Bay 4-12
Detroit 3-13 Houston 5-11
Minnesota 7-9 Carolina 7-9
Bears 13-3 Washington 5-11
FINAL TOTALS: 53-75 52-76
*Philadelphia and Atlanta play each other in Week 17
As you can see, if all of the Packers previous victims win they will have a total of 53 wins compared to the Giants 52 if all of theirs lose. This chart only explains how the Giants DO NOT qualify with a win. What is not evident from this chart is that Dallas hosts Detroit on Sunday. If Dallas wins, the tiebreaker is clinched for the Giants. It seems pretty reasonable that a playoff team fighting for the division can beat arguably football's worst team on their home field. There are many other reasonable scenarios that put the Giants in the playoffs with a win, but the last part may be the trickiest. Getting a win, although its the only thing they can control, looks to be the toughest for them to handle.
The Giants are playing terrible football, but are hoping a change in play-calling duties can spark a stagnant offense. Instilling Kevin Gilbride as the play caller seems to be a way of improving Eli Manning. Gilbride is the man most responsible for dealing with the young quarterback and his selection may signal concern within the organization about Eli's lack of progress. Coach Coughlin suggested he'd been mulling the decision to strip Hufnagel of his duties, but it seems his loyalty to a long-time employee got in the way of rational decision making. Hufnagel has been connected to Coughlin for many years and the head coach has always been known for his dedication to people he trusts. It's just unfortunate that his own personal dilemma has disrupted the success of his football team for possibly an irreparable period of time.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Giants Lose Strahan For Season; Petitgout and Morton also placed on IR
Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. Giants fans prayers were answered when star defensive end Michael Strahan returned to the field on Sunday, but now all are hoping that he hadn't. Just as the defense felt whole again, Strahan re-injured his foot and will miss the remainder of the season. Amidst renewed optimism with their favorable chances of making the playoffs, the Giants will also be without the services of Luke Petitgout. There had been hope the left tackle would be able to return, but he has not healed as quickly as the organization previously thought. The announcement of Morton was a mere formality after he tore his ACL in Sunday's home loss. For Giants fans, the losses of Strahan and Petitgout are devastating. Although Sunday's game left little to be desired, Strahan seemed to be very active after his long lay off. There was some concern he could re-aggrevate the injury, and obviously those trepidations were warranted. The status of Petitgout has always been more of a mystery, but everything out of Giants' camp suggested he'd be prepared as early as the season finale at Washington. His recovery has not progressed far enough for the Giants to feel he'd be ready anytime soon.
Obviously the bigger story is losing these three key components, but my bigger issue is with their replacements. Taking their spots on the roster will be WR Darius Watts, TE Darcy Johnson, and RB Robert Douglas. Some rationality can be given to the Watts signing. He's a young, speed guy who enjoyed a little success in his short tenure with Denver. The Giants receiving corps needed a bolster, and I have no problem bringing in outside help to do so. It seems there are better options out there with the recent release of Vikings WR Marcus Robinson, but Watts certainly had more signability. However, I don't possibly see a need for another TE and RB, no matter what their caliber. The Giants were content to enter the season with 2 Tight Ends and have had no problem using Rich Seubert in addition to Shiancoe and Shockey. Johnson has failed to catch on with the Giants in the past, and Tight End is one of the few positions the Giants are settled in. Another one of those positions is Running Back, but the Giants inexplicably signed Douglas off the Texans practice squad. First, how desperate for RB's do you have to be to sign a guy who couldn't catch on in the Texans backfield. Secondly, the Giants just flat out do not need any more running backs. When they placed Derrick Ward on IR last week, they promoted practice squad running back James Sims. That signing was curious enough, there was no need to add another guy who is not going to carry the football. With glaring needs on the defensive and offensive lines, how is that not addressed? I understand the Giants signed OL Steve Edwards when they released Chris Claiborne, but nagging injuries along with Petitgout's trip to the IR makes more linemen necessary. On the other side of the ball, the Giants are in desperate need of bodies. Right now the Giants are inexperienced and thin along the defensive line and could really use a run stopping end to spell Kiwanuka. It seems the incompetence from the sidelines is leaking in to the management office.
A lone bright spot is that John Hufnagel has been stripped of playcalling duties. According to Ralph Vacchiano, the Giants beat writer for the Daily News, Coughlin made the decision to give the offense a spark. The man now responsible for restoring order to the offense will be quarterbacks coach Kevin Gilbride. Since Hufnagel has set a very low standard, I feel confident Gilbride can bring more to the table. This move clearly signals that Coughlin fears for his job, as well he should. Even though a win virtually assures the Giants of a playoff berth, it is widely speculated that his abrasive style has not meshed well with Giants executives. Getting in to the playoffs may not even be enough to save his job, but you can be assured failing to qualify will certainly end his reign.
Obviously the bigger story is losing these three key components, but my bigger issue is with their replacements. Taking their spots on the roster will be WR Darius Watts, TE Darcy Johnson, and RB Robert Douglas. Some rationality can be given to the Watts signing. He's a young, speed guy who enjoyed a little success in his short tenure with Denver. The Giants receiving corps needed a bolster, and I have no problem bringing in outside help to do so. It seems there are better options out there with the recent release of Vikings WR Marcus Robinson, but Watts certainly had more signability. However, I don't possibly see a need for another TE and RB, no matter what their caliber. The Giants were content to enter the season with 2 Tight Ends and have had no problem using Rich Seubert in addition to Shiancoe and Shockey. Johnson has failed to catch on with the Giants in the past, and Tight End is one of the few positions the Giants are settled in. Another one of those positions is Running Back, but the Giants inexplicably signed Douglas off the Texans practice squad. First, how desperate for RB's do you have to be to sign a guy who couldn't catch on in the Texans backfield. Secondly, the Giants just flat out do not need any more running backs. When they placed Derrick Ward on IR last week, they promoted practice squad running back James Sims. That signing was curious enough, there was no need to add another guy who is not going to carry the football. With glaring needs on the defensive and offensive lines, how is that not addressed? I understand the Giants signed OL Steve Edwards when they released Chris Claiborne, but nagging injuries along with Petitgout's trip to the IR makes more linemen necessary. On the other side of the ball, the Giants are in desperate need of bodies. Right now the Giants are inexperienced and thin along the defensive line and could really use a run stopping end to spell Kiwanuka. It seems the incompetence from the sidelines is leaking in to the management office.
A lone bright spot is that John Hufnagel has been stripped of playcalling duties. According to Ralph Vacchiano, the Giants beat writer for the Daily News, Coughlin made the decision to give the offense a spark. The man now responsible for restoring order to the offense will be quarterbacks coach Kevin Gilbride. Since Hufnagel has set a very low standard, I feel confident Gilbride can bring more to the table. This move clearly signals that Coughlin fears for his job, as well he should. Even though a win virtually assures the Giants of a playoff berth, it is widely speculated that his abrasive style has not meshed well with Giants executives. Getting in to the playoffs may not even be enough to save his job, but you can be assured failing to qualify will certainly end his reign.
Cashman Not Done With His Christmas Shopping
During the "hot stove" months, Yankee fans are always speculating which new faces will be in the Bronx by the holiday season. Brian Cashman's biggest gift this Christmas has been bringing back Andy Pettitte, but reports are surfacing that he may have an even bigger surprise. To the delight of many Yankees fans, it could involve getting rid of a past his prime star who never quite fit in his pinstripes. According to various baseball officials, the Diamondbacks are among several teams interested in acquiring Randy Johnson. Yankees brass have confirmed that Johnson approached the team about being moved closer to his home in Arizona. Johnson's representation has emphasized that he has not demanded a trade and would be happy to pitch for the Yankees in the upcoming season.
In the wake of the Johnson trade rumors, the Yankees now appear to be in the Barry Zito sweepstakes. Up to this point, the leading contenders to land the talented lefty have been the Texas Rangers and New York Mets. It is believed the Rangers could offer a more substantial financial package, but the Mets have been pitching their chances as one of the top contenders in the National League as their main selling point. Mets officials have already traveled to California to talk to the prized free agent, but with agent Scott Boras a decision is not expected soon. If nothing else, expect the price tag for Zito to rise. With the Yankees as potential bidders, Boras has incredible leverage.
The marriage between the Yankees and Johnson has been a rocky one. In 2006 he posted an ERA of 5.00 and has still not won a postseason game for the Bombers. Nagging injuries have been a concern and the Yankees would love to free themselves of the $16 million they owe the 43 year old this season. The Yankees would love to get younger in their rotation and reaching a deal with Zito would satisfy that. There's still only a remote chance the Oakland lefty will wind up in the Bronx, but if the Yankees can deal Johnson its likelihood will increase. Even if the Yankees don't land Zito, expect a lot of New Yorkers to rejoice if they can unload the Big Unit.
In the wake of the Johnson trade rumors, the Yankees now appear to be in the Barry Zito sweepstakes. Up to this point, the leading contenders to land the talented lefty have been the Texas Rangers and New York Mets. It is believed the Rangers could offer a more substantial financial package, but the Mets have been pitching their chances as one of the top contenders in the National League as their main selling point. Mets officials have already traveled to California to talk to the prized free agent, but with agent Scott Boras a decision is not expected soon. If nothing else, expect the price tag for Zito to rise. With the Yankees as potential bidders, Boras has incredible leverage.
The marriage between the Yankees and Johnson has been a rocky one. In 2006 he posted an ERA of 5.00 and has still not won a postseason game for the Bombers. Nagging injuries have been a concern and the Yankees would love to free themselves of the $16 million they owe the 43 year old this season. The Yankees would love to get younger in their rotation and reaching a deal with Zito would satisfy that. There's still only a remote chance the Oakland lefty will wind up in the Bronx, but if the Yankees can deal Johnson its likelihood will increase. Even if the Yankees don't land Zito, expect a lot of New Yorkers to rejoice if they can unload the Big Unit.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Bush-Whacked: Rookie leads rout of Giants
In a game taking on great significance by the impending retirement of Tiki Barber, running backs did prove to be the difference in this game. Unfortunately for the home team, the tandem of Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister gashed the Giants defense for well over 200 yards. For the first time in his career Bush eclipsed 100 yards rushing in a game and both players reached the end zone. With receivers from both teams unable to catch the football, the sparkling play of Reggie Bush stood out. With the playoffs again on the line, the Gians played uninspired football despite the return of defensive leader Michael Strahan and the Meadowlands finale of Tiki Barber. Giants fans have to be wondering, if the team can't get up for a game like this, how can they ever? Emotions rode high through the first scoring drive, but the air came out of the sails with a crucial fumble by Chad Morton. The 2006 season has been a series of ups and downs for the Giants, but Sunday might have reached a new low. Discounting the first 2 and a half minutes of the game, the Giants couldn't have beaten a high school team. Several flaws were alarming not only for how they kept Big Blue out of this game, but because they have become troublesome trends.
Discipline and Emotion. After the 2003 season, the Giants brought in Tom Coughlin to crack the whip on a highly penalized team. Instead, the 2004-2006 Giants have become less disciplined than in the preceeding Fassel era. Penalties again plagued the Giants, including an inexplicable second headbutting personal foul on veteran Bob Whitfield in his last four games. Linemate Shaun O'Hara also picked up a personal foul, demonstrating the utter frustration this team is feeling. Coughlin's abrasive style has just not fit well with his players and has not translated in to smarter football. Another intangible provided by leadership, particularly coaching, is emotion. Aside from the first drive, the Giants were completely devoid of it. Players routinely jogged off the field, only to sit on the bench listless and dejected. The return of Strahan figured to help cure this problem, but having a timid quarterback who won't fire up his troops has really taken its toll on an offense full of egos.
Play-calling. Sean Payton put on a display of how to call a football game. Throughout the first quarter, with the wind at his back, he pounded the Giants with the pass. Even though they had little success, they gave the Giants something to think about. With the wind in their face in the second quarter, they used the run for a demoralizing 18 play, 89 yard drive that took over 8 minutes before Marques Colston capped it with a touchdown. The Saints were so effective in setting up the run with the pass that Brees suffered one of his worst outings of the season, yet won by 23 points on the road. Payton also demonstrated his aggressiveness, converting a couple of crucial fourth downs and not easing up even with a big lead. Conversely, the offensive minds of the Giants were again horribly ineffective. It is hard to know whose to blame, offensive coordinator John Hufnagel or head coach Tom Coughlin, so let's just consider them both guilty. Neither men have a good feel for a game and their play-calling reflects that. They're consistenly not aggressive enough and always seem to be two steps behind the other coaches. Coughlin constantly reiterates this in post game conferences with "we were expecting this, but they did that" statements, which clearly means they were not prepared for what the opponent would bring. While execution has surely lacked in recent weeks, the players do not seem to be put in good situations to win.
Execution. As much as the fans would love to blame everything on the coaches (the "Fire Coughlin chants" surely support that line of thought), the players simply did not execute today. The defense certainly wore down as the game went on, but that was mainly a resule of a woeful offense. Special teams got absolutely dominated as the Saints benefitted from great field position. There were three turnovers, to New Orleans zero, and the offense just never found a rythym. In a game filled with lows, the "straw that broke the camels back" seemed to be when Jeremy Shockey dropped an easy conversion in the closing minute of the first half. Down 13-7 and the ball near midfield, Eli's best pass of the day lead a wide open Shockey for what would have been a conversion on fourth and two. Instead the Pro Bowl TE let it slip through his mitts, and the Giants wasted a chance at a rare opportunity to move the ball in to Saints territorry. To that end, the Giants ran zero plays in Saints territorry. Let that sink in. Zero plays run on the Saints half of the field throughout the entire game. If there's ever proof of being thoroughly dominated in your home building, that is the telling statistic.
The Play of Eli Manning. With young quarterbacks coming up big all across the league, it is tough to continue defending Eli Manning. As part of he blockbuster draft day trade that brought him to New York, the Giants traded away several draft picks. The Chargers used them to select three guys named to this year's AFC Pro Bowl team. Even in a weak NFC for quarterbacks, Manning was undeserving. I'm still not ready to label this trade a failure, or definitively say Manning's a bust, but his nonchalant attitude and faulty mechanics are not getting the job done. The receivers certainly aided his 9 for 25 performance today, but Manning routinely throws the ball to the wrong spots. His decision making is still questionable and he seems reluctant at times to pull the trigger. This is a young, struggling quarterback whose coaches show no confidence in him through their play selection. While many other players certainly deserved to be called out for their ineffectiveness, you have to start with the supposed leader. Maybe it's not in his makeup to get in a guy's face, but he needs to find a way to control an offense full of egos.
Special teams and the passing game. When expecting a tight game, it is imperative to win the field position battle. In yet another sign of the rout, New Orleans average starting field position on 14 possessions was at their 43 yard line. To put that in perspective, the Giants only started one drive past their own 43 yard line and that was the final play of the game. Special teams must assume a lot of responsibility for the mismatch in field position, especially a costly fumble by Chad Morton deep in Giants territorry and a big Michael Lewis kick return to open the second half. They were not the only culprits. An ill-advised snap by Shaun O'Hara led to another fumble in Giants territorry and Eli Manning threw a late game interception. It is amazing how devastating the losses of Amani Toomer and Luke Pettitgout have been to the passing game. Teams are clearly not afraid to attack Whitfield and have forced the Giants to keep Barber in to block in many passing situations. He's responded with a pair of terrible personal foul penalties and Eli certainly seems concerned about his blindside protection. Tim Carter and David Tyree combined for more drops than catches today to continue their sub-par performance on the season. Someone needs to please explain to me why Sinorice Moss continues to sit on the sidelines. Today he proved to be ineffective with just one catch for no gain as well as a drop, but he's not even getting a chance to see the field. Even if the rookie only plays up to the miniscule standards set forth by the guys ahead of him on the depth chart, at least the coaches took the chance to give a stagnant offense a shot in the arm. Although not particularly effective on kick returns today, he showed enough to warrant more touches offensively. A showdown with his brother in Washington next weekend seems to be a perfect time to see what the kid has.
Sadly, this list could carry on for days without even scratching the surface of all the problems this Giants team has. The players preach that their talent will prevail, but they have not shown any cohesiveness or character in their two month slide. I'd be remissed if I didn't at least acknowledge the efforts of Will Demps. The lone bright spot in today's game, Demps flew all over the field making plays and never seemed to quit. Hopefully that attitude will rub off on the rest of the team as they look to continue their season. Despite their horrible play, they find themselves in a good position to still make the playoffs. They will enter week 17 as the sixth seed in the NFC Playoffs and hold tie-break advantages over several of the competing teams. It's time for this team to start performing up to the expectations they set for themselves. With a new General Manager coming in to town, next week's game could also be auditions for making next year's squad. In an unpredictable league, a lot can change in a week. Hopefully for the Giants they can buck the above mentioned trends and continue playing in January.
Discipline and Emotion. After the 2003 season, the Giants brought in Tom Coughlin to crack the whip on a highly penalized team. Instead, the 2004-2006 Giants have become less disciplined than in the preceeding Fassel era. Penalties again plagued the Giants, including an inexplicable second headbutting personal foul on veteran Bob Whitfield in his last four games. Linemate Shaun O'Hara also picked up a personal foul, demonstrating the utter frustration this team is feeling. Coughlin's abrasive style has just not fit well with his players and has not translated in to smarter football. Another intangible provided by leadership, particularly coaching, is emotion. Aside from the first drive, the Giants were completely devoid of it. Players routinely jogged off the field, only to sit on the bench listless and dejected. The return of Strahan figured to help cure this problem, but having a timid quarterback who won't fire up his troops has really taken its toll on an offense full of egos.
Play-calling. Sean Payton put on a display of how to call a football game. Throughout the first quarter, with the wind at his back, he pounded the Giants with the pass. Even though they had little success, they gave the Giants something to think about. With the wind in their face in the second quarter, they used the run for a demoralizing 18 play, 89 yard drive that took over 8 minutes before Marques Colston capped it with a touchdown. The Saints were so effective in setting up the run with the pass that Brees suffered one of his worst outings of the season, yet won by 23 points on the road. Payton also demonstrated his aggressiveness, converting a couple of crucial fourth downs and not easing up even with a big lead. Conversely, the offensive minds of the Giants were again horribly ineffective. It is hard to know whose to blame, offensive coordinator John Hufnagel or head coach Tom Coughlin, so let's just consider them both guilty. Neither men have a good feel for a game and their play-calling reflects that. They're consistenly not aggressive enough and always seem to be two steps behind the other coaches. Coughlin constantly reiterates this in post game conferences with "we were expecting this, but they did that" statements, which clearly means they were not prepared for what the opponent would bring. While execution has surely lacked in recent weeks, the players do not seem to be put in good situations to win.
Execution. As much as the fans would love to blame everything on the coaches (the "Fire Coughlin chants" surely support that line of thought), the players simply did not execute today. The defense certainly wore down as the game went on, but that was mainly a resule of a woeful offense. Special teams got absolutely dominated as the Saints benefitted from great field position. There were three turnovers, to New Orleans zero, and the offense just never found a rythym. In a game filled with lows, the "straw that broke the camels back" seemed to be when Jeremy Shockey dropped an easy conversion in the closing minute of the first half. Down 13-7 and the ball near midfield, Eli's best pass of the day lead a wide open Shockey for what would have been a conversion on fourth and two. Instead the Pro Bowl TE let it slip through his mitts, and the Giants wasted a chance at a rare opportunity to move the ball in to Saints territorry. To that end, the Giants ran zero plays in Saints territorry. Let that sink in. Zero plays run on the Saints half of the field throughout the entire game. If there's ever proof of being thoroughly dominated in your home building, that is the telling statistic.
The Play of Eli Manning. With young quarterbacks coming up big all across the league, it is tough to continue defending Eli Manning. As part of he blockbuster draft day trade that brought him to New York, the Giants traded away several draft picks. The Chargers used them to select three guys named to this year's AFC Pro Bowl team. Even in a weak NFC for quarterbacks, Manning was undeserving. I'm still not ready to label this trade a failure, or definitively say Manning's a bust, but his nonchalant attitude and faulty mechanics are not getting the job done. The receivers certainly aided his 9 for 25 performance today, but Manning routinely throws the ball to the wrong spots. His decision making is still questionable and he seems reluctant at times to pull the trigger. This is a young, struggling quarterback whose coaches show no confidence in him through their play selection. While many other players certainly deserved to be called out for their ineffectiveness, you have to start with the supposed leader. Maybe it's not in his makeup to get in a guy's face, but he needs to find a way to control an offense full of egos.
Special teams and the passing game. When expecting a tight game, it is imperative to win the field position battle. In yet another sign of the rout, New Orleans average starting field position on 14 possessions was at their 43 yard line. To put that in perspective, the Giants only started one drive past their own 43 yard line and that was the final play of the game. Special teams must assume a lot of responsibility for the mismatch in field position, especially a costly fumble by Chad Morton deep in Giants territorry and a big Michael Lewis kick return to open the second half. They were not the only culprits. An ill-advised snap by Shaun O'Hara led to another fumble in Giants territorry and Eli Manning threw a late game interception. It is amazing how devastating the losses of Amani Toomer and Luke Pettitgout have been to the passing game. Teams are clearly not afraid to attack Whitfield and have forced the Giants to keep Barber in to block in many passing situations. He's responded with a pair of terrible personal foul penalties and Eli certainly seems concerned about his blindside protection. Tim Carter and David Tyree combined for more drops than catches today to continue their sub-par performance on the season. Someone needs to please explain to me why Sinorice Moss continues to sit on the sidelines. Today he proved to be ineffective with just one catch for no gain as well as a drop, but he's not even getting a chance to see the field. Even if the rookie only plays up to the miniscule standards set forth by the guys ahead of him on the depth chart, at least the coaches took the chance to give a stagnant offense a shot in the arm. Although not particularly effective on kick returns today, he showed enough to warrant more touches offensively. A showdown with his brother in Washington next weekend seems to be a perfect time to see what the kid has.
Sadly, this list could carry on for days without even scratching the surface of all the problems this Giants team has. The players preach that their talent will prevail, but they have not shown any cohesiveness or character in their two month slide. I'd be remissed if I didn't at least acknowledge the efforts of Will Demps. The lone bright spot in today's game, Demps flew all over the field making plays and never seemed to quit. Hopefully that attitude will rub off on the rest of the team as they look to continue their season. Despite their horrible play, they find themselves in a good position to still make the playoffs. They will enter week 17 as the sixth seed in the NFC Playoffs and hold tie-break advantages over several of the competing teams. It's time for this team to start performing up to the expectations they set for themselves. With a new General Manager coming in to town, next week's game could also be auditions for making next year's squad. In an unpredictable league, a lot can change in a week. Hopefully for the Giants they can buck the above mentioned trends and continue playing in January.
Giants vs. Saints Preview
While Giants fans have accepted the fact that Tiki Barber will walk away after the season, missing the playoffs after a 6-2 would be totally unacceptable. The team has a chance to rebound in today's critical home finale versus the NFC South champion Saints. On the opposing sidelines will be one of the talented young coaches in the NFL, a man who rose to prominence guiding the Giants offense to the top record in the NFC in 2000. Once presumed to be the man groomed to take over the reins for Big Blue, Giants fans can just wonder "what if" as they see Sean Payton lead the Saints this afternoon. However, Coach Coughlin can score a big victory over the doubters with wins in the Giants final two games. In order to get that win, the Giants must accomplish the following:
Run the football effectively. Much has been made of Tiki's final home game and the star back has a chance to carry his team to the postseason. The Giants must get him involved early and often for two important reasons. First of all, the Giants are simply a better football team when Barber gets his touches. Second, controlling the clock keeps the explosive Saints offense on the sidelines. With Saints run stopping specialist Hollis Thomas sitting as part of a suspension, the Giants should be able to run the football at will.
Get pressure on Drew Brees. The Giants get a huge boost by the return of Michael Strahan. In his absence, opposing quarterbacks have had plenty of time to pick apart a below average secondary. Last weekend the Redskins showed a lot of pressure up the middle of the field which clearly disrupted Brees' rythym. If the Giants can get some big bodies in the passing lanes, the undersized Brees will have a tough time finding his talented skill players.
Get stops on 3rd down. The Giants inability to get crucial stops has plagued them all season. With injuries taking their toll on depth, a thinning defense has logged too many minutes. If they can't get off the field with stops on third down, expect more troubles holding leads in the fourth quarter.
Convert in the green zone. For such an explosive offense, the Giants inexplicably have struggled inside the green zone. Several key drives have stalled inside the 10 yard line, including two crucial ones against Philadelphia last Sunday. More plays need to be called for their tall receiving targets Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress. Their size needs to be used in mismatches when the field shrinks.
Spread the ball around. Often times Manning gets locked in to getting Burress involved and neglects his other receivers. Jeremy Shockey needs to get touches early in the game to keep the defense honest. The Giants have a home-run threat in Sinorice Moss, but for some reason continues to remain on the sideline. Moss can be a real gamechanger if they can get him on the field.
With kickoff about thirty minutes away, the Giants face the real possibility of being virtually eliminated from playoff contention with a loss. While everyone would like to "win one for Tiki", the bigger focus is winning one to stay alive. Getting Michael Strahan will be a huge boost. His leadership has been sorely missed and his presence on the field will force the offense to account for him. It could spell for a huge day for Osi Umenyiora. Offensively, the Giants need to establish the ground game. The Saints have struggled against the run and a lower scoring game favors the Giants. While they have played very well this season, the linebacking corps of the Saints is not capable of containing Jeremy Shockey. Number eighty needs to get his touches. For the Giants, the wild card could be Sinorice Moss. He may get an opportunity to return kicks and his speed could be a huge difference maker. If the Giants can get him on the field, he could be poised for a big day. Look for the Giants to play with a lot of energy and seal up an important late game victory.
Run the football effectively. Much has been made of Tiki's final home game and the star back has a chance to carry his team to the postseason. The Giants must get him involved early and often for two important reasons. First of all, the Giants are simply a better football team when Barber gets his touches. Second, controlling the clock keeps the explosive Saints offense on the sidelines. With Saints run stopping specialist Hollis Thomas sitting as part of a suspension, the Giants should be able to run the football at will.
Get pressure on Drew Brees. The Giants get a huge boost by the return of Michael Strahan. In his absence, opposing quarterbacks have had plenty of time to pick apart a below average secondary. Last weekend the Redskins showed a lot of pressure up the middle of the field which clearly disrupted Brees' rythym. If the Giants can get some big bodies in the passing lanes, the undersized Brees will have a tough time finding his talented skill players.
Get stops on 3rd down. The Giants inability to get crucial stops has plagued them all season. With injuries taking their toll on depth, a thinning defense has logged too many minutes. If they can't get off the field with stops on third down, expect more troubles holding leads in the fourth quarter.
Convert in the green zone. For such an explosive offense, the Giants inexplicably have struggled inside the green zone. Several key drives have stalled inside the 10 yard line, including two crucial ones against Philadelphia last Sunday. More plays need to be called for their tall receiving targets Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress. Their size needs to be used in mismatches when the field shrinks.
Spread the ball around. Often times Manning gets locked in to getting Burress involved and neglects his other receivers. Jeremy Shockey needs to get touches early in the game to keep the defense honest. The Giants have a home-run threat in Sinorice Moss, but for some reason continues to remain on the sideline. Moss can be a real gamechanger if they can get him on the field.
With kickoff about thirty minutes away, the Giants face the real possibility of being virtually eliminated from playoff contention with a loss. While everyone would like to "win one for Tiki", the bigger focus is winning one to stay alive. Getting Michael Strahan will be a huge boost. His leadership has been sorely missed and his presence on the field will force the offense to account for him. It could spell for a huge day for Osi Umenyiora. Offensively, the Giants need to establish the ground game. The Saints have struggled against the run and a lower scoring game favors the Giants. While they have played very well this season, the linebacking corps of the Saints is not capable of containing Jeremy Shockey. Number eighty needs to get his touches. For the Giants, the wild card could be Sinorice Moss. He may get an opportunity to return kicks and his speed could be a huge difference maker. If the Giants can get him on the field, he could be poised for a big day. Look for the Giants to play with a lot of energy and seal up an important late game victory.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Top 10 Tiki Moments at the Meadowlands
Even though the Giants are hosting the Saints in a critical battle for their playoff lives, a major focus this week has been on Tiki Barber. With Barber determined to retire at season's end, the Giants all-time leading rusher is heading in to his last game at Giants Stadium. On the eve of Tiki's last home game, I've decided to reflect on his top NFL moments in the Meadowlands. Drafted in the second round out of Virginia in the 1997 NFL Draft, Barber made his mark early with versatility. Questions surrounded his ability to be an every down back and the Giants were cautious during the early stages of his career. Barber would rotate starts with Tyrone Wheatley and Gary Brown in his first few years, making more of an impact as a receiver out of the backfield and on special teams. However, an injury to Brown and the introduction of offensive coordinator Sean Payton allowed his career to soar. He has exceeded all expectations, becoming the Giants all-time leading rusher and only one of 3 men in NFL history with over 10,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards. Only time will tell if he gets a bust in Canton, but this will surely be the final season Giants fans see the number 21 on the field. In honor of his ten great years in New York, I've selected ten of the most memorable Tiki moments at Giants Stadium.
10. September 3, 2000 vs. ARIZONA
Twice as Nice: Tiki's first multi-TD game comes to start the 2000 season.
For the first time in his career, Tiki opened the 2000 season firmly entrenched as the main back. While the team had high hopes for Heisman trophy winning rookie Ron Dayne, Tiki was given the lion's share of the carries. Barber opened the season right with 144 yards on the ground and a pair of scores that included a 78 yarder. His 144 yards rushing were the most ever by a Giant in a season opener (which he later broke in 2003 vs. the Rams with 146).
9. October 23, 2005 vs. DENVER
Big block keys late game heroics: Tiki's extra effort allows for game winning score.
The game didn't start well for Barber as he lost a fumble on the Giants opening possession, but the resilient Barber would be instrumental in one of the great comebacks in Giants history. His 110 yards of offense included a spectacular 34 yard run to set up an early score as well as a four yard touchdown run to cut the Giants deficit to six points. While many will remember this game for Eli Manning's first glimpse as a late game hero, he never would have had the chance to shine if not for Barber's crucial block on the game winning score.
8. December 23, 2000 vs. JACKSONVILLE
Lightning Rushes For 1,000: As part of the vaunted "Thunder and Lightning" tandem with Ron Dayne, Barber eclipses 1,000 yards rushing for the first time.
As if that wasn't enough, his 113 yards of total offense allowed him to become the first Giants player to surpass 2,000 all-purpose yards in a season. With home-field advantage throughout the playoffs on the line, Barber's massive contributions all came with a broken arm. His rushing touchdown helped pave the way for a crucial victory that made the 2000 NFC Playoffs run through the Meadowlands.
7. January 14, 2001 vs. MINNESOTA
"Worst #1 Seed in History" Reaches the Super Bowl: Tiki eifficient in Giants rout of the Vikings.
While this game will be remembered for the aerial heroics of Kerry Collins and his receivers, Tiki's 90 total yards were an important contribution to the blowout. Still battling through a broken left arm, Tiki averaged nearly 6 yards a carry in the Giants biggest win of his tenure. Many prognosticators had written the Giants off; several going so far as to call them the worst number one seed in playoff history. After the blow out, late owner Wellington Mara pleasantly proclaimed the worst #1 seed in history was headed to the Super Bowl.
6. October 18, 1999 vs. DALLAS
Jack of all trades: Tiki sets Giants' record for all-purpose yards in a game.
The versatility that has made Barber such a standout professional was first put on display in this thrilling victory over the division rival Cowboys. After a relatively quiet first three quarters, Barber single-handedly took over the fourth quarter. The lone punt return touchdown of his career came early in the period as he gashed the Cowboys for an 85 yard score. During the game's final drive, Barber's 56 yard catch and run set up a chip shot game winning field goal.
5. August 31, 1997- vs. PHILADELPHIA
Rookie shows off to the home crowd: Rushes for a touchdown in his first NFL start.
The Tiki Barber Era got off to a quick start in the only August regular season game in Giants history. After seven years of watching bruising running back Rodney Hampton set many Giants rushing records, Giants fans were reluctant to accept a new face in the backfield. Starting in his first regular season game, the rookie carried 20 times for 88 yards and a score. He added 3 catches for 32 yards in an impressive 31-17 victory over Philadelphia. Although he still had a lot to prove, Barber made a great first impression.
4. January 2, 2004 vs. DALLAS
Move over Rodney: Tiki breaks record for most rushing yards in Giants history.
In a season with very few highlights, Tiki's monster effort in the season finale solidified his place in Giants history. With 95 yards on the ground, Tiki surpassed Rodney Hampton as the Giants all-time leading rusher. The Giants came in to this game riding an 8 game losing streak, including six under rookie #1 draft pick Eli Manning. Behind Tiki's two touchdowns (one rush and one receiving), the Giants got Eli his first NFL victory. Barber's 4 yard run on fourth down late in the game finished off the comeback. With no first round pick to look forward to in the upcoming draft, Giants and their fans were happy to end the 2004 season on a high note.
3. December 28, 2002 vs. PHILADELPHIA
Win and In: Despite 3 costly fumbles, Tiki rushes for over 200 yards to put the Giants in the playoffs.
In the season finale of 2002, the Giants controlled their playoff destiny. As the white towels the Stadium distributed to the fans said, "Win and In". To amplify the intensity, the division leading Eagles were trying to stand in the way. In what can only be described as a bittersweet moment in Tiki's career, Barber persevered through adversity for arguably his gutsiest game as a pro. Against a stingy run defense, Barber rushed for 203 yards on 32 carries but coughed up three fumbles. The last of his lost fumbles came with the score tied 7-7 in the fourth quarter at the Giants 26 yard line. NFC Pro Bowl kicker David Akers had a chance to win it with a 35 yard field goal, but again the Giants were saved by the "wide right" gods. In overtime Tiki would put the ball on the ground again, but this time he was able to recover. His 29 rushing yards in the overtime period set up Matt Bryant's game winning field goal. Although this game is remembered more for his fumbles, the Giants would have had no chance in this game if not for his 203 yards on the ground as well as 73 more in receiving yards. More importantly, they got the win to get in.
2. December 17, 2005 vs. KANSAS CITY
Reaching new heights: Tiki continues record-setting 2005 with Giants single game rushing record.
In Tiki's finest season, it's only fitting that his trademark performance came in front of his home fans. Barber rushed for a Giants single-game record 220 yards (surpassing Choo Choo Roberts previous mark of 218) on 29 carries with two electrifying touchdowns. His first score came on a remarkable 41 yard scamper in which he broke several tackles and carried the final pursuit in to the end zone on his back. In the fourth quarter and only a 3 point lead, Barber struck again from 20 yards out to wrap up the scoring. From a personal standpoint, this game was easily the loudest I've ever heard Giants stadium. The outpouring of affection towards Barber was unlike anything I've ever been around at Giants Stadium. Cheers of "MVP" reigned supreme in the Stadium and Barber sure looked deserving of it that day.
1. October 30, 2005 vs. WASHINGTON
Honoring a legend: Tiki runs wild after the passing of long time owner and friend Wellington Mara.
If there's one regular season Tiki cared most about winning, you could bet your house it was this October showdown with Washington. After losing long time team owner Wellington Mara earlier in the week, the Giants were playing with heavy hearts. Barber, along with teammate Jeremy Shockey, were at the beloved owners bedside early in the week to spend some of his final moments together. Against a long time rival of Mara's, Tiki wasted no time in paying his respects. On the first play from scrimmage Barber raced 57 yards and continued his torrid pace all afternoon. He finished with a then-personal best 206 yards and two touchdowns. The final margin of 36-0 proved to be a fitting tribute to their late owner, a man whom Barber gives a lot of credit for his success. For what it meant to such a special person in his life, it is hard to imagine Tiki remembering any other game as fondly as this one.
10. September 3, 2000 vs. ARIZONA
Twice as Nice: Tiki's first multi-TD game comes to start the 2000 season.
For the first time in his career, Tiki opened the 2000 season firmly entrenched as the main back. While the team had high hopes for Heisman trophy winning rookie Ron Dayne, Tiki was given the lion's share of the carries. Barber opened the season right with 144 yards on the ground and a pair of scores that included a 78 yarder. His 144 yards rushing were the most ever by a Giant in a season opener (which he later broke in 2003 vs. the Rams with 146).
9. October 23, 2005 vs. DENVER
Big block keys late game heroics: Tiki's extra effort allows for game winning score.
The game didn't start well for Barber as he lost a fumble on the Giants opening possession, but the resilient Barber would be instrumental in one of the great comebacks in Giants history. His 110 yards of offense included a spectacular 34 yard run to set up an early score as well as a four yard touchdown run to cut the Giants deficit to six points. While many will remember this game for Eli Manning's first glimpse as a late game hero, he never would have had the chance to shine if not for Barber's crucial block on the game winning score.
8. December 23, 2000 vs. JACKSONVILLE
Lightning Rushes For 1,000: As part of the vaunted "Thunder and Lightning" tandem with Ron Dayne, Barber eclipses 1,000 yards rushing for the first time.
As if that wasn't enough, his 113 yards of total offense allowed him to become the first Giants player to surpass 2,000 all-purpose yards in a season. With home-field advantage throughout the playoffs on the line, Barber's massive contributions all came with a broken arm. His rushing touchdown helped pave the way for a crucial victory that made the 2000 NFC Playoffs run through the Meadowlands.
7. January 14, 2001 vs. MINNESOTA
"Worst #1 Seed in History" Reaches the Super Bowl: Tiki eifficient in Giants rout of the Vikings.
While this game will be remembered for the aerial heroics of Kerry Collins and his receivers, Tiki's 90 total yards were an important contribution to the blowout. Still battling through a broken left arm, Tiki averaged nearly 6 yards a carry in the Giants biggest win of his tenure. Many prognosticators had written the Giants off; several going so far as to call them the worst number one seed in playoff history. After the blow out, late owner Wellington Mara pleasantly proclaimed the worst #1 seed in history was headed to the Super Bowl.
6. October 18, 1999 vs. DALLAS
Jack of all trades: Tiki sets Giants' record for all-purpose yards in a game.
The versatility that has made Barber such a standout professional was first put on display in this thrilling victory over the division rival Cowboys. After a relatively quiet first three quarters, Barber single-handedly took over the fourth quarter. The lone punt return touchdown of his career came early in the period as he gashed the Cowboys for an 85 yard score. During the game's final drive, Barber's 56 yard catch and run set up a chip shot game winning field goal.
5. August 31, 1997- vs. PHILADELPHIA
Rookie shows off to the home crowd: Rushes for a touchdown in his first NFL start.
The Tiki Barber Era got off to a quick start in the only August regular season game in Giants history. After seven years of watching bruising running back Rodney Hampton set many Giants rushing records, Giants fans were reluctant to accept a new face in the backfield. Starting in his first regular season game, the rookie carried 20 times for 88 yards and a score. He added 3 catches for 32 yards in an impressive 31-17 victory over Philadelphia. Although he still had a lot to prove, Barber made a great first impression.
4. January 2, 2004 vs. DALLAS
Move over Rodney: Tiki breaks record for most rushing yards in Giants history.
In a season with very few highlights, Tiki's monster effort in the season finale solidified his place in Giants history. With 95 yards on the ground, Tiki surpassed Rodney Hampton as the Giants all-time leading rusher. The Giants came in to this game riding an 8 game losing streak, including six under rookie #1 draft pick Eli Manning. Behind Tiki's two touchdowns (one rush and one receiving), the Giants got Eli his first NFL victory. Barber's 4 yard run on fourth down late in the game finished off the comeback. With no first round pick to look forward to in the upcoming draft, Giants and their fans were happy to end the 2004 season on a high note.
3. December 28, 2002 vs. PHILADELPHIA
Win and In: Despite 3 costly fumbles, Tiki rushes for over 200 yards to put the Giants in the playoffs.
In the season finale of 2002, the Giants controlled their playoff destiny. As the white towels the Stadium distributed to the fans said, "Win and In". To amplify the intensity, the division leading Eagles were trying to stand in the way. In what can only be described as a bittersweet moment in Tiki's career, Barber persevered through adversity for arguably his gutsiest game as a pro. Against a stingy run defense, Barber rushed for 203 yards on 32 carries but coughed up three fumbles. The last of his lost fumbles came with the score tied 7-7 in the fourth quarter at the Giants 26 yard line. NFC Pro Bowl kicker David Akers had a chance to win it with a 35 yard field goal, but again the Giants were saved by the "wide right" gods. In overtime Tiki would put the ball on the ground again, but this time he was able to recover. His 29 rushing yards in the overtime period set up Matt Bryant's game winning field goal. Although this game is remembered more for his fumbles, the Giants would have had no chance in this game if not for his 203 yards on the ground as well as 73 more in receiving yards. More importantly, they got the win to get in.
2. December 17, 2005 vs. KANSAS CITY
Reaching new heights: Tiki continues record-setting 2005 with Giants single game rushing record.
In Tiki's finest season, it's only fitting that his trademark performance came in front of his home fans. Barber rushed for a Giants single-game record 220 yards (surpassing Choo Choo Roberts previous mark of 218) on 29 carries with two electrifying touchdowns. His first score came on a remarkable 41 yard scamper in which he broke several tackles and carried the final pursuit in to the end zone on his back. In the fourth quarter and only a 3 point lead, Barber struck again from 20 yards out to wrap up the scoring. From a personal standpoint, this game was easily the loudest I've ever heard Giants stadium. The outpouring of affection towards Barber was unlike anything I've ever been around at Giants Stadium. Cheers of "MVP" reigned supreme in the Stadium and Barber sure looked deserving of it that day.
1. October 30, 2005 vs. WASHINGTON
Honoring a legend: Tiki runs wild after the passing of long time owner and friend Wellington Mara.
If there's one regular season Tiki cared most about winning, you could bet your house it was this October showdown with Washington. After losing long time team owner Wellington Mara earlier in the week, the Giants were playing with heavy hearts. Barber, along with teammate Jeremy Shockey, were at the beloved owners bedside early in the week to spend some of his final moments together. Against a long time rival of Mara's, Tiki wasted no time in paying his respects. On the first play from scrimmage Barber raced 57 yards and continued his torrid pace all afternoon. He finished with a then-personal best 206 yards and two touchdowns. The final margin of 36-0 proved to be a fitting tribute to their late owner, a man whom Barber gives a lot of credit for his success. For what it meant to such a special person in his life, it is hard to imagine Tiki remembering any other game as fondly as this one.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Nuggets Get Their Answer for a Missing 'Melo
How do you respond to losing the top scorer in the NBA? If you're the Denver Nuggets, just go out and acquire the second leading scorer. In the aftermath of the league's decision to suspend their top two performers for a lengthy period, the Denver Nuggets struck a deal with the Philadelphia 76ERS to acquire Allen Iverson. One of the most celebrated Philly athletes ever, Iverson will be switching NBA uniforms for the first time since the franchise made him the top overall pick in the 1996 draft. While Sixers fans will have a tough time saying goodbye, the move couldn't come at a better time for Denver. Disregarding the fact he is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, acquiring Iverson pushed stories of Saturday night's brawl to the back pages. They not only got a scorer they coveted, they were able to turn a negative situation in to a positive in a very short time.
For the immediate future, the edge goes to Denver in this deal. They bring in a bona-fide superstar to help contend in an ultra-competitive Western Conference. Iverson is capable of carrying the offense until Anthony returns and brings a lot of intangibles that Coach Karl covets in a player. Also headed to Denver is youngster Ivan McFarlin, an athletic forward who will only see limited minutes. Although the Nuggets benefit greatly from this deal, they gave up a lot to acquire Iverson. Gone is steady PG Andre Miller, reserve forward Joe Smith, as well as two #1 draft picks. Miller is a big guard who distributes well, can grab rebounds, and also gets to the basket effectively. Smith was only thrown in to the deal for his expiring contract, but can still give the Sixers a boost off the bench. I think the Nuggets will hurt more from the loss of Miller than people are anticipating. They are now left with Earl Boykins as their best true point guard, who teamed with Iverson, would make a tremendously undersized guard tandem. Either Iverson or J.R Smith will be relied on to handle the ball more than they're accustomed to if they want to keep enough size on the court. Also, Smith had finally been thriving as a true shooting guard, it'll be interesting to see if his progress is hindered by the acquistion of Iverson.
The only other question left to be answered by Iverson is whether he can co-exist with Carmelo Anthony. For the first time in his career, Iverson will be the number two guy. While his adjustment to the thin air of the Rockies will take place with Carmelo inactive, he will get a chance to mesh with Anthony in late January. Iverson's always been known to take lots of ill-advised shots and has had trouble getting teammates involved. With Andre Miller gone, the Nuggets will need someone to step up and create shot opportunities for everyone else on the court. If Iverson can help fill that void, this Nuggets team could be very dangerous when the playoffs roll around.
For the immediate future, the edge goes to Denver in this deal. They bring in a bona-fide superstar to help contend in an ultra-competitive Western Conference. Iverson is capable of carrying the offense until Anthony returns and brings a lot of intangibles that Coach Karl covets in a player. Also headed to Denver is youngster Ivan McFarlin, an athletic forward who will only see limited minutes. Although the Nuggets benefit greatly from this deal, they gave up a lot to acquire Iverson. Gone is steady PG Andre Miller, reserve forward Joe Smith, as well as two #1 draft picks. Miller is a big guard who distributes well, can grab rebounds, and also gets to the basket effectively. Smith was only thrown in to the deal for his expiring contract, but can still give the Sixers a boost off the bench. I think the Nuggets will hurt more from the loss of Miller than people are anticipating. They are now left with Earl Boykins as their best true point guard, who teamed with Iverson, would make a tremendously undersized guard tandem. Either Iverson or J.R Smith will be relied on to handle the ball more than they're accustomed to if they want to keep enough size on the court. Also, Smith had finally been thriving as a true shooting guard, it'll be interesting to see if his progress is hindered by the acquistion of Iverson.
The only other question left to be answered by Iverson is whether he can co-exist with Carmelo Anthony. For the first time in his career, Iverson will be the number two guy. While his adjustment to the thin air of the Rockies will take place with Carmelo inactive, he will get a chance to mesh with Anthony in late January. Iverson's always been known to take lots of ill-advised shots and has had trouble getting teammates involved. With Andre Miller gone, the Nuggets will need someone to step up and create shot opportunities for everyone else on the court. If Iverson can help fill that void, this Nuggets team could be very dangerous when the playoffs roll around.
Garcia, Westbrook put G-Men behind the 8-Ball
When the Eagles lost Donovan McNabb a few weeks ago they were written off by everyone. As has been the trend with several teams throughout the league, the Eagles have been revitalized by a Quarterback change. Jeff Garcia has rediscovered the mobility and accuracy that made him a rising star in San Francisco. Unfortunately for teams in the NFC, his emergence has put Philadelphia back in the hunt for a division title and in great shape to secure a wild card. With a 36-22 win over division rival New York, the Eagles assumed the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs and left the Giants clinging to the last spot. However, contrary to popular belief, the Giants do not control their own playoff destiny. They can blame their own inability to take advantage of opportunities on Sunday for the position they find themselves in.
An old NFL addage suggests that a team needs to win at home and play .500 on the road to be a success. For some reason, the Giants refuse to follow the first part of the formula. For the fourth time in seven games at Giants Stadium the Giants failed to put one in the win column. Losing at home to a division rival while fighting for their playoff lives especially stings. They continue to feel the loss of Michael Strahan, dropping to 1-5 without their star DE this season. The lack of a pass rush really exposes the secondary, which even when Corey Webster is healthy, has shown very little. There are several things the Giants must improve in their final two games in order to make the postseason.
First and foremost, their "green zone" offense and defense must improve. Twice on Sunday the Giants had goal to go situations and settled for three points. They could have turned a 14-10 deficit in to a comfortable 24-14 lead with more effective execution inside the 10. It seems as though the playcalling has been miserable in these situations, but the players must accept some accountability for not making something happen. On the other side of the ball, the defense gives up touchdowns at a higher rate in the "green zone" than any other team in the league. This is an alarming stat for a team that is in the thick of the playoff chase.
Sticking with the defense, the Giants need to stop people on third down. They are allowing drives to be sustained on third and long conversions which has two adverse affects. By the fourth quarter the Giants weakened defense is absolutely gassed and the offense doesn't have enough time to establish their ground game. The Giants are a tough team to stop when Tiki gets his touches, which also opens things up for the playmakers on the outside.
Aside from getting touches for Barber, the talented TE needs to be integrated early in games. With Manning clearly still feeling the loss of Amani Toomer, Shockey should emerge as his security blanket. As with establishing the run, getting number 80 involved in the middle of the field will open up more room for Burress on the outside. It is also shocking that Sinorice Moss has not been given an opportunity to make plays. Reports suggest he's unfamiliar with the playbook, which if true is inexcusable. However, if it's not, it's hard to imagine why a struggling offense has not looked to its best home run threat for a spark. With RB Derrick Ward being placed on Injured Reserve, he might also get a chance to resurrect an awful kick return unit. It may just be optimism, but I really think Moss could be a huge part of the solution in fixing an ailing offense.
With two games to play the Giants still have a chance. In the eyes of late owner Wellington Mara, if you have a chance at the playoffs in your last home game then the season has been a success. However, with the expectations heaped on this team in the preseason, making a run in the playoffs is the only thing that will satisfy the fans. The surge must begin this weekend in Tiki's finale at the Meadowlands, but hopefully won't end until February.
An old NFL addage suggests that a team needs to win at home and play .500 on the road to be a success. For some reason, the Giants refuse to follow the first part of the formula. For the fourth time in seven games at Giants Stadium the Giants failed to put one in the win column. Losing at home to a division rival while fighting for their playoff lives especially stings. They continue to feel the loss of Michael Strahan, dropping to 1-5 without their star DE this season. The lack of a pass rush really exposes the secondary, which even when Corey Webster is healthy, has shown very little. There are several things the Giants must improve in their final two games in order to make the postseason.
First and foremost, their "green zone" offense and defense must improve. Twice on Sunday the Giants had goal to go situations and settled for three points. They could have turned a 14-10 deficit in to a comfortable 24-14 lead with more effective execution inside the 10. It seems as though the playcalling has been miserable in these situations, but the players must accept some accountability for not making something happen. On the other side of the ball, the defense gives up touchdowns at a higher rate in the "green zone" than any other team in the league. This is an alarming stat for a team that is in the thick of the playoff chase.
Sticking with the defense, the Giants need to stop people on third down. They are allowing drives to be sustained on third and long conversions which has two adverse affects. By the fourth quarter the Giants weakened defense is absolutely gassed and the offense doesn't have enough time to establish their ground game. The Giants are a tough team to stop when Tiki gets his touches, which also opens things up for the playmakers on the outside.
Aside from getting touches for Barber, the talented TE needs to be integrated early in games. With Manning clearly still feeling the loss of Amani Toomer, Shockey should emerge as his security blanket. As with establishing the run, getting number 80 involved in the middle of the field will open up more room for Burress on the outside. It is also shocking that Sinorice Moss has not been given an opportunity to make plays. Reports suggest he's unfamiliar with the playbook, which if true is inexcusable. However, if it's not, it's hard to imagine why a struggling offense has not looked to its best home run threat for a spark. With RB Derrick Ward being placed on Injured Reserve, he might also get a chance to resurrect an awful kick return unit. It may just be optimism, but I really think Moss could be a huge part of the solution in fixing an ailing offense.
With two games to play the Giants still have a chance. In the eyes of late owner Wellington Mara, if you have a chance at the playoffs in your last home game then the season has been a success. However, with the expectations heaped on this team in the preseason, making a run in the playoffs is the only thing that will satisfy the fans. The surge must begin this weekend in Tiki's finale at the Meadowlands, but hopefully won't end until February.
Daisuke Who? Yanks Make Kei Signing
While bitter rival Boston spent over $100 million to bring Japanese ace Daisuke Matsuzaka to Fenway, the Yankees made a splash of their own in the Far East by agreeing to terms with left handed pitcher Kei Igawa. It is a deal reported to be worth $20 million over five years, but that cost jumps to $46 million if you include the posting fee. Igawa is expected to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation with Carl Pavano, but his signing could be more of a demonstration that the Yankees view Pavano as an expendable commodity. It has not yet been made official, but there are no foreseen circumstances that would disrupt the agreement. With the addition of Andy Pettite, Igawa could potentially give the Yankees three left handed starters to stifle Yankee killer David Ortiz and newly acquired Red Sox JD Drew.
Although Igawa does not have the upside of Matsuzaka, he performed admirably throughout his career in Japan. Last season with the Hanshin Tigers he pitched to a 14-9 record with a sub-3.00 ERA and 194 strikeouts. He's only twenty seven years old, and in a worst case scenario, could be a huge upgrade in the bullpen. While the Yankees are certainly not spending $9 million per yer on a glorified set up man, it could be a path they explore if a healthy Carl Pavano shows up in the spring. He also gives the Yankees some youth in an aging starting rotation. With back of the rotation left handed starters such as Ted Lilly getting $10 million a year in the crazy market that has been established this offseason, this could be a very smart investment for the Yankees.
Although Igawa does not have the upside of Matsuzaka, he performed admirably throughout his career in Japan. Last season with the Hanshin Tigers he pitched to a 14-9 record with a sub-3.00 ERA and 194 strikeouts. He's only twenty seven years old, and in a worst case scenario, could be a huge upgrade in the bullpen. While the Yankees are certainly not spending $9 million per yer on a glorified set up man, it could be a path they explore if a healthy Carl Pavano shows up in the spring. He also gives the Yankees some youth in an aging starting rotation. With back of the rotation left handed starters such as Ted Lilly getting $10 million a year in the crazy market that has been established this offseason, this could be a very smart investment for the Yankees.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Fallout from the Brawl
As Bill Parcells likes to say, "put away the annointing oil". Just as NBA fans and experts were accepting Carmelo Anthony as an equal in the triumvirate (with Dwayne Wade and LeBron James), the NBA's leading scorer will start serving a 15 game suspension for his involvement in Saturday night's brawl at Madison Square Garden. The penalty was handed down earlier today when Commissioner Stern took another hard stand on cleaning up the image of his league. Teammate J.R Smith received ten games, as did Knicks guard Nate Robinson. Also receiving suspensions were the Knicks' Mardy Collins (6 games), Jared Jeffries (4 games), Jerome James (1 game), and the Nuggets' Nene (1 game). Along with the suspensions, both teams were fined $500,000 for their respective roles in the confrontation.
The "MSG Melee", as the media is trying to hype the brawl as close to the "Malice at the Palace" as they can, should be evaluated on several different levels. First, the involvement of Anthony escalates this issue in the eyes of NBA brass. The gifted class of '03 has become the face of the league. While James and Wade were quicker to gain elite status in the NBA, Anthony rose to prominence with a brilliant performance at the World Championships. That momentum carried in to the season where he is leading the NBA in scoring. Along with his sparkling play, Anthony began to erase the off-court issues that had marred the success he acheived in his first three seasons. He displayed his generosity with a $3 million dollar donation to his alma mater to build new facilities in Syracuse and by laying the foundation for a new recreation center in his original hometown of Baltimore. In the conference call Stern held to defend the league's actions he emphasized the punishment dealt strictly with Anthony's on-court actions. He continued to say he'd been proud of Carmelo's recent progress and felt that Saturday was not a proper reflection on the person he has become. Unfortunately, the league's actions will cost the Nuggets star fifteen games which could have the following repercussions. Despite averaging over 30 points a game, the extended absence could cost Anthony his first appearance at an All-Star game. Aside from the financial benefits he would receive from such an honor, it will deprive him of his first chance to take his place among the game's elite. From a team stand point, the Nuggets are 2-9 (entering tonight) without Anthony since he's entered the league. Currently they are holding the seventh seed in the Western Conference, but could lose ground in his absence. Anthony and J.R Smith were becoming one of the league's better 1-2 punches as the young Smith has found his rythym in the Rockies. Smith, the McDonald's High School All-American Game MVP from 2004, has rediscovered the great range and flashy athleticism that made him highly coveted out of high school. He will be replaced in the starting lineup by defensive star Yakoba Diawara and Linas Kleiza will assume Anthony's power forward duties. Although Coach Karl now faces an uphill battle, he claims no responsibility for the actions on Saturday night. He assigns that blame to Knicks coach Isiah Thomas.
Coach Karl is not alone in placing fault on the Knicks head man. Thomas, a member of the famous "Bad Boy" Pistons teams of the '80s, has never shied away from the physical nature of the NBA. His on camera warning to Carmelo Anthony and post game complaints about the Nuggets' questionable personnel decisions late in the game paint a pretty clear picture Thomas is no innocent bystander. However, this situation goes much deeper. Many believe Karl came to New York to defend good friend, and fellow UNC alum, Larry Brown's honor. This belief fueled Isiah to think Karl looked to run up the score, and it appeared that way with the Nuggets holding a secure double digit lead in the final ninety seconds with their stars still in the game. When Isiah told Anthony it would be a good idea to stay away from the paint with a devilish grin on his face, it is evident Thomas either knew his players were looking for a hard foul or personally ordered flagrance. However you slice it, Thomas needs to shoulder some blame. Anyone who's ever watched an NBA game knows flagrant fouls do not just die easily, so if Thomas specifically ordered the harmful foul it is unfathomable that he will go unpunished. As recently as November of this year, Thomas has been involved in bizarre on-court incidents. His high intensity as a player and now a coach often translate in to inappropriate displays on the court. Both teams were assessed a $500,000 fine but David Stern claimed it was a matter of setting a precedent. He wants to hold teams accountable in the future for the actions of their employees and said that the circumstances surrounding this particular incident did not play in to the levying of this fine.
When a group of competitive athletes get in to the heat of battle, there's always the possibility of extreme escalation. Fighting has always been a part of sports, but seems to be put under the microscope when on the basketball court. The biggest reason is the proximity to the fans. Unlike any other sport, fans are closer to the action in basketball than any other sport. There is an innate intimacy to sitting on the court, so when fighting erupts the spectators are perceived as being in real danger. If the criteria for handing out harsher penalties is keeping the fans safe, how come J.R Smith and Nate Robinson did not bare the brunt of the suspensions? The two of them wrestled in to the first few rows behind the basket and were most responsible for putting fans at risk.
For now, both teams will have to spend the holidays with a shortened bench. The Knicks are heading nowhere fast and the Nuggets severely complicated their hunt for a coveted Western Conference playoff berth. From an individual standpoint, Carmelo Anthony took a huge step backwards after an offseason littered with progression. He has handled a lot of adversity in his young career and hopefully will bounce back even stronger after this ugly incident.
The "MSG Melee", as the media is trying to hype the brawl as close to the "Malice at the Palace" as they can, should be evaluated on several different levels. First, the involvement of Anthony escalates this issue in the eyes of NBA brass. The gifted class of '03 has become the face of the league. While James and Wade were quicker to gain elite status in the NBA, Anthony rose to prominence with a brilliant performance at the World Championships. That momentum carried in to the season where he is leading the NBA in scoring. Along with his sparkling play, Anthony began to erase the off-court issues that had marred the success he acheived in his first three seasons. He displayed his generosity with a $3 million dollar donation to his alma mater to build new facilities in Syracuse and by laying the foundation for a new recreation center in his original hometown of Baltimore. In the conference call Stern held to defend the league's actions he emphasized the punishment dealt strictly with Anthony's on-court actions. He continued to say he'd been proud of Carmelo's recent progress and felt that Saturday was not a proper reflection on the person he has become. Unfortunately, the league's actions will cost the Nuggets star fifteen games which could have the following repercussions. Despite averaging over 30 points a game, the extended absence could cost Anthony his first appearance at an All-Star game. Aside from the financial benefits he would receive from such an honor, it will deprive him of his first chance to take his place among the game's elite. From a team stand point, the Nuggets are 2-9 (entering tonight) without Anthony since he's entered the league. Currently they are holding the seventh seed in the Western Conference, but could lose ground in his absence. Anthony and J.R Smith were becoming one of the league's better 1-2 punches as the young Smith has found his rythym in the Rockies. Smith, the McDonald's High School All-American Game MVP from 2004, has rediscovered the great range and flashy athleticism that made him highly coveted out of high school. He will be replaced in the starting lineup by defensive star Yakoba Diawara and Linas Kleiza will assume Anthony's power forward duties. Although Coach Karl now faces an uphill battle, he claims no responsibility for the actions on Saturday night. He assigns that blame to Knicks coach Isiah Thomas.
Coach Karl is not alone in placing fault on the Knicks head man. Thomas, a member of the famous "Bad Boy" Pistons teams of the '80s, has never shied away from the physical nature of the NBA. His on camera warning to Carmelo Anthony and post game complaints about the Nuggets' questionable personnel decisions late in the game paint a pretty clear picture Thomas is no innocent bystander. However, this situation goes much deeper. Many believe Karl came to New York to defend good friend, and fellow UNC alum, Larry Brown's honor. This belief fueled Isiah to think Karl looked to run up the score, and it appeared that way with the Nuggets holding a secure double digit lead in the final ninety seconds with their stars still in the game. When Isiah told Anthony it would be a good idea to stay away from the paint with a devilish grin on his face, it is evident Thomas either knew his players were looking for a hard foul or personally ordered flagrance. However you slice it, Thomas needs to shoulder some blame. Anyone who's ever watched an NBA game knows flagrant fouls do not just die easily, so if Thomas specifically ordered the harmful foul it is unfathomable that he will go unpunished. As recently as November of this year, Thomas has been involved in bizarre on-court incidents. His high intensity as a player and now a coach often translate in to inappropriate displays on the court. Both teams were assessed a $500,000 fine but David Stern claimed it was a matter of setting a precedent. He wants to hold teams accountable in the future for the actions of their employees and said that the circumstances surrounding this particular incident did not play in to the levying of this fine.
When a group of competitive athletes get in to the heat of battle, there's always the possibility of extreme escalation. Fighting has always been a part of sports, but seems to be put under the microscope when on the basketball court. The biggest reason is the proximity to the fans. Unlike any other sport, fans are closer to the action in basketball than any other sport. There is an innate intimacy to sitting on the court, so when fighting erupts the spectators are perceived as being in real danger. If the criteria for handing out harsher penalties is keeping the fans safe, how come J.R Smith and Nate Robinson did not bare the brunt of the suspensions? The two of them wrestled in to the first few rows behind the basket and were most responsible for putting fans at risk.
For now, both teams will have to spend the holidays with a shortened bench. The Knicks are heading nowhere fast and the Nuggets severely complicated their hunt for a coveted Western Conference playoff berth. From an individual standpoint, Carmelo Anthony took a huge step backwards after an offseason littered with progression. He has handled a lot of adversity in his young career and hopefully will bounce back even stronger after this ugly incident.
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