The New York Knicks put the pedal to the medal in the 1st quarter on Wednesday. This was the last time the Knicks would play on the road in New Jersey as the Nets will move to Brooklyn next season.
Carmelo Anthony, who has dominated of late, continued his dominance with a huge 21 point 1st quarter. He was 8 for 10 in the first quarter and put up 33 points in the game.
With Baron Davis currently ill with the flu, veteran Mike Bibby had to step up his game. Bibby who has been criticized for being washed up all season, did a great job facilitating the ball around the offense. Bibby had 8 points as well as 8 assists in Wednesday's action.
The Knicks fans poured in for their last game in New Jersey and this became evident as Anthony stepped to the foul line in the 4th quarter. Chants of "MVP" poured through the stadium and Carmelo was flattered about the chants. In regards to this Anthony said, "It felt good, but I'm not the MVP. It felt good, though, just to be here in Jersey, on the road, just to see all those Knicks uniforms in the stands, the Knicks fans out there. It was a great Knicks atmosphere out there tonight."
The Knicks will head to Cleveland Friday where it is rumored that Amare Stoudemire may make his much-anticipated return to the court as he gets ready for post-season play. The Knicks are now 33-29 and are 1 game up on the 8th seed Philadelphia 76ers.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Senators pull out OT Victory to tie series at 2.
The 8-seed Senators went down in an early 2-0 hole against the Rangers. The New York Rangers could not keep their foot on the gas as the Senators slowly creeped back.
Sergei Gonchar tied it when he slammed the puck at Lundqvist during a power play with 2:10 remaining in the second period. A big part of the Rangers defensive strategy is to block shots in front of Lundqvist. Lundqvist got a piece of the puck but that did not stop the puck which squirted by to tie the score at 2.
Goaltender Craig Anderson stopped his last 27 shots including two in overtime. That was all the saves Kyle Turris would need. Turris knocked in the walk-off goal at 2:42 to give a 3-2 victory that evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
Center Jason Spezza, who got hurt and had to rest for some of the 2nd period had nothing but praise to say about Turris. "He's been great for us ever since he's been here," Spezza said. "He's given us extra depth through the middle that's so valuable in this League. That's a heck of a shot and a huge goal for us. Now we're playing a 2-of-3. We're in a good spot and excited to be in this."
And excited they should be. After being down 2-1 in the series, and 2-0 score in Game 4, the momentum seems to be shifting. Game 5 will be a huge game in this 1 vs. 8 matchup.
Sergei Gonchar tied it when he slammed the puck at Lundqvist during a power play with 2:10 remaining in the second period. A big part of the Rangers defensive strategy is to block shots in front of Lundqvist. Lundqvist got a piece of the puck but that did not stop the puck which squirted by to tie the score at 2.
Goaltender Craig Anderson stopped his last 27 shots including two in overtime. That was all the saves Kyle Turris would need. Turris knocked in the walk-off goal at 2:42 to give a 3-2 victory that evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
Center Jason Spezza, who got hurt and had to rest for some of the 2nd period had nothing but praise to say about Turris. "He's been great for us ever since he's been here," Spezza said. "He's given us extra depth through the middle that's so valuable in this League. That's a heck of a shot and a huge goal for us. Now we're playing a 2-of-3. We're in a good spot and excited to be in this."
And excited they should be. After being down 2-1 in the series, and 2-0 score in Game 4, the momentum seems to be shifting. Game 5 will be a huge game in this 1 vs. 8 matchup.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Red Sox Lester outdueled by Romero
Ricky Romero and the Blue Jays were able to bail out another win against a struggling Red Sox offense. Romero went 8 and 1/3 innings which included a point in the game where he retired 17 straight Red Sox batters. Romero who has found himself on the short-end of plenty of games against the Red Sox so far in his career, slayed the dragon this time around.
Both teams only produced 3 hits a piece, as Red Sox ace Jon Lester also pitched an 8 inning complete game. With 3 runs allowed, the Red Sox struggled to get Lester the runs necessary to stage a comback after going down 2-1 in the 3rd inning.The Jays took a 2 run lead on a 2-run single by Yunel Escobar. Rajai Davis later added to this with a triple in the 8th inning which lead to an insurance 3rd run.
Out of the Red Sox top 6 batters, on Jacoby Ellsbury had a hit. The Red Sox 2, 3, 4, and 5 hitters combined for an anemic 0-15 with 10 batters left on base. The Red Sox producers are going to need to capitalize on opportunities when facing an ace like Romero.
The Red Sox now moved to 1-5 on the season and with the Boston media, everyone knows that if they don't start to win soon, the panic will kick in. Bobby Valentine and the Red Sox will be put to the test early to see how they can battle adversity.
The Red Sox who started off with a 6 game road trip head home to play the Rays who currently sit atop the AL East. The Jays will attempt to build off this 2-game winning streak when the 3-3 Orioles come to Toronto for 3 game series.
Both teams only produced 3 hits a piece, as Red Sox ace Jon Lester also pitched an 8 inning complete game. With 3 runs allowed, the Red Sox struggled to get Lester the runs necessary to stage a comback after going down 2-1 in the 3rd inning.The Jays took a 2 run lead on a 2-run single by Yunel Escobar. Rajai Davis later added to this with a triple in the 8th inning which lead to an insurance 3rd run.
Out of the Red Sox top 6 batters, on Jacoby Ellsbury had a hit. The Red Sox 2, 3, 4, and 5 hitters combined for an anemic 0-15 with 10 batters left on base. The Red Sox producers are going to need to capitalize on opportunities when facing an ace like Romero.
The Red Sox now moved to 1-5 on the season and with the Boston media, everyone knows that if they don't start to win soon, the panic will kick in. Bobby Valentine and the Red Sox will be put to the test early to see how they can battle adversity.
The Red Sox who started off with a 6 game road trip head home to play the Rays who currently sit atop the AL East. The Jays will attempt to build off this 2-game winning streak when the 3-3 Orioles come to Toronto for 3 game series.
Mets drop 2nd straight without David Wright
Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals were too much for the New York Mets again on Wednesday.
The Nationals were able to defeat the Mets 4-0 as Stephen Strasburg threw 6 shutout innings against a Wright-less Mets line-up. Strasburg allowed 2 hits while striking out 9 batters. Wright, who fractured his right pinky finger sliding back to the bag on Monday, was out of the line-up for the second straight day.
After starting off 4-0, the New York Mets have quickly dropped to 4-2 without Wright. The Mets struggled to get baserunners and when they were able to get runners on base they could not capitalize.
After a rocky start for both starting pitchers Strasburg and Johan Santana, the pitch counts seemed high from the first inning. The Nationals were the team who capitalized on the slow starts when Mark DeRosa scored on a wild pitch in the first inning to go up 1-0 and that would seemingly be all they needed.
Now the Mets and Nationals are tied atop the NL East at 4-2. The Nationals who started off with 6 games on the road seem to be primed for this season and hope to take advantage of an NL East which seems to be mostly in transition may it be getting older or getting younger. The Mets look to get healthy as the Mets need David Wright to split up all the left-handed bats in their line-up.
The Nationals now head home to Washington to play the Reds at Nationals Park, while the Mets head to play the Phillies on the road on Friday.
The Nationals were able to defeat the Mets 4-0 as Stephen Strasburg threw 6 shutout innings against a Wright-less Mets line-up. Strasburg allowed 2 hits while striking out 9 batters. Wright, who fractured his right pinky finger sliding back to the bag on Monday, was out of the line-up for the second straight day.
After starting off 4-0, the New York Mets have quickly dropped to 4-2 without Wright. The Mets struggled to get baserunners and when they were able to get runners on base they could not capitalize.
After a rocky start for both starting pitchers Strasburg and Johan Santana, the pitch counts seemed high from the first inning. The Nationals were the team who capitalized on the slow starts when Mark DeRosa scored on a wild pitch in the first inning to go up 1-0 and that would seemingly be all they needed.
Now the Mets and Nationals are tied atop the NL East at 4-2. The Nationals who started off with 6 games on the road seem to be primed for this season and hope to take advantage of an NL East which seems to be mostly in transition may it be getting older or getting younger. The Mets look to get healthy as the Mets need David Wright to split up all the left-handed bats in their line-up.
The Nationals now head home to Washington to play the Reds at Nationals Park, while the Mets head to play the Phillies on the road on Friday.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Knicks win 3rd straight 108-86
The Knicks were missing Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin again on Wednesday night but that didn't stop Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler from dominating the Magic.
Carmelo stepped up in a much needed way. Anthony who put up 25 points in the first 3 quarters of play, gave the Knicks a big lead and some much needed rest in the 4th quarter. Anthony sat out the final quarter as he is still battling a groin injury that has effected him in a major way, the last week.
But Anthony is throwing the pain away and fighting through it to help the Knicks push through this difficult stretch run. "It's been a rocky season for us. A lot has been going on, a lot happened, but right now with the coaching change, we've been playing extremely well. We've been really locked in," Anthony stated after the big win in regards to the head coaching change and the injuries to Stoudemire and Lin.
Rookie Iman Shumpert also contributed big with a career high in points with 25. Shumpert was strong from the field including a 4-10 night from behind the three point line. After the game Shumpert said, "They're double-teaming 'Melo and I haven't been shooting the ball much and I do shoot it, I haven't been shooting it well so they are leaving me open. I am going to get more shots and I have to step into it with confidence and knock them down."
It was a big win for the Knicks who now sit 2 and a half games ahead of the 9th place Milwaukee Bucks for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks go to Atlanta on Friday for another big game with a playoff team.
Carmelo stepped up in a much needed way. Anthony who put up 25 points in the first 3 quarters of play, gave the Knicks a big lead and some much needed rest in the 4th quarter. Anthony sat out the final quarter as he is still battling a groin injury that has effected him in a major way, the last week.
But Anthony is throwing the pain away and fighting through it to help the Knicks push through this difficult stretch run. "It's been a rocky season for us. A lot has been going on, a lot happened, but right now with the coaching change, we've been playing extremely well. We've been really locked in," Anthony stated after the big win in regards to the head coaching change and the injuries to Stoudemire and Lin.
Rookie Iman Shumpert also contributed big with a career high in points with 25. Shumpert was strong from the field including a 4-10 night from behind the three point line. After the game Shumpert said, "They're double-teaming 'Melo and I haven't been shooting the ball much and I do shoot it, I haven't been shooting it well so they are leaving me open. I am going to get more shots and I have to step into it with confidence and knock them down."
It was a big win for the Knicks who now sit 2 and a half games ahead of the 9th place Milwaukee Bucks for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks go to Atlanta on Friday for another big game with a playoff team.
At 34, Ochocinco takes Paycut to Stay
Chad Ochocinco may be changing his last name back to Johnson, but his team is not changing. It was reported that Ochocinco agreed to take a $2 Million paycut to stay in New England.
Ochocinco, who the Patriots acquired last off-season to be the Patriots deep threat to make the offense more dynamic, but Ochocinco struggled. Ochocinco who had only 15 catches for 276 yards and a touchdown, denied rumors he would take a paycut on Twitter.
Ochocinco later swallowed his pride and stated he wants to earn his worth in New England. According to Ochocinco's agent, Ochocinco said, "he has un-finished business in New England" and wants a full off-season to work on learning the in-depth playbook. Ochocinco had trouble catching on to the offense as he could not work on the offense throughout the NFL Lockout that occurred leaving him less time to adapt.
With New England bringing in a deep threat in Brandon Lloyd, Anthony Gonzalez, and former Patriot Donte Stallworth, Ochocinco is in a very deep competition to make the team. But the Patriots must want to give Chad a full off-season to claim his worth to the team.
If there's one thing that has to be earned through all this, it's that Ochocinco is sticking to his word. He wants to win and wants to help the Patriots at any cost.
Ochocinco, who the Patriots acquired last off-season to be the Patriots deep threat to make the offense more dynamic, but Ochocinco struggled. Ochocinco who had only 15 catches for 276 yards and a touchdown, denied rumors he would take a paycut on Twitter.
Ochocinco later swallowed his pride and stated he wants to earn his worth in New England. According to Ochocinco's agent, Ochocinco said, "he has un-finished business in New England" and wants a full off-season to work on learning the in-depth playbook. Ochocinco had trouble catching on to the offense as he could not work on the offense throughout the NFL Lockout that occurred leaving him less time to adapt.
With New England bringing in a deep threat in Brandon Lloyd, Anthony Gonzalez, and former Patriot Donte Stallworth, Ochocinco is in a very deep competition to make the team. But the Patriots must want to give Chad a full off-season to claim his worth to the team.
If there's one thing that has to be earned through all this, it's that Ochocinco is sticking to his word. He wants to win and wants to help the Patriots at any cost.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
New York Jets acquire Tebow
The New York Jets did what they have done best of late, try to create buzz. The Jets acquired Tim Tebow who had a great stretch run in last season leading the Broncos to the playoffs. Tebow then upset the Steelers in the first round of the playoffs before being ousted by the Patriots. Tebow mostly known for his "Tebowmania", is ready to bring his talents to the east coast.
Tebow said that he was looking forward to playing for the Jets and that he was thankful they have faith in him as a player. Tebow who was acquired to run the "Wildcat" offense in New York that Offensive Coordinator Tony Sparano ran in Miami.
What the Jets don't seem to see, (or maybe they do), is the idea that this could cause even more craze than needed. Many sports broadcasters feel that this is a mess waiting to happen. Many analysts and fans believe that this could just be a move for media buzz and money.
But I guess we will see what happens when Sanchez throws his first interception in the pre-season. The crowd will chant for Tebow. Will the media, the hype, and the fans be able to force Sanchez out of town and Tebow into the spotlight as it did to Kyle Orton and the Broncos. Only time will tell.
Tebow said that he was looking forward to playing for the Jets and that he was thankful they have faith in him as a player. Tebow who was acquired to run the "Wildcat" offense in New York that Offensive Coordinator Tony Sparano ran in Miami.
What the Jets don't seem to see, (or maybe they do), is the idea that this could cause even more craze than needed. Many sports broadcasters feel that this is a mess waiting to happen. Many analysts and fans believe that this could just be a move for media buzz and money.
But I guess we will see what happens when Sanchez throws his first interception in the pre-season. The crowd will chant for Tebow. Will the media, the hype, and the fans be able to force Sanchez out of town and Tebow into the spotlight as it did to Kyle Orton and the Broncos. Only time will tell.
Johan Santana looks ready in loss
Johan Santana has given doubts that he may not be ready for the regular season. Until yesterday. Santana pitched against a full St. Louis Cardinal lineup and he seemed back to his vintage self. Santana got saddled with the loss in his efforts, 2-1.
Santana went 6 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 earned run, and striking out 6. Santana also walked 0 batters which was a great sign for going forward. Santana looked prime for Opening Day, a sign that the Mets desperately needed.
Jordany Valdespin was also a bright spot for the Mets in the loss. The Mets were down 1-0 in the 9th inning when Valdespin hit a solo homer to tie the game at 1. His clutch home run I'm sure will stick with Collins as he considers players for call-ups as the season progresses.
With opening day on the horizon, the Mets need to have more bright spots like these and less injuries.
Santana went 6 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 earned run, and striking out 6. Santana also walked 0 batters which was a great sign for going forward. Santana looked prime for Opening Day, a sign that the Mets desperately needed.
Jordany Valdespin was also a bright spot for the Mets in the loss. The Mets were down 1-0 in the 9th inning when Valdespin hit a solo homer to tie the game at 1. His clutch home run I'm sure will stick with Collins as he considers players for call-ups as the season progresses.
With opening day on the horizon, the Mets need to have more bright spots like these and less injuries.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Patriots add Defensive Lineman Fanene
The Patriots made their first move of the off-season and it was to add some more depth to their defensive front. The Pats reportedly have given a large signing bonus of $3.85 million which shows how much they truly value Jonathon Fanene the ex-Bengal.
Fanene is 29 years old who played his first seven years of his career with the Bengals after being selected in the seventh round in the 2005 NFL Draft out of Utah. This seems like a perfect player the Patriots look to draft and must have just missed out the first time around.
Fanene is the perfect fit for the 3-4 defense as he can play defensive tackle as well as defensive end. Fanene has the versatility the Patriots like in their defensive linemen. It seems as if Fanene will be an upgraded version of reliable defensive lineman Mike Wright who has helped to anchor their defensive front with Vince Wilfork in recent years.
In 2011, Fanene made 24 tackles and 6.5 sacks in sixteen games played (two starts). Fanene has not been a consistent starter throughout his career but the Patriots seem to be very interested in Fanene and hope that he can help to add major depth to the front 7 of their defense.
Fanene is 29 years old who played his first seven years of his career with the Bengals after being selected in the seventh round in the 2005 NFL Draft out of Utah. This seems like a perfect player the Patriots look to draft and must have just missed out the first time around.
Fanene is the perfect fit for the 3-4 defense as he can play defensive tackle as well as defensive end. Fanene has the versatility the Patriots like in their defensive linemen. It seems as if Fanene will be an upgraded version of reliable defensive lineman Mike Wright who has helped to anchor their defensive front with Vince Wilfork in recent years.
In 2011, Fanene made 24 tackles and 6.5 sacks in sixteen games played (two starts). Fanene has not been a consistent starter throughout his career but the Patriots seem to be very interested in Fanene and hope that he can help to add major depth to the front 7 of their defense.
D'Antoni walks, Knicks roll
It was a very eventful day for Mike D'Antoni and the Knicks. D'Antoni reportedly met for 3 hours with upper management and agreed to resign shortly after their meeting. Mike Woodson had become interim head coach. Woodson delivered with a blowout 121-79 win over the Trail Blazers.
It seemed as if they ran D'Antoni's offense to perfection last night with Steve Novak hitting 6 3-pointers (20 points) and J.R. Smith hitting 7 3-pointers (team-high 23 points). The Knicks tied a franchise record with 19 three-pointers.
Carmelo Anthony brought his "A-game" on Wednesday night. Anthony scored 10 of his 16 points in the first quarter to jumpstart the Knicks. He also had seven assists in 25 minutes before sitting much of the second half. Coach Woodson stated this about Anthony, "He came out ready and pushed himself I thought. I tried to utilize him early in the game, help him get going, and he responded. I thought everybody rallied around him and responded. It was a good team effort."
The Knicks play a home game and then an away game, both against the Pacers. These will be a big test for the Knicks who are right on the bubble of the post-season.
It seemed as if they ran D'Antoni's offense to perfection last night with Steve Novak hitting 6 3-pointers (20 points) and J.R. Smith hitting 7 3-pointers (team-high 23 points). The Knicks tied a franchise record with 19 three-pointers.
Carmelo Anthony brought his "A-game" on Wednesday night. Anthony scored 10 of his 16 points in the first quarter to jumpstart the Knicks. He also had seven assists in 25 minutes before sitting much of the second half. Coach Woodson stated this about Anthony, "He came out ready and pushed himself I thought. I tried to utilize him early in the game, help him get going, and he responded. I thought everybody rallied around him and responded. It was a good team effort."
The Knicks play a home game and then an away game, both against the Pacers. These will be a big test for the Knicks who are right on the bubble of the post-season.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Rondo, Celts take down 9th place foe
The Boston Celtics have sat in the 7th or 8th position in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and the last two nights they were given the opportunity to solidify their lead playing the 9th and 10th place teams and that is exactly what they did. The Celtics were led by All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo who posted his third triple-double of the season, the Celts beat the Milwaukee Bucks 102-96.
The Celtics' veteran Kevin Garnett was on top of his game as well. Garnett scored a team-high 25 points accompanied with 10 rebounds. Garnett scored 11 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, when the Celtics needed it most. Many people thought KG was starting to drop off heading into this season and he has shown no signs of this. The man is showing he is 35 years young and ready to pounce on opposing teams.
Doc Rivers spoke with a clear sense of relief after the game. Thanks to Garnett, the Celts went off offensively over a 6:40 stretch during the third quarter, where they outscored the Bucks 23-6. Doc Rivers had this to say after the game, "I'm just glad we're back to .500. And we've won the first two after the break and both games were grind games. Our guys are buying into that."
The Celtics have three big games to try and build off a hot start to the second half. This starts with playing the New Jersey Nets, followed by the Knicks, and then the Houston Rockets all at home. This team seems to be getting back in stride and with a few home games in a row, the Celts will look to capitalize and extend their cushion in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics' veteran Kevin Garnett was on top of his game as well. Garnett scored a team-high 25 points accompanied with 10 rebounds. Garnett scored 11 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, when the Celtics needed it most. Many people thought KG was starting to drop off heading into this season and he has shown no signs of this. The man is showing he is 35 years young and ready to pounce on opposing teams.
Doc Rivers spoke with a clear sense of relief after the game. Thanks to Garnett, the Celts went off offensively over a 6:40 stretch during the third quarter, where they outscored the Bucks 23-6. Doc Rivers had this to say after the game, "I'm just glad we're back to .500. And we've won the first two after the break and both games were grind games. Our guys are buying into that."
The Celtics have three big games to try and build off a hot start to the second half. This starts with playing the New Jersey Nets, followed by the Knicks, and then the Houston Rockets all at home. This team seems to be getting back in stride and with a few home games in a row, the Celts will look to capitalize and extend their cushion in the Eastern Conference.
Lin, Knicks thump Cavs 120-103
The Knicks are getting hotter, and it seems they are showing no signs of slowing down. They have plenty of players who can shoot the rock. As Wednesday night showed, they have plenty of people willing to dish it out as well. While starting point guard Jeremy Lin had 19 points and 13 assists, also back up and getting healthy, point guard Baron Davis in 15 minutes off the bench had 4 points and 8 assists. So when your team dishes out 21 dimes between your point guards, you're looking crisp and ready for a post-season run.
On a night where assists were at a premium at the Garden, Carmelo Anthony had a solid night with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists. There is also an argument that Steve Novak may have been the player of the game. The Knicks did not lead the Cavs until late in the third quarter where Novak drained back to back three's. Novak had 17 points which included going 5-8 from behind the three-point line.
The Cavaliers were playing much better of late until their recent slide. The Cavs have now lost 3 straight to drop to the 10 seed in the East. The teams they are chasing for the last 2 playoff spots in the East both took them down on back-to-back nights in the Knicks and Celtics who are now comfortably in the post-season situation.
The Knicks now go on a 4-game road trip with the Big East tournament swarming the Garden. They will play at Boston on Sunday, followed by Dallas, San Antonio, and then the 9th place Bucks. This could be an essential set of games to see what this team can look like come post-season on the road. Can the Knicks continue to shoot as they have at the Garden?
On a night where assists were at a premium at the Garden, Carmelo Anthony had a solid night with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists. There is also an argument that Steve Novak may have been the player of the game. The Knicks did not lead the Cavs until late in the third quarter where Novak drained back to back three's. Novak had 17 points which included going 5-8 from behind the three-point line.
The Cavaliers were playing much better of late until their recent slide. The Cavs have now lost 3 straight to drop to the 10 seed in the East. The teams they are chasing for the last 2 playoff spots in the East both took them down on back-to-back nights in the Knicks and Celtics who are now comfortably in the post-season situation.
The Knicks now go on a 4-game road trip with the Big East tournament swarming the Garden. They will play at Boston on Sunday, followed by Dallas, San Antonio, and then the 9th place Bucks. This could be an essential set of games to see what this team can look like come post-season on the road. Can the Knicks continue to shoot as they have at the Garden?
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Red Sox Look to Forget
With an epic collapse to end the 2011 season the Red Sox felt there was truly nothing they could do but clean house. The Sox Former GM Theo Epstein left for the Chicago Cubs as well as the Sox firing the team's manager Terry Francona. The Red Sox brought in Bobby Valentine to try and steer the franchise.
With many people saying Francona was soft at the end of the season, many felt something needed to be done. Their were talks that players were drinking in the clubhouse on their days off during games. Many people felt Francona's easy-going mentality could have been partially the reason for the downfall and hoped that a firecracker like Bobby Valentine could be the answer.
The Red Sox also attempted to re-vamp their bullpen a bit to try and steer themselves in a new direction. First, the team let free-agent closer Jonathon Papelbon go. Papelbon who struggled down the stretch of last season found himself as one of the main culprits of blame. The team went on to add two closers from last season in Andrew Bailey (A's former closer) and Mark Melancon (Astros' former closer).
The Red Sox hope to start the season off strong to silence the critics and questions early on. Otherwise, they could be a team that must rebuild and restaff completely within the next few years. Between injuries and the downfall the Mets have been a perfect example of what a collapse can do to a team. The Red Sox will do their best to avoid this fate.
With many people saying Francona was soft at the end of the season, many felt something needed to be done. Their were talks that players were drinking in the clubhouse on their days off during games. Many people felt Francona's easy-going mentality could have been partially the reason for the downfall and hoped that a firecracker like Bobby Valentine could be the answer.
The Red Sox also attempted to re-vamp their bullpen a bit to try and steer themselves in a new direction. First, the team let free-agent closer Jonathon Papelbon go. Papelbon who struggled down the stretch of last season found himself as one of the main culprits of blame. The team went on to add two closers from last season in Andrew Bailey (A's former closer) and Mark Melancon (Astros' former closer).
The Red Sox hope to start the season off strong to silence the critics and questions early on. Otherwise, they could be a team that must rebuild and restaff completely within the next few years. Between injuries and the downfall the Mets have been a perfect example of what a collapse can do to a team. The Red Sox will do their best to avoid this fate.
Mets Inspired to Prove the People Wrong.
Many have said that the Mets losing Jose Reyes will continue their downward spiral. Many have also predicted the New York Mets to dwell the basement of the NL East. Well, it doesn't seem as if the Mets themselves are ready to be throwing in the towel.
The Mets have come out with big statements using the words "surprise" and "shock." Manager Terry Collins has already began his "no quit" attitude that he used all last season which kept an injury-plagued around .500 all season long. Manager Terry Collins is feeling good about this season and believes that the Mets will surprise. While the manager isn't guarenteeing a playoff appearance he seems to represent a slight confidence that is shining through to the players. The Manager and General Manager Sandy Alderson have used the idea of that many of these players have "something to prove" as an idea that they will be motivated in many ways to help this team win.
Players such as Ike Davis and Daniel Murphy have been adamant about expressing their feelings towards people who are counting them out. Murphy said that with the extra playoff team possibly coming into effect it will probably take around 88-89 wins to make the playoffs and Murphy does not feel this is insurmountable by any stretch of the imagination. Davis also stated his frustration by saying, " Why does everyone think we suck? We haven't played a game yet."
The key thing for the Metropolitans is staying healthy. The Mets have struggled each season with injuries since their 2006 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. Murphy, Davis, Johan Santana, and David Wright all had injuries last season that held them back and this season these players will be essential in trying to make themselves into a contender. If these 4 players can go back to form or close maybe this team can surprise.
The Mets have come out with big statements using the words "surprise" and "shock." Manager Terry Collins has already began his "no quit" attitude that he used all last season which kept an injury-plagued around .500 all season long. Manager Terry Collins is feeling good about this season and believes that the Mets will surprise. While the manager isn't guarenteeing a playoff appearance he seems to represent a slight confidence that is shining through to the players. The Manager and General Manager Sandy Alderson have used the idea of that many of these players have "something to prove" as an idea that they will be motivated in many ways to help this team win.
Players such as Ike Davis and Daniel Murphy have been adamant about expressing their feelings towards people who are counting them out. Murphy said that with the extra playoff team possibly coming into effect it will probably take around 88-89 wins to make the playoffs and Murphy does not feel this is insurmountable by any stretch of the imagination. Davis also stated his frustration by saying, " Why does everyone think we suck? We haven't played a game yet."
The key thing for the Metropolitans is staying healthy. The Mets have struggled each season with injuries since their 2006 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. Murphy, Davis, Johan Santana, and David Wright all had injuries last season that held them back and this season these players will be essential in trying to make themselves into a contender. If these 4 players can go back to form or close maybe this team can surprise.
Yankees Look Ready for Prime Time
While many thought the New York Yankees would have a slow Summer, they were not correct. The Yankees seemingly filled their needs all in one night. They signed two big starting pitchers in youngster Michael Pineda and veteran Hiroki Kuroda. These two could be huge anchors in a Yankee rotation that now seems to be locked and loaded.
The Yankees also added two potential role players who could play a vital role in the stretch run when this team needs reinforcements/back-ups. The Yankees signed veteran Raul Ibanez to add some flexibility to their hitting situation. The deal was a 1 year contract worth $1.1 Million. He has the ability to make up to $4 Million in incentives.
The other big Yankees signing was veteran right-handed reliever David Aardsma. Aardsma is coming off of Tommy John surgery and will start the season on the DL. He will be a great addition to the bullpen if he does heal. The deal was worth $500,000 and is a great high-risk, high-reward signing. Aardsma has been a closer as recent as the 2010 season and is a reliable arm to pitch in clutch late-inning situations.
Yankees.com produced an article stating that the Yankees seem quite impressed with Michael Pineda and what is not to love about the flamethrower. Russell Martin seemed surprised with their first bullpen session with one another. "He was a little erratic that game and got himself in trouble walking guys, so I was expecting to see a guy that didn't have great command," Martin said after catching Pineda in the bullpen. "But I was wrong."
Many of the parts to this team seem to be falling into place, we will see how sharp this team looks in the Spring. The Yankees start up on March 2nd vs the University of South Florida Bulls.
The Yankees also added two potential role players who could play a vital role in the stretch run when this team needs reinforcements/back-ups. The Yankees signed veteran Raul Ibanez to add some flexibility to their hitting situation. The deal was a 1 year contract worth $1.1 Million. He has the ability to make up to $4 Million in incentives.
The other big Yankees signing was veteran right-handed reliever David Aardsma. Aardsma is coming off of Tommy John surgery and will start the season on the DL. He will be a great addition to the bullpen if he does heal. The deal was worth $500,000 and is a great high-risk, high-reward signing. Aardsma has been a closer as recent as the 2010 season and is a reliable arm to pitch in clutch late-inning situations.
Yankees.com produced an article stating that the Yankees seem quite impressed with Michael Pineda and what is not to love about the flamethrower. Russell Martin seemed surprised with their first bullpen session with one another. "He was a little erratic that game and got himself in trouble walking guys, so I was expecting to see a guy that didn't have great command," Martin said after catching Pineda in the bullpen. "But I was wrong."
Many of the parts to this team seem to be falling into place, we will see how sharp this team looks in the Spring. The Yankees start up on March 2nd vs the University of South Florida Bulls.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Celtics continue struggles, Drop to 15-13
With the Celtics at home and playing the last-place Pistons, the Celtics would seem to have to step up their game and pick up another big win. With the Celtics continuing to stay close to .500, they disappointed again on Wednesday night in a 98-88 loss. The saddest part of it all was that it was a career night for Rajon Rondo.
Rondo put up a career-high 35 points, almost half of the teams total points. But Greg Monroe and Ben Gordon both put up 22 to match Rondo's career night. The Celtics had no one to keep up with Monroe and the young stud poured it on in the second half with 16 points of his 22 points (on 8-of-9 shooting).
Celtics fourth quarter offense was anemic. As Rondo cooled off in the fourth, so did Boston's offense, as the team shot just 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from the field during the final quarter. The Celts were outscored by 9 points in the fourth quarter leading to their downfall.
Celtics would really like to get Kevin Garnett back for a big game at the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. Following the big game on Thursday night, will be a rematch of this game as the Celtics get to host the Pistons once again on Friday night. This will be a big two games for the Celtics as they look to prevent a skid in the Eastern Conference, as they currently sit in 7th place.
Rondo put up a career-high 35 points, almost half of the teams total points. But Greg Monroe and Ben Gordon both put up 22 to match Rondo's career night. The Celtics had no one to keep up with Monroe and the young stud poured it on in the second half with 16 points of his 22 points (on 8-of-9 shooting).
Celtics fourth quarter offense was anemic. As Rondo cooled off in the fourth, so did Boston's offense, as the team shot just 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from the field during the final quarter. The Celts were outscored by 9 points in the fourth quarter leading to their downfall.
Celtics would really like to get Kevin Garnett back for a big game at the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. Following the big game on Thursday night, will be a rematch of this game as the Celtics get to host the Pistons once again on Friday night. This will be a big two games for the Celtics as they look to prevent a skid in the Eastern Conference, as they currently sit in 7th place.
Lin does it again, as Knicks rout Kings
Lin proved once again he was ready for the show and not just a fluke. The man may be playing over his head, but he is definitely ready to be a starting point guard in the NBA. Lin has quality skills and will continue to be a force in the NBA until people start getting more physical with him. But the Kings tried to get more physical with Lin and it actually made him look better. Lin spread the ball around the best he has all season and created many great looks for the Knicks.
Lin had 10 points and 13 assists in 3 quarters of play. The Knicks were up big heading into the fourth, so the starters' minutes in the fourth were minimal. Lin is thrilled with the opportunity and much humbled by the buzz it has made. Lin is having a lot of fun and continues to credit everyone else for his recent success. Lin was asked his reaction to reports that President Obama watched the 3-pointer against Toronto and has been following the story. "Very honored, very humbled. Wow, it's the President. Nothing better than that."
Head coach Mike D'Antoni had nothing but great things to say about his red-hot point guard. "[I'm] really happy with 10 points and 13 assists. That's great on a night like this, that's great. Next game Jeremy could have 30 points. Whatever we need him to do, I think he can do." said D'Antoni after the game. And why would D'Antoni be a fan? D'Antoni was on the hot seat and Carmelo Anthony once again went down to injury. D'Antoni's job looked as if it was going to be taken away, until Lin arose. With Lin and the big winning streak the Knicks are easily safe in the Eastern Conference playoff picture without their best scorer Anthony.
The Knicks continue to play at home on Friday against the Hornets. The Knicks back at .500, and they will play another weak opponent with the 2nd worst record in the league. With Lin and the Knicks on a roll and at home, it will be tough to picture anything but 8 straight wins.
Lin had 10 points and 13 assists in 3 quarters of play. The Knicks were up big heading into the fourth, so the starters' minutes in the fourth were minimal. Lin is thrilled with the opportunity and much humbled by the buzz it has made. Lin is having a lot of fun and continues to credit everyone else for his recent success. Lin was asked his reaction to reports that President Obama watched the 3-pointer against Toronto and has been following the story. "Very honored, very humbled. Wow, it's the President. Nothing better than that."
Head coach Mike D'Antoni had nothing but great things to say about his red-hot point guard. "[I'm] really happy with 10 points and 13 assists. That's great on a night like this, that's great. Next game Jeremy could have 30 points. Whatever we need him to do, I think he can do." said D'Antoni after the game. And why would D'Antoni be a fan? D'Antoni was on the hot seat and Carmelo Anthony once again went down to injury. D'Antoni's job looked as if it was going to be taken away, until Lin arose. With Lin and the big winning streak the Knicks are easily safe in the Eastern Conference playoff picture without their best scorer Anthony.
The Knicks continue to play at home on Friday against the Hornets. The Knicks back at .500, and they will play another weak opponent with the 2nd worst record in the league. With Lin and the Knicks on a roll and at home, it will be tough to picture anything but 8 straight wins.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Lin-sanity continues with Knicks at Wizards (2/8/12)
No Amare, no Melo, no problem. The Knicks went in to Washington with a 7 game winning streak against the young Wizards. The Knicks wanted to add to that and their current 2 game win streak. Could they do it without their two biggest stars? Well Jeremy Lin and Tyson Chandler proved they do not want to slow down yet.
Jeremy Lin who has started the last 2 games with 25 and 28 points respectively, delivered once again with 23 points and 10 assists in the big 107-93 win over the Wizards. Lin hit two free throws with 5:08 to play in the third quarter that gave the Knicks the lead for good. Lin was scoreless in the first quarter, had eight points in the second and 12 in the third. Lin also had a huge dunk in response to a John Wall dunk that was a huge momentum shifter in the game.
Tyson Chandler who also had a monster game with 25 points and 11 rebounds said this about Lin's dunk, "I didn't know he could dunk. When he's going in for the dunk I'm like 'no Jeremy, just lay the ball up.' And all of a sudden he dunks it and I was probably just as excited as the crowd was." Chandler's 25 points was 2 points shy of his career high. Chandler has been a huge part of carrying this offense with all the injuries it has dealt with.
The Wizards dropped to 5-21 on the season. John Wall and the Wizards are now on a 6 game losing streak where they continue to slide down the Eastern Conference standings. This loss was not due to a weak game by John Wall who did his best to try and keep up with the Knicks as he threw up 29 points, a team-high.
The Knicks improved to 11-15 and are now 1/2 of a game out of the 8th place Milwaukee Bucks. The Knicks will look to continue their winning streak at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.
Jeremy Lin who has started the last 2 games with 25 and 28 points respectively, delivered once again with 23 points and 10 assists in the big 107-93 win over the Wizards. Lin hit two free throws with 5:08 to play in the third quarter that gave the Knicks the lead for good. Lin was scoreless in the first quarter, had eight points in the second and 12 in the third. Lin also had a huge dunk in response to a John Wall dunk that was a huge momentum shifter in the game.
Tyson Chandler who also had a monster game with 25 points and 11 rebounds said this about Lin's dunk, "I didn't know he could dunk. When he's going in for the dunk I'm like 'no Jeremy, just lay the ball up.' And all of a sudden he dunks it and I was probably just as excited as the crowd was." Chandler's 25 points was 2 points shy of his career high. Chandler has been a huge part of carrying this offense with all the injuries it has dealt with.
The Wizards dropped to 5-21 on the season. John Wall and the Wizards are now on a 6 game losing streak where they continue to slide down the Eastern Conference standings. This loss was not due to a weak game by John Wall who did his best to try and keep up with the Knicks as he threw up 29 points, a team-high.
The Knicks improved to 11-15 and are now 1/2 of a game out of the 8th place Milwaukee Bucks. The Knicks will look to continue their winning streak at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.
New York Islanders @ Philadelphia Flyers Recap - 2/7/12
Evgeni Nabokov had one thing on his mind and that was another win for the New York Islanders who have been heating up of late. Nabokov unfortunately had to take on 45 shots throughout the game while the Islanders only had 18 shots on the opposition. With the game tied 0-0 in the 3rd period, the Flyers outshot the Islanders 16-3. The inevitable seemed it was on the cusp. But Nabokov had other plans on this night.
The game went into Overtime where no goals were scored leading to a shootout between the two teams. Nabokov seemed to need to make another 3 saves in the shootout but the Islanders' Jon Tavares and Frans Nielsen both scored in the shootout easing the pressure for Nabokov, leading to a big 1-0 win in the shootout.
Nabokov was speechless after the game and gave all of his credit to the defense stating how hard the men in front of him played all game. Nabokov was the man who saved the day tonight, getting the Islanders back to .500 for the first time since October.
The Islanders are now 3-0-1 since the All-star break, and are continuing to heat up. The Islanders have also stepped up big in the extra time this season. They are now 6-2 in overtime and shootout ending games. The Islanders will attempt to continue their hot streak on at home on Thursday, February 9th against the Montreal Canadiens.
The game went into Overtime where no goals were scored leading to a shootout between the two teams. Nabokov seemed to need to make another 3 saves in the shootout but the Islanders' Jon Tavares and Frans Nielsen both scored in the shootout easing the pressure for Nabokov, leading to a big 1-0 win in the shootout.
Nabokov was speechless after the game and gave all of his credit to the defense stating how hard the men in front of him played all game. Nabokov was the man who saved the day tonight, getting the Islanders back to .500 for the first time since October.
The Islanders are now 3-0-1 since the All-star break, and are continuing to heat up. The Islanders have also stepped up big in the extra time this season. They are now 6-2 in overtime and shootout ending games. The Islanders will attempt to continue their hot streak on at home on Thursday, February 9th against the Montreal Canadiens.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Super Bowl Recap
The New England Patriots faced off against the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. An epic rematch of the Super Bowl in 2007, which the Giants won 20-17. Despite the Patriots being the slight favorites in regards to betting odds, many saw the Giants as the favorite to win the Super Bowl in the much anticipated rematch. The people were right. The Giants defeated the Patriots 21-17 on a comeback led by Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.
The game was close throughout the entire game and came down to the last play. It was a "hail-mary prayer" thrown from Tom Brady into the endzone in hopes of last-second heroics but as the ball hit the ground the game was over and the Giants once again de-throwned the Patriots for the 2nd time in 4 years. The Patriots who have the best resume of the decade fell short to Eli Manning and the Giants for the 2nd time. This putting in question if the Patriots' Dynasty has finally come to an end. But with 5 Super Bowl Appearances in this decade it is hard to argue that the Dynasty has ended. Eli Manning who was named the Super Bowl MVP was name it for good reason, as he orchestrated the game winning drive in the final minutes of the game to not only give the Giants the lead but take away as much time off the clock from Tom Brady and the Patriots offense and Eli did just that.
Prior to the season, Manning was asked if he felt he was elite. Manning stated that he was elite and he thought he was a top 5 quarterback. Manning followed through with not only the best regular season of his career but the best post season of his career. Manning may have solidified himself in the football Hall-of-Fame with this win but at the very least, he significantly strengthened his resume.
The Super Bowl was also led by a tremendous story. The Giants Pro-Bowl Defensive Lineman Jason Pierre Paul's Dad was attending the game. His Dad is completely blind, and in fact it was his first time attending a game his son was playing in because he did not live in the U.S..
The Giants had their parade on Tuesday where many fans came down to cheer on their team. The Giants got the keys to the city and said they are prepared to win some more rings.
The game was close throughout the entire game and came down to the last play. It was a "hail-mary prayer" thrown from Tom Brady into the endzone in hopes of last-second heroics but as the ball hit the ground the game was over and the Giants once again de-throwned the Patriots for the 2nd time in 4 years. The Patriots who have the best resume of the decade fell short to Eli Manning and the Giants for the 2nd time. This putting in question if the Patriots' Dynasty has finally come to an end. But with 5 Super Bowl Appearances in this decade it is hard to argue that the Dynasty has ended. Eli Manning who was named the Super Bowl MVP was name it for good reason, as he orchestrated the game winning drive in the final minutes of the game to not only give the Giants the lead but take away as much time off the clock from Tom Brady and the Patriots offense and Eli did just that.
Prior to the season, Manning was asked if he felt he was elite. Manning stated that he was elite and he thought he was a top 5 quarterback. Manning followed through with not only the best regular season of his career but the best post season of his career. Manning may have solidified himself in the football Hall-of-Fame with this win but at the very least, he significantly strengthened his resume.
The Super Bowl was also led by a tremendous story. The Giants Pro-Bowl Defensive Lineman Jason Pierre Paul's Dad was attending the game. His Dad is completely blind, and in fact it was his first time attending a game his son was playing in because he did not live in the U.S..
The Giants had their parade on Tuesday where many fans came down to cheer on their team. The Giants got the keys to the city and said they are prepared to win some more rings.
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