NFL Week 14 Preview

The Giants have done a great job of not letting distractions get in their way but this will be the ultimate test. They are at home against the Eagles and should beat them but Antonio Pierce has been dealing with the Plaxico situation all week and we will see how it affects him. I expect the Giants to win but think it will be a very tight game. The Jets should bounce back this week and beat the Niners but they are 0-2 this year on the west coast and dont do well in 4:00 games. I expect the Jets to win but if they do lose the pressure will start mounting. The Cowboys fans are getting all cocky thinking they are going to be like the Giants of last year but they play in Pittsburgh this week where it will be very cold and calling for some snow or at least snow showers, I think they will lose to Pitt and then the Giants will have a chance to finish them off next week. The Patriots are still looming and I expect them to bounce back this week. The Monday night game this week is a big one as Carolina plays Tampa. One of these teams will be in great shape for the 2 seed and still have an outside shot at the 1 seed. Everyone enjoy the games.

Winter Meetings countdown

It looks like we are finally getting somewhere in this rather boring baseball offseason. The Yankees appear to be growing inpatient with not signing anyone yet especially CC. Brian Cashman met with Scott Boras yesterday in Washington D.C. and a suprise guest at the request of Boras was there with him, it was Big Tex, man would of I loved to be a fly on the wall,this was first reported by the NY times and on mlb.com. I like the sound of that but we shall see what happens. Cashman is planning on meeting with CC next in Vegas ahead of the meetings, i think i would offer him free food at the restaurant of his choice in the city. I am glad the Yankees are getting more aggressive and I hope they get him by the end of the weekend. I did hear today that that a friend of CC said there are 2 other mystery teams that have bid, but i dont believe that for one second, the Giants GM said they aren't going too, the Angels said they are focused on Tex and the Dodgers on Manny, I think that is just trying to get the Yanks nervous. I also hear today according to Jayson Starks blog on ESPN that there is increasing buzz about the Yanks signing sheets. I believe that the Braves will get Burnett by the end of the weekend or next week with there 4 yr offer with a 5th yr incentive option but will go 5 yrs if they have too. I expect to be blogging a lot this weekend and next week regarding the Winter Meetings and hopefully good news out of the Bronx.

NHL loves Sloppiness

Sean Avery has been suspended 6 games for an offhand comment. I agree that he should be reprimanded and if the team deems they were going to suspend him, thats up to them but for the league to go out and suspend someone for 6 games for a comment he made is just not right. I know he is a little nuts and loves the spotlight, but he was making a joke and looking for attention, he didn't mean any harm by it and personally i dont know that it was so bad. What did he say you ask well he said that other players like his "sloppy seconds" a reference to other players dating his ex gfs. I just cant imagine getting in trouble for saying something like that but its the world we live in now i guess.

Shootout Kings

The New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight in a shootout 3-2. They are 6-1 in shootouts this year and it seems like every game is a shootout. The last 3 I believe have been. The Rangers continue to lead the division and also they are at or near the top in the conference. It is good to see the Rangers good again, but lets see what happens, they have to get better at finishing games, in the playoffs there are no shootouts. I believe though with King Henrik and some better chemistry by the end of the year they can make a run in the playoffs.

Wow actual Baseball News

It is not official yet but the Chicago White Sox have traded pitcher Javier Vasquez to the Atlanta Braves for shortstop Brent Lillibridge and minor league catcher Tyler Flowers who had an outstanding Arizona Fall league batting 387 with 12 hrs in 20 games. The Sox also have chosen two other players who have not been identified yet. The Braves are also going to recieve LH reliever Boone Logan. If i were the Mets i would be wary of Atlanta attempting to get better and of course they have the World Champ Phillies in their division. The Anaheim Angels GM said today that Mark Texiera is still their priority and they will do everything they can to keep him and dont expect anything before the winter meetings which will open up on sunday evening really monday morning. Contrary to reports they will not come near the Yankees offer and aren't even thinking of him right now. It looks like CC isn't getting what he thinks and will have to come to the Yankees sooner then later. I expect the action to heat up next week in the hot Las Vegas Desert at least with the winter meetings it should become hot. I expect a slew of trades this year with the tough market and once CC and Tex sign the rest will follow. Everyone stay calm, be patient we will be getting some juice very shortly

As the Knicks turn

Stephon Marbury was supposed to show up at practice yesterday and he did but was half an hour late and then the meeting with team officials only lasted 15 minutes. This situation is still not resolved and he was told to stay away from the team. Of course he has been ripping the organization and his teamates and as bad as he is, the Knicks look terrible once again. I am sure they will find a way to trade him in the near future or whatever they have to do, but he just needs to be out of their hands. The Knicks are hanging in there and playing ok basketball, at least they are more exciting on the court, and i am sure once this soap opera is over it will make them a better team, more focused. I am really tired of these rich spoiled athletes though and wonder what can be done about these guys?

Plaxico

The Giants did the right thing by putting him on the non football injury list and suspending and fining him. Plaxico Buress will not play again this year and who knows if he will ever play again for the Giants. The Giants have been proving over and over again over the last couple of years that they are a team and they can get by losing players that are great players but do harm to the team. As great as a player as Tiki was we later learned how toxic he was to the team and especially Eli Manning and then of course we had Shockey who ironically once he went down the Giants went on their run to the Super Bowl Title and then ended up trading him and of course now Plaxico. The Giants dont have to worry about answering about Plaxico now and can go on and take care of business. If Antonio Pierce gets dragged into this more it could hurt, but as long as he cooperates I dont expect anything to happen there, the Giants should clinch the division this week at home against the Eagles and almost lock up that 1 seed and get ready for a second round matchup in the cold at Giants Stadium. The Giants should be applauded for this decision and how they have deal with problem players lately and for the foundation they have in place. Time for Hixon to keep on doing his thing and maybe Sinorice Moss to get more of a chance or the rookie Mario Manningham.

Baseball Arbitration

The New York Yankees have decided to not offer arbitration to any of their free agents. I think this is a bit of a shock, i thought for sure they would offer Abreu and Giambi arbitration, but I think maybe they are fearful of the market not being there with the economy in the sewer and that they would just take the money for 1 year and try to reestablish their market for next year. I am also thinking that this says to me, the Yanks are going to spend money to try and get Tex as well as Sabathia and burnett if they have too or if he comes down in price maybe they would still go after him. I wouldn't be upset though if they just ended up signing only CC and Tex. I saw that the Brewers offered CC and Sheets arbitration, now CC isnt going back to them but I could see Sheets doing that as there doesn't appear to be a market for him. Also the Jays offered Burnett arbitration, i guess there is a chance he goes back there but he has enough of a market i am sure he will end up somewhere else. I hope the hotstove will really start to get going now that the holiday is over and the winter meetings begin next week.

Plaxigooo

The Giants have for years looked the other way but I think this is finally going to be the end of the line. I would think his Giants career is over and maybe his NFL career but we will see. The Giants will miss him at some point but without him they spread it around to everyone and they can win without him, Eli 3 best games are the 3 Plax has missed. It doesn't look like Pierce will be in trouble and that is a good thing, i dont think they can live without him, he is the defensive captain and very very good at what he does. We shall see what happens, and we will learn in Jan if they will miss him, this team though I really believe is one of the most focused i have ever seen, nothing fazes them, and it seems with adversity they just get better, i dont think anything can take them away from their goal, repeating.

NFL Week 13

The Giants rolled on with their business and have basically wrapped everything up. I know if Dallas wins the last 4 and the Giants lose all of them then Dallas will win the division but that is not going to happen and as for the 1 seed they are 2 up and tampa and Carolina have to play each other. The Jets well they got a little dose of reality and took a beating by Denver, i had a feeling they were going to lose this game, but with the Patriots loss, are still in good shape for winning the division but now they are out of the 2 seed which is important, they should win at least 3 more if not all 4 so they could still get that seed but we will see. As for the whole Plaxico thing, its not good at all, i dont understand why you would carry a gun into a nightclub and I dont know what role Pierce plays in this whole thing, it seems he is innocent and just trying to do the right thing, but if somehow he is suspended the Giants could be in trouble, they will live without Plaxico but not without Pierce the defensive Captain. Dallas right now is on the outside looking in but it should be a good fight to the finish, dallas plays Pitt,Giants,Ravens and Eagles so i would still say they probably wont make the playoffs but lets see, they have all the talent in the world. Indy keeps winning, ugly but they are 8-4 and a dangerous team. Everyone has been talking about Jets Giants but what about the all Manning bowl, you never know.