What is the Universe coming to?

...when all the Yankee fan can look forward to is every fifth start from recently-thought-to-be-washed up Mike Mussina. Over his last four starts, Moose has gone 4-0 with a 3.13 ERA. Touche.

Mussina is back to commanding his pitches, especially inside to lefties, the very aspect of his game that was thought to be long gone. He's probably going to win 15+ games in 2008. Trust me, the Yankees are praying for that right now.

Now for the bad news: Kei Igawa is starting tomorrow. Yes, the same Kei Igawa from last season.

Back to Pittsburgh

The Rangers held off the young Penguins last night and avoided elimination, forcing a game five back in Pittsburgh.

It makes me wonder if Jaromir Jagr is going to continue to look like the Jagr of the 90s (insert left) and help make this series interesting (after all, it is a contract year for Jagr, who is playing with some jump in his step for one last big contract in his later years). Look at that mullet, all business.

Another miserable April

And A-Rod's not even here to save it this year.

I guess the Yankee fan should be thrilled after going 14-15 in April after a 9-14 start last year. But with three big-name players on the disabled-list (A-Rod, Posada and Phil Hughes), one guy out for the season (Brian Bruney), and a partridge in a pear tree, the Yankees' future isn't looking too bright.

The Yankees have huge problems and not to pile it on, but there are rumors that Hughes and Kennedy are going to be sent down to Triple-A to "find themselves."

Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes' combined numbers:
41 IP | 57 Hits | 40 R | 30 BB | 28 K | 8.78 ERA

If Carl Pavano ever pitched 41 innings in pinstripes, I figure his numbers would look similar to those. A Pavano reference, that's just awful.

The most remarkable aspect of this putrid month for the Bombers is the fact that there is a crazy pattern to their wins and losses. If they win one, they lose one, if they win two, they lose two, etc. Click.

P.S.- Johan's numbers look like this:
40.1 IP | 29 Hits | 14 R | 8 BB | 39 K | 3.12 ERA | 0.92 WHIP

Here's why Memphis will not be dancing...

Memphis is a good team. They have won 30 games for three consecutive seasons. But they will not win a national championship, at least not in 2008.

The Tigers are shooting 59.1 percent from the charity stripe this season, good for 339th out of all 341 D-I teams. You cannot expect to win in March shooting that poorly. They will get a #1 seed in the tournament, and I wouldn't be too surprised if they lost in the second round to the highly underrated 8/9 winner.

This Just In

The Yankees have one lefty in their entire pitching staff, and his name is Andy Pettitte.

Their entire bullpen is comprised of right-handed pitchers and with that short porch in right field, the Yankees better get someone fast. I don't know how deep the free agency pool is for left-handed relievers, but there are only two southpaws that have even been invited to spring training to battle for a spot on the team. Their names? Heath Phillips and Billy Traber.

Apparently Kei Igawa, Chase Wright and Sean Henn are going to have to anchor the Yankees out of the pen, acting as the left-handed specialists against guys like David Ortiz and Travis Hafner. Scary.

Mangini no Genius

Credit Eric Mangini's creepy need to be exactly like Bill Belichick for Jonathan Vilma being allowed to shop around for a trade from New York.

When Mangini was hired as head coach of the New York Jets he changed the Jets' defense from a base 4-3 to the 3-4, the one that they have so much success with up in New England. In 2004 the Jets had the seventh ranked defense, their first round draft pick Jonathan Vilma led the league in tackles, and all was well on the defensive side of the ball. This was with the base 4-3 defense.

Mangini then came in and threw that out the window, causing Vilma to go from tackling machine to mere speed bump for opposing offensive linemen. The Jets don't have the personnel for the 3-4, hence the eighteenth and twentieth ranked defenses in two seasons under Mangini. Vilma got hurt, resulting in season-ending surgery, and is now seeking a trade.

Vilma is undersized for a middle linebacker. Listed at 6'1, 230 pounds, he is successful because he is one of the fastest and smartest linebackers in the league. Second round draft pick David Harris (6'2, 245 pounds) came in to replace Vilma this past season, dominating the middle linebacker position and racking up tackles in bunches. With Harris entering his sophomore campaign in 2008, the Jets figure that they can afford to let Vilma go, trying to get someone for him.

My suggestion? If you want to stick with the 3-4 so badly then stick with it. Just draft the biggest and most ferocious defensive tackles you can to protect Vilma and Harris in the middle. Glenn Dorsey (LSU) would be nice, but at this point, anyone will do. If you can get a decent, hole-plugging tackle, maybe an end who can get to the quarterback (Chris Long) and an outside linebacker to join Harris, Vilma and Hobson, this defense could be a serious problem for NFL offenses. Kerry Rhodes is already a stud, and with a little help stopping the run, could really sit back and dominate centerfield.

Right now Bryan Thomas is listed as the starting outside linebacker. He is a defensive end. Get him back there and create your own mock Strahan/Umenyiora combo with Sean Ellis and Thomas.

Happy Belated Valentine's Day

Wish I found this before tonight... enjoy.

The Way to a Man's Heart - Rick Reilly

Pettitte Ready to Move Forward

Andy Pettitte and the Yankee organization held a press conference in Florida on Monday where he repeatedly apologized for his involvement in the Mitchell Report and his usage of Human Growth Hormone.

"I want to apologize to the New York Yankees' and to the Houston Astros' organizations and to their fans and to all my teammates and to all of baseball fans for the embarrassment I have caused them," Pettitte said. "I also want to tell anyone that is an Andy Pettitte fan I am sorry, especially any kids that might look up to me."

Sincere, honest, expected.

Andy Pettitte is one of the good guys in today’s world of party-going, drug-using, entourage-having sports stars. He used HGH and apologized for it, stating he still did not believe, after all of this, that he cheated the game of baseball.

"Was it stupid? Yeah, it was stupid. Was I desperate? Yeah, I was probably desperate," Pettitte said. "I wish I never would have done it, obviously, but I don't consider myself a cheater, no."

Human Growth Hormone was not banned by Major League Baseball until 2005 so Pettitte is not at risk for a suspension from the league, as his uses were before the ban date.

Pettitte has claimed since the Mitchell Report broke out that he did not take HGH to improve his game, but to help get him off the disabled list. He felt like he owed it to his team to get back from and elbow injury as fast as possible. Maybe Pettitte will rub-off on some other oft-injured Yankee pitchers.

"I didn't do it to try to get an edge on anyone. I didn't do it to try to get stronger or faster or throw harder. I did it because I was that it might be able to help me," said Pettitte.

With long-time teammates Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada with him, as well as the Steinbrenners and Brian Cashman, Pettitte spoke for nearly an hour, answering most questions and only shying away from those prying about Roger Clemens’ “misremembers” statements before Congress.

"I'm just not going to go there," Pettitte said. "I've had to testify under oath. So has Roger. And, you know, I don't think that's anything I need to sit here and try to elaborate on with anyone else."

His Yankees teammates were not shy about their support of Andy:

"We've been through a lot of tough times in baseball. Why not support him?" Rivera said. "I consider Andy my friend. I'm glad I was there."

Derek Jeter also commented on the press conference, claiming that this should not hinder the Yankees' ability to win games.

"There should be no problems with the team," Jeter said. "It's Andy's issue. It has no effect on anyone else on the team, so it should not be an issue. You've got to put it behind you at some point, sooner rather than later," he added. "That's why it's good he's addressing it today. Hopefully it's over with after that. You can't help the stories, you can't help what's said on television."

Everyone knows Pettitte is a very religious man, crediting God whenever he can. As Pettitte spoke longer and longer, I began to believe Roger Clemens less and less. Pettitte was answering most all questions, looking the reporters in the eye and responding with an unbelievable sense of confidence. There were some extremely tough questions but Andy took the bull by the horns and answered to the best of his ability. One reporter asked if he knew his name would be on the Mitchell Report before he signed his deal with the Yankees. He was not sure of the timeframe, but claimed he knew several days before the deal about his involvement in the Mitchell Report. The reporter then told him he signed the day before the Report came out.

"I don't feel I misled the club," Pettitte said. "I think at any time, if this organization didn't want me, all they had to do was tell me they didn't want me to play again and I would have shut it down. That would stand right now if they told me they didn't need me on this team. I don't need the money; I think they know that. I think they know that's the kind of guy I am. I don't feel like I misled them at all." Genuine and honest, everyone could see the weight being lifted off of Andy’s shoulders.

"I think you'll see the smile back on his face," Cashman said of Pettitte.

And Now For the Good News...

Joba Chamberlain will start the 2008 season in the Yankees bullpen.

The Yankees have given him a 140 innings maximum and will send the flame-thrower back to Triple-A in June or so to strengthen his arm for about three weeks before coming back up to be added to the rotation.

I would personally like to see Joba stay in the pen all year, as this means the Yankees rotation is healthy and effective. I would rather have five good starters (Assuming Pettitte will be Pettitte, Wang will be Wang and so on...) than have the rotation struck with the Carl Pavano injury bug and force Joba to enter the rotation.

You can bet with Joba and Mo as the 8-9 punch late in games that the Yankees will have the most lethal setup-closer duo since Rivera/Wetteland in '96.

Congress

I'm so glad Roger Clemens just spent five hours getting interrogated by Congressmen. Today's event have opened my eyes and we are now all so education on the situation...

What we knew before this morning:
Roger Clemens says he didn't take steroids; Brian McNamee says he injected Clemens with steroids under his direction.

What we know now:
Roger Clemens says he didn't take steroids; Brian McNamee says he injected Clemens with steroids under his direction.

Oh, and Andy Pettitte has "misremembered" according to Clemens.

I'd like to thank Congress for stepping in to regulate this; and I would like to further thank the people that contributed to the Mitchell Report, including the Congressman himself, in this fabulous mix of America's Pastime and the United States Government.

Separation of Baseball and State? I think not.

A Giant Victory

With brother Peyton looking on, Eli Manning put together one of the greatest 4th quarter performances in Super Bowl history.
It was a regular David versus Goliath battle, one that saw the hometown Giants written off by nearly everyone, including myself.

It is said that Goliath was six feet, six inches tall. In 1000 B.C. though, this was truly giant. Credit irony for making Tom Brady six feet, five inches tall, a true Goliath against young Eli Manning, playing the role of David in this epic battle.

According to the traditional story, David killed Goliath twice, once with his sling, and again with his sword. Ironically again, Eli threw two touchdown passes, killing Brady and the New England Patriots twice in the 4th quarter.

Before this game began, Plaxico Burress made headlines when he was begged by the media to predict the score of the big game. He was very standoffish, but eventually muttered a “23-17” Giants win.

Following this prediction was the reaction of Tom Brady.

"We're only going to score 17 points?" Brady said with a chuckle. "OK. Is Plax playing defense? I wish he had said 45-42 and gave us a little credit for scoring more points."

Brady can’t be too much at fault at this point, his team was 18-0 and scoring points in bunches basically all season.
Initially, many analysts had considered this the fuel that would ignite the Patriots’ flame, as the Spygate scandal created an “Us versus the world” mentality for New England.

But it backfired, causing the Giants defense to own the trenches, and the game for 60 minutes.
Tom Brady was on his back more than a mechanic, getting knocked down somewhere near 20 times as the Giants’ front-four made his pro-bowl offensive line look like Swiss cheese.

After an opening drive which seemed to last forever, the Giants settled for a Lawrence Tynes 32-yard field goal which gave them a 3-0 lead. The drive was 16 plays over 63-yards and took nearly 10 minutes.

That drive was followed by a 12-play, 56-yard drive by New England, capped off with a Laurence Maroney 1-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter.

It seemed like we were going to see some scoring, as promised by the two weeks of hype leading up to the Mecca of all sporting events. But this game would see no more scoring until the 4th quarter.

As 97.5 million people tuned in to see what would become one of the best Super Bowls ever, Eli Manning was about to emerge as one of the elite quarterbacks of our generation.

As FOX kept putting Peyton Manning’s reactions on the screen, Eli’s success continued. Pass after pass, play after play, everything seemed to be working for Eli and his Giants in the 4th quarter, all leading up to a 140 passer rating in the period.
Among many, the most clutch and unbelievable play came on one that saw Eli left for dead by his offensive lineman.
As he dropped back to throw, the pocket immediately collapsed around him, and he was being clawed at from behind by one or two Patriot defenders. Eli managed to get away, dropping back and eluding the pressure for a few more precious seconds.
Then, as if the combination of hot dogs and Buffalo wings weren’t enough to stop the hearts of Giant fans nationwide, Eli heaved up a 33-yard desperation pass to David Tyree, who essentially caught the ball against his head while under duress from Rodney Harrison. It was the play of all plays, not only for the yards gained, but for the message it sent out: The New York Giants were not going quietly.

Eli put his final touches on the game with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with :35 left, clinching his first Super Bowl victory, along with his very first MVP (As well as a brand-new hybrid Escalade).

Archie and Olivia Manning have produced two Super Bowl-winning, MVP-getting NFL quarterbacks. One can only wonder what Cooper Manning (The lowly other son) has to say during family dinners these days.

On the Patriots’ final drive of Super Bowl XLII, Tom Brady heaved two bombs to Randy Moss that traveled 70 and 65 yards in the air. So much for that probable right shoulder, seemed fine to me. The only injuries suffered in this game were a bruised ego, a broken heart, and probably a concussion, as Brady was thrown around like rag doll.

On that same drive, sandwiched between the two long passes to Moss, Brady dropped back, then stepped forward to throw, and got absolutely crushed by what seemed like an 18-wheeler. Turns out it was just Jay Alford, the rookie out of Penn State.
Brady chucked one final throw on fourth down that was knocked down by a Giants defensive back, essentially ending the game.

Although the clock ran to zero, there was still technically one or two seconds left. Before these seconds could be added back on, both sidelines already took the field and Belichick was halfway to midfield to greet the Giant’s head coach.
There were officials trying to tell Belichick that the game was not technically over, but he did not listen, as he shook Tom Coughlin’s hand and headed for the tunnel. He was obviously ashamed that his “perfect” Patriots were upset by an NFC Wild-Card team in the New York Giants.

Eli and the Giants offense took the field for one last play-to kneel the ball and finally end this roller-coaster ride.
Bill Belichick never actually saw this play, as he was probably already halfway down the tunnel as the Giants celebrated with an appropriate Gatorade bath for coach Coughlin.

Credit the New York Giants front office for this win, as they did an exceptional job at the 2007 Draft, with nearly all of their picks seeing tons of time en route to their Super Bowl Championship.

Aaron Ross, Steve Smith, Jay Alford, Zak DeOssie, Kevin Boss, Michael Johnson and the ridiculous, bottom-of-the-line compensatory pick: Ahmad Bradshaw all saw the field, many of them making a difference on the biggest of all stages.
With that said, the New York Giants have a bright future under coach Tom Coughlin.

Super Letdown

Just in case you haven't heard-the New York Giants are in the Super Bowl. That's the good news, the bad news is that they are facing the immovable object and the unstoppable force all in one: The New England Patriots.

If the Giants win today, I would chalk it up as one of the greatest underdog stories in all of sports, going hand-in-hand with the 1980 Men's Olympic Hockey victory over the U.S.S.R.

The New England Patriots are 18-0, and will more than likely overcome an Eli-led G-Men team to bring home the coveted undefeated season. Tom Brady's injury has been as publicized as Lindsay Lohan's stints in rehab, and once again, he has found himself on this week's injury report:

QB Tom Brady, Probable (Right Shoulder)

Tom Brady is fine and will probably be throwing sky-tickling bombs to Randy Moss before the end of the first drive, and definitely before the end of the first quarter. I'm thinking maybe some sort of ridiculous, head-scratching flea-flicker like the one they pulled off against the Steelers (Source).

The only way the Giants win is if some crazed New-Yorker somehow manages to sneak a U-Haul van into the University of Phoenix Stadium and runs over Tom Brady. And for the not so dramatic, maybe the Giants defense just does their best 2000 Ravens "D" impression, you know, the one that dominated them nearly a decade ago.

I wouldn't be too surprised if Eli Manning throws an interception on his first pass, as we all know Rodney Harrison will be in his face all day. He has played well, but something's got to give.

Plaxico Burress has not done the Giants, specifically their defense, any favors by predicting the score. He has insulted a sleeping giant, causing Tom Brady to laugh at the fact that the Patriots will only score 17 points. This one could get ugly.

Final Score: Patriots 37, Giants 24

Super Bowl XLII MVP: Wes Welker, 10 receptions, 115 yards, 2 TDs

Flushing the Johan deal

I am happy to be able to report that the New York Mets have finalized a deal to acquire the two-time AL Cy Young award winner. 

The reason Yankee Universe is so happy is because the Yankees at one point were willing to trade away their future, something I could not agree with, for Johan Santana. Trading any combination of Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Melky Cabrera (And I think I even remember hearing Robinson Cano?) would have made me really upset. Then you sprinkle on prospects like Jose Tabata and Austin Jackson, and it becomes ridiculous. 

The Yankees were able to get rid of him without giving anything up, a mere win-win in my book.

Inside the Hottest Rivalry in Baseball...

It's always shocking how much of the Boston fan base actually lives in or around the New York area, and on this night it was no different.

Upon his introduction as the youngest General Manager to be hired in Major League Baseball, Theo Epstein supporters in the mixed crowd showed their appreciation with applause and cheers. This, of course, was followed immediately by boos from the rest of the crowd. The feel was a bit different as Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman was introduced, the applause heavily outweighed as the crowd seemed to be about 70/30. The atmosphere alone was enough to feel that it was going to be a good night for the Distinguished Lecturer Series at William Paterson University.

The crowd settled down for the playing of the National Anthem followed by the lecture, led by moderator Kevin Burkhardt. Burkhardt is an alumni of William Paterson University, now working at SNY as the field reporter for the New York Mets. The three sat around a table and talked baseball.

Brian Cashman, 40, was hired as GM of the New York Yankees in 1998. He won the World Series in his first three seasons, the first GM to ever accomplish that. He is the longest tenured General Manager under current owner, George Steinbrenner

Theo Epstein, 34, was hired as GM of the Boston Red Sox in 2002. He became the youngest in the history of baseball and has won the World Series twice during his campaign. Widely credited with helping to end the 86-year "Curse of the Bambino."

Some mild laughter was peppered through the beginning of the night as Epstein commented on the type of relationship the two have. 

"You talk trades with 28 other GM's," said Epstein. "Not with each other though."

Burkhardt discussed how both of the men began their careers as interns and worked their way up to where they are now. He asked Cashman to comment on how he got to where he is.

"I played college baseball at Catholic University," said Cashman. "My dream was to play in the big leagues. I began as an intern and I was going to go to law school, but luckily people kept getting fired and opportunities kept opening up," Cashman said. "I always said I never wanted to do that job, but it was the opportunity of a lifetime."

Cashman credited Gene Michael for teaching him to fight for what he thought was right. He claimed he had chances to leave, with other teams seeking him out, but his loyalty to the Boss helped him to stay put. Upon his staying with the Yankees, he expressed that he wanted to go back to basics, staying away from the dangerously expensive game of free agency. 

Cashman claimed he wanted to build from within as they had during their championship runs in the late '90s, causing an uproar of applause from the Yankee crowd. 

"My strong recommendation is that we stick with our young pitching staff and keep it in-house," Cashman said as the crowd responded with erupting applause. "That's my recommendation, and we've fought hard taking one step back to take two giant steps forward. There might need to be some sacrifices made," Cashman said. "If we need to have a rebuilding year, we will have to be patient and look to the future, which is bright. I credit Tom Coughlin for doing that now."

Epstein then commented on the building for the future concept. 

"Fans always have an opinion, sometimes they're right," Epstein said. "But they don't look to the future most times. What we try to do is just make everyone happy in October, because if they're happy it means we're happy."

You could tell these two men are genuine friends as they spoke with each other, bringing a sense of humanity to a rivalry that hasn't seen much of it in the past. Burkhardt went on to ask how the rivalry affects how they do their job. 

"In the past, the Red Sox were too worried about what the Yankees were doing," said Epstein. "When I came in I said let's forget about the Yankees, let's build something that is going to make sense for us, ignoring New York. Every now and then I'll do something and realize (Cashman) blocked me or something. Bottom line, we're going to play them 19 times a year, they're going to be competitive, so I just assume they're going to win 100 games and make the playoffs."

Cashman was next asked to share his favorite moment between these two teams. 

"One thing that I'm particularly proud about was after the series in '04, we opened up the next year on opening day in Boston. We had to watch them get their rings and raise their flag," said Cashman. "Joe Torre and I discussed that there is a right way to win, and a right way to lose and we demonstrated the right way to lose-although I never want to go through that again."

"We noticed that and really appreciated it," said Epstein. "We know what the Yankees stand for and it was a good gesture. Getting back to the question, when Aaron Boone hit the walk-off in '03, it looked like just another chapter of the Red Sox series of demise. But we grew stronger from spring training on and turned the tables in the same building 365-days later."

The two talked a bit about the Mitchell Report and names came up such as Bonds and Clemens. Both chose to avoid these types of questions for the time being because there isn't any concrete evidence yet to have a truthful opinion worth saying. 

Burkhardt then asked Cashman about Joe Girardi and the challenges he will have to face for the upcoming season.

"This team has been used to a certain way for a long time, said Cashman. "But the biggest thing is going to be the players who recognize him as a player will now have to recognize him as a manager. Joe Girardi is a methodical, he was a championship player. He is tough and dedicated to winning. I am looking forward to the fans being able to see how Joe Girardi the manager reacts in certain situations." Cashman followed this with another crowd-roaring statement: 

"We are a fine wine ready to come to taste," said Cashman. "We believe we have a championship caliber club."

This concluded the discussion portion of the night, which was followed by Q & A. Two lines formed in the aisles with anyone who wanted to ask a question given the opportunity to. 

Someone ahead of me asked if Cashman was regretful about the way things played out with longtime Yankee Bernie Williams. He said he didn't regret it and that towards the end of his career, Bernie's musical career took away from his focus on baseball. He said keeping him in 2006 was a mistake but he gave him a contract because of his history and who he was. Cashman explained how Joe Torre tried to get Williams into the game too much also because of who he was. He claimed he had nothing to offer coming off the bench and needed to be an everyday player to get into a hitting groove. 

Don Mattingly was also a topic during the questioning. Cashman simply said the best man was hired for the job, it wasn't a popularity contest. He recognized Mattingly's esteemed Yankee career but claimed that Girardi's one year in Florida outweighed Mattingly's resume. 

As I waited on line and listened to many questions, Cashman's World Series ring caught the light and shined in my eye. I decided I was going to ask him which ring he was wearing and why.

As he was answering another person's question he mentioned he was wearing his ring from 2000, so I reverted back to my original question. 

As I stepped forward to the microphone, my mouth became very dry and my hands began to shake, I was actually going to speak directly to the General Manager of the New York Yankees. The spotlight shined on me and Kevin Burkhardt signaled for me to ask my question, I swallowed hard and before I knew it, I was halfway through the question. I asked Cashman how they were going to fill the fifth spot in the rotation and if there was any frontrunner heading into spring training. He told me that the Yankees are better prepared for the injury bug this year. As of now they have seven or eight possible starters (Pettitte, Wang, Hughes, Mussina, Chamberlain, Kennedy, Igawa, Karstens) and that it comes down to who is throwing the best during spring training and who they feel should occupy the starter role. Cashman also commented on Joba Chamberlain's innings restriction, claiming he may end up in the bullpen as Mariano Rivera's set-up man sooner than later.

It was truly a special night that I won't soon forget. 

Championship Weekend

Patriots over Chargers

There have been some recent gripes between San Diego and New England, but the Patriots have come out on top for the most part, as the Chargers have won their first playoff games since 1994 to get here. We all know about the Patriots undefeated season, and without dissecting it too much, I still cannot bet against them. 

Philip Rivers is a game-time decision, while LT and Antonio Gates will both play. Gates is claiming that he is in more pain today than he was last week, but will still reportedly get out there today in New England.

Bottom line: Patriots probably cover the two-touchdown spread.

Packers over Giants

The magic ride ends at the (Boomber voice) Frozen Tundra at Lambeau Field for the G-Men. Eli Manning has never been to Lambeau, and with the overwhelming atmosphere, and the projected 2 degree weather at gametime, it will be tough to succeed. 

Giants fans that I've talked to have claimed that they are so confident in Eli Manning that when he throws it down the field, they no longer hold their breath. I do not believe them. 

Today is the day for Eli to prove himself. If the Giants lose, but not at the direct cost of Eli Manning, maybe he is actually turning a corner. Only time will tell, can't wait for these games.

Last Weeks Record: 3-1

Overall Playoff Record: 6-2

Super Bowl Prediction: Green Bay vs. New England

Pacman

Adam "Pacman" Jones is at it again. This time he is being accused of punching a woman at a strip club (Source).

What do you think about this one, Mad Dog?

Round 2...

Packers over Seahawks

Brett Favre has one more run in him, taking his permanent 5 o'clock shadow and "The most talented team he's ever been a part of" past Seattle and into the NFC Championship. Close game, but most likely the least exciting of the weekend. If by some chance the Seahawks win, I believe they will go all the way to the Super Bowl, as the Packers are my team to beat in the NFC.

Patriots over Jaguars

I'm not buying into all this hype of the Jaguars being able to take down the mighty Pats. I saw on ESPN's BottomLine that 58% of the fans are picking New England. Don't listen to all of these analysts who are doing their best Nostradamus impression, trying to forecast a team to lose that hasn't in nearly a year. It should be a good game, but I still take New England by 10+. How can you pick against them? Seasoned quarterback, playoff experience, they've been here before and with the cleft chin Brady has, how could you be afraid of David Garrard and Fred Taylor?

Colts over Chargers

Peyton and Co. are the defending champions of this league with something to prove. They have gotten no hype and quietly have one of the best defenses in the league. When these teams met in the regular season it took a San Diego Miracle (Darren Sproles punt and kickoff return, 6 Manning interceptions, 2 Vinitieri missed FGs) to take them out. Despite all of this, Indy still dominated in most categories but the scoreboard-the only one that matters. Don't bet on Peyton making too many mistakes on Sunday.

Giants over Cowboys

I said it once and I'll say it again... man I love being a turtle. No but seriously, Eli Manning is 8-1 this year away from Giants Stadium (Including the playoffs) and I will throw another bone to a determined Giants team. Eli has played well and the G-Men front four (Strahan, Robbins, Cofield and Umenyiora) will be in Tony Romo's face all game long. The only way he can be saved is if Rapunzel throws her hair down from her comfy seat in the press box

Last Week's Record: 3-1

Todd f***in' Collins screwed me otherwise I would have gone undefeated while picking 3/4 road teams to win.

AFC Championship: No surprise here, Colts @ Pats

NFC Championship: Revived G-Men @ Lambeau to face the Pack

Next Stop: Congress

As I sit here and watch Roger Clemens on 60 Minutes, it has reopened all of the garbage the Mitchell Report brought out that many people, including myself, have thrown on the backburner.

Clemens had about a 15-minute interview in which he repeatedly swore he never took HGH or any other steroids. Brian McNamee claims several specific times in the report times that he personally injected Clemens. 

Clemens opened the interview asking 60 Minutes' Mike Wallace why his 24 years in the majors isn't enough to get the benefit of the doubt from the American public. He asked why he cannot get an inch of trust for all the contributions he's made to the game of baseball. He then claimed America has turned into the "guilty until proven innocent" nation.

There were two things Roger Clemens said that caught my attention. The best point that he made during the interview was when he asked Wallace how he got these alleged steroids. The Mitchell Report says that McNamee injected him, but has no proof on how he got them. The reason this stuck out to me was because many of the others on the list had copies of personal cheques for thousands of dollars for the drugs. Clemens' tarnished name has come at the hand on one man trying to avoid jail time by throwing out a big name trying to clear his own.

The next thing Roger said was that he was just as shocked to hear his good friend Andy Pettitte's name on the list as he was his own. He said he had no idea about Pettitte and that he "Had no knowledge of what Andy was doing". That, if true, says a lot to me because it has been their friendship and training over the years has been well documented. We all knew they were good friends, and we all knew Clemens' workout regiment is the one they used for the actors in "300". 

We will keep finding out more and more, especially if Clemens goes in front of Congress in 10 days. As of now, I can say that I wasn't surprised with that interview other than what I mentioned, and Clemens said basically what was in the statement he released. After Clemens said "Guilty until proven innocent", I really thought about the evidence and realized there isn't much. A single man's story has dragged a 350-game winner's name through the mud. I've changed my opinion because I fell under the guilty until proven innocent crowd, and until there is more evidence, I believe Roger Clemens. I would need to see a personal cheque or some sort of money trail linking him to performance-enhancing drugs at this point to think otherwise.

Wild Card Weekend

Washington at Seattle, Saturday, 4:30 pm

Sean Taylor's death has sparked a suddenly dangerous Redskins team. They've gone 4-1 since Taylor passed, with the only loss coming on a last-second field goal at home against the Bills. Had the legendary Joe Gibbs not tried to call two timeouts to ice kicker Rian Lindell, the Skins may have won that game too. 

Washington will go up to the Pacific Northwest and start quarterback Todd Collins, who is 4-0 and has a passer rating over 100. Who is he? I have no idea, but after some careful research I have discovered that he is a 13-year veteran drafted in the second round out of Michigan by Buffalo. He has played for the Bills, Chiefs and Redskins and has thrown exactly 27 passes since 2000, before his current stint as a starting quarterback.

Seattle comes in as the preseason favorites to run away with a horribly weak NFC West. At 7-1 this season at home, the Seahawks' claim as the best home-field advantage may be legit. Shaun Alexander had four rushing touchdowns this year, rushing over 100 yards just twice. They come into the weekend with Alexander and Morris splitting time, which could be effective against the Skins. With all that said, this is a 10-win team that no one really knows or cares about, Redskins in the upset.

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh, Saturday, 8 pm

It's easy to go with the popular vote and say the Jags will upset the Steelers in Pittsburgh. 

It's easy because the Steelers are in the exclusive company of Kansas City and Miami as the only teams to lose to the Jets this season. The Jaguars have owned Pittsburgh in the past few years and play the same style of tough defense and hard-nosed running to win. The Steelers are an underdog at home, so if I were betting, I would take the Steelers, but I'm not, and they lost to the Jets so they must be worse than everyone thought.

Fred Taylor has come out and criticized Heinz Field's sod. He is not happy running on it and said they should spend the money to install FieldTurf. These two met earlier this season in the Steel City, with Taylor going for 147 yards and a touchdown. He shouldn't have a problem as the Jaguars will win and face the music in New England next weekend.

NY Giants at Tampa Bay, Sunday, 1 pm

The Giants have once again struggled down the stretch but have managed to limp into the playoffs, Eli has been about as reliable as Britney Spears participating at a PTA meeting, and they only beat one team with a record above .500 all season. 

And now for the bad news: Tiki Barber may be rooting for brother Ronde's Bucs on Sunday.

Reports have come out that Tiki may be giving his brother tips on what to expect from Big Blue. This isn't too much of a surprise after Tiki left on bad terms following a first-round exit from the playoffs in 2007. 

The Giants have played well away from home, losing only to Dallas on the road this year. I guess Eli thinks if he's not in Giants Stadium that no one is watching. Look for a very good Tampa defense to give the G-Men big problems, but as I always do, I'm going against my gut feeling, picking the Giants on Sunday.

Tennessee at San Diego, Sunday, 4:30 pm

The Titans have a top-10 defense, the Chargers have LaDainian Tomlinson. This game could get ugly in favor of San Diego. There are also reports of Vince Young not playing Sunday because of a nagging injury. Either way they do not stand up to the Chargers, probably losing by more than two touchdowns. Bottom line: LT probably outscores the Titans.

Divisional Round:

AFC

Jaguars at Patriots

Chargers at Colts

NFC

Giants at Cowboys

Redskins at Packers

16-0

The Patriots will beat the Giants this Saturday. 

ESPN, as well as much of the rest of the country is trying to hype this game up more than it needs to be. New England is 15-0, haven't lost a game in what feels like forever, and the Giants are the second-worst playoff-bound team in the history of the NFL (Last year's G-Men take the cake). 

The game is supposed to be on the NFL Network which would normally be viewed by roughly 8% of NFL fans, 100% of them being at some sports bar because no one has the NFL Network. But the lovely National Football League will be putting this monumental game on NBC and CBS. It is the most widely simulcast game in the history of football, or television. 

It has gotten so pathetic that StubHub.com has a ridiculous amount of tickets on sale for this game because even the die-hard Giant fan would love to make a quick buck off this hype instead of going to see their team take a worse beating than Tina Turner. I saw a luxury box on sale for over $26,000 (If you don't believe me, check it out for yourself).

Bottom line: The Patriots are going to win Saturday, and maybe every game they play ever again.

PS- I'm not even putting a picture to go along with this entry, if you'd like to know why, Google search images "Eli Manning", and just look at the first picture. I just started laughing because I didn't think Eli was old enough to drink.

Curt Schilling is a Moron.

I have recently learned that Curt Schilling has "sounded off" about the Mitchell Report, as well as most of the names on it.

In his incoherent, typo-riddled rant on his online blog, Schilling claims that Roger Clemens should have to essentially forfeit everything he has accomplished since 1997 (When Mitchell claims he began using HGH). This includes 162 wins, 2,082 strikeouts, 4 Cy Young Awards and 6 All-Star Appearances (Source). Curt would also like for the Yankees to each mail him their World Series rings from 1998, 1999 and 2000, as well as a partridge in a pear tree... for his backyard.

I have an even better idea, Curt. How about we throw out every record of baseball existing professionally in America since the strike in 1994. We won't play baseball again, and we can have the last memory of baseball being guys like Pedro Martinez and Cliff Floyd telling us how the '94 Expos were the best team ever. Or, this is even better, we can strap you to a satellite and have you orbit earth and patrol things until you see fit they can continue playing. 

Curt, there is exactly one person in all of baseball that I can confidently say has never and will never take performance-enhancing substances: Derek Jeter. I know you hate the Yankees Curt (And trust me, the feeling is mutual), but Jeter is the only player that has been in the league through the steroid era that I can undoubtedly call "clean". I cannot say the same about even you, the untouchable Curt Schilling. 

If you are going to begin making claims to take away records and awards won by people who are being speculated to have used steroids, the game of baseball might as well not exist. We don't know who is using, and until there is vigorous testing to reveal and filter out the bad seeds, there is nothing you can do about it. I understand this is just your blog and you are free to say whatever you want (I will do the same), and I understand that steroids is slowing destroying the game, but you cannot go around pointing fingers at certain players without truthfully knowing more than what you read about in the Boston Globe from Bob Ryan.

The Mitchell Report has done nothing but caused Bud Selig to buy stock in Tylenol. In the opening paragraphs of his blog, Schilling claims that everyone should throw out the fact that George Mitchell is a senior member of the Red Sox organization. According to Schilling, there couldn't possibly be a tie between the lack of Red Sox on the list and the compiler of the list getting paid by the very same Red Sox. Curt also knows everything there is to know about every player in Boston's organization and that Mitchell is right on in his lack of dirt coming out of Boston (Although I could easily find some dirt from Boston-his name begins with an "M" and ends with an "anny Ramirez"). 

Curt I'm sorry I'm not sorry you never won a Cy Young, but to claim you respect players like Andy Pettitte, then spell his name wrong is just embarrassing. Step one on respecting someone: Learn to spell their name, step two: take a 5-minute break, we wouldn't want you hurting yourself, we don't have time to buy you more socks. All I have to say is, God forbid someone wrote "Kurt Shilling" on their website, you would throw a fit like a 5-year-old who has been told they weren't having dessert.

P.S.- I responded to Curt's blog, and am awaiting any feedback from the man himself, gosh I feel so lucky.

*For all of you that would like to see this atrocity for yourselves, please visit 38pitches.com, the official blog of Curt Schilling. 

Clemens: "I Did Not Take Steroids"

Roger Clemens, the most notable name on the Mitchell Report, has finally released a statement through his agent, Randy Hendricks.

"I want to state clearly and without qualification: I did not take steroids, human growth hormone or any other banned substances at any time in my baseball career or, in face, my entire life. Those substances represent a dangerous and destructive shortcut that no athlete should ever take. I am disappointed that my 25 years in public life have apparently not earned me the benefit of the doubt, but I understand that Senator Mitchell's report has raised many serious questions. I plan to publicly answer all of those questions at the appropriate time in the appropriate way. I only ask that in the meantime people not rush to judgement."

The time between the release of the Mitchell Report and Clemens' statement has resulted in the "benefit of the doubt" he talks about go right out the window. There are talks of Clemens having to face the Grand Jury, which would certainly put him in the same sentence as McGwire, Palmiero and Sosa should he be found guilty of lying.

Clemens and Pettitte are the two players that stayed loyal to Brian McNamee after he left the Yankees, Clemens has been quoted as saying he is a one-of-a-kind trainer. 

The next time Clemens is available for comment is not known, but you can bet your bottom dollar he's going to face tough questions from the media. 

A-Rod on "60 Minutes"

At 7 o'clock Sunday night, Alex Rodriguez talked to Katie Couric on "60 Minutes". In his interview, he was grilled by Couric about his opting out during the clinching game of the World Series. A-Rod ensured everyone watching that he was as shocked as them when on-field reporter Ken Rosenthal claimed that Alex would be opting out of his contract with the New York Yankees. He insisted that the timing of the announcement could be put solely on the shoulders of his agent, Scott Boras. (Source)

A-Rod told Couric that he was under the impression that the announcement would come one or two days after the World Series was over, thus confirming Scott Boras' selfishness and also putting to bed one of the issues fans still have against him. She asked about his situation with Boras, and Alex said that they are not speaking at the moment. Couric then asked if they would speak again and A-Rod replied "We'll see."

Couric then moved on to the topic of the week: steroids. When asked if he ever used steroids, human growth hormone, or any other performance enhancing drug, A-Rod simply said "No". When asked if he was ever tempted to use any of these drugs, A-Rod said "No". The conversation continued as follows:

Couric: You never felt like, 'This guy's doing it, maybe I should look into this, too? He's getting better numbers, playing better ball.'

Rodriguez: I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field. And I've felt that if I did my work as I've done since I was, you know, a rookie back in Seattle, I didn't have a problem competing on any level. So, no.

The interview then turned the way of other players, like Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens. A-Rod declined comment on them besides saying that if all of it was true, it would be a "black eye" for the game of baseball. He did not throw any of his teammates under the bus, regardless of what he really thought, he kept his opinions to himself. 

A-Rod realized he got perhaps the first break of his life when it comes to the media. There is a huge debate right now in the baseball world about the Mitchell Report, a report not containing the name "Alex Rodriguez". But as A-Rod knows, this is the first time in a long time that he can wake up and read about a crisis in baseball without seeing his picture on the back page of the Daily News.

You Can Bet on the Jets

The line for this weekend's Jets/Patriots game is 24 points. This is a result of a combination of a 13-0 team, a 3-10 team, the obvious bad blood between Eric Mangini and Bill Belichick and the overall domination the Pats have been demonstrating.

There is a snowstorm pummeling the east coast as I type, with the Boston area (Including Foxboro) expected to get slammed. At game time tomorrow, it will be roughly 19 degrees, with a "Wintry mix" and heavy winds. (Source) The point? If the Jets cannot get within 24 points of the mighty Pats, they have more problems than the SpyGate Controversy. 

Take the Jets to cover the spread. 

Pettitte Confesses

On Saturday, Andy Pettitte spoke out about his name being on the Mitchell Report. Pettitte talked to the media, and said all the things a baseball fan wants to hear from their favorite player who was outed by Mitchell. 

"I felt an obligation to get back to my team as soon as possible. For this reason, and only this reason, for two days I tried human growth hormone... That is it -- two days out of my life; two days out of my entire career, when I was injured and on the disabled list. I wasn't looking for an edge. I was looking to heal." 

This does not taint the Yankee Dynasty on the part of Andy Pettitte, but I do know that if Chuck Knoblauch wasn't on the juice, the Yankee dark age (1979-1995) would have probably never ended.

Pettitte goes on:

"I have the utmost respect for baseball and have always tried to live my life in a way that would be honorable. If I have let down people that care about me, I am sorry, but I hope that you will listen to me carefully and understand that two days of perhaps bad judgement should not ruin a lifetime of hard work and dedication. If what I did was an error in judgement in my part, I apologize."

Pettitte is a class act, but I do not, under any circumstances, condone the usage of any type of performance enhancing substances. But I think we can all agree that Andy Pettitte's situation, if what he is saying is true, is much less serious than let's say, Barry Bonds. 

Let's also not forgot Pettitte took HGH when it wasn't on Major League Baseball's banned substances list.