PIGSKIN 2014: SUPER BOWL XLIX

PIGSKIN

SUPER BOWL

SUNDAY

Regular Season Results:

Week One 

Week Two 

Week Three 

Week Four 

On Vacation! 

Week Six 

Week Seven

Week Eight

Week Nine

Week Ten
Week Eleven
Week Twelve

Week Thirteen

Week Fourteen

Week Fifteen

Week Sixteen

Week Seventeen

Scoreboard:

Final Regular Season Record:  107-100-5

Wild Card Record:  0-4

Divisional Round:  2-2

Championship Round:  1-1

Overall Record:  110-107-5

BAGELS in the Basket:  -2

Got my mind on my Bagels and my Bagels on my mind:  Let's roll dough...  I'm a pair of Bagels in the hole; every pun intended.  So the only thing I can do is double down in the hopes of breaking even with the local baker.  Ha!  Get it?

PROP THIS!      POST GAME

• I'll have two Bagels on the coin toss please = TAILS!  WIN +2
• One Bagel says the Seahawks kick the first field goal.  WIN +1
• One Bagel says the Patriots score the first touchdown.  WIN +1
• I'm rolling 5 Bagels(!) on the chance Marshawn Lynch scores a touchdown, and grabs his junk.  DIDN'T SEE IT. DAMN!  -5
• The O/U is set (48); two Bagels says Over.  WIN +2

Including 2 Bagels on the game itself, that makes a baker's dozen into the oven.

Patriots 28; Seahawks 24  WIN +2

I finished +1 for the season.  Pass the cream cheese and jelly please!

PRE-GAME

• 1st and Ten: With a victory Seattle would be the first team to repeat since Tom Brady and the Patriots won back to back Lombardi trophies; XXXVIII and XXXIX, or, Tom Brady would tie Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for most QB Super Bowl victories with four.

• 2nd and Long: Russell Wilson is going for his second SB victory in just his third season in the league.  Notable two timing QB's: Eli Manning, Jim Plunkett, Bart Star, Roger Staubach, John Elway, Ben Roethlisberger, (honorable mention = Bob Griese).

• No Gain: I get what Marshawn Lynch has been up to.  I have no problem whatsoever with his media boycott, or with the way he's handled himself.  His figurative silence, has made his position crystal clear.  I can't say the same for Richard Sherman.  His act; literally trying to outsmart, and belittle the media; is getting real old, real fast.  I wish he'd take a cue from Lynch, and just shut up.  I congratulate him on the eminent birth of his child though.  I'd even respect his decision to skip the game to attend the birth.  That's what dads do, and that's cool with me.  His act, however, is not.  He definitely jumped the shark during that 49ers game against Crabtree.  He was pleasantly more anonymous prior to that.

• PUNT!  Roger Goodell's tenure has been an ongoing punchline.  He's more practiced at cover-ups, than understanding a cover-two.  Soliciting a physicist, then having some inconsequential equipment handler become Scotland Yard's number one suspect in DeflateGate is far out man.   Can someone book Goodell a room in a Holiday Inn please?  If the league is so insistent on pursuing a deflated balls controversy, they should call Woody Allen.

And Now, a Word from the Sponsor: Me

Thank you all for tuning in to my PIGSKIN PICKS, and for riding my TROLLEY on Football Sundays.  I hope I provided at least a small measure of entertainment in return for your time this season.

Guten Apetit!

It's the Super Bowl; I'm going traditional.

Fruits; nuts; cheese/crackers; shrimp.

A towering salsa/chips inferno; stuffed mushrooms; homemade beer battered/lemon zest onion rings; my special pickled green tomatoes; salads.

Wings! A) mix of hot sauce, teriyaki sauce, BBQ sauce.

Wings! B) garlic, parmesan cheese.

Grilled flank steak with chimichurri sauce; grilled corn on the cob finished with paprika and roasted garlic butter; grilled zucchini, eggplant, and peppers.

Coronas; German heffe-weizen; wine (including my own); sodas; iced tea; juices and spirits.

Locals; no one drives; all in walking distance; helps work off 11-hours of merriment and gluttony.

What's on your Super Sunday menu?

Snoring Me to Tears

I've watched every Super Bowl since 1977; that makes 37 of 48 games.  Through the years and decades, there have been more than just a few yawn inspiring games.  This is my list:

XII - Cowboys def. Broncos
XX- Bears def. Patriots
XXII - Redskins def. Broncos
XXIV - 49ers def. Broncos
XXVII - Cowboys def. Bills
XXVIII - Cowboys def. Bills
XXIX - 49ers def. Chargers
XXXV - Ravens def. Giants
XXXVII - Buccaneers def. Raiders
XLVIII - Seahawks def. Broncos

Time Well Spent

Of course, I'm a Giants fan.  But, you can not deny that each of their four Super Bowl victories were thrilling.  Here's my list of most entertaining Super Bowls:

XIII - Steelers def. Cowboys
XIV - Steelers def. Rams
XV - Raiders def. Eagles
XVI - 49ers def. Bengals
XXI - Giants def. Broncos
XXIII - 49ers def. Bengals
XXV - Giants def. Bills
XXXIV - Rams def. Titans
XXXVI - Patriots def. Rams
XXXVIII - Patriots def. Panthers
XLII - Giants def. Patriots
XLIII - Steelers def. Cardinals
XLVI - Giants def. Patriots
XLVII - Ravens def. 49ers

Countdown to Kickoff

The NFL/NFC has won 26 Super Bowls; the AFL/AFC has won 22 Super Bowls.

The AFL/AFC won 11 of the first 15 Super Bowls.  The NFC then won 14 of the next 15 Super Bowls (including 13 in a row from 1985 through 1998).  The AFC holds a 10-8 advantage over the last 18 games.

The Patriots, Giants and Steelers own seven of the new millennium's 13 Lombardi Trophies.

• Most NFL Championships: Packers 9; Bears 8; Browns 4; Giants 4; Lions 4; Eagles 3.

• Most AAFC Championships: Browns 4.

• Most AFL Championships: Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs 3; Houston Oilers 2; Bills 2.

• Most Lombardi Trophies: Steelers 6; 49ers 5; Cowboys 5; Giants 4; Packers 4.

• No Super Bowl Appearances: Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans.

TEAMS of the DECADE:

1920's = Canton Bulldogs
1930's = Green Bay Packers
1940's = Chicago Bears (NFL); Cleveland Browns (AAFC)
1950's = Detroit Lions
1960's = Green Bay Packers (NFL); Kansas City Chiefs (AFL)
1970's = Pittsburgh Steelers
1980's = San Francisco 49ers
1990's = Dallas Cowboys
2000's = New England Patriots

The team of the 2010's will close out the first full century of professional football.  The Patriots and Seahawks are making their second SB appearances.  As defending champs, the Seahawks own first dibs on the decade.

The Matchup

AFC - New England Patriots (12-4); def. Ravens, Colts.

NFC- Seattle Seahawks (12-4); def. Panthers, Packers.

• Useless fact #1- Bill Belichick replaced Pete Carroll as head coach of the New England Patriots.

• Useless fact #2 - The last time these teams met in 2012, Carroll, Russell Wilson, and the Seahawks walked off the field in triumph.  Tom Brady threw two picks, and the Seahawks scored 14-points in the 4th quarter for a 24-23 victory.

That game pitted the NFL's top offense against the NFL's top defense. Two years later, the Seahawks still boast the #1 defense.  They allowed the least total points, and were the only NFL team to hold opponents under 300 yds. per game this season.  The Patriots allowed the 13th fewest yards per game, and the 8th fewest total points.  Offensively, the Patriots were 4th in total points scored, and the Seahawks were 10th.  The Pats were 11th in yards per game; the Seahawks were actually 9th.

The Patriots had a +12 turnover ratio; the Seahawks had +10.

Game Time

SUPER BOWL XLIX

AFC CHAMPIONS

(12-4)

New England Patriots

vs.

NFC CHAMPIONS

(12-4)

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have fielded the NFL's best defense for three years running.  Period.  They're not very intricate or technical; they just line up on either side of the ball and defy you to outplay them.   They're young, strong, extremely athletic, and even cocky - like their coach.  Offensively, Marshawn Lynch runs with power, and Russell Wilson is problematic in that he's both equally adept at running or throwing, or throwing while running.  The Seattle Seahawks are the closest to being a complete team as there is in football.

A strong running game and a formidable defense smells like victory.

That said, the Cowboys should have beaten the Packers, and the Packers should have beaten the Seahawks, and Tom Brady and the Patriots know how to finish.

This is one game - any given Sunday applies.

No one understands the Seahawks mentality better perhaps than Bill Belichick.  He mastered how to defend the read-option as a teenager, and over his career, has humbled the league's best.  Pete Carroll is bold, and capable of his own trickery.  Bill Belichick however, is methodical and brilliant.

If Vince Lombardi was the Moses of football, then Belichick is surely Joshua.  He authored the next volume of modern football biblia, and decides when to reveal his law - like when he had Doug Flutie perform an obscure drop kick for an extra point, or employing two/three tight end sets, or rushing the QB with just two linemen in SB XXV, or most recently with his tackle eligible deployment against the Colts.  One of the things Belichick does best is exploiting other coach's complacency.  There is no doubt in my mind he has something in store especially tailored for Seattle.

Everyone forgets that while the Jets went to back-to-back AFC title games, the Patriots were actually rebuilding their entire defense, and still won division titles.  This game is exactly what Bill Belichick has been drafting over the last 6 years for - to build a defense, and squeeze out one more Super Bowl ring out of Tom Brady before he retires.

Part of Bend-don't-Break has less to do with rushing the QB, and more to do with sure tackling.  I think the Patriots defense will be up to the physical challenge that awaits them.

Seattle isn't exactly a prolific scoring team to begin with.  Marshawn Lynch won't be hard to find.   He'll be running between the tackles behind a good offensive line.  The Pats just can't allow Lynch to bounce off.  Then, after two weeks to prepare, Hoody will also have his defense sufficiently schooled in detecting and stopping the option play.

If Rex Ryan can write a thesis on how to defend the old Green Bay sweep play, then Belichick can surely author an entire encyclopedia on defending the option.  I particularly do not like running QB's, however, Russell Wilson is one of the smartest hybrids in the business.  He knows how to pick and choose his moments.

I suspect the Pats will leave Darrelle Revis in man coverage, and dare Russell Wilson to stay in the pocket, and pick on Brandon Browner, Devin McCourty, and Patrick Chung.

When the Patriots have the ball, I expect Tom Brady and Bill Belichick to take out every ounce of their frustrations from DeflateGate on the Seahawks.

Here's the kicker: I think Belichick is going to try and rush the ball right down Seattle's throat.  The Seahawks soft white underbelly is their defensive line.  The Patriots have a big offensive line, and are four backs deep, with three backs who averaged over 4-yards per carry this season, and no fumbles.

Their 5 yard crossing pattern scheme is also pseudo running game.

I also fully expect Tom Brady to go right after Richard Sherman.  If Sherman is going to be playing with a compromised shoulder, Brady will try and exploit him.

The idea is to create more problems for Seattle than just having to account for Danny Amendola and The Gronk.

My Pick:

Patriots -1 (Seahawks)

WIN; 28-24 Patriots

As the Las Vegas line suggests, I expect a close game, and for the Patriots to come out on top.

Then again, what the hell do I know..?

I could be completely wrong about everything.  But I doubt it.

Good luck, have a Happy Super Bowl Sunday, and get home safe!

Mike

Today for Rising Apple: The Mets Need Another Established Lefty For The Bullpen

Here's my latest for

RisingApple.com

The Mets Needs Another Established Lefty For The Bullpen

Mike

senior staff writer/RisingApple

N.Y. Islanders Extend Season Dominance Over N.Y. Rangers

From the desks of:

RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS  and  BROOKLYN'S FOSTER HOCKEY CLUB

TUESDAY FINAL

NY Rangers     1

NY Islanders    4

Look what the Islanders did to the Rangers..., again!

For a third straight time, the Islanders dispatched the Rangers by a decisive 3-goal margin, and over the trio of games have outscored the Rangers by a 13-4 discrepancy.

Jaroslav Halak posted his 26th win of the season, and ALMOST registered his second straight shutout over the Rangers.  With 40 saves, his whitewashing was all but secured.  Then Carl Hagelin scored with 0:10 left in the game.

Give credit to the Rangers for landing the first hit of the game, and for trying to match Long Island's physicality in the early going.  The Islanders even let the Rangers utilize some of their speed and passing for a bit.

By the midway point of the 1st period, however, the Islanders started weighing on the Blueshirts, and wound up out-hitting the Rangers 46-35 in the game.

Once again it was Tanner Glass administering the Rangers limited toughness when Marc Staal and Matt Martin came face to face.  In the 2nd period, Kevin Klein did a nice job protecting his goalie from an overzealous Islander.  In fact, the Rangers and Islanders came together several times throughout the game.  For the Rangers, however, to no avail.

The Rangers face-off woes continued as well, getting out done by a 38-24 clip.

This was the Islanders first game post Kyle Okposo injury.

At the 18:05 mark of the 1st period, John Tavares' new line-mate, Mikhail Grabovski, finally put the Islanders on the scoreboard with his 7th goal of the season.

The Islanders 4th line made it 2-0 in the 2nd period.  At the 4:11 mark, Cal Clutterbuck's pass from behind net exploited the Rangers lack of accountability in front of Lundqvist.  Matt Martin converted the feed for his 7th goal of the season.

Despite out-shooting the Isles 18-11 in the 2nd period, the Rangers averted a 3-0 deficit when the Isles struck a crossbar with 8:30 to go.

No matter, six minutes into the 3rd period Ryan Strome scored his 9th goal of the season (with help from Ryan McDonagh), and roughly ten minutes after that, John Tavares scored on a power play.

The Islanders increased their Metro Division lead over the Rangers to 7 points.  They lead the NHL with 32 victories, but are now tied with the Detroit Red Wings with 65 points for the Eastern Conference lead.



Mike

Brooklyn Nets: Kings of the Second Circuit

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Billy King's Borough Of Misfit Toys

BROOKLYN NETS: Dear Ownership, Forget Lionel Hollins; Billy King Is Your Problem.  He Created This Mess That Will Compromise The Team For Years to Come.

Previously: The Woes of Flatbush

I've been saying for a while now, that it was only a matter of time before either Billy King or Mikhail Prokhorov got tired of listening to Lionel Hollins openly disparage the team.

The players certainly have.  But, in their case, the truth hurts.

On the one hand, it's nice that someone in upper management is actually worried whether Hollins' message is getting through to the players.  On the other hand, upper management just doesn't get it, because they're a large part of the problem.

In fact, Coach Hollins is least of the Brooklyn Nets problems.

He became available because of the "new ownership wanted to go in a new direction" thing.  Hollins otherwise left the Memphis Grizzlies in very good shape, and left behind some very good player relationships.

Lionel Hollins leaves no question as to who's in charge of the Nets locker room.  I couldn't say that with confidence about Jason Kidd or P.J. Carlesimo.  And, I know the Nets are a defensively improved team under Hollins.  That's also something I couldn't say about P.J. Carlesimo's or Jason Kidd's time as coach.

Hollins coaches with a heavy hand, and blindfolded to the names on jerseys; just ask Brook Lopez and Deron Williams.

But, what was already an erratic offensive team has gotten astonishingly worse under Coach Hollins, and they still lack a discernible offensive system of play.

The thing is, P.J. and Kidd each coached their respective variations of this roster, and had them turned around by January.  As January 2015 draws to a close, Coach Hollins' variation of the roster has so far failed to turn things around, and are failing in increasingly miserable fashion.

At least P.J. and Kidd were able to turn bad situations around, and guide their teams to the playoffs.   Last season, Jason Kidd and the Nets even won their first playoff series as a Brooklyn franchise, but were eliminated in the second round.

The last two games for Coach Hollins and the Nets were particularly distressing, in which they were outscored by a 231-157 margin.  On Jan. 22nd, they got routed by the Los Angeles Clippers, 123-84; a 39-point discrepancy.   On Jan. 24th, they were likewise blown out by the Utah Jazz, 108-73; another 35-point discrepancy.

They are just 3-10 in January, and 18-26 for the season, and have now fallen out of the Eastern Conference top eight teams.

There are two things, however, that Carlesimo, Kidd, and Hollins, all have in common: their general manager, and that for the third straight season the roster he assembled has been woeful against teams with winning records.

Billy King has taken Mikhail Prokhorov's passionate fiscal investment into Brooklyn basketball, and has by all counts built the worst team money can buy.  The man has maxed-out the salary cap for another season after this, and has severely compromised the team's draft for the remainder of the decade.

To the dismay of a borough, the Brooklyn Nets have become nothing more than the Kings of the Second Circuit.

Instead of an intensive audit into Lionel Hollins work, who the hell is putting Billy King under the spotlight?

Lionel Hollins signed a four year deal.  What is King going to do?  Fire him?  If he does, King should follow him through the door.  There is no way he can survive his present employment and be allowed to hire what would be the team's 5TH coach in less that three full seasons?

And, with the trade deadline looming, he's on the brink of making what would be his fourth radical makeover?

No mas!

Dear ownership, look no further.  Billy King is your problem.

Save us.

Hello?  Is any one there, or have you sold the team already?



Mike

The Rivalry: Rangers vs. Islanders - III

From the desks of:
RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS  and  BROOKLYN'S FOSTER HOCKEY CLUB

The Rivalry - III

Islanders lead series 2-0

I - NYI 6; NYR 3

II - NYI 3; NYR 0

III - The Blizzard of 2015

Tuesday Night

New York Rangers

vs.

New York Islanders

from

Where the Lighthouse Project Should Have Been Built!

Long Island

* * * Snow Storm Permitting * * *

New York Rangers: Blueshirts Might Want To Start Growing Their Beards A Little Earlier Than Usual.

NYR- Avoiding The Sniper In The Bushes

This Team is One Cheap Shot Away From Losing Their One Big Shot.

Along with Anaheim and Detroit, the Blueshirts are 8-2 in their last ten games, and looking to extend a 3-game win streak.

They are winning 61% of their games, owning a 27-13-4 record, good for 58 points.  

They're 6th in the Eastern Conference; Washington is 7th with 57 points; and Boston is 8th with 56 points.

They are tied with the Habs in the Eastern Conference for the least goals allowed.  However, they only rank fourth within their own division in goals scored.

The Rangers are running in a pack, and the saying is - only the strong survive.  There are 38 games remaining in their season.  They may get to the regular season finish line thanks in large part to a weak field, but, at some point they're going need more grit and grind in their game.

March looms as a pivotal month in their season.

For now, there's Tuesday's first game back after the break (if Mr. Freeze let's them play).  With a victory, the defending Eastern Conference champs can edge to within 3-points of the Metro Division leading Islanders.  

Their prospects for success improved Monday, when it was announced Kyle Okposo will miss the next 8 weeks with an injury.  

Bad break for the Isles; physical relief for the Rangers.

The last time they met, the Islanders held a tutorial on how to slow down the Rangers.  In both their previous meetings this season, the Islanders defeated the Rangers by 3-point margins, as Long Island's distinct size advantage weighed heavily in both outcomes.

New York Islanders: I Thought Everyone Was Taking A Break; So What The Hell Happened To Kyle Okposo?

Coach Capuano said what?

Kyle Okposo will miss the next 6 to 8 weeks with an undisclosed upper body injury.

The injury possibly occurred Monday.

In 46 games played, Okposo is the the Islanders second leading scorer with 44 points; one behind John Tavares.  He has 14 goals, and leads the team with 30 assists and 154 shots on goal.  

His absence also negatively affects Long Island's power play.  Okposo had 4 goals and a team leading 12 assists on special teams.

Ryan Strome and Brock Nelson are the team's second and third leading scorers.  Strome is second on the team with 25 assists, and Brock Nelson's 15 goals are second to John Tavares' 21 goals.

This injury should take the Islanders into March.  There's going to be a price to pay.  Their job now is to minimize the damage.  However, good teams have players who step up.  It will be interesting to see who Coach Capuano selects as Tavares' new wing man.

That said, the Islanders are manned to withstand Okposo's injury, and recover any lost ground in the final month of the season (I think).

After Tuesday's game against the Rangers, the Isles have two big games against the Bruins and Red Wings.

As I said in my last post - now comes the hard part.  

* John Tavares scored four goals in Sunday's All-Star game.

Mike

Today for Rising Apple: Zack Wheeler Must Lead Mets Turnaround Against Nationals

Here's my latest for

RisingApple.com

Zack Wheeler Must Lead Mets Turnaround Against Washington Nationals 

Mike
Senior Staff Writer/Rising Apple

N.Y. Rangers: Avoiding the Sniper in the Bushes

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

3rd Place ~ Metropolitan Division

27-13-4 (58 points)

NEW YORK RANGERS: This Team is One Cheap Shot Away From Losing Their One Big Shot.

Did anyone catch the Flyers premeditated thuggery against the Penguins?

In their last game before the all-star break, the defending Eastern Conference champions defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in overtime, and in doing so, secured 3rd place in the Metropolitan Division, and closed to within 5 points of the division leading Islanders.

After the Rangers fell behind Ottawa 2-1 after two periods, Chris Kreider tied things up at the 2:42 mark of the 3rd period.....  And into overtime they went.  Less than 3-minutes into the extra session, Carl Hagelin netted the game winner.

That was Kreider's 10th goal, and Hagelin's 9th goal of the season.  Appropriate that they should respectively tie, then win Tuesday's game, during a season in which so much more was expected of them.

More was certainly expected of Chris Kreider, now two seasons removed from John Tortorella's doghouse.  At 23-years of age, and listed at 6'3", 226 lbs., he was to bring the rare combination of size and strength, speed, and scoring ability to the ice.   However, in 41 games, he's only managed 84 shots on goal (when most of the league's top shooters are well beyond 100 SOG at this point).

He "only" has 10 goals and 14 assists, for 24 points - disappointing in and of itself, but, also because he spends an inordinate amount of time in the penalty box.  Foghorn Leghorn would say, "that boy, I say, that boy lacks discipline."  Tuesday night was no different,  He committed a senseless holding penalty in the 1st period.  On Sunday against the Pens, he was whistled for (careless) interference.   Kreider's penalty minutes double that of the next closest Ranger, Tanner Glass, whom understandably earns his minutes by administering the team's limited toughness.

Carl Hagelin's effort level is admirable as always.  His hustle hasn't translated very well to the back of a hockey card though - at least not in the way of elevating his game they way many thought.   While he's actually getting off more shots on goal per games than in his previous 3 years, Carl is lagging slightly behind his career averages.

With his speed came expectations that Hagelin would become a 20/25-goal scorer.  He had a career high 17 goals last season.  To date, Carl has 9 goals and 9 assists in 43 games.  At 26-years of age, his game doesn't seem where it needs to be.

How is the Ryan Callahan/Martin St. Louis trade looking?

• Callahan: 15 G; 20 A; 35 points; (29-years old; priced himself off Rangers budget).
• St. Louis: 14 G; 22 A; 36 points; (39-years old; an expiring contract).

Martin St. Louis is playing some of his best hockey now that he's back on the wing.  He is the team's 2nd leading scorer, but (salary cap wise) the Rangers will be hard pressed to bring him back.

The Rangers have a decision to make regarding Mats Zuccarello's free agency.  Plus, Derek Stepan, will also be a restricted free agent.

As the season progresses, it might become easier to decipher where the money to pay Stepan will come from.  But, sign him they must.  In 31 games played, Stepan has 32 points.  Despite missing 13 games, he is the team leader with 24 assists.

The club's budget also got a little tighter because they recently extended Marc Staal for another 6-years.   That's money well spent though, as the Rangers top four blue-liners are now all signed for several years to come.  And, they've earned it.  The Rangers presently rank 3rd in the NHL in goals against.

What money is left for Martin St. Louis and Zuccarello in the off-season, is growing increasingly questionable.

I would not turn away a younger (future Hall of Famer) Martin St. Louis, but I would pass on a 40-year old free agent to be.  I strongly feel the Rangers need to replace him, and Mats Zuccarello, with bigger, more physical players.

The New York Rangers are 6th in the NHL goals per game; 11th on the power play; and 12th on the penalty kill.

They are winning 61% of their games, owning a 27-13-4 record, good for 58 points.  The Rangers are 6th in the Eastern Conference; Washington is 7th with 57 points; and Boston is 8th with 56 points. Florida leads the best of the rest with 50 points.

On December 8th, the Rangers embarked on an 8-game winning streak, and overall, won 13 of 14 games through January 10th.  They marvelously punctuated their run on the west coast with impressive victories over the Ducks, Kings, and Sharks.

Their net minding and defense, speed, special teams, and particularly their passing, were impeccable.

However....,

Upon their return to Eastern Conference competition, the Islanders slowed down the Blueshirts, and   thumped them rather handily at MSG.  The Bruins did the same in Boston.  Both teams provided a rude welcome back to east coast hockey.  That's because both opponents bring size and physicality on all four lines.  The Rangers do not.

Physicality does not mean fighting.  It means; clearing the defensive crease of traffic and establishing position in the opposing crease; it means retrieving pucks in the corners; it means winning the battles along the boards; a strong cycle and puck possession; it means finishing checks and turnovers, and not getting pushed off the puck so easily...., etc.

Rick Nash, however, has demonstrated a change in his on-ice demeanor; he's utilizing his size and strength more than in previous seasons.  He is headed to the all-star game, while in the midst of an MVP caliber season.  At the break, he is tied for the league lead with 28 goals.

That said, team physicality also means having Rick Nash's back.  He's a big boy and can take care of himself.  But, no one ever sees the sniper in the bushes.  The more physical Eastern Conference teams routinely target him.  If anything should happen to Nash, if he should miss considerable time, the Rangers are doomed.

I recently called the Rangers a one-trick pony this season.  Here's why:

Rick Nash - 162 SOG
Carl Hagelin - 96 SOG
Chris Kreider - 91 SOG
Martin St. Louis - 90 SOG

The Islanders Johnny Boychuk (a defensemen for Pete's sake) has more shots on goal than all but two Rangers, yet doesn't even crack the Islanders top six!

Islanders:
Kyle Okposo - 154 SOG
John Tavares - 146 SOG
Brock Nelson- 115 SOG
Ryan Strome - 106 SOG

Lighting:
Steven Stamkos - 158 SOG
Tyler Johnson - 125 SOG
Nikita Kucherov - 111 SOG
Ryan Callahan - 105 SOG

Penguins:
Evgeni Malkin - 142 SOG
Sidney Crosby - 130 SOG
Patric Hornqvist - 120 SOG
Kris Letang - 119 SOG

When the Rangers resume play next Tuesday, they'll face the Islanders in Uniondale, where they'll have an opportunity to close to within 3-points of the division leaders.

They'll perhaps be looking to gain a small measure of redemption as well.  The last time they met, the Islanders held a tutorial on how to slow down the Rangers.  In each of two previous meetings this season, the Islanders defeated the Rangers by 3-point margins, as their distinct size advantage weighed heavily in both outcomes.

For as well as they've been playing, the Rangers are nonetheless running in a pack.  They say only the strong survive.  That said, can they distinguish themselves and separate from the pack in the second half?

We'll see.  After all, we wouldn't want our team to fall from defending Eastern Conference champs to an 8th seed.  Right?

They're 8-2 in their last 10 games, which presently makes them one of the hottest teams in hockey (along with Detroit, and Anaheim from the west).

In 2nd place of the Metropolitan Division are the Pittsburgh  Penguins, who seemly continue to win, yet appear to have lost a great deal of their toughness during the off season (with Sidney Crosby paying the price).  The Rangers handled the Pens this season, taking the series 3-1, but so have the Isles, and so have the Devils for that matter.

Then there's what happened in the Penguins/Flyers game.  So far, Philadelphia is playing some rather inconsequential hockey this season, which makes them all the more worrisome.  They admitted their thugoonery was premeditated.  On another level, they were typically shameless.

The Rangers have one more game with them on February 28th.  Circle that date on your calenders, because after that, the Rangers most grueling month of their schedule comes in March, when they will have to play 15 games (9 road games) in 31 days against Detroit, NYI, Boston, and two against Washington, and from the west, Los Angeles, Anaheim, two against Chicago, with the month kicking-off against Nashville.

By the end of February, the Flyers should be floundering like fish out of water.  But since when has that ever stopped the Flyers (of any decade) from stupidity on ice?  That means, as previously speculated, Rick Nash is a potential target.  I have no doubt the Flyers will somehow use the Thanksgiving home-and-home sweep at the hands of the Rangers as some sort of motivation to fuel their misguided and recklessness behavior.

Think not?  If the Flyers, somehow, get close enough to sniffing an 8th seed by then, think again. They are presently 12 points out.  If they get to within 6 points, watch your back.



Mike

N.Y. Islanders: Now Comes The Hard Part

From the desk of:  BROOKLYN'S FOSTER HOCKEY CLUB

2nd Place ~ Eastern Conference

31-14-1 (63 points)

New York Islanders: Eastern Conference Finally Catches A Break From Isles; Nothing Like An All-Star Game To Halt Their Momentum.

How do you bounce back from a 6-4 loss to the Canadiens?  By thumping the Flyers, 7-4, and reclaiming first place in the Eastern Conference (Tampa then played, and took over the #1 spot by a point).

The 1989-90 season was the last time the Islanders found themselves in 1st place by the all-star break.  When they reached 15 games over .500 earlier this season, it marked their best start since their Stanley Cup years.

It's been that kind of a season.  Ironically, it comes in the team's last year playing in Uniondale.   This coming October, the Islanders will inaugurate their first season in the Borough of Brooklyn.  For the moment, however, they seem intent on giving Long Island one last raucous June before they go.

They're young, strong, playing smartly, with confidence, and turning away league contenders faster than they can lace up.  Among their gains are triumphs over the Rangers; Bruins; Lightning; Penguins; Capitals; and Red Wings.  Out west, they've bested the Ducks; Kings; Blackhawks; Sharks; Jets; and Flames.

No team is perfect though.  The Habs and Blues both defeated the Isles a pair of times this season.   Otherwise, the Islanders have shown they can play with anyone.

By Tuesday morning, the Islanders led the NHL with 31 victories, and scored the 2nd most goals (3.15 per game) in the circuit; a mere goal behind the Tampa Bay Lightning.

All that scoring has shined a generous light on this year's goalie, and the Islanders defense; their two major weaknesses over the last two seasons.

If we take things at face value, Jaroslav Halak ranks 11th in (goalie) total ice time, his 2.41 GAA ranks 12th among goalies with 30+ starts this season, while his .910 SV% ranks 25th among goalies with 20+ starts.

However, the stability Halak has brought between the pipes alone, has so far made him worth every cent of his four-year, $18 million dollar pact.  He's 11th in the league with 34 starts, while his 25 victories are tied for 2nd with Anaheim's Frederik Andersen.  His four shutouts also rank 4th.

That's a major improvement over last season's 3-headed monster featuring 38-year old Evgeni Nabokov, Anders Nilsson, and Kevin Poulin.  The three combined on an .898 SV%, and a 3.00 GAA.

Nabokov led the pack with 38 starts, and posted a 15-14-8 record, with a .905 SV%, and a 2.74 GAA.
Poulin made 26 starts, and posted an 11-16-1 record, with an .891 SV%, and a lofty 3.29 GAA.   Kevin Poulin has one appearance for the Islanders this season.  Chad Johnson has been Halak's back-up this season, and so far has a 6-5-0 record in 13 games.

Garth Snow's off-season blue line acquisitions have also played huge roles in anchoring the Islanders defense.  Both Johnny Boychuck and Nick Leddy are tied for 6th in the NHL with a +15, while combining on 11 goals and 32 assists, for 43 points.

Defensively, Long Island presently ranks 21st in the league with 2.78 GA.  Last season, they finished 28th in the league with a 3.18 goals against average.

Moving forward, the Islanders must now do something to improve their penalty kill.  They've shown no improvement over last season's 29th ranking.  Although they moved up a notch to 28th this season, the fact is, they've regressed.  They finished last season with a 78.1% kill rate.  This year, they're killing penalties at a reduced 74.4% rate.

It's been a great first half of the season for Coach Capuano and the Islanders.  Other teams have gotten the message; they're good.

 Now comes the hard part; finishing.



Mike

N.J. Devils: First Half Had Few Credible Highlights

From the desk of: ALL MOTHER LEEDS CHILDREN

So far, the firing of Peter DeBoer has failed to fan the flames.

1st Half ~ 7th Metropolitan Division

17-22-6 (42 points)

NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Lou Lamoriello Has Been Slow To Address An Aging Roster; Team Headed Towards 3rd Season Out Of Playoffs.

The Devils are in their third season since posting 102 points in 2011-12, and reaching the Stanley Cup finals against the Kings.

Last season, they fell to a 35-29-18 record for 88 points.  This season, gaining 80 points is questionable.

That's what happens when Martin Brodeur's Devils' career comes to an end; when Ilya Kovalchuk walks away from the NHL and still leaves behind a nearly $7 million dollar salary cap hit in 2014-15; when the organization fails to retain guys like Zach Parise, David Clarkson, and if you want to go back a little further, Brian Gionta, etc.

Instead, Scott Gomez is back.

Just saying...

Newark's 1st half highlights have so far been few, however, credible.  The Devils own victories over the Capitals, Penguins, a pair over the Lightning, and they defeated the Kings in Los Angeles last Wednesday by a 5-3 final.

Monday night, they turned in another impressive victory over the San Jose Sharks to end the first half of their season.  The team's leading goal scorer, Mike Cammalleri, broke a 2-2 tie in the second period with his 15th goal of the season.

But, despite their recent outbursts against L.A. and San Jose, it's no secret the Devils have trouble putting pucks on net, much less scoring goals.

Leading the Devils, Jaromir Jagr entered Monday night's game against the Sharks with 99 SOG this season.  Next was Michael Ryder with 83, followed by defenseman Marek Zidlicki with 76 shots on goal.  By comparison, the Islanders have 4 players with 100+ shots on goal, and another two players with 90+ SOG.

It's no wonder then, they rank 27th in the league in goals.  Their top three scorers; Jagr, Adam Henrique, and Mike Cammalleri; have only scored a combined 34 goals.  Henrique (10) and Cammalleri are the only Devils in double-digits.  By comparison, the Isles have 5 skaters in double digit goals, and the Rangers have three.  The Rangers Rick Nash has 28 goals, the Islanders John Tavares has 21, and as noted, Cammalleri leads the Devils with 15 goals.

Jagr leads the Devils with 25 points, and 16 assists.  He's played in 43 of 47 games this season, and averages 18:23 minutes a night.  On January 3rd against the Flyers, Jaromir Jagr became the oldest player in NHL history to register a hat trick.  He will turn 43-years old next month, and one has to ask how much longer can the Devils lean on him in the manner they do?

If Lou Lamoriello can negotiate a satisfactory deal, he should move Jagr to a willing contender, and begin adding more youth around Adam Henrique, and his young defensemen like Adam Larsson and Eric Gelinas.

The Devils are now 5-5-1 since Lou Lamoriello fired Peter DeBoer; a marginal improvement over their 12-17-7 record prior to his dismissal.

Lou Lamoriello is indeed famous for firing coaches.  I'm sure last season's 18 OT losses, failing to make the playoffs the past two seasons, and this year's poor start inspired Lou to make a move.  Peter DeBoer, however, deserved better.  Many aging players and matters of retention are Lou's problem, and Lou's only.

In just over 3 seasons, DeBoer posted a 119-88-42 record, had them playing ferocious hockey through various stretches of his tenure, and led them to the finals.

Highlight:

With a goal and two assists on January 6th against the Sabres, Patrik Elias scored the 1,000th point, and registered the 600th assist of his NHL career.


Mike

Brooklyn Nets: The Woes of Flatbush

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Outside of a Kevin Garnett headbutt, 

the Hoops have been doing little rumbling in Flatbush.

BROOKLYN NETS: Time For Hollins and the Hoops to Get Out of Town and Regroup.

With forty-one games in the books, the Brooklyn Nets are at the halfway point of the season.

If the playoffs started today, the Nets would qualify as the Eastern Conference 8th seed.  That's a small consolation though.  Along with the Miami Heat, they are presently the only two qualifiers with losing records in a very weak field.  That makes them nothing more than the best of the rest; hardly a contender.

The Nets have a 17-24 record, which in today's NBA is actually good enough for 2nd place in the Atlantic Division; nine games behind the Toronto Raptors.

In closing out the first half of their season Saturday night against the Wizards, with less than a minute left in the game and the Nets down by only five, I saw Coach Hollins implement no particular plan, and a team playing with no particular enthusiasm, or clue.

After the game, Jarrett Jack said they were tired.  That might have been true for him, otherwise, yes, Barclays fans are getting worn down by a tired situation.

Sensing the Nets desperately needed to get out of town, the schedule makers mercifully sent Coach Hollins and the Hoops out west this week for games against the Kings, Clippers, and Jazz.

The damage, however, has been done.  Friday's victory over Washington on the front end of a home-and-home snapped their 7-game losing streak.  Saturday's loss nonetheless became their 8th loss in their last 9 games; made them 2-8 in the new year; and dropped them to 8-14 at home.

They have exactly three highlights this season; an overtime victory over the Spurs, an impressive win over the Bulls, and perhaps Friday's victory over the Wizards.  They otherwise failed to sustain, following the San Antonio victory with a 3-game losing streak, and following that Bulls victory by losing 8 of their next 10 games.

What comes next is anyone's guess.

What we do know, is that this team is a slow, plodding, nonathletic, non-rebounding mess.  They lost a ponderous game to Philadelphia earlier this month, and for a third straight season own an amateurish record against winning teams.

Through 2 1/2 seasons in Brooklyn, the Nets are 110-95, and fading.  They won 49 games in their inaugural season, then dropped to 44 victories last season.  They need to go 23-18 the rest of the way just to reach 40 wins for a 3rd straight season, and go 24-17 just to finish the season with a .500 record.

For too long now, their two franchise players have failed to stay healthy.  This season, their limited play on the floor earned them seats on Coach Hollins' bench until further notice.

Worth mentioning is that Lionel Hollins is Billy King's 4th head coach in less than three seasons, and in an indirect way, Billy King's harshest critic.  The man minces no words when criticizing King's creation to the press.  During a recent post-gamer, he said the Nets identity was that of a bad shooting team.

Lines like that leave little room for interpretation.

Gerald Wallace; Paul Pierce; Shaun Livingston; Andray Blatche; Reggie Evans; Andrei Kirilenko; Marcus Thornton just to name a few - including the present collection - it's been three seasons of revolving rosters with no end in sight.

In the process, Billy King has this team financially capped out through next season, and has compromised the draft for years to come.

Their #1 pick in this summer's draft is expected to be swapped with the Atlanta Hawks - the #1 team in the Eastern Conference.

The Nets future drafts are no less compromised.  Boston owns the Nets 2016 #1 pick, and the Clippers have a right to swap #2 picks.  In 2017, Boston holds the right to swap #1, while the Nets #2 went to Atlanta.  In 2018, Boston owns Brooklyn's #1, and their #2 is potentially lost to Philadelphia. Philly also owns their 2020 #2 pick.

You would think such circumstances would inspire ownership to get involved, if not trigger a mushroom cloud rising over Flatbush.  But, instead of lashing out at his overly expensive, woefully under performing team, and at the GM responsible for putting this mess together, Mikhail Prokhorov is reportedly bailing out on Brooklyn.

The trade deadline is one month away, and with an apparent lack of oversight, Billy King is seemingly free to continue running a muck.

Woe is Flatbush.


Mike

PIGSKIN 2014: Championship Weekend

PIGSKIN

Football Sunday

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND

Regular Season Results:

Week One 

Week Two 

Week Three 

Week Four 

On Vacation! 

Week Six 

Week Seven

Week Eight

Week Nine

Week Ten
Week Eleven
Week Twelve

Week Thirteen

Week Fourteen

Week Fifteen

Week Sixteen

Week Seventeen

Scoreboard:

Final Regular Season Record:  107-100-5

Wild Card Record:  0-4

Divisional Round:  2-2

Overall Record:  109-106-5

BAGELS in the Basket:  -2

National Football League ~ The Final Four

Friday Line ~ NYDN

* * * AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE * * *

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS -6 1/2 (Baltimore Colts)
Win; 45-7 Patriots

This is a rematch of the 2006 championship game,
won by the Colts 38-34 in Indianapolis.

This is New England's 11th trip to the AFC Championship game since 1970, 
their 8th trip since the 2001 season, and their third in a row.  

The Colts last played for, and won the AFC championship in 2009 over the Jets.
This is Baltimore/Indianapolis 5th trip to the AFC title game since 1970.

I gave Andrew Luck and the Colts respect all season, but turned on them as soon as the playoffs started.  They in turn made me eat my words, but I'm not about to pick them over Tom Brady and the Hoodie.  Sorry Colts fans, but I still feel Indy is a one trick pony.  I think their running game has overachieved in Ahmad Bradshaw's absence, and I feel their defense has overachieved as well.  

I know - they limited the Bengals to 10 points in round one, and held the Broncos to 13 points last week.  Well, the Bengals are notorious for wilting like boiled noodles in crunch time, and Peyton Manning was playing with a torn quad.  I can't see Indy's defense neutralizing The Gronk (as if) without opening up another part of the field for Tom Brady.  

There's the rub.  Who do you like better in a shoot-out?  This Sunday, I side with the Master over the Grasshopper - or, did you not see Brady recover from a pair of 14-point deficits against the Ravens defense?   

Defensively for New England, expect them to bend, but not break.  Andrew Luck is good......, for an interception a game, and last week he threw a pair against the (defensively minded John Fox coached) Broncos.  Belichick will devise something to perhaps induce two more.  

I've been following Bill Belichick's career since his days here as defensive coordinator of the Giants.   He's the most prepared and adaptable head coach in football.  The 1/2 point also made this an easier pick too!  Nuf ced.

* * * NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE * * *

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS -7 (Green Bay Packers)
Loss; 28-22 Seahawks, O.T.

The Seahawks lost the 1983 AFC title game to the Los Angeles Raiders; 30-14.  
This is Seattle's third NFC title game, and their second straight.

After their glory years of the 1960's, the Green Bay Packers did not return to the (post merger) NFC title game again until 1995, which began a run of three straight.  They've been to the NFC championship game twice more since then, for a total of 5 appearances.

Offense wins in the regular season, but in this game, defense wins championships.  

I'm not a doctor, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn last night.  Aaron Rogers' calf (injury) is still not 100%, and any treatment he's been receiving might have gone for not - as in.., NOT playing on grass this weekend will only hasten any potential pain or cramping.  Plus, flying to Seattle, albeit from Green Bay, won't help either, as prolonged altitude promotes dehydration.  

Therefore, it should be somewhat easier for Seattle's defensive front to find Rogers in the pocket.   Then of course, Rogers must risk throwing into the Legion of Boom.  

Green Bay's secondary doesn't pose nearly the same threat.  Whether Russell Wilson keeps the ball and rushes, or puts in the air, he will limit mistakes, and keep Green Bay's defense on the field longer than Aaron Rogers would prefer.  

For whatever reason, the Packers have been a terribly different team on the road, and Seattle is perhaps the worst place for a visiting team.  Seattle's 12th Man is surely going to bring the noise, particularly in this championship game setting.  

And, don't forget, if not for a reversed call on the last play of the game, the Dallas Cowboys beat Green Bay last week.  

All that said, it's still going to be tough for Seattle to cover 7-points, but with a turnover, I think it's the smart way to go.  They've been on a roll since Thanksgiving, and they're the defending Super Bowl champions.

Mike

N.Y. Islanders: Kyle Okposo's Four Goals TKO Penguins

From the desk of:  BROOKLYN'S FOSTER HOCKEY TEAM

Metropolitan Division

1st   NYI    30-16-1  61-points

2nd  PITT  26-11-6  58-points

New York Islanders: Kyle Okposo's 4 goals elevate team to the 60-point club; take 3-point lead over Penguins in Metropolitan Division standings.

The Isles remain in 1st place of the Metropolitan Division 
over the Pittsburgh Penguins,
and lead the Eastern Conference by 1-point over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

They're also the first Eastern Conference team to reach 30 victories this season.

Look what the Islanders did to the Penguins, again!

After losing to the Pens in their first meeting of the season, the Islanders have now rolled Pittsburgh in their last three meetings to take outright ownership of the Metropolitan Division.

Despite a pair of goals from Sidney Crosby, and with Bryan Trottier in the building, Long Island overcame a 2-0 1st period deficit on Kyle Okposo goal in the first, and with Ryan Strome's game tying goal midway through the 2nd.  But, Sidney Crosby struck with just 0:05 left in the 2nd to put the Pens ahead again 3-2.

The third period then turned into Kyle Okposo's personal showcase.  He tied the game at three with his second goal at the 6:41 mark.  At the 11:51 mark, Okposos's go-ahead goal capped off a natural hat trick.  But, he wasn't through.  At the 17:29 mark, his fourth goal of the evening, and 12th of the season, came on an Islanders power play.

This was the first hat trick of his career.  Kyle scored 4 times in 6 shots on goal.

Michael Grabner scored into an empty net to give the Islanders a 6-3 victory over the stunned Penguins.

John Tavares and Josh Bailey registered 3 assists apiece.

Both teams threw their bodies around in this game.  Defenseman Simon Despres led the Pens with 8 hits, while Islanders blue liner Johnny Boychuk levied 5 hits.  Long Island's crash lines made a clear difference.  Pittsburgh's Zack Sill and David Perron led with 5 hits each, while Matt Martin issued 8 hits, and Cal Clutterbuck 7 hits.

The Islanders have now won four straight games.

*Goalie Jaroslav Halak will join John Tavares at the NHL all-star game.



Mike

N.Y. Giants: Steve Spagnuolo is Back in the Saddle Again

From the desk of:  DO IT FOR THE DUKE

The Architects of Super Bowl XLII

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL: Steve Spagnuolo Returns For Second Stint As Minister of Defense.

For a change, the fan's minister of choice is coming back to reclaim his position as defensive coordinator of the Giants.

He returns like Winston Churchill.  When the blitzkrieg raged in Europe, and London's buildings burned, they went running back to Churchill for leadership and direction.

It's not like Steve Spagnuolo was fired after the 2008 season though.  He was merely following a coach's traditional career progression.  It's a natural then, that he should be welcomed back.

But, you know what they say - any executive who caters to the fans will surely become a former executive in a seat among them.

In this instance, it was Coach Coughlin's call; a loophole!

Coach knows he must produce a winning season in 2015, or risk having his own Big Blue career end. So, Coughlin is relying on the best man he was able to secure, but more importantly, someone he can trust.  That just so happens to be Spags.  If you think about it, the timing was perfect.  In any event, Coughlin's applied desperation heading into 2015 is a good condition for us Giants fans.  It means urgency has re-entered the building.

After six long seasons away from the organization he helped lead to victory in Super Bowl XLII, Steve Spagnuolo is back.  He's the guy I wanted.  I do not think many Giants fans are overly concerned with his lack of success with the Rams, and Saints.  All that matters is that he helped this team win a Lombardi trophy before departing.

What Steve Spagnuolo did better than any Giants defensive coordinator since John Fox was get the most out his linebackers.  Granted, Fox had Jesse Armstead, and in 2007 Spags had Antonio Pierce to work with.  However, Spags got the most out of guys like Kawika Mitchell, Chase Blackburn, Mathias Kiwanuka, and Danny Clark.  In fact, Kiwanuka was never the same since Spags left, and may not make the team this coming season.

Let's face it, for a team with such a rich linebacker tradition, the recent gaggle has been somewhat embarrassing.   At least this time around, it seems Spags will have a talented Devon Kennard leading his linebacker corp.

Speaking of linebackers, Pepper Johnson was an interesting candidate.  As one of the many feared linebackers in Giants history, he helped this organization win some hardware as well.  He's also paid his coaching dues.  Pepper not only played under Bill Belichick, but served for many seasons as a position coach on Belichick's staff.  I do not doubt there is a ton of knowledge packed into his head.

But, the choice has been made, and I'm pleased with the decision to hire Steve Spagnuolo.   What displeases me, however, is that linebackers coach Jim Herrmann gets to keep his job, and that to my knowledge, no audit has been conducted on defensive line coach Robert Nunn's recent work.

The Giants also hired former Rams defensive coordinator (2013) Tim Walton to replace Peter Giunta as corner backs coach.  I'm still a little curious to know why it is Peter Giunta should get fired, but David Merritt (safeties coach) should retain his position.

At face value, Tim Walton strikes me as a positive hire.  Of course, what the secondary needs above all else is health, but on an entirely other level, consider the unit already improved through a matter of subtraction; Perry Fewell and his perplexing, overly layered, ineffective system are gone.



Mike

N.Y. Rangers: Welcome Back to the Eastern Conference

From the desk of:  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Outscored 10-27 in 6 games against Isles, Lightning, and Bruins

NEW YORK RANGERS: You Shall Not Pass!

You can beat the Kings (who got spanked by the Devils), and beat the Ducks, and Sharks; that's fine. But, you can't come home and stink the joint up like they did - I mean, losing by a combined 6-0 in two home games at least deserves a dirty look, and a WTF(?), dude.


C'mon.

vs. Islanders
Loss; 3-6
Loss; 0-3

All they did was show how to bog down the Rangers speed.

vs. Bruins
Loss; 0-3

All they did was cross-check, board, and fight their way to handing the Rangers their second straight shutout defeat at the Garden.

vs. Lightning
Loss; 1-5
Loss; 3-4
Loss; 3-6

There you go.

All roads out of the conference go through Long Island, Boston, and Tampa, and to date, all three have been closed off to Tex's Rangers.

That's all I got.



Mike

N.Y. Knicks: London Braces For A Royally Bad Show

From the desk of:  DUTCH PANTS CAN'T JUMP

The Knickerbockers are well on their way 

towards the franchise's first ever 60-loss season.

If they keep up this rate of futility, 70 losses is not out of the question.

NEW YORK KNICKS: Team Half Way Through Historically Inept Season; Phil of the Future Said, Blame Me.

...Okay, Phil.  Consider it done.

He nailed it when he spoke of this team's loser mentality though.

I became a fan of this team just after the championship years; right around 1974-75.

That year, they posted their first losing season after eight winning campaigns, and a pair of NBA titles.

Just my luck, right?

I watched that team either retire, or get dismantled.  I caught the back end of the careers of Earl the Pearl Monroe, Bob McAdoo, Dave DeBusschere, and agonized over the trading of Clyde Frazier.

I also watched their team mate, Knicks president Phil Jackson's playing career fade into the sunset.

I caught Red Holzman as coach, when Willis Reed took over, and when Red Holzman came back.

I dealt with the disappointment of Michael Sugar Ray Richardson, lived through the Hubie Brown days, and felt a sharp pain when Bernard King went down.

I was also one of the fans chanting - Fire Al Bianchi - and of course, endured the tenure of Isiah Thomas.

Who could envision this organization getting even worse, and making those seem like the good old days?

The present day Knicks have lost their last 15 in a row, and 25 of their last 26 games.  So far, they own an overall 5-35 (.125) record this season.

They need to post a 15-27 record the rest of the way just to avoid becoming the first ever Knicks team that failed to win at least 20 games in a season.  With Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith already gone; Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani, and anyone else not named Melo on the endangered list; not to mention knee surgery looming for Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire struggling with his own knee problems; there are few who believe they can pull it off.

Another way of putting this into perspective: this franchise has never suffered the indignity of a 60-loss season, although they came close several times.

Before my time on this planet, the Knicks of the early 1960s were terrible (and only played 80 games a season):

• 1960-61; 21-58 (.266)
• 1961-62; 29-51 (.363)
• 1962-63; 21-59 (.263)* All-Time Franchise Worst
• 1963-64; 22-58 (.275)

The good times didn't roll in until the late 1960s and early '70s, when they moved into present day Madison Square Garden.

Then I came onto the scene as a young fan, and watched the 1970s close out with some pretty funky basketball.

After Red Holzman's last hurrah in 1980-81, Hubie Brown rode Bill Cartwright and Bernard King to a pair of playoff appearances before the franchise tanked again (after Bernard King's knee injury).

• 1984-85; 24-58 (.293)
• 1985-86; 23-59 (.280)
• 1986-87; 24-58 (.293)

Then, with Patrick Ewing, Mark Jackson, and Charles Oakley, coached by Rick Pitino, things started getting markedly better.  The Knicks made the playoffs every season from 1988 through 2001.  Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy led them to respective NBA Finals, but each fell short of a title.

Then came the Isiah Thomas era.  I'll say this in his defense: I was agreeable with his initial appointment, and at the time, totally on board with rebuilding the Knicks (which knowingly required patience).  However, his time here requires an entirely different conversation.  His relationship with James Dolan was a sad and destructive time in Knicks history.

What we need to know for this post, is that under Zeke, the Knicks twice matched Hubie Brown's mark for team futility:

• 2005-06; 23-59 (.280)
• 2006-07; 33-49 (.402)
• 2007-08; 23-59 (.280)

The funny thing is, a team composed of Zach Randolph, David Lee, Nazr Mohammed, Trevor Ariza, Jamal Crawford, and even Nate Robinson, would destroy this year's Knicks, even with a healthy Melo and Amare on the floor.

I digress....

Of course, then came the sacrificial season under Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni.  But, not even that season stood to be as bad as this unfolding one seems to be headed.  If you remember, at one point Donnie Walsh stripped the roster down to just 8 or 9 bodies, while he and D'Antoni pulled the plug on Stephon Marbury's playing time, and even reduced him to civilian clothes.

• 2009-10; 29-53 (.354)

Thursday's game is the official mid-point of the Knicks season, and they'll mark the occasion with a game in London, England, against Jason Kidd's Milwaukee Bucks.

Since when is trying to avoid a 16th consecutive loss considered exportable, much less prime, entertainment?

What on earth did the Brits ever do to the NBA to deserve this match-up?  We screw them the same way with NFL games.

Blimey!

...Cause in sleepy London town there's just no place for........the New York Knicks.  No.  Get down! - stuff Mick Jagger might say.

Mike