N.Y. RANGERS ~ Fifty-One Points? Blame Coach Tortorella!!

NEW YORK RANGERS:  As Design went out the window, The Rangers' GM Stumbled Upon the "Fortune of Youth".

Yes, yes, yes...We like these guys and the position we're in.  But, fellow Ranger Fans, it's time for us to face the "Devil" and give him his due.  I don't mean New Jersey's team and I don't mean Satan himself.  I can only offer you the next closest thing...No; not Jim Dolan.   I'm talking about Glen Sather.

But before I do something stupid and regret it...like crediting Glen Sather for anything, let's put on our Blueshirts and look at this in a totally biased manner.

The plan, as always with Glen Sather, was to spend big money and then watch the team fail and get hurt.  The 2010-2011 RUIN STONES called for high-priced Chris Drury coming back from surgery and giving this team another year of nothing.  The STONES of Sather called for an expensive 35 year old, injured winger named Prospal to miss the first four months of the season.  Not to mention, Sather's ancient Stones still called for ruing the glory that is the Rozsival contract and being thankful for the still lingering euphoria of Redden's deal (just in case anyone forgot that one).  Fate dealt Sather a blow when Scott Gomez was swapped out for Marion Gaborik.  Otherwise, Sather's failure would stand nearer to being complete.  But even Gaborik felt Sather's displeasure and eventually acquiesced by succumbing to injury for a lengthy spell earlier this season.  And of course , the Crowning Achievement of Glen Sather's Post-Cap ruin..I mean reign, is not re-signing COLTON ORR!!  He is still paying for Donald Brashear while having to import an out of shape, over-weight, former "pugilist" Hockey Champ; Derek Boogaard, who impressed absolutely no-one while in a Ranger jersey as he was continually getting the worst in his bouts against opposing players and his playing time.  And I might add, all for the same money they could have signed Orr for..  Tortorella continually limited Boogaard to 2:30 minutes a night otherwise he could have been even worse for us.  Shame on Torts.  But again, to Sather's credit, Boogaard too, has recently been lost to a lengthy injury just like the others.  What a great waist of money by Sather covering up for the Colton Orr gaffe a full two years later!  Bravo!!

But gone are Sather's earlier triumphs of the decade.  Aah, the days of our Little Head Coach Tom Renny; our little Hartford call-ups like Petr Prucha, Domenic Moore, Hollweg, Ortmeyer.....adnausiam.  And how Coach Renny positioned his modern-millennium Smurfs on the wide hips of the Paleolithic Hockey, Pre-Cap Age survivor, Jaromir Jagr, like lil' birds on the hips of a hippo, hitching a ride.  Nothing lasts forever folks.

While we were all miserably drifting and bobbing about on our ocean of tears, hopelessly pondering one Stanley Cup Championship in the last 70 years, Sather did something horribly wrong to alter the plan on us. 

They say necessity is the mother of all invention.  But with Coach Tortorella, it's been more a matter of trying to run away from impending doom.  He's ruining everything Glen Sather sat on his ass to achieve.  He came here as a Coach who garners just enough respect from players and one who can impose his will on a team.  And he's been doing just that with our team.  Damn him!

It was Coach Torts who came in here like Big Bad Bart in a Black Hat and stuck his spurs into Sather's loins...so to say.  The slashing and burning of the Ranger landscape we all became accustomed to, got a big bucket of water dropped on it.  Who exactly let John Tortorella sneak on TEX's RANGERS' RANCH is still unknown.  But he needs to be trapped, roped and hog-tied before he's able to cause any more improvement around here and shed Glen Sather in a good light.

Everything was perfectly fine around here when Coach Renny was content being the minder of Sather's pig-pen of undersized sows with one big Hog in the middle.  But they, Renny and Sather, got sloppy.  Their Cash-Hog Star upped and squealed-off to Russia.  Renny got caught in the ensuing raid, and is now in Coach Re-Location.  He agreed to talk and said there was some talent the Boss didn't ruin yet and told TORTS where to find it.

Back at TEX's RANGERS' RANCH, from the rubble, Coach Torts was able to recover a Goalie, a Defenseman, and two young Forwards.  He looked upon them and said, "They are good.  This will be my Nucleus."

Since then, as if by some JEDI COACH mind trick, John Tortorella got Glen Sather to believe in kids again.  It's as if Burger Meister Meister Burger was given a Yo-Yo for the first time.

Miraculously, Coach Torts got Sather to slow himself down and give kids a chance.

WHoooooaa Nelly!  Like I said before, Necessity is the Mother of ALL Invention.

Glen Sather had no choice this season, and perhaps last season, to rely on so many rookies and young players as he has.  If left to his own devices, he'd gladly pay for someone else to don a Blueshirt and get hurt while earning an absurd amount of money doing it.  I'd venture to say he'd even pay some 37 year old from his own pocket, and under the table, to come play for the Rangers and suck!  But that would be silly, so I'll refrain.

Here's the biggest difference.  Coach Tortorella is making these kids matter and Coach Torts is the difference in their play being effective.  Not only did Torts get Glen Sather to slam the brakes on his own lunacy, but he's done to the veterans what Tom Renny and Sather himself would not; keep them accountable.
Coach Torts has taken his biggest producers, skilled skaters, top goalies, high-priced talent, high potentials, and most disciplined players, as he has his worst head-cases and misfits, and pounded them all into fine powder.  None has been excluded from the heat generated by The TORTS' Temper.

The players he has hounded most are the players, playing at their best.  Young veteran; older veteran; Torts has molded or re-molded them all.  His young players being called up all salivate for his instruction just like young impressionable men should be.  Boys, Kids, young men, older men..., we all love ORDER if we know it's for the best and it works.

Coach Torts has not only, in a literal sense, physically molded Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky and Marc Staal into NHL Approved Men and League stars, he's taken "iron-workers" like Prust and Boyle and made them into difference makers for this Rangers team.

This is not a question of what Coach Torts wants, or demands his team to be in the ideal sense.  This is all about what Coach Torts thinks this team CAN be with the personnel afforded to him by, a one Glen Sather, and the system he believes they can best employ to the best of their ability.  He doesn't tell Prust and Boyle to adhere to his ideal game plan.  He creates a system Prust and Boyle are good at to help us win.

He demands hard work, accountability and above all, discipline to the system and a trust in their team mates.
His players, don't appear..., they ARE responding to their Head Coach even though he's about as smooth as a Brillo Pad, (Just ask Larry Brooks).  Whenever Coach Torts has felt compelled to come over to a player on the bench and pound him on the shoulder and back a couple of times, be it for motivation, confidence building, a wake-up call or an act of disgust in a player, no one has yet seemed to mind at all.  That means they are all on board.  Even the contentious relationship between him and Sean Avery has seemed to find a middle ground in-which the two exist.  The fact is Avery is a good player and even Torts knows it.

But you must look at the home-grown and over-all youth on this team and correlate the quantity of it on the roster with the quality of their play on the ice to John Tortorella.  Injuries have presented many of the kids with an opportunity but Coach Torts put them all in positions tailored for them and the boys have responded with responsible play for their Coach and team.  The fact is we have only 5 skaters 30 years of age or older on the roster as of today.

Who are those thirty-somes?  Rozsival-32; Prospal-35; Drury-34; Fedotenko-31; and Avery-30.

There is no doubt Michael Del Zotto needed to go to Connecticut.  He knew it as well.  And Torts was correct in saying the best thing for him is to play; but play for the Whale.  The boy is only 20 years old and will have another day.  And Christensen is still a work in progress.

But look around and the evidence is clear, Coach Torts has the attention of his youngsters and the entire team. 

Artem Anisimov; Stepan; Weise; Zuccarello, Saur; have all given more in effort and results back to their Coach than Frolov, Boogaard, Drury, Prospal, Rozsival and Redden have given back to their General Manager.

Sure Sather has chips with his name on them before Coach Torts took over the thinking-man's part of our Operation.  But Coach Torts has cashed those chips in the most.  These Over-Time and Shoot-Out wins used to be Ranger losses back in the third periods of games.  These Rangers are fighting the fight by consistently grinding out everything they do.  Torts has turned it into a way of life for them and it's working.

The hope here is that maybe Coach Torts has indeed gotten Sather to see the usefulness and enthusiasm of kids and the things they're willing to do as opposed to continually throwing bad money at the teams' problems and never addressing how they will get better while also ensuring old, over paid players rule the day.

Torts has come here like a raving but earnest Mason, and is trying to build a winner from the ground..up, brick by brick.  If you want to blame anyone for the New York Rangers' fifty-one points and a 6th place positioning in the playoff bracket so far..., Blame Coach Torts for his instigations.  He's your culprit.  How dare he push and bull his players to 50+ points.  Yea; his players...Look no further for his accomplices.

Rest assured Ranger fans, DARK DAYS have not escaped us yet.  Be as sure with the knowledge the sun will rise tomorrow, as with this little piece of knowledge, -  Glen Sather will ruin this team again with his Dollars and NON-Cents and we can all go back to our lives as usual.

How dare you get excited?  Shame on you Ranger fan.  Shame on us all!

TONIGHT

NEW YORK RANGERS

VS.

ST. LOUIS BLUES

FINAL:
RANGERS  2
BLUES       1

N.Y. Rangers
secure points number fifty-two and fifty-three.

Mike.BTB

N.J. DEVILS ~ Big Lou's Broken EGGs

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:  Broken "EGG" Shells



....And then, the Captain, Jamie Langenbrunner, was traded to the Dallas Stars for a 3rd round pick. 

Welcome to the lighter side of Beelzebub...because what's happening to the Devils is turning into a joke in the worst degree. Every Hockey Fan in Tartaros, N.J. is through scratching their heads. Now they're just itching to give up and go back home.  It's 1:50pm on a Saturday afternoon.  The first period just ended between New Jersey and Philadelphia.  The Flyers hold a 2-0 advantage over the Devils on some more bad defense and shoddy goal work by Johan Hedberg.

Maybe all those rumors (and they are just that...rumors!) about signing Ilya Kovalchuk were true about making the Devils more attractive for a particular "Russian" Buyer.  Maybe.  Who knows?..

But how else can you explain the radical departure from Lou Lamoriello's and the Devils' normal way of doing business and handling their roster needs?  Forget the coaching change.  Big Lou always fires head Coaches.  There's nothing new there to work with. 

Coming out of the NHL Lock-Out season, every GM, to include Lou Lamoriello, had problems adjusting to the Salary Cap.  But if you want to point to something...anything, to better help explain how the Devils got into this current mess, you have to go back to the day they decided Scott Gomez wasn't worth the money he was asking for and let him escape across the Hudson to play for the Rangers.  That's the moment when the vaunted "EGG Line" of Patrick Elias, Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta was broken up.  Scott Gomez went to Broadway, and the eddy in the current Devils' whirlpool was born.

Brian Gionta was the next EGG snatched from Big Lou's clutch.  He likewise said nix to Gionta's price and let him go.  Patrick Elias represents the lone Shell fragment from that Line.  And while the Devils have been scrambling the rest of their eggs ever since, those other two EGGs; Gionta and Gomez, are reunited in Montreal playing for a Canadians team one point behind Boston for the NorthEast Division lead.

Of the three, Patrick Elias was the only recipient of Big Lou's monetary endowments.  The Devils are paying a huge price for that now.

The Ilya Kovalchuk signing is a gross over-compensation for bad decisions in the recent past forced upon Lou because of this virus we call a Salary Cap.  Of course this is all in hindsight where vision is always 20/20.  But if you're still interested in how badly Lou's checkbook got eaten by the Dog, look no farther than the Alexander Mogilny cap-mess Lou had to finagle.

With the rest of the movable parts of his bedeviled team, Lou needs to re-fit lines around Ilya Kovalchuk because he's never going anywhere due to his inane contract.  Their Captain has been traded and if there's a taker out there, Patrick Elias should be the next to go.  Go ahead and complete the dismantling of the most effective line the Devils have had since the three played together forming The EGG Line. 

Because Lou went with the One Giant Egg system with Kovalchuk, he is forced to lugubriously lug that one Big Egg around now, instead of the much more effective system he had of having a whole bunch'a smaller, more hard boiled eggs in his basket.

Good Luck Lou.  That Big Egg might get you some respect at Ripley's Believe It...or, at a Museum.  But in the NHL Days Of CAP, it's only getting you in trouble.

If Lou doesn't jettison everything of worth now and re-fit this team around his new Prized Egg, he's going to continue to have one Big, incredibly bad Omelette on his plate that he and Kovalchuk will be left to eat alone at a table for two, at the Tartaros Cafe.

The Flyers lead the Devils 2-1 with 7:30 left in the third period in this Saturday afternoon game.

Bonn' Appetite Y'all

Mike.BTB

PIGSKIN ~ WILD CARD WEEKEND Previews

Updated: Saturday 9pm
Updated: Saturday 11:30pm
Updated: Sunday 4pm
Updated: Sunday 9pm

2010

National Football League

PLAYOFFS

WILD CARD WEEKEND

Previews and Picks

SATURDAY'S GAMES:

(Friday NYDN Line)

Jets +2 1/2 (COLTS)

Even Vegas isn't making the Colts an obligatory three point favorite as the Home Team.  They've struggled mightily to achieve their success this year.  Somehow, Peyton Manning managed to keep them together.  The Jets?  We've seen their worst game of the year.  We are yet to see their best game of the year.  I think the Jets can score points right along with Peyton's pace.  But will the Jets' Safety's be able to hold up against Manning without Jim Leonard?  I have a feeling who ever has the ball in field goal position at the end the game will win.  Who would ever guess this game would come down to Adam Vinatieri versus Nick Folk? 

I just did.
FINAL
WIN ~ 17-16 JETS
Who predicted it would come down to Adam Vinatieri and Nick Folk?  I did!  Thank You very much. 
I thought the Jets were doomed when they went three-and-out.  Then Adam Vinatieri nailed his field goal to put the Colts ahead.  If Nick Folk is a Jets hero for nailing the game winning field goal with no time left on the clock, you had better reserve some of that adulation for Antonio Cromartie for returning INDY's Kick-Off back to the Jets' 46 yard line with 0:45 left on the clock.  Antonio Cromartie was getting burned on coverage tonight.  But in the end, he burned the Colts right back.  After a KEY Sanchez pass to Edwards, Nick Foley kicked the Jets and REX to victory and now they advance to the Divisional Round for a rematch against the New England Patriots.

Saints -10 (SEAHAWKS)

The Saints are injured.  They're not the same away from The Dome.  They can't run the ball.  I don't care if the Saints can't even walk the ball.  All those things could be true but it won't help Pete Carroll and the Seahawks.  There is no USC magic up his sleeve.  He already used up his Miracle just getting here and playing host to a playoff game.  Pete Carroll is giving Hasselback and Whitehurst equal reps in practice.  Jim Zorn would be more of a help to them right now.  The Seahawks owner will be the only happy person in Seattle after tomorrow's game with all the extra revenue he never expected to receive..  The rest of the city?  I hear there's a push to get a Basketball team there again.
FINAL
LOSS ~ 41-36 SEAHAWKS
Oh Yes,  the Saints...Are Going Home.  Oh yes The Saints are Goooing Hooome.
What an UNBELIEVABLE Upset! Pete Carroll and his Seahawks pulled off an improbable victory over the defending Super Bowl Champions.  How?  I'm not sure yet.  But there will be a new Champion crowned this season.

I hope this shuts-up everyone who had the knee-jerk reaction to re-seed the playoffs and take away Division accomplishments.  Everyone wanted to penalize the Seahawks for having a losing record.  HAH!  Anyone who jumped on that band-wagon is just as much a part of the problem facing the world as anyone.  Everyone is always in a hurry to just go changing stuff.  GOOD for the Seahawks.  I didn't think they had a chance but GOOD FOR THEM!.  Serves all those dummies on TV right!  And I hope their ratings tank because of it next week.

SUNDAY'S GAMES:

(Friday NYDN Line)

Ravens -3 (CHIEFS)

The Chiefs will stick around for a little bit, but the Ravens should eventually prove they're the better team by halftime.  The Chiefs can run the ball but it's all they got.  Stop their run and you stop the Chiefs.  The Ravens should be game for that.  Flacco is under-rated and will have a fine tune-up for next week's game.
FINAL
WIN ~ 30-7 RAVENS
Flacco may not have won over any supporters fumbling the ball twice, but the guy was 25 for 34 with two touchdowns.  You saw it.  I predicted it.  The Chiefs gave their fans something to cheer about for all of 10 minutes.  By half-time, the Ravens took over the game and the Chiefs folded up their Tee-Pee in the second half.  The only thing the Chiefs did well today was give the ball away.  Doubt the Ravens at your own peril.

Packers +2 1/2 (EAGLES)

Well...., being a Giants fan I can tell you first hand what kind of damage both Offenses are capable of inflicting.  I'm officially calling the Michael Vick-Aaron Rodgers scrambling ability and disruptive potential, a wash!  In that regard, they can inflict equal amounts of damage to each-other's team.  So that leaves two questions for this game; who's better in the pocket and who's defense is better.  The answer to the second question is the Packers' Defense is better.  The end of season numbers say so.  Which QB is better in the pocket?  I think Rodgers is.  The Eagles play with peeks and valley results, very much like the Giants.  The Packers however, have been more consistent week to week.
FINAL
WIN ~ 21-16 PACKERS
Bye bye Birdies!  Dem Dirty Birds are headed back to Broad Street to resume pecking at seeds in the park.  Shame.  Couldn't happen to a better team.  At the very end, it was a Michael Vick intercepted pass in the end zone that lost it for the Eagles.  The Packers had an answer for Vick all night long.  But Vick was smelling comeback again and almost pulled it off.  The Packers were reeling.  But they finished.  They held on to their lead and finished off Vick and the Eagles with an interception.  Rodgers was the better QB tonight and the Packers proved their defense was better.  They both proved out by five points.

HAPPY PLAYOFF

WEEKEND!

FINAL
PICKS ~ 3-1

+19 BAGELS for the SEASON.



Mike.BTB

N.Y. JETS Playoff Preview vs. COLTS

NEW YORK JETS:  GANG GREEN Takes Flight For a WILD TIME in INDY.

It's time for REX Ryan to stop being this team's propagandist and be The JETS COACH.

Because this is how REX will ultimately be judged; by winning or losing. While the Jets and Colts conduct their business on the field, the spotlight will be shining on him Saturday night.

REX Ryan's giant leap for JETS-Kind starts with a rematch of last year's AFC Championship Game.  Coach Rex and the Jets hope to be the ones doing the eliminating this time around in a Wild Card Round match-up.  Peyton Manning and the Colts ended the Jets' season last year as they fell one game short of making it to the Super Bowl.  For the first half, the Jets made a game of it, but Peyton Manning and the Colts eventually separated themselves in the second half and galloped-off to The Show while REX's Jets stalled in mid-flight.

Then, Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum aggressively brought in players during the off-season and some of those acquisitions were called into question.  As of this moment, none of Tannenbaum's signings have come back to haunt or hurt this team.  Instead, they all helped get the Jets into position for the final push towards Coach Rex Ryan's well advertised Team goal; winning the Super Bowl.  In fact, no Tannenbaum transaction has been more controversial that the Coach himself.  He is seen to be almost willing his team to victory brainwashing them with his bravado.  Coach Rex has charged himself with carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, and left his team to concentrate on Football.

And so it is, this is not the same team the Colts played last year.  This Jets team will not fade in the 2nd half of the game like they did that last encounter.  They are better equipped to score points this time around because Braylon Edwards was here for the full season, the addition of Santonio Holmes, and Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller complete a cachet of receivers for the still-emerging 2nd year QB Mark Sanchez to use.  If the young QB's shoulder is OK, The Jets should certainly be able to score more than 17 points against the Colts this time..  While on the ground, LaDainian Tomlinson still may have a playoff burst of "LT" in him, but Shonn Greene should be up to the challenge of carrying the load and doing well.

As a matter of fact, the Jets should keep pounding the Colts with Shonn Greene until the Colts prove they can stop him, which I don't think they'll do an adequate job of.  Rex and Schottenheimer should finally unleash their self-celebrated (if now infamous) GROUND and POUND on the Colts.  Run the ball, chew the clock, pick your spots for the deep pass, and keep Peyton off the field.  It's an old formula.  Keep Peyton off the field with the running game and Mark Sanchez won't have to get into a shoot-out with him.  Don't "RELY" on Sanchez to win this for you.  Dictate the game behind a fine Offensive Line and POUND the running game right up the middle; off Tackle.  But hey...that's just me.  Whatever Schottenheimer has in store for the Colts' defense, it should be enough to keep the Jets in a position to win the game, unlike last year's Championship Game.

The problem, as always when playing the Colts, is what to do about Peyton Manning?  The loss of JIM LEONARD may finally prove very costly to the Jets this game.  Against Peyton Manning, the position of Safety becomes a real conundrum for the N.Y. Jets.  It really won't matter who gets stranded on REVIS ISLAND.

We know the Jets' pass rush is lacking and getting their hands on Peyton without Blitzing is improbable.  If you Blitz him, he'll burn you.  He's the type of QB who loves and lives for the Blitz because it makes his life so much more easier.  There's no QB who renders a Blitz DOA better than Peyton.  If you don't Blitz him, he may bleed you in a slow methodical death.  And he does it based on the Safety; Just like REX's Blitz packages are Safety based.  You see what I'm getting at right?

Brodney Pool; Eric Smith; Dwight Lowery; Drew Coleman - You guys had better be on your game and don't let your eyes deceive you.  Football fans know what I mean.

Hey Mike!... What about Revis and Cromartie?!   Well...,  Did you see the Chicago game and how they attacked the Jets?  Did you see the Patriots game?  They attacked the middle of the field and stayed underneath.  Who else is as good as Peyton at neutralizing the Corners after it's already been shown how to attack the Jets Secondary?

One of REX's Safety's is going to have to play at a level he didn't know he could. The kind of help the Jets need against Peyton isn't something for the Linebackers and the Front has shown they can't get to QB's by themselves.

Like I said,  I think the Jets can score enough points to keep the Jets in a position to win the game.  But Rex's SAFETY situation might leak, then burst with too many points and put the Jets in a position to lose.

Yes,  Rex may lose with what he prides himself most with; his Defense.

Here's the good news regarding all that.  Peyton will throw interceptions.  And NOTHING..., nothing has come easy for the Peyton and the oft-injured Colts this year.  They have struggled for every yard gained or defended, and every game they won this season.  I see no reason for things changing for them now.  If they win, they will have to dig and mine deep down for any glory.

For every Blitz, there is a Foil.  The Jets play him Saturday night.  The loser has to go home and explain what went wrong.  That's not that dreadful in Indianapolis, I'd imagine.  But if it turns out to be REX who has to come home and do some 'splaining.....  !Aye Caramba!  He might get turned into the League's and New York City's biggest Pinata.

So, the bottom line here is Rex has to design something Peyton isn't used to seeing.  What?  I have no idea.  I'm not talking about re-inventing the wheel.  I'm just asking for what good coaches do, which is out-coach other coaches.  That is something Coach REX hasn't always done.

But it's something he needs to do now.....For his own sake.



Mike.BTB

BTB's ~ The HALL of VERY VERY GOOD


NOTE TO BASEBALL FANS AND READERS of MY BLOG:  With the election of Bert Blylevin into Baseball's Hall of Fame, it's high time I share with you, something I've been doing on my MLBlogs.com blog page. ...over the last year. 

It's something I call The Hall of Very Very Good.

The following post highlights my original CONSTITUTION for the HOVVG.  Familiarize yourself with the rules me and my fellow bloggers on MLBlogs voted to abide by.  We have voted 20 Members into the Hall Of Very Very Good thus far.  If you good folks find this a good idea and want to participate, I'll accommodate this blog with a page and the links necessary to keep track of everything.  For now, you can refer to all the links from my other blog (which Baseball-wise is the same content as here).
Check out the links and see how we ran it.  We had some candidates put through a meat grinder.  Some of the comments and the block-voting was hilarious.  Some candidates will flat out surprise you.

**On this page you can view the complete list of every player voted on with vote totals and percentages: who made it and who didn't; every-one's comments and how they voted.  We conducted seven weeks of voting so far.  You can catch all the week by week here:
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/07/elected-members-of-the-hovvg.html

**On this page is our HOVVG Gallery.  We ave a picture of every player voted in.  We even gave the HOVVG a real (make-believe) home.  You might be surprised where it is.  LOL.
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/08/this-is-your-hovvg.html


Not only it is time to put some more players up for a vote now that Winter has officially taken over our lives.  But Bert Blylevin was voted into our HOVVG earlier this year, and now it's time to serve him with an Eviction Notice.  Now that he's in the Hall of Fame, it's time for him to beat-it.  He's too Good for our HOVVG now.  It's written in The Constitution.

I wanted to familiarize you first before we start this thing up again.  The more participation, the more fun this becomes.  You are all welcome to submit a name.  As it was I who started this, I try to restrain myself from hogging up all the obvious players.  I leave that for you folks.  So, go ahead,  read on,  check out the links to see how we ran it...., and then we'll start up again with a whole lot more people involved this time.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

BTB's

HALL of VERY VERY GOOD

The HALL of VERY VERY GOOD is a BTB tribute to the non-Hall of Famers; our personal heroes; those players who are close but not quite; those players who were great in our view but never got a chance to give a speech in Cooperstown; those players we feel were pretty damn good and are firmly entrenched in our mental libraries....

For them, and for us, Let's open the doors to the new

HALL OF VERY VERY GOOD.

CONSTITUTION of the HALL of VERY VERY GOOD

* Player must have played baseball between 1846 to the present.
* Player must be retired or dead!
* Player can not be in Hall of Fame.
* If a member of the HOVVG is eventually voted into Baseball's Hall of Fame, that HOVVG Member must be EVICTED.

* BTB does not care how nice a guy or how much of a tool a given player is.  All I ask is there be a case for them being good OR their rap-sheet be that impressive and the majority agrees.  It's all about the VOTE.  Just remember this is an exercise in fun.

* Steroids, PED cheats, coke heads, and creeps in general are welcome but their Bio will be clearly indicative of such transgressions.  In some cases it may even enhance their election depending on our own set of morals and standards. Some people are just Social Diseases, but with everything, we'll put them up for a vote and see (the ridicule)...what happens.


* Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson are still banned, just because! 

###When I originally drafted the HoVVG Constitution, I purposely left Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe in Purgatory; making them ineligible for a Vote.

***The BAN against Pete Rose and Shoeless JOE has been AMENDED ~ SEE BELOW.
After WEEK 5 a motion to allow these two players to be made eligible for a vote was PASSED.
A Vote is still Pending.



* A name will not suffice.  You will make a case for your Player in your own words and you, the "BloggerHood" will vote on said player.
A MAJORITY vote decides. Votes resulting in a tie do not gain election:
MAJORITY RULES ~ TIES LOSE
***After WEEK 5 a motion to AMEND this was DENIED by the FANS.
***After Week 7 a candidate is now required to have a minimum of 4 YES VOTES.



Our players can be famous or infamous; good guys or bad guys.  But what ever they are most famous for, it better be good (or delightfully bad).   They just can't suck ~ (reference "the MENDOZA LINE").  I think we all know what we want out of a Hall of Very Very Good.   I'll leave the rest to you folks. The more participation, the more "funner".

If you have a name you want voted on for enshrinement, e-mail me at

tripletoright@yahoo.com

Just say something like HoVVG....

I'll run the post with your players entry and link your blog.  Don't forget a quick Bio on your player the way you want him represented and send a picture.  Otherwise I will submit players that will be voted on for ONE WEEK.  But the voting booth is never really closed until it's closed.  Right Yogi?  See how it's done by checking out the link provided above to MY other site.




AMENDMENTS to this codex are open for discussion and very welcome.


FIRST AMENDMENT
~ one player, per blogger, per week
**Imposed Week 2; Voted and upheld Week 5

SECOND AMENDMENT
~ Shoeless Joe and Pete Rose ban is lifted.
**They will be exposed to a vote. Motion passed Week 5

THIRD AMENDMENT
~ A candidate needs a minimum of FOUR YES VOTES to gain  election into HoVVG.
***Voted Week 7 ~ Majority Rules/Ties Lose still applies.


After WEEK 5, HOVVG underwent a review process.  Motions to Amend the HOVVG Constitution were put to vote.  Results of the VOTE for proposed AMENDMENTS to HOVVG CONSTITUTION are as follows.

ITEM ONE:
The motion to expand number of candidates per week is denied.
The Fans have spoken with a(n) unanimous vote.
9 VOTES versus 0 Votes
HOVVG CONSTITUTION remains as such;
One Player, Per Week, Per Blogger.

*

ITEM TWO:
The motion to increase the percentage of Popular Votes
needed for selection into HOVVG is denied...barely.
The Fans have spoken with a mixed vote.
*4 VOTES to maintain the current system of
Majority Rules/Ties Lose
*3 VOTES to increase the percentage up to 70%
* 2 VOTES to increase the percentage up to 60%
HOVVG CONSTITUTION remains as such;
In matters of voting and player selections ~ Majority Vote Rules/Ties Lose.

*

ITEM THREE:
The motion to agree and make eligible, Shoeless Joe Jackson and Pete Rose,
for the purposes of inclusion into the VOTE PROCESS is passed.
This HOVVG AMENDMENT is passed and the issue closed.
Both players will be exposed to a VOTE of the FANS.  Still Pending.

*

IN WEEK 7
A MOTION TO AMEND HoVVG CONSTITUTION was submitted to a vote:

A proposal to require candidates gain a minimum number of votes for election was ~ PASSED

4 VOTE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT ~ 5 VOTES YES
KEEP SYSTEM THE SAME ~ 3 VOTES YES
5 VOTE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT ~ 1 VOTE YES.
The motion is passed. Let the record show a candidate now needs
a minimum 4 YES VOTES in addition to "Majority Rules/Ties Lose"
.



That's it.  Leave a comment and tell me what you think. And we'll take it from there.



Mike.BTB

N.Y. GIANTS ~ End of Season; PART III

NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS

"Finish 2010 Season, TEN and SICK"

THE AUTOPSY:

PART I;

HEAD COACH and The OFFENSIVE COACHES

Tom Coughlin - Kevin Gilbride - Mike Sullivan - Jerald Ingram

PART II;

The DEFENSIVE COACHING and SPECIAL TEAMS COACH

Perry Fewell - Tom Quinn

NOW PLAYING:

THE AUTOPSY; PART III

V - THE OFFENSIVE LINE

1 - OFFENSIVE LINE COACH ~ PAT FLAHERTY

Pat Flaherty just completed his seventh year as the Giants' Offensive Line Coach.  David Diehl, Shaun O'Hara and Chris Snee have all been Pro-Bowlers under Coach Flaherty.  This season, without a doubt, not only was Rich Seubert a GIANT MVP all the way up until his injury, he was arguably one of the best Linemen in all of Football and another sure Pro-Bowler.

Pat Flaherty coached the Starting Five unit of O'Hara, Snee, Diehl, Seubert and McKenzie to 38 consecutive games played together covering 2007 through 2009.

This year the Offensive Line was hard-pressed to stay healthy.  David Diehl missed a month while Shaun O'Hara lost well over half his season to injury.

Because of the trickle down effects of Shaun O'Hara's on going injuries, Coach Flaherty guided David Diehl through a slight rough patch when he was asked to switch positions and managed very well until he was able to return to his natural Tackle spot.  Coach Flaherty also had to position, and re-position Rich Seubert all over the Offensive Line.  Seubert did a masterful job at the Center position filling in for O'Hara.

Pat Flaherty Coached his line through ever depleting depth.  Shawn Andrews was thought to be a great looking acquisition to bolster this year's Offensive Line.  But he too was lost too injury.

Coach Flaherty was still able to utilize yet another casualty, Adam Koets, until he went down leaving young William Beatty and Kevin Boothe to fill major holes.

Pat Flaherty did arguably the best job of all the staff coaches on the Giants.



2 - THE LINEMEN

CENTER ~ SHAUN O'HARA :  33 years old.  He's been a Giant since 2004.  He just endured an injury riddled season with foot problems after starting every game last year.  Despite being injured he was voted-in for his 3rd Pro-Bowl.  He is under contract for next year, but 2011 is the last year of the deal.  He will have off-season surgery.

GUARD ~ CHRIS SNEE :  At 28 years of age, he's the youngest of the five starters..  He was drafted by the Giants in 2004 and is signed through 2014.  He is a three time Pro-Bowl Selection.  For this Brick House, 2010 was another solid season for the under-spoken Guard.

GUARD ~ RICH SEUBERT :  31 years old.  He is signed through 2012.  Undrafted, he's been with the Giants since 2001.  In 2003 he broke his leg in three places and came back in time to partake in the Offensive Line's consecutive games played streak.  2010 may have been his best season to date; playing three different Offensive Line positions and masterfully serving at the team's Center while O'Hara sat out with injury.  But now he's facing another major injury.  The scene of him dislocating his knee against the Redskins was so saddening.  He was having such a great season and truly was one of this team's ultimate MVP's.  He has more surgery and rehabilitation ahead of him now.  It's an awful lot for Jerry Reese to contemplate, but Rich Seubert vowed to come back...AGAIN!

TACKLE ~ DAVID DIEHL :  30 years old.  He was drafted by the Giants in 2003 and is signed through 2014.  He is yet another Pro-Bowl Lineman for the Giants.  He dutifully changed positions for the team, and didn't have premium results.  But he still offered play that was above average.  Now he's back at his natural Tackle spot as he continues to emerge into an elite Lineman.

TACKLE ~ KAREEM McKENZIE :  31 years old.  This Old Jet came to the Giants in 2005.  He signed a 7 year deal in 2005.  He's been nothing short of solid...again.  You never hear anything from him, but earlier in the season when he took big holding and unsportsmanlike penalties, he was front and center at his locker to account for himself.  He with the other four members of this Offensive Line have always been very disciplined and get few penalties called against them.



These boys were designed to stay together for another two more seasons.  Injuries may hamper than plan.  With age, injuries aren't usually far behind.  We're beginning to feel the ramifications of playing so many games in the trenches.  They have played many games together defying Football Odds and keeping the injury bug away.  That's a testament to their personal preparedness and Pat Flaherty's coaching.

There's a sense Shaun O'Hara may turn out fine.  But he represents a really big question at Center and not just because of back and foot problems he's had, but because Rich Seubert did such a good job filling in at Center and O'Hara happens to be the oldest of the group at 33 yrs of age. 

People were actually saying that right up until Seubert got hurt.  And now he represents yet another really, really big question on the Offensive Line going forward.  He's headed for big-time off-season surgery that could prove extremely disruptive to GIANT plans next season.

David Diehl was the third member of this vaunted Line to miss considerable time due to injury. He suffered a partially torn hamstring that was slow to heal.  But he showed no ill affects after his return.

The question - If these guys still had two years left together suddenly got a lot harder to answer.  This is an area Jerry Reese will no doubt have to address in the next Draft.  But in the mean-time, there are three young guys on the squad.

In 2007, Jerry Reese drafted TACKLE ~ ADAM KOETS who is now 26 years old and he drafted TACKLE ~ WILLIAM BEATTY in 2009.  He is 25 years old.

NYC native GUARD ~ KEVIN BOOTHE has been a Giant since 2007.  He was Oakland's starting Right Guard in 2006.

GUARD/TACKLE ~ SHAWN ANDREWS : 28 years old.  Jerry Reese signed him as a free agent from PHILLY to a 6 year deal that takes him through 2016.  It was thought to be, quietly, a great acquisition at the time.  But chronic back problems may force the 3-time Pro-Bowl player to retire.  He missed the 2009 season and could only sustain a handful of playing time this year when called into action, before he was literally forced to go to a hospital for his condition.


And now, JERRY REESE is about to walk a very FINE LINE as he's faced with having to make hard decisions about his Offensive Line situation.  They say TIME heals all wounds but it doesn't seem to want to give Jerry enough of it before August rolls around.  How Jerry manages the next 6 months may determine the following four months after that.

And then some.




Still to come:  JERRY REESE and the PLAYERS.



Mike.BTB

N.Y. KNICKS ~ Knicks Lasso NBA's Best Team

NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS:  It's Cool To Be Right Sometimes.  But Tonight, It Was Even Better To Be Wrong.

First, the straight version.

The New York Knicks beat the NBA's Top Team tonight 128-115 and improved their record to 20-14.
The fans at Madison Square Garden celebrated their 10th home win but got to participate in yet another uproarious night against the NBA's elite.

One thing I said about the Knicks still holds true.  If Ray Felton and Landry Fields do not score in double digits together in the same game, the Knicks don't win.  Felton scored 28 and Fields dropped 13.

But tonight Wilson Chandler was The Dude.  He dumped 31 points all over the Spurs.  Amar'e said it best after the game, "They didn't have an answer for him tonight."  But part of that was because Amar'e kept making passes.  He had 6 assists tonight.

Here's another...!  Wilson Chandler and Stoudamire were high rebounders tonight with both getting 9 boards apiece.

Oh wait!  Here's another...  No GALLO tonight!  He's hurt.  Remember?

WAITER?!    Some Crow please?

I believe in my last Knicks posting, I said Tim Duncan was going to put on a clinic in MSG tonight.  I was questioning if the Knicks would have an answer for the Big Guy.  I said he still has a whole-lotta Ball in his big body.

The Knicks didn't just have an answer, they took the NBA's best team, at the moment, completely out of their game.  Coach Pop was upset!  

But I couldn't be more happier being so wrong, not necessarily about Tim Duncan, but about the Knicks' chances tonight.

How about these guys..huh?!



Mike.BTB

N.Y. GIANTS ~ End Of Season - PART II

NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS

"Finish 2010 Season, Ten and SICK"

Read:  THE AUTOPSY; PART ONE

* Coach Tom Coughlin

* Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride

* QB Coach Mike Sullivan

* Running Backs Coach Jerald Ingram

Click Here.

NOW PLAYING:

THE AUTOPSY;  PART II

III - THE DEFENSIVE COACHING

1 ~ DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR ~ PERRY FEWELL

Shortly after the Giants win over the Redskins Sunday, Perry Fewell's name came up as someone meriting an interview as a potential Head Coaching Candidate.  I myself do not see him being a Head Coach...yet.  Apparently the Browns might though.  And that's fine with me.  Fortunately for Fewell, Gilbride and our inability to gain ONE FIRST DOWN against Philly still dominates my nightmares BUT the fact we gave up a million points in 8 minutes then a million more the very next game to Aaron Rodgers, when those two games represented our most important games of the year still really rubs me the wrong way.

There was a time this season when it rubbed Coach Coughlin the wrong way also; against Dallas.., and our Head Coach let his displeasure with his Coordinator be known right on the sideline.

If JOHN FOX will come back to be our Defensive Coordinator whether Perry Fewell gets the Browns job or not, make the switch now while John Fox is an unrestricted free agent coach.

Outside of that!....I am not too cool about more disruption and having to break-in yet another Defensive Cord.  You do something like that for the right guy; like Fox.  Otherwise, Perry Fewell is good enough to proceed into next season with.

Perry Fewell is clearly much more dynamic in his Defensive Schemes than Bill Sheridan, the Coordinator he replaced was.  In that respect the Giants improved tremendously;  Exponentially even.

But let's be clear...; He is not as good as Coach Spagnuolo was even with a healthy Kenny Phillips, JPP, and Terrell Thomas.  Perry Fewell's Defense was lacking at Linebacker where-as Coach Spags had Antonio Pierce.  But know this and know it well....Coach Spags turned a virtual no-body into a Linebacking Crazed Animal with how Coach Spags deployed Kawika Mitchell.  Perry Fewell has done no such thing.  Antrel Rolle blew into the locker room and criticized te team early in the season.  Justin Tuck took matters into his own hands by speaking up and playing well.  But those two men were self motivated to do the things they did.  What player has Perry Fewell remolded to better fit the needs of his schemes?

You would probably pick one of the Safety's;  -   Deon Grant, Rolle or Phillips due to Jerry Reese leaving the Linebacker Corps as our Defensive soft white under-belly.  Phillips already was highly touted by the organization.  Antrel Rolle was already...Antrel Rolle.  So that leaves Deon Grant as the Perry Fewell trophy Kid.  Deon Grant was an NFL nomad just like Kawika Mitchell was.  But if you compare the "projects" - where Fewell barely buffed out a shine from Grant, Coach Spags had Mitchell shining bright and making big plays for him and the Giants.

Spags did with two linebackers what Perry Fewell could not do with three Safety sets;  CLOSE OUT GAMES!  If you want to put that on Jerry Reese and not Perry Fewell, that's fair.

But there are 8 games for sure we can point to where-in the Secondary looked amateurish.  That's half your schedule.  They have consistently given up The Huge Play.  Start back with Week Two and the Colts, followed by their imitation of Swiss Cheese against TENN.  Dallas really drubbed us twice and tore-up our Secondary.  The Jags did it for a while.  PHILLY did it, and Green Bay really really did it.  Washington almost did it to us in the end too.  What is a little mind boggling is that Perry Fewell used to be Tom Coughlin's Secondary Coach back in JAX for 5 years.  The Secondary is supposed to be his forte'...!  That's why he upsets me.  He failed at the very aspect of his expertise.  It's like Vince Lombardi's Packers not being able to execute a Sweep-Left Play.

And for that reason, Perry Fewell's Corner-Backs Coach and his Safety Coach are off the hook.

Jerry Reese will be getting my crap in-lieu of the Line-Backer Coach where they're concerned.  And that's a biggie!

The Front Four pretty much did their job this year, to include the emergence of Jason Pierre Paul.  The Blitz-Packages were not as well disguised as with Spags, but they were effective none the less.

IV - SPECIAL TEAMS

1 - SPECIAL TEAMS COACH ~ TOM QUINN

Tom Quinn has been in charge of the Special Teams Unit since 2007, our Super Bowl year.  It remained a respectable Unit for that one moment ONLY when he first took over.  It's just gotten progressively worse all the way through to last Sunday.  Quinn was hired when Mike Sweatman retired at the conclusion of the 2006 season.  From the second he took over, Special teams have been a complete nightmare for the Giants.  For Tom Quinn, after "Jeff" and "Feagles", there are no two other combinations of  kind-sounding words I can use to describe the job he's done.

To describe what an unmitigated failure he has been in this capacity is beyond my vocabulary.

Forget Matt Dodge..., No really, forget Matt Dodge!  Blame Quinn because he'd ruin Matt Bahr if given the chance.  He'd make Ray Guy break out in hives.  But this isn't about the Punter.

The Kick-Off coverage was horrendous all year long.  The Punt coverage was horrendous all year long.

The New York Giants lost the Battle of Field Position on every front as long as the Kicking game was involved.

THE ON-SIDE KICK:

Against Philadelphia, Tom Coughlin told his Special Teams Coach to be looking and be prepared for an On-Side kick.

STOP!

Once Coach Coughlin noticed he didn't have his "HANDS" personnel on the field, he himself could have interceded.

BACK!

Tom Quinn sent out a normal front-5 formation and they were all running back for blocking, assuming Philly would Kick-Off.  Without Tom Coughlin in the picture, as a Special Teams Coach, you MUST be living for that moment.  Everyone in the Milky Way knew Philly was forced to attempt an On-Side.  This play has already been regurgitated over and over again.  But because Tom Quinn is so bad at what he's been assigned to do, we never get that nasty taste out of our mouths.

Tom Quinn and his Special Teams Plague must be eradicated from Giants Football...post-haste!

A derisive dissertation of Tom Quinn can theoretically go on all night.  That's why I shall end this now.

STILL TO COME:

* The Offensive Line

* GM Jerry Reese and the Players

Mike.BTB

N.Y. GIANTS ~ Finish 2010 Season Ten and SICK

THE NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS: 

Let the autopsy begin. 

PART ONE: 

The Head Coach and the Offensive Coaches

I.  HEAD COACH ~ TOM COUGHLIN

First we must dispel the misguided notion Tom Coughlin can not continue as coach of the Giants.  Let's put his record up against that of The Tuna; Bill Parcells, because that is the only true way to diffuse Giant fan's fervent want for having Coughlin's head.


The TUNA YEARS:
1982 Season ~ Last season under Ray Perkins.
1983 Season ~ Giants suffer 3-12-1 season in Bill Parcells' 1st year.
1984 Season ~ Giants improve to 9-7 and make Playoffs.  Beat Eagles; Lose to 49ers in 2nd Round.
1985 Season ~ Giants make Playoffs with 10-6 record ~ Lose to Bears 21-0 in the Infamous Sean Landeta "Wind Blown Punt" Game.
1986 Season ~ Win NFC EAST TITLE; Super Bowl Champions.
1987 Season ~ Miserable Strike Season; Finish in last place.  Do Not Make Playoffs.
1988 Season ~ Giants finish 10-6 losing to JETS on last day of season, losing Division Title in process. Do Not Make Playoffs.
1989 Season ~ Win NFC EAST TITLE; After dominant 12-4 season, Giants Lose to Rams in First Round Playoff ~ Infamous "Flipper Anderson" Game 19-13 in O.T.
1990 Season ~ Win NFC EAST TITLE; Super Bowl Champions.
1991 Season ~ Bill Parcells steps down; Ray Handley is named Head Coach.


The COUGHLIN ERA:
2003 Season ~ Last season under Jim Fassell.
2004 Season ~ Tom Coughlin's First Year;  Giants 6-10
2005 Season ~ Win NFC EAST TITLE (11-5);  Lose First Round Playoff game to Panthers 23-0.
2006 Season ~ After 8-8 qualifies for post-season, Giants lose First Round Playoff game to Eagles 24-21.
2007 Season ~ Super Bowl Champions.
2008 Season ~ Giants Win NFC EAST TITLE; have dominant 13-3 season shot in leg by Plaxico Burress.  Lose to Eagles in First Round Playoff game 23-11.
2009 Season ~ Giants start 5-0; Finish season 8-8.  Do Not Make Playoffs
2010 Season ~ Giants finish 10-6; Lose out on Post Season on last day.  Do Not Make Playoffs
2011 Season ~ To Be Determined. - Owner John Mara emphatic Tom Coughlin will return.


The records speak for themselves.  You can almost pair off a season for season and Coach Coughlin still has a year to work with to try and achieve a second Lombardi.  So who exactly are you judging Tom Coughlin against?  Unless you're comparing him to Vince Lombardi, Chuck Knoll, Tom Landry, Bill Walsh, Jimmy Johnson, or Bill Belichick? ... Bear Bryant?  John Madden?  Don Shula?

....Who then?

Tony Dungy, John Gruden, Brian Billick, Jack Fisher, Bill Cower?  The Gipper?

Who is the Coach out there that has taken two different teams in both conferences to Championship Games and won a Super Bowl?  Parcells did it.  Gruden did it.  Who else?  Who cares!  My point is name me the coach who you think is available, and better than Tom Coughlin.

Who's available?  John Gruden; Jack Fisher; John Fox; Brian Billick; Bill Cower ~ They may be the best of the currently unemployed Coaching candidates.  You want Tom Coughlin fired to replace him with one of these names?

The whining and snivelling that came out of Tiki Barber's mouth regarding his Head Coach; Tom Coughlin, seems to have never gone away.  So many have continued the criticisms in Tiki's place about Coughlin ever since his retirement which he incidentally "un-officially and never quite verbally" blamed on Coughlin and the way he ran his team.  Additionally, just like Jeremy Shockey complained so did the GREAT Michael Strahan up until Jerry Reese told him to beat-it during his hold-out.  It was only then Michael Strahan came back to camp and he came back "correct".

Where are the players of 2010 complaining about Tom Coughlin and about how their Head Coach got out-coached now?  Where are the players who find playing for Tom Coughlin unbearable today?

Jim Fassell once stood there on the sideline and could do nothing to stop the in-fighting that caused the Giants to lose a playoff game in ridiculous fashion against the Vikings in '97.  Fassell had no answers for the Ravens during the Super Bowl during a game in which he thoroughly got out-coached.  When all Jim Fassell could do was stand there with that incredulous look on his face during the Trey Junkin Game in the 49ers playoff game, ...at least Coughlin had a reaction for his Kicker in Jan. of 2008 and a reaction for his punter in Dec. 2010.

What more can a Head Coach do when your players don't perform the way they've been coached to play?

Bill Parcells used to throw garbage at his players and threaten their jobs and scream at his coordinators.  Coughlin yells at kickers and his coordinators and benches fumblers.  Coughlin has to do it in a P.C. World.  The Tuna didn't.  The League, the Union and power structure were different then as well as the monies involved.  Coughlin is an Old School Guy still coaching very good Football in the Modern Game.


Bill Parcells had Sean Landeta's Wind Blown Punt and Flipper Anderson.
Jim Fassel had Trey Junkin, Rich Seubert and 1997.
Tom Coughlin has his own moments.  No Coach is without them.  And Bill Parcells didn't get the Giants to the playoffs 4 consecutive years; only three.

And then ask yourself this, ~ Do you really think John Mara is going to allow his General Manager Jerry Reese to fire Coughlin for some hot-shot, up-and-coming Coordinator?  Really?

Well, John Mara already put this all to rest.  After the game he told the press he already informed Tom Coughlin last week he'd be returning as the Head Coach of the New York Football Giants next year.

Keeping Tom Coughlin is the right thing to do.  Reeling in the TUNA was the only HOOK to get some of "US" Giants fans to understand this.



II.  OFFENSIVE COACHING STAFF


1 ~ OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR ~ KEVIN GILBRIDE

You knew this was coming from me.  But there's a reason Buddy Ryan punched him in the face! 

He continually and needlessly put his Defense back on the field in bad spots because of a complete failure on third down conversions this season.  Thirds Downs...and Three-and-Outs!  Why? 

Because with Coach Gilbride it's either FEAST OR FAMINE. 

How many times this season have we found ourselves late in third and fourth quarter situations, desperately needing first downs to control the clock and keep the other team's Offense off the field only to fail miserably with another Three and Out and too much time left on the clock?

Answer; Excruciatingly Too Many!!  And it has everything to do with his aversion with being a run first Coach.

I've been on Coach Gilbride all season long.  I'm sure I could have plucked better examples but my post in WEEK 6 shows I've been on him since the beginning of the season.  Even through WEEK 10 ~  HERE'S Proof  in something Titled: Fourth Down and GILBRIDE To Go ~  I have been screaming for Coach Gilbride to get the running game in tune for December Football forever.  I believed then as I believe now, when you absolutely, positively, have to, no doubt about it, need a first down on 3rd and short situations, you have to turn to your Running Game and expect them to get it done; NOT throw a 15 yard out over the head of Kevin Boss.  What Coach Gilbride does not comprehend is that reliance on Power Football comes through living it week in and week out.  A third and short in desperate times is not something you can just pick from out of your notes and call in a play, especially when all you're doing is salivating over your next call for a pass anyway.  That critical first down is derived at by pure power and dedication to the run game as a way of life.  The fourth quarter, Third-and-Short conversion is a cumulative effect that starts with the first offensive possession of the game.  It's a game-style designed to finish games late.  A well prepared and confident Running Game will look a Defensive Front in the eye and tell them they are running the ball off-tackle and still make three yards.  Period!  That's Football since the NFL's inception...whether you wore no helmet, a leather helmet, or a Modern helmet!

Among the many, many things that went wrong against the Eagles in the melt-down, almost all of it could have been avoided with ONE FIRST DOWN.  But when we needed to get one, we could do nothing outside of being sickly in our attempts.  With multiple opportunities to end the game with one first down, they could manage none.  The same circumstances resurfaced most recently against the Redskins.  Coming off three Redskin fumbles, the best we could offer on Offense was a wimpy three-and-out on three consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter.  The Giant ability to will themselves to first downs, this game, against the Eagles, and other times, was lost because it was ignored by Kevin Gilbride in weeks 3,4 and 5 and 6, but grossly mismanaged all season long from start to finish, because Kevin Gilbride unnecessarily tilts 15 to 20 plays Eli's way per game that should have been invested earlier in the season on the running game.

It all goes back to Kevin Gilbride setting up the Run with the Pass, opposed to the more conventional setting up the Pass with the Run Game.

In the games in which Jacobs and Bradshaw ran wild accumulating almost 600 yards in three games..., 
Their Touches Never Increased...But Eli's Pass Attempts Did!!!  The more those two ran off huge chunks of yardage, the more Gilbride wanted to pass to the point our Backs became ignored, (and Jacobs..forgotten).  Gilbride pats them on the back and puts Jacobs on the shelf.

How can you limit Brandon Jacobs to an average of 8 carries a game for the season?  How do you limit this potent running game to 22 to 25 carries a game combined, and justify Eli needlessly throwing upwards of 35 and 40 passes with games well in hand?

This man must be held responsible for his 1/3 of the blame regarding Eli Manning's career high for interceptions in a season, and for one of the worse INT totals in Giants' history.  All Gilbride's pass calling and Eli's in-completions do nothing but open the door for comebacks and plenty of time with which to get it done.  This goes right in hand with the third quarter disappearances by this Offense which have been nothing short of mystifying.

To be fair, Kevin Gilbride may have had something radically more lethal in store for the NFL had our entire Recieving Corp not succumbed to injury; we didn't turn the ball over at such a prodigious rate and our Offensive Line had been healthier.  Yes, Kevin Gilbride can be an excellent (no..very good) Offensive Coach.  The key word is can.  And it bares repeating, with him, it's FEAST OR FAMINE.  The Super Bowl Year we obviously feasted, but that was with PLAX and Steve Smith on the field with a completely healthy O-Line. 

I'd be very careful with who the Giants replace him with.  I'd rather stick with Gilbride and try to get him to change his thinking, than turn over this Offense to a hot-shot who doesn't even shave yet.  He and Tom Coughlin are long time friends and the fact Tom Coughlin is also an Offensive kinda guy goes against everything I'm trying to hammer home.  But at some point they have to have a Pow-Wow and decide once and for all to incorporate the Running Game into something much more integral to this team's success than just something Coach Gilbride feels obligated to mix into the plan while hindering his search for the Ultimate Pass Play.

So..., what I'm saying is that with more commitment to the running game and better clock management through such, Gilbride can stay. But it still doesn't mean he won't make me want to punch him in the face sometimes too.


But if John Gruden would lower himself to a coordinator's level again,  I'd gladly invite him to run our Offense.



1A) - QB Coach Mike Sullivan

Eli Manning's passes were consistently high this season.  These high passes were many times tipped and intercepted.  Eli Manning also at times reverted to throwing off his back foot again.  We've seen him do the "throw and turn your back" thing along with the baffling shovel attempts he's made when in the grasp of pressure.  Then there was the non-slide-rolling-fumble play.

What has Mike Sullivan done to improve Eli's throwing technique in order to get his passes lower especially being this is not a new problem?  Why has Eli seemingly reverted to old rookie habits with regard to his footwork?  Why has he been increasingly inclined to attempt these shovel tosses which have the potential of being disastrous?  And why is Eli not practiced in the art of sliding?

What is the man charged with ensuring these details are addressed for upwards of six days a week, with the obvious exception of game day, (and even then their job doesn't end).  These are the items of concern that are obvious to many, which we have every reason to believe are worked on week in and week out.

So, a fair question to ask is how much of the responsibility and blame for Eli's regressing tendencies fall on his Quarterback Coach?  Why hasn't he impressed his will and corrective measures with obvious and positive results upon his QB?

Look what another Giants QB guru and and Offensive Coordinator,  i.e;. Jim Fassell and Sean Peyton did with Kerry Collins (Pffff).  Then look what Sean Peyton did with Drew Brees.  John Elway didn't need Dan Reeves or Mike Shanahan to be great.  He needed a RUNNING BACK!

But I think the question is fair.  What has Mike Sullivan done to straighten out Eli for us?  Because me personally?  Eli is my guy.  I'll win and lose with him.


1B) - Running Backs Coach Jerald Ingram

Tom Coughlin personally corrected Tiki Barber's fumbling problems.  We know Coach's preferred technique.  Ahmad Bradshaw should be no stranger to Coach's techniques just as he's no stranger to fumbling the ball even before this season.  Coach Coughlin switched off to Brandon Jacobs as the starting back after the first Eagles encounter because Ahmad continually put the ball on the ground.  The Coach was forced to take a course of action and did.

Now, what happened to the reinforcement techniques, drills and mental preparedness that the Running Backs Coach is there to ensure gets met and employ such,  for six days a week; 4 weeks a month; and at least 5 months a season?  These matters fall under Jerald Ingram's attention to detail with proactive and reactive measures.

Yet, the fumbling continued all the way into last week's game against the Packers.





Next: 

PART II ~ The Offensive Line and Special Teams Coaches

PART III ~ I'll be TACKLING the Defensive Coaches

PART IV ~  Jerry Reese and the Players



MIKE.BTB

N.Y. JETS ~ PREPARE For TAKE-OFF!

11-5

PLAYOFFS

That's all people are going to remember. 

How bad they looked in amassing that number five and everything that transpired during a real rough stretch for all JetsNation, will be nothing more than a coffee stain in the carpet.  Win number ELEVEN will soothe and validate everything for the Jets and in the end, REX Ryan will have been the one to put his FOOT down having the final say on the 2010 regular season.

Green Bay What?  Patriots Who?  Miami Huh?   Exactly!

The Buffalo Bills couldn't beat anyone at Checkers right now, but at least Mark Brunell showed Jets fans he can step in at a moments notice and keep the Jets flying at cruising altitude. You always want to finish playing good Football and today's win against the Bills will at least let all these guys go to sleep tonight in a pleasant frame of mind heading into their week of preparation for the Playoffs.

Playoffs?   Did you say Playoffs?

If you need a COACH BLUTARSKY refresher...Go back to Week 15 when I wrote
THIS and and THIS.


Coach REX Blutarsky has AIR-DELTA HOUSE dancing in their Toga's for the second year in a row. That's not a bad job while having two pencils up your nose. And while yes, he put the ladder up against the girl's Dorm and it was him under the bleachers looking up you know what....and yes, the Foot Fetish thing seems to fit right in to all that, don't forget it was BLUTO who orchestrated the best night of their lives!


Maybe this is ANIMAL HOUSE.  Because in the end, they all had their cake cleverly disguised as a Parade Float and they all got to "EAT IT" too.  Maybe Coach REX Blutarsky will drive off with his "Bunny" and become a U.S. Senator somewhere down the line when all this is over.  But for right now, he's having a ball in his pirate's costume and showing to be real quick on his FEET for a big guy, as he continues to evade NIEDERMEYER and the Media.

Who will the Jets play in the first round next week?  WHO CARES!  What's important is that Coach Rex gets his Squadron of Big Green Jets back in the hangar, prepares and arms them for some high-altitude Bombing no matter their destination.

NEIDERMEYER!!!!!    Dead!

Mike.BTB

N.Y. GIANTS ~ Playoff Hopes Hanging By A Bear Claw

NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS:  The BEARS have no reason to swipe their Claws at the PACKERS.  They've gotten plenty fat for the winter games and may take a nap Sunday.


The GIANTS can do their part winning one for their Coach while trying to save the Season, but without help, the hurt from missing the Playoffs can have BIG consequences and leave us feeling BLUE.

With one Giant step into a hole against the Eagles then another calamitous leap into a chasm against the Packers,  The Giants' hopes, dreams, and a chance to regain status as an elite team again in these upcoming Playoffs, cling helplessly by a Bear Claw tearing away at Lady Luck's forgiving dress. 

They weren't just in the position of controlling their own destiny, the Giants were in a position of dominating it.  But all that is Blue sweat and tears under the George Washington Bridge now.  There is only one matter at hand which calls for the Giants' attention as they board their patched-up Big Blue Life Raft for a trip to Washington and face-off against the REDSKINS Sunday afternoon.  That matter is, Winning!

We're in this position because we treated the Pigskin like it was a wet bar of soap when we ran it on the ground, and Eli treated more players to his passes with his Southern Hospitality than he should have.

Defensively, the secondary has been pressed over a cheese grater these last 6 quarters; and then some.  The linebackers have been respectable but far from spectacular or difference-makers.  The guys up front kept coming within inches of a big play only to let it get away with devastating ramifications exposing a GIANT inability to finish.  And Perry Fewell displayed a failure to adapt on the fly over the last two games (and a few earlier games this season which put him and Coughlin at words).

But before we present a GIANT piece of Meat to the Butcher, let's talk about our chances of playing Football beyond this week.  This is very simple. If the Giants win versus the Redskins in Washington and the Packers lose or tie against the Bears in Green Bay, we (the Giants) are in.  That's it.    Consider yourself updated.


It's all they can do to help themselves to more January Football.  We've seen what a much-maligned 10-6 Giants team forced to win three playoff games on the road can do when faced with insurmountable adversity.  They showed us three years ago how it's done.

Blah..Blah.. "No Mas" with that mush!  I tried that.  Just win.  Because no matter what happens in the Packers/Bears game, the GIANTS have to win this game against the Redskins to save jobs.


At least the cyclone swirling around Tom Coughlin's job status this week has subsided somewhat as Coach received a very favorable show of support from his team, the fans, and the Media.  But no one is blind here.  We can all read the graffiti on the lockers and office doors.  A loss to the woeful Redskins will surely mean that heads will roll.  The question is who's heads?  We've established Tom Coughlin's head is safe.  Will it be Staff?  Will players be asked to leave their pads at the door?

Jerry Reese may be sharpening the guillotine as we speak.  A good General Manager is always a couple of weeks ahead in his thinking and already may have certain people in mind.  While he's sharpening the blade, Jerry will make Tom Coughlin draw the rope, raising the blade high sending another message that he WILL be next.  Right now, everyone, including Jerry Reese, I believe thinks Tom Coughlin is the best coach for the Giants.

But if I'm Tom Quinn, the Special Teams Coach, I'm worried where my income is coming from next season. 

With John Fox officially on the market, I would replace Perry Fewell with Fox in a heartbeat, in a purely opportunistic up-grade.  And without Linebackers, this Defense is disjointed.

Kevin Gilbride is the one who should be on the HOT SEAT!  His whole approach needs to be called in for questioning.  Mike Sullivan the QB Coach should be brought onto the carpet as well.  Running Backs Coach Jerald Ingram needs to be grilled as to why his Backs continually COUGH up the ball...?

As far as players getting axed?  Hah!  C'mon.  We still have a game to play.

If the Giants can do what IS expected of them Sunday, which is defeating the Washington Redskins who've been around as long as we have.....And if the Bears can likewise help out a fellow Original Era buddy and beat the Packers and all their Ghosts and Legends for us.....If we can all just be Old Friends about this whole mess, and get the Giants in the Dance, then the sounds of table-saws cutting through GIANT chunks-o-beef get turned off for another 7 days.

If that be the case this Sunday, then anything can happen.  Without getting all sappy about it, we have seen them do it before.  All that means is that nothing is impossible.  It means all these second level coaches breathe a great sigh of relief and suddenly become a good staff again.  It means players on the list for be-heading have another week to prove their value to the team.  UNLIKELY is a different cut of beef.

We can only do our part.  But go out there and get it done!  ...And don't make Jerry Reese do his job!




Mike.BTB

PIGSKIN ~ WEEK 17 ~ Regular Season Finale

Last UPDATED:  Sunday 8:30pm

FINAL WEEK

* * *  N.F.L.  * * *

2010 REGULAR SEASON

Welcome to the NFL's WEEK 17 and FINAL Regular Season games of 2010.  The AFC South is still waiting for a Division Champ to round out the AFC Playoff picture.  In the NFC, the West is still waiting for the Division Champ to be decided and the GIANTS and PACKERS will be playing for the last Wild Card spot.


N.F.C. Playoff Teams:
NFC EAST CHAMPS - EAGLES (10-5)
NFC SOUTH CHAMPS - *T/B/D SUNDAY ~ SIANTS (11-4) or FALCONS (12-3)
NFC NORTH - BEARS (11-4)
NFC WEST - *T/B/D SUNDAY ~ SEAHAWKS (6-9) or RAMS (7-8)

1st WILD CARD - *SAINTS or ATLANTA (Loser of NFC South Div. Title)
2nd WILD CARD - *GIANTS or PACKERS

NEW YORK GIANTS ~  Need to win against the Redskins in Washington and the Bears, who are playing a somewhat meaningless game for them, must win against the Packers in order for BIG BLUE to make the Playoffs.


A.F.C. Playoff Teams:
AFC EAST - PATRIOTS (13-2)
AFC SOUTH - *T/B/D SUNDAY ~ COLTS (9-6) or JAGUARS (8-7)
AFC NORTH - *T/B/D SUNDAY ~ STEELERS (11-4) or RAVENS (11-4)
AFC WEST - CHIEFS ((10-5)

1st WILD CARD - *STEELERS or RAVENS (Loser of AFC North Div. Title)
2nd WILD CARD - NEW YORK JETS

NEW YORK JETS ~ Clinched playoff spot last week when Redskins defeated Jaguars.



The Big Basket of BAGELS:
REGULAR SEASON BAGEL COUNT   +12
SHMEAR of the WEEK ~  9-5





Let's do this!

THE WEEK 17 and FINAL BIG BAGEL ROLL-OUT:
(SATURDAY NYDN LINE)


GAMES WITH PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS:


** Giants -4 (REDSKINS)
It's not like the Giants have a choice.  And I think Coach Shanahan is bringing back Mark Rypien to QB the 'Skins.  What a kick in the behind it would be if the GIANTS lose this game and the BEARS win theirs.
LOSS ~ 17-14 Giants

** Bears +10 (PACKERS)
No Comment.  Let's Go Bears!
WIN ~ 10-3 Packers

* Titans +10 (COLTS)
I'm probably very wrong about this.  But nothing came easy for Peyton and the COLTS this year.  Why should 9 1/2 points be easy now?  Besides,  Jeff Fisher is going to try to go out like a TITAN.  He will definitely benefit with a new job somewere else.
WIN ~ 23-20 Colts

* TEXANS -3 (Jaguars)
C'mon..these guys have combined to give up 800 points! Who cares. Jaguars lose.  No playoffs for them!
WIN ~ 34-17 Texans

* Steelers -6 (BROWNS)
You know how I am picking Browns games. But why shouldn't the Steelers win?  Division Titles still mean something ....don't they?
WIN ~ 41-9 Steelers

* RAVENS -10 (Bengals)
I think they might be hungrier than the Steelers Sunday in their quests for the Division title.  the Bengals are on the road and at least they won't be quitting in front of their own fans...when they do quit Sunday.
LOSS ~ 13-7 Ravens

* Rams -3 (SEAHAWKS)
There's no way Coach Spags is going to lose to WhiteHURTs and the SeaHags.  His team will be the NFC West Champs.




THE BEST OF THE REST:

Bills +1 1/2 (JETS)
It's only a question of how long Coach REX will leave the regulars and Mark Sanchez in.  To the Bills, this game will be just like many they've played.  They're just out to ruin some-one's day.  The Jets are in a totally different frame of mind right now.
LOSS ~ 38-7 Jets

Raiders +3 1/2 (CHIEFS)
..Because I'm trying to make-believe the Raiders have something to play for besides getting their Coach fired.  Maybe they'll beat the Chiefs for old time's sake.  Chiefs don't have much to gain by winning.
WIN ~ 31-10 Raiders

PATRIOTS -4 1/2 (Dolphins)
Because that's the way Bill Belichick coaches.
WIN ~ 38-7 Patriots

Cowboys +7 (EAGLES)
Just to piss-off GIANTS fans even more.
WIN ~ 14-13 Cowboys

LIONS -3 (Vikings)
..Because things will get worse and worse for as long as Brett Fvavbreerv is on that team.
WIN ~ 20-13 Lions

FALCONS -14 (Panthers)
Coach John Fox is outta there.  The Panthers can't wait to get home.  The Falcons want to prove they are the class of the NFC.
WIN ~ 31-10 Falcons

SAINTS -7 1/2 (Bucs)
The Bucs' season is over.  But I think the SAINTS wanna Come Marching In.. Again.
LOSS ~ 23-13 Bucs

49ERS -6 1/2 (Cardinals)
Because the NINERS will wait till after their coach got fired to win a game.  This is a battle to stay out of last place.  May the better team still lose.
WIN ~ 38-7 49ers

BRONCOS +3 (Chargers)
meh..   Maybe Broncos get lucky and it snows.  Then the Sunny Diego Chargers will get totally discouraged and quit..  where-by Phillip Rivers will blow his top and beat-up all his team-mates.
LOSS ~ 33-28 Chargers



THAT'S SIXTEEN FINAL BAGELS INTO THE OVEN!



POST GAME RESULTS:
10 Wins  5 Losses  prior to 8pm game.

NEW SEASON BAGEL COUNT =  +17



SHMEAR OF THE WEEK: (9-5)
Rams -3 (SEAHAWKS)
**Tonight

HAPPY FOOTBALL SUNDAY!!

Thank You for following the 2010 NFL Regular Season with me!
May your BAGELS be plentiful.

I'll be working on my Week 17 Giants and Jets Posts this evening.

My last N.Y. GIANTS post pretty much sums up where I stand:

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/2010/12/ny-giants-big-blue-apocalypse-now.html

Mike.BTB

Happy New Year ~ 2011

I would like to extend my sincerest appreciation to everyone who takes time away from their days to read my nonsense as I try to root-on our local sports teams... and Thank You everyone, who's ever taken a ride on

my little Trolley through Brooklyn.

Thank You All!

Have a Safe, Healthy, Prosperous and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Nothing Ventured; Nothing Gained.

Good Luck in 2011

and be well.

Mike

BROOKLYN TROLLEY BLOGGER