Thanks For Nothing

Stephon Marbury will soon either be ordered to stay home indefinitely or be released by the New York Knicks, a source told the New York Daily News.

Marbury again declined to play Wednesday night against the Pistons, the second time he had done so in six days. The same source told the Daily News that Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni considered sending Marbury home that night.

The Knicks are down to two healthy guards -- Chris Duhon and Anthony Roberson -- after Nate Robinson missed Wednesday's game with a groin injury and Cuttino Mobley has not yet been cleared by team doctors.

Marbury is one of the league's highest paid players and is scheduled to make at $20.8 million this season.

Favre Initially Doubted His Decision Of Coming To New York

Brett Favre spoke with Peter King following the Jets' win at Tennessee on Sunday.

"I remember those days," said Favre about how during the summer he only wanted to play for the Packers or Vikings. "I was not open to playing anywhere else, but for all the wrong reasons. For revenge, or whatever. And that was wrong. I knew what a change it would be, especially in New York. I was about to be 39, and New York wasn't a great fit. The media, coming off a 4-12 season, learning a new offense, the high expectations ... Did I really want to go through that?

"A change like that would have been tough on a 22-year-old. As a matter of fact, after I reached the agreement with the Jets, we were in the plane coming up to New Jersey and I thought, 'Oh no! What am I doing? I'm making a big mistake.'

"It might have been more than I was up for. But then [wife] Deanna said something to me that made sense. She said, 'Hey, whether you're here one year, two years, or five weeks, whatever, you've got to be committed.' And she was right. I owed it to the Jets to give them everything I had.

"And it's been great. It hasn't been all smooth, but I've enjoyed it. I'm having fun. Now, if we were 3-8 instead of 8-3, I know I'd be back on the farm next year and it'd be over. But I'm just going to play as hard as I can every week the rest of the way and we'll see how it goes."

With all that being said, Jets fans are happy he is here, and he is playing great for them. The fact that he almost renigged on his decision would make me doubt his commitment. Then again it would have been more important if this came out 2 weeks into the season rather then now. Will Favre come back? Maybe if the Jets make a real run in the playoffs, but as of right now its up in the air in my opinion. All I know is that hes playing like a guy who is 100% committed to winning. With the Jets in first place, I'm sure that does not hurt either.

Orioles In The Hunt For Burnett

The Orioles have joined five other teams in the race to sign free-agent pitcher A.J. Burnett this offseason.

"There is sincere and mutual interest (with the Orioles)," agent Darek Braunecker said. "We're not here to waste people's time or our time. We don't need to create a false market for A.J. Burnett."

Also in the hunt are the Phillies, Braves, Red Sox, Yankees and Blue Jays.

Angels Shifting Thoughts and Money To C.C?

The Angels are in discussions with CC Sabathia and could offer him a contract that approaches the $140 million that was offered by the Yankees.

Team officials claim that the focus has shifted off of free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira because the Angels are hesitant to guarantee him more than seven years.

"We've had discussions about what the potential framework of a deal might be," general manager Tony Reagins said, not willing to rule Teixeira out. "At this time, I would say we still have interest at a high level. We understood going into this that it was going to take some time to accomplish."

The Big Trades In The Big Apple

As many of you have heard the New York Knicks are preparing for 2010 when a slew of free agent eye candy will be available for the taking.

The Knicks took their first real step towards their goal of getting significantly under the cap by trading Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph and Marty Collins, freeing up almost 27 million in those three players alone for 2010.

There has been a snag in the deal involving Randolph and Collins. The Knicks sent Randolph and Collins to the Clippers in exchange for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. It has been reported now that Cuttino Mobley has failed his physical due to a heart condition he has been playing with his entire career. Although it has not hampered him in his career to date, its a concern for the Knicks and the league as far as putting the trade through.

The Knicks have said they will not void the trade, but Mobley will be seeing another heart doctor today for an 2nd opinion.

The biggest thing to take from this trade is the Knicks are finally on the right track to success. Yes they got rid of their two best players and two best scoring options but they are getting ready for LeBron. And that is a great thing to be patient for.

Gang Green Ends Titans Perfect Season

Undefeated no more are the Tennessee Titans thanks to Leon Washington and the New York Jets.

The Jets proved to the world on Sunday that they are for real and are going to make a real push in the AFC.

The Jets out matched the Titans at every position from quarterback to defensive line. Calvin Pace was around Kerry Collins all game and the run game that Tennessee is known for was shut down thanks in large part to Kris Jenkins.

With this big win for the Jets they must gather a few things. The first being that they now know they are a complete 180 from the team they were last season. They move the ball and have a defense that can stop everything. They now know they can hang with anyone, who else is out there that is on the same caliber as the Titans? The Giants and the only way gang green faces big blue is in the Super Bowl.

Leon Washington has become such a weapon for the Jets that at any second he can blow up your team and won't look back....unless its to see how far ahead of the defense he is already. 2 touchdowns for Washington on Sunday further proved why this team would not be where they are today without him.

Although the Jets are not totally in the clear, the Patriots got revenge on the Dolphins for the wildcat game 1.0 with a big win as Randy Moss scored 3 touchdowns and Matt Cassell threw for 400 yards again. The Bills trampled the Chiefs putting over 50 on the scoreboard. That being said the Jets with the win today proved to be a force to be reckoned with in the league. Momentum is on their side now heading down the home stretch.

And for the record, yes I did pick the Jets to win today.

Somewhere Mercury Morris is laughing and sipping champagne.

Brewers and Giants Talking a Cain for Fielder Deal?

A non-Giants' source has told the San Francisco Chronicle that there remains some dialog between the Giants and Brewers about a possible deal for first baseman Prince Fielder or shortstop J.J. Hardy, but the source said the Brewers are hesitant to move them, particularly Fielder.

Tony Romo: One Hell of a Guy

So Tony Romo is apparently a really nice guy, even though he plays quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.


The Dallas Morning News reported on Wednesday that the Cowboys quarterback took a homeless man to the movies recently.

The man, who goes by Doc, was outside a theater when a man came up and offered to pay his way to see a movie. Planning on passing out fliers for a consignment store across the street, Doc declined. But then he realized that he had just turned down Romo.

He ran across the street, asked for the day off and ran back to the theater. Romo and Doc ended up sitting together watching the movie "Role Model." Doc told the newspaper that he informed Romo that he hadn't showered in days.

"Don't worry about that," Romo said, according to the newspaper. "I'm used to locker rooms."

He confirmed the encounter with Doc but wouldn't elaborate.

This latest gesture really impressed Doc.

"For me, it was a blessing," Doc said. "It came at just the right time. It gave me some encouragement and faith in mankind. I just wanted to say thank you."

So Romo is now Mother Theresa. I commend him on his nice gesture, maybe he should have offered him a shower, then again he said he did not mind the stench.

Touchdown Romo to Doc.

Message To All Readers

Thank you for reading and sticking with this. I have tried hard to update this as much as possible. Of late i have been really busy and have just posted stories i found interesting. The post right before this is my first actual written post and i loved writing it on the train as it was stalled for a half hour. I will be updating more often. Thanks once again.

New York Sports, At an All Time High?

New York is already the sports and media capitol of the world and yet this year its getting even bigger. In case you forgot the New York Giants won the Super Bowl last year adding another notch to the New York greatness belt. So what do they do this year well all they have done was post a 9-1 record through 10 games, and are arguably the best team in the league. Getting their last win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday as they ran for 207 yards on the team with the best run defense....not so much. All of the prognosticators said there is no way the Giants can bounce back with the losses of Osi Umenyiora, Michael Strahan, Gibirl Wilson and Kawika Mitchell. Yet Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, Fred Robbins, Cory Webster and Aaron Ross have this defense heralded as the main component for a repeat of the 2007 season.

Then there are the New York Jets. In the off season the Jets were poised to turn their fortunes around so they opened their wallets and did just that. Inking Alan Faneca, Calvin Pace, Kris Jenkins, and Brett Favre are now paying off in huge dividends. This past Thursday the Jets topped the first place Patriots to leap frog them and take the thrown in the AFC east. The run defense has improved dramatically with Jenkins plugging up the middle with his 350 lbs+ frame. Now being 7-3 the Jets are ready to face off with the 10-0 Tennessee Titans and really be put to the test. Brett Favre has been slinging the ball around like he did in Green Bay and has the Jets offense looking potent. Rookie TE Dustin Keller has become a great target for Favre along with Lavereus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery. Could the Jets and Giants both be on their way to first round byes in the playoffs?? Or better yet begin to book their tickets to Tampa...

Then we move to the other dominant story in New York, the Yankees and Mets. For the first time in 14 years the post season was vacant in the room which was reserved for a New York franchise. The off season brings enormous questions for both teams. The Yankees have freed up 80 million in cap space and are ready to unload on the free agent market. #1 target is C.C Sabathia. They have already placed their offer of 6 years for 140 million. The richest contract for a pitcher in history. #2 on their list is A.J Burnett. Their offer for him came today supposidly for 5 years and 80 million. The next intriguing options for the Yankees are Derek Lowe and Mark Texieria. Oh and lets not forget the bombers are interested in acquiring Jake Peavy from the Padres. (Give them Robinson Cano, Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes or Austin Jackson and call it a deal!) Its clear that the opening of the New Stadium will bring change to the Yankees line up and rotation as they will do all it takes to win. High Payroll and all.

The Metropolitans have issues of their own like the bullpen that were catalysts for 30 blown saves this past season. So with Billy Wagner out for the season a closer is priority #1 for the Mets. Names being floated around surround Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez. Rodriguez's agent wants 100 million over 5 years. That's 10 million more than Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer of all time who set the reliever contract record last season by getting 15 million a year. Other names out there Brian Fuentes and Kerry Wood. The Mets are in desperate need of all bullpen help as their leading candidate for closing and being a big player is Aaron Hielman...how did that work out last year. Priority #2 for the Mets is to get another starter. Oliver Perez is a free agent will they bring him back? Pedro Martinez apparently has said he is looking at other places to pitch and probably has outstayed his welcome. As far as position players the Mets are pretty set. Their left side of the infield is set for years. 2nd base is still a question mark and Carlos Delgado was given a 1 year extension. The Mets could get a veteran like Raul Ibanez to play left field while Dave Murphy matures more.

Then last but not least are the lovely New York Knicks. The Knicks are actually winning. That's right winning not losing like we are use to. The hire of Mike D'Antoni has proven to be a success thus far. The Knickerbockers are the highest scoring team in the league and are actually a threat. Stephon Marbury has all but been banned from the Garden and Eddy Curry iis literally to fat to play. But the face paced, shooting 7 seconds or ill kill you offense that worked so great for the Suns is clearly doing well in the big apple. Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph have been key components in D'Antoni's full octane style of play averaging close to 20 points a game, and for Randolph he is adding a slew of rebounds and is a walking double-double. Chris Duhon has given them stable point guard play, someone who has a pass first mentality and gets assists. How long can this New York team play this well, will we be able to mention the Knicks and the playoffs in the same sentence once again? Then comes next season....at forward number 23 from Akron Ohio...LeBron James?? Hey you never know

LeBron Getting Ready For Steep Offers

Sonny Vaccaro, a former shoe executive who is as well connected as anyone in the game of basketball, believes LeBron James will end up with the Knicks in 2010.

The Nets were once believed to be the favorites to land James, but with their Brooklyn arena project stalled, the club looks like they will be stuck in New Jersey.

“LeBron’s relationship with Jay-Z will go on regardless,” Vaccaro said. “He’ll be an international celebrity in New York. If the Nets aren’t in Brooklyn, he’s not going over there for even $200 million. They’re putting pieces together. They’re doing the right things. They’re just living in the wrong building.”

Cleveland Pursuing All Time Saves Leader

The Indians want to sign reliever Trevor Hoffman, but they won't target just the former Padres' closer.

"If there's a back-end bullpen alternative out there, then we're going to explore it," GM Mark Shapiro told MLB.com on Friday.

Randy To The Cubs?

The Cubs are reportedly interested in signing free agent pitcher Randy Johnson to a one-year deal.

General manager Jim Hendry still wants to re-sign Ryan Dempster, but is moving ahead with contingency plans in case Dempster leaves.

Johnson's agent, Alan Nero, said on Friday that Johnson "would seem to be a perfect fit" for the Cubs.

Yanks Eyeing Peavy

The Yankees are keeping an eye on San Diego's Jake Peavy as they continue to court free agents like CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe.

The Yankees and Padres have had "numerous discussions" about Peavy, according to a Major League source.

The Braves recently pulled out of the race for Peavy, and Padres GM Kevin Towers said Thursday that the Cubs are no longer a player in the trade talks.

"As of right now, there hasn't been a deal that's been presented to us that we could accept," Towers said.

Yankees Ready to Spend

Yankees co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner claims that the team is prepared to spend whatever they have to in order to field a championship-caliber team next season.

"We're going to do what we do every year, and that's try to field a championship team," Steinbrenner said on Tuesday. "That's not going to change. We know that we've got some weaknesses, and we're going to fix the problems as best we can. If that means spending money, obviously that means spending money. The philosophy has not changed."

New York is expected to be very aggressive beginning on Friday, when free agent offers can officially be made.

"Everything has a price," Steinbrenner said. "We understand free agency. We're going to go after what we need, and if what we can do and what we're willing to do is not enough, then it won't be enough. But we're going to pursue the market aggressively."

Longoria and Soto Win ROY

The rookie races were all but over by July, when Evan Longoria and Geovany Soto gave an All-Star glimpse of things to come.

Longoria won the American League Rookie of the Year award in a unanimous vote and Soto ran away with the NL honor Monday, capping impressive seasons that included All-Star appearances for both players at Yankee Stadium.

Pretty rare stuff for a pair of first-timers -- but these were no ordinary freshmen.

"I had a great year, bar none," Longoria said. "I know I have the ability to do more."

Following a season of breakthroughs for the AL champion Rays, Longoria became the first Tampa Bay player to win a national award from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The power-hitting third baseman received all 28 first-place votes, making him the league's first unanimous rookie winner since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997.

Soto, the steady catcher with pop who helped the Cubs win the NL Central, got 31 of 32 first-place votes. The other went to Cincinnati's Joey Votto.

"It's kind of surreal. It really hasn't sunk in yet," Soto said on a conference call from Puerto Rico.

Called up from the minors in April, Longoria batted .272 with 27 homers and 85 RBIs despite missing five weeks after breaking his right wrist Aug. 7. Confident at the plate and splendid on defense, he was a big reason for the Rays' stunning surge to the World Series after 10 straight losing seasons.

"I definitely felt some awe most of the time during the season. I kept that to myself," Longoria said on a conference call from his California home. "I didn't start the year in the big leagues. I struggled all the way through high school ball and college ball. The journey that I went through as a baseball player -- to be sitting here means a lot."

Chicago White Sox second baseman Alexei Ramirez was the runner-up after receiving 18 second-place votes. Boston outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury finished third.

Soto hit .285 with 23 homers, 35 doubles and 86 RBIs. He became the first catcher to win Rookie of the Year in either league since Mike Piazza of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1993.

The previous winner from the Cubs was pitcher Kerry Wood 10 years ago.

"I just didn't want to put extra pressure on myself. I just wanted to do my job as the team required," Soto said.

The Rays were so sure Longoria would become a big star that they gave him a $17.5 million, six-year contract after only six major league games. The deal could be worth up to $44.5 million over nine seasons.

So far, he's delivered.

Tampa Bay started play in 1998 and had never won more than 70 games until Longoria helped lead the Rays to 97 wins this year and the AL East title. He also hit a tying double with two outs in the eighth inning during the July 15 All-Star Game in New York.

Soto became the first National League rookie catcher to start an All-Star Game. In addition to his productive hitting all season, he did a nice job handling a Cubs pitching staff that compiled a 3.87 ERA, third-best in the NL. He even caught a no-hitter by Carlos Zambrano.

Soto credited backup catcher Henry Blanco and other veteran teammates for giving him advice and pep talks that guided him through a "roller coaster" year.

"That's what helped me have a strong season all the way around," Soto said. "I did try to act very sure about myself, very secure. But I had doubts."

After his injury, Longoria, who turned 23 last month, returned in time for Tampa Bay's playoff run. He homered in his first two postseason at-bats against the White Sox, then connected four times against Boston in the AL Championship Series to set a rookie record with six homers in one postseason.

But his offensive tear ended in the World Series, when Longoria went 1-for-20 with nine strikeouts and two RBIs as the Philadelphia Phillies beat Tampa Bay in five games.

"Obviously, I would have loved to play well and help the team," Longoria said. "I was still pretty content that we had a great year."

The 25-year-old Soto had a disappointing October after his team compiled the best regular-season record in the National League. Bothered by a nagging hand injury, he went 2-for-11 (.182) with no RBIs as Chicago was swept in the first round by the Dodgers, leaving the Cubs without a World Series title since 1908.

Balloting for BBWAA awards is conducted before the postseason. Votto garnered 21 second-place votes and 76 points to Soto's 158. Atlanta pitcher Jair Jurrjens came in third.

"I worked really, really hard in past years," Soto said. "I feel very, very special right now. It's a very good moment in my life."

The NL Cy Young Award will be announced Tuesday.

Hall To The Redskins

Deangelo Hall has a new team, the Washington Redskins.

According to a source, Hall agreed to a one-year deal that is worth $492,000 for the remainder of the season, the prorated portion of his $1 million base salary that he would have received from the Oakland Raiders.

"He's excited to be coming home, he's a Virginia Tech guy," Segal told The Associated Press.

The Raiders released Hall on Wednesday, eight games into a seven-year, $72 million contract.

He walked away with $8 million this year and a chance to sign with a new team.

The New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers were among the teams aggressively recruiting Hall.

Iverson Sporting A New Digit

Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey indicated he would be willing to give up his #3 jersey to new acquisition Allen Iverson, but the NBA ruled that the change could not happen until after the season, the Detroit News is reporting.

Iverson has chosen to wear #1, which was worn by Chauncey Billups, who was traded to Denver for Iverson.

Deangelo Hall, You Cant Play Ball...With The Raiders

Angered by the Oakland Raiders' 2-6 start, team owner Al Davis asked his front office staff to explore the possibility of releasing several players, including cornerback DeAngelo Hall, according to multiple sources.

The Raiders are expected to release Hall on Wednesday, sources told ESPN's Michael Smith.


Hall
The process started on Monday, a day after the Raiders' embarrassing 24-0 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Davis, looking ahead to rest of the season and to 2009, asked his staff to study a list of potential players who could be let go before the end of the week or after the season, sources said.

One source said the list included more than a dozen names. The Raiders' front-office staff studied the cap consequences of releasing high-priced veteran players. He also wanted his staff to see if other teams might claim any of these players on waivers.

The team was planning on making the move to release Hall on Tuesday before holding off, according to NFL.com. The Raiders have paid Hall $8 million for eight games, and also gave Atlanta a second-round pick for his services.

NFL.com reported the move to waive him now helps the Raiders avoid paying Hall $16 million worth of injury-guaranteed bonuses in his contract.

Hall has 48 tackles and three interceptions for the Raiders, including a season-high eight tackles last week against the Falcons.

Hall isn't the only Raider under consideration for release. Wide receiver Javon Walker received an $11 million signing bonus and a $1 million base salary this year, but he has only 13 catches in his first seven games with the Raiders. The other players on Davis' list are unknown.

At his Monday press conference, interim Raiders coach Tom Cable said he was thinking of making more changes in the starting lineup. Since taking over for Lane Kiffin, Cable has benched wide receiver Ronald Curry and safety Michael Huff. If Davis gets his way, some changes might be permanent.

Nuggets Trade Allen Iverson To Detroit for Billups and Co.

The Pistons and the Nuggets have finalized a trade that sends guard Allen Iverson to Detroit and Pistons mainstays Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver.

"We just felt it was the right time to change our team," Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told The Associated Press. "Iverson gives us a dimension that we haven't had here and we really think it's going to help us."
The Pistons will introduce Iverson at a news conference Tuesday in Auburn Hills, Mich., at 3:30 p.m. ET. His debut with the Pistons might come Wednesday night in Toronto.

"He was very excited about the trade," Iverson's agent, Leon Rose, told the AP.

Young center Cheikh Samb, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers for the Pistons with the 51st overall pick in the 2006 draft, will also be going to Denver in the deal.
The Nuggets are expected to waive the 34-year-old McDyess, ESPN.com's Chad Ford reports. McDyess has no interest in playing for any team other than the Pistons, meaning he could choose to retire or negotiate a contract buyout with Denver.
Billups is in the second season of a four-year contract worth a guaranteed $46 million with a $14 million team option for a fifth year. The Pistons kept McDyess off the free-agent market by giving him a $13.5 million, two-year contract extension, and they would love to have him back if the Nuggets don't want his salary and buy out his contract.

Dumars put the entire Pistons roster on notice after they lost to Boston in the East finals, saying that there "are no sacred cows" on his team and vowing to consider trading anyone -- even a major contributor to the Pistons' 2004 title run like Billups -- in addition to firing coach Flip Saunders and replacing Saunders with the untested Michael Curry.

Sports and The Election : What a Mix

The next president of the United States will be trying to swing some more voters on the night before the biggest day of their lives.

Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain will be on ESPN during Monday Night Football with Chris Berman at halftime of the Pittsburgh Steelers at Washington Redskins game. It seems like the candidates are pandering to the sports audience heavily, as their D-Day nears.

The sports market has been flooded with politics in the last weeks between the World Series in baseball and Monday Night Football in the NFL.

Before game five of the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays, Senator Obama purchased a half hour of presidential ad time on FOX, CBS and NBC. In reaction to Obama’s outcry to swing some more votes via commercial, McCain went on with Larry King on Larry Kings Live to shed more light on to why he should be the next president of the United States.

During the interview with Chris Berman at halftime of the Monday Night game, Obama said his best asset was that he “does not get to high or too low when things are going down ” and also stated that if elected president that would be a great quality to have. On a lighter note when asked what the one thing he would change about sports, the senator said he would change the college football playoff system. He once again reiterated how important it was for all to go out to vote and for the voice of the people be heard.

When Berman asked McCain what one thing he would change in sports, McCain said he would do everything he could do to get performance enhancing drugs out of professional and minor league sports. He said that performance enhancing drugs were awful and can be affecting kids playing in high school today who are the future for professional sports. The best advice McCain ever received from someone in sports was to “always have to do the honorable thing even when people are not looking, because you will be looking.” McCain jokingly stated about what he wants voters to be thinking inside the polls quoting a famous touchdown call, “he-could-go-all-the-way…to the white house.”

With only a few hours until the polls open, Senator Obama and Senator McCain have done all they can to persuade the public into making the right choice. They are even trying to get last second votes from football fans across America. And it’s only fitting that this come on a game with the Steelers, because Pennsylvania is a swing state after all.

Packers Aint the Same..

Thats what Titans stud defensive player, Albert Haynesworth said.

Titans' defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth doesn't think the Packers are the same team without Brett Favre.

"I had my helmet and stuff ready for him to sign, and now he is not going to be there," Haynesworth said of meeting Favre. "I'll definitely be bringing that Green Bay helmet when we play the Jets."

Well sorry Albert you wont get your helmet and other items signed because the gun slingger isnt in town, and the Packers will have a huge task of stopping you and the rest of the Tennessee Titans.