Web Gems: Kordell runs over 'Joe'

I hate New York's Fairweather fans

I admit it. I too have found myself caught up in this Giants Cinderella-story hoopla. In fact the reason you haven't been seeing much updating over the last few days is because Brandon Jacobs was busy truck-sticking Rodney Harrison on my PS3 all week. I'm no Giants fan, but as a New Yorker (and a Jets fan and thus Patriots hater), I can't help but smile at the possibility of yet another Aaron Booneing at the hands of another New York team (even if they play in New Jersey).

And then I came back down to earth and I remembered why I hated Giants fans.

It was just this morning when I read the front page of the Daily News: Why New York loves Eli Manning... umm... you have to be kidding me. The New York media and fairweather fans seem to have bigger mood swings than a meeting of pregnant women. Wasn't it only a few months ago that Tiki Barber's commentary made you rue the day ol' Archie Manning traded Eli to the Giants? Wasn't it was only a few months ago that you were already naming coaching replacements for Tom Coughlin? Wasn't it only a few months ago that you Giants 'fans' were dreaming of Philip Rivers and Shawne Merriman (and Nate Kaeding for that matter) in a lighter shade of blue rather than this "kid who may never be as good as his brother."

Then the Patriots game happened and Eli has been playing out of his mind ever since. But let's be real. All this talk of being as good as Phil Simms or even being a premier NFL quarterback has to stop. If you believe that then you so-called fans apparently don't know shit. The guy has seriously been only good for a month yet I have seen more Eli Manning replica jerseys in the past week than replays of SportsCenter. (And it's always on TV, FYE; for your entertainment) You fairweather New Yorkers read your New York Posts and Daily Newses and appoint yourselves Giants faithful. I won't even let my dog piss on those papers, yet it seems to be the bandwagoners guide to New York sports.

And don't even start to explain to me how Tiki Barber was the locker room equivalent of Nene Hilario's left testicle. (What, too soon?) You know very well that up until that Patriots game that you honestly would trade Tiki for Eli in a second. A cancer? Last year, I heard non-stop about his greatness, and for good reason; he was the best player on the team and because the coaching staff decided to lean on him more than they should have. Is that his fault? And until this team wins the Super Bowl then it is no better than the team Tiki's fumble-prone hands carried to Super Bowl XXXV.

Maybe instead of blaming Tiki you can look at your beloved pass-catching hick of a tight end, Jeremy Shockey. I think he's the biggest reason why Eli's been playing so well. Instead of that loudmouth running headfirst into his next injury, its Kevin Boss staying behind and pass blocking like a real tight end. Hmm... extra time in the pocket = success? Not as sexy as Giants vs Tiki I guess.

Hey, real Giants fans, these fakers should bother you too. You who have followed your team from the Fassel regime all the way to a month ago when Eli started to simultaneously live up the name on the front and the back of his jersey. It's your turn to enjoy this moment. Then after you come back from that euphoria you should collectively give all these bandwagoners a New York football Giant kick in the ass. Let them wear their newly-purchased Eli Manning replica jersey. Just be sure to have fun at their expense... "You know that Eli was traded last year?"

Either way, for the second time in the season, REAL Jets fans and REAL Giants fans have their goals aligned: end New England's perfect season. Good luck, Giants, and while you're at it, would you please shove that air cast up Tom Brady's ass for me. Thanks.

Web Gems: Knicks fan has license to vent against James Dolan

Web Gems: The 'Downfall' of the Cowboys

I know, I know, another Giants-Cowboys video. But what can I do? Mario Castelli only gets them from the Giants board. Still funny though.

Forget Reinstatement, Pacman should be excecuted

I learned when I was three not to hit girls. I also learned at an age three not to repeat mistakes, especially when you get in trouble for it. Adam 'Pacman' Jones's maturation still has not reached this point in his 24 years of life. For a guy who wore a t-shirt of his dead grandmother on draft day, you'd think he would put more effort into making her proud.

There's absolutely no defending Jones. I can imagine his lawyer getting chronic carpal tunnel while scouring all of his law books for the next loophole. Let's see this lawyer turn this case of this woman who gets hit for stealing his money in a strip club into a parking ticket... because you know it's going to happen. Seriously, he's been in trouble with the law seven times on quick Wikipede. (I'm going to make that a word.)

To quote Family Guy:

Judge: In fact, If I could, I would put you in a place where you would be removed from the general public. Perhaps locked in a big, secure building with other dangerous people for a pre-determined period of time, based on the nature and degree of your offense. Unfortunately, as far as I know, no such place exists. So, I have no choice but to set you free.

No joke, this seems to be the deal for Jones. Hitting a woman was unforgivable the first time. What about the next four? How many times do you have to be told to stay out of strip clubs? And when you do decide to go back to said strip clubs, why would you "Make it rain" just to yet again Indian-give 'The Rain' like a storm drain? Why? Because people like Pacman never learn anything. He is unfixable. He cannot be rehabilitated.

People like him should be removed from society all together. People like him shouldn't make money and shouldn't be given second chances. People like him shouldn't be given high-priced lawyers so he could do this over and over again. This guy shouldn't be allowed back in the NFL. Heck, he shouldn't be allowed to bag groceries at a dollar store.

This is such a one-sided arguement. I can't imagine any explanation. I'm just waiting for Al Sharpton to butt his awkward Star Jones-like body into this situation to portray Jones as a victim. Please do, Mr. Sharpton, as you will continue to lose whatever credibility you have left. Go worry about bigger issues like how the white female golf analyst accidentally and jokingly offended 1/38th of Tiger Woods.

This isn't a race issue. This has nothing to do with being black. This has nothing to do with him being a football player. This has to do with an idiot who is addicted to committing felonies and getting away with it because he has the means to do so. And it makes me sick. So forget about making a living, this guy shouldn't be allowed to live.

And oh yeah. He wasn't that good of a football player either.

Steroids: An American Issue

What kind of message is Congress sending in an election year? Is it that they are as eager to get out of this war as the rest of the American people? No. Perhaps it is the dwindling education levels of our children in the public school system, which has been bottom-feeding for decades? No. While American voters are heavily weighing candidates for the election in November, praying that these people might finally spark our economy back to life, Congress is holding meetings to determine whether Miguel Tejada, Roger Clemens, and Andy Pettitte ever used performance enhancing drugs.

Don’t get me wrong; this is a very important issue. What, with murder rates higher than they’ve ever been; and with a higher percentage of the population in prison than any other country, where up to five people will be living in a cell built for two. The facts are simple. Our country is falling apart and we are at a time where we are looking to our leaders to guide us into the next electoral term.

Now is the time to, at least, tell us you have some sort of concept of change ahead. But with the several meetings between Congress, Sen. George Mitchell, and Roger Clemens, I can only deduce that our political system, as Chris Rock once said, “Is not trying to catch Osama Bin Laden, [they are] trying to catch Barry Bonds.” Millions of taxpayer dollars are now being poured into an effort to turn around a private enterprise.

Surely, Major League Baseball has a pretty good handle on things. Last I checked, when people buy season tickets for Fenway Park, they don’t wear Romney caps, or wave Kerry flags in the stands. This is about doing what’s right for the league and for the fans, and it is not up to Congress to determine what is best. Rather, Congress should be enforcing legal practices to prevent drug use in our public schools, or perhaps investing those extra millions of dollars into public works projects that can get our economy out of the gutter.

How’s that deficit coming along?

I am not a politician. I am not a baseball player. I am a fan of professional sports. It does bother me to see these names: Brian Roberts, Miguel Tejada, Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, etc. sitting on a 311-page document by Sen. Mitchell. However, I do agree with Joe Torre, who pointed out how all of the people listed were given by the same two people. I also give a lot of credit to Rusty Hardin, the Texas lawyer picked up by Clemens, who pointed out that McNamee was under a great deal of pressure and facing prison time. He needed to give up big names to get big results for his testimony. Mitchell also stated before Congress yesterday that “McNamee had an overwhelming incentive to tell the truth.”

Overwhelming incentive. That sounds like something might have pushed him over the edge.
I cannot claim to know whether or not Clemens did it; or any other player for that matter. But what I do know is that Major League Baseball, its owners and organizations, is amongst the highest profiting industries in this country. Congress has much bigger fish to fry. It’s time for them to stop butting in on Major League Baseball and think about what the American people really want to know.

How about that health care system?

Originally submitted at ChewThemOut.com by Andrew Keating

Indigestion - 1/15/08

• Glen Rice is the latest former athlete to join the likes of Mixed Martial Arts. Unfortunately for Rice, the guy hiding in his wife's closet was unaware that he too was in the fight.

• Knicks guard Jamal Crawford has now hit 35 consecutive free-throws, four off the franchise record. More impressive, however is his streak of 3806 consecutive bad shots.

• Reports say that the Atlanta Falcons and USC Coach Pete Carroll were in discussions about the coaching vacancy in Atlanta. Carroll's recommendation: Keep it vacant.
  
  
• Michael Vick could have his sentenced lessened after enrolling in a drug treatment program in prison. Upon learning this, OJ Simpson starting doing crack cocaine, LSD and psychedelic mushrooms.
  
  
• The Jaguars website now has an asterisk on all its loss to the Patriots. They are planning on traveling to San Diego next week.
  
  
• Reports said that the New York Mets had a deal in place which would have landed prized left-hander Johan Santana. However Omar Minaya said the deal fell through when Minaya's mother accidentally hit the power cord of his XBOX360 with the vacuum before he could save it.
  
  
• The Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals are close to a deal in which they would exchange Troy Glaus for Scott Rolen. Holding the deal back, however, is both teams' reluctance to trade their oft-injured star third baseman with steroid accusations for an oft-injured star third baseman with steroid accusations.
  
  
• Joakim Noah was benched an extra game by teammates for a confrontation with assistant coach Ron Adams in practice. Noah was apparently set off when Adams called him a "nappy-headed ho."
  
  
• Amputee sprinter, Oscar Pistorius was ruled ineligible for the Beijing Olympics after it was ruled that he had an unfair advantage over competitors. This ruling comes as a huge victory to the group who filed the complaint; Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery, Floyd Landis and Barry Bonds.
  
  
• Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, runner-up for the Heisman two years in a row, declared for the draft as expected. Unfortunately, McFadden declared for the wrong draft and is now in Iraq.
  
  
• Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum is expected to miss eight weeks with a "temporarily dislocated kneecap." Perhaps not so coincidental, Nickelodeon announced an eight week Spongebob marathon a day prior.
  
  
• Following the Giants stunning victory over the Cowboys, the Knicks followed suit with a blowout win against the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons were held to less than 31% shooting while scoring only 65 points. In related news, the Devil is in serious but stable condition after acquiring pneumonia from the freezing temperatures in hell.

Web Gems: What REALLY Happened With Tony Romo vs. The New York Giants

Web Gems: Coors Light Terrell Owens Commercial

Toon Them Out: Steroids

Amputee has an unfair advantage?

Unfair advantage? Those words might be a little unfamiliar with double-amputee South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, so you might need to elaborate. Born without both fibulas, "The Blade Runner" quickly rose to fame when he broke sprinting records at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens.

Next on his plate: The 2008 Beijing "Able-Bodied" Olympics.

Not so fast. The International Association of Athletics Federation is expected to rule on Saturday that Pistorius has a competitive edge over his opponents after extensive testing.

Extensive testing? Did he do EPO? The cream and the clear? Did he break a homerun record?

Firstly, if this guy was in the US, his personal best 46.9 400m race falls about two full seconds short of any qualifying time. Qualifying! In other countries, that may qualify him as an alternate on a relay. That's all.

So let's be honest. Even with his "unfair advantage," he's not setting any world records. He's not going to win any medals. So what's the point of all this testing? Isn't the idea of this whole thing to make a feel-good story about a guy who had to clear so many hurdles along the way? Good press? I mean I recall Iraqi children running in the last Olympics in t-shirts and shorts, competing against World Class Athletes. They got a standing ovation, and it wasn't like the pity claps the fat kid in high school gets. They were applauded for being courageous.

What kind of message does this send? Does that mean that if they actually ran a good time they possibly would not have even been there? You made the exception for them, now why not this? What, he's too good?

Give him a break. You don't have to count it. Just let him run -- something that he wouldn't be able to do without that "unfair advantage."

Pete Carroll to leave USC for the Falcons?

The big news of the day is Pete Carroll has expressed interest in the Atlanta Falcons Head Coaching job, which immediately brings up a smack in the face and the question: Why?

Well obviously it is every coach's dream to coach at that highest level, and in this case, the NFL. But the Atlanta Falcons? I'm 83% certain the USC Trojans can beat the Falcons in a game, never mind compete with them. I mean how many 1st Round talents are there in Atlanta? Three?

So on first look, why in the blue hell would this job be attractive?

Maybe it's because this is one of the few NFL jobs that have "play God" in the job description. Our boy Petey would have complete control over the personnel decisions, just like he would in sunny Southern Cal. But is that what he really, truly wants?

Sure, in principle, that's what anybody would want. With a stroke of a pen, he could get guys perfect for his system and weed out everybody else. All questions would end with him, and there would only himself to second guess. But reality check: This isn't USC anymore. Sure the girls look the same but Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer aren't at the helm of your offense. If you want one of them, you need to draft them or sign them. It's not as easy as giving them a car or having one of the cheerleaders show them a "good time." And until that time, Joey Harrington is your best option at quarterback. Still excited?

The point is that there is a reason why they don't give coaches full control at this level. The NFL is a business, and from what I know about businesses, it's a heck of a lot harder to micro-manage than to hire somebody else to do it if for no reason but to have a fall back. Hire somebody. Anybody, really. Hey, if that new QB doesn't work out, you'll have a scapegoat and at the very least, it'll keep you around for a couple of years. Even if it was your pick. They wouldn't have to know.

Look at all the other college coaches. Look at the very job he's interested in taking. Look at recent history, look at all those coaches that have risen and fallen back into the SEC... cough. Not that Pete Carroll's just any coach, but geez, these Falcons' best example of teamwork was coordinating matching band-aids for their incarcerated former quarterback.

So with all this said, should Pete Carroll take the Atlanta job? The answer is about as complicated as Tiger Woods' ethnicity. His ego may want this fixer-upper just so that he can build on his legacy. His heart may remain with those 56 running backs in Southern Cal. His head should be just recovering about now after being blinded by the national spotlight. God knows he won't get much down there. This job may be everything that Pete Carroll wants, and yet everything he doesn't need. It's like that song.

It's not that USC is the better job, even though it is. It's that Atlanta is the worst job. If you asked me, I'd ask elsewhere.

Web Gems: A Night at the Starbury

Toon Them Out: If Clemens did steroids...

"If he's doing that to me, I should have a third ear coming out of my forehead. I'd be pulling tractors with my teeth." - Roger Clemens

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NFL Playoff Predictions

NFC

Let’s start with the inferior conference, playing for the right to lose in the Super Bowl…

Giants at Cowboys

The Giants have a superior pass rush, passable linebackers and no secondary, defense-wise. Offensively, they have several running backs that all run in different styles and a good run-blocking, and Eli Manning, whose inconsistency is reaching legendary status (and is quite overblown, but that comes with playing in New York). The Cowboys have a defense that either makes big plays or gives them up, and an offense that can be explosive, but really needs T.O. to be any good. So really, the two most important players in this game are Eli Manning and T.O. If Eli Manning plays like he did last week, the Giants have a shot. If T.O. plays, the Cowboys should win regardless. Prediction: Cowboys 31, Giants 24

Seahawks at Packers

Mike Holmgren may be coaching his final season, and wouldn’t it be so appropriate for it to end in the same place where he made a name for himself? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Nostalgia is overrated. Both teams have good defenses that make plays and don’t give many plays up, neither team has much of a running game and both offenses rely heavily on their passing attacks. If this game were being played in a dome, you could be looking at an interesting game. As it is, at Lambeau Field, this game will probably be a defensive struggle. Brett Favre likes to throw the ball into coverage, but Shaun Alexander is seemingly incapable of running. I’ll take Ryan Grant (who would have said that before this season?). Prediction: Packers 13, Seahawks 10

AFC

These two games will decide who plays in the REAL Super Bowl (The AFC Conference Title Game)…

Chargers at Colts

The Titans were a very good team. Still, I would feel a lot better about the Chargers is they could, I don’t know, score some points in the first half? You can afford to not score against the Titans; the Colts have a much better defense (the stingiest in terms of points allowed) and an even better offense (you know, that guy Peyton Manning is kind of good. I think I saw him on a few commercials…). People will point to the last time they played. Let me put it like this: Peyton Manning threw 6 interceptions and The Greatest Clutch Kicker Ever missed two field goals, including a 29-yard game winner. Oh yeah, they only lost by two points. I don’t buy that the Chargers are for real and Norv Turner still can’t coach. Tony Dungy, on the other hand, can coach. And Peyton Manning is the best offensive coordinator in the game. The Colts are the only team capable of beating the Patriots. Prediction: Colts 35, Chargers 21

Jaguars at Patriots

I really don’t like the Patriots. Tom Brady may be the luckiest man in the entirety of human history (except for maybe Bill Gates), and seeing the Patriots lose after going 16-0 in the regular season would make me laugh. Unfortunately, the Patriots don’t lose in the playoffs, Bill Belichick is 13-3 in the postseason and Tom Brady is 12-2. Maybe in a severe snowstorm the Jaguars have a chance; unfortunately, the weather should be decent, and that severely decreases the Jaguar’s chances. To make it simple, if the game is on the line, who would you rather have: Tom Brady or David Garrard? The Patriots will stack the box against the Jaguars and dare Garrard to beat them, and in his first playoff game and against a smart, experienced, team that feasts on mistakes and makes few mistakes of their own, I don’t see Garrard as having a chance. The Jaguars don’t play well from behind, and the Patriots will seek to stop their running game and get quick points on the board, forcing David Garrard to put the ball in the air. Prediction: Patriots 38, Jaguars 21

Web Gems: Peyton Manning and the United Way

Check out this hysterical Peyton Manning commercial.

Web Gems: You do the work!

Think of the best caption for this picture and win a free ChewThemOut.com bottle opener keychain! Comment away! Be sure to leave your e-mail address with your post so we know where to send your prize!


Picture originally posted at: http://www.top10kid.com/?p=27

ChewThemOut Indigestion 1/5/08

Heres the news of the week through the eyes of our very own Anchormen...

• Tom Brady was named NFL MVP almost unanimously. Tom Brady was also unanimously the recipient of the "Everything you could possibly want or have" Award, beating out Derek Jeter and Jay-Z.

• Jose Canseco reached a deal with his publisher to write a sequel to his book, 'Juiced'. Despite co-authoring several chapters, Roger Clemens has denied the book was being published.

• With one year remaining on his contract, JP Losman has announced that he wants out of Buffalo. Buffalo quickly declined as they said having a player like JP Losman goes along with their strategy of being a remarkably average team.

• Martina Hingis was banned from tennis for two years Friday after testing positive for cocaine at Wimbledon earlier this year. Hingis stated, "I never knowingly took cocaine. I think it was tainted Vitamin B-12 powder that Miguel Tejada gave me."

• Bill Parcells fired Miami head coach Cam Cameron after a 1-15 season. James Dolan, owner of the Knicks, was quoted as saying, "You can do that?"

• Speaking of those Knicks, boxer, Roy Jones Jr. practiced with the team earlier this week. After a mediocre showing in practice, the 38-year-old was quickly signed to a 8-year, $120 million contract. Nate Robinson will fight in his stead against Felix Trinidad next Saturday.

• The Oakland Athletics traded fan favorite Nick Swisher to the Chicago White Sox for 3 minor leaguers. The deal also included Oakland receiving cash considerations inexchange for any fan they had left.

• The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in the first professional outdoor game in the United States. Wouldn't that mean that homeless people could take commissions?

• Scottie Pippen returned to action for the Torpan Pojat team in the Finnish Professional League. Pippen scored 9 points then quickly retired after admitting he thought it was the 'Finished league.'

• Reports state that the New Jersey Nets will not move into Brooklyn until 2010 at the earliest. The Knicks however have volunteered to loan them Madison Square Garden as they attempt to win the next WNBA title.

• Longtime Ravens Head Coach, Brian Billick was fired after the GM was told that Billick had "lost the team." Luckily, the team was later found hungry and scared atop a 20-foot tree.

Until next week, you stay classy San Diego...

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NFL Playoff Injury Report

NEW YORK (AP) -- The updated National Football League injury report, as provided by the league:

Saturday

WASHINGTON REDSKINS at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS -- Redskins: OUT: QB Jason Campbell (dislocated knee or as Shaun Livingston calls it, "No big deal". Or as Todd Collins calls it, "Excellent."); QUESTIONABLE: WR James Thrash (ankle); WR Santana Moss (Circumcision) . Seahawks: QUESTIONABLE: WR Deion Branch (calf) just so that Seattle can justify having too many good receivers; PROBABLE: RB Shaun Alexander (wrist, Doubtful: career), LB Niko Koutouvides (knee).

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS -- Jaguars: OUT: LB Mike Peterson (hand), RB LaBrandon Toefield (ankle); PROBABLE: CB Aaron Glenn (ankle), DT Grady Jackson (knee), S Reggie Nelson (thigh). Steelers: OUT: T Marvel Smith (back), RB Willie Parker, Any Chance; QUESTIONABLE: S Troy Polamalu (knee, choice of hairstyle), CB Allen Rossum (hamstring); PROBABLE: CB Bryant McFadden (ankle), WR Willie Reid (shoulder), CB Deshea Townsend (foot), WR Hines Ward (knee).

Sunday

Side Note: I wonder if Tiki gave Ronde any tips for this game.

NEW YORK GIANTS at TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS -- Giants: DOUBTFUL: CB Sam Madison (stomach) He got dizzy after watching Randy Moss for a whole game, C Shaun O'Hara (knee), another gem from Eli; QUESTIONABLE: CB Kevin Dockery (hip), LB Kawika Mitchell (knee), DE Dave Tollefson (concussion); PROBABLE: RB Ahmad Bradshaw (calf), WR Plaxico Burress (ankle) but when is he not?, TE Michael Matthews (illness), WR Sinorice Moss (back) I actually got excited when I misread Sinorice Moss is back. Buccaneers: DOUBTFUL: LB Cato June (foot); QUESTIONABLE: G Arron Sears (ankle).

TENNESSEE TITANS at SAN DIEGO CHARGERS -- Titans: OUT: The Titans' only good WR Roydell Williams (ankle); DOUBTFUL: C Kevin Mawae (is a calf), G Benji Olson (back); QUESTIONABLE: RB LenDale White (knee which is fatigued from having to hold up Lendale White for over 20 years), QB Vince Young (quadricep) Titans Best Hope: He just wins game from sideline; PROBABLE: RB Chris Brown (back), DT Albert "I am the whole defense" Haynesworth (hamstring). Chargers: DOUBTFUL: RB Lorenzo Neal (fibula); QUESTIONABLE: LB Marques Harris (hand); PROBABLE: K Nate Kaeding (left fibula, vagina) Come on! You're the kicker.

Updated on Saturday, Jan 5, 2008 7:21 am, EST

Michael Jordan Fake Retirement Tape

Web Gems: Brock Lesnar's questionable tattoo

and he doesn't look to happy about it... for some it's old news but for those who didn't... it's great! It's supposed to be a sword apparently... with veins and a mushroom head....

Fire Isiah?

"Fire Isiah!" has been more popular than the wave in New York arenas lately, but to be honest, that really doesn't even have a good ring to it. "Fire Thomas" is so much easier to chant.

But it's not as if New Yorkers ever made it easy anyway. Joe Torre, for example, the most successful manager in baseball for the last decade and a half got the ax after never missing the playoffs. Or what about Patrick Ewing, who despite being the offensive and defensive leader of 15 years of championship contenders, will forever be considered a loser.

New York is just used to everything coming so convenient. You pay for your burger, you get it in five minutes. You want a taxi, you just whistle. You want to pay a bill? Just go online. But it just doesn't happen like that all the time. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of New Yorkers. I'm sorry, but sports dynasties don't just happen. In fact they're about as rare as a problem-free Spears. Just because we may be in the midst of a virtual Boston kimura on all mainstream sports doesn't mean that NY is owed anything. And no, us New Yorkers aren't any more deserving than the people in Minnesota, no matter how much they want to tank.

In the past week I have seriously been asked the "Do you think Isiah should be fired?" question about 10 times. I'm a real Knicks fan. What do you expect me to say?

Isiah Thomas inherited a crappy situation and hate it or not, he made it better. As much as you like to reminisce about the Knicks of '94 and the Knicks of '99 you have to remember that Charles Oakley left a long time ago. And about the teams from 2001 on?

A friend once told me that these Knicks are just as bad or worse than the team pre-Isiah. Oh, really? The starting lineup of Charlie Ward, Allan Houston, Keith Van Horn, Kurt Thomas and Dikembe Mutombo. Within two years, 3/5 of that starting lineup was out of the league. But since they were lovable losers means they get a free pass? I remember I couldn't even upgrade that team in NBA 2K4, never mind in real life.

Yet Isiah took that situation, traded for draft picks and acquired a young team. Yeah, maybe Stephon's not the leader we thought he would be. But next year his expiring contract should be enticing enough for some team to trade for before he rides off, discount sneakers and all, into the Italian sunset. But other than that do you realize Eddy Curry is only 25? Zach Randolph is only 26. And lest we forget our 23-year-old budding star, David Lee. In fact, you could make a list of players Isiah discovered longer than Chris Bosh's neck. It's really not as bad as they make you believe on whichever New York tabloid you found on the subway.

The laughing stock of the NBA? Oh please... How different is this team from Minnesota? Or Seattle? Or the Bobcats? Or the Hawks? Are we so ignorant to see that even New Jersey, Indiana and Miami aren't the perennial powerhouses of the past and have slowly but surely spiraled down the tubes faster than last night's Chinese? I know I see it.

But it is this unwarranted pressure the New York media and fans put on these teams that kills their confidence and ultimately makes bad situations worse. This unwarranted pressure almost drove the MLB MVP, Alex Rodriguez packing for Anaheim. This unwarranted pressure forced Scott Layden's hand as he traded Patrick Ewing for 17 long-term contracts that we are still dealing with. This unwarranted pressure is keeping these very Knicks from performing or rallying since any support is drowned out by the boos that rain down as soon as they are down more than two points. This unwarranted pressure is the reason why we are about to kick out one of the best players and talent evaluators of our era because we haven't won a championship every year.

What has Isiah done any worse than the last seven years of predecessors? The only difference I noticed is that he assembled a team that had a fallback... In case of fire(sale) break glass and pull handle. Unlike the virtually untradable good guys we had in the Kurt Thomas era, we now have talented tradable assets.

I've heard "since Patrick Ewing" so many times I'd swear they had a quota. Marcus Camby: The best defensive Knick since Patrick Ewing; Antonio McDyess: the best post up player since Patrick Ewing; Michael Sweetney: The first Georgetown big man drafted since Patrick Ewing... and so on. Well, guess what, New York. Patrick Ewing isn't walking back through those doors. You made sure of that.

Fire Isiah, New York? How about you fire yourselves.

Web Gems: Frank Caliendo does Jim Rome

The NBA's Best Big Man?

You would have thought I said who's now when people see this picture. Big Dwight Howard... the freak... the Manchild. Call him what you will. Just don't be so quick to call him the premier big man in the game because I'm sorry, he's not.

Before you sentence me to stoning with boulders via Dwight Howard, understand what I am trying to say here. I have seen him live. His athleticism for his size is remarkable. His rebounding skills are uncanny. Yes, his shoulders look like youth-sized basketballs. Yes, I know he's scoring 23 ppg right now. But he's not the best big man in the game. I argue that he's not even the best young big man. That honor would go to another freak, Amare Stoudemire.

Dwight simply doesn't have the offensive repertoir to justify that standing as the league's premier big body. I'm sorry but when 80% of his baskets come from his own offensive rebounding and 19% come from alley-oops, there's really little to show. He's more like a big-time 'garbage player.' But when it comes to establishing position or gaining an advantage through footwork Dwight finishes miles behind David Lee, never mind Amare Stoudemire... or Carlos Boozer, or Elton Brand, or Kevin Garnett, or Al Jefferson etc... etc.

You may not see that as a bad thing, and in most cases it's not. I mean, yes, he sure would look nice next to Eddy Curry. But with the clock winding down at the end of the game, who do the Magic look for? Are you putting the ball in his hands 1 on 1? I know I wouldn't. And I don't think they would have overpaid Rashard Lewis that much if he could.

Howard is often compared to another recent Basketball Adonis, David Robinson. But even David Robinson didn't win anything until he got Tim Duncan. Here's a picture so you don't forget what he looks like. Oh, I guess you forgot about him. Didn't he JUST win the NBA championship? Did he fall out of his prime that fast? Or are we just enamored by the flashy (yet still amazing) ESPN highlights we're bombarded with on a nightly basis.

Duncan isn't the only oversight. Just as quietly as Tim Duncan's dominated the West, Chris Bosh is quietly doing the similar things in the East. Well, yes, maybe to a much lesser extent, but 22 and 10 shouldn't be ignored. And if you're so quick to point out field goal percentage then have fun explaining to me how Tyson Chandler is a better scorer than Elton Brand.

I am sick and tired of hearing all this hoopla about potential. Potential is the reason why Kwame Brown was taken #1. Potential is why Tim Thomas is still collecting game checks. Potential is why the Knicks, my Knicks, are sitting in last place in the Atlantic Division, the cellar of the NBA. The problem I see with Howard is that he is attaining all of these accolades now, and he will not become the player he could potentially become.

As for now, let's just call a spade a spade. He's an NBA All-Star center. Tell Wilt his standing in history is just fine... for now.