New York "Glory Days"

While the Stock Market has been struggling of late, that’s not true for The New York Sports market. After the Giants improvable run to the Super Bowl title, there encore performance has been remarkable in its own right. With a 9-1 record and winning in the tough NFC East, there team only seems to improve as the post-season approaches. Losing the cornerstones of their defense, Michael Strahan to retirement and Osi Umenyiora to injury, many worried they might not even make the playoffs heading into the season. Now, they have the best record in the NFC, and are arguably the best team in the entire National Football League. Ahmad Bradshaw could be a legitimate starter on any other team, but with the punishing Brandon Jacobs and change of pace Derrick Ward in the back field, he remains the best third string running back. Eli’s leadership and play on the field even has some considering him to be the better Manning {though I still slightly prefer the 6’5,230lb, laser rocket armed quarterback from the Sprint commercial}

Speaking of New York football, how about the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets. There is always that one game that defines a team’s season and this was their statement performance indeed. Beating the rival Patriots in Foxboro, they are now 7-3 with sole possession of the AFC East for the first time since 2001. The Jets defense has improved tremendously in just one season. They have not allowed a 100 yard rusher all year and are currently third in the league with 34 sacks after being 25^th a season ago. Brett the Jet has given them a new dimension to the offense. While at times he can become interception happy, he delivers when it counts the most. Favre only threw 7 incompletions in the overtime thriller to go along with 258 passing yards and 2tds. Thomas Jones leads the AFC in rushing yardage and has 9 rushing touchdowns a dramatic increase from last year’s lone touchdown.

Is it just me or do you see these two teams meeting in the ultimate game come February? The Giants are favorites to represent the NFC while the Titans are in the AFC. The Jets will have a legitimate chance to end the Titans undefeated streak playing them this coming week. A competitive game between the two should prove that the Jets belong in the upper echelon of NFL teams. Call me crazy, but the Jets do have the second best overall record in the AFC. Isn’t also fitting that the Boss, Bruce Springsteen will be performing at the halftime show of the Super Bowl? While not a New Yorker, a clear representative of the two since after all the Giants and Jets do play in East Rutherford, New Jersey. I can see it now as Tri-State area fans rejoice over the singing of “Glory Days” telling their children about this once and a lifetime New York Super bowl.

Even if it is not the dream matchup of the Giants-Jets on Super bowl Sunday, New York has other teams it should be proud of for a change. The Knickerbockers actually have a winning record after their first ten games. Usually this should not be newsworthy but with the Knicks recent struggles, it is difficult to use Knicks and win in the same sentence; so whenever the opportunity presents itself I will. Mike D’Antoni has this team playing competitive and exciting basketball, something that could not be said about them since 1999, the year they went to the finals. A Knick playoff spot is still premature, but if it were to occur, a coach of the year award for D’Antoni seems more than realistic.

And just when you thought I would not get desperate in regards to sharing my love for New York sports, the New York Redbulls make my article. I know most of my readers probably do no keep up on their MLS knowledge so I will keep it short. After beating back to back champions Houston 3-0 on the road and Real Salt Lake on the road 1-0{thanks to the goal posts for those few who did watch} New York will be playing in the MLS Cup finals for the first time in their 13 years of existence on ABC.

Around the NBA

AI and Billups Swap Uniforms

The Answer for Detroit may just be the man who’s been “talking bout practice.” Coming to the Pistons, Allen Iverson has a chance to make this offense dynamic, which is something they have not been able to say for a while. After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals 6 years in a row, Joe Dumars decided it was time to mix it up. The Pistons are gaining a former MVP and the third leading scorer in NBA history only behind Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan. Besides his impressive resume, his contract terminates at the end of the season, so if they decide not to keep him, they will be well under the cap and serious contenders in the 2010 free agency class. This features superstars such as Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. Oddly enough all of these guys that the Pistons might be interested in were drafted in the same year as Darko Milicic, {great draft pick their Joe}

The Nuggets also benefit from this deal by bringing in two former players such as Antonio McDyess {though his contract is about to get bought out} and the hometown hero Chauncey Billups, who played his college ball at Colorado. This is the first time that Coach George Karl will actually have a true point guard run his team. As good as Allen Iverson was, the experiment with him and Carmelo Anthony was just not going to work. There was no chance of them reaching the NBA finals with the way their team was constructed. Both of them took too many shots without playing enough defense. Carmelo will be the unquestioned scorer now who will play alongside a point guard that actually looks to pass first. Billups is also a prolific defender. Look for Kenyon Martin to be productive again with a new floor general as well. The last time he was relevant was with Jason Kidd.{You might not remember those days but gas prices were close to a $1 and the economy was stable}The Nuggets will still probably be in the lower half of the western conference playoff race, but bringing in somebody with an NBA title does not hurt.

Starbury No Longer a Star

If you can, try to imagine you are a trial lawyer for a big law firm. One day your boss decides that while you may be the best lawyer in the entire practice, since your contract with the firm runs out at the end of the year, it is not worth going to court anymore. Well you assume this is just for one day. Your boss tells you; I mean for the rest of the year, you are going to be inactive. We do not need your services anymore. Still show up to work, but do not participate. Oh and by the way, we will still pay you your 21 million plus, just show up to work and not doing anything!

My Knicks sure have more fun making news then actually playing basketball. While not a trial lawyer, Stephon Marbury is on the inactive list and there is a better chance 2pac comes out with another new song then Marbury playing for the Knicks again. The Knicks Management has proven to be cheap by not buying out Jerome James contract in order to keep Patrick Ewing Jr. That’s right; we cut the son of our franchise’s best player in order to keep the injured, and ogre like figure, Jerome James. At this point, if Marbury is not going to play then why is he still here? Get rid of our losses now, so we can look towards a brighter future without the New York media writing about what Marbury’s next move is. Nobody cares and people at the garden just want to see good basketball preferably at Coach D’antoni’s pace of 7 seconds or less.

History in the Making

After a historic election with Barack Obama’s nomination, two historic basketball performances were made the next day. Tony Parker had 55 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds in an overtime win while Amare Stoudemire had 49 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks. Parker joins a select group of players who have gone for 55 and 10 assists in a game. Only Oscar Robinson and Michael Jordan have accomplished this task. That’s Amore was quite dominant too becoming only the 7^th player in the last 20 years to record a 40 point, 10 rebound, 5 assist and 5 steal performance. King James was quiet compared to these two yet impressive in his own right with 41 points, 9 boards and 6 dishes.

Politics and sports usually do not go hand in hand, but it is at least worth noting these career performances. I do not think it is a coincidence that the NBA’s best players pulled of some of their best performances in their lives the day after America voted for the first black president. The NBA, a predominantly African-American league, showcased its talent the next night with players feeling a sense of pride after hearing the news. Barack Obama’s win surely did not have a direct effect on these players; however, it must have been in the hearts and minds of many of these players as they stepped onto the court. The future president is a huge basketball fan himself as he will be the first president to play a game of Horse or Around the World in the Whitehouse.