NFL Free Agency, MLB Trading Deadline, and Tiger Back in the Saddle: It's Christmas in July for Sports Fans

Article first published as NFL Free Agency, MLB Trading Deadline, and Tiger Back in the Saddle: It's Christmas in July for Sports Fans on Blogcritics.


As I was watching Sports Center on ESPN today I felt like my head was spinning. Not only am I trying to keep an eye on the "Bottom Line" for everything up to the minute, but I am also watching the action concerning NFL free agents, MLB trades, and the news about Tiger Woods coming back after three months on the shelf with a bad leg. I couldn't help thinking this was like Christmas in July for sports fans.
Yes, so much is happening and it is sometimes tough to process it all at once. For me as a New York Mets and Jets fan, I am watching what the Mets did with the Beltran trade, how he is doing in San Francisco, when pitcher Zack Wheeler is heading to Port St. Lucie, and how the Mets keep winning despite losing their best hitter.

In the world of Gang Green, we have the signing of Santonio Holmes to a new five year deal. This makes lots of sense to me, and as Mark Sanchez continues to develop and get better at the passing game, Holmes is without a doubt going to be his go-to guy. There is also the exciting prospect of the Jets obtaining Nnamdi Asomugha, but as they were courting him the valuable Brad Smith, who will be greatly missed as a wide receiver and kick returner, was signed by the Bills.

The Jets had better do something more because the New England Patriots picked up Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco (which is like saying Donald Trump got more money playing Lotto). The Jets need to get moving on Asomugha and fast, considering they have also lost Braylon Edwards and Kellen Clemens and are looking to restrucure deals with other players.

We also get the news that Tiger Woods (now 21 in world rankings) will participate in Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, next week. Tiger is even tweeting about it, saying he is "Excited to get back out there!" This is good news for golf fans who have missed his presence. This is Tiger's time to rise above the personal problems and the injuries and rebuild his career and image.

Besides all this happening, we are hearing about Plaxico Burress and Tiki Barber trying to get back into action. It would be amazing to see what would happen if they both got offers from a team (maybe the NY Giants?). We also have Rory McIlroy getting his Irish up at the Irish Open in Killarney, telling a commentator "Your opinion means nothing." And what about NBA stars getting offers from foreign countries like Japan, Germany, and Russia? You would think what happened with NFL would have shaken things up a bit, but if guys like Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony start signing contracts, you know it's going to be a long winter for basketball fans.

With all that is going on right now, these are indeed exciting days for sports fans; it's sort of like Christmas in July if you like surprises and finding presents under your barbecue grill. The Jets could make many fans happy by wrapping up Asomugha with a big red bow and getting him to sign on the dotted line. So kids, mail out those letters to Rex Ryan (I mean Santa) ASAP and let him know how you feel.

Photo Credits:
Nnamdi Asomugha - raidersgab.com
Tiger Woods - Getty Images

As Gang Green Turns: What a Difference a Week Makes - Jets and Steelers Play Nice?

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: What a Difference a Week Makes - Jets and Steelers Play Nice? on Blogcritics.

It is amazing how different things can be in one week in the soap opera As Gang Green Turns. You will probably recall all the bluster coming from New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan concerning his arch nemesis Darth Bull - New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick - in the week before the game between the Jets and Pats. This was a showdown. This was a war between coaches. Man your battle stations and full speed ahead.


Well, this week the Ryan Express has slowed down some. He has toned down all the rhetoric and has actually made nice. He likes Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin. He admires the man. He respects him. The last time Rex got so enamored with someone (Darrelle Revis - when he was missing from training camp), he talked about giving his corner back a great big smooch if he walked in the door. Mr. Tomlin, you have been warned.

And if our wondering eyes are to believe what we are seeing, then we get a reciprocal round of praising of Ryan by Tomlin. He likes Rex too. There is either something wrong with this picture, or perhaps it is just the silence before the fury. Either way, this kind of lovey-dovey stuff gives me the creeps right before a big game.


Now, before you go thinking this game is going to be boring, today Steelers' defensive back Ike Taylor said he was going to "lay him out" in reference to his former teammate, Jets' wide receiver Santonio Holmes. Ah, some turmoil has finally surfaced. This is just the kind of threat we need to get the fun going again.

Come on, Rex, you know you want to respond to this comment. Truthfully, we're waiting.

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Get Saturday Night Fever and Beat Colts 17-16

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Jets Get Saturday Night Fever and Beat Colts 17-16 on Blogcritics.

There was a crazy notion here in New York all last week that the Ghost of Playoffs Past, played by a ghoulish Peyton Manning, was going to come back and ruin the party for the Jets again. Everyone was talking about head coach Rex Ryan fearing Manning and that it would all turn out so badly, but Ryan's "Hope" was found in a great running game for the offense, a defense that had been engineered in many ways just for this rematch, and a last second kick that hit the right spot.

There was a tough first half of matched zeroes, but the way Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and company were going, it looked like Manning was closed for business. This was the way Ryan envisioned things when he brought Cromartie into the mix. Things did change in the second half, and Ryan had to start worrying that no matter how well he had planned for this moment, Manning and the Colts were just going to squeak away with a 16-14 win.

Then came Mark Sanchez. Yes, he of the hurting arm and having a pretty much off night. When the pressure is on, Sanchez seems to rise to the challenge, and with fifty three seconds left he brought the team down the field and got them to where they needed to be for Nick Folk to have one shot to put it through the uprights. Talk about pressure! But Folk was game and the kick was good.

Unlike last year, Manning goes back home and the Jets move on. It felt good as a Jets fan to see Manning skulking off, defeated by Rex Ryan's crew, the guy he had bested so many times before. After the game Ryan enjoyed the moment and then some, telling reporters that it felt good to see Manning know the feeling that he has known. Rex had the salt and was enjoying rubbing it in Manning's wounds.

Of course, all green-blooded Jets fans were happy last night. It was a magic moment of victory with no time left on the clock. It's the stuff of all kids' dreams when they stand on a field or court: hit the homer that wins the big game, sink the basket at the last second, slap the puck into the net, or kick that ball free and clear. Nick Folk had that moment last night and the Jets rightly celebrated an amazing 17-16 victory.

But make no mistake: Tom Brady and the New England Patriots loom next weekend, and we can bet that Bill Belichick was enjoying this game and licking his chops for the next round. With Sanchez still ailing, and the Jets just barely getting this win, it looks like there could be another big blowout in Foxborough next week.

Still, there is always a miracle that can be had if things align the right way for Rex and his men. Anyone who watched last night's game and saw that ball end things the Jets' way have to be believers. So until next week, channel the late great Mets' pitcher Tug McGraw saying "Ya gotta believe," do a lot of praying, and keep your fingers crossed.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

As Gang Green Turns: Ryan Has Wife's Foot in Mouth and Sanchez May Not Play on Sunday

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Ryan Has Wife's Foot in Mouth and Sanchez May Not Play on Sunday on Blogcritics.

The media here in New York - and I imagine in Chicago as well (where the Jets will play this Sunday) - is having a field day with the reports about the video of Ryan's wife that surfaced. It is reported that Ryan supplies the male voice on the tape, and they are talking about her feet and other weird things. Ryan will not comment on it. He says, "It's a personal matter." For once the foot in Ryan's mouth is not his own.

This story eclipses the story about Mark Sanchez, who is injured with a shoulder tear and may not play this Sunday. Mark Brunell (who has thrown just one pass in a game this season) will be his replacement. Against the Bears. Bang the drum slowly, please.

In the continuing soap opera As Gang Green Turns, it just doesn't get any better - or worse - than this. What are green-blooded Jets fans thinking about this? Well most are saying Sanchez should play to secure a playoff spot. Some are more cautious and say if he is lost for the playoffs because he plays on Sunday, then what is the point?

Of course the questions about Ryan and his wife's feet persist. Is she in that video? Were the Ryans making tapes for a "swingers" web site? The list goes on and on. In response Ryan says, "I have a beautiful wife." It is a personal matter after all, right?

So we head into Sunday with more questions than answers. Hey, Jets fans, maybe you can ask Santa for a victory over the Bears on Sunday, but I think you would do better to turn to the big guy upstairs, because it looks like they don't have a prayer.

As Gang Green Turns: He Ain't Just Heavy; He's My Brother

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: He Ain't Just Heavy; He's My Brother on Blogcritics.


The fact that we had the battle of the siblings in Cleveland yesterday - between Jets' head coach Rex Ryan and his twin brother Rob (Browns' defensive coordinator) - should have been enough drama in the usual Gang Green weekly soap opera, but let's not forget that we're talking about the Jets: a team that can turn your stomach in hundreds of ways during a game.


The battle of these heavyweight Ryans made for some good stories and pictures, and there was also the subplot about Cleveland's head coach Eric Mangini getting some kind of revenge against his former team. Of course, what would any Jets game be without plenty of conflict on and off the field?

For the second week in a row the Jets went into overtime with a 20-20 tie. Now, if that's not bad news enough for those of you who have green running through your veins like I do, let's be honest and say that the Jets really should have lost this game (and the last three overall). If you do the math and face the facts, the Jets should be 4-5 right now instead of 7-2.

This week's hero was not kicker Nick Folk, who could have been the goat of the game for missing three field goals, but a new hero emerged: Santonio Holmes. He did manage in just the last remaining seconds of the game to not only create a victory but also to absolve his team of its many sins, including his quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Once again this week Sanchez was a mixed bag, even though his numbers (27 for 44 for 299 yards with two TDs) would seem to suggest otherwise. He threw another interception, and he looks tentative at times. There is no shaking the feeling that Sanchez is not yet where he should be, but we can say that about the rest of the team as well.

The defense again seemed shaky, unable to hold a 17-13 lead at the half or a 20-13 one in the fourth quarter. Rex Ryan is notably always saying how great his defense can be "man-to-man," but in truth the last few weeks have brought his whole game plan into question when teams like the Lions and Browns can be so effective against it.

This game could have devolved into a loss when Mike Adams sacked Sanchez in the third quarter, but the sophomore QB didn't let that keep him down, though he did seem hurt on that play. Rob Ryan must have been thinking he had his brother down for the count and would have the last laugh, until he and everyone else watched Sanchez throw that pass to St. Holmes, who beat three defenders to take the ball in for the game winner and a final score of 26-20.

In the end, Rex and Rob probably could look at each other not as opponents but as brothers. One could see the disappointment in Rob Ryan's face and the quiet happiness in usual loudmouth Rex's countenance, but maybe the hardest hit of all was Browns' coach Mangini, who missed this golden opportunity to stick it to his former team.

For this week the show is over, but the drama never ends in the soap opera "As Gang Green Turns."

 

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Trounce the Bills 38-14

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Jets Trounce the Bills 38-14 on Blogcritics.

If the soap opera stuff of the preseason on and off the field antics and the TV show Hard Knocks was getting kind of boring for the average Jets' fan, now he or she must be delighted to see that the Gang known as Green have what it takes. In pounding the Buffalo Bills (0-4) in what was a romp to be sure, the Jets proved their legitimacy as playoff bound and now sit in first place with a 3-1 record.



Head coach Rex Ryan must have been delighted to see his offense running on all cylinders, with Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomilson both rushing for over 100 yards, and Braylon Edwards and Dustin Keller easily scoring touchdowns. In total the Jets had 273 yards rushing and won their third straight game against their division for the first time in ten years.

Of course, QB Mark Sanchez continued his impressive steering of the offensive ship. He was 14 for 24 for a total of 161 yards and two touchdown passes. Sanchez had me worried during the preseason when he looked sometimes lost and confused on the field, but whatever has happened to shake him from that malaise is working great. Sanchez seems confident and in charge now, and the team is reaping the rewards of his growth as an on the field leader.

One has to be happy to see LT returning to form for the Jets. He rushed for 133 yards on nineteen carries with two touchdowns. In doing so he passed the great Tony Dorsett to reach seventh place on the list for all-time career yards rushing. It was the first time LT has rushed for more than one hundred yards in more than two years, but the way he is going now it makes me think he is going to have quite a few more one hundred yard games this year.

With little drama and lots of fanfare, the Jets cruised to this victory, and this should quiet some of the yackers here in New York who were shooting the breeze on talk radio this past week. Many of them thought that the Jets would ease up against lowly Buffalo, get shocked by some unexpected plays, and lose the game. How very wrong they were.

A championship team takes all games seriously, even those against teams that are 0-3. The Jets came out today and had the look of a team that is playoff bound. They left all the drama in the clubhouse, and on the field they went to work and it was a pleasure to watch.

This sets the Jets up nicely in first place in the AFC East for their big game next Monday night against the Vikings. Having won three straight, Gang Green is playing the game in their hard-hitting fashion and are taking no prisoners. It looks like they are more than ready for that challenge next week.

As Gang Green Turns: Despite Sitting Out First Quarter, Edwards Key to Jets Win in Miami

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Despite Sitting Out First Quarter, Edwards Key to Jets Win in Miami on Blogcritics.

If you were writing the script for the Jets 31-23 win over the Dolphins in Miami, you would probably not have conjured up as good a twist as what happened in reality: Braylon Edwards - the guy who got in trouble with a DWI last week - turned in the key performance that helped push the Jets to victory. Instead of sipping an alcoholic beverage through a straw and landing himself in the pokey,

Braylon Edwards was the straw that stirred the drink in the Jets win.
Should the Jets and their fans be happy they got out of Miami with a victory? You bet your bottom dollar. There is the other side of the story though, the thing that got away from everyone in the euphoria of victory: Edwards still was caught and arrested for drinking and driving last week with a blood alcohol count of 0.16. How he could even drive like that is beyond imagination, and the fact that no one was seriously hurt or killed is amazing, but there is still the notion of the disciplinary action taken or the lack thereof in last night's game.

Edwards sat for the first quarter. This is head coach Rex Ryan and team owner Woody Johnson's version of tough love. You can call it a slap on the wrist, but it's more like a tap on the finger. What did Edwards learn from his benching last night? More importantly, what the heck did his teammates and all the Jets fans (especially the kids) get out of the whole thing? You go out and get drunk, even get arrested, and we'll let you sit out for a spell before putting you back in the game. That's what they got.

That reminds me of my school days when the nuns made us stand against the wall and watch the other kids play as punishment during recess. What did we do? It didn't matter; that was the blanket punishment. When the five minutes were up, a flick of the wrist told us we could play, and we'd race off into the schoolyard and forget all about our little transgressions and just have fun.

The problem is that Edwards didn't have a little trangression. He was driving while drunk, but that was all forgotten last night after his brief benching. Edwards went out and had lots of fun as he was involved in three crucial plays in the game:  a sixty-seven-yard touchdown, a twenty-yard catch, and he inspired an end-zone pass interference call on Jason Allen, which was followed by LaDainian Tomlinson's short TD run that put the Jets ahead for good. A big night for the big man indeed!

Could the Jets have won without him? Perhaps not, and maybe that's the whole point to the light penalty of one quarter on the bench. It's a case of the Jets wanting to do the right thing in a bad situation, but they didn't want to give away the game either. Still, you can win the battle and lose the war, and I am sort of wondering if that is the price the Jets will have to pay later this season.

With their defense depleted by injuries to Darrelle Revis, Calvin Pace, and Kris Jenkins, Ryan and company probably had big fears going into this game. If they lost lost the game because Edwards was out the whole way, they would hear neverending complaints about a lack of leniency and taking the DWI thing too seriously. But now that they have won the game, with Edwards being an integral part of the victory, there will be others who argue that the Jets put winning before doing what was right. And, of course, they would be totally correct.

A lot of good things happened in last night's game. QB Mark Sanchez looked great again; the defense didn't fall apart against the Dolphins, and Edwards made it look like he was indispensible. The problem is that all those good things don't erase the DWI. It is going to be an albatross hanging around Rex Ryan's neck for the rest of the season. The question is will he be like the Ancient Mariner and forced to keep telling a story of woe? That would be a losing cause in the long run, but hopefully Ryan will find a way to remove that albatross before it ends up defeating him.

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Survive Loss of Revis and Beat Patriots

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Jets Survive Loss of Revis and Beat Patriots on Blogcritics.

If you are a New York Jets fan, you probably closed your eyes when you saw Darrelle Revis go out of the game and said a little prayer. I know I did. "Please, let him get back in." Unfortunately, that left hamstring kept him out the rest of the way, but the Jets D found their mojo and shut the New England Patriots down in the second half, resulting in a 28-14 win that gave Gang Green a much needed victory.

After last week's terrible 10-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Jets needed this one on their home turf against the Pats. During training camp, QB Tom Brady when asked about the TV show Hard Knocks, said that he didn't watch the show and hated the Jets. Thanks, Tom, that really helped Gang Green get themselves revved up for you. Of course, it didn't hurt that Sanchez found his sea legs and the offense really took off in this game.

The story could easily have been a disaster. In the second quarter when Randy Moss beat Revis for that touchdown, it just seemed like Revis was not himself but, when Revis reached for that left leg, it was a bad omen that made it feel like Gang Green would be demolished the rest of the way. After the game head coach Rex Ryan admitted that when he heard Revis pulled his "hamstring," he was ready to shed a few tears. That Rex - always Mr. Sensitive, but most Jets fans probably felt the same way.

With Revis gone and the score 14-10 in favor of the Pats at the half, it was not a pleasant intermission for Jets Nation. As we wondered how bad it would be in the second half without Revis, something must have happened in that Jets' locker room. Maybe Ryan gave a pep talk while drinking a veggie shake and twirling a hula hoop. Whatever happened, the Jets came out and their D shut down big mouth Brady without Revis. Antonio Cromartie must have had a bowl of Wheaties, because he stopped Moss cold.

On what may have been the most important play of the night, Brady threw a long pass to Moss, but Cromartie and Brodney Pool were on him. The ball bounced off Cromartie and into Pool's waiting arms, but the officials said he was out of bounds. The Jets challenged, and replays clearly showed Pool's both feet were in bounds and that he had control of the ball. That play was basically the end for Brady and the Pats.

While I've been pretty tough on Sanchez all during the preseason and again last week, I have to give him a standing ovation for the way he played in this one. Not only did he complete 21 of 30 passes for 220 yards, but he also notched a career high three touchdowns. LaDainian Tomilson, Jerricho Cotchery, and Braylon Edwards all contributed as the offense really shined in this game.

Of course, it wouldn't be Gang Green if they weren't some drama. All-Pro center Nick Mangold suffered an injury and also left the game. Will he be available next week? And though no man is an island, will Revis be banished to the disabled list? Will Ryan then cry himself a river of tears? Tune in next week as the never ending saga of As Gang Green Turns continues.

As Gang Green Turns: 10-9 Loss to the Ravens Only Part of the Problem

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: 10-9 Loss to the Ravens Only Part of the Problem on Blogcritics.

Hanging my head quietly after the Jets slumped off the field in defeat at the New Meadowlands Stadium, I had one question: what did the Jets in more? The rucus with TV news reporter Ines Sainz or the way they gave away the store on the HBO series Hard Knocks?

One question is harder to deal with than the other, but in the ever churning soap opera that is Gang Green, no drama goes unnoticed. The Jets have been accused by Ms. Sainz of sexual harassment. She was on the field, trying to do her job and interview players, including QB Mark Sanchez, but some players got more than a little crazy. Maybe an attractive woman still causes that kind of thing, but truthfully it is as unacceptable on the gridiron as it in the boardroom.

The other part of that question is just as salient: did the Jets reveal too much on Hard Knocks? We know head Coach Rex Ryan certainly opened his mouth way too much - ask the Ravens' Ray Lewis who has the last laugh right now - and this caused players on other teams, coaches, and everyone else to wonder why the Ryan and the Jets would ever expose themselves this way. Good publicity? Perhaps. It was also an easy way to build resentment that had already been there into a tidal wave of anger and a desire for payback.

I am not sure we can blame the reporter or the TV show for what happened last night. The Jets defense almost looked as bad as the offense. The D got penalties it should not get, gave Ravens' QB Flacco more time than he should ever have had; and while Darrelle Revis looked good, he couldn't make up for Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson's transgressions all by himself.

As for the offense, you probably are sitting there shaking your heads and thinking, "What offense?" All the worries we had about King Rex's horses and his men seemed justified last night. Sanchez got humpty-dumptied by the Ravens' defense and is lucky they could put him together again.

This was less than an auspicious start for our Gang Green. They have to learn that a pretty woman on the field is no excuse for acting like teenagers at the mall. They also have to learn that the opposing team on the field has watched their TV show, taken lots of notes, and are more than ready for them.

Who beat Gang Green on September 13th? They all only have to look into the mirror to find the answer to that question.

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Miss Revis in 31-16 Loss to Giants

Okay, Jets fans, it's the morning after the big game against the Giants. Keep telling yourselves, "It's only a pre-season game; it's only a pre-season game." Maybe if you close your eyes and wish real hard, Darrelle Revis will appear in a cloud of smoke, and he'll be back on the team. Yeah, that's about as likely as Francisco Rodriguez ever pitching another inning as a Met again.

The truth, the hard sobering truth, was visible in the first football game ever played at the New Meadowlands Stadium on Monday night. Antonio Cromartie, who has earned the number one spot in Revis's absence, was beaten in one completion by Hakeem Nicks, but he also missed two interceptions. Kyle Wilson, the first round draft pick taking over Cromartie's position on defense, went untested in the game.

The real worry was seen in the lack of depth now apparent, with both Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman looking like they were in big trouble last night. Especially even when Eli Manning left the game because of an injury, these guys were burned by the Giant's back-up QB Jim Sorgi. Not a pretty picture to be sure.

All of Rex Ryan's bluster about the team being headed for the Super Bowl suddenly seems more ridiculous than ever now. With this real weakness exposed, it doesn't matter how great Mark Sanchez and the offense looked in the first half. If the defense is going to be like this come September 13, Ryan's going to be drowning his sorrows in large Mickey D shakes soon enough.

Hopefully, Woody Johnson was watching this game carefully. The Giants beat the Jets and made the D look bad. Revis is no doubt at home watching ESPN and grinning from ear-to-ear. As Rex Ryan removes his big foot from his big mouth, Woody should be taking the wallet out of his back pocket. A Jet fan's homemade sign at last night's game sent the message loud and clear: "Pay Revis!" Come on, Woody, you know you want to. It's going to be a long, tough season if Revis sits it out because you wouldn't do what was right for this team.