Yankees Jeter Will Be Hitting and Pettitte Might Be Sitting

It looks like Derek Jeter will be getting an early jump on the 2011 season by heading down to Tampa in two weeks to work out with New York Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long--three weeks before the start of spring training.

When last seen Jeter was happily splashing around the Caribbean with his girl Minka Kelly.  This was after a disappointing season as a player and an early exit from the playoffs.   The year was capped off with a mockery of drawn out contract negotiations with the Yankees.  The turbulent contract talks had Jeter--normally a company man--suggesting, after the new contract was signed, that the team leaked information during the talks to make the Yankee star look like the bad guy.  All in all, it wasn't the best of times for the face of the team and future Hall of Famer.

Jeter, doesn't need to be reminded about his below-standard season and is looking to remedy his .270 average--a monstrous 30 points below his career number.

Long has worked with other players during the off-season but never with Jeter.  "He wants to get going," said Long from his home in Arizona.  " We're well on our way to getting that [Jeter's low average] taken care of and seeing if we can't speed up the process with him a little bit," he said.

Jeter isn't the only Yankee taking last season not sitting down.  Long will piling on the frequent flier miles after he spent time in Los Angeles working with outfielder Nick Swisher.  Next week he will be in New York working with first-baseman Mark Teixeira before heading down to Miami to work with third-baseman Alex Rodriquez and newly-appointed DH Jorge Posada.

Long is prepared to correct any problems which caused Jeter to put up the worst numbers of his solid career.

"I think we found something with his stride and the direction of his stride and going up and down with his stride instead of gaining distance and going in," said the hitting coach.  "We're going to keep it as simple as possible."

While Jeter gets a jump on his new three-year deal, things don't look so good for the Yankees and their veteran pitcher Andy Pettitte.

GM Brian Cashman has been dropping subtle hints since October that the free-agent Pettitte was straddling the fence on whether or not to pitch another season with the Yankees.  Yesterday Cashman may have let the cat out of the bag after he said the lefthander "has chosen at this stage at least, not to start in 2011."

"Don't count on me," is what Pettitte told Cashman.

The Yankee GM tried clarify Pettitte's statement by saying, " I don't think he's determined if he's officially finished or not , but he's chosen at this stage at least not to start in 2011. If that ever changes, he'll call us," said Cashman.  "We're not going to hound him or bother him," he said.

Pettitte has pulled this will he or won't he act before.  The Yankees, who did not add a big-time starter to the rotation this off-season, are probably hoping for the 38 year-old Pettitte's return.

Even if Pettitte does return to baseball, it could be in another uniform.  The Texas native desires to be near his family and reportedly has not been working out during the off-season--which he normally does.

Pettitte has repeatedly claimed that if he does return, it would only be in Yankee pinstripes.

The lack of big-name pickup during the off-season pick-up could sway Pettitte.  He pitched 21 games last season and finished 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA.  The Yankees are looking at an average starting rotation, even with Pettitte, with little help on the horizon.

Pettitte confessed in 2008 to using human growth hormone will be a star witness in the government's case against his old teammate and buddy,  Roger Clemens this summer.

Clemens trial--which the former pitcher is accused of lying under oath about using steroids and HGH--is scheduled for July and could put a considerable amount of stress and a limit on Pettitte's time.  I'm sure Pettitte would rather face the potent Red Sox lineup then to be cross-examined by Clemens tough-as-a-cowboy's saddle, attorney Rusty Hardin.

Cashman says he is ready to push forward, with or without Pettitte.  "I'm actively out there," the GM said.  "It's a very thin market to be flying in right now.  That's why we may have to rely on our strong farm system a little bit sooner than we expected."

All signs seem to point to a Pettitte retirement but, for now, Cashman better get down on the farm sooner anyway.

Mass Fish Deaths Do Not Bode Well For Chicago Bears

Thousands of small dead herrings are floating up on the lakefronts in Chicago.  The latest case of unexplained mass-animal deaths are puzzling environmentalists but, even more importantly, it should worry the Chicago Bears who face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.  If I were a betting man, I would check out the following facts.

Over the past few months, and mostly the past few weeks, the bizarre events of mass-animal deaths have plagued the country and world---just in time for the time for college bowl games and the NFL playoffs.  And the results are monumentally odds-breaking.

Never mind what the scientists and religious zealots preach, ask your local bookie what he thinks of all the "prophecies."  Since December 30, there have been four major mass-deaths and they seem to have affected the outcome of important games involving the regional team.

Go back to December 30 and 31 when 100,000 fish were found dead in an Arkansas river and then over 5,000 red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky.  Four days later the Arkansas Razorbacks (-3 1/2) almost upset Ohio State in one of the greatest comebacks in Sugar Bowl history but lost after their QB threw a pass right into the arms of a Buckeye defensive end and lose, 31-26.  A double whammy.

Fast forward to January 3 when 2 million dead fish were found floating in the Chesapeake Bay.  The next night Virginia Tech (-3 1/2) is routed by Stanford.  It's not even close.

On January 4 about 500 more blackbirds are found dead in Louisiana.  I don't have to remind you about  how the defending world champions, the New Orleans Saints fared against double-digit under dogs, the Seattle Seahawks.  The 41-36 win by the Seahawks (7-9) was one of the biggest upsets in NFL playoff history.

Now those same Seahawks come into Chicago as 10-point underdogs on Sunday and the ominous dead gizzard shad have appeared lifeless on the Windy City's beaches and shores.  Just wait for the point spread to shrink.

Over the past few months, the "Aflockalypse" has occurred in other areas and look at the results.

2,000 dead bats show up cold as Dixie beer in Texas.  How 'bout them 'Boys?

Thousands of ducks mysteriously die in Minnesota and you can look back at the Vikings' tumultuous season.  Oh, and you thought it was Brett Favre's fault.

The Carolina coastline was covered with millions of jellyfish and starfish which inexplicably ended up dead before the football season even started.  The Panthers never had a chance.

There was even the horrible sight of thousands of turtle doves falling from the skies over Italy right after the holidays.  Italian zoo officials blamed the birds deaths on "massive indigestion" after overeating.  Here in America, we call it the "Rex Ryan Syndrome."  Other experts believe it was mass suicide after the seasonal birds couldn't find work after the 12 Days of Christmas.

Scientists have blamed the mass-deaths on everything from the North Pole's magnetic field to that old apocalyptic panic button--global warming. In New York, Mets fans blame it on the Yankees.

Even so, if the Chicago area doesn't want any more mass-deaths ( i.e. fans jumping out windows) on their hands, don't bet on the home team.

Maybe some Almighty above is trying to tell us something with these unusual occurrences.  Something all mankind should heed:  Take the Seahawks and ten points.

Rex Ryan Or Bill Belichick: It's Hard To Like Either

Rex Ryan, is at it again.  The larger-than-life head coach of the New York Jets has opened the castle gates for war, against the New England Patriots in this Sunday's AFC Divisional game, by specifically targeting head coach Bill Belichick and calling it 'personal.'  This routine is getting boring.

Ryan called out the three-time Super Bowl winning coach by repeating his tired mantra, the P-Word.

"This week, this is about Bill Belichick vs. Rex Ryan," the rotund Jets coach said, " There's no question.  It's personal.  It's about him and myself, and that's what it's going to come down to."

"Personal."  We've heard that word come from Ryan's mouth too many times the past couple of weeks.

First, "It's personal" was repeated six times by Ryan at a press conference when news of a foot-fetish video, allegedly narrated by the head coach, was brought up.  The usually boisterous Ryan hid under the P-Word like a grilled suspect would plead the fifth. 

Next it was Ryan's tireless quest to beat Peyton Manning and the Colts had him uttering those those words.  Ryan was tired of losing to the quarterback and used the P-Word as motivation for his team.

Now, Ryan kicks the shins of Belichick, as the Jets prepare to face the Patriots at Gillette Stadium this Sunday, and calls it motivation.  Again, it's "personal."

Belichick, ever the, ahem,  jester, uncharacteristically volleyed back, " I might have a little quickness on him," he joked.  "He probably has a little strength and power on me."  That's about as much comedy styling as you'll get with the dour coach wearing his trademark dingy hoodie.

Ryan has uttered inflammatory words at the Patriots coach a few times.  Before their first game against the Patriots, he said, "I'm not here to kiss Belichick's rings." Even after last month's 45-3 beat down, Ryan came out with this tidbit, "Trust me, we will remember this."  Really?  How could you forget?

I can't think of any two people it's harder to root for.  It's like deciding who would you rather be stuck in an elevator with: Rosie O'Donnell or Joy Behar?  I'd rather be stuck in a locked men's room with a drunken Andy Dick if I had to make the decision between any of them.

Ryan's season long escapades have been widely publicized from his foul-mouthed episodes on "Hard Knocks," his wig-wearing press conference,  his handling of criminally-charged Jets players to the kinky foot tapes.  He continues to rock the boat and claims it takes the pressure off his team.  Picking on a coach with a 15-5 playoff record sounds like plopping a fatter early-season Ryan on the shoulders of the Jets.  Oh yeah, Ryan did finally exorcise the Manning demons last week--even though the Colts had 18 players listed on the injured reserve.

At the opposite end of the publicity-seeking spectrum is the hooded, personality-void, Belichick.  The sour-puss coach says about as much as the mute guy in Penn and Teller and he is about as funny as Dane Cook.  Belichick's insincere, two-finger handshake with former Jets coach Eric Mangini told you everything you care to know about the future Hall of Famer.  Everyone calls the Pats coach a genius but too many of his CIA tactics come into question. Remember the Spygate scandal?

Neither Belichick or Ryan are really well-liked by anyone but their own players.  They have split their four meeting since Ryan took over as the Jets' head coach and if history is any indicator, the two teams will be charged and ready to go all out for their coaches.

Ryan continues to give his verbal wet-willies to the Patriots.  He couldn't resist criticizing their quarterback, Tom Brady,  for attending to a Broadway play instead of watching the Jets play last Saturday.   Meanwhile as expected, not one mumble has been heard from Belichick.   

"It's a level playing field," Ryan said.  "Now, it's coming down to me raising my level."

Maybe if he was raising his fork in a chili eating competition, I would bet on Ryan.  Oh wait, he had lap-band surgery.  I'll bet on Belichick in that contest too.

Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez Winning as the Jets Odd Couple

New York Jets head coach, Rex Ryan and his second year quarterback, Mark Sanchez, may be forming one of the great bromances.  Maybe its not exactly Walsh and Montana,  Holmgren and Favre or Louis and Rick in "Casablanca."  Let's say it is more like Unger and Madison. 

Believe it or not Ryan has won playoff games in more seasons than New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin.  Pretty amazing, considering that Coughlin has been around the Meadowlands for seven seasons, while Ryan hopped on board in 2009---the same year the Jets drafted the USC signal-caller.

Now both coaches go in different directions for the second year in a row.

Now,  the disparate partners (Ryan and Sanchez) will pull a Hope and Crosby as they hit the road to New England where they will meet their division rivals, the Patriots next Sunday.

After Saturday's last-second victory against the Indianapolis Colts, 17-16, in an AFC wild card match-up,  the Jets can't afford to rest.  Awaiting them will be the anti-Ryan, Bill Belichick and his better half QB, Tom Brady.

Ryan and Sanchez couldn't be at more opposite ends of the social spectrum.  Sanchez, the second year QB, and Adrian Grenier lookalike,  came to New York with all the perks having a glamorous career as a USC quarterback could provide.  There weren't any shortages of dates with starlets and a shirtless photo-spread in GQ started all the talk about Sanchez living up to being the reincarnation of Joe Namath.

Ryan, on the other hand, came to New York with loud-mouth bravado and a girth to match.  His free-wheeling coaching style made the Jets the focus of a number of scandals, incidents and controversies.  This season alone has been a non-stop collection of Page Six entries.  There was HBO's "Hard Knocks," the Inez Sainz incident, the Braylon Edwards DUI, all the old dirt dug up on former Jets quarterback Bret Favre and finally the foot-fetish video.

Off the field the Jets duo are as different as Times Square and Wall Street.  Ryan has been prone to wearing wigs at press conferences and being photographed giving Dolphin fans the finger in a Florida honky-tonk, while the subdued Sanchez has only lived up to a Broadway Joe reputation by attending musicals on The Great White Way.

While Sanchez shows his affinity for the footlights of Broadway,  Ryan has shown his predilection for just the feet.

Still, Ryan continues to ruffle feathers and incite controversy while proving his large persona is comparable to his coaching ability.

Make no mistake about it, Sanchez has come a long way this season and he is lugging Ryan with him.  It was Sanchez who won the game yesterday at Lukas Oil Field.  His last minute drive has become sort of the norm for the Jets signal caller.  The Colts Peyton Manning almost pulled another last minute victory from his bag of audibles, but the last 53 seconds of the game were all Sanchez's.  He seems to play from behind with a veteran player's panache.

The Jets now know they have a quarterback who can perform in crucial situations and win games if they are close.  Sanchez already has more playoff victories than Namath and is only the second rookie quarterback to win his first two playoff games.  After finally beating the Colts, Sanchez is now 3-1 in playoff games.

The Jets travel to Gillette Stadium to face their nemesis, and arguably the best NFL team, the Patriots as big underdogs.  They have been given about as much of a chance of winning on Sunday as a red-winged black bird has of surviving in Arkansas.

Except for dimming Brady's star by comparing his skills to Manning's last week, Ryan has been relatively quiet since the seven "it's personal" comments regarding the foot-fetish video.  There are still six days for Sexy Rexy to stir up some sort of melodrama.

The road to the Super Bowl gets harder through playoff powerhouse New England.  The Pats thumped the Jets by 42 points last month and, even then, the brash Ryan still had the gall to disrespect Brady. 

Ryan continues to lose pounds and gain bravado, but it is Sanchez  who must take control of this season's third meeting with the Patriots.  The Jets beat a Colts team with 18 players on the injured reserve list.  The only injury the Jets must worry about this Sunday is Brady's bruised ego.  The teams are familiar with each other and have plenty of game film to prove it.

The New York Giants are out of the playoffs...again.  Ryan and Sanchez have the back pages of the local tabloids to themselves.  I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

New York Giants Version of " The Decision": Jacobs or Bradshaw?

The New York Giants have made it clear that there are two things the team won't be losing.  Eli Manning will continue to guide the offense and Tom Coughlin--as announced by co-owner John Mara--will continue to call the shots as head coach from the sidelines.  Now if the team could find a way to get back some of the 45 turnovers they had last season.

The Giants will be spending the second off-season in a row, on their couches, watching the Seattle Seahawks--a team they beat 41-7--take their lowly 7-9 record into the playoffs, then watch the Chicago Bears--a team they crushed--in a playoff game next weekend.  The Giants can only wonder how they turned a 10-6 season into a bad dream.

They could start with the running game.  Brandon Jacobs and  Ahmad Bradshaw combined for over 2,000 yards but the Biggie-Small attack seemed to be ineffective in more games than not.

The remaining two-thirds of the vaunted and successful "Earth, Wind and Fire" Giants backfield of 2008 should be called "Dirt and Air" for the way Jacobs falls to the ground on too many short yardage situations and Bradshaw, because it seems like that is what he's carrying, after dropping the ball at the slightest touch from an opposing linebacker.

For all the gaudy numbers (Bradshaw, 1235 yards and Jacobs, 835 yards) this two-back system seemed like it stalled too many times.  Now Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese must consider their options.  Bradshaw is one of 21 Giant players not under contract for 2011--that is if there is a 2011 season--and Jacobs is in the middle of a four-year contract extension worth $25 million.

The last time Jacobs, 28, was seen he was storming out of the Giants locker room, carrying a torn garbage bag containing his gear like a 270 pound Grinch, cursing at photographers.  The surly and disruptive running back snapped back, "Click, click, click. You're all taking pictures of Brandon Jacobs leaving, wondering if he's going to return.  That will be your caption for tomorrow.  Well, f--- you all."  Maybe Earth knows something we don't.  Players who talk in the first person seem to get traded a lot.

Meanwhile, Bradshaw, 24,--the more versatile back--looked back at a season that fizzled out at the end.  He had two 90 yard performances in the final nine games and four of them were losses.  Never mind the six costly fumbles.  Turnovers--something the Giants (NFL leaders with 41)  can do without.  Eli had 25 but he's still has a job.

Coughlin sat both running backs at some point  during the season and, while Bradshaw took it in stride after he lost the title of No. 1 back, Jacobs turned it into a WikiLeaks conspiracy and pouted on the sideline.  It wasn't until Bradshaw's game-killing fumbles became more frustrating than the one-dimensional Jacobs 3-yard gains that Coughlin started the big man again with some success.

Reese now has to make a choice.  The two-back system seems to be in vogue around the NFL, but it doesn't always work.  It's been two years since the Giants made the playoffs and their tag-team running game doesn't seem as dominant as in the past.  This Yin and Yang was unreliable and seemed more like Stumble and Fumble in 2010.

The limited role Jacobs had played may have tweaked his ego and he became a disruptive force in the locker room last season.  He still occasionally goes head first into the turf like a larger version of Ron Dayne and has not lived up to his billing since his contract extension (despite injury concerns) in 2009.  He is due for some big money soon.

Bradshaw had the worst case of fumblitis since Dave Krieg and wore down as the season played out.  Although he is more of a receiving threat than Jacobs and has the ability to break open a game on every play, he was a M*A*S*H Unit of injuries--wrists, ankles--and it showed during that final stretch.  If Coughlin can rid Bradshaw of his poor ball handling--ala Tiki Barber--Bradshaw could be the complete back the Giants need, and one of the best in the league.

Jacobs and Bradshaw, as a duo, and their and down seasons are something the Giants need to address. It's like Superman stuck with Robin.  The big guy needs no sidekick.  Has a team or backfield looked so invincible one week only to fall faster than the Metrodome roof the next?

If the NFL and the player's union do negotiate a collective bargaining agreement, and there is a 2011 season, the Giants should hand the ball to Bradshaw.  Just make sure there is a little Stickum on it.

Rex Ryan Tugs On Super Manning's Cape

The playoff game this Saturday between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts just got 'personal' and Jets head coach, and alleged foot fancier, Rex Ryan is zeroing in on Colts QB Peyton Manning.   Last year's crushing de-feet (it's just too easy) to the Colts in the AFC Championship Game must have left a lasting footprint in the sand of Ryan's mind.  He is, plain and simple, tired of losing to the Colts.

Ryan ranted yesterday about his track record (he has lost 5 of 6) against the Colts going back to his Baltimore Raven days as a defensive coach.  The brash coach called playing and losing to Manning "personal" and he vowed to "put the shoe on the other foot."  Considering the recent foot fetish video allegedly made by Ryan and his wife making the rounds, it was an unfortunate choice of words.

Wasn't it just last week that the once blustery coach was quietly saying (six times) it was  'personal'  in response to all the questions regarded the foot videos.  Now Ryan is back to his old outrageous self.  If it seems illogical to  goad your arch-nemesis right before the big showdown, you don't know Ryan.  Until the whole foot thing happened, there wasn't a microphone he wouldn't run to.

This might be the right time for Ryan to play Lex Luthor against Peyton's Superman.  While Manning has scorched Ryan's defenses for 12 TDs and only 2 INTs in six games previous games, this year Ryan finally has a better team.

To avoid another loss to Indianapolis, the Jets traded for San Diego cornerback, and Manning's kryptonite, Antonio Cromartie.  The former Charger joins Darelle Revis to form a formidable pair in the corners to foil the Colts short passing game.  They also brought in safety Brodney Pool and former Dolphin foe Jason Taylor.  The Gang Greens all here to stop Supermanning.

"I've waited a full year for this.  We'll see what happens," Ryan said of Saturday's rematch.  "I know I feel confident.  I feel confident in the men around me," he said. 

Ryan kept ratcheting up the heat.  "I don't know when I'm going to beat him, but I want it to be Saturday night," continued Ryan in his best villain imitation, " Peyton Manning has beaten me twice in the playoffs.  That's well-documented.  You've got all the stats.  But this is about this year, and I've waited a whole year for this."

The Jets are facing a Colts team which has won four straight after a series of injuries to key players (17 place on the injured reserve) had people writing them off a month ago.  This is the team's ninth consecutive playoff appearance but, for the first time they look vulnerable. 

Two of Manning's favorite targets, Dallas Clark and Austin Collie, are sidelined and the running game has picked up with the return of Joseph Addai but it won't have the Jets running in fear.  Manning has been winging the ball like no other season before.  He attempted a staggering 679 passes but was only sacked an amazing league-low 16 times.

Manning hasn't responded to Ryan's chatter, but he is still the master at countering blitzing schemes like Ryan's.  In the end, Peyton Manning and the Colts will be trying to prove they are worthy too.

Ryan's outburst was relatively tame to some of his other raves in the past. Some say it calls attention to himself and puts pressure on the Jets players.  Ryan's rant doesn't guarantee that the Jets will rise to the occasion or the defense will figure Manning out.  It is a war cry for the redemption he craves and diverts attention from the foot-fetish hoopla.  'Personal' has a totally new context with Ryan now.

The Giants are out of the playoffs.  The Jets are the only football team in New York.  If Ryan can beat the Colts on Saturday, it will be quite a feet.  I couldn't resist.

New York Giants Pack It In, But Coughlin Staying Put.

The New York Giants finally won but, at the same time, lost.  They beat the Washington Redskins 17-14 at the same time the Green Bay Packers were defeating the Chicago Bears.  It was a bittersweet end to the Giants indescribable perplexing season.  The final dagger to the Giants lost season came at 7:06 EST when the score board at FedEx Field tauntingly flashed the score: Packers 10, Bears 3.

The Giants (10-6) season ended with a victory, but it was the 68 minutes before Sunday's game that really charted their destiny.  The 28 point comeback by the Philadelphia Eagles two weeks ago and last week's blowout at the hands of the Packers really sealed the Giants fate.  They will not be in the playoffs for the second consecutive season.  The Giants have no one to blame but themselves and it looks like the Giants owner sees it that way too.

The calls for head coach Tom Coughlin's head grew over the past few weeks while the Giants were doing their annual version of a swan dive for the third straight season.  Former Pittsburgh Steelers head
coach Bill Cowher's name was tossed around more loosely than an Eli Manning interception.

After yesterday's loss, Giants owner John Mara immediately made it clear Coughlin will be around to finish the final year of his contract and maybe more.  Mara confirmed it by saying "there was never any doubt" Coughlin would be back in 2011.  Looks like New York won't be a Cowher town after all.

The Giants who finished with 10 wins had to watch as the Seattle Seahawks--a team they routed earlier in the season--squeak into the playoffs with a losing record later that evening.  The Seahawks (7-9) won the NFC West by beating the St. Louis Rams yesterday.  The Giants became only the seventh teams with at least 10 wins to not make the playoffs since 1990.

Mara, the Giants co-owner, is sticking with his head coach despite another late season fizzle.  "I'm obviously disappointed that we didn't make the playoffs, " he said, "Everybody in this locker room is disappointed.  But that doesn't mean you blow the whole thing up.  he's still the guy we want as our head coach."

The owner even visited Coughlin after the game and reassured the 61 year old coach.  "Don't listen to all the nonsense.  You're going to be back next season.  We still believe in you and we want you as our coach."

Mara said he knows it's not easy to win ten games.  He has stuck with Coughlin before.  In 2006 the Giants beat the Redskins to get into the playoffs and save Coughlin's job.  The next season the team won the Super Bowl.

The Giants players and Coughlin will have the whole off-season to look back at their mistakes and get the team back into the playoffs next year.  Mara can only hope his belief in his coach will pay off.