BDRadio 10-31-07

The Patriots, Kickers, and NFL announcers are a bunch of sheep.
Click here to listen in.

Jonathan Wiener makes the call

A student announcer at Trinity is having his fifteen minutes of fame (I predict a job offer from ESPN or at least a local station) after his call of a wacky play. The 'broadcast' was only heard online, but it was a good one and it got picked up by a lot of outlets, including the New York Times.

Ah, Division III football. Just like watching the Jets.

Let Me Be The First To Say - Why?

From Fanball.com: October 30, 2007 10:17 AM ET
Giants: Tynes keeping his job
	The News Giants head coach Tom Coughlin continues to stand by kicker Lawrence Tynes. "Lawrence has been our kicker for the first eight games of the season – we are 6-2," Coughlin tells the team's official web site. "We had some disappointments. But we're sticking with him." Tynes has missed three field goals and two extra points this season.
	Our View With the Giants on the bye, now would be the ideal time to kick Tynes to the curb. It sounds like Larry will still be around come Week 10, though.

Week 8 vs Fins - 2nd half

• 3 and out for the Jints. Commentators are right, bad play calling. Where's the running game? I know I said they couldn't run the ball on these guys earlier but that was before THE IMMORTAL REUBEN DROUGHNS entered the game. Anyway, they have a lead now, control the clock, yadda yadda yadda. Where's Coughlin's number, I need to call that guy.
• It's both admirable and a little pathetic that the Dolphins are putting out such a good effort. Good effort. Not much in the way of results. But good effort.
• Chatman's good. Play got called back by a penalty but he's doing a nice job.
• Now the wheels are really coming off. This is what the game was supposed to be like. All Giants, all the way. Doesn't make for an exciting game but as long as they win handily, that's OK.
• Goodell is blathering about this UK game. I don't mind him, actually, but this is just a stupid thing, going to London during the regular season.
• He's saying that they want people to "understand the fundamentals" of the game. But I'm a perfect example of how that's completely unnecessary. You know how I got into football? Fantasy. That's right, fake, bullshit football.
  
• Osi is a good example of this. But, you know what? He didn't spend all that much time in London. But hey, you know, great example guys.
• Oh! That was an embarrassing drop by Wilson (Giants D). Let's call it a "circus drop".
• Strahan has a towel over his head. Make up your own joke.
• Comment by the commentators that NY hasn't been able to "put the game away". 'Tis true. Coughlin, or maybe its the O coordinator, doesn't do a great job with the play calling. Weird choices sometimes.
• Ugh. Really good spin and run from Chatman. At least the D stopped him but somebody needs to tell Cough & Co. that it's only 13-0, not 24-0. And that the Giants are good but they're not the Patriots.
  
• Dumb penalty on Coffield. It's happening again. Oh God... It's happening again... the penalties... that great Coughlin discipline... it's all bullshit... STOP THEM!!!
• So all of a sudden, they're on the 2. THE TWO. Feh.
• There we go. Lemon gets sacked. We like that. Knock 'em back a bit.
• STOP. No touchdown for you. Niiiice. Still should've pinned them back further upfield, but what the hell, let's see if Feely can make the FG this time.
  
• He can. There goes the shutout.
• Let's not forget - this is a ten point game. It's not over.
• OK, here's the deal. Touchdowns. Not field goals. Especially not when you have "OMG HE MISSED ANOTHER ONE" Tynes. A 29 yarder? I don't care how muddy the "pitch" is, you gotta make those. Yeah, good thing you let Feely go.
• If games were won and lost by who played harder and who wanted it more, Miami would've taken this one 28-7. NY just isn't playing hard down the stretch. Let us take this as a reminder: Coughlin is doing better but he's not that good.
• WHOAH. Nice catch by Ted Ginn Jr., nice throw by Cleo Lemon. 13-10. Fuck.
• Feely gives it back with a "hydroplaning" (Fox guys' word) onside kick.
  
• People are pissed about the knee-taking. Interesting to see that. They're right, in the abstract. When I started watching football, the knee would annoy me.
• So Giants win, but they tried really hard to lose. Bye week next week, and the team has a much better record than anyone thought they would. Cheerio.
  

Week 8 vs Fins - notes

• It's amazing to listen to the announcers flog this UK thing as if anyone cares. "It's like a playoff game, or the Superbowl" - um, no. No, it's not. Right before they said that, as the camera panned across the players' faces, I thought, "They look tired." I guess it isn't that much further than California but it feels further. And 50% of football is 60% mental. Or something like that.
  
• Osi, a native Londoner (something nobody cared about until last week), looked like he was trying to sing along with 'God Save The Queen.' It sounded to me like the crowd booed at the beginning of the song, but maybe I was wrong or it was for the singer. It also didn't sound like they were singing the same words, but again, what the hell do I know? Those people have make a mockery of American English.
  
• With Ronnie Brown out, it's not clear that the Dolphins can do much here. That said, Cleon Lemon (what a name!) played well last week and managed to score 28 points against the Patriots, who are a teensy bit better than this Giants team. So maybe something can happen.
  
• Apparently Jesse Chatman "ate his way out of football." I thought that was LenDale White's problem.
  
• Why are the Dolphins marching down the field? Well, not marching exactly... actually, it is kind of like marching. Slow, methodical, but effective.
  
• According to Mike Francesca on WFAN you had to dig 15 pages deep into the London newspapers to find any coverage of this game. Kenny Mayne had a rare funny piece on ESPN this morning where he spoke to the locals and they generally looked like he didn't give a crap.
  
• Um, hello? Defense? Worst team in the league here? Stop them? Please?
• Nice run by Lemon, and a couple of nice blocks from Chatman, leading to a first down.
• Chatman was the big pickup in fantasy football this week. Anyone who had Ronnie Brown on their team is wicked pissed since the guy (Brown) had been putting up incredible numbers.
• Oooo, Jay Feely tries a 48 yard field goal. He hasn't missed one all year, and... now he has. Ha ha. I still think the Giants should've kept him.
  
• What kind of song choice is "Dance Hall Days" by Wang Chung?
• Manning to Burress. Practice? Fuck practice. I'm just gonna catch the ball. I know how to catch the ball. Eli knows how to throw the ball. So fuck practice.
• They are not running the ball well here. Be interesting to see if that continues. I like Jacobs but he hasn't been a world beater.
• Burress drops a catch that looks a lot like one that Randy Moss caught last week. Except that Moss caught it between two defenders, as opposed to
  
• One of the Dolphins gets a little too into this whole London thing and seems to be trying to "bugger" Brandon Jacobs. What does he think this is, baseball?
• OK, let's see if he they can convert on first and goal here. The "he" was a slip; I'm thinking I meant Jacobs or Eli.
• Eli throws it over Toomer's head, but at least he seems to know it. Coughlin looks like he got punched in the gut.
• Tynes... makes the field goal!
• Priest Holmes was originally a backup. Interesting.
• Fight! Fight! Now the crowd gets into it.
• Fumble? What happened? OK, short snap to Marty Booker, attempting a QB sneak, and they muff it. Shocking. Truly, truly shocking.
  
• Lots of almost pass interference going on here.
• The crowd really looks like they'd be somewhere else if they had anything better to do.
• The 'fins really are stopping NY here, especially Jacobs. Not good. They should still win the game but good teams beat the crap out of bad teams.
• Careless penalty on the kickoff.
  
• Hey, the Brits can do the wave! Very exciting.
• By moving this game to London, I actually think that the league made it feel less important somehow. Maybe its because it feels so forced. Certainly no one in this country, you know, the one where the league makes a dumptruck full of money every single week,
• "You gotta see the excitement around this giant Jason Taylor!" It shows something that they have a giant thing in London, and it's not one of the Giants. Discuss.
• It seems early to bring Droughns in but maybe they think the 'fins have Jacobs' number today. And at least this time, it works, Reuben gets the first down.
• The three RB system is going to become popular, you watch. This will really fuck with fantasy football players.
• Shit, look at that slide. It's like baseball. This field is so muddy.
• Eli, where the hell are you throwing? Trying to reach the airport?
• That's sort of interesting, they're swapping out the spikes on a pair of cleats. That's easier than changing shoes, I suppose.
• "The Yellow Line is Not Official." Thank you, Fox.
• While we're measuring, let's just say that Fox starting the World Series games at almost 9pm (yeah, officially 8pm but with the pre-game bullshit it's 8:45pm) makes it so that only those who don't have anything to do in the morning can watch the whole game. Not a good demographic, guys. (I know, West Coast, but they don't count.)
  
• Hey, the crowd knows that that's not a first down. OK.
• Hey now! Droughns punches out a first on 4th and inches. Good sign. The score wouldn't indicate that as being the right move, but it's good to take a chance every now and then.
• Nice little spin by Droughns. He seems like a guy who should've had a better career, maybe this is his chance.
• Snow Rain. Hard snow rain. Oh wait, no it's not. What was that? OK, I guess there's a roof. Thom Brennaman has to work his way up to boring.
  
• Tony Siragusa needs to talk to Mike Golic about Nutrisystem.
• OK, Burress made that catch, which he did. Good use of replay.
• Come on, guys, put this game away before halftime.
• Eli! Runs! It! In! For! A! T! D! Whoo! Hoo!
• What's Chatman doing? He was down. But was he touched? He was definitely down, in the literal sense. What's going on here? Everyone seems to be a little confused today. Jet lag, probably.
• Chatman is pretty good, I think. Nice little juggle (the term "circus catch" I don't like) and he gets a first down. The Giants are supposed to have this amazing defense, but they can't seem to stop this guy. Still, it's 10-0. No wait, 13-0. Tynes is 100% today, Feely missed his one shot. Go figure.
• Halftime. Go getcher fish 'n' chips.

LT LT LT

So I'm watching Countdown on ESPN. They do this dopey thing on "Fear" with Stephen King. It's Halloween, the network is much more Entertainment than it is Sports these days, whatever. They show a bunch of players. Lawrence Taylor is featured prominently, one of only two non-current NFL players. Despite his obvious greatness, for some reason I think that he doesn't get the respect that he deserves. The guy is the reason that sacks are a stat. BEFORE HIM, THEY DIDN'T TRACK SACKS. Think about that. So what's the problem?

• It's the crack. Well, that's one reason, sure. But Ray Lewis was convicted of contributing to a murder and we love him (I don't, but the TV guys keep pushing him out there). So that alone isn't it.
• It's the East Coast bias. Well, Baltimore is on the East Coast, right? See above.
• He played too long ago. This seems like the most likely reason. We have no memory these days and Taylor played prior to the intense media saturation we currently "enjoy".

I'll keep thinking about it. Leave any of your own thoughts in the comments.

Lies, damn lies, and stastistics; Tiki Barber, evil genius?

Check these out:

(Source: NFL.com)

Not bad, right? When the season started, pretty much everyone with a microphone (or a blog for a major newspaper) was burying the Giants. Plax was a pain in the ass, Eli wasn't good, Coughlin should've been fired, Tiki was gone... The latter was the big one. Tiki Tiki Tiki. Outside of Hawaii, has that word ever been given so much importance? There's a legitimate argument to be made that the team is better now than they were with Barber. He was so incredibly self-absorbed; on a team with a pile of head cases, he didn't do much to help the situation, especially in his final season. Even announcing his retirement the way he did was selfish, since it shifted the focus entirely onto him.

But what if Tiki's an evil genius? What if he, by calling out Eli on national television in a direct and pretty irritating way, he was hoping to get the team fired up? Personally, I doubt it. But it does seem to have helped.

One of the other differences between this year and last year is Coughlin. On Newsday's Giants' blog, Arthur Staple quotes Jay Feely, who had a lot to say about his former team. Frankly, the fact that Jerry Reese thought his desire for a 3 year/$2 million guaranteed contract was too much seems pretty foolish now, considering the fact that Lawrence Tynes has had trouble kicking extra points. Extra points! All you do is kick and you miss extra points? The occasional field goal, OK, but seriously, dude. Come on. Maybe it's all the pressure he feels as the NFL's lone Scotsman. (There may be other Scottish folk in the NFL but I'm too lazy to look. Sorry.)

Back to Feely and the Coughmeister. Jay say:

Whether he thought TC could change: "No, I didn’t. But if you remember at the end of last year, when we talked, you guys asked me what I thought our problem was on our team and why we struggled the last half of the season and in the playoffs and I said I thought as a locker room and as leaders on our team, we talked too much and criticized Coach Coughlin too much and that a head coach needs unquestioned support at least publicly because, otherwise, you undermine his ability to lead. If you have a veteran question the head coach publicly, then those young guys are going to do that and they’re not going to listen to him the way they need to. I said we needed that and then that Coach Coughlin could probably create a more friendly environment where players wanted to play for him more and I think that’s exactly what happened. You’ve had Coach Coughlin, he took them out bowling and did little things like that to try and relate to them on a (personal) level rather than just on a football level. He knows so much about football. There have been many coaches that have coached with him that are now at other places that have told me that he knows way more than their current coach does about football. That says a lot about his knowledge of football. but I think now that he’s trying to relate on a relational level with players now, he gets a different level of commitment from those guys."

OK, that's too much to read. In a nutshell: Coughlin mellowed out and stopped acting like your crazy uncle that everyone tolerates, but deep down, they all really wish somebody would smack some sense into him. Maybe it was the threat of being fired, maybe he mellowed in his old age, or maybe the idea of going out (he's no kid) on such a down note made him realize that perhaps it was time to take stock. Whatever. The team is playing better, that's all that matters.

Giants 3rd Best Team in the NFL?

Who knew? According to Stink & Co. on NFL Live, the New York Football Giants (isn't that phrase annoying?) are in elite company:



Kind of amazing, right? But look at the other teams out there. The Redskins are certainly better, but they're not quite good enough yet. The Cowboys are certainly good but the last couple of weeks have shown them to have weaknesses. Who else? The Rams? The Raiders? The Eagles? The Bears? Lots of parody, sorry, parity, in the league this year, and the Giants are playing better than those teams. But as Mike Francesa reminded us today on WFAN, the team needs to not get too full of themselves or they'll fall hard. Traveling to London, playing a team that hasn't won a game and is playing for pride - if Eli et al don't show up and play hard they'll regret it.

R-R-R-Rob Bironas

Greatest kicker ever! (At the moment, anyway.) Who knew? *I* knew. I came up with "R-R-R Rob Bironas" during my fantasy football draft. There are witnesses! So NFL.com, you owe me. (A phrase you may not hear again anytime soon - Rob Bironas Highlights.)

Week 7? What Week 7?

I was traveling and therefore missed the game on Sunday. At least they won. Losing to the Dolphins right now would be almost as embarrassing as playing for the New York Jets. Almost.
Some news and things, will update later.

3 Headed Running Back Nicknames

As we said last night, Jacobs, Droughns and Ward need a nickname. So let's start:

• Manny, Moe and Jack?
• Moe, Larry and Curly?
• Kukla, Fran and Ollie?
• Cerberus?
• The Sun, The Moon, and the Stars?

Sadly, the last one here is probably the best. Anyone else? Need a little help here. Leave something in the comments.

Week 6 vs ATL - 2nd half

• Little break there. They don't pay me enough to work straight through, sorry.
• Not a good drive by Eli. I don't know. I wonder if that late INT messed with his head a bit.
• "Joey's our guy, he's going to come on and get us a quick touchdown." Wow. The power of positive thinking.
• Is there anyone on the planet luckier than Jimmy Kimmel? In terms of talent -> success ratio. He doesn't suck, and he seems like a nice enough guy. He's actually funnier when he sits in on the Howard Stern show. And I have to give him some credit for flying back and forth between L.A. and New York for a week, filling in for Regis in the morning and then doing his show at night. That's incredibly weird. "I like to be on television as much as possible...I'm going to be co-hosting The View, then maybe I'll be on a soap." Seriously though, he's gonna be tired. I'm tired now and I don't have to fly anywhere.
  
• Four guys in the booth - doesn't work.
• You gotta catch those balls, Giants defense.
• Roddy White. RODDY WHITE??? At least they didn't let him go all the way.
• Again, I know it's a stupid thing, but the way receivers stay in bounds
  
• "You know, Eli Manning has a brother in the NFL." I like that. "I once saw him on a commercial." You know what? Put him in the booth with Kornholio and Kompany and you realize that he's a comedian, and those guys are sports dudes trying to be funny.
• "Warrick Dunn carries for less than a half yard..." And yet, this team isn't in the no-wins-yet club.
• Another sack. A weird one, Tuck just kind of fell into Joey, then Tuck's helmet came off.
  
• Giants are wilting a little here. Is it Eli? Is it the team? I think its both.
• Eli has a real dopey look on his face. The kind where you want to grab him and say, "Hey! Schmendrick!
  
• Oh shit. Hall snatches the pass meant for Toomer. Shockey makes a nice stop... which draws a flag. I don't know about that. Low block? What's he supposed to do? It wasn't much of a block, he kind of rolled at him.
• Toomer should've had him.
• Oh wait, the penalty was for a block on somebody else. Shockey probably did it. But he also probably didn't know he did it.
• Aaaand... the Falcons do nothing. NICE.
• Is there any possibility that the Cavemen sitcom will be any good?
• Eli Manning is clearly the best quarterback in the NFL... playing tonight.
• So rather than discuss the game, let's discuss Eli. Again. You know what? He's a decent quarterback. Maybe he suddenly becomes great but I doubt it.
  
• How is it that Shockey always falls down when he catches the ball?? That was a nice catch, and he wasn't going any further than where he got. But he always falls down. It's bizarre.
• Nice stiff arm by Toomer.
• Dangerous throw by Eli. It worked this time but that makes me nervous. I guess it's like getting back on the horse when you fall off - thread the needle, no INT, you feel better, etc.
• Stupid challenge overturning the catch. I'm with Jaws, they're wrong. He got his hand under it.
• Oh for fuck's sake, Tynes. First Scottish-born player. My countryman. Maybe we need to make him the last Scottish-born player. He makes it. Seriously, he makes me nervous. But this time he made it.
  
• I wonder if the guys in the booth start to get bored when the game isn't close and it starts getting late. Sounds like it.
• See, when Tony talks sports and doesn't try to be funny, he's OK.
• Decent run by Reuben Droughns. If Tiki and Ron Dayne were "Thunder and Lightning," what are these three (Jacobs, Ward, Droughns)? The Sun, The Moon and The Stars? Kukla, Fran and Ollie? Father, Son, Holy Ghost? Moe, Larry and Curly?
• Derek Anderson will be a restricted free agent. All of a sudden that's actually slightly newsworthy.
• Red Sox loooooooose. Ha ha.
• This game is kind of limping towards a conclusion. Maybe not limping. More like yawning. No, that's not it either. I'll find the word. Loping? That's better.
• Byron Leftwich says he's "not a backup in this league." He wants to play. So I'll give him that. "I know I'm here for a reason." But dude? You are a backup. And your former team is 4-1 without you. Bummer.
• The Falcons really look like they'd rather just go home. It's almost sad.
• Some enormous Falcon just fell over the line for an "encroachment" penalty.
• Jacobs is questionable now, so is Ward. For tonight at least. But if Droughns keeps busting out 45 yard runs like that, it won't matter. It also helps to play high school teams the Falcons.
• Damn. Giants have had the ball for 38 minutes and have over 400 yards of offense.
• OK, Ward must not be all that hurt, since he just ran in a TD. OK, strolled in is more accurate. Tynes even made the extra point. It's like Christmas and Chanukah on the same day.
  
• So according to Korny the problem before was that Tom Coughlin was a cranky butthead before. Now he's mellowed out a little and the team is playing better. Maaayyybe.
• OK, J.Load is in. This game is over. That's all for tonight.
  

Week 6 vs ATL - notes

• So let's start with the fact that everybody thinks the Giants will win this game. That alone is enough to make me nervous.
• Pre-game: "Has Eli proven everyone wrong?" I don't know, but it was nice to see his response to Tiki's bullshit replayed. Being forced to respond to Barber did seem to help him come out of his shell.
• Here's a question: if Tiki worked for ESPN, would he have said that?
• Parcells: 12 teams have played at least 2 quarterbacks this year. Eli stayed in with a sprained shoulder. (Kurt Warner left the game Sunday with an injury to his non-throwing elbow - what a wuss!) Parcells thinks Eli's doing pretty good, that's enough for me. 45 straight starts - hey, what the hell, could be worse, right?
• Harrington - does it suck to be him? Kind of, but at least he's got money. I wonder how it effects your body to be sacked that much (17 times this year). I'll ask Jon Kitna next time I see him.
• I don't know that I recognize everyone in Bocephus' band. I was never a big Stray Cats guy either. Is that Richie Sambora? Step down from Little Steven. On the other hand, does anyone give a shit? Shouldn't ESPN just get a band that would pay them for the exposure? Or use some corporate synergy and have The Wiggles perform?
  
• Yeah, I'd kiss Suzy Kolber.
• Michele Tafoya has a very manly voice.
• Warrick Dunn - any running back lighter than me who survives more than five minutes in the NFL is an impressive guy.
• Mike Tirico has to work his way up to boring.
• Why is Harrington being allowed to lead the team down the field? He stinks. Remind him of that.
• Joe Horn? I thought he was helping Vinny Testaverde get to the toilet.
• Funny seeing how the Falcons have no running game all of a sudden. It's not just that Vick is gone; Dunn is getting old, the other guys are rookies and not Adrian Peterson-type rookies, and the O-line is nothing to write home about.
  
• I wonder how much TV training football players are given. These days they have
• That wasn't a bad pass, but he couldn't keep his feet in bounds. I'd tell you who the receiver was but I have no idea.
• Morten Andersen is 47. Tirico just told us he's kicking a 47 yard field goal. These guys aren't very good.
• Joey is a little too happy about that field goal.
• NFL.com is amazingly behind. I'm time-shifting via Tivo so I'm about 10-15 minutes in the past, and the stuff on the NFL's site is even behind that.
• "A full foot short" of a first down - why not go for it? I know, it's early, but that kind of thing really helps get a team going. Yeah yeah, I know, it's a bad idea. Fuck off.
• ROUGHING THE KICKER? Oh wait, it's on Atlanta. That's fine.
• Is the ATL defense good? I didn't think so but they sure are in Eli's face.
• O'Hara's right - Kareem McKenzie does look like Suge Knight. Plaxico no whatxico?
  
• OK, we're moving here. Not bad. This isn't a world-beating team but they can play. And with the Eagles stinking on ice they've got a chance.
  
• Jacobs is hurt again? Maybe, maybe not. It's a "burner". So we'll see.
• Shockey, nice catch. Dude needs a shrink, he'd be a better player.
• Need to keep in mind that it's only a tremendously dumb penalty that kept this drive going.
• Not a Toomer? IT IS A TOOMER! Touchdown. Nice.
• Please make the extra point please make the extra point... Good!
• OK, what the hell was that? Norwood just ran for 67 yards and a TD. Where the hell was everybody? That guy I couldn't name before, Laron Robinson, blocks Sam Madison a little too easily. That shouldn't have happened. NFL.com thought Warrick Dunn ran that one in. That was last year, guys (and it was 90 yards).
  
• Boomer on a motorcycle, with the mustache? Something I kind of can't un-see.
• ATL is the only team without a 100 yard rushing game so far this year. Well, they'll get it tonight.
• Nice 19 yard run by Jacobs.
  
• Joey Harrington needs to watch himself with that perkiness or he'll become Chad Pennington, waving a towel on crutches.
• NICE pass to Burress. Man, talk about an ad for skipping practice. Has he practiced once this year? I don't think so.
• And Shockey now. He practices, I think. But he's drunk when he does. (We have no evidence of that but, well, whatever.)
• Without that Norwood run this had the potential to be a blowout.
  
• NICE catch by Toomer keeping his feet in. For some reason I always find that really impressive.
• And Droughns just kind of walks into the end zone.
• Kornholio is much better on PTI than he is here.
• Shockey looks like he doesn't bathe. He reminds me of a kid who pulls the wings off butterflies.
  
• Phrase you rarely here: "As The Rock said at the beginning of the show..."
• Apparently Eli is a riot in the locker room. This is according to Mike Tirico. And he should know.
• Strahan might be the most self-congratulatory player ever. He makes a tackle and he's all, "YEAH! I MADE A TACKLE!" To paraphrase Chris Rock, he always wants credit for shit he's supposed to do.
• Fumble, and a challenge, but it fails. At first they thought it came out while he was throwing, but the replay showed otherwise. Coughlin manages to not completely freak out.
• One extra yard, and Andersen can't make it. He can't outkick his age. OK Tirico, that was somewhat amusing.
• Just when I was thinking “isn't it great to use Blogger instead of worrying about your own hosting service” it goes down for no reason.
• Toomer, Burress, Shockey – this is almost (not quite) but almost Patriots-like. Eli's spreading the ball around nicely.
• 10 completions in a row is a record for Eli -
  Fuckin' A, Plax is having a great year. 43 yard TD catch. That was a perfect pass. And he's hurt. An ankle, which is kind of important to a receiver.
• Plax has as many TDs as Randy Moss. And Eli -> Burress? Same # of TDs in the past few seasons as Peyton -> Harrison.
  
• Plax and Eli play catch before the game but no real practice. And the coaching staff is worried that they won't be able "grow". Um, look. If it ain't broke don't fix it. I typed this before Kornholio said it, I swear.
  
• Who the hell is Plax talking to on the phone?
• Completions up to 12 consecutive for Eli. See, good teams beat up on bad teams. ATL really looks like a bad team. This is a good sign.
• I know, West Coast, time difference, and all that crap. But these games should start earlier. Atlanta's not on the West Coast. So start the game at 7pm or something.
• Can they convert on 3rd and 1? This is something they need to be able to do. Droughns... makes it.
• At last, some digs at Tiki. Well, there have been others. And this isn't his network. But it can't be said enough that Barber had/has a big mouth.
• Burress has 89 yards and a TD and the first half isn't even over yet.
• OK, now he's forcing the ball to Burress a little too much. Jaws calls it "trust" but he can't fixate like that. Listen to me sounding like I think I know what I'm talking about.
• Delay of game. It was just a matter of time before a dumb penalty happened. Surprised it was Eli.
• Shannon Sharpe called Plaxico 'Plexiglass' cuz he was so injury prone. That's funny.
• See, they say that Plax 'matured' and is playing better, but they don't say that Shockey is immature and needs to be more mature.
• Sinorice Moss gets into it a little with D'Angelo Hall. That looked like a foul to me.
• Please get the ball back. Harrington's not so good but don't give them a chance to get back in it. The game isn't over yet, guys. Where's my cell phone? What's Coughlin's number?
  
• Nasty sack by the Giants.
• And another one.
• And another one. We may see Leftwich before this game is over. Not because he'll be better but because Harrington will be in the hospital.
• OK Jaws, yes, Spagnola's system could be good, but Pierce just strolled through the ATL line. With better blocking that isn't so easy.
• Harrington looked like he was screaming in pain when he went down. His body jerked around... ouch.
• Interesting, Chris Redman is warming up, not Leftwich.
• Joey stays in. OK, I'll give him credit for that.
• Even if the Giants don't score before halftime this is a decent first half.
• 1:39, no time outs. Running play. 1 yard. Sure, that makes sense.
  
• No, 3 and out, no no no. Stay strong.
• Good getting up quickly Shockey. It's not nap time!
• Good quick conversion on 3rd down, spike the ball, stop the clock. Hey, this is working.
• Spoke too soon. Eli throws a pick. Hate that. It probably won't matter but it fucks with his head. That was a bad one. Not the worst but... ATL has time outs.
• Here's a quote: "Joey Harrington has a left ankle issue." Hey, we've all got our issues.
• Almost a pick by Osi, but he muffs it. At least they stopped him. Bad drop by ATL. To be fair, who are these receivers?
• OK, they snag the Hail Mary pass. Good deal. That helps make up for the Eli pick.
  

Mid-Week Update

The Two Running Back System is here to say, methinks. Fanball.com says:
October 9, 2007 9:38 AM ET
Giants: Coughlin pleased with backfield combo
The News
Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is pleased with how the combined backfield of Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward fared in Week 5. "As I have said many times, the more good football players you can have, the better off you are going to be," Coughlin tells the team's official web site. "I thought yesterday Derrick Ward's first half was very good and the experience he had with the ankle that kind of set him back and hobbled him up a little bit. I thought that Brandon's second half was strong. So the combination worked very well." The Giants running backs rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns against the Jets.
Our View
Provided Ward is able to continue working through his ankle soreness, we expect the Giants to use both he and Jacobs as the season rolls along. Jacobs will be the better fantasy back, but people should realize that this probably won't be a one-man show.

That's largely fantasy oriented, but it helps to point out that this is the way things are right now. Bad for fantasy players but good for teams who don't want to run down their stars (I'm looking at you Herminator).

---

Newsday says that the 3 books the Giants currently have out are not distractions in the locker room. Sure, that's because the team has won three in a row. They lose on Monday to the crappola Falcons and you know what? Someone will say it's a distraction.

Here are the books, which I haven't read but that won't stop me from commenting:

- The GM: The Inside Story of a Dream Job and the Nightmares that Go with It
This one looks the most interesting. It's a dream job but take out stock in Maalox. It's always fascinating to see a relatively unvarnished version of what goes on behind the scenes and this appears to be that, judging by the fact that some folks are pissed off about it. Angry people usually means a better book (see also the new Charles Schultz biography.)

- Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond
Maybe it's because I'm not a fan of his personality off the field but this holds almost no interest for me. Why bash the coach and then come out with some lukewarm nonsense about how you didn't hate the guy? How are you planning to establish yourself as a legit newsperson, even a sports newsperson, when all you talk about is your own team and how they aren't all that good? To be fair, the "Eli's a bit of a weenie" routine has died down, but I agree with Arthur Staple of Newsday when he says that "Barber has made himself irrelevant by speaking out too much for a retired guy." I'll go further and say too far, period.

- Inside the Helmet: Life as a Sunday Afternoon Warrior
Assuming life suddenly got longer, I might be more inclined to read Strahan's book than Barber's. But not much more. Strahan seems to have convinced the NFL and many fans that he is as good as Lawrence Taylor. He's not. Lawrence Taylor was possibly the best defensive player ever. And right now, Strahan isn't even the best player on his own team; Osi looks like he's going to have a nice career ahead of him if he stays healthy, and Tuck seems to be a good fit as well. He can't even claim to be acting as a mentor because of his bizarre hold out that wasn't a hold out; frankly, it looked like he just wanted to hang on the beach and try to get Pam Oliver's phone number. None of this is based on reportage, so take it for what you will, but Strahan seems a little bit off and his book, which apparently only barely covers his tremendously ugly divorce, hardly seems like must-read material. Is it possible that his wife made up all of the things she said about him? Sure it is. But there's still the holdout, the fake sack of Bret Favre to break a record, and the fact that he appears intent on convincing people that he's better than one of the greatest players of all time.

So right now the Giants have as many books as they have wins. Hopefully they'll keep winning, but the number of books will stop at three. If it keeps going, eventually we'd get something by Jeremy Shockey, and nobody in the publishing world wants that to happen.

Week 5 vs NYJ - notes, 2nd half

• This isn't looking good. Jacobs being back is good, I guess, but the Jets shouldn't be having their way with the Giants like this. Eli is the big surprise. I thought Plax was sooo much taller than the Jets defenders. They have no one who can stop him. Um...
• Pennington is better than McNabb? Nah. Better O-line? Maybe. But also maybe the D was playing under the gun last week and this week they're the princes of the city.
  
• Nice toss to Plax. Eli moved, had time, hit his man.
• BJ is good, I'll give him that. Ward is the real surprise. They shouldn't jump back to Jacobs just because the guy they wanted to be the guy is healthy.
• Big, long TD run for Jacobs! Still got the ball in that precarious spot.
• Tynes... MAKES THE EXTRA POINT! So exciting.
  
• Leon Washington. TD. Kickoff return. 2nd time this year. So, you know, it should have come as a surprise to the Giants. 24-14. The football gods giveth, and they taketh away.
  
• Aside: hey, the Saints are winning. And look, the Browns scored. Just a field goal, but OK.
  
• The offense does look better, which is nice, and Eli probably has more than a zero-point-zero rating. But we gotta score here.
• The phrase "Pennington - back to work" should not make the opposing team nervous. Yet, today it does.
• So today the defense looks human. Maybe a B so far. B-. Somehow I knew this wasn't the world-beating crew that it looked like. They did stop the Jets finally. There's a phrase you don't hear very often.
• The Giants' return game really does suck. With everything else that was going on the past 4 weeks I didn't really notice.
• Proof that nobody knows anything - Gus Frerotte is having a good day for the Rams, Reggie Bush is still mediocre, and Chad Pennington is beating the hell out of the Giants.
• Once again, Plax is playing well in the 2nd half. He already doesn't practice; maybe he shouldn't even play until after halftime.
• Oh yeah, the ankle sprain too. So he plays best when he's hurt and skips practice. Seriously, let's let him work from home for the first half. He can show up around halftime.
• Aside: The Browns have 10 points! 10 whole points! And the Chiefs are being shut out. By the Jaguars.
  
• Shockey scores! First one this season. Much as I don't like him, the team does play better when he's playing well. 3 points game.
  
• I'm not kidding, every time Tynes kicks I get a twinge of panic.
• Somehow when Shockey drinks Gatorade out of a clear bottle, you can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, somebody peed in it.
• 5 yards for the Jets this half. On offense, of course. Still.
• Maybe Thomas Jones isn't that good. I always thought he was but he does seem to lack that extra whatever that makes a great player.
• Oooo! Almost a great pass by Chadwick. Coles was maybe a touch overthrown. Even Chad says: "Oh!"
• HOW DO YOU LEAVE COLES OPEN AFTER HE'S BEEN MOST OF THE OFFENSE ALL FREAKIN' DAY???
• BUT! CHAD! THROWS! A! PICK! Right to a Giant defender!
• Not clear what he was thinking there. It must be tough to have all those enormous dudes running at you, so panic happens, but it happens a lot to some players.
• Bad call and another lost challenge for Cough. He was in the end zone. I don't think I get that rule, and now the ball is on the 1 instead of the 20.
• BUT the Jets hold Plax, and that puts them on the 6.
• 3rd and 1. My guess - running play. This time, it works. Ward runs right through the Jets.
• Ooof. Nasty facemask. That hurt.
• Wait, it was a collar grab. Not as bad, although still a foul.
• Burress BIG TD! Dances (literally) down the sideline, doesn't step out, and he SCORES! Giants take the lead.
• A little bit too soon to celebrate for him, he could've been stopped.
• AGAIN with Tynes. Heart skips a beat. 4 point game.
• What a difference a half makes. First half, 16 yards. Second? 323. Crazy stat. Maybe the whole team can skip the first half. Just let a Pop Warner team play, then after halftime, the
  
• Why wasn't Chad sacked there? How do you go from 12 sacks to none? No wrapping up by the tackler. What have we been saying? Cough, my line is open if you want to talk. If almost turned into a one-handed grab by Brad "What Position Is He?" Smith but he was out of bounds.
• Aside: the Panthers tied it up? Man the Saints stink this year.
• Isn't it amazing how quickly a game can start to look like a blowout? 3rd & 16, and you'd never know the Jets were having their way with the Giants earlier.
• Of course, then Brad "WR - for now" Smith gets the long first down.
• NICE INTERCEPTION! Who was that? Aaron Ross. 2nd one today, this one for a TD. Girlfriend is a sprinter, or something. Tynes kicks (gulp), makes it, and it's 35-24. Ross just lept in front of the ball, came out of nowhere. NOW it looks like a blowout.
  
• 1st sack of the game, by Osi, of course. There's a sign for the stadium: "OSI - OF COURSE!" OK, maybe not. I guess D'Bricky is doing a good job.
• Aside: Holy crap, the Saints lost. 0-4. Drew Brees, no TDs, 2 picks. Next: a comet hits the Earth.
  
• That's it fellas. Giants take it. It was scary for awhile but they pulled it out. Droughns does some mop up work, and that's all she wrote. Next up: some really crappy teams.
  

Week 5 vs NYJ - notes

• Tynes kicks off, reminding us that he kind of needs to be replaced. Not that it was a bad kickoff, it was fine. But they gotta get a reliable FG kicker. Maybe his new kid is distracting him.
  
• Nice batdown by Tuck, who's starting, which is smart. Guy's good.
• 3 and out! See ya, Chadwick.
  
• Oddly, Chad has a much higher QB rating than Eli.
  
• McQuarters falls down on the kick return.
• Diehl has been good at LT, which was a pleasant surprise.
• Hm, Jets D doesn't look too bad. Or Eli isn't that good. Or somewhere in between.
• Ward and Jacobs are both playing. I don't know what to think about that. Ward was really good while BJ was out, and maybe they should just keep rolling with him.
• Shockey gets beat by Eric Smith, a backup safety. Now he does his "Damn! I shoulda caught that!" routine: walking with his head down towards the bench, testily removing his chin strap, muttering to himself. If he weren't a football player people would think he was insane. Oh wait...
• Direct snap to Leon Washington and bam! First down. Shit. If the Jets can start doing these gadgety plays they're going to be much more dangerous.
• Oh come on! Thomas Jones? Wide open! What is he, Randy Moss? Cover him.
  
• Nice coverage by Madison on Cotchery. As CBS says: "No one fears them downfield," meaning the Jets. That was the third pass of more than 20 yards by the Jets this year, they say. Wow. Nice that they trust Chad's arm.
• Jets keep their under 50% third down coversion rate with another trick-type play, Brad Smith at QB with a sneak.
• Mangini goes for it, which is the right move. At this point, what's gonna happen? Take a shot. But they don't, the plan was to try and get the Giants to jump offsides. That's a little weird. Did you think that was going to work? I guess it was worth a try.
  
• Punt gets downed inside the 10.
• Jump ball for Burress and... nope. Looked like a little interference but I guess not.
• OK, nice run by Jacobs. I take back what I said earlier.
• FUMBLE???? What? Now I take back what I just took back. What was that? The ghost of Tiki's early career? Quick TD by the Jets D. Annoying.
• Deep analysis of the fumble reveals that, yes, Jacobs is emulating Tiki by carrying the ball high with his elbow out. WRONG TIKI TO EMULATE.
• Now the Jets seem all energized and the Giants are curling up into a ball and sucking their thumbs.
  
• There's a good play for 3rd and 8 - quick flip to the backup Tight End.
• For some reason I think Leon Washington is a good player. That's not based on much but he seems to be kind of small and quick, the kind of guy who can get you some sneaky yardage. Maybe it's just the name. Leon Washington is a Real Football Player Name.
• Ah, the great Chris Baker beats the Giants D. Uh-oh.
• Thomas Jones is running well, Pennington has time. What's going on here?
• OK, Jones has 16 yards, which isn't exactly world-beating. But still.
• Wow, that throw by Chad was about as lame-looking as anything you'll ever see. He kind of spun while trying to avoid a sack and chucked it toward the sideline.
• They stopped them. Now let's starting scoring. We don't want this to be true.
• There you go! Missed the FG. 42 yards isn't a chip shot but still. Maybe this can change the momentum a bit.
• Nice MLB-style slide by Eli.
• Whoah. Manning makes like Vince Young and rushes a first down. He sort of crumbled at the end, which was looked weird. Good play.
• Jacobs is just hard to stop. How does a guy that size run so fast?
• Pass to Shockey... and he catches it! *And* runs after the catch!
• And Ward runs it in! He ran right through those Jets.
• When Tynes kicks, you cringe. It's slightly to the right and you go "NO! PLEASE! DON'T MISS IT!"
• Ward and Jacobs looking like bookends on the sidelines, sipping their Gatorade.
• Mangold is down. That won't be good for the Jets.
• Aside: Bruce Springsteen has too many earrings. And I have to admit, I don't really know what his new song is about. It is, however, cool that he's giving it away for nuthin'.
• Crappy snap to Chadwick's crotch causes a sack and a false-start penalty.
• Jones keeps wanting to run outside, which isn't really working with this group.
• Interesting stat: Mangini calls a running play 96% of the time from 8 yards out. And always to the left side. Who is he, Herm Edwards?
• Oh, Mangold is back. He should play Thor in a movie adaptation.
• Pushed out? Nuh uh. Well... actually, he got it. He would've come down in bounds. Don't challenge it Cough! Oh, come on. We've all got other things to do, don't drag this out.
• So you can challenge the catch but not the force out. OK. Does anyone know these rules fully?
• CBS giving Chad credit for accuracy, which is fair. Chad's not really hatable, and the team wins with him in there. But he's annoying. Nice catch by Coles.
  
• Waste of a time out by Cough.
• Mangini's got a "game face" that he likes to put on. It's not as good as a real one. It's more Jonathan Papelbon than Mariano Rivera.
• Penington gets the first down on a sneak.
• Tuck again, throwing himself at
  
• NICE PICK BY MADISON with a decent run afterwards. Good blocking, but more importantly, good energy from the team. They're not curling up in the corner!
• Manning throws to... the invisible coach.
• Weird, this long shot they're showing looks like it's from 50 years ago.
• Derrick Ward has a higher percentage of his team's rushing yards than any other team. Even Larry Johnson has a smaller percentage, and he's on a Herminator team. Not really a fair stat, though, since he only came in after an injury.
• Intentional grounding on Eli. I don't know, I want to believe in him but he makes a lot of panicky mistakes. Haven't seen him do his Peyton impression yet this week; I think that helped him before.
• 25 year difference between the two coaches. That's the third time today I've heard that.
• See, that's a play where if Chad had a stronger arm the team would be better: He actually managed to sidestep the defenders but the best he can do is a poky little pass.
• Dang, nice jump by Coles. He's only 5' 11"?
  
• Aside: New England versus Cleveland - it's just not fair. 20-0 at the moment. Guess who's ahead. No really. Guess.
  
• Brad Smith is an interesting player. If he's good he could be very dangerous - QB, WR, RB. If not, he's mostly just annoying. No matter what, he's totally irritating in fantasy leagues, where you wouldn't know what position to put him in.
• Cotchery was wide open. Suddenly the Giant defense looks human again.
• And... Brad Smith. TD. First touchdown. Ever. Partly set up by a facemask penalty earlier. Now Eli and Co. need to start scoring.
  
• Where's Plax? Maybe he'll show up in the second half like before.
• 22 yards passing so far for NYG?
• Is it annoying when the play-by-play guys know better than the coach? Yes. Yes it is. He said "don't throw it" and what do the Giants do? Throw. And it's intercepted. Plus, Burress was open. Eli...we need to talk.
• To quote Animal House and the great Artie Lange - "Zero. Point. Zero." That's Eli.
• 47 yard field goal is... good. This one, he makes. Fuck. Stupid INT.
• 17-7 at the end of the half.
  

Osi...D'Brickashaw...D'Brickashaw...Osi...

D'Brick is blocking Osi. Brick's been good this year so far, but Osi is coming off that huge game. Why am I calling Ferguson "Brick" and "D'Brick" as if I give a crap about him? The name is memorable, and he was a very early pick for the Jets who seems to be paying dividends. Osi's playing hurt, but it's not clear how hurt. Let's not forget Kiwanuka, who had 3 sacks himself last week. Chad's in trouble...

---

From ESPN NFL Countdown this morning:
2006 Jets: Was it a mirage?
The Jets are... who we thought they were!
Lots of excitement last year but it's gone now. Mangini's little tricks (videos to get them motivated, for example) don't really work anymore.
BUT Ditka says it's not a mirage. They're a decent team who went to the playoffs last year. 1-3 this year so far doesn't erase that. I'd go with Ditka, who, at 127 years old, could probably still kick my ass.

Origami Chad?

Just overheard on ESPN Radio:
[The Jets] have no way to protect the quarterback...Chad Pennington will be a sitting duck...How many ways can you fold the human body?

Maybe they can fold him into a puppy... or a nice duck! That'd be so cute...

Week 5 Articles and Links

- This is dopey but amusing. (via Deadspin.)
- Jeremy Shockey knows he's not as good as advertised. Or something. (Shockey wonders if he'll ever return to glory, Newsday)
- Newsflash! Plaxico Burress is tall. The Jets? Short. Film at 11. (Defending Giants' Burress a tall order for Jets, The Home News Tribune)
- Comments on the Shockey story in Newsday. Sample: It will be pretty hard for Shockey to return to glory of playing football while his head is in his rectal cavity. (Topix.net)
- Two more articles about the Shockmeister:
(Via Big Blue Interactive, a great site for all things Giants.)

• Static Shock by Paul Schwartz of The New York Post
• Shockey Doesn’t Want Penalty Yards to Spike by Ernie Palladino of The Journal News

Week 5 Preview

- From WFAN, Mike Francesa say: When the Giants get too positive, they don't play well. The Jets have been knocked around and have their backs against the wall, the Giants are the darlings of the city at this point. "The Jets will be inspired this week, the Giants don't play well when they're playing with prosperity." That's kind of quoting and paraphrasing. It's a good point. This is a team that really gets annoying when they start patting each other on the back. Remember guys: the first two weeks you sucked. Keep a running loop of Pam Oliver telling you how much you suck; maybe it'll keep you motivated. God knows Coughlin doesn't seem to know how to do that.
- Umenyiora missed practice, which is maybe understandable after the monster game he had last week. He's expected to play, which should make Chad Pennington verrrry nervous.
- Plax didn't practice either, which is becoming a pattern. He's having a great year so far, scoring in each of the past three weeks. So maybe he doesn't need to practice.
- Strahan had a meek little practice session but should play. He's been better but he's not the real threat on this team at this point, Osi is.
- Chad could get destroyed in this game. The Giants biggest worry should be beating themselves with "Hey! We're the greatest defense ever!" bullshit. Strahan: YOU ARE NOT AS GOOD AS LAWRENCE TAYLOR. Osi: great job last week. Same to your teammates. BUT IT'S ONLY WEEK 5. YOU HAVE A LOT OF GAMES LEFT. I don't trust Coughlin to really get in there and keep them in line; his much-vaunted "disciplined approach" hasn't seemed to manifest itself into actual disciplined play on the field. Get Pam Oliver to give the pre-game speech. Her, they listen to.

Warning: Mientkiewicz Crossing

Mientkiewicz Collides With Cameraman, Says He’ll Play
Not to make fun of the guy, but what the hell? First he got knocked out for months (it was a cringe-worthy, nasty hit, the kind where the guy gets smacked in the head and doesn't move right away) when colliding with a former Red Sox teammate. Now this? Come on, dude. You're hitting, you're clutch, we need ya.
At least he seems to have a sense of humor about it:
Doug Mientkiewicz, slated to start as first baseman for the Yankees tonight in their American League divisional series opener against the Indians, collided with a television cameraman as Mientkiewicz was walking from the team bus into Jacobs Field.

“Accidents happen, especially to me,’’ Mientkiewicz said while standing outside the clubhouse door about two and a half hours prior to the first pitch. “Everything happens to me. Why wouldn’t it happen to me?’’
Maybe its karma.
Who cares. If he helps the Yankees win a game, he's my bro.

When Q-Tips Attack

Turns out a cotton swab can bring down a 300 pound man:

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Oct. 3 — The oddest injury of the season so far was sustained by linebacker Chase Blackburn, who was bumped by a reporter in the crowded postgame locker room Sunday as he cleaned his ear with a cotton swab.

The swab nearly ruptured Blackburn’s ear drum, and it was painful enough to drop Blackburn to the floor. He said he lost hearing in the ear, which bled, but doctors expect it to slowly return.


Blackburn is 6'3" and weighs 247 pounds. A cotton swab weighs maybe an ounce and varies in length; let's say the average is three inches.
But add a reporter to the mix and BAM!
It sounds (no pun intended) like it must've hurt something awful. I'm carrying cotton swabs with me from now on, just in case I get mugged.

+

=

Mid-Week Update

Giants Waive Mix - this seems weird since Mix had a great pre-season and seemed poised to contribute this year. With Steve Smith out, I thought Mix would get into, you know, the mix (too easy, sorry). From the Star-Ledger:
Mix will find a job elsewhere very quickly. With his size (6-5, 235) and ability, he's the kind of receiver a team would love to try developing. The Giants likely waived him because he doesn't contribute much on special teams and plays the "X" receiver spot exclusively. That's Plaxico Burress' position, so Mix isn't able to get on the field unless Burress is injured. And with a creaky ankle that keeps him out of practice during the week, it's always a possibility Burress might have to take a seat. If he does, Mix won't be around to fill the void.
So, weird move, hopefully he won't end up on The Eagles and come back and burn us later on.
Coughlin kicks around ideas to fix problem - this is a real problem. Tynes seems to really stink. It's his fourth season, and during his first three (all with the Chiefs) he never more more than 81% of his kicks, usually under 80% (via NFL.com). Not exactly stellar numbers. As Jason Elam has shown us this year, kickers are important.

Apocalypse Averted

Patriots win. Stat of the day: Mike Vrabel has nine receptions in his career. Each one is for a touchdown. The '72 Dolphins guys should be getting nervous.

Another sign of the apocalypse?

The Bengals defense is doing a decent job against the Patriots offense.
(above photo from here - you have found your halloween costume.)

News from the Garden

On Mike and The Mad Dog, Mike Francesa just reported that the jury in the Anucha Browne Sanders trial seems to be coming down on the side of the plaintiff, which means that the Garden will likely take a big hit financially and otherwise. Interestingly, Francesa said that someone from the Garden called him to say, "If you talk about this, make sure you mention that no matter what the verdict is, Isiah will be the coach this season." Both Mike and Chris doubted that this would be the result if the verdict comes back fully in Sanders' favor; however, as Mike said, "Dolan is stubborn."
This whole case is a mess, and the Garden folks should be embarrassed in a number of ways. Regardless of what went on behind closed doors, Thomas, Dolan and the entire Knicks organization look like a bunch of fools.
Update (10/1 5:27PM): Mike just said that a source tells him that the Garden is going to lose the whole thing. And "if they lost everything, Isiah would still be the coach." Chris: "Easy to say that on October 2."

Strahan isn't fit to hold Lawrence Taylor's Jock

Click here to listen in.