Saturday, July 31, 2010

What To Do With Revis Island


The New York Jets stand just one day away from perhaps the most anticipated training camp in team history. Between the Super Bowl hype, the appearance on HBO's "Hard Knocks", and the bombastic mouth of Rex Ryan, the Jets refuse to give up the spotlight. However, despite all the anticipation one big problem still remains...What to do with Darrelle Revis? The ongoing contract dispute may potentially serve as the kryptonite to the Jets Super Bowl dreams.

In 2009, Darrelle Revis had perhaps the greatest season an NFL Cornerback has ever had. At a time when the offensive passing game seems to be facilitated every year, Revis reminded football fans that it may be too early to abandon the term "Shutdown Corner." After only 3 years in the league, Revis has established himself as undoubtedly the best Cornerback in football, and quite possibly the best defensive player in football. Don't believe me? Just ask his head coach. Ryan has done a wonderful job of marketing the Jets best player since day one, and rightfully so, Revis is a potential all time great.

Finally, after all the praise and worship, the Jets approached Revis following the AFC Championship about re-doing his current contract. It is a contract that will keep him a Jet for the next three seasons and will pay him only 1 million dollars during the upcoming 2010 campaign. That would make Revis the 8th highest paid defensive back on the Jets! It would seem only logical to reward a home grown 25 year old superstar with rewards and riches. Apparently for the Jets, that logic is too complicated. The Jets and Darrelle Revis have been trying to come to an agreement for over three months and the end doesn't appear to be in site. Revis appears to be a potential training camp holdout and a big time distraction as the Jets prepare for their "Super Bowl or Bust" 2010 season.

If Revis is the best player at his position, isn't it only fair that he be paid like it? Did the Jets not realize that promising Revis a new deal meant he would have to be the highest paid Cornerback in the NFL? Did the Jets think Revis would not take a glance at the contract his contemporary Nnamdi Asomugha signed on February 19th, 2009? If Asmugha's contract is where the bar has been set, then the Jets need to do everything in their power to go above and beyond that number. If an employee receives a promotion for good service then they should receive more money then those they are superior to. The Jets have continued to insult Revis by offering him substantially less then Asmugha, which has led the two parties farther and farther apart.

The NFL has become a passing league. Quarterbacks and Wide Recievers are now putting up more numbers then ever before. Having a commodity like Darrelle Revis in your secondary allows you to go into a game with no fear of the opposition's number one Wide Reciever. The Jets play in a division that features Randy Moss and Brandon Marshall and a conference that features Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Vincent Jackson, and countless other great receivers. If the Jets plan on achieving their Super Bowl dreams, they will need Revis to get through the Tom Bradys and Peyton Mannings of the AFC.

The Revis situation is not the first time the Jets have seemed to butcher contract negotiations. Pete Kendall, Chris Baker, and Leon Washington were all proven starters on the team that wanted and deserved more money. All three times the players were denied, and all three times the players were shipped out. The Jets cannot make that mistake again. Not when the player is one of the best in the sport. One would think the Jets have learned from their contract disputes of the past but their stubborn arrogance remains.

In the meantime, there is still a chance this is resolved soon. For the Jets and their fans, the sooner the better. This should be a time for Jets fans to dream about putting an end to a 41 year Super Bowl drought...Not a time to question if the teams best player will be on the field come week one.

Monday, July 26, 2010

It is Now Do or Die for Mets


As July turns to August the Mets find themselves in a similar position...on the outside looking in. A dismal 2-9 road trip has left the Mets at a crossroads that will determine if Citi Field is a house of hopes come September or a lackluster graveyard.

As things presently sit, the Mets are 7.5 games behind the division leading Braves and 6 games behind the Wild Card leading San Francisco Giants. As the team looks up at the Braves and Phillies they would be wise to realize the fast charging Florida Marlins in their rear view mirror. For a team that was once alone atop the NL East, things have fallen off the cliff these last few weeks.

Mike Pelfrey has suddenly turned from a potential All Star to a guy who can not get out of the 5th inning. Rod Barajas has cooled off from his hot start. Francisco Rodriguez seems to give Mets fans a heart attack every time he takes the mound. Things are not as bright and rosy as they once looked. Every night it seems to be a different thing that goes wrong for this team. When the offense produces, the pitching gets shelled. When the starter throws a gem, the team cannot hit. It has been a burden for the Mets to put it all together.

While guys like Johan Santana, R.A Dickey, Ike Davis, David Wright, Angel Pagan, and Jon Niese deserve credit for great seasons, the rest of the team has ultimately come up short. The Mets have too much talent to be in their current predicament. More players will need to elevate themselves for this team to be in the race come September.

If the division race is not daunting enough, the Wild Card will certainly be tough to reach. The Mets are looking up at the Rockies, Phillies, Dodgers, Reds, and Giants and all those teams are currently playing better baseball and appear to be on the up rise.

If this team does not turn it around then there will be drastic changes made. The Wilpons have poured too much money into underachievers like Jason Bay and K-Rod to see this team not contend for the playoffs. Jerry would be out and "The Core" could potentially be blown up in an attempt to change the fortunes of the team.

In the meantime, all is not lost Mets fans. There is still plenty of baseball to be played and with a hot streak in August the team could leapfrog to the top. With series against Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Colorado in the coming weeks, the team could help themselves in both the division and wild card race.

For now, hold on Mets fans. However this season turns out it cannot be as painful as 2007, 2008, or 2009....can it?

Friday, July 9, 2010

"King James" is Dead


Credit Lebron James for giving up money in the pursuit of a championship. In today's society we constantly belittle athletes for chasing the almighty dollar over the glory of victory. Lebron will most likely win a championship down in Miami...or two...or three, and that has been his goal all along.

All these things are good for Lebron the man but bad for Lebron the player. From the look of it, Lebron has taken the easy way out to winning a championship. Dwayne Wade is the face of the Miami Heat. He has won a championship for the city and has done a tremendous job in recruiting Chris Bosh and Lebron James to South Beach. No matter how many titles this trio wins together going forward, Dwayne Wade will always have one more. The perception will always be that Lebron needed Wade to win a title but Wade clearly did not need Lebron.

For all of his successes in Cleveland, Lebron was never able to win a championship for his home town team. In each of the last two seasons the Cavaliers have had the best record in the NBA only to fall short of reaching the Finals. The Chicago Bulls endured a similar fate in the early years of Michael Jordan's career, losing three straight years to the Pistons in the playoffs. The difference in the eventual outcomes, however, was that Michael Jordan didn't join the Pistons, he ended up defeating them. That is the kind of triumph that Lebron James will now never attain.

No matter how many titles Lebron wins in Miami, his career will always be looked back on in one way...He could not win in Cleveland and he needed a Dream Team to win his championships. Most of the all time great players had a wing man when they won their titles, but there was always a reasonable gap from Option A to Option B. When Chicago was winning in the 90s, Jordan was clearly "the guy" and then there was a drop off to Pippen. In contemporary times, Kobe is "the man" and then there is a drop off to Gasol. In Miami that will not be the case. Lebron will be surrounded by another top 5 NBA player in Wade and another top 10 player in Bosh. However many championships the Heat ultimately win, the trio will always be the story, not Lebron.

Lebron does not deserve criticism for his choice. He defended himself very well against his naysayers. Great trios like Kareem, Magic, and Worthy and most recently Pierce, Allan, and Garnett are very capable of winning championships. The problem with that argument, however, is that Lebron is held to a higher standard. "The King" isn't supposed to need a Dream Team trio to win a championship. That is why his legacy is taking a hit with this decision. He will win titles but will never receive the praise and credit he thinks he deserves.

Even if he was hell bent on leaving Cleveland, New York and Chicago would have been better options for him to win and keep his image in tact. He would undoubtedly be the number one option in either city and he would have a chance to compete for championships in both scenarios.

Lebron came into this league being compared to the all time greats. He has failed to live up to those expectations in the past and present and his Miami decision will greatly hinder his ability to live up to those expectations in the future. With the supporting cast he now has around him, he better win at least eight championships. But in the eye of the public opinion, maybe that won't be enough.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Not Coming Up Empty


It may have taken over 10 years, but the New York Knicks have finally acquired their best player since Patrick Ewing. Madison Square Garden, say hello to the first piece of the puzzle.

Though the move had been anticipated for several days, the Knicks officially locked up Amar'e Stoudemire on Monday night to a five year deal worth almost one hundred million dollars. The 27 year old Stoudemire was able to receive the max contract he had hoped for and the Knicks have now made sure they will not come out of Summer 2010 empty handed.

The naysayers will quickly point out that Amar'e Stoudemire is not Lebron James and rightfully so. Lebron was and is still the ultimate goal, but Amar'e Stoudemire is the first piece in a puzzle Donnie Walsh has planned to construct for two years. Acquiring one of the games best Power Forwards is something all Knicks fans should cheer. Stoudemire is a 5 time All Star with big game experience. His 42 points in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals showed he is ready to elevate his game when his team needs him most.

Above all, Stoudemire gives the Knicks a face. Their pitch to other free agents becomes significantly stronger. Lebron can now look to New York and see that he could be playing with someone better then anyone he has ever played with in Cleveland. Lebron was adamant in his request for Amar'e to become a Cavalier before last year's deadline and the Cavs responded by giving him Antwan Jamison. In New York, Amar'e and Lebron could potentially form the most deadly pick and roll in NBA history.

It originally seemed that Mike D'Antoni would hinder the Knicks from signing Amare. However, the past differences between the two have obviously been worked out. Amare knows how effective he can be playing for D'Antoni. He averaged 25 points per game and shot 59% from the field during their last season together in Phoenix. The critics will point out that Amare is not the biggest defensive presence, but in D'Antoni's system there is much more emphasis on the offensive side of the floor.

The next step for the Knicks should be to maneuver a sign and trade with David Lee. The Amare acquisition all but closes the door on Lee returning next season so Donnie Walsh should move quickly to acquire something for Lee while he still can. For as good as Lee has been over the past few seasons, Amare is certainly far and away better.

The plan for the Knicks was to get better. Signing Amare Stoudemire will make any team better so give the Knicks credit for accomplishing that. They still have plenty of salary cap space so Amare should know that more help is on the way. If that help comes from Cleveland then Knicks fans can look to Amare as the spark that started the fire.