Omar Flies Coach, Gets Heckled. There Is A God.

Posted by Sean Doyle, September 5, 2010.

Image Courtesy of TheRopolitans.com.

According to Deadspin, embattled Mets GM Omar Minaya was heckled on a Chicago bound Jetblue flight the other day. Minaya is the man I often refer to as "The Architect" for his deft handling of everything New York Metropolitans. I mean, after six years and almost a billion dollars spent (that's billion folks) he has exactly one playoff appearance under his belt. His (Minaya's) impressive resume includes destroying the Mets' once healthy farm system by placing utterly incompetent Tony "Little Napoleon" Bernazard in charge.... signing Oliver Perez to a 3 year $36 million dollar deal during the depths of the great recession when A) Not a single team in baseball would have given Perez a one year $10 million deal so they were bidding against themselves and B) Perez had up to that point (and since) a completely mediocre career and in no way was worth half that money...."The Architect" also gets kudos for accusing respected NY Daily News reporter Adam Rubin of burying Tony Bernazard (not because Bernazard was and is a low level thug but) because the Mets would not give Rubin a job!! Minaya performed this paranoid ramble while completely bungling the English language. Watch the hilarity below:

But back to the issue at hand. Here is a photo of "The Arhitect" on the Jetblue flight. Let's hope he got some peanuts to go along with those heckles.....

Here's some linkage:

Deadspin: Omar Flies Coach, Gets Heckled.

MVP Gotham: Omar Minaya Knows Time Is Ending.

Super Nova & The Falling Star

Posted by Sean Doyle, August 30, 2010

SUPER NOVA

Photo Courtesy of Frank Polich/Reuters

Yesterday, the Yanks beat the Chi-Sox in a brutal Second City heat. This veteran New York squad, so beset by injuries, looked to a youngster with approximately 0 career wins to lead them to victory. And lead them, Ivan Nova did. Nova pitched 5 and 2/3 innings of stellar one run ball back by 7 strikeouts and only one walk. This line was good enough to earn the rookie his first big show win and perhaps more importantly the high praise of his manager Joe Girardi "We're asking a young man to step up and that's exactly what he's doing," said Girardi after the game.

Look, the Bombers needed a spark and Nova provided a flame. I'm not fitting the kid for a Cooperstown Plaque but we needed this stiff kick in the ass. With Burnnett and Vazquez roaming blindly in the pitcher's wilderness, fresh arms are needed in the Bronx asap.

As one man starts the road to glory, another man takes a tragic fall....

THE FALLING STAR

Photo Courtesy of Doug Mills/ The New York Times

One day after Nova blinded the Chi-Sox with his Super Nova heat, a man known as The Rocket ambled into a DC courthouse, his legend fizzling all the way. Roger Clemens, a man of 354 career victories, 4,672 strikeouts, 7 Cy Young awards, 11 All Star nods, and 2 World Championships, a man known as The Rocket for his blistering fastball, that man looked a lumpy shell of his former self in our nation's capital today. Clemens was there to plead not guilty to felony charges of lying to a Congressional committee.

It's funny how life works. Five years ago, Nova was a skinny 18 year old kid living in the D.R. getting ready to navigate the minor leagues. Ivan Nova was then a name unknown to the world. On the other hand, Roger Clemens as a larger than life icon considered by many to be the greatest pitcher of all time, was a household name. Five years later as one man looks to the future with bright prospects, another man fights a losing battle to save his fading past.

Roger Clemens 2057 - watch more funny videos

Wednesday's Whips Vol. VI

Posted by Sean Doyle, August 26, 2010

(David Lee and Derrick Rose discussing the 2016 free agent class and the possibility of teaming up on the Brooklyn Nyets...)

As the Summer of 2010 winds down, it's time we look back. Superteams were formed, superstars were made, legends walked away and icons passed on. A King abdicated his Clevelandic throne and took his "talents to South Beach." A pair of Old Mariners, Sweet Lou and Junior Griffey both ended their hall of fame careers mid-season. Brett Favre retired, returned, retired, returned, retired, and then almost took his talents to south beach before returning yet again. Brock Lesnar returned from near-death to retain his dominance over the UFC heavyweight division by outlasting Shane Carwin. The Los Angeles sun is now setting on "Mannywood" as that bad bum b-movie comes to it's inevitable end.

Just wondering?

How much money would a Mike Tyson-Kimbo Slice fight in the UFC make on pay-per-view? Yes, I know, it would be a garbage bout between a former legend and an overhyped street brawler, the ol' has-been vs. never-will-be scenario. But selling PPV buys is all about selling hype and drama. And this fight would have more hype than a Strasburg start in D.C.

It's Still Giants Stadium, After All....

Posted by Sean Doyle, August 23, 2010

After all the bluster and hyperbole, the heavy hits and "hard knocks", the new ball park in the swamp is still Giants Stadium. The media crowned this useless preseason game (scrimmage really) a battle for "stadium supremacy" between the supposedly fading NY Giants and the way-over-hyped NY Jets. But it was behind the light touches that we got to see a sneak peek of what the 2010-11 season may bring for these two tri-state titans.

And we did we see exactly?

Giants 31, Jets 16

I know, I know, the NFL preseason is about as useless as Isiah Thomas at the trade deadline. But in the first football played in the New Meadowlands Park it was trusty old Big Blue who stomped out the faux-sexy Green Machine. Old Coliseums crumble and new epics arise but in Jersey swampland some things just never change.....

Photo by Sean Doyle

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Sean Doyle, August 6, 2010

Can it be?

The worst GM in the history of professional sports, the man who single handedly de-valued the NBA's flagship franchise in five nightmarish years is now back in the New York Knickerbocker fold?

Can it effin' be???

The man who committed $100 Million dollars to Jerome James and Eddy Curry to create the stinkiest (and laziest) center tandem in the Association's history, is walking back in the very Garden he so foolishly fowled? Let me just get this clear in my head, Isiah Lord Thomas, the dude whom, when he wasn't sexually harassing Anucha Brown Sanders, was getting into fist fights with Quentin "Donuts are the only thing I'm Dunking" Richardson?

That dude!?!?!
That dude is coming back to the greatest stage in pro sports as a trusted member of Boss Dolan's inner circle?

Only in New York, I guess.

By the way, here is one of "Zeke's" best quotes during his tenure as Knicks' boss:

"Bitch, I don't give a fuck about these white people," said Isiah Thomas to Anucha Brown Sanders. (In reference to the long suffering Knicks fan base whom he tortured with his piss-poor variation of general managing...)

Photo by Sean Doyle

- He also made us watch Renaldo Balkman shoot free throws. For that offense alone, he should be forever banished to the Phantom Zone (The one from Supergirl.)* But I digress...

Grumpy Old Men...

Posted by Sean Doyle, August 6, 2010.

Graphic by Sean & Colin Doyle.

Finally, the National Football League!!!!!!!!!!!!

Since the inception of this blog last March we have had little in the way of pigskin prose due primarily to the lack of Football being played. But now, with the 2010-11 NFL Season upon us, the Dummys here get to turn their ever lazy eyes upon the gridiron. Now with that airy bit of bull shizzle behind us, here are our picks for 10-11 in the AFC.

AFC North:

Baltimore Ravens 11-5

Cincinnati Bengals 10-6

Pittsburgh Steelers 7-9

Cleveland Browns 6-10

AFC South:

Indianapolis Colts 13-3

Houston Texans 10-6

Tennessee Titans 8-8

Jacksonville Jaguars 4-12

AFC East:

New England Patriots 11-5

New York Jets 9-7

Miami Dolphins 6-10

Buffalo Bills 3-13

AFC West:

San Diego Chargers 12-4

Denver Broncos 8-8

Kansas City Chiefs 6-10

Oakland Raiders 4-12

Next time we'll lay out our picks for the NFC....

Stereotype Reinforced: The Mets Fan As Fall Down Drunk...

Posted by Sean Doyle, August 2, 2010.

A picture is worth a thousand slurred words.....

Hell Yeah, Gallo!!!!

Posted by Sean Doyle, July 22, 2010.

"I think that if people don't consider me a good player, they're stupid!" said Danilo Gallinari to Newsday.

For the life of me I don't understand why with all the media chirping about the baron nature and god-awful mediocrity of the Knicks roster that rarely was Danillio Galinari's name brought up in a positive way (Or in any way at all for that matter.) This past year, his first full NBA season, Gallo averaged 15 points, 5 boards, and 2 assists per game, shooting around 40% from beyond the arc and posting a 14.8 PER. Hey, this isn't Larry Bird Territory but it's not bad either. He plays a physical game (often lacking in European players for which fundamentals and finesse is emphasized) and is getting stronger by the day. Is it really that unrealistic to expect to see Gallo post a 17 ppg, 7 rpg, 3 apg, line with an 18 PER for the upcoming season? I think not.

MJ SAYS KOBE BETTER THAN LEBRON...

Posted by Sean Doyle, July 14, 2010.

R.I.P

Posted by Colin Doyle, July 14, 2010.

Image by Colin Doyle

Let's make this a national holiday. For the timely demise of this mindless noise machine is cause for eternal celebration.

THE BOSS, 1930-2010.

Posted by Sean Doyle, July 13, 2010.

Photo Courtesy of Dan Farrell/ The NY Daily News.

He was born on the Fourth of July and died on the morning of the Midsummer Classic. Big George always had a great sense of theatre and uncanny timing.

In 1973, when the Yankees were a fading franchise, a pudgy, largely unknown Ohio-bred shipping magnate named George M. Steinbrenner purchased the team from CBS for $10 Million dollars (Of which, he personally put in around 200 K!) . It turned out to be one of the great purchases in business history.

In his 37 years of ownership, "The Boss" won 11 A.L. Pennants and 7 World Series Championships. He was hated and loved throughout the sporting world.

As a lifelong Yankee fan I must say that I've enjoyed the fruits of George's rabid competitive spirit.

Links:

Mike Lupica, NY Daily News: "George Steinbrenner Steals The Headlines One Last Time..."

Megan McArdle, The Atlantic: "George Steinbrenner, Strategic To The Last."

Ian O'Connor, ESPN New York: "The Boss' Legacy Bigger Than The Babe's."

Buster Olney, ESPN Magazine: "Hard Driving Boss Made A Huge Impact."

Christine Brennan, USA Today: "Steinbrenner's Influence Was Gold To US Olympic Efforts."

George Steinbrenner statement from the Clintons

A joint statement from Bill and Hillary Clinton:

The passing of George Steinbrenner marks the end of an era. Baseball has lost a giant, New York has lost a champion, and we have lost a friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Steinbrenner family today and with all the friends, colleagues, and fans who loved The Boss.

George was a fierce competitor who was the perfect fit for the city that never sleeps -- colorful, dynamic and always aiming higher. His Yankees brought home seven World Series championships and provided inspiration and entertainment to people in New York and around the world. He was a generous friend and supporter of the community. And after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, when New York needed it most, George and the Yankees helped lift our battered spirits. He was born on the Fourth of July and loved his country even more than his team.

We were delighted to host George and the team at the White House in 1999 to celebrate one of their many World Series victories, and privileged to call him our friend. The man behind the myth was generous, loyal and always passionate. On that day at the White House, as we walked out on the South Lawn together and the band struck up "Hail to the Chief," Bill playfully reminded George, "Don't get any ideas, it's not for you." But George always had his own song. They say that if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere, and nobody knew that as well as George Steinbrenner. He will be sorely missed.

More coverage:

• Steinbrenner’s obsession
• Biography

George Steinbrenner was the head of a group that purchased the New York Yankees in 1973. The team won 11 pennants and seven World Series titles under his ownership. Steinbrenner died Tuesday at age 80 from a heart attack.

PAT RILEY IS STILL THE KING.

Posted by Sean Doyle, July 9 ,2010.

Image Courtesy of Gentleman's Quarterly.

No matter where you come down on the LeBron to Miami saga (and chances are you hate it) you can't help but admire the brash genius of Pat Riley. Long propped as the ultimate deal closer in the Association's history, Pat may have just spearheaded a b-ball revolution in South Florida, a new world order of hoopshype that could dwarf even his Showtime Lakers! He's already led the Heat to 2006 NBA title with a paper thin roster (excluding Wade and an older Shaq) and now he may have built basketball's greatest juggernaut.

Photo by Heather Jacobsen.

The man with the golden touch...