Gotta break the record-breaking tie!

It’s the last day of August and the Yankees and Rays have been tied for first place in the AL East for a record eight straight days now! Exciting? Yes! But something Yankees fans could probably do to live without? For sure.

Not to take anything away from the Rays, who are playing great baseball, but if this is the Yankees team that’s going to be donning the pinstripes one month from now, they may not be division champions. 15-13 isn’t a bad record for September when you’re resting your best players and preparing for a championship run, but when you’re in the middle of a penant race, and your division rival goes 17-11 in that same month, it’s not acceptable for August!

Of their 13 losses, five of them came in games where the starting pitcher had allowed four runs by the 4^th inning. After going 3-1 in July with a 2.00 ERA, A.J. Burnett went 0-4 in August with a 7.80 ERA. In three of Burnetts’ five starts he gave up at least six earned runs. This is the Yankees’ number two pitcher! With Andy Pettitte recovering from an injury, Burnett’s more important than just a number two pitcher and has left Joe Girardi with very little to be confident in.

Aside from the stress derived from Burnett, Yankees Universe has to be sick of Javier Vazquez and his inconsistencies as well. After going 3-0 with a 3.54 ERA in July, Vazquez stunk it up and lost his spot in the rotation going 1-2 with a 5.96 ERA in August. Vazquez pitched 4 and 2/3 innings in relief against Oakland last night and recorded a win, but is one outing enough to feel better about the Yankees second most inconsistent pitcher after the mediocrity he's returned to in New York this season?

It’s not quite a crisis for the Yanks yet, but they cannot enter the playoffs with CC Sabathia being the only pitcher they can trust to win them a big game. Phil Hughes and Dustin Moseley both had winning records in August but neither one of them have significant playoff experience. Ivan Nova has looked impressive in two starts, but these are the first two starts of his career! Then there's Pettite, the 38-year old is having the best season he's had since he pitched in the National League, can he return from his groin injury and be as lights out as he was before he went down? All I know is the Yankees can’t depend on a rookie and a veteran coming off of an injury to get them through the playoffs.

Not to say that the guys that are getting wins for the Yankees can't do it in the playoffs, but they aren’t the team that won in the playoffs last season, and they have never been in a big situation like they currently are. The odds most likely aren’t in the favor of a Sabathia, Nova, Moseley rotation come October. The Bats have been swinging, and there’s still an A-Bomb to return to the lineup, but as the Yankees proved all last decade, the bats don’t win in October.

Who’s Darrelle Revis?

Why is it that the most talked about subject at Jets’ training camp is a person that isn’t even there? Not a person that was traded or let go, but a person who made a personal decision to not show up. We’re talking about a person who has three years left on his rookie contract, which he signed just three years ago.

This is a Jets team that was one half of football away from playing in the Superbowl last season. This team has one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, the most controversial coach in football, and Vincent Chase’s stunt double at quarterback. For a team that fields a 53-man roster, you mean to tell me that one player, a cornerback (not quarterback), can make or break a teams chance of being the best in the league?

Quite frankly, yes. Darrelle Revis is that good and should be paid. So please, Woody Johnson, open up your wallet to put the Jets over the top as more than a B-class organization, and let your team give their fans an opportunity at their first championship in over 40 years. Revis could be the difference between the Jets having the best defense in the NFL and the Jets having the best defense in the history of the NFL.

If for nothing else, the world is tired of hearing about this story. It’s negative publicity for the Jets and a distraction toward what could be a very special year. This team can not risk letting another home grown great just leave, it sends a bad message to the locker room to continuously have John Abraham-like situations. Successful organizations reward the guys who better your franchise, and Revis is the best of the best. They paid D’brick, they paid Mangold, now it’s time to pay Revis and David Harris and make a run at championships!

Go New York, Go New York, Go!

Amar’e was wrong, the Knicks aren’t back. If Carmelo Anthony is at the center of a press conference in the immediate future, sporting the orange and blue, then maybe STAT’s statement wasn’t too far off…but for right now it’s safe to say the Knicks are still very much a work in progress.

With that said, the summer of 2010 has been a successful summer for the Knicks. Sure, LeBron and Wade are going to be playing together in South Beach instead of 45 minutes from Rockaway Beach, but anyone that thought LeBron was coming to New York was truly dreaming. To put things in perspective, the Knicks got the best big man available, the best point guard they’ve had since Doc Rivers (sorry Steph), a real up-and-comer who has been said to be on the same level talent-wise as guys like Michael Beasley and Lamar Odom, and several role players who should thrive in Mike D’Antoni’s up-tempo offense.

Will they be a playoff team? Maybe. Will they be better than they’ve been the last five seasons? Definitely. While Knicks fans are probably a little sad to see David Lee go, they now have three players capable of grabbing rebounds instead of one undersized big. David Lee is probably the only real Knick since Allan Houston, but in all due respect, that’s less because of David Lee’s capabilities and more because of the lack of talent the Knicks have showcased over the last decade. And while the names filling out the Knicks roster spots this year aren’t overly impressive, they’re the guys that Donnie Walsh and D’Antoni feel comfortable running with.

It took two years for Walsh and D’Antoni to overhaul the overrated, overpaid roster that he who shall not be mentioned put together, and they deserve a chance to work with the guys that they actually brought in. And while it doesn’t seem that this team is the team they have in mind for the long haul, they have some good pieces that will contribute and give New York a different feel.

Amar’e Stoudemire is something the Knicks have never had. Yes, he’s 25, has had two major knee operations and a freak eye injury but he’s no Antonio McDyess. He isn’t made of glass, he isn’t soft, and he isn’t afraid of the challenge of playing in New York. He is athletic, he is VERY skilled, he is familiar with D’Antoni’s offense, and he has experience playing in meaningful games. I can’t lie, I’m a little nervous about his knee, but after the surgeries he’s had he hasn’t skipped a beat. Every season STAT comes back better, more aggressive, and hungrier. He wants to be one of the best in the NBA and plays like it, unlike another big who relies on twitter and youtube for publicity, but has only been to the playoffs twice in seven seasons and has never won anything, and also plays away from the basket because he’s the softest 6-11 in basketball (cough Chris Bosh cough). Amar’e is in another league than David Lee and is the most talented player the Knicks have had since Patrick Ewing, straight up.

Speaking of David Lee, while it’s sad that he wasn’t in the Knicks future plans, Donnie Walsh made a great move by signing him and trading him to Golden State. They lost a very good Knick, but got back Kelenna Azubuike who is a well-rounded wing player coming off of knee surgery, Ronnie Turiaf who is a less skilled but more athletic Charles Oakley, and Anthony Randolph who really is the wild card of this trade. As I mentioned earlier, Randolph’s name has been thrown around with the likes of Lamar Odom and Michael Beasley as he’s a taller player, but very athletic and very skilled. Randolph’s entering his third year in the league and many believe he’s due to breakout, especially playing for offensive friendly Mike D’Antoni.

And then there’s Raymond Felton. As many remember, Felton was the third point guard drafted in the 2005 draft after Chris Paul and Deron Williams. And while Paul and Williams have become probably the two best point guards in the NBA, Felton’s almost faded into obscurity in Charlotte. Although you don’t hear much about him, his numbers haven’t been bad and maybe a change of scene is all he needed. He won in college and with the freedom of the 7 seconds or less offense you have to like he chances of being more effective, I mean, Chris Duhon averaged 12 and 8 in this system and he’s Chris Duhon. Even though he isn’t the best shooter, Felton will have other shooters on the floor with him so he isn’t pressured to shoot like other D’Antoni guards have in the past.

The Knicks will also bring back emerging youngsters like Toney Douglas, Bill Walker, Wilson Chandler, and 2008 lottery-pick Danilo Gallinari, to go with big men Earl Barron and Eddy Curry's contract. Hoping to learn from this core of veterans will be second round draft picks Andy Rautins, a good shooter who's JJ Redick at best, Landry Fields, a Pac-10 superstar who will probably fill the role of hustling rookie, and Jerome Jordan, who probably won't see the floor if he even makes the team.

When you add up all the pieces it doesn't quite equal 90's New York basketball, but this team has to give Knicks fans a hope that they're in for better days. The roster is still a work in progress, and with how aggressive Walsh has been, days are definitely brighter in the basketball mecca of the world. That is, as long as he who shall not be mentioned stays out of the picture.

CC vs. Brian Duensing…I like it

Alright so I'm not gonna be one of these Yankees' fans who are sky high confident that this is the year that the curse of Mattingly (think about it) ends, but I sure do like our chances against the Twins in Game 1 of the ALDS tomorrow.

Yeah, I know the Twins won 17 of their last 21 games to finish the season, and that's remarkable, but let's look at the numbers that matter. They're 0-7 against the Yankees in 2009! Sure, all of their meetings came before the All-Star break, so maybe this is a new Twins team. The Yankees were 51-34 (.600) after their final 3-game sweep of the Twinkies in early July, they went on to win 52 of their final 77 games, that’s a .675 winning percentage since the last time these two teams met! The Twins absolutely got hot at the right time, but the Yankees have pretty much been on fire since the end of June. And I'm not even convinced how great these twins really are.

First off, they're missing 2006 AL MVP Justin Morneau, easily the teams best power bat. Second, they did win their division with only 87 wins, which leaves one to question just how good the AL Central really is. Let me answer that question for you, the Tigers had a 10.5-game lead over the Twins on September 7th, they went on to lose 17 of their final 28. Let's take a look at the other teams in the division: the Indians and Royals both finished with 97 losses, and the White Sox were 3 games over .500 on August 23rd and very much in playoff contention, they lost 23 of their final 39 games, as their manager repeatedly threw the team under the bus. The Twins have played all but 4 games since August 31st within their division, so before you go calling them the hottest team since the 2007 Rockies, look at who they've beaten.

Not to say that the Yankees have the best starting pitching in baseball, but let's take a look at the Twins rotation. Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Carl Pavano, and Brian Duensing. The Yankees get Duensing in game 1, against Cy Young candidate CC Sabathia. CC probably shouldn't win the CY this year, but let's be real, he came to New York for this, he's been money in big games, and in his one start against the Twins this year he went 7 innings and only gave up 3 hits. His opponent in Game 1, Duensing, appeared in the game that CC started, walked 4 and gave up 4 earned runs in just two and two-thirds innings…but to be fair it was only his third major league appearance.

So if Duensing didn't fare off too well against the Yankees the first time he faced them in Minnesota back in July, what reason is there to believe he'll do better in Game 1 of the ALDS, at Yankee Stadium? This is a Yankees team that missed the playoffs in 2008 and actually understands the meaning of Yankee Pride. This is a team with 7 players who hit 20+ homers, with the 8th having 18. This isn't about the Yankees having aura anymore, it's about a team that played together, at a very high level pretty much all season, towards one goal, and the time is here to accomplish that goal.

Do I think they Yankees are the best team in baseball? Yes, it's a fact. Do I think they're going to win the World Series? I'm not sure yet, but my answer depends on what they can do in the ALDS against the Twins. Do I think the Yankees will beat the Twins? Yes absolutely, they shouldn't have a problem with the Twins, if they do, the season will without a doubt be considered a huge failure. They should beat the Twins, and in relation to what we've seen in 2009, they should beat everybody, but that's why they play the games.

But this is a team with character. Between AJ and CC, Swisher and Melky, and Posada and Jeter, this is a team that has focus, fun, and fundamentals. The bats are there, they have three good starting pitchers, and this is the most impressive Yankees bullpen since the early 2000's. If this isn't the year they do it, when is?

Kobe “insert your quip here” Bryant

Well, His Fakeness did it! The man known to some as Mamba, but to most as Michael Jordan’s secret admirer, Kobe Bryant won his fourth NBA Championship. Most importantly, his first since kicking Shaq out of the car and taking over the drivers’ seat in Los Angeles.

OK, so he didn’t just kick Shaq out of the car, he threw him under the bus. Somehow Kobe convinced Laker brass that the best direction for the team to go was to dump the combination that won three straight championships, and allow Kobe to run the show on his own. Yeah, getting rid of the most dominant post player the NBA’s seen since Wilt is usually a good idea, especially when he leaves, brings his new team to the conference finals, and then wins a championship the next year. But it was ok, because Kobe was going to make winners out of Kwame Brown, Luke Walton, and Smush Parker.

While Shaq was winning in Miami, Kobe struggled for a few years by himself in LA. But on the bright side, he got a chance to score 81-points in a single game, and he even averaged 35 points per game one year! Leading the league in scoring really helped Kobe show the world how great he was, and it helped prove that he didn’t need Shaq. Especially in the 2006 playoffs, when the Lakers went up 3-1 against the favored Suns in the first round, only to lose games 5, 6, and 7 by an average of 18.7 points. Kobe really displayed his “killer instinct” in that series.

Kobe eventually got sick of his team not meeting the expectations he logically set in 2004, so he cried for help, and as usual, he got his way. The affluential Grizzlies gift wrapped Pau Gasol for Kobe, and the pieces finally fell into place. To his credit, Kobe became a better teammate when he realized he had a young 7-footer who could patrol the paint, another 7-footer with as good of an inside-outside game as any big man in the league right now, a 7-footer who could dribble, shoot, and run an offense, and a slew of guards who could all knock down an outside jump-shot. Kobe got his MVP in 2008 and his Finals MVP in 2009, and now he’s back on top of the world.

As you’ve probably picked up by now, I’m not the biggest fan of Kobe’s work. Reference my June 2008 post titled “Kobe Bryant Sucks” for more details, but I just never thought Kobe had “it.” His game, much like his personality, has always seemed very forced to me, and as ignorant as it may be on my behalf, it’s been hard for me to appreciate somebody like that…until now.

Although I was convinced that Kobe would never win without Shaq, and believe me I rooted as hard as I could against him, I see the good in this situation. Kobe finally got the monkey off of his back, he’s the big reason that the great Lakers won their 15th NBA Championship. His name now goes into the record books and is etched into Lakers history with the likes of Magic, Kareem, Wilt, Jerry West and Shaq as Finals MVP. If he didn’t before, Kobe has now secured his spot amongst the greats, not only in LaLa land, but in NBA history. So what’s next for employee number eig…errr 24?


I’m thinking it’s time Kobe revisits his Italian upbringing and get’s his Sinatra on, you know, “start spreading the news…” In case that reference didn’t make any sense, I’m insinuating that Kobe Bryant…WILL BE A KNICK IN 2009! You knew I had to be tying this into the Knicks in someway didn’t you? I honestly believe that if Phil Jackson decides to retire, which he very well could, there’s no reason for Kobe to stay in Los Angeles anymore.

Yes, the Lakers did just win a championship and right now are probably the favorites to repeat if they keep their team intact, but Phil could retire, Lamar Odom’s a free agent, Trevor Ariza’s a free agent, and Kobe has an opt-out. I really believe this is all hinging on Phil Jackson, if Phil stays Kobe all but definitely stays, but if Phil goes, why would Kobe stay? He won his ring, his fourth ring with the Lakers, he accomplished his goal, he’s quieted the naysayers (i.e. Jared Mintz), what’s left for him to do? Do you really think he’s going to have the drive and respect to play for Kurt Rambis the way he did Phil? Yeah Los Angeles has been good to Kobe, the fans love and accept him, but anywhere Kobe goes he’s going to be treated like a king.

Which is why he’s going to come to New York! What bigger stage is there to showcase your excellence? Who’s the most narcissistic athlete in professional sports (NFL wide-outs excluded)? Kobe Bryant’s going to be 31 at the start of 2009-2010 season, and although signs of him declining seemed semi-evident this past season, keep in mind that he’s been going at 110 percent for the last two years now. He won his MVP, he won his Olympic Gold Medal, and now he won his NBA Championship…give him a few months to rest and soak it in, and he’ll be back with that killer instinct in October. Kobe’s at a stage of his career where he’s probably past his peak, but he can and will still play at a very high level for the next four to five seasons. Jordan’s game got smoother with age, and if Kobe’s the copycat he’s been aspiring to be his entire career, there’s no reason to believe his game won’t evolve the way Jordan’s did.

Kobe’s ready for a new challenge, and going to the Knicks is a challenge that maybe only one other player in the league seems more capable of taking on than Kobe. But if Kobe were to come to New York, he’d be playing for Mike D’Antoni, whom he’s familiar with as an assistant coach for the Olympic team, and he’d be running D’Antoni’s famed “7 seconds or less offense.” This would be a chance for Kobe to have the ball in his hands all the time, as well as be able to help resurrect a defense that hasn’t been seen since Charles Oakley left the Garden. And while the pieces aren’t really in place for the Knicks to win immediately, they’re a team starving for a star, and if Kobe comes next year, guess who may be more inclined to come the year after?

I know, the thought of Kobe alone in a Knicks uniform was mind-blowing, but to think of Kobe rocking the 24 and LeBron James in the 23 is just astronomical, but it’s feasible! The goal in New York isn’t just to sign one max-player, it’s to get at least two…so why can’t it be Kobe and LeBron? Will they clash? Maybe. But if you have a chance to put the two best players on the planet on the same team you do it, and I think the Knicks have a chance at doing that.

I know that this quite a stretch, but I don’t think it’s impossible. It’s all a domino-effect, but I truthfully believe it could happen. These are two guys who both want to win, who both put in their best efforts on the biggest of stages, and who would both probably love the opportunity to save a dead franchise. It’s no secret that the NBA (and myself) wants the Knicks to be a contender again, and with Kobe and LeBron the Knicks would have the best one-two punch that basketball’s ever seen. You don’t think these two guys want to be a part of greatness? As large of an ego as Kobe has, he has to know that his window is closing…why not close it with a bang?

I’m going to put it out there, if you don’t want it, just sent it right back…Kobe…I’m sorry. I can’t take back all of the nasty things that I’ve said, but I promise that if you put on the orange and blue I’ll cheer for you, and so will the most starving fans in professional sports. I know that it’s probably more realistic that we don’t see either one of these guys in a Knicks uniform, and I’m sorry for dreaming, but something big needs to happen in New York and this could be it. We’ll see…

9-7 and not looking forward to Groundhog's Day

I didn't even look at my past Jets/Favre entries before I sat down to write this, because I don't want to say "I said so" or even touch on predictions, forecasts, or opinions. The 2008 NFL season brought a lot of good and a lot of bad for the Jets. At the end of the year you have to look at your status and determine whether the season was a success or a failure, and I think the Jets are somewhere near the border of the two.

Ultimately the Jets were a failure. They peaked just over halfway through the season when they beat Tennessee, and then just spiraled down immediately after. Yes, they finished the season 9-7, which on paper looks a whole lot better than 4-12. But they didn't make the playoffs, and not only did they not make the playoffs, but they collapsed in the clutch, all in games that they SHOULD HAVE WON! Entering each game after the Titans win, the Jets had a better or equal record to their opponents, and with seven "pro-bowlers" on their team, there's no excuse to lose the games that they lost.

And this is is absolutely not because they lost to Miami at home to end the season. To Chad Pennington and a team that went 1-15 just a season ago. Good for Chad, I'm glad he found so much success with another team, even if that team is a division rival. The fact of the matter is, the Jets let Chad go because they felt they were at a better advantage with Brett Favre at the helm, and they weren't wrong. Clearly Chad Pennington is a proven winner in the NFL, and a great leader, but he'd been given a very fair chance and he never led the Jets to where the team wanted to go. Favre's more of a homerun hitter, and even if the guy's older than Joe Paterno he still presented the Jets and their overthetop conservative offense with an excitement they hadn't seen since....maybe even ever.

Thomas Jones had the best season a Jets running back ever had. Leon Washington and Jerricho Cotchery looked great with Brett setting them up for big plays. Not to base my story on one game, but the Jets came in and scored at will against a tough Tennessee defense, one of if not the top defense in the NFL this past season. Not since Vinny, Curtis, and Keyshawn had the Jets had such offensive prominence.

And the defense looked good for a while too. The Jets had never held so many teams to below 50 rushing yards in a game. I also can't remember a Jets pass rush getting to the quarterback so many times in a season. Although the secondary looked the weakest it's looked in recent memory, they stopped guys like Kurt Warner and Kerry Collins (hey, the guy had a pretty good year) from dominating games.

But as i mentioned earlier, they hit their peak far too early. I was expecting the loss to the Broncos only because they had to lose sooner or later, and the Broncos have dangerous offense with Jay Cutler and big, fast receivers. Tennessee was a game I thought the Jets could win because they're a very solid, fundamentally-sound football team, but they don't have any gamebreakers. I know I just vied for him but realistically Kerry Collins won't single-handedly win any games, and neither will his receiving core of Justin Gage and HA Justin McCareins. But an offense with guys like Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, and Eddie Royal, these are guys who can burn you, and the Broncos absolutely burned the Jets and exposed their weaknesses.

After the loss to the Broncos every team the Jets played against threw all over them (minus J.P. insert your awful QB joke here Losman). Ike Bruce had a field day against the Jets, Seneca Wallace too. The Jets defense couldn't make a stop, and on offense the play calling was just miserable. That sad excuse for a "wildcat" against the Dolphins? Really? The team that's made a killing running that play, you're going to try to run with Brad Smith and Favre and company? What a joke! And how does Leon Washington only get 2 carries in Seattle? Washington proved to be the teams offensive MVP on multiple occasions this season, so why doesn't Mangini use him to his benefit? The ageless Favre looked old as dust, not to mention horrible over that four game losing streak, but it didn't help him that his wide-outs were giving up on routes and dropping some key balls.

I can only speak for myself, but i didn't think the Jets stood a chance against the Dolphins, and I have a hard time believing any real Jets fans could disagree with me. Football is absolutely a game of who wants it more, and the Jets have definitely not looked like a team that wanted to win over the last quarter of the season. Football fans new Peyton Manning was going to get his team into the playoffs, they knew Ray Lewis wouldn't allow his team to lose a must-win game, and they knew the Chargers were going to complete their push and take what was rightfully theirs from a team that was ready to claim their division by default. And that's what the Jets were hoping they could do, or at least they were playing that way.

Judging by the way they played, the Jets looked like a team that buyed into what the media was selling, the whole "Subway SuperBowl" jargon. They played like a team who thought that a Brady-less Patriots team was dead, and that the Dolphins were a flash in the pan. Well newsflash Jets nation: you may have beaten the Patriot in Overtime in New England, and you may have stopped the Titans from going undefeated, but the NFL season is over and what do you have to show for it? Nine wins and no playoffs. Oh yeah, and the quarterback who you changed everything for is probably going to retire, after trashing the coach.

What's the solution for the Jets? Is it firing Mangini? Is it firing the majority of the coaching staff but keeping Mangini? Or do you give the whole Mangini team the axe and start new? I'm not going to get into possibilities yet, because there are tons of them. I just know that there's going to be a change and there needs to be a change. If not, you're looking at Kellen Clemmens and the 2007 offense, yeah, the team that went 4-12.

Although it was a ultimately a lost season, the Jets did make strides. They made key acquisitions in the offseason to field a better team, and even withholding Favre, the Jets were a better team all-around in 2008. I'm very unhappy with the way the season ended, and it's going to be hard to look back at this season and feel good about it, but realistically, this team gave Jets' fans something to be excited about.

The Jets weren't the only ones buying the SuperBowl talk. It felt great to dream about our team being elite, and the dream didn't seem too far from a reality. One thing that football fans have learned over the past 15 years, is that with Brett Favre there's always a shot, but one thing football fans have learned as well, is that too old is too old. Favre was too old, and the coaching was too bad, and as a result the Jets are the same place they were at the end of 2007. Watching the playoffs on tv, and looking forward to next year.

Bra Bra Bra Bra Bra Bretty and the Jets...Bretty

Hey all, sorry I've been gone for a while, I've been all kinds of busy and thinking of good things to write about. I've had some cool experiences and am now living a more exciting life for my career choice. Sorry for the absence, I'm back now and that's what matters...right?

So we left off in the middle of the Yankees quest for the playoffs, and the beginning of the Brett Favre Era with my Jets. The Yanks are done, and sadly have been for a while, but Brett and the Jets are alive and kicking.

With just the Monday night AFC South Showdown left, Week 8 is wrapped up and the Jets are sitting at 4-3. Teams they've lost to include the Pats, the Chargers, and the dreadful Raiders. Teams they've beat: the 'Fins, the Cardinals, the Bungals and most recently the Chiefs. Their last three games have been against teams with a combined record of 3-17...and the Jets haven't looked all that better than their opponents in those games.

Yes the pass rush has been better than it's ever been. And yes the offense has moved the ball more efficiently than they have in recent history. The Jets are definitely better in 2008 than they were in 2007, but i don't really think that's saying much. After Favre had the best single game performance of any Jet quarterback, ever, in week 4 against Arizona, these Jets have come out stale and have played down to their pitiful opponents.

And I think it starts with Brett. Since throwing 6 touchdown passes in week 4, Bretts thrown just three, compared to a ludicrous SEVEN interceptions! This was what i was talking about before the Jets got Favre. He's very prone to mistakes, he takes a lot of gambles, and sometimes just doesn't know how to sit on the ball, he has to try to make a play. Don't get me wrong, it's great to have the ball in the hands of someone who wants to make a play, and who is also very capable of making incredible plays, but sometimes it's just not possible. And Brett never got that memo, which hurts him and the Jets now that he's in his late thirties. Watching Favre sometimes is like watching John Starks. They show flashes of greatness, but sometimes they're just so off that it hurts. However, Favre is a bazillion times the football player that Johnny was the basketball player, he just needs some help.

Not to sound like a hypocrite, but this is also because of the coaching. Yeah, Favre has thrown picks and has tried to make plays that weren't there, but the coaching staff needs to utilize Favre's capabilities so that he isn't overcompensating. With a guy like Favre you don't need to be ultra conservative, throwing short pass, after screen, after short pass. Favre has clearly built up some chemistry with the Jets receivers, and the offense has looked flat out incredible at times, but the play calling has to cater to the talents of the players, not to the system.

I feel the same way about the defense. To this day I don't get why Mangini insists on running a 3-4 defense. Granted it helps the less than stellar secondary, but the Jets really don't have ends for the 3-4. And i guess I'm bitter that the Jets have severed ties with guys like John Abraham and Jon Vilma, standouts on defense who made stops. The Jets defense isn't exaclty renowned for making big stops, and those two guys were two of the best that I've seen in my years as a Jets fan. I feel that with the personnel the Jets have and have had on defense, a 4-3 would better utilize their talent.

It doesn't make sense to me that the running game put up over 200 yards last week and barely even ran the ball today...against a miserable Chiefs run defense. Tyler Thigpen, who has less than a handful of starts under his belt threw for 280 yards with two touchdowns today...that is unacceptable. In a season where the Jets could have the most talent in their division, they need to play better and not just squeak out wins against bad teams.

The Jets get the Bills next week, which will really be a statement game. After three straight games against less than average teams, it'll be a good test to see how they play against one of the better teams in the conference. And after losing 2 of their last 3 I doubt the feisty Bills are going to come out weak. This team has shown glimpses of a good ball club. They're getting to the quarterback, stopping the run, and the offense really has looked impressive for the most part. They need more consistency and better play calling, oh yea, and to keep #4 protected.