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playoffs Archive

SCORES: GREENE SMOKES BOLTS, RANGERS ROMP

By
theOCD
Published: 18 January 2010 10:55 AM ESTPosted in: ScoresFromLastNight

New York Sports Score From Last Night

ScoresFromLastNight is our daily roundup of last night’s happenings.  Today’s edition is brought to you by BigLeagueScrew’s World Class Women.

JETS 17 CHARGERS 14

Rex Ryan and the Jets enjoyed an afternoon of near-perfect execution on both offense and defense. After trailing 7-0 at halftime, the Jets had a 17-10 lead going into the final few minutes of the game. The Chargers made it close but couldn’t overcome the deficit. Nate Kaeding managed to miss three field goals on the day. Shonn Greene went for 128 yards including the 53-yard scamper pictured above.  [NYDN]

RANGERS 6 CANADIENS 2

Scott Gomez made his not-so-triumphant return to Madison Square Garden last night. The Rangers ended a three-game losing streak by downing the Canadiens 6-2. Ryan Callahan had four points including one even strength and one power play goal. Brandon Dubinsky and Marian Gaborik both tallied three points in the win. [AP]

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SATURDAY MORNING SCREW – WILD CARD, BITCHES!

By
Chris
Published: 09 January 2010 11:00 AM ESTPosted in: Spotlight
WILD CARD, BITCHES! YEE HAH!

WILD CARD, BITCHES! YEE HAH!

NFL Wild Card Weekend. One of my favorite times of the year. To me, the playoffs mean 15 friends at someone’s apartment eating junk food, drinking beer, making a big dinner and then scotch and cigars after dinner. This year it also means picking a team other than the Giants to root for and win it all. That will be at the end, with playoff picks as an addendum to the Stamp of the Week.

Saturday January 9, 2010

Who: New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals

When: 430PM, NBC

We all know the particulars by now. The Jets are here by a healthy combination of hard work, determination and holiday spirit running abound in Indianapolis and Cincinnati. Yes, the Jets had to win these football games but Cincinnati had a choice between the Texans offense and the Jets defense and chose the Jets. As good as the Jets defense is, the Bengals are no slouch defensively and I think wisely chose to try and win an ugly affair with the Jets than a shootout against Houston.

The Bengals are going to stack the line in this game and make Mark Sanchez make plays. Now, I think Mark Sanchez is going to be a fine, fine NFL quarterback – BUT – if he throws the ball 15-20 times Sunday it means 3 picks and the Jets lost. Sadly, I think that is reality. The Bengals will triple dog dare Mark Sanchez to win a cold, road playoff game… and he can’t do it.

Who: New York Knicks at Houston Rockets

When: 830PM, WPIX

The Knickerbockers are playing like a team possessed of late. After posting two losing streaks of five games or more in November, the Knicks reeled off a 9-6 December and have yet to lose in three contests during 2010. Perhaps 2010 really is the year for the Knicks, what with LeBron closing on a house in Connecticut this week and all.

More importantly, this game is the Knicks broadcast TV debut on WPIX (channel 11 on your dial). So stay home, tune in and watch the Knicks battle the McGrady-less Rockets.

Who: New York Rangers at Boston Bruins

When: 1PM, MSG Network

Sean Avery has a pulse! After winning a well played game against the Stars on Wednesday night, the Rangers faltered in a shootout Thursday in Chad “Dos Nueve” Johnson’s first start between the pipes for the Blueshirts. This afternoon the Rangers head up to Beantown to face current 5th seed Boston Bruins (the Rangers currently occupy the 7 slot). I’m thinking a few days of rest rejuvenated the King and the Rangers take this one in a shutout. Yes, shutout.

Who: New Jersey Devils at Montreal Canadiens

When: 7PM, MSG Network

It’s early to say, but this could be a playoff preview as the Devs are 1st in the Prince of Wales Conference and Les Habitants are 8th. I need to learn more about hockey besides the Rangers. Until then, that’s all you get.

Who: New York Islanders at Phoenix Coyotes

When: 8PM, MSG2

The Isles are here as a mere courtesy. 50 people might attend this game between the Coyotes’ attendance woes in Glendale and the caliber (or lack thereof) of this local laughinstock.

Sunday January 10, 2010

Who: New Jersey Nets at San Antonio Spurs

When: 7PM, YES Network

If you care about this game, you’re probably mentally ill. Do the Nets start shopping Devin Harris soon to make room for John Wall?

STAMP OF THE WEEK

This week is all about the Jets, so my stamp might as well include them. Since I already stated earlier that the Jets would lose, I’m going to include details this time.

Before leaving last week’s game with multiple injuries, Brad Smith electrified the Meadowlands crowd with some runs out of the TigerCat offense. I have a feeling this served two purposes. 1) to succeed last week. 2) to set up similar plays this week, only where Brad Smith will pull up and throw the football. If you recall, Bradley was a dual-threat QB at Missouri before being converted to a wide received in the pros.

This leads me to the STAMP OF THE WEEK – Brad Smith will throw an interception.

BONUS SECTION – WILD CARD PICKS

BENGALS over Jets

Already covered this

COWBOYS over Eagles

The best part about this game is that someone has to choke. The ‘Boys have had the antidote for DeSean Jackson this season, and with him out of the picture, the Eagles offense is just bland. They don’t scare me at all, especially against a seemingly bulletproof Cowboys defense.

Baltimore over NEW ENGLAND

I know I’m picking against the Pats in the first round in Foxboro. I’m setting myself up to eat my words on Monday afternoon. I know this. I just don’t think the Pats are able to beat this Ravens team without Wes Welker. They can completely key in on Moss and their smorgas board of running backs just won’t get the job done. Also, Ray Rice, Ray Rice and Ray Rice. He’s gonna break one. Watch him and smile.

ARIZONA over Green Bay

Remember Larry Fitzgerald in the playoffs last year? Green Bay will need 8 guys to cover him and that still might not get it done. Aaron Rodgers is going to win a Super Bowl in his career. I believe this about him. I think he’s a hell of a quarterback. This one goes under learning experiences at the hands of a playoff master – Kurt Warner.

Thanks for your time. Drive home safely. See you next week.

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JETS SOAR OVER BENGALS, SEIZE PLAYOFF BERTH

By
theOCD
Published: 04 January 2010 2:49 PM ESTPosted in: NFL

NFL/

Chad Ochocinco did a lot of talking and tweeting before Sunday night’s game against the Jets. And that’s pretty much where his impact on the game ended. While he was heavily involved in pre-game coverage, the man formerly known as Chad Johnson did absolutely nothing in the game itself.

The Jets ran all over the Bengals, who had previously boasted a stout defense. While the Jets couldn’t get much going through the air, they mixed in a bunch of different looks and ended up with three players rushing for over 60 yards. On top of that, the Jets’ defense didn’t allow a single score. Carson Palmer completed merely one pass for zero yards before exiting at halftime and Ochocinco was held off of the stat sheet completely by Darrelle Revis.

The Jets’ victory sets up a rematch with the Bengals on Saturday. I expect the Bengals to be slight favorites (-3.5 to -4 I’m guessing) but the Jets may very well win again. New York has proven once that they can shut down Carson Palmer. Now they need to do it when Cincinnati has number one running back Cedric Benson in the lineup. Even so, I wouldn’t imagine the Jets changing much of their gameplan for the rematch.

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JETS PROPELLED: SANCHEZ & BRAYLON ARE CONFIDENT

By
theOCD
Published: 31 December 2009 9:02 PM ESTPosted in: NFL

marksanchez_braylon_edwards_guarantee_win

The Bengals come to town Sunday night with a chance to dash the Jets’ playoff hopes. Even though they’ll face a staunch secondary including Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph, key members of the Jets’ pass attack remain confident. Both Mark Sanchez and Braylon Edwards made statements indicating that they expect to play hard and play well.

Rookie QB Mark Sanchez didn’t even come close to guaranteeing victory. But his words may be even more meaningful as a result. Sanchez stated that he’s made a natural progression and finally feels fully comfortable with the scheme and his responsibilities. Conversely, he refused to guarantee anything or claim that he’d “arrived.” While may Jets’ fans will gripe about his numbers, this is the type of confidence bordering on swagger that makes a champion. I’d also advise those fans to check out Joe Namath’s 1968 season where he actually threw MORE interceptions (17) than touchdowns (15) in the regular season. Whether or not Sanchez becomes a champion and elite leader, it’s important view him through the correct lens. There’s no doubt that Sanchez is capable of leading the Jets to the playoffs and success thereafter (see: Brad Johnson in Tampa Bay, Trent Dilfer in Baltimore). Sanchez may still need to mature with his decision-making on the field, but clearly he has a handle on his role as a professional:

“Maybe it came too late, but it was time to really make a jump as a rookie and start to not play like a rookie anymore. Have I arrived? Absolutely not. Do I feel totally comfortable and know everything that’s going on and am I trying? Absolutely.”

Braylon Edwards made seemingly more direct statements of confidence. However, he came short of actually guaranteeing victory even though the New York press characterized it as such. More than making a guarantee, Braylon seemed to be describing the tone among his teammates. He didn’t just come out and say the Jets would win. However, it’s clear that he thinks the Jets will be inspired when they take the field on Sunday night:

“We won’t lose this game. We want it too bad. You can just talk to the guys and get a feel. You can listen to (coach Rex Ryan’s) conviction when he talks to us.”

Whether or not the Jets win on Sunday night, it’s far too early to slap a label on Mark Sanchez. If anything, he’s clearly a professional and his desire to learn (and win) is evident. Looking at his last four wins, it becomes obvious that he can game-manage when given the opportunity. In the last four wins with Sanchez as a starter, he’s had attempts numbering in the teens and has only one pick in those games. Sure, Sanchez isn’t blameless for his turnovers and his part in the Jets’ losses. But it’s clear that there’s a point of diminishing return on his pass attempts.

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SIR CHARLES SEZ DONNIE’S A DUNCE

By
theOCD
Published: 27 October 2009 10:23 AM EDTPosted in: NBA

57436569

Charles Barkley likes to speak his mind. Typically, he takes a comical approach to his comments and he can be off-color. Sir Charles had some unkind words for Donnie Walsh and the Knicks. But they weren’t funny because they were offensive. They were offensive because they were ridiculously obvious.

Chuck isn’t a fan of Donnie Walsh’s plan to reload in 2010 with a new core of players. To facilitate that move, half of the fourteen players on the Knicks’ roster will be free agents next year. Here’s what the TNT analyst had to say about the Knickerbockers:

“When you set up yourself by basically saying, ‘We’re going to (stink) for the next two or three years,’ I don’t think there is any way that can be good for your team. They’re not going to win because those guys know they’re not going to be here next year. To expect them to give 110% is unrealistic.”

First of all, the Knicks are going to stink no matter what the rebuilding plan is. Second, isn’t it always unrealistic to ask somebody to give 110%? And where was Sir Charles during the whole “Isiah” era? Did he not have criticism for Team President Isiah Thomas, General Manager Isiah Thomas, or Head Coach Isiah Thomas?

Kidding aside, he does have a point. The Knicks will never be successful if half of the team knows they’re going to be wearing a different uniform the following season. Though Donnie Walsh did structure the contracts of Nate Robinson and David Lee so that they receive bonuses if the Knicks make the playoffs. There isn’t really a solution here since extending the Knicks crappy players would probably make them worse. For that reason, Walsh has opted to chase the chicken rather than the egg.

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BOMBERS LICK HALOS, TAKE 3-1 ALCS LEAD

By
theOCD
Published: 21 October 2009 4:37 AM EDTPosted in: MLB

Johnny Damon Yankees Tongue

Near the beginning of the season, CC Sabathia was having a rough start and Johan Santana was pitching well at the time. A so-called Yankee fan tweeted about CC saying “He’s no Santana.” Since then, that’s been a running joke with us here at BLS.

CC had the most wins in the majors and he’s cruised in the playoffs. On short rest, Sabathia went eight strong innings and yielded just one earned run on an economical 101 pitches. He now has three playoff wins in three chances and has only allowed a total of three earned runs. It’s pretty obvious that CC is exactly the horse that the Yankees pursued.

Alex Rodriguez continues to build on his legacy with five homers in seven playoff games. A-Rod is only one jack from tying Bernie Williams’ Yankee postseason record. Torii Hunter had this to say about the Yankees’ slugger:

“He did something different. I think he’s shorter with his swing and being patient, a lot more patient. He looks different at the plate. He definitely wants it. You can tell by the way he’s swinging. That guy’s a bad guy, man. I wish he was on my team.”

You’ve got that right, Torii. That bad guy has carried the Yankees to within one win of a World Series appearance.

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GIRARDI GETS BURNED, YANKEES DROP GAME THREE

By
theOCD
Published: 20 October 2009 4:26 AM EDTPosted in: MLB

BASEBALL/

It’s hard to complain about the Yankees considering how well they’ve played. But the Yankees may have lost game three in Anaheim due to Joe Girardi’s mismanagement.

In the 8th inning, the Yankees were down a run when Hideki Matsui walked. Joe Girardi replaced him with Brett Gardner who was subsequently caught stealing on a Kevin Jespen pitch out. Jorge Posada was the next batter and hit the Yankees’ 4th solo homer of the night to tie the game. Had Gardner been on base, the Yankees would have gone into the final frame with a one-run lead.

The next seemingly wrong decision came in the bottom of the 11th inning. David Robertson came on in relief of Mariano Rivera and retired the first two batters of the inning. Then Girardi decided to pull Robertson for Alfredo Aceves who gave up a single to Howie Kendrick followed by a game-winning double by Jeff Mathis.

With two game-changing late-inning choices that burned him, Girardi didn’t have much to say about the game. Here’s a summary of his comments via The LoHud Yankees Blog:

Joe Girardi’s postgame press conference lasted about three minutes, and his explanation for taking out Dave Robertson and bringing in Alfredo Aceves was that the Yankees “liked the match-up better.” Asked to elaborate on that since Howie Kendrick was 1-for-2 lifetime against Robertson and had never faced Aceves, Girardi declined. Pitching coach Dave Eiland did the same. As you know, Kendrick singled and Jeff Mathis brought him home with the winning run moments later.

However, the performance wasn’t all bad. Alex Rodriguez continued his hot hitting and now has four homers and nine RBI in six playoff games. The Yankees also flashed their incredible comeback ability when Jorge Posada tied the game in the eighth. While the pitching wasn’t stellar, Andy Pettitte had a solid outing. Mariano Rivera also did an amazing high-wire act by getting out of the 10th inning that started with a lead off double.

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