By Eddie Mayrose

Each year, around the feast of St. Joseph (March 19th) the famous cliff swallows of San Juan Capistrano return from their winter vacation spot 6,000 miles south in Goya, Corrientes, Argentina. While it is truly one of nature’s wonders, it isn’t as unique as many might think. Here in New York, we annually celebrate the return of our own type of swallows; loony birds with no capacity to remember past failures who are destined to perpetuate their own suffering.

New York Jet Fans Return to Capistrano

My heart goes out to Cheap Seater Lou Ricciardi. He’s been mentioned before in this space as a long suffering Jet fan that can’t stop himself from being sucked into the hype. Perhaps in an attempt to conceal his gullibility, Lou sent me a blurb that he found on a Jets blog, rather than put his own name to the same, misguided optimism. Anyway, some poor slob submitted a long post about the death of the “Same Old Jets” and mocking Gang Green’s naysayers. As if his heart won’t be broken once again.

I have to admit, these New York Jets have me stumped. I had predicted a standard, garden variety collapse; to the tune of a 6-10 season. However, as I’ve watched them dominate both sides of the ball on their way to compiling a 3-0 record in the AFC East as they welcome back three Pro Bowlers this week, I am at a loss to discern from which direction disaster will eventually strike. Now, I’ve been a Jet fan my whole life and carry the scars to prove it. They’ve crushed my spirit so many times that I’ve developed a keen sense of impending doom; but it’s failing me at the moment. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still completely convinced that, somewhere down the road, the season will go terribly wrong. Not only that, the longer it takes, the more it will sting. For now, though, I’ll enjoy the ride, right up until it runs me right into the brick wall that’s always waiting for Jet fans. However, unlike poor Lou Ricciardi, I’ll be wearing a seat belt.

New York Knicks Return to Capistrano

Can’t imagine that any of the Knicks’ brass was shocked to find that Eddy Curry had, once again, reported to training camp overweight and out of shape. In an unusual twist, Curry has become the team’s longest tenured player; mostly due the waning skills and obscene contract that make him completely untradeable. Just another example of how the gifts of Isiah Thomas just keep on giving. And, in this case, eating.

New York Mets Return to Capistrano

Here they go, again. Fred and Jeff Wilpon in search of two or three thousand opinions on the best way to return their franchise to the top of the NL East while completely missing the point that their indecision is the very reason the Metsies are floundering. Let’s try this, Freddy. Go find a solid, established baseball lifer (Sandy Alderson?) and then LEAVE HIM ALONE. Keep sonny boy away from him, too. Say all you want about the failings of Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya, there’s no disputing that they were always hamstrung by your lack of commitment to a long-term direction for the team. I don’t know who may be on the radar to fill either position, but the notion being floated around that Wally Backman is somehow ready to handle a major market franchise has disaster written all over it.

We’ve seen, courtesy of YouTube, Backman’s over-the-top volatility when things don’t go his way. Not exactly the demeanor necessary to handle a sometimes combative press corps. Besides, word out of the NY Penn League is that Backman hasn’t necessarily expunged all of the demons that caused the Diamondbacks to withdraw their managerial offer a few years ago. Get it right this time, guys, or your brand new ballpark is going to be empty for a long time.

by Eddie Mayrose

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…

Remember when we thought that failing to sign LeBron James was the worst that could happen to the Knicks this summer?  Now come whispers from Madison Square Garden that owner James Dolan has taken under consideration the rehiring of Isiah Thomas, perhaps the most incompetent employee the Knicks have ever seen.  Fans can only hope the rumor is a test balloon being floated by Little Jimmy to gauge public reaction.  Prayers might be more appropriate.

Thomas’ bumbling as President and coach was epic.  So much so, that, burying the Knicks in a salary cap mess that required the sacrifice of two full seasons to undo was not even close to his greatest failure.  Nor was the trading away of  so many draft picks that the roster was barren of any players that might have James consider coming to the Big Apple.  Rather, it was his sexual harassment of team exec Anucha Brown Sanders that resulted in a settlement of $11 million and a blight on one of the league’s most storied franchises that is Isiah’s legacy.

So, if Dolan is actually mulling Thomas’ rehiring, if he continues to act like the little rich boy born on third yet thought he hit a triple, if he refuses to acknowledge that New Yorkers paying the league’s highest ticket prices deserve more than one playoff appearance per decade, why should any player, fan or league executive take him seriously?

“How Do You Like Me Now?”

Just a suggestion to those Yankee fans that turned a blind eye to A.J. Burnett’s largely disappointing  ’09 season while vilifying Javier Vasquez as someone that couldn’t win in New York.  It’s time to wipe the pie off of your faces.  Oh, and Curtis Granderson is going to light up the second half, so, you might want to jump on that bandwagon while there’s still room.

New York Mets Stall As Manuel Mishandles ‘Pen

As the Mets limp home from the 2-9 West Coast trip that may have dashed their NL East title hopes, questions abound regarding Jerry Manuel’s handling of the team.  First, despite a staggering total of twelve walk-off losses, Manuel still refuses to use his closer, Francisco Rodriguez, in a tie game on the road; instead, managing to the save rule for no reason other than managing to the save rule.  Last Saturday, the Dodgers knocked off the Amazins on a 13th inning homer by James Loney off of Oliver Perez.  Yes, the same Perez the Mets placed on the DL because they couldn’t find another reason to keep him off the mound.  Yet, there was Perez in a pivotal game while Rodriguez, Manuel’s best available pitcher, languished in the bullpen simply because the score was tied.

Then there’s the case of Luis Castillo. While many factors contributed to the Mets’ slide, there’s no denying the correlation between Castillo’s presence and the team’s fortunes.  The hottest stretch of the season coincided with the second baseman’s trip to the DL; just as his return marked the beginning of the current slump.  Now, I understand that his ridiculous contract is untradable but anyone managing on a level above Tee Ball should realize that batting Castillo second is a recipe for disaster.  He is no longer a Major League hitter, grounding out to shortstop  with the frequency of a coach hitting infield practice.

Whether Manuel, or GM Omar Minaya for that matter, holds on to his job after this latest debacle is anyone’s guess.  But, the skipper need only to look at the stubbornly flawed way in which he constructed his lineup as the reason for the pink slip that might come his way.

by Eddie Mayrose

As talk of George Steinbrenner’s possible induction into the Hall of Fame swirled around Old Timer’s day at  Yankee Stadium, I was asked by Cheap Seater Jim Case if the late Steinbrenner had been good for baseball.  A difficult question to answer, no matter how you felt about The Boss during his reign in the Bronx.  While most Yankeee fans  are sure to point to the many championships won since Steinbrenner bought the franchise in 1973, his detractors make note of the mockery he made of the pinstripes with his endless firings of managers and pitching coaches as well as two suspensions that resulted from a felony conviction and an extortion attempt.  However, almost all will use the phrase, “George just wants to win.”

The thing I always found interesting about the “just wants to win” theory is that the Yankees never, EVER, won a title when the impetuous Boss had the final say about the roster.  His first championships were won under the watchful eye of GM Gabe Paul, who threatened to quit whenever Steinbrenner insisted on a ridiculous player move. When Paul had had enough, he resigned, leaving the reins in George’s hands and the fans with a drought that would last eighteen years.

In 1990, after King George’s lifetime suspension (later reduced to three years), Gene Michael was allowed the free hand necessary to build a champion.  Six years later, after astute scouting and even sharper trades, the Bombers were on top again; remaining there for four of the next five seasons.  See if you can find a Yankee fan that experienced Steinbrenner’s 1980′s sideshow who believes Messrs. Posada, Rivera, Pettite and Jeter would all have made it to the Bronx had the Boss been in charge.  He’d have traded at least one for an aging designated hitter and probably two before they’d made the majors.

The fact is, anyone in sports is “all about winning.”  Very few, however, hide behind the philosophy to dismiss their petulant and criminal behavior.  Steinbrenner is the only owner in the history of the game to be suspended TWICE.  The Yankee Pride he so often referred to was significantly diminished during his time as principal owner but his actions always drew interest from fans throughout baseball.  Fans may have come to the ballpark just to boo the Bombers; but they came to the ballpark.  He was the first to establish his own cable network, putting money in the pockets of the owners that followed suit but taking free, televised baseball from the very fans to whom he often claimed his devotion.

So, to answer Mr. Case, Steinbrenner was too often a bad guy to have been good for Major League Baseball but, through the interest he generated, Baseball did benefit from his presence.  As for the ridiculous notion that he belongs in Cooperstown, I have my own question:  If Georege Steinbrenner is inducted into the Hall of Fame, what do we tell Pete Rose?

Are Jets Fans Ready For Some Blacked Out Home Games?

Heard an ad for New York Jets’ tickets on the radio the other day, generously proclaiming that prices in the new Jets-Giants stadium have been reduced by as much as fifty percent.  This came on the heels of an invitation I recently received from Gang Green to tour the new facility, even though I gave up my season tickets in 1987.  Now, I’m hardly a marketing genius, but it seems to me that the Personal Seat Licensing extortion may not be going as well as planned.

LeBron Misses Opportunity For Greatness

I know it’s a business. I know LeBron James had every right to pick his own spot. And It just would’ve been great, this one time, to see an athlete care less about himself and more about the people affected by his decision.  James, an Ohio native, has lived among friends and neighbors that have struggled financially throughout his life.  He’s well aware that his decision to leave will result in the loss of jobs in and around Quicken Loans Arena. For him to have stood up and said, “I can’t leave; too much depends on me remaining in Cleveland,” I’d be writing instead about one of the greatest role models in the history of sports. Instead, as was his privilege, James decided to split, dishonoring his time with the Cavs by orchestrating a dog and pony show that only served to rub salt in the wounds.  Sure, he’s a hero now in Miami but he’d have been a legend in Cleveland and, as Babe Ruth put it to Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez in The Sandlot: “Heroes get remembered, kid. But legends never die.”

Now that they’re finally here, after sacrificing two full seasons, the New York Knicks‘ chances to win the LeBron James sweepstakes seem as slim as their hopes to win an NBA title at any point since 1999.  While President Donnie Walsh has done a miraculous job to clear the salary cap room required to pursue two premier free agents, he’s only had two years to repair what Lil’Jimmy Dolan has had a decade to destroy.

No matter how convincing the pitch to the king might have been yesterday, the Knicks have nothing to offer but Manhattan. Sure, it’s the greatest city in the world, but not so much when you’re losing every night and getting killed on the back page.  If only the Knicks had paid even a little attention to the NBA draft instead of annually whiffing on productive players, James might have a different view of the team’s existing roster.  Ironically, David Lee, the only good pick New York has made since the Lincoln administration, is now being completely disregarded by management, as if guys who get twenty points and twelve rebounds every night are a dime a dozen.

To look at the other clubs pursuing LeBron is to realize that the Knicks are, actually, the least attractive of the bunch. Chicago already has one superstar in Derek Rose and young studs in Luol Deng and Joakim Noah.  In Miami, there is room to sign both James and Chris Bosh, then retain Dwyane Wade.  Hell, even the 12-70 Nets have better returning players than the Knicks and a new arena on the way.  Sadly, things don’t look good for Lil’ Jimmy.

Terrence Mayrose of CollegeSportsView.com and NY/NJ High Hoops is a lifelong Knick fan starving for something to cheer about at Madison Square Garden.  “I remember John Starks and “The Dunk”. I remember the ’94 run and Ewing’s tip-in”, said Mayrose. “I remember fights with the Heat, Charles Smith and Reggie Miller’s eight points ruining my First Communion gift. I remember despising everything about Michael Jordan’s existence, LJ’s four point play,and, of course the incredible run in ’99.  Those were all a very long time ago and I’m dying for them to give me something new to remember.”  Unfortunately for Terrence and a city full of basketball fans, it doesn’t look like new memories will be made anytime soon at Lil’ Jimmy Dolan’s MSG.  However, I’m hoping like crazy that I’m wrong.

By Chris Ippolito

Since Donnie Walsh’s first day as president of the New York Knicks, he made it clear that the best way to end the team’s streak of futility was to get under the salary cap for the first time since 1996.  Although it has been two painful years since his April 2008 proclamation, Walsh has executed his plan.  Today the Knicks are approximately $35 million under the salary cap, an enviable position considering the plethora of talent in this year’s free agent class.  Only the Miami Heat, who essentially dismantled their team for this purpose, have more money to spend this off season than the Knicks.

Apparently, fair weather fans of the Knicks, who probably spent the last five years or so denying their orange and blue affiliation, look at this cap space only as an opportunity to sign LeBron James, by far the most coveted free agent on the market.  This idea is not a far-fetched one.  In my opinion the Knicks should do everything they can to recruit James to New York.  He is a physical specimen who I believe will end up averaging a triple double for a season at some point in his career.  The problem is that Chicago, Miami, the L.A Clippers, and James’s former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, all want the King as badly as the Knicks do.

To me, it is pointless to predict where James will choose to play.  People have been trying to do this for months, yet, I honestly don’t believe that even LeBron himself knows what the outcome is going to be.  However, I will admit that I am not nearly as confident in Walsh’s ability to bring in James as I was a year ago, when the New York media made it seem as though it was a formality.  With this said, I think it is important…extremely important…for the Knicks to have a back-up plan.

People seemed surprised that James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Joe Johnson are discussing their future plans with one another.  To me, this just shows that these players are serious about winning.  Ask LeBron James (probably the second best player in the game today to Mr. Bryant in L.A) how easy it’s been to win a championship with the likes of Antawn Jamison and Mo Williams as Robins to his Batman.  Ask Chris Bosh how easy it’s been for him to even make the playoffs with Andrea Bargnani as his primary running mate.  The obvious point is that since these guys are serious about winning (and they all seem to be pretty tight because of their USA basketball affiliation) they are going to attempt to relocate so that each has a great chance to be successful.

Let’s assume that what everyone thinks is going to happen will happen: LeBron chooses PF/C Chris Bosh as his running mate for the next 5-7 years and they go to Chicago, L.A, or even Miami.  What should the Knicks do?  I’ll tell you what they should not do, and that is panic.  Undoubtedly, the Knick fan base will feel as though another 10 years of infamy is inevitable.  However, it will be up to Walsh construct a team capable of beating the James/Bosh squad.  Unfortunately for Knick fans, it will probably be a two year process.

First and foremost, the Knicks need to put together a formidable front court.  Even more so than a point guard, interior defense and center play is essential to winning NBA basketball.  With Bosh off the table, the Knicks would have to choose between Carlos Boozer, Amare Stoudemire, or David Lee as lynchpins for the Knicks front court.  I would go with the former Dukie,  Boozer.  He is a much better rebounder and defender than Amare and also is less likely to be distracted by New York’s bright stage.  In my opinion, Lee needs a change of scenery anyway.  Perhaps the incessant losing has made winning in New York unimaginable for him. Offering Boozer a max-contract is something that Walsh will have to think long and hard about, yet I may oblige Boozer in the end because of his tenacity, effort, and relative durability.  However, at 6’9, despite the fact that he is very thick, Boozer will have trouble guarding the NBA’s larger 5’s.  Thus bringing in a Brad Miller or Brendan Hayward on a one or two year deal would make a lot of sense.  Nonetheless, the Knicks need to make it a point to improve their front court drastically this offseason, especially from a defensive perspective.  To me, this is a bigger priority than bringing in a superstar scorer not named James.

If you can’t tell by my last sentence, I do not want the Knicks to feel the need to overpay for anyone, let alone a player who is injury prone.  In other words, Mr. Walsh, be very weary of Dwyane Wade.  I love watching him.  He plays with reckless abandon, and nearly every game he makes a play that the common fan has never seen before.  He’s one of the best scorers in the game and is as clutch as they come.  The problem is, that in his seven years in the league, he’s only played in 75+ games four times.  Compare that to Lebron who has done it in all seven of his NBA seasons and Dirk Nowtizki who has done it in every season since the 99-00 campaign.  I would be really tentative to sign Wade to a max contract, while also keeping in mind how frequently Wade dives, crashes, and bounces on the floor.

This said, the Knicks need to add to their team offensively.  Adding Nowitzki would be silly, since they have the big German reincarnate in Danilo Gallinari.  I would go after Joe Johnson, but only if he would accept a deal worth less than the maximum.  I look at Joe Johnson, a former Mike D’Antoni disciple himself, as the Ray Allen of this potential Knick dynasty.  His scoring would be essential, and his court sense and veteran presence would help win a lot of games, yet on a championship team, he can be no better than the third best player on the squad.  I feel like Johnson would be the perfect fit for New York; a quiet killer who goes about his daily business without setting off any fireworks.  He knows how to succeed under Mike D’Antoni and would help to teach his younger teammates the system.  Without assuming any of the other pieces, a team with Johnson, Boozer, Gallinari, and Wilson Chandler is a .500 basketball club, easily.

I feel as though the point guard is overrated in the D’Antoni system to begin with.  Half the time, when the Knicks are pushing the ball up-court, the point guard is not the first or second person to touch the ball anyway.  Sure, if Raymond Felton or Rafer Alston want to come play in Madison Square Garden for the right price, I’m all for it.  However I feel that the Knicks should have their team in place, then find their floor general, not the other way around.

I understand that if the offseason plays out this way, many a Knick fan will be somewhat disappointed.  My advice is to do your best Donnie Walsh impression, and be patient and realistic.  Don’t feel that the offseason is lost because LeBron didn’t come.  More importantly, don’t feel as if you need Wade to battle the hated LeBron. Basketball is a team game and it will take a lot more than doling out money to Wade to beat a James/Bosh combination.  Instead, understand what it takes to win an NBA championship.  Realize that interior defense is the be-all, end-all in the NBA.  Understand that on championship teams, former superstars sign on to become role players and in certain games, become superstars again.  Just ask Ray Allen about game two of the NBA Finals.  And lastly, realize that next summer, when Eddy Curry’s fat ass and fat contract leave New York for good, know that Carmelo Anthony and potentially Kevin Durant will be free agents.  Those are two guys who are comparable to LeBron and are probably better than Wade.  But that topic is for next summer, after a 2010-2011 Knick playoff run.

By the way, how many championships has LeBron James won in his career?  I forgot.

There are a million different scenarios and things to consider when examining the biggest summer in basketball history that won’t involve a single jumper being taken. Everything from coaches, championship prospects, location, and, most importantly, money will play a role in the decisions of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade,Chris Bosh and company. It’s hard to know what will unfold and where each player will end up, (Despite what ESPN may want you to think), because only the players themselves really know where they will be inking their names come July 8th. While the final result may be hard to figure, comparing these guys to something isn’t…for me, anyway. It may seem odd, but the main pieces in this free agency period hold a striking resemblance to the cast of Saved By The Bell. Let me explain.

The Cast:

Dwyane Wade

Saved By The Bell cast member resemblance: Zack Morris

Zack was the kingpin of Bayside. The coolest and most popular kid on campus. He was the only high school kid EVER to have a cell phone in 1992. He could get himself into and out of huge trouble in a half hour span with no consequences. Oh, and did I mention he dated the prettiest girl in the school/state/on television…. Kelly Kapowski ? Face it. He ran the place. He knew it, the girls knew it, and Belding knew it.

Now you may think that if I’m comparing free agents to Saved by the Bell, and I mention Zack Morris than the comparison must be LeBron …right ? While James is the most appealing and intriguing  (we’ll get to his comparison later), D-Wade has the “kingpin” title because he has what LBJ doesn’t : A big, shiny ring on his finger. Which easily makes him the most coveted player on the board.

Wade  also holds another striking resemblance to Zack in this Free Agency sideshow: His recruitment of others. Zack was a full-time recruiter during his Bayside tenure. From scouting out 6’8″ beanpoles for a beach volleyball game, to convincing the gang to help him land a trip to Hawaii or rounding up money to fix Lisa’s mom’s car,  things usually worked out in the end for Zack (Would you expect anything else?) And, as impressive as he was at working/scheming alone, he was most powerful when he had the whole crew on his side. Enter D-Wade. He’s been pitching a dream team to anyone that will listen. He held the summit  to  pitch how great Miami is. He has the most winning experience. He’s convinced Miami to clear the ENTIRE roster to give this a chance to work financially. He’s the one mapping out how things should go because he knows that his reputation will make the others listen;just like Zack.  He’s got the most pull…it’s just a matter of whether the gang listens or not. Will they(LBJ,Bosh,Boozer,Amare or some combo of the 4) decide to join his side like the time they outsmarted the class ring salesman for a refund? Or, will they leave him high and dry  to sell friendship bracelets ? Only time will tell, but it seems pretty clear that, a lot like Zack, Wade is the most popular guy in school.

Joe Johnson

Saved By The Bell cast member resemblance: Tori Scott

Remember Tori ? She was the biker girl who got a full time role only because the producers were in a bind after they NBC ordered more episodes and Tiffany Amber Theissen (Kelly) and Elizabeth Berkley’s (Jessie)schedules couldn’t make the timing work. Plain and simple, her addition was one of the only real bad decisions at Bayside. She wasn’t overly pretty, wasn’t too funny, and she was on screen in place of Kelly; which is  never a good thing. Joe Johnson’s numbers (20.2 ppg,4.4 rpg,4.6 apg) last season are quite impressive, but as far as his being a key piece to an NBA championship, I just don’t see it. As a second option to an elite player like LeBron or Wade, Johnson is a more suitable fit. Atlanta has reportedly offered a max contract which would be a great temptation for him to stay. Playing along side Al Horford, Jamal Crawford and Josh Smith makes him a quality piece to a great cast…just like Tori.  My take is that Johnson waits it out to see where the top level players land before he makes a decision to join the same squad or stay put in Atlanta.

Chris Bosh

Saved By The Bell cast member resemblance: Samuel Screech Powers

Screech was Zack’s best buddy since birth, and while Zack did a lot to help him out (locking up a Russian chess stud, help boost his confidence to talk to his girlfriend Violet or persuade Lisa to be nicer to him) he also made him look like a fool(dress like an old lady to record the girls singing, dress like a hotdog on the beaches of The Malibu Sands, and making him camp out for U2 tickets). The crazy thing is that Screech went along with everything Zack said like he had drunk a gallon of the Morris Kool-Aid. Call it loyalty or call it pathetic but the main thing was that, where Zack went, Screech went. He knew it could only help him to follow in the footsteps of the cool kid. That’s how I see Chris Bosh…following in the footsteps of the cool kid.

The main thing to decide  is: Just who Bosh see’s as his Zack? I compared Wade to Zack based on his resume, but could you really argue with Bosh if he decided playing with LeBron ? LBJ did take two mediocre teams to the NBA Finals, and Eastern Conference Finals in ’07 and ’09 respectively.

Joining a player like Wade or James could be a dream for any player and Bosh is likely to have the opportunity to play alongside one of them. In fact I’m almost certain he will, because, since the beginning of this free agent process, Bosh has been talked about as the second max contract on many different teams. It’s rare that analysts have said he could be the key to a title, rather a great sidekick…much like Screech. It seems Bosh has been convinced of this and will be joining a Zack this summer.

Donald Sterling

Saved By The Bell cast member resemblance: Mr.Belding

Sterling may be the worst owner in the NBA and, sadly, he may be just as high on the list of worst people in the world. The stories of some of his antics(everything from evicting minority apartment renters to asking former head coach Paul Silas to save money by taping players’ ankles, himself ) are despicable  yet, somehow, Sterling thinks he has a shot at signing a top level player to come play for the Clippers;  reminding me of Mr. Richard Belding. The Bayside principal who always thought he could outsmart Zack but it never succeeded.  I have a feeling that, just like Belding had no shot at out-witting Zack, Sterling will learn he has no shot at landing LeBron, Wade, Bosh or anyone with the ability to sense a  bad guy when he sees one.

Amare Stoudemire/Carlos Boozer

Saved By The Bell cast member resemblance: AC Slater

These guys are grouped together, because they’re surprisingly similar. As far as talent, each brings a lot of what AC Slater brought: muscle. Boozer is 6’9 220 and Stoudemire is 6’10 250. Each can bring an excellent post presence to a team that is in the market to win right away.

AC and Zack worked well together, although they didn’t always see eye to eye. Slater was tight with Zack and they helped each other out when one guy needed it, (teaming up to convince Jessie to drop the caffeine pill addiction, or Zack helping Slater find a way to get out of the army), but Slater also tried to outshine Zack whenever he could(betting him he couldn’t keep up during Senior Cut Day, or throwing fists over who should win the affection of a new girl Joanna). Boozer and Amare have had a history of trying to venture out on their own. Boozer somewhat sideswiped the Cavs into letting him out of a deal in ’04 with a commitment to re-sign for a bigger deal than bolting like the Von Trapp family to Utah for more cash. Amare has been hoping to be dealt at each of the past two trade deadlines. What, exactly, does that say about how excited he is to stay in Phoenix ?

Boozer and Stoudemire would be a great addition to any team that gets their signature for a long term deal and, if they were a second max contract to a team that had already inked LeBron or Wade, they’d be even better. Yet it seems that given their past, they would each be the anti-Screech. Instead of realizing how great they could be with an elite player, they’ll choose to be Slater and journey out on their own. Their quality of play is not in question; it’s extremely high, it’s their toughness that seems to be a problem. How will each of them respond if things go bad again ? Will Boozer try to renegotiate in order to wiggle his way out ? Will Amare demand another trade ?  Time will tell.

LeBron James

Saved By The Bell cast member resemblance: Kelly Kapowski  

Kelly Kapowski. The most coveted girl at Bayside. Head Cheerleader….gorgeous…happy…athletic…gorgeous…nice…smart…funny…I said gorgeous right ? There wasn’t another girl like that before her and there won’t be one after her. She’s truly one of a kind. Sounds a lot like the way teams would describe LeBron James, the most coveted player on the market. He brings a game that won’t be replicated for awhile.

While I could go on for days about how pretty Kelly Kapowski is, and how impressive LeBron’s game is,each is cursed with the same flaw:questionable decision making.

Kelly had a lot going for her yet, through her time as a Bayside Tiger she pulled some real head-scratchers. Like bringing her infant brother to school to have the gang watch him & lose him at one point during the day, almost smoking pot with Johnny Dakota, breaking up with Zack for Jeff(I’ve personally never forgiven her for that one), crashing into lockers while letting an unlicensed Slater drive her around school halls in a golf cart, and agreeing to go to Senior Prom with Matt Wilson instead of Zack.

LeBron’s had a few eyebrow-raisers of his own going all the way  back to high school. The Hummer incident, (The SUV.  Get your mind out of the gutter.) and the throwback jersey incident, most notably. His pro career has constantly been under a microscope, especially after the Vogue cover issue, an excessive speeding ticket, refusing to  shake hands after being eliminated from the playoffs, confiscating the video of Jordan Crawford dunking on him and firing agent Aaron Goodwin for his high school friend, Maverick Carter.

As a girl who seems nearly perfect and a player with a near perfect game, Kelly and LeBron James are a lot alike in that they are highly unpredictable. Every time you think Kelly is going to get back on track and reunite with Zack she goes for a Jeff, and for each bunch of great decisions LBJ makes,  there’s a n incident like  him telling his mom to, “sit your ass down”, during a playoff game.

No other way to describe it. Unpredictability. Which takes us into the biggest week in basketball free agency. Where will the most coveted player in history decide to go ? Will he make the smart choice and jointhe best team (Chicago), will he remain loyal to Cleveland  or will he try to be the biggest thing on the planet by bolting to NY or NJ ?

Anyone who tells you they know  is either: wrong  or a lucky guesser.  It’s clear no one but LeBron truthfully knows because of one main reason: he’s unpredictable. I think he likes it that way.

Happy Free Agency !

NBA Finals Dilemma

It seemed like such a simple choice.  As the NBA Finals began, I stood firmly behind the Boston Celtics as two of my favorite players, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett led Doc Rivers’ squad into another Finals matchup with the Lakers.  That Los Angeles features both Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant, a pair of NBA figures for whom I’ve never had any tolerance, made the decision to back the boys from Beantown all the easier.  Until I realized, however, that Nate Robinson, longtime headcase acquired in mid-season from the Knicks, would garner a championship ring should the Celtics triumph. Ouch. Now I’m left to pull for the impossible during tonight’s Game 7.  Can both teams lose?

The Buzz Around the World Cup

Was asked by Cheap Seater John Wall if there were to be comments in this space related to the World Cup. Knowing me as he does, I’m sure that John expects me to drone on (pun intended) about the ridiculous kazoos with which the South African fans have been assaulting the ears of fans across the world.  Or to ridicule the fact that these incredible athletes act as they’ve been shot at the slightest contact; attempting to draw calls from the officials.  Sorry, Johnny, none of that here. Instead, I’ll just point to the front page of Sunday’s New York Post, whose blaring headline proclaimed, “U.S. Wins 1-1″.  I mean, seriously, if we’re so overmatched that a tie is viewed as a win, why the hell are we even competing?  Make me watch this nonsense.

Timing is Everything

Has anyone else noticed that the current hot streak that has taken the Mets to within a half game of the lead in the NL East has coincided with Luis Castillo’s stint on the DL?  With Angel Pagan, a legitimate major league hitter, batting in the second spot, the Amazins have suddenly caught fire, begging the question: when Castillo comes back, will he find his way back onto the field or be shown his rightful place on the bench?

That’s What a Dad Does

On Opening Day, New York Yankee designated hitter Nick Johnson caught quite a bit of flack from his teammates.  It seems that, after making a promise to his nine year old daughter, Johnson chose “Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus as the song that would be played when he came to bat.  Needless to say, it wasn’t well received by many of his young teammates as Johnson heard about it all the way into the Bombers’ locker room after the game.  The next morning, however, when Craig Carton tried to pile on Johnson during his morning show on WFAN, it was Boomer Esiason that brought some sanity to the issue.  “He promised his daughter”, said Esiason, “and that’s what a dad does.”

“That’s what a dad does.”  He stops playing golf because Little League baseball is way cooler when you’re playing.   He sits in a gym for hours at a time because, maybe,  you might knock down a three pointer; even though your minutes are seriously limited.  He worries about you whenever you’re out of the house but says nothing, because he won’t cramp your style.  He tells you you’re really doing well behind the wheel, even after you’ve driven into a hedgerow. And, most of all, he loves your mom.

In an episode of Taxi, the greatest sitcom of them all, Alex Reeger offers his opinion of fatherhood.  ” You worry from the day they’re born and it never stops.  You worry when they’re sick. You worry when they don’t come home from school on time.  You worry about their grades and whether they’re running around with the right kids.  You worry if they’ll meet the right girl and get a good job.  It never ends.  And for what?  Maybe a hug and a kiss every once in a while because the kid feels like he has to?  All in all?  It’s not a bad deal.”  Happy Father’s Day.