They call it pink slip Monday and while the news became real elsewhere, let’s run down the New York teams following their busy Sundays. The Jets are now in full fledged disgruntled mode. Gary Meyers of the Daily News said that due to Santonio Holmes’ actions or rather inactions, the Jets should cut their losses and send the brooding WR packing. Brian Costello of the New York Post says that the Jets aren’t waiting for an apology from Holmes, they are focused on building unity for next season. As Roderick Boone of Newsday wrote the Jets will, probably as a result of Santonio’s actions, not have a captain from here on out. In the outgoing meeting, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News Rex Ryan was emotional, even crying vowing to restore team unity. Mark Cannizaro of the Post said its all on Rex to bring unity to this team. GM Mike Tannenbaum said that Mark Sanchez WILL be the starting QB next year according to Peter Bottle of the Daily News.
There are plenty of culprits in this Jet season to point fingers to but at this point what’s the use? What exactly will be gained from blaming everything on one player? That’s where all the focus seems to be. On Santonio Holmes. Yes, he’s a problem child. Yes, he’s a diva. Yes, the Steelers are nodding their heads in agreement with everything coming out of New York today and for the next few days about him as a leader. I’m sure some in a Steeler uniform were chuckling when Rex gave Santonio the “C” on his jersey. Giving the responsibility of captain is a symbolic gesture. It says something about the player more than his pay grade. It says he’s a leader and that’s exemplified those traits during his time in that uniform. They aren’t given randomly and one can only assume that Rex gave it as a motivational tool to Santonio, currently one of two players on the Jet roster with a Super Bowl ring. Holmes getting that huge contract after just one year in a Jet uni was a mistake but one that the Jets felt they had to make and I don’t blame them. Santonio is a talented receiver capable of taking over games despite not having any real size advantage over the corners that cover him. He’s quick on his breaks and cuts and knows how to run routes. But he pouts and he makes things difficult when he’s not getting the ball. He’s an only child on the football feild, screaming for attention and needing validation by his quarterback and somebody to pet him when he does something good. He’s a man child and that’s the problem. The Jets had too many divas on one team and this is something that was said throughout the year: the Jets over the years cut too many guys who were great locker room guys to bring in the talented yet troubled superstar. I’m sure Plaxico’s best trait this year was just him being quiet though I wouldn’t be surprised to hear otherwise.
As a Giant fan, going through Plax’s troublesome ways were tough. You knew the guy was talented but he had no time to be mature and handle the responsibility of being a superstar athlete. He’d rather waste his time being a huge waste of space and that’s what Santonio is doing. At some poing Mike Tannenbaum has to see things for what it is and that is, that the Jets need to bring back those glue guys that made this team a two time AFC Championship contender. The Jets no longer have that kind of presence in the locker room and they are suffering for that. I have confidence in Mike Tannenbaum to change things in the locker room and elsewhere and it will be interesting to see how the Jets move on from this. Do they continue going on this path where Rex thinks he can coach these blowhards back into shape or does he just give into Mike T’s personnel skills and allow him to bring in glue guys and guys that fit into the locker room dynamic. Guys who can raise their voice. Again, IF Mike T wants to keep Santonio he needs to have a QB in there that can raise his voice and tell Santonio to shut the hell up and he’ll have to respect that. He’ll need a guy who will eventually give them a presence. We all know who that guy is. The Colts are ready for all comers and all their suggested compensation for him but it will take a huge HUGE step for any organization to give up the kind of ransom it will take to pry Peyton Manning loose. Speaking of which:
Bob Kravitz of the Indy Star agreed with owner Jim Irsay that it was time to let go of Bill and his son Chris Polian from the upper reaches of the Indy power grid. The decision of what to do with the number one pick and Peyton Manning will be left to a yet unnamed successor. Interesting to note: Jim Caldwell was NOT fired. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch says that for a business man like Stan Kroenke firing Steve Spagnuolo and his GM Bill Devaney was all about the numbers game. Namely the 2-14 record. Martin Fennely of the Tampa Tribune writes that the first job for the new head coach, after Raheem Morris’ dismissal is to revive number five. That’s quarterback Josh Freeman for those of you not familiar.
Its a tough position on Monday morning waking up after a disappointing season and knowing your fate. Knowing you’ll be fired in a minute. Yet here it is for future Hall of Famer Bill Polian. He’s the guy who was the architect of those ALMOST WON IT ALL Bills teams. He’s also, interestingly enough, the guy who was hired the day after the Colts secured the number one pick of the 1998 draft, the one where they picked Peyton Manning and began this unprecedented run of success. This game is about numbers and what have you done for me lately and Bill Polian was tied to a team and a player and never really accomplished much else personnel wise over the last four years and this season proved it. IF he had drafted well or had signed some talent from the free agent market, I’m sure it would’ve showed but it never did. The system that enabled Matt Flynn to immediately step in and throw 6 TD’s against a Lions team that was clearly playing for something Sunday is what most people will look at. To have such a steep drop off from Peyton Manning to the next guy is troubling. This is why I feel like the Colts eventually will keep Peyton AND draft Andrew Luck. Its the right move. Luck may be ready to start now, but he would benefit from sitting behind Peyton and learning the system for the next two years. Imagine a fully formed Luck in his third year coming in and the Colts getting elite QB play for another dozen years like they did from Peyton? Manning’s legacy is in Indy and it would be a shame to ruin it.
But it IS interesting that on the brink of such a huge decision coming for the Colts that Jim Irsay, the Twitter-iffic owner of the Colts would take Bill Polian out and bring in a new guy. Almost as if to say that he’s washing his hands clean of whatever is to come. This next decision is all on whoever’s coming in. Which is why I think the best job is in St Louis. You have a QB already there. The number two pick. You can sell that pick to the highest bidder (you know there’s a sucker out there in Washington) and build that organization with multiple number ones and number twos. Of course you need to trust that all these picks work out but just from a percentage perspective, you trust that ATLEAST A FEW OF THESE GUYS pan out for you. Rumblings are that Jeff Fisher was hanging around the lobby of the Rams hotel on Saturday perhaps setting in motion some of the events that will eventually take place. I expect a few of those positions to be filled up by the end of the week since I’m sure some of these teams have their sights set on some names. I expect Tampa’s job will take a month to fill since they will again look for the unexpected candidate. It will be interesting to say the least who will get that Indy job.
In Gotham City, at the world’s most famous arena, the Knicks returned from their west coast swing to lay an egg at home against the Raptors shooting for an abysmal 28.6% from beyond the three point line. The Knicks took twice as many 3 pointers as the Raptors and the Knicks couldn’t hit that many. Frank Isola of the Daily News said that Carmelo Anthony and his 35 points could not bail out the Knicks. Marc Berman says that the wrong play was called in the end. Marc Berman of the Post says that help is on the way as Amar’e and Iman Shumpert are set to return by the end of the week. Finally, Howard Beck of the New York Times writes what I’ve been saying ALL ALONG.
Last night’s game was frustrating to watch. It was as if they forgot ALL the good things they did on Saturday against the Kings. To beat the same drum beat, the Knicks had nobody that could slash into the paint and draw contact or the defense so they could find an open man. Toney Douglas is not willing to do that and usually if he does drive its to pull up and try for a 15 foot jumper OR do a weak floater that never seems to go in. Douglas had 21 points and I’ve said this over and over again: Toney is not afraid to shoot and not afraid of the moment and that is going to be HUGE for this team going forward. When he is replaced in the starting line up, he’s going to be SO MUCH more effective than he is right now playing major minutes in the starting line up. This experience will really help him and in a month once he’s gotten used to the feeling of playing the point he will ease Baron Davis’ return which I believe is going to be by the end of this month.
Amazing that Iman Shumpert will return by Thursday or Friday considering the way he went down it didn’t look good. But Shump’s athleticism and versatility will be needed when you consider that the Knicks don’t have anyone, except for Melo and Amar’e who is as athletic as he is.
One player I wasn’t disappointed in last night was Landry Fields. He’s building confidence but like I said two days ago, my biggest fear is he goes back into his shell when both Amar’e and Melo are on the court together. What happens then? Hopefully he continues to be active. He’s better on defense and is responding while chasing down faster guards around the league and moving through screens and doing the small things to remain active. He’s going to be interesting to watch during the year.
One player I WAS disappointed in is Billy Walker. He has NO IDEA how to play the game of basketball. Its amazing that he gets any kind of run with a professional team. He plays so recklessly and with no kind of rhythm that its hard for me to imagine any player being worse. He has no sense of any moment and barrels into players and refs call him for the charge EVERYTIME because he’s blatantly putting his knee out or taking his arm and using it to shield players against him when he drives and he blatantly fouls players. I pray that Iman gets back and the Knicks get Jared Jeffries and the much better shooter but softer Steve Novak takes his minutes.
Its tough to judge this entire Knick team till all the pieces are in play then we can make a fair judgement but the Knicks but Beck is on the money. The Knicks made a terrible decision to trade for Carmelo. They got nowhere. They got swept in the first round and they have ZERO depth on the team. Imagine Melo and Tyson Chandler came via free agency. You’re talking about Iman Shumpert AND Gallo off the bench. With Raymond Felton starting AND Mozgov and Toney Douglas OFF THE BENCH. The Knicks instead chose the impatient route. The Knicks wasted such a golden opportunity and didn’t listen to Donnie Walsh who had preached patience. Instead, we have to watch THIS Knick team instead of a team that could’ve been one of the deepest in the East.
In the winter classic the NHL has a great tradition. But if you hear it from John Tortorella’s mouth it was a concerted effort by NBC and NHL to try and make it an overtime game according to Pat Leonard of the Daily News. Jeff Klein of the New York Times says that there was one star that shined the brightest and his name is Henrik Lundqvist.
I don’t usualy watch hockey but after last night, who’s up for a hockey game? That was some final two minute stretch eh? There’s nothing more exciting than a penalty shot save and Henrik, excuse me King Henrik made the save that brought the house down. It did seem fishy that a lot of the calls late went against the Rangers and I’m sure there were enough people screaming at the top of their lungs about the weird plays that went on but make no mistake, the Classic was indeed a Classic but its hard not to be when you have New York and Philly. The heated rivalry is there and if you can’t get up to play either team then you don’t deserve to play.
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