I'm baaa-aaack and so are the Yankees! But, before I get into that I have a short PSA:
Sports heads, please know that I've missed delivering the goods. I've been a busy little bee the past month. However, I'm finally getting a grasp on things (I think) and can return to blogging with some type of regularity (I hope).
With that said, there's no better time to jump back in than the present!
My beloved NY Yankees are in the playoffs...AGAIN!!! There was never a doubt in my mind that I'd see Yankees Stadium open for business in October. Despite injuries to Andy Pettitte, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira, we managed to keep it together. Our ace CC Sabathia reached 21 wins for the first time in his career (congrats!) and Robinson Cano is making a strong bid for MVP. Nick Swisher has also been pretty consistent all year. Newbie Curtis Granderson got off to a slow start, but was finally able to locate his swing. And although Captain Derek Jeter's batting average isn't where we're used to seeing it, you know he'll step up when needed i.e. now. So, expect Mr. November to produce like he usually does.
But I must admit, I'm not as confident as I was last year this time. Last year, the Yankees were so dominant that it was a no-brainer that we'd get our 27th World Championship. However, this year's suspect pitching rotation makes me slightly nervous. I just hope that Joe Girardi makes the right decisions, the team starts hitting again, and our defense is on point. Since our pitching is the biggest question mark (including Mariano Rivera's ability to get four outs), we need to make sure we're gelling everywhere else.
The other thing that makes me nervous is the possibility of facing the Texas Rangers. Dare I say that I'm quietly hoping the Yankees land the wild card spot because I like our chances against the Twins more? The Rangers seem to have our number this season. Plus, it's such a slap in the face to see us struggle against Cliff Lee when we were rumored to get him before the trade deadline. I hope that doesn't come back to bite us! No matter what though, I'll be focused during the postseason. Go Yankees! Let's win it for the Boss!
Another thing that I love about this time of year is the overlap between the NFL, NBA, and Yankees Postseason. Forget Christmas, for me, this is the most wonderful time of the year! The NFL is always enjoyable, but when your team is playing well, that feeling is multiplied by 100. With my Jets scheduled to face the Bills, Vikings, and Broncos before their bye week, I expect this blissful feeling to continue for a while.
Now the Knicks are a different story. Tonight my Dad and I talked about the Knicks and I'll tell y'all like I told him, don't believe the hype. Knicks fans have suffered too long and I'm not convinced that the dark days are behind us. In the past, I devoured reading material about the Knicks early in the season, but this year, I've decided it's not worth it. I can't even tell you who their starting 5 is. Admittedly, it's pretty pathetic, especially since I consider myself a ride or die fan. But recent history has proven that I shouldn't invest too much time and energy in them this early in the season. Yes the Knicks made some moves, but is it really enough to make a push toward the playoffs? I'm not sure. And, my uncertainty is causing me to be proceed with caution. I'd be more hopeful if I knew Carmelo Anthony or Chris Paul were on their way to form the NYC version of "Superfriends" with Amar'e Stoudemire, but that doesn't seem likely. Now don't get me wrong, Amar'e Stoudemire is a good player, but he's injury prone and I just have nightmares of our other $100 million man, Allan Houston. I'm definitely not wishing that on Stoudemire, but it's real. Microscopic knee surgery is a beast. Just ask Allan Houston, Grant Hill, Chris Webber, and Tracy McGrady.
Since my Yankees and Jets are still holding me down, I prefer to ride that wave for as long as possible. Truthfully, last season when the Jets lost to the Colts in the AFC Championship game, I wasn't only disappointed because the Jets' season was over. The most painful part was facing the harsh reality of giving the Knicks 100% of my attention. Since I've finally learned the hard way, I'm going to let the Knicks' regular season record do the talking. Show and prove Knicks. Show. And. Prove.
P.S. Yes, I'm aware that when referencing the Yankees and Jets it's all about "my", "we", and "us", but when referencing the Knicks, it's all about "them". The Knicks will get back to "my", "we", and "us" status when they earn it.
