The Talk of the Town: NY Knicks, NY Yankees, NY Jets, NY Mets

No matter the season, NYC sports always manages to dominate sports talk.  This morning I woke up, turned to NY1, like I do every morning, and realized that we (NYC sport teams) were pretty busy yesterday. In case you missed it, here's a quick recap!

NY KNICKS
The Good!  Yesterday afternoon, the Knicks announced that Isiah Thomas would not be consulting for the organization, after all.  According to certain NBA bylaws, an NBA exec can't have any contact with NCAA athletes.  Since Zeke is the head basketball coach for Florida International University (which went 7-25 last season, fyi), Isiah would've been in direct violation of that bylaw.  When I read this, I released a huge sigh of relief.  Phew!

The Bad!  The fact that Isiah Thomas was offered a job with the Knicks, after EVERYTHING we've been through with him, proves that leadership (Jim Dolan) is still delusional and ill equipped to run this team.  At one point in Isiah's career, he was praised for being able to scout talent.  I was one of those people doing the praising. But, those days are long gone.  In my opinion, Isiah has indisputably proven that he's all about self and lacks any type of dignity or pride.  How could Isiah, a Hall of Fame player, return to the scene of the crime, while Knicks fans are still licking our wounds? Contrary to what Isiah and Dolan may think, it's still too soon.  Until the Knicks have a respectable season, we will not forgive OR forget Isiah for leaving us in ruins.

I say all of this despite having been a Zeke fan forever.  In fact, when I tried out for the basketball team in 7th grade, my Dad hyped me up by saying that Isiah Thomas is small, but also the best at his position.  Nuff said.  I got this.  Lacking talent, I quickly realized that the only thing Zeke and I had in common was our size deficiency, but I digress...

Thank goodness the NBA stepped in to put Knicks fans out of our misery, for now.  Despite making some solid (not great!) off season moves, hiring Isiah Thomas would've ruined our season before it even started.


NY YANKEES
The Good:  Last night, the Yankees had an incredible comeback against the Texas Rangers. After a loss to the Red Sox and a blown save by Mariano Rivera, the Yankees' bats suddenly woke up toward the end of last night's game.  Sadly, I fell asleep and missed the exciting comeback, but it was nice to wake up, wipe the cold out of my eyes, put my glasses on and see that we got the W!

The Bad:  Watching the Yankees struggle against Cliff Lee had me fuming. I keep shaking my head at the thought that the Yankees didn't get Cliff Lee when all reports pretty much confirmed that he was a Yankee. Cliff Lee should be in pinstripes, not serving up 11 strikeouts against us.  And then to make matters worse, I had to witness another piss poor Lance Berkman performance at first base.  I keep asking myself, why did we acquire him at the trade deadline?  Why?????  Congrats to Mark Teixeira and his wife for welcoming a son into the world, but I'm thankful he'll be with the team for tonight's game against the Kansas City Royals.

As of now, there's a good chance that we could face the Rangers in the playoffs.  Thankfully their relief pitching is a little suspect.  Despite the Rangers having Cliff Lee, I like our chances.

NY JETS
The Good!  Last night was the highly anticipated debut of HBO's hit series, Hard Knocks starring the NY Jets!!  Since I'm such a huge Jets fan, I've been waiting for this show to debut since HBO announced that Gang Green was their chosen team.  I know I've said this before, and I'm saying it again, I absolutely love that the Jets have completely erased the NY Giants from the back pages of the New York dailies.  They're everywhere!  We have a coach that talks nuff smack, as I'm sure you saw on last night's show, and a team that can back it up! The Giants/Jets preseason game on Monday can't come soon enough!  J-E-T-S!  JETS! JETS! JETS!

The Bad! I was asleep before the show even started.  Extremely pathetic.  I know.  I remember looking at the clock at 8something thinking that I had another two hours to go.  I tried to fight it but lost that battle.  Although I haven't watched the show, I heard that the Darrelle Revis contract situation had a starring role.  I hate this.  I really do.  Up until this point, what made the Jets such a good story to follow is that there was nothing negative to report.  Now all of a sudden they're engaged in this extremely public contract dispute with Darrelle Revis and his agent.  And, our GM Mike Tennenbaum is admitting defeat on camera.  Really?  Really?

I've tried to speak about this topic without getting fired up, but I can't.  However, I will say this.  I understand where both parties are coming from.  I'd be a horribly judge.  Also, I didn't expect Revis to hold out this long.  I wasn't all that concerned during OTA's but now that we're heading into our first preseason game on Monday, I'm super concerned.  And, having the team owner, Woody Johnson, publicly say that he doesn't think Revis will play this season does not put me at ease, posturing or not.  Oh how I wish this was just scripted reality to create more buzz around Hard Knocks, but I know that it's not.  All I can say is, Damn you Al Davis for overpaying Nnamdi Asomugha!!! 
 

NY METS

Unlike all of the other teams I've covered, the Mets don't have anything "good" to touch upon.  With them, it's just all "bad". They can't catch a break.  I don't follow them a whole lot, but I do know that they're on a sinking ship.

Last night, Francisco Rodriguez verbally assaulted reporters with countless F-bombs during the post game interview following their 6-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies. As if that wasn't enough, he then went on to physically assault his father-in-law. Whoa!  Who does that?  K-Rod certainly isn't a saint, and has a history of losing his temper, but going off on your father-in-law is next level!  As a result, K-Rod was arrested, charged with third- degree assault, and suspended 2 games.

More importantly, this altercation gave everyone an insiders look at how dysfunctional the Mets clubhouse really is.  If Mets fans were hoping for some type of miraculous comeback, they should face reality and shift their focus to football.  It's not happening.  The only hope they can cling to is team owner, Fred Wilpon, finally manning up and getting the courage to send Jerry Manuel packing.

It ain't easy being a New York sports fan!

NHL, NJ Devils, and Kovalchuk Arbitrate Over $102 Million/17-Year Offer!

This Summer, teams and leagues have been busy with contract disputes and signings.  While most of the sports world was focused on "the decision" of Lebron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, you may have missed the drama surrounding the NHL and Ilya Kovalchuk's $102 million/17 year offer from the New Jersey Devils.  

When I first caught wind of this, it literally stopped me in my tracks! Woah!!!! A 27 year old player being offered a 17 year contract?  Really?!?!  I couldn't even begin to wrap my head around this concept until I realized that Alexander Ovechkin signed a $124 million/13 year contract.  Yes, he's younger and the deal isn't for as many years, but even that seems a bit excessive and out of the ordinary to me.  I guess I'm just used to 5 and 6 year contracts in the NBA and NFL.  Anything outside of that is completely unfathomable.

  

Well, I was so interested in this topic that I tapped the biggest NHL fan I know, Catherine Marzi aka @CMarzi84 and asked her to be a guest blogger.  She breaks down this situation for me and you, my readers!  Thanks, Marzi!

Arbitration in the biggest NHL off season story begins today. Ilya Kovalchuk, the number one draft pick in the 2001 entry draft, a 27 year old forward was offered $102 million over the course of 17 years by the NJ Devils. The NHL has contended this violates the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement and filed for arbitration. The contract averages out to $6 million per year, but is likely not structured to pay out evenly. Specifics of the contract have not been released.

Whether Kovalchuk's 40+ goals in the past 6 seasons, or 80+ average points over the same number of seasons are worth $102 million is not really in question. He's an outstanding player and could be a great asset to help the Devils put together a solid playoff push. The issue is to be decided is whether the contract is fair, as per the CBA, which exists to protect players and franchises.

Outside of the NHL's objections, these super long term contracts feel like bad business. Just as far as the basics, when a couple players monopolize salary cap it leaves less opportunity for a supporting cast. Also, if anyone is looking for a most glaring example of a bad long term contract, check out Rick DiPietro, who signed a 15 year contact in 2006 and played a grand total of 13 games in the past two seasons.  He's a fair example of why these types of deals are questionable.

Though Kovalchuk has dominated the headlines, there have been some recent off season moves that have been eclipsed by the Kovalchuk drama:

Antti Niemi: the Stanley Cup winning goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks has been let go. His award winning performance wasn't enough to convince Chi-town to put up the $2.75 million per year. They opted for a less costly, and more senior goaltender in Marty Turco.

Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin: the top two draft picks this season have both signed 3 year contracts with their respective teams. Both 18 year old boys will be making at least $900,000 this season, with the possibility of collecting up to $3.75 million dollars.

Alexander Frolov: joined the NY Rangers to strengthen their offense. 20 points from Frolov coupled with 40 goals from Marian Gaborik could make the Rangers surprisingly effective. Oh wait, no one cares about the Rangers other than me? That's right.

Either way, the Kovalchuk drama will be resolved within the next week. It's been an interesting off season and the face of many teams in the league will be changed before the preseason kicks off in September. Only a few more weeks until hockey's back!

What do you think?  Should the NJ Devils be able to sign Kovalchuk to such a lengthy contract?  Or, is the NHL right for disallowing this deal to go down?

Related articles by Zemanta

• Kovalchuk Update: Arbitration Looming (bleacherreport.com)
• Nhl set for Ilya hearing (nypost.com)
• Kovalchuk arbitration starts Wednesday (cbc.ca)
• Kovalchuk hearing set to begin (canada.com)
• Kovalchuk Arbitration Will Have Impact on Entire Hockey World (bleacherreport.com)

Nike's World Basketball Festival

 
The NBA has done a fantastic job of keeping their buzz alive post NBA Finals.  The highly anticipated Free Agency period lived up to expectations with all of the off season moves.

The NBA will continue to ride this wave with the upcoming 2010 FIBA World Championship hosted in Turkey from August 28- September 12th.  I know the NFL season will be underway, but I'm sure fans will support Team USA and tune in to see if they will reclaim that elusive Gold medal from Spain.

Believe it or not, despite being current Olympic Gold medal winners, Team USA hasn't won Gold at the World Championship games since 1994.  That's a problem.  And, one reason for that is because most elite NBA players decline the invitation to participate.  So far, the roster includes Kevin Durant, David Lee, Chauncey Billups, Rudy Gay, Danny Granger, Brook Lopez, Andre Iguodala, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, and Rajo Rondo, Tyreke Evans, and Stephen Curry.  There are definitely some solid players on the list, but overall, the talent doesn't measure up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Redeem Team. 

Regardless, the show must go on.  And, to get folks more excited about the tournament, Nike and USA Basketball have teamed up to put on the World Basketball Festival.  The event will take place August 12-15th in New York City.  It will kickoff at Radio City Music Hall (8/12) and travel around the city to Harlem's Rucker Park (8/13 - 8/14) and back downtown to Madison Square Garden (8/15).  Here's the official word from NIKE and USA Basketball about the event.

This summer, NIKE, Inc. and USA Basketball are planning to bring the world's best basketball teams and top musical performers to New York City for the inaugural World Basketball Festival, a four-day celebration of the performance and culture of the game, an event that Nike has committed to reprising every two years.

The World Basketball Festival, August 12-15, features basketball's leading brands within the NIKE Inc. portfolio – Converse, the Jordan Brand, and Nike Basketball.

 The World Basketball Festival will celebrate the creativity that surrounds the game and the inspiration, attitude, and athleticism that define it.  On the hallowed ground of New York City courts, players and artists will demonstrate how the rhythm of a game has become the soundtrack of a culture and how a global community will unite to create basketball's new destiny.  

The World Basketball Festival, August 12-15, features basketball's leading brands and 100 years of footwear tradition- Nikebasketball, Jordan, and Converse. 

The event will also feature the top national basketball teams in the world, including China, Brazil, France, Puerto Rico, and the USA.

This should be a cool event.  If you live in the NYC area, then you should definitely check it out.  For me, basketball + live music = sold!  Although, the list of performers hasn't been released yet.

If you don't live in NYC, I'm sure you can follow the exhibition games on TV, however, I wasn't able to find details to confirm this.  To learn more about the event, hit up the World Basketball Festival Facebook page at www.facebook.com/worldbasketballfestival and their website at http://worldbasketballfestival.nikemedia.com/.

Lastly, in true NIKE fashion, they have designed a World Basketball Festival Collection with several country-themed NIKE Zoom Hyperfuse colorways.  Check them out below.  I have no idea when these are dropping.  Just know that they're "coming soon"!

Countries include (left to right) USA, Brazil, Canada, France and Puerto Rico.

NEW SH*T!!!  
As a new feature, I'm going to include links to related articles so you can learn more about each story.  You likes?

Related articles by Zemanta

• 2010 World Championships: Can This Team USA Begin A New Chapter Of Dominance? (sbnation.com)
• No Redeem Team players for 2010 basketball worlds (sports.espn.go.com)

Comments Feed the Soul!

Sports heads!!!

I'm so thankful to have you as my readers.  It means tons to have you frequent my blog as often as you do. I even appreciate you calling me out when I haven't posted anything in a while.  It shows me that you value the content I offer.  You care!!!

BUT!!  To be honest, the best way to show me love is to leave a comment here and there.  I'm not asking you to comment on every post unless you want to (smile!), but whenever the spirit moves you works too.  I know you have an opinion, so just take a minute or two and share it!

It will also give me an idea of how well I'm doing with this whole blogging thing.  Only been at it for about 5 months and I'm sure I can approve.  Share your likes, dislikes, and anything else with me.  Want to know what I think about a particular subject?  Ask.  I'll hit you back!

Admittedly, blogging takes more time and effort than I imagined.  I love it though and I'm glad that I started All Sports Everything.  However, my goal is to make this more engaging and I need YOU to help me make that happen!

You're appreciated!

S. Renee

Tennessee Titans Chris Johnson: The New Face of the NFL?

I recently received the latest issue of Sporting News with Chris Johnson of the Tennessee Titans featured on the cover with a headline that read, "The New Face of the NFL".  No question mark.  They are boldly declaring that title! 

Hmmm.  Interesting.  Well, my first thought was not if they don't pay this man that's currently in the middle of a contract dispute and threatening to miss training camp.  But more than that, this headline caused me to pause for a second and ask myself (outloud), "really?"  I understand he's a beast on the field, rushing for 2,006 yards last season.  And, anyone that plays Fantasy Football must agree that he's most definitely worthy of the first pick in this year's draft.  So, me questioning Sporting News' claim has zilch to do with his athleticism and more to do with his image or appearance.  

Yes, I'm speaking of the appearance of unkempt dreads, gold fronts, and a black leather bomber in blazing hot temps, which is how he was most recently spotted on the red carpet.  If you watched the ESPY Awards this week, then I'm sure you can at least see where I'm coming from, even if you don't agree.
 
The reason I was frozen in my footsteps upon reading the Sporting News headline is because I don't think we've evolved enough as a country or are progressive enough as a people to deem someone that looks like Chris the face of a multi-billion dollar brand.  Especially a business that is run by white men in custom suits.  Yes, we have a black president, but let's be real, President Obama and Chris Johnson come from and exist in two very different worlds. 

If Chris' phone suddenly started ringing off the hook and he was offered all of the endorsement deals that are reserved for Peyton Manning, the current face of the NFL, I'd be beyond shocked! 

Well, so far, Chris has managed to secure one major endorsement deal.  Powerade came calling and Chris answered. 

His Powerade campaign debuted during the World Cup.  When asked why they teamed up with Chris, Powerade went on record to say, "We really want to connect with high school athletes, with multicultural youth.  The only way to do that is to be genuine with the person you partner with, " Powerade brand director Frank Bracken says.  "Powerade has got a little bit of edge, a little bit of personality and rawness to it.  Chris embodies those as a player and with his personality and how he carries himself."

I can't disagree with that.  I actually commend Powerade for exploring uncharted territory.  As soft spoken as Chris may be, he is known for his in-your-face touchdown celebrations, superlative declarations, and his raw and gritty style of play.  He's also able to connect with the youth because he comes from a challenge-filled childhood which resulted in Chris getting kicked out of school in seventh grade after being falsely accused of stealing, only to get into a fight in the first week at his new school.  But, his devotion to football inspired him to do better and redirect his focus.  Qualities that young athletes will certainly admire and respect.  So for that, I love Powerade for partnering with Chris Johnson because they feel that his attributes are representative of their brand.  In my opinion, that should be the foundation of a any good partnership.  Although, not many brands would look beyond Chris' outward appearance and the stereotypes that come along with it; and fork over millions of dollars.  Because regardless of how successful you've been on the field, how many odds you've beaten to reach the top, you still share the burden of your peers that were less disciplined and unable to leave the past behind.

Chris Johnson knows the value he holds and the opportunities that await him.  He's already claimed to be better than Adrian Peterson and everyone else, likening his "new reign" as the face of the NFL to Obama becoming our first Black President.  Johnson's exact words were, "Obama was the first black president.  I could be the first black face of the NFL."  OK, I think he's reaching with regard to his first black face of the NFL reference.  There have been a few people to hold that spot down in the past....Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Bo Jackson, and OJ Simpson. But, I see the point he was making.  The boy next door isn't exactly the first thought that comes to mind when you think of Chris Johnson, so it would be noteworthy if he was offered the same mainstream marketing opportunities as Peyton Manning.

Personally, I would love for Chris to clean up his appearance a bit.  Nothing major...just lose the gold fronts that's he's been rocking since high school and tighten up the locs.   There's so much money to get, I don't want judgmental people (slowly raises hand) to overlook an incredible talent .  As the old saying goes, perception is reality.  And, if your appearance gives off the perception that you're easily distracted by vices from your past, you may never get the opportunity to prove otherwise, fair or unfair.

However, if Powerade is comfortable with cutting Johnson a check, then I should cut him some slack and let him do him.  I'm just extremely passionate about the perception of young black men in America and advocate for them.  Many athletes catch flack for living flashy, selfish, overindulgent lifestyles and are also criticized for how they look while doing so. If removing a few attention grabbing accessories will open more doors, line his pockets with money, and eliminate stereotypical chatter, then I'm all for it.  But, I also respect people that don't compromise who they are and stay true to themselves. 

Chris Johnson will be a fun and interesting player to watch over the next few years.  ESPN has already crowned him the Breakthrough Athlete of the Year.  There's no doubt he'll continue to do his thing on the field, but I'm curious to see if he'll also breakthrough barriers off the field.