 Friday, September 21, 2007
Week #4 College Football Picks
I was 5-1 last week. The only loss was Georgia Tech at home against Boston College. Darn it!
This week's fearless picks are as follows:
National:
#16 Alabama beats visiting #22 Georgia. Roll Tide!
Local:
Syracuse loses at #18 Louisville.
Kathleen, Rutgers is off this week.
Posted by the Tank in NY.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Andy was Dandy
Andy Pettitte returned to his old form last night and helped the Yankees to a 2-1 victory over the Orioles. Coupled with the Red Sox 6-1 loss at Toronto, the Yankees closed to within 1.5 games behind the Red Sox and only ONE game behind the Red Sox for the AL East lead. Is this 1978 all over again? Possibly, but the Yankees have a four game set against the Blue Jays starting tomorrow night at the Stadium. You know where the Tank is going to be. Right, at the Stadium in the Boogie Down Bronx.
As I consoled Steve and other fellow Mets fans yesterday, the Mets beat the Nationals 8-4 and Phillies lost 2-1 in 10 innings. The Mets lead is now 2.5 games. While the Mets clinched last season's NL East in April, they are working into late into September to clinch this season. This will serve them well in the post season because they'll have enough time to rest next week while keeping sharp for the post season.
Posted by a cautiously optimistic Tank in NY.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
The Moose is Loose and Don't Panic in Prague
Mike "Moose" Mussina pitched seven brilliant innings enroute to the Yankees 12-0 and Moose's 249th career victory and 10th of the season. According to the television broadcast, it was his 16th consecutive season with 10 or more wins. Amazing!
Moose had all pitches and great fielding going. According to the radio broadcast (full coverage and analysis by yours truly), Moose needed the two weeks off to heal his groin, back, and other injuries. The Moose can still thankfully pitch, touch wood.
I don't want to put the cart before the horse BUT, if Moose can get one more win this season and at least 12 in his next two seasons (2009 is an option year), he will have 274+ career wins. He is among the AL leaders in strikeouts. If the Yankees win a World Series this year with Moose on the roster AND the closer he gets to 300 wins, the stronger his Hall of Fame case would be. I'm not saying he is a first ballot guy but might get in on the first try depending upon the competition in that year's class.
Anyhoo, enough of the future, let's hope he can continue to be the Moose of old the rest of this regular and post season.
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The Mets needed to win last night and didn't. It was their fifth consecutive loss. The Phillies won their extra innings game against Saint Louis so the Mets lead the NL East by 1.5 games.
Fear not fellow Mets fans because the Phillies bullpen sucks. They have several of over-the-hill relievers you have booed in the past.
Can the Mets screw up? Yes, but not likely and the Wild Card is the failsafe. Since Steve is travelling for work in Prague, I have five words for him: "Don't Panic in Prague, Steve!"
Go Yankees ! / Mets!
The Tank
Posted by the Tank on the sometimes rocky and stressful road to Subway Series closure in NY.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Breathing Down the Red Sox Necks
The Yankees didn't let a two run deficit get in their way and beat the Orioles 8-5. The Red Sox lost to the Blue Jays 6-1 so the Yankees are only three games back on the loss side. Therefore, if the Yankees go 10-2 in their last 12 games and the Red Sox go 7-4 in their last 11 games, their would be a tie atop the American League East. This is not likely but you never know.
The Yankees are in the Red Sox rear view mirror and closing fast. As they say in the UnderArmour commercials, "click, clock, click, clock".
Posted by an optimistic Tank in NY.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Weekend Baseball Rivalry Wrap
Linda and Steve's concern about the Mets bullpen was unfortunately confirmed on Saturday as the bullpen wasted Pedro's great start. Though the Mets have lost eight straight to the Phillies, the Amazings still lead the Phillies by 3.5 games.
On the bright side, congratulations to Steve's favorite player, David Wright for joining the 30/30 Club. According to Sunday's WFAN's radio broadcast, he was congratulated by his "baseball father" and 30/30 Club Member, HoJo - Howard Johnson, who managed DW in the minor leagues. Darryl Strawberry is the third Met member of the club.
The Yankees didn't sweep the Red Sox but won two out of three even though Pettitte and Wang had subpar performances. The Red Sox didn't have Many but the Yankees won the season series 10-8 and five out of the last six. This bodes well for the ALCS if both teams advance that far. Captain Clutch Derek Jeter came through with a three run home run in the eighth inning on Sunday. Though Jeter's home run was more dramatic, Friday may have been a slightly better because the Yankees rallied from a 7-2 deficit in the eighth inning to win 8-7. "Winners never quit and quitters never win!" I am very proud of the Yankees.
Bottom Line: The Mets are going to be fine, touch wood, and the Yankees are making the playoffs barring a collapse, God Forbid. The best hope for the Mets is NOT to play against the Padres in the first round and for the Yankees NOT to play against the Angels in the first round. OK, the Yankees are 4.5 games behind the Red Sox for the division BUT 2.5 games ahead of the Tigers for the Wild Card. The Indians must win the series from the Tigers starting tonight to improve their record, knock the Tigers out of contention, and have a better record than the Angels so the Yankees don't have to play them in the first round. This presumes that the Yankees are the Wild Card.
Posted by the Tank "Keepin' the faith, yeah, yeah, keepin' the faith" (Billy Joel lyric) for a Subway Series in NY.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Local NFL Team Week #2 Picks
Jets lose at Ravens: I'm not sure who will start. Even if Pennington plays, he won't be 100% and Clements has potential to be good but how will he react to the hungry Ravens defense. Neither scenario is good for the Jets.
Giants beat the Packers at home: Eli Manning isn't 100% but the Giants have just enough to beat Brett Favre.
Bills lose at the Steelers: The Bills will be playing for Kevin Everett but it won't be enough against the Steelers at home. That said, my thoughts and prayers go out to Kevin and his family. May he walk again, God Willing. I've said it numerous times, the NFL needs to get back to the leather helmets like rugby and Australian Rules Football. Yes, players get injured those sports but not like in the NFL. Metal helmets on bone or on other metal helmets hurts and even paralyzes. It's time for the NFL to act.
Posted by an emotional Tank in NY.
Friday, September 14, 2007
The Patriots are lucky NOT to be in Formula 1
The New England Patriots got a slap on the wrist by only paying a total of $750,000 in personal and team fines. They lost a first round draft pick if they make the playoffs but they already have San Francisco's pick. Big deal. If the NFL really wanted to come down on the Patriots (which they don't), they would have fined them like the Formula One McLaren Team had to pay $100 million and loss of constructors' (or manufacturers') points after they were caught spying. Constructors' points are a big deal with the bragging rights and sponsorship gravitas that accompanies it.
If the NFL wants to stomp out cheating, they need to come down even harder on the Patriots. Give the big money fine to charity and award the Jets a victory or at least a tie. If they don't, the appeals process is a joke and will only encourage future cheating. Why are the Europeans taking the lead sports in cracking down on cheating in Formula One and the Why Barry Bonds is Lucky Not to Be in the Tour de France? Are Americans sports federations whimps? Or, does money trump everything including integrity in sports? Probably a little of both.
That said, I don't condone cheating. I suspect that Eric Mangini has known about this for years and possibly even participated it when he a Patriot assistant. I don't have any evidence of this yet but how would he known had he not done it himself?
For a Boston - New York rivalry that is already pretty fierce, this adds fuel to the flames. Bill Belichick is way over qualified to coach in the NFL; he should be Secretary of Defense. SecDef (Secretary of Defense) Belichick would find Bin Laden in a week and the War on Terror would be won in a month.
Posted by the Tank in NY.
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