Cliff Lee shut down the Yankees again last night at the Stadium.  It was his third consecutive complete game.  Lee has proved that he can pitch in the pressure of New York and makes it look easy. 

 

The Mariners are shopping Lee and there are lots of suitors.  The Twins probably have the best chance with new revenue streams in a new stadium and TV network.  The Phillies have indicated interest.  They know they screwed up in not getting Halladay last year. 

 

The Mets have rebuilt their farm system and have some prospects to deal.  I would NOT deal SATT Buddy David Wright, Johan Santana, and Ike Davis.  But, I would consider dealing Beltran and prospects. 

 

The Yankees have a good starting rotation but Lee would make a World Series Repeat a near lock.  Who would the Yankees be willing to trade?  I don’t think the Mariners will do a deal with the Yankees.  SATT Buddy Omar must step up.  

 

Posted by an anxious Tank in NY.

You know it's bad when FIFA referees make MLB umpires look good.  The referring in the USA-Slovenia game was dreadful.  England and Mexico have every right to complain about their losses on Sunday.  Argentina's Carlos Tevez was clearly off sides when scored the first goal in the 25^th minute.  Mexico clearly appealed to the referee to watch the in stadium replay.  The referee refused. 

 

England scored what was thought to be the tie goal at 2-2.  The English players celebrated but the referee didn't allow it.  German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer admitted to “fooling” the referee by getting the ball out of goal before the referee realized it.

 

Argentina went out to win 3-0 and Germany went on to win 4-1.  Yes, they were favored as The Tank and Paul the Psychic Octopus told you in another “Take it to the bank with The Tank” victory.  But I want the right call.  No one is perfect and the technology has long been available to get the right call.  Why does the ref wear a head set and microphone?  The booth can tell him if it's a goal or not in a matter of seconds.

 

The Tank’s Bottom Line: FIFA should model video replay in other sports, especially in basketball and hockey.  A bar code can be stamped on the ball and tracked to see if crossed the goal.  But, no, FIFA won’t even allow instant replay in the stadiums.  FIFA is even more arrogant than Bud Selig and MLB.  That’s a black eye to the “beautiful game”.     

 

Posted by an upset Tank.

I looked for Adam, Jack and Michelle on Saturday at Gaf on the UWS on Saturday afternoon.  I couldn’t see them and started to text them.  They then start yelling and I squinked near the back of the bar.  I know I can be a professional referee or umpire. 

 

The bar starts to fill as the match between USA and Ghana was about to begin.  Can USA avenge its previous World Cup defeats to Ghana?  Ghana is a tough side but the bar is psyched.

 

Team USA got off to another slow start as Boateng scored in the 5th minute.  Howard had the wrong angle and the defense got smoked.  What stress!  Ugh!

Team USA rallies back as Landon Donovan equalizes on a penalty kick in the 62nd minute.

 

"You let your father down!" Adam screams as Michael Bradley kicks it to the Ghana goalie in the 76th minute.  His dad Bob is Team USA Coach. 

 

Jozy Altidore just missed in the 81st minute.  No! 

 

"He got branded!" Michelle screamed as a Ghana played got cleated.

After taking down Altidore, Ayew got carded in the 92nd minute.  He misses the next match.

 

Ghana got a late corner in the third minute of stoppage time but didn't convert.

Altidore is out for extra time.  He must be hurt or something.  He was under the weather before.

 

Gyan scores in the 93rd minute.  The defense was barely existent.  Howard had a good angle but Howard was too low.  Gyan kicked it just over Howard.

 

ESPN commentator John “Captain for Life” Harkes should be the last person to comment on attitude.  He allegedly had an affair with Erik Wynalda's wife in 1998 which crippled the morale of the team and was stripped of his “Captain for Life” title and kicked off the 1998 World Cup team.

USA had a corner in the 98th minute but couldn't convert.

 

Ghana had a 2-1 lead at the end of the first 15 minutes of extra time.

An American player was almost stripped of his shorts in the 108th minute.  Where’s the card?  Where’s the free kick?

 

Inkoom bicycle kicks himself out of the game.  The stretcher takes him out the far side.  He then limps across the pitch so Muntari can come in. That was disgusting display of gamesmanship!

The Tank’s Bottom Line: USA has some good chances but couldn't convert.  The slow start in regulation is one thing but another in extra time.  Ghana won 2-1.  USA couldn’t avenge previous losses to Ghana. 

 

Posted by a dejected Tank reporting live from Gaf on the UES.

I have been struggling of who to pick on Sunday, England or Germany.  Germany has owned England but the English are due for a victory.  The English have more experience but the Germans are young and athletic. 

 

I was doing my research and came across Paul the Psychic Octopus.  Paul was born in England but raised in Germany.  He correctly predicted a Serbia win over Germany.  He predicts a German victory over England. 

 

For more about Paul the Psychic Octopus, please go here.  He’s 80 percent correct.  I think Germany 2 – England 1.

 

Posted by The Tank trying to “Take it to the bank with The Tank” for my readers.

The Yankees face Joe Torre for the first weekend since Torre became the Dodgers manager a couple of years ago.  Torre was given an offer of “only” $5 million a year with incentives that took him to $8 million.  He declined the offer and moved to the Dodgers.

 

CC pitched 8 great innings and Mariano got the save.  My buddy A-Rod had the game winning home run for the 2-1 victory. 

 

Joe didn’t get his revenge on Friday night but will see what the rest of the weekend brings.

 

Posted by a psyched Tank.

Team USA is set to meet Ghana tomorrow in the knockout round of the World Cup.  USA will attempt to advance from the World Cup’s Sweet 16 to Elite 8.  I like the USA’s chances.  Howard is solid in goal, the offense is energized with Donovan’s late goal, and Ghana’s doesn’t have Essien.

 

The Tank’s Fearless Prediction: USA 2 – Ghana 1.

 

Posted by The Tank in a World Cup state of mind.

I couldn't help doing a quadruple take at the 59-59 5th set tie-break at Wimbledon.  What?!  I really must need laser vision surgery but that would prevent me from becoming a baseball umpire or World Cup referee.

 

I never heard of either player, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut, before but admire their never-say-die spirit.  The 10 hour match was called because of darkness at 9:10 pm local time on Wednesday.  The fifth set was seven hours long and would be the longest tennis match ever compared to any other total match.  The match will resume on Thursday in London.  The “lucky” winner is scheduled to play his next match later that day.

 

Posted by The Tank admiring the never-say-die spirit of Messrs. Isner and Mahut. 

Team USA endured lots of criticism in its Group C.  A tough tie to England, the winning goal against Slovenia which was negated by a blindly corrupt referee, and a tough Algerian Desert Fox squad.

Team USA never makes it easy, kind of like NY sports teams.  They should have some kind of cardiac warning label on their games.
Today's action was scoreless to stoppage time.  Captain Landon Donovan scored on a rebound in the 92nd minute for the 1-0 victory.  Incredible!  He was mobbed by his teammates afterwards and was emotional in his post match comments.

Today was the first time that the USA won their group in 80 years.  And 1930 was the first World Cup.  Wow!  Talk about making history. 

Today was also a sad day for Serbia who lost to Australia 2-1.  It was extra sad because I was supposed to join Steve for the match live from Nelspruit, South Africa.  Work commitments prevented me from attending in person.

Posted by The Tank trying to see the glass half full in a World Cup state of mind.

Darrelle Revis is angling for a re-negotiated contract from the Jets.  He deserves to be the highest paid defensive back in the NFL.  He needs to be careful.  Rex Ryan has his back all the way to saying he should be the highest paid defensive back.  Rex is the first coach who I can remember saying this.

 

The Tank’s Bottom Line: In light of Leon Washington’s injury last year, Revis has to get paid but not overplay his hand in the hand.  Have his agent do his job and get this done quickly and quietly.

 

Posted by The Tank. 

The Yankees won two out of three at home against the Mets this past weekend to even the season series at 3 wins each.

 

Tex maybe getting out of his slump with a grand slam home run against Johan on Sunday.  Phil Hughes didn’t have his best stuff on Saturday but found a way to win.  That is the mark of a good young pitcher. 

 

Posted by The Tank in a Subway Series state of mind.