- I think Eli went a long way in quieting his critics with his come from behind win over Tom Brady and the Patriots this past Sunday. Eli now has the best 4th quarter quarterback rating in all of football. Not too bad for a guy who many Giants fans wanted to run out of town only a month ago.
- I don't think I have ever seen an implosion like the one that has been occurring in Boston since the beginning of September. Not only did they blow a huge lead but they blew up their team afterwards with GM Theo Epstein and Manager Terry Francona bolting from the franchise. Epstein is now in Chicago with the Cubs to tackle a bigger curse and Francona is free to take another managerial job elsewhere (Chicago?) or to get into broadcasting which he did pretty well in his limited use during the American League Playoffs. Boston now will be without John Lackey next season and is facing big free agent decisions on closer Jonathan Papelbon and DH David Ortiz. With all the tumult that is surrounding this team I can't envision big free agents rushing to Boston. Just ask Carl Crawford how that worked out last season.
- The New York Giants are facing the toughest schedule in all of football over the rest of the season. However, they currently hold a two game lead over the Cowboys for first place in the NFC East and bolstered their confidence by going into New England and beating the Patriots on their home turf, something no team has done since 2008 when Matt Cassell was the starting quarterback while Brady recovered from injury. Nobody expected the Giants to be where they are now at this point in the season, not after losing their best cornerback in Terrell Thomas and losing key players like Kevin Boss and Steve Smith and overhauling their offensive line over the condensed offseason. If the Giants can continue to play good football and force more turnovers than they give up they can be a Super Bowl contender. There are a lot of ifs and the Giants have been getting hit hard by the injury bug all season long but the chance is there and thats all a fan of any team ever asks for.
- The San Francisco Giants traded once top prospect to the Royals for Melky Cabrera.Sanchez struggled with his control this year but has very good stuff. IF the Royals can keep him healthy and Sanchez can find the strike zone the Royals might have a very good number two or three starter as they continue to introduce their young prospects to the Majors. The fact that Sanchez is still just 28 years old and helped carry the Giants to the 2010 World Series Championship represents a huge win for the Royals. Cabrera, although coming off of a career year, was made expendable by Lorenzo Cain who hit .312 at AAA this year and is a cheaper option for the Royals. Great job by the Royals. I have one mantra in baseball and that is never trade a possible impact arm for a fill-in bat.
- I don't understand how caddie Steve Williams' comments about Tiger Woods made global news. I don't believe there should be room for racism in sports but I also don't see how Williams' comment of wanting to "shove it up his [Wodds'] black arsehole" after winning a tournament with his new golfer was overtly racist. OK, so he mentioned the part-color of Woods' skin. Racially insensitive? Absolutely. Racist? No. I am sure Williams regrets those comments, something said in the heat of the moment in a relaxed atmosphere but I don't think the man is racist. I know he was a friend of Woods' through the many years he caddied for him and the two had a falling out after Williams left Woods following Tiger's sexual escapades and fall from the top in golf. One comment does not make a man racist. Silly, yes. I think the media is making way to much of this and should relax. Society has become so sensitive these days. Would there be any uproar if a black caddie had mentioned a white arsehole? Nope, probably not and rightfully so. Had Williams mentioned another golfer and said "white" in front of his statement people would have laughed and moved on.
- The New York Rangers look they are finding their stride. After a long and difficult road trip that saw them playing in Europe, then on Long Island, then on the West Coast, the Rangers returned home to the Garden and won 4 of 6 during that homestand giving them a 7-3-3 record in the teams first 13 games. Marian Gaborik seems to have found new life, Ryan Callahan continues to progress, Brad Richards is showing why he was the #1 free agent target of the off-season, and the Rangers have shown an ability to score on the power play as well, something that haunted them all of last season. And, they are still playing without Marc Staal, arguably their best defenseman. This team should only get better.
- It is looking like the Colts will be winners of the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes. I can't see them discarding Peyton Manning and pinning their hopes on a rookie QB but I can see Andrew Luck sitting behind Peyton for a couple of years, like Aaron Rodgers did behind Brett Favre, and then taking the starting job. I can also see some team willing to give up three #1 picks to obtain the rights to Luck. Either way the Colts are sitting pretty.
- Does anyone really notice there is no NBA right now? I mean seriously? Football, on both the collegiate and pro levels has been phenomenal and even the NHL has been enjoying a slight resurgence. Personally, I'll wait for college basketball as the pro game has lost all credibility with me. First its refs fixing games, then its stars getting calls despite the lack of fouls, now its a lack of agreement on financials between owners and players. The NBA didn't learn a thing from the NFL lockout and probably won't. So long, NBA, who cared to begin with?
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