Tidbits

- Giants WR had more yard receiving (1,536) than Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress combined (1,266).  This goes a long way to help people understand why the Jets weren't as good as they could have been.  Most of the Jets problems lie in the trenches.  Aside from Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson the Jets offensive line wasn't that great.  And aaron Maybin, who played 13 games as a Jet, led the team in sacks with 6.  The Jets finished 22nd in the NFL in rushing, and 21st in passing offense this season.  That's just not good enough.  Dustin Keller continues to emerge, however, as a legitimate star at tight end in this league.  He led the Jets in receiving yards with 815 and averaged slightly above 50 yards receiving a game.  The Jets also suffered because they were unable to get consistent production from the number three wide receiver slot.  Derrick MAson was supposed to be that guy but he found himself out of a job after only five games with the team.  Jeremy Kerley stepped up to grab 46 passes but averaged under 11 yards a catch.  The Jets will need to address this situation if they really are serious about making the Super Bowl.

- The Rams fired head coach Steve Spagnuolo and Jeff Fisher might be his replacement.  Fisher, formerly of the Titans, would be a good fit in St. Louis, adding some toughness to a team otherwise devoid of it.

- The Buccaneers also fired Rahim Morris.  Morris' Bucs lost their last 10 games and finished a paltry 4-12.  This was a big fall from grace after the Bucs finished a strong 10-6 last season.  There is obviously talent on the Bucs roster, beginning with young QB Josh Freeman and running back LaGarrette Blount, but the team might have tuned Morris out at points during this season and anyone who does take the Bucs job will need to be someone who is tough enough to command respect in the locker room every week.

- I don't understand what san Diego's fascination is with Norv Turner.  He was deemed safe this week in San Diego.  Turner has gone 17-15 in his last two seasons and has missed the playoffs each of the last two years.  He has never brought the Chargers deep into the playoffs, and has earned himself a bit of a reputation for not getting the most of his team come playoff time.  I just don't get it.  Turner is a great coordinator and I think he would be better off focusing only on one side of the ball.

- The New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers put on a show for the ages yesterday in the NHL's Winter Classic.  Watching hockey played outdoors is special and to see two teams with some pretty good recent history battling each other was definitely entertaining.  Kudos to the folks that made Citizens Bank Ballpark into an icy wonder.  Even Mother NAture provided some ambiance when a little snow began to fall.  The NHL Classic is one of the best ideas the NHL has ever had and has brought a lot of attention to the game, which I think, is rising in popularity, at least in certain parts of the country.

- Speaking of the NHL, who would have thought the Rangers would be tied with the Blackhawks for most points in the NHL?  Not me.  This Rangers team is gritty, focused, and playing some of the best hockey I have ever seen on Broadway.  John Tortorella has this team believing and it showed yesterday when, despite being down 2-0, the Rangers battled back and fought through some questionable non-calls and calls to beat the Flyers 3-2.  Torts will surely be fined for his comments following the game when he called the officiating disgusting but the fact that the Rangers were able to persevere is something that has been lacking in recent years.

- The Yankees are now being linked to Edwin Jackson, the best available starter left on the market.  It is believed Jackson, who is represented by Scott Boras, is seeking $15-17 million per year.  For a pitcher with a career ERA of 4.41 and a .00 record that is just nuts.  Sure, Jackson is only 28 and has been a bit of a workhorse but he isn't worth that money.  I don't see the Yankees giving in to his price, not for the amount of years it would take to secure him.  The Yankees would be better off signing Hiroki Kuroda or Roy Oswalt to one-year deals and hope for the best.  Investing that much in Jackson severely crimps the Yankees future budget goal of a $189 million payroll by 2014.  Then again, the Yankees are unpredictable but I just don't see them breaking the bank for a marginal talent such as Jackson.

- If I had a vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame here is whom I would cast my votes for:
Jeff Bagwell.  449 homers, 1529 RBI, 488 doubles, 1517 runs scored.  The guy was an offensive force.  His career was cut short a little early due to injury but he was one of the games best and he deserves to be in the Hall.
Tim Raines.  Raines is arguably the second-best leadoff hitter in baseball history.  Sadly, he was overshadowed by the best, Rickey Henderson, when he played.  He stole 808 bags in his career, collected 2,605 hits, and hit .294.  Raines is so often overlooked it is sad.
Fred McGriff.  493 homers is nothing to sneeze at.  It used to be that the only player with 400 homers that wasn't in the Hall was Dave Kingman.  Now, due to the steroid issue, it looks like there will be more (Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire).  McGriff was one of the steadiest power hitters of his generation and if Jim Rice is a Hall of Famer then McGriff is as well.
Alan Trammell.  His numbers pale in comparison to the steroid sluggers he played with and against but Trammell was one of the best shortstops in the game on both sides of the game.  He was a 6x All-Star and won 4 Gold Gloves.  He finished as high as second in the MVP voting in 1987, which was his only year with more than 100 RBI (105).  Still, Trammell helped revolutionize the shortstop position with Cal Ripken, Jr. from light-hitting small guys who could field to big guys who could field and win the game with the bat.
Barry Larkin.  Larkin won the MVP in 1995, appeared in 12 All-Star games, and was one of the best shortstops in the game when he played.  He hit, he stole bases, he fielded, he did everything.