McHale Travel

Jets TD overturned?

Here he loses possession.  A clear fumble.

Here he regains possession.  Before his knee is down, before he hits the pylon.

Here, note that the left knee is down before he makes contact with the pylon.  At this point he has possession of the ball.

Brady Intentional Grounding?

Nicks Fumble

See Photo

Time to divide up the Big East basketball conference

In 2012, when the Big East formally adds Texas Christian University to the fold, they will have 17 teams in their basketball league. Of the original 9 schools, 8 of them are still in the conference - Providence, UConn, St. John's, Syracuse, Villanova, Georgetown, Seton Hall, and Pittsburgh. Boston College, the other original Big East member, left for the ACC several years ago.

Of the 17 teams in the 2012 Big East Conference, all of the remaining 8 original members are east of the 80th degree longitude. West Virginia University and Rutgers are the only other members that are east of the 80th degree (Rutgers is in New Jersey, and WVU is at 79' 57"). Every other member is well west of that line.

Look at where the other Big "East" schools are:

Cincinnati, Ohio

Louisville, Kentucky

South Bend, Indiana (Notre Dame)

Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Marquette)

Chicago, Illinois (DePaul)

Tampa, Florida (University of South Florida)

Fort Worth, Texas (TCU)

Hold onto the geography for a moment and consider the sheer size of the conference, at least for basketball. 17 schools. It is enormous. It is unwieldy. I think it's time to divide up the Big East Conference in a way that makes sense. Here is my proposal.

I think they should have two divisions (they used to do this years ago when they expanded). In the first division, have all the remaining eight original members, and in the other, have all the "new" teams (though many have been in the conference for a while now). So:

2012 Big East Conference

Eastern Division

UConn

Providence

Syracuse

St. John's

Villanova

Pittsburgh

Georgetown

Seton Hall

Western Division

West Virginia

Marquette

Cincinnati

South Florida

Louisville

DePaul

TCU

Rutgers

Notre Dame

Rutgers is east of Villanova, Georgetown, and Pitt, but that's ok. The east/west thing never works out perfectly (the Dallas Cowboys (96' 48") are in the NFC East while the St. Louis Rams (90' 11") - who are located some 700 miles east of Dallas - are in the NFC West), but this is close enough for our purposes.

These divisions rekindle the oldest rivalries in the conference, but keeps the new teams very much in the fold. As of this moment, here are the rankings of these teams:

Eastern Division

UConn - #13

Providence

Syracuse - #17

St. John's - #31

Villanova - #15

Pittsburgh - #4

Georgetown - #9

Seton Hall

Western Division

West Virginia - #26

Marquette - #35

Cincinnati

South Florida

Louisville - #16

DePaul

TCU

Rutgers

Notre Dame - #8

As of now, the Eastern Division would be more "stacked", but the Western Division alone would make for a very competitive major conference, with two teams in the top 16, and two more just out of the top 25 (Cincinnati at 21-6 is very much in play for the NCAA tourney as well). The Western Division alone could have 5 teams in the NCAA Tournament.

Dividing up the conference would help rekindle, create, or enhance rivalries and would make a lot of sense geographically. It's time to re-align the Big East Basketball Conference for when TCU arrives in 2012.

Why Kurt Warner is a Hall of Famer

Kurt Warner has had one of the most unique careers in NFL history. Out of nowhere to become a first-time starter at age 28. Proceeds to have an historically great 3-year run (1999-2001). Wins two NFCCG, one Super Bowl, and loses one SB on a last-second FG by Vinatieri. If that game goes to OT, I think we all believe the Rams are winning it, which is most likely why Belichick decided to risk going for it in regulation. Also wins two MVPs and a Super Bowl MVP.

Then Warner disappears for 5 seasons and re-emerges, putting up three more excellent seasons. Not quite as good as 1999-2001, but his 3-year stretch from 2007-2009 was really good. Takes a horrible franchise to another Super Bowl and completes a phenomenal playoff run, nearly upsetting the favored Steelers in that game.

Other accomplishments:
- two MVPs
- 4 pro bowls
- two first team all-pro
- the 7th best passer rating of all time
- ranks 27th all-time in TD passes, despite not getting started really until age 28
- #2 all-time in passing yards per game
- #8 all-time in yards per attempt

His postseason performance absolutely blows away Manning, Brady, and a host of others.

Warner: 13 g, 307-462 (66.5%), 3952 yds, 31 td, 14 int, 8.6 ypa, 102.8 rating

Brady: 19 g, 424-682 (62.2%), 4407 yds, 30 td, 16 int, 6.5 ypa, 85.7 rating

Manning: 19 g, 453-718 (63.1%), 5389 yds, 29 td, 19 int, 7.5 ypa, 88.4 rating

Three league championships, one Super Bowl title, one Super Bowl MVP. 9-4 playoff record. Takes two different franchises to the Super Bowl.

In his first SB, the one where you said he didn't win the game for the Rams, he won the MVP by throwing for *414* yards, 2 td, and 0 int, for a rating of 99.7.

Here's his total Super Bowl stat line:

3 g, 83-132 (62.9%), 1156 yds, 6 td, 3 int, 8.8 ypa

Absolutely tremendous.

Weird career, to be sure, but he's put up some mind-boggling numbers and at his peak was truly one of the greatest QB in history.

Is that short peak enough for him to get in? We'll find out, but his resume, as weird as it is, is nonetheless very impressive.

The Mets and Ways to Improve the Red Sox

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6080769

The Mets may be in some serious financial trouble (I don't know all the details, obviously, but it's clear that there are major problems with Wilpon), and they could become sellers at some point this season. Let's look at their sellable assets to see if any of them could help the Red Sox (or, conversely, the Yankees).

1. Johan Santana. Not the dominant Santana we've seen in years past, and won't be available to pitch until about midway through the season, but he's still a really good pitcher. Last 3 seasons: 40-25, 2.85 era, 1.18 whip. His K/9 are down from his peak years, but still, a very effective pitcher. His contract looks like this:

- 2011: 22.5m

- 2012: 24 m

- 2013: 25.5 m

- 2014: 25 m (team option, or 5.5 m buyout)

So he's not cheap either. Might the Red Sox be interested in him, midway through the season? They could deal Lackey, Beckett, or Dice-K for him, and any of those guys would actually save the Mets money. Dice-K, for example, is scheduled to make $10 million in both 2011 and 2012. That's a $20 million commitment for a guy who could be pretty productive in the NL. The Mets are currently on the hook for a minimum commitment of $77.5 million to Santana. A Dice-K for Santana deal saves the Mets some $57.5 million, and gives them a pitcher two years younger. That's a lot of money to save.

If the Sox don't do such a deal, the Yanks almost certainly would be interested. Trade Joba and Nova and something else and get Johan. As a lefty, he'd be tough on the Red Sox. He's not Cliff Lee, of course, but he's still really good.

2. Carlos Beltran. This is the last year of his contract (18.5 m). Like Santana, he's coming off an injury, and yet still put up a 109 ops+. So he's productive. He'll also be 34 years of age in April. Not a guy you want to build your team around, but a very useful player. Someone to keep an eye on halfway through the year, if the Sox suffer some injuries in the OF.

3. Jason Bay. A very disappointing 2010 season for the Mets (6 hr, 105 ops+). Not sure what happened to him, b/c he was coming off two very good seasons (214 r, 67 hr, 220 rbi, 134 ops+ those two seasons). But he fell off a cliff after getting his big contract, which still has this remaining:

- 2011-2013: 16 m per

- 2014: 17 m (vesting option, or 3 m buyout)

So again, the Mets are on the hook for a minimum of $51 million for Bay. We know Bay can play in Boston - he put up excellent numbers here and seemed to like it. But there's a reason why the Sox didn't re-sign him. I don't see them wanting to take that contract on. But you never know. Another righty power bat that's comfortable in Boston....if Drew gets injured or whatever, I wouldn't mind sticking Bay's 30 hr (assuming he gets back to his previous Boston level) right-handed bat into the lineup.

4. David Wright. A stud, pure and simple, one of the very best overall players in the game. Stats are excellent, he's just 28 years of age. His contract:

- 2011: 14 m

- 2012: 15 m

- 2013: 16 m (team option; 1 m buyout)

He's actually a bargain. The Mets, depending on their financial situation, might move him, but it is not likely, and it would take a ton to get him. Of course I'd be interested, though I'm not sure where he'd fit in. I'd figure out a way, though, to make it work if possible...the guy is tremendous. But I don't see this happening for a lot of different reasons.

5. Gary Matthews. He sucks and is making 12 m in 2011. I cannot see anyone wanting him, especially the Red Sox. Why did I include him on this list? I don't know, really.

6. Jose Reyes. Obviously an electric player, great speed, surprising power. In June he'll be 28, and he has just this one year left on his contract for $11 million. He's a free agent in 2012, and I can't imagine the Mets wanting to re-sign him given their financial situation. An obvious "trade him so you get something for him" candidate. Now, he'd be a great fit for the Yankees because Jeter is declining, but they re-signed Jeter to a 3-year deal and they have Cano at 2b, so they've got no place to put Reyes. The Red Sox, however, *do* have a spot for Reyes: SS. I know they have Scutaro, Lowrie, and Iglesias in the pipeline, but Reyes is much better than any of those guys, when the total package is considered. Imagine a package deal that looks like this:

- Sox trade NYM: Ellsbury, Iglesias, Scutaro

- NYM trade Sox: Beltran, Reyes

The Mets get a SS of the future in Iglesias, and a guy to fill the SS gap for now in Scutaro. And they get Ellsbury who can play CF for them in spacious Citi Field, replace Reyes' speed, and the deal would save the Mets some $24 million in 2011. They'd have Jacoby in arbitration for 2012 and 2013, so they'd have a few years before they'd really be worried about big money to him, and by then they'd likely have their financial house in order.

For the Sox, yeah, it's all-in for 2011 with this kind of deal, though they might be able to re-sign Reyes, because they have a lot of money coming off the books after this season (Papi, Papelbon, Drew, Varitek, Cameron). Imagine this lineup:

SS Reyes

2b Pedroia

LF Crawford

1b Gonzalez

3b Youkilis

DH Ortiz

CF Beltran

RF Drew

C Saltalamacchia

Holy cow. Then, with all that money coming off the books for 2012, let Beltran go and re-sign Reyes and Gonzalez. Payroll should end up roughly similar to what it is in 2011 (the 5 guys I mentioned above, plus Ellsbury and Scutaro, are getting $55+ million. Allocate $23 million a year to Gonzalez and $15 million to Reyes, and you still have $17 million to spend....and your starting pitching is all set and your bullpen, with Jenks, Bard, and Wheeler, is set for 2012 as well).

Reyes is young enough to be considered a building block for sure. Drew leaves in 2012 and you slide Kalish into that slot. You'd need another starting OF for 2012 though, but you have money to spend and maybe by then, one of the kids on the farm (Lin? Reddick?) is ready. You also need a DH or 3b (if Youk slides to DH).

C - Saltalamacchia

1b - Gonzalez

2b - Pedroia

3b - Youkilis

SS - Reyes

LF - Crawford

CF - ??

RF - Kalish

DH - ??

So $17 million available and two holes to fill. Should be doable.