The Sports Event of the Year

What was the biggest event of 2008?

There were 3 huge sports stories: The Phillies WS win, the Giants Super Bowl win, or the Patriots undefeated regular season.

I would eliminate the Patriots for 2 reasons: 1. I hate Boston and 2. They lost the biggest game of the season.

So, it's between the Giants winning the Super Bowl or the Phillies winning the World Series. To me, of course, the Super Bowl winning effort by the Giants is my favorite as I'm a huge fan. But realistically, the World Series win by the Phils is probably a bigger, and more improbable, event. The Phils had to come from behind to catch the Mets, beat a tough Brewers team led by CC Sabathia, and then beat a red hot L.A. team, before finally knocking off the upstart Rays.

I'd have to give it to them as the team of the year.

Go Yankees

Yankees start to rebuild

The Yankees acquired slugging switch hitting first sacker Nick Swisher in exchange for Wilson Betemit and a couple minor league pitchers.

Swisher turns 28 in a few days, so he should just be coming into his prime. While the Yankees have always been known for great centerfielders, first base in Yankee Stadium has been home to such great stars as Gehrig, Mattingly, and Giambi.

Swisher has shown good power, belting over 20 homers, and driving in 80 runs. He also walks 90 times or so. While his average hovers around .240, his OBP is .350 or better. So, he appears to have a decent eye, which makes his 130+ strikeouts interesting. I'm predicting that by working with Yankee coaches, along with the protection of the potent Yankee lineup, he could become more selective. It would not surprise me in the least to see him bump the average up while adding to his HR numbers.
I'm predicting right now that he will put up these numbers:
.280 avg, 30 HR, 95 RBI while dropping his strikeouts total to under 100. Better numbers than these wouldn't surprise me at all.
It is expected that Cashman will pursue some of the free agents who become available today. Early indications are that he will try to sign CC, and Lowe. No word yet on whther Moose or Pettitte will return. But the trade for Swisher pretty much ends the idea of a Texiera signing.

And, in football news--J*E*T*S Jets Jets Jets
The New York Jets, who play in Giants Stadium, in NEW JERSEY, won in OT against the Patriots to take over first place. It was a pretty decent game, as the Jets looked to run away with it in the first half, and held on in the second, eventually winning on a field goal in OT. It was significant for the Jets because it gives them a few advantages in tie breaker situations against the Pats. The Jets schedule looks pretty favorable the rest of the way, and last year's 4-12 team could wind up 12-4, although 11 wins is more probable.
And the other tem that plays in the NJ Meadowlands, the Giants have a big test this weekend as they take on the Ravens. The G-men are favored by 7. If I were a betting man, and if forced to place a bet, I'd put my money on the Ravens and the points. But straight up, I'm looking for the Giants to improve to 10-1.

Go Yankees

Update Week 3

The Giants moved to 3-0 with an OT victory against the Bengals. Eli Manning drove the team in the final minutes of the second half to force the OT. I was hoping they would make the game less exciting with a blowout, but perhaps the Bengals are a better team than originally thought.

The Jets lost to the Chargers, and the game wasn't close.

But the big shock of the weekend was NE getting absolutely blown away by the lowly fish of Miami.

And that brings up an interesting question: the Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time after 13 straight years, and the Patriots won 21 straight regular season games.
Which is the more impressive record? The Yankees did it while spending more than any other team 11 of those 13 years. It is the second longest such streak, the longest being the Braves which ended last year at 14. The next teams are in the single digits.
The next longest NFL streaks are an 18 game run by the Pats of 2003, and the Dolphins of 16 games in the early 1970's.

What do you think is the greatest streak? I think it may be the Pats because it required perfection. To quote the late Bert Bell, on any given Sunday, any team can beat any other given team.

Go Yankees

Weekly catch up

It is just about over for my Yankees. Even if they run the table, it will take a complete collapse by the Sox and Twins.

Fortunately, both the Giants and the Jets are off to a great start as the G-Men took care of the Redskins on Thursday's opening game, and Brett Favre led Gang Green to a nice win against the Dolphins.

Sunday, look for the Giants to square off against the Cardinals, while the Jets are home against the Tom Brady-less Patriots.

In other sports news, women's hockey teams are preparing for the 2010 Winter Olympics and the score of one game was so unbelievable, I had to check other sources.

Slovakia beat destroyed, humiliated, routed, crushed, hell, just pick any one Bulgaria by the score of 31-0. Oh wait, that was only the first period score. The final was 82-0. They scored on average every 44 seconds.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3577150


Go Yankees