Another team gets off the Island

July 20, 2008

This is nothing like the Baltimore Colts, who sneaked out of town in the middle of the night, but the moving vans are coming this way, anyway. They'll line up outside Weeb Ewbank Hall and form a caravan that will snake its way over the George Washington Bridge, into New Jersey to a place called Florham Park, not to be confused with Floral Park.

Recent columns

• Another of our teams is whisked off the Island

  July 19, 2008

  This is nothing like the Baltimore Colts, who sneaked out of town in the middle of the night, but the moving vans are coming this way, anyway. They'll line up outside Weeb Ewbank Hall and form a caravan that will snake its way over the George Washington Bridge, into New Jersey to a place called Flor.ham Park, not to be confused with Floral Park.

• Mets are winning now because they were due

  July 17, 2008

  The hottest team in baseball obviously started hitting in the clutch, getting big innings from the starting pitching, played smarter baseball and showed a killer instinct once the new manager came along and made a profound request:

• New manager is not the difference maker

  July 16, 2008

  The hottest team in baseball obviously started hitting in the clutch, getting big innings from the starting pitching, played smarter baseball and showed a killer instinct once the new manager came along and made a profound request:

• The perfect starry starry night in the Bronx

  July 15, 2008

  Everyone has their own dream of what The Perfect Night in the Bronx would be like.

• Murcer a good guy bigger than his baseball skills

  July 13, 2008

  He was a nice man, seemed like a loyal and devoted husband, father and friend. If you left out the other part, about how he was a very good baseball player in his day, Bobby Murcer probably wouldn't have minded much.

• Stadium true Midsummer Classic star

  July 13, 2008

  The biggest All-Star in town is over the hill, can't move in either direction, is heavy maintenance, soon will be replaced by a newer and younger version and, just between me and you, smells pretty foul when the weather turns humid and sticky.

• Yankee Stadium is true midsummer classic

  July 13, 2008

  The biggest All-Star in town is over the hill, can't move in either direction, is heavy maintenance, soon will be replaced by a newer and younger version and, just between me and you, smells pretty foul when the weather turns humid and sticky.

• Murcer a good guy bigger than his baseball skills

  July 12, 2008

  He was a nice man, seemed like a loyal and devoted husband, father and friend. If you left out the other part, about how he was a very good baseball player in his day, Bobby Murcer probably wouldn't have minded much.

• Door suddenly open for Mets to redeem themselves

  July 10, 2008

  Their one and only All-Star Game participant was handed to them on the electoral vote, and today they might sneak another player in on the popular vote. Yet it really doesn't matter all that much that the Mets won't be well represented Tuesday in the Midsummer Classic.

• Door suddenly open for Mets to redeem themselves

  July 9, 2008

  Their one and only All-Star Game participant was handed to them on the electoral vote, and today they might sneak another player in on the popular vote. Yet it really doesn't matter all that much that the Mets won't be well represented Tuesday in the Midsummer Classic.

• This isn't the first costly divorce for A-Rod

  July 7, 2008

  It has already generated lots of unwanted attention and may wind up costing him a ton of money, yet this pending divorce won't be as damaging for Alex Rodriguez as the first one.

• No longer losers, Boston is city of champions

  July 3, 2008

  We had a hearty knee-slapping laugh at their expense way back in 1986, when the ball squirted through Bill Buckner's legs, and then again five years ago, when Grady Little left Pedro Martinez in a Game 7 won on Aaron Boone's epic home run. Those were giddy times, dominant times, downright satisfying times for everyone around here who loved to poke a finger in the eye of the less-fortunate city to the north.

• No longer losers, Boston is city of champions

  July 2, 2008

  We had a hearty knee-slapping laugh at their expense way back in 1986, when the ball squirted through Bill Buckner's legs, and then again five years ago, when Grady Little left Pedro Martinez in a Game 7 won on Aaron Boone's epic home run. Those were giddy times, dominant times, downright satisfying times for everyone around here who loved to poke a finger in the eye of the less-fortunate city to the north.

• Hey Manuel, no team can own Big Apple

  July 1, 2008

  According to my exhaustive and complex study, the highest percentage of Yankees-haters live in Boston, for reasons you may understand.

• Hey Manuel, no team can own Big Apple

  July 1, 2008

  According to my exhaustive and complex study, the highest percentage of Yankees haters live in Boston, for reasons you might understand.

• Getting younger in Yanks' rotation high priority

  June 22, 2008

  The Yankees don't havewhat it takes to win big this year. What they're doing is seeing if they'll have what it takes to win big next year.

• Thanks to Mets, Yankees are king in NY once again

  June 19, 2008

  Joe Girardi was not fired last night after the ballgame. Andy Pettitte did not admit to taking another jab of human growth hormone. Joba Chamberlain's overly pampered right arm remains in its socket and ready for use today. Sidney Ponson, the newly arrived and somewhat tainted pitcher, was not arrested and charged with being a career knucklehead.

• At the least, Randolph deserved a dignified exit

  June 18, 2008

  You can certainly find folks who thought Willie Randolph was a lousy manager, and folks who thought Randolph was dealt a bad hand as a manager. But you can't find anyone around here who didn't want Randolph to work out as a manager.

• Mighty Woods should be healed for Open at the Black

  June 17, 2008

  All the tourists and their 20-handicaps have just 11 more months to chop up Long Island's favorite public course before yielding to the only human who doesn't need to sneak past the famous sign by the first tee.

• Mighty Woods should be healed for Open at the Black

  June 17, 2008

  All the tourists and their 20-handicaps have just 11 more months to chop up Long Island's favorite public course before yielding to the only human who doesn't need to sneak past the famous sign by the first tee.

• Minaya's full autonomy more like fool autonomy

  June 15, 2008

  He took the job for the money, obviously, and the title, because not many kids from Queens get the chance to become general manager of a big-league ballclub in New York.

• In the end, this town could make Willie toast

  May 27, 2008

  It took strength to sit still for nearly three hours while the Wilpons laid into him during a meeting that had all the appeal of being called to the principal's office, then for another 20 minutes while getting punched in the ego with media questions about his job. Willie Randolph survived, and so will his employment status for now (check back next week), but yesterday's grim day made you wonder:

• 'Brown' could be stopped by lure of green

  May 22, 2008

  Two weeks from Saturday, the fastest athlete in sports will run the biggest race of his life, and we'll witness the complete spectacle: the blur, the muscle, the four legs.

• Forget LeBron; rebuild Knicks pick by brick

  May 20, 2008

  There's a tendency by restless Knicks fans to fast-forward past tonight's NBA draft lottery and look to the 2010 lottery, when the prize won't be some 19-year-old who led his team to the Final Four but a certain 25-year-old who never led his team to a championship.

• Desperate times call for Yankees to rebuild

  May 18, 2008

  He lined a hit to left-center, took a big turn at first base and, just like the rest of us in these hard economic times, Derek Jeter tried to make a dollar out of 50 cents yesterday by sprinting in vain toward second. He still hasn't reached the bag.

• Deja vu for D'Antoni: No Steph can be big step

  May 13, 2008

  They were together 25 days, the head coach and point guard, stuck on a bad team that was headed for a bad season.

• At long last, a winning move

  May 11, 2008

  It's about D'An time the Knicks got it right.

• For Kobe, winning MVP means never saying sorry

  May 8, 2008

  LOS ANGELES

• Pressure is lighter for Torre in LA

  May 6, 2008

  Whether it's silicone or botox or whatever they take, people out here age a little slower than those back East. The same goes for transplanted New Yorker Joe Torre. Except in his case, he looks a lot fresher for what he isn't taking: grief.

• Wright can do no wrong in fans' eyes

  May 1, 2008

  He could get his uniform soiled. He could refuse to bathe for a week. He could join the construction crew next door, where the new stadium is going up, and collect more filth than ground balls. He could do all of that, and David Wright still would be viewed one way by the fans: clean.

• No more Rileys around to save Knicks

  April 29, 2008

  They don't make many like him anymore. Well, OK, the well-oiled hair and custom suits remain in vogue. But Pat Riley, as a coach, was more than that. If looking good were enough to turn a team into winners, the Sacramento Kings under Reggie Theus would be staring down Kobe and the Lakers right now in the playoffs.

• With 6th pick in NFL Draft, Jets put us to sleep!

  April 27, 2008

  Yesterday was a day to take a nap, just as the first-round draft pick of the Jets has been accused of doing from time to time.

• Without Pettitte, hearings proved nothing

  February 13, 2008

  In a place polluted with agenda-driven politicians, spin-doctor lawyers, one admitted liar and one strongly suspected liar, the most credible person in the room wasn't even there.

• Fame won't go to Tyree's head

  February 12, 2008

  He rolled up in a stretch limo to the TV studio, saw a magazine with his picture on the cover lying in a waiting room and watched a helper almost pull a hamstring while fetching him a cold bottle of water.

• Eli and Peyton: Ultimate brothers in arms

  February 7, 2008

  Given their success at raising champions, if Archie and Olivia Manning had produced girls, they probably would've named them Venus and Serena.

• Show the Giants there's no place like home

  February 5, 2008

  There's no worst place to be when you lose, no better place to be when you win. If the old saying about New York still rings true, then New York owes the Giants much love today.

• Magical Giants can't be stopped

  February 4, 2008

  Grown men ran around the field like kids scampering at recess. Inside an enclosed stadium, it rained heavily, with brightly colored confetti falling. Yes, when Super Bowl XLII ended last night, there was chaos, as expected, and history. That, too.

• Magical Giants couldn't be stopped

  February 4, 2008

  Grown men ran around the field like kids scampering at recess. Inside an enclosed stadium, it rained heavily, with brightly colored confetti falling. Yes, when Super Bowl XLII ended Sunday night, there was chaos, as expected, and history. That, too.

• Final test for much-improved Eli

  February 3, 2008

  The easy part was playing well the last four games. The hard part is playing well the next 60 minutes.

• Giants, Patriots make this Super Bowl special

  January 31, 2008

  This could be ruined by a flurry of field goals, loose balls, 1-yard TD runs, punts and penalties, because that's how these games sometimes go. And this could turn out to be less suspenseful than Tom Brady's boot. And maybe the lack of artistry will force Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick to look as if they're sucking lemons even more than usual.

• Like fathers, like sons for Giants owners

  January 30, 2008

  He was the only person in sub-zero Green Bay to break into a warm sweat a few weeks back. John Mara rushed into a Giants' locker room filled with frozen tears, the happy kind, and instantly felt a thermal sensation.

• Gruff Coughlin gave his heart to player he lost

  January 29, 2008

  Tom Coughlin wants to win Sunday, not today. Today, he doesn't care. Today, he won't even try. Today is when America gets to know the Super Bowl players and coaches up close and personal, and it's a game in which Coughlin doesn't stand a chance, because America is already locked into this image of him as a hard-boiled boss whose heart rarely flutters.

• Coughlin inspired by player he'll never forget

  January 28, 2008

  Tom Coughlin wants to win Sunday, not today. Today, he doesn't care. Today, he won't even try. Today is when America gets to know the Super Bowl players and coaches up close and personal, and it's a game in which Coughlin doesn't stand a chance, because America is already locked into this image of him as a hard-boiled boss whose heart rarely flutters.

• No guarantee, but Namath likes Giants

  January 27, 2008

  At no point this week will Eli Manning grab himself a cold one, kick back in a lounge chair at poolside and announce how his team is guaranteed to shock Football America come next Sunday.

• Giants believed in themselves

  January 21, 2008

  Football logic says the Giants don't belong in the Super Bowl, and at times during a chilly night at Lambeau Field, even they seemed to agree.

• Will we ever know the truth about Clemens?

  January 8, 2008

  He's lying about the Hall of Fame part.

• Will '60 Minutes' veteran bring heat against Clemens?

  December 30, 2007

  Roger Clemens recently scheduled a sit-down with tough-guy interviewer Mike Wallace, who made a career out of making politicians sweat profusely, but because Wallace has a man-crush on Clemens, we fear the taped "interrogation" went something like this:

• Homers a drug for fans

  December 4, 2004

  In a few days, all the fuss will fade. In a few months, the crack of the bat will pierce the air. A few months after that, another baseball season will open, and fans across the country finally will express their feelings about this steroid stuff.

• This time, no sympathy in Mudville

  December 3, 2004

  The not-so-big revelation about Jason Giambi admitting he pumped himself with muscle juice begs only two questions, really: When did the Yankees know? And why did they sign him anyway? All that remains to the mystery of the sad and sudden decline of a former baseball slugger and MVP are those two nagging, curious, and in retrospect, costly questions: When ... and why?

• Why not allow mulligans and gimmes?

  June 21, 2004

  It's a darn shame what they did. They took a beautiful course and our national championship and they did something that just isn't seen very often: They made golf funny.

• His game's under water

  June 20, 2004

  The more you watch Tiger Woods sift through the weeds for his tee shot, beg for birdies, groan in frustration, pound his club, remove himself from serious contention, then sip from a glass he considers half full, maybe Butch Harmon is right.

• Open needs a wind that's called pariah

  June 19, 2004

  After 113 years, she still has her curves and stays perfectly manicured and looks good for her age. So many folks have complimented her for holding up so well for so long.

• That Haas, he's a moose

  June 18, 2004

  Isn't it strange how the U.S. Open's early round suddenly belongs to guys who are, shall we respectfully say, getting late? This time last year, folks were pulling out their hankies on a course that didn't have a dry eye. Tom Watson at age 53 was enjoying a throwback moment. He found fairways, he found birdies, he found himself tied for the lead on the first day at the U.S. Open. He did everything except re-create his miracle shot in 1982 at Pebble Beach with a birdie chip on 17.

• Tough place to get going

  June 17, 2004

  The beauty of Shinnecock Hills, the power of the U.S. Open and the fantasy of the unexpected is what seduced them. Jim Furyk and David Duval will walk the golf course today with an arrow sticking out of their hearts. They left their comfortable homes, dropped their troubles behind and rushed here in search of what else? Love.

• It's not about one player, and that's a good thing

  June 16, 2004

  He has millions of dollars, legions of worshippers, eight major titles, the prettiest blonde on the course and a trash-talking puppet in his golf bag. Good for him. But good for golf, Tiger Woods finally has something else: company.

• Father's course of action

  June 15, 2004

  It's been two years since we last saw a fist pump from Tiger Woods in a major tournament, and after close inspection and much analytical thought, his very first coach has discovered what's wrong.

• Golf pioneer whited out

  June 14, 2004

  This week at Shinnecock Hills, a person of color will approach the first tee, pull a driver out of his bag, begin playing in the U.S. Open and will understandably make some of his competitors in the mostly white tournament feel uncomfortable.

• The hole story, tee to green

  June 13, 2004

  Has it really been two years and four days since the U.S. Open last teed off on Long Island? Yes, and before we go any further, please thank Tiger Woods for donating that precise calculation.

• Taking pass on college makes dollars & sense

  May 5, 2003

  He walked into a noisy, crowded room at the ESPN sports bar in midtown Manhattan that was dressed up specifically for him. He wore a white jacket, a shirt with an open collar, and an oversized white baseball cap. The TV cameras snapped to attention when he appeared. He stood next to the microphone, cleared his throat, began his speech with a nervous "um" and after thanking everyone, including God, he made his announcement: "I'm going to attend college at Louisville and stay all four years," he said, "or five, if that's what it takes to get my degree."

• Little Brother, You're MVP In Our Hearts

  September 14, 2001

  DAMN. This was one instance where I wished he had the instincts of Emmitt Smith, the peripheral vision of Gale Sayers, Spud Webb's ability to soar three times his own height, and a sudden burst at the finish, like Carl Lewis.