Inside Sports

Ken Davidoff: Mets still have needs at catcher

Earlier this offseason, the Mets asked the Rangers about catcher Gerald Laird, just as they did last year, a person familiar with the situation said.

Bob Glauber: NFL offenses on fire this season

Brett Favre seemed surprised to hear the statistic that captures just how effective offenses have been this season. When told that scoring is at an unprecedented pace, Favre seemed at a loss to explain why.

Bob Glauber: Eagles' McNabb needs to improve play in a hurry

If you're Donovan McNabb, you've got more to worry about than just knowing the rules about overtime. A lot more.

Ken Davidoff: Yankees in need of a killer-instinct rotation

What the Yankees missed most of all in 2008, you sense from talking to people around the team, is that intimidation factor one gets only from possessing a strong, deep starting rotation.

ISLANDERS INSIDER

Greg Logan: Islanders' vision coming into focus

A run of injuries to the defense corps, the loss of All-Star goaltender Rick DiPietro to knee surgery and several blown third-period leads -- cause and effect, you might say -- disrupted the start of the Scott Gordon Era. But after three straight wins and signs of steady progress, the vision general manager Garth Snow had for the Islanders under his new coach gradually is coming into focus.

Neil Best: Francesa has mostly fond memories of Dog

Three months later, the reality has sunk in, except when it still seems surreal.

Shaun Powell: No recession in sports

Times are tough. Some of us can't pay our mortgages. Can't replace the beat-up Impala. Can't eat out as often. Can't buy that coat on the rack. Can't afford the gas for long road trips. Can't pay the rent, mechanic, cable bill or even attention.

Bob Glauber: Eli's come a long way

The Giants had just been pounded by the Ravens, 37-14, in Baltimore, a game in which Eli Manning produced a Blutarsky-esque rating of 0.00. It was late in his rookie season of 2004, and Manning was so disconsolate on the train ride home that he took the unprecedented step of telling his coaches something had to change.

Ken Davidoff: Bobby Jenks a better option for Mets

Bobby Jenks doesn't carry the albatross of a long-term contract around his neck and he's coming off a strong 2008 season. So when you're looking at the White Sox through the prism of our New York teams, don't make too many connections between Jenks and new Yankees first baseman Nick Swisher.

Ken Davidoff: Yanks, Mets should look to the Red Sox

In this crucial baseball offseason for our local teams, the Mets and Yankees still are trying to define themselves as organizations. They're trying to discover that balance between the one-year plan and the five-year plan, getting better now while not dramatically jeopardizing the future.

Bob Glauber: It's do or die for Indianapolis

This is it.

Mark Herrmann: Long Island a hockey hotbed

The next time Long Island produces the likes of Jim Brown, Carl Yastrzemski or Dr. J, he might be wearing skates. Mike Komisarek and Christopher Higgins of the Canadiens, Rob Scuderi of the Penguins and Eric Nystrom of the Flames can hang in there, on the sports food chain, with the Nassau-Suffolk alumni in the NFL. And you would be hard pressed to find four current Long Islanders in either Major League Baseball or the NBA that are as established as those skaters.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Jim Baumbach: Charlie Ward now a two-sport coach

When the Rockets fired Jeff Van Gundy a little more than two years ago, his coaching staff was let go, too. So Charlie Ward found himself unemployed, suddenly staring at what he termed a family decision.

Ken Davidoff: Let the offseason races begin

Most of baseball's 30 general managers will arrive in Dana Point, Calif., Sunday and Monday for the annual GM meetings, the unofficial beginning of baseball's offseason.

Ken Davidoff: It's familiar to Bill Torrey

For Islanders fans with a keen sense of history, the start-over-and-build-from-within plan that Garth Snow is instituting might be somewhat reminiscent of Bill Torrey's original blueprint for success.

Jim Baumbach: Ray Knight, Mets remain apart

As unbelievable as the Mets' 1986 World Series title was, so is this: 22 years have passed and there's still an uneasy separation between the franchise and Ray Knight, the World Series MVP.

Jim Baumbach: Sparky Lyle happy in independent baseball

A few days ago Sparky Lyle won another championship in the independent Atlantic League, his fourth in 11 years as Somerset Patriots manager. No other manager in league history has won more than one.