Jets Draft Analysis

The 2010 NFL Draft was an exciting one for all involved. One of the main reasons was that it was the first time that any part of the draft was held in primetime, with the first round kicking off at 7:30 p.m. last Thursday night.

For the Jets, the draft was a great way to supplement the moves they had made so far in the free agency market.

But did the Jets really have the best draft that they could have had?

With their first round pick, the Jets drafted CB Kyle Wilson out of Boise State. In a lot of mock drafts, Wilson was projected as a mid first round pick, so the Jets must have been ecstatic, when a guy they probably glanced over and figured was impossible to get, fell to them.

The one problem with this pick is that the Jets don't need a cornerback. They have the best corner in the game in Darrelle Revis, a two time Pro-Bowler, who is only 24 years old, and they just recently signed Antonio Cromartie, a one time Pro Bowler, who is only 26 years old. Cornerback was one of the last positions this team needed to fill.

So why pick Wilson? The top dogs in the AFC year in and year out are the Patriots and the Colts. Both of these teams have an important thing in common: a tremendous passing attack. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are two of the best quarterbacks in the league, and their receiving corps are arguably the best in the AFC.

The Jets' vulnerability to these type of attacks showed last year in the AFC Championship Game, when the Colts lit up the Jets through the air in the second half. The Jets didn't have anyone to cover guys like Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie, the two leading receivers for the Colts in the game, despite usually being Manning's third and fourth favorite targets respectively.

Now that the Jets join the elite group of AFC teams, it is important to prepare for not just facing these teams in the regular season, but in the playoffs as well. With a player of Wilson's caliber still on the board at 29, flashbacks of that Colts game must have been going through Mike Tannenbaum's head.

But does that excuse the Jets from going after talent instead of need?

One of their biggest needs coming into this draft was a DE/OLB. When their time came to pick, I was surprised with how many viable options there were that played that position.

There was Jerry Hughes, the DE/OLB out of TCU, who the Colts picked up two picks after the Jets. At just under 6'2", 255 lbs. Hughes would have been a great Bryan Thomas-like player, filling in either at DE or OLB, and would have added the pass-rushing ability the Jets needed.

Sergio Kindle was also available at 29. Kindle is a Texas product, who was selected with the 43rd overall pick in the draft by the Baltimore Ravens. Kindle was projected to go in the mid to late first round, but numerous knee injuries may have scared away a few scouts, questioning how durable Kindle could be as an NFL linebacker.

Guys like Hughes and Kindle could have strengthened the aging front 7 of the Jets, giving them a viable OLB for now, and a much-needed DE in the next few years. With the Jets' starting DEs in Shaun Ellis and Jason Taylor, both in their mid-30s, a 33 year old back-up in Marques Douglas, and rumors still circulating about the releases of Ellis and Bryan Thomas, a successor is needed.

I got one right! The Jets' second round selection, Vladimir Ducasse out of UMass, will most likely be taking over for Alan Faneca, who was released this past week for financial reasons. Despite there being no salary cap this offseason, $20 million over 2 years seemed a bit too much for an aging offensive lineman, especially after an offseason of spending for the Jets. Ducasse, despite the fact he only started playing football as a junior in high school, is known for his work ethic and athleticism, and should be able to learn a lot from his fellow offensive linemen. Another interesting note is that Ducasse, has not played the guard position since his high school days, playing offensive tackle during his time at UMass. It will be interesting to see how Ducasse can adjust to playing guard at the professional level, and whether he will be able to live up the potential many scouts say he has.

The most interesting move that the Jets made this draft probably came in the fourth round, when the Jets traded their fourth and sixth round picks to the Panthers to move up twelve spots to snag USC RB Joe McKnight with the 112th overall pick. As a result, the Jets traded fan-favorite RB Leon Washington to the Seahawks for a fifth round pick. McKnight, similar to Washington, is a speedy, explosive back who will be a great compliment to the powerful Shonn Greene.

McKnight came into USC as the second-best recruit in his class, behind Jimmy Clausen, but never lived up to the hype that preceded his college career. This past year however, McKnight showed some promise, with 1,014 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns. It is tough to tell what McKnight's NFL career will be like, but if he plays anything like Leon Washington did as a Jet, he'll do just fine.

The last pick of the Jets' draft was John Conner, a FB out of Kentucky. Conner, the second best FB in the draft according to ESPN, will be able to take over as the starting FB for the Jets once the aging Tony Richardson retires within the next couple of years. Conner will be able to receive great advice from the four time Pro Bowler before he has to step into the starting role. At 5'11", 246 lbs., Conner is a traditional bulldozing fullback, and will be indispensable for the Jets, helping to create running lanes for Greene, Tomlinson and McKnight.

Similar to the Jets' offseason, the Jets' draft was filled with buzz. The team said goodbye to Alan Faneca and "Neon" Leon Washington, and welcomed Kyle Wilson, Vladimir Ducasse, Joe McKnight and John Conner. Overall, the Jets had a solid draft, filling needs at the OG, RB and FB positions, and getting a stud in Kyle Wilson. Although they did not find successors to the aging Shaun Ellis, Jason Taylor, and Kris Jenkins on the defensive line, all of those guys have at least one more good year in them, and there is always next year's draft to replace them.

Pitchers With Juiced Arms Are Guilty Too

My beef this week is with the small amount of attention pitchers from the steroid era get compared to hitters from the steroid era.

When we think steroids, we automatically get this picture in our mind of a behemoth sized hitter smacking 500-foot homers.

But hitters were not the only players taking steroids in baseball.

Many pitchers were using them too, one of them being former Dodgers’ closer Eric Gagne.

Gagne holds the record for most consecutive converted save chances, with 84, and was one of the most dominant closers from 2002 to 2004.

His name was one of the 89 players and 32 pitchers in the Mitchell Report in 2007, inextricably linking him with the steroid era. After that, Gagne, once one of baseball’s most dominant closers, fell off the face of the earth.

But when Gagne retired this past Tuesday, where were the torches and pitchforks that we always bring out whenever a juicer retires?

Maybe it’s just the disenchantment we have with steroids these days because of the long period of time where it was impossible to watch ESPN without hearing the word “steroid” every 10 seconds.

Even if this is the reason that Gagne’s retirement wasn’t noticed in the sports world, there is still the fact that pitchers are not as linked to steroids as hitters are.

The most likely reason is that the effects that steroids have on a hitter are more visible than their effects on a pitcher.

Hitters use steroids to put some “oomph” into their swing, and it’s easy to notice when guys start knocking balls out of the park on an irregularly high basis.

Pitchers however, don’t use the stuff to get more powerful; they use it to more efficiently reload the weapons that are their pitching arms. Through the use of susbstances like HGH, pitchers can recover more quickly through tissue repair, which especially helps with a pitcher’s shoulder and elbow. This helps a pitcher feel rejuvenated, and prevents the usual wear and tear a pitcher’s arm goes through after each outing. Each and every time they pitch they are just as good, if not better than they were their last outing.

Many also believe that steroids have a mental effect on users. A pitcher who feels stronger as a result of the steroids is going to have more confidence in his pitches. So although the effect is not as visible, it was certainly giving pitchers as much of an advantage over their opponents as hitters had. Pitchers were cheating the game and its fans as much as hitters were during the steroid era.

It’s obvious to see the attractiveness that steroids had for a guy like Gagne. He was originally a starter, but wasn’t getting anywhere, especially with the Tommy John surgery he underwent when he was only 21. Finally, in 2002, he got the chance to reinvent himself as a closer. So, why not try something new like steroids to not only make himself more effective but also prevent the arm injuries he was used to?

Gagne jumped at the opportunity, and it paid off. For three years, from 2002 to 2004, he was untouchable, as dominant as any pitcher has ever been.

In 2004, I went to a Dodgers’ game toward the end of Gagne’s consecutive saves streak. I was 12, and was hoping I would be lucky enough to get to see Gagne, whose crazy glasses and exciting demeanor were all the talk in baseball. Well, in a close game against the crosstown rival Giants, Gagne came out to save the game, with the Dodgers up 5-4. The place was electric. Gagne came trotting out to the mound with “Welcome to the Jungle” blaring, and the words “Game Over” flashing on the screen. He got three straight strikeouts and his 83rd consecutive save in one of the best sports moments of my life.

And now I see it was all a fluke, just like McGwire’s and Sosa’s magical summer of 1998, and just like Bonds’ 73 homers in 2001. And isn’t that why we’re mad at these players? Because they gave us so much excitement and joy and even saved the game of baseball, and now we find out they were cheating the game and fooling us the entire time. Why then, do we crucify hitters like Bonds and McGwire, but give pitchers like Gagne, Andy Pettite and even Roger Clemens, a free pass?

I’m not saying we should be angry at Gagne forever. Even I learned to forgive and forget. But if you’re going to be mad at hitters like Bonds and McGwire for providing such excitement with their monster home runs, then be mad at guys like Gagne who did the exact same thing with their pitching. Don’t let Eric Gagne be the forgotten face of steroids.

Originally appeared in The Hoya 4/23/2010

Jason Taylor to Jets and NFL Draft Predictions

I was going to wait to look at this year's draft possibilities for the Jets, but the signing of Jason Taylor today to a two year deal, seemed to be the best opportunity to do some draft analysis, as Taylor fills up one of the Jets' biggest needs as a great pass rusher.

Taylor's deal will be worth up to $3.75 million the first year, and up to $13 million over the two years if he meets all the incentives of his contract. Only $2.5 million is guaranteed though, as the Jets can only pay $1.75 million of his base salary this year, in accordance with the NFL's Final Eight rule - which places free agency and contract restrictions on the final eight teams in the playoffs - and only $750,000 is guaranteed in the second year.

Taylor, who has played with the Jets' arch nemesis, the Dolphins, for 12 of his 13 NFL seasons, is the active sacks leader, with 127.5 quarterback take downs in his career, 35.5 more than the runner-up for the distinction, Joey Porter.

He's been one of the most hated players in the eyes of many Jets fans for more than a decade, and for good reason. He once said that Jets fans were "ignorant" and that they "take the cl out of class." He also said last year that "it'd be very, very, very difficult. Very difficult" to sign with the Jets. he's said a lot of bad things about Jets fans, but his signing means that it is time to forgive and forget.

The Jets are ready to win now, and Jason Taylor is ready to play well now. A draft pick could have contributed this year, but not as much as the 35 year old veteran, who had 7 sacks last year, which would have been good enough for second on the Jets squad.

The biggest and best reason for this move is the fact that the NFL is currently in an uncapped year. So why not pick up Taylor? He is still one of the best and smartest defensive ends around, and who knows, maybe he can teach total bust Vernon Gholston a thing or two about getting a sack, something Gholston has literally been incapable of accomplishing in his two year career.

If Taylor comes through and performs at the high level that he has performed at throughout his career, the Jets successfully fill their biggest need, on what was already a championship contending squad without him. If he plays poorly, then it isn't like he ate any cap space, it's just a waste of a couple million dollars, which was worth spending just to see if he could help the team. Plus, how poorly can a future Hall of Famer and active sacks leader play any worse than Marques Douglas, Mike DeVito and/or whoever else would be filling the spot if he wasn't there?

So what does this mean for Thursday night's draft?

After the Jets signed Santonio Holmes last week, their biggest need moved from wide receiver to pass rusher. Now that Jason Taylor signed his deal, what is the best move for the Jets to make?

In my mind, this deal shouldn't affect the way that they draft this Thursday. Despite the fact that Taylor fills the need for a pass rusher, that's just for the next two years. Then there's the other defensive end pass rusher, Shaun Ellis, who at age 32, will be retiring soon, and according to reports today by NFL Network's Michael Lombardi, may not be a Jet for too long, as the Jets may release him after the draft.

With both of those players not around for much longer, as well as their 33 year old backup Marques Douglas, and hybrid OLB-DE Bryan Thomas. Thomas also may be released in addition to Ellis, so the Jets could certainly use a pass-rushing defensive end. The best place to fill that need would be with their first round, 29th pick.

My favorite player for the Jets is Texas OLB/DE Sergio Kindle. It is tough to tell whether Kindle will be available at 29, but his pure athleticism, motor and ability to rush the passer makes for a perfect draft pick for the Jets. A player very similar to Kindle, that may or may not be around is TCU DE/OLB Jerry Hughes. The only thing that scares me is that their descriptions as athletic pass rushers are identical to that of Vernon Gholston's when he was drafted. But, I'll put the nightmare behind me, in order to fill a big need.

My best bet here though is Jared Odrick out of Penn State. A lot of teams, such as the Titans, Patriots and Cardinals will be on the lookout for athletic hybrids like Kindle and Hughes, as well as Michigan's Brandon Graham, and the Jets will take Odrick. Odrick is not as flashy as the other guys, and cannot stop the pass as well, but he is certainly a force to be reckoned with at 6'5", 304 pounds, making him more of a DT/DE than a OLB/DE.

I'll take anyone but Everson Griffen, the USC OLB/DE, who is Gholston's twin separated at birth. He performed pretty well during his career at USC, and is now being pushed up draft boards because of his combine performance and workouts, despite his reported lack of work ethic. Sound familiar?

The second round, 61st overall pick will most likely be a free safety to replace Kerry Rhodes, who was traded to the Cardinals in the offseason. Although the Jets have Eric Smith and just signed Brodney Pool, neither of these two are very attractive as starters. Safeties Reshad Jones out of Georgia, and Morgan Burnett out of Georgia Tech would both be perfect fits.

But one other thing to consider is the rumor that 33 year old G Alan Faneca will be released after the draft. Faneca is going into the third year of his 5 year, $40 million contract and if the Jets can't trade him during the draft he may be released. Considering this, the Jets could take G John Jerry from Ole Miss, or Haiti native G Vladimir Ducasse out of UMass.

If the Jets go with a safety in the second round, expect them to take G Zane Beadles out of Utah with their 4th round, 124th pick or G Shaun Lauvao out of ASU. If they do take a guard in the second round, then they will probably end up taking S Darrell Stuckey of Kansas if he falls that far, or either S Kurt Coleman out of Ohio State, or S Kyle McCarthy out of Notre Dame if he doesn't.

That's basically as far as I can come close to predicting the draft, and like Mel Kiper, Jr. always is, I'll probably be absolutely, and totally wrong. But that's what makes the NFL Draft fun; how unpredictable it is. Guys like Kiper and Todd McShay do this for a living, but at the end of the day, they usually end up with most of their picks being wrong. Even though the Jets have the 29th pick, it will still be exciting as there is no telling what will happen, especially with the improved Jets front office and their wild moves this offseason.

No matter what, the Jets' addition of Jason Taylor and what should be a mostly defensive-minded draft is making an already great defensive team even better, as things are finally looking up for the Jets.

Greg is Gone

The Greg Monroe era at Georgetown has come and gone in a matter of two years. Monroe leaves behind a solid statistical collegiate career with his entrance into the NBA draft, but a career with one glaring omission: an NCAA tournament victory.

The literal big man on campus decided this past Saturday that he would be entering the NBA draft. The announcement came despite his claim after the loss to Ohio in the NCAA tournament that "I'm ready to go back and see how I can help my team next year."

Of course it was tough to be convinced that he would stay. He's a projected lottery pick in this year's draft, and after such a disappointing loss, anyone else would have said the exact same thing.

Even his coach, John Thompson III said after he heard the quote, "You know, I think that he's going to sit and make that decision as time goes on right here."

Thompson was right. After a month of mulling it over with family, friends and his coach JTIII, Monroe decided to put his name into the draft.

Greg has had an excellent career on the Hilltop. In his two years as a Hoya he averaged 14.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 3.2 APG. He improved this year, averaging close to a double-double this year with 16.1 PPG and 9.6 RPG. There's no doubt he has established himself as one of the great big men that have come through Georgetown.

But he's not the usual big man. Greg stands at 6'11" but only weighs 247 pounds. What he doesn't have in power however, he makes up for in his ability to finesse his way to the hoop and pass the ball as effectively as any man his size.

These abilities made Monroe the perfect player to run JTIII's pass-heavy Princeton offense through. With his scoring ability, he was able to not only dominate down low, but with his passing he was also able to open up scoring opportunities for his teammates. He was the dream big man for JTIII and his teammates.

He wasn't just a favorite among his coaches and teammates but with Georgetown fans as well. In his freshman year he was one of the few bright spots in a dismal season that ended with Georgetown missing the NCAA tournament and losing in the first round of the NIT.

This year he was arguably the best and certainly the most consistent player on the team. When Chris Wright was struggling mid-season and Austin Freeman was struggling down the stretch, Monroe was always there to step up and help the Hoyas win.

With a Big East tournament run that ended with a loss in the finals against West Virginia, Monroe and Georgetown looked poised to make a run deep into the tournament. But in what is now officially Monroe's last college basketball game, Georgetown was upset by Ohio in the first round, despite his 19 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists.

And now we find ourselves in the present day, mourning the loss of the big man to the big leagues, like a mother mourns the loss of her son to college. Even though he's only been at Georgetown for two years, it feels like we have seen him grow from the lanky high school kid to the soon to be millionaire NBA player.

But like a mother sending off her son to college, we know it's time for Monroe to move on to bigger things. His skill set is impeccable, and coming off a great season, with this year’s draft class being relatively weak, chances are this is his best chance to be a lottery pick.

He had the opportunity to leave last year, and likely be a lottery pick, but he passed up millions to stay in college. Thankfully his draft stock didn't waver any, but it's always tough to tell what will happen to student-athletes if they decide to remain students for another year.

Matt Leinart, the former quarterback at USC, would probably have been the top overall pick had he entered the draft after his junior year. Instead he went back to school and was drafted tenth the next year, losing millions of dollars, tons of notoriety and fame and most importantly a good amount of his self confidence.

Does everyone end up like Leinart? No. Many athletes who choose college over the pros improve their draft stock. But Monroe probably would not have been one of them. The only real problem with Monroe is his size. In a league filled with monsters rather than men, lanky guys get eaten up down low. But staying an extra year just to bulk up wouldn't be worth it. A couple of extra pounds are not going to change the way that Monroe plays. You can't go from being a finesse post player to being a powerful force like Shaq. Plus, with JTIII's Princeton offense he was never going to be able to camp out under the hoop, and score 20 points consistently every night, so a little extra weight and an extra year would not improve his draft stock, as there was little room for statistical improvement in the system.

That doesn't ease the heartbreak much for Georgetown fans. We've heard all year that Monroe loved college, and that he wasn't sure whether he was ready or even wanted to leave. We were convinced that with Greg, the money could wait.

But there seems to be something other than money coming into play here, something that supersedes both the desire for the fortune and fame and the desire to go back to school. It's the need to provide for his family.

Monroe's family and community were hit hard by Hurricane Katrina. Greg is from Harvey, Louisiana, right outside of New Orleans, and has one sister, Brittany and a divorced mother, Norma. He had to leave his town for a month after the Katrina, and when he returned "the place was a ghost town," Norma told the NY Times.

Although the NY Times reported that "Norma told her son that he should not go to the NBA until he was certain he was ready," Monroe may feel the need and even desire to help not only his family but his community, recover from a hurricane that Louisiana is still recovering from more than four years after it hit.

The big question is not Monroe's motive for going pro though, it's how good he'll be once he gets to the pros. Many have speculated that he'll get pushed around down low, but I don't think they're looking at the whole picture.

Monroe may not be the prototypical big man these days, but I think that plays into his favor. Not many 6'11" guys possess his coordination nor his ability to pass the ball effectively and move everywhere on the court, and that will allow him to stand out when scouts are looking at him.

It is tough to tell where Monroe will end up as a lot of the teams projected to draft around the tenth pick - about where Monroe is projected to go - are in need of a big man. There are the76ers, the Jazz, the Pacers, the Clippers and the Pistons. His hometown New Orleans Hornets may even be tempted to add him as well.

The best fit for Monroe is the Jazz. Jerry Sloan, the coach of the Jazz, runs a similar offense to the Princeton offense that Monroe was in at Georgetown. Just like the Princeton offense, Sloan's offense is a motion offense with lots of passing and cuts, usually with four guys on the perimeter and one man in the post.

With Utah big man Carlos Boozer's contract up after this year and other big man Mehmet Okur not getting any younger at age 30, Utah can use a big man, especially one that fits perfectly into their offense.

Wherever Monroe ends up, and no matter how well he does in the NBA, one thing is for sure: he will be greatly missed by the Georgetown community.

Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

Who are you and what have you done with my Jets?

This is the question that I've been asking in my head over and over again with each new addition to the Jets squad. Cromartie, thank you very much. LT, with pleasure. With all of these superstar acquisitions you wouldn't be wrong to mistake the usually mediocre Jets for the Yankees?

And just when you thought the Jets were done with their offseason, they made another huge move, acquiring WR Santonio Holmes from the Steelers for a fifth-round pick in this year's draft.
One man's trash is another man's treasure. The Steelers organization have recently found their players in some sticky situations. Their star QB Ben Roethlisberger was accused of his second sexual assault. Neither of the cases made it to trial however and charges were dropped.

Then there came WR Santonio Holmes' incident in which he threw a glass cup at a woman's face after she refused Holmes' request for her to "get up" from the couch she was sitting on. Holmes has had several run-ins with the law. His first arrest came in Miami Beach in May 2006 for disorderly conduct, and less than a month later was arrested for domestic violence and assault in Columbus, Ohio. Then in October 2008 he was arrested in Pittsburgh for possession of marijuana. Holmes is probably on a first name basis with the police.

The Rooney family, who own Steelers, and are rightfully known as some of the most respected owners in sports, decided not to stand for this poor behavior. But no owner in their right mind would trade their franchise QB who's already brought two Super Bowls to the Steel City in his short six year career.

So they were left having to part with Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes. The Jets were more than happy to take him off their hands.

Santonio compounds to a growing theme among players on the Jets. The theme of thugishness.

Maybe thuggishness is too strong of a word to generalize this Jets team, but certainly the Jets are no group of choir boys.

Antonio Cromartie has fathered seven children by six women in five states. Shaun Ellis was charged with felony assault of a woman in April 1999 during his time as a student at University of Tennessee for allegedly hitting a woman in the head with a glass after she threw her drink in his face. Ellis was also arrested in December 2008 for marijuana possession, driving without insurance, and speeding after a highway traffic stop. Braylon Edwards was accused of assault in part of a scuffle that broke out outside of a Cleveland nightlub in October 2009. Bart Scott has a history of causing trouble on the field. In 2007 in a Monday Night Football game, Scott was penalized for unsportsmanline twice, the second flag was for throwing the first flag into the stands. Scott had to be held back by his teammates from the referee.

Three of those flour players - Cromartie, Edwards and Scott - in addition to Holmes, have all been acquired during the Rex Ryan era. Ryan himself has faced some troubles, for the infamous middle finger he gave at a MMA fight he attended back in January. These characters are a far cry from the reserved players of Jets past.

The team has gone from being filled with players like Chad Pennington and Curtis Martin, guys who rarely even opened their mouths and lived normal, quiet lives to the rambunctious Antonio Cromartie and Santonio Holmes who can't seem to stay out of trouble.

But does the bad boy theme that seems to be working its way into the DNA of the Jets correlate with their late success?

It's certainly likely. Although the players on last year's team weren't actual criminals, the team obviously had a bit of a swagger to it. Led by the boisterous Ryan, the Jets were always surrounded by some type of buzz. And they made it to only the fourth conference championship in the team's history.

It's because Ryan knows how to handle some of the larger than life personalities and egos on the team, because he is one himself. He's able to harness that swagger and cockiness into a team philosophy. The Jets are going to be loud, and if people don't like it, well too bad. The players are able to buy into the team because of their new identity as the Bad Boys of the NFL, and the belief that it was the world against them.

What the Jets have now is exactly what Miami Hurricane teams have had in the past. They're loud, they're disorderly, they're controversial, but above all they know how to win.

And in football isn't that kind of all that matters. Sure, we want our athletes to be well-rounded citizens off the field in addition to being stars on the field, but if they're not, what do we care? Let's be honest here, the one thing that we want from our athletes above all is for them to win. Even if they're nowhere close to winning a Man of the Year award, a couple of championships and a few apologies, and we're quick to forgive.

Kobe Bryant's sexual assault allegations erased from our memory with his championship. A-Rod's steroid use out the window with his World Series performance. Maybe even Tiger's scandal will seem just like a bad dream if and when he surpasses Jack Nicklaus' record for most majors won.

Wrong? Maybe. But what athletes are doing off the field doesn't really affect us, especially when it comes in the form of marijuana use and assault charges. The only thing that they do in their lives that truly affects us is the way they play on the field and do their job, and therefore that is what most sports fans care about more than anything, whether they like to admit it or not.

And that's exactly why the acquisitions of Cromartie and Holmes are going to be great for the Jets. They'll help this team win. Ryan is the perfect coach for these two guys, and the Jets are the perfect team. With a Super Bowl ring and Pro Bowl selection between them, Cromartie and Holmes should be able to perform strongly on the field as they always do, and with a coach like Ryan, they should be able to stay out of trouble for not only their own sakes but for the team's sake.

I can't believe I'm saying this, especially with all of the times that the Jets have let me down, but the switch from being the mediocre, well-behaved bunch to being the star-studded, troublesome bunch, may just be exactly what the Jets need to get that Super Bowl victory.

So with the Jets' new bad boys making a team that went all the way to the AFC Championship game arguably stronger than they have ever been, there's only one question for all of the opposing teams out there: Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do when they come for you?

Move Over Tiger ... At Least For The Moment

In case you haven't heard Tiger played in his first tournament in more than five months this past weekend, at the Masters.

It was impossible to tell exactly how he would play going into the tournament. Many had the man who is still the top-ranked golfer in the world missing the cut; just as many had him winning the whole thing.

Tiger's first trip to the tee was a bit unsettling for all involved. The fans however provided their unrelenting support for Woods, and he returned the favor with a great tee shot down the middle; Tiger Woods was back.

By Sunday, Tiger was in contention, just four strokes off the lead. Whether you had Tiger as the favorite or missing the cut, you had to be surprised that he could actually win this thing. Just a couple weeks after he wasn't sure if he would come back for the rest of the year, here he was on Sunday, at the biggest golf tournament in the world, with the possibility of winning.

We had seen Tiger in this position way too many times before. A couple of strokes off of the lead going into the final day of a tournament, and the golfers ahead of him shaking in their boots. Tiger proceeds to chew them up and spit them up en route to a successful Sunday and a championship. That's just the way it worked.

But this Sunday was different. The scene was set as usual. Tiger a couple strokes back in a major, wearing his red Nike polo, black pants, black loafers and black Nike hat. But Tiger didn't convert under the pressure. His start to the day was god awful, and throughout the day he continued to have trouble trying to work the kinks out of his swing.

Tiger has mounted the Sunday comeback so many times that we almost expect him to do it every time he's witing reach of winning. Even Tiger called his play on Sunday and in the tournament a "dissapointment."

In reality, his poor play and the implications of it were dissapointing. There was no Tiger fist-pump, no green jacket. There were some bright spots: a holed-in eagle from the 7th hole fairway, and a wild shot from the woods onto the green at 11 provided some relief, but just went you thought that these shots would get Tiger going, nothing happened.

That's because Tiger isn't the old Tiger yet. It was as if those new designer sunglasses he was wearing were holding him back. It wasn't the unfiltered, tempermental, passionate Tiger we're used to seeing. This Tiger was reserved; he'd play his ball and put his shades right back on. It was as almost if the shades represented the cage that was withholding the Tiger we loved from us, taming the animal we've seen rip competitors to shreds.

Tiger's spot on top of the world of golf isn't being left vacant though. Phil "Lefty" Mickelson is happy to fill it, if only temporarily, and it showed in his play.

With Phil's victory, many are turning immediately to the good guy defeating the bad guy scenario. Phil took care of his wife when she had breast cancer, Tiger cheated on his wife with numerous women. Immediately after the Masters reports of infidelity between Amy and Phil sprouted up, but they are totally unproven. I guess everyone assumes that every successful golfer is unfaithful after Tiger.

But, this isn't about a villain falling as much as it is a hero rising though. Tiger has been under constant criticism for the past several months, but from the moment he walked up to that first tee, it was time for the audience to just let sports be sports and nothing more. There is no need to villainize Tiger anymore than he has been already; we have had the last several months for that. Sports is a place for competitive drama, not high school drama.

Root against Tiger if you want too, but there is no need to see his loss as the villain taking the hit, especially because quite frankly, a 4th place finish in a major tournament, especially when it's your first tournament back is nothing to scoff at.

What the audience should be concerned about is not Tiger, but Phil. Mickelson came into Sunday in second place, down one stroke to leader Lee Westwood. And instead of choking like he had always done up to and even in some moments after his first major championship victory at the 2004 Masters, Phil came through and played like a champion.

Phil dominated the course, shooting 5 under on the day, for the second day in a row, putting him at 16 under at one of the toughest courses in all of golf.

He hit some wild shots, not only wildly good, but also wildly bad, having to hit out of the woods a couple of times after some poor drives. But all of this together provided the excitement we're used to only seeing from Tiger.

He even had the Tiger fist pump working a little bit throughout the round.

Then on that last hole, when that final putt finally dropped in, and Mickelson had won his third Masters, he went over to his wife, who was attending her first tournament in a year, and hugged her. The only other moment to really top the emotion of that was Tiger hugging his wife after his 2006 British Open victory, his first major win after the passing of his father.

Phil was the new Tiger during that Masters. He played better than anyone else throughout the tournament, and truly played like a champion. Although Phil has always been known to play exciting golf, and as one to never lay up, he had never really been the premier player at a tournament, especially a major. This mixed with the emotion caused by his wife being in attendance made for the perfect victory formula.

It's enjoyable for the moment. Someone other than Tiger Woods is getting the spotlight in golf. And no one deserves it more than Phil. But Tiger is bound to be back on the prowl and soon.

The proof is in the pudding. After months without participating in competitive play, Tiger came to the Masters and finished fourth among the best competition in the world, and with a score of 11 under at the one of the toughest golf courses in the world.

And he didn't even look good doing it. Tiger had 14 bogies throughout the tournament and his rust showed, as he struggled with his swing. But that's how you tell the best of the best; even if they play poorly, they still manage to put up good numbers, even without playing close to their best, they almost are the best.

But, we've seen enough of Tiger over the past few months, and we will certainly continue to see him over the next few years and probably even decades. So, how about for now we don't try to make Tiger the villain. Let's just remember that Phil was the hero.

UConn Women’s Moment in Spotlight Unjustly Short-Lived

My beef this week is with the little amount of fanfare and publicity that the UConn women’s basketball team is getting.

With men’s college basketball just ending, Major League Baseball and the Masters underway, and the NHL and NBA playoffs just around the bend, UConn women’s basketball has essentially been a blip in the sports world.

Tuesday night, the UConn women’s basketball team beat Stanford 53-47 in the NCAA championship game. It was not very impressive on the surface; the game was the lowest combined total score in the 29 years that the game has been around.

But the important thing was not the game itself, but what the game was a culmination of: UConn’s second straight undefeated season and its 78th straight victory.

Seventy-eight straight games without a slip-up or anything close to it. Seventy-eight straight games of complete and utter perfection. The only other college basketball team to do that was the UCLA men’s team, which had an 88-game winning streak from Jan. 30, 1971, to Jan. 17, 1974.

During its streak, UConn has beaten its opponents by an average margin of 32.7 points — and ranked opponents by 22.1 points — with only one single-digit win.

UCLA beat its opponents by an average margin of 23.4 points and had 15 single-digit wins. So, although they may not be there yet, it might be safe to say the Lady Huskies are the most dominant team in college basketball history and possibly in the history of sports.

Think about it. No team has dominated as much in its respective sport in the history of sports.

The Huskies are so good that this six-point victory to win a national championship is almost a disappointment. But they will get their one day of glory after this championship, and then we’ll all move on to baseball and everything else without thinking twice about it.

Why? Because it’s women’s college basketball, that’s why.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m barely a follower of women’s sports myself, but I am a fan of great sports and great teams, and in my mind, this UConn team fits the bill more than any other team in sports history.

Most sports fans don’t agree for many reasons. Some people have a skewed opinion of women’s college basketball and claim that there’s no competition because of how Tennessee and UConn have dominated the sport for so long.

This idea comes mostly out of ignorance. Since most people’s knowledge of women’s college basketball is limited to what ESPN tells us, they are inclined to believe that the only schools on the entire planet playing the sport are UConn, Tennessee and Stanford.

So, since we don’t hear about these other schools, we assume that there is no competition.
College football teams going undefeated is a regular occurrence. Florida, USC, Ohio State and Texas have dominated their respective conferences for as long as or longer than UConn, Tennessee and Stanford have ruled theirs.

Yet, when a team like Florida wins two titles in a row, no one assumes that there is a lack of competition in college football. That is because we know more about all of the teams, and the more you know a team or a player, the more accurate your opinion is about the entire sport.
But what most people don’t realize is that women’s basketball is full of elite teams. This past year, women’s college basketball had three 30-game winners, just three fewer than men’s college basketball.

Another reason some believe there is little competition in women’s college basketball is that UConn and Tennessee have combined to win 11 out of the last 15 championships — UConn with six and Tennessee with five.

I realize the magnitude of that number, but let’s think about other teams that have done similar things: The Yankees have won five championships in that span, including four in five years. The Lakers have won four. And then there was the Bulls dynasty that saw six championships during the 1990s alone. Yet people still assumed those teams had top-notch competition.

What this UConn team has here is a dynasty, just like the one Pat Summit had at Tennessee and just like the numerous other dynasties that so many other teams have had throughout the years. Just like the others’, UConn’s is bound to end at some point — but not too soon. This is one of the greatest teams ever. People would be drooling over them if they were a men’s team in any sport.

It’s springtime, so stop and smell the roses. Before you move hastily onto baseball and golf, sit back and realize just how special this UConn team really is.

Originally appeared in The Hoya 4/9/10

The Michigan Man

John Wooden, Mike Krzyzewski, Dean Smith, Roy Williams. All highly acclaimed coaches who have had the pleasure of coaching at schools rich in basketball tradition such as UCLA, UNC, Duke, and Kansas. It comes as no surprise that these coaches make up the top four on the list of coaches with the most final four appearances of all time. So who's fifth? Bob Knight? Jim Boeheim? Jim Calhoun? Rick Pitino? None of the above; number five is Michigan State's Tom Izzo.

Even though most people are not overly familiar with Izzo, Michiganians certainly are. He was born and raised in Iron Mountain, Michigan, a mining town with a population of just over 8,000. He played college basketball at Northern Michigan and was named a Division II All-American his senior year. He then immediately went on to coach at Ishpeming High School, in Michigan, then became an assistant at Northern Michigan, then Michigan State and finally the head coach at MSU. It'd be a surprise to many, if Izzo has ever left the state of Michigan for reasons other than college basketball road trips.

Of course there was the two month stint as an assistant at University of Tulsa, but then he tapped his ruby slippers together three times and went back to his beloved home state. For Tom Izzo, there's no place like home.

Quite frankly, there has never been any reason to leave. Izzo has developed one of the strongest college basketball programs in the country since his head coaching tenure at MSU began in 1995.

Where to start? There's the thirteen straight NCAA tournament appearances, the six regular season Big Ten championships, the 35 tournament wins (only Roy Williams has more in that period), the three straight Final Four appearances from 1999 - 2001 (Izzo, Mike Krzyzewski and Ben Howland are the only three to do so since the tournament expansion to 64 teams in 1985), the six final fours, and a national coach of the year award, and of course, the most important statistic for Michigan State fans; the 18-3 career record against rival Michigan. Not too shabby.

When there is a guy who has been as successful as Izzo, with as little publicity as he has gotten, most people turn to one factor: championships. But Izzo got his ring in the 1999-2000 season. Sure you can say it's only one, but most college coaches are lucky if they get one, considering there are 347 teams contending for a title each year.

There are a lot of reasons why Izzo is not the first name that comes to mind when people think of great coaches. His team is in the overlooked Big Ten conference which is football-crazy and puts basketball on the back burner. Then there is his location; Michigan State is in the college town of East Lansing, MI with a population of only 46,525. Maybe it's just his name; Izzo doesn't sound very sexy.

All of those reasons and more contribute to why I'll be pulling for Michigan State this Final Four. This is a guy, who has stayed true to his roots, despite the fact that he has received offers from numerous other teams.

Then there are the way his teams play; Izzo's philosophy is based around toughness, so much so that Izzo's rebounding drills sometimes involve players wearing football pads. Izzo once said "players play - tough players win."

Izzo has a bit of a Napoleonic complex. At 5'9" on a good day, and as a coach in a conference that's falling behind in the college basketball ranks, Izzo has a bit of a fire in him, something to prove, and it shows. Izzo has never let the monsters of the Big East and ACC scare him off. He once told collegehoops.net, "We'll play anybody, anyplace, anytime. It doesn't matter, morning, noon or night, and it doesn't matter who it is."

Of course, there's Izzo's lighter side. He's known for his outrageous Midnight Madness entrances. He's dressed up as everything from a hippie to a race car driver driving an actual race car into the gym. The students love him so much, they even named the student section after him: the Izzone.

College basketball needs more guys like Izzo: professional and loyal, with a ruthless will to win but also a fun side.

Izzo has been at Michigan State for 15 years. Considering most dominant coaches coach at the same school for at least 30 years, at 55 years old, Izzo is looking pretty good to make it to 70. There is a lot more chance for success.

Hey, one thing is certainly clear based on Izzo's track record: he's not going anywhere, anytime soon.