Bleacher Report - Articles by Andrew Kahn

2009 St. Louis Rams Vs. 2008 Detroit Lions: Who's Worse?

Andrew Kahn — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:54:23 -0400

Through five games, the St. Louis Rams are, like the Detroit Lions were a year ago, winless. They've averaged less than a touchdown (including the extra point) per game, have been blown out in all but one of their games so far, and—given their finish last season at (2-14)—show no signs of improving.

Check out the rest of my article, including a chart comparing these two horrendous teams, by visiting The Sports Journalists.

Brett Favre Signs With Vikings; Star Players Get Preferential Treatment

Andrew Kahn — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:02:37 -0400

Remember that kid on your high school basketball team who would miss practice but still start in the next game?

Brett Favre is that kid.

And Brad Childress is the coach who allowed it.

The double standard for perceived star players is sickening. The reason I write perceived stars is because Favre is no longer an elite player.

But that's besides the point.

The Minnesota Vikings have set a terrible example by signing Favre.

Why?

Find out by reading more about Brett Favre at my new blog, The Sports Journalists.

David Wright Suffers Concussion; Should Sit For Rest of Season

Andrew Kahn — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:51:19 -0400

Well, that's the last of 'em.

With David Wright suffering a concussion after being hit in the helmet by a fastball in this afternoon's game against the San Francisco Giants, it became official: Every one of the New York Mets' star hitters have gone down with an injury.

Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, and Jose Reyes have already missed most of the season (in addition to pitchers such as JJ Putz, John Maine, and Billy Wagner). Wright, the face of the franchise, was the sole survivor.

But earlier today at Citi Field, Wright took an 0-2 pitch off the left side of his head, sending his helmet flying and his body to the ground. He was clearly dazed as the Mets' trainers helped him to his feet and into the clubhouse.

It has since been reported that Wright suffered a concussion, the severity of which is not yet fully known. But it doesn't matter if it's mild, serious, or somewhere in between.

Wright needs to be shut down for the remainder of the season.

Please visit The Sports Journalists to continue reading this article about David Wright.

David Ortiz Used Steroids: Time to Release The Complete 104-Player List

Andrew Kahn — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:24:59 -0400

The 2003 list of 104 MLB players who took performance-enhancing drugs is starting to resemble the Brett Favre saga of the past two offseasons.

It's in the news every week and people are starting to lose interest.

Unfortunately, much like with Favre's retirement decisions, the media refuses to ignore the story. Seriously, were you surprised yesterday when you heard David Ortiz was on the list? There are really only a handful of players—such Derek Jeter or Ken Griffey, Jr.—who would actually shock me at this point. The steroids era has instilled a guilty until proven innocent mindset amongst fans, plain and simple.

But there is a way baseball can (sort of) finally move on: release the entire list of 104 players. Enough of this "one big star a month" deal. I want to see all of the names and I want to see them now.

To continue reading about David Ortiz and the rest of the MLB cheaters, please visit my new sports blog.

New York Mets: Dunn Deal?

Andrew Kahn — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:05:42 -0400

New York Mets should not trade for Adam Dunn or anyone else; wait for Delgado, Reyes, Beltran, Putz, others to return

It was subtle at first, but lately he hasn't tried to hide it.

"We're a below-average team—period," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said after last night's 10-6 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, his club's fourth straight defeat.

In other words, if GM Omar Minaya doesn't trade for a bat, they will continue to be a below-average team and likely fall further and further behind the first-place Phillies (after last night, the Marlins passed the Mets to move into second place).

It's good that Manuel wants what he thinks is best for the team, but I disagree with him. What would bringing in a bat do? The Mets don't get enough baserunners right now for it to be worthwhile.

How meaningful is a solo home run in a 9-1 game?

As much as it hurts to field such a weak team, the Mets would be best served to stay out of the trade market. Unless the deal involves trading a declining veteran like, say, Fernando Tatis (unlikely), it's just not worth it.

It's likely that Manuel is recalling what happened to Willie Randolph last season, and knows that if the Mets don't make the playoffs he could be out of a job. So he might not be thinking about the long-term goals of the organization.

The Mets should keep the few young talents they do have and build towards the future. It's a difficult concept to sell in a city with a "win now" mentality, but it's not like fans have to give up on 2009.

If—and that's an "if" as big as Oliver Perez's contract—the injured players can return after the All-Star Break, it will be as if the Mets did make a trade—several of them, in fact, for All-Star players. And they won't even have to give up anyone!

The fear, of course, is that the Mets will fall too far out of contention over the next two weeks to make the potential return of Carlos Deglado, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, John Maine, Oliver Perez, JJ Putz, and Billy Wagner make a difference.

But since there's no telling if and when they'll come back—or how effective they'll be once they do—getting support for a month might be pointless.

The season is worth saving, but it's the guys on the DL who will have to do it.

New York Mets: Stop Laughing at My Team!

Andrew Kahn — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:05:33 -0400

New York Mets Get Swept by New York Yankees

New York Mets fans who follow the team on a daily basis are very familiar with several of the television commercials that are shown seemingly between every inning of every game. One of these is for the post-game show, that ends with the voice-over saying, "...and of course, Jerry's post-game reactions," right as Manuel is shown cackling at a podium.

Without context, I have no idea what he was laughing at, but with every miscue this team makes, it becomes more and more plausible that he's laughing at his own team.

One thing I know for sure: After the Mets' latest humiliating defeat, last night's 4-2 loss to the Yankees, everybody else certainly is laughing at them.

And rightfully so.

But that doesn't mean I like it. In fact, I hate it. It's no fun when your beloved franchise is a joke.

As if it wasn't bad enough that we—when you invest three hours a night in this team for six months a year you get the right to use certain pronouns—lost a game to our crosstown rivals because of a dropped popup earlier this season, we had to get swept in our own park this past weekend.

Three hits on Friday in a 9-1 defeat.

One hit on Saturday in a 5-0 shutout.

And then last night, on national television no less, a 4-2 loss.

A regular loss—which I'm beginning to think is not possible for this team—would've hurt, but given the injuries to so many key players, I could've accepted it. But the Mets seem to be incapable of even preserving their dignity these days.

Never was this any clearer than it was last night. ESPN cameras caught two well-respected players, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, laughing during the top of the ninth inning. I mention that they are well-respected because I want to be clear that I'm not suggesting either player was showing poor sportsmanship. In fact, I doubt any of the Mets players even noticed their reactions; it's just that with today's broadcasts, nothing gets past the cameras.

Jeter laughed twice, first as he discovered the Mets were actually going to pitch to him, then again once Rivera came up to bat. Mariano laughed as he stood on first base after collecting the first RBI of his career, in an important spot no less. (You can read more about this specific situation here, under "Bonehead Move #2".)

Sure it's probably difficult when the other team in your city has won 150 World Championships, and the Mets could certainly use that as an excuse for why they are a second-class citizen in New York and are disregarded by baseball fans everywhere.

But that would be a cop-out.

The fact of the matter is, they've brought most of this upon themselves with their play the last few years.

There's the heart-breaking playoff elimination (2006), the historic late-season collapse (2007), and the mini-collapse caused by an absurdly bad bullpen (2008). That's three seasons that have ended in misery for Mets fans.

Through it all though, at least they've been relatively healthy. They've suffered their share of injuries like every team has, but the core offensive players—Beltran, Delgado, Reyes, Wright—have missed minimal time. That is, of course, until this season.

There's always hope that the "cavalry" could return and for once the Mets could be the team playing catch-up, rallying from a six-game deficit in early September to take the NL East.

Then, just maybe, everyone will stop laughing.

New York Mets: Subway Series Disaster

Andrew Kahn — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:18:42 -0400

New York Yankees sweep New York Mets; Jerry Manuel should be fired

The injury-plagued Mets are running out a depleted lineup, which certainly helps to explain the lack of hitting in the first two games of the first Subway Series at Citi Field.

After all, they faced two of the better pitches in the American League in CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett who, when going well, can stifle even the most potent bats. Of course, a total of four hits and one run in two games—even if the opposing pitchers were Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver—is still pretty pathetic.

But on Friday night, that wasn’t the most upsetting aspect of the game for the Mets—not even close. That would be the error-filled second inning, in which the Mets infielders handed the Yankees four runs.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel didn’t have anyone out of position that night, so he really can’t be blamed for the poor defense. Ditto for Saturday’s loss, as Burnett was simply too dominant. Last night’s series finale, however, is a different story.

The Mets finally had an advantageous pitching matchup, as the surprisingly reliable Livan Hernandez (who entered the game with a 5-2 record and 4.05 ERA) took on the even more surprisingly atrocious Chien-Ming Wang (0-6, 11.2 ERA).

Every other opponent had teed off on Wang, but not the Mets. They managed only two runs against him in 5.1 innings. Again, given the AAA lineup Manuel is working with, this lack of production can’t be blamed on him. There were two boneheaded moves that certainly can and should be blamed on him, though.

Bonehead Move No. 1

The Situation: The pitcher’s spot in the order comes up in the bottom of the seventh with no outs and a runner (Luis Castillo) on first. The Mets are trailing 3-2.

Hernandez had settled down after a rough first inning and had thrown six straight shutout frames. He is also an excellent bunter, arguably the second best bunter on the team (behind Castillo). However, Manuel decides to pinch-hit with Argenis Reyes (1-for-6 since being called up from the minors a few days earlier), only to have him bunt!

The fact that Reyes failed to move the runner over only makes it worse, but it’s not always fair to judge decisions based on results. It was a bad move whether it was successful or not. Hernandez should have been left in the game to bunt and continue to pitch.

Bonehead Move No. 2

The Situation: Derek Jeter comes up in the top of the ninth with two outs and runners on first and second. Closer Francisco Rodriguez is pitching. The Mets are still trailing 3-2.

This one is far worse. Mariano Rivera is on deck, as he came in to get the final two outs of the eighth, and will certainly bat if Jeter is walked. You know, because it’s a one-run game and he has 499 career saves.

But for some inexplicable reason, Manuel lets K-Rod pitch to Jeter. He throws him a first pitch strike and then misses with two balls just off the plate. It wasn’t until then, when K-Rod fell behind 2-1, that Manuel issued an intentional pass. Maybe he heard me screaming at my television.

The fact that K-Rod then managed to walk a guy who was facing a major league pitcher for only the third time is irrelevant. Even Joe Morgan—who is suddenly looking like a genius next to Jon Miller and Steve Phillips in the ESPN television booth—recognized pitching to Jeter was insane.

I try not to criticize the manager for moves that are pure judgment calls—whether or not to take the starter out, whether to pinch hit for a struggling batter or leave him in to try and build confidence, etc.

These are small things that, while important, are impossible to assess at the time. In these matters, Manuel has seemed to do fine. Sadly, it’s the “easy” decisions that he fouls up time and time again.

As I’ve written before, a new manager might not get this team to play hard and erase the mental mistakes. But it shouldn’t be too hard to find someone who knows it’s advantageous to pitch to a future Hall of Fame closer rather than a future Hall of Fame shortstop.

New York Mets: Give Johan Santana Run Support

Andrew Kahn — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:39:38 -0400

New York Mets vs. St. Louis Cardinals: Johan Santana vs Chris Carpenter; Santana deserves more run support

Of Johan Santana's 14 starts this season, the Mets have scored one run or less six times. That means Santana has to be nearly perfect to get his team a win. And he was just that in two starts this season, shutting out the Brewers and Phillies through seven innings to help the Mets win each of those games 1-0.

There have been several theories tossed around for why Santana (8-5, 3.22 ERA) hasn't gotten much run support, from the absurd (the hitters know they don't have to score too much with him on the mound, so they take it easy) to the unlikely (the offense is pressing to do well for their ace pitcher) to the more logical (Santana often matches up against the other team's ace).

In today's game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field, Theory No. 3 will definitely be in play—the Cards' ace, Chris Carpenter, takes his 5-1 record and spiffy 1.53 ERA to the mound against the Mets.

Another factor is working against the Mets scoring runs for Santana, or any other pitcher: injuries. With Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, and Carlos Beltran on the DL, along with Gary Sheffield not being available, the lineup is not exactly threatening.

No offense (no pun intended) to players like Alex Cora and Omir Santos, who have stepped in and performed well, but the lineup is basically David Wright and a bunch of bench players.

I didn't think this group was capable of scoring seven, eight runs in a game. Until last night of course, when the Mets exploded for 11 runs, all while shutting out the Cardinals.

Eleven runs, really? I wasn't sure the Mets would score 11 runs this series. Beltran has only been out since Monday, but in those three games this group has proven it can hit. The question is, now that Santana is on the mound, will they?

Even though we can assume the bats don't go quiet for Santana for any non-sensical reasons, the offense still might struggle today for a very real reason—Carpenter. Three of Santana's five losses this season have come when he's squared off against aces like Florida's Josh Johnson, Atlanta's Derek Lowe, Tampa Bay's James Shields.

Carpenter's career and season statistics show he is even a notch above those pitchers, so the Mets have their work cut out for them. At this point in the season there's really no reason why the probability of aces facing each other should be very high, yet here's Santana, who continues to be matched up against the opponent's top gun.

Time for the Mets, even without some of their big weapons, to fire back.

New York Mets: Where's The Hustle?

Andrew Kahn — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:00:08 -0400

New York Mets beat Baltimore Orioles 6-4; Carlos Beltran doesn't run hard

Two outs, runners on first and second, and a pop-up to the right side of the infield. The infielder drifts back, gets under it, and...drops it.

This scene is all too familiar to Mets fans, as Luis Castillo dropped a pop-up in the ninth inning to cost his team the game against the Yankees last Friday. The reason this miscue ended the game as opposed to just tying it is because the runner on first, Mark Teixeira, ran hard as soon as contact was made.

Last night, a very similar situation occurred in Baltimore. In the top of the seventh, with two outs and the bases loaded, David Wright hit a pop-up just behind first base. It would have been an easier play for the second baseman, but instead, first baseman Aubrey Huff was the closest guy to the ball. He tried to make an over-the-shoulder catch, and it hit off his glove.

The difference between the two situations? Carlos Beltran, the runner on first for the Mets, didn't score on the play. It wasn't for a lack of speed—Beltran has great wheels and averages 30 steals a year, while Teixeira has stolen 13 bases his whole career—but rather a lack of hustle.

Replays showed that Beltran likely assumed it would be caught and coasted around second. David Wright also failed to reach second base, equally as bad, especially considering there was a throw home on the play.

The thing is, while watching Friday night's debacle, one of my first thoughts was that had the situation been reversed and the Mets were the beneficiary of the miscue, the game would not have been won right then and there. I was certain that whoever was on first would not have been hustling and the game wouldn't have ended. Sadly enough, most of the Mets fans I discussed this with agreed. I didn't think I'd get the chance to be proven right, especially so soon.

One could argue, it wasn't a big deal since the Mets won the game anyway, 6-4. But when the tying run moved into scoring position in the bottom of the ninth, it sure would have been nice to have that extra run.

Either way, it's little things like this that have been piling up for the Mets all season and have, at times, cost them games. Yesterday, I wrote about some of these miscues. Sure enough, another was made last night, though fortunately it went mostly unnoticed.

"Use two hands when fielding."

"Run everything out."

Along with "keep your eye on the ball," these are the first things you are taught when learning baseball. Things several of the Mets players apparently still don't get.

New York Mets: Fire Jerry Manuel?

Andrew Kahn — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:06:36 -0400

Should the New York Mets hire Manny Acta? Should they fire Jerry Manuel? Should they bring back Bobby Valentine?

There are reports that the Washington Nationals may fire manager Manny Acta in the very near future. What does this mean for the New York Mets?

Well, if possible, the Mets should look to re-acquire Acta, the third base coach for them in 2006. It would make sense to replace Razor Shines, as he has done an inadequate job coaching third for the Mets this year. Seriously, it’s not good if fans notice you are doing a bad job coaching a base, but that’s exactly what’s happening with Shines. He was sending everyone home early in the year; lately he’s been a bit too cautious.

Shines should be replaced regardless of whether Acta is fired by Washington and acquired by the Mets. But getting Acta would also add someone to the staff who really knows the division and, equally important, has managerial experience. If the Mets continue to struggle and manager Jerry Manuel gets the axe, the Mets would have the luxury of promoting from within.

That leads to the question: Should Manuel be fired?

I’ll answer the question with another: Would replacing him do any good? Unfortunately, probably not. Manuel can not be blamed for the Mets’ slew of injuries, but if they continue to lose games the way they often have this season, his dismissal has to be considered.

Would a different manager have caused Carlos Beltran to slide into home or Fernando Martinez to run to first? Would he have prevented Ryan Church from missing third base or Luis Castillo from dropping a popup? Probably not, but you can’t cut Beltran, Martinez, Church, and Castillo. You can fire the manager, though. That’s just how baseball works.

A veteran—and a three-time Gold Glove winner no less—like Castillo should simply know to use two hands on a pop fly, and I’m not sure Manuel ripping into him or benching him would make a difference. Remember, the Mets weren’t always playing smart baseball, nor were they always hustling, when Willie Randolph was the manager.

Face it, the head coach isn’t all that important in professional sports, especially baseball. Arguably his most important role is to keep the players happy—or keep them in whatever mood will elicit their best play. In that regard, at least from an outsider’s perspective, Manuel seems to be doing a better job than Randolph.

But could someone be doing a better job than Manuel? If so, could that someone be the last manager to take the Mets to the World Series?

It appears that Bobby Valentine won’t be retuning to manage the Chiba Lotte Marines next season. Fans in Japan are petitioning to keep him, but that likely won’t change upper management’s opinion that Valentine is too expensive to retain.

Valentine took an overachieving bunch to the World Series in 2000. How would he fare with a team that has several stars and has underachieved the last couple of seasons?

There’s no sense in discussing it too much this year, since the Japanese season extends just as long as the MLB season. But if the Mets fail to meet expectations again in 2009, bringing back Valentine might be a good idea.

New York Mets Visit Washington Nationals: Perfect Timing, Again

Andrew Kahn — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:18:47 -0400

New York Mets at Washington Nationals; JJ Putz to have surgery

The first time the Mets played the Nationals, it was late April and the Mets were on a four game losing streak, coming home after getting swept in St. Louis. New York won the opener of that series and took two of three from the worst team in baseball.

The next matchup was a three-game series that started on Memorial Day. The Mets had just returned to Citi Field after a roller coaster ten game road trip. They were dealing with a bunch of injuries and wanted to get the homestand off on the right foot. Taking on a Nats team that was 13-31 at the time was just what they needed.

The Mets swept that series and followed it up by taking two of three from the Marlins.

Tonight, the Mets head to Washington at just the right time. They are even more banged up than they were 10 days ago—it was announced today that set-up man JJ Putz will have surgery on his elbow and be out eight to 10 weeks—and just lost three straight to the Pirates. Fortunately for New York, the Nationals have only won once since the last time they faced. Once!

So even with a depleted lineup, even without Johan Santana or Mike Pelfrey scheduled to pitch, the Mets should get back on track this weekend.

After all, the Nats have made the most errors (50), have the worst ERA (5.67), and have the worst record record in baseball (by a lot).

Of course, even against a woeful team like Washington, it can be hard to overcome poor starting pitching and tonight's starter for the Mets, Tim Redding, has been knocked around his last two outings.

The Nationals have made a habit out of losing even against sub-par pitchers though, so there can't be any excuses for the Mets this weekend. Not winning the series would be a big disappointment.

New York Mets Trade Ramon Castro To Chicago White Sox

Andrew Kahn — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:35:01 -0400

New York Mets trade backup catcher and prankster Ramon Castro to Chicago White Sox for relief pitcher Lance Broadway

Goodbye, Coconut Head.

Ramon Castro had been the backup catcher for the Mets since 2005, making David Wright, Jose Reyes, and relief pitcher Pedro Feliciano the only current Mets who have been with the team longer.

More than four consecutive seasons with the same team is nothing to sneeze at in today's game, especially for a backup player. So it has to be at least a little sad for Mets' fans to see Castro go, even with the emergence of Omir Santos.

My fondest baseball memory of Castro is from a late August game against the Phillies in 2005, during the heat of the National League wildcard race. I was at Shea Stadium when Castro hit a three-run homer in the eighth to give the Mets the lead and eventually the win, tying them with the Astros and pulling them within a half-game of the Phils and Marlins for the wild card.

The occassional home run was something Mets fans came to expect from Castro. He was adequate behind the plate but as slow as molasses on the bases, the definition of a station-to-station baserunner.

Castro was also a well-known prankster in the Mets clubhouse. Yet my favorite memory of Castro is when he was the victim of a dugout prank, courtesy of David Wright. This picture pretty much sums it up:

I can't look at that and not laugh. His bigger-than-average head makes it even funnier.

It certainly made sense to move Castro, as I am not in favor of carrying three catchers. Hopefully reliever Lance Broadway can be a valuable part of the Mets pitching staff in the future.

But it is sad to see a personality like that go. White Sox fans should expect a fun-loving guy. Just don't expect him to go first to third on a single.

New York Jets: Coaching Staff Profile

Andrew Kahn — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:59:21 -0400

Door-Opening Dads

They may have gotten their chances to coach football because of their established fathers, but there is no denying the success they’ve had since given that opportunity.

Rex Ryan, in his first year with the Jets, is the son of legendary Buddy Ryan, a former coach with the Jets, Vikings, Bears, and Eagles, among other NFL teams. Brian Schottenheimer, the offensive coordinator, is the son of Marty Schottenheimer, the former head coach of the Chiefs, Redskins, and Chargers.

Ryan comes over from Baltimore, where was the defensive coordinator since 2005, and on the staff since 1999. The Ravens have had one of the best defenses in football during his tenure. Ryan’s first NFL job was with Arizona in 1994, while his dad was head coach there.

He then spent some time in the college ranks, serving as defensive coordinator at Cincinnati and Oklahoma before joining the Ravens staff.

Schottenheimer has been with the Jets offensive coordinator since 2006. Prior to that, he was the quarterbacks coach for San Diego, and is credited with helping in the development of Drew Brees. He has also coached for the St. Louis Rams, and under his father with the Chiefs and Redskins.

Ryan brought the Ravens linebacker coach, Mike Pettine, to serve as his defensive coordinator. There’s reason to think the Jets defense will be better this season, if for no other reason than their head coach’s background.

New York Jets: Potential Interview With Mark Sanchez

Andrew Kahn — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:54:21 -0400

1. You chose your older brother, Nick, as your agent. How did you come to that decision? Are you wary of potential troubles that can arise from mixing business and family?

2. What’s it like to be amongst the other Trojans who have gone of to the NFL? There are several recent USC alums (Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Matt Cassell) who play quarterback—what’s it like to be a part of that fraternity?

3. By declaring for the draft you obviously thought you were ready to play in the NFL, but what would you say to those who point to the fact that you started only 16 games in college?

4. You’ve spent your whole life in California and seem to have that laid-back vibe associated with Cali—are you worried you don’t have the personality to deal with the pressures of playing in New York?

5. What do you think should be the realistic expectations for a rookie quarterback in the NFL?

6. Were you aware of the success of Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco last season? Is there anything you can take from their success to help you in your first year?

7. Do you think the Jets could use another wide receiver?

8. What do your teammates think about your photo shoot for GQ?

9. What do you say to those who believe you are simply a product of great programs? There’s no denying that in college, certain teams have a huge talent advantage over other, but that’s not the case in the NFL. Do you think you’ve been spoiled so far in your football career?

New York Jets: Playbook Changes

Andrew Kahn — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:51:29 -0400

Perhaps you remember the post-game comment from Brett Favre last season, when he admitted that at times in the huddle he would say, “Hey, guys, same play.” Sure that was after the first game of the season, but in the NFL every game is important. You can’t have a quarterback learning the offense on the fly. The Jets starting quarterback job might go to a rookie this year, but at least he will have spent all of training camp with the team.

Regardless of whether Mark Sanchez or Kellen Clemens is named the starter, the most important player on the field will have a lot more familiarity with the playbook than he did last year. The releasing of Favre should also mean no more desperate heaves down the field, and when a passing play does break down, there will certainly be more mobility in the pocket.

Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer can take more control of the unit, as well, as he no longer has to deal with an improvising signal-caller who didn’t have the time to fully grasp the offense.

The already potent running game added another weapon with the drafting of Shonn Greene out of Iowa. New York is looking at a potential three-headed monster with Greene, Thomas Jones, and Leon Washington, a trio that will need to be effective to take pressure off the QB.

If Rex Ryan’s track record is any indication, the Jets defense should be unleashed this year. The addition of Bart Scott and the development of Vernon Gholston will be a big part of that. Jets fans should expect to see an aggressive defense that doesn’t lose focus like last year’s unit appeared to do at times.

New York Jets: Why I'm a Fan

Andrew Kahn — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:57:26 -0400

I suppose I first became a Jets fan because my dad is a Jets fan, which is a natural way to start following a team. More often than not, Jets fans are also Mets fans, and I am no exception. So throughout my life, I’ve been able to align myself with this large fan group.

I can’t imagine being part of the other New York group—cheering on the Giants and Yankees—and while I don’t envy their success, I do want my teams to experience some of it in the near future.

The Giants have been to four Super Bowls in my lifetime, winning three. The Jets? They haven’t been to the Super Bowl since the merger.

They haven’t won a playoff game the past four seasons and haven’t had a legitimate shot at winning it all since 1998, when they turned it over six times and blew a 10-0 lead to the eventual-Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship.

Then there are the draft blunders. In fact, there’s a YouTube video dedicated to the Jets' poor decisions on draft day.

All of these things make the Jets lovable losers of sorts. The unwise decision to bring in Brett Favre last year and the ensuing late-season collapse added yet another forgettable chapter to the franchise’s relatively disappointing history.

Except that I, like most Jets fans, won’t forget it. I’ll remember it and, along with all the other difficult moments—the playoff loss to the Steelers in 2005 comes to mind—they’ll make me appreciate success, when it does come, even more.

That’s how sports works. At least that’s what I’d like to believe, especially given that I’m a Jets/Mets fan.

After all, the only thing better than a lovable loser is a lovable winner.

New York Jets: 2009 Season Expectations

Andrew Kahn — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:51:11 -0400

Sometimes it’s hard to look at your favorite team and be honest with yourself, especially when honesty involves a lot of three-and-outs, interceptions, and losses. But past results often help. And past results indicate that it’s very hard to win with a rookie quarterback.

It’s an assumption that Mark Sanchez is going to be the Week One starter and take the majority of the snaps this season, but I’d say it’s a good bet. And if that’s the case, it’s simply not realistic to expect the New York Jets to make the playoffs.

Since 1966, only eight rookie quarterbacks have started in a playoff game. Of course two –– Baltimore’s Joe Flacco and Atlanta’s Matt Ryan –– did it last season. But I don’t think we’re seeing the beginning of a trend.

It’s incredibly difficult for a quarterback to play at a high level in his first year in the NFL. Could Sanchez? Of course. He was awesome in high school. He was awesome at Southern Cal. But a rookie QB is a huge question mark. And for that, it’s hard to expect the Jets to be much more than a .500 team.

Now the Jets do have something in common with the Baltimore and Atlanta teams that reached the postseason last year: They have a solid rushing attack. Atlanta was the second-best rushing team in the NFL last year; Baltimore was the fourth best. The Jets were ninth (fourth in the AFC),

Running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are currently in contract disputes, but assuming they’re on the field, in addition to New York’s third-round draft pick, Shonn Greene, the Jets should have a very formidable ground game.

Nothing takes the pressure off a quarterback more than his team’s ability to run the football and if the Jets can do that effectively, they’ll have a much better chance to be successful. But with a new head coach, and more importantly, a rookie quarterback, in addition to playing in what should be a very tough AFC East, anything better than a mediocre record would be a pleasant surprise.

New York Mets: Livan Hernandez and The Anatomy of a Complete Game

Andrew Kahn — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:43:00 -0400

Perhaps the hardest part of Livan Hernandez's complete game was how easy he made it look.

He barely seemed to break a sweat, using an effortless motion and an array of crafty pitches to induce ground balls, strikeouts, and weak pop ups in the Mets 6-1 win over the Nationals last night.

His patented Bugs Bunny curveball was on full display at Citi Field, as he kept the Nats hitters off balance all night. All while blowing bubbles on the mound.

As he's been known to do over his long career, Hernandez allowed his share of baserunners—nine hits, a walk, and a hit batsman—but tightened up once the bases were occupied. It was as if he was allowing certain batters to reach base, only to erase them with a well-timed groundball double play (he had three of those).

Hernandez changed speeds so well, it allowed him to blow his mid-80's fastball past some of the Washington hitters. The Nats star, No. 3 hitter Ryan Zimmerman, had reached base in 43 straight games but went 0-for-4 against Hernandez, striking out twice.

The veteran right-hander was aided by solid defense throughout the game, including a run-preventing play in the fifth on a strong throw from center and a nice tag at the plate. The lone run Hernandez allowed was on an opposite field homer from slugger Adam Dunn.

It was the first time this season a Mets pitcher had pitched into the eighth inning, yet alone finished the ninth. Keep in mind this is a staff that includes Johan Santana. Not bad for a guy who wasn't even guaranteed a spot in the rotation during spring training.

And speaking of Santana (who was the last Met before last night to pitch a complete game), he takes the hill tonight as New York goes for the sweep. He'll certainly have to be more economical than Hernandez was if he wants to go the distance, as Santana has never thrown as many pitches (127) as Hernandez did last night.

Either way, hard to believe the ace will be trying to match Hernandez's start.

New York Mets: It's Fun When They Win

Andrew Kahn — Sat, 16 May 2009 22:18:13 -0400

The Mets have won three in a row and 11 of their last 13, and as a fan, it feels good. Because when you're winning, nobody talks about how many runners were left in scoring position. Or whether the starting pitcher was pulled too soon. Or whether the players have enough heart, passion, or desire.

The Mets have scored in the first inning in each of the last four games for a total of seven runs. They scored in the ninth to break a tie and beat the Giants Thursday, then after erasing a four-run deficit did the same thing last night.

Today they didn't need to come back, but they finally provided Johan Santana with the run support he certainly deserves. And it was a good day to do it, since Santana wasn't his sharpest. He still went seven and the Mets won 9-6.

That's seven, eight, and nine runs scored by the Mets in San Francisco, and they'll go for the four-game sweep tomorrow night. What makes this even more impressive is that it's been with their sparkplug and slugger on the bench.

Jose Reyes hasn't played yet this series with a stiff calf, ditto for Carlos Delgado, whose ailing hip has finally forced the Mets to put him on the DL.

Imagine if the Mets had lost these past three games. They'd be at .500 and in fourth place in the division instead of first. Fans would be very nervous about Reyes' calf—his biggest asset is his speed, and this is a leg injury!—wondering if he'd be the same when he did return.

Instead, we're looking at it as a nice opportunity for some days off, a chance to rest his body and clear his head after a series of bonehead baserunning.

Delgado's injury is more troublesome, but with replacements like Gary Sheffield, Fernando Tatis, and Alex Cora playing well, people just don't care as much. Not having Delgado's bat in the lineup long term would be a problem, but nobody seems too concerned about that. Hey, we're winning, so no big deal!

Mike Pelfrey takes the mound tomorrow night and will try to keep the good vibes rolling. Considering the Mets have taken the first three of the series and are going up against a good pitcher in Matt Cain, there's a slight margin for error.

A couple bad games in a row, though, and the doubts surrounding this team are going to come to the forefront again. That's just how it is in New York.

New York Mets: Thoughts from the Home Opener

Andrew Kahn — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:49:22 -0400

I was at Citi Field last night for the New York Mets' home opener against the San Diego Padres (Padres won, 5-4). Here are some thoughts from the game.

Apples to Apples

The new apple made its debut last night, emerging from its black hat home in the fifth inning courtesy of David Wright. The apple is shinier and has more lights than the Shea Stadium version did, but all in all its the same gimmick that Mets fans have loved for years. Had the old apple not survived the demolition, I probably would've felt differently, but since it, too, is displayed at Citi Field, I have no qualms with the new apple.

We Beat 'Em, Don't Join 'Em

I do, however, have a problem with the eighth inning sing-a-long. Simply put, "Sweet Caroline" has got to go. Like many people, I like the song, but this is a Boston Red Sox thing, not a New York Mets thing.

Personally, I think the "Lazy Mary" rendition during the seventh-inning stretch is enough, but if the Mets feel the need to play another song the following inning, let's hope they go with something other than "Caroline." The Monkees' "I'm A Believer" seemed to be a hit at Shea last year, so why not go with that? Please, anything other than a Fenway rip-off. Of course, it could be worse.

So Right, It's Wrong

I found this hard to believe, but the Padres don't have a left-handed pitcher. That's right, not one of San Diego's starters nor relievers is a lefty. That can't be a good way to construct a pitching staff, particularly in the bullpen, but we'll see how it goes for the Padres. Last night, the 'pen was lights out, as four San Diego relievers combined to hold the Mets scoreless over the final four and two-thirds innings.

By the way, two of those relievers were former Mets Duaner Sanchez and Heath Bell. Sanchez pitched a perfect eighth, while Bell had a one-two-three ninth for the save. Duaner was awesome for the Mets in the first half of the 2006 season before getting in a taxi cab accident that kept him out for the rest of that season and all of 2007.

It's crazy to think about what this franchise would be like had that accident not occurred—a better bullpen would've prevented the Mets from missing the postseason the last two seasons, but they never would've gotten Oliver Perez.

The fact is, the injury did happen and Duaner was never the same. He lost a significant amount of velocity on his fastball, and his control didn't seem to be as good either. There were reports that he didn't really work too hard on rehabbing his injured arm, which made it even easier to boo him as he, and the rest of the Mets bullpen, imploded last season. But he helped turn the Mets back into serious contenders during that terrific '06 season, so it's hard not to wish him well.

The same goes for Heath Bell, who always had to pack lightly during his travels with the Mets, as he was optioned to and from Norfolk (the Mets' Triple-A affiliate at the time) seemingly every other series. Between 2004-2006, he was always the guy who got called up when a player got hurt, and always the guy who got sent down once that player returned. He could never get settled, and I felt bad for him.

I do remember watching a day game against the Cubs during a very cold, windy day in Chicago (what else is new?) when the announcers were saying there was no way a home run could be hit to center field. The wind was simply too strong. But somehow, someway, Bell managed to give up a walk-off homer to Derrek Lee, who crushed a fastball over the center field wall.

(Well, I couldn't help myself, and with the glorious tool that is the Internet, I was able to find this game in about 30 seconds: Here's proof.)

I never really forgave Bell after that, but like Duaner, I now wish him nothing but success with his new team. Of course, I was booing them both like crazy last night and desperately wanted at least one of them to blow the game.

No More Bull In The Pen: Opening Day Perfect For The New York Mets

Andrew Kahn — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:33:08 -0400

It's a game they would've lost last season. No question about it. No way Johan Santana comes out in the sixth inning of a one-run game and the Mets hold on. But this is not last season.

While the Mets will normally get more out of their ace than the 5.2 innings he gave them on Opening Day, it's no longer necessary to push Santana to the limit. I know it's only one game, but the way it played out was so fitting in contrast to last season's bullpen disaster.

The names that became inextricably associated with Shea Stadium booing—Heilman, Schoeneweis, and others—are gone. It's a brand-new bullpen for 2009, and boy did it shine in its debut, as the Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-1.

Santana gave the ball to Sean Green, acquired from Seattle in a deal that sent Heilman packing, and he retired all four batters he faced. JJ Putz, also from the Mariners, took care of business in the eighth.

And then Francisco Rodriguez, the record-setting closer from Anaheim, pitched a 1-2-3 ninth. The closer pitched a 1-2-3 ninth. I'm not sure saves were an official statistic the last time a Mets pitcher did that.

What a relief this must be for manager Jerry Manuel. It's no longer a game of Russian roulette after the starter is pulled. He's got some relievers who can get righties and lefties out. A call to the bullpen should no longer elicit a gag reflex among Mets fans. The start of the eighth inning will not require a channel change.

Again, I know it's only one game, and the remaining 161 aren't going to follow the same script. But coming off a season as disappointing, frustrating, and at times embarrassing as last year's, this was a great start.

All-Sweet 16 Team: Top Performers of Opening Rounds

Andrew Kahn — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:52:02 -0400

My All-Sweet 16 Team is not composed of the top five players who are still alive in the Big Dance, but rather the five individuals who had the best performances of the first two rounds. Other than possibly Arizona, the teams represented were expected to reach the second weekend. However, without the stellar play of these individuals, we'd likely be seeing some different schools in the Sweet 16. Without further ado, here's my team...

Begin Slideshow

Michigan vs. Minnesota Basketball Preview: Happy To Be Here

Andrew Kahn — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:43:00 -0500

The day after Michigan won its opener against Michigan Tech, three of my college friends and I exchanged e-mails previewing Michigan's basketball season.

We were optimistic our Wolverines could beat Northeastern that night and advance to the Preseason NIT semifinals in New York. We weren't, however, too hopeful that our boys could taken down the No. 4 Bruins. After all, Michigan was coming off a 10-win season and was in only its second year under coach John Beilein.

While we spent our senior year soaking in a miserable season, there was reason to expect things would be better this year. The Big Ten seemed to be weaker than last year, Michigan's star player was no longer a freshman, and the team had a full year to learn Beilein's schemes.

In fact, one of my friends, Boyle, said Michigan could finish as high as fourth in the conference behind Michigan State, Purdue, and Ohio State. That was his optimistic view. His pessimistic/realistic view: Michigan still wasn't as good as Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Illinois.

Another friend, TJ, said he'd be "disappointed if Michigan didn't make the Sweet 16..of the NIT."

My pal Larson's outlook for the Wolverines wasn't exactly promising, either: "The Big Ten is awful, so maybe they can string some wins together."

Then Michigan did the unthinkable: It beat UCLA. Suddenly the tone of our e-mails changed.

A couple weeks later, Michigan upset Duke (also ranked fourth at the time), proving that its big win in New York was no fluke. We started to believe that this team could not only get to the Tournament for the first time since 1998, but that it could be a force once it got there.

Then conference play began, and after a three-game losing streak in January, Michigan was under .500 in the Big Ten. The Wolverines put up an admiral fight on UConn's campus against the No. 1-ranked Huskies, but lost, and followed that up with a critical home loss to Michigan State, dropping them to 5-7 in conference play.

On Saturday, Michigan (18-12, 8-9) travels to Minnesota (12-8, 9-8) for a "bubblicious" match-up with the Gophers. Many bracketologists are saying that a win puts the Wolverines in the Tourney. A loss would hurt their chances severely and would likely require an impressive run in the Big Ten tournament if they expect to dance.

So while a loss would be disappointing, it must be put in context. This year's Michigan squad has already overachieved. A win on the road in a game that is just as important to the home team as it is to Michigan is not going to be easy. Two games do not make a season, and while Michigan showed flashes of brilliance, it hasn't proved with certainty that it deserves a bid just yet.

Then again, this is the same Minnesota team that trailed Michigan in the second half by as many as 22 points in a game a couple of weeks ago (Michigan won 74-62). Two other Big Ten teams have already won on the Gophers' home floor. Can Michigan be the third?

If so, the program will be ahead of schedule and have reason to celebrate.

If not, the Wolverines might find themselves on the outside looking in come Selection Sunday. Even if that's the case, they'd still have no reason to hang their heads.

Penn State-Illinois: Beyond the Boxscore

Andrew Kahn — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:41:38 -0500

I probably shouldn't be writing this article. I don't want to publicize the fact that two Big Ten teams scored a combined total of 71 points last night. But I feel compelled as a sports journalist to comment on what was a once-in-a-lifetime event.

When I logged onto a certain sports news website last night, I figured the score was wrong. Or, even though the game was long since completed, that I was looking at the halftime score.

The reason I thought the latter was probable is because this particular sports news website decided to change its design again (hey, we can't see the game's stat leaders anymore, but at least we get the schools' logos!).

After a few extra clicks, though, I realized there was no mistake. The final score was indeed Penn State 38, Illinois 33.

The box score blew my mind. I couldn't stop staring at it. Everywhere you look, there are numbers you don't expect to see for a 40-minute Division I game.

13-46 (Penn State's FGM-A)
15-50 (Illinois' FGM-A)
6 (Illinois' assists)
3-17 (Penn State's 3PM-A)
3-16 (Illinois' 3PM-A)
0-0 (Illinois' FTM-A)

That's a combined 29 percent from the field, including 6-of-33 from downtown, both pathetic numbers. But perhaps the most glaring is that Illinois did not attempt a single free throw. How is that possible? It's incredible that Penn State didn't commit one shooting foul the entire game. But if the guys I was playing against couldn't shoot, I wouldn't give them the chance to go to the line either.

The Illinois football team only won five games this past season, but it still managed to score more than 33 four times. The Penn State football team exceeded 38 seven times. The Nittany Lions matched their basketball squad's total in their 38-24 win over the Illini this past September. The score at half of that game (21-14) was a higher combined total than the halftime score of last night's hoops contest.

Fans probably had a good idea from the onset that last night's game was going to be ugly. The first basket wasn't scored until under the 16:00 mark. Illinois had four points halfway through the opening frame. Penn State had 20 points with 10 minutes left in the game. Only one player—Penn State's Talor Battle—finished in double figures (11).

There's no way around the fact that is was an ugly, sloppy game. Even as a fan and advocate of the Big Ten conference, I must admit that. At the same time, I wish this score had occurred in some other conference.

The Big Ten bashers are likely going to jump on this, using it as an example of the conference's inferiority to, say, the Big East or ACC. The Big Ten has always been thought of as a defense-first league, and while defense certainly played an important role in last night's low-scoring affair, a roster full of Bill Russells shouldn't be able to hold a big-time program like Illinois to 33 points.

It won't help that the Illini are currently ranked No. 16, behind only Michigan State among Big Ten schools. The conference's critics are going to say, "This is the second best team this league has to offer?" But in reality, outside of the Spartans and a healthy Purdue team, there isn't much separation among the next seven best teams.

While defense is stressed and low-scoring games may be more common in the Big Ten than in some of the other power conferences, last night was certainly an aberration. Both teams are averaging in the high 60s, and two embarrassingly woeful offensive performances (which happened to come on the same night, in the same game) should not represent any inefficiencies on behalf of the Big Ten as a whole.

Court Awareness: Tuesday Night College Basketball Recap

Andrew Kahn — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:26:28 -0500

Fighting for a bid in the NCAA Tournament, at home, against its archrival, Michigan came out flat.

Well, "flat" doesn't really do the Wolverines' first-half performance justice. They made a total of six field goals. Six. They shot 2-of-10 from deep and even missed three of their four free throws. Yet even with the abysmal offensive showing, Michigan was still only down eight, 23-15, at half.

But multiple scoring droughts of at least four minutes—including a nearly eight-minute stretch from the end of the first half through the start of the second—doomed the Wolverines, which lost at home to No. 9 Michigan State, 54-42.

The loss drops Michigan to 5-7 in the Big Ten, and may have burst its bubble. Before the contest, sophomore guard Manny Harris called the game a "must win," and it's hard to argue with him. Michigan has the high-profile non-conference victories, but has been inconsistent in the competitive Big Ten.

With four of its remaining six games on the road, Michigan could've really used another win against a top-10 team last night. Instead, Harris was shut down by a suffocating Spartan defense that held him to 2-of-10 shooting.

Maybe the fact that the Wolverines played last Thursday night before travelling to Storrs to take on the No. 1 team in the country on Saturday night left them with tired legs. But the Spartans were playing their fifth game in less than two weeks and were without second-leading scorer Raymar Morgan, so that's no excuse.

The effort seemed to be there for Michigan, but in front of a sell-out home crowd in a game of this magnitude, its offensive struggles couldn't have come at a worse time.

Now the Wolverines find themselves near the bottom of the conference standings with less than a month left in the regular season. They need to somehow find a way to get back to .500 in conference, then win a game or two in the Big Ten tournament, if they want a shot at another top-ranked team in the Big Dance.

Michigan State, meanwhile, is poised to win its first conference title in seven years. Once Morgan returns, this Spartan squad will once again be a very tough team come March.

Not In Our House

This one had it all: an injury to a key player, an ejection to a key player, and even an orange on the court.

But it wasn't over until Florida's Nick Calathes, who had 33 points, stepped to the line with less than a second left and missed all three free throws to seal Kentucky's 68-65 win. Kentucky's star, Jodie Meeks, hit a double-clutch three on the previous possession to break the tie.

Florida's lone senior, Walter Hodge, was ejected shortly into the second half for stepping on the arm of a Kentucky player who had fallen to the court. It was a dead-ball situation, so when the refs reviewed the replay, they decided the leg-stomp warranted a technical foul and kicked Hodge out.

With under 10 minutes to go, Kentucky's Patrick Patterson injured his ankle and had to leave the game. Before any of this happened, someone threw an orange on the court. Wild stuff.

The win prevented the Wildcats from dropping three straight at Rupp Arena and tied them atop the SEC East standings with Florida and South Carolina. Kentucky has two stars in Meeks and Patterson, a couple quality non-conference wins, and a rich basketball tradition. It would be a shame if the 'Cats didn't make the Big Dance, and last night's win will likely go a long way in helping them get there.

More Wildcats

If it's possible for a Big East team to do anything quietly, then Villanova is quietly playing like one of the best teams in the country. No. 13 'Nova beat No. 12 Marquette last night, 102-84, for its sixth straight win.

Neither team seemed to give much thought to playing any defense. Look at it this way: Marquette had 45 points at half, which would've been enough to beat Michigan's full-game total, yet the Golden Eagles lost.

Both teams shot over 50 percent, combined for 24 threes, and had multiple players score 15+. But Scottie Reynolds was the difference, scoring a game-high 27 points. Marquette simply couldn't keep up with him, and the result was its second straight loss after a perfect Big East start.

With Villanova running out its best backcourt since the 2006 Elite Eight team, it's possible this Wildcat team can make a similar Tournament run. The 'Cats should get to 12 or 13 conference wins, which could put them in line for a top seed in the Big East tournament. No matter its draw in the Big Dance, it's unlikely 'Nova's opponent will be able to match its outstanding guard play, something that can take a team very far in March.

Other Tuesday Night Highlights

Stopping the Skid

Texas halted a three-game losing streak by pounding Oklahoma State, 99-74. Five Longhorns scored in double figures. Judging by the score, Cowboys coach Travis Ford is probably lucky this game wasn't on national television, or else he would've had to do some more apologizing for profane language.

One of the Elite

By racking up another road win, this one at Boston College, 87-77, Clemson has proven it is one of the ACC's elite. The Tigers, along with Duke, North Carolina, and Wake Forest, are capable of winning the league crown.

Keeping Pace

Florida State is making its case for being considered in the aforementioned ACC elite, winning its third straight last night, 68-57, over Virginia. The Seminoles already won at Clemson and have a chance to pad their résumé even more when they visit Wake on Saturday.

Crean of the Crop

It's no secret that the coaching in the Big Ten is spectacular, and Indiana's Tom Crean might be doing the best job of the bunch. Indiana fell to Minnesota last night, 62-54, but the Hoosiers led in the second half. Crean's team only has one conference victory, but aside from a few lopsided road losses, Indiana has been very competitive. When those scholarship players start rolling in, Indiana will once again be a force in the Big Ten.

Should've Talked to the Other Billy

Maybe ESPN reporter Jeannine Edwards would've been better off questioning Florida's coach Billy Donovan at halftime instead of Kentucky's Billy Gillispie.

Two weeks ago, in another Tuesday night, nationally televised game, Gillispie mocked Edwards, telling her she'd asked a "bad question." Last night, he couldn't hear Edwards' first question, which happened to be a rather long one. Then, he acted as if he hadn't heard of Florida's star player, Nick Calathes.

I doubt the bloggers will go crazy over last night's awkward interview like they did two weeks ago, but maybe Edwards should avoid the Kentucky coach in the future.

Are the Michigan Wolverines NCAA Tournament Bound?

Andrew Kahn — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:42:08 -0500

I feel about this Michigan basketball team similar to how I felt about my beloved New York Mets, or even my favorite NFL team, the Jets, last season.

If they can just get into the postseason, they have a chance to make some noise.

Michigan has shown it can play with anyone in the country. It beat then-No. 4 and current No. 6 UCLA in New York. It beat then-No. 4 and current No. 5 Duke at home by eight. And this past Saturday, in Storrs, Conn., it was leading No. 1 UConn with less than 15 minutes to go before ultimately falling, 69-61.

But the Wolverines have been inconsistent in conference play, checking in at 5-6 heading into tonight's matchup with Michigan State in Ann Arbor. Michigan dropped costly home games to Wisconsin and Ohio State, but have split with Penn State and Illinois to remain alive for an NCAA Tournament at-large berth.

Given the way Michigan has played against the big boys, if it could sneak into the Big Dance as an 8-10 seed, the chance of an upset in round two against a top-ranked team is not out of the question.

Of course, John Beilein's bunch has to get there first.

That is something the Mets or Jets were not able to do. For the past two seasons, the Mets had arguably the best team in the National League, yet collapsed down the stretch and didn't make the playoffs. While the Steelers proved they were the best team in the NFL from start to finish, the Jets were looking like a Super Bowl contender until they, too, fell apart and didn't reach the postseason.

Of course, fans of the Jets and Mets each had higher expectations than Michigan basketball fans heading into the respective seasons. Coming off a season in which Michigan won five conference games and a grand total of 10 overall, fans were not too excited about the team in November. After all, it was only Beilein's second year, and he didn't have enough of "his" players yet.

Then, on Nov. 20 at Madison Square Garden, Michigan upset UCLA, and everything changed. There was a palpable buzz surrounding the team, a buzz that only grew after it shocked Duke in Crisler Arena a few weeks later. Beilein tried to warn supporters that while his squad had certainly improved from last year, it still had a long way to go. Nobody seemed to listen.

So when Michigan dropped three in a row in the Big Ten, people were confused. Was the Big Ten the best conference in America? Did Michigan simply get lucky in their two big upsets?

At this point in the season, it's tough for Michigan fans to revert to their preseason mentality, where even an NIT invite seemed out of reach. But as Beilein tried to emphasize, this is still a young Wolverine team that is going to have its ups and downs. They were able to put it together in the big wins, but have failed to execute consistently the last couple of months.

Will they be able to do enough over the next month in conference—say, get to .500—to get an NCAA Tournament bid? Tonight's game will go a long way in answering that.

If the Wolverines can win, they'll get back to .500 (6-6) in conference and improve their overall record to 16-9. Not only that, but they'll also have a signature conference win. With the remaining six games after tonight being impossible to predict (road games against Northwestern, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota; home games versus Minnesota and Purdue), Michigan would do itself a huge favor by upsetting its archrival tonight.

Beat the Spartans, and Michigan just might have enough to get to the Big Dance, where anything can happen.

Lose, and Michigan fans will be left to think about what could've been.

Court Awareness: Tuesday Night College Basketball Recap

Andrew Kahn — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:43:10 -0500

With the all-time series knotted at 79, Ohio State scored 80 points last night to get victory No. 80 over Purdue in overtime, 80-72.

The Boilermakers are known for their stingy defense, holding opponents to an average of 58 points per game, but Ohio State shot an eye-popping 60 percent from the field for the second straight game. The Buckeyes were led by sophomore Evan Turner, who scored a team-high 26 points. He also led his team in rebounds (12) and assists (7).

Turner is averaging nearly 25 points over the last four games and has established himself as a legitimate Big Ten player of the year candidate. He is asked to do so much for this young Buckeye squad and, especially with David Lighty likely out for the season, Turner has stepped up in a major way. His ability to get into the lane at will, despite being guarded by the reigning conference defender of the year, was the difference in the game.

Of course, if you ask Purdue fans, they'll tell you the difference was Robbie Hummel's absence. Hummel, who has been bothered by back spasms most of the season, traveled to Columbus but was not available last night. In such a tight game, it's hard to imagine Hummel wouldn't have made the difference for the Boilermakers. He's not only Purdue's second-leading scorer, he's the team's top rebounder and certainly would've helped his squad shrink Ohio State's 34-18 rebounding advantage.

The loss snaps the Boilermakers' six-game win streak, prevents them from joining Michigan State atop the Big Ten standings, and puts them in a four-way tie for second. Ohio State is right in the hunt, too, at 6-4 in conference play.

Can Purdue win the Big Ten and, more importantly, can they make a deep NCAA Tournament run? The person who could answer that best is probably Hummel's chiropractor. If the star sophomore can stay on the court, Purdue is the most talented team in the conference. But if his back keeps him out for an extended period of time, it will be tough, as Purdue travels to Illinois before a rematch with streaking Penn State.

Gators Get Revenge

It looked like the Florida-South Carolina contest might be headed for overtime as well, as it was tied many times, including midway through the second half. But the Gators used a 12-3 burst to take control of the game down the stretch. South Carolina's Devan Downey did all he could, scoring 10 points in the final 48 seconds, including a couple ridiculous three-pointers, to bring the Gamecocks within two, but it wasn't enough. Florida fed off the home crowd and won the run-and-gun affair at home, 97-93. The loss avenged Florida's heartbreaking defeat to South Carolina at the buzzer two weeks ago.

For all the criticism the SEC is getting, the league has some stellar guard play. Downey scored 33 and Florida's point guard, Nick Calathes, dropped 22 to lead his team (which had six scorers in double figures). Anyone watching had to be impressed with the dribble penetration and deadly outside shooting of both teams' guards.

The SEC can't hide the fact that it has no ranked teams, somewhat of an embarrassment at this point in the season, but come tournament time, Florida, Kentucky, and even Tennessee might prove to be tough outs.

Kentucky Fried

Of course if Kentucky doesn't get out of the funk it's currently in, it may not even reach the Big Dance. The Wildcats dropped their third straight last night, losing at home to Mississippi State, 66-57.

Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson combined for 30 points, but the rest of the Wildcats were quiet as Kentucky shot a dismal 35 percent from the field. Down 13 at half, Kentucky cut the deficit to three with 10 minutes to go, but never got any closer.

The Wildcats are now 5-3 in conference, with a game with Florida coming up next before they travel to Arkansas and Vanderbilt. Kentucky has a resume-boosting win over West Virginia, but in a down year for the SEC it's important Billy Gillespie gets his team back on track quickly.

Other Tuesday Night Highlights

One Big East Team Is Still Perfect: Marquette's fantastic trio of guards equaled DePaul's total scoring output as the Golden Eagles improved to 9-0 in the treacherous Big East, winning 76-61 on the road.

And Another Finally Gets A Win: January was not kind to the Georgetown Hoyas. They went 2-7, losing five straight and plummeting in the conference standings. So they must have been happy to see the calendar turn, especially when it meant Rutgers was coming to town. Georgetown finally got its fourth Big East win last night, defeating the Scarlet Knights 57-47.

Sure They Can Score, But...Should North Carolina fans be worried? A consensus preseason Final Four pick, and the favorite to win it all, the Tar Heels learned they will be without Marcus Ginyard for the rest of the season. Ginyard is North Carolina's best defender, so it was fitting that the Heels allowed 91 points last night. On the bright side, they still won by 17. UNC scored 60 in the first half alone. Last night, 15 teams failed to reach that mark for the entire game.

While Carolina did hit 16 threes and shoot over 50 percent, its defense has to be a concern. Playing without Ginyard doesn't help, but the Heels have enough athletes who, if committed on the defensive end, can all be above-average defenders. They're certainly going to have to improve in that aspect if they want to make the deep tournament run everyone expected them to.

Court Awareness: Tuesday Night College Hoops Recap

Andrew Kahn — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:11:42 -0500

College is really the only place where streaking is acceptable, and the campuses hosting last night's games provided plenty of that. There was Kentucky's nine-game win streak against Mississippi, Texas' 22-game win streak against Baylor, and Wisconsin's unlikely four-game losing streak.

Which streaks stayed alive?

Which were broken?

Find out in the Tuesday night recap...

Meek Performance

Two weeks ago last night, Kentucky was on national television against Tennessee. Jodie Meeks exploded for a school-record 54 points on 15-of-22 shooting. Last night, in another nationally televised game, this one at Mississippi, Kentucky's star shot just 4-for-15 in an 85-80 loss.

It would be interesting to overhear a conversation between someone who only saw the Tennessee game and someone who watched Meeks for the first time last night.

The junior guard, who had been averaging 31 points per game in SEC play, managed to score 21 last night, but six of those came on threes in the final 13 seconds, when the game had already been decided. Ole Miss used a variety of tall, quick defenders to limit Meeks, who didn't convert a single field goal in the first half. He did get to the foul line often, where he was a perfect 10-for-10.

However, it was not enough. The Rebels grabbed several key offensive rebounds on a night they outrebounded No. 24 Kentucky 42-32. They also had three players who scored 20+ points, led by guard David Huertas, who scored 19 of his 21 in the second half.

Kentucky's win streak over Ole Miss? Snapped.

Texas-sized Streak

The first half of the game between Baylor and No. 11 Texas was not pretty. Yes, Rick Barnes may be stressing defense more than ever this year, but when two teams combine for a dismal 21-for-66 (32 percent) from the field, that's just ugly.

The scoring picked up after the intermission, though, and when it was all over, Texas had its 23rd consecutive win over its in-state rival, 78-72. The outcome may have been different had it not been for a couple crucial plays in the final minutes.

With just over four minutes remaining, Baylor's leading scorer, Curtis Jerrells, badly missed a three-point shot that would've given the Bears a one-point lead. He thought he was fouled and didn't hustle back on defense. Texas' Dogus Balbay looked like the roadrunner as he sprinted past three Baylor players and laid it in to give Texas a four-point lead.

Three missed foul shots by Baylor's Tweety Carter a few minutes later didn't help the Bears either.

With an early-season win over Arizona State and a 3-1 start to conference play, Baylor must have thought it could compete with the Big XII's big boys. But after a thrashing at the hands of Oklahoma last Saturday, and now a home court loss to Texas, coach Scott Drew has to be disappointed.

It doesn't get much easier for Baylor, which has to travel to Missouri next before coming home to face Kansas. With so many seniors contributing, the Bears must find a way to right the ship quickly.

Texas' win streak over Baylor? Alive.

Bucky's Not Used to This

There are only five teams in college basketball that have won 30 or more games each of the past two seasons. Can you name them?

Four of the schools probably won't surprise you—UNC, Kansas, Memphis, and UCLA—but the fifth might: Wisconsin. So it's certainly worth noting that the Badgers had lost four straight games going into Tuesday night's showdown with No. 16 Purdue, a team that had beat Wisconsin earlier this month.

Despite Keaton Nankivil's sweet shooting, Wisconsin fell to the Boilermakers 64-63, as Robbie Hummel's clutch three-pointer helped Purdue sweep the Badgers and hand Bo Ryan's squad its fifth straight loss.

The game was very physical from the start, as Wisconsin's 6'7", 220-pound forward Joe Krabbenhoft set a bone-rattling screen on 5'9", 165-pound guard Lewis Jackson before the first TV timeout. Krabbenhoft appeared to extend his forearm during the collision, one which sent Jackson to the bench looking woozy. Jackson did return and played 17 minutes.

Wisconsin, known for its stingy defense under Ryan, allowed Purdue to shoot a whopping 59.5 percent from the field. Purdue benefited from uncharacteristic defensive lapses, several of which led to open lay-ups. Even so, the Badgers appeared to have the game in hand until Purdue's 13-7 run in the final three minutes of the contest.

The loss makes the Badgers 3-5 in conference, dropping them to an unfamiliar place: the bottom of the Big Ten standings.

Wisconsin's losing streak? Alive.

Other Tuesday Night Highlights

Most Important Conference Game

Northeastern's 68-63 win over VCU. It looked like VCU had the inside path to the Colonial Athletic Association title, as the Rams' schedule pitted them against Northeastern and George Mason only once each, with both games being at home. But the impressive road win puts Northeastern, which has victories at Providence and at Indiana, at 9-1 and alone atop the conference standings.

Best Dunk

Of course I didn't watch every minute of every game, but I can't imagine any were better than the slam thrown down by Mississippi's Terrico White. White dribbled twice to his left, then took a hop-step before exploding to the rim and jamming the ball with his right hand.

What made this dunk so special is that White is 6'5" and he threw it down over Kentucky's Patrick Patterson and Perry Stevenson, both of whom are 6'9" and known for their shot-blocking ability.

Best Overtime Game

There were three last night, and while I'm tempted to go with Eastern Kentucky's thrilling victory over Austin Peay, I'm choosing North Carolina State's 84-81 win against Miami. Freshman Julius Mays hit a three with 2.6 seconds left to win it for the Wolfpack.

Second Best ACC Game

To be fair, there were only two ACC games last night, and while there was no OT in College Park, Boston College did pull off the small upset, beating Maryland 76-67. Despite Tyrese Rice's foul trouble and subsequent poor performance (only 10 points), the Eagles still managed to outscore the Terps by 20 in the second half.

Why Oklahoma Is a Final Four Contender

Andrew Kahn — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:36:43 -0500

We should stop talking about them as a one-man show.

End the criticisms of their weak backcourt.

There shouldn't be any doubt anymore: The Oklahoma Sooners are a legitimate Final Four contender.

This isn't coming from a guy who suddenly came to this realization last night. The dateline speaks for itself. I've been a believer. In fact, I had already moved past the question of "Can the Sooners reach Detroit?" and started asking "What could possibly hold this team back?"

But enough with the flashbacks to the earlier parts of the season. Did you see last night's Oklahoma-Oklahoma State game? For the second year in a row, the Sooners went into Stillwater, into bedlam, and came out victorious, winning 89-81.

To say Oklahoma had a target on its back would be a gross understatement. Those Crimson jerseys had a huge "No. 4 in the country" sticker on one side and a "5-0 in the Big XII" on the other. And Blake Griffin must have had a "Kick Me" sign on his back, too, because the Cowboys were determined to rattle the Sooners' superstar last night.

It didn't work.

Griffin, as he has all season, kept his composure despite taking shots to the head and chest—some after the whistle—and shot 9-for-11 from the field and 8-for-13 from the foul line en route to a typical 26-point performance. Oh and he grabbed more rebounds himself (19) than the entire Oklahoma State team (16).

But Blake Griffin has been a monster since he put on an Oklahoma uniform. The bigger story last night was Austin Johnson's nationally televised coming-out party. The senior point guard scored a career-high 22 points, connecting on five threes, including one from the icy parking lot to essentially, well, ice the game.

As I noted in a previous article, Oklahoma was 14-1 last year, including an 8-0 record in conference, when Johnson scored in double digits. The Sooners are 20-1 this season whether Johnson scores 22, two, or somewhere in between, but it's worth noting he scored only two points in Oklahoma's only loss.

Fortunately for coach Jeff Capel, Johnson's importance to the team's success does not seem to bother the mohawked floor leader, as he's quickly becoming a big-game player. Johnson is averaging 8.8 points per game, but that number is over 14 in Big XII play.

He also scored 11, 17, and 14 in key early-season contests against Purdue, Southern Cal, and Utah, respectively.

With all the attention Griffin gets, it's crucial that the other Sooners on the court are capable of knocking down open shots. Johnson's shooting form won't make it on any instructional videos, but he's getting more rotation on his jumper than he was earlier in the season and, most importantly, his shots are falling.

He's currently converting 44 percent of his field-goal attempts and 36 percent from downtown—not bad to go along with his 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Johnson hasn't been the only bright spot in the Oklahoma backcourt. Freshman Willie Warren has developed quicker than expected—or right on schedule, depending on whom you ask—and is a threat to drop 30 (as he's already done twice this season) if defenses focus too much on Griffin.

Warren is shooting over 50 percent and averaging nearly 15 a game. It's scary to think he's only going to get better.

While guys like Taylor Griffin and Tony Crocker continue to play pivotal roles for the Sooners, a new contributor emerged last night. Juan Pattillo is a 6'6", 218-pound junior college transfer whom Capel considered redshirting before putting him on the floor for the first time two weeks ago against Texas.

Pattillo played 14 minutes against Baylor last Saturday and scored nine. Last night, he scored 12 in 23 minutes of action. His timing seemed a bit off on a few plays, as he dropped passes you'd expect him to handle, but that didn't stop him from silencing the crowd with a few forceful dunks.

It certainly looks like Pattillo could be a significant contributor to this team going forward, as he gets more acclimated to the offensive sets. If nothing else, he's another capable body Capel can rotate into the lineup when he wants to rest a starter. How many top-ranked teams are adding a key player to their rotation at this point in the season?

We're not even halfway through the conference season, and Oklahoma still has tough road games against Missouri and Texas, but the schedule certainly seems favorable for the Sooners to claim the Big XII title. If the well-oiled machine keeps running like this, they'll also likely be holding a No. 1 seed come March.

And if last year's Final Four taught us anything, it's good to be a No. 1.

Cal Will Cool Off

Andrew Kahn — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:58:45 -0500

I suppose this article would have seemed a lot more prophetic had I posted it yesterday afternoon. Or maybe it's more relevant now. You can decide that for yourself. Just allow me to tell you why the California Golden Bears are likely to hit a rough patch in the near future.

Of course, it's possible the near future is more like now, as Cal lost at home to Oregon State—yes, the Oregon State that hadn't won a Pac-10 road game since January of 2007—on Thursday night. While the Bears shot a respectable 11-24 from beyond the arc in that contest, it is likely they will cool off over the next few weeks.

California's three-point shooting percentage to date is a whopping 47%, easily the best in the country. The next best team is shooting 42.5% from downtown, a figure that usually leads the nation. Very rarely does a team ever shoot 43%. Yet halfway through the season, Cal is considerable over that mark.

Going into the Oregon State game, the Bears only had three players who had attempted more than 11 threes: Theo Robertson is 35/60 (58%), leading scorer Jerome Randle 40/84 (48%), and Patrick Christopher 26/63 (41%).

All three are juniors, and none of them have ever had this sort of success in their college careers. Robertson, however, did miss all of last season due to injury, so maybe he is a real sharp-shooter—but he's still not a 58% three point shooter.

What does this all mean? In all likelihood, it means Cal is going to cool off. One of the reasons I held off on posting this article earlier was because of Cal's schedule—with the two home games against Oregon State and Oregon, which is still winless in conference, I thought the Bears would still get by with poor shooting. But if last night was any indication, that won't be the case.

With a difficult stretch coming up after Oregon (at UCLA, at USC, Washington, Washington State are the next four), Cal may be in for a string of losses. Relying on the kind of gawdy three-point number Cal has put up so far is asking for trouble.