VFC's SPORTS HOUSE

Beltran, Castillo and Perez: Get Rid of This 'Brat Pack'

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:56:00 +0000

Anyone want to take a guess which three Mets WON'T be a part of the baseball team in Flushing next season?

Look no further than this article from the New York Post's Mike Puma that identifies Carlos Beltran, Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez as failing to show for a New York Mets team visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Tuesday before the Mets took the field in what was to become a 3-2 victory over the Washington Nationals.

Don't misunderstand, if this trio were to not wear the uniform of the New York Mets next spring, it certainly wouldn't be because they skipped out on this good faith gesture to our wounded troops, it would be a result of the lackluster and downright pathetic play of these individuals over the course of this season and last - aside from some sporadic spurts of production from Beltran, mostly last season.

However, the fact that these three skipped the event - and then issued sorry excuses after-the-fact - shows not only how far this trio has fallen from grace, but it also illustrates how far they've fallen in character; although that's assuming their character was ever in high enough esteem from which to fall.

Take Castillo's comments about why he missed the trip to see our wounded warveterans, for instance: "I don't like to see people like that, so I never go there," Castillo said. "Sometimes you see people with no legs, no arms. I don't like to see that."

There are no less than three "I"s in his statement, which consisted of only three sentances; "I don't like", "I never go" and again, "I don't like." The "I" tells us all we need to know, It's all about Luis Castillo - the self importantand above reproach Luis Castillo - and no one else; not the Mets fans at Walter Reed who may have forgiven him for dropping that popup against the Yankees. For that part, the folks at Walter Reed have probably experienced enough in this world to know how insignificant a dropped popup is in the big scheme of life.

It's quite obvious that Castillo has no regard for the troops who put their lives on the line for their country, at least that's the perception.

Nor was there any regard for the organization that issued him a contract that was worth exactly $24 million MORE than he is worth.

In the world of Luis Castillo he may believe he's the star, but on this day- when he chose to ditch our troops because he might see a couple of them without legs - he was a coward and he let us all down. But more importantly, he let himself down as a man.

Welcome to reality, Luis Castillo, troops lose legs in war. The least you can do is go pay respects with the rest of your teamates, or even.

The troops probably don't like watching you drop popups any more than you like seeing them without a leg.

As for Beltran's "foundation meeting" excuse - LAME.

Again, it's all about Beltran, not the troops who have put everything on the line so that Carlos Beltran can make his millions playing a boy's game.

Good on Carlos for building a high school in Puerto Rico, but he couldn'tmove a meeting time a little bit to accommodate a good cause? And are we to believe that he really provides anything to these meetings anyway, aside from maybe signing a few checks?

He's probably sitting there daydreaming telling himself how great he is while the agents and advisors do all the work; after all, he is Carlos Beltran - he's above all that.

As for Ollie Perez, he showed what he's truly made of when he decided to reject a trip to the minor leagues and instead burdened his teamates and fans with his little league stats until finally being banished to the disabled list.

"I don't answer anything about outside the stadium," Perez said.

In otherwords, "I don't give a dam."

But we already knew that.

It's a good thing our troops DO give a dam.

And here's a kicker; an excerpt from Beltran's statement after the last trip he took to a veteran's hospital: "You see a lot of young people having brain damage and stuff like that, it'svery tough," Beltran said. "At the same time they were happy to see usthere, so it was a good experience for me."

Poor Carlos Beltran - it was tough for him to witness people brain damage. Howabout the victims, Carlos? Think it's tough for them, or is it all about you again?

"Good experience for me," he added.

Sorry to bust the bubble, but the intent of these visits is not to give CarlosBeltran a good experience. It's about lifting the spirits and morale of the wounded troops, of which only is worth a thousand Carlos Beltrans to this country.

When will these guys realize that it's not all about THEM?

Never, that's when.

In today's day and age, they just won't get it like Roberto Clemente did.

There's no "I" in team, but there's plenty of "I" in the actions of the"teamless" Carlos Beltran, Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez.

If these guys never wear a Mets uniform again, it'll be too soon.

Maybethey ought to don the uniform of a US serviceman or woman and live a day in his or her shoes; maybe they'd realize that there is a whole lot of reality out there in this world that does not begin with "I".

Not only would the Mets be better off without these three, but so would baseball.

LeBron James, to New York? Ignore the Critics Until 9 PM

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:35:00 +0000

After the LeBron James camp announced that The King would only reveal 'The Decision' on a July 8th 9PM ESPN special, did anyone believe that watching hour upon hour of sports news give the fan any insight into which way he was leaning?

The rumor last night that the Knicks were a done deal, this morning it's back to Miamai - and Cleveland always has a great chance of retaining LeBron, but with the entire saga coming to fruition on the ESPN network, it's hard for anyone to believe that all of the "sources" which the ESPN broadcasters continue to site are worthwhile.

Ever since the TV deal was announced, it all became about drama and ratings. The anonymous "sources" play right into that game and all ESPN is trying to do at this point is create buzz - and when you look at it that way, they're boring the hell out of us with the same old rumor reports repeated every ten minutes.

It's a bad case of overkill.

That said, I'll be tuning in tonight at 9PM to see LeBron announce his decision to join the New York Knicks.

He can come to the city that never sleeps and has so much star power that LeBron can truly be named King of a franchise is desperate need of revitalization.

His name and face will be plastered on the back (and probably front) pages of the New York tabloids for weeks to come, and if the Knicks finally win the big one that eluded Patrick Ewing, then his legend will be cemented in the history of the greatest city that the world has to offer - New York City.

I think the prospect of that legacy is too much for this guy's ego to refuse.

Hopefully tomorrow's headlines read: "Welcome to New York, LeBron".

For the time being, ignore the hype and rumors. ESPN and the LeBron camp are just trying to create hype so that you watch tonight - unfortunately, that hype is probably pushing viewers who are being bombarded with information from anonymous "sources" to the point of overload.

C'mon, ESPN, we love ya, but we don't take you seriously anymore.

Mike and The Mad Dog Back Together Again - In Their Criticism of the World Cup

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 01:55:00 +0000

Mike Francesa and Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo have long since parted ways after having dominated the New York sports talk radio scene for years as 'Mike and the Mad Dog' on WFAN NY.

Francesa does the WFAN show solo these days and Russo has since jumped ship to SiriusXM satellite radio where he airs his own show 'Mad Dog Unleashed' from 2-7 PM every weekday on the 'Mad Dog Channel.'

Apart the former comrades now may be, but re-united the pair have been over the past week, if not in the radio booth, then most certainly by their take on the World Cup, soccer's largest stage.

It's no secret that soccer - or "football" to everyone not living in the United States - has had its share of troubles catching on in the sports mainstream of the USA, although it reigns undisputed as the most popular sport in the world.

However, comments from both Francesa and Russo regarding the topic this week have demonstrated a closed-mindedness about sports and culture and border on downright ignorant.

Let me preface by saying that I understand sports radio - you've got to spark controversy or your product doesn't sell, I got that. I think that was part of Russo's game plan when he was slamming the World Cup, but Fransesa has no such excuse. Although entertaining and knowledgeable, this guy often spews garbage and claims it as gospel.

Such was the case earlier this week when he boldly informed his listeners that the only reason that soccer has any sort of following in the USA is because of the "Soccer Moms" that don't want their kids playing football. He went on to teach us that the term "Soccer Mom" turned into a political term only after first being used to describe a mother that did not want her kid to get hurt while participating in football games. After all, Mike said, when he was growing up you played football and baseball, soccer was forbidden - unless your mom was a 'Soccer Mom.'

This attitude is typical, especially in Sports USA - the closed mindedness of living inside one's own box without peaking out. I say that because the USA is made up of so many different cultures, heritages and walks of life that it is completely ignorant for one to state that people play soccer only because some moms out there are afraid their kid will get hurt playing football.

It was an off-the-cuff, weak comment that doesn't even deserve to be countered. Even Mike seemed to realize the lunacy of his statement as he was uttering the words - only he realized it was too late to retract them.

As for the Mad Dog, his absolute disgust with soccer (on air) has more to do with firing up the listeners than it does dogging the sport, in my opinion. His on air tirades often compel objectors of his position to call in, and if you're in sports radio, then that's what it's all about. Because of that fact I'll give him a pass on some - but not all -of his comments.

Russo spent a good fifteen minutes on Monday afternoon deriding soccer for its lack of action, lack of scoring and lack of excitement. He insinuated that he can run up and down the field just as good as soccer's best and chided those who could get into a game where few points are scored. He also commented on the lunacy of not being able to re-use a player once he's taken out and criticized the game because situational kickers could be used to win it in the end.

Sound like he was on a tirade? I think so, and I think ratings had more to do with it than anything.

I'll give the Dog this much, there's not much scoring in soccer. Everything else he said is just plain wrong. At one point in my life I may have had thoughts similar to those of Russo's, but the pace of soccer and the quickness with which a scoring opportunity can materialize will have you glued to the screen when you're into the game.

Compare it American sports, which I love them all, by the way - we've got commercials every five minutes and the way Russo dogs soccer for being boring, foreigners look at our sports and wonder where the action is. More often than not you're sitting there watching a commercial or a replay than you are watching the sport. Take football - four quarters of 15 minutes each; how does that equal a game time of over three hours? Then there's baseball; you could easily sit down and read a paper while watching a ballgame. You look up when the pitcher pitches and then read half an article while he throws to first, scratches his cajones and adjusts his cap.

You can't read the paper and watch soccer because you might miss something. Maybe not a score, but there's more to sports than the points on the board, there's a strategy of getting those points that matters.

America is the land of overabundance and extreme, so it's no surprise that Russo isn't happy with low scoring games. Ironically enough, however, I bet Russo - being the old school baseball guy that he is - would love a 1-0 pitching duel between Lincecum and Wainwright any day. There's no difference between a game like that and 1-0 soccer game, except in soccer you only get one bathroom break.

Like a good pitching duel, soccer is all about strategy, and it's ignorant to not acknowledge that point just because you don't like it or don't understand it.

The Mad Dog's most ridiculous comment was the one about using 'situational kickers' to win a game if there's a tie at the end of regulation. How can he criticize that rule like it's not done in America? What the heck does he think a punter is in football, or a situational lefty in baseball? You see these guys for about five seconds at a time. This is why I think Russo is more about firing up the listeners than the actual argument sometimes, because his rationale sometimes doesn't make sense.

What both of these guys are also missing, is the fact that most of the world follows soccer - and most are avid soccer fans. You think an on-air Chris Russo tirade is bad, then go sit in a bar in Portugal, Spain or England and see how seriously those fans follow their sport. We, in America, have nothing on the intensity with which the rest of the world follows soccer.

And these people live in the US, too, and have brought that intensity here through the immigration of either themselves or their ancestors. They've swarmed the fields of their local neighborhoods for years in order to kick the ball around, and they've watched their home teams play on satellite TV, but the US version has never struck a competitive chord until only recently, and if that level of competitive play remains, then the fans will follow.

So, does Mike Francesa really believe that the Argentinian or Brazilian family that might live down the street from him has their kids playing soccer because their mommies are afraid they'll get hurt playing 'futbol Americano?' If he does, then he needs to get out more, or peak out of his box once in a while. The soccer-loving immigrants don't give a rat's booty-call that Mike Francesa played football and baseball and that's the way it should be.

Both of these guys need to travel to Europe or South America and catch a few matches - real matches, with real rivalries. As the old saying goes, don't knock it until you try it.

Soccer in America may never equal the popularity of the top four, but there's no doubt that the popularity of the sport is growing - and the more publicity America's pitch-stars gain in the media at home and around the world, then the more interest that the sport will be paid by the next generation of youth, who will undoubtedly grow up considering the game of soccer just as appetizing an option as any other sport.

Only thanks to the "Soccer Mommies" who don't like football, however, huh Mike?

VFC's Top Stories From the Vancouver Olympic Games

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:13:00 +0000

Whether it be a feel-good story, a controversy or an Olympic milestone, the Vancouver games came with enough fanfare to keep the world interested for nearly three weeks, as fans across the globe rooted for their home country - that's what it's all about.

Here's VFC's top stories from the Vancouver Games, and please keep in mind, these are only based on the events and stories that I watched, I couldn't see it all:

One: THE US MEDAL COUNT

After amassing 37 total medals, seven more than second place Germany and three more than the Salt Lake City games, the United States is officially a Winter Olympics powerhouse. It used to be the Soviet Union, Russia, Germany and Norway that dominated the Winter Games, but after three consecutive top two finishes, Team USA is a force.

Two: The Cross Country Skiing Relay That Saw Norway Take Silver

There was many a fine moment in Vancouver, but how about that Cross Country race where Petter Northug from Norway, who was not even within screenshot of the Czek and French skiers moving into the final leg of the race, came out of nowhere to secure Silver and drop France into the fourth slot?

And he made it look easy.

Trust NBC to do all they could do to reduce the drama of the moment, however; after Northug moved in directly behind the Czek and French skiers, NBC cut to the Gold Medalist from Sweden, Marcus Hellner, who was looking for a flag of his country. By the time the camera panned back on the real action, Northug had already passed the other two and had pretty much secured Silver; the Czek and French participants were fighting for Bronze at that point. Good move, NBC, no wonder you guys are fourth in the ratings and are set to lose millions on the Olympic Games.

Northug is renowned for his ability to close a race, but this guy wasn't even close to being within screenshot with only a few minutes to go.

THAT was an Olympic moment.

Those that might enjoy seeing the cocky French get knocked off the pedestal probably enjoyed the moment even more.

Three: Shen and Zhao

Ordinarily I wouldn't find myself rooting for China in anything, with all those human rights violations lingering over that country's head, but the Shen and Zhao love story was compelling enough that I couldn't help but root for them.

After hitting a setback in the 2006 games, they were in top form in Vancouver and a Gold Medal would allow them to call it a career while on top.

And get their Gold they did, in an elegant and thrilling manner.

Now it's off into the sunset for Shen and Zhao, to start that family life that they've been looking for.

China still lets their people have families, don't they?

Four: The Joannie Rochette Story

Joannie's is the number one triumph over tragedy story for the Vancouver games, winning a Bronze medal for her short program just three days after her mother's unexpected death.

The world embraced Joannie as she skated that routine, and she skated as if her mother was there with her, living a little girl's dream that ended on an Olympic podium.

Sometimes life's events transcend the stage that they are delivered on and for four minutes in Vancouver, Joannie Rochette was the world's biggest stage.

Five: Lindsey Vonn

Shortly before the Vancouver Games opened, Lindsey Vonn would have been at the top of this list after her controversial Sports Illustrated cover shot and subsequent swimsuit spread propelled her into the limelight and made her America's golden child - before she had won any gold.

Lindsey owned the opening days of the Olympics as the drama surrounding her ailing shin made her THE story, not just A story, especially as the weather rolled in giving her a few extra days to heal - which had some wondering weather it was the Olympic Gods at work, and not El Nino.

When Lindsey finally hit the slopes, she quickly turned in a gold medal-winning performance and America's Olympic sweetheart was well on her way to a story book life, with her golden locks, her golden smile and most of all - her golden medal.

But then something happened; nothing that will keep Lindsey from raking in the endorsements, book deals and talk show invites, but America's favorite sweetheart quickly became America's favorite drama queen, culminating when she wallowed in the snow for what seemed to be an eternity after crashing while on her way to a possible second gold medal.

Her prolonged stay along the fence line caused the run of Lindsey's Team USA counterpart to be halted, an action that led to a publicized rift between the two - and it became apparent that maybe making the games all about Lindsey wasn't such a good thing after all.

You have to admit, whoever does PR for Lindsey Vonn did a great job of making it all about her from the start, and managed to have her come away from Vancouver as both a good girl and a bad girl - ensuring that she won't just fade out as an afterthought just like NBC does every day.

Love her or hate her, Lindsey Vonn was - and is still - an Olympic sized story.

Six: Hockey's USA-Canada Gold Medal Game

There's no doubt that I'll take some heat for not rating this game higher on my list, but as much as I love Olympic Hockey and Team USA - it's just not the same when I'm watching the same guys play each other that I can watch on cable TV playing each other any night during the week.

What we saw was an NHL All-Star game, not Olympic Hockey - 1980? THAT was Olympic Hockey.

It was a great game and it was great publicity for the NHL, but it wasn't much of a compelling story. There weren't many who didn't predict a USA-Canada final.

Seven: Apolo Anton Ohno

America's all-time Winter Olympic champion.

'Nuff said.

Eight: Russian President Medvedev Ousts His Olympic Committee

This is more of an Olympic post-story, but the fact that the puppet President of Russia would force his Olympic committee into retirement for putting on such a dismal performance in Vancouver is comical. Maybe things really aren't that different between today's Russia and the former Soviet Union, but talk about a sore loser.

Hopefully the next Olympic crew can shape things up by the time the winter games show up in Russia in 2014, otherwise some heads might roll - literally.

Nine: The Opening Ceremony That Didn't Really Open

We all have a funny thing or two to say about Canada once in a while, but it was a shame - in a humerous sort of way - when that last piece of the Olympic flame puzzle would not rise during the opening ceremonies.

It really was too bad, as too many people worked too hard to make sure it all went right, but somethings things just go wrong.

The Canadians win the class prize for their handling of the situation when they rose the beam from the ground for the closing ceremonies - thanks to a mime clown.

Canada hosted a great show, gotta give them credit.

Ten: Shaun White

There's still some out there that don't consider snowboarding a winter sport, but White makes the sport enjoyable with his almost goofy, but free-spirited personality.

I certainly couldn't get to everything, but these stories stood out in my mind.

Mention also has to go to Team Georgia, who left the Olympic Games one team member short, after luger Nodar Kumaritashvili dies in a tragic training-run accident before the games even started.

What was supposed to have been the greatest times of their lives turned into a bittersweet tragedy for Team Georgia, but they carried on and paid fine homage to their lost comrade.

We've also got to give a shout out to Morgan Freeman; no one can tell a story like that guy and it was almost inspirational to hear his voice on NBC telling us a brief story like no one else can.

It made you want to watch more, and more importantly, it made you feel like a part of the whole experience.

So long, Winter Olympics, see ya in Russia.

Lindsey Vonn's Sports Illustrated Cover Stirs Controversy

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:25:00 +0000

This week's cover of Sports Illustrated that features the US Ski Team's Lindsey Vonn has stirred quite a bit of controversy from all areas of the public because of the fact that the cover (pictured below) could be construed as Vonn in a provocative, sexy pose.

Here's the deal - Lindsey Vonn is a skier - and a dam good one at that - and in the cover photo she's SKIING.

Now, VFC is the first one to appreciate a gratuitous photo of a celebrity here and there, but the thought never crossed my mind for a second that Vonn was striking a provocative pose.

Why? Because she's a skier and it's a photo of her SKIING!

The fact that the photo has caused such controversy shows us just how many people in America either really have nothing better to do or have their minds perpetually in the gutter.

My favorite part of the whole thing? Most of the people complaining about Vonn's SI cover are the same ones that thought it was perfectly relevant to throw Sarah Palin on the cover of Newsweek in sexy, skimpy shorts.

Palin is a politician - a picture of her in skimpy shorts doesn't fit (although it wasn't a bad photo), but Lindsey Vonn is a skier, a picture of her skiing DOES fit.

How about concentrating on the words that accompanied Vonn's picture, "America's Best Women Skier Ever."

It won't be too long before we know if that's really true.

Good luck, Lindsey, and keep on skiing even if too many people have their heads either in the gutter or too far into their own political agendas to see things (and photos) for what they are.

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Baseball Notes - The Mets

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:04:00 +0000

The Mets need to make a move for John Lackey since the price for the second tier starters has spiked, thanks to the Brewers signing Randy Wolf for that 'WTF???? contract' of three years for about thirty million.

In case the Brewers missed the memo, I'll fill them in - before last year, Wolf hadn't pitched 200 innings since 2003. In 2008 (pitching for a contract) he had about 190 innings and in 2009 (another contract year) he had his nice year, but the prior four years (2003-07) Wolf averaged 93 innings and six wins per season - with an ERA closer to five than four.

So which is the real Wolf? If you're gonna overpay, overpay for CC.

The good news is that at least the Mets didn't take on this piss poor contract.

Overpaying a bit for Lackey is another story, since he's got potential upside that Wolf doesn't have. The best you get from Randy Wold was last year's season, and we've seen the best from the other free agents out there - Pineiro, Marquis, etc. - but we still may have not seen the best from Lackey and therefore, if the Mets are going to spend - then spend on the best out there.

Reports have indicated that the Mets are also making a push for Jason Bay. Nice addition, if they can get him, but Lackey should be the priority.

If they do pick up bay, then keep Murphy at first base - his play there was a lot better than his play in left - and his bat may come around now that the pressure of the 2009 experiment will be off.

Delgado: If he's signed, it would need to be as a part time player. Relying on this guy as the full time first baseman and number five guy in the order will be a mistake - a Moises Alou kind of mistake. Give first base to Murph until Ike Davis is ready.

By opening day, it would be nice to see a rotation like this for the Mets:

Santana, Lackey, Maine, Pelfrey, Perez

or even better:

Santana, Lackey, Marquis, Maine, Pelfrey

Mets fans got cheated last year - thanks to the Wilpons and Madoff; let's do it right this time.

Baseball Bits - The Yanks Bring Granderson to the Bronx

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:28:00 +0000

The Yanks bringing Curtis Granderson to Yankee Stadium was a coup. This time it wasn't the wallet that got the Yanks what they wanted, it was a savvy three-team trade that benefited all involved.

On first impression I had to ask why - if Granderson was available - were the Mets not involved in trying to bring him to Citi Field, where he could have taken over the left field spot for $25 million over the next three years?

For the Yanks, however, Granderson is a huge upgrade in center field, especially considering the price, and his power/speed combination instantly makes a World Series lineup that much stronger - although Granderson in the number two spot would be a questionable move with his 140+ strikeouts; he'd fit better at the five, six or even seven spot.

Additionally, Granderson is huge leverage in the ongoing Damon negotiations because the Yanks have their left handed outfield bat to replace either Damon or Matsui; so if Damon wants to wear the pinstripes again, he'll have to come down from his and Boras' outlandish request of a four year deal.

Many have said that anyone could do Cashman's job, with all that money he's been given to win the World Series - but the Granderson deal was a great one and Cash deserves some credit for pulling that one off.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Omar Minaya's big offseason signing to date has been bringing 38-year old, washed up, career backup catcher Henry Blanco to Flushing. At least on the bright side, he wasn't signed to be the left fielder.

The Mets' Offseason, Who's on the Radar? Pineiro?

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:22:00 +0000

Joel Pineiro: Why is this guy even on the Mets' radar? The guy is a number four starter - at best- if you consider his entire career and not just last year. In fact, it's only his performance last year that has elevated him to a possible four instead of a number five starter/mopup man in the pen.

His 4.39 career ERA is decent enough at first glance, his first four years in the majors (2000-2003), and he's got an ERA of just under 5.00 over the past six seasons - and that's INCLUDING his great year last year.

Odds are that last season was a 'contract year' fluke and it's way more that likely, judging by the last six years worth of stats, that the true Pineiro is the guy with an ERA of five and not the one that we saw last year.

We're talking Tim Redding here, but Minaya is probably going to throw eight to ten million per year at a guy that (if signed) would most definitely turn into 'The Ollie Perez Story, Part II'.

If this guy is seriously on the Mets' radar, someone needs to wake up in that front office. Hopefully, he's just on the list so that Lackey thinks he has some competition for Met money.

VFC's World Series Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:59:00 +0000

You can't help but think that if it were the Mets in that position, one out away from winning the World Series and all that stood in the way of the win was that ground ball to second base, Luis Castillo would have booted the ball which would have opened the flood gates to another heartbreak for Mets fans.

A-Rod is still a goat. You don't strike out looking with the bases loaded in Game Six of the World Series on a pitch that is too close to take. He had a nice playoff performance but did nothing on the biggest stage. The Game Five double was a result of Ibanez.

Godzilla, however, brought great honor to his home country.

But of all the Yankees that celebrated after that last out, it was Joe Girardi who looked as if the moment overtook him most; that guy, of all the rest, had the most pressure to win it all. If they can run Joe Torre out of town, then Girardi had no chance if wasn't deemed a winner. The media rode him all year, questioned his decisions, and he had Hal and Hank glaring down at him demanding perfection every step of the way.

Joe Girardi is the happiest guy in Gotham tonight.

As for the Yankees, congrats. I'm not a Yankee fan, I'm a Mets fan, but the fact that the Yanks brought some pain and suffering to the Philadelphia fans out there makes me feel a little bit better about my team watching the games from the beaches, couches or strip clubs...I would have liked the Yankees to have won Monday night - when the comeback in the ninth would have absolutely crushed the Phillie fans who were elated for 8 2/3 innings that game, but had nothing to cheer for since game one; that would have been a crushing blow to the city and I would have enjoyed.

As a Mets fan, my team couldn't get it done; but at least I know that Philadelphia didn't get the best of New York on Wednesday night.

The Yankees were up to the task. Start spreading the news.

Can Anyone Say MVP-Matsui?

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:57:00 +0000

Matsui 6, Phillies 1.

Pedro's Line For Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:42:00 +0000

Pedro's Line for tonight..... 4 2/3 IP, 6 R, 6 ER, 10 Hits, 3 BB, 6 K, and the big, fat "L".

Disclaimer: VFC is a Mets fan who is not necessarily rooting FOR the Yanks as much as he is rooting AGAINST the 'Frillies.

Congrats, Phillies Fans!

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:44:00 +0000

From the sounds of the Phillie Phanatics all calling into sports radio today, the Phillies must have won the series last night!

When's the ticker-tape parade??? When's the 'Welcome home the Champs!" parade?

Cliff Lee was money last night, but let's not forget that we've still got a few games to play, at least that's the way it stood the last time I checked the schedule.

Let's hear the talk after Pedro goes 4 2/3 with 6 runs allowed tonight on 10 hits.

Phillie won a must-win game for them, that's it. Today it goes down hill quick.

A Mets Fan Speaks: Take the Yankees Over the Phillies

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:31:00 +0000

It may be blasphemy for a Mets fan to root for the Yankees, but I would like to think that any Mets fan would love to see the Phillies get schooled in the World Series - even if it is the Yankees that do the schooling.

The Mets are mess because of their own self-implosion, that starts at the top with ownership, so it's not like the team even had a chance with Phillie after the team disintegrated. But as the Phillies strut around with all the attitude - and flaunt Pedro around like he's been a Phillie his whole career - then I say let the Yanks run rampant on Phillie and save the Mets-Yankees rivalry for next year.

I'd hate to see Phillie get a leg up on New York for anything, anytime, anywhere - and if that means the Yanks have to stand for the city, then so be it.

If Charlie Manuel does throw Pedro out there Game Two, then I hope Pedro gets smoked.

Enough of all these Phillies fans already, calling up the Mad Dog Channel today talking about how the Phillies have the Yankees beat when you line the teams up position by position; it's not even close - especially with A-Rod's new found post season hitting stroke.

Rollins better than Jeter? Maybe in the stat book (but not this year or last).

Tex over Howard? Don't think so, especially when you take defense into consideration.

If Cole Hammels shows up we might get a series, but if not, I say Yanks in six. And Game Six will be thanks to a Lidge blown save.

Week Five Wrap Up

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:29:00 +0000

NY Giants over Oakland: W

Minnesota over St Louis: W .

Philadelphia over Tampa: W

Dallas over Kansas City: W

Pittsburgh over Detroit: W

Carolina over Washington: W

Buffalo over Cleveland: L

Cincinnatti over Baltimore: W

San Fransisco over Atlanta: L

Jacksonville over Seattle: L

Denver over New England: W

Arizona over Houston: W

Tennessee over Indianapolis: L

Week: 9-4

Season (Starting Week Four): 16-11

NFL Week Five Picks

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:41:00 +0000

NY Giants over Oakland: This game should be a laugher - one a few for the NFC East this week. I don't think that we'll see too much of Eli once the Giants pull a couple of TDs ahead of the Raiders. Rest up that heel, Eli!

Minnesota over St Louis: Hope I'm wrong here.

Philadelphia over Tampa: Another "NFC Eastwalk week" game.

Dallas over Kansas City: Another "NFC Eastwalk week" game.

Pittsburgh over Detroit:

Carolina over Washington:

Buffalo over Cleveland:

Cincinnatti over Baltimore:

San Fransisco over Atlanta:

Jacksonville over Seattle:

Denver over New England:

Arizona over Houston:

Tennessee over Indianapolis:

Week Four Wrap Up; Giants Win Could be Costly

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:02:00 +0000

The Games followed by a "W" or "L" based on whether I picked that game correctly.

Giants over Chiefs: W Another easy win for the G-Men, but it may have come at a price considering the Eli injury. I'm convinced he'll start this coming Sunday, but since it's the Raiders are the opponent, it's likely that Carr - based on the Giants running away with the game and Eli's heel - will see the majority of time at QB.

Saints over Jets: W Sanchez comes crashing down to earth. Actually, he got buried.

Raiders over Texans: L What WAS I thinking?

Ravens over Patriots: L

Titans over Jags: L

Bengals over Browns: W

Lions over Bears: L Two in a row is called a streak!

Skins over Tampa: W

Colts over Seahawks: W

Bills over Dolphins: L

Niners over Rams: W

Cowboys over Broncos: L

Steelers over Chargers: W

Packers over Vikings: L

Week W-L: 7-7

Season W-L: 7-7

Poor showing this week with a .500 record.

VFC's NFL Picks for Week FOUR

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:14:00 +0000

I've been a little late getting the football picks started this year as it's been a busy season with the stocks, but here goes - with a few notes to start off with:

First off, I'd like to congratulate NBC for being nearly twenty years late to the table. It could be somewhat nostalgic to see Dan & Keith anchor the same table again, but 'The Big Show' is SO 1993. Olbermann is no longer a sports commentator - he's a bitter, political pundit who dismisses that there is any other side than his own. He now looks very much out of place commentating on sports, especially with the grumpy "You must believe me!" look on his face. Viewers are more apt to look for reruns of 'John & Kate' before tuning in for the long-gone duo that once made Sportscenter a nightly 'must watch.'

In keeping with the ESPN theme, how about Phil Mushnick of the New York Post? For those that may not know, Phil writes the column 'Equal Time' that appears in the sports pages for the post, only he doesn't really abide by the "equal time" that he writes about. ESPN gets way too much press in that column - all of it bad - as Phil constantly bashes the network for self promotion. I don't take a side on the issue, although ESPN is the recognized leader in Sports TV, but the constant barrage against the network is wearing thin for a column that claims "Equal Time."

Now for the picks:

Giants over Chiefs: It could be a trap game for Big Blue, playing against the lowly Chiefs coming off the Tampa victory, in which they totally dominated, but the G-Men should pull this one out with ease. I smell a big game for Jacobs coming after a week of the media criticizing his running style.

Saints over Jets: Off to a blazing start, the Jets will come back to earth against the league's best offense.

Raiders over Texans

Ravens over Patriots: This is a huge game, in my opinion, for the Pats and especially Brady, but I think Baltimore - and Flacco - are for real and the Pats will fall. As is customary, Belichick won't take well to the loss.

Titans over Jags

Bengals over Browns

Lions over Bears: Two in a row is called a streak!

Skins over Tampa: The Redskins looked pretty bad last weekend, but the Buccs looked worse. A game of futility.

Colts over Seahawks

Bills over Dolphins

Niners over Rams

Cowboys over Broncos

Steelers over Chargers

Packers over Vikings: Favre may want to stick it to the Packers, but the Pack wants to stick it to the punk even more. Great game.

I'm starting late this year, but I'll keep track here of my W-L record. No money on this, just fun.

Sports Briefs

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:52:00 +0000

To get things rolling after the completion of the NFL's third Sunday, maybe someone can help me understand what the schedule makers were thinking when they scheduled both the Giants and Jets and then the Redskins and Ravens for the one o'clock slot on the same day?

The New York and the Washington DC area are two of the biggest markets in the country and come four o'clock many of the football fans in those markets were ready to call it a day. Granted, a football fan is a football fan and any game should suffice, but if a nagging wife is pressuring a guy to leave the tube and take her out to dinner, it's much easier for that guy to give in if it's not his own team he's watching.

I think this weekend was a demonstration of piss poor planning on the part of the NFL schedule makers. I'm a Giants fan, but I also like watching the Jets - especially now that they have a real future at the quarterback position instead of Brett "It's all about me me me me" Favre.

For this past weekend, at least, my DirecTV Sunday Ticket was only worth half the price with the entire market for which I purchased the package played simultaneously.

What a Sunday for New York teams. The Giants won a real nail biter against Tampa as Steve Smith and Mario Manningham are quickly making fans forget Plaxico Burress and even Sinorice Moss chipped in this week with a nice TD grab. Eli is looking as good as he ever has - in my opinion - this early in the season. The Giants receiving game is not turning out to be the question mark that many thought it would be.

The running game, however, has surprisingly left a little to be desired - if only because it looks like Brandon Jacobs has forgotten how to just bowl over people. I don't think we're seeing the pile driving that he has shown us in previous seasons and it looks like he's actually dancing around looking for holes instead of barrelling through the line looking to make one. Of course, it's easy to say that from the couch.

As for Tampa, what the heck is going on? Being bad is one thing, but so bad that you see a full quarter of David Carr and a bunch of second and third stringers at QB? If Sunday was any indication, it's going to be a long, long season in Tampa.

The Jets' win against New England was good, but going 3-0 without the "Me Man" Favre is even better. At first glance one could say that they did the same thing last year before fading down the stretch, but last year the Jets stopped producing when Favre couldn't cope with the fact that the credit for their success was going to the team, and not him alone. This year should be different.

And let's not forget the Redskins. Wow. Santana Moss aside, how bad do they look after losing to the Lions? Sucks to be a 'Skins fan about now (spoken from a Mets fan).

As for VFC's boneheaded fantasy play of the week - benching Fred Taylor. Didn't think the old man had that game in him. His replacement in my lineup scored a nice seven points, though.

Giants at 3-0; It's the makings of another great season.

The Mets are Still Playing Games?

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:06:00 +0000

Funny enough, I was channel surfing over the weekend and was shocked to see a Mets game on SNY. I checked the channel listings to make sure it wasn't a repeat of a "Mets Classics" game that the network often airs, but when I saw Pedro in a Phillies uniform it confirmed my suspicions that the Mets are still playing games - they just don't matter.

It's hard to believe that somehow, someway these guys keep themselves motivated enough to come to the ballpark and give it a real effort in front of 30,000 people who know that their season ended nearly two months ago.

Of note, it was good to see Carlos Beltran in uniform again. I think that he should have hung it up and healed that knee - if the Mets' training staff says it's healed now then that should tell us that it's not - but all the more to the guy for wanting to play out the year to look for some momentum going into next season. Of course I haven't been watching the daily transactions of the Mets and didn't realize that Beltran was back, so I had to make a quick fantasy league switch and start the guy for this week's game. That dumb move on my part should be an indicator that I'll lose that game.

As for Pedro, somewhere along the way I stated on this blog that at some point in September the Mets would make Pedro look like Koufax in his prime - and I was right.

When is the last time that Pedro threw 130 pitches of shutout ball? Only against the Mets. It's just a good thing that these games don't matter.

And how do you get thrown out at third base for out number three when it looks like Pedro just might be hitting the wall. Really?

I'll tell you what, that move just reminded me why I don't tune in for the games anymore. A fan - no matter how die hard he is - can only take so much.

When do pitchers and catchers report?

Giants off to a 1-0 Start

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:54:00 +0000

Let's start with the G-Men, the Big Blue - the New York Giants.

While the team has serious trouble when trying to convert on third or fourth and short, the receiving corps - Week One's biggest question mark - looked decent enough to give Giants fans hope that the loss of Plaxico might be a little easier to swallow than expected.

You can attribute some piss poor tackling to Mario Manningham's touchdown score, but the well-balanced and spread out offensive attack of the Giants' kept all the receivers in the game - including Steve Smith's 80 yds receiving.

Give Eli credit, too; he had a solid 256 yards and seven different receivers caught his passes - six of which caught two or more.

It was only the Redskins in Week One, so the real competition has yet to be seen; but I like what I saw on Sunday.

Bring on the Cowboys.

SNY Finally Figured Out How to Keep Mets Fans Interested

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:28:00 +0000

It's become painfully obvious that the Mets 2009 season ended long ago, and therefor there is little, if any, interest in the games anymore - including from the SNY broadcast team.

I tuned into SNY on Wednesday night for the first time in about a week; with the Mets being SO bad I had almost forgotten that it was still baseball season to tell the truth, especially when there's no rookies to check out among the the likes of Andy Green (really?) and Wilson Alvarez (exciting player).

However, Wednesday's telecast of the Mets game on SNY was probably the best game in quite a while, even after the Mets were down by ten runs, because no one paid any attention the game - the game crew started taking calls from viewers in a sports-radio-like format.

Finally, something to keep fans interested.

It was sorry to see this telling signal of just how low the Mets organization has dropped this year, but as the game took place on the television screen, no one, not even the analytical Keith Hernandez, could be bothered commenting on what was taking place on the field - it was only the phone calls that mattered.

Not a good sign about the quality of the product on the field, but a good way to keep fans interested in watching the telecast; unless they decide to tune into real sports radio on the FAN or SiriusXM's Mad Dog Channel.

As for the product on the field, those guys probably can't wait to see the season end just as much as we can't.

Sports Briefs: Eli, Plax, Crabtree, Baseball and the Mets

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:35:00 +0000

The Giants made Eli Manning the king of the Manning family this week, if not all of football, with a huge contract extensions that will pay the Super Bowl winning Quarterback $97.5 million over six years.

While Eli has a Super Bowl victory and four straight playoff appearances under his belt, this season will be a true testament to just how good he is when he's asked to win with a crop of presumed second-tier receivers.

This was a move that the Giants had to make, and they made it. In VFC's opinion, New York will not be happy with just the one Super Bowl victory under Manning's watch, he's got to make it happen again.

The team did get a big boost when it was learned that Antonio Pierce is free and clear from any charges stemming from the Plaxico shooting incident last year. It's also a win for the Giants that Plaxico got indicted because it'll be awfully hard for another team to sign him with a criminal case pending.

There's no doubt that Plax thought he'd walk away scott-free from this mess, but he messed with the wrong DA in the wrong city at the wrong time.

Question: What do you get when mix fantasy football with America's newfound sense of entitlement attitude?

Answer: Michael Crabtree.

In a bizarre but pathetic sign of the times, Crabtree, who was drafted by the San Fransisco 49-ers in this years draft in the number ten slot, has stated that he will hold out this entire football season and wait for next years draft because he believes he is entitled to a deal worth more than the $23.5 million give to the number seven selection Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Why does he feel that he is entitled to more? Get this- because some pre-draft 'mock drafts' had him rated higher than Heyward-Bey.

Wow. Let the clown sit out a year, this way he and his buddies can play "mock draft" all year long where he might come out number one.

Should someone remind this kid that, yes - he's had a brilliant college career, but he has yet to catch one NFL pass.

For a glimpse of what is wrong with society right now, look no further than this guy.

How about Baseball's problems?

As a Mets fan, I know the season is lost - lost enough to where I've got no interest in spending the three hundred bucks it would take to bring my family of the four to a game at Citi Field, even though I've still yet to check out the new ball park.

No matter how many time the Mets send me an email telling me to come out to the ballpark to root on the losing team, the pricing has become so ridiculous that I've got neither the time nor the inclination to entertain a trip to Citi.

It's not that I couldn't afford it - it's just that it's not money well spent and it goes into the coffers of fools like the Wilpons who invest their money with a guy that never loses.

It should't cost three hundred bucks to take a family of four to a ballgame in the middle of a recession. As the Brits would say, they're just "taking the piss out of us" right now, and I don't like it.

On that note, it's bad enough that there is no reason to go the ballpark right now in Queens, but we know that the team should contend next year.

But what about teams like Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Washington? I can't imagine what drives these fans to go to the ballpark after April 10th - when the teams are but eliminated.

Like the Mets right now, even when the team wins the games mean nothing, so who cares?

A good way to bring people to the park to see perennial losers would be to make it a pleasant, and affordable, family fun environment. Can you do that when a hot dog sells for $5.50 in Nationals Park?

You'd think these owners are starved for money.

Baseball is run by a bunch clowns who see the fan as nothing but a dollar sign. To demonstrate just how little the owners regard the fan, look at Citi Field. There's nothing there that commemorates the Mets in any way, shape or form - aside from the fact that the team plays there.

(Again, I haven't been but I've read and heard enough from people that have).

Do you think the Wilpons had Mets fans in mind when they dedicated the stadium to the Brooklyn Dodgers and not the 1969 or 1986 Mets?

Again, they're taking the piss out of us and we need to quit being suckers and start watching the games on TV instead of spending three hundred bucks for a trip to the ballpark.

Once the fans stop showing up, they'll quickly change their tunes.

And on a last note- Ollie Perez is making Rick Peterson look pretty good right now.

The Mets' Training Staff Has a Lot To Answer For

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:08:00 +0000

At first glance, you'd think that the Wilpons have invested in a training staff in the same manner in which they invested a half billion dollars with Bernie Madoff- blindly, ignorantly and the assumption that all will be good.

I'm not one to question how well anyone does their job in the medical field, but when Jonathan Niese collapsed on the mound in writhing pain during Wednesday's game in Citi Field, I couldn't help but but say, "ANOTHER hamstring injury?" And that was before even Gary Sheffield left the field with the same such injury a few innings later.

These things happen when you play sports, no how much stretching and preparation goes into a game, but the amount of muscle pulls this year by various Mets' players is alarming. These are signs, in my opinion, that the training staff is not doing it's job.

One or two hamstring injuries? Ok, but not this extent. Add to that the fact that players are re-injuring the same muscle (Reyes has had nearly three months to recover, Sheffield just came back) and you really have to question what's going on in Flushing Meadows.

If, in fact, the training staff doesn't actually work for Bernie Madoff, than this years New York Mets are a screaming declaration that karma matters- you deal with the devil (in this case, Madoff) and you get bit every time.

It still floors me how a family with the financial prowess of the Wilpons could by into a scam on the scale of Bernie Madoff.

It just goes to show you that the big boys aren't any smarter than you or me. Unfortunately it's the players that are paying for the sins of the owners - if you believe in karma.

Castillo falling down stairs? Yeah, this is getting pretty eery.

One Argument about Pete Rose and the Hall of Fame That Has To STOP Being Made

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:17:00 +0000

There's been a whole lot of discussion lately about whether Pete Rose should be admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame or not - especially with all the speculation about steroid-era ballplayers getting voted in.

I've made no secret of the fact that I think Pete Rose should be in the Hall - keep him out of baseball if you want, but the all time hits leader needs to be in the hall of fame. Especially since, as the Mad Dog Chris Russo emphasized on his SiriusXM radio program last week, he has a whole lot of stuff in there already.

However, there is one argument that needs to stop being made when comparing Rose to the new age of steroid 'cheaters.' That argument is that there is no comparison between the steroid users and Rose because what Rose did was against the rules of baseball while steroids was never against the rules until recently.

What? Something needs to be written in the rules of baseball in order for it to be illegal to baseball?

Common sense says - and I know there are a lot of people out there without it - that if something is against FEDERAL LAW, then it could be assumed that it is illegal for baseball players also.

This argument is ridiculous and I'm shocked that sports talk show hosts and media types even entertain it.

With that logic, Erin Andrews has no case with her peeping-Tom incident because it's not written into the laws of sports reporting that you can't be videotaped unsuspectingly.

And to a more extreme extent- it's not written into the rules of baseball that murder and rape are against the rules, but it's pretty much assumed that those actions would be considered illegal.

Why is it any difference for the steroid thing?

Jeff Wilpon and The Sports Media Have No Credibility Right Now, Why the Backlash on Minaya?

noreply@blogger.com (VFC) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:01:00 +0000

Is there anyone out there that can explain to me why the backlash on Omar Minaya has been so harsh after he called out NY Daily News reporter at the Bernazard press conference the other day?

I don't get it.

I especially don't understand why Jeff Wilpon, son of NY Mets owner Fred Wilpon, felt the need to step forward and apologize to Rubin.

Let's get this straight: so far it's been Jeff Wilpon and sports media personalities who have come after Minaya for his 'outburst' at that press conference.

First of all, the Wilpons have zero credibility right now. They lost half a billion dollars on a bad business arrangement with Bernie Madoff, an arrangement that my nine year old daughter would have seen as questionable from the start, and then they tell fans that the half a billion dollar loss would not affect the operations of the New York Mets. Sure it won't. That's why the many holes that the Mets have had this year haven't even come close to being filled.

This all came after the Wilpons built a baseball stadium in Flushing, Queens dedicated to all things NOT Mets. It was just one big trophy dedicated to the memories of the little Wilpons' childhoods, not to the memories of the teams of Mets passed who fans have supported for nearly fifty years now.

Talk about self-involvement. The Wilpons are all about themselves - and only themselves - and they have no credibility when it comes to deciding whether or not Minaya acted out of sorts or not.

And it should be no surprise that members of the sports media have come after Minaya for his comments. Those guys go out of their way to dig up dirt on anyone they can, but they're not used to someone throwing some dirt right back at them.

If you live in a glass house, don't throw stones.

Not to mention the fact that OF COURSE the media is going to back up their own. Think there is any objectivity there?

I haven't been a big fan of Minaya's baseball moves over the past couple of years, but I'll tell you what- these most recent events have put me in his corner.

Two entities with no credibility in this situation - the Wilpons and the sports media - are the only ones coming after him and I don't buy it.

So while the Mets have thrown together a four game winning streak and finally look like they're playing good baseball, we have to hear about what Jeff Wilpon thinks (who cares?) and how Minaya was too mean to Adam Rubin?

Gimme a break.

I'm not buying it. The whole thing makes me wonder what Rubin has on Jeff Wilpon to make him come out publicly against Minaya like a little lap dog.