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Killer Penalties Sinking Islanders: Short Handed Situations a Serious Disadvantage Versus Pens - 05/08/13 They were able to accomplish what they needed to do in Pittsburgh. As the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference, the New York Islanders split the first two games of the NHL playoffs versus the top-seeded............................... Joe Pietaro No Longer a Jets Fan After 45 Years - 04/30/13 Very rarely do I write my column in the 'first person,' but felt that I needed to make an exception here. It is difficult enough being a fan of the New York Jets as it is and I have done my best to stay the course, but the events of the last few days have put me over the edge, so to speak............................... Joe Pietaro Yankees Sail a Captain-Less Ship: Jeter's Ankle Injury Makes For Rough Seas With SS Replacements - 04/24/13 When Derek Jeter went down with a fractured ankle in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, it almost seemed like it was destiny that the Yankees were not to move on to the Fall Classic. They lost............................... Joe Pietaro Knicks May Be #2, But Gunning For #1: Top-Seeded Miami Heat in Their Crosshairs; Celtics Up First - 04/16/13 The 2012-13 NBA playoffs have yet to begin, but the matchup is all but set. Yes, the New York Knicks have to get by two other teams before reaching the Eastern Conference Finals and if things play out the way they should............................... Joe Pietaro Duck Dynasty: Big Names Signed As Team Prepares To Defend Title - 04/09/13 Never rest on your laurels. That is something the Long Island Ducks learned back in 2004 when they won their first Atlantic League championship. Especially in the independent circuit, you never know how your roster will look from one day to the next............................... Joe Pietaro Winning is Everything – For the Time Being: "Scrappy" Mets Pound Out Opening Day Victory - 04/03/13 When David Wright was asked to come up with a fitting word for the 2013 New York Mets, he paused and then said, "scrappy," which is a relatively safe term to use that will make the fans smile and not rely on winning to be the end all............................... Joe Pietaro A Quiet Return For Wang: Yankees Bring Back Former Stud Starter - 03/27/13 Under the radar amongst all of the big names being bantered about recently with the New York Yankees, the team made a brilliant move that may pay huge dividends sometime later this summer. With all of the talk of the injuries to Derek Jeter............................... Joe Pietaro Small – But Smart – Offseason Moves By Giants - 03/19/13 Trying to improve on a disappointing 2012 season, the New York Giants did indeed need to make some changes. But even though they failed to qualify for the playoffs, they were not that far away from being a contender again. So with that in mind............................... Joe Pietaro Jets Spinning Their Wheels: New Quarterback Garrard Not a Big Improvement Over Sanchez – Or Tebow, For That Matter - 03/13/13 When the Jets began their offseason, they knew collectively as an organization that they had their work cut out for them. A 6-10 campaign filled with questions mostly surrounding the quarterback position led to the firing of general manager Mike Tannenbaum............................... Joe Pietaro Johan Drops the Ball: Mets Ace Needed To Prepare Better During the Offseason - 03/05/13 When the New York Mets shut down Johan Santana late last August, they must have breathed a sigh of relief that their ace starter did not have any acute injury and that all parties involved came to the conclusion that it was best not to risk one at that point and time. The southpaw – who threw the first no-hitter............................... Joe Pietaro The End of the Road for DP: Islanders Once-Franchise Player May Have Himself To Blame - 02/27/13 Although it seemed like an inevitable move for a long time, the New York Islanders admitting that the Rick DiPietro contract was a huge mistake still stings. The face of the franchise for a number of years and the team's............................... Joe Pietaro Holding Down the Fort: Yankees Enter Season With Plug-Ins at Key Spots - 02/12/13 When you have a winning formula, it makes sense to keep things going in the same direction. For the New York Yankees, that means to sign veteran players instead of using your minor league system for finding starters............................... Joe Pietaro Outfield of Dreams? Mets Head Into Spring With Questions in Right, Left and Center Fields - 02/19/13 When you are going through a total rebuilding phase, there are elements of your team that will surely suffer. Perhaps the pitching will be thin or a part of either the infield or outfield, as well. But it is very difficult to head into spring............................... Joe Pietaro Holding Down the Fort: Yankees Enter Season With Plug-Ins at Key Spots - 02/12/13 When you have a winning formula, it makes sense to keep things going in the same direction. For the New York Yankees, that means to sign veteran players instead of using your minor league system for finding starters............................... Joe Pietaro A Tale of Two Quarterbacks: Flacco and Kaepernick Shine, But Ravens Hang On To Win SB XVLII - 02/06/13 Five yards. That was the difference in the outcome of the game and, ultimately, who would be named MVP. Both quarterbacks played well, but Joe Flacco was better in leading the Baltimore Ravens to a hard-fought 34-31 win............................... Joe Pietaro Leading By Example: Carmelo Anthony Has Become More Than a Superstar for the Knicks - 01/30/13 When the New York Knicks acquired Carmelo Anthony in a blockbuster deal from the Denver Nuggets, they knew that they were getting a bona fide NBA superstar. But there was always the talk that the forward was a selfish player............................... Joe Pietaro Starting From Scratch: Jets New GM Idzik Has His Hands Full - 01/22/13 As if it wouldn't be hard enough, now there is a big elephant in the room – or arena – that wasn't previously. The New York Islanders have been trying to keep their faithful followers happy with a second-rate roster playing in a second-rate............................... Joe Pietaro Going Away Present: Will Islander Fans Be There as Team is Brooklyn Bound? - 01/16/13 Starting a new job can be difficult for anyone. Those first few days in your new surroundings, full of stares and simple pleasantries from the staff that is trying to size you up and figure you out. Probably scrutinizing everything that you say............................... Joe Pietaro Home Free: Long Islander Staff Sgt. Mack Hopkins A Giant Winner - 01/07/13 Sometimes there are win-win situations that may feel like a loss when it's all said and done. The New York Giants went into their Week 17 matchup versus the Philadelphia Eagles knowing that a victory was not enough to make another............................... Joe Pietaro Flight Delayed: Keeping Rex, Sanchez Just Delaying the Inevitable For Woody - 01/02/13 Finishing in last place in your division with a brutal 6-10 record is usually good enough reason for a full housecleaning. The general manager, head coach and his staff find themselves out the door and the roster shakeup............................... Joe Pietaro Cy-onara, R.A.: Mets Hurler Dickey Was a True Winner - 12/27/12 There are times when a baseball team must make a tough decision for the overall good of the organization, even if it is an immediate downgrade at the time. Such was the case when the New York Mets reluctantly traded right-handed pitcher R.A. Dickey............................... Joe Pietaro Three's a Crowd: Giants See Redskins, Cowboys Sit Atop NFC East With Them - 12/18/12 Heading into Week 15, the New York Giants held a slim lead over two of their most bitter rivals. Both the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys were in a position to earn their eighth win of the season and grab a share of first place............................... Joe Pietaro Not Marked For Death, Yet - Jets Still Alive Despite Sanchez's Humble Stat Line - 12/11/12 To squeak by two of the league's weakest teams is certainly not cause to beat one's chest, but the New York Jets have to feel somewhat good about themselves that the word 'playoffs' is still in their present. One more loss in the final............................... Joe Pietaro Keeping the Old Gang Intact: Yankees Bring Back Pettitte, Mariano Prior to Winter Meetings - 12/05/12 A trip to Nashville this time of year can be judged in a number of ways. Of course, the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings are taking place and team representatives are burning the midnight oil trying to make either............................... Joe Pietaro A Tale of Two Cities: Brooklyn Nets Show Knicks That New York Isn't a One-Horse Town - 11/28/12 For decades on end, the Nets were a non-entity throughout the National Basketball Association – even in their own backyard. The team that was one of the staple (and few stable) franchises of the old ABA had become a running............................... Joe Pietaro Live To Play Another Day: Jets Still Breathing as Thanksgiving is Upon Us - 11/21/12 The Jets take some well deserved criticism, so it only seems fair to give them credit where it is due. By staving off potential 'elimination' with a victory this past Sunday in St. Louis, they find themselves 4-6 and only a few games out............................... Joe Pietaro November Rain: Giants Dealing With Another Mid-Season Slump - 11/07/12 If we can judge by last season's end result, there is nothing to be concerned about if you're a fan of the New York Giants. This little hiccup during the middle of the campaign is just that - an aberration that will eventually right itself before the regular season ends............................... Joe Pietaro Island Rescue? - Move To Brooklyn May Just Salvage Failing Franchise - 11/07/12 Yes, the initial shock of losing their professional hockey team may have hit Long Islanders hard, but the big picture makes total sense once it is looked at from afar. Owner Charles Wang did everything but put the shovel in the ground............................... Joe Pietaro Far From the Jet Set: Rex's Bunch More Than Just a Game Out of First Place - 10/26/12 Heading into last Sunday's matchup at Foxboro, the Jets and Patriots both had a share of the top spot in the AFC East. As a matter of fact, all four teams residing in the division had identical 3-3 records. So a casual observer may............................... Joe Pietaro Golden Opportunity Grasped: Giants Make Statement In Route of 49ers - 10/18/12 Going on the road to play one of the top teams in the conference - and league, for that matter - is a daunting task for any team, even the defending Super Bowl champions. But that did not seem to phase the New York Giants one bit as they............................... Joe Pietaro Bird Watching: Yankees Fully Aware of Orioles' Chances of Advancing - 10/11/12 Even as recent as August, the Baltimore Orioles were not considered a contender and their mostly young lineup was said to be all getting hot at the right time. That talk continued through September, as the team was able to cut............................... Joe Pietaro Moving On - The Hard Way: Ducks Advance To Second Consecutive Atlantic League Championship Series - 10/04/12 Doing things the easy way is just not in their DNA, so it should come as no surprise that the Long Island Ducks made their fans sweat it out in another elimination game. And similar to what occurred............................... Joe Pietaro Amongst So Much Wrong, Mets Third Baseman Shines - 09/26/12 2012 has been a year to forget for the New York Mets – for the most part. Perhaps at the cost of his arm’s health, Johan Santana threw the first no-hitter in franchise history earlier this summer and now............................... Joe Pietaro Giants No-Names Step Up in Win Versus Carolina - 09/22/12 Everything was in place for one of those letdown games. The New York Giants were coming off a comeback win at home and had to go on the road four days later to face the rebuilding Carolina Panthers............................... Joe Pietaro Marking His Territory: Sanchez Excels in Jets Opener, Silences Tebow Talk - 09/11/12 All eyes may have started on Tim Tebow, but Mark Sanchez made short work of that activity by dominating the Buffalo defense early and often in the New York Jets' season opener on Sunday. The fourth-year...................... Joe Pietaro Long Island Won't Duck the Rocket: Ageless Clemens to Make Second Start Versus Our Home Team - 09/04/12 The only way that this scenario could have been better is if it were to take place at home instead of on the road. But any time your team will be facing one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history - albeit one............................................................... Joe Pietaro Under the Radar: Philip Hughes Does the Job Without Much Fanfare - 08/30/12 Those middle of the rotation guys have all the luck. The ace and number two men are expected to lead the pitching staff, while the fifth starter is an interchangeable part throughout much of the season. The three and the four? They get to............................................................... Joe Pietaro Flight Seriously Delayed: Preseason or Not, Jets' Offensive Struggles in Mid-Season Form - 08/21/12 For fans of the New York Jets, the last thing that they use as a barometer of their team are games played during the month of August. Sure, everyone wants to see good things out of the entire roster and a few wins............................................................... Joe Pietaro Gimme Six: Mets Grasping For Straws by Adding One to Rotation - 08/16/12 Poor Terry Collins. The Mets manager is doing whatever he can to try and salvage whatever is left of the baseball season. But with his team's plunge since the All-Star break, they are merely playing out the string - again............................................................... Joe Pietaro Under the Radar: Defending Super Bowl Champion Giants an Afterthought with Tebow Mania - 08/07/12 It isn't every year that you can come into training camp as the defending title holders of your league and barely be mentioned across the entire nation, let alone your own hometown. But that is exactly the case with.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Camping Out: Jets Open Up Training Days With Tebow Show - 08/01/12 Perhaps it's not your quintessential quarterback controversy or battle for the starting job, but make no mistake about it - both Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow are showcasing for the future. Sanchez to ensure that he keeps a tight grip on his position.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Will the Real Mets Please Stand Up? - Flushing Faithful Need Answer As Team Plummets - 07/26/12 When the New York Mets were playing well and hovering approximately five games over the .500 mark, it was apparent that the team was overachieving and the ball was bouncing their way. It didn't seem likely that.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Broken Holmes: Santonio Causes Further Division With New Comments - 07/23/12 Considering that he single-handedly became the symbol of everything that went wrong with the 2011 New York Jets, Santonio Holmes would be better served being on his best behavior and learning to keep his mouth.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Changing of the Guard: Kidd Brings Vet Leadership, But is Lin Coming Back? - 07/09/12 When the New York Knicks last walked off the hardwood, they had a backcourt that consisted of two veterans on their last legs in Baron Davis and Mike Bibby, the electrifying Jeremy Lin, Iman Shumpert, Landry Fields, J.R. Smith.............................................................. Joe Pietaro K.C. and the All-Star Band: Six Local Players Headed to Mid-Summer Classic - 07/05/12 Many teams are judged by where they stand at the All-Star break. If you are still in contention at the second week in July, then you have stood the test of time and can actually begin to look forward. That's all well and good, but the dog.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Weathering the Storm: As the Temperature Rises, Yankees Pitching Thins - 06/29/12 During Spring Training, the Yankees had a numbers problem regarding their starting pitching. But even back then when it appeared that they had too much of a good thing, there was still the specter of a long season where anything.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Never Knuckled Under Pressure: R.A. Dickey Has Persevered Into Stardom - 06/20/12 When it comes to refusing to throw in the towel, there aren't too many better candidates than R.A. Dickey. The 37-year-old has become the talk of the baseball season and not only for the New York Mets, but throughout the entire.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Town Ball: Yankees Keep Distance With Mets With Subway Series Sweep - 06/13/12 To say that the Yankees just merely proved it once again may be an understatement. You have to go back a long way when this was a Mets town and the Bronx Bombers have blown it wide open in their favor for the.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Rumble in the Bronx: Mets Set to Keep Surprising in Interleague Matchup With Yankees - 06/08/12 When the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season schedule was released, the first series circled on most New York fan's copies was the annual Interleague affair pitting the cross-town rivals. Albeit if you're a.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Haven't We Met Before? - Veteran Closer Armando Benitez Looks to Return to 'The Show' Via Long Island Ducks - 05/31/12 There was a time when the opponent showed great concern when the bullpen door opened and Armando Benitez entered with the game on the line. The fireball-throwing closer had an imposing.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Just Like Old Times: Andy Pettitte Turns Back the Clock in 8-Inning Gem - 05/22/12 When the Yankees announced that Andy Pettitte was coming out of retirement and eventually going to be a part of the rotation, there were certainly some doubters. At 39 years of age and out of action since 2010, it appeared to be somewhat.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Small Steps: Knicks 2011-12 Season in Review - 05/18/12 Considering that there may not have even been an NBA season this past year, the New York Knicks did fairly well, all things considered. In a lockout-shortened 66-game regular campaign, the team went through a plethora of highs and lows and ended.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Mr. Saturday Night: Eli Manning Shines on the Small Screen, Back to Work - 05/09/12 Poor Eli Manning. No matter what the guy does, he is always going to be compared to his older brother Peyton. Both overall number one draft picks, Super Bowl winning quarterbacks and now "Saturday Night Live" hosts. Perhaps.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Coples Night: Jets Hope First Round Draft Pick is the Answer - 05/03/12 It is perhaps the most glitzy crap shoot in all of the sports world. All of the fanfare over a three-day period in April - being held at Radio City Music Hall, no less - really amounts to a bunch of suits secretly crossing their fingers that this person.............................................................. Joe Pietaro The Boston Massacre, Act Two: Yankees Dismantle Red Sox, Send Them Reeling in Early Going - 04/26/12 Although it didn't have nearly the same implications as the four-game set in September of 1978, the Yankees certainly sent a message with their trip to Boston this past weekend. Perhaps the only thing that.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Playing With House Money: Low Expectations for Mets Results in....Wins - 04/18/12 Everyone had the 2012 New York Mets dead and buried before the season even began (this writer included). There was no way that their pitching would hold up and their offense may have even been worse than their defense. Since the start.............................................................. Joe Pietaro L.J. Back in the Fray: Retired Knicks Standout Hired in Front Office - 04/11/12 Allan Houston has company. With the hiring of Larry Johnson as the New York Knicks Basketball and Business Operations Representative, the front office now has a pair of the starting five from the 1999 Eastern Conference champion squad.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Guarded Optimism? - Veteran Davis Takes Over For Injured Lin in Playoff Push - 04/04/12 The lockout shortened 66-game NBA regular season has been one with many different chapters for the New York Knicks. Some have been positive, and many others didn't have the same results. Such is the case when any head coaching.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Two Close For Comfort? - It Remains To Be Seen If Sanchez and Tebow Can Co-Exist - 03/28/12 Remaining unflappable, Tim Tebow stood at the podium with a wide smile on his face and answered every question from the throng of reporters in a script-like fashion. Everything seemed great and the use of the.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Self Defense: Mike D'Antoni Left Knicks Before Carmelo Situation Became a Total Distraction - 03/21/12 Sometimes you can never win, regardless of how much patience and team spirit is shown. Take Mike D'Antoni, for example. The former head coach of the New York Knicks should have finally been enjoying some success.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Smart Decision- Even If They Had No Alternative - 03/14/12 All parties said the right things. Both boss and employer paid their respects to perhaps the 'one that got away,' yet professed nothing but happiness now that life goes on as usual. Such is life in the NFL. It will in all likelihood remain behind closed doors what.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Bombs Away: Yankees Last Rotation Spot Battle Off & Running - 03/06/12 When you're a veteran pitcher and know that you're a habitually slow starter, the first few outings of a Spring Training game may not seem that important. But when you are also competing for a job, the innings begin to count and are more.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Tejada's Shortcomings Begin Early: Reyes' Replacement 'Late' Arrival Not a Good Sign For Mets - 02/28/12 First impressions last. Especially when you're being handed an important job and taking over for a perennial All-Star. So it would have been a smart move by Ruben Tejada to be one of the first members of the.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Forever "The Kid": Baseball Loses a Special Person in Gary Carter - 02/22/12 Even when the expected and inevitable happens, it still doesn't soften the blow. Such is the case with the passing of Gary Carter from brain cancer at the young age of 57. The former Mets catcher had fought a long and courageous.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Jeremy Spoke: Knicks New Sensation Gets the Point - 02/16/12 It's been a while since the New York Knicks have had a dangerous point guard. Stephon Marbury certainly underachieved while playing in his hometown and Charlie Ward was a nice player, but was not viewed as someone opponents had to shut down.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Second Verse, Same As the First: Eli & the Giants Give Pats the Super Bowl Blues Again - 02/09/12 Four years ago, the New York Giants pulled off perhaps the most improbable Super Bowl win since Joe Namath's Jets ran off the Orange Bowl field a generation ago. Although the team enjoyed the post-game.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Another (Media) Day at the Office: Giants, Pats Keep It Real at Super Bowl XLVI Dog and Pony Show - 02/02/12 Both head coaches and a good number of the players involved have been here, done that. Having past Super Bowl experience makes even the loose-lipped more the wiser and Media Day at Lucas Oil Stadium.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Road Sweet Road: Giants Treat San Fran As Their Own, Advance To Super Bowl - 01/24/12 They say that playing on the road includes less distractions and the New York Giants can definitely write another chapter in that book. They have been the trendsetters in what seems to have become a more common.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Youth on Their Side: Yankees Make Shrewd Move for Mariners' Pineda - 01/20/12 Perhaps if George M. Steinbrenner were still alive and running the New York Yankees, a big ticket veteran free agent pitcher such as C.J.Wilson or Roy Oswalt would have been brought in this offseason. While there would have.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Blue Streak: Giants Dominant in Ousting Falcs, Face Pack Next - 01/09/12 In hockey, a hot goalie can carry a team through the playoffs and at times, all the way to the Stanley Cup. But in football, it takes more than just one player to advance. It's a total team effort and if one facet isn't doing their job, then all the hard work.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Showdown at the MetLife Corral: Giants, Cowboys Settle It On Last Sunday in Season - 12/30/11 Inconsistency is part of the NFL. Even the 'almost perfect' slip up every once in a while. Take the previously undefeated Green Bay Packers' loss to the less-than-mediocre Kansas City Chiefs a few weeks ago as proof.............................................................. Joe Pietaro 'Twas the Day Before Christmas: Jets and Giants Face Off For Playoff Lives on the 24th - 12/22/11 Bragging rights in a shared stadium is what is at stake with a back story of salvaging an entire season. Depending on your perspective, that is. And it all takes place right smack in the heart of the holiday season.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Big Changes at MSG: Knicks' Acquisition of 7'1" Chandler a Difference Maker - 12/14/11 A year ago, the New York Knicks were a much-improved bunch from previous seasons. No one is disputing that. To go from a perennial lottery team and the punch line of more than one late night talk show host to earning.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Addition By Subtraction: Mets Better Off Without Jose Reyes - 12/14/11 Baseball's worst kept secret is out. Jose Reyes, who was destined to become an ex-New York Met all along, is (one of) the newest members of the newly christened Miami Marlins. A six-year, $106 million free agent contract offer was the death.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Bobby's World: Valentine Should Be in Flushing, But Now in Beantown - 12/02/11 Taking a very laid-back approach at his introductory press conference, Bobby Valentine seemed humbled by being named the new manager of the Boston Red Sox. Being brash has been his mantra and perhaps over time the.............................................................. Joe Pietaro That Sinking Feeling: Islanders Wallowing in the Basement With No Sign of Improvement - 11/23/11 It would be easy to use all of the arena/possible moving talks as a distraction, but the New York Islanders are playing so bad that can't even be used as an excuse. The 2011-12 NHL season is still young, per say, but.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Not Ready for the Next Step: Jets Still Can't Get Over the New England Hump - 11/15/11 Rex Ryan was boastful at the start of the season. Nothing out of the ordinary for the brash head coach of the New York Jets, but this was even a little strong for him. With the victory over New England in the divisional.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Super Win: Giants Right Up There in NFC Following Victory Over New England - 11/08/11 Getting his team ready in the huddle, it was difficult not to think back on a similar situation that worked out quite well for him and his teammates. Even at a time where total concentration on the present is paramount.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Two the Easy Way: Cashman, Sabathia Inked Early in the Offseason - 11/02/11 When the offseason abruptly began for the New York Yankees, there were two moves that needed to be made before anything else was addressed. General manager Brian Cashman's contract was up and it was basically a formality.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Back on Track: Plaxico, Jets Hope That 3-Touchdown Performance is Breakout Game - 10/27/11 Even the most talented athletes have to shake the rust off at times. In the case of Plaxico Burress, nearly two years without football was a hurdle he needed to overcome. Besides that, the labor issues caused him to sit around even longer once he was released from prison. But the.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Near Perfection: Championship Loss Still Stings After Ducks' Dominant Regular Season - 10/17/11 Years from now when we look back on the 2011 season, Long Island Ducks fans will see it as a great success and one of the team's best campaigns. But if you followed the team since May, it goes.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Aces High: Yankees Need To Address Sabathia and the Rest of the Rotation First - 10/10/11 When you make the playoffs with ease and go into the big dance with the league's best record, anything short of a pennant should be considered a letdown. Such was the case with the 2011 New York Yankees, who.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Blue Collar Guys: Giants Figure Out Ways to Win - Pretty or Not - 10/05/11 There are no style points in the National Football League. It makes no difference how you get it done, as long as you're on the long end of the scoreboard when it shows three zeroes. A few years ago, the Jets were using the.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Another Day at the Park: Yankees and the Postseason Just Seem to Go Together - 09/27/11 When the New York Yankees made it official and clinched the American League East crown, the only surprise was how they won the deciding game. The most unlikely of heroes had the clinching hit and.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Merely a Formality: Mets Eliminated Much Earlier Than Mathematical Date - 09/26/11 It came as no surprise in last Thursday's newspapers when they told all of us that the New York Mets had been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. No, we didn't need to wait until mid-September to hear.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Big Deal: Jets' Throwback Titans Uniforms a Thing of the Present - 09/20/11 Somewhere, Harry Wismer is smiling. The original owner of the New York Titans was known for his character first and probably owing money next, but he helped put the organization on the American Football League map.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Mets Say No to Hedge Hog: Owners Pull Back Offer to Einhorn, New Search Commences - 09/12/11 When it came time to pull the trigger, Fred Wilpon just couldn't do it. The New York Mets owner believed that he had found the right business partner in David Einhorn and a long and exhaustive search.............................................................. Joe Pietaro New York Giants 2011 Preview - 09/08/11 Eli Manning will dictate the Giants' success moving the ball. If the Ole Miss product can keep the interceptions down, then they will have a better than average offense. But Manning has to work with a less than average receiving corps that will miss Steven Smith.............................................................. Joe Pietaro New York Jets 2011 Preview - 09/06/11 Mark Sanchez has not had the type of statistics that make him a Fantasy Football favorite, but the guy finds a way to win the big game. Well, almost all of the time. It's still hard to fault a guy who left college early, started in the pros from Day One and has brought his team to.............................................................. Joe Pietaro With Defense in Mind: Knicks Hiring of Woodson on Staff Will Help Round Out Game - 09/01/11 Coming from the run and gun Western Conference, Mike D'Antoni was not on anyone's short list to be a master of defense once he came to New York. But the former Phoenix Suns head coach has seemed to.............................................................. Joe Pietaro What's in a Name? - MetLife Stadium Sparks Discussion - 08/30/11 When the franchise was first born in 1959, the New York Titans took up residence in an antiquated baseball stadium abandoned by the Giants a few years earlier. The Polo Grounds was disliked by players and fans of the new American.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Sore Spot: A.J. Burnett Should Be Upset At His Performance, Not Calls - 08/26/11 No one can knock a fiery competitor who wants to stay in the game to clean up his own mess. But was that the case this past Saturday when A.J. Burnett was removed in the second inning of the Yankees' 9-4 loss at.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Class Act: Sanchez Ready to Take That Next Step - 08/22/11 Being in the limelight and the focus of attention is nothing new to Mark Sanchez. As the quarterback at the University of Southern California, a first round NFL draft pick and now the face of the New York Jets franchise, the youngster.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Hamstrung: Jose Reyes's Latest DL Stint Should Have Repercussions - 08/18/11 There was a time earlier in the season when everyone was gushing over the fact that Jose Reyes was not only having a career year, but also a healthy one. The oft-injured New York Mets' shortstop was taking it to the next level.............................................................. Joe Pietaro The Waiting Game Continues: Plaxico Burress's Jets Debut Still to Come - 08/15/11 Two weeks should pale in comparison to two years, but it still must feel like a lifetime to Plaxico Burress. The new Jet wide receiver had to sit out the team's first preseason game after he turned an ankle in practice.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Not the Royalty Treatment: Prince Gets Bad Break Following His Hold Out - 08/11/11 The doors have reopened and the locked out players are once again welcomed to their team's respective training camp facilities. Minicamps and OTAs cannot be made up, so it's cram course time with the playbooks and team.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Trench Warfare One Short: With Woody's Retirement, Jets Offensive Line Thinner - 08/08/11 The skill position players garner all the headlines in football and were probably the guys dating the pretty cheerleaders in high school. But even at that level, the big guys up front dictate whether the machine runs smoothly.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Does No Mean No? - Nassau Coliseum Vote Makes Keeping Team, Arena a Long Shot - 08/05/11 Charles Wang may have put all his eggs in one basket and assumed that the majority of Nassau County residents were Islander fans. Big enough fans that they would have came out in droves on a hot summer.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Christmas in July: Knicks Back on Holiday Schedule Again in 2011-12 - 08/03/11 Let's not even bother to put an asterisk on anything yet concerning the 2011-12 NBA season. Both ownership and the players association have plenty of time to get together and agree on a new collective bargaining agreement, and all.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Easy Out: Roger Clemens May Skate Following Mistrial - 07/29/11 It isn't exactly O.J. Simpson or Casey Anthony walking away from the courthouse, but Roger Clemens has to feel extremely relieved that his perjury case resulted in a mistrial. The former standout starting pitcher has never wavered in his.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Another Miracle Needed - Gary Carter Could Use Another One Now, More Than Ever - 07/25/11 Game Six of the 1986 World Series is considered one of the greatest postseason baseball games of all time. Some may even call the New York Mets' comeback against the Boston Red Sox a miracle. So if the latter held true, then.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Realistic Approach: Sandy Alderson Making Easy - But Tough - Choices With Mets - 07/18/11 Role reversal. That seems to be the case this July when a big market team finds one of the small ones to take an expensive contract off their hands. Such was the case when the New York Mets traded closer.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Two Much of a Good Thing? - Multiple Minor League Teams on Long Island May Be Overkill - 07/14/11 Bringing a minor league team to a baseball-starved area is an ingenious idea. Especially in New York, where both major league teams charge top dollar for seats, food and souvenirs. That was certainly.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Doin' It In Style: Derek Jeter Set the Stage for an Epic 3,000th Hit - 07/12/11 When he became the 23rd member of baseball's 3,000 hit club on August 7th, 1999, Wade Boggs also knew that a former teammate would one day join him in the elite group. "I had the opportunity to play with Derek (Jeter) when he was.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Still Worlds Apart: Subway Series Showed Once Again Why Yanks Are Winners, Even in Loss - 07/05/11 The Mets entered the second stanza of this season's Subway Series on a high note. They had won their last two series on the road at Texas and Detroit and were at the .500 mark. Things had been going.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Garden 'D': Knicks Drafting of Iman Shumpert a Change of Direction - 07/01/11 Making the playoffs was all well and good, but the New York Knicks have their eyes set on something a little richer than that. But even the additions of superstar players like Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony was not.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Mile High Ball: Dante Bichette Jr. In the Yankee Fold - 06/28/11 Talk about your unlikely post-Father's Day presents. In the Bichette household, not only will Dante Sr. get to see his namesake son graduate Orangewood Christian High School this month, but also report to his first team as a professional.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Power Struggle: Mets' Lack of Punch Hitting New Lows - 06/24/11 It's a good thing that Citi Field was designed to be a pitcher's park because the New York Mets have been as productive in the home run department as a team during the Dead Ball era. Injuries have derailed them somewhat, but they.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Free to Fly: Plaxico Burress' Overtures to Join Jets Helps in a Number of Ways - 06/20/11 The transactions column for the NFL has been silent as the labor negotiations continue, but that hasn't stopped a flurry of 'activity' from almost taking place. Such is the current situation everyone is in as briefcases and law manuals.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Big Fish Out of Water: LeBron Proves Again He's Still Not Clutch - 06/17/11 One major criticism of LeBron James last summer was that he took the easy way out. Instead of staying as the leader in Cleveland or filling that role in New York, he chose to become one of three big name players in Miami and ride.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Golly, Gee: Mets Young Pitcher Filling in Quite Admirably - 06/13/11 Having just won his seventh consecutive decision to start the season, it would have been easy for Dillon Gee to speak with some sense of bravado. But the 25-year-old right-hander took the high road and resorted to his dedication as the reason.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Almost There: Jeter on the Verge of 3,000-Hit Milestone - 06/10/11 When Stan Ross collected his 3,000th major league hit, he abruptly retired from the Milwaukee Brewers in the middle of the 1995 pennant race. The star then used the moniker "Mr. 3,000" in several business ventures and laughed all.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Part Time: Donnie Walsh Will Be Missed at Madison Square Garden - 06/07/11 When the Knicks hired Donnie Walsh three years ago, he was brought in to do a number of things. First, the new president of basketball operations had to bring in a head coach that would be willing to have the same patience that he.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Pressure Cooker: Collins Starting To Burn in the Spring Heat - 06/03/11 When the New York Mets decided to replace both their general manager and manager, it appeared that the much-needed rebuilding process was well under way. Sandy Alderson was tabbed as the replacement for Omar Minaya.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Bottoms Up: Back End of Yankees Rotation Holding Up Their End of the Bargain - 06/02/11 Heading into Spring Training, Joe Girardi knew that his starting rotation was going to be a question mark. The Yankee skipper had to put together a quintet without the retired Andy Pettite and Cliff Lee, who took the.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Right Said Fred: Wilpon on the Money With Mets Recap - 05/31/11 Sometimes the truth hurts, especially when it's your boss giving it to you. When Fred Wilpon said what every realistic Mets fan has been thinking for nearly five years, it was a breath of fresh air. There may be hope for this woe-be-gone franchise.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Hot Spring: Ducks Off To Fast Start in First Half - 05/24/11 The best way to erase the bad memories of missing the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons is to get yourself right back in the first chance you get. That is exactly the way the Long Island Ducks have approached the 2011 campaign and their current.............................................................. Joe Pietaro By Jorge, This is a Mess: Yankees' Veteran Way Out of Line - 05/17/11 Saying sorry doesn't always make things better, especially when you do it half-assed. Take the case of Jorge Posada, for instance. The New York Yankees' designated hitter/wanna-be catcher made an attempt at an about-face from.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Home Bodies: Islanders, Wang Doing Their Part To Stay, But Still a Long Way To Go - 05/16/11 For all the uncertainties and unanswered questions that surround the Islanders arena situation, we do know one thing. 2015 is the magic year either way this goes. The team's current lease with SMG.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Not So Fast: Jeter Still Running the Yankees' Ship - 05/10/11 All good things must come to an end. Nothing lasts forever in this world, even if you're the captain and face of the most recognized franchise in sports history. It happened to Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle, so Derek.............................................................. Joe Pietaro The Long and Short of It: Trading Reyes Now Better Than Waiting Until He Cools Off - 05/09/11 Sandy Alderson finds himself in a quandary. The Mets general manager knows that trading Jose Reyes now and up until July 31 will bring him the biggest net return on his All-Star shortstop, but he will also be losing.............................................................. Joe Pietaro A Pigskin Plea: Football Fans at NFL Draft Heard Loud and Clear - 04/29/11 "We want football!" The chant was repeated over and over by the throng of fans in the rafters of Radio City Music Hall following a chorus of boos that greeted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The 2011 NFL Draft went on as scheduled, but there.............................................................. Joe Pietaro On a Wing and a Prayer: Duaner Sanchez Hopes To Springboard From Ducks Back to Majors - 04/23/11 The last time baseball fans in New York caught a glimpse of Duaner Sanchez, he was packing his bags after being mercifully released by the Mets during Spring Training in 2009. The former setup man had gone from.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Yesterday & Today: Knicks Versus Celtics Was Once - And Could Be Again - One For the Ages - 04/18/11 The Big Three versus the Dynamic Duo. Perhaps that will be one of the tags taken from the opening round playoff matchup between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics that begins Sunday.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Arms Race: Mets' Starting Pitching Inconsistent So Far in the Early Going, But It's a Marathon - 04/08/11 The 2011 season is only six games old, but there are still questions surrounding the New York Mets' starting pitching. Maybe they are not the same ones when the team headed north from Spring Training, and only time.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Unsung Hero: Curtis Granderson Quietly Steady in a Lineup of All-Stars - 04/04/11 When opposing managers prepare to face the New York Yankees, a number of names in the lineup jump off the page. Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano are perennial All-Stars that have had more than their.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Turning the Page: Mets Finally Erasing Minaya's Expensive Mistakes - 03/23/11 In less than a week, the New York Mets fixed two leftover mistakes from the Omar Minaya era that set them back years. The fact that it cost them $18 million aside, releasing Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez gave new.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Strike That! NFL Owners and Players Need To Just Get Along To Salvage Our Sundays - 03/18/11 Sundays are tough enough to get through once the football season ends. The latter part of the weekend up until Monday night takes a serious nosedive following the Super Bowl, so pigskin fans don't even want to think.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Return of a Leader: Ducks Smart in Bringing Back Slugging Infielder/Outfielder Ray Navarrete - 03/10/11 The Atlantic League is symbolic of a revolving door when it comes to the rosters. Players come and go on a regular basis throughout the season and it is somewhat of a rarity when one wears the same.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Flatbush Royalty: Duke Snider Will Always Be the King of Brooklyn - 03/01/11New York's 'Golden Era' of baseball was accentuated with the centerfielders of each of New York's three teams, a trio made famous in a catchy song many years later. Willie, Mickey and The Duke are all Hall of Famers.............................................................. Joe Pietaro The Grass is Always Greener: Garden Rocking For Carmelo and Company - 02/25/11It may have been just a win against a sub-.500 opponent the first game following the All-Star break, but the New York Knicks' 114-108 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks was obviously much more.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Pull The Trigger: Knicks Need Carmelo Anthony as NBA Trade Deadline Approaches - 02/18/11It has been quite some time since the New York Knicks have felt comfortable in the standings, especially at this juncture of the season. They have been holding the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and have been.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Sweet 16: Pettitte's Retirement After Successful Career a Big Loss for Yankees - 02/03/11Heading into the offseason, the New York Yankees knew that they needed to upgrade their starting pitching. General manager Brian Cashman had his sights set on Cliff Lee, the lefthander who was the ace of the team.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Shoestring Budget: Mets Ownership's Money Woes Have Come To Roost - 02/03/11It seems like yesterday that the Mets were throwing around as much money as their cross-town rivals. When Johan Santana was acquired via trade and came to Flushing, it was the Yankees who appeared to be holding back. Boy, how times.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Keep Your Heads Up - 01/28/11Sitting alone at his locker stall only minutes following the game, James Ihedigbo's face was buried in his hands. The high-energy Jets defensive back had put so much into this playoff run, just as the rest of the organization and fan base had, and it all began to sink.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Pitching At A Discount - 01/25/11The New York Mets are a team in transition. While not in a total rebuilding mode, they are doing more than tweaking and it began with the hiring of a new general manager and field manager in Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins, respectively.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Coming Of Age - 01/13/11 A year ago, the New York Jets did make it all the way to the AFC Championship Game, but their team had a different look (and feel) to it. Sure, they still like to grind it out and dictate the pace of the game by their running attack, but only 12 short months ago, they really had no other option.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Watered Down Hall - 01/06/11 When you make the long trek north to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, one expects to see a collection of plaques of the all-time greats of the game. The quaint little town has been a place for sports fans to make a sometimes.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Front Door Entry - 12/29/10 Whenever you qualify for the playoffs following a loss, the general consensus is that you have 'backed in.' The Jets fought hard in Chicago but came up short, 38-34, and learned of their fate before leaving the visitor's locker room at Soldier Field.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Make Or Break - 12/21/10 Losing to the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday in the fashion they did, the New York Giants have made their job much more difficult. The 38-31 loss was bad enough, but blowing a four-touchdown lead in the final eight minutes to their division rival can have some serious implications............................................................. Joe Pietaro Captain's Quarters - 12/10/10 The worst kept secret of baseball's offseason was Derek Jeter returning to the Yankees. No one really expected the perennial All-Star shortstop to go anywhere once he hit the open market and a brief period of negotiations that didn't go as smoothly as expected were not enough to get in the way............................................................. Joe Pietaro Top Dogs - 12/03/10 Both teams are 9-2 heading into Monday night's showdown in New England. The Jets are technically ahead of the Patriots due to the tiebreaker, but that all means nothing now. Whoever comes out of the game the victor will be alone atop the AFC East............................................................ Joe Pietaro School Days - 11/24/10 One of the goalposts stood where home plate usually is and foul territory on both sides was taken by benches, but this was certainly still Yankee Stadium. The South Bronx was transformed into South Bend, Indiana for one late November evening as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish............................................................ Joe Pietaro Ducks Point In A New Direction - 11/19/10 For an organization that expects to qualify for the postseason every year, missing out on two separate chances is an alarming occurrence. The Long Island Ducks failed to win the division in either half in 2010 and manager Dave LaPoint paid for it with his job........................................................... Joe Pietaro Silver And Gold - 11/15/10 The team may have finished short of their goal and failed to defend their 2009 World Series championship, but the New York Yankees have dominated the offseason awards. This past week, three players were honored (and one on two separate occasions) with.......................................................... Joe Pietaro Not So Fast - 11/04/10 With both teams a combined 10-3 and on respective five and four game winning streaks, Jets and Giants fans began to dream a little. Although it was only October, they began to dare speak of the first 'Subway Super Bowl.......................................................... Joe Pietaro Nothing But The Best - 11/01/10 Anything short of a 28th World Series title this season was viewed as a failure to the New York Yankees, but there were many positives to take away from it.......................................................... Joe Pietaro Streaking Into The Break: Jets Own NFL's Top Record At Their Bye 10/22/10 You know that things are going your way when your quarterback has his worst game of the season and the team still steals a win, on the road no less. With the Jets riding a four-game winning streak and Mark Sanchez......................................................... Joe Pietaro Blue Streak: Giants Look To Go On Run After Slow Start 10/15/10 Following their week three 29-10 home loss to the Tennessee Titans, the wheels seemed to be coming off the Giants' wagon. They may have taken care of the hapless Carolina Panthers in the season opener, but Big Blue was on the wrong end of two lopsided scores after that......................................................... Joe Pietaro Complete Overhaul Needed For Mets 10/08/10 The first day of the offseason was more productive than six full months of the regular season were for the New York Mets. By bidding farewell to manager Jerry Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya........................................................ Joe Pietaro Forever The Boss 10/04/10 Imposingly standing at five feet high, seven feet wide and weighing 760 pounds, the bronze plaque that was unveiled recently for George M. Steinbrenner in Monument Park at the New Yankee Stadium is literally a huge honor........................................................ Joe Pietaro A Win-Win Situation 09/23/10 Regardless of who eventually replaces Jerry Manuel as manager of the New York Mets, it will be a breath of fresh air. After two and a half seasons....................................................... Joe Pietaro Holding Pattern 09/16/10 When you begin your season with two home games, the worst you can fare is a split. With a 16-game schedule, every loss is a big one, especially at your stadium....................................................... Joe Pietaro Giants Quietly Prepare for Opener 09/11/10 There have been no HBO cameras following them around training camp and no need for washing the head coach’s mouth out with soap, but the Giants are taking all of that in with stride...................................................... Joe Pietaro The Three-Sided Question Mark 09/06/10 Take it any way you want to, but the Mets dumping Rod Barajas and Jeff Francouer recently is hopefully a sign of things to come for the disappointing organization...................................................... Joe Pietaro Island Fans Still Long for Jets 08/27/10 If you used your imagination to the best of your ability Wednesday night at James Shuart Stadium at Hofstra University, one could almost get a true hometown feeling for the New York Jets..................................................... Joe Pietaro Clemens Indictment on Perjury Charges 08/19/10 There’s an old saying that you can hear on any given day around a courthouse, and it simply is, “You can even indict a ham sandwich.” Handing down an indictment...................................................... Joe Pietaro The Circus is in Town 08/15/10 Avoidable nonsense. That is the easiest way to sum up the latest public relations disaster coming out of Madison Square Garden...................................................... Joe Pietaro
The Lights on Broadway 08/07/10 The New York Jets were one win away from representing the AFC in Super Bowl XVIV, have ESPN cameras everywhere filming “Hard Knocks,” and have multiple Pro Bowl players on both sides of the ball................................................... Joe Pietaro To Trade or Not to Trade? 07/30/10 With a flurry of activity the week of the Major League Baseball trading deadline, one would suspect that things will be fairly quiet from now until Saturday at midnight................................................... Joe Pietaro After Surprising Run, Mets Faltering in July 07/23/10 Whoever thought the New York Mets would be a mere half game out of first place near the All-Star break, please raise your hands.................................................. Joe Pietaro The Passing of ‘The Boss’ 07/13/10 Although the past few years have been ones without the same George M. Steinbrenner III that sports fans have come to know, love and sometimes even hate, it was comforting to know that the Yankees................................................. Joe Pietaro Kingless on Broadway 07/10/10 For the past two years, the New York Knickerbockers have played out the string and their fans didn’t even mind. The summer of 2010 was going to make it all worthwhile................................................. Joe Pietaro NBA Free Agent Shopping Spree Opens 07/02/10 The playoff droughts may eventually become things of the past for the Knicks and Nets, but right now both teams are in major rebuilding modes................................................. Joe Pietaro Yankees Have Come Full With Girardi 06/25/10 It is the third summer in the Bronx without Joe Torre in the dugout and things are back to normal. In Joe Girardiís first season as bench boss, the Yankees failed to reach the postseason................................................ Joe Pietaro Rescue Needed on Revis Island 06/18/10 The athlete is torn in two. On one hand, he feels obligated to do everything possible to get ready for the season and be a good teammate. But on the other hand, he has to look out for his................................................ Joe Pietaro From Long Island to South Africa 06/11/10 It doesn’t seem like an entire decade ago that Edson Buddle led the Long Island Rough Riders to the United Soccer League’s Northeast Division title................................................ Joe Pietaro Mets Lefty Perez More Than a Bust 06/03/10 It was the offseason before the 2009 campaign when Oliver Perez found himself out on the open market. The inconsistent southpaw – who went 10-7 with a 4.22 ERA the year before............................................... Joe Pietaro New York/New Jersey Granted 2014 Super Bowl 05/26/10 Hell has frozen over…or at least East Rutherford, New Jersey. The first outdoor Super Bowl to be played in a cold weather environment will take place............................................... Joe Pietaro Subway Series Blues 05/21/10 The first installment of the 2009 Subway Series could not have come at a worse time for either the Yankees or Mets. Both teams are playing perhaps their worst baseball of the young season............................................... Joe Pietaro Nets Take First Step Towards Relevance 05/14/10 When the Nets played on Long Island, they had a legitimate place to call home and a loyal fan base............................................... Joe Pietaro LT an Embarrassment to the NFL 05/08/10 It was just a few short weeks ago that Lawrence Taylor was cheered at Radio City Music Hall after being introduced as one of the National Football League’s top draft choices of all time.............................................. Joe Pietaro Younger Ducks Roster Starts Off Hot 04/30/10 Since their inaugural season in 2000, the Long Island Ducks have been one of the Atlantic League teams who attracted the big names.............................................. Joe Pietaro Jets, Giants Total Nine National Night Games 04/25/10 A good measuring stick of how popular (and most of the time, successful in the previous season) your team is can be how many prime time games they receive on the schedule............................................. Joe Pietaro MMA Cold War Warming Up 04/16/10 Mixed martial arts fans have been hearing about the potential of Fedor Emelianenko coming to the UFC for years, so forgive them if they remain skeptical............................................ Joe Pietaro After Johan Santana, Mets Starters Are Finished 04/09/10 Monday was a glorious day at Citi Field. It was opening day for the New York Mets, they had their ace on the mound and were facing a pesky divisional foe........................................... Joe Pietaro 2010 New York Yankees Season Preview 04/02/10 For most organizations, letting two October heroes go without receiving nothing back in return would seem like a huge offseason loss. But most organizations are not the New York Yankees.......................................... Joe Pietaro 2010 New York Mets Season Preview 03/26/10 The window of opportunity for this core group of New York Mets may have slammed shut on their fingertips with Carlos Beltran looking at a called third strike......................................... Joe Pietaro Jets Signing of LaDanian Tomlinson May Pay Off Big Dividends 03/18/10 Giants Stadium was once the domain of Lawrence Taylor. The linebacker that changed the way defense was played in the National Football League.......................................... Joe Pietaro Yankee Stadium Will Bowl Them Over 03/12/10 Sure, it could have been better. If this had happened a few years ago in the semi-original Yankee Stadium, it may have held even more prestige. But the fact is that NCAA football........................................... Joe Pietaro All That Glitters Isn’t Gold 03/03/10 Don’t get me wrong. I’m as patriotic as anyone out there, but I could not get myself excited as an American watching the hockey games at the Winter Olympics........................................... Joe Pietaro Knicks President Walsh Accomplishing First Mission 02/26/10 When Donnie Walsh was brought in as president of basketball operations for the New York Knicks in April of 2008, he preached patience to the fans of the.......................................... Joe Pietaro Yankees Get Younger, Look to Add Title #28 02/19/10 Coming off another World Series championship, the New York Yankees hardly rested on their laurels. In fact, they said goodbye to two of their October heroes.......................................... Joe Pietaro Fat (Super Bowl) Sunday 02/11/10 No one on Bourbon Street late Sunday night needed to be reminded of the magnitude a single football game took on. Not just for the challenge that the city of New Orleans but the entire state.......................................... Joe Pietaro Goodbye to a Native New Yorker 02/03/10 There have been many men over the years that have been looked at as ‘Mr. Knick.’ Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere and Patrick Ewing to name a few....................................................... Joe Pietaro Not Part of the Jet Set Just Yet 01/25/10 There are two ways to look at the Jets 2009 season. One could feel content and say that the team overachieved while gaining valuable experience for a rookie head coach and quarterback...................................................... Joe Pietaro The Four Seasons 01/21/10 Being banished from the team you broke into the major leagues with was just another thing that the two former superstars shared. Their careers paralleled one another in some capacities, with the bad nearly outweighing the good..................................................... Joe Pietaro Jets Exceeded Preseason Expectations 01/07/10 When you’re in a partial rebuilding mode – especially when two of those parts include a rookie head coach and starting quarterback – a record anywhere near the .500 mark..................................................... Joe Pietaro Good By-Centennial 12/24/09 Once the sun sets on the 2009 regular season, the current and original Giants Stadium will be as quiet as it was before it opened for business back in 1976..................................................... Joe Pietaro Cold Play 12/09/09 They call it the first step in rearranging and hopefully improving your roster. Every December, representatives from all 30 Major League Baseball teams and free agents get together and besides wishing each other.................................................... Joe Pietaro Lights Out on Broadway 11/25/09 The New York Jets had just wrapped up their upset 24-17 win at home over the Tennessee Titans and Mark Sanchez was the toast of the town.................................................... Joe Pietaro Rough Road Ahead for Giants 11/13/09 Heading into the 2009 season, many of the experts were picking the New York Giants as a Super Bowl favorite in the NFC.................................................... Joe Pietaro Yankees Finally Get the Right Formula 10/29/09 Ever since their dynasty came to a crashing halt with a bloop single during Game 7 in Arizona, the Yankees have been the epitome of the big engine that couldn’t................................................... Joe Pietaro Not Seeing the Light 10/17/09 The latest news is that a lease has been negotiated to allow town officials more time to make a decision concerning the zooming. There was no time limit specified so.................................................. Joe Pietaro Yankees Bowling Them Over 10/01/09 Postseason football in the Bronx. Yes, you read that correctly and although there will certainly be playoff baseball at Yankee Stadium, it doesn’t stop there.................................................. Joe Pietaro Jets LB David Harris Quietly Leads the Way 09/18/09 There were many highlights and accolades in the Jets 24-7 win at Houston to start the 2009 season. Of course the main attractions were the................................................. Joe Pietaro Not Totally Fowled Out 09/04/09 Big things were expected at Citibank Park this summer. All season long, promotions were geared towards the franchise celebrating its 10th anniversary and fans young and old................................................. Joe Pietaro Giants Extending Eli Manning's Contract 08/21/09 Becoming the highest paid person in your profession is quite an accomplishment in any field. When it comes in the sports world, where some owners throw................................................. Joe Pietaro The Biggest Loser 08/07/09 Late July in Cortland, New York. The preparation for 16 games that run through the cold of December begin in the heat and humidity of the summer................................................. Joe Pietaro Mets Need Some Tough Love, Too 07/24/09 Before the Mets fire Vice President of Player Development Tony Bernazard, they should let him do his thing in front of the parent club................................................ Joe Pietaro Will the Real Yankees Please Stand Up? 07/08/09 Having the third-best record in baseball and being a mere game out of first place in your division is nothing to lose any sleep over............................................... Joe Pietaro The Defense Rests 06/25/09 For 16 years, Brian Leetch was the consummate professional for the New York Rangers. Since he was chosen with the ninth overall selection in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft.............................................. Joe Pietaro Death of a Salesman 06/12/09 If you approached nine out of 10 fans at either a New York Islanders or New Jersey Nets game, they probably would tell you that they have never heard of Roy Boe.............................................. Joe Pietaro Livan on the Edge 05/28/09 When New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya signed Livan Hernandez during the offseason, it was a low-risk, high-reward type of move to add depth to the............................................. Joe Pietaro Luxury Tex 05/14/09 One of the reasons to justify their lavish offseason spending spree was the expiration of long-term contracts such as the one Jason Giambi had. The Yankees inked two of the top pitchers on the free agent market............................................. Joe Pietaro Broadway in New Jersey 04/30/09 The last year that Joe Namath wore a New York Jets uniform our country was celebrating the bicentennial. For you youngsters out there, that was 1976........................................... Joe Pietaro The King of Queens 04/16/09 There have many great players throughout the history of the game they call baseball. Babe Ruth may still be the most recognizable name to this day even though he played his last game 72 years ago and died 13 after that............................................ Joe Pietaro A Painful Lesson 04/09/09 They say the number of years that a particular player can remain on the football field ranges from two to four on the average. Due to the physical nature of the game, that low figure should not come as a complete surprise............................................ Joe Pietaro Twice the Loss 03/27/09 The modern day Yankees of the ‘high and mighty’ attitude and single box seats costing over $2,000 per game may be the target of much scorn throughout the state of Massachusetts – and even in New York........................................... Joe Pietaro Bucking a Bronco 03/12/09 When the Jets acquired Brett Favre from the Green Bay Packers last August, they thought that the future Hall of Famer was going to be the answer to their quarterback question, one that really did not exist............................................. Joe Pietaro In Lonn We Trost 02/27/09 Neil Best must have felt like $161 million on Thursday. One of Newsday’s top sports columnists, his article a day earlier made the readers aware of another strike............................................ Joe Pietaro Brett Favre's Retirement 02/13/09 What started with an impromptu press conference last August in Cleveland and ended in a conference call on Wednesday can be summed up in one word – disappointing............................................ Joe Pietaro Kansas City Idea Not So Far-Fetched 01/26/09 Throughout the history of professional sports, franchises have picked up and moved to different cities regularly. Perhaps the most famous – and heartbreaking – one was the Brooklyn Dodgers............................................ Joe Pietaro Giants Need to Make a Call on Plaxico Burress 01/15/09 Call it a ‘Catch-17’ situation for Jerry Reese. The Giants’ general manager knows in his heart that the outcome of last Sunday’s 23-11 loss to Philadelphia in the NFC divisional round may have been different if Plaxico Burress was on the field catching everything............................................ Joe Pietaro Losing Your ‘Genius’ in a Hurry 12/30/08 They didn’t acquire the nickname for nothing. It took years in the making and earning it through many different regimes is not that easy. Bad bounces coupled with bad decisions............................................ Joe Pietaro Money in the Bank 12/19/08 One of the first things that CC Sabathia told the media on Thursday was that he got a “chill” when he said that he was a member of the New York Yankees and put on their hat.............................................. Joe Pietaro Giants Need to Avoid Being Gun-Shy 12/04/08 With everything falling into place on a near-perfect season, the last thing the New York Giants needed was a distraction of epic proportions............................................. Joe Pietaro Different Story than ‘Same Old Jets’ 11/19/08 They aren’t out of the woods just yet. By the time December rolls around, things may look a lot different for the New York Jets. Currently occupying first place in the AFC East.............................................. Joe Pietaro Men Versus Boys 11/05/08 At the mid-way point in the current NFL season, there are two teams that have risen to the top of their respective conferences. In the AFC, the surprising Tennessee Titans.............................................. Joe Pietaro Small Fry 10/23/08 There’s more than one way to skin a cat, and also to become a contending baseball team. The quick fix that both the Yankees and Mets have employed may have certain advantages............................................... Joe Pietaro Birds of a Feather 10/09/08 There is always that one kid you knew growing up that everyone said would be “the one.” The kid that hit the ball further than everyone else and was able to throw it by the rest of the group. One that was able to be and ‘untouchable’ and also ‘touch ‘em all.’................................................ Joe Pietaro Dragons Breathing New Fire 09/24/08 Right smack in the first month of the NFL season, football is in the news. While that should come as no surprise, perhaps the fact that Arena football is what is being referred to is................................................ Joe Pietaro Three-Man Advantage 09/10/08 “Brandon ran his butt off tonight.” Simply stated by Derrick Ward about the man he backs up. Brandon of course is Brandon Jacobs, the 6’4”, 264-pound bruising running back that led the New York Giants to a season opening 16-7 home win against the Washington Redskins............................................... Joe Pietaro Mets Pull One Out of the Hat 08/28/08 When you look back at the regular season, there are games that jump off the page that stand out as the ones that either killed or salvaged the campaign................................................ Joe Pietaro Bretter Later Than Never 08/14/08 It almost read like “A Tale of Two Cities.” New York and Green Bay. If things had gone differently during draft day of 1991, the Jets could have been a perennial playoff team with a slam-dunk Hall of Fame quarterback................................................. Joe Pietaro Jets Should Forget About Green Bay QB 07/30/08 If your team had the opportunity to acquire a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who is also a nine-time Pro Bowler and sure first-ballot Hall of Famer................................................ Joe Pietaro Paper Trail a Smoking Gun for Roger Clemens 07/16/08 According to a report in the New York Daily News, Roger Clemens’ worst nightmare may have come true. All through his public denials of what everyone else believes to be true................................................. Joe Pietaro Low-Keyed Manuel Was Part of the Collapse 07/03/08 Willie Randolph deserved to be fired. Make no mistake about that. Any manager that presided over the 2007 September collapse and then had been unable to exorcise those ghosts from his clubhouse cannot continue in this town................................................. Joe Pietaro Former Bird Joins Flock 06/20/08 When a baseball player is looking for a second – or even last – chance, a place that has been a good springboard back to a major league organization has been Long Island.................................................. Joe Pietaro Return of the Clown Prince 06/05/08 Some players just bring ‘it’ to a team. That certain flair and air of confidence. The rest of the clubhouse can just feel it when that type of player is in their midst.................................................. Joe Pietaro Knicks Draw in the Middle in NBA Draft Lottery 05/22/05 It could have been worse. That may be the best way to view the 2008 NBA Draft Lottery for the New York Knicks. Rebuilding takes time under any circumstances.................................................. Joe Pietaro Jets Draft Picks Get the Green Light 05/09/08 One week can make a world of a difference, especially if you happen to be one of the players selected at the NFL Draft. The whirlwind of hearing your name read on stage.................................................. Joe Pietaro Long Island Ducks Ready to Begin Ninth Season 04/25/08 Back on opening day in 2000, the Long Island Ducks were an unknown entity playing in an independent league in only its second season. Nine years later, the team has become a part of the community and a perennial playoff participant.................................................. Joe Pietaro Shea Swan Song 04/10/08 Baseball in April is always special, and the home opener is a day that breathes new life into the players and fans alike. Trying to forget about the Mets’ September collapse was made easier by the return of baseball in New York, National League style.................................................. Joe Pietaro Yankees Staff Looking Shaky 03/28/08 All the questions could have been avoided if the Yankees just pulled the trigger on the most obvious of needs and make the deal for lefthanded starter Johan Santana.................................................. Joe Pietaro Dull Crystal 03/14/08 Spring Training may not be the World Series, but it still serves a purpose. Exhibition games are still played for a reason let it be reps for regulars or important at-bats for a player trying to grab the last spot on the roster................................................... Joe Pietaro Leading by Example 02/28/08 Taking nothing away from his 18-year career, Mike Mussina has been a quality pitcher in the American League. 250 wins, an ERA under four and over 2,500 strikeouts will give you credibility. But these are the Yankees that we're talking about......................................................... Joe Pietaro Clemens Grilled on Capitol Hill 02/18/08 After nearly five hours of testimony, both Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee appeared to be worse for wear......................................................... Joe Pietaro SuperMann 02/06/08 Glendale, AZ- Being the underdog is a familiar scenario for the New York Giants. Heading into the 2007 season without Tiki Barber, the team was not expected to qualify for the playoffs........................................................ Joe Pietaro Giants Ice Packers in OT for Super Bowl Bid 01/21/08 Even the most loyal of Giants fans have to admit that they woke up this morning and had to check the score to ensure that it wasn’t a dream........................................................ Joe Pietaro Gossage Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame 01/10/08 Being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame is the ultimate compliment for a player. Since the first class in 1936, the names read like a ‘who’s who’ for greatness........................................................ Joe Pietaro Shedding His ‘Genius’ 01/03/08 A year ago, the entire metropolitan area media – and national, for that matter – was lauding the rookie head coach of the New York Jets.......................................................... Joe Pietaro Giants Show Their Cards 12/27/07 Say what you want about the inconsistent play of Eli Manning, the mass of injuries and the questionable calls of head coach Tom Coughlin.......................................................... Joe Pietaro Send Simon Packing 12/21/07 It didn’t make any sense when the Islanders decided to bring back Chris Simon this season after he was suspended 25 games for mauling Ryan Hollweg of the Rangers......................................................... Joe Pietaro Baseball’s Steroid Investigation No Shock 12/13/07 So we may finally have proof that Roger Clemens used performance-enhancing drugs. The long-awaited George Mitchell Report was made public on........................................................ Joe Pietaro Nets’ PG Sits Out Knick Game 12/06/07 The explanation was that All-Star point guard Jason Kidd missed Wednesday night’s 100-93 defeat at the hands of the Knicks due to a migraine, but the Nets front office is going to have the headache if the rumors are true........................................................ Joe Pietaro The Great Santana 11/30/07 Johan Santana is a difference maker, the type of player that can rejuvenate an organization that forgot their season lasted into September........................................................ Joe Pietaro Is Kellen the Long-Term Answer at QB? 11/24/07 The task at hand was not an easy one, and no one should have expected anything spectacular out of a second-year quarterback versus a 9-1 team on the road....................................................... Joe Pietaro A-Rod and Yanks Talking Reunion 11/16/07 The Yankees may have lost all the respect they almost earned for once. When third baseman Alex Rodriguez opted out of his enormous contract during Game 4 of the World Series...................................................... Joe Pietaro Knicks Climb First Mountain of Season 11/08/07 Every game is an uphill battle for the New York Knicks. After a dismal season a year ago and an offseason full of off the court issues.......................................................... Joe Pietaro Yankees Introduce Girardi as 32nd Manager 11/02/07 Nothing could take the sting away from losing a manager (and person) such as Joe Torre.......................................................... Joe Pietaro Ahead of Devils, Rangers in Early Going 10/24/07 The New York Rangers grabbed all the headlines in the offseason. Signing big ticket free agents such as Chris Drury and Scott Gomez will do that in this town........................................................... Joe Pietaro Torre Walks Away from Yankee Offer 10/19/07 After twisting in the wind since the Yankees were ousted by Cleveland in the American League Division Series, Joe Torre turned the tables on George Steinbrenner.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Giants Ready for Prime Time 10/15/07 After starting the season with two losses, the New York Giants looked like a team that had no chance to reach the playoffs.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Yanks Scalped in ALDS Opener 10/05/07 After finishing the regular season as one of the hottest teams in baseball, the Yankees had to feel confident heading into the American League Division Series............................................................. Joe Pietaro Jets Look to Stay on Track 09/28/07 0-2 is not a death sentence, even in the competitive short regular season that is the NFL............................................................. Joe Pietaro Avoiding the Collapse 09/22/07 A seven game lead with 17 to go seemed to be quite a cushion, even for a team that had not been playing its best baseball............................................................. Joe Pietaro Starting QBs Questionable After Week 1 Injuries 09/14/07 The game of football is a rough, contact sport. Injuries are part of the equation and must be expected throughout the season............................................................. Joe Pietaro Giants Stare Down Cowboys in Opener 09/07/07 Some match-ups just work regardless of when they take place. Take the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys, for instance............................................................ Joe Pietaro Eddie Griffin - What Could Have Been 08/31/07 A life cut short is always a sad story. Regardless if someone was a basketball player or fan, to die at the young age of 25 cannot be viewed as anything else but a tragedy.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Prince of The Pitch 08/25/07 It might not be baseball or football just yet. The sport of soccer has a long way to go in terms of popularity in the United States..................................................................... Joe Pietaro Bills to Pay and Fish to Fry 08/18/07 AFC East: Top Heavy or 4-Way Battle? Jets Look to Fly High with Revis in the Fold...................................................................... Joe Pietaro Bonds Hammers His Way into the Record Books 08/11/07 The look on his face was one of exuberance, relief and satisfaction...................................................................... Joe Pietaro Kids in the Hall 08/03/07 Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn were used to being in front of large crowds. Playing for a combined 41 years during their careers (including three different World Series), large masses of cheering humanity came natural to them. Until Sunday, that is...................................................................... Joe Pietaro Glavine Wins Number 299 with 6-3 Decision 07/27/07 When the Mets signed Tom Glavine as a free agent in 2003, they knew that they were acquiring a future Hall of Famer...................................................................... Joe Pietaro Ex-Yank Accuses Torre of Racism 07/18/07 There are reasons why talented athletes are traded numerous times during their career....................................................................... Joe Pietaro Clean Slate in Second Half 07/10/07 The Long Island Ducks had a good first half, but not good enough. Leading the North Division for a good part of the season, they won only three of their last 10 games to bow out of the top spot...................................................................... Joe Pietaro Bold Moves by Isiah Strengthen Knicks 07/04/07 Isiah Thomas had to do something to make a splash. After having the Chicago Bulls swap picks with his team from 23 to nine from the Eddy Curry trade................................................................................... Joe Pietaro Jets' Veteran Sparring With Contract Situation 06/28/07 Jets’ head coach Eric Mangini is not a man of many words. Anyone witnessing his briefings to the press can attest to that........................................................................................ Joe Pietaro Brooklyn Cyclones Open Things Up in Style 06/20/07 Coney Island has a carnival atmosphere to begin with. And the Brooklyn Cyclones did not miss a beat with their home opener on Tuesday night at Keyspan Park....................................................................................... Joe Pietaro Early Season Test 06/14/07 There is never a good time to lose five straight games is. But some are worse than others and that is the situation for the New York Mets....................................................................................... Joe Pietaro Mets Fly Catchers Are Dropping Like Flies 06/08/07 Besides suffering their first three-game losing streak of the season, the Mets lost more than a ballgame on Wednesday night at Shea Stadium...................................................................................... Joe Pietaro Garcia Has Dragons Fired Up 06/03/07 Aaron Garcia has meant so much to the New York Dragons over the years. But perhaps nothing can be compared to this season..................................................................................... Joe Pietaro The Boss Speaks 05/28/07 Years ago, it was commonplace for New York Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner to make statements to the media..................................................................................... Joe Pietaro Rookie Righty Rescues Bombers 05/21/07 Things seemed bleak for the Yankees prior to the third game of this year’s installment of the Subway Series.................................................................................... Joe Pietaro Early Start Dooms Long Island Ducks 05/16/07 The Long Island Ducks introduced a new starting time for weeknight games on Tuesday at Citibank Park when they hosted the Somerset Patriots................................................................................... Joe Pietaro Yanks' Rotation Gets a Boost with Clemens Announcement 05/09/07 The sideshow otherwise known as the New York Yankees proved once again that they do everything with a little flair.................................................................................. Joe Pietaro Deuces are Wild 05/02/07 Madison Square Garden was ablaze once again on Tuesday night as the Rangers held on for a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres to even their Eastern Conference Semifinals series at two games apiece.................................................................................. Joe Pietaro A Dinosaur of a Task Ahead 04/27/07 With the Knicks once again leaving their fans thirsty at the playoff watering hole, basketball fans in New York have two choices. Turn on sitcom reruns during the NBA post-season or become followers of the New Jersey Nets................................................................................. Joe Pietaro Blueshirts Give Atlanta a Thrashing 04/19/07 What a difference a year makes. In the opening round of the 2005-06 NHL Playoffs, the New York Rangers were on the short end of a three games to none deficit.................................................................................. Joe Pietaro 7-Run Eighth Inning Caps Off Amazin’s Come Back 04/10/07 A record crowd of 56, 227 packed a chilly Shea Stadium to cheer on the Mets in their home opener on Monday afternoon................................................................................. Joe Pietaro Mets Get Measure of Revenge in St. Louis 04/02/07 Game 7. NLCS. Shea Stadium. Everything was lined up with a raucous sell-out crowd gearing up for a trip to the World Series................................................................................. Joe Pietaro Fonzie Rides into Long Island 03/18/07 You can’t go home again. That old saying did not ring true when the Long Island Ducks announced recently that they acquired infielder Edgardo Alfonzo................................................................................ Joe Pietaro The Drive for the Honda Classic 03/08/07 A picturesque Florida golf course. Sunny skies overlooking the green grass. The competitors all looking to take home the hardware............................................................................... Joe Pietaro Snow Storm at the NHL Trading Deadline 03/02/07 Speculation approaching the February 27 NHL trading deadline was that the New York Islanders were going to be sellers instead of buyers.............................................................................. Joe Pietaro Home Style Win Over Magic, 100-94 02/21/07 The first game back after the NBA All-Star break. All the glitz and lights of Las Vegas Boulevard have faded and it’s back to business and the daily grind............................................................................. Joe Pietaro With Yanks’ Impending Changes, 2009 Will Bring More 02/14/07 All things must pass. Learn to love change. Whatever saying you want to use, it may pertain to the Yankees............................................................................ Joe Pietaro Indy knocks off Chicago, 29-17, for Super Bowl 02/06/07 Fever pitch. Dolphin Stadium was ready to explode with anticipation of the opening kick-off........................................................................... Joe Pietaro Rangers’ Captain Speaks Up and Steps Up 01/27/07 Jaromir Jagr has gone through his illustrious career as a superstar. Throughout his tenure with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he even had times when he shined as bright as the great Mario Lemieux.......................................................................... Joe Pietaro Road Weary Titans Await Home Opener 01/14/07 Lacrosse is a huge sport in New York, especially out on Long Island. Through youth organizations, high school, and college......................................................................... Joe Pietaro Knicks Fightin’ Mad (& Bad) 12/18/06 Maybe this is one way of taking some of the attention away from the growing list of New York Knicks bad performances at home......................................................................... Joe Pietaro Another Southpaw to Come Aboard the Gotham Express? 12/12/06 The recent baseball meetings in Orlando had a few moments of excitement around the baseball map........................................................................ Joe Pietaro Giants losing grip on season with 4 game skid 12/03/06 They hired him to be the disciplinarian they didn’t have in Jim Fassel. He was supposed to come in here and right the ship and not allow any distractions from the locker room affect the team’s play on Sundays....................................................................... Joe Pietaro A look back at what has made it special 11/24/06 Thanksgiving time conjures up memories from all walks of life. And sports are no exception...................................................................... Joe Pietaro Young guns gettin' it done for the Knicks 11/20/06 Their record may not show it. And the casual follower may scoff at the notion..................................................................... Joe Pietaro Strong Island tips off in their second ABA season 11/17/06 In their inaugural season, the Strong Island Sound made a lot of noise................................................................. Joe Pietaro Seeing Red 11/09/06 What a difference a year makes. Maybe. We’ll see after the big Thursday night match-up on ESPN, which pits the Cinderella team from Rutgers against the Louisville Cardinals. Both teams are 8-0 so far in the NCAA season......................................................................... Joe Pietaro T.O. should just GO! 11/06/06 What exactly was Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones thinking when he took on the dependent known as Terrell Owens?........................................................................ Joe Pietaro Will the Knicks knock their knack? 11/01/06 The 2006-07 New York Knicks are looking to erase the nightmare that was last year and hope that all these fresh starts transcend into wins........................................................................ Joe Pietaro Jets reach last season’s win mark after Week 7 10/25/06 Herman Edwards had success during his five-year Jet tenure........................................................................ Joe Pietaro Mets dealt a losing hand by Cards in NLCS 10/22/06 So now that it's all over and Mets were sent home by the Redbirds, what do we take away from it?....................................................................... Joe Pietaro By George, Torre Will Return 10/17/06 Maybe the winning has become so frequent that it is a shock when they lose. The New York Yankees have not been the most successful franchise in sports for nothing....................................................................... Joe Pietaro DiPietro pulled after 6 goals in Isles opener 10/10/06 On the heels of Wang inking goalie Rick DiPietro to a 15-year contract, the young netminder was shelled for six goals in Phoenix before being mercifully pulled by new head coach Ted Nolan...................................................................... Joe Pietaro A Giant Letdown 10/07/06 No one said that it was going to be easy. As soon as the NFL schedules were released, the first three games for the New York Giants stood out..................................................................... Joe Pietaro Mets Ace Breaking Down In Year Two of Deal 10/02/06 When the New York Mets signed right handed pitcher Pedro Martinez in the winter of 2004 to a four-year $53 million dollar contract, speculation was that it was a two-year investment with an added two with a gamble.................................................................... Joe Pietaro The 'Bridge' to the Championship 09/29/06 This is the way it should be. Two rivals fighting it out all summer in both halves, with one team winning the first and the other taking the second................................................................... Joe Pietaro Mets Clinch the Old Fashioned Way, Yanks Back In 09/25/06 The inevitable happened this past week. Both the Mets and Yankees clinched their respective divisions, assuring themselves home field advantage in the Divisional Series.................................................................. Joe Pietaro Mets and Yankees Waiting for Their First Opponents 09/20/06 By both New York baseball teams having the luxury of basically sitting back and watching, the Wild Card races in Major League Baseball have gone on quite well without either team.................................................................. Joe Pietaro Some NY Sports Heroes Have A Story Too 09/15/06 If you haven't seen the movie 'Invincible' starring Mark Wahlberg as Philadelphia Eagle Vince Papale, you're doing yourself a disservice.................................................................. Joe Pietaro Yanks well on their way 09/12/06 What appeared to be a fight to the finish will end up a one horse race. September will not be the same as the Yankees pulled away from the Boston Red Sox towards the end of August................................................................. Joe Pietaro Mets still looking for their first franchise no-hitter 09/08/06 Think of all the great names that have stood upon the pitcher’s mound at Shea Stadium................................................................ Joe Pietaro Are you ready for some football (changes)? 09/05/06 It used to be that you needed a program to find out all the roster changes on the teams in the first week of the NFL season............................................................... Joe Pietaro Add another to Pavano’s laundry list of injuries 08/30/06 Talk about one of your all-time busts. Fortunately for the Yankees, they have overcome it and have the money to spare.............................................................. Joe Pietaro Back end of both NY clubs' rotations give glimmers of hope 08/25/06 Being one of the weakest part of practically every team in baseball, the number four and five starters of both the Mets and Yankees have been a mystery at times, and a disaster at others............................................................. Joe Pietaro Mets and Yanks could give NY another Subway Series 08/22/06 What would be better in this thrilling New York baseball summer than topping it off with a Subway Series?............................................................ Joe Pietaro LaVar Arrington and Big Blue look to repeat 08/16/06 The Giants kick off their 2006 season on September 10th against the Indianapolis Colts in primetime for the return of NFL action on NBC............................................................ Joe Pietaro Mets set-up men become paramount 08/12/06 Mets General Manager Omar Minaya had some potential deals on the table during the weekend of the Major League Baseball trading deadline........................................................... Joe Pietaro Jets prepare for season with a new outlook 08/06/06 After last season's 4-12 disappointment, the Jets are looking for a fresh start with their new hierarchy.......................................................... Joe Pietaro Pull the trigger, Omar 07/30/06 The Major League Baseball non-waiver trading deadline is approaching. Come Monday July 31st, there may be a lot of player movement. Who will be the sellers and who will be the buyers?......................................................... Joe Pietaro Islanders shake-up gives Garth the GM seat 07/25/06 Does Garth Snow know what he is getting himself into? Going from the back-up goalie to General Manager is not the usual move......................................................... Joe Pietaro Long Island Ducks clinch another playoff spot 07/21/06 With the Long Island Ducks clinching the North Division First Half championship recently, it will be their third consecutive post-season appearance........................................................ Joe Pietaro Just a few thoughts (Part 7) 07/17/06 Talk about a lousy birthday. On the Fourth of July, George “The Boss” Steinbrenner turns 76 years young and the Yankees get clobbered 19-1 by the Indians in his home town of Ohio....................................................... Joe Pietaro Mets recall their Double-A phenom pitcher 07/12/06 How much longer could the Mets have delayed the inevitable? The back end of their starting rotation has been a mess basically the entire season...................................................... Joe Pietaro 252 million reasons to boo 07/05/06 Alex Rodriguez put himself in a no-win situation by becoming a New York Yankee..................................................... Joe Pietaro Rough homecoming for Pedro 07/01/06 Pedro Martinez made a triumphant return to Fenway Park on Wednesday evening when he started the middle game of a three-game interleague series.................................................... Joe Pietaro Maybe soccer isn’t our game after all 06/26/06 The whole world calls soccer their national game besides one country.................................................... Joe Pietaro Ducks’ newest star goes yard in first place showdown 06/22/06 Juan Gonzalez has hit many big home runs throughout his 16-year major league career................................................... Joe Pietaro Mets, Yanks and Ducks start off hot 06/19/06 The baseball season may only be approximately one third old and summer has not officially started, but our local baseball teams are all playing well enough to think big.................................................. Joe Pietaro Multi-agency investigation to clean up baseball 06/13/06 First we had Congress holding hearings on Capitol Hill last year................................................. Joe Pietaro The 2006 World Cup and its impact on sports 06/09/06 International sports. The Mecca of global domination. Sure, the Olympics are a great measuring stick for individual and team sports................................................ Joe Pietaro Give Milledge a ‘High-5’ 06/07/06 Give Lastings Milledge a break, Willie Randolph. I know that you come from the ‘corporate’ Yankees, and have their mentality of ‘act like you have been there.’............................................... Joe Pietaro Bryan Trottier once again an Islander 06/05/06 The full page ad the other day in New York Newsday said it all- Welcome home Bryan. One of the all-time great New York Islanders, Bryan Trottier, is back with the team............................................... Joe Pietaro Mr. Bonds’ first and only visit to Shea this weekend 06/03/06 The San Francisco Giants are coming to town this weekend for a three game series against the first-place New York Mets.............................................. Joe Pietaro My memories at Shea 05/30/06 Badly in need of a new place to play, the New York Mets announced that they will build a brand new ballpark in the shadows of Shea Stadium, to be ready by opening day 2009............................................. Joe Pietaro The homer explosion and baseball's ignorance 05/26/06 A few years before the Mark McGwire-Sammy Sosa home run derby in 1998, the long ball had become chic............................................ Joe Pietaro Mets and Yanks on the trading hot seat 05/24/06 We haven't even reached Memorial Day and both New York baseball teams are at a crossroads in the season........................................... Joe Pietaro Willie Randolph and his questionable decisions 05/21/06 Monday morning quarterbacks are a dime a dozen. It’s easy to critique a move or non-move when the game is over.......................................... Joe Pietaro Jorge keeps us on edge game after game 05/19/06 The off-season trade for starter Kris Benson to the Baltimore Orioles for reliever Jorge Julio has been criticized since it was first rumored......................................... Joe Pietaro Larry Brown saga is even surprising for these Knicks 05/17/06 When you thought you had seen it all, the New York Knicks even trump themselves. What was promoted as a coup and a master-mind decision by General Manager Isiah Thomas only one year ago is now blowing up in his face........................................ Joe Pietaro The ‘Baby Bombers’ of Staten Island 05/14/06 They are called the ‘Baby Bombers.’ The Staten Island Yankees are accumulating titles just as the parent club has....................................... Joe Pietaro Mets Single-A affiliate is a real home town team 05/11/06 When the New York Mets placed one of their minor league teams in Coney Island in 2001, everyone knew it was a brilliant idea...................................... Joe Pietaro Yankees manager is one special New Yorker 05/09/06 When people hear the name Joe Torre, they immediately think of what a great manager he has been for the New York Yankees..................................... Joe Pietaro Just a few thoughts (Part 6) 05/06/06 Scott Kazmir pitches another gem against the Boston Red Sox, this time beating their ace, Curt Schilling.................................... Joe Pietaro Ducks ready to go in season number seven 05/02/06 Hard to believe that this is already the seventh season of Long Island Ducks baseball. What started out as a 'maybe' in 2000 has turned out to be one of the most popular attractions on the island................................... Joe Pietaro Jets shore up their 'O' line in draft 04/30/06 With so many holes to fill on both sides of the ball, the New York Jets and their new front office really couldn't make a mistake whichever way they went in the 2006 NFL Draft. Let me rephrase that.................................. Joe Pietaro A Jolly Green Decision 04/28/06 The new hierarchy of the New York Jets only has a few days left on vacation. Not in the literal sense, but from the scour of the media and their long, suffering fans................................. Joe Pietaro The Knicks and the parting facade 04/26/06 The other day, the New York Knicks closed shop for the year with a big family hug................................ Joe Pietaro Collapse as big as the Empire State Building? 04/23/06 The New York Rangers are going to leave their die-hard fans as blue as their hockey sweaters if they don’t wake up fast.............................. Joe Pietaro Rest of the Flock 04/19/06 I wrote an earlier article about the Long Island Ducks’ fan-voted list of “The Flock Top 15.” At the time it was written, numbers 15 through five were named............................. Joe Pietaro Strong Island ousted by SoCal in ABA 04/16/06 The Strong Island Sound ran out of magic. After winning 10 consecutive games and reaching the Final Four of the ABA in their inaugural season............................ Joe Pietaro Mets Warm Their Fans on a Chilly Day 04/14/06 Ah. Opening day. A fan's delight after suffering through meaningless spring training games that were finished with Double A players............................ Joe Pietaro Yankees and Mets and All The Early Hype 04/11/06 Baseball in New York. It’s as old as the game itself. Gotham rules America's Pastime in the Golden Age of baseball, cornering the market with the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants............................ Joe Pietaro “…And Carry a Big Stick.” 04/08/06 The famous quote from Teddy Roosevelt, “Talk softly and carry a big stick: you will go far,” may not be the rallying cry of the Long Island Rough Riders............................ Joe Pietaro When the Games Were on Channel 9 04/06/06 Remembering back when I was a kid, there was no cable television, satellite dishes and other modern day conveniences........................... Joe Pietaro Pavano and Wright - Yankee Busts 04/02/06 When the New York Yankees signed free agent right handed starting pitchers Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright to long term contracts in the winter of 2004, the reviews were mixed.......................... Joe Pietaro Dragons Weather the (Indoor) Storm 03/30/06The New York Dragons of the Arena Football League have had their share of problems so far this season. Similar to the New York Jets, they have lost their starting and back-up quarterbacks to season-ending injuries......................... Joe Pietaro The Madness of March Marches On 03/26/06 It happens every spring. We get ready for the NCAA Tournament by filling out our brackets and try to figure out the inevitable upsets. And we're always shocked when they happen........................ Joe Pietaro The NY Nets closed out the ABA in style 03/24/06 This season marks the 30th anniversary of the 1975-76 New York Nets winning the last ABA championship. One of the 'outlaw' league's premiere franchises captured the crown that closed the book on the ABA before the merger with the NBA....................... Joe Pietaro Shooting Star (bury) 03/21/06 It comes as no surprise that the feud has taken center stage in this dismal Knicks season. Head Coach Larry Brown and Point Guard Stephon Marbury have taken it to the next level...................... Joe Pietaro Just a few thoughts (Part 5).....03/19/06 The USA gets more lives than Morris the Cat and still cannot advance to the Final 4 in the WBC. They did not play hard and the teams that beat them did. End of story..................... Joe Pietaro Steroids, Gambling and America's Pastime 03/16/06 Barry Bonds has been raked over the coals with the pending release of a 'tell all' book on his steroid use..................... Joe Pietaro The Jets and their quarterback situation 03/13/06 The Jets recently restructured quarterback Chad Pennington’s contract to give them some salary cap relief. But it was clear that the new administration is not huge supporters of the incumbent, who is rehabbing from his second shoulder surgery.................... Joe Pietaro The World Baseball Classic- good idea, bad execution? 03/10/06 The World Baseball Classic tournament has received a lot of criticism. Some of it is warranted, but it became overkill on the New York sports talk airwaves................... Joe Pietaro Long Island Ducks on the hardwood, too 03/07/06 Recently I wrote a column on the Long Island Ducks hockey team from 1959-1973. Some people may have been surprised that there was a team with that name before the baseball team that exists today.................. Joe Pietaro Long Island Ducks on Ice 03/06/06 The Long Island Ducks were launched in the year 2000 as an independent minor league baseball team in the Atlantic League................. Joe Pietaro Bright lights on Broadway 03/01/06 The New York Rangers embark on the second half of the NHL regular season after heading into the Olympic break leading the Atlantic Division with 78 points................ Joe Pietaro Just a few thoughts (Part 4)..... 02/27/06 One thing that really bugs me is a guy misses his first free throw and his teammates all make it a point to come give him 'five'. What does that represent? ................ Joe Pietaro "That's Yankee-land" 02/25/06 The small quote from Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman, "That's Yankee-land", says it all. Another Spring Training camp, another controversy. What would Yankee fans do without one?................ Joe Pietaro Steph and “Franchise”- can they co-exist? 02/23/06 The Knicks recent trade of Trevor Ariza and Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway to the Orlando Magic for Steve Francis will bring up the question that will be asked over and over- can Francis and Stephon Marbury survive together?................ Joe Pietaro Just a few thoughts (Part 3)..... 02/19/06 The Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers now have 'one for the thumb'. The Seattle Seahawk fans would like to give the officials one of those digits on their hands in appreciation for the hard work that they put in calling a fair game. And believe me it isn't a thumbs up................ Joe Pietaro Getting to the top of the Flock 02/16/06 The Long Island Ducks held a vote on their web site for the fans to pick their choices for “The Flock Top 15”. Over their six years in existence, the Ducks have had many fan favorites and colorful players. The players are announced weekly on the Ducks web site................ Joe Pietaro New York Knicks - Curry-Goat 02/13/06 The Knicks have been looking for that big man in the middle since Patrick Ewing left. Eddy Curry was acquired to fill that hole. He has been too inconsistent for the first half of this season to be considered that player............... Joe Pietaro The New York Jets go 'thirty-something' 02/10/06 The Jets have swept the plate clean and are looking for a fresh start. When you finish 4-12 and have as many question marks as they do right now, that’s not exactly a bad thing. This group definitely fits the old saying- the new ‘kids’ on the block............... Joe Pietaro Will the Islanders head east? 02/07/06 Charles Wang has tried to make changes and improvements for a while now. The owner of the New York Islanders wanted to update the current facility, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum............... Joe Pietaro Long Island’s ABA basketball team that you’ve probably never heard of 02/04/06 There’s a professional minor league sports franchise on Long Island that offers a family friendly atmosphere, affordable tickets, free parking, in-game promotions, approachable players who are happy to sign autographs, and a mascot that is a large bird.............. Joe Pietaro Just a few thoughts (Part 2)..... 02/03/06 So Braden Looper has moved on to the Cardinals. He'll be replacing the boo-birds for red birds. I'm sure the Metropolitan faithful are checking their pocket schedules for his first visit to Shea. I'll save you the trouble. Mark down August 22nd. Don't get all hoarse too soon. Kaz needs a little lovin’ from you too............... Joe Pietaro Dragons clawed by Kats in season opener 57-28 01/31/06 The New York Dragons were looking for a fast start to the AFL season in defense of their 3 straight division titles. They welcomed the Nashville Kats to the Nassau Coliseum on Saturday night for their season opener in front of 11,126 fans. Too bad the crashers ruined the party.............. Joe Pietaro The Mets pitching staff- do they have enough? 01/28/06 With the recent trades of starting pitchers Jae Seo and Kris Benson, many people have asked the question if the New York Mets may have traded away an area of strength to clog their middle relief with a bunch of question marks. Have they overcompensated by cutting their nose off to spite their face?.............. Joe Pietaro Just a Few Thoughts 01/27/06 Well, the big game is approaching. Break out the junk food and cold beverages for another Super Sunday. Too bad the real football fans and the players have to take a back seat to rock stars performing a ridiculously long halftime concert, a bunch of stupid commercials, and pool boxes being cared about more than who won. What happened to the marching bands?.............. Joe Pietaro |
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Mets' Progress Halted: Can a Team Take a Step Back in a Rebuilding Year? - 05/14/13
