The Weekend in Review

I think that it’s safe to say, this has been one of the best weeks and weekends for New York sports in 2007. Lets start off with Isiah Thomas actually making a good deal by trading away the bloated salary that is Steve Francis, along with a terrible mid range jump shot 3-4 times a game in Channing Frye for Fred Jones, Dangerous Dan Dickau, and last but not least Zach “Z-Bo” Randolph. On paper, this looks like an absolute steal, and as long as Zach Randolph can stay out of trouble in New York, you know, like not carrying a gun, possession of drugs, or worst of all killing someone, this could be the start of something beautiful at Madison Square Garden. The main word here is "could", because the ceiling for this trade is extremely high, however Eddy Curry may not like other big men who don’t play defense, in which case it could falter. We’ll find out.

does this look like a gun-toting thug to you?

After all of this went down, the Mets then swept a day-night doubleheader with the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, showing them that they are still the team to beat in the NL East, despite what someone who didn’t even make the All-Star roster may think (cough, Jim-my Rol-lins!). Speaking of the All-Star roster, the Mets have 4 players to contribute to the team this year 3 of whom are starting. David Wright, Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran were all leading vote getters at their position, and the dominant Billy Wagner got a spot on the pitching roster. I have no complaints other than the fact that John Maine got screwed out of a spot. Maine is 9-4 with a 2.74 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. The man Mets fans have to thank for Winona Ryder-ing Maine’s spot? Cole Hamels.

Hamels this year is 9-4 (push) with an ERA of 3.87 (advantage Maine) and a 1.22 WHIP (advantage Maine). To make things worse Friday night in the second game of the double header, Maine out-pitched Hamels by going 8 innings and allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits striking out 6 and walking nobody. Hamels on the other hand went 5 innings giving up 3 earned runs on 5 hits, 2 of which were home runs. He also walked 5 batters. So even though when they went head to head the Maine event was victorious, Hamels still gets the nod for the All-Star game. I don’t get it, John Maine is the Maine Event, Cole Hamels name reminds you of a coal miner. And what do coal miners get? Black lungs. What else gives you black lungs? Smoking. The MLB is promoting smoking this All-Star game, real nice.

John Maine could've been a Maine Event of the annual All-Star game, instead the MLB is promoting smoking

But even though the Mets lost the last game of a 4-game series, there was something to soothe the pain. The antidote: the New York Rangers reportedly have signed center Scott Gomez to a 7 year deal worth 51.5 million, as well as signing center Chris Drury to a 5 year deal reportedly worth 35.25 million. Is this a joke? First we draft a top 5 prospect in Alexei Cherepanov, then the Captain Mark Messier gets inducted into the hall of fame, then the Rangers sign two of the best centers in the NHL? What did I do to deserve this? This is like getting all my Christmas presents months in advance only when Christmas comes around I won’t give a crap that there isn’t anything under the tree with my name on it. Not only are both of these players top tier at their positions and make the Rangers a much better team, but we are also weakening two of our division rivals (the Sabres and the Devils). This also means I can forgive Chris Drury for ruining my life in a matter of 6 seconds in the ‘07 NHL playoffs after scoring the goal with 7 seconds to go to tie game 5. You all know the story, and it isn't a bed time story for Rangers fans. It's more of a drunken old 'Nam Vet's innapropriate story for his 10 year old grand children. But after months of cursing Drury out, I’m ready to accept his apology. He knows he made me go pre-maturely bald by causing me to rip out my own hair, and he knows it was wrong, so to make it up to me and thousands of others, he signed with the Rangers. Thank you.

let the past be the past... except for everything that turned out well for the rangers

In Gomez the Rangers are getting someone who has playoff experience, and plenty of it. They can also finally give Brendan Shanahan a true center to play with on the second line. Lord knows we needed one last year. And with Drury, not only are we getting a life ruiner and one of the most clutch players in sports history, we’re getting a Little League World Series champion. One could argue that he was better than Danny “I Shaved at 10" Almonte. Lets see Almonte rock a pair of skates. Drury also gives the Rangers a #1 center for the first line to play with Jagr. So to look at the upcoming two lines next season, the Rangers are going to have 4 legitimate All-Stars on offense on the first two lines.

This is too much to believe, Zeke makes a good deal, and now Glen Sather makes two great signings? What’s next? Pete Kendall and Laveranues Coles suddenly become team leaders on the Jets and are the most enthusiastic about Training Camp and team contact drills? Tiki Barber wins an Emmy? Actually don’t sleep on Tiki, he’s the next Ron Darling. But all of this aside, we’re looking at a Rangers team that is going to contend for the Stanley Cup next year, and make a strong push as long as everyone stays healthy. Pray to Roger McDowell.

So in retrospect, the Rangers, Knicks, and Mets all made a huge splash in the sports world this weekend. Don’t ask me to choose which piece of news pleased me the most because that would be like asking me to choose between Jessica Alba, Rachel Bilson or Scarlett Johanson. In other words, it’s the impossible choice. But championships for these three teams in the next few years is not impossible, in fact it’s probable. Yeah, I said it, probable. Of course, until we see them all play together, its just a great looking roster on a sheet of paper. And I mean really great looking. Maybe even better looking than Jessica Alba.

And that’s really saying something.