History of The Mirl, Part I

August 18th, 2010

I was driving home from the show last night following our interview with Islander legend Pat LaFontaine, and was trying to think about what to write about today at the same time. I replayed part of the interview in my head, and flashed back to the very beginning of my career, something I mentioned in the talk with Pat. I also realized at the same time that I claim to have seen a lot of weird things, and that first week at the Islanders would certainly qualify as strange. Here is what happened…

The interview process I had with the Islanders was very, very quick. It was October, 1991, and the season had started already, when someone in their PR Department had left. Through a mutual friend, I had met someone in the office earlier that summer while up for a similar job elsewhere, and when the spot opened, given the in-season timing, they needed someone in the job real fast.

I interview on Thursday, October 17. My second interview, plus handshake welcoming me to the organization, was Monday, October, 21. I started the next day. It happened that fast (and to all aspiring sports pros, plus out of work veterans like myself, that is always an important piece of info to remember…these things can happen that fast). All of these dates are important, as I brought up last night, and as you’ll see in a minute.

I showed up for work that day, which just happened to be a game day. There were also games scheduled for Thursday (an exhibition against the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team) and then another game that Saturday. Talk about being thrown right in the fire, right? I got to the office early, which turned out to be one of the few times in my career there where that was the case (one of my true failings while working there, by the way), and took a seat at what they told me the day before would be my desk. No one else was there yet, so I just looked around and started to try and get the butterflies out of my system.

And then someone came in and tapped me on the shoulder.

I turned around, not having any idea who this was. Obviously, I assumed it was another staff member. He introduced himself as Ken and asked who I was. I told him it was my first day there and who I was working for, and he broke into a big smile. He then told me he was looking for some pictures of himself to sign, and asked if he could grab some. He knew where they were kept, so he showed me the file, and took a handful for himself. At that point, I learned that the first person in the organization that I met was enforcer Ken Baumgartner, who was as nice a guy off the ice as imaginable, and certainly not like his tough guy on-ice persona (a trait that many hockey people will tell you is the case with the majority of “goons”). Moments later, my new boss walked in, did the informal introductions, and the day went along as normally as any first work day does.

That game was played, I met more people than I could remembered, then went through the same thing two days later, with a normal work day scheduled in between, plus again on Friday. Or so I thought.

When I got to the office on Friday, it was mayhem. Being the new guy, I had no idea why. I started doing the things I normally did the first three days, but the phones were ringing off the hook. I was at the copier, because that was my normal routine, when my boss, whose office bordered the copy room, started banging on the wall. “Get in here and answer the phones!!!” was the quote. When I did, he told me we had just scheduled a press conference for later in that morning.

Pat LaFontaine was being traded. And so was captain Brent Sutter, in a separate deal. My Islander career overlapped with theirs for a total of four days.

And so, my career at the Islanders was already in the first part of the roller coaster. There were tons more trades, a wild playoff run in 1993, a depressing playoff sweep in 1994, a GM that turned the organization on its ear (and I only saw the tip of that iceberg) and, happily, I got out before the ownership issues set in. But we’ll come back to all of that at a later date.

Yeah, I have seen a lot. And I think it will be a lot of fun telling more of these stories. If you have any special requests for weird stuff that happened in that organization from 1991-96, please let me know. I have no problem sharing.

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The Dustin Dustup

August 16th, 2010

I really don’t understand why people are so up in arms about the penalty incurred by Dustin Johnson on the final hole of yesterday’s PGA Championship. Of course, the overwhelming majority of those complaining are people that don’t play or watch golf regularly, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised after all. This is simply a case of people not knowing what they hell they are talking about.

Let me break it down easily…

FACT: It is against the rules of golf to ground your club in a sand trap. This is a rule that ALL golfers are aware of.
FACT: The golfers in the tournament were specifically informed in writing that all bunkers on the course would be treated as bunkers, whether they were in play or not. This referred to exactly the kind of bunker Johnson found himself in – one that spectators had been standing in all weekend. As for why there were bunkers on the course that were not in play and therefore used as spectator areas, if you took one look at the course during the last four days, you will see just how many bunkers there are. Having large crowds walking the course necessitated some of them being taken out of play.
FACT: Stuart Appelby was called for this exact rule in the same type of bunker six years ago, the last time the PGA Championship was played at Whistling Straits. The precedent was set then, so there should be no surprise this time around.
FACT: There was a rules official walking with the golfers in case questions such as this arose. It is NOT the responsibility of the official to stop someone before a rule might be broken. Again, that is standard practice, and 100% of that responsibility falls on the golfer and his caddie. All they had to do was ask the official.

As usual, people are using this as an example of golf being elitist, or having arcane rules, or other silly reasons why they don’t like golf (and yes, I have seen both of those examples written on Twitter). Most of these same people, however, openly state either before or after those comments that they only watch golf for the big Championships. If that is not the most hypocritical coment ever, I’m not sure what can top it.

If you are not a fan of golf, or simply a casual one, then understand the rules and the situation before spouting off that it is unfair. This is a black and white rule. Period. Even Dustin Johnson said he didn’t read the rules sheet carefully. His Sunday partner, and third round leader, Nick Watney went as far as saying that he didn’t even look at the local rule sheet, and that most of the players ignored it, as well. In that case, I have zero sympathy for Johnson. He was told about this rule and chose to ignore it.

As for those who choose to get high and mighty about the ruling, see you in April for the Masters. But take the next eight months to learn about the game you are commenting on. Maybe it will make you sound smarter next time you complain.

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No Name ’til Brooklyn

August 12th, 2010

Mikhail Prokhorov, the new owner of the New Jersey Nets, recently stated that when the Nets move east from Jersey to Brooklyn, the team will lose the name “Nets” in place of something he likes more. While he has not announced the new name yet (and since the move to Brooklyn has been in perpetual “when it happens” mode for a few years now, there is no guarantee it will EVER happen), I thought it might be fun to look at some of the possible new names for the team…

–Brooklyn Bridges: Wow, I start the list off with an obvious one. Shoot me. Actually, that gives me an idea…
–Brooklyn Bullets: The name was vacated in Washington a few years ago, and since there are some very unsafe areas of the borough, it might actually fit. Then again, they are leaving Newark, which is annually ranked among the Top Murder Cities in the country.
–Brooklyn Landgrabbers: There are some that think the deal to buy the team is nothing more than just that for previous owners of the team. That leads into…
–Brooklyn Evictors: A number of people have lost their home as part of the real estate maneuvers to get the arena built.
–Brooklyn Railroad: The arena is going to be built right above the Long Island Railroad’s Flatbush Avenue terminal. Hmmm…another instance where a team copies Madison Square Garden, which is built right above the Long Island Railroad’s Penn Station terminal.
–Brooklyn Swamp Dragons: The once rumored name that the Nets were switching to a while back. Now is the perfect time to actually make the change.
–Brooklyn Travoltas: In honor of one of the greatest actors to ever come out of Brooklyn. Wait. He was in Welcome Back, Kotter and Saturday Night Fever, which are both set in the borough. He has to be from there, right? He’s from Jersey, you say? Let’s change the name now, then.
–Brooklyn Spikes: Spike Lee is one of the proudest Brooklyn natives on the planet. Name the tea after him and maybe he’ll switch his allegiance from the Knicks.
–Brooklyn Stolis (or Caviar): In honor of Prokhorov’s native Russia, not to mention the huge Russian enclave in Brighton Beach.
–Brooklyn Nickel: This is how Prokhorov made his fortune, so why not take the name here to try to help him avoid losing that fortune by owning the Nets.
–Brooklyn Guidos: Oops. I forgot. The team is leaving New Jersey. We don’t want to offend Snooki and the gang by stealing their title.
–Brooklyn Swanns: I know he played football, but that name has a nice right to it. And Brooklyn is on the water, so maybe there are swans floating around in the water somewhere. No? OK, let’s just move on.
–Brooklyn Dodgers: Nah. That name makes no sense. Dodgers are from Los Angeles.

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Contract Sports

August 10th, 2010

There are two major contract situations dominating New York sports headlines today, both involving contracts. And in both cases, applause should be directed at specific parties.

Thank you, NHL. It is about time you put your foot down on ridiculous super-long contracts that are clear salary cap circumventions. While the Twitterverse and Internet explode with outrage about the decision to invalidate Ilya Kovalchuk’s 17 year contract with the Devils, I applaud the decision. Contract loopholes are closed in big business all the time, and it is about time this loophole has been closed.

When this deal was signed, the mockery of the system was blatant. But since there were precedents set on contracts like this, from Alexei Yashin to Marian Hossa and more, the belief was that this was OK, as well. Never mind how ridiculous the terms, with $92 million of the $102 million being paid out in the first seven years, terms that are silly even by past contracts of this type. Never mind that Kovalchuk would be in his mid-40s and long retired when the deal expired. Similar deals were done before, so why shouldn’t this one be accepted?

So it is a breath of fresh air that the NHL, a league widely ridiculed for doing the wrong thing, whether that is the case or not, finally did something correct. The bonus is the investigation of other contracts that are similarly structured, some of which were extensions that have not yet taken effect. In an age where sky high contracts are the norm across sports, making teams act within the spirit of the rules, rather than exploiting a quirk in the system, is a welcome change.

Thank you, New York Jets. While I am a huge Jet fan, I also am a believer that contracts that should be honored by both sides. Remember…it takes two parties to sign a contract. Darrelle Revis had three years remaining on his rookie contract (I say “had” because the last two years are no longer guaranteed now that he is holding out). Three years. I understand that there are higher paid players at his position. I also understand that Rex Ryan is perpetually naming Revis as the best at his position. However, that does not overrule the fact that Revis was handsomely paid before he ever stepped foot on a football field.

In his rookie deal, one that Revis signed with a smile on his face, this was the “down year” as far as pay was concerned. He made a hell of a lot more than $1 million each of the first three years, and if he did not hold out, next year was $5 million, the year after that $15 million. So, in return for the Jets paying him an above average salary in five of the six scheduled seasons, he opted to take the one “down year” and remove the context in which the contract was signed.

The Jets have offered to pay him handsomely. There is no argument from either camp on that stance. But Revis’ insistence on being the top paid player at his position, while making sense on the surface, is also a little skewed. When a team like the Raiders overpays a player, as they did with their own corner, Nnamdi Asomugha, it completely destroys the salary structure for others. The Raiders also overpaid for their first round pick in 2009, Darrius Heyward-Bey, a guy that no one felt should be drafted as high as the Raiders picked him. There is a track record of bad contracts in Oakland, and now the Jets are being paid to force the price. Revis’ people need to start incorporating common sense into their negotiations. Revis will get his, if they simply take a step back and get reasonable.

As a Jet fan, I am looking forward to the coming season as much as anyone. This is a Super Bowl contender, with or without Revis. Now, it is time for Revis to remember that in football, team comes ahead of individual more than in any sport. There very well could be a ring waiting for him if he simply gets off his high horse and gets into camp. It is that simple.

Allow me to indulge in a story. I remember walking up to Revis at the Knicks-Lakers game this past January at Madison Square Garden. It was the Friday night before the AFC Championship game, and numerous Jets were populating the front row. I was working stats for MSG Network that night and was seated no more than 30 feet away from him, and walked over to him at halftime to wish him luck that weekend. He was humble and down to earth and very easily approachable, and while there, I was part of a conversation with him, Kenny Albert, Jeff Van Gundy and a couple of others about who the best QBs in the league were, a conversation in which he was more than happy to oblige. When the players were shown on the scoreboard during the game, the Garden exploded, with Revis getting the loudest ovation.

I’m not so sure either of those things would occur given his stance today.

Posted in Darrelle Revis, Devils, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jets, The Mirl | No Comments »

Tiger Lost in the Woods

August 9th, 2010

As of this weekend, Tiger Woods is just another golfer. Now here’s hoping he starts to get the appropriate amount of attention.

It is time to stop with the constant stream of updates. I no longer need to know that he has applied to play in any tournaments. I no longer need round by round updates. I no longer need to see clips of all of his press conferences.

It is time to treat Tiger just like every other golfer on the PGA Tour. After his performance at this past week’s Bridgestone Invitational, he no longer warrants this attention. If he returns to the top of the game, maybe we return to this amount of coverage. And I think it needs to be IF, in capital letters.

This is no longer about his marital indiscretions. That story has now played itself out, despite some members of the media and their attempts to continue to draw the story along forever. Simply put, Tiger Woods is nothing more than an average pro golfer right now. A second to last finish on a course that he has owned in the past is the latest piece of evidence. Blame it on the scandals of the last ten months. Blame it on lingering effects from his knee injury of 2008. Blame it on the falling out with his swing coach, Hank Haney. Blame it on overexposure, if you want. But the fact remains that, over the course of the 2010 season, Tiger Woods has not been a real factor in any tournament he has played in this year.

Voyeurism has become a staple of society in the 20th century, for better or worse. The continued growth of the internet, and sites like TMZ, has placed every single public fixture under a 24 hour microscope, and the bigger the celebrity, the larger the lens. Schadenfreude is hip, especially when indiscretions become public. It doesn’t get much bigger, than Tiger, of course…or should I say didn’t. Because as a superstar, it might be time to begin using the past tense.

It is also time for someone to start giving Tiger some better advice on how he handles himself these days. He certainly doesn’t help himself in the court of public opinion when he appears surly and curt in every single press conference. This is what is sowed when cultivated the way Tiger has done throughout his career. It is time to let people in. Act like a normal human being. Rehabilitate your image and show people that they can relate to you. Simply put, make it easy for people to root for you to return to the top of your game, rather than root against you. Because that is where sentiment lies these days.

The biggest stars are always capable of coming back and regaining their stature. Golf fans, plus the game itself, want and need Tiger to do that. But for now, it is time to start viewing him in the same vein as Jim Furyk or Stewart Cink or Mike Weir…guys that have won major titles and should always be mentioned as contenders, but that are just part of the game. Phil Mickelson is now the cream of the crop, let’s start following him the way we all followed Tiger.

A second to last finish doesn’t warrant much more than that.

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Ranking the New York Coaches

August 5th, 2010

New York has long been home to some of the biggest names in managing and coaching. However, if you look across the sports landscape here these days, you don’t see any of those larger than life personalities. No Bill Parcells, or Red Holzman, or Al Arbour, or Joe Torre. What does exist, though, is a mixed breed of coaches, bringing with it a mixed level of success.

So, without further ado, I want to present the first Mirl On Sports ranking – the head coaches in New York Sports…

1. JOE GIRARDI
Hired: October 30, 2007
Biggest Plus: Ability to manage big personalities
Biggest Minus: Lame duck status
Girardi comes in first in this ranking by a landslide. Other coaches on this list have won championships, but none have had to do it under the microscope that the Yankee skipper has to operate under. Whether it is ownership, the media or the fans, everyone analyzes every facet of every move Girardi makes, both good and bad. And with the roster Girardi is tasked with managing, the expectations will always be sky high. The fact that he immediately followed one of the most beloved managers in Yankee history, Joe Torre, also could have held Girardi back. Instead, he went out and won a title, and has the Yankees on track to make the postseason yet again. Unfortunately, his contract is also up at the end of the season, and, as per Yankee policy, there will be no talk of an extension until after the season, putting Girardi’s future with the club in limbo. His name has already been attached to the opening with the Chicago Cubs, and it remains to be seen whether this issue starts to rear its head as the season hits the homestretch. Either way, nothing less than another World Series is expected in the Bronx. And with the makeup of this team, Girardi remains the perfect man for the job.

2. REX RYAN
Hired: January 21, 2009
Biggest Plus: Defensive pedigree
Biggest Minus: His mouth
When the Jets hired Rex Ryan, the bravado started immediately, and has not stopped since. That has its positives and negatives, of course, but to this point, Ryan has done made almost all of them positives. His outspoken demeanor instantly made him a media darling and fan favorite, and keeps a team that normally plays second fiddle on the football landscape to the Giants square in the mix for the tabloid back page all year. The only real time his mouth has gotten him in any trouble is with the Darrelle Revis situation, but only from the point of Revis’ agents, who are using Ryan’s open love of Revis against the team in negotiations. His mouth is also the only thing that could really get him in trouble, since his defensive system and ability to relate to his players immediately turned the Jets into the top defense in the NFL, and, if Revis gets to camp, will most likely keep them in that position, not to mention a serious Super Bowl contender. He has brought Mark Sanchez along at a great pace, and rolled with the inevitable rookie mistakes that the QB made last season, putting Sanchez in an ideal position to grow in his second year. The sky is the limit for Ryan as a coach, if he doesn’t do anything to get himself in the way. This is the guy, of all everyone on this list, that has that chance to become that larger than life presence.

3. SCOTT GORDON
Hired: August 12, 2008
Biggest Plus: Mentorship of young players
Biggest Minus: Lack of overt personality
Stop laughing and hear me out. Gordon has earned this ranking. Look at his roster over the time that he has been running the Islanders. All you will see are young players with lots of potential, fringe NHLers, past their prime role playing vets and a tenuous goaltender situation that was not created by him. But Gordon has taken that mishmash, installed a system that he believes in and has gotten his players to believe in, and actually overachieved (if that is possible given where the team has finished in the standings the last two seasons). To get to the next level, though, Gordon needs to continue to grow with young stars like John Tavares, Kyle Okposo and the rest. He needs to start loosening up a little and let his personality come out. No one questions his intensity, but sometimes a smile during the press conference carries just as much weight as a terse answer. He also is entering the final year of his contract, an issue which appears to be one the Islanders are in no rush to address. Gordon has tons of potential as a head coach, which is a perfect fit for a team that has a lot of potential in a year or two. If Charles Wang and Garth Snow are serious about the long term rebuild, they need to keep their coach as part of it. No one wants to see him turn into another Peter Laviolette, who the Islanders introduced to the league, then let go, only to see him win a Stanley Cup elsewhere.

4. MIKE D’ANTONI
Hired: May 13, 2008
Biggest Plus: Style of play
Biggest Minus: The roster…which is not his fault
D’Antoni has been hamstrung during his tenure as Knick coach, in which he has brought the fun back into the on court play of the team with his run and gun style. First, he was trapped under players that Isiah Thomas brought into the organization. Then, while that weight was lifted, he became trapped under the deadweight of players that were just there to fill out the roster while the organization waited for the big free agent haul of Summer 2010. Now, he is caught somewhere in the middle, since we all know how greatly the Knicks failed in their pursuit of LeBron James. Amar’e Stoudamire is a great player, but not the guy you build a championship team around, and the team’s best player over the last couple of seasons, David Lee, has been jettisoned in the roster overhaul. If D’Antonio can coax a playoff spot out of the current roster, he easily moves up this list. But as has been the case since he started with the Knicks, he still isn’t being given a roster that fits his style of play.

5. TOM COUGHLIN
Hired: January 6, 2004
Biggest Plus: Intensity
Biggest Minus: Intensity
The calls for Coughlin’s head were loud and strong after the Giants collapsed in 2009 following a 5-0 start. The team resisted making a change, however, and is now presenting Coughlin with his biggest test as a head coach. Can he reinvigorate the roster, much of which remains the same from last season, and get winning back into their minds? He has butted head with a few of his big names and his intensity can sometimes be interpreted as stubbornness. He has won a title in New York, though, so he knows just how the media and fans can get when things are up, as well as down. It remains to be seen if the team can finally rebound from the departure of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, which they failed to do last season. More of that responsibility falls on Coughlin now, because his job most likely is resting on exactly the results.

6. JOHN TORTORELLA
Hired: February 23, 2009
Biggest Plus: Intensity
Biggest Minus: Tendency to overwork players
Tortorella is a polarizing figure. You either love him or hate him. That goes for his players, as well, as it is no secret that some players have tired of playing for him and his outspoken style both with the Rangers and in Tampa Bay. He is as intense a coach as there is in sports and, given the right mix of players, that intensity can result in a championship, as it did when he was in Tampa Bay. However, the Rangers roster has proven to be thin at forward and unimposing on defense, and Tortorella has used that as a reason to shorten his bench in games early and often. That only works to a point, though, and might be one of the reasons the Rangers fell just shy of a playoff berth last season. The top end of the team’s roster has not changed dramatically from a year ago, so it will be interesting to see if that same issue raises itself in 2010-11. If it does, and if the Rangers do not respond to their coach’s yelling and screaming, Tortorella might find himself out of work before 2011 hits.

7. JERRY MANUEL
Hired: June 17, 2008
Biggest Plus: He’s a nice guy
Biggest Minus: His managing ability
The clock is about to run out on Manuel’s time as Mets manager, as it seems to be a foregone conclusion that he will be let go following the season, if not before. Once again, the team has fallen apart in the second half, despite the return of Carlos Beltran from his serious knee injury. As New Yorkers know, though, his departure should be only one piece of a team overhaul that should start with GM Omar Minaya. It is time for huge changes in Queens, and Manuel really does not deserve to shoulder all of the blame. While his moves are often questioned, and rightfully so, given the team’s starting rotation, it actually could have been worse this year. One thing Manuel does deserve some credit for how he has handled the situation, though. Many managers in New York have not carried themselves with the class that he has under these circumstances.

These rankings are obviously subjective, and are only one man’s opinion. New Yorkers routinely witness a wide variety of coaching styles and results, and as we all know, it is the results that carry the most weight in this town. It is quite conceivable that almost everyone on this list could be replaced by this time next year (Ryan is clearly the safest bet), but that is New York sports for you.

Feel free to let me know how you rank the coaches. Maybe we’ll make this into an unscientific poll if I get enough replies.

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Posted in Giants, Islanders, Jets, Knicks, Mets, Mirl, Rangers, Yankees | No Comments »

The State of New York Sports

August 4th, 2010

I was driving home from last night’s New York Sports Exchange, wracking my brain trying to figure out what to write about today. I’m not the type that let’s things happen naturally. I have a tendency to force things a little bit…as regular Twitter followers of mine know when they see me sending out tweets asking people to follow me.

And then I heard the Yankees lost and the Rays won.

Yes, the Yankees. The team that, according to fans, experts and Mike Francesa, didn’t need Cliff Lee, now sits in second place in the AL East. Ironically, if the standings hold as they are right now, the Yankees would most likely face the Texas Rangers, featuring Lee, in the first round of the playoffs. If you are a Yankee fan, how happy are you about that prospect?

Let’s call things what they are. There is a sense of entitlement with Yankee fans. It is something that, quite frankly, the fans and the organization have earned. The track record in the Bronx over the last fifteen years is sparkling, so we can forgive the fans for feeling that way. And yes, the Yankees will most likely earn a spot in the postseason, where anything can happen. But that is also my point. In the playoffs, anything can happen. And the guy that Yankee fans didn’t want, who only happens to be one of the best pitchers in the game, might just be the guy to send them packing come October.

That sense of entitlement, however, is not limited to Yankee fans. Sports fans from New York, in general, have that same attitude. We are New Yorkers, of course. This is what we know. It stretches well beyond sports, but the stadium or arena is the easiest place to allow this feeling to manifest itself. Unfortunately, beyond the Yankees, history shows that fans of the other New York teams might want to ease up just a hair. Let’s visit those teams:

The Mets, as has been the norm the last few years, started nicely, but with a smoke and mirrors pitching staff and the disastrous signing of Jason Bay, will once again miss the playoffs. A major housecleaning of the front office and manager spot are long overdue, and it is time to break it all down and put it back together. Hello, rebuild.

The Knicks saw their master plan of the last two years go up in smoke when LeBron James shunned New York and went to Miami. Now, hopes are being pinned on NEXT summer and the longshot of Carmelo Anthony coming to the Garden. Knick fans will have to keep waiting for return to the playoffs.

The Rangers have not addressed their glaring needs for a guy to run shotgun for Marian Gaborik, not the need to get bigger, stronger and tougher on the blueline. With many of the Eastern Conference teams getting better this summer, it is going to be a tough road for the Blueshirts to get back into the playoffs.

The Islanders? The red headed stepchild of New York sports is not far off. But with a team payroll that will barely clear the league’s salary floor for another year, the team’s strong core of youth is at least a year away, probably two, from making any noise in the NHL. The talent base is growing rapidly, though, and this is a team that, if they grow together, will be very very good. Garth Snow doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves, and until they do something in the postseason, he will unfairly be known as the “backup goalie turned GM”. Too bad the arena situation, not to mention the terrible Rick DiPietro contract, will continue to be an albatross around the organization’s neck until it is resolved.

A hunch tells me it could be a down year for the Giants. Many New Yorkers live and breathe Big Blue, of course, and can’t wait to see the new stadium. But after last year’s collapse, it might be tough to turn things around this year. It is always fun when the team is good, so let’s hope I’m wrong on this one. My gut just tells me that slide in ’09 is going to stretch through another season.

Of course, the entire city is abuzz about the Jets, and for good reason. On paper, this is a team that is truly loaded on both sides of the ball. It is the Jets, however…a team that has not been to the Super Bowl in my lifetime for a reason. Until they actually do get back to the Super Bowl, most fans are forced to take all of the buzz with a grain of salt. I bleed green and white as much as the next guy, but all of the talk only gets you so far. With camp off to a start that is clouded by the Darrelle Revis holdout, is this a team that can live up to expectations?

And it is exactly that last word, expectations, that every New Yorker has for the teams in this town (I did not list the Jersey teams because I live on Long Island…those teams are not New York as far as I’m concerned, despite playing closer to New York than the Islanders). That just comes with the territory of playing in a town where we all think everything should be ours.

Posted in Giants, Islanders, Jets, Knicks, Mets, Mirl, New York Sports Exchange, Rangers, The Mirl, Yankees | No Comments »

Welcome to Mirl on Sports

August 3rd, 2010

Whenever someone starts a new blog, the question invariably is asked…Why should I take the time to read your blog?

Well, hopefully you will find this blog entertaining enough to come back. I have an open door policy, so please let me know what you think. I won’t duck the bad stuff either, and am willing to take part in any Twitter feuds that come along because of things I say.

I think the easiest way to start things will be just a few bullet points about what I’m thinking about these days…we’ll get meatier as time goes on. For today, though, let me give you a peek into my warped head:

—I live by the adage that no one is bigger than the game. That means guys like Favre and LeBron. Act like you have been there before, people. There is a reason there is so much backlash against these two.

—Speaking of which, I’m thrilled to see Brett Favre retire. One of the game’s biggest phonies can draw attention to himself one last time, then ride off into the sunset in his Wranglers. If he chooses to come back, I will be rooting against him. And call me stupid, but my gut says he wants to come in as a savior midway through the season to prove once again that he is better than everyone else. And then he’ll cost his team the game in the playoffs (again) and start this whole soap opera over next year.

—I tend to use caps on words I want to stress. I was once told by a boss that it made it look like I was yelling at people when I did that. No, that would be typing EVERYTHING in caps. If I need to make a point, I will do it the way I think needs to be done.

—I’m not exactly a big fan of Philadelphia. Can’t stand the teams, not really into the people. I think they are New Yorker wannabes, and have a chip on their shoulder because of it. Yes, I have friends from there and currently live there and am friendly with other that have moved there. They haven’t been enough to save the city, though.

—I worked for the New York Islanders through the first of the endless parade of brutal owners (the Gang of Four). I left right as John Spano “bought” the team, starting off the string of woes that continues to plague the team to this day. That is when it really started to go downhill…well, that and Mike Milbury’s stewardship.

—I live in New York and work in sports but have still not seen the two new baseball stadiums. Blame it partially on my 16 month old son, partially on my need to prove to myself that I never have to buy tickets to sporting events. I’ve been lucky for a long, long time and usually get paid to be at events. Call it a luxury of my life and career, if you want. That doesn’t change the fact that I cannot remember the last time I bought tickets for a sporting event in New York and I really don’t want that to change.

—I’m probably going to some people off along the way while writing this. Yeah, I’ve got a big mouth and don’t know when to close it at times. Maybe that is why I’m looking for a fulltime job right now.

—Darrelle Revis should be in camp. Period, end of story. Three years left on his contract is reason enough. Handle things like a pro and it will all work out. I know you are the best at your position, but making the Jets pay extra because Al Davis is out of touch with reality and gave his guy a stupid contract is just plain dumb. It hurts the player and the team. No good can come of this.

—I’m extremely cynical about the sports business these days. I’ve seen a lot, been around a lot, and have seen some very unqualified and unprepared people get a lot farther in the business than me. It is a “right place, right time” world, and my timing has been off a bit for a while now.

—Self promotion? Yes, please. I’m a pain in the behind on Twitter and am not below begging people to follow me. Why? I host a cool radio show with a high school classmate of mine and want you to listen. I am writing this blog, which I want you to read. The only way to do that is to toot your own horn. The competition out there for eyes and ears is deep and difficult.

There. That should get everyone up to speed. You’ll learn more about me as we go forward. In the meantime, follow me on Twitter (themirl). Listen to my show, The New York Sports Exchange, which airs Tuesday nights at 9ET on Long Island’s WGBB (our website is http://www.themirl.com/nyse.html, where you can find a live stream and podcasts of past shows). Visit the show’s Facebook page (search: The New York Sports Exchange) and “Like” us.

But most importantly, keep coming back. Even I don’t know what I’m going to say next…and I mean that. I really don’t know what my next topic is going to be.

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Posted in Brett Favre, Darrelle Revis, Islanders, LeBron, New York Sports Exchange, Philadelphia, Sports, The Mirl | No Comments »

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