5 Reasons why the Mets can be good

Okay this happens to me every spring training. I get excited about the Mets but it's really more that I'm just excited that baseball is back. So while I'm in my yearly honeymoon phase with the Mets, I'll give 5 reasons why they can at least be a wild-card contender this year. Reality will probably set in during June or July and they will end up blowing but lets pretend that they're not the Mets, just for a moment.

This could be a familiar face...but there could be some hope!

Okay so unless a nuclear bomb strikes Philadelphia or Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay contract incurable diseases, I think everyone has the Phillies as shoe-ins to win the NL East and the National League. Everyone has predicted that the Mets, amid their financial turmoil, off-season stagnancy and the fact that they're an overall embarrassment, will suck this year. I initially thought the same but I have a little bit of optimism as we count down the days to opening day.
1. CHANGE OF CULTURE!
This whole "Los Mets" experiment (AKA Omar Minaya) and the fun-lovin, no worries, funky Mets (Jerry Manuel) has finally been buried. I think both Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins will bring intelligence, practicality and a certain toughness and accountability that has not been a part of the franchise since the days of Bobby V. Although I think at times a manager on a good team can be interchangeable, A hard-nosed fiery guy that comes into a situation with underachievers is a completely different ball of wax. I think we will see a new Mets this year. Veterans who have been truly embarrassed as well as humbled. Everyone is sick of this team not living up to expectations and we finally have the brains behind the wheel who can kick the players in the ass and get the train rolling. We will see a different brand of baseball on the Citi Field diamond this year.
2. JASON BAY
Let's face it, last year could not have gone worse for Jason Bay. He sucked til the moment he got his concussion and then he was gone. He essentially did nothing for this team last year. I don't want to hear that he can't handle the pressure though. This guy was a boss at Fenway and there is more pressure playing for the Sox than there is for the Mets. His failure to adjust to Citi Field (and the Mets failure to make the ballpark more hitter friendly) were no doubt factors in his failure last season. Bay is just too good to have another mediocre season. He is an excellent worker and I believe he will have a breakout year in a Mets uniform this season. He will be a big part of a lineup that can potentially be one of the best in the league this season.
3. OVERLOOKED STARTING ROTATION

Chris Young could be a nice addition to the rotation

Johan's out blah blah blah. Everyone else...most definitely those stiffs on ESPN are afraid to say it or aren't smart enough...but the Mets rotation is not that bad, despite the prolonged absence of Johan Santana. Pelfrey had one bad stretch last season and all of a sudden everyone forgets he won 15 games. He will be a beast this year. Jonathan Niese has a disgusting curve ball and a good fastball and change to toss in their also. He was brilliant at times last year and this year I expect him to be consistently good for the entire season, barring injury. Then there's Dickey. DICKEY! DICKEY IS YOUR ACE!? Chris Russo aside, R.A. Dickey's master of the knuckleball will not be a fluke. He will make hitters look silly all season. He throws his knuckle faster than Wakefield and he can also throw a fastball. I don't know who the 5th pitcher will be yet, but the 4th will be Chris Young. Young was once considered a rising star for the Padres. He was, for 2 years before his injury problems, an ELITE  pitcher in the NL. The Mets took a flier on him and I think it will pay off huge dividends. He has looked great this spring training and if he doesn't get injured we may have gotten on of the steals of the season. The Mets starting rotation will not have Ollie P and I believe it will take many people by surprise.
4. IKE DAVIS
Ike Davis is no joke. He is going to be one of the best first basemen in baseball within a few years time. He has great size and tremendous power. He has a great glove and we all know he can make the highlight catches. His long reach will also help the likes of Daniel Murphy if he gets the starting job at 2nd. Ike's power from the left side is phenomenal and I think his improved control at the plate will be a great reflection on his tireless work ethic.
5. THE GOLDEN BOYS
I'm talking about Reyes and Wright. It's a gay nickname I know but lets face it...that's what those two are supposed to be. Unfortunately, they are the face of the franchise. Despite all their talent those faces have ultimately represented failure. Both for the team as a whole and for them as individuals. Neither has developed quite into the players Mets fans had hoped they would. NY is famous for bloated expectations so its difficult to be too hard on these guys but it's New York so you have to be. Reyes' injuries and inability to become a real hitter have had me tearing apart the couch cushions for years. Wright's inability to hit any breaking pitch or a fastball above 93MPH and that fact that he comes across as a huge, clean cut pussy is tough to cope with.
Still... I think that they will both shine this year. Reyes will actually have someone forcing him to act like a professional and he is in a contract year. He may not speak great English but he understands the $ sign. For Wright, we know that he's the consummate professional and we know he has the talent. I think getting his ear away from HoJo's mouth will be a big help. I actually think that these 2 will perform beyond expectations this year and help make the Mets surprise contenders in the NL Wildcard race.
So there are 5 reasons to look at the glass not quite half empty. All of the arguments I made can easily be torn to shreds and added to the lengthy list of reasons why the Mets suck but I figured I'd give it a shot. When I start shitting on the Mets in a few months it won't be a surprise to me but like I said, its fun to pretend in the beginning of the season.

Knicks+still+not+among+the+elite

Knicks+still+not+among+the+elite

Cowboys Position Series: Offensive Line

Now that I've covered the defense its time to get to the other side of the ball. The offense wasn't terrible this year even with Romo being injured, but it clearly wasn't as frightening to opponents as the Cowboys would have hoped. The biggest culprits for the offensive woes are the fat guys up front. The Cowboys offensive line looked like a diabetic retirement home or a New Haven Wendys. Their play was sluggish and uninspired. They produced no push up front for the runners and constantly had Romo and Kitna worried about their safety.

#68- Doug Free- LT: I'll just get the only good player out of the way first. Free was the big question mark coming into the season. The heir to Flozell's vacant hotel, Free went beyond expectations. He was clearly the most effective and consistent player on the line. He still needs to work on footwork and quickness but Cowboys fans have to like that the most important position other than QB on the offense will be solid for the next few years. GRADE- A-

# 63- Kyle Kosier- LG: Kosier has been one of the most consistent and hard-nosed players on the line over the past few years...when he actually plays. He has dealt with nagging injuries the past two seasons and age is creeping up on him. Still, when he does play he is the glue that holds the line together. I think everyone on the line benefits from his knowledge and experience. He shouldn't cost much and I would like to see him with a star on his helmet next year. GRADE- B

Leonard Davis was a disgrace

#65- Andre Gurode- C: For years Gurode ably manned the center position. He has been at times an All-Pro player. Those days seem to be behind him. He made the Pro Bowl this year but that was a farce based on merit. He was down right awful this year. He continued to prove his unintelligence by routinely snapping the ball whenever he felt like it...usually resulting in a fumble. He provided no push up front and was often man handled. Get him the fuck out. GRADE- C-

#70- Leonard Davis- RG: Leonard was the cowboys most consistent awful player this year (with the exception maybe of Alan Ball and Mike Jenkins). Davis was so bad that he was actually benched one game. (The only time Wade Phillips attempted to show he had a nutsack) Davis is one of the biggest guys in the NFL and looks scary as hell. Truth is he is really the Big Friendly Giant. He didn't even seem mad or insulted when he was benched. No pride. He over powered no one and was routinely beat by everyone. He can also get the fuck out and he will! GRADE- F

#75- Marc Colombo- RT- I love Colombo's attitude but there's no tread left on the tires. His knees can't hold up at an NFL level any more and sadly he too will have to be replaced. He was too slow to get down the field to the next level and was often beat around the edge. GRADE- C



#71- Alex Barron- T: You all saw the first game of the season. Fuck this guy, I still blame him for the entire season. No but seriously, CFL or bust asshole. GRADE- F-

# 64- Montrae Holland-G: It seems like Holland has been on the Cowboys forever and we still don't know if he can play. He performs well in pre-season and then he gets injured the one time they actually decide to shake up the line. I like his size and strength and I trust him as a backup or as a cheap replacement at one of the guard spots. GRADE- C+

# 67- Phil Costa- C/G: People within the organization seem to think this kid may turn into something. Not unless he hits the weight room like Conan the Barbarian. He is small and in his few appearances last season he was man-handled like a child. GRADE- C-

#76- Sam Young-T: We never got to see Sam Young last season. The Notre Dame product was injured in pre-season and for some reason Jason Garrett insisted on keeping Colombo in the lineup even when the Cowboys were out of it. I would have liked to see what the kid Young had because we clearly need new offensive linemen and we don't know what Sam Young brings to the table. GRADE- N/A

The Cowboys clearly have to dedicate a lot of their off season efforts into retooling the offensive line. The whole right side needs to be replaced immediately and Andre Gurode has to at least be pushed. I hope we can get a good player in the 2nd round of the draft who can come in and start ASAP.

St. Johns-Rutgers Big East debacle

I just saw the end of the St. Johns v. Rutgers Big East Tournament game and this ending is an absolute disgrace. It was almost as if the officials were getting paid to thrown the game. Not only was Rutgers not getting obvious foul calls at the end of the game but the St. Johns player CLEARLY steps out of bounds with 1.9 seconds left and then throws the ball into the stands. The officials promptly ran off the court despite attempted pleas from the Rutgers players. Even if the officials somehow did not notice that the St. Johns player was out of bounds how the hell do they not go to video for review? They review every miniscule call and they decide not to review this?

The Big East needs to get these two teams back on the court right now and finish this game, otherwise they will face great embarassment. And...if they do go back on the court...would there be a technial foul for the St. Johns player throwing the ball in the stands? We'll see how this plays out...

Cowboys Position Series: Defensive Line

In a 3-4 it can often be tough to judge the quality of play of the defensive line. Most of the big guys up front are "supposed to" hold up offensive linemen and create space for the linebackers to do their work. I think that's a load of shit. Why can't your defensive linemen be impact players? It is clear that collectively, this group did not do an overall great job because the Cowboys were gashed by the run and opposing quarterbacks were not under enough pressure. I think there is definitely a need to get at least one more high-motor defensive end and a bigger hole plugger  at nose tackle via the draft of free agency.  J.J. Watt?

Jay Ratliff needs to return to his All-Pro level

#90- Jay Ratliff- NT- Ratliff has been an over achieving beast ever since he broke into the league 7 years ago. This past year he seemed to take a step back. He is under-sized and drew a considerable amount of attention this year which led to him making less plays. (Only 3.5 sacks). You have to want more from your All-Pro NT. Maybe a move to end would help free him up. GRADE- B

#72- Stephen Bowen- DE- Bowen has been a viable rotation DE for the past few years. He seems to come in and hold his own. This year his playing time increased and he is solid against both the pass and run although he is not exactly a beast out there. Still I expect him to be an important part of the defense next season. GRADE- B

#97-Jason Hatcher-DE- Hatcher has been Bowen's running mate the past few years. They have both served well as backups but when both given the chance this year, it was Hatcher who fell short of expectations. He just isn't athletic enough to make enough of an impact in the way the Cowboys would like. I think the Cowboys may look into replacing him. GRADE- C+


#99-Igor Olishanksy- DE- The Crushin Russian appeals to the fans because of his foreign name, his colorful tattoo's and his solid stumpy build. The problem is, it's tough to judge how well he has been because of all the double teams he takes on. He is a big body and seemingly solid against the run. He always seems a step too slow when running down someone from behind or getting after the quarterback but his high motor energy is a plus. Next year, a contract year, will be an important one for Igor. Hopefully he can continue to be a strong force against the run. GRADE- B-

#92- Josh Brent- DT- Brent was one of the young Cowboys that came on strong at the end of the season. He was able to effectively spell Ratliff and was athletic enough to create some pressure. It will be interesting to see if he can take the next step under Rob Ryan.  GRADE- B

#96- Marcus Spears- DE- Marcus has never lived up to his first round billing when Parcells took him at #20 in the 2005 draft. Still people over look how tough he has been against the run and how much room he has given to Demarcus Ware by clogging up the front. He missed most of last season and it diminished the amount of pressure the boys could put on the QB. He is a physical asset and I think that if the Cowboys can bring him back, he would be a nice edition to a defensive line whose depth was lacking last year. GRADE- N/A

#95- Sean Lissemore- NT- The Cowboys have high hopes for the 7th rounder out of William & Mary. They like his motor and think he can be a productive contributor on the interior. Injuries hampered him for much of the season but we saw flashes of why the Cowboys drafted him towards the end. I look forward to his camp this summer. GRADE- N/A

Song Of The Day Doves - Black and White Town - FIFA06 Soundtrack

This British band is relentless in their efforts to produce the best eerie sounding music that I know. The echo's and ambient sounds are mixed beautifully with the steady drum beats and entrancing guitar riffs. They make the listener feel as if they aren't quite of this earth.