Rick and Ant’s NY Football BLog

Hello fellow bloggers

its our first post of hopefully many. My name is Rick and Anthony will probably pop his blogging cherry a little bit later tonight. I am a very big Giants Yankee fan, and my main man Anthony is big on the Yankees and the Jets. We’re both very passionate so we tend to get heated in these arguments. Thats the good thing about sports though, everyone thinks they’re right and whos to say different. Anyway enough of all the lame intro b.s. lets get to some news that i really dont have and that im just taking right out the new york news papers

• Its been a busy week for my SUPERBOWL XLII CHAMPION NY GIANTS…that feels so good to type. Anyway; Michael Strahan retires and sends me into depression. Yes, he was a pain in the ass. Yes, he skipped out on training camp. Yes, he has teeth that make Goofy cringe. But God almighty was he good. The last tackle of his career is a sack of Tom Brady, no better way of going out. The Gmen will be fine on the line. Jerry Reese signed Renaldo Wynn, no Michael Strahan but he might be able to spell Justin Tuck or play end when Tuck needs to play DT and it also depends on what Coughlin and Reese decide about Mathias Kuiwanuka who can definatly still play end. There is talent on the line to still get pressure on the QB to fit defensive coordinatore Steve Spagnulo pressure scheme. Do i think Renaldo Wynn will replace Strahans 9 sacks? Nope but again there is talent that says the Giants will be fine on the line. He was such a force to be reckoned with; not to mention the face of the franchise for a long time. I wish him all the best. I have heard some rumblings that Strahan is the greatest Giant of all time. Well excuse me but F-THAT…I love Strahan as much as the next Giant fan, come on who can hate on “Ballin’!” and “Stomp you out!” Great ball player but i will say hear and now he is not the best. As much as i loved him he ranks behind a little guy name Lawrence Taylor, heard of him? Yes the actor from the Waterboy giving us life lessons about staying away from smoking crack. He changed the game defensivly. He was 2nd defensive player to win a MVP. He was animal. This is no disrespect to Strahan but Taylor was the best thing since Double Stuff Oreo’s. Officially Strahan leaves the Giants as the franchise leader in sacks, Unofficially LT is still the franchise leader because they did not count sacks in LT’s rookie year so unofficially LT is 1 and Strahan is 2. He was a great ball player, a hands down HOF’er but LT was a revolutionary player. So all do respect to the lovable Michael Strahan You’re no LT but you were pretty damn good.
• Giants point number 2- Plex, come on man! you’re killing me i always had this image of a good ball player who thought his crap didn’t stink. I saw that Green Bay game and instantly couldn’t wait to see the game on NFL classics (but cause cablevision blows we don’t have the nfl network another travesty another time another place for that though) I though Plex was a boss and was very underrated. Now hes demanding more money. Im writing about this guy for free ! Come on Burress what happened to the love of the game. Giants are a class organization but play out the contract you’ll get taken care of and even if you don’t i doubt you will have to ever buy a drink when you go to bars in the city. And now to the annual malcontent of Jeremy Shockey you were one of my favorite Giants, you’re a hard nose ball player but you like plex have disappointed me. I get it you feel like you didn’t contribute to the Superbowl run, fine work out in Miami all you want. Dont get a rhytm with the SUPERBOWL MVP QB so he wont over throw and then you won’t throw your world famous tittie attacks, it’s almost like a wierd case of cause and effect. We go through this every year with you and i have to defend that you’re worth the drama. I still believe with your play making abilities you are one of the key pieces on the team. You cause a match up problem for many teams, do we even have to mention the name Roy Williams… I have heard the rumblings of the team being better with out you in the line up. False! You are an absolute force to be reckoned with you know one of those guys you have to account for on every play but now come on you’re being pain in the ass. I hope you stay but quit being a punk you just signed an extension. Heres another case of cause and effect. Michael Strahan is gone GM Jerry Reese is now being said to have up to 4 million to play around. I feel there is one piece that needs to be taken care of first. Chris Snee. He is such an underrated guy on that line with him Diehl and Sean O’hara this line looks poised for some great things for the next couple of years. Diehl and O’Hara were just taken care of but Snee is still young and is very good. He needs to be taken care of because without an O-line Eli has no time to throw to Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockey. There will also be no way they can run the ball making it even harder to get your playmaker the ball. Osi Umenyiora also is unhappy with a contract he just signed as well but has been quoted no hold out for him after a spiritual trip to Africa. I don’t really care where he goes. You need your play makers on the field. Osi now becomes the anchor of the Defensive line with out Strahan. Why can’t these two BoBo brothers look across the locker room and see someone who wants a new contract but doing it in a classy way, The New York Giant way. So the advice i have for Plaxico Burress and homeboy Jeremy Shockey look across the room and see whats happening and who needs to be taken care of. Oh yea, can you also please just SHUT UP AND PLAY!

I know w’re in the midst of baseball season but the yanks are killing with .500 winning percentage so i really do not feel like talkin about them so now i wanna ask

1. does anyone really care if Curt Schilling saw Kobe yell at his team and then reported them on his blog?
2. I wanna take a census of better audio clip: T.O. crying or Tom Brady laughing about scoring 17 points?

I’ll have a preview of the NYG upcoming ‘08 season in an upcoming post and discuss the Yankees and i’ll also start posting my Homeboy of the Week and Herb of the Week next week.

We’ got some great topics to talk about in the next upcoming weeks so stay tuned on the best place to read about New York Sports, like there is any kind!

Oh by the way leave us some comments and let us know what you think about our blog and our views, its for everyone to talk about so we encourage any type of discussion!

Thats my rant…thanks for reading! look foward to alot more. Now on to Anthony’s part of the blog

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Hello bloggers,

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW YORK GIANTS FOR THEIR AMAZING RUN TO BEING THE SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONS. I AM A JET FAN AND I THANK THEM FOR BEATING THAT SMUG PRICK TOM BRADY WHEN IT MATTERS THE MOST!

NOW FOR THE MOST PASSIONATE FANS IN THE SPORTS WORLD:

What is there to actually say about my favorite team the New York Jets? Well as most fans I felt very disappointed, until the off-season rolled around. Many Jets fans felt that the jets had a good enough team to get back into the playoffs this past year. Well I truly believe that this season will be much better than ones we have previously been subjected to. The Jets went out revamped that terrible 3-4 defense that they put onto that field every Sunday last year. I will go on record to say thank god Dewayne Robertson is not a Jet anymore. He was never the fit that they needed in that position. Every Sunday I thought that he wore roller skates instead of cleats, but who am I to judge. Instead of Robertson in the middle of the 3-4, the Jets signed and traded for the 6′4 – 335 lb (after a big shit and a haricut) monster Kris Jenkins. He will provide the much needed force to anchor the middle of the defensive line that they have needed for such a long time. As long as he stays healthy and under the weight limit that the organization has given him I truly feel that he will return to form as one of the best DT’ s in the NFL. He will be paired with a much improved pass rush in the LB corp and a very solid player in Shaun Ellis and a good but replaceable player in David Bowens.

To the Linebacking corp. He was one of my favorite Jets of all time while he was here, but by trading Jonathon Vilma it got a player who didn’t fit the system into a better personal situation. His replacement David Harris is an absolute animal. His numbers from last year – 126 total tackles, 90 solo, 36 ast, 5.0 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss. He became a full time starter in week 8 and he then led the team in total tackles, solo tackles, ast tackles, and tied for the sack league. Absolute beast and I can’t wait to see him for a full season. The addition of the aforementioned Kris Jenkins will do nothing but improve his numbers. Ray Ray once said ” Gimme some hogs in front of me and I’ll do work ” in case your wondering Kris Jenkins is a hog… Also the Calvin Pace move that was looked at as a bit of a reach because of the kind of money that they gave him, I feel that the move will eventually be a great one. His first year at OLB in the 3-4 In Arizona (which is not as good as the Jets 3-4) had 6.5 sacks, which was the most in his career. So I believe that he is due for a breakout year. He has the size, speed, and strength to be one of the better pass rushers in the game. If he plays the way he got paid the sky is the limit for him.

The Defensive Backs are a strength in this up and coming defense. It is beautiful to know that Kerry Rhodes is locked up for 5 years and that Darelle Revis is a budding star. They will get better because as noted every time more pressure gets to the QB the better the Pass Defense is. As it happened for the Giants. Also the DB’s are not slouches here. The other two spots will be filled with good role players such as SS Abram Elam and Dwight Lowery, and CB Hank Poteat and Justin Miller. This won’t be a glaring weakness, please rest assured.

Now for Offense -

Well if anyone doesn’t think that Mangini and Tannenbaum didn’t have the Bill Parcells method in their brains when they put together the 08 Jets offense, they must be crazy. The biggest move of the offseason is without a doubt the addition of LG Alan Faneca. An absolute animal and will be a great anchor for the two young stud lineman on the Jets line. He is regarded as one of thebest Guards in football and by the time his career ends will probably be one of the best Guards ever to play the game. D’brickashaw will be better than last year because he has a big time left guard between him and another animal in Nick Mangold. Damien Woody will be a big improvement on the right side of the offensive line over Anthony Clement. In 5 games that Woody started at RT he didn’t give up a sack. The line will be as good as it has been in a long time. The tight end situation right now is a little iffy with Baker not being happy with the organization, but if he plays he is a pretty solid player and has a good set of hands. Bubba Franks was money well spent because now the two tight end set will be much harder to stop with another good blocker in there and another decent weapon for who ever the QB will be. Tony Richardson was another addition in which I happen to LOVE!!!!!! Most good running backs have a good FB in front of him. They probably just signed one of the most proven Full backs in the NFL. He will be great in the run blocking game and will provide much needed support for the inexperienced Kellen Clemens or the rubber armed Chad Pennington (GOD I HOPE NOT)…. Thomas Jones will be very happy this year. He will have a good line to run behind and will have a much better chance to get into the end zone more than once this year. I believe he will be back to his above average play and will make the offense run much smoother. I predict 1400 yards and 9 TD’s.

Now the hottest topic in Jet nation. The QB controversey. I believe that Clemens has to be the starter. Yes, he is inexperienced, but according to what? A Bullshit line didn’t help Kellen in his first year as a starter. He didn’t take over fully until week 8. The line never held up for him. He was very rarely able to settle into his final step in his dropback. He would basically get a couple steps back and then have to look for other options other than passing. I don’t understand how his pocket presence is looked at as being so terrible. He was always pressured and was just trying to complete a pass rather than taking a sack. He has a much stronger arm than Pennington, hands down. He also is much more mobile and can escape out of the pocket much easier. I believe with enough time he will be able to make much better throws and will actually be able to sit back and read a defense. Thats when a QB can really be graded as if he is able to play in the NFL. They spent a 2nd rd pick on him. It would be a stupid move to put him on the bench and let Rubber armed Pennington lead the offense. I’m sick and tired of not having a QB that can throw the ball to the sideline and not get picked. Pennington can definitely pick apart a defense, but he doesn’t have the arm anymore and should basically concede to the fact he is a backup at best. I say let Kellen Play!!!!!!!

2008 NFL DRAFT

With the 6th pick in the 2008 NFL draft the New York Jets select Vernon Gholston DE Ohio State University. What music to my ears. Gholston is a beast. He is a workout warrior, put up great numbers in college, and has the best size and speed of any pass rushing OLB next to Merriman and Ware. He ran a 4.6 at the combine and bench pressed 225lb’s – 37 times. What a beast!!!! I think that him and Pace will make a great pass rushing duo for the defense. Gholston was a great pick and will be a mismatch for all teams soon enough. I can see it now Pace Low Gholston high on Tom Bitchass Brady.. That would be lovely.. I like the Dustin Keller move as well. He is a Dallas Clark clone and he will be a mismatch for most LB’s in the NFL because of his speed and for most DB’s because of his size. He has great hands and will finally give the Jets a tight end that can run the seam of the defense for a completion. THANK GOD. Lowery is a good pick I think he may eventually become a safety but he is a work in progress. Marcus Henry is another good player but he too will be another work in progress.

This season looks much more promising than the last.. And if everything falls into place the J-E-T-S will be in the playoffs once again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pictures 1-3 taken from Google/ Picture 2 taken from daily news article- jets competition is a page turner