This is what’s on my mind. So let’s get to it:

1.I’m tired of freaking Islander fans bitching and moaning whenever their team loses to the Rangers about the refs. The officials weren’t the reason your team lost the last three games by the same score of 2-1. Henrik Lundqvist was! After reading my co-host’s ridiculous rant on his blog and seeing the same crap spewed by our Battle of NY Islander contributor, I’ve had enough! When your team gets 10 power plays including two 5-on-3’s (plus a late man-advantage which the fans got called and the Fishsticks did absolutely nothing on), you have no right to complain. Funny but I didn’t see much desperation from the Islanders when the game got to overtime, where a win for their postseason hopes meant everything. The Rangers were the team that attacked more and got a legit call if you would take your freaking orange and blue blinders off Gary! You want to blame the refs? I got a piece of advice for you: Go buy a case of Kleenex!!!!!

2.Sometimes, I think Daily News columnist Mike Lupica lives in his own warped world. In yesterday’s Shooting From The Lip, he continued to go on his Dolan bashing crusade bashing the Knicks every turn. If NY’s most biased columnist wants to compare Larry Brown to Isiah Thomas when it comes to running the Knicks bench, he needs psychiatric help. Thomas might not be a good exec but he’s done a much better job coaching the team he put together than the chaotic Brown. Brown was nothing but a distraction last year. From the crazy lineups he put out to how he went behind players’ backs and bashed them, he was never going to work here. Give Thomas a healthy David Lee and Jamal Crawford plus Quentin Richardson and the Knicks aren’t struggling (1-5 since Isiah’s extension) and a season high nine under as they get ready to battle Orlando in a crucial game. Even more, they’d probably have at least six more wins had Lee and Crawford not gone down. So Lupica is grasping at straws and the reason is simple: His disdain for Isiah and Dolan, who everyone knows is a clown anyway.

3.While we’re on the subject of Lupica, all he ever does is obsess over what the Yanks’ other option is if Mariano Rivera goes down. What’s the Mets’ option? Aaron Heilman or Ambiorix Burgos who got lit up all Spring? Maybe this clown should worry about his own team because if Billy Wagner goes down, the Mets’ options aren’t exactly scaring anyone. Especially with valuable setup man Duaner Sanchez now shelved for 3-4 months. Guess Sanchez did too much hanging out with Carl Pavano.

4.If there is a problem for the Yankees, it’s the latest hits to their rotation. With ace Chien-Ming Wang out the first month with a hamstring injury and Andy Pettite held back due to back spasms plus Jeff Karstens’ sudden elbow trouble, the Bombers’ rotation is in serious trouble. Especially if Pavano is starting Opening Day. Kei Igawa better not flop.
5.If light hitting Doug Mientkiewicz is the first baseman and Josh Phelps doesn’t make the roster, something’s very wrong in the Bronx. They should rename the ex-Red Sock best known for keeping the 2004 World Series ball Mr. Automatic. And that’s not a compliment!

6.Josh Hamilton has been a great story this Spring for the Reds. The former Tampa Bay 1999 No.1 overall pick has won a spot on Cincinnati and could get a lot of PT in centerfield. Not long ago, it looked like he would flop and be conquered by drugs instead and only god knows if he would’ve become another statistic. A year later after starting over in Rookie A Ball with Hudson Valley last summer, the 26 year-old from Raleigh could finally be ready to start fulfilling lofty expectations. We’re rooting for him!

7.Arkansas should be ashamed of themselves for axing men’s hoops coach Stan Heath. After not qualifying for the NCAA tournament his first three seasons, the Razorbacks posted back-to-back 20+ win seasons and rallied to make the Big Dance with a run to the SEC championship before falling to Florida. They were eliminated for the second straight year in the first round, losing to USC. Though Heath’s Arkansas record was only 82-71, they showed improvement under the former Kent State coach who once guided them to an Elite Eight showing five years prior before taking over in Hog Country for the departed Nolan Richardson. It seems like Heath got a raw deal here. When will universities show more patience?

8.It came as no surprise that Tubby Smith left Kentucky to take over at Minnesota. It was obvious that despite an outstanding tenure (263-83 record over 10 seasons) with the Wildcats, the coach wasn’t good enough for Blue Grass. While it’s true that he won the championship in his first year (1997-98) with Rick Pitino’s players, the ex-Tulsa coach still got his program to the NCAA tournament every year and also reached four Elite Eights. The problem with coaching in Lexington is the ridiculous pressure and high expectations. Since winning the title, Kentucky hasn’t been back to the Final Four, making it the longest drought in school history. In today’s game, it’s harder to get there due to the level of competition increasing. Mid-majors continue to get stronger while NCAA powers lose their star players early to the NBA. This year was a rare exception where the higher seeds were superior and made it to Atlanta. But don’t forget how close Ohio State and Georgetown were to being out of the tournament. Whoever gets the Kentucky position will have to deliver right away. Best of luck!

9.Randolph Morris was a good gamble by the Knicks. The former UK star was able to sign a two-year $1.6 million contract due to a loophole. He entered the NBA Draft after his freshman year but wasn’t selected due to poor workouts. By not signing with an agent, he was able to return to college and play two more years with the Wildcats. Morris wouldn’t have been draft eligible this summer due to not being taken. He was a free agent who could’ve signed with anyone. If the big man improves defensively (sounds a lot like Eddy “Fat Albert” Curry), he could develop into a solid player. He’ll dress for tonight’s Knicks game and probably make his Broadway debut.

10.When legendary St. John’s coach Lou Carnesecca is pulling for the archrival Hoyas to win it all at this time of year, you know times have changed. But John Thompson III’s Hoyas are fun to watch and easy to root for due to the Princeton offense he installed after learning it from another legendary basketball mind Pete Carrill. The backdoor cuts and team oriented style is what made the Tigers such a tough out in the first round. Now Georgetown has used it to perfection to make its first Final Four in 22 years. It should be fun to see how they do next week against Ohio State.

11.When was Roy Williams going to call timeout in OT yesterday? His team fell behind by six and had given up the last nine in bad fashion. Maybe he was waiting for them to get down 20.