Hitting Back :: A New York Sports Blog

Any time the Yankees and Red Sox get together, it’s a big series no matter what time of year. They meet 18 times during the regular season and always seem to be battling each other for the AL East.

Though Joe Torre’s ballclub has taken the division nine years running, there’s a feeling that that could change this time around. Given the Yanks’ up and down start along with three of their starters DLed, nothing this weekend has changed that line of thinking.

After Andy Pettite turned in a splendid performance Friday night which should’ve resulted in a ‘W’ to start the three-game set at Fenway, Torre panicked by going to closer Mariano Rivera in the eighth after he told reporters he wouldn’t. The 37 year-old future Hall of Famer entered the game with two runners on and a three-run lead. By the time the inning was over, he had allowed three consecutive hits as the Sox rallied for five in the fateful eighth to comeback and win 7-6.

It was Mo’s second straight blown save. Naturally, questions arose as to what’s wrong with the great closer? But he really hasn’t gotten much work this season. The location last night was off just like it was last Sunday against light hitting second baseman Marco Scutaro, who walked off in Oakland.

The bigger question is why has Torre not shown any belief in his bullpen. It has more depth than past seasons. And why did he go back to Luis Vizcaino when the reliever struggled the day before only to be bailed out by more A-Rod heroics? Who knows but the skipper sure gave him the quick hook before going to Mo.

Now Rivera has been many things throughout his illustrious 12-year career but a two inning closer isn’t one of them. Especially at this stage of his career. Recent history shows that No.42 for as special as he is doesn’t fare well when coming out of the pen with runners on base. Part of it could be because he throws strikes. And with runners on, that affects where some of his fielders might play. It also gives the opponent a chance to activate runners and force even more chaos.

If you’re Torre and you’re not even a month in, was Friday so important to have to go to Rivera? He has other options such as Scott Proctor, improving tandem Brian Bruney and Sean Henn or even Kyle Farnsworth. He’d already used Mike Myers who didn’t get the job done against Big Papi.

You really have to question what the thinking was. Was he that worried about blowing all of a four-run lead? Who knows? In any event, the strategy backfired and left the 11-year skipper open to second guessing.

If Friday was brutal, Saturday wasn’t much better as the Bronx Bombers sent Jeff Karstens against Josh Beckett. Though they got five off Beckett who started the season extremely well, the rehabbed Karstens was ineffective in his first start, giving up all seven runs in 4+ to lose. The big blow came off the bat of David Ortiz, who hammered a pitch to deep right around Pesky Pole for a 7-4 lead in a game the Yanks once led 2-0 and 4-2.

Beckett meanwhile settled down after a shaky first two frames to improve to 4-0.
A-Rod stayed hot by getting two more hits but for the first time in five games didn’t go yard. The third baseman has been unbelievable so far hitting a ridiculous 12 dingers and driving in 31 in the team’s first 16 games. He has been dangerous everytime up.

Where would the Yanks who are only .500 (8-8) heading into Sunday night’s ESPN Game be without him? We’re rather not know. It would be scary. That’s what happens when ace Chien-Ming Wang who’s returning Tuesday in Tampa, Mike Mussina and Carl “DL” Pavano all have missed starts.

Aside from that, they also have been without Hideki Matsui, who is scheduled to come off the DL Monday. Johnny Damon has also been banged up and missed some starts in center and Jorge Posada sat out yesterday with a bruised forearm after leaving Friday night’s game early in favor of Will Nieves.

So it’s not surprising where the Yankees are at this stage. Will they get swept by Boston as Daisuke “Dice K” Matsuzaka takes the hill against rookie Chase Wright? The odds certainly are stacked against them. By the end of the night, they could find themselves in an early hole four out. With the Blue Jays and Orioles both improved, it won’t be as easy to climb out of.

However, this isn’t exactly unchartered territory for this club. We’ll certainly know more about their plight in a couple of months.

I don’t have much time to talk about this now as I’m about to head out to MSG for Thrashers-Rangers Game 3 tonight.

However, I can’t help but notice like probably everyone else the terrible tragedy which took place at the Virginia Tech campus in which 33 students died on campus due to the insanity of Cho Seung-Hui, who then took his own life ending the deadliest campus day shooting ever.

It’s hard to comprehend what could’ve motivated the South Korean to commit such a horrible act to so many innocent people. One can never know what leads an individual to do such things.

It is very disturbing to say the least. My heart goes out to all the victims, their families and friends plus every student who attenda Va Tech.

I’m going to post the link to an article on the situation which took place now for people to read:

Va Tech Massacre True Tragedy

The one question which will come up is pretty simple: WHY???

And maybe it’s answered a little in what was said about Seung-Hui from a couple of sources at the university. The 23 year-old sounded very troubled. Maybe they should’ve seen this coming. But who ever thinks something as crazy as this could actually happen? It reminds me all too much of that awful day in Colorado almost a decade ago at Columbine.

One thing I wonder about is why guns are so easy to get in some states. I have always been a firm backer of gun control. If people don’t have them, maybe this sort of thing wouldn’t happen. Of course, it’s a very touchy issue depending what side you’re on.

In any event, as I leave now, it makes the game I will enjoy meaningless. Sure, it will be fun. But when you compare it to people’s lives being taken for no real reason, it really makes you appreciate what you have.

May God be with all those people.

Yep:

In a recent post made over the weekend, I stated that Ohio State’s Ron Lewis was named Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest region. He very well could’ve been in our eyes but that’s not what counts. The honor went to the superb freshman point guard who makes the Buckeyes’ offense go in Mike Conley, Jr.

We apologize for the honest mistake and had been meaning to correct it.

Thank you for continuing to visit our site!

If anyone has any suggestions, please don’t hesitate to give us feedback.

-It was learned late last night that Boston lead singer Brad Delp was found dead at his home in New Hampshire. He was only 55. No further details have yet to be released regarding the cause of his death. Delp frontmanned Boston for over three decades, helping create such hits as “More Than A Feeling,” “Long Time” and “Peace Of Mind.” Boston had a unique sound which made them a great band. Delp was a big part of that. From a younger generation, I of course heard many of their hits as my Dad was a big fan. It’s kind of ironic too because one of the Christmas gifts I got him was the Boston’s Greatest Hits. I also remember picking up a Boston album about a decade ago and enjoying songs such as “I Need Your Love,” “Walk On” and “What’s Your Name.” Excellent stuff. Delp will be missed by many music fans everywhere.

-The Rangers dropped a tough one in Pittsburgh to the Penguins 3-2 in overtime. They should make two-goal leads illegal when it comes to the Blueshirts. They just never hold them. Didn’t the same thing happen like two weeks ago at MSG? Better hope it doesn’t put them in a slide like that one did. Seemingly in control thanks to goals by the resurgent Karel Rachunek and Matt Cullen, the Rangers held the dreaded 2-0 lead after two periods. But it would be remiss if we didn’t mention that the Pens were coming on towards the end of the second, generating several glorious chances including a Ryan Whitney deflection on the doorstep, which Henrik Lundqvist robbed him on. Complicating matters was that New York picked a bad time to do absolutely nothing on the power play. Given chance after chance in one of the tightest officiated games in a while, the Rangers refused to shoot the puck. On two consecutive man-advantages, they registered a grand total of zero shots. Nice job guys putting away those Pens. You know they can score with that Crosby kid and Malkin rookie. What do you know? They both connected on the power play during the first half of the third to tie it. Sure, the two calls were tacky specials. I guess the NHL needed to hook the Pens up a little more. God. I realize they have the wiz kid, shoe-in Calder winner and brilliant shorthanded specialist Jordan Staal but come on already. This team gets hooked up more than any other in the NHL. Don’t believe me? Colby Armstrong, who got away with an unpenalized elbow on Brad Lukowich the other night wasn’t even fined and predictably got the OT winner today when his shot deflected off Marek Malik’s stick to conclude the end of a brutal opening shift in which the Rangers couldn’t get out of their zone. Oh. I had already left the house after Crosby tied it for his 100th point, driving to Park Slope and was almost there when it happened. But just from hearing it on the radio, it was every bit as bad. I did catch it on the highlights before. There really isn’t much to say. Did the Pens benefit from calls? Sure. But the Rangers also had plenty of opportunities to cash in on marginal calls themselves. Their PK which was a perfect 6-for-6 through two periods just couldn’t hold the Pens off. It was predictable. Equally so was Tom Renney’s ridiculous benching of rookie Brandon Dubinsky for his hooking call which led to Crosby’s tying goal. Hey coach. You sent him out there to take a defensive draw and the play he made on Sid wasn’t bad. If they had let them play hockey (which wasn’t the case if you saw the Michal Rozsival penalty), it was a responsible defensive play by the 20 year-old pivot. Already without captain Jaromir Jagr due to an ailing hip and with Colton Orr seeing no time, by sitting Dubinsky, Renney shortened the bench to nine forwards. They wore down. You really have to wonder if he wants Dubinsky to succeed. Do the Devils sit Travis Zajac when he messes up? Granted, he’s a little older and more mature. The Rangers are already banged up. This was a mistake by Renney which hurt his team’s chances of gaining a valuable extra point, keeping them a point behind eighth place Carolina who they only battle tomorrow in a crucial NBC matinee. If he can play career AHLer Brad “Stone Hands” Isbister as much as he does, then he can grow a pair and play Dubinsky!

-Updating the news from before on Chris Simon, still no official word on that hearing which took place earlier today in New York between himself and Colin Campbell. It was noted during MSG’s pregame that the Islander forward would receive a 22-game suspension. So that’s where our info came from. We’ll provide an update when and if we hear the word. In the meantime the 14-year veteran released a statement on the Islander official site which FSNY play-by-play man Howie Rose read. Here is what he said:

“After watching the tape the morning after Thursday’s game, I was disgusted. There is absolutely no place in hockey for what I did.

I want to apologize to Ryan Hollweg. I was grateful to learn that Ryan is okay and that he returned to the game. My hope is to reach out to him in the near future.

I want to apologize to my team and Islanders fans everywhere. My actions Thursday night played a major part in our team losing a crucial game. I also want to apologize to the National Hockey League for the damage I have caused this great game of ours.

What you saw Thursday is not the person, player and competitor that I am. I know my teammates and opponents over my 14 years in the NHL understand that.

I do not remember much about Thursday’s incident. When I saw the tape on Friday morning, it explained a lot to me when I saw the look on my face after being hit into the boards. I was completely out of it. When I met with the media about 30 minutes later, I still was not feeling well.

I met with our medical staff briefly Thursday night and underwent a series of tests on Friday afternoon. They have told me that I suffered a concussion when I hit the boards. Because I was not cleared by our doctors to travel, I would like to thank Colin Campbell for traveling to New York for today’s hearing.

I need to make clear that this is not justification for the danger I put Ryan Hollweg in and the damage I have caused the game. I understand disciplinary action will be taken.

Since Ryan is thankfully okay, what hurts the most is knowing my actions will result in me losing the privilege of being in the Islanders lineup.

Finally, I want to thank my Islanders teammates for their support throughout this process. It means everything to me.”

CHRIS SIMON
March 10, 2007

This looks pretty sincere. If he did suffer a concussion, it might help explain why he reacted so poorly. He might not have been in the right frame of mind. I hope that he will be able to resume his career and recover from this incident.

-Kevin Durant (26 points) hits a fadeaway three from a couple of feet behind the key to propel Texas to a five point win over Oklahoma State, lifting them to the Big 12 Final against Kansas. This kid is pretty special. He also had a couple of ridiculous highlight reel dunks. I still say a player with his talents will have more impact in the Big Dance than Greg Oden. Not to detract from Oden’s talent. The big man was mighty impressive as well going for 17 point and 19 boards in Ohio State’s double digit win over Purdue today, advancing them to the Big 10 championship against pesky Wisconsin. Oden had his own big slam. He has gotten better as the season has worn on. Speaking of Wisconsin, is there a more boring team? They play great D and use a lot of the clock in the halfcourt set. They only permitted 41 to Illinois in their double digit semi victory. The fans sounded thrilled.

-Albany made its second straight trip to the Big Dance by edging Vermont 60-59. Senior Jamar Wilson scored the deciding hoop with a tough fadeaway in the lane to lift the Great Danes (23-9) to the America East championship. He finished with 22. If you remember last year, they gave top seeded Uconn a first round scare before the Huskies finally woke up and pulled away late. Will that mean higher than a 16 seed? Wait and see.

-The Hoyas and Panthers are set to tip off at the top of the hour (9 ET/6 PT) at MSG for the Big East title. We like Georgetown.

-If I have to listen to Chico Resch go on and on about Martin Brodeur, I’m going to go nuts. We get the point. He’s a great goalie. To make matters worse, he was blabbering on and on about honoring Sergei Brylin, John Madden and Jay Pandolfo. While they all have been solid role players who have had a hand in two Cups, you can’t have a big night for everyone. Why don’t they just honor Cam Janssen as well Chico? They can show his 7-8 shifts a night, hits and entertaining scraps. I can see it now:

“Well, I tell you Doc. He might not have played much but he sure provided a lot for the fans in his limited time. A true team player and quintissential Devil.”

-Watching Buffalo’s D against the Swamp Rats, it becomes apparent that they just are too banged up and will not hang on to the Conference’s top spot. They better get healthy soon because they don’t look like world beaters anymore.

-Have the Crapitals found the back of the net yet against the Fishsticks?!?!?!?!?!

-Remember when they said Shaq was old and washed up. Well, without Dwyane Wade and Jason Kapono, the Big Diesel is playing like his old self, lifting the defending champion Heat back up the playoff ladder. He took apart the Bulls in a blowout win and just had a season high 32 in another win Friday. So much for him being finished. Never underestimate the big guy.

-If you haven’t caught the Shakira-Beyonce video, do so:

-A great night of Big East semifinals wrapped up before in NYC. The first game was outstanding with top seeded Georgetown edging Notre Dame 84-82. This was a really fun game to watch which was back and forth. Mike Brey’s Fighting Irish jumped out to a double digit first half lead with some hot shooting from Russell Carter, who hit four of his five treys in the first 20 minutes. But John Thompson III’s Hoyas were able to work their way back into it thanks to a 10-2 run which cut the lead to two by halftime. The Hoyas would be sparked by Patrick Ewing, Jr. With Dad enjoying the action nearby, the Indiana transfer matched a season high with 28 minutes and knocked down seven of 11 to tie a career best 15. His solid play along with Big East Player of The Year Jeff Green’s scoring allowed Georgetown to force some Irish turnovers and build a seven-point lead. But Notre Dame freshman guard Toby Jackson scored seven straight to tie it at 76 with less than 3:00 to go. Despite Jackson notching 20, the Hoyas’ star Green made the biggest play. With the game knotted after a Jackson layup and 13 seconds left, he made a difficult turnaround shot in the low post and got fouled to put Georgetown up 84-82, finishing with a career best 30. After he missed the free throw, it set the stage for a last second shot by the Irish. Carter got an open three with five seconds to go but it wouldn’t go down. The Hoyas’ Jon Wallace chased down the rebound and killed the clock by tossing the ball up as the buzzer sounded ending a game which had me on the edge of my seat. And what I concluded was two things. That the Hoyas (25-6) will be a two seed who should be a very tough out in the Big Dance. And that Brey’s club is extremely talented and plays very well. This Jackson who replaced the suspended Kyle McAlarney is lightning quick and could be dangerous in the tourney. With Carter playing very well and long distance shooter Colin Falls always a threat, Brey’s Irish (24-7) shouldn’t be underestimated. They deserve a nice seed.

-In the second game, Pittsburgh’s experience won out in fighting back to down Louisville 65-59. The third seeded Panthers got off to an inauspicious start and trailed by 11 at the half to a quicker Cardinal attack which was better from the outside. Rick Pitino’s bunch closed the half on a 7-0 run. But Jamie Dixon’s bunch came out much better in the second half thanks to the hot shooting of former local product Antonio Graves. He scored 10 of his 23 during a 20-2 run which helped turned the game around, including knocking down a couple from downtown. The second seeded Cards struggled for much of the second half with Pitt’s zone which protected foul plagued big man Aaron Gray (disappointing 8 pts, 2 assists, 4 fouls in just 13 mins). Pitino’s second seeded Cardinals just were off balance much of the half forcing up quick three’s in being outscored 39-22. Leading scorer Terrence Williams was able to keep it close by scoring and distributing the ball, finishing with 18 points, seven boards and nine assists. Rice product Edgar Sosa, who was the hero the night before struggled for large portions of this one, getting benched by Pitino for 11 minutes. But despite that, he was in there down the stretch making a couple of big shots to give his team a chance. Even though the Panthers misfired on 11 of 31 free throws including several late, it wasn’t enough for Louisville to capitalize. When Graves knocked down his fourth trey, it was the final dagger. The Panthers will be appearing in their sixth Big East final in the last seven years. What can be concluded from this one was that even with Gray in foul trouble, Dixon’s boys buckled down on D and executed better in the halfcourt, turning it into the trademark grind it out physical game Pitt is known for. On the flipside, Louisville clearly buckled and lost their offensive rhythm. Jacking up three’s was a silly strategy which backfired. They finished a dismal 8-of-28 from beyond the arc while the Panthers were a more steady 5-for-14. Pitino does play a lot of guys including four freshmen including St. Patrick’s own Darick Caracter. That could bode well come tourney time next week. They’ll need to show more composure though if they want to make some noise.

-The Giants finally made some noteworthy news today by trading underachieving WR Tim Carter to Cleveland in exchange for RB Reuben Droughns. On paper, it looks like a good move. Carter was nothing but a waste here. He never distinguished himself. So no big loss there. Droughns will turn 29 in August before the season. He had back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons with Denver and Cleveland in ’04 and ’05. Look for him to split time with Brandon Jacobs in NY.

-As predicted earlier, the Hurricanes picked up two easy points against the Crapitals. Just how bad are they? On an extended two-man advantage, they couldn’t muster anything to threaten Cam Ward. The Canes got goals from Andrew Ladd and Justin Williams along with Niclas Wallin’s empty netter in a 3-0 blanking of Washington. Ward finished with 25 saves in about as easy a shutout as it gets, which would’ve given Martin Brodeur a good run for his money in some of the Devil great’s 92. The Canes moved back into the eighth position in the Eastern playoff race with 75 points. They have 13 games left including a pivotal Sunday matinee on NBC at the Rangers. Meanwhile, the Caps dropped their sixth straight. They’ve lost 11 of their last 12, only posting a rare win at CAA against the Devils a couple of weeks ago. We’re still wondering how that actually could’ve occured since New Jersey almost never loses.

-Meanwhile, conference leader Buffalo had a second consecutive bad loss at HSBC, falling to Minnesota 5-1. That makes tonight’s home match against the second ranked Devs a huge one as New Jersey trails by three with one fewer game left. They’ll also play once more upstate before the season commences.

-A final thought regarding why the league wasn’t able to reverse the non-goal call in the Ranger-Islander game. Originally, it was emphatically waived off by the official behind the net. They would’ve needed conclusive evidence to overturn it. That obviously didn’t happen for the boys up in Toronto to make that decision. It is my belief that if it had been ruled a goal, it would’ve been upheld for the same reasoning, which is consistent with league policies on this matter.

-Regarding my co-host Gary Harding’s contention that Ryan Hollweg should’ve been penalized for his hit on Chris Simon, sorry buddy. But it was from the side and Simon had the puck. Had it been from behind, then I would’ve agreed that a boarding penalty should’ve been handed out. In this particular instance, the officials got it right and that’s not just because of who I root for! I’m still at a disbelief that Gary said five games would be sufficient for Simon’s baseball swing which just missed connecting with Hollweg’s neck. Wow. He could’ve died. The hearing takes place later today. So it should be interesting to see what comes down.

-The Rangers drop the puck in Pittsburgh this afternoon in what amounts to another big game in their playoff push. We’ll see if they can keep it going.

-We just finished watching a great game between Holy Cross and Bucknell for the Patriot League Championship over on ESPN2. This was the kind of game that making the Big Dance is all about. Two conference rivals who faced off for all the marbles for the sixth time in seven years. A Holy Cross squad trying to get over the hump and finally beat Bucknell with the support of their home fans making for a great atmosphere. The best storyline was that Ralph Willard’s kids were trying to make the NCAA tournament for the first time. A senior class led by Conference Player of The Year Keith Simmons and guard Torey Thomas withstood a strong second half push by the Bisons to capture the championship, touching off a wild celebration as fans mobbed them. At one point with about 17:00 left, they led by 19 and seemed in control. But never underestimate the heart of a champion. Especially a team like Bucknell which made some noise the past two March’s busting some brackets. The Bisons locked down on D and slowly chipped away turning a large deficit into a nailbiter. But the best they could do was tie. They missed two free throws with a chance to take the lead with under five to go. It allowed Holycross to relax and regain composure, running off the next seven to pull away including the dagger from Thomas from way out. It was nice to see for a team that’s been together and had their hearts broken by their opponents. You could see how much it meant to the players on the bench, up on their feet jumping up and down. Because for a school like theirs, this was the final opportunity for those seniors to play in the best tournament in March starting next Thursday. And it sure was fun to see such passion exhibited. Congrats to Willard’s boys on finally making it. It will be their first appearance in the NCAA tourney since 2001. Just from watching how active their zone is along with the perimeter scorers they possess, this might be a team nobody wants next week. We’ll be watching to see where they get put.

-Some wild finishes in other conference games today including the wacky ending which prevented Kentucky from beating Mississippi State. Up three after one made free throw with five ticks left, Tubby Smith wanted one of his guys off the line and back on D. The problem was the official had already handed the ball back to Jodie Meeks. Sheray Thomas was appropriately whistled for a lane violation allowing Mississippi St. one last chance to tie it. And when Jamont Gordon took the ball, crossed over and drained a contested trey from about 22 feet out, the game headed for OT. Gordon finished with 26 including that clutch shot to help the Bulldogs (18-12) comeback and edge the Wildcats (21-11). Even more shocking was that down two with 3.7 seconds left after burning their final timeout, the Cats had their halfcourt inbounds pass stolen failing to get a shot as the buzzer sounded. The wild conclusion kept alive their NCAA hopes. You have to figure Kentucky will get in despite this tough defeat. 21 wins and a proven program who can play with anyone should be enough. But you have to wonder why Smith got Thomas’ attention so late. It cost them.

-Another game with impact had 11 win Miami looking for their second straight upset in the ACC but they blew a double digit lead to gritty Boston College, falling in overtime by three. The key bucket by BC was made by who else but Jared Dudley. With his team trailing by two, he got a putback and was fouled, converting the free throw for the three-point play. The Hurricanes had a couple of bad possessions where they forced three’s early in the shot clock. Amazingly they even got another chance on an offensive rebound and called time. But another poor attempt from the baseline had no chance forcing them to foul. After BC made two free throws to go up three, they had one final chance with three seconds to go. Throwing one the length of the court, they setup a three but even if it had gone down, it came just after the buzzer allowing the Eagles to escape for their 20th win into a semi rematch against top seeded North Carolina.

-In another close call, Arkansas kept alive their NCAA hopes by edging Vanderbilt 72-71. Gary Ervin hit a shot to put them up one with 11 ticks left. But Vandy would get a great look at the end but Shan Foster’s uncontested trey from the left corner wouldn’t go allowing the Razorbacks (20-12) to escape with a one-point win. It helped their chances as they’ll now meet Mississippi St. in the SEC semis. But ironically, had Arkansas lost, they were already preparing a $900,000 buyout of coach Stan Heath. Wouldn’t it be great if he got them in the Big Dance? They have won 20 games back-to-back seasons. Kind of makes you wonder, huh?

-Georgetown and Notre Dame are locked in a good one at MSG in the first Big East semifinal. The Fighting Irish led 46-44 at halftime. It should be a great second half.

-We have our eyes on one NHL game between Carolina and Washington. The defending champion Canes have struggled mightily and could become the first champ to miss the postseason since the 1995-96 Devils. God. Would you want that dubious distinction? Carolina entered in a three-way tie for eighth with the Rangers and Leads with 73 points. But after tonight, they’ll only have 13 games remaining while the other two have games at hand. The Canes lead on a rebound goal by Andrew Ladd in the second. How bad are the Caps? They had a two-man advantage and couldn’t muster anything significant on Cam Ward. Talk about going in the tank. There’s almost no way Carolina loses this. Just put the points up.

-The NHL suspended Chris Simon indefinitely following yesterday’s ugly baseball bat swing across Ryan Hollweg’s jaw. The official ruling won’t be known until there’s a hearing. And it says here that if Simon’s season doesn’t end because Mr. Hollweg was somehow able to walk away unscathed (other than a couple of stitches to chin) that the league is a freaking disgrace. Fact is Hollweg could’ve died out there on such a moronic decision. What if the stick had connected with his neck? This was every bit as ugly as the McSorley-Brashear incident. The NHL needs to make a statement here.

-In our feedback from last night’s entry, one person said that the Isles were robbed of that tying goal with 20.4 on the clock due to one replay they saw. It would be nice if somebody provided this replay so we could judge for ourselves. Because based on the replays we saw, the puck looked on edge and didn’t clearly show that it had all white past the goalline before Henrik Lundqvist swept it out. If it’s out on YouTube, we’ll try to provide it.

-Willis McGahee is officially a Raven. The Bills shipped the running back to Baltimore in exchange for 2007 3rd and 7th round picks along with a 3rd rounder next year. The former 2003 first round selection rushed for over 1100 yards in his first two seasons and 18 touchdowns (13 in 2004). In an injury plagued 2006, he slumped to 990 yards with six scores in 14 games. Had Buffalo retained the former Miami Hurricanes star, there was no guarantee he would’ve stayed. But now the Bills must replace him. Only third stringer Shaun Williams has experience. Look for them to either sign a free agent or draft someone.

-From a Ravens’ perspective, this move made sense because they needed to replace the recently released Jamal Lewis. Lewis signed with division rival Cleveland yesterday. The 25 year-old McGahee should feel right at home in Baltimore at Hurricane central where former standouts Ray Lewis and Ed Reed have starred on D. This type of environment should suit McGahee well after inking a new six-year deal worth a reported $32 million. The question is will he become a more consistent runner from week to week. If so, then the sky’s the limit for No.21.

-Veteran receiver Joe Horn left New Orleans to join rival Atlanta today. The former All-Pro has been plagued by injuries the past two years. Now, the 35 year-old will be asked to become Michael Vick’s primary receiver. Still possessing lightning speed, Horn is a deep threat. The question is how will his aging body hold up. If healthy, he should be a solid addition in Hotlanta.

-Meanwhile, the Rams landed a good tight end by reaching agreement with ex-Dolphin Randy McMichael on a three-year contract. The ex-fourth round pick out of Georgia in 2002 went on to become the Dolphins’ all-time leading tight end with a franchise best 283 receptions, including a string of 80 consecutive starts. Released by the Fins due to cap constraints, he’ll be 28 when the season begins and should be a great asset in St. Louis. Already landing ex-Titan Drew Bennett in addition to primary targets Torry Holt and reliable vet Isaac Bruce, the Rams have provided QB Marc Bulger with plenty of weapons. With RB Steven Jackson on the fringe of stardom, St. Louis should once again have a very potent offense.

-TE Daniel Graham departed New England and reached a five-year $30 million deal with Denver, returning to the Colorado area where the 28 year-old starred at The University of Colorado. An solid pass blocker and underrated target who helped the Patriots win two Super Bowls finished his five-year career with 120 receptions, 1393 yards and 17 TDs. With Ben Watson getting more time in New England, it was time for Graham to move on. With the Broncos, he could have a bigger role. He won’t be great by any stretch but this is a nice signing.

-The Giants will be looking for a new kicker this offseason. Jay Feely landed in Miami today, agreeing to a three-year deal. After coming over from Atlanta, the 29 year-old was a steady kicker for Big Blue converting on 84 percent of his field goals the past two seasons. Ironically, he felt Big Blue didn’t make enough of an effort to re-sign him. How do you think Luke Petitguot felt before he landed in Tampa? Feely will most likely spell the end for Miami kicker Olindo Mare. The 10-year veteran who will turn 34 in June has played his entire career with the Dolphins. But this past season, he missed a career high 10 field goals including 1-of-6 from 50+, converting on a career low 72.2 percent. That might be why Miami made a change. So who will wind up in New York to replace Feely? Raul Allegre or Matt Bahr?!?!?!?!?!

-Great outing for El Duque today in Florida, allowing five runs in 2 innings during an 8-7 loss to Baltimore. Very reassuring, huh? The good news for the Mets was that Mike Pelfrey tossed three more scoreless frames, inducing eight ground ball outs. Maybe he should have the inside track to the fifth slot in the rotation over Chan Ho Park. The bad news coming from camp was that skipper Willie Randolph was so displeased with reliever Duaner Sanchez’ pettiness that he sent the valuable setup man home according to WFAN’s Ed Coleman. The first time that’s ever happened under the likeable Randolph. Sanchez is trying to comeback from a season-ending injury suffered during a taxi accident in Florida last year. It sounds like he didn’t come into camp in tip top shape. Not too smart on his part. Still around for the Mets are reliever Joe Smith and top prospect outfielder Carlos Gomez. The Amazin’s want to give a look at the former Cyclone closer and just keep an eye on Gomez before reassigning him to Triple-A.

-Meanwhile, the Yanks got a Jason Giambi home run in their 5-3 10 inning win over Atlanta. Ex-prospect Bronson Sardinha continued his hot Spring with three hits including an RBI single in the 10th which followed a Josh Phelps run-scoring single. Mike Mussina allowed two runs in three innings. Ron Villone picked up the save. The more encouraging news happened Tuesday when top pitching prospect Philip Hughes tossed two scoreless in a win. The 20 year-old is trying to make the roster but probably would have to be really impressive to start the season in the Bronx.

-The first two Big East quarters wrapped up earlier today at The Garden where the top seeded Hoyas and fourth seeded Irish advanced to a Friday semifinal. After jumping out to a 26-2 lead, ninth ranked Georgetown (24-6) held off Villanova  (22-10) 62-57. Big East Player of the Year Jeff Green finished with 12 and nine rebounds. Center Roy Hibbert added 14. Freshman Scottie Reynolds was held to 11 for Villanova while senior Curtis Sumpter paced the Wildcats with 18. The loss shouldn’t prevent ‘Nova from getting into the NCAA’s. Look for them to be a dangerous 7 or 8 seed who could become a bracket buster. In the second quarter, Notre Dame held off two-time defending Big East tourney champ Syracuse 89-83. The Fighting Irish got big games from Russell Carter (24) and long distance shooter Colin Falls (23). The dynamic duo combined for 11 of their game high 13 treys. They also got a double double from Luke Harangody, who went for 20 and 11. The Orangemen were led by freshman Paul Harris, who came off the bench for 24 points and 15 boards (7 offensive). Eric Devendorf had 19. Big East leading scorer Demetris Nicholls was held to 17 on 5-of-14 shooting including 3-for-10 from downtown. The Orange also got an enormous effort from big man Terrence Roberts on the glass where he finished with a game high 20 rebounds including 11 offensive. But it wasn’t enough as Mike Brey’s Irish improved to 24-6 in winning its sixth straight. Syracuse (22-10) missed 13 free throws which didn’t help. They’ll now hope they have enough wins to make March Madness. Jim Boeheim’s club should sneak in an entertaining 8-9 match-up.

-In the first of two quarters tonight, Louisville was out to a quick 16-5 lead on West Virginia. The Mountaineers are fighting for their NCAA lives. They’re coming off a tourney record 17 three’s in their win last night over Providence. So look for Rick Pitino’s Cards to get out on the perimeter and not allow a repeat performance. Local products Edgar Sosa and Derrick Caracter have helped the Cardinals back to respectability as the conference’s second seed. They finished 12-4 in the conference and entered tonight 22-8. Sosa in fact is the team’s second leading scorer averaging 10.8 PPG while Caracter gets 8.6 points off the bench along with 4.4 boards. Not too bad. The second quarter features Pittsburgh against Marquette. The Golden Eagles will attempt to beat the Panthers for the third time this season.

-A huge game at Nassau Coliseum is about to take place between the Rangers and Islanders. Coming off a 2-1 shootout win in which they peppered Rick DiPietro with 57 shots, the Blueshirts enter play two out of the final playoff spot which is occupied by Toronto and Carolina. They’ll need to come out with the same kind of intensity against what should be a sharper Isles squad tonight in front of their hometown fans in one of the game’s best rivalries. The Rangers lost Marcel Hossa to a spained MCL and will be dressing rookie Brandon Dubinsky. The 20 year-old Dubinsky will be making his NHL debut. Talk about coming in under fire. It promises to be a good one.

-The first order of business is breaking down the Jets’ acquisition of former Bears’ running back Thomas Jones. They swapped second round picks with Chicago, dealing their 37th for a 63rd in addition to acquiring the 28 year-old Jones and giving him an extension to make the trade official. After the former seventh overall pick in 2000 bounced around as a secondary back for both Arizona and Tampa Bay his first four years, he took on more of a full-time role with the Bears the past three seasons. Compared to the 12 rushing touchdowns he scored his first four years, Jones ran for 22 while with Chicago in helping them back to the postseason, including this year’s Super Bowl. On paper, this looks like a good pickup for Gang Green. Given their question marks regarding the run game, Jones should get a bulk of the carries while Leon Washington, Cedric Houston and Kevan Barlow compete for a secondary role. Jones’ addition should steady New York’s ground game balancing out the offense and relieving some pressure on the shoulders of QB Chad Pennington.

-For the Bears, we can see why they made this move as well. It opens the door for former first round pick Cedric Benson to become the primary back. The two questions will be how he recovers from his injury in the Super Bowl loss to the Colts and then how he handles a heavier workload. Aside from that, Chicago moved up 26 spots in the draft which could help get them a player they wouldn’t have been able to take at 63. We’ll find out how that pans out next month.

-Meanwhile, the Jets were also busy making two other moves today by re-signing DE Bobby Hamilton and signing ex-Cowboys DE Kenyon Coleman. The 27 year-old Coleman had 31 tackles and a career high four sacks last season for Dallas. Familiar with the Jets system, he should be a good fit in the 3-4.

-In other NFL FA news, LB Joey Porter bolted Pittsburgh for Miami, inking a five-year $32 million deal. The outspoken linebacker who recorded 60 sacks during his Steeler career will team with Defensive Player of the Year Jason Taylor to form a dynamic duo which could make life miserable for opponents. As usual, the question will be on offense with the Dolphins. Can Daunte Culpepper comeback healthy and fulfill expectations? We’ll see.

-Meanwhile, it didn’t take long for ex-Giant OT Luke Petitguot to find work. He signed with the Bucs today. We still can’t figure out why Big Blue opted not to bring the valuable blocker back. Maybe they were skeptical as to how he’d comeback from last year’s season-ending injury. The former Notre Dame product will be 31 when the season begins. So that might’ve been another factor.

-In yesterday’s big FA news, the Broncos agreed to a five-year contract with RB Travis Henry. This probably spells the end for Tatum Bell and means a trade could be coming. Will the Giants be one of the suitors? Meanwhile, ex-Bronco Ashley Lelie signed with the 49ers where he’ll be asked to help improve their game through the air. Already with an elite runner in Frank Gore and with former first overall pick Alex Smith making strides at QB, this looks to be a sound move. Lelie should give the ex-Utah product a big target.

-Also on the move was ex-Packer RB Ahman Green, who landed in Houston. Green had a nice bounceback season breaking 1,000 yards after an injury plagued 2005. The question will be health. If he falters, look for former Texans’ 2006 selection LenDale White to see some carries.

-One of the bigger signings was the Patriots’ addition of LB Adalius Thomas. The former Raven inked a five-year $37.5 million contract. On Baltimore’s D, the ex-sixth round pick in 2000 evolved into a dangerous player, totaling 378 tackles, 38.5 sacks (career best 11 in ’06), six interceptions and 13 forced fumbles. This looks to be a great addition to New England’s D which could spell trouble for the rest of the AFC East. Big question is what are the Pats doing to improve their secondary, which was exposed by Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning in the AFC title game?
-The Cowboys inked T Leonard Davis to a seven-year contract yesterday. The former second overall selection of Arizona in 2001 will be looked upon to give QB Tony Romo pass protection and open up holes for RB’s Marion Barber and Julius Jones.

-There was a lot of talk earlier on today’s Mike and The Mad Dog about Japanese free agent pitcher Kei Igawa, who struggled in his first Spring Training outing against Detroit yesterday. Already the import isn’t worth the $40 million or so that the Bronx Bombers paid because he ‘wasn’t impressive’ and was said to be not worth it due to what Bobby Valentine and Orestes Estrade said. Maybe they’re right. Maybe the Yanks did panic when Boston overpaid for Daisuke Matsuzaka. However, it’s hard to judge until the regular season starts next month. How can Mike Francesa be so certain that Matsuzaka will be really good? Just because he’s basing it on what he’s heard and about the Japanese import having great stuff doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Let’s wait till he has 10 starts before reacting. Hideki Irabu had a great Yankee debut back in 1997 against Detroit, then fizzled out. We’re not saying that’s going to happen here. But you never know.

-Big games tonight in the NBA for the locals. The 28-33 Knicks host Seattle while the 28-32 Nets visit Dallas. Both are competing with the Magic for the final playoff spot in the East. Idle Orlando leads by half a game. Every game down the stretch is vital. It should be interesting to see how it unfolds.

-Bad break for St. John’s as first-team Big East forward Lamont Hamilton’s season is done due to a slight tear in the tendon suffered in the Johnnies’ 77-64 win over Providence Sunday. For the senior out of Brooklyn, it was a tough way for his career to end. The valuable 6-10 forward averaged a career best 13.4 points-per-game to go with 6.5 boards and 1.4 assists. A low post presence, he also added the three-point shot to his arsenal in becoming the first Red Storm player to be selected to the Big East’s first team since Marcus Hatten a few years ago. With the Red Storm preparing for their first Big East tournament game since Hatten starred in the backcourt, they’ll miss Hamilton’s presence against a solid Marquette squad. Hopefully, Norm Roberts’ young squad can draw inspiration in front of Madison Square Garden tomorrow night.