In case you missed it and you weren't around, here's a roundup of things that went down in NY sports this weekend.

Eli Manning and the Giants snapped their four game losing streak with an overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons yesterday at the Meadowlands. Manning had a career day as he completed 25 of 39 passes for 384 yards. The G-men nearly blew a 14 point second half lead. The Falcons tied it in the final minute of regulation but after winning the coin toss in OT, the Giants got a game winning field goal from Lawerence Tynes on their first possession. The Giants are now 6-4 holding on to second place in the NFC East.

Mark Sanchez and the Jets didn't have it together yesterday in Foxboro. Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker and the Patriots took the rookie QB to school. Sanchez threw 4 interceptions and not all that effective. The Pats coming off a much talked about loss to the Colts last Sunday night, came in and released their fustration on their divison rivals. The Jets, after starting the season 3-0, are now 4-6 and a chance at the playoffs appears to be very slim. Brett Favre and his 8-3 start last year wasn't so bad was it?

The Knicks beat the Nets Saturday afternoon in the Medowlands and thus the Nets remain the only winless team in the NBA at 0-13. The Nets came within 1 point of the Knicks in the 4th quarter, but the Knicks started pulling away in the final minutes. The Knicks also played the Celtics yesterday at MSG and lost by 2 in overtime. A hard fought game by New York but Boston got the best of them late in OT.

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Tags: Atlanta Falcons, Basketball, Boston Celtics, Eli Manning, Football, Giants, Jets, Knicks, Mark Sanchez, Nets, New England Patriots

Does anyone notice these days that the Knicks and the Nets are two really bad teams? The Knicks made their franchise changing trades a few weeks and haven't been good since. The Nets have gone on a roller coaster all season and find themselves hovering the .500 mark again. The two NY area NBA have taken a backseat to everything and I have to say that's disappointing.

Once upon a time, the Knicks use to be the talk of the town. They use to have people talking and watching. Now, they just have people laughing. Now granted the laughter isn't nearly as bad as it has been in recent years but the point is, the Knicks still stink up the joint far too often. They are currently going through a season worst five-game losing streak, the latest coming at the hands of the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves, a team who went into the Garden Friday night losers of 13 straight. A team with so much promise can't find any consistency. The lack of defensive ability has really hurt them this season as there have been countless times where they have had a lead only to blow it. Coach Mike D'Antoni knew he had quite a mess when he took over as coach but at some point he needs to at least try and preach some defense, please in time for the new year.

The Nets are a different story. They have a consistency of being average. The problem with that is that they have shown times of brillance but end up losing games they should win. They lose to bad teams and blow leads just like the Knicks but unlike them, they have two superstars in Vince Carter and Devin Harris. Harris is putting together one of his best seasons but for what? A .500 team? The Nets traded their main stars in the last year, Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson so they can sign Lebron James in 2010 but the Knicks did the same thing so someone is losing for no reason right now. I gotta say I think if Lebron does come to the New York area, it'll be with the Knicks, the money in endorsements alone will outweigh whatever the Nets can offer him. The Nets should add another scorer and a couple of quality guys off the bench to help their team win. It wasn't too long ago where they were the best team in the Eastern Conference.

The local NBA teams need help in a bad way. They need it soon because once football is over, what in the world is gonna get us through the winter to baseball season? I shutter to think, maybe I'll be better taking up a new hobby. In that case, I better psych myself up for the World Baseball Classic in March!

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Tags: Basketball, Devin Harris, Jason Kidd, Knicks, Mike D'Antoni, Nets, Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all, I hope everyone had a good holiday and is enjoying their weekend. There's a lot of things we can be thankful for this year, especially in a time of finanical crisis. As New York sports fans we can be thankful for many things but I'll give you just a few things we can be thankful for this year. In no particular here they are:

Top Ten Things New York Sports Fans Can Be Thankful For:

10: Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Kei Igawa combined to lose only 9 games. It could've been A LOT worse, given that Kennedy and Igawa don't belong on a major league mound.

9: Anyone notice the New York Red Bull made it to the MLS Cup? They didn't win it all but at least they represented New York in a championship.

8:Johan Santana didn't blow out his arm this year. If the Mets had made the playoffs they probably would've had them out there on 3 days rest throwing 120 pitches aan outing to make up for a disasterious bullpen. At least you know he'll have some life in his arm for the nexy few years.

7: Mike Mussina found the fountain of youth. If it weren't for Moose, the fianl season at Yankee Stadium could've been horrible. His 20-win season gave the Yanks some respectibility this year or else they would've been done in August.

6: The Nets still have some star power. With Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson as the main attraction the past several years the Nets were competitive, but now the star-studded duo of Vince Carter and Devin Harris should do just fine bringing the Nets to the top of the Atlantic Division.....right?

5: Alex Rodriguez's fling with Madonna keeps the Yankees in the mainstream. Bad publicity is always good publicity.

4: Isiah Thomas was shown the door at Madison Square Garden.

3: Brett Favre stumbled his way onto Broadway. Did anyone mention the Jets as a player in the Favre sweepstakes this summer? I don't think they were ever mentioned but somehow Gang Green got the big star they oh so desperately needed and now are one of the NFL's top teams.

2: Stephon Marbury is not far behind Thomas walking out the door. Thank God Cablevision owner James Dolan found some guys with some type of intelligence in Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni to run the Knicks. In one Friday afternoon Walsh got rid of some bad contracts and set the Knicks up to make a run at the best player on the planet, Lebron James in June 2010.

1: The Giants have played so well this year going back to last year's playoffs to make this city forget how much the Yankees stunk up the town in 2008. Much of the focus has been on Eli Manning and company instead of General Girardi and his wounded crew.

I'm sure there are more things to be thankful for this year but those are some of things that come to mind. Did I miss anything? Maybe, probably. Personally I just want to see the NFL go to the playoffs already and see if the Knicks are going to make progress over the course of the season. Oh, how could I forget CC Sabathia and the Yanks? I wanna see where the hefty lefty goes and for how much. Will the Steinbrenners and Brian Cashman open the checkbook for CC? We'll see. For now I'llbe thankful Joba Chamberlain didn't kill himself when he was arrested for his DUI. Anyways, back to the holiday weekend, until next time.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Basketball, Brett Favre, Eli Manning, Giants, Jets, Knicks, Mets, NBA, Yankees

What just happened here? The Knicks made two trades in about 3 hours that just set the franchise up for possibly the biggest move/s in their history. Yesterday the Knicks shipped their top 2 leading scorers out of town so they can clear enough money to make a run at the NBA's biggest name, Lebron James.

In one deal, the Knicks sent Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for Al Harrington. The other trade, Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins were sent packing to the Los Angeles Clippers for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas.

Knicks President Donnie Walsh is a big fan of Harrington, a man he drafted while with the Indiana Pacers.

"I drafted Al back in 1998, and I think his talents are a great fit for our style of play," Donnie Walsh said. "This trade also gives us more long-term flexibility, while enabling us to remain competitive this season."

What a bold move by Walsh, who put the foundation down on his vision for the Knicks. By the summer of 2010 the Knicks will be under the salary cap and have enough money to go after James. They might even be able to get Lebron and another superstar, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash anyone? The Knicks will take those names and would love to put any of those on the back of their jersey's.

Clearly the direction of the Knicks has changed drastically within the last year. With Isiah Thomas out of the picture the Knicks are doing whatever they can to put a consistent winner on the court. They've benched superstar Stephon Marbury and big time bust Eddy Curry all season, perhaps waiting for another team to make an offer for both or maybe they just simply want to make their lives miserable, who knows. The new head coach Mike D'Antoni wants to win and doesn't deal with drama, hence the benching of Marbury and Curry. His style is up-tempo and aggressive, Marbury and Curry don't fit into his system so why waste everyone's time and have them attempt to fit his mold. They won't do it so let's not bother thinking about it. Marbury and Curry are as good as dead in Knick uniforms.

The plan for the Knicks is in place and ready to go. Now, even after an era in which Madison Square Garden has never seen, the Knicks' days as an NBA laughingstock appear to be coming to an end. The Knicks have played decent this season and gave fans a sense of hope for a competitive season, one that may still happen, but the sign from management indicates change is on the way to MSG and once it hits, the Garden will be rocking again, like the days of the 90's.

"It's always going to be a possibility that one day the face of this franchise is going to change," Mike D'Antoni said early Friday. "(Walsh's) plan is pretty clear... In a couple of years we're going to be under the cap. Everything he will do will lead us to being under the cap in two years. And I'll deal with making sure the team is competitive and we'll try to make the playoffs this year."

Optimism at its best. I like it. Wouldn't it be great if New York had a championship contender in baseball, football and basketball? The Rangers have been inconsistent the last few years so it's hard to call them a championship contender but New York is the sports capital of the world, it's time it's also the Championship Capital of the world. Could we ever see a year where New York could dominate the sports world, much like Boston has done in recent memory? The Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox all have won championships in the last few years and if it wasn't for Eli Manning and David Tyree's "greatest catch ever" Boston would've won the championship in 3 of the 4 major sports in 2007-08 season. Wow. 2010 looks like a good year for New York, I mean we have enough damn teams around here that we should be in contention every single year. Well, here's to Donnie Walsh and his plan to resurrect MSG. Lebron is on his way to NYC!

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Tags: Basketball, David Tyree, Donnie Walsh, Eddy Curry, Eli Manning, Jamal Crawford, Knicks, Lebron James, Mike D'Antoni, QUITE FRANKLY, Stephon Marbury, Zach Randolph

The Knicks are 3 games over .500, call the President! Call Isiah Thomas, call James Dolan, call anyone you can reach. Alright I went a little overboard but the Knicks are playing well these days and it's been awhile since I been able to say that.

Last night the Knicks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-106 at MSG.Zach Randolph scored 29 points and had 19 rebounds to help the Knicks to victory last night.

"He's a stat-gatherer," D'Antoni said after Randolph had recorded his seventh straight double-double by halftime. "He's unbelievable. He's got great instincts, great feel, and long arms help."

Jamal Crawford also added 29 points. David Lee scored 18 and Nate Robinson 15. The last time the Knicks were 3 games over .500 was in December of 2004. Like I said, it's been awhile since the Knicks were this "good". I use the term "good" loosely. But it's nice to know the Knicks are tolerable these days and you can actually watch them.

"We're just becoming a better team, period," Robinson said

All this without Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry who are still riding the bench. The thinking of coach Mike D'Antoni and GM Donnie Walsh is that these two men are the cancer of the team and don't want them anywhere near the court. Sweet. I want to see them go, I don't care how you get rid of them just do it. The big money men have done nothing but create headaches since their arrivals and have worn out their welcome. Good riddance. Get them the hell out of here.

I want to see how the Knicks respond from here. They have the tough Dallas Mavericks in the next couple days, we'll see if they can continue to ride their momentum of good fortune against their old pal Jason Kidd and company. The offense is srating to flow and the defense is getting there. These are exciting times at the Garden, if you're into early season success. But with the Knicks any success is exciting. So take it for what it's worth and enjoy it. I'm sure Curry and Marbury are enjoying it too.

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Tags: Basketball, David Lee, Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford, Knicks, Mike D'Antoni, Nate Robinson, Stephon Marbury, Zach Randolph

Stephon Marbury still hasn't played this season and it hasn't affected the Knicks at all. They took another step in the right direction last night as Mike D'Antoni and his crew beat the Washington Wizards 114-108 in the nation's capital.

The Knicks are now 3-2 on the young NBA season, putting them a game over .500 for the first time since Janurary 4, 2005. Wilson Chandler got the start at power forward and responded with 17 points. Jamal Crawford added 23 of his own.Zach Randolph scored 22 and added 13 rebounds.Chris Duhon, Marbury's replacement at point guard led the team with 12 assists.

"I was brought here to come out and play Coach D'Antoni's style and help turn around the Knicks," he said. "I know the situation with Steph is going to have a lot of effect on me. Every little thing that I do is going to be multiplied by 10. But if I worry about that, then I'm just going to fall into that trap. I've just got to go out and compete every night and try to do the best I can."

The Knicks are still getting use to D'Antoni's run and gun style so it may take some time to see some consistency on their part but the last few games they have been. Defensively they still need some work but over time they will get there. I believe they need to clear up their mess with Marbury and Eddy Curry before they can finally focus JUST on basketball. Both Curry and Marbury have been inactive this season. Good move by the Knicks to sit out these guys. Marbury has an all about me attitude and Curry is just lazy and out of shape. These two men are very talented but when they are not on their games can seriously put the team in a rut, both offensively and defensively. They got their money, so why play hard? They might be better off sitting out the way they're doing, so far it's helping the team win. That's something the Knicks haven't done in a long time. So I say, keep ridin' the pine!

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Tags: Basketball, David Lee, Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford, Knicks, Mike D'Antoni, Stephon Marbury

I usually do a lot of baseball blogs but once the season is over I go and cover basketball mainly as football is 3rd on my list of favorite sports but one thing that is high on my list of topics to cover...Isiah Thomas. I love bashing the guy every chance I get and just when I thought those days were over here comes a new story.

This further proves how much of a slimball Isiah is. On Friday he was rushed to a Westchester hospital for overdosing on sleeping pills. Police authories revealed Thomas had taken 10 Lunestra pills and lost consciousness by the time emergency workers arrived.

Thomas was asked about this incident and replied by saying it wasn't him who was rushed to the hospital. He claimed it was his 17 year old daughter Lauren. Isiah's son Joshua also backed up his dad's story by saying it was his sister who was the one who had an accidental overdose of sleeping pills.

"I love both my sister and dad and am glad that both are doing well. Thanks for all the support, but as a family we are fine and stronger than ever." Joshua said.

I see that Joshua takes after his dad with his false sense of reality. They're stronger than ever? Ha, ok. The father blames his daughter for OD on pills and the son lies right along with him. Disgraceful. Harrison Police Chief David Hall, involved in the case also blasted Thomas for his coverup.

"My cops ... know the difference between a 47-year-old black male and a young black female," Hall told The Associated Press. "It wasn't his daughter - and why they're throwing her under the bus is beyond my ability to understand."

It really is a shame how Thomas' rep has taken a hit in the last few years. He turned the Knicks organization into a disgrace all the way from the brawl they had with the Nuggets a few years ago to the sexual harassment case that cost the Knicks and Cablevision $11 million. Thomas was finally shown the door at the end of last season when the Knicks got tired of his act and released him of his duties as Team President and Head Coach. Both moves were long overdue.

This latest story regarding Isiah is sad. The man needs to get a grip on reality and apparently so does his son. It's not bad enough he's turned a once great franchise into a laughingstock, he's cost a company millions of dollars and now he's thrown his own family into a media circus for his own selfish reasons. How could you place blame on your daughter for something like that? What kind of man is Isiah Thomas? This guy has some serious problems and I hope he gets them fixed because something's not right up there. Let's see how this story unfolds. Nothing surprises me with this guy anymore, he's a scumbag, what do you expect.

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Tags: Basketball, Isiah Thomas, Knicks

Good morning to all, here's some of my thoughts on a few topics going on in the New York sports scene.



Yankees streaky play

The Yanks are 19-19 after 38 games.It's amazing to see how this teams goes in spurts of winning three, losing three, winning two, losing two. This has been a result of the inconsistent production by the back end of the rotation and the offense. No Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada to go along with sub .200 hitting from Jason Giambi and Robinson Cano can be best to blame for the .500 play. Cano seems to be coming out of his funk as he quietly has a six-game hitting streak, he plays a big part of the lineup if he's able to get it going.

Darrell Rasner had another good outing yesterday and provided the Yanks with a win. He has accomplished more in his two starts than Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Kei Igawa have combined. He has two wins, the other three...zero. Keep the guy in the rotation as he seems to have the tools to stay with the big club for awhile. It's very important if he can prove to be a reliable starter. Not just for this season but for next year too. There won't be a Mike Mussina or possibly Andy Pettitte come 2009 so his quality pitching proves to be bigger than you think.


D'Antoni to Knicks
Not sure how this will play out at The Garden for Knicks President Donnie Walsh and company but anything is better than Isiah Thomas and his monopoly of control. For a team that needs to focus on defense, hiring an offensive style coach is questionable, but it'll be interesting to see if the Knicks continue to make moves to fit D'Antoni's style. He couldn't do much with the Suns as far as the postseason was concerned, but bringing the Knicks back to respectibilty seems like more of an accomplishment. With that being said, let's see how the players respond to the new coach, assuming there are no drastic changes,


Jefferson Assualt Charges
I happen to believe that Richard Jefferson is a good guy. I find it hard to believe that he choked someone out and I think he side of the story seems to be legit.

"There were no punches thrown. They were saying there was choking. ... This individual doesn't have a scratch on him. There was no mark. There was no blood. There was no anything," Jefferson said. "Obviously, we have a target on our back and it is unfortunate that these people would even do this."

He says that the accuser, Lyle Fox, a 28-year-old South Dakota resident was drunk and was being disrespected. According to police, Fox is still having trouble swallowing and speaking. The police report also has Jefferson yelling "Do you know who I am?"

This story can go either way but the fact that Fox is having trouble speaking and swallowing to this day is a little sketchy to me. The incident took place Janurary 28th. Also, one would think if Jefferson really did choke this guy out, wouldn't this be a big story in Janurary?? Not to mention, have people come forawrd with their accounts of the story siding with Fox? We'll see where this story goes.

Mothers Day

Happy Mother's Day goes out to all the moms out there that make us who we are. Enjoy today with your mother and whoever else is deserving of this special day.

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Tags: Baseball, Basketball, Knicks, Nets, QUITE FRANKLY, Yankees

Looking around the 'net and watching tv these days, one topic that seems to cause a stir are predictions. Our own J Platt reported on John Kruk's bold prediction of the Mets finishing third. So I thought I'd throw my two cents in as well. Here's how I view the NL East finishing up:

1- Phillies : Still the team to beat. You have to like Rollins and Howard leading a team that steamrolled their way into the postseason down the stretch last year. A year later, more confident and more expirenced.
2- Mets : Too many questions regarding the bullpen and injuries. If they can stay healthy, then the Mets will be very tough to beat, even with an "old" Pedro.
3- Braves : Gotta like the rotation even if it has question marks (Glavine,Hampton). How well those guys perform will tell a alot in terms of what direction the team will be going.
4- Marlins : Good youthful team, but don't expect them to pose a threat to place any higher in the divison.
5- Nationals : Well, let's just say Lastings Milledge will have a lot of time to record in the studio.

I'm sure I'll get debate on my predictions, but isn't that what makes predictions so great?

Apparently Derek Jeter is one of the worst fielding shortstops in the game. That's ok by me, tell me how many other shortstops have four World Series rings? Jeter is the man I would build my team around if I was starting from scratch. He's a team player and his attitude is ALWAYS team first. A mentality that gets lost in today's world. Ex: Red Sox closer Jonathan Palbelbon claimed he's worthy of top dollar beacuse he's a "championship closer" and he's now in the same class as Mariano Rivera. Jeter personifies the way the game should be played...the right way.

The Mets have continued to downplay the string of injuries that have hit the team this spring. How many times are they going to downplay MAJOR issues? They did it last September/October when trying to explain their collapse. Now they're collapsing before the season even starts! What would the Amazin's look like now if they didn't have Johan Santana? Barry Bonds all of a sudden doesn't seem like a bad option. It's New York, we're used to scandals and criminals, so why not sign Bonds? At least he wont be dancing in the dugout or after a homerun.

Jason Kidd faced the Nets for the first time last night since the Feburary 19th trade that sent him to Dallas. The Mavs are 5-5 while the Nets are 3-7 since. A blockbuster trade it was right? Kidd scored all of three points last night, I agree with Mavs' coach Avery Johnson, he needs to shoot the ball more. Last night showed Dallas can afford a three point night from Kidd. The Nets used to be like that...ahh those were the days.

Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury should have their own reality show on MTV, they might get better ratings there than they do on the MSG Network.

The Roger Clemens saga seems to have died down for the moment. It's about time. It came to the point that I did believe Clemens was innocent, even after the Congressional hearings but when you listen to Andy Pettitte, you have to believe him over Clemens. The mysterious syringes, gauge and pictures of Roger at Canseco's party didn't do it for me. Pettitte being the man he is told the truth and I don't question his credibility, even if he used HGH. He's human and he makes mistakes just like all of us. He did it to help his teams at the time, I'm not syaing that justifies what he did, but give the guy a break. He admitted he was wrong like a man, he held a news conference and admitted his wrong doings again, like a man. That type of character is something that I hold credible and therefore Pettitte should be forgiven. He was put inbetween a rock and a hard place and still stood tall...can't say the same about Clemens.

A lot of people are counting the Yanks out of the playoffs....didn't this also happen last July? How bout we let the season play out for a few months and come back with the playoff predictions.

(Frank's articles can also be found at OnTheBlockNY and HotStoveNewYork.com)

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Tags: Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Basketball, Isiah Thomas, Jason Kidd, Knicks, Mariano Rivera, Mets, Nets, QUITE FRANKLY, Roger Clemens, Stephon Marbury, Yankees

Jason Kidd is still a Net and will be in tomorrow night's NBA All-Star Game representing New Jersey. It appears Kidd will be heading back to the Medowlands after the game instead of going to Dallas.

The proposed trade of Kidd, Antoine Wright, and Malik Allen to Dallas for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Jerry Stackhouse, Devean George, D-League guard Maurice Ager, two future first-round draft picks and $3 million is still on hold. The reason is due to George invoking his no-trade clause thus blocking the trade from going through. Both teams are trying to work out an alternative deal in the event George stands his ground.

Via NY Daily News:

"If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen," Nets president Rod Thorn said yesterday in New Orleans, where he was attending All-Star Game festivities. "Everyone expected to get this done. I don't know what's going to happen here. This is totally unexpected."

"In life when you make decisions you can't make everybody happy," Kidd said yesterday. "That's just the way it goes."

In addition to George holding up the deal, Stackhouse was quoted saying "I get 30 days to rest, then I'll be right back. I ain't going nowhere." That's a big no-no. It hints at an under-the-table agreement between Stackhouse and the Mavs. According to NBA regulations once a player is traded, he must wait at least 30 days to sign with his former team once the team he was traded to buys out his contract. Both sides have until Thursday's 3pm trade deadline to work out a deal. One would think a deal can be worked out by then, if not Kidd returns to Jersey.

I wonder how Kidd would feel if he stays with the Nets through the remainder of the season. You requested a trade, ownership gave it to you and you packed your bags for new surroundings. Surroundings that appeared prime for a run at the NBA championship and now you're back with a sub .500 team. How are the fans going to react? How are the teammates you left behind going to react? Very compelling questions going into All-Star weekend. We will get our answers in the days to come. For now Jason Kidd is a Net...and that's just fine with me.

Frank's articles can be found at OnTheBlockNY and HotStoveNewYork.com

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Tags: Basketball, Jason Kidd, Nets

"It is time for us all to move on."

That was what Jason Kidd told ESPN The Magazine in an interview on Monday. A day earlier it was reported that his agent had asked the Nets to trade his client to a contender. Kidd said he had no knowledge of the situation, but now the truth is out. Jason Kidd and the Nets appear to going in two different directions.

"It used to be if I got a triple-double, that was an automatic win. That's just not the case now. We tried to make this work," he told ESPN The Magazine. "We have found out it doesn't."

The Nets ended their 9-game losing streak Tuesday Night against the Milwaukee Bucks as Kidd had 9 points and 11 assists to help end the worst losing streak in over three years. The hometown fans at the Medowlands still cheered Kidd as he was introduced prior to the game.

Kidd has started 43 games this season, with an average of 11.3 points, 10.4 assists, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. He's earning $19.7 million and is set to make $21.2 million next season.

"The reality is we are only looking to make deals that make sense for us," Nets president Rod Thorn said. "If every time someone said, 'I want you to trade me,' you acquiesced, then you put yourself in a very vulnerable position because you have a revolving door."

Should the Nets trade Kidd away, they have second year point guard Marcus Williams of whom they think will make an impact in the league in the years to come. The Nets almost traded Kidd away last season to the Los Angeles Lakers but ultimately the deal never went through.

Kidd leaving the Nets is not a good thing, for the fans, the team or the franchise. He's one of the NBA's elite point guards and is electric on the court, especially when he's on his game. We've seen that when Kidd is on and his supporting cast around him is on, there are endless possibilties for this team. As they've shown before, they can be a threat in the Eastern Conference. They've made it to the NBA Finals twice under Kidd so maybe it's not Kidd who's causing the losing. Could it be the players around him? Rebuilding a team around an aging point guard is alot to ask of a GM, but so is trading away your best player. Maybe Jason Kidd won't go to the All-Star Game representing the Nets, I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this develops...I mean we have seen this before so I won't hold any truth to the matter until I see Kidd in another uniform.


(Frank's articles can also be read at OnTheBlockNY andHotStoveNewYork.com )

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Tags: Basketball, Jason Kidd, Nets, New Jersey

Life doesn't look good for the Nets these days. After losing last night to the Denver Nuggets 100-85, the Nets have now lost eight straight. It's their longest losing streak in over three years. They are now 0-5 on a six-game road trip.

It was only a few weeks ago where they were at .500 for the season but now find themselves fading. It didn't help that New Jersey started out shooting 5 for 22 and scored only 11 points in the first quarter. At halftime, they trailed 47-31.

"We just didn't have the energy and they did," New Jersey coach Lawrence Frank said. "They were much more aggressive and really attacked us in the paint."

Jason Kidd did what he could to help the struggling Nets by posting his 98th career triple-double and 11th of the season (13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.) Richard Jefferson contributed 19 points to lead the Nets scoring but that proved to not be enough. The Nets got within 5 points in the fourth quarter before Denver started to pull away.

The Nuggets (26-16) were playing without All-Star Carmelo Anthony who missed his second straight game with an ankle sprain. Fellow All-Star starter Allen Iverson carried most of the load as he scored 30 points. Former Net Kenyon Martin scored 20 points before he fouled out late in the fourth quarter.

"We need wins and we need them badly," Nets' Josh Boone said. "It would help if we got off to better starts and played better defense."

The Nets (18-25) head to Minnesota to complete their six-game road trip. Yesterday Jason Kidd was named as a starter for the East in the All-Star Game on Feburary 17 in New Orleans. Hopefully by then, the Nets will turn things around and not be so dreadful. Otherwise Kidd participating in the All-Star Game will be one of the only things to cheer about this season for Nets fans.

Frank's articles can also be found at OnTheBlockNY.com and HotStoveNewYork.com

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Tags: Basketball, Jason Kidd, Nets, New Jersey, Richard Jefferson

All good things must come to an end, and for the Knicks Friday night was the end of the winning streak. After winning three in a row, the Washington Wizards put Isiah’s gang back in the loss column beating them 111-98.

The Knicks were without Stephon Marbury again, but nonetheless, it likely wouldn’t have helped if he did play. Quentin Richardson scored 21 points (19 in the first half) to lead New York’s scoring. They also continued thier new found ability to “share the rock” as they collected 25 assists. The defense allowed Washington to shhot 57% from the field, a mark that Isiah and his team need to improve on if they are going to make us believe this team is moving in the right direction.

Via NY Daily News:

“I wasn’t dissatisfied at all tonight,” Thomas said. “Sometimes the other team plays better than you and sometimes you run into a team that has it going. And tonight, they had it going.”

Washington’s Antawn Jamison scored a game-high 32 points while Caron Butler added 22 points. Butler went 4 for 4 at the foul line extending his own franchise record for consecutive free throws and passing Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash’s 53-shot streak this season. The Wizards scored 92 points through three quarters last night, showing you just how horrid the Knicks defense was.

The Knicks (12-27), play another dreaded team tonight, the Miami Heat. Let’s see which Knick shows up in Miami tonight, the team that won three in a row or the team that gave up on it’s coach several teams already this season.

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Tags: Basketball, Isiah Thomas, Knicks, New York, Stephon Marbury

It is only the first day of December and yet many people have counted out the New York Knicks this season. With everything that has gone on, why wouldn't you? Apparently everyone at Madison Square Garden last night didn't get that message.

A night after one of the worst losses in franchise history (104-59 against the Celtics), the Knicks responded with a game that showed hustle,determination, and heart.. They overcame a 17 point deficit to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 91-88. After the game Jamal Crawford apologized on behalf of the Knicks to the hometown crowd for their performance the night before. Crawford along with Zach Randolph scored 25 points in leading the Knicks to victory.

Via ESPN.com:

"That's not who we are, honestly, and their support means everything," Crawford said. "So it was a tough loss and I'm glad we bounced back tonight."

The Garden crowd throughout the night had let their displeasure be heard, from the pre-game introductions, to missed free throws by Stephon Marbury, to the lack of defense in the 3rd when the Knicks were trailing double digits again and looked prime for another knockout. On this night, the Knicks woke up before it was too late. Marbury had 13 points until he was forced to leave the game in the 3rd quarter because of a right shoulder muscle spasm. His replacement, Fred Jones provided a spark off the bench, he scored all 10 of his points in the last quarter and put an exclamation point on the comeback with an infatic dunk leaving 0.4 seconds on the clock. Crowd favorite David Lee played limited minutes but his presence on the floor led to key rebounds late and also contributed to the Knicks late spark.

For Milwaukee, Micheal Redd scored 27 points in the losing effort. He had two chances late to put the Bucks ahead in the final minute but failed to deliver.

"I'm speechless," Redd said. "I'm more speechless about us losing three in a row, not that we lost to the Knicks. The Knicks are a talented team. We knew they would come back and fight hard. When you have a lead like that, you've got to be able to defend and put your foot down and take advantage of the situation, and we didn't do that tonight."

The Knicks (5-10) have won three straight at the Garden and have won three of their last four. Isiah Thomas' job is safe for another day.


Frank's articles can also be found HotStoveNewYork

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Tags: Basketball, Jamal Crawford, Knicks, Stephon Marbury

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Tags: Basketball, Knicks

Isiah Thomas is still the Knicks head coach and still their president. There's a serious problem with that. The Knicks are 2-8 and on their way to another miserable season. We've already seen a sexual harrassment case against Thomas and Garden CEO James Dolan, a public war of words between Thomas and star point guard Stephon Marbury, Thomas throwing the team out of practice, and a team munity against Marbury. It's time for someone to take responsibilty and say enough is enough.

When asked about his status with the team and the current state of the Knicks, Isiah responded:
Via Mitch Lawrence NY Daily News:

"I just don't think that this is the time to panic, after 11games in the season.....This is not the time to just blow everything up and to say that the guys we've got here and the changes and the moves we made, after 11games, you judge it. That's not the way this league goes.

"Again, there is a lot of time here. I do understand the frustration and the venom and the anger, but that comes with the passion of the fans. When you get frustrated, the first thing you think about doing is making changes. But this isn't the time to make changes.

"Believe me, when that time comes, I'll be the first to say it. I've seen and been through a lot of situations in the NBA and this is not the time to abandon ship and make changes. We'll get through this."

When Thomas arrived in December of 2003 he came in and made changes to try and help a struggling franchise. He's traded overpaid stars, traded guys HE overpaid for, traded away several future draft picks, including the number 2 overall pick in 2006. He hired Larry Brown only to fire him a year later and take over himself. Dolan then proclaimed that Thomas would have one year to turn the Knicks around.....in March, Thomas signed a contract extension with the Knicks.

Another accomplishment of Thomas' reign in New York was the infamous brawl last December with the Denver Nuggets. Thomas allegedly told his players to commit hard fouls beacuse Denver had their star players on the court during the final minutes of a blowout and he felt he was being shown up. An inicident that was disgraceful for the NBA and the Knicks organization.

A franchise that was once so respected and rich in tradition is now a laughing stock. Its time for Dolan to can Isiah and get rid of Marbury. How much worse can the Knicks possibly be without them? There's only one direction, and thats up and that's without Thomas leading the team. The Knicks are run as if they took those kids, who ask for your money for candy off the subway. How can anyone in their right mind run an organization like this? This is an embrassment to the city of New York. Madison Square Garden used to always be a hot ticket but it's no longer the place to be. For the most part people only go to the games so they can participate in the "Fire Isiah" chants. The Isiah Thomas New York Knicks are pitiful, woeful, disgusting, and horrid.

It's time for a change at the Garden, start from the top and work your way through the organization and team. Dolan, wake up and smell the coffee. How much more of your money is Isiah going to waste? Thomas has commited crimes, has pushed people around the league and in the offices to the edge, he has angered a once loyal fanbase. It's time to listen to the fans (many who are Cablevision subscribers) and Fire Isiah. You've lost games, your pride, your diginty, your money and your fans. Firing Isiah can only make things better. Make the Knicks one of the NBA's elite again, make Madison Square Garden the place to be again....what more do you have to lose?

(Frank's articles can also be read at HotStoveNewYork.com)

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Tags: Basketball, Isiah Thomas, Knicks, QUITE FRANKLY, Stephon Marbury

Richard Jefferson had his second straight 30 point game and New Jersey needed every one of them last night. A double digit lead in the second half almost disappeared, as the Sonics (2-11) made a run late but were held off for a 98-93 Nets win.

Vince Carter back in second game since missing five games due to his ankle injury scored 15 off the bench. Jason Kidd added 14 points but Jefferson was the story. He also had 4 rebounds and 5 assists to go along with his 30 points. He is season average of 24.5 points a game is his career best.

Via ESPN.com:

"With all of us out there, it just makes us hard to guard and everybody benefits," Carter said.

In the fourth quarter with a minute to play the Nets lead was down to one. Seattle had various opportunities to tie but could not deliver. The victory was the Nets' second straight after a six game losing streak (five of those Carter was out with his right ankle injury).

Via Julian Garcia NY Daily News:

"You never take for granted winning, especially when we tasted six losses in a row, especially playing on the road," Lawrence Frank said

The Nets (6-7) finish their west coast swing Sunday in L.A. against the Lakers.

(Frank's articles can also be read at HotStoveNewYork.com )

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Tags: Basketball, Jason Kidd, Nets, Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter

The rivarly continued last night at Madison Square Garden, even if it was still the preseason. Unfortunately for the Knicks, so did the Nets' dominance. New Jersey has beaten New York in it's last 6 meetings, dating back to last season. Both teams were playing in their preseason finale. After beating the Knicks on October 18th in Jersey, the Nets pulled out another win against their rivals from across the river, 102-86.

For the first time since last December, the Nets had their starting 5 on the court. That included center Nenad Kristic and point guard Jason Kidd. Kristic was sidelined in December with a knee injury that ended his season prematurely. Kidd made his preseason debut after sitting out the first 6 games with a lower back strain. The Nets appeared to click on all cylinders, as Kidd was the catalyst for a fast paced attack, the type of motion the Nets are known for. Kidd finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists in 30 minutes.

Via Matt McQueeny, NJNets.com

"He is one of a kind. He is a first ballot Hall of Famer. It is amazing the impact he has even in an exhibition game. He is one of those rare guys who makes everyone raise their level. Not only their energy level but their accountability level" Said Head Coach Lawrence Frank.

Vince Carter added 22 pts, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, Kristic helped out with 4 pts and 5 rebounds after sitting out Thursday's game against the Sixers.

"I had two good practices. I have done my treatments. I feel great and I am ready to go." said Kidd.

The Nets certainly hope so, he's one of the main cogs for New Jersey, along with Carter and Richard Jefferson. They will need all 3 to be healthy and play up to their capability if they want to make a run for the Atlantic Divison crown. Next up for the Nets, the season opener Wednesday night in Chicago, against the Bulls.

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Tags: Basketball, Jason Kidd, Knicks, Lawrence Frank, Nenad Kristic, Nets, Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter

The new look Boston Celtics came to town Tuesday night and invaded the Izod Center, formerly Contential Airlines Arena to face the New Jersey Nets. The end result was a 82-71 Nets victory. Celtics coach Doc Rivers decided to rest his main attraction, the All-Star trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. They weren't in uniform for Tuesday's contest as Rivers wanted to go with 8 players.

The Nets got production from Vince Carter who had 12 points and 7 assists as a fill-in point guard for the night. Jason Kidd who is the usual starting point guard was absent for the game due to a lower back strain, and back up point guard Darrell Armstrong sat out with a sore left ankle. Richard Jefferson scored 11 points, but did not see any action in the 4th quarter. Carter also sat out the 4th. Bostjan Nachbar added 15 points and Antoine Wright scored 14 in the win.

With the victory, the Nets are 3-1 on the preseason. They have two remaning preseason games,Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers, and Friday against the Knicks at MSG. The Nets open up the season at home against the Chicago Bulls next Wednesday, Halloween night.

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Tags: Basketball, Boston Celtics, Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett, Nets, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter

If you didn't already know, the New York Yankees are worth alot of money. What you probably don't know, YES, the cable network that carries the Yankees is worth even more. According to Fortune Magazine the Yankees are looking to sell the YES Network. The estimated worth of the network is 3 billion or more. The estimated worth is based on cash flow and on how other regional networks have been worth.

The YES Network (Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network) made its debut on March 19, 2002. It has claimed to be the number sports regional network in the country. It is home to the Yanks and to the NBA's New Jersey Nets. Ownership of the network belongs to Yankee Global Enterprises, the team's parent company, which owns 35 percent of the network. The remainder is controlled by the Goldman Sachs Group and Providence Equity Partners, and an investment group headed by former New Jersey Nets owner Ray Chambers.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner's ailing health has become the major factor in all of this. One of other the reasons given for the sale is for estate tax reasons. Yankee brass have not given an indication of a possible sale,"The YES Network is not for sale," Yankees president Randy Levine said, although did give insight on perhaps having interest on the issue saying there was some "testing of the market."

Via ESPN.com

"We've owned the network for the past six years. All we're doing is getting a current view from the marketplace on the network's value," Goldman Sachs spokesman Peter Rose was quoted Thursday by The Associated Press. "From Goldman Sachs' perspective, we have made no decision to sell. If we got an offer that in our view reflected the premium value of the network, we would consider it." .

Fortune Magazine first broke the story on their website early Thursday morning. ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio and ESPN 2 were the first to break the story to the public via media. It is also reported that if the Yankees do in fact sell the YES Network, then the team itself will be the next to go on the bidding block. The team is believed to be estimated at 1.5 billion. The sale of the network can be completed as early as the end of the summer. It is not known if the sale of the network would directly influence the everyday production of television programming, Yankees telecasts, Nets telecasts, YES Network personnel or to the Yankees themselves.

More on this story as it becomes available.

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Tags: Baseball, Basketball, Nets, Yankees, YES Network