Posts Tagged New York

Padres Ace Peavy on the Market

By Matt Valentine

In what I would deem a fairly surprising move, the Padres are considering moving ace pitcher Jake Peavy to the highest bidder.

Peavy, a Cy Young winner had somewhat of a down year this season with 10 wins and 11 loses, but performed quite well in every other pitching category. He had the third lowest ERA in the National League with a 2.85 and struck out 166 batters.

Peavy does have a no trade clause in his contract which could help him get his choice of team, but apparently his top five choices have not expressed enough interest to make them a viable option. Among Peavy’s top choices are Atlanta, St. Louis, the Chicago Cubs, the L.A. Dodgers and the Houston Astros.

Jake Peavy is on the trading block

Jake Peavy is on the trading block

Yet, none of these teams have made a viable offer and the Padres have begun reaching out to other teams.  Of course, when any big name comes on the market the Yankees are always in the mix, but many believe that Peavy would not enjoy playing in New York or in the American League for that fact, and are unsure if he would sign off on a deal that sent him to the Yankees.

The Braves seem to be the team in the best position to make a deal for Peavy which would have to include some young pitchers and perhaps a few outfielders. The Braves have promising young talent in pitchers such as Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson and center fielders Jason Heyward and Jordan Scaefer. However, the Braves are reluctant to talk about dealing their best prospects.

Peavy is an extremely attractive trade option because he is under contract until 2013 and is just 27 years old. It is very rare that a pitcher of Peavy’s talent and youth is even considered trade bait, but many in the Padres front office feel the team needs to get younger now, and Peavy is their best bargaining chip.

Where Peavy will land is anyones guess, but one thing is for sure… it won’t be in San Diego.

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Fantasy Football Start em: Quarterback

By Matt Valentine

Week six is approaching and if your fantasy team isn’t looking good thus far you still have plenty of time to get back into playoff contention. With that said, let’s take a look at some week 6 match ups that should be beneficial to fantasy quarterbacks.

1.  Kyle Orton- Chicago Bears

Wow,what a difference a year makes. The Chicago Bears easily had one of the NFL’s most dismal passing attacks last season but all that has changed with Kyle Orton under center. Orton has tossed multiple TD’s n his last two games and should do the same this week against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are surrendering 222 yards and 1.8 passing touchdowns per game. Now that the Bears are finally beginning to utilize the speedy Devin Hester in their passing attack Orton could end up being one of this weeks best fantasy options.

2. Jason Campbell- Washington Redskins

Campbell is QB on the rise. He has posted back to back wins on the road against division rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. Now he gets to go up against one of the worst teams in the NFl in the St. Louis Rams whose passing defense ranks 28th in the league allowing 245.8 yards and 2 TD’s per game. Campbell finally looks comfortable in coach Jim Zorn’s offense and with a number of nice options including Santana Moss and Chris Cooley  he should have an explosive day against the woeful rams.

3. Kurt Warner- Arizona Cardinals

Warner came off another nice fantasy performance against the Buffalo Bills last Sunday and looks to return with another strong performance agaisnt a banged up Dallas secondary at home this week.  Terrence Newman is out, Roy Williams is most likely out, and the Dallas pass rush has been very inconsistent thus far this year. Thats all good news for Warner who should post his fourth straight multiple touchdown game in what should be a shootout in the desert.

4.  Brett Favre- New York Jets

After posting a career high 6 TD’s against the Cardinals in his last game Favre and the Jets hope to continue the trend in this weeks game against the Bengals. If you look at the numbers it doesn’t look like a good match up for Favre with Cincy’s D ranking 6th in the league in passing defense. That is a more then deceptive number becuase everyone just dominates Cincy’s D on the ground instead of through the air. The Jets have yet to establish their ground game this year and Favre has had an extra week to heal and work on his timing with his receivers, that should bode well for a strong fanatsy day.

5- Eli Manning- New York Giants

Make no mistake about it the Giants are the nest all around team in the NFL right now. Thanks in large part to their consistent ground game Eli has had ample time to pick opposing secondary’s apart this season and has the Giants passing attacked ranked 6th in the NFL. The Giants face off against the dissapointing Cleveland Browns who have a weak secondary and have yet to play well on either side of the ball. Consider also that Plaxico is back from his one game suspension and that the Giants have one of the deepest receiving corps in the league with the likes of Steve Smith, Amani Toomer, Sinorice Moss, Mario Manningham and last weeks fantasy darling Dominick Hixon and the Browns secondary shouldn’t stand a chance.

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NHL Season Set to Begin Abroad

Will Detroit repeat? NHL season kicks off soon in Europe.

Will Detroit repeat? NHL season kicks off soon in Europe.

By Matt Valentine

Yes, its true.  Yes, I understand most of you could probably care less . Yes, that bothers me. Either way, whether you love it or hate it the NHL season will begin and it will begin sooner then you think.

In fact, the NHL is taking a page from MLB and the NBA in doing something that it has never done before… opening its regular season in Europe.

The opening games of the NHL season will take place as a double-header of sorts with games to beplayed in the Czech and Swedish capitals. It is something that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says Europe should get used to, ” We are hopefully ushering an era of a more permanent presence for the league (in Europe).”

That seems to indicate that the commissioner would at some point like to setup a franchise somewhere in the European market, but that day is still a long ways away and for now the NHL is content to give the European fans of hockey just a small sample of itself.

Like Bettman said the NHL is creating, “a program where we’re coming back on a regular basis to satisfy and address the interest that we know is in our game here.

One of the matchups featured in the double header will take place between two Eastern Conference teams on the rise, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers. Both teams have undergone some significant roster changes and look to start the season off on the right skate. The game will take place in the Czech capital city of Prague.

The other game in the double-header will feature a match up between last seasons Stanley Cup finalist Pittsburgh Penguins and the underachieving Ottawa Seantors. This game will be played in the Swedish capital of Stockholm.

Originally the NHL had planned just two games overseas to both to be played by the Anaheim Ducks and LA Kings in London for the opener but expanded their overseas schedule to the current four games.

The Europeans fans have proven themselves to be excellent hosts showing great enthusiasm for the games and the players. In fact, over 8,000 Czechs turned out just to see a Rangers practice session something that is completely unheard of back in the USA.

The players have also enjoyed their trip overseas though they have admitted that the travel can be tiring, they also enjoy having the opportunity to play in front of their home crowd. Such was the case with Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsival a Czech who said he was thrilled to play in front of a home crowd.

Considering the amount of knowledge and enthusiasm Europe has for hockey it makes sense for the NHL to market their brand there and to continue to expand their presence in the European market. Next year the destination seems likely to be Germany, another country will a strong enthusiasm for the game.

If only there was such enthusiasm for the game at home.

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The Super Bowl Champ Will Come From the NFC East

For a long time all of the so called experts in the NFL have been declaring the AFC as the superior league in professional football.

Now, many of them seem to be changing their tune and for a damn good reason. If you watched any of the ridiculously entertaining shootout on Monday night between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys then you know why they suddenly seem to all be siding with the NFC as the  best league in the NFL and the NFC East as perhaps the best division in all of sports.

Take a look at the NFC East and you’ll find that even its presumably weakest team, the Washington Redskins, just beat the team many predicted to win the NFC South, the New Orleans Saints. Now consider, that the Dalls Cowboys are perhaps the leagues most talented team, the New York Giants are the defending Super Bowl champs and have continued to perform exactly like that through the first two weeks, and the Philadelphia Eagles nearly defeated the Cowboys and you have one tough division and the makings of a Super Bowl champ.

Yet, its not just the fact that the top three teams in the NFC East all have the potential to beat any other team in the league on any given Sunday it’s also the fact that all the “top” teams in the AFC haven’t looked anywhere near as prolific as the “beasts of the East”.

The Colts for example,who lost to the underdog Bears in a game that frankly wasn’t even close and then came back the next week to win a squeaker against the improved, but still unstable (especially at the QB position)  Minnesota Vikings.

Then there is the San Diego Chargers another favorite in the AFC, whose record now stands at 0-2 with loses to the Denver Broncos (though Ed Hoculi played a fairly major role in that one) and the unheralded Carolina Panthers. And who now may have to deal with an injury to star running back Ladanian Tomlinson that may nag him throughout the season and are playing without All-World linebacker Shawn Merriman for the rest of the season and their Super Bowl hopes look a bit dimmer.

Need I even mention the other heavy favorite in the AFC whose record setting quarterback suffered a season ending injury, dramatically altering the landscape of the entire NFL? Yes, the Patriots are still a good team without Tom Brady, but a Super Bowl contender with Matt Cassel at QB,….I don’t think so.

The fact is that there are no teams in the NFL and certainly no division NFC or AFC that can match the talent in the NFC East.

Let’s start with the defending Super Bowl champs. Though they lost the defensive prowess of both Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora their defense has yet to miss a beat. In their first two games the Giants D has surrendered just 20 points, scored 1 TD, sacked the QB 7 times and picked them off once.  Not to mention that Eli looks much improved, Plaxico Burress is an absolute beast, the rest of the receiving corps is solid as can be and they have what could be considered the best running back committee in the NFL with Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Bradshaw in the backfield and the G-Men look poised to make another deep run into the playoffs.

The Cowboys, the popular Super Bowl pick at the start of the season have thus far lived up to their star status. Romo continues to develop into an elite QB, connecting with Terrell Owens and Jason Witten both excellent receivers and their defense is as strong as ever (Monday night being the exception). The addition of Felix Jones as a change of pace back to the bruising Marion Barber has paid big dividends in the first two weeks and has added a threat not just in the backfield, but on special teams as well. Player for player Dallas is the most talented team in the league if they can avoid an upset like last year they could be representing the NFC in the Super Bowl and if they get there, there is no reason to think they shouldn’t win it all.

Now, perhaps the biggest surprise thus far has been the play of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have always had a strong defensive team with Jim Johnsons exotic blitzing schemes giving opposing QB’s fits. Yet, they haven’t had a healthy Donovan McNabb in a long time, that is until this year and its showing in their play. Brain Westbrook is in my opinion the best all-around running back in the league and the addition of rookie Desean Jackson has aided a passing game that has suffered a number of injuries to their starting wideouts, that is if he manages to cross the goal-line with the ball (come on buddy let’s not be silly!). If McNabb stays healthy, and with Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown due to return at some point this season the Eagles should be a major player for the rest of the year and a definite Super Bowl contender.

It’s a long road to the Super Bowl, but when its all said and done look for one of these three teams to be holding the Lombardi Trophy at the end of season.

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Are the Mets Due for Another September Collapse?

It’s that time of the year again for Mets fans and I’m sure many of them are cringing, and feeling almost the exact same emotions as the did the same time just one year ago.

If you recall it (and I’m sure every Mets fan does) it was this time last year that all Mets fans were watching their teams historic September collapse, giving away a 7 game lead with just 17 games to play and surrendering their NL East lead to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Well, here we are in September again, and here the Mets are, this time surrendering a 3 game lead to the Phillies who now own sole possession of first place in the NL East after Ryan Howard’s go-ahead homer in the 8th inning Tuesday night gave the Phillies an 8-7 win over the Atlanta Braves.

Once again, the Phillies and Howard in particular, seem to thrive in September while the Mets and their offense seem to fold.

The Mets who lost to the Nationals in back-to-back games while surrendering their NL East lead just can seem to get  it clicking on all cylinders when it matters most. They received an outstanding pitching performance from Mike Pelfrey but let it go to waste by providing him with no offense in a 1-0 nothing loss to who else, but the Washington Nationals, the same team that squandered the Mets playoff hopes late last season.

This loss came just one day after John Lannan held the Mets to one hit over seven innings, New York managed just two hits against Odalis Perez Tuesday night.

This time around there will be no one to blame except for the Mets players themselves, no Willie to take the heat for a team that just cannot get it done when the pressure is on. If its not the bullpen surrendering runs in late innings of what should have been wins, then its the Met offense whose bats go quiet at the most inopportune times.

And while the Mets remain just a 1/2 game behind the Phillies for the NL East lead their fans grow restless that another September swoon may be on the horizon.

There is still the wild card, even if the Mets do surrender the division to the Phillies, but even that is not a certainty as another team whose had a September to forgot, the Brewers, are just a 1/2 game back.

Perhaps worst of all for the Mets is that they’ve now lost both Fernando Tatis and Damion Easley to injuries. Two right handed bats that the Mets can ill afford to lose down the stretch. Tatis has been an especially nice surprise for the Mets returning from baseball after a prolonged absence to put together some clutch performances when the team needed them most.

Speaking of clutch performances that’s exactly what the Mets are going to need down the stretch to avoid their second consecutive season without a postseason appearance. They need their stars to step up now more then ever, players like David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Pedro Martinez need to demonstrate to their team, and most importantly their fans that this September will not end like last years did.

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Giants Beat Skins in NFL Season Opener

Before the game began fans of both teams had questions on their minds about this coming season.

Would Eli play like he did during his magical playoff run which led to a Super Bowl MVP? Would the Giants defense be able to apply the same pressure without Osi Umenyiora, and Michael Strahan? Would the Redskins look as dismal as they did in their final two postseason games?

Actually the answer to all these questions seems to have been a resounding yes.

After Michael Strahan came out to fire up the crowd with the Lombardi Trophy in hand the Giants took the opening kick off and drove 84 yards in 11 plays with Eli running a boot leg in the endzone to secure a 7-0 first quarter lead. During the drive Eli and his favorite target Plaxico Buress, who was awarded with a contract extension hours before the game began, connected on some big third down conversions to keep the drive alive.

Manning scores first touchdown of the NFL year.

Manning scores first touchdown of the NFL year.

Then the Giants defense on their first play from scrimmage, were able to answer the questions about their ability to apply the same type of pressure on QB’s that helped lead them to a Super Bowl Championship. Justin Tuck and Fred Robbins both broke through the Skins line and sacked QB Jason Campbell. It was a foreshadowing of things to come for both the Giants defense and the Redskins offense.

The Redskins looked befuddled under new head coach Jim Zorn’s West Coast scheme. Jason Campbell in particular looked like he had little idea of how to run this offense, on many occasions electing to check down for three or four yard gains in 3rd and long or fourth and long situations.

Washington’s defense didn’t look too much better allowing the Giants to drive down field on three consecutive drives, but holding firm in the red/green zone, relenting field goals instead of touchdowns. Perhaps the closeness of the game was more a result of conservative play calling from the Giants rather then stellar defense from the Redskins.

The Giants have to be happy about their performance on both sides of the ball. Brandon Jacobs was an absolute beast last night, literally plowing over Redskins on his way to 116 yards on 21 carries. Just ask Redskins safety Dawan Landry about what its like to try and tackle Jacobs. Manning completed 19 of 35 passes for 216 yards and 1 interception. He looked very good on third down conversions, but did throw some of those trademark ill advised passes that could have reversed the course of the game had Washington been able to make a play on them. Plaxico Burress who is finally healthy after fighting through knee and ankle injuries last season had a dominant 10 catch 133 yard performance and at times made the Skins secondary look like high schoolers. Despite the win though the Giants left a number of points on the board and allowed Washington to hand in the game much longer then they shouuld have. They also did not score a point in the second half, but then again they didn’t really need to.

The Giants defense was outstanding. New York limited the new-look Redskins to 11 first downs and 209 total yards and gave indications that these Giants are back for another run despite the preseason predictions that there chances of repeating are slim.

With one in hand now each team will go back to the drawing board and try to improve on this weeks performance. The Redskins will have to make a lot of adjustments if they are to be contenders in the ultra competitive NFC East. The Giants on the other hand have to be happy about picking up right where they left off, now they just have to focus on finishing drives instead of setteling for field goals and all should be well in New York.

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Giants and Strahan In Talks about Comeback

It happened in the blink of an eye. What was once the Giants greatest strength coming into the season quickly became a glaring weakness and now the Giants have reached out to the recently retired former Giant great Michael Strahan in hope of having him return to the team to replace the inured Osi Umenyiora.

Umenyiora’s injury occured in the second quarter of the Giants preseason game against the Jets. While trying to bull rush a lineman Osi twisted his knee awkwardly sustaining ligament damage that will sideline him for the rest of the season. Inital reports from the team had stated that there was no ligament damage to the knee, but upon further examination docotrs discovered that Umenyiora would require season ending surgery.

Now the Giants are left hoping that Strahan can come out of retirement and continue to play at the level he did last season. Strahan is currently on vacation in Greece, but his agent Tony Agnone has been in talks  with the Giants officials about a possible comeback.

For the time being, however, the Giants have moved Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end, the same position he manned throughout his college career and in his first season with the Giants. Linebacker Danny Clark who was signed by the Giants in the offseason will move to strong side linebacker , while Gerris Wilkinson will man the weak side.

Strahan had mulled retirement last season , missing all of training camp before returning to the team to help lead them to their Super Bowl victory over the Patriots. However, unlike last season when Strahan had continued to work out to try and maintain a football physique he has done little this off season to keep himself in playing shape.

Sources have stated that Strahan is seriously considering the comeback, but he expects to make at least $8 million for the season and could demand as much as $12 million. The Giants do have $12 million available under the salaray cap, but it is unlikely that they would offer Strahan the full $12 million just in case moves need to be made during the season.

Strahan is scheduled to begin work for Fox’s NFL pregame show, yet executives at Fox have told Strahan that his job would be waiting for him should he decide to accept the Giants offer.

Giants co-owner Steve Tisch has expressed his interest in Strahan returning to the Giants,

“Would I like Michael to be a New York Giant this season? Absolutely. Absolutel. Will he be? I have no idea. I don’t even want to put a percentage on it but things changed very quickly [Saturday] night and if one of the potential solutions is to reach out to Michael, worst-case, it’s certainly worth a phone call.”

While there is some optimism about a possible Strahan return around the organization, many of Strahan’s former teammates are not as optimistic.

Justin Tuck the man who replaced Strahan at defensive end has this to say,  “As I know it, he is probably on a beach somewhere sipping on some pina coladas, so I doubt football is the first thing on his mind today.”

What we do know is that we’ve already seen one great make a return from retirement in New York and now its possible that we may see another. The Giants season may hinge on it.

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Bretty and The Jets

By Matt Valentine

The Favre saga in Green Bay has finally come to an end…allow me a moment to rejoice.

With a late night deal announced around 12:30 AM EST the Favre era in Green Bay officially came to an end and a new chapter will begin in the city that never sleeps.

Favre who is no stranger to the camera, will now find himself paying under the bright lights of Broadway, or more accurately the bright lights of Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

It must be a stunning upset to Buccaneers fans who thought they were the front runners in the Brett Favre sweepstakes, only to wake and find that the Jets had lured Favre to New York for a conditional draft pick in 2009.

According to NFL.com, the Packers will receive a fourth-round draft pick in 2009. The selection would turn into a third-rounder if Favre plays in 50 percent of the plays this season, a second-rounder if he plays in 70 percent and the Jets make the playoffs, or a first-round pick if he plays in 80 percent and the Jets make it to the Super Bowl.

Favre will most likely have to pass a physical before the trade becomes official, but the more important aspect of the deal is that Favre, who was once seemingly opposed to playing in New York, apparently signed off on the deal.

Favre’s arrival in New York signals the beginning of one era and the end of another, that is the end of the Chad Pennington era. Pennigton who is due to make $6 million will be traded or released by the Jets to make room for Favre who is scheduled to earn $12.7 million in 2008. I feel for Pennington, who was a player that poured his heart and soul into the Jets organization  fighting throw significant arm injuries to return to the team he loved. Yet, there are plenty of teams out there, perhaps the Bucs or Vikings, who could use the services of the weak armed but accurate QB.

The Jets stock has risen on many fronts with what could prove to be one of the best off seasons in the leagues history.  The Jets made significant additions through free agency to shore up some of their most glaring weaknesses. Particularly the addition of Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca to a young and improving line that contains promising starters Nick Mangold and D’brickashaw Ferguson should provide Favre with plenty of time to air it out.

How long Favre will be a Jet remains to be seen. The Jets have stated that they are taking it year by year and with the way Favre has handled things in the past that’s probably the best way to look at the situation. For now though, the Jets may have just turned themselves into a legitimate playoff contender and could even challenge the Patriots for the top spot in the AFC East.

Now that the move has finally been made, the media can focus on Brett’s moves on the field instead of off the field and I for one am happy as hell. Still, I wonder if the Packers and Favre will ever be able to mend their relationship in the future, considering that just a brief time ago the two were pretty much synonymous with one another.

And while Green Bay fans are probably in a state of deep mourning, or anger depending on how quickly they’re moving through the grieving process, Jets fans are in a deserved state of euphoria.

A euphoria which will only last as long as the Jets and Favre win.

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Favre, Packers Remain in Limbo

With reports swirling today that Favre will most likely be dealt to a new team in the very near future, two candidates have emerged as front runners in the Brett Favre sweepstakes.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem to be in the best position to deal for Favre with the New York Jets still in the hunt to acquire the 39 year old QB.

This came after Favre and Packers coach Mike McCarthy spoke very candidly for approximately six hours over the past two days, and McCarhy drew the conclusion that Favre is not ” in the right mind-set” to play for the Green Bay Packers.

Favre cannot seem to move past what he deems, “emotional wounds” inflicted on him by the team as tensions mounted in recent weeks. This coming despite that fact that the Packers stated there would be an open competition for the starting QB role. Now, it seems that Favre and Green Bay will have to part ways and perhaps no one is more to blame then Favre himself.

While both sides have played a role in the disintegration of their respective relationships it is Favre who has rarely taken the high road. He has aired his grievances publicly on numerous occasions all but ensuring that any attempt at patching up the battered relationship would be futile.  In his many conversations about his situation Favre has never seemed positive about his status with the team. Even stating that he felt he couldn’t trust Packers GM Thompson because he failed to heed his pleadings to acquire Randy Moss and because he chose to hire Mike McCarthy over Favres long-time friend Steve Mariucci.

Honestly, what other QB in his right mind would try and tell a general manager how to do his job, and then get all pissy when the GM doesn’t do what he said?  Um, the last time I checked Brett your job was to run this teams offense on the field not determine roster moves or head coaching decisions. That’s Thompson’s job and apparently he’s done it pretty well considering you were 13-3 last season and you were one drive away from going to the Super Bowl, a drive that ended by the way on a terrible pass thrown by you!

Favrre has kept all of Green Bay in limbo for a number of off seasons now. He has been a consistent distraction to his teammates this time of year, and even the players are getting upset about it. Favre knows the type of power he holds in Green Bay and has wielded it with a childish, impetuous fist at times.  No quarterback should have the power to hold a franchise hostage like Favre has done for several years, none worse then this one.

And after all this, Favre feels he has the right to be traded to a team within Green Bay’s own division?  Why would someone who is so loyal to the fans, and the franchise want so desperately to play them twice a year? I think the answer is simple, so he can go in there and without raising his voice or middle finger send a big F-U to everyone in the Packers front office. But, Brett wouldn’t you be hurting the fans, and former teammates more then anyone else? It all seems so silly now, and the Packers have every right to finally refuse the man who they’ve given nearly everything he’s asked.

Of course,  the person getting the stiffest end of this deal is Aaron Rodgers, the only one who has handled the situation with even a shred of dignity. I  just hope that at some point those fans that relentlessly cheer “We want Brett” and  relentlessly boo Rodgers realize that this man is going to be leading this team and you better get behind him now, or keep your mouths shut. What sense does it make to boo your own QB? Especially considering the kid has yet to do anything, but put his head down, keep his mouth shut, and do his job. Wow, what a crime.

When this situation finally does resolve it self, with Brett being trade to whatever team wheter it be the Jets or Tampa I just hope Green Bay fans don’t cling so desperately to the notion of Brett the icon and open their eyes to who really took the situation to the point of no return.

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Not So Shocked: Giants Trade TE Jeremy Shockey

Shockey inured at the Super Bowl

Shockey inured at the Super Bowl

In a move that should come as no surprise to anyone who has been following the Giants the past few months the team has finally dealt their oft-disgruntled tight end Jeremy Shockey to the New Orleans Saints for 2nd and 5th round draft picks in the 2009 draft.

The deal made just days ago was the exact same deal the Saints offered the Giants prior to this years draft and will reunite Shockey with one time Giants offense coordinator and current head coach of the Saints, Sean Payton. The one year that Shockey spent with Payton, his rookie season in 2002, was his most prolific in the NFL. He caught 74 passes for 894 yards and 2 TD’s and should be an excellent addition to the
pass happy offense Payton has installed in New Orleans.

In that sense the trade should be a mutually beneficial one. Though the Giants have lost an incredibly talented player in Shockey who is a four time Pro-Bowler, they’ve also lost the numerous distractions that
come with him. Shockey has always been a highly gifted receiver; he is explosive and plays with emotion. I remember watching him in the Hall of Fame game his rookie season, his first game as an NFL player, he
literally plowed over people on his way to the end zone a sign of things to come I thought.

Yet, things never did go as far as many expected. Though Shockey did show flashes of brilliance, he never did develop into the devastating weapon that the Giants and their fans thought he would be, and far too
often he let his emotions get the best of him. He once threw a cup full of ice into the stands during a playoff game, and he often criticized QB Eli Manning for not looking his way. He hated the idea of blocking and wanted to get vertical as much as possible. He would criticize the coaches, the players, the fans, and the franchise and it finally all came to a head this off-season when himself and Jerry Reese got into a shouting match during mini-camp, it was the beginning of the end of the Shockey era.

So who really wins in this trade? At this point it’s difficult to say, but all things considered it will probably work out just fine for all parties. The Giants have proven they can play without Shockey and win. Many people actually credit Shockey’s departure from the lineup as the reason for the rapid maturation of Eli Manning, though Eli has claimed that he will miss Shockey, I for one can’t see why. You also have to consider the fact that Shockey just did not want to be a New York Giant any longer, and would have been a cancer in the locker room, many reports stated that his recent antics alienated his teammates to the point that it may have been difficult to find him a roommate at training camp. No franchise needs that type of distraction when they’re trying to defend a Super Bowl title.

Futhermore, the Giants do get a 2nd and 5th round pick in next years draft, and who knows, the Saints could tank next year and that could end up being a high second rounder, or the Giants could package some
picks and trade for an additional first round pick, all legitimate options.

The Saints on the other hand, finally get a tight end that can stretch the field and one who has worked extremely well in Payton’s system in the past. However, Shockey is coming off a serious leg injury and may
not be fully healed by the start of the season and as we’ve seen he can become a huge headache. But, he should be happy in New Orleans,at least for the time being.

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