Mad Stork Sports on ScatterRadio Podcast For 3-28-12

Peyton Tim Tebow to the Jets news just won't die, and the
the MLB season is underway, as is new ownership for the
Dodgers. Those are just some of the things covered in
this podcast. Download and Enjoy !

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Eleven Month NFL Season & Draft Goes Twitter

Courtesy: Busted Coverage

Maybe it's not news to the great many of you who have
a Twitter account, and really, who doesn't? Very few,
that's who, but it is becoming more and more obvious
that everything NFL draft has gone a Twitter, so to
speak. You can't get away from it. Whether it's fans
asking guys prominent national scribes like Peter King
or Mel Kiper Jr. if their team has a shot at player A
in round 1 to player B in round 3, to asking more team
focused writers like Steve Corkran of the Contra Costa
Times or Christopher Hansen from Raidersblog whether or
not the new GM in Oakland Reggie McKenzie is going to
be able to do anything with the limited number of draft
picks he inherited.

The thing about this now is, the more time passes, the
more influence Twitter or the people on it are actually
having on the perception followers, and yes even writers
and team officials get. It's not news that players, and
even coaches constantly get their foot stuck in their
respective mouths for using bad judgement while
Tweeting, and in turn get fined, suspended, and even
fired, but this is now working to create spin too.

I recently saw where one writer suggested that a team
build up the guy expected to be available when it's
their turn so that they can then trade out that spot
and get better value for their pick. This is now not
only becoming the norm, but it's so subtle that you
don't even realize it's even happening.

I'm not surprised really, but have to admit that to me
it seems as though this is an evolution that the NFL,
and leagues have to love. Keeps them constantly relevant,
and constantly in the news. This type of free advertising
creates so much value that if the MLB LA Dodgers can sell
for $2.15Bil., then the NFL has to believe that any team
they decide to put in that very same market has to approach
a value of $3-4Bil. You just can't buy that sort of value
with so little an investment as Twitter has created.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Ranting With Rizzo Podcast For 3-24-12

In case Saturday's show, we got it for you right here,
so download or not, here is the podcast for all you
missed, and all you want. Enjoy !
Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Colts May Consider Trading Andrew Luck For RGIII

(US Presswire) Though it may not be officially listed as a trade, it would be a change of heart to say the very least. This was something I mentioned soon after the Redskins pulled off that monster draft trade with the St. Louis Rams to move into the second position in the 2012 draft, and even something I recommended the Colts do if I were in their position. Instead of making Andrew Luck the #1 overall pick in the draft, choose RG III instead. Don't believe me? This is what Jim Irsay told the USA today about it:

"It's up in the air. We have to look at this thing completely open-minded. You have 2 outstanding athletes, two great pure passers, two guys from families that are incredible ... If we get to the point where we're going to negotiate early, get something done before the draft, you never rule that out. We've talked to both agents. We haven't negotiated yet."

I have stated more than once that I think RG III is the better QB of the two, and though I don't have the pedigree of a Mike Mayock, or Mel Kiper, I do know what my eyes tell me. I believe that RG III is going to be a better long term solution for any team than Andrew Luck is, but like most predictions, only time will tell who's right. The interesting part of of the possibility that Jim Irsay changes his mind is that the Redskins have already put their eggs in the RG III basket, but as I mentioned when they made this trade, they are in a kind of win win type of situation. Andrew Luck is obviously no schlub, so if Irsay and the Colts should happen to change their minds, they still wind up with Luck. Thing is, though they may not say it publicly, it not what they had planned. Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Mad Stork Sports Podcast For 3-21-12

Peyton Manning to Denver, Tim Tebow to the Jets,
and the beating the New Orleans Saints took in
punishment are just some of the things covered
on this podcast. Download and Enjoy !



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Holier Than Thou Boob Pat Robertson Chimes In On Tebow Trade

Religion and Politics are often subjects we are often
advised to avoid when it comes to conversations with
strangers, at parties, work, or even possibly volatile
family gatherings, but today I will take that leap,
because this is none of those and because this is such
a layup when it comes to pointing out what a hypocrite
Pat Robertson is.

In case you missed it or are wondering why I would even
broach such a lighting rod type of subject, I will fill
you in. A story on a website called "The Raw Story"
has Pat Robertson saying in so many words that it would
serve the Broncos right if Peyton Manning got injured.
Here's the quote: "OK, Peyton Manning was a tremendous
MVP quarterback, but he’s been injured. If that injury
comes back, Denver will find itself without a quarterback
— and in my opinion, it would serve them right.”
You can also see him say just that in the video clip
provided on the website. Now the headline the site ran
is a little more explicit than what he said, but since
I didn't hear him say it, I won't use it. You do have
to ask yourself though, if this is the type of comment
that we should all expect from a "Man of God"
Wishing injury, or imply that it would serve them right
if it happened? Just sayin.


Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

NY Jets Get An Early Start On "Egg On Face" Season With Tebow Trade Debacle

Matt Rainey/NJ.com

It was bad enough that their fans were clearly divided
on the acquisition of Tim Tebow, and that's putting it
mildly, but then the Jets proceeded to nearly botch the
trade up all together when the made the cardinal sin of
any professional organization and they "forgot to read
the fine print", or in this case the contract altogether.

As a fan, I feel really bad for Jets fans, and wonder if
they are better or worse off than Mets fans, and if they
are fans of both, look out, it's gonna be a bad year.
The Jets clearly got egg on their face when news of them
not reading the clause in Tebow's contract to pay the
Broncos $5Mil got out, but it was a good thing that they
managed to come to an amicable solution, and meet the
Broncos half way. Truth is, Denver wasn't wrong here,
and the Jets just looked disorganized. This won't soon
be forgotten, even if Tebow does do well as a NY Jet,
but it won't hurt if this experiment works out, because
it clearly is nothing more than that for a team that is
reaching in every which direction to find some success.
Even if it means going after a polarizing figure like
Tim Tebow.


Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Mad Stork Sports on ScatterRadio - Live 6PM EDST

There is so much happening in the sports world today
that if you miss this episode of Mad Stork Sports on
Sactteradio, the you miss alot. What do you wanna
talk about? Tim Tebow? OK, we'll do that. Peyton
Manning? OK, we'll do that too. New Orleans Saints
penalties? Yup, we got that too. Join me for a fun
filled hour of discussion, and call in to make your
voice heard.

Find the show here on ScatterRadio


Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Tim Tebow To The NY Jets Bad For Tebow

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

Whether it was for a 1st rounder or a 99th rounder
and a bag of chips, is of no consequence here, but
the Jets did overpay for Tim Tebow. Even though he
was drafted in the 1st round by the Broncos, this
was clearly a reach by ex-coach Josh McDaniels, and
John Elway knew it. Maybe the Jets were trying to
keep him away from McDaniels who is now back as the
OC for the New England Patriots, or maybe they were
just real impressed with Tebow when he beat the snot
out of them on national TV last season, I don't know,
but either way, a 4th rounder and a sixth rounder is
way too much to pay for the rights to what is now
destined to be a bit of a circus in NY.

Whether or not this is going to help the Jets is not
really something anyone can predict with any absolute
certainty. It would be easier to predict though if
we are sure that he will only be a QB, or whether or
not he is open to playing Tight End, Wide Receiver,
or even running back. If Tebow is willing to do any
of those things, then the Jets will have a fabulous
football player on their hands, if not, then I think
they just upgrade their back up QB situation by simply
a hair, and that's only because Mark Brunell is what
is now considered "ancient" in football years.

With all that in mind, this trade is bad for Tim Tebow.
Nowhere else will he receive the type of scrutiny and
and in some ways hate that he will receive as a NY Jet.
Tebow will truly have to dig deep down inside and test
his faith for what he is about to encounter in the NYC
metropolitan area. This isn't Gainesville, FL, and it
ain't Denver Colorado, this is the BIGGEST media market
in the world, and when you poop, if you wipe awkwardly,
people know. Why the heck would anyone want that?
Repeating what I've said in the past, I don't think
Tim Tebow is a very good QB, but I do think he is a
very good human being. This wasn't his call, and he
didn't make the choice like a free agent would, but
he will have to deal with it, and unfortunately I don't
think this will make him grow as a quarterback.

Gonna guess that Brian Schottenheimer is glad he's gone.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

New Orleans Saints Receive NFL Death Penalty

I think we can all agree that this is a huge blow to
the Saints and their fans, but don't cry for them.
As I alluded to on Twitter earlier (@MadStorkSports),
the Saints and their fans got a Super Bowl victory
out of this, and losing for the next few years is
something they've been used to in the past anyway.
I can assure you that fans in Cleveland and Detroit
would be more than happy to trade some more woeful
years of football if they could be guaranteed a
Lombardi trophy.

This punishment is harsh, but appropriate, not just
because of what they allowed to happen, but because
this NFL Commissioner stressed player safety, and to
allow this to happen under his watch, and then just
give what might be considered a slap on the wrist,
would easily make him a laughing stock around league
circles. I do have an issue though with the length
of suspensions for HC Sean Payton & GM Mickey Loomis
however. Initial reports had Owner Tom Benson with
knowledge of what was going on telling Loomis to stop
it, and Loomis did not. It was also reported earlier
that Payton knew less about it, than Loomis did, so
unless that information was either wrong or updated
Loomis is the guy who should be out for the year and
Payton for eight games.

The Gregg Williams thing is a huge blow, but more to
Williams and the St. Louis Rams than to the Saints.
Williams is gone, and was supposed to be the new DC
for Jeff Fisher and the Rams, and now he may have to
look for a different career altogether. Willaims
penalty is indefinite, and if Payton's was one year
and he wasn't directly involved you can only imagine
that Gregg Williams will get more, and in pro sports
time is your enemy. Though Williams is not a player
and has a longer life span than a player, he will be
a little aged once his time suspended ends.

With all this being said, the Saints got off easy.
Why? Well, it's a completely different discussion
altogether, but if you make the case that this type
of incentive helped propel the Saints to their Super
Bowl title since it happened during that season, then
you can make the case that they should be stripped of
it as well. Like I said, it's a completely different
argument entirely, but if you don't do this, then some
teams will definitely feel it might be worth the gamble
in order to bring their franchise a Lombardi Trophy.
Just Sayin'.



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Ranting With Rizzo Podcast For 3-17-12

In case St Paddy's day got in the way of you
tuning into the show on Saturday, here is the
podcast for all you missed, and all you need.
Enjoy !



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Andy Pettitte Return A Sign Of Yankee Weakness

AP Photo

When you look at the pitchers that the N.Y. Yankees
have on their roster (C.C. Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda,
Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia, Michae Pineda,
etc.), it's fair to say that if Any Pettitte makes
this roster after a full year away from the game,
it may be just as good as telling their opponents:
"We don't trust our pitching staff".

If I were the Yankees I'm not sure I would turn him
down either, what have I got to lose? It's a great
feel good story, and if I look around the league
it's clear to see that he isn't even forty yet,
when there are plenty of pitchers over 40 pitching.
Jamie Moyer is 47, and he might make the Rockies
pitching staff, but the Yankees aren't the Rockies,
are they? They Yankees only measure success with
World Series Championships, not how many feel good
stories they can ring up. Pettitte walked away a
year ago because he wanted to spend more time with
his family, this is also known as a lack of desire,
or drive to want to do it anymore. Why should we
believe that his is just going to be able to turn
it on just like that. The body isn't as responsive
at 39 as it is at 19, and heck even 29 can be a bit
of a struggle sometimes for a professional athlete.
Pettitte is going to start the year in the minors,
what does that tell you? Roger Clemens didn't do
so bad when he joined late, did a couple of minor
league starts, and was clearly past his prime age
wise, but he had a little "help". Since Andy says
that he would never use that type of help again,
the Yankees can only hope. Andy Pettitte has always
been Mr. Clutch for the Yankees, so I guess they can
hope that he rides out the full season, and hits his
stride come playoff time, assuming they are in the
playoffs, and why wouldn't we?

I still think that invariably this is a sign that
neither Brian Cashman, nor Joe Girardi believe that
their pitching staff is strong enough to win it all,
or has enough clutch individuals on it to be counted
on. Now they just have to hope, Andy Pettite can be
close to the man that left in 2010.


Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Mad Stork Sports Podcast For 3-14-12

Peyton Manning, the NCAA tournament, and Mike D'Antoni,
are the main points of emphasis on this podcast, as well
as a look into the Redskins huge trade for RG III.
Join me for a fun filled hour of sports banter.



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Peyton-Palooza Becoming An Excercise In Futility

Samuel M. Simpkins,AP Photo/The Tennessean

There really is no mystery here, it goes as far back
as the O.J. chase seen nationally on TV that gave a
great deal of free advertising to the Ford Bronco.
It was good enough to interrupt viewers in New York
from watching their Knicks playoff game, and for the
folks of California, though it was a big deal to them
as well, it was still fairly common to have their
regularly scheduled television program interrupted to
watch a police chase instead.

There is no criminal here, not even Manning has been
that annoying, YET, but the sports media outlets and
Twitter have gone bananas over Peyton Manning's every
last move. I thought I was having flashbacks when I
saw a news helicopter following a white van in route
to meet Manning for a private workout in Raleigh
Durham, North Carolina today. The Broncos delegation
was going to meet with Manning for a private workout.
Later it was also reported that we shouldn't read into
this too much because he had a workout with Tennessee
scheduled as well. Then later it was reported that we
should read even less into it, because he had already
had a workout and physical with the 49er's earlier in
the week. Is your heading spinning yet?

There is no question that this is not another Brett
Favre situation, and that Peyton didn't ask for this
or bring this on to himself. He's doing what you or
I would do if we didn't know for absolute sure where
we would wind up. Peyton wanted to stay a Colt, the
money from team to team isn't going to change here,
and he has never waffled on anything he's said about
his future going forward, it's the media once again
that's trying to make this into the story of the
century. Should it be followed?, Of course Is it
important? On a sports scale, Yes. I actually had
to check my Twitter while I was writing this because
there were no Tweets about it for almost 10 minutes,
and I though I had been disconnected. I wasn't.

Is it over yet?

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Mike D'Antoni The Fall Guy For MSG's Mistakes

NBAE/Getty Images

Blame Mike D'Antoni, blame Carmelo Anthony, blame
Jeremy Lin, blame Amar'e Stoudimire, blame the
defense, blame the lack of offense, but no matter
who you blame, just realize that their is more than
enough blame to go around. I blame the hierarchy
at MSG, whether that means Jim Dolan, Glen Grunwald,
or some other exec I have never heard about, that
is not as relevant as the fact that they never let
Donnie Walsh finish the job he started. That being
said, along with the fact that D'Antoni was brought
in by Walsh to do that job, the coaches resignation
surprises no one. No matter what anyone tells you,
no one was surprised. This is a case of you doing
the breaking up, before you get broken up with.

MSG and Co. got what they deserved, and this is what
happens in any and all team sports when ownership
throws money at their problems, and has ZERO patience.
The Knicks can still make the playoffs this year,
Mike Woodson is a fine coach, and their is talent on
this roster, but the Knicks just did the NBA East a
favor and made themselves fairly irrelevant for any
sort of Championship type push, but that's not a good
thing for the NBA in general. Phil Jackson you say?
The body is still warm, so don't count any chickens
before those eggs hatch, it work out too well when
those eggs were labeled LeBron, did it?

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

March Madness All About Money For The NCAA

AP Photo

A great many of us get excited this time of year
as March Madness and the Tournament of 64 68 is
about to begin, but at the risk of being redundant,
I can't help but get annoyed at the newest format
the NCAA has installed. As you can see I almost
wrote that there are 64 teams in this tournament
when if fact this year we go from 65 not 64 to 68.
It's obvious that the powers that be at the NCAA
felt it necessary to add a play in game a few years
ago so that one of the #16 seeds would have to earn
the right to get play a #1 seed, this still wasn't
enough. Enough what you ask? I say $Money$, they
say excitement. They even considered doubling the
size of the tournament and making it 128 teams.

The greediness here is certainly nothing new, and
nowadays it's almost expected, it's just that it
would be nice if institutions like the NCAA would
be a better example instead of standing for the
very same things they punish student athletes for,
GREEDINESS. College basketball & football create
so much revenue for schools and the NCAA it's mind
boggling, and yet whenever a student athlete is
caught trying to make a few extra dollars on the
side in a non illegal way, the NCAA punishes the
school and the athlete. It's way overdue that the
folks at the NCAA start looking in the mirror and
instead of worrying about the BCS or whether the
the tourny needs 64, 68 or 128 teams, they worry
about showing these kids a better example and also
finding a way to help them better financially.

Some of you out there may be rolling your eyes,
and wondering what the big deal is, or why I am
such a spoil sport, but this is about sports too.
When was the last time a #16 team beat a #1 seed?
You know the answer, NEVER. Will it, or could it
happen again? Sure, but it's not very likely, and
though the #15 has beaten the #2 seed four times,
the odds are still slim that this will happen again
anytime soon. These new play in games are for teams
that basically aren't even good enough to be seeded
sixteenth, so how do you expect them to provide any
thing more than a scrimmage for a #1 seed?
It's clear that this wasn't about anything other than
money, and given time you will see this tournament
either expand to the previously considered 128 team
format or another format that was considered a that
time as well, 96 teams. Welcome to the NCAA watered
down tournament of March (you to death) Madness.


Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Did The NY Knicks Get Too Melo To Keep Linning?

Jeff Haynes/Reuters

It wasn't too long ago that there was alot of
Linning and Linsanity around the NY Knicks,
but now they are almost exactly where they
started after Jeremy Lin took New York City,
and the NBA by storm. All of that being said
I'm not ready to start pointing fingers on
who's fault it might be, or if this is a little
bit of a coincidence with the return of Carmelo
Anthony, but you can't help but see that things
have changed a bit.

I hate calling for a coaches job, I've done it,
but I hate doing it, and I won't do it here.
Mike D'Antoni is easy to pick on here because
many fans think that he should be the one to
fix their offensive struggles with Anthony in
the lineup, but the truth is D'Antoni never
asked for Carmelo Anthony to begin with, it was
Jim Dolan who force fed him to Donnie Walsh and
D'Antoni, and even though I don't want to call
out Carmelo either, the numbers don't lie.
You might wonder why he wouldn't want Anthony,
and that basketball is basketball, but apparently
this system that D'Antoni runs hasn't been a good
fit for this coach and player. Before Anthony's
return to the lineup the Knicks went from 7 games
under .500 to .500, and today find themselves at
six games under .500, in the middle of a six game
losing streak, and all those gains and momentum
just about lost.

Did the Knicks get too Melo? I think the answer
here is yes, but I also think it's fixable, IF
Melo wants to be part of the solution, AND if
D'Antoni can come up with enough adjustments to
make these parts work as one. The Knicks have
many good players on this team, and that is a
problem at times, but if Coach D'Antoni can make
sure he puts the lineup on the floor that best
matches up against the other team, logic will
tell you that if everyone is on board this will
work. The thing is, everything logical doesn't
always work that way. I heard NY Knicks TV man
and legend Walt "Clyde" Frazier say that he never
saw a team that got along as good as this bunch,
and that they seem to genuinely like each other,
well if that's the case, then this logic might
just work here.

Their are very few games left this season, and the
Knicks need to turn things around ASAP it's true,
but not just to make the playoffs, which I think
they will, but to avoid the seventh or eighth seed.
Should they land in the playoffs as either of those
two seeds, they better be hot and clicking as a unit,
because knocking off either Chicago or Miami to move
forward will prove to be more than a big task, and
they will need a little more Linsanity by the whole
team to get it done.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Ranting With Rizzo Podcast For 3-10-12

Lots of talk in this episode of Manning, the Jets,
and Mark Sanchez, as well as Bounty Gate. Here is
the podcast in case you missed it or want to listen
again and make sure I git the facts straight. Enjoy!



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Redskins Move For RG III Is Worth It

With all the talk about Andrew luck these days it's
easy to forget that many a great quarterback failed
to be drafted with the number one overall pick in the
NFL draft. Not only will this continue to happen as
long as a draft exists, but you can count on it to
happen once again in this years event as well.

Robert Griffin III, or RG III is of course who I'm
speaking of. I not only believe that RG III will turn
into a stellar NFL caliber QB, but I am also quite
confident that he will be a better bet to succeed at
that position than the aforementioned Luck. The trade
for the right to pick #2 overall in the 2012 draft and
ultimately get RG III is probably the only thing that
might get the Colts and Luck off the hook pressure wise
when it comes to the draft, and that's only because the
Redskins gave up so much to get him. First round picks
in three drafts and a second round pick in another are
quite the ransom, but if you really want to be fair
about this, and are willing to concede that not only is
Griffin not a lock to succeed and neither is Luck, then
it's only a small price to pay for the guy you want
RIGHT NOW. Normally when you pick first and your pick
doesn't pan out, he is eventually labeled a bust, but
that does not always apply to the #2 pick, because in
essence you had one less choice, and an excuse as well
if #1 does pan out for the team that picks ahead of you.
This year, that won't be the case, not with this trade,
and not with the price that was paid to move up to #2,
and yet I applaud the Redskins for doing this.

Though Daniel Snyder has never been afraid to pull the
trigger on the player he wants, at least this time he
has two guys who know something about football running
the show for him and playing a big part in this trade
in Bruce Allen, and Mike Shananhan. Though I have never
been a big Shanahan supporter, I can't really argue with
this move. It was brash, bold, aggressive, and the right
thing to do. Even if the Colts wise up and see what many
other people are seeing and change their mind to pick
RG III instead of Luck, the Redskins can always say that
they got the best QB in the draft, and that's what they
were hoping for, and save face.

I was kinda rooting for the Browns to pull this off, and
since they were early favorites in moving up into the Rams
spot, it's probably what drove the price up. Holmgren may
be a bright football mind, but letting this one get away
might prove to be a fatal for football in Cleveland for a
little while longer, and it seems as though the fans there
just knew this wasn't going to be an Eric Couch situation
all over again. Looks like Kyrie Irving is going to have
to not only pick up the slack for the LeBron departure, but
for some bad football for Clevelanders as well unless Colt
McCoy has a resurrection of sorts.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

For Peyton Manning The Broncos Must Look Past Tebow

Nick Laham/Getty Images

Now that it's clear that Denver Broncos are very
serious in their pursuit of Peyton Manning it's
time they take the gloves off and stop worrying
about whether or not they hurt anyone's feelings.

The situation in Denver is quite clear, Elway is
enamored with the possibility of making Manning
the starting QB of the Broncos, but the feeling
among outsiders is that this will alienate fans
of Tim Tebow. So? If they were knowledgeable
in the first place they would be all for it, and
realize that this will only benefit Tebow, and
the Broncos long term if he really has any chance
of being a true NFL caliber QB. Elway is doing
the right thing here, these opportunities don't
present themselves everyday, and it can only
benefit both the team which is Elway's first
priority, and Tebow which could in turn benefit
the Broncos once again. Put blinders on and go
forward, this is very wise and should be pursued

In New York the media was all over this as well,
and the concern there was that though no one was
worried about ticking off any of Sanchez's fans,
it could hurt Sanchez's psyche and confidence if
the Jets pursuit of Manning had gone public and
then they fell short. Again, so? Sanchez is a
good QB, and much unlike Tim Tebow, this wasn't
a question, but he isn't a finished product as of
yet, and it's starting to show. He could clearly
have benefited sitting behind Peyton for a couple
of years(See Aaron Rodgers). Dare I say it, Pete
Carroll was right, Sanchez should have stayed at
USC one more season. At the time it sounded as
though Carroll didn't want to lose his starting
QB, and that may be true, but he was also correct
in his assessment that Sanchez needed more time
behind center on the college level. Sanchez could
easily have gotten this by watching Manning for a
couple of seasons, and might even earned a ring
along the way. Much like I wrote earlier, I still
feel the same, for the Jets this was a no-brainer,
but now you have a work in progress Mark Sanchez
to look forward to for a few more years and a new
contract extension to go with it.


Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Mad Stork Sports Podcast For 3-7-12

If you missed this show, then you missed a doozie.
The opinions were flying and the passion was high.
Peyton Manning released, Drew Brees crying like a
baby, and Gregg Williams ready to lay one last
bounty on ME. Check it out !



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

NY Jets Must Pursue Peyton Manning

US Presswire

Now that it's official. Now that Jim Irsay has dropped
the ball, and attempted to sugarcoat rationalize it
away, the gloves need to come off. Don't be afraid
that you'll be looked at as trying to mimic anyone else,
just do it. Corner Peyton Manning, release who you have
to release, trade who you have to trade. If you are the
NY Jets, and Rex Ryan can coach defense like he says he
can, then Peyton Manning can win you a title NOW!

Up the Ante, make it hard for other teams to approach
your numbers. Guaranteed money doesn't count against
the salary cap unless you let a guy go like the Colts
did with Peyton, make your move, spend those dollars.
Dollars you will surely recover when you appear in a
Super Bowl for the first time since 1969, and in your
home stadium, no less. This isn't Brett Favre all over
again, Peyton is no gunslinger, and for all the good
things you can say about Favre career wise, you can say
double about Manning. Don't miss the boat, this is your
chance. You play in the biggest media market in the
world, ACT LIKE IT !

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If Peyton Manning Is Let Go, Blame The Money

Photograph by Taylor Castle

Nobody wants to be in the position that Jim Irsay is
in, so to speak, but if they were, then it's fair to
say that everyone believes they have the right answer
to the Manning situation that will play out this week.
So do I.

I've said it before, and I only changed my view once,
and that was when reports said that Peyton had an arm
like spaghetti, and couldn't grip the ball, but now
that it seems his progress is indeed very good, I will
repeat my initial stance, keep Manning, and find an
alternative plan for Andrew Luck. Though it's clear
that the NFL is a business, even business' show some
loyalty, and the Colts can do that, and still come
out winners in the Wins and Loss column on Sundays
next Fall. If Jim Irsay is really in love with Andrew
Luck as his QB of the future, he can still have that,
and keep Peyton. The new CBA signed this past Fall is
very owner friendly, even if you happen to have the #1
overall pick. It's still very affordable, and really,
who gives a rats a$$ what Andrew Luck wants? He'll
get paid and he'll get over it!

If Jim Irsay just doesn't want to pay Manning or is in
the mood to help Jeff Wilpon pay off his lawsuit, or
wants to save a few million, he should just say so,
because when Manning lands elsewhere and makes a fool
of him and the Colts he won't have a good enough reason
to justify letting the franchise go. He could follow
in the footsteps of M. Donald Grant when he traded away
Tom Seaver for the Mets, or he could look like a genius
and have his cake and eat it too. This could clearly
be the best transition of QB's since Steve Young took
over for Joe Montana in San Francisco. Though that was
not pretty either, at least Young was ready, and you
can't say the same for Andrew Luck.

Like the headline says, blame the $$$. Peyton Manning
will be in another playoff game well before the Colts
and Jim Irsay are if he fouls this one up, and we know
how well the Irsay family came out smelling Roses in
the whole moving the team in the middle of the night
fiasco in Baltimore. Hopefully he can learn from
Irsay Sr.'s boneheaded mistake their and show some
loyalty where it's deserved.

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Ranting With Rizzo Podcast For 3-3-12

The latest podcast is here for your downloading
pleasure. In case you missed anything from the
show Saturday or just want to make sure I didn't
contradict myself, here it is. Enjoy !



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Saints Bounty Gate Is Not Cheating Just Stupid, Criminal

Andrew Weber, US Presswire

In my last post, I without question eluded to the fact
that I felt this latest thing going on with the New
Orleans Saints and Gregg Williams was in fact a form
of cheating, and yet I have since had a change of heart.

It's not cheating, because football players get paid
to throw, run, score, catch, and yes HIT anyway.
What it is though, is stupid, and it's stupid on much
more than one level, for it to be necessary to provide
extra financial incentive for players to be more
aggressive in their tackling or hitting of opposing
players is absolutely ridiculous. As a coach have to
ask yourself, how much does this player who is making
anywhere from the rookie minimum of $285, and needs to
absolutely prove himself to stay with the team in even
the smallest of capacities want it, if a mere extra
$5-$10k bounty is going to add more incentive?
A veteran who could be making millions must also know
that a players career life expectancy is only a few
very short years in the NFL, and he can't possibly
believe that a bounty that small is going to make
enough of difference in his life. Why risk really
maiming a fellow player or yourself if something goes
wrong?

I keep hearing how this has been going on forever,
and how few if any of the players are surprised.
So what, that makes it OK? I thought I had a problem
with this when I first heard about it, but now the
only problem I have with it, is how stupid it is.
I will however have a bigger problem with the league
if they don't make an example of the Saints, Gregg
Williams, Mikey Loomis and anyone else who had an
active part in this sham. Commissioner Goodell has
been fining guys like James Harrison major dollars
for what he deems as dangerous and illegal hits, well
it's time to make sure he doesn't make a hypocrite of
himself and brings down the hammer. Don't preach
player safety and code of conduct and the allow this
to go on under your watch. I have said it before
however, and I'll say it again, unless you hit the
Saints and teams like them where it really hurts,
nothing will change. It's true that in most cases
if you hit a team in the pocketbook, it's a good
deterrent, but in this case you need to send a message
to all teams who blatantly break rules like this, in
one very prominent manner. If the team won a title
during the season that these violations occur, strip
the title, I can bet you, you will get their attention.
Money would hurt them, but it's almost a wash because
they pretty much made that up when they won, but when
you hit a team in their pride, they are bound to pay
attention.

This is a pipe dream of course. No Commissioner in
any major league outside of perhaps FIFA has that kind
spine, and I don't expect it from Roger Goodell either.

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Ranting With Rizzo - Live

"Ranting with Rizzo" is on at 12 Noon and news
out of the NFL is big, but since it's always big,
that means this time it's bigger than usual.
Here my take on the latest, and some NBA talk.
Tune in to 1170AM WDIS and WDISAM.Com
Join the discussion. Rizzo@WDISAM.Com


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Who Dat Saints With Dirty Faces?

(Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

The news today should be of surprise to no one who
is a sports fan of ANY sport. Athletes and coaches
are human just like you and I, and though you may
not cheat, you sure know someone who does or has.
Get used to it, the age of innocence is long over
with and may never return. Want to hurt teams
where it hurts almost as much if not more than their
pocket? Take away there Rings and Trophies, that is
sure to make them think twice before they do it again.
No Commissioner including Roger Goodell has the guts
to do it, so it won't happen. More to come I'm sure.


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Mad Stork Sports Podcast For 2-29-12

If you miss the show, here it is. Lots of sports
chatter to keep the brain juices flowing and as
always some off the beaten path stories that you
won't find anywhere else. Enjoy the Show !



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Are The Rangers & Knicks Ready To Rock MSG This Spring, Or Will This Be An Overhyped False Alarm??

Photo: Bruce Bennett/Chris Trotman/Getty Images

For both the NBA and NHL this is definitely a very
big question, and one that they hope the New York
franchises will answer with a long run deep into
the playoffs if not a Championship in the end.

This is no in depth article that's for sure, but
I can't help but ask out loud, what can the Knicks
do in the post season with this new found success?,
and Are the Rangers really good enough to bring home
the Stanley Cup? I'm not sure I'm the right person
to answer either question outright, but here is my
two cents on this matter.

The Knicks as of this writing are hanging on to the
7th seed in the Eastern conference of the NBA, but
in order to make any waves at all they realistically
need to be 6th seed or better to ensure that they
won't match up against the Heat or the Bulls and get
knocked out in the very first round, and in turn have
to wait for next years playoffs. Their first game
after the All Star break last night was a resounding
win over an over matched Cleveland Cavaliers squad
that is still learning to play together after
a disastrous 2010-11 season and a very short camp
with impressive rookie sensation, #1 overall draft
pick Kyrie Irving. I wasn't very impressed with the
Knicks at all, no matter what the score was.
Cleveland was on the back end of a back to back, and
probably wouldn't have blown a 17 point lead under
normal rest. Couple that with the fact the Knicks
ended the first half with a stinker at Miami, had
extra rest pre and post break, as well as extra
practice time to get their act together as a team.
All of that tells my eyes that they are not ready for
the prime time lights of the Miami Heat and Chicago
Bulls of the East, and if they want to be, they still
have plenty of strides to make in a very short time.

The New York Rangers on the other hand have the best
regular season record in the NHL, period. So what's
the problem? Well they have the players, but are
they are they battle tested enough to get by teams
that have been there and done that? Henrik Lundqvist
is not only a front runner for the Vezina trophy, but
also likely to pull a Justin Verlander and win the MVP
of the league as well if he keeps up his current pace.
Yet the second seed in the East right now are the
defending Stanley Cup Champion Bruins, and though the
Rangers have had no issues with them in recent history,
you can't help but realize that playoff hockey is a
different animal altogether, and with the Bruins being
well beyond battle tested, this is a concern.
Most teams would love to be in this position for sure,
it just doesn't necessarily add up to a trophy though.

Though it's fair to say the the Rangers have far less
to worry about than the Knicks, let me put it to you
this way, if this were the NFL the Knicks would more
likely be compared to the NY Giants at this point in
the season, where the Rangers would be more comparable
to the Green bay Packers, and we know how that turned
out, don't we? No two situations are the same so that
was purely an example, and I do not foresee a similar
outcome, but I'm sure Jim Dolan, David Stern, and Gary
Bettman wouldn't mind little NY Giants type drama of
their own this year "In the World's Most Famous Arena"

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