The Yankees and Derek Jeter are making a big mistake with the way they are handling the negotiations for a new deal. After Jeter’s agent, Casey Close, referred to the Yankees negotiating position as “baffling”, GM Brian Cashman responded with this gem of a quote: more ›

The Islanders made a stupid decision this week and did it for, apparently, stupid reasons. Chris Botta, their longtime employee and current SNY and AOL Fanhouse contributor and member of the Professional Hockey Writer's Association, had his credentials taken away by the team. The move was apparently in response to criticism Botta leveled at the team over their decision to fire coach Scott Gordon this week. more ›

There are reasons to quibble with Joe Girardi’s management of the Yankees. His insistence on following a binder of statistics instead of using his eyes is annoying. His tight-lipped press conferences are more combative than informative. His silly decision to change his number to 28 from 27, days after the Yankees won the World Series. But the fact remains; he is the perfect manager for this team. more ›

Note: Since Jim Dolan has made a mockery of the Knicks as owner and insulted the fans by bringing Isiah Thomas back into the organization, it's time to declare independence.

When in the course of basketball watching it becomes necessary for one group of fans to dissolve the relationship that connects them to the team and to assume a new identity to which the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of others requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. more ›

The MLB trade deadline has come and gone and it seems pretty clear that both New York teams walk away from it as winners. The Yankees for what they did and the Mets for what they didn’t do. The Yankees half is easy to evaluate. They added three pieces that make them a deeper and more dangerous team while giving up little more than money. The Mets are being panned in the press today for their lack of moves, but they were smart to sit out this trade deadline. more ›

The Mets are a franchise in turmoil on the field and in many ways off it, but they have a chance to mitigate some of their bad press if they are smart. The decision in question revolves around the induction of Dwight Gooden to the team’s Hall of Fame. Gooden is scheduled for induction next Sunday along with Frank Cashen, Davey Johnson and Darryl Strawberry, but the Mets should hold off on Gooden’s enshrinement. more ›

The ratings for this year’s All-Star Game were the lowest ever. It just reinforces a fact that has been obvious for years- nobody cares about this game anymore. Yet, baseball insists on trying to artificially pump up interest by awarding home field advantage in the World Series to the league that wins the All-Star Game. It’s time to change that. more ›

As expected, the Knicks didn’t get LeBron to come to New York. While some will look at the last two seasons of salary cutting as a mistake, the opposite view should be held. The Knicks of Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry were not going to win a title. And while the Knicks as currently constructed won’t either, there are finally reasons for optimism. more ›

Now we have arrived at the moment Knicks fans have been waiting for: Thursday July 1st, and with it, the NBA free agency period will begin. The Knicks will have the ability to offer two maximum contracts and do little else, now that Eddy Curry has exercised his player option. Unfortunately, Miami and Chicago can also do that with Miami clearing enough space to offer three max contracts. more ›

On Friday Yankees fans will be confronted with the strange sight of Joe Torre sitting in the opposite dugout wearing his familiar #6, but trying to bring a victory to the Los Angeles Dodgers. It will be the first time the Yankees play their former manager and the first time they face a manager who won a World Series for them since Billy Martin was managing the A’s in the early 80’s more ›

We didn’t get the “Miracle On Grass” that some pundits expected yesterday. Instead, the U.S. showed determination and they took advantage of a lucky break they received to earn a tie. The problem is that even with a win, Americans wouldn’t have been transformed into soccer fans overnight. Yes, a good performance by the national team would excite fans and generate passion for soccer, but it won’t have a lasting impact because once the World Cup is over all that remains for the U.S. soccer fan is MLS. more ›

While New Yorkers have enjoyed two good games between the Mets and the Yankees, interleague play is hardly captivating the nation. Only 25,000 fans showed up yesterday to watch the battle of Ohio between Cleveland and Cincinnati. Colorado and Kansas City drew just a bit more than 20,000 fans. Baltimore and Washington, a natural rivalry drew just 30,000 people. In fact the Subway Series did not sell out for the first time ever this year. more ›

One camp, backed prominently by Spike Lee, feels that the Cavaliers second round exit from the playoffs will be the motivation for LeBron to leave Cleveland. The thinking is that after a 61-win season and a second round playoff flameout, LeBron realizes that he needs more help than Cleveland can provide and he will bolt the Cavs for another team. more ›

The Yankees are sitting just a half game out of first place this morning with a sparkling 21-8 record. They are winning games convincingly, but they are also winning them without any significant contributions from their offseason acquisitions. Flash back to the start of 2009. The Yankees brought in three big pieces, CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Mark Teixeira. more ›

Jeff Feagles retired this week after a NFL career that spanned four decades. At 44, Feagles decided that he just couldn’t physically handle the demands of the NFL. He alerted the Giants before the NFL Draft and they drafted a punter to replace him. Matt Dodge, who was born a year before Feagles started punting in the NFL. more ›

Eddy Curry has got to be kidding. When asked by the New York Post if he would take a buyout on his contract for 2010-2011 he replied, “definitely not”. Curry wants to be paid the entire $11.2 million owed to him or be waived if the Knicks no longer have a use for him and allowed to play for another team. more ›

With a victory today the Rangers can cap off an impressive stretch of hockey with their fifth-straight playoff spot. It’s a wonderful accomplishment considering where the Rangers were on March 21st. But, it also obscures the truth- the Rangers are a team that is not built to win it all. Yes, the Rangers have some very good pieces but these pieces are not enough to overcome the overall lack of talent on the roster. more ›

They may have won the 2009 World Series, but if the Yankees aren't careful, they may not make the playoffs in 2010. They're certainly a playoff-quality team, but in the American League that's not enough. The game of playoff musical chairs puts teams in the American League East at a severe disadvantage. Take a look at last year's adjusted standings, which factor in run differential and strength of schedule. The American League's three toughest teams—the Yankees, Rays and Red Sox—played in the East, and those were three of the top four teams in baseball. (The Dodgers were third-best.) more ›

Yesterday Alfredo Aceves took a stumble in the competition to become the Yankees’ fifth starter. Aceves’ bad outing combined with Chad Gaudin’s latest clunker most likely lowers the candidate pool to three pitchers; Hughes, Chamberlain and Mitre. All three have stepped up and made their case, but the Yankees really have only one direction to go in and that is to put Joba Chamberlain in the rotation and Phil Hughes in the minors for now. more ›

Later today we will learn the field for March Madness and 65 teams will get a chance to win a championship. It’s an exciting day on the sports schedule and it leads into one of the best three weeks of the year for sports fans. But, the NCAA doesn’t seem content to leave March Madness as is, there are reports that they are looking to expand the field of teams to 96. In the most-likely scenario, that would setup 32 teams with a first round bye. more ›

Darrelle Revis is outstanding, but he can't guard everybody.That much and more was evident in the AFC Championship Game, when the Jets lost to the Indianapolis Colts when Peyton Manning used his stable of receives not guarded by Revis to turn a Jets lead into a comfortable Colts win. more ›

Of the four “major” sports, the NHL is clearly the forgotten member of the group. While it has a passionate group of followers, the NHL's numbers are small in the U.S. compared to the other major sports. That’s why it is vital for hockey to do everything it can to promote the sport, including stopping the season for almost three weeks to let its athletes compete in the Olympic Games. more ›

If you are a Knicks fan, Wednesday was the best day you have had in a long time. By getting rid of Jared Jeffries and Jordan Hill, the Knicks have probably cleared enough cap room to sign two max-contract free agents this summer. But there are a few important caveats. more ›

Nine years ago Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell took the floor with the New York Knicks in the All-Star Game. Tonight, David Lee will become the first Knick since Houston and Sprewell to make an All-Star appearance. In those intervening nine years, the franchise has plunged to the depths of the NBA and become a laughingstock. Let’s look back at all the “fun”. more ›

Super Bowl XLIV is upon us and for the 44th time it will be played in warm weather. Every year the game is played in a city with good weather in winter or inside if the game is held in a northern climate. But that may change since the NFL is considering putting the game in the new Meadowlands Stadium. NFL Commissioner Roger Gooddell said "Playing in the elements is central to the way the game of football is played. I think being able to do that and celebrate the game of football in the No. 1 market could have tremendous benefits.” more ›

The Yankees signed Randy Winn this week, a move that put an end to Johnny Damon’s career in pinstripes. Hopefully it doesn't mean Damon will leave New York, because he would be a perfect fit for the other club in town — the Mets. more ›

Despite last night’s stumble in Houston, the Knicks are playing pretty good basketball these days and they have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs in a diminished Eastern Conference. With David Lee playing like an All-Star, Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari continuing to develop, the Knicks aren’t that far from becoming respectable again. But there is one disturbing trend that has become clear this year, the coach has a problem with his communication skills. more ›

Start with the defense, Bill Sheridan has to go. His defense has allowed 383 points, fifth worst in the entire NFL. But sacrificing Sheridan is not enough; a lot of the defensive players need to follow him out the door. Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty were brought in to bolster the defensive line and did nothing so cut them. Moving to linebacker, Antonio Pierce may be a great leader, but he also really slowed down this year, add him along with Chase Blackburn and Gerris Wilkinson to the discard pile. As bad as the secondary has been, just getting some guys back healthy would be a big improvement. But, C.C. Brown, Kevin Dockery and Aaron Rouse all need to go. more ›

As the holidays are a time for giving thanks, let’s look at each of the teams in the local area and think about what they have to be thankful for: The Jets have a new coach and a new quarterback to give thanks for. While the QB still needs to learn to slide, things are looking up for the Jets; The Rangers can be thankful for an incredible fanbase that continually supports them, no matter how mediocre a roster Glen Sather constructs... more ›

The Yankees said good-bye this week to two integral pieces of their World Series squad. Hideki Matsui signed a one-year deal with the Angels while the signing of Nick Johnson basically shuts the door on a return by Johnny Damon. more ›