For the LOVE OF GOD........Fire Tom Coughlin!!!!!

Saying that I have vascilated on Tom Coughlin is like saying I have no chance for an orgy with Jessica Simpson and Angelina Jolie. In other words, it is the understatement of the century.

Now, mind you, I have never been a fan of Tom Coughlin. I was for about 10 minutes in 2004 when he was first hired as the head coach of Big Blue, my favorite team. He said all the right things. He was gonna take the hapless Giants, the team that former coach Jim Fassel had coddled into utter mediocrity, and the Giants would return to their former glory, right? That was suppose to be the plot. And Coughlin was a Parcells guy to boot. I mean, could there be anything better than a returning hero, one of the leaders of the great Giants teams that rattled off two Championships in four years, a few NFC championship appearances, and a defense that was second only to the mighty Bears of that era? Again, that's when I liked Tom Coughlin. That lasted for about 10 minutes.

So when I say I have vascilated on the man, I mean I have vascilated I what to DO with Tom Coughlin.

At the end of last year I rooted against my own team, my favorite team, because I wanted to see Tom Coughlin gone. I believed that a loss to the Redskins at the end of the year, or a loss in the playoffs to the Eagles would have been enough to oust Tom terrific. I was pissed when Tiki Barber did his first big "F*CK YOU" to the Giants fandom by running all over The Redskins, ensuring the Giants would make the playoffs, then thank Ernie Acorsi who decided to retire at the end of last year and throw the entire organization into flux. When the G-Men decided NOT to fire Coughlin, at first I was upset. I mean, I had actively rooted for my favorite team to lose just to get rid of this anchor of a head coach, now he was BACK, for another year?

But, over the course of the next few months, as a listened to asshole after asshole (named Mike and the Mad Dog) claim tht bringing Coughlin back was the right move cause no one could easily name his obvious replacement, I convinced myself they were right and my instincts, and the instincts of every Giants fan, was wrong. Coughlin had to come back because no one else was out there, right? It must have been the offensive coordinator, right? It must have been Tim Lewis and his putrid defense, right? He deserved one more chance to get it right.

So, coming into the season, I had convinced myself Coughlin deserved this year to prove everyone wrong. Now, heading into week 3, what do I think?

You couldn't find a rocket ship fast enough to get this waste of genes out of here.

It might not be all of Coughlin's fault, but man it is close.

I don't know if someone else could reign in this team, but you can't convince that someone couldn't do a better job of it than Coughlin. Everything Coughlin was brought here to do he has failed at. Everey single bench mark for success has fallen short. Every single positive move forward has been nixed by two negative steps backwards.

What is Tom Coughlin known for in his time with the Giants? Seriously, whether you are or aren't a fan of the man, ask yourself what his teams are known for over the last three plus years in New York? Incredible comeback wins? Nope. Amazing offensive or defensive schemes that get guys like Boomer Eisiason and Dan Marino wet in the pants? Ummm...........not at all. An old school, old style NFC East defense? Not even close.

How about stupid plays? Yes. How about a litany of injuries, injuries that have come after Coughlin said they are a state of mind? Already this year half the team has spent significant time in the training room. How about bad, bad, bad, bad, bad penalties? No question. How about players mouthing off on the field and in the press? It wouldn't be Giants football without that. How about a penchant for getting outcoached by the other team? Can anyone name me the last time anyway said "you know what, Coughlin did a really good job of outcoaching that team? I didn't think so. And finally, how about the team tuning the coach out?

Well, here is where people tend to disagree. Now, I would like to think that, if I were the owner or the GM of a NFL team and I was presented with the above resume, it wouldn't take me answering that last question to fire the guys ass faster than you can say "Britney who?" But some people (again, Mike and the Mad Dog) argued that the team had not given up on Tom Coughlin, evidenced by their "hard" play at the end of last year. But there is a differense between giving up and giving up on a coach. Last year Tom Coughlin's team was in the playoff hunt from virtually day one. They started off hot, ended up falling apart, but because the NFC is the equivalent of the East in the NBA (sucks hardcore), they were never outside of the playoffs looking in. They always had control of their own destiny. As long as they won one or two games at the end of the season they were gonna make it. The Giants never faced a true character test last year, a true test of how they feel the coach. If the Giants had been a game out of the last playoff spot with three to play, that would have told me something. If they battled and battled with no guarantee of a playoff spot, that would have told me something. If they had played their hardest football even when the team was out of the race, that would tell me something about their feelings about the coach.

Not giving up on the season, not playing half hearted football when you can win your way into the playoffs, doesn't tell me the team loves or is committed to their coach. It tells me they didn't want to quit on their season, their chance to make the playoffs.

In week two, the Giants, at their home opener, against the Green Bay Packers, looked lifeless. They looked like they wanted to be anywhere else but where they were. The body language of the defense was horrible. They looked beaten, not for one game, but for the season. The looks on the Giants faces yesterday had the look of a 6-10 team playing out the last game or two of the season.

Again, will that change? I would hope so and I would think so. There's a whole lotta football to be played and even the Atlanta Falcons shouldn't be looking to next year just quite yet. However, the red flags are already up. The looks of a split team, and team looking for scapegoats, was already there. And even the most ardent Coughlin supporter would be hard pressed to convince anyone he can win a team over after he's already lost them.

Why fire Tom Coughlin now? First, because, as a coach, he just isn't that good. Like I said, can you name me one game in the past three plus years where the talk, after the game, was about what a wonderful job the Giants coaching staff did to help win a tough, almost unwinnable game All good coaches have at least a few moments where their understanding of the game is obvious and benefits the team. Coughlin, at his best, doesn't help lose the game for the Giants. At best, he is simply average. He is simply there.

Second, because you can't fire the players. Heard that before? I'm shocked. But the reason you just rolled your eyes when you read that is because you hear it all the time........and you hear it all the time because it's true. You can't fire the defense. You can't fire the wide receivers. You can't get rid of players as easily as you can get rid of the coach. Is that fair? Probably not, but the truth is, there is something broken on this team. It has been broken for a long, long time and Coughlin is a part of the problem. Is he the only problem? Of course not, but he is a part of the problem, and at this point you correct what you can. The players on the team are not correctable right now. The coach is.

Third, and finally, what could it hurt? This is already on its way to being a lost season. The team isn't playing well. The team isn't playing hard. If you fire Coughlin and move someone else in, the worse that happens is the team plays a little worse than it would have for Coughlin and they get a higher draft pick at the end of the season. At best, they move someone else in who sparks, somehow, this team. They get the message that they are embarrasing themselves, they get the message Coughlin is the first of possibly a series of moves, moves that may involve them in the future, and they better start playing a little better. And maybe they get a new sense of life infused. Some coaches are beloved, and when they are fires the team responds almost as a family would upon losing a loved one. They say all the right things but, in the end, they have given up. They almost DON'T want to win without their guy with them. Does anyone think Coughlin would evoke such emotions? If he were fired, perhaps it would give this team new life. Most in that locker room would be happy. Most would look at it as a new lease on life. What's the chance that happens now, with Coughlin in as coach?

Some coaches just don't work out. Coughlin's act might be best suited for the college ranks, where he can get away with his Bobby Knight routine with a bunch of scared shitless 19-year olds who are just happy to be there. It has worked for the likes of Pete Carroll, Nick Saban, Al Growe, and a slew of other "no mas" NFL coaches who have retreated to the relative comfort of NCAA football, where you can actually schedule anywhere between 3 and 5 wins a year. But Coughlin isn't the coach for the New York Giants. He hasn't done the job, he hasn't inspired the players, and he hasn't inspired the fans.

Playing in the same stadium, wearing the ugliest green and white uniforms in America, the Jets have the same exact record as the Giants. Yet that team, and its fans, feel good about their future today. They believe in the direction of their franchise. They believe in the people at the top, running things for their team. The record might be the same but the mindsets couldn't be any different, at all.

In the end, the Giants need to do NOW what they should have done 9 months ago. They need to admit their mistake and move on. They need to dedicate themselves to finding a truly talented head coach with a vision for this team that everyone can get behind. It might mean a few more lean years, but fans, especially in NY, are a lot more savy than people give them credit for. They understand that a sacrifice made today is worth it if there are obvious benefits for tomorrow.

They need to begin their own coaching tree, not tomorrow but today, and that can only start by letting Tom Coughlin go.

Fantasy Football is back baby.............here are your tips

Okay, I am a fantasy football God. I have been running my own league for the last four years and I have won two championships and been to the final game one other time. I have a unique ability to understand football better than most people, because I'm just that good. Don't believe me? I don't give a shit. I am a God and will remain a God.

So, for all of you none-fantasy football God's out there, take some tips from me about your upcoming season. Here are a few tried and tested tools to help you dominate your group of friends, alienating them forever for a meaningless trophy that only shows up when you check your fantasy sports profile. And you know what? It is freakin worth it. Friends come and go. Fantasy Glory is priceless.

Tip 1: Reggie, Reggie, Reggie.

I'm telling you, by the end of this season we will be talking about Reggie Bush as a potential 2 or 3 pick next year. He is gonna be that good. Why? Because he has the most talent at the position since Marshal Faulk and as good a back as Deuce McAllister is, Bush's explosive speed, his ability to receive and play wide receiver, and his ever growing comfort level with running the ball as a straight running back in the NFL make it impossible for The Saints not to utilize him as much as humanly possible. Think about it this way: Bush, by the end of the season last year, had already established himself as a viable number 2 back on almost all fantasy rosters. He was good for a decent amount of rushing yards, a decent amount of receiving yards, and, at the end, you could tell he would find his way into the endzone enough to bring home the points. So, right now, Bush is a viable #2 and a legit contender to be taken in the second round. That's if Reggie Bush doesn't improve from last year AT ALL and his involvement in the offense doesn't improve At ALL. Think that's a possibility? Look at Reggie's numbers last year from week 10 on: week 10 at Pit, 90 total yards, 1 TD, week 11 home to Cinci, 109 total yards, no scores, week 12 at Atlanta, 45 total yards, no scores, week 13 against San Fran, 168 total yards, 4 scores, week 14 at Dallas, 162 total yards, 1 score, week 15 against Wash., 33 total yards, no score, week 16 at NYG, 149 total yards, 1 score, week 17 against Carlolina, 33 total yards and 1 score, playoff game against Phillie, 74 total yards and 1 score, playoff game against Chicago, 151 total yards, 1 score.

Look at those lines. Except for the game against Atlanta and the game against Washington, from week 10 on Bush was a top line running back putting up outstanding numbers. His rushing number are well below his receiving numbers, but if anything those rushing numbers look to go up this year rather than down, with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield remaining the same. Think of Bush this year, more comfortable in the offense, more relaxed in who he is what he does, and more plays bein run for him. His 160+, 1 to 2 score games should become the norm for him in that offense. If that's the case, he becomes a legit stud fantasy performer that will go, more than likely, anywhere between the second and third rounds. If he's there for you, pick his ass up.

Tip 2: Beware the Gore

Everyone loves confidence. Women flock to it. Men envy it. In athletes, it becomes essential. Lack of confidence can be devastating. Frank Gore doesn't have that problem. This year, he set his sights high for anyone, saying he wants to break Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record. Okay, nice goal. Problem is this; what Frank Gore says he wants to do, and what Frank Gore will actually do may very well be two completely different things.

Gore has the explosiveness to be one of the best backs in the league, and every fantasy book you read has him ranked WAY up there. I'm calling bullshit on him. He's gonna be a fine back, but I'll bet you anything, come the end of the season, the guy I just talked about, Reggie Bush, will vastly superior numbers to Gore. Here's a couple of reasons why: Gore broke his hand in the offseason and still has not recovered. More than likely he will be ready to go for the opener, but this is a broken hand we're talking about, There aint no guarantee that Gore is gonna feel completely healthy when he starts the season, and if he is babying the hand, it might affect how he carries the ball. The broken hand leads into the other reason, the main reason, why Gore seems to be overrated. The fuc*er can't hang onto the ball. Last year he had 6 lost fumbles. He began to correct that problem towards the end of the season, but a broken hand could restablish old, bad habits. Plus, as good as Gore can be I am not completely sold on San Fran's offense line. I believe Alex Smith will be better, I believe Darrel Jackson will be good, but the 9ers won't be sneaking up on anyone this year. Gore is a worthy first round pick, but some people are suggesting him as the choice over Larry Johnson or Shaun Alexander. Ummm.................that would be stupid. Gore is a very, very good back, but he isn't an elite just yet.

Tip 3: Call me crazy for Campbell.

Okay, this is a weird one, but I'm telling you, sleeper QB for this year is going to be Jason Campbell for the Redskins. Who? That's right, his name is Jason Campbell and though you maye have never heard of him, I'm telling you he's gonna be pretty good. Why? Because the Skins offense is pretty good. Because Campbell has a big arm and one of the best deep threats in the game, Santana Moss. Because the team's running game is stellar this year with a healthy Clinton Portis and an emerging Ladell Betts. Because Campbell has one of the best tight endin Chris Cooley to throw to once he gets down to the Red Zone. Because Joe Gibbs makes it a point to max protect his QB's as much as possible, giving them time to throw the ball. And because Jason Campbell went from throwing pick after pick in his first few games at starting QB to throwing none in his last 4.

No, I'm not telling you this kid is gonna surpass any of the big QB's. He isn't your third option behind Peyton and Brady. What he is, however, is a really good option for someone who will be looking to load up on RB's early in the draft and may be scrambling for his QB's at the end. Campbell has the chance to rake up a decent amount of points this year, should have plenty of opportunities to put the ball in the endzone, especially with the deep threat of Moss. The Redskins promise to be better this year, both offensively and defensively, and while Campbell won't put up huge numbers, there's a good chance he will end up being a decent number 2 QB for any team. Joe Gibbs QB's usually protect the ball very well and it appears the one thing Campbell needed to correct was his decision making ability. If he has, Campbell could be steal for yah.

Tip 4: This is gonna hurt me more than you

I am a Giants fan. I drafted Eli Manning on my most recent fantasy team. Still, I think Eli could be in for a very difficult season. Now, that's not saying that Eli won't put up good numbers. Think of him as a John Kitna type. Eli has too many weapons and will be asked to throw way too much for him NOT to put up numbers. Plus, there is no chance of him losing his job, unless he is injured, and even over the last few years, when Eli has become a favorite whipping boy of the NY media and fans, his numbers have made him a viable option at QB. Here is the problem. Eli will be looked at as a possible #1 QB, he will be expected to BE that #1 QB for the Giants, and I just don't see it happening. The loss of Tiki Barber is going to be more extreme than anyone could imagine, and while that means ELi will be asked to throw a lot more, it also means Eli will be asked to do the one thing that makes him such a shaky NFL QB to this point; it will force him to make consistent good throws, with tight spirals, and it will force him to make good decisions with the ball. Teams are gonna make Eli beat them. They are gonna come after him as much as possible and put the Giants O-line and running backs to the test. Eli, to this point, has not shown the ability to be a consistent QB. The touchdowns will be there but so will the mistakes and so will the killer games where Eli single handedly destroys your team.

Now, here is the one caveat. Eli has the talent to be a very good QB. He doesn't have the talent to be what the Giants drafted him to be, or what the Mannings advertised him to be, namely one of the top, elite QB's around, but he certainly has the talent to be in that second tier of field generals. If it is ever gonna happen for Eli, this might be the year. He is gonna be asked to throw and throw often. He has the weapons he needs to succeed all over the field. The season will be put in his hands. If he takes the next step he will easily be a #1 QB. If he isn't, he could bring your fantasy team down. It's your choice. High risk, High reward.

Tip 5: Not Calvin time yet

Calvin Johnson was so damn good for Georgia Tech and then in his combine workouts that some projected him as a can't miss combo of Jerry Rice meets T.O. Not too freakin bad. But beware of drafting Johnson as a number 1 WR. Rookies, as we know, tend to take a while to get into the swing of things. Johnson is going to be utilized right off the bat but remember this; the QB for the Detroit Lions is going to be John Kitna. Kitna certainly isn't a bad QB but you have to go a long way on the leap-of-faith trail to convince yourself he's an elite QB. The Lions' O-line isn't special, the team will start their season with Tatum Bell as the starting RB while they await the return of Kevin Jones by the middle of the season, and the Lions already have a Superstar receiver in Roy Williams who will probably be the main beneficiary of Johnson this year. So while Johnson's talent, and his promise are very tantalizing, I think it might be a good idea to skip the rookie this year. Go for the more established receivers, the guys you KNOW will put up their team's big numbers, and if you have a chance to pick up Roy Williams, do it.

755..........just another number

Here is my take on Barry Bonds' recent tieing of Hank Aaron for the all time home run record. I don't want to spend a lot of time on it because so many people have spent so much time screaming about it.

The question that seems to constantly come up is "what do we do now?" As if we, collectively, could save this record, restore it to Aaron no matter what, and just find a way to wipe these records away permanently. The truth is that will never happen and we all know it. Chances are no asterik will be placed next to whatever number Bonds ends up with. No one is gonna wipe the slate clean, expunging Bonds and his steroid era cohorts from the record books. What is simply going to happen is that the NEW number, whatever number that is, will become as meaningless in the sports world as almost all others are.

Quick quiz, name me the record for most points scored all time in the NBA? How about the most touchdowns scored ever in the NFL? Chances are you know who holds the record but I would bet yah anything you have no idea what the number is.

Okay, how about this one: what is the single season record for home runs? Is it 70, 71, 72, 73, or 74 homers in one season? Alright, you might know that one, but just a few short years ago asking that question to good sports fans would be like slapping their sister on the ass at the bar; it would be a huge insult. Now, you might have to think about it for a second.

And even if you came up with the number, knew it by heart, there's no question that 73 has very little meaning to the baseball world now, nothing compared to what 61 was to the sports landscape. A-Rod was (and still is) putting on a virtuoso performance this year and was ahead of EVERYONE'S record pacing for a solid 3 months. Yet, no one talked about him challenging Bonds' record. No one was giddy about the idea of 74. No one was tracking his progression. Why? Because 73 just isn't that important to us. It doesn't role off the tongue. It doesn't intrigue us the way 61 did. And the name holding it makes most of us squirm now instead of admire the talent it took to accomplish such a record.

And that's the fate of 756, or 775, or whatever number Bonds lands on. It will become virtually meaningless. In 5 years or 10 years, when someone asks who holds the record everyone will know it was that bastard cheater Bonds. When you ask what the number is, chances are you'll have to think about it for a second. It won't roll off the tongue. It won't fascinate us as a fan base and it won't tantalize the super star looking to add his name to the greats of all time. It will just be another number.

And some people ask how anyone could not vote for Bonds for the Hall of Fame?

If From the Free Seats had a vote, this would be our answer; because Barry Bonds has made sacred records meaningless. Because he has put his own permanent asterik next to those numbers. He has wiped clean all the special meaning those records had to us as sports fans and have made them simply another number.

If and when A-Rod breaks the all time record the cheering will be less about the number and more about the man. A-Rod will be looked upon as being a clean player who did things the right way and restored the all time record back to respectability. But the number will never acheive the greatness, the importance it once had. It will never capture the hearts of young fans fascinated by the history of America's pass time. And that's why Bonds should never be inducted into the Hall of Fame, because his legacy is one of cheating and cheaters. What he did on the field before steroids was play at the highest level possible, but his importance to the game overall was minimal. He would have simply gone down as a great player, one of many who have had the chance to play professionally. Now, however, Bonds has seperated himself from the pack and injured the game immeasureably. How can one ignore that before casting a vote?

Catch NBA fever baby, it's fantastic..................

A few months ago, as the NBA season was coming to a close, I made myself a promise. I was gonna catch the NBA fever next year. I didn't know how I was gonna do that. Maybe I would just watch every NBA classic game I could find on NBA TV to try and catch a cold at first. Maybe I would go to youtube and look up some spectacular dunks to try and raise my temperature. Maybe I would sleep with a New York Knick cheerleader to try and contract the disease (I still consider this my best option by the way).

However it had to happen, though, I wanted the fever.

Then, the NBA finals hit and I, like the rest of the nation, couldn't find it within me to watch even a moment of that disaster. Then, the NBA draft took place and the two best prospects to come out of college in the last 20 years went to Seattle and Portland, meaning that, for the next 15 years the only time I will get to see Kevin Durant and Greg Oden will be on ESPN highlight reels and a possible playoff game I can actually keep my eyes open for. Then, we got the Tim Donaghy scandal and the allegations that many NBA games ref'd by Donaghy may not have been on the complete up and up. So, sufficit to say, I got a good dose of antibiotics for my NBA fever before I even felt the symptoms.

So the idea of watching the NBA kinda went by the wayside for me. I am an East Coast kinda guy and there isn't much for me to cheer for on that side of the seaboard.

Enter Danny Ainge, Kevin McHale and the saving of basketball in Boston.

Now, I hate the Red Sox, but as a kid I LOVED the Celtics. I was a fan right around the time when Bird, McHale, and Parrish were all coming into their own. I loved watching their games and the way they played their games. And the competition night in and night out was incredible. The Bad Boy Pistons, the Jordan Bulls, the Barkley 76ers, the greatest show on earth with Magic, Worthy and Kareem, Clyde the Glide on Portland, Dominique and his high wire act on Atlanta. There was always someone or something to watch in those days.

Then, Bird, McHale and Parrish retired one by one, Len Bias, the heir apparent, OD'd on cocaine celebrating being drafted by the Celts, Reggie Lewis, my new favorite player in the early 90's, died of a heart condition, and Celtics basketball meant nothing to me anymore.

Little by little I have stopped watching the NBA.

But now, as Kevin Garnett gets ready to join the Celts, i am ready to start watching all over again.

Why?

Well, a few reasons. One, I LOVE Ray Allen.

As a Uconn alum Ray Ray was one of my all time favorite players. He is a silky smooth player with a dream jump shot who rises to the big occassions and plays the game the right way. The fact that Ray has always wallowed on Western Conference teams has always upset me. Had Allen been traded East years ago I would have started watching basketball again.

Now, Ray Ray is getting towards the end of his career, but as long as he keeps himself in relatively good shape (a very big if considering his injury history) there is no reason why the 32 year old couldn't be a productive player well into his late 30's. Could the Celts get 4 or 5 more really productive years out of him? Why not? With fitness training, supplements and the like players in all sports are playing longer and better. Ray Ray could be playing for another 6 or 7 seasons, and unless something goes terribly wrong with those wrists, that jump shot should be as potent as ever.

Secondly, I LOVE Kevin Garnett. Garnett, to me, is everything you want in an athlete. Think about him this way; Garnett has been stuck on a team going no where now for several years. He is hitting his prime, meaning he wouldn't want to be stuck in a rebuilding situation where 3 or 4 of those prime years would be lost to young teams. He has given his all to Minnesota and the Timberwolves are only on the sport's map because of him. Yet, even up to the moment he was traded to Boston, you never heard Garnett demanding a trade. You never heard him screaming about the direction of the team or the franchise. You never heard him killing players or coaches for not being up to snuff. He just went about his business and, any feelings like that were obviously kept in house, away from the cameras and microphones.

Michael Strahan is threatening to retire bcause the football Giants, who gave him $21 mill up front in his last contract, don't want to play the oft injured 36 year old even more money. Johan Santana was rightfully annoyed with the Twins decision to SELL at the trade deadline rather than bolster their roster and he made it known through the media, even threatening to leave if things didn't get better. Garnett?

Stuck in much worse situation than those other two guys, you never heard a peep from him. What a class act. What an amazing person and player. He is the type of guy you can root for and feel real good rooting for every day.

Oh, did I mention he is one of the greatest players to ever put on an NBA uniform? Did I mention that he plays hard night in a night out? Did I mention that he is still only 30 years old, has never had a major injury in his life, and is destined to be a Karl Malone, chugging along at All Star levels until he is 40? Did I mention that watching him, Allen and Paul Pierce walk off one another is gonna be an absolute thrill? Did I mention that Garnett is the single best player to walk through the Celtic's doors since Larry Bird? Did I mention I'll be able to watch his ass almost every game now?

Finally, the last reason I am in on the NBA is because, with the Garnett trade, the east is, to me, again viable. The Celtics have got to be looked at as a real, legit contender for the title as early as next year. The Pistons are still gonna be in it, the Nets should be much better next year, and a fun team to watch night in and night out, the Magic made a HUGE acquisition for Rashad Lewis who, combined with Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson will make them a big time contender, the Bobcats are gonna be a really fun team to watch now with high flying Jason Richardson and Gerald Wallace, up and coming point guard Ray Felton, and major big man Emeka Okafor holding down the middle, and the Bulls have one of the youngest, most exciting teams in basketball and could be even better if Joahkim Noah provides the big man presence they think he can for them.

Then, don't forget about Lebron and his Cavs (who, with one move this offseason could be right back in the hunt for a title) and Dwayne and Shaq and The Heat, who also are one move away from being right in the hunt.

Oh, and how about The Knicks? There would be nothing greater for me than to see the Knicks pull off a trade for Ron Artest. I still believe that could happen. If they do, the Knicks will be the perfect villian, compiling problem children, all with talent. As it is, getting Zach Randolph was, to me, a very good move and should improve the team. With bat shit crazy Marbury, underrated Jamal Crawford, super sub David Lee, Zach attack Randolph and Eddie Curry, that will be a team that could be fun and dynamic one night and a train wreck the next. If they could only add Artest, I would so be on board with the Knicks right now, and what a perfect foil they would make to The Celtics, who will throw three of the classiest, team first guys on the floor every night. PLEASE Isiah, please get Artest in here now. By the way, the nut job would actually make the team better because he is not just bat shit crazy like Marbury, but an exceptional player. I am holding out hope. Get it done.

So, by my calculations, next year the Celtics, Bulls, Pistons and possibly the Magic all have a legit chance of knocking out a Western Conference team and winning a title. If Shaq is healthy and the Heat get one more legit player they would be in the mix as well, and, if nothing else, Lebron and the Cavs, the big three in New Jersey (Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson), the young guns in Charlotte, and the wack jobs in New York will all be interesting teams battling it out for a playoff spot. That, to me, is pretty damn good for one season. I look for the east to make a huge comeback next year.

So that means that From the Free Seats will be spending a lot more time watching the NBA next year than in years past. My team? The Big Ticket and The Celtics. My prediction? At least an NBA Finals appearance for the Celtics. My belief? The East is worth watching again. My hope? I get to sleep with a Knick's cheerleader before the year is out.

The NBA baby, it's fantastic.

Bye bye Michael

I am a huge Giants fan, have been ever since I was a kid. One of the fondest memories I have is of the 1990 team, against all odds, playing in argueably the greatest Super Bowl ever, beating a juggernaut of a team in the Bills on the famous Scott Norwood wide right. That was 17 years ago. Almost nothing has gone right since.

We had the Ray Handley years. We had the Dan Reeve years. We had the "all in" Jim Fassel years that produced one Super Bowl appearance and a lot of embarrassing episodes. Now, we have the Tom Coughlin era, that hopefully will include one more bad year (this year) so we can move on to another era, perhaps the Charlie Weis era or the Rex Ryan era.

Through all of these era's, however, one constant has seemed to be Michael Strahan.

There is no doubting Strahan's ability. He is, and has been, a GREAT defensive end. He has been one of the best defensive players in the league almost from his very day in the league and he has been indispenable to the New York Football Giants.

However, Strahan's opinion of himself has always been higher than the actual results on the field. Strahan has captained a Giants defense that was always better in reputation than in actual play. They ROUTINELY give up the big lead. They ROUTINELY get beaten down by the better offense. They almost ALWAYS get scored on in the fourth quarter like Britney Spears at a Monster Truck rally. And Strahan is as much to blame as anyone.

Can you name me the one moment, the HUGE defensive stand Strahan has made in the last 10 years where he won the game? Where's the big sack? Where's the stuff of the run? Where's the caused fumble or the interception he got on a tight end who never expected him to drop back into coverage?

Again, it isn't saying Strahan hasn't been a GREAT player, it is saying Strahan has never had a great moment in an important game and has never stepped up the most when his team needed it.

So now, Michael is threatening retirement. He is doing this as training camp begins. He is doing this only a few months removed from asking new GM Jerry Reese for a substantial contract extension in both money and years. He is doing this as defensive ends around the league have taken advantage of the new salary cap in football and cashed in.

Yet, we are suppose to believe that Strahan is truly having second thoughts about whether he would want to play again or not? Come on, only the most naive idiot would believe this is about retirement and not about money.

But, you know what I say to Michael Strahan?

I say bye bye.

The Giants don't need Strahan anymore. First, he is 36 years old, meaning his body and his abilities are natually going to be way down from where they were. Second, in the course of the last 4 years he has missed 17 games. In other words Strahan, due to injuries, has missed more than an entire year of football. Third, he is a loud mouth asshole who continues to show his ultimate unability to lead anyone but his attorney to the court room for his divorce proceedings. And he wants more money?

Simeon Rice who, at his best was and is every bit the player Strahan was, is a free agent right now, is not injury prone, is younger and is somewhat less of a talker (even though he has a tendency to open his flap as well). If I were the Giants, right now, I would sign Rice and tell Strahan to have fun trying to find the type of money he is trying to extort from the Giants someplace else. If nothing else it gets one more loud mouth asshole out of that locker room and away from a team that seems willing to turn any moment into a performance hampering distraction.

And how would the fans react? All you need to know about Strahan, who has spent his entire career with the Giants, is that not one single fan would care if Michael walked away as long as the Giants had a decent replacement set in place. Think about that for a second. Think about a person's legacy when looked at through the prism of the fans.

Strahan has never known another team and another city. He has played every one of his professional games with The Giants. He has established himself, stat wise, as one of the great defensive players this game has seen. He has been the best player on the Giants for well over a decade now.

A resume like that should earn one beloved status here in NY. When Derek Jeter retires people are gonna cry. When Willis Reed left NY mourned. When Mark Messier was traded there was outrage. When Lawrence Taylor decided to call it quits, people celebrated the career and cheered the player. With Strahan? There would barely be a sound if he left. No one would care. There airwaves wouldn't be filled with despondent Giant's fans demanding the team pay him whatever he wants to keep him. Privately, many would be relieved.

Why?

Because stats don't tell the entire tale of ones career. Giant's fans appreciate the skill of a Michael Strahan but they also remember that Strahan was on the field, many a game, where the Giants defense was invisible when it counted most and Mike was just as transparent during those times. There was little joy during Strahan's career in Giant land. Far more defeats made up those years than victories. Far more collapses than courageous stands. And because of that, whenever it is that Strahan walks away, or is carted away, or driven away, or traded away, or released away from Giants Stadium, nothing will be said.

In fact, this may be the perfect time to cut ties with Strahan as the Giants need to change the attitude of their clubhouse, and need to do it now. Some guys are gonna be who they are gonna be. Jeremy Shockey never met a shit head, moronic comment he didn't like and didn't think of first. Plaxico Burress never met an excuse for poor play he couldn't use. And there are so many "anonymous" players slamming each other, the coaches, the organization you would think it is a CIA effort in that locker room. But Strahan has been the biggest abuser of those rules, creating controversy wherever and whenever he can. The Giants need to beging to change that, and while you aren't getting rid of your star tight end and best wide receiver, you sure as hell can get rid of your surly defensive end who is a bad influence on the team already.

Either way, what this episode has shown is what everyone already knew to be true..........Michael Strahan has always been, and will always be about Michael Strahan. And the act, no matter what, is tiring.