Go to bat for Woodson

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Isn’t it a no-brainer who the Head Coach of the New York Knicks should be in 2012/2013? Mike Woodson (pictured above) is clearly the man for the job.

By Josh Kramer

405 and 563.  3 and 14.  These are the records of the New York Knicks in regular season and postseason play since the departure of Patrick Ewing.  New York has seen better days in terms of basketball to say the least.  After finally breaking their woeful record setting 13 game losing streak in playoff play, New York has many question marks as they prepare for Game 5 of their first round series with the Miami Heat.

Let’s be entirely realistic though.  I have a better shot at winning the lottery than the Knicks do at winning the next three games against the Miami Heat and advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.  Who will be manning the New York sidelines during the 2012/2013 season?  That is the real question.

Isn’t it obvious?

Unless Phil Jackson miraculously decides to come out of retirement and take over the reigns, Mike Woodson is the man for the job.

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Weekly Nickel 5-7-2012

Photo courtesy of thenewsportsguru.com. Robert Griffin III (pictured above) and other rookies are getting their first reps with their new employers already.

By Josh Kramer

The word “playoffs” is the best way to describe the wide world of sports over the past week.  And guess what.  “Playoffs” will continue to be the heart of the sporting world this week. Here are the main events to keep an eye on.

5.  Wednesday was one of the most wild days in recent memory regarding the NFL.  It even topped the Manning/Tebow bonanza.  There was some good, some bad, and some sad.  Well rookies like Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and others are getting their first real workouts in with their new employees.  Keep an eye out as rookie minicamp finishes.

Weekly Nickel 4-30-2012

Photo courtesy of mutualuniversity.blogspot.com. People received a heavy dose of Todd McShay (left) and Mel Kiper (right) this weekend. There is still plenty more to come.

By Josh Kramer

How many times this weekend did you hear the following lines? “That’s a reach.”  “The sky is the limit for this guy.”  I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am all NFL Drafted out.  It is a great event. But on to the next one.  What a great time in sports right now.  Major League Baseball is just getting going.  The NBA and NHL playoffs are in full swing.  Here are the events to keep an eye on this week.

5.  Have you had enough of the NFL Draft yet?  Well guess what, the coverage is not over.  Despite the insane amount of attention that the NFL’s marquee off-season event received, there is still plenty more to come as the experts try to tell you how good or bad your team did in the war room.  Here are a few interesting statistics in regards to the 2012 NFL Draft.

-55% of the drafted players (142 of 253) came out of the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12.

-Alabama has turned into the new NFL U (8 players selected).  Plus, the Crimson Tide became only the second school ever to have multiple underclassmen selected in the first round of the draft in three consecutive years (Miami is the other).

-Times are changing.  The Sunshine State was not smiling on Thursday night.  No players from Miami, Florida, or Florida State were selected in the first round for the first time since 1980.

-A new record of 19 early entrants were selected in round one (the previous record was 17 in 2010).

-Boise State had six players drafted this year.  Only Alabama, Oklahoma, and Georgia had more taken.  I am sure people will blame this on the “easy” schedule though.

Weekly Nickel 4-23-2012

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Not too many people knew who Philip Humber (pictured above) was heading into Saturday. After tossing the 21st perfect game in MLB history, Humber has become a household name.

By Josh Kramer

Saying last week was a great one in sports would be an understatement.  Philip Humber became a household name when he tossed a perfect game on Saturday.  Rafael Nadal finally conquered his Djokovic fears in taking home his eighth consecutive Monte Carlo title on Sunday.  And the NHL playoffs have not been too shabby in their own right.  Want to know the best part?  This week should be even better than last.  Here are the events to keep an eye on.

5.  Rafael Nadal seems to have regained his “swagger.”  Or at least he temporarily slayed his Djokovic fears in Monte Carlo.  Next stop, Barcelona.  It is no secret that Rafael Nadal, a six-time French Open Champion, is God-like on the clay.  This is his time of year.  A little over a month from now Roland Garros will be the place to be.  Make sure to enjoy the Barcelona stop of the clay-court season this week.

4.  How many of you knew who Philip Humber was last week at this time?  Be honest.  I bet almost all of you know who he is now.  Humber deserves it.  He appears to be a real class act both on and off the field.

It’s Melo Time

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Carmelo Anthony (pictured above) is playing is best basketball as of late. It has become "Melo Time" in New York.

By Josh Kramer

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. New York Knicks basketball relived the glory days of the early 1970s during the 1990s.  The best was when they made the NBA Finals in both 1994 and 1999.  The worst times for the Knicks during the 1990s were declared “Miller Time.”  Now this had nothing to do with Miller High Life.  It dealt with the villain, Reggie Miller, stealing games away from the New York Knicks during the postseason.  With Miller in the broadcast booth these days, the thought of “Miller Time” has been extinct for nearly a decade.

There is a new time now in New York.  And this one has a much happier ring than “Miller Time.”  No it is not “Linsanity,” though that is joyous occasion for Knicks fans as well.  It is the recent emergence of “Melo Time.”

Weekly Nickel 4-16-2012

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Rafael Nadal (pictured above) took home the title in Monaco last year. He hopes to repeat this week.

By Josh Kramer

Welcome to mid-April.  NHL Playoff action is in full swing.  The NBA regular season is wrapping up.  And the MLB is part of the daily sports routine.  There is so much going on in the sporting world.  I hope you enjoyed the last week.  This week will be a good one in its own right though.  Here are the events to keep an eye on.

5.  Let’s go to Monaco.  We all wish right?  Well the ATP is heading to Monaco for the 106th edition of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.  And though this is a non-mandatory event for the tour’s top players, the majority of the world’s elite will be there.   This includes Rafael Nadal, who would love to defend his title in Monaco. Things in the tennis world are ready to heat up as players prep for the year’s second Grand Slam in Paris (French Open).  Make sure to keep an eye on this always highly competitive and entertaining event.

Food for Thought 4-10-2012

Photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com. The last time the Yankees began a season 0 and 3 was 1998. One of the key cogs to that team which ended up winning the World Series was Tino Martinez (pictured above).

By Josh Kramer

Panic has struck the entire East Coast.  God forbid the Red Sox and Yankees both got swept in their opening series.  For just the second time in MLB history (1966 was the other), the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have started the year 0 and 3 (now both are 1 and 3).  This happens almost every year where a high-profile team stumbles out of the gate.  Last year, Boston was beside itself when the “Fenway All-Stars” started out the year 0 and 6.  They ended up winning 90 games and missing the playoffs due to the modern-day version of the Boston Massacre and one of the wildest final nights in the history of the baseball.  Back in 2009, both New York and Boston were relegated to the cellar in the AL East after six games.  We all know who ended up hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy that Fall (Boston made the playoffs as well).

Weekly Nickel 4-9-2012

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Cody Zeller (pictured above) is projected as a sure-fire lottery pick. Yet, he is on the fence about whether he should stay in Bloomington or take his talents to the NBA. He has 20 days to make up his mind.

By Josh Kramer

Sunday was truly a “fun” day in the sporting world. Masters insanity.  Carmelo put on a Broadway-esque performance in the Big Apple.  And John Isner led the US Davis Cup team into the semifinals.  It was a wild Sunday to say the least.  Last week was fun.  But this week is poised to be every bit as entertaining.  Here are the events to keep an eye on.

5.  Should I stay or should I go?  Many college basketball players across the country are pondering this question as they heavily weigh their options on if they should spend more time at the collegiate ranks, or try to take their talents to the professional level.  Every year there are guys that declare, that really have no business departing. Also though, there are always guys that could have left, that decide to stay for another year and continue to refine their skills 20 days remain for the non-seniors to make up their minds.  Remember, only 60 players will get drafted come June 28th.

Food for Thought 2-14-2012

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. "Linsanity" has taken over the sporting world during the course of the past week. Jeremy Lin (pictured above) is a true Cinderella story.

By Josh Kramer

Happy Va’Lin’tine’s Day.  A week ago , Jeremy Lin had 114 total points in his NBA career.  Since February 4^th, he has scored 134 in five games. No matter what happens for the rest of Jeremy Lin’s life, nobody can ever take away his astounding first five “real” games with the New York Knicks (games he actually played significant minutes).  This little-known player that went undrafted out of Harvard has truly shaken up the basketball world with a real-life Cinderella story.  In doing so, he has opened up the door for hopefully more Asian-Americans to star in the sport of basketball.  I thought what Tim Tebow did this past season was insane.  Something that truly defied logic.  And it was.  But what Jeremy Lin has treated NBA fans across the globe to over the past week and a half is truly a miracle.

Let’s take a step back for a minute and fully understand where this guy is coming from.  Lin was a high school star who led Palo Alto High School to a state championship in California. This kid willed his team to a victory over nationally renowned Mater Dei High School. Yet he received no division one offers.  In addition, not even the Ivy League schools had an interest.  After much debate, Harvard eventually caved, and decided to take a chance on Lin.   After an outstanding career in which he proved to be one of the best Ivy League players of recent memory, Lin went undrafted.  Then Lin was eventually was signed by Golden State.  After going back and forth between the D-League, Lin was waived on the first day of training camp following the 2011 Lockout.  Houston claimed the former Harvard star off of waivers and then waived him on Christmas Eve.  A few days later the New York Knicks took a chance on Lin.

The first couple of months of Lin’s stay with the Knicks were not exactly eventful to say the least. Jeremy was living on his brother’s couch, and recorded a total of 55 minutes through February 3rd (23 games).

Weekly Nickel 12-26-2011

Photo courtesy of iamnba.com. Carmelo Anthony (pictured above) put on a show at Madison Square Garden yesterday. Can he lead the Knicks to a deep playoff run for the first time in over a decade?

By Josh Kramer

The NBA is finally back.  NFL action heads to the final week.  MLB off-season moves continue to occur left and right. And bowl season is finally ready to heat up. The New Year is always an exciting time in general, but it is also a great time in sports too.  Here are the events to keep an eye on this week.

5.  As is the norm during this time of the year, the NHL has gotten lost in the shuffle.  Now with the return of the NBA and the recent onslaught of concussions, expect the NHL to fall even further back on the agenda than normal.  Despite the lack of attention, there is still some great hockey to be played.  This week’s matchup to watch takes place down south.

New York Rangers at Florida Panthers:  It is a good thing that style points do not mean much in professional sports.  Because if they did, Florida may no longer be in first place.  The last time the Panthers took the ice, they took an 8 to 0 beating from the defending champion Boston Bruins.  Plus they are now losers of three straight games.  The Rangers on the other hand, are coming off of a big win against rival Philadelphia and have now won four straight games as they get ready for their “Battle of New York” with the Islanders tonight.  The Rangers live on one of the elite defensive units in the League and a very respectable group on offense led by Marian Gaborik.  Florida is not really too strong in any particular facet of the game.  They are typically good at defending their home ice.  The Rangers are not only hot right now, but they also thrive on the road.  Let the good times roll for New York.