Author: Matt Wells

27 years old. From New Jersey. I'm a fan of all four major sports, though I know most about football and baseball. Favorite teams: Sabres (NHL), Yankees (MLB). General fan of baseball and football, as well.

Categories
MLB General

Retiring in a Different Uniform

by Matt Wells

Since I’m just a 21-year old college student, my memories of baseball take me back to only the early to mid-1990’s.  Back then, I got the notion stuck in my head that I would see some of the greatest players in the game retire wearing a certain uniform.  After all, Mark McGwire retired wearing a Cardinals uniform.  Nolan Ryan retired wearing a Rangers uniform.  I could go on and on with this.

Furthermore, some players retired wearing a certain uniform because they played their whole careers with one team.  Tony Gwynn was forever a Padre.  Cal Ripken, Jr. was forever an Oriole.  Barry Larkin was forever a Red.  I could never picture those guys wearing any other uniform, just like I could never picture any of the players listed below wearing a different uniform.

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Categories
New Jersey Devils

Elias Clearly the Difference Maker in New Jersey

Flashback to last month.  The New Jersey Devils were struggling mightily, alternating spots with losing teams at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.  Their coach, Larry Robinson, resigned due to health problems.  At the end of the month, one of the Devils’ better scorers, Alexander Mogilny, was placed on waivers and subsequently demoted to the AHL.  It was indeed looking bleak for a franchise with 3 Stanley Cups under their belts.  Some were thinking it was time for the Devils to pack it in.

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Categories
New York Jets

Is Mangini to the Jets a Good Move?

Late Monday night, the New York Jets announced that they indeed had a new coach for the 2006 season.  So, who would it be?  Mike Tice?  Jim Haslett?  Mike Sherman?  No, it would be the “frontrunner” from last week – Eric Mangini.  Wait….WHO?  That’s right, Eric Mangini, the defesnive coordinator for the New England Patriots in 2005.  The Jets are expected to make the hiring official on Tuesday.

So inevitably, the question will be asked: Why did the Jets want Mangini so badly?  Do they think this move will work?  What happens if this move blows up from the start?  The following explains 3 pros and cons about the hiring of Mangini, with the bad news (the cons) listed first…

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Pittsburgh Steelers

Say What You Will- Steelers Better Team in Victory Over Indy

If you had asked me Sunday morning who we would be seeing in the AFC Championship Game, I would have told you that it would be the Denver Broncos at the Indianapolis Colts.

To back myself up, I would have pointed out the dominating performance the Colts put forth against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12, a 26-7 victory at home.  It was a game in which Peyton Manning threw for 245 yards and Edgerrin James ran for 124.  The Colts scored on their first offensive play of the game, giving them the momentum they would have for the entire game.  The Steelers were shut down in that game.  Period.  So, the Colts would logically run away with the game in Indianapolis on Sunday.  Right?  Oh, how wrong I was.

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Categories
NBA General

Artest- Francis One of the Same

Put yourself in this position, and compare it to your current position in life, if you will: you’re making millions of dollars per year and you’re doing something you love.  Sounds like a dream right?

But, what happens when you’re not mature enough to handle the situation you’re given?  You’re given gobs of money to do what you love and make others happy in the process, but you act like you’re 5 years old?  Welcome to the worlds of Ron Artest and Steve Francis.  Perhaps they would like some cheese with that whine?

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Toronto Blue Jays

Don’t Look Now- But Blue Jays Hope to Fly North In Standings

The Toronto Blue Jays are 12+ years removed from a trip to the World Series (1993).  Their heroes are long gone.  The names of Joe Carter, Pat Hentgen, and Juan Guzman are long gone.  Even Carlos Delgado left Toronto for the Florida Marlins after the 2003 season.  That marriage would last just one year.

Blue Jay fans have had to endure a long streak of subpar, losing seasons.  However, 2006 is looking brighter for the team north of the border.  2006 might just be the year that the Toronto Blue Jays fly their way back to respectability.

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NFL General

Why the NFL Draft Shouldn’t Be As Easy As 1-2-3

With the conclusion of the Rose Bowl and the crowning of a national champion for college football, the top selections for the upcoming NFL draft look to be getting clearer.  Players from USC and Texas (to mention the two top teams) have declared themselves eligible.  The Houston Texans have the #1 pick, with the New Orleans Saints and the Tennessee Titans follow up at #2 and #3.  But, will this order be the same?  Who will be chosen?  Why do I think that Reggie Bush will NOT be a Texan?

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Categories
NHL General

Do We Have the Right Men in Net for Team USA Hockey?

About a month ago, Team USA GM Don Waddell chose the roster for the US Olympic Hockey team for the Winter Olympics. Three goaltenders were chosen to represent the United States: Rick DiPietro of the New York Islanders, John Grahame of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Robert Esche of the Philadelphia Flyers. To me, there was one glaring omission: Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres.

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