Jets, Thomas Jones Part Ways

Multiple news sources are reporting the Jets will release running back Thomas Jones in the very near future. The 10-year veteran, who rushed for 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, was scheduled to earn a $3 million bonus on top of his $2.8 million salary this season but instead will be testing the free agent market.

Wowwwww (insert Jersey Shore comment here).

On its face, the move is stunning. The Jets are cutting a guy who finished third in the league in rushing (ahead of Adrian Peterson) and third in rushing touchdowns (tied with NFL Offensive POY Chris Johnson). They're cutting arguably the best running back they've ever had after the best season of his career. And while letting go of franchise backs is in vogue these days (see Westbrook, Brian and Tomlinson, LaDanian) the Jets are saying goodbye to the linchpin of their league-leading rushing attack.

Only it's the right thing to do. Here's why.

1. Jones isn't getting any younger. He turns 32 in August, and he's carried the ball at least 100 times in 10 straight seasons (and over 200 in the last six). As we've seen with Tomlinson and Shaun Alexander, top backs can break down very quickly after years of carrying the load for their team--no pun intended.

Jones may have two or three good years left. But there's a real possibility his production will fall off wherever he ends up, and the Jets have weaknesses they could shore up with the $6 million they save (wide receiver, anyone?)

2. When it mattered most, Jones was at his worst. Compare his numbers to backup Shonn Greene's in the Jets' three playoff games.

JONES
15 carries, 34 yards, 1 TD
14-41, 0 TD
16-42, 0 TD
-------------------
45-117, 1 TD


GREENE
21-135, 1 TD
23-128, 1 TD
10-41, 0 TD
-------------------
54-304, 2 TDs

Jones averaged under three yards a carry and had exactly two runs of note (the touchdown in the wild-card win and a two-yard plunge on 4th-and-1 to seal the divisional victory). Greene averaged almost six yards a carry, had countless big runs, and single-handedly made the play of the season when he ran over the Chargers' Eric Weddle on his game-winning 53-yard TD run. By the AFC championship game, I had this to say: IF THOMAS JONES GETS MORE THAN 25 PERCENT OF THE CARRIES, DISREGARD THIS POINT. IN FACT, DISREGARD THE ENTIRE POST.

Bottom line: The Jets won both games in which Greene had more carries than Jones, and lost when it was the reverse.

3. Greene is NFL starting running back material. He's strong, he's patient, and he's surprisingly quick in the open field. More than that, he's a smart runner, waiting for blocks from one of the NFL's best lines to open up holes and then plowing through the gap.

I saw Greene play at Iowa in October 2008. At the time, he was just a couple months removed from working as a truck driver while he attended community college to get his grades up. But he still destroyed Northwestern's run defense (stop snickering, our run defense was actually very good that year). What finally stopped him was a monster hit from our strong safety early in the fourth quarter that literally knocked him out. Until that point, he was a man among boys.

Cutting Jones loose is a big gamble. But if Greene can harness the potential he showed in the playoffs, it's a gamble that will pay off bigtime.

The McGrady Experiment

Before we get into the on- and off-court implications of the Knicks' trio of deadline deals, I want to briefly note two Yankee-related stories. First, the Johnny Damon saga is finally over. The outfielder signed a one year, $8 million contract with the Tigers, the fifth different team Damon has played for (all in the American League). Mark down August 16 on the calendar -- Damon's first trip back to Yankee Stadium.

More relevant to Yankee fans is the reported signing of reliever Chan Ho Park to a one-year, $1.2 million deal. The veteran was a key cog in the Phillies bullpen last season, but his WHIP of 1.38 raises eyebrows (his blown save in Game 2 of the NLCS, however, was not his fault). Park should slide into a seventh-inning role in front of the loser of the Joba Chamberlain-Phil Hughes battle for the No. 5 starer slot. Once again grasping the short straw is David Robertson, who's gotta wonder what he has to do to move up in the 'pen.

OK then. As for Tracy McGrady...

...how about that Knicks debut? It's been clear for years that McGrady is a mercurial player who loafs when he's not happy. So his nonexistent season in Houston was hardly a benchmark for how he would fare in New York. But nobody could expected him to shake off the rust that fast, particularly against a surging Thunder team that has its own swingman superstar, Kevin Durant.

As Knicks losses go, this overtime defeat was about as good as it gets. On the court, it marked the debut of the most talented player to wear a New York uniform since Patrick Ewing (that's right, it's been a while). New York Times beat writer Howard Beck put it best when he wrote earlier this month, "On any given night, indeed on most nights, the best player on the court belongs to the opponent." With T-Mac now in orange and blue, that's not the case anymore. McGrady may not measure up to the NBA's best in game-to-game action, but the talent is undeniably there. Take tonight's game against the Bucks. Compare McGrady to Milwaukee leaders Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut on the basis of talent alone, and T-Mac comes out on top.

In the short run, of course, McGrady's addition is largely academic. The Knicks remain eight games out of the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 28 games left. Even with T-Mac, a postseason berth seems unlikely. But lost in the shuffle of McGrady's dazzling debut was an answer he gave regarding his salary demands for next season.

The seven-time All-Star knows he could just be a short-term rental before the Knicks pursue players such as LeBron James or Dwyane Wade this summer, but said he would take a considerable pay cut from this season's $22.5 million salary to stay in New York if the Knicks got those types of players.

"I've made a lot of money over my career and I could retire right now and I could be fine financially. My kids can be fine when they get older. Money is not an issue for me," McGrady said.

"So if these guys were to bring in a LeBron, a D-Wade, along with a Chris Bosh or a [Amare] Stoudemire, I'd be a damn fool to not want to stay here. So I'm just telling you right now that I will definitely embrace the opportunity to be here. Money is not an issue."

By unloading Nate Robinson, Larry Hughes, Darko Milicic and Jared Jeffries, the Knicks dropped almost $10 million from their projected 2010-11 cap figure. That should give them enough cash to sign two free agents to maximum deals. But it's equally possible for them to sign one free agent to a max deal, another to a large deal, and T-Mac for a significant pay cut.

Yes, the free agent market is never a sure thing, and yes, the above scenario would mean jettisoning David Lee. But with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, and Joe Johnson among the marquee free agent class, the prospect of adding two mega-stars to go with McGrady leaves me literally salivating (and not Eddy Curry next to the buffet line salivating).

We'll see how T-Mac plays out the season, and we'll see how GM Donnie Walsh does in arguably the deepest free agent pool of all time. But his Trading Day moves have given the Knicks flexibility come July 1. If nothing else, that should give Knicks fans a rare feeling: hope.

Pitchers and Catchers Report

Four of the best words in the English language. Yankees reported today. I recommend just enjoying the thought. But if you're craving preseason Yankees analysis, check out this piece.

Link'd Up, 2/18/10: The Knicks' trade chaos

The NBA trading deadline is at 3 PM today. By then, the Knicks may have picked up Yao Ming in exchange for Spike Lee and a few boxes of H&H Bagels.

OK, maybe not. But Donnie Walsh has New York's roster in full-on carousel mode. First, the Knicks dealt center Darko Milicic to the Timberwolves for Brian Cardinal, who they promptly cut to facilitate another trade, Nate Robinson to the Celtics for Eddie House and J.R. Giddens (and possibly a draft pick).

That by itself is an exhaustive Trading Day (I RUN SH!T HERE! YOU JUST LIVE HERE). But the Knicks' biggest deal is still in the offing. Multiple sources are reporting last night's Tracy McGrady-Kevin Martin deal will turn into a three-team trade with the Knicks getting McGrady. The particulars of the deal aren't clear, but Jared Jeffries and his $6.9 million against next season's salary cap will almost certainly be gone.

Full analysis when the dust settles.

Link'd Up, 2/16/10: Goodbye Wang

In the They Deserve Each Other category, Chien-Ming Wang has signed with the Washington Nationals. Wang agreed to a one-year deal worth $2 million, with another million in incentives.

The incentive-heavy contract is because Wang is just 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA in just 12 games since breaking his foot in May 2008. The Nationals? They've never had a winning record.

It's fitting to see one of the worst pitchers in baseball last year playing with arguably its worst franchise. That said, you gotta feel a little for the guy. If he's not running the bases in Houston...who knows?

Thoughts On Three Shakeups

None of the New York area professional sports teams were in action last night. Instead, we got something far more interesting -- a flood of innuendo and rumors and a farewell to an over-the-hill talent.

Each story screams for an up-or-down opinion. I'll tackle them one at a time.

1. New Jersey Nets: Rick Pitino allegedly reaches out to GM Rod Thorn about head coaching position. According to the Daily News, the Louisville coach had intermediaries reach out to Thorn about the coaching job, which is currently being manned by interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe. Pitino flatly denied the story, practically sneering "if you're going to get rejuvenated you don't take over the Nets."

That's fine, Rick. I can't envision any way you'd be successful -- or a good fit, or the right temperament -- with the Nets. All Knicks fans remember Pitino's ill-fated tenure as coach from 1987-89, when he was mediocre and bolted for "greener pastures" at Kentucky. He bombed on his next try in the NBA as well, compiling a 102-146 record in 3+ years with the Celtics. Forget the paying-for-his-mistress'-abortion rumors -- Pitino's not good enough for the Nets on the merits of his coaching alone.

2. Knicks trying to work a three-team deal where they give up Al Harrington and another player and get Tracy McGrady. McGrady's contract comes off the books at the end of the season, and the Knicks can get rid of another expiring contract (probably Larry Hughes) and further help themselves against the salary cap.

There's really no downside to this move. McGrady might not even play a game for the Knicks -- the former star hasn't suited up for Houston since Dec. 23 and has played a total of 47 minutes this season. But Mike D'Antoni's squad is not making the playoffs either way (just look at their last come-from-ahead loss). This gives the Knicks more flexibility going into the 2010 Mega-Free Agent Season. And really, aren't we all just counting the days until LeBron James becomes available?

3. Giants release Antonio Pierce. Big Blue cut the veteran linebacker after he missed the final seven games of the season with a bulging disc in his neck. Even if his neck were fine, letting Pierce go is the right move.

Look, I love Pierce. Without his leadership on defense, the G-Men don't win Super Bowl XLII. And his departure leaves a major void, both in the middle of the defense and the locker room. But to put it bluntly, he's too old and slow to be effective anymore. Watching him try to guard Philadelphia's Brian Westbrook in last year's playoff loss was like watching Jose Molina try to go from first and third on a single: painful and ultimately futile.

Pierce's savvy will be missed, and his contribution to the Super Bowl run will not be soon forgotten. But it was time for him to go.

Link'd Up, 2/10/10: Damon to Braves?

Multiple sources are reporting Johnny Damon has been offered a one-year deal by the Atlanta Braves. Though the free-agent outfielder has made it clear he wants a multi-year deal, the Braves' offer is for one year only.

I'd love to see Damon on the Braves as opposed to, say, the Tigers (who also remained interested in Damon). Why? The Yankees don't play Atlanta next season. After the messy contract negotiations between Yanks' GM Brian Cashman and Damon, my guess is he'd approach every game against the Bombers with a little extra motivation.

OK, more than a little.

Cavs-Nets: The Impending Annhiliation

Tonight, the NBA's best team will host the NBA's worst team.

That right, folks, it's a matchup with epic possibilities. LeBron James and the Cavs (41-11, 22-3 home) host...um...Brook Lopez and the Nets (4-46, 1-26 away). Cleveland is riding an 11-game winning streak and appears headed for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. At their current rate, it would take the Nets 125 games to earn win No. 11.

Suffice to say, we have ourselves a mismatch. The Cavs operated on cruise control in their first two games against the Nets this season, winning by just 10 and eight points. I wonder what would happen if the Cavs really tried...

JAMES GETS '88 SPECIAL' IN HISTORIC BLOWOUT

CLEVELAND--LeBron James exploded for the second-highest point total in NBA history, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 144-68 thrashing of the hapless New Jersey Nets.

The Cavs' 12th straight win was never in doubt, though some in attendance wondered if the Nets would even finish the game. At one point, a dazed Chris Douglas-Roberts lay prostrate under his own basket, unable to get up after James had "broken his ankles" for a fifth consecutive time.

"We played well today," a grinning James said afterwards, sweat barely visible on his face. "We shut it down in the second half, but we could've had 200."

With the game tied at 4 early in the first quarter, Nets' center Brook Lopez rammed home a putback dunk, punctuating the play with a fist pump in the direction of the Cavs' bench. That seemed to irk James and Co., who reeled off a 57-0 run that finally ended when Devin Harris banked in a desperation halfcourt shot to end the first period.

James led the assault, finishing the quarter with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Informed by the official scorer that he'd completed a historic first quarter triple-double, James grinned and said: "I'm just getting started."

Indeed he was. Early in the second period, James punctuated a coast-to-coast drive with a thunderous dunk, jumping completely over Lopez's head and shattering the backboard with a two-handed slam.

By the end of the first half, the Cavs led 120-16. James ended the second quarter with a fullcourt, behind-the-head shot that swished through the hoop at the buzzer. The threeball gave "The Chosen One" 88 points, and he celebrated by finishing his cigar and calmly strolling into the locker room.

"At this point," said amused Cleveland coach Mike Brown, "we decided to ease up a little."

In the second half, James was forbidden to shoot or use his right hand. The NBA scoring leader concentrated instead on assists and blocks, getting 20 dimes in the quarter and swatting 14 of the Nets' 20 third-period shot attempts.

The two Nets fans in the building, incensed that James would continue to play with his team up 100+ points, began to boo vociferously.

"Come on, man," James protested afterwards. "I mean, my right hand was literally tied behind my back. And most of the time I pulled my headband down over my eyes so I couldn't see."

In the fourth quarter, Cleveland used just three players, allowing the Nets to claw back for the final margin. The Cavs curiously began feeding injured shooting guard Mo Williams, who went 4-4 on three-pointers while sitting on the bench.

"I know they didn't count," Williams snapped. "But how awesome was that? I mean, I didn't even smudge my suit."

James finished with the 88 Special and added 34 rebounds and 39 assists. Shaquille O'Neal had his best game in years, finishing with 40 points and 20 rebounds despite leaving the court for emergency oxygen treatments after just 10 minutes of action.

Despite the comically lopsided loss, Nets' coach Kiki Vandeweghe remained optimistic.

"What was it, 144-68?" he asked reporters. "That's only a 78-point loss. Just wait until we play the Knicks again."

Five Hidden Plays in Super Bowl XLIV

In the aftermath of the Saints' 31-17 upset win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, pundits across the sports world focused on the same key plays: New Orleans' successful onside kick to open the second half (aka Sean Payton Has Huge Cojones) and Tracy Porter's 74-yard interception return for a touchdown that all but sealed the win.

But those plays wouldn't have been possible without a handful of plays overlooked by sportscasters that changed the tenor of the game. Let's run them down in order.

1. 8:20 LEFT IN SECOND QUARTER, COLTS 10, SAINTS 3. Though the Saints trailed by only seven, their defense had yet to stop Peyton Manning and was badly in need of a three-and-out. On third-and-4 at the Colts' 28, Manning stepped up in the pocket and found a wide-open Pierre Garcon over the middle. Garcon was a step ahead of his man and had a chance to turn the corner and race all the way to the end zone.

Only he dropped the ball. Manning's pass went through Garcon's hands, bounced off his chest, and fell harmlessly to the grass. The Colts were forced to punt, and the Saints were able to keep the momentum on their side.

The play also marked the first appearance of the Peyton Manning Face. Manning's scowl didn't go away, either -- the Colts did not get another first down in the half.

2. 0:51 LEFT IN SECOND QUARTER, COLTS 10, SAINTS 3. Indy's D had just seized the momentum back with an inspired goal-line stand, and the Colts were in position to run out the clock and end the first half up a touchdown. All they needed was one first down.

Facing a third-and-1 at their own 10, the Colts eschewed the quick pass and played it safe. The plan backfired, as running back Mike Hart was stuffed for no gain. Instead of a fresh set of downs and smooth sailing to halftime, the Colts had to punt from the shadow of their goal posts.

3. 0:29 LEFT IN SECOND QUARTER, COLTS 10, SAINTS 3. Sometimes the best plays don't gain a single yard. With one timeout and 30 seconds left, Saints' quarterback Drew Brees found Devery Henderson over the middle for 19 yards and a first down at the Indy 33.

FREEZE

(OK, so you're Drew Brees. The play just ended, and the clock is ticking down. You have one timeout, and you want to save it so you can throw over the middle one more time. But if it takes 20 seconds to get your offense up to the line and spike the ball, you won't have enough time to run another play.)

Brees herded the offense to the line and spiked the ball in just nine seconds. CBS color guy Phil Simms (Giants shoutout!) was left speechless after arguing New Orleans should burn its final timeout.

Because of Brees' heads-up play, the Saints were able to throw over the middle again, picking up a valuable six yards for kicker Garrett Hartley. If Brees dawdles for a few extra seconds, it might have been 10-3 Colts at the half instead of 10-6.

And speaking of Giants quarterbacks, Eli Manning was at the game cheering on his brother. Considering his atrocious clock management skills, I hope Eli was taking notes.

4. 11:00 LEFT IN FOURTH QUARTER, COLTS 17, SAINTS 16. Clinging to a one-point lead, Manning drove the Colts to the edge of field-goal range. On second-and-8 at the Saints' 30, Manning tried a wide receiver screen to Austin Collie. The Indy blockers pancaked all the Saints in the area -- except rookie cornerback Malcolm Jenkins. Jenkins jumped the play and nailed Collie for a three-yard loss, pushing the Colts further away from Matt Stover's comfort zone. After an incompletion on third down, the Colts' 42-year old kicker gamely tried a field goal from 51 yards out. But the kick sailed left, and the score stayed 17-16. Stover's field goal would've been good from 40-45 yards -- the length it would have been if Jenkins doesn't make that tackle.

5. 1:30 LEFT IN FOURTH QUARTER, SAINTS 31, COLTS 17. After Porter's game-changing pick-six, Manning drove the Colts to the Saints' 3 in a desperate comeback bid. On first-and-goal, Manning held the ball for five, six, seven seconds looking for a open receiver in the end zone. But the Saints had everyone covered, and Manning forced a throw to Garcon in the back right corner of the end zone. New Orleans cornerback Jabari Greer stepped in front of the throw, and Garcon had to pull Greer down from behind to avoid an interception.

The ensuing offensive pass interference call pushed Indy back 10 yards. The penalty cost the Colts valuable time, and four downs later, it had cost them their last chance to rally.

Without those five plays, it might have been Colts 31, Saints 17 instead of the other way around. (Incidentally, Colts 31-17 was actually my prediction. Whoops.)

Kudos to the Saints and the city of New Orleans. Bourbon Street never looked so festive.