Sports Observations

In New York this is the last year for the venerable Yankee Stadium and the easily disposable Shea Stadium. Hard to say that as a life-long Mets' fan but their stadium has long ago ceased being a great place.

Speaking of the Mets. They are in their annual September swoon. It looks like they have blown their way out of the post-season. The thing is, I suspect that they might actually have the best team in the National League EXCEPT, and this is a huge EXCEPT, they have the bullpen of the 1962 Mets. No lead is safe for this bullpen. They have blown more leads then almost anyone else. And some of the leads were substantial. Even if they make the postseason, they won't advance very far; their bullpen is that bad.

I think that someone needs to whisper a name into Lovie Smith's ear. Brian Billick. Brian Billick coached the Ravens who had one of the finest defenses of all time and this was a team that could have and should have been in several Super Bowls. Brian Billick stubbornly held the notion that one of the stiffs he had in the quarterback position would do the job. They didn't. Billick is no longer on the sidelines. Lovie Smith is, from all accounts, a great guy and loved by his team. He cannot even be considered to be a good coach if he doesn't make a concerted effort, a huge effort, to fix this gaping hole in his team.

The Colts are complaining that it was a bad call against them last week that cost them the game. It might have been a marginal call; but it did have the aroma of at least defensive holding which would have given the Jags a first down. The thing with the Colts is this. They gave up in the neighborhood of 250 yards rushing. Two runners gained over 100 yards on them and the Jags burned a ton of time. That is where they really lost the game.

Funny thing about Brett Favre. Had he been patient and not pushed to come back when he did, he would have received a phone call from Boston inviting him to play for the Patriots... Instead he's with the Jets. Eric Mangini is not, in my mind, the sharpest knife in the drawer. Favre, crafty veteran, has played in a totally different system than the Jets have. Instead of adjusting his system to aid his quarterback, he's hoping that an old veteran can change. In the history of the NFL, great coaches adapt to their personnel. Eric Mangini is sans a clue...

Does one get the impression that Joe Torre has found the circumstances of this season to be quite entertaining?

My World Series prediction: The Red Sox and the Phillies. The Red Sox win it in 5. The Cubs? The ghost of Fred Merkle will wander in their midst and will wander in the stands, and prevent the Cubs from winning.

As an aside, I would recommend that Steve Bartman not attend any games.

And, lastly, Matt Millen was fired by the Lions. I mean, DUH!!!