(that is where Cortland, NY is located)

Ok football fans, we all have to take a deep breath and realize that we are still a month and a half away from meaningful football, but you can't help but get excited with the news that training camps are opening.

The Jets opened theirs today in Cortland, NY, which is a major change from the site of many previous training camps, out in Hofstra University on Long Island.

The Giants open up Saturday at SUNY Albany. That is a trip that I make annually, and it is a blast. I recommend it to anyone that is within a decent driving distance of Albany.

Unfortunately the rigors of job hunting in this wonderful economy have hindered me from staying on top of this blog, something I am deeply sorry about and something that I promise to change.

That said, a lot has gone on the sports world lately. Quick recap, shall we?



---Michael Vick is officially free to sign with a team. Who will sign him you say? As of this afternoon, Vick has stated he is close to signing with a team. The Vikings seem like a logical place to me for him to wind up, but they are still a franchise recovering from the whole 'love boat' incident. Unless Tony Dungy is tied at the hip to Michael Vick, it'd be hard to implement him on this team, especially with a very impressionable (and troubled) rookie wide receiver, Percy Harvin.


---Cliff Lee was traded to the Phillies for four minor leaguers. This throws my entire Q & A that I did with our partner site, SNATCHSPORTS.COM for a whirl. Lee is no Roy Halladay, but he certianly helps put the Phillies into the forefront of the NL Pennant Race. A pretty lefty-heavy rotation once you add Lee into the mix, with Hamels, Moyer and Happ all being southpaws.

Speaking of that Q&A, you can access it by clicking the link below...

Trade Deadline Q & A with SnatchSports.com


---More on the trade deadline tonight and tomorrow. So far the biggest winners have to be the Giants (Freddy Sanchez and Ryan Garko)and the Phillies (Cliff Lee). We have already seen more movement of decently-talented players than we have in years past. Hopefully some more action will go down tomorrow.

Hope you can sense the sarchasm in the subject... Not like most didn't think it already, but suspicions were confirmed this afternoon, with the New York Times reporting that David Ortiz as well as Manny Ramirez tested positive for performance enhancing drugs back in 2003. Both are on the same 'secret' list that A-Rod was on.

As of this afternoon, Boston Red Sox fans who attributed all of the Yankees' rings to having juicers on the team do not have any ground to stand on. Manny and Ortiz were the biggest reasons for the great comeback and subsequent World Series title in 2003.

In all likelihood, no championship team from the mid-90's to 2006 or 2007 is completely clean.

In my mind, Omar Minaya wrote his ticket out of town with his press conference today. I tried to set these posts up in two parts...One, to give the Mets credit for making the right move in firing the cancer that seems to be Tony Bernazard.

Here's part two...

The Mets have found ways to make almost every decision they make into complicated disasters. From the firing of Willie Randolph and the way that they handled Ryan Church's concussion problems last year, to something as simple as trying to erase Doc Gooden's autograph from the walls of their new suite at Citi Field, right on through to today, the Mets have been a Classless joke of an organization.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a Yankee versus Met argument from me...The Yankees have done PLENTY of stupid things in the past, but at least with them, there are also some positive moves that are made.

After listening to sports-talk radio all day, I have gotten sick of hearing how they have to clean house, fire everyone, trade everyone and start fresh. But I truly feel that the only way for the Mets to start making better decisions, is to in fact clean house, and not only with the manager or their shortstop or the sixth reliever on the depth chart.

And with all of the controversy with Omar's comments about Adam Rubin going after Tony Bernazard's job, thus writing slanderous things about him, Omar sounded and looked like an utter jackass.

If this town wasn't calling for Omar's head before today's press conference, this defintely seals the deal. Omar, you have failed this team miserably, and whether you were behind all of these rediculous personnel moves or not, you have to go.

In what could be the first of many to fall thanks to how the Mets' season has played out, Team Executive Tony Bernazard finally got the axe.

This guy is an absolute clown. From his run-ins with players such as K-Rod and Johan Santana, to his supposed strip-down at and rant to the Mets' Double-A team, enough was finally enough.

Bernazard is also known by most to be the main reason for the firing of Willie Randolph. Well, what goes around comes around Tony.

After failing to sign David Lee and Paul Millsap, the Portland Trail Blazers finally made a splash in free agency by acquiring All-Star point guard Andre Miller. The two sides have agreed on a deal worth up to $21 million, $14 million of which is guaranteed with a $7 million team option.
Miller was offered a one year contract by his former team the Philadelphia 76ers, but reneged because he desired a long term deal above the league’s mid-level exception. Miller has found a team with a core of young talent that will help extend his career.
In Miller, Portland found the veteran point guard they have been looking for over the past few seasons. After missing out on Jason Kidd, Kirk Hinrich among others, the Blazers have found the anchor to their team. Miller will undoubtedly provide leadership off the court and rare toughness on the court.
Miller has played in a NBA high 530 straight games missing only three games throughout his career. His ability to play through the grind of the season year after year will help educate Portland’s young talent on how to play through pain. Miller will also help the Blazers take further steps away from their dark past filled with drugs and legal problems.
While the signing of Andre Miller will make the Portland Trail Blazers a playoff contender, it is highly unlikely they will be able to match up with other Western Conference powerhouses like the Lakers and Spurs.

One of the rare feats in baseball has just been achieved in Chicago. All-Star pitcher Mark Buehrle has just completed a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Part of the story here is Dewayne Wise's catch in the ninth inning. Great stuff.

Buehrle becomes the 24th pitcher in baseball history to throw multiple no hitters, joining recent pitchers such as Randy Johnson and Hideo Nomo, (Buerhle threw his other one in 2007).

I would never admit to being a supporter of the New York Mets (it's a long, complicated story). That said, it would take only the obvious for me to declare this team dead and out of things completely. Well, the obvious has happened and this team is finished.

Omar would be wise to start selling whatever he can. Unfortunately, anything worth selling is on the disabled list. Gary Sheffield is an obvious candidate, but he isn't even healthy enough to get on the field, thus eliminating any value at the moment. There are reports that the Mets have received several phone calls about Pedro Feliciano, who would be someone where it would make sense to move.

Younger guys like a Mike Pelfrey defintely have trade value, but for the Mets, they see themselves as getting back into things right-away next season, so trading a young pitcher with that much upside is not the route to go.

Bottom line, Omar and the Mets are in a complicated situation. They should sell whatever and whoever they can for the right deal. Their minor league system needs a complete overhaul and it needs to be run by someone other than Tony Bernazard who just continues to look like the biggest jackass in all of baseball these last few days...

Despite earlier reports, Minnesota’s first round pick, Ricky Rubio will not be staying in Spain for an additional year even if he and the Timberwolves are unable to reach a contractual agreement. Immediately after the draft, Rubio believed that he would be forced to stay another year in Spain because of his inability to pay the $8.2 million buyout.

Rubio was projected to be the second overall pick, but as he fell to number five he lost millions, making it more difficult to escape the contract with Joventut.

Almost two months after the draft, Ricky Rubio is still not pleased with the way his Spanish club has handled the situation, so Timberwolves’s GM Davis Kahn flew to Spain in an attempt to help settle the dilemma. According to NBA rules, Minnesota can only contribute $500,000 to the buyout, so the two sides have been not been able to come to a resolution.

Rubio’s future remains unclear, whether he will sign with the T’wolves, be traded to another NBA team or possibly sign with another Spanish ball club like Real Madrid or Barcelona.


To read the full story...

It is being widely reported that the Red Sox have landed 1B Adam LaRoche from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for two minor leaguers.

After falling out of first place for the first time in about two months, this move helps bring in another bat to the lineup but more importantly protects the team against any major setbacks that the injured and struggling Mike Lowell may have for the rest of the season.

With the addition of LaRoche, it looks like Kevin Youkilis will see some more time at third base.