By
Joe DeLessio
Photo-illustration: Jed Egan. Photos: Al Pereira/New York Jets/Getty Images; iStockphoto
The 8–2 Jets host the 2–8 Bengals tomorrow night, and if ever there was a game that shouldn't have to go down to the wire, this would be it. Cincinnati, after all, hasn't won a game since September, and last week lost by eighteen to Buffalo, at home. Still, given the margin of victory in the Jets' last three games — games against Detroit, Cleveland, and Houston, mind you — it's probably best that the Jets take nothing for granted.
The defense, especially, needs to bounce back.
By
Joe DeLessio
With about six and a half minutes left last night, Raymond Felton landed hard after leading a fast break that would end with a Landry Fields stuff-in that gave the Knicks a seven-point lead over the Bobcats. Felton got up holding his lower back, visibly in enough pain that for a moment it looked as if he might start crying. (He didn't.) But in the closing seconds of the game, after the Knicks had let a fourteen-point lead dwindle to just one, it was Felton who sunk two free throws with 2.1 seconds left to seal the 110–107 victory against his former team.
Ronny Turiaf, decent human being.
By
Joe DeLessio
Brian Cashman said yesterday that he's encouraged Derek Jeter "to test the market and see if there's something he would prefer other than this," referring to the reported three-year, $45 million contract the Yankees have offered him. (And if you couldn't quite picture the highly unlikely end result of Jeter's talking to other teams, the Post helps out with a Photoshopped image of Jeter wearing a Red Sox uniform.) But Cashman knows what he's doing.
What is Derek Jeter worth as a ballplayer?
By
Joe DeLessio
Terry Collins said that with a smile at his introductory press conference today, but it's no coincidence that he addressed, even briefly, any concerns that his fiery personality could work against him. (He brings energy, he said, but added that he's learned to mellow a bit over the years.) This being an introductory press conference, Collins's remarks included the usual mix of clichés and optimism. (Sample quote: "This is a very proud day for me. I love this job. I love this game. And I will do whatever it takes to bring success to the New York Mets and win more ballgames. And we want to be the last team standing next October.") But he did field a couple questions about some of the potential concerns associated with a man last seen (as a big-league manager, at least) losing a clubhouse in Anaheim eleven years ago.
What he's learned from the 1999 Angels.
By
Joe DeLessio
A gritty, hard-hitting team? A goalie not named Henrik Lundqvist? A defense that holds a one-goal lead for nearly a period and a half? Forgive Rangers fans if they're still not totally used to the type of hockey they saw last night.
Marc Staal's devastating (and clean) hit on Matt Stajan.