Jets will do 'whatever is necessary' to land Cowher

Tuesday December 30, 2008 9:20 AM By Ryan Chatelain

Bill Cowher is expected to interview for the Jets' head-coaching job. (Photo by Getty)

By Ryan Chatelain

How badly do the Jets want Bill Cowher? So badly, apparently, that Mike Tannenbaum may be willing to give up the general manager’s job to land the Super Bowl champion coach.

Tannenbaum would restructure his job so that Cowher could bring in his own GM, ESPN.com is reporting. Cowher plans to speak with the Jets about the job, but no date for the interview has been set, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

ESPN reported Tuesday morning that Cowher was not interested in the Jets job because he wants to bring in his own personnel director. By the afternoon, however, the network was quoting a high-ranking Jets official as saying the team is willing do “whatever is necessary” to hire Cowher.

Meanwhile, Newsday is reporting that the GM position might not be a sticking point at all in the Cowher negotiations.

"We plan to speak with him," a team source said. "But there have been no discussion yet. We have gotten no indication from him that he would not take the position based on the front office power structure."

Mangini couldn't withstand pressure

Monday December 29, 2008 3:59 PM By Ryan Chatelain

Eric Mangini was 23-25 in three seasons as Jets coach. (Photo by David L. Pokress/Newsday)

By Ryan Chatelain

It wasn’t just a late-season collapse that cost Eric Mangini his job as Jets coach.

When Gang Green’s front office splurged before the season, doling out $140 million in free agency and then trading for future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, it put the pressure on the coach once dubbed “Man-genius.”

“The team was built to win now,” said Joe Pietaro, editor of New York Sportscene magazine. “It wasn’t in rebuilding mode.”

The Jets yesterday fired Mangini, who compiled a 23-25 record in three seasons and led the team to the playoffs in 2006. After an 8-3 start this year, the Jets appeared to be a cinch to reach the postseason but lost four of their last five games, cutting their season short.In addition to Favre, the Jets added perennial Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca, offensive tackle Damien Woody, fullback Tony Richardson, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and linebacker Calvin Pace. But all they had to show for the roster overhaul was a disappointing third-place finish in the AFC East.

“In New York, you gotta win,” said Franklin Romero, 27, a Jets fan from the Upper West Side. “You’re always expected to be great. If you keep Mangini around, you’re going to be going in circles.”

Not all Gang Green fans, however, agreed that Mangini deserved the ax.

“They kind of forced Favre down his throat,” said Joseph Moscato, 45, of the Upper East Side. “They should have given both [Favre and Mangini] at least two years together.”

In fact, a report by Fox Sports surfaced yesterday about Favre being unhappy that Mangini would question the Pro Bowl quarterback’s on-field decision-making in front of the entire team.

The attention now shifts to Favre and whether he will return to New York next season. The Jets’ first order of business, meanwhile, is a search for Mangini’s successor. Super Bowl champion coaches Bill Cowher and Mike Holmgren are on many fans’ wish lists, but Pietaro said he thinks a promising assistant, namely Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, would be a good fit.

“They could win with a coordinator,” Pietaro said. “You saw with Atlanta and Miami that teams could have a quick turnaround and success without prior head-coaching experience.”

Aline E. Reynolds contributed to this report.

Looking back on sports in 2008: More highs than lows

Monday December 29, 2008 3:45 PM By Max J. Dickstein

Michael Strahan shows you who's Super Bowl champion. (Getty Images)

By Max J. Dickstein

Top that, 2009.

With a field rich in historic achievements from Beijing to Glendale, Ariz., ranking 2008’s best sports stories is difficult. amNewYork gave it a shot and came up with these:

1. PHELPS AND BOLT TAKE BEIJING

The convergence of two of the world’s greatest athletes, Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt, marked the Games of the XXIX Olympiad for all of history. Phelps won all eight races he entered — seven in world-record time. With 14 gold medals in two Olympics, the Baltimorean swimmer earned eternal consideration as the greatest Olympian. Bolt, the dynamic 6-foot-5 Jamaican sprinter, set records in the 100 and 200 meters with energy to spare in China.

2. GIANTS SHOCK IN SUPER BOWL

The Giants’ 17-14 upset of the perfect Patriots could hold the No. 1 spot, too. With 97.5 million viewers watching the action in Arizona, the Giants topped an 18-0 team that would have otherwise been anointed history’s best. Big Blue’s Super Bowl roll continues. Heading into the playoffs at 12-4, the Giants could repeat as champions on Feb. 1. What’s already being repeated — by other NFL teams — is a Giant-like emphasis on a ferocious pass rush and stout running.

3. SPAIN OWNS WORLD SPORT

Rafael Nadal, of Mallorca, defeated five-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer at the All England Club in the greatest tennis match ever played, but his ascent to No. 1 is just one of his country’s fine athletic achievements this year.

Spain won the quadrennial Euro Cup for its first major soccer title since 1964, overcoming its choker image against powerful Germany. Spanish athletes also claimed a third straight Tour de France (Carlos Sastre), tennis’ Davis Cup and a close-call silver medal behind USA Basketball’s Redeem Team in Beijing.4. METS, YANKEES CLOSE STADIUMS, OPEN WALLETS

The closing of 85-year-old Yankee Stadium assured a nostalgic year even as the team playing there missed the playoffs for the first time since 1993.

The Bombers acted swiftly, committing a total of $423.5 million to first baseman Mark Teixeira and pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, incensing other teams and making a bid to purchase entry into the World Series in their $1.6 billion new home.

The Mets shuttered Shea Stadium, but not their penchant for late-season collapse. For the second straight year, the Mets squandered a comfortable first-place lead in August. Their acquisition of $137.5 million ace Johan Santana in February — and elite closers Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz this fall — may spare them another collapse in their first season at Citi Field.

5. CELTS RECLAIM THEIR NBA GLORY

In a swift rebound for a proud club mired in mediocrity, the Celtics

united title-hungry All-Stars Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and blitzed to a league-best 66-16 record. In the playoffs, tireless Boston set a record for games played (27) and, against classic NBA Finals foe Los Angeles, won its 17th title.

6. BRETT’S JETS FLAME OUT

The Jets (9-7) were by turns captivating and embarrassing as they started 8-3, crumbled and now hit the off-season confused and broken. At least they gave it a shot with Brett Favre, an all-time great quarterback who scarcely played like one after emerging from retirement.

Eric Mangini’s firing yesterday is the latest twist in a bewildering saga.

7. TIGER ROARS ALONGSIDE ROCCO

Tiger Woods gutted through a U.S. Open playoff victory before undergoing badly needed reconstructive left knee surgery.

The interplay between the 14-time major champion and his scrappy but deferential journeyman opponent, 45-year-old Rocco Mediate, left the world transfixed by the men’s sportsmanship.

8. PHILLIES LEAVE NO DOUBT

The Phillies walked the walk this season. They surpassed the rival Mets to take first place in the National League East, motored past the Brewers and Dodgers in the playoffs and delivered Philadelphia its first World Series since 1980. Their opponents, the stalwart, worst-to-first Tampa Bay Rays, enjoyed a spirited run of their own.

9. CLEMENS’ DUBIOUS LEGACY

Mentioned as a performance-enhacing drug user in baseball’s Mitchell Report last December, seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens launched an angry and vigorous character defense, swearing his innocence before Congress and suing his accuser for defamation. Legal rulings pend, but public opinion has swung against the 354-game winner.

10. MILESTONES IN AUTO RACING

Clinching his record-tying third straight NASCAR title, Jimmie Johnson left more hyped young stars in his Chevrolet’s exhaust and sparked talk of a Johnson era. In Formula One, Britain’s Lewis Hamilton became the sport’s first black champion and, at 23, its youngest.

Jets coach Eric Mangini fired

Monday December 29, 2008 6:02 AM By Mae Cheng

The Jets fired coach Eric Mangini Monday morning, a day after the team was ousted from post season play.

Sources have said in recent weeks that owner Woody Johnson, who extolled Mangini's virtues in a preseason meeting with the team's beat reporters, had become frustrated with the team's performance and, by extension, Mangini.

"For the current New York Jets organization, we've made the decision to move on," Johnson said. "It's a judgment call. This is not a decision that we reached yesterday or 10 minutes ago. We don't take this decision lightly. We want to build on the successful foundation that he's laid."

Johnson said he did not consider firing general manager Mike Tannenbaum along with Mangini.The Jets' swoon came after an 8-3 start, losing to Denver, San Francisco, Seattle and Miami. Quarterback Brett Favre threw nine interceptions in the final five games, including three in Sunday's season-ending loss at East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Jets needed to win that game and have either the New England patriots or Baltimore Ravens to reach the playoffs. Both those teams won before New York's game was finished.

After going 4-12 last season - the franchise's worst record since 1996 - the Jets' offseason overhaul included the addition of Favre, offensive lineman Alan Faneca and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins.

It's also unclear what will become of Favre. After Sunday's loss, the future Hall of Famer quarterback said he is uncertain about his future but his physical health will play a role in deciding whether he will return to the NFL.

- Erik Boland/Newsday

Quick Thought: The Jets' long goodbye

Sunday December 28, 2008 3:07 PM By Max J. Dickstein

By Max J. Dickstein

The Jets’ cruel season ended with a final atrocious loss yesterday. The closing play was a comical series of lateral passes between desperate Jets who were trying to muster a 99-yard touchdown to tie a game that, even if they won it, wouldn’t get them to the playoffs. The aftermath will be painful for the fragile Jets, a house of cards crushed by its own hype. And dithering by Brett Favre about ending his career, which the diminished passer clearly ought to do, will surely resume.

Fans vent after Lions make history

Sunday December 28, 2008 12:19 PM By Pete Catapano

Detroit's Kevin Smith hides as the Lions 17-14 loss to Green Bay today came to a close.

By Pete Catapano

Today the Detroit Lions made NFL history by becoming the first team to finish the season 0-16.

To illustrate the fans frustration, below is sampling of message board posts by the Lions faithful after their 31-21 loss to Green Bay today:

“no idea how much I want to drink right now. 0-16. No wins. No talent. No coaching. No management. Nothing. This is not an NFL quality product”

“it's like finding out a pet died.. or a girlfriend was cheating on you.. or mom was in a car crash... kind of sick..”

“Wow, I guessed 3-13 at the begining of the year, was I ever wrong!”

“Well I found this cheap Lions hat I bought after preseason that I haven't wore in about 12 weeks so I put it on a pole in my yard and set it on fire.”

Red Sox to sign Brad Penny: Report

Sunday December 28, 2008 11:57 AM By Pete Catapano

Brad Penny (AP)

It's not a particularly explosive signing, but the Red Sox are about to add some pitching depth by signing righty Brad Penny to a one-year deal, Foxsports.com is reporting.

Although Penny struggled with the Dodgers last year, going 6-9 with a 6.27, he a total of 32 games in the two prior seasons. In 2006, he went 16-9 with a 4.33 ERA, and in 2007 went 16-4 with a 3.03 ERA.

— Pete Catapano

Reminder: Listen to Kenny Smith call Dwight Howard's Dunk Contest

Thursday December 25, 2008 5:24 PM By Max J. Dickstein

Have you listened to your Kenny-Smith-calling-the-2008-Slam-Dunk-Contest-won-by-Dwight-Howard lately?

"Superman is in the building, yes he is! ... Superman is came to building! ... He's got the cape moving. He's got it flapping. ... Oh! You win young fella! You win! "

Column: Your Brett Favre fatigue is setting in

Thursday December 25, 2008 5:16 PM By Max J. Dickstein

(Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

By Max J. Dickstein

You might remember me from such inane acts as bicycling through the city shouting “Brett Favre!” at pedestrians, or writing a column headlined “Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre.”

It was Aug. 7, and I was feeling batty. After all, the Jets had just incongruously introduced an eternal Green Bay Packer as their franchise savior.

Like many New Yorkers, I was captivated by the 39-year-old legend’s arrival, which took place with a suddenness that suggested great things would follow him here.

For a few weeks, they did. In Week 1, Favre threw an improbable 22-yard touchdown pass to Chansi Stuckey on fourth-and-13 during a 20-14 defeat of Miami. Against Arizona three weeks later, Favre tossed six scores on a bad ankle.

By midseason, his Jets were on a five-game tear that seemed to make them, at 8-3, a powerful postseason shoo-in.

Pumped full of bluster, Favre’s Gang Green then dropped three of four against some the league’s worst teams. Favre had six interceptions and one TD during that stretch.

His Jets have become deathly uninteresting, a playoff longshot on life support at 9-6.

Favre’s year began on a grippingly unexpected arc. After 16 seasons in Green Bay, he retired in March with almost every major NFL quarterback record. He unretired months later, initiated a melodramatic breakup with the Packers and was traded to the Jets.

Since then, aside from some midseason noise, Favre has not earned his feverish welcome here.

And I’m wondering why I ever got my hopes up about the same old Jets.

MLB Network launches New Year's Day

Tuesday December 23, 2008 2:09 PM By Max J. Dickstein

By Kyle Stack

Special to amNewYork

It has become commonplace for sports leagues – and, in general, various sports – to have official television networks. The NFL Network, NBATV and The Golf Channel are three examples of a trend which has burgeoned in the past decade. Not to be left behind, Major League Baseball will officially launch MLB Network Jan. 1, widely available from New York's cable providers for no additional fee.

Although MLB is the last of the perceived four major professional sports leagues to launch its own network (the NHL has NHL Network), MLB Network will benefit from the largest debut in cable television history. Approximately 50 million cable and satellite homes will initially receive the network, an unprecedented move for a 24-hour sports network.

“The most important thing [for starting a network] is distribution and we’ve got the 50 million homes,” said Tony Petitti, CEO of MLB Network, in a telephone interview from the network’s Secaucus, N.J.-based studios. “One of the luxuries we have is being able to focus on the content and know that we’ve got those homes.”The content will be wide-ranging, with Hot Stove leading off the network’s off-season coverage. Hosted by ex-San Diego Padres and FOX Sports play-by-play announcer Matt Vasgersian, the show will provide news and analysis of the relevant off-season moves made by all 30 MLB clubs. MLB Tonight, also hosted by Vasgersian, will provide live look-ins of games, highlights, updates, reporting and analysis once the regular season begins in April. Petitti, the former Executive Vice President and Executive Producer at CBS Sports, noted the incorporation of a primary CBS product into MLB Tonight, MLB Network’s signature program.

“The goal is to take what’s done during March Madness and bring that same production sensibility to baseball on a nightly basis,” Petitti said. “That’s the thing we’re trying to do that’s really unique.”

Other programming includes Prime 9, a countdown program which evaluates the all-time top nine in categories such as home runs hitters or great comebacks; Cathedrals of the Game, which presents behind the scenes footage of MLB ballparks; Baseball Seasons, a historical show that reviews significant MLB seasons; and AL and NL Awards Shows, which highlights the 2008 winners of the MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year awards.

Building off that original programming will be MLB Network’s live broadcasts of the 2009 World Baseball Classic, for which the network will exclusively televise 16 games, and MLB regular season games.

“We’ll pick them on 10 days notice,” Petitti noted of the Thursday-slated regular season contests. “We’ll showcase all teams, but as the pennant races heat up, we’ll start focusing on teams driving towards the playoffs.”

The June amateur draft, Hall of Fame ceremonies and fantasy baseball-related content are also among the network’s program goals.

One of the most impressive facets of MLB Network is the studios from which the programming will be produced and presented. Studio 3, named after Babe Ruth’s jersey number, is the home of MLB Tonight and it houses 62 HD video displays across 5,600 square feet, including 108” and 103” monitors. A Perceptive Pixel touch screen display will allow on-air personalities to change graphics and images on-screen. The primary desk on set can rotate to six distinct broadcast areas and the studio’s lighting can be adjusted to represent day or night.

Studio 42, named in honor of Jackie Robinson’s jersey number, was designed to replicate a baseball field at half-scale. It includes an outfield wall, an infield, a pitcher’s mound and a scoreboard which will update league scores in real-time.

“What I think we’ve done is given ourselves a lot of options for a long period of time,” Petitti said. “The initial buildout is robust and [has] a lot of flexibility, but that’s gonna play to our advantage over time.”

Even with the glitzy studios, full slate of original programming and impressive list of on-air talent – ex-MLB players-turned-respected broadcasters Al Leiter and Harold Reynolds are two of the network’s analysts – MLB Network will be challenged to avoid the rocky starts faced by other sports league networks.

Petitti emphasized that one of his primary roles to ensure a successful start is strong leadership. “In a creative environment like this is, you want people to feel like they are impacting decisions,” Petitti said. “People always ask what’s my vision. It’s not my vision. We have a lot of creative production and programming people working here that are all contributing to what goes on-air.”

Happy holidays Yankee fans: Teixeira heading to Bronx

Tuesday December 23, 2008 10:29 AM By Pete Catapano

According to SI.com, the Yanks are about to sign Mark Teixeira for 8 years. $180 million.

Earlier today, the Washington Times reported that the slugger was about to sign with the rival Red Sox.

According to SI.com's John Heyman:

"Teixeira, who hit .308 with 33 home runs and 121 RBIs in 2008, will receive an eight-year, $180 million deal from the Yankees with a full no-trade provision."

This along with signings of CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett make this quite a productive winter for the Yanks.

Teixeira announcement today: Report

Tuesday December 23, 2008 9:34 AM By Pete Catapano

According to the Washington Times, there's should be an announcement of a deal for Mark Teixiera. But with which team is still uncertain. Unfortunately for the Yanks, the Red Sox appear to be the frontrunner.

The Times reports: "there are strong indications that the Red Sox will announce that they have landed the highly-coveted slugger, who has been courted this off-season by several major league clubs, including the Angels, Orioles and Nationals"

Donald Driver's Monday Night Football performance assures that fantasy football championship is decided by 1 point

Tuesday December 23, 2008 1:47 AM By Max J. Dickstein

Donald Driver’s Monday night performance — six catches for 63 yards in a Green Bay Packers loss to the Chicago Bears — helped beat my Shabbat Ballers by 1 point in a fantasy football championship that really meant something to amNewYork’s sports editor.

Driver handled the driver's seat well for his team, though several other Week 16 events contributed to this tantalizingly close loss for the Shabbat Ballers.

Notably, Kel Varnsen IV also defeated the Ballers in the 12-team league's championship game last year.

Now I will go cry some more.

— Max J. Dickstein

Imagine Teixeira in the Yankees lineup

Monday December 22, 2008 2:58 PM By Pete Catapano

Let's fantasize for just a sec.

So the Angels an Red Sox say they're dropping out of the bidding war for gold-glove switch hitting first baseman Mark Teixeira.

Now, that opens the door for the Yanks' to open up their very huge, massive wallet to sign the slugger.

So. here's my guess of what the line-up could look like if things go that way (assuming Girardi alternates left and righty hitters)

Johnny Damon LF

Derek Jeter SS

Mark Teixeira 1B

Alex Rodriguez 3B

Hideki Matsui DH

Jorge Posada C

Robinson Cano 2B

Xavier Nady RF

Brett Gardner CF

And while we're at it, here's the starting five if Pettitte re-signs:

CC Sabathia

Chien Ming Wang

AJ Burnett

Joba Chamberlain

Andy Pettitte

The getting is good this weekend for the Giants and Jets

Thursday December 18, 2008 3:17 PM By Max J. Dickstein

Eli Manning (Getty Images)

By Max J. Dickstein

In the 17-week NFL schedule, every week’s matchup is urgent.

But for the Jets and Giants, this second-to-last weekend of the season is a benchmark for two much-heralded teams that still lack a firm grip on their destinies.

On Sunday afternoon, the Jets (9-5) need to win a trap game — and finally crush an inferior opponent on the road — in Seattle while keeping pace with Miami and New England in the AFC East.

The Giants (11-3) need to beat back the Panthers, a potent NFC challenger, and clinch homefield advantage throughout the playoffs while playing their third game in prime time on a Sunday night.

Big Blue bought itself leeway with an 11-1 start, but consecutive losses to the Eagles and Cowboys deflated the cushion.Carolina (11-3) has shadowed the Giants all year, building its case as the class of the NFC.

Fiery Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith and the 23-touchdown “Smash and Dash” rushing tandem of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams lead the Panthers’ offense. Julius Peppers and his 12 sacks anchor a defense that will try to harry Eli Manning.

The Panthers’ running attack (ranked fourth to the Giants’ second) and jolting pass rush seem styled after the Giants’. The defending Super Bowl champions must administer a lesson in authenticity to Carolina, even if top running back Brandon Jacobs misses his third game of the season with a sore left knee.

Meanwhile, by edging Buffalo 31-27 last week, the Jets saved some face after humiliating losses to Denver and San Francisco. But a loss at the Seahawks (2-12) on Sunday would be disastrous, not embarassing, and could change the archrival Dolphins’ visit to the Meadowlands next week from a potential win-or-go-home game into a sad coda.

With Brett Favre’s arm — if not his leadership — lagging, the Jets will need continued exemplary play from running back Thomas Jones, who was honored as the team’s MVP on Thursday.

Sundin picks - not the Rangers

Thursday December 18, 2008 2:11 PM By Pete Catapano

By Pete Catapano

The Sundin-sweepstakes is over. The veteran center, who's been sitting out since the beginning of the season, has picked the Canucks over the Rangers, ESPN.com is reporting.

"I am truly excited to be joining the Canucks," Sundin said in a statement. "Once I made the decision to return to play a few weeks ago, the Vancouver opportunity was simply the best overall fit. I want to thank Mike Gillis and the entire Canucks organization for their professionalism throughout this entire process."

Sundin, 37, had 32 goals and 46 assists last season.

It's a dismal time for the Islanders

Thursday December 18, 2008 11:48 AM By Pete Catapano

Slip sliding away: Chris Campoli battles for the puck with Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin during overtime the Isles 5-4 loss to Washington on Wednesday

By Pete Catapano

Let's put things into perspective here for Islanders fans. Yes the season's not even half over, but the reality is grim:

•Â They've won just once since Thanksgiving

•Â They have no wins in December

• They've been outscored 35-15 over their seven-game losing streak

•Â Only two players, BIll Guerin and Trent Hunter, have scored over seven goals

•Â Eight of their next 11 games on are on the road where they are 5-10-1

• They're next to last in the conference with 23 points

• They're in a division that may very well produce four playoff teams

But maybe the team can find some motivation in desperation.

After Wednesday night's 5-4 loss to Washington, forward Richard Park told Newsday

"I think we've had enough," Park said. "I think we've had enough of looking around and trying to figure out what the answer is."

If they don't find the answer, it might be time already to starting thinking about a top 3 pick in the draft.

No games, no points, no ice time=NHL All-Star

Wednesday December 17, 2008 12:34 PM By Pete Catapano

Sergei Gonchar

By Pete Catapano

Not that this is the first time this has ever happened, but there's a nice oddity in this year's NHL All-Star game balloting.

Check out the leading defensemen in the Eastern Conference:

1. Andrei Markov, Montreal, 694,906;

2. Mike Komisarek, Montreal, 634,389;

3. Sergei Gonchar, Pittsburgh, 564,044;

4. Ryan Whitney, Pittsburgh, 531,327;

Those of you who are paying attention may have noticed that neither Sergei Gonchar nor Ryan Whitney, both of Pittsburgh, have played a single game this year due to injury.

Obviously, fans just vote for their team, and the Penguins draw well, but this is just a reminder of how pointless All-star voting could be.

Oh and by the way, third-place on the defense list is Mike Komisarek, who's played just 14 games this year and has one point. I'm sure he's solid defensively, but this is still a joke.

The greatest all-star ballot disaster was in 1957, when Reds fans stuffed the box, electing seven players into the starting line-up.

Patrick Ewing Jr. gets an NBDL deal. Are Knicks next?

Tuesday December 16, 2008 12:22 PM By Max J. Dickstein

By Lorraine Cwelich

Special to amNewYork

In the fourth quarter of their final 2008 preseason tune-up, the Knicks were down 21 points to the Nets. Suddenly a player named Ewing bounded unfazed into the blinding New York spotlight. Seven points, two dunks, one perimeter shot, a blocked shot and a steal later, Patrick Ewing, Jr. had ignited a uproarious comeback that catapulted the Knicks into their strongest season start in years.

Three days later, on October 27, he was released.

The triumphant ovation Ewing Jr. received when he stepped onto the hardwood was even more overwhelming than when the Knicks won.If New York fans of any sport are hardly sentimental, Knick fans are the most embittered – justifiably so, given the endless indignities that have been heaped on them in recent years.

But since the opposite of love is not hate but indifference, the passion that Knicks fans lavished on the heir to the franchise’s greatest player was not unexpected. Weary of superstar selfishness, the crowd embraced Ewing Jr. as the anti-Starbury.

Donnie Walsh noticed.

When Ewing Jr. became the final roster cut, it was widely attributed to his modest numbers (6.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.8 assists) in his senior year at Georgetown. Under the legendary John Thompson, Jr. (who coached Ewing Sr.) and his son, John Thompson III (Ewing Jr.’s coach), Hoyas are less an offensive juggernaut than exceptionally well-rounded players, with an emphasis on the fundamentals of defense and passing.

The 6’8”, 240 lb. forward, drafted in 2008 in the 2nd round (43rd overall) by the Sacramento Kings, won the Big East Sixth Man of the Year. His agent, the highly influential David Falk, described Ewing Jr. as “a great defender with tremendous athleticism and maturity.”

Sacramento traded Ewing Jr. to Houston on August 14 in a multi-player deal. Barely two weeks later, the rookie was traded to the Knicks. When he found himself a free agent as the 2008-09 season began, he would hardly be blamed if he both jumped at the next offer and resented the Knicks. Neither occurred.

Falk confirmed that Ewing Jr. received offers from several overseas teams. Ewing declined those offers in hopes of rejoining his father’s team. “It’s great because it’s the organization I grew up around,” said Ewing Jr., “But even more because of the direction the organization is going and Coach D”Antoni’s style of offense and defense. To get out and run, I fit into that system well. I had success with that style in high school. In college, it was more of, slow down the basketball. And defense is my specialty.”

Ewing Jr. was a Knicks ball boy from 1995-2000, which involved “getting players towels and water, wiping the sweat off the floor if somebody fell. It was fun for me. I got to play one-on-one with some of the players, Herb Williams, Charles Oakley.”

He talks to his father everyday and keeps in touch with former teammates, including Quentin Richardson, Danilo Gallinari and Nate Robinson. Robinson said, “He’s a good person, always looking out for guys. He got me a PSP; we played Madden and Street Hoops. We went out to eat a few times, watched a movie. He’s a hard worker and he can jump; we had dunk contests after practice. I hope he can be a Knick.”

Coach D’Antoni agrees. “He’s very good in the locker room, funny, guys liked him, I liked him, very winning personality.

“He’s a great kid and very athletic. He should have a future in this league. If he keeps working on his game, down the line he could be a really good player.”

Cuttino Mobley’s roster spot will most likely be filled by a guard and Walsh does not provide progress reports on the ongoing Marbury buyout negotiations. However, Ewing Jr.’s signing to the D-League last Friday and assignment to the Knicks’ Reno affiliate on Monday, after clearing waivers, were promising signs.

Wearing a #33 jersey in his Bighorns debut Monday night, Ewing Jr. scored 15 points in the 114-108 loss to the Utah Flash. His spectacular, reverse alley-oop in the final two minutes was reminiscent of his dunk over Big Baby Davis in Boston during the preseason.

Better still, the Reno Bighorns’ head coach, Jay Humphries, was an assistant coach under D’Antoni in Phoenix. Ewing, Jr. will continue his development in D’Antoni’s uptempo style in Reno until the Knicks are ready to sign him.

If the former hometown hero from Coney Island ever agrees to make way for the newest native son.

Patrick Ewing Jr. (George Kalinsky for Madison Square Garden)

Looking ahead to 2009

Tuesday December 16, 2008 11:30 AM By Ryan Chatelain

Chicago's Matt Forte should be the No. 2 pick in 2009 fantasy drafts. (Photo by Getty)

As the 2008 fantasy football season wraps up, it’s time to look ahead to 2009. Here are my top 20 picks for next season.

1. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota

He’s had back-to-back seasons of 1,300 rushing yards and double-digit touchdowns, and he’ll be just 24 years old entering next season.

2. Matt Forte, RB, Chicago

I suspect Michael Turner will be the fashionable No. 2 pick next season, but Forte gets the nod in my mind because he’s an exceptional receiver (58 catches this season).

3. Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta

You’ve got to love his monster-game potential and four multi-touchdown games this season. But it is somewhat concerning that he’s not a factor in the passing game (just six receptions).4. Clinton Portis, RB, Washington

He’s amassed at least 1,500 yards of offense in seven of his eight NFL seasons. And despite that it seems as though he’s been around forever, he’ll turn just 28 in 2009.

5. Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco

I anticipate he’ll be underrated heading into next season because he plays for a struggling franchise. But thanks to his receiving skills, he should be a safe bet for 1,500 yards and at least eight TDs, with the potential to top 2,000 yards.

6. Marion Barber, RB, Dallas

“The Barbarian” is on pace for more than 1,450 yards of offense and 10 touchdowns – which would make for his third-straight season with double-digit TDs.

7. Steve Slaton, RB, Houston

A rookie this season, Slaton has rushed for 1,124 yards and eight touchdowns, and added another 305 yards as a receiver.

8. Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee

He’s arguably the most explosive running back in the NFL. The only factor that will keep him from going higher is the presence of goal-line vulture LenDale White in Tennessee.

9. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans

He’s passed for 300 yards eight times this season and multiple touchdowns in nine games – and that was with Marques Colston, Jeremy Shockey and Reggie Bush missing significant playing time with injuries.

10. Tom Brady, QB, New England

Don’t expect another 50-touchdown season, but with Randy Moss and Wes Welker to throw to, Brady, who missed virtually all of 2007 with a torn ACL in his left knee, should reclaim a spot among the fantasy football elite.

11. Brandon Jacobs, RB, N.Y. Giants

When healthy, the Giants’ wrecking ball of a running back rarely ever disappoints his owners. But over the past two seasons, injuries have been enough of a concern to bump him down, likely into the early part of the second round.

12. LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego

I expect I’m in the minority in saying this: L.T. should not be a first-round pick next season. In June, he’ll turn 30, the age when most running backs begin a rapid decline. His recent injuries and drop-off in production are indications that he’s not worth a top-round gamble.

13. Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia

Westbrook, too, will turn 30 next year and has never been the healthiest player.

14. DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina

He was the top-scoring fantasy running entering Sunday, but it’s hard to believe that teammate Jonathan Stewart won’t see an increased role in the offense next season, eating into Williams’ carries.

15. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas

If not for a thumb injury that sidelined him for three games, Romo’s fantasy stats would be right up there with Brees’ and Warner’s.

16. Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis

He might slip in drafts because he plays for a bad team and is coming off an injury-plagued season. But because he’ll be just 26 and is a receiving threat, he could be a second-round steal.

17. Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona

If not for concerns about his age (he’ll be 38 in 2009) and his durability, Warner would easily be a top-10 pick.

18. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona

Was the highest-scoring and most consistent receiver this season.

19. Randy Moss, WR, New England

Moss should return to greatness when Brady returns under center.

20. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis

Despite a slow start, Manning has thrown for two touchdowns or more in eight games -- just one fewer than Brees and Warner.

Is someone offering Andy Pettitte a three-year deal?

Tuesday December 16, 2008 10:21 AM By Pete Catapano

By Pete Catapano

While it appears that the Yanks and have reached a stalemate on a contract next year (he wants $16 million, they want to pay $10 million), the 36-year-old lefty's camp is apparently spreading rumors that he's been offered a three-year deal from some mystery team, SI.com is reporting.

It's unclear if the offer is true, or just a tactic to make the Yanks budge.

If there's an offer out there, my guess it could be one of the following teams:

1. The Braves - Missed out on A.J. Burnett and the rotation is a big question mark after TIm Hudson

2. The Dodgers - They'll be losing Derek Lowe, and a Torre-Pettitte reunion just makes sense

3. Rangers - From Andy's home state, they're always starved for pitching

4. Brewers -They need to replace Sabathia

Jamie Moyer: The Yoda of major league baseball

Monday December 15, 2008 11:06 AM By Pete Catapano

By Pete Catapano

Jamie Moyer has been pitching into the big leagues since 1986 (the last year the Mets won the world series); he's 46, and the Phillies just signed him to a new two-year contract.

A finesse pitcher, Moyer really defies his age, going 16-7 with a 3.71 ERA this season.

Moyer, who's the oldest pitcher in baseball, has pitched for seven teams.

In his career, he's 246-186 with a 4.19 ERA.

Dallas to Avery: You're out

Sunday December 14, 2008 9:57 AM By Pete Catapano

(AP)

By Pete Catapano

The Dallas Stars aren't giving Avery a second chance after his "sloppy seconds" remark regarding ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert got him a six-game suspension from the NHL.

"Sean needs to focus on his own well-being while the Stars hockey team must focus on playing hockey and competing for a playoff spot," Stars co-general manager Brett Hull said in a statement. "Everyone understands that Sean will not return to the Dallas Stars. We all need to move forward."

Now, the question is, will the Rangers, who lack grittiness, bring back Avery back after letting him walk in the summer?

Abreu meets with Tampa Bay

Thursday December 11, 2008 11:19 AM By Pete Catapano

(AP)

The Yanks don't seem to be interested in bringing back RF Bobby Abreu, despite a rather productive 2008 season, in which he hit .296 and drove in 100 runs.

According to MLB.com. Abreu is having discussions with the AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays have also met with Milton Bradley and Yankee Jason Giambi

Mike Cameron may also end up a Yankee

Thursday December 11, 2008 7:10 AM By Mae Cheng

The latest to don pinstripes may be veteran centerfielder Mike Cameron.

The Yankees are in talks to trade Melky Cabrera, their speedy youngster, for Cameron, according to Newsday.

Cabrera was seen as part of the Yankee's future, but failed to produce the numbers in his at-bats that the team needed.

This comes a day after the Bronx Bombers scored CC Sabathia, the most coveted starting pitcher on the market. The whopping $161 million, seven-year deal makes Sabathia the highest paid pitcher.

Cameron is a Milwaukee Brewers' teammate of Sabathia's as well as his good buddy, all the more to make the Yank's latest big-time investment comfortable in his new home.

Fantasy NBA: Underperformers and the hot free-agent pickups with which to replace them

Wednesday December 10, 2008 11:30 AM By Max J. Dickstein

With increased playing time, Philadelphia 76ers guard Louis Williams could reward your confidence as a free-agent pickup. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

By Kyle Stack

Special to amNewYork

The NBA regular season is barely six weeks old, so fantasy owners have plenty of time to take advantage of their league’s free-agent wire over the remaining 127 days.

No matter what league you’re in, there are rostered players who have no business being owned and diamonds in the rough waiting for some pickup polish. Here are three over- and under-owned players, along with their overall ownership percentages in Yahoo and ESPN leagues through yesterday.

Over-owned

Lamar Odom, SF/PF

Los Angeles Lakers

87% Yahoo, 92% ESPN

Typically a stat-filler, Odom and his production have are victims of the first reserve role in his 10-year career. Compare his anemic averages — 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists — to his career averages of 15.4, 8.8 and 4.4.

Most disturbing is Odom’s Shaq-like 58.5 free-throw percentage. Even worse for fantasy owners, his role likely won’t change given the Lakers’ 17-3 start. Odom’s reputation as a do-everything fantasy player doesn’t apply this season. He’s trade bait.

Jamario Moon, SF/PF

Toronto Raptors

44% Yahoo, 66% ESPN

Moon is a tantalizing athlete, but athleticism doesn’t score fantasy points. After a promising rookie season, Moon is playing 20.8 minutes per game, down nearly seven minutes from last season.

Moon’s scoring average is also down, from 8.5 points to 6.0; his blocks from 1.6 to 0.8; and, most drastically, his rebounding, from 6.2 to 2.8. With Andrea Bargnani and Joey Graham playing more minutes for Toronto at small forward this season, Moon looks fantasy-irrelevant.

Ricky Davis, SG/SF

Los Angeles Clippers

23% Yahoo, 67% ESPN

Davis is living off a reputation forged by his career 14.1-point scoring average. As recently as 2005-06, the 29-year-old Davis averaged 19.4 points, but this season has been disastrous.

Before he went out on Nov. 24 with inflamed tendons in his left knee, Davis was playing only 21.3 minutes per night, with a meager 4.3-point average on 27.2 percent field goal shooting. Owners should immediately dump him for a player who can do what Davis once did: score.

Under-owned

Carl Landry, SF/PF

Houston Rockets

11% Yahoo, 1% ESPN

To the 99 percent of ESPN fantasy owners shunning Landry: the forward is averaging 11.1 points on 60.8 percent field goal shooting and 5.5 rebounds in his past nine contests. But Landry’s 81.4 free throw percentage truly enhances his fantasy value as a big man.

Only nine players who qualify at power forward in either Yahoo or ESPN leagues have a higher free-throw percentage.

Louis Williams, PG/SG

Philadelphia 76ers

15% Yahoo, 3% ESPN

A preseason sleeper pick, Williams’ popularity took a 180-degree turn because of his 36.7 percent field-goal shooting this season.

But Williams has begun to break out of his slump, hitting 15 of 28 shots in his past three games, and his 8.2-point average on Nov. 23 has risen to 9.5 as the shifty guard scored in double figures in six of his past eight contests. With increased minutes, Williams will be a fine pickup.

Russell Westbrook, PG

Oklahoma City Thunder

52% Yahoo, 34% ESPN

Westbrook needs to be on more fantasy radars.

Thanks in part to the Thunder’s high pace of play (97.2 possessions per game), Westbrook is averaging 13.1 points despite a lowly 36.7 field-goal percentage. If owners can swallow that percentage, they’ll be rewarded in other ways. The rookie shoots well from the charity stripe (79.2) and his assist (4.2) and rebound (3.9) averages are solid. He also logs 1.8 steals per game.

Larry Hughes, SG

Chicago Bulls

28% Yahoo, 8% ESPN

A traditionally subpar shooter, Hughes is making a career-high percentage of his free throws (86.2) and three-pointers (46.9).

His 44.6 field-goal percentage has led to a 13.2 scoring average, slightly lower than his 14.8 career average. But when you consider that Hughes is firing only 10.7 shots in 27 minutes per game off the Chicago bench — his lowest averages in nearly a decade — it’s sensible for fantasy owners to take advantage of Hughes’ efficiency.

Fantasy football: These 8 sure ‘busted’ out

Wednesday December 10, 2008 11:03 AM By Ryan Chatelain

Braylon Edwards was arguably the most disappointing player in fantasy football this season. (Photo by Getty)

By Ryan Chatelain

Capturing fantasy football glory requires talent — and luck. Injuries can send a promising fantasy season south, but you also need to avoid drafting proven players who turn in a stinker of a season.

Now, I call out those players who let down their owners — this year’s fantasy All-Bust Team.

Quarterback

Last season, Cleveland’s Derek Anderson emerged from obscurity and was one of the NFL’s biggest surprises. But Anderson, considered a top-six fantasy QB before the season, fell back to earth. He completed only 50.2 percent of his passes and tossed just nine TDs against eight picks. He was benched for Brady Quinn in Week 10.Running backs

Willis McGahee was a second- or third-round draft pick in most 12-team leagues. He rushed for at least 990 yards in each of his previous four seasons, but he has just 521 yards through Week 14 and didn’t touch the ball at all in two games when he was seemingly healthy.

The writing was on the wall that Edgerrin James, 30, was in decline. But that didn’t stop many fantasy owners from picking the Cardinals star in the third to fifth rounds. James, now third on Arizona’s depth chart, has rushed for 395 yards.

Wide receivers

Braylon Edwards was arguably the No. 3 receiver prospect during the preseason, behind only Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. Plagued by dropped passes, Edwards failed to reach 70 yards in nine of 13 games and ranks just 31st among fantasy wideouts in standard scoring leagues.

The Bengals’ Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson has only surpassed 60 yards receiving once this season and ranks 46th among fantasy receivers. (He was sixth in 2007.)

Tight end

What a bizarre 2008 for Kellen Winslow. He was hospitalized for a mysterious illness, suspended for criticizing the Browns organization and then had a potentially season-ending ankle injury. And even when Winslow, a top-three preseason tight end, was on the field, he was dreadful — only once did he eclipse 65 yards receiving.

Kicker

In many leagues, the Colts’ Adam Vinatieri was the second or third kicker drafted — mainly based on his reputation. Yet the Super Bowl hero is the 30th-ranked fantasy kicker.

Defense

The San Diego Chargers were widely considered to have the second-best fantasy defense before the season. But superstar linebacker Shawne Merriman proved how valuable he is when he ended up on the injured reserve and the Chargers, who have the No. 18 fantasy defense to date, struggled to stop just about everyone.

- - - -

SIT

Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta< (vs. Tampa Bay)

The Bucs have given up the fifth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.

Le’Ron McClain, RB, Baltimore (vs. Pittsburgh)

There’s never any telling who the Ravens’ leading rusher will be from week to week. Why bother guessing at all against the NFL’s top run defense?

Kevin Walter, WR, Houston (vs. Tennessee)

The Titans have allowed a league-low two TDs to wide receivers.

START

Kyle Orton, QB, Chicago (vs. New Orleans)

The Saints are allowing 231 yards per game through the air.

Dominic Rhodes, RB, Indianapolis (vs. Detroit)

Both the Titans’ and Vikings’ No. 2 backs had nice games vs. the Lions in recent weeks.

Lee Evans, WR, Buffalo (vs. Jets)

The erratic Evans should be fine against the league’s 31st-ranked pass defense.

CC Sabathia agrees to join Yankees

Wednesday December 10, 2008 6:19 AM By Mae Cheng

The courtship is over and the Yankees have got their man.

CC Sabathia has told the Yankees that he wants to pitch for them, according to published reports. The team said it is "extraordinarily optimistic" that an agreement will be reached for a seven-year/$160 million deal.

The two sides are still finalizing the details, but some of the money will likely be deferred, Newsday is reporting.

The deal would make Sabathia the highest paid starting pitcher.

Met fans rejoice: You've got K-Rod

Tuesday December 9, 2008 4:01 PM By Pete Catapano

By Pete Catapano

Once he passes his physical K-Rod will be a Met, reports say

After weeks of rumors, the Mets have finally reached a deal with star closer, Francisco Rodriguez, ESPN is reporting. The deal is worth $37 million over three years.

This is a huge win for the Mets for two reasons: They're bullpen was a disaster last year, plus they landed K-Rod for three years rather than the risky five he wanted.

Last season, K-Rod broke the major league record for saves by recording 62. Just 26, Rodriguez has posted at least 40 saves in the last four seasons. He will be taking the place of BIlly Wagner, who's recovering from elbow surgery in the last year of his contract.

This could be the happiest day for Mr. Met since he got to meet former French Culture Minister Jack Lang in 2007.

How the Yankees can lure CC Sabathia to sign with them

Monday December 8, 2008 2:07 PM By Max J. Dickstein

The big guns will have to come out to lure pitching behemoth CC Sabathia. (Photo: RJ Mickelson/amNY)

Report: Mets offer K-Rod three-year deal

Monday December 8, 2008 1:35 PM By Pete Catapano

Although Francisco Rodriguez is looking for a five-year deal, the Mets have offered the coveted closer just a three-year deal, MLB.com reports. The Mets are also still looking as Brian Fuentes as a plan B. The short deal is surprising considering how the Amazin's awful bullpen cost them to miss the playoff last season, plus now they have no closer at all with Billy Wagner recovering from surgery.

Plaxico Burress and Stephon Marbury cloud New York sports optimism

Monday December 8, 2008 8:17 AM By Max J. Dickstein

Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress is suspended for the rest of the season. (Getty Images)

By Budd Mishkin

Remember the good times in New York sports, when all seemed optimistic and the outlook for the upcoming winter was bright? Remember those halcyon days three weeks ago?

The Giants and Jets were playing beautifully, the Rangers had the best record in the NHL and the Knicks had started to emerge from the abyss of the last seven years.

And then? Plaxico Burress and the Giants. Stephon Marbury and the Knicks. Two completely different situations, but together they've managed to make this a not so jolly time to be a sports fan in New York, with the front and back pages awash in negativity. Some happy holidays.

If you're looking for another dissection of the Plaxico Burress shooting case and all of its implications, look somewhere else. I actually have this ridiculous notion that we should let the justice system play out and render a verdict before columnists do.

That may not be the sexiest opinion to have, especially in this 24-hour sports talk/news world when immediate opinions are required and due process is a legal term best left to others. The Burress case may seem pretty open-and-shut, with even the Mayor chiming in.But we've seen previous cases when we thought we knew all of the details, and the result turned out differently than the public's initial verdict. Do the words Duke lacrosse ring a bell? Entirely different types of cases, but you get the picture. The football field is a place for quick reads and reactions. The legal system isn't.

We can judge right now that the Giants are a lesser team without Plaxico Burress. But our legal judgment of him should wait.

And then there's Steph and the Knicks. So many people in the city have relationship problems. Why should our basketball team be any different?

The divorce was proceeding quietly until the trades to free up cap space to sign You Know Who required more bodies in Knick uniforms. It also precipitated the most parsing of words in recent New York sports history. Did coach Mike D’Antoni "demand" or "request" that Steph play? It's easy to get on Steph, even if his $15 sneakers idea is one of the coolest moves by any modern athlete. The team hasn't won since he's been here, he's never helped himself with his public comments and he makes a boatload of money (his $21 million this season is more than Walt Frazier made in his entire career. Think about that for a second).

But on the first night when Steph refused/politely requested not to play, I found myself siding with him. "We don't want you, we don't want you, we don't need you ... Hey, we need you, can you help us out?" True, the Knicks were still paying him, but Marbury knew they had little use for him in the future. Imagine if Marbury said yes and then went out that night and tore an ACL. Then he's done with the Knicks and any other team that might be interested.

And it does no good to say, "Hey, I can't beg out and still get paid at my job."

In a perfect world, the rules for all employees in all

industries would be the same. Suffice it to say, this ain't that perfect world.

And yet I still can't bring myself to side with Marbury, even if his argument makes sense on some levels. If he'd agreed to play and had played well, it would have been a win-win for Marbury, improving his marketability to other interested NBA teams. But in the end, my feelings aren't really about who said what and the relationship between

Marbury and the Knicks. It's simply a case of too much losing and negativity through the years. We wanted change, we're getting it, even if some toes are getting stepped on in the process. To paraphrase the old story about then-Pirates general manager Branch Rickey when he considered trading slugger Ralph Kiner, "We finished in last place with you Steph, and we can finish in last place without you."

The Burress and Marbury stories haven't exactly had Happy Holidays written all over them. Not to worry. The game's the thing, and if the locals win, the good times will be back. It will be like three weeks ago all over again.

Appreciating Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, winner of the 2008 Ballon D'Or award

Wednesday December 3, 2008 9:00 AM By Max J. Dickstein

Cristiano Ronaldo (Getty Images)

By Andrew Keh

On Tuesday morning, Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United’s electric Portuguese winger, was awarded the Ballon d’Or as Europe’s top player in 2008.

Disregarding the plain fact that awards such as the “Golden Ball,” awarded by France Football magazine, are inherently a bit ridiculous, this one happens to be quite prestigious. Ronaldo’s central role in United’s dreamlike 2008 campaign made the Ballon D’Or announcement a mere formality, but the honor still occasioned a predictable backlash from the grumpy men who help comprise the game’s punditry.

Ronaldo, who led United to Champions League and Premier League titles this season, is a polarizing figure, criticized for diving and favoring extraneous trickery over team play.

Ever since “Crash” won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2005, I’ve learned not to take industry awards so seriously. And while “Crash” was an utter fiasco, Ronaldo is a joy to watch. His 42 goals last season, moreover, were hardly extraneous; soccer goals are precious.

Having recently rewatched Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno’s excellent 2006 film, “Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait,” my mind is quick to make associations between Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane, perhaps the greatest player of his era.

The retired Frenchman, Zidane, seemed to play the game at his own leisurely speed, shifting himself and the ball past players who lacked his skills in spatial reasoning.

Viewing Ronaldo is a wholly different experience. His pace is exhilarating, leaving his audience gasping for air, to say nothing for his opponents. Ronaldo has little of Zidane’s seductive smoothness. The winger’s movements — his awkward, upright gait and even his most playful tricks — appear as acts of great exertion.

As a reverent Frenchman at a soccer pub in Manhattan once told me, “Zidane is the teacher.” Ronaldo, then, is the petulant child. The 23-year-old seems never to have matured beyond the self-centered, winning-is-everything mentality that plagues some pampered children.

Were he not an athlete, Ronaldo might be deemed a sociopath. But on a soccer field, this can be a virtue. What is so infuriating to Ronaldo’s critics, perhaps, is that he generally gets his way.

Ronaldo is denigrated for falling easily, but his resilience is even more remarkable considering that his dribbling elicits more trips and takedowns than a judo tournament. Each time Ronaldo charges into a pack a defenders, I hold my breath, knowing that were he to get chopped down and injured, I’d lose a valuable source of entertainment for some indeterminable amount of time.

But Ronaldo seems to have no such concerns, and for this he will surely continue to collect goals, and prizes, with a maddeningly childish singularity of mind.

Fantasy football: All-Surprise Team

Tuesday December 2, 2008 2:40 PM By Ryan Chatelain

The Saints' Lance Moore is the eight-best fantasy receiver this season. (Photo by Getty Images)

You can read all the magazines and Web sites, crunch statistics and stress over questions like “L.T. or A.P.?” But every year, there’s a batch of fantasy studs who few had on their draft-day radar.

As the fantasy season winds down, here is my annual All-Surprise Team.

Quarterback

Following early-season growing pains, the Patriots’ Matt Cassel developed into a quality fantasy starter in the injured Tom Brady’s absence. Cassel’s stats — 2,784 passing yards, 13 TDs and 10 interceptions — won’t wow anyone. But thanks in part to his rushing numbers (200 yards, two TDs), Cassel has been the eighth-best fantasy quarterback in standard scoring leagues.Running Backs

During the preseason, rookie Steve Slaton was behind three other running backs on Houston’s depth chart. When injuries forced Slaton into action, he amassed 1,154 yards of offense and nine TDs, making him the eighth-best fantasy back.

Derrick Ward has quietly assembled the 22nd-best fantasy year among running backs. The Giants’ No. 2 back has rushed for 630 yards, with another 371 yards gained as a receiver.

Wide Receivers

New Orleans’ Lance Moore became Drew Brees’ favorite target when No. 1 receiver Marques Colston missed five games earlier this season. But Moore continued to put up big numbers even after Colston’s return, with 59 catches, 739 yards and eight touchdowns. Moore is the ninth-most productive fantasy receiver.

Most fantasy owners assumed that Houston’s Kevin Walter had 800 yards receiving in 2007 only because Andre Johnson missed seven games with a bum knee, so many steered clear of Walter on draft day. Johnson, however, has stayed healthy this year, and Walter ranks No. 16 among fantasy receivers with 705 yards and seven scores.

Tight End

Seahawks rookie John Carlson has been the seventh-best fantasy tight end, with 456 yards and three TDs. His 105-yard game against Dallas on Sunday proved that quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who recently returned to the lineup, likes looking Carlson’s way — a sign that Carlson could be in for an even bigger 2009.

Kicker

No one ever doubted Jason Elam’s ability, but entering 2008, it was thought that Atlanta, which went 4-12 in 2007, wouldn’t score many points. On the contrary, the 8-4 Falcons have provided their three-time Pro Bowler with plenty of scoring opportunities, and he has connected on 24 of 26 field goal attempts. He ranks third among fantasy kickers.

Defense

The Jets don’t spring to mind when naming the NFL’s best defenses. But Gang Green is fourth in the league at stopping the run, has forced 21 turnovers and has scored four defensive TDs. Add it all up, and the Jets are the ninth-best fantasy “D.”