My9 Sports

Plaxico hearing adjournment comment

russsalzberg — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:48:16 +0000

PLAXICO BURRESS HAD HIS GUN POSSESSION CASE ADJOURNED TODAY AND AS EXPECTED BOTH SIDES AGREED TO THE NEXT COURT DATE BEING JUNE 15TH. BUT THAT COULD CHANGE OF COURSE, SHOULD A PLEA DEAL BE REACHED BEFORE THEN.

AS FOR PLAXICO PLAYING FOR THE GIANTS IN 2009, HIS LAWYER BEN RAFMAN SAID,”IT’S NOT MY DECISION. IT’S THE GIANTS’ DECISION AND PLAXICO’S DECISION. IT’S NOT A LEGAL DECISION.IT’S A SPORTS DECISION.”

BUT LET’S PUT IT THIS WAY, THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS GOING ON HERE WILL HAVE ALOT TO DO WITH HOW THE GIANTS MAKE THEIR “SPORTS” DECISION.THE TEAM DOESN’T WANT THIS MESS HANGING OVER THEIR HEADS ANY LONGER. AND THAT BEING THE CASE, I THINK TODAY’S ADJOURNMENT TILL JUNE, WILL CAUSE THE GIANTS TO PART WAYS WITH PLAXICO. AND BY PARTING WAYS, I MEAN CUTTING HIM FROM THE TEAM.

THEY’VE GOT THE NFL DRAFT COMING UP ON APRIL 25TH. THE GIANTS HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD. SO UNLESS SOME MIRACLE PLEA DEAL WITHOUT JAIL TIME IS REACHED WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. PLAXICO BURRESS HAS PLAYED HIS LAST GAME FOR THE BIG BLUE. TAKE IT TO THE BANK. THAT’S THE WAY I SEE IT. WHAT DO YOU THINK? LET ME KNOW.

Plaxico Take

russsalzberg — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:39:42 +0000

FOOTBALL BUSINESS. AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD GIANTS’ WIDE RECEIVER PLAXICO BURRESS WILL BE IN COURT TOMORROW; FOR THE SIMPLE REASON OF GETTING A QUICK ADJOURNMENT ON HIS GUN POSSESSION CASE. HIS ATTORNEY WOULD NOT SAY WHETHER OR NOT THE ADJOURNMENT IS FOR A PLEA DEAL TO BE REACHED.

YOU CAN BET IT IS. THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY IS BEN BRAFMAN. HE IS ONE OF THE VERY BEST. PLAXICO HIRED TO HIM SO HE CAN STAY OUT OF JAIL. WHETHER THAT CAN BE DONE REMAINS TO BE SEEN. TAKE PLAXICO AND THEREFORE PLAXICO’S FUTURE WITH GIANTS, ALSO REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

PLAXICO BURRESS IS AN ENORMOUS TALENT. EVERBODY KNOWS IT, ESPECIALLY THE GIANTS. THEY DON’T WIN THE SUPER BOWL TWO SEASONS AGO WITHOUT HIM!

IF JAIL TIME IS IN HIS FUTURE, THAN HIS FUTURE WITH GIANTS IS MORE THAN LIKELY…OVER.

LET’S SAY A DEAL IS REACHED FOR PLAXICO TO SPEND THREE MONTHS IN JAIL. AT BEST, I THINK HIS CHANCES OF REMAINING WITH THE TEAM WOULD BE 50-50. BUT ANY TIME LONGER THAN THAT AND I THINK THE GIANTS WOULD SAY “SORRY PLAX, BUT WE’VE GOT TO LET YOU GO.” ONE THING I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, THE GIANTS WANT THIS RESOLVED AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. THEY DON’T WANT TO GO INTO THE 2009 SEASON WITH IT HOVERING OVER THEIR HEADS.

Russ on Alex saying not many people like him

russsalzberg — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 23:45:37 +0000

IN OTHER YANKEE BUSINESS, ALEX RODRIGUEZ IN AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL KAY FOR THE YES NETWORK SAYS THAT HE DOESN’T WANT TO SEE THE NAMES RELEASED OF THE OTHER 103 PLAYERS WHO ALSO TESTED POSITIVE FOR USING PERFROMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS, YOU’LL RECALL WAS OUTED BY SPORTS ILLUSTRATED REPORTER SELENA ROBERTS.

ALSO IN THE INTERVIEW ALEX WAS ASKED BY MICHAEL KAY IF HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE NOT LIKING HIM, TO WHICH ALEX RESPONDED “I FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE LIKE ME SO I’VE GIVEN UP ON THAT AS LONG AS MY TEAMMATES LIKE ME AND THEY RESPECT ME AND MY TWO DAUGHTERS LOVE THEIR DADDYI’M GOING TO GO OUT AND DO THE VERY BEST I CAN.”

ALEX, ALEX, ALEX,YOU JUST DON’T GET IT. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES…NONE WHATSOEVER…DO YOU BRING UP YOUR LITTLE GIRLS LOVING YOU…TO TRY AND SOFTEN YOUR IMAGE. IT’S WRONG… IT’S CHEAP…IT DOESN’T WORK. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE CHASING AROUND HOOKERS AND MADAMS.A $300-MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT CAN HELP YOU BUT A WHOLE LOT OF

THINGS ALEX. BUT NOT CLASS.

THAT’S WHAT I THINK,

PEOPLE…

WBC Commentary

russsalzberg — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:58:50 +0000

IN WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC BUSINESS; JAPAN SAID SAYONRA TO TEAM USA LAST NITE. THEY KNOCKED THE AMERCIANS OUT OF THE TOURNAMENT WITH A 9-4 VICTORY. NO EXCUSES HERE, THE AMERICANS GOT BEAT FAIR AND SQAURE.

BUT I’LL SAY IT ONE MORE TIME, THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC IS A BAD IDEA…AWFUL IDEA. FIRST AND FORMOST, THE RISK OF INJURY TO PLAYERS FROM ALL COUNTRIES IS FAR TOO GREAT. PLAYERS AT THIS TIME OF YEAR JUST AREN’T IN SHAPE YET TO PERFORM AT THEIR BEST. THAT LEADS TO GUYS GETTING HURT.

SO THE QUESTION NOW BECOMES, WHEN WOULD IT BE A GOOD TIME TO PLAY THIS SO-CALLED “CLASSIC?” THE TRUTH IS THERE ISN’T A GOOD TIME. I’VE ALEADY EXPLAINED WHY THIS TIME OF YEAR STINKS. AND PR-WISE IT’S ALSO BAD BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE MORE INTERESTED IN OTHER THINGS, LIKE MARCH MADNESS. AND YOU CAN’T DO IT DURING THE REGULAR SEASON. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ISN’T GOING TO SHUT DOWN FOR THREE WEEKS. HOW ABOUT AFTER THE SEASON? AGAIN, NO GOOD. ONCE THE WORLD SERIES IS OVER EVERYBODY HAS HAD ENOUGH BASEBALL…THAT INCLUDESTHE PLAYERS. AND AGAIN PR-WISE, THE FOOTBALL SEASON IS IN FULL SWING BY THEN. SO TO ME, THERE’S ONLY ONE OPTION LEFT. SCRAP THE WHOLE DOPEY IDEA.

OH YEAH…IN THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC FINAL GOING ON TONITE….
JAPAN VS SOUTH KOREA..

World Baseball Classic

russsalzberg — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 02:58:51 +0000

SO, AFTER THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR QUITE AWHILE, I’VE COME TO THIS CONCLUSION. THIS WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC, THE WAY IT IS, THE WAY IT’S LAID OUT, IS A BAD IDEA. AWFUL. IT STINKS. FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO TELL ME…. “BUT IT MAKES THE GAME GLOBAL…. BASEBALL IS AN INTERNATIONAL SPORT NOW,” GIVE IT A REST. THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC IS NOTHING BUT A BAD ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

SO I SAY GET RID OF IT NOW. SUPPOSE ROBBIE CANO’S INJURY WAS MUCH MORE SEVERE? HOW ABOUT THIS? WHAT KIND OF OUTCRY DO YOU THINK THERE’D BE AROUND HERE IF LETS SAY, DEREK JETER, BROKE HIS LEG IN THIS SO-CALLED CLASSIC AND WAS FINISHED FOR THE SEASON? THE YANKEES AND THEIR FANS WOULD GO NUTS. SAME GOES FOR THE METS AND THEIR FANS, SHOULD A DAVID WRIGHT OR JOSE REYES BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC IS A BAD IDEA FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF REASONS.

NUMBER ONE….

PLAYERS AREN’T IN SHAPE TO PLAY IN A TRULY INTENSE TOURNAMENT.

NUMBER TWO…..

THE NAME OF THE GAME IS PITCHING, AND THERE ARE LIMITATIONS TO HOW MUCH A PITCHER IS ALLOWED TO PITCH IN THE TOURNAMENT, SO YOU’RE NOT SEEING THE BEST AT THEIR BEST.

NUMBER THREE….

A MANAGER CAN’T MANAGE IF HE’S GOT TO WORRY ABOUT A PLAYER’S FEELINGS. HOW MUCH DO I PLAY THIS GUY? HOW MUCH DO I PLAY THAT GUY?

AND THEN OF COURSE NUMBER FOUR….

THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON….THE RISK OF INJURY.

IT’S JUST NOT WORTH IT.

SO…WHEN THE CURRENT WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC IS OVER, SCRAP IT.

AND LET SPRING TRAINING BE JUST THAT. SPRING TRAINING.

THAT’S HOW I FEEL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Russ on Clemens

russsalzberg — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:22:48 +0000

CLEMENS OF COURSE CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN THAT HE NEVER USED STREOIDS OR HGH. THAT’S WHY WE NOW HAVE A FEDERAL GRAND JURY INVESTIGATING WHETHER

OR NOT CLEMENS LIED TO A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEEE LAST YEAR, WHEN HE DENIED EVER USING ILLEGAL PERFORMANCE ENHANCING SUBSTANCES.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

IT’S A GOOD THING ROGER CLEMENS IS NOT PINNOCHIO. BECAUSE IF HE WAS…. I COULD SEE HIS SHNOZZ GROWING OUT, TO THE SIZE OF A LOUISVILLE SLUGGER BASEBALL BAT.

Russ on cheaters

russsalzberg — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:57:05 +0000

I WAS DRIVING HOME LAST NITE THINKING…. BOY, WE IN THE MEDIA…SURE ARE BUSY USING THE TERM, “CHEATER”… AN AWFUL LOT.

A-ROD’S A CHEATER… ALL STEROID USERS ARE CHEATERS.

I CAN BUY THAT. BUT WE HAVE TO STOP BEING HYPOCRITES.

I NEVER HEARD DOC GOODEN, DARYL STRAWBERRY, OR KEITH

HERNANDEZ CALLED “CHEATERS”. ALL COCAINE USERS.

SAME GOES FOR TIM RAINES AND DAVE PARKER. NEVER CALLED

“CHEATERS”. IN FACT…STRAWBERRY HAS A BOOK COMING OUT….

TELLING HOW MUCH THE 80′S METS…. LOVED THEIR COCAINE.

MAYBE THAT’S WHY THEY ONLY WON…. ONE WORLD SERIES DURING

THAT TIME.

AND GOING BACK FURTHER…. HOW MANY GUYS SUCH AS MICKEY

MANTLE WERE KNOWN TO COME TO A BALLPARK ON MORE THAN ONE

OCCASION…. HUNG OVER? WAS THAT NOT CHEATING?

AND THEY DID IT TO THEIR OWN TEAMMATES? BUT WE NEVER CALLED

THEM “CHEATERS.” DOESN’T SEEM RIGHT.

A-Rod’s Confession

russsalzberg — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:09:25 +0000

ALRIGHT….POINT NUMBER ONE: IF YOU’RE A PARENT… YOU’RE THE ROLE MODEL FOR YOUR KIDS. NOT ALEX RODRIGUEZ……. OR ANY OTHER BALLPLAYER FOR THAT MATTER.

POINT NUMBER TWO: IF YOU’RE ALEX RODRIGUEZ… STOP WITH THIS NOBEL GARBAGE….. ABOUT THIS ALL HAPPENING FOR A BIGGER REASON THAN BASEBALL…. AND GOD PUTTING YOU IN A POSITION NOW…. TO HAVE A FORUM. YOU GOT CAUGHT WITH YOUR PANTS DOWN, ALEX…. SO TAKE YOUR SPANKING LIKE A BIG BOY. AND SPEAKING OF GETTING CAUGHT WITH YOUR PANTS DOWN…. IT BRINGS ME TO POINT NUMBER THREE.THE REASON THE LAST 15 MONTHS HAVE BEEN SO TOUGH FOR YOU…. IS BECAUSE YOU’VE BEEN A SCREW UP, ALEX. FROM CHASING BIMBOS UP IN TORONTO… TO MADONNA… TO YOUR DIVORCE. YOUR FAULT ALEX… NOBODY ELSE.

POINT NUMBER FOUR: ALEX….. YOU SAY YOU USED THAT PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUG….. BECAUSE YOUR WERE IMMATURE AND STUPID? HAS ANYTHING CHANGED? NOT MUCH.AND POINT NUMBER FIVE… IS FOR THE MEDIA AND FANS. WE KNOW ALEX CHEATED. I REPEAT… WE KNOW ALEX CHEATED. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT EXCUSE HE GIVES US… OR DOESN’T GIVE US…. OR HOW HE SPINS IT. WE KNOW ALEX CHEATED. ALEX KNOWS ALEX CHEATED. AND HE GOT CAUGHT.

SO ENOUGH. ALEX HAS ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT DOWN TO HE’S KNEES . LET’S MOVE ON.

A-Rod’s “Confession”

russsalzberg — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:27:45 +0000

I’m going to start right off here by saying…. it was definitely good to hear Alex Rodriguez tell us…… that yes, indeed… he did use performance enhancing drugs.

It’s out front now… so we don’t have to wonder about it. That said…. A-rod, or A-fraud.. or whatever the heck you want to call him….. This guy is a world class phony. If real genuine honesty came up and kissed Alex Rodriguez…. right smack on the lips….. he’d probably throw up… from an allergic reaction, because he doesn’t have a clue how to be genuine… or how to be sincerely honest. With Alex Rodriguez… it’s all about image… and all about covering his keester.

Alex tells us about all the pressure he was under in Texas… during the years from 2001 to 2003. I mean….. that is just grueling to have to live up to a 10-year contract worth $250-million dollars…

Isn’t it. Poor, poor, Alex. Instead of simply coming out and saying… yes I did it….. and yes I’m sorry about it…. Alex has to take it to another level. I quote…. “you get tired of not being yourself…

It feels good to be completely honest…. I’m guilty of being naive…. I’m here to tell the truth…

And of course, my favorite… when one gets caught looking like a snake. “God has a reason”.

For crying out loud, Alex….. man up. I tried to beat the system. I cheated… I lied…. I tried to fool my peers…. I tried to fool you the public… and i tried to fool the people.. who I want to vote me into the hall of fame.

Then Alex… I would’ve felt you were being…. “sincerely honest”

Joe Torre’s Yankee Years Book

russsalzberg — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:23:35 +0000

When asked today why he wrote the book, Joe Torre replied…. “I wanted to celebrate the 12 years I managed in New York”. And I have to tell you…. having read the book… it’s a good read, especially for Yankee fans.

But that said, Joe… Bernie Williams is known as one of your guys. One of your favorites…. who helped you win four World Series Championships. Yet Joe…. you go out of your way…. to make Bernie look like a dopey fool in your book. You tell us how on one occasion…. Bernie left Yankee Stadium… forgetting about his little boy being there with him… and leaving the kid there. And on another occasion.. you tell us how he did the same thing to his wife.

Now personally…. I don’t understand how anybody can do that. But tell me Joe….. how is this relevant to your Yankee years?

How is making Bernie Williams look stupid… relevant?

Also in your book… you tell us Alex Rodriguez was called “A-Fraud”. You say…. not with malice.

Okay…. but he was still called “A-Fraud”.

What you did here, Joe…. was violate the sanctity of a baseball clubhouse. You violated the trust within that clubhouse. Why? I don’t know.

But I do know this, Joe. You’re a smart man. Real smart. You’re not the clueless Joe… people were calling you when you got here. No, you know exactly what you’re doing…. with every move you make.

So my question to you here, Joe….. is this: Who’s looking like a fraud now?