Andrew Luck Retires

Six years. That's how long Andrew Luck played in the National Football League. When he was healthy, he had a bright future as one of the best young quarterbacks in all of football. Then out of nowhere. its gone. Last night Andrew Luck surprised everybody by announcing his retirement from the NFL.

It sucks the way his career has gone down. Luck was taken first overall during the 2012 NFL Draft, but hasn't had much luck as he has battled injuries throughout his seven NFL seasons. Most recently, Luck has had a lingering calf issue that held him out for much of the offseason. Luck led the Colts to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons before the injury issues began in earnest. He battled rib and shoulder issues for much of 2015 and 2016, then sat out the entire 2017 season after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery. Luck returned in 2018 and, after a slow start, looked very much like his former self for much of the year.

\When he played, he had some pretty good offensive numbers. His best year was 2014, when he went 11-5, throwing for 4,716 yards and 40 touchdowns. He finished his career with a 53-33 record, and had winning records in four of his six starting season, including going 11-5 in each of his first three years. He threw for 23,671 yards, with 171 touchdowns and 83 interceptions.

According to NFL Writer Zak Keffer, here's a list of the injuries that Luck has had to deal with over the last six years in the NFL: Torn cartilage in 2 ribs, partially torn abdomen, a lacerated kidney that left him peeing blood, at least 1 concussion, a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, and this mysterious calf/ankle issue that led to this.

I really do feel bad for Andrew Luck, he had a bright future of leading the Colts ahead of him and he goes and calls it a career. The problem is, Luck hasn't gotten much protection over the last few years from his offensive line, and has taken a physical beating because of it. That could be a possible cause of the resulting injuries that Luck had during his career.

The fans who had the gaul to boo Luck yesterday during the Colts pre season game was a little embarrassing. I know it's not the way you wanted to lose your starting QB, but come on man. He's given everything he's had in his six years in Indy, and that's how you thank him is a little upsetting from where I sit. I understand it's leaving the team in a bit of a bad spot, but he did what he had to do to be there for his family and his future health.

Now the big quesiton is, what can the Colts do to replace Luck under center. Right now it appears to be Jacoby Brissett, who was acquired from the New England Patriots in a trade prior to the 2017 season. Brissett started 15 of Indianapolis' 16 games in 2017, completing 59 percent of his passes at an average of 6.6 yards per attempt, while throwing for 13 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. The Colts went 4-11 in those games, eventually landing the No. 3 overall pick in the draft.

It makes one wonder now just how good the Colts may end up looking in the division the=is year.

XFL Teams Announced

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Football leagues can be a hard thing to figure. Of course, the NFL is the biggest and best thing going today in the football world. Any other league that tries to compete with it has failed. The only one that's been able to hang around is Arena football, but even that's a stretch. Vince McMahon tried once already and failed. Now he's trying again.

Vince tried this exact league in 2001, but it folded after just one season. It was a horrible idea, so maybe things have been figured out for this league. We will have eight teams make up the league this year, which is set to kick off the week after the Super Bowl.

The teams, and cities, have been announced. They are:

Dallas Renegades (Globe Life Park in Arlington)
D.C. Defenders (Audi Field)
Houston Roughnecks (TDECU Stadium)
Los Angeles Wildcats (Dignity Health Sports Park)
New York Guardians (MetLife Stadium)
Seattle Dragons (CenturyLink Field)
St. Louis BattleHawks (The Dome at America's Center)
Tampa Bay Vipers (Raymond James Stadium)

All eight head coach jobs have been filled for the upstart league: Bob Stoops (Dallas), Jim Zorn (Seattle), Jonathan Hayes (St. Louis), June Jones (Houston), Kevin Gilbride (New York), Marc Trestman (Tampa Bay) and Pep Hamilton (Washington, D.C.)

The biggest difference between the last go around and this formation is lack of wrestling tie ins. Vince has a company that is totally separate from what he does with WWE and that company will be handling the XFL.

I really hope, for Vince's sake, that this isn't another failed business venture. Here's hoping that he gets this right for this time around with the XFL!

Polar Bear Power In Queens

Polar Bear power is taking over in Queens. Pete Alonso has been crushing the baseball at an alarming pace this season. He's already set the National League record for home runs in a season by a rookie. By the time the season comes to an end, Pete has a chance to set the Major League rookie record for homers. He's going to do it one swing at a time.

His home run against the Royals on Sunday was a majestic, record setting shot:


Even though he hasn't been hitting them near the same pace he did in the first half of the year, the fact that Alonso has 40 is an eye popping umber.

It has set a couple of records. Its the most by a rookie in the National League, and the 3rd most ever by a rookie in the history of the game. The only two rookies who have hit more than Alonso in a year were Mark McGuire of the Athletics with 49 in 1987 and Aaron Judge of the Yankees with 52 in 2017. The National League record had been 39 home runs by Cody Bellinger two years ago. Bellinger even congratulated Alonso over twitter after his home run.

This also joined Alonso in some pretty elite company within the Mets. He becomes only the 4th player in a Mets uniform to hit 40 or more in a season. He joins Todd Hundley (41 in 1196), Mike Piazza (40 in 1999) and Carlos Beltran (41 in 2006).

With some of the great hitters that this Mets organization have had, its a shock that Alonso is only the 4th in a Mets uniform to ever reach that number. He shouldn't have a problem passing Beltran and Hundley for the team record and I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes the first Mets player ever to reach the magical 50 mark.

So congrats to Pete Alonso for becoming the first NL Rookie and only the 40 Mets player to crack 40 or more home runs in a season!

Put Him In The Hall

Put it in the books! It's a phrase that Mets fans have heard after every New York victory since 1995. He's done and seen it all, or almost all of it, in his time calling Mets games on TV and Radio. For all his hard work and dedication to his coverage of the Mets, Howie is getting inducted into the New York Baseball Hall of Fame in November. Rose will be honored at an induction ceremony on November 3 in Troy, NY.

Lets go a little further back in the career of Howie Rose. he started out on WFAN when the Fan first signed on the air. He began his coverage of the Mets starting back in 1987. Howie held various roles including host of "Mets Extra," pregame and postgame host for Mets broadcasts. During the baseball offseason, Howie was the play-by-play voice for New York Rangers hockey. After that long run, Howie moved to TV, doing play by play for New York on FOX Sports New York/MSG from 1996 to 2003. Around that same time, Howie stuck with hockey, calling New York Islanders games for Fox Sports New York from 1995 to 2016.

Rose has been honored for his career in broadcasting, including two Emmy Awards, a Broadcast Media Award from the Nassau County Sports Commission, a Dick Young Award from the New York Baseball Scouts and a New York State Sports Broadcasters Award. Rose was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2012.

Howie is one of the very best at calling baseball games, and hockey as well. He knows how to be able to paint a word picture that so few in the sports world can. He's been on the call for some of the great moments in Mets history. He had the call of Mike Piazza's epic post 9/11 blast on TV. He had the call on radio of Johan's no hitter in 2012. He's called every major moment in David Wright's career.

Baseball has been the soundtrack to summer for a lot of people. New York has been a strong market in the sport and, for Mets fans, in some way shape or form, Howie Rose has been THE voice for it (along with Gary Cohen). he's left many lasting memories for Mets fans with just his call.

For me personally, this is a huge honor as Howie is one of the reasons I wanted to get into broadcasting. The way he was able to paint the picture and the energy he brings to every broadcast, no matter how good or bad the Mets are, is just infectious. He's a reason I get behind a mic and do what I do. This is a huge honor and couldn't happen to a better broadcaster.

NBA Schedule Announced

It's going down. The 74th season in the history of the National Basketball Association is almost upon us. It's time to start marking the dates down now, the schedule is out. There's a lot to look forward to this basketball season. So lets dive right into it. Before we get into the local schedules, here's some other notable games from around the rest of the league.

October 22nd: New Orleans Pelicans @ Toronto Raptors
This one should have been an easy pick, it the night the Raptors raise their first ever championship banner in team history.

November 27th: Los Angeles Lakers @ New Orleans Pelicans
This will mark Anthony Davis first game back in New Orleans since ditching them for Los Angeles. It's going to be an interesting matchup to see how the Pelicans fans are going to react to him coming back in this contest in late November.

December 11th: Los Angeles Clippers @ Toronto Raptors
This should be easy to figure out, it's Kawhi Leonard's first game back in Toronto since leaving for LA after delivering the NBA Crown to the Raptors.

Now here's the locals.

OCTOBER
Oct 23 vs Minnesota 7:30 PM
Oct 25 vs New York 7:30 PM
Oct 27 @ Memphis 6:00 PM
Oct 30 vs Indiana 7:30 PM

NOVEMBER
Nov 1 vs Houston 7:00 PM
Nov 2 @ Detroit 7:00 PM
Nov 4 vs New Orleans 7:30 PM
Nov 8 @ Portland 10:00 PM
Nov 10 @ Phoenix 8:00 PM
Nov 12 @ Utah 9:00 PM
Nov 14 @ Denver 10:30 PM
Nov 16 @ Chicago 6:00 PM
Nov 18 vs Indiana 7:30 PM
Nov 20 vs Charlotte 7:30 PM
Nov 22 vs  Sacramento 7:30 PM
Nov 24 @ New York 6:00 PM
Nov 25 @ Cleveland 7:00 PM
Nov 27 @ Boston 7:00 PM
Nov 29 vs Boston 12:00 PM

DECEMBER
Dec 1 vs Miami 3:00 PM
Dec 4 @ Atlanta 7:30 PM
Dec 6 @ Charlotte 7:00 PM
Sun, Dec 8 vs Denver 3:00 PM
Dec 11 vs Charlotte 7:30 PM
Dec 14 @ Toronto 7:30 PM
Dec 15 vs Philadelphia 6:00 PM
Dec 17 @ New Orleans 8:00 PM
Dec 19 @ San Antonio 8:30 PM
Dec 21 vs Atlanta 6:00 PM
Dec 26 vs New York 8:00 PM
Dec 28 @ Houston 8:00 PM
Dec 30 @ Minnesota 8:00 PM

JANUARY
Jan 2 @ Dallas Dallas 8:30 PM
Jan 4 vs Toronto 6:00 PM
Mon, Jan 6 @ Orlando 7:00 PM
Jan 7 vs  Oklahoma City 7:30 PM
Jan 10 vs Miami 7:30 PM
Jan 12 vs Atlanta 6:00 PM
Jan 14 vs Utah 7:30 PM
Jan 15 @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Jan 18 vs Milwaukee 6:00 PM
Jan 20 vs Philadelphia 3:00 PM
Jan 23 vs Los Angeles Lakers 8:00 PM
Jan 25 @ Detroit 7:00 PM
Jan 26 @ New York 6:00 PM
Jan 29 vs Detroit 7:30 PM
Jan 31 vs Chicago 7:30 PM

FEBRUARY
Feb 1 @ Washington 8:00 PM
Feb 3 vs Phoenix 7:30 PM
Feb 5 vs Golden State 7:30 PM
Feb 8 @ Toronto 7:30 PM
Feb 10 @ Indiana 7:00 PM
Feb 12 vs Toronto 7:30 PM
Feb 20 @ Philadelphia 8:00 PM
Feb 22 @ Charlotte 7:00 PM
Feb 24 vs Orlando 7:30 PM
Feb 26 @ Washington 7:00 PM
Feb 28 @ Atlanta 7:30 PM
Feb 29 @ Miami 7:30 PM

MARCH
Mar 3 @ Boston 7:30 PM
Mar 4 vs Memphis 7:30 PM
Mar 6 vs San Antonio 7:30 PM
Mar 8 vs Chicago 3:00 PM
Mar 10 @ Los Angeles Lakers 10:30 PM
Mar 12 @ Golden State 10:30 PM
Mar 13 @ LA Clippers 10:30 PM
Mar 15 @ Sacramento 9:00 PM
Mar 18 vs Washington 7:30 PM
Mar 21 vs Boston 6:00 PM
Mar 23 vs Orlando 7:30 PM
Mar 25 vs LA Clippers 7:00 PM
Mar 27 @ Orlando 7:00 PM
Mar 28 vs Cleveland 6:00 PM
Mar 30 vs Portland 7:30 PM

APRIL
Apr 1 vs Detroit Detroit 7:30 PM
Apr 3 @ Indiana 7:00 PM
Apr 5 vs Dallas 6:00 PM
Apr 7 @ Oklahoma City 8:00 PM
Apr 9 @ Milwaukee 8:00 PM
Apr 11 @ Chicago 8:00 PM
Apr 13 @ Cleveland 7:00 PM
Apr 15 vs Milwaukee 7:30 PM

OCTOBER
Oct 23 @ San Antonio 8:30 PM
Oct 25 @ Brooklyn 7:30 PM
Oct 26 vs Boston 7:30 PM
Oct 28 vs Chicago 7:00 PM
Oct 30 @ Orlando 7:00 PM

NOVEMBER
Nov 1 @ Boston 7:30 PM
Nov 3 vs Sacramento 6:00 PM
Nov 6 @ Detroit 7:00 PM
Nov 8 @ Dallas 8:30 PM
Nov 10 vs Cleveland 7:30 PM
Nov 12 @ Chicago 8:00 PM
Nov 14 vs Dallas 8:00 PM
Nov 16 vs Charlotte 7:30 PM
Nov 18 vs Cleveland 7:00 PM
Nov 20 @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Nov 23 vs San Antonio 7:30 PM
Nov 24 vs Brooklyn 6:00 PM
Nov 27 @ Toronto 7:30 PM
Nov 29 vs Philadelphia 7:30 PM

DECEMBER
Dec 1 vs Boston 3:30 PM
Dec 2 @ Milwaukee 8:00 PM
Dec 5 vs Denver 7:30 PM
Dec 7 vs Indiana 7:30 PM
Dec 10 @ Portland 10:00 PM
Dec 11 @ Golden State 10:30 PM
Dec 13 @ Sacramento 10:00 PM
Dec 15 @ Denver 8:00 PM
Dec 17 vs Atlanta 7:30 PM
Dec 20 @ Miami 8:00 PM
Dec 21 vs Milwaukee 7:30 PM
Dec 23 vs Washington 7:00 PM
Dec 26 @ Brooklyn 8:00 PM
Dec 28 @ Washington 8:00 PM

JANUARY
Jan 1 vs Portland 7:30 PM
Jan 3 @ Phoenix 9:00 PM
Jan 5 @ Los Angeles Clippers 3:30 PM
Jan 7 @ Los Angeles Lakers 10:30 PM
Jan 8 @ Utah 9:00 PM
Jan 10 vs New Orleans 8:00 PM
Jan 12 vs Miami 3:30 PM
Jan 14 @ Milwaukee 8:00 PM
Jan 16 vs Phoenix 7:30 PM
Jan 18 vs Philadelphia 7:30 PM
Jan 20 @ Cleveland 5:00 PM
Jan 22 vs Los Angeles Lakers 7:30 PM
Jan 24 vs Toronto 7:30 PM
Jan 26 vs Brooklyn 6:00 PM
Jan 28 @ Charlotte 7:00 PM
Jan 29 vs Memphis 7:30 PM

FEBRUARY
Feb 1 @ Indiana 7:00 PM
Feb 3 @ Cleveland 7:00 PM
Feb 6 vs Orlando 7:30 PM
Feb 8 @ Detroit 7:00 PM
Feb 9 @ Atlanta 6:00 PM
Feb 12 vs Washington 7:30 PM
Feb 21 vs Indiana 7:30 PM
Feb 24 @ Houston 8:00 PM
Feb 26 @ Charlotte 7:00 PM
Feb 27 @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Feb 29 vs Chicago 5:00 PM

MARCH
Mar 2 vs Houston 7:00 PM
Mar 4 vs Utah 7:30 PM
Mar 6 vs Oklahoma City 7:30 PM
Mar 8 vs Detroit 7:30 PM
Mar 10 @ Washington 7:00 PM
Mar 11 @ Atlanta 7:30 PM
Mar 13 @ Miami 8:00 PM
Mar 17 vs Charlotte 7:30 PM
Mar 18 @ Boston 7:30 PM
Mar 21 vs Golden State 7:30 PM
Mar 23 vs Los Angeles Clippers 7:00 PM
Mar 25 vs Toronto 7:30 PM
Mar 27 @ New Orleans 8:00 PM
Mar 28 @ Chicago 8:00 PM

APRIL
Apr 1 @ Memphis 8:00 PM
Apr 3 vs Minnesota 7:30 PM
Apr 5 vs Miami 5:00 PM
Apr 8 vs Orlando 7:30 PM
Apr 10 @ Oklahoma City 8:00 PM
Apr 12 @ Toronto 6:00 PM
Apr 14 vs Detroit 7:30 PM
Apr 15 @ Minnesota 7:30 PM

Belmont Park Is Happening

Rejoice Islanders fans! It's going to happen. The announcement came down earlier this afternoon. Belmont Park will be the home of the New York Islanders!

The news came down Thursday during the Empire State Development meeting, when the board unanimously approved the decision to move forward to build a 19,000-seat arena at Belmont Park. The arena will cost an estimated $1.3 billion. The Islanders remain confident in being on schedule in order to open up their new arena for the 2020-21 season. According to Newsday's Jim Baumbach, the Franchise Oversight Board still needs to approve the plan. Lawsuits could also arise at any moment in an attempt to thwart the project. If everything goes in the Islanders' way, a groundbreaking ceremony could soon be on the way to commemorate the historic moment.

Once the plans come together and they finally break ground, that will be an event that will be a sight for sore eyes for Islanders fans to get the franchise back on stable ground here where they belong.And this could be huge for the Islanders for a number of reasons.

First and foremost it gives them a stable place to play in an actually arena built for hockey. No disrespect to Barclays center but I've said this all the time, it's not and has never been a hockey rink. I'm glad the Islanders were able to set up shop there. But since the fact that Barclays isn't built for hockey, and the fact that the Isles have to split time between there and Nassau Coliseum until Belmont is build, makes it hard, in my mind, to attract free agents. Some guys might not want to play here right now because of Barclays and bouncing around between rinks.

Now that Islanders fans know that the building has been approved, I think I can speak for some, if not most, when i say it will be so nice to get into a barn of our very own. We will rock the place as loud as we did the old Coliseum during the glory years.


YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!

Things Heating Up In Queens

Who would have thought, a little over a month ago, that the New York Mets would be doing what they're doing. It's so close you can almost taste it. When we hit the All Star Break, the Mets looked dead in the water for a playoff spot. Now here we sit, the Mets are just a game back of the final Wild Card Spot, with a little less than two months to go in the regular season. Could it be possible? Can the Mets pull it off and make the Playoffs?

If the past two plus weeks are any indication, it is a distinct possibility. In the 2nd half of the season, the Mets have already had three winning streaks, a four game stretch (July 13-17), a seven game streak (July 25th-August 1st) and are now riding a six game winning streak after today's victory over the Marlins. And they been doing it against teams that, in reality, they should be beating. The big surprise was a pair of wins over the AL Central leading Twins in Minnesota in the middle of July. What's been behind the turnaround for the Mets in the second half?

They've been getting plenty of contributions. One downside, I hate to bring it up, is Pete Alonso, who's been struggling at the plate in the 2nd half. Alonso is hitting just .189 since the all-star break. Yes he does have seven dingers and 15 RBI, but I've been saying this for a while now, the home run derby I feel threw him off. He's been fighting the ball since the break instead of just letting the game come to him. Then there's the case of Robinson Cano, who a part of me feels bad for. Since the Break, Cano was hitting .289 with six homers and 14 driven in and with the way he was swinging the bat, it looked like Mets fans were finally getting the Cano that had earned that large contract. Then he got hurt, tearing his hamstring, that's causing him to miss six weeks. Cano and Alsonso's play as of late proves why the eye test in baseball can tell so much more than just reading the box score.

With Cano out and Alonso starting to slump, other guys are starting to step their play up at the right time. Both JD Davis and Amed Rosario have been hitting the cover off the ball since the break, both hitting well over .300. Rosario has smacked 32 hits since the break, the most on the Mets in that time frame. Then you have Michael Conforto, who's been coming along with the power stroke. He's smacked nine dinngers and driven in twenty since the break.

It's not just the hitting keeping New York in the race, the pitching staff has found its footing. New York has the lowest pen ERA at 2.75 since the break. And to help the cause even more is the fact that the starters are showing what we Mets fans have known all along, just how good they really are. Jake has won three of his five starts and has an ERA just above one, looking like he did last year when he won his Cy Young Award. Noah, who had been thrown out there in trade rumors, has come around in his last couple starts. going 2-1 with a 1.78 ERA and looking like the guy the Mets first traded for. Sure, Edwin Diaz has had his struggles, he's had that problem most of the year. Seth Lugo is starting to emerge as a guy who could help take some of that pressure off Diaz in close games late.

Now is really the test of the schedule for the Mets. They have three this weekend with the Nats at home before going to Atlanta for three. That road trip continues with three in Kansas City, which in theory should be easier. Then they return home to Play Cleveland, Atlanta and the Cubs heading into Labor Day Weekend.

The next couple of weeks will be a real big test for the Mets and they are going to need a little help to be able to make the playoffs/ But if the last two weeks have been any indication, this is going to be a lot of fun going down the stretch.