Magic Coming Back In Queens

Its really amazing how fast things can change in the world of sports. Look no further than the case of the New York Mets. Coming out of the all-star break, the team was sitting just four games over .500 and floating around a possible playoff team. Now here we are in the middle of September, the Mets are 19 games over .500, guaranteed to have a winning season since 2008, and have 9.5 game lead (as of this writing) in the division over the Nationals. Since the trades that brought in Kelly Johnson, Juan Uribe and Yoenis Cespedes, this offense has gone from the lowest scoring team in the NL to the highest. This does lead one to wonder is the magic really back in Queens?

Right now I say oh yes the magic is back in Queens at the moment.Looking back to the time around the all-star break, you would have thought, as a Mets fan, that once the team fell behind, that the ballgame was over. There was no offensive life. Now when the Mets fall behind, most Mets fans think that the comeback is on, that no lead is too tough to overtake. Just look at the 15 come from behind wins, which are the most in the Majors, that the Mets have strung together and it really gives the fans something to cheer about in Queens. The last two games have proven that no late inning deficit is too big to overcome. Saturday the Mets took a lead on a Cespedes homer, but the pen gave it back, leading to a tie game. Cespedes struck again in the 9th, grounding into a fielder's choice to shortstop, scoring Kelly Johnson. Johnson had given the Mets the lead back when he knocked in Eric Young Jr with a single. Him scoring on the Cespedes play just padded the lead.

And then there was the win on Sunday against the Braves. Conforto gave the Mets the early lead, but John Niese couldn't hold the lead. The Mets and Braves traded the lead until Atlanta Jumped out to the 7-4 lead in the 8th. Once in the 9th the Mets had two on and two out, with Daniel Murphy at the plate. With two strikes on Murphy, he cracked a three run bomb to tie the ball game and send it to extra innings. Then the Mets took control and scored three more runs to take the game 10-7.

There's just a different vibe around this baseball team over the last few months. It seems as if almost that when fall behind, there's no reason to worry because the offense is going to pick the team up and come through in the clutch. Cespedes has been knocking the cover off the ball since joining the Mets. Cespedes now has 16 homers and 41 RBIs in his first 40 games with the Mets. The Elias Sports Bureau notes that he is only the second player since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920 to switch clubs mid-season and record at least 15 home runs and 40 RBIs within his first 40 games playing for his new team. Hank Sauer was the first to do so with 15 homers and 47 RBIs over his first 40 games for the Cubs in 1949 after being traded by the Reds (WFAN).  It hasn't been just him, although he has indeed been a big factor. The return of David Wright and Travis d'Arnaud have been a big factor. Wilmer Flores has been knocking the cover off the ball since the non-trade. Kirk Nieuwenhuis had a big homerun against Washington earlier this month. It seems on like any given night, a new offensive hero can step up for the team.

Sure there have been some snags. The pitching at times hasn't looked great as of late. Jon Niese has hit a rough patch of giving up five or more runs (he's given up five or more runs in four straight games). Haravey, as has been well documented, is dealing with the innings limit and trying to figure out how to save his arm possibly for the playoffs. deGrom has has his hiccups in his last couple of starts, but is still a steady force in the rotation. Bartolo Colon has been pitching lights out as of late as well, tossing the only complete game of the year (to date) last week against the Nationals.

Everything seems to be falling the Mets way over the last couple of months. The offense is clicking and picking up the team when its needed most. Pitching has been steady as of late. This team has a good groove going right now. Now the question is how far can this team go come October? That question will be answered in about a month or so. For now, this Mets club has the fans believing in this team again. Its fun being a Mets fan again this late in the season. It gives hope in the Orange and Blue again come the post season. The magic is indeed back again for the team in September and its long overdue!

2015 NFL Season Preview

The time has finally arrived. NFL FOOTBALL IS BACK. That's right the 2015 NFL Season is ready to kick off, with a lot at stake this year. Thirty two teams all fighting for the right to hold the Vince Lombardi Trophy high above their heads at Levi Stadium on February 7th. I mean think about what's happened this offseason. Tom Brady gets suspended, then it gets overturned. New England gets set to move on with their star QB back in the mix. The Jets revamp their defense and secondary, plus get some new offensive weapons to work with. Seattle is looking to shake off that bad play calling in the Super Bowl and bounce back. San Francisco is looking to move on from Jim Harbaugh and see how their fare under new head coach Jim Tomsula. We get the debut of the two highly praised QB's from the draft, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.

Also lets not forget some of the new faces in new places. We saw a lot of guys get moved around during the offseason. Just to name a few moves: Darrelle Revis (Patriots) and Antonio Cromartie (Cardinals) both returned to the Jets, Tramon Williams left Packers for Cleveland, and Byron Maxwell went from the Seahawks to the Eagles. Greg Hardy went from the Panthers to the Cowboys, while defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh skipped out on Detroit to head for Miami. Terrance Knighton (Redskins). Nick Fairley (Rams), Dan Williams (Raiders) and Vince Wilfork (Texans) all moved on to new cities. From an offensive perspective, we saw some pretty big names change locations as well. Like guards Mike Iupati (Cardinals), James Carpenter (Jets), and Orlando Franklin (Chargers) were on the move. So too was center Rodney Hudson (Raiders). Then we hit the skilled offensive positions, which saw wide receivers Jeremy Maclin (Chiefs), Eddie Royal (Bears), Torrey Smith (49ers), and Andre Johnson (Colts), plus running backs Demarco Murray (Eagles), Frank Gore (Colts) and Ryan Mathews (Eagles) all head on the move to new cities.

Now then, lets not waste any more time shall we. Here now is how we here at Solly On Sports see the 2015 NFL Season playing out.

NFC East:
Philadelphia Eagles: 10-6*
Chip Kelly has a totally revamped offense to work with from a season ago. They took a step backwards at the QB position by trading Nick Foles for the often Injured Sam Bradford. Then they expect Jordan Matthews to step up in the receiving game, while the job of running the ball will be divided up among DeMarco Murray, Darren Sproles, and Ryan Mathews, which makes it a very lethal combination in the running game. The secondary is improved from a season ago. The changes that were made were good, and good enough to pull off a division title.

Dallas Cowboys: 10-6*
It's going to be a backwards step for the Boys this season. Dallas lost its top back in DeMarco Murray, who's now carrying the load in Philly. Tony Romo, while still a very good QB isn't getting any younger and a defense that's going to be without Greg Hardy for the first month of the year due to suspensions. Dallas is still a good team, but they aren't going to be quite as good as they were a season ago

New York Giants: 9-7
There's still a few question marks with this Giants team. Sure they have an emerging superstar in the form of Odell Beckham Jr. but the question mark is going to be the health of Victor Cruz, who's coming off the knee surgery. Eli Manning is looking to have a bounce back season, but with a few players on his offensive line having moved around, it may make things interesting again for Big Blue. With those question marks, throw in Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams and Shane Vereen running the football. The Giants haven't had much success being able to run the ball the last couple of seasons, so here's hoping Jennings can get healthy and be able to run the ball trouble free this season. Now from the defensive side of the football, there are still some question marks with this team. First, and the biggest one, being Jason Pierre-Paul. How is he going to respond from injury? Will he even play this season, what with the contract dispute and all for the Giants? Then there's the defense as a whole. Last year, they couldn't stop the run to save their lives. This year, they have Steve Spagnuolo returning to take back his defense and try and improve it. The Giants will get above .500 but they are going to be lapped by teams who have a better running game.

Washington Redskins: 3-13
Yes these guys are going to be that bad. Sure they still have Alfred Morris running the ball, while Pierre Garcon and Jordan Reed will be the primary targets in the passing game. But who's going to throw the ball is going to be of much debate. RGIII has been replaced as the starter by Kirk Cousins. The defense looks to be OK at best but considering some the teams that the Redskins are going to be facing this season are going to make this a very tough year in Washington.

NFC North
Green Bay Packers: 12-4*
This year, the Packers looked to be primed to win the NFC North for the 5th year in a row. They took a big hit with the loss of last years top wide receiver in Jordy Nelson going down for the year with a torn ACL. So the team is going to rely a lot on Randall Cobb and Davante Adams. Knowing how well Aaron Rodgers has played the last few seasons, including his MVP year last year, it proves that he can find a way to make it work. In his career as a starter, Rodgers has had only one season in which he was under .500 (2008 when he went 6-10, every other year he's had a winning record). Throw in how well they can run the football with Eddie Lacy coming out of the backfield, Green Bay's offense will do just fine.

Detroit Lions:10-6
Matthew Stafford had a bit of a rough go of it a season ago, getting sacked 45 times during the regular season. The running game took a bit of a hit when Reggie Bush left for San Francisco, so Joique Bell will have to step up the running game. Yes they still have Golden Tate and Calvin Johnson catching passes from Stafford, as well as Eric Ebron and Brandon Pettigrew at tight end. What's making me nervous about Detroit is the run defrense. A year ago they were the best rush defense in the entire league. But now Ndamukong Suh is gone, signed as a free agent with the Dolphins. The pass rush and run stop has been hurt. Haloti Ngata was brought in to help but I'm not sure if its going to help. With the fact that they're facing Adrian Peterson (twice), Marshawn Lynch, Matt Forte, Jamaal Charles in first half, its going to be a good test for the Lions in the first half.

Minnesota Vikings: 9-7
Teddy Bridgewater took big steps last season, looking like a polished QB. Now they have a rejuvenated and returning Adrian Peterson, who at age 30 still has something to prove. Bridgewater has Mike Wallace, Kyle Rudolph and Charles Johnson to throw to in the passing game. The offense looks like it could hold its own, but the defense looks average at best. Minnesota has a good shot to finish above .500 this season. They have some big test's before their week five bye, when the face the Lions Broncos and Chargers. That'll be a real test to see what this team is made of.

Chicago Bears: 5-11
Chicago may have shot themselves in the foot with Jay Cutler. He's a good QB there's no denying that, but he was benched in week 16 last year. Because the Bears have so much money invested in him, they have to use him. Also consider that his backup QB is Jimmy Clausen, who's a good QB but it leaves the Bears in a bit of a hole if Cutler's play goes south. Chicago also took a hit when the traded Brandon Marshall to the Jets, leaving them with little depth at the receiver position behind Alshon Jeffery. Don't get me wrong, Kevin White, Eddie Royal and Martellus Bennett are decent pass catchers, they can't fill Marshall's shoes. The defense really lacks depth.

NFC South
New Orleans Saints: 9-7*
New Orleans took a bit of a hit on the offensive side of the ball, when they sent Jimmy Graham to the Seahawks. They still have a high powered offense with Marques Colston, and Brandin Cooks being able to catch passes from Drew Brees. The running tandom of Mark Ingram and C.J. Spiller is going to be tough to go against for an opposing defense. New Orleans defense is solid, but what helps the Saints out is their favorable schedule. But the biggest thing that the Saints are going to have to work on from last year is their play at home. They were bad at the Superdome last season, something they really need to improve apon this year if they want to win the division.

Atlanta Falcons: 8-8
They're going to be in contention with the Saints for the division title this season. Mike Smith is out, being replaced by Dan Quinn. Its going to be a big change of pace on the sideline for the Falcons. They have a high powered offense. Matt Ryan has his go to targets in Roddy White and Julio Jones. The running game could be good, depending on how well Devonta Freeman plays. Atlanta has a decent Defense, which is going to make things interesting near the top of the NFC South this season.

Carolina Panthers: 6-10
That record is being nice to the Panthers. yes they have probably the best defense in the entire division, and that's saying something. They brought back ten of their eleven starters from last season, a year in which the Panthers had one of the top ten defenses in the entire league. Its the offense that could hurt Carolina this year. Yes Cam Newton is a great QB, but is he a miracle worker? Without Kelvin Benjamin, who's out with a torn ACL, its putting more pressure on Greg Olsen and Ted Ginn Jr. Its going to be a rough year in Carolina.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-12
Some interesting things are going to take place in Tampa Bay this season. The passing game has targets in Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson. Plus a returning and healthy Doug Martin should take some of the pressure off the pass game. But the question mark is going to be Jameis Winston. Can the kid adjust to life in the NFL and is he really as good as his Heisman year in college? Will it even translate well to the NFL game? Only time will tell. With the schedule the Bucs have and with a decent defense, it could be a long year in Tampa.

NFC West
Seattle Seahawks: 13-3*
The Legion Of Boom is still one of the most feared defenses in the entire league. That's not going to change. The offense actually got better, at least at the big positions. Jimmy Graham was brought in to play tight end, adding yet another weapon to aid QB Russell Wilson. Graham joins Marshawn Lynch, Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin. Seattle was one call away from a second consecutive Super Bowl, it's tough to imagine how much that play will have an effect going forward. One thing for certain is losing Max Unger at center will hurt. Opening on the road at St. Louis and Green Bay should tell us a bunch about whether this prediction is out of the box. Still I think the Seahawks are the best team in the West and are going to prove that again this season.

St. Louis Rams: 10-6*
Its been a long time in St. Louis. The Rams haven't had a team finish at .500 or better since the 2004 rams went 8-8 and made it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs (they were blown out 47-17 by Atlanta). Now the Rams have a quarterback, in Nick Foles, who has had a better track record of staying healthy (at least compared to Sam Bradford), throw in a decent pass attack and you might have something. Catch potentially battered Seahawks in opener and may not get full dose of Le'Veon Bell in his Week 3 debut. After Oct. 11 game at Lambeau Field, Rams leave St. Louis once in subsequent five weeks, good time for Nick Foles to find groove.

Arizona Cardinals: 9-7
Arizona has a pretty good schedule ahead of them this season. They have an average defense in Arizona, which could hold up and keep them in a couple of games. Arizona finished last year on a three game losing streak, a lot of that had to do with the fact that Carson Palmer was hurt. He's going to be key for the Cards this season. Palmer needs to stay healthy if Arizona wants to stay around and get back to the playoffs for a 2nd year in a row. The Cards still have Larry Fitzgerald, who is still a star in this league but is getting up there in age and isn't quite the explosive receiver he once was. Arizona lacks a running game, Sure they have Chris Johnson, but he's second string behind Andre Ellington, which says a lot. The Cards are still very good but they can't overcome the Rams and Seahawks

San Francisco 49ers: 3-13
San Francisco is taking a major step backwards. Jim Harbaugh is out, having left to coach at Michigan. In to replace him is Jim Tomsula, looking to try and bring the 49ers back, but this year it's not going to happen. Reggie Bush comes in to replace Frank Gore in the backfield, while Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis are really the only bigtime targets for Colin Kaepernick to throw to. Torrey Smith isn't that special. A schedule that includes the AFC North and NFC North doesn't look particularly forgiving to a team that lost so many key vets to retirement and is adjusting to regime change as well.

Switching gears, lets head over and look at the American Football Conference

AFC East
New England Patriots:13-3*
Ever since the 2000 season, the AFC East title has gone through New England. Well almost every season (2002 it was the Jets and 2008 the title went to Miami) the Patriots have been the class of the AFC East. This year is going to be no different. Tom Brady will not miss any games as the suspensions was lifted. So he will take very snap again, unless he gets hurt. Defensively they lost Revis, but there's still plenty of talent on that side of the ball, but Malcolm Butler will make up for it. With Brady calling the shots on offense and all the parts back from last season, the Patriots won't miss a beat.

Buffalo Bills: 10-6*
The streak comes to an end this season. Buffalo hasn't made the playoffs, or had a winning record for that matter, since 1998. This is the year that the streaks snap. Tyrod Taylor is the only question I really have with this team. Can the kid adjust quickly to the NFL? Matt Cassel and EJ Manuel sit behind him on the depth charts. I would have felt more comfortable with Cassel as the starter over Taylor. But when your throwing to Sammy Watkins, Percy Harvin and Charles Clay, it leaves you a little more hope. And when you have a guy like LeSean McCoy running the football, when he's healthy, it gives you a little confidence in the Bills. Then there's the defense. With Rex Ryan as head coach, you just know that the Buffalo defense is going to improve. They were a top five defense last year, and will be again this year. Its going to be good enough to get them into the playoffs.

Miami Dolphins: 10-6
Miami has not had a winning record since winning the division in 2008. That trend is going to be broken this season. Miami has a solid starting QB in the person of Ryan Tannehill. Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings (when fully healthy) are going to be threats for Tannehill to work with. The running game, powered by Lamar Miller, does leave a little to be desired. The offense is going to do enough scoring to get by. What's really going to carry this team is the defense. Cameron Wake was good, now throw in Ndamukong Suh to the mix and it makes the pass rush and the run defense even more dangerous.

New York Jets: 9-7
This one really pains me to say but its true. Sure the Jets defense looks a thousand times better than it did this time last season. Geno Smith is out with the Jaw injury, so Ryan Fitzpatrick will start (for now at least), with work in progress Bryce Petty as backup (for now at least). Fitzpatrick has weapons to work with, as in Eric Decker and newest addition Brandon Marshall. The run game is still solid with Chris Ivory taking the ball. What has me worried is how steady the QB position is. The defense got a lot better with the return of Revis and Cromartie. The pass rush will be good once again, even with Sheldon Richardson missing the first four games due to suspension. Leonard Williams will have some big shoes to fill, but will be able to hold the fort till Sheldon returns. The Jets won't have as demanding a stretch of lethal QB's like they did last season, but its going to be a interesting ride for new head coach Todd Bowels and Company.

AFC North:
Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-6*
Its going to be a battle this year between them and the Ravens (once again) for the division. Le'Veon Bell is going to miss the first two games of the season, so DeAngelo Williams will be able to pick up some of the slack. Big Ben is coming off a record setting season a year ago, he still has weapons to work with like Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and Heath Miller. Although the Steelers are far removed from anything that resembles a steel curtain, they know how to put points on the board. And whether you win 35-31 or 17-13, a win is a win. They should have enough to take the division.

Baltimore Ravens: 9-7*
There is one thing that the Ravens have over the Steelers, that is their defense. Terrell Suggs is the longest tenured defender on that team, but there's still plenty of talent to go around on this team.Joe Flacco is still, well, Joe Flacco. One of the better QB's in the league, he's not quite near Big Ben's relm. Yes they have Steve Smith Sr (who's in his final season in the NFL) to catch passes and Justin Forsett running the football. I just don't think they can go punch for punch with the Pittsburgh offense. Baltimore's defense will be good enough to get them into the playoffs.

Cincinnati Bengals: 8-8
For a team facing consistency issues, a tough schedule in the first half might just put the Bengals in a precarious spot. To once again be a serious competitor in this tough division, they'll have to figure out a way to get more out of their defense that has steadily declined as of late. Cincy has a decent receiving core, but the question mark is going to be Andy Dalton. He's inconsistent, which is why the Bengals didn't do so hot near playoff time last year. The Bengals will come up short this year but still finish .500

Cleveland Browns: 4-12
With 21 interceptions last season, the Browns defense knows how to stop their opponents' passing game. But they don't fare as well against the run. Throw in the fact that they picked up Brian Hartline to the passing game and add in Dwayne Bowe to catch passes Cleveland doesn't have a QB. Johnny Manzel isn;t quite ready yet to take over the position

AFC South
Indianapolis Colts: 13-3*
One of the best teams in not only the AFC but the entire league may have gotten that much better. Sure they play in one of the weakest divisions in the NFL, but they may also be one of the most balanced teams in the entire league. Vontae Davis and Robert Mathis lead a stout and very tough defense. But lets look at the offense shall we. Andrew Luck is turning, quite quickly, into one of the elite level QB's in the entire leage. He has Frank Gore to hand the ball off to, even at 32 he may still have something left in the tank to prove. Andre Johnson, T.Y. Hilton and Dwayne Allen are all expected to have big years this year. This team is just oo good not to go on another deep playoff run.

Houston Texans: 7-9
With Houston, its the defense that stands above all else. J.J. Watt is the best defensive player in the game, hands down the best player at his position. Add in Vince Wilfork to that line and its going to be tough to defend against. Then add in a healthy Jadeveon Clowney, and its going to be even more lethal for teams to play against. Last year, the Texans finished above .500, but this year they flip the script and finish below .500. The Texans are going to have the 3rd easiest schedule in the entire NFL. BUt there's a few question marks on offense. Arian Foster is dealing with an injury bug and will miss a couple games at the start of the year. Brian Hoyer is now the one under center throwing the football, and Hoyer isn't the greatest QB in the world. He's not horrible but he's not great. The receiving core is OK but nothing special. Still there's enough talent to get them over .500.

Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-11
Yeah this team isn't going to be that good. Yes Blake Bortles has some upside, but that's about it. The Jaguars seem like they are moving in the right direction, as they get some of their youngsters a bit more experience. However, losing the No. 3 overall pick in the draft (Dante Fowler) doesn't exactly foreshadow moments of greatness are on the immediate horizon.

Tennessee Titans: 4-12
Tennessee now has something going for it at Quarterback with Marcus Mariota slinging the football. He has a couple of weapons to work with in Bishop Sankey and Kendall Wright, but that's about it. The defense is average at best. Let's have some patience with Marcus Mariota, who inherits a last-place schedule that still features trips to New Orleans and the AFC East gauntlet.

AFC West:
Denver Broncos: 11-5*
Nothing different in this division that's for sure. Peyton Manning has one maybe two good years left in the tank. Her has weapons to work with on offense, guys like Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, and Owen Daniels in the passing game. C.J. Anderson is going to take over the running game. What has me worried a little bit is the depth in Denver. If anybody on offense gets hurt, then the Broncos are going to be in a bit of trouble. Defense in Denver is going to be good once again.

San Diego Chargers: 9-7
This team could be in for another successful season this year. Philip Rivers still has stuff in the tank to try and prove. The backfield got an overhaul, what with Ryan Matthews leaving for the Eagles, so Branden Oliver will now get the bulk of the carries. Keenan Allen and Malcom Floyd are going to be getting the bulk of the passes. San Diego has a pretty balanced offense. Defense looks alright too, so the Chargers are going to be able to lock down another winning season.

Kansas City Chiefs: 8-8
With RB Jamaal Charles and OLB Justin Houston, they have a bona fide superstar on each side of the ball. But will either get enough help to make playoff return? O-line's ability to coalesce may be the key. Offense looks like it can hang, depending on the play of Alex Smith. Defense can hold its own but schedule is going to be interesting.

Oakland Raiders: 5-11
Having Michael Crabtree and rookie Amari Cooper catching passes from Derek Carr is going to help the young QB. But lets face facts the Raiders are just a bad team. But the foundation is quickly improving, and new coach Jack Del Rio worked some miracles under similar circumstances in Jacksonville.

Super Bowl 50
Indianapolis Colts over Green Bay Packers

There you have it the predictions for the 2015 NFL Season!

(All predictions were made BEFORE the start of the 2015 season)

MLB Play Of The Year

We've seen some fantastic defensive plays to this point in the 2015 Major League Baseball season. Now, on August 28th, I'd like to put it to a vote. Below I will display the four plays I feel have been the best of the year so far. Then we put it to a vote as to what has been the best play of the year. So lets begin the debate shall we.


First up, we go back to June 28th. Tampa Bay Rays against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers center in Toronto. Blue Jays 3rd baseman Josh Donaldson does this:


Next up we go back to August 12th, just a couple of weeks ago. The Milwaukee Brewers are playing at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. Cubs 1st Baseman Anthony Rizzo heads into foul ground to make this catch:


Play number three up for nomination, we go back a little over a week. The Washington Nationals are out in San Francisco playing the Giants at AT&T Park. It's late in the ball game when this happened:


Finally, we head to last night. Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia is the place. Philles and the Mets are the two teams. Its extra innings, there was this:


Now its up to you. Which of these four plays has been the best of the year?

Mets Flounder But Don't Lose Ground

This past weekend was a tough one for the New York Mets. They were riding high coming into the weekend. They just swept the Colorado Rockies, outscoring them 23-5. That series allowed the Mets to open up a 4.5 game lead over the 2nd place Washington Nationals. It gave Mets fans something to smile about, it made you feel comfortable and excited going into this weekend series against the Pirates. Then reality set in and it all fell apart for the Mets, to a certain degree.

This season the Mets have struggled against the NL Central, now going a combined 9-20 vs. the NL Central. They are 48-29 against the rest of the league. In this series against the Pirates, New York was outscored 16-6. The first two series were close, having to go to extra innings in both games, before the Pirates got the clutch hits they needed. In the Sunday game, it was a double whammy that cost the Mets the ballgame.

First it was the mental error by Ruben Tejada in the 7th. After a rain delay, the teams came out for the top of the 7th. Bobby Parnell took over on the mound. With one on, Parnell then coaxed a comebacker from pinch-hitter Michael Morse that seemed destined to result in a double play. However, shortstop Ruben Tejada appeared late covering second and Parnell's throw went into center field, placing runners on the corners with none out. Officially, the error was assigned to Parnell. After that the flood gates opened on the Mets, allowing the Pirates to cruise to an 8-1 victory.

As of late I've been all over Booby Parnell for not really being able to get a quick inning in relief. He has caused indigestion for Mets fans as of late, seemingly getting rocked almost every time he has come out to pitch as of late. I know Parnell is just coming off Tommy John Surgery, which is a tough thing for pitchers to come back from. Sure there have been some instances where a pitcher doesn't fully recover from the operation, but more often than not, pitchers will come back to form (or as close to back to form as possible) and continue on with their careers. Parnell hasn't looked like his old self. Yes he is still throwing very hard, that hasn't been in question. He's just having trouble locating his pitches. They have gas but no movement. If you can't get movement on your pitches, it won't lead to too much success. In two outings this series, Parnell, who’s coming off Tommy John surgery, gave up five hits and six runs, four of which were earned, while only getting two outs. He was booed off the mound after both appearances. This is not to say that other players on the Mets haven't struggled, because they have. Juan Lagares dropped a ball in the outfield Sunday as he crashed into the wall to try and make a catch. Stuff like that can be easily covered up. Bobby Parnell having trouble getting guys out can't really be covered up that quickly, or easily.

After the way this weekend went, it has to make you worry just a little bit as to how the Mets might fair come playoff time. As it sits right now, three of the five playoff spots are being held down by the top three teams in the National League Central, the Cardinals, the Pirates and the Cubs. The Mets have a total of 9 wins against that entire central division, which could spell trouble. I don't know what it is, but the Mets just can't get a win against the Central to save their lives at the moment. But the Mets have caught a couple of big breaks.

As it sits right now, the team still holds a four and a half game lead on the Washington Nationals, who now sit a game under .500. Washington has been an underachieving teams this season. I know they have been dealing with injuries most of the year, but still they were expected to run away with the East, and that hasn't been the case at all. The Mets have gotten a little bit lucky, in that the Natinoals just got Swept by the Giants out in San Francisco. It has helped the Mets out that the Nats have now lost six straight games. Washington last got a win by beating the Dodgers on August 10th. Things have gotten rough for the Nationals, as they are now 10-21 since the all-star break, one of the worst records in the National League in that time frame.

New York does catch a bit of a break going down the stretch run here. As it sits right now (at the time of this writing) the Mets will face two teams, TWO TEAMS, with winning records. They play the Baltimore Orioles (60-56) during the upcoming two-game series at Camden Yards. Then they don't face another team with a winning record until the American League East-leading Yankees (64-52) come into Queens for a weekend series September 18th to the 20th.

Yes the Mets stumbled against Pittsburgh this past weekend, but, as far as the division standings go, they got lucky they didn't lose any ground.

NBA Schedules Announced

You know your getting close to the fall when this is announced. That's right the schedules have been announced for the 2015-16 NBA Season. For the 30 teams that make up the NBA, there will be a total of 1,230 games played during the regular season. There are some pretty interesting, must watch games coming up this season, but we'll get into that in a little while. First things first, here's what the schedules look like for the local teams.

2015-16 New York Knicks Schedule
10/28 at Milwaukee 8:00 p.m.
10/29 vs. Atlanta 8:00 p.m.
10/31 at Washington 7:00 p.m.
11/2 vs. San Antonio 7:30 p.m.
11/4 at Cleveland 8:00 p.m.
11/6 vs. Milwaukee 7:30 p.m.
11/8 vs. L.A. Lakers 3:30 p.m.
11/10 at Toronto 7:30 p.m.
11/11 at Charlotte 7:00 p.m.
11/13 vs. Cleveland 7:30 p.m.
11/15 vs. New Orleans noon
11/17 vs. Charlotte 7:30 p.m.
11/20 at Oklahoma City 8:00 p.m.
11/21 at Houston 8:00 p.m.
11/23 at Miami 7:30 p.m.
11/25 at Orlando 7:00 p.m.
11/27 vs. Miami 7:30 p.m.
11/29 vs. Houston 7:30 p.m.
12/2 vs. Philadelphia 7:30 p.m.
12/4 vs. Brooklyn 7:00 p.m.
12/5 at Milwaukee 8:30 p.m.
12/7 vs. Dallas 7:30 p.m.
12/9 at Utah 9:00 p.m.
12/10 at Sacramento 10:30 p.m.
12/12 at Portland 10:00 p.m.
12/16 vs. Minnesota 7:30 p.m.
12/18 at Philadelphia 7:00 p.m.
12/19 vs. Chicago 7:30 p.m.
12/21 vs. Orlando 7:30 p.m.
12/23 at Cleveland 7:00 p.m.
12/26 at Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
12/27 at Boston 6:00 p.m
12/29 vs. Detroit 7:30 p.m.
1/1 at Chicago 8:00 p.m.
1/3 vs. Atlanta 3:30 p.m.
1/5 at Atlanta 8:00 p.m.
1/6 at Miami 7:00 p.m.
1/8 at San Antonio 8:30 p.m.
1/10 vs. Milwaukee 7:30 p.m.
1/12 vs. Boston 7:30 p.m.
1/13 at Brooklyn 7:30 p.m.
1/16 at Memphis 8:00 p.m.
1/18 vs. Philadelphia 1:00 p.m.
1/20 vs. Utah 7:30 p.m.
1/22 vs. L.A. Clippers 7:30 p.m.
1/23 at Charlotte 7:00 p.m.
1/26 vs. Oklahoma City. 7:30 p.m.
1/28 at Toronto 8:00 p.m.
1/29 vs. Phoenix 7:30 p.m.
1/31 vs. Golden State 7:30 p.m.
2/1 vs. Boston 7:30 p.m.
2/4 at Detroit 7:30 p.m.
2/5 vs. Memphis 7:30 p.m.
2/7 vs. Denver 1:00 p.m.
2/9 vs. Washington 8:00 p.m.
2/19 at Brooklyn 7:30 p.m.
2/20 at Minnesota 8:00 p.m.
2/22 vs. Toronto 7:30 p.m.
2/24 at Indiana 7:00 p.m.
2/26 vs. Orlando 7:30 p.m.
2/28 vs. Miami 7:30 p.m.
3/1 vs. Portland 7:30 p.m.
3/4 at Boston 7:30 p.m.
3/5 vs. Detroit 7:00 p.m.
3/8 at Denver 9:00 p.m.
3/9 at Phoenix 9:00 p.m.
3/11 at L.A. Clippers. 10:30 p.m.
3/13 at L.A. Lakers 9:30 p.m.
3/16 at Golden State. 10:30 p.m.
3/19 at Washington 7:00 p.m.
3/20 vs. Sacramento 7:30 p.m.
3/23 at Chicago 8:00 p.m.
3/24 vs. Chicago 7:30 p.m.
3/26 vs. Cleveland 7:30 p.m.
3/28 at New Orleans 8:00 p.m.
3/30 at Dallas 8:30 p.m.
4/1 vs. Brooklyn 7:30 p.m.
4/3 vs. Indiana 7:30 p.m.
4/6 vs. Charlotte 7:30 p.m.
4/8 at Philadelphia 7:00 p.m.
4/10 vs. Toronto 7:30 p.m.
4/12 at Indiana 7:00 p.m.

2015-16 Brooklyn Nets Schedule
10/28 vs Chicago 7:30 PM
10/28 at San Antonio 8:30 PM
10/31 at Memphis 8:00 PM
11/2 vs Milwaukee 7:30 PM
11/4 at Atlanta 8:00 PM
11/6  vs Los Angeles 7:30 PM
11/7 at Milwaukee 8:30 PM
11/11 at Houston 8:00 PM
11/13 at Sacramento 10:00 PM
11/14 at Golden State 10:30 PM
11/17 vs Atlanta 7:30 PM
11/18 at Charlotte 7:00 PM
11/20 at Boston 7:30 PM
11/22 vs Boston 6:00 PM
11/25 at Oklahoma City 8:00 PM
11/28 at Cleveland 7:30 PM
11/29 vs Detroit 6:00 PM
12/1 vs Phoenix 7:30 PM
12/4 at NY Knicks 7:00 PM
12/6 vs Golden State 6:00 PM
12/8 vs Houston 7:30 PM
12/10 vs Philadelphia 7:30 PM
12/12 vs Los Angeles 5:00 PM
12/14 vs Orlando 7:30 PM
12/16 vs Miami 7:30 PM
12/18 at Indiana 7:00 PM
12/20 vs Minnesota 1:00 PM
12/21 at Chicago 8:00 PM
12/23 vs Dallas 7:30 PM
12/26 vs Washington 8:00 PM
12/28 at Miami 7:30 PM
12/30 at Orlando 7:00 PM
1/2 at Boston 3:00 PM
1/4 vs Boston 7:30 PM
1/6 vs Toronto 7:30 PM
1/8 vs Orlando 7:30 PM
1/9 at Detroit 7:30 PM
1/11 vs San Antonio 7:30 PM
1/13 vs NY Knicks 7:30 PM
1/15 vs Portland 7:30 PM
1/16 at Atlanta 7:30 PM
1/18 at Toronto 7:30 PM
1/20 vs Cleveland 7:30 PM
1/22 vs Utah 7:30 PM
1/24 vs Oklahoma City 3:30 PM
1/26 vs Miami 7:30 PM
1/29 at Dallas 8:30 PM
1/30 at New Orleans 7:00 PM
2/1  vs Detroit 7:30 PM
2/3 vs Indiana 7:30 PM
2/5 vs Sacramento 7:30 PM
2/6 at Philadelphia 7:30 PM
2/8 vs Denver 7:30 PM
2/10 vs Memphis 7:30 PM
2/19 vs NY Knicks 7:30 PM
2/21 vs Charlotte 6:00 PM
2/23 at Portland 10:00 PM
2/25 at Phoenix 9:00 PM
2/27 at Utah 9:30 PM
2/29 at Los Angeles 10:30 PM
3/1 at Los Angeles 10:30 PM
3/4 at Denver 9:00 PM
3/5 at Minnesota 8:00 PM
3/8 at Toronto 7:30 PM
3/11 at Philadelphia 7:00 PM
3/13 vs Milwaukee 6:00 PM
3/15 vs Philadelphia 7:30 PM
3/17 at Chicago 8:00 PM
3/19 at Detroit 7:00 PM
3/22 vs Charlotte 7:30 PM
3/24 vs Cleveland 7:30 PM
3/26 vs Indiana 6:00 PM
3/28 at Miami 7:30 PM
3/29 at Orlando 7:00 PM
3/31 at Cleveland 7:00 PM
4/1 at NY Knicks 7:30 PM
4/3 vs New Orleans 1:00 PM
4/6 at Washington 7:00 PM
4/8 at Charlotte 7:00 PM
4/10 at Indiana 6:00 PM
4/11 vs Washington 7:30 PM
4/13 vs Toronto 8:00 PM

So that's what it looks like for the local basketball teams this season.

Geno Smith Injured At Camp

This season looked like it was going to be a coming out party for Geno Smith in 2015. He had weapons to work with in the passing game with the addition of Brandon Marshall. His offensive line has shown a better, more sound protection game through the start of camp. He showed signs that he might have finally turned the corner to becoming a good quarterback in the NFL. And then it all went away. For six to ten weeks at least anyway. That's how long the Jets QB will be out of action with a broken jaw.

This all took place during an altercation in the New York Jets locker room that ended with quarterback Geno Smith suffering a broken jaw began as a dispute over $600, sources told ESPN. It all started, apparently according to ESPN, when Geno accepted a $600 plane ticket from IK Enemkpali to appear at the reserve linebacker's football camp in Pflugerville, Texas, on July 11, according to sources. Problems arose when Smith did not show to the camp, which took place days after someone close to Smith was killed in a motorcycle accident in Miami, sources said. After Smith did not attend, Enemkpali demanded that the Jets quarterback refund him the $600 he allegedly used to purchase the plane ticket. Smith told Enemkpali he would reimburse him the money, but he had not as of Tuesday morning. Enkempali confronted Smith on Tuesday about the money, and the confrontation ended in a punch and a broken jaw. All of this is coming from an ESPN report.

According to the same report, Geno had tried to go up to Enemkpali and tried to pay off the $600 and had planned on attending the event out of goodwill, but clearly something came up. Jets head coach Todd Bowles said in a press conference after the fact, stating "It takes two to tango -- one to throw a punch, but two to tango."

There's a couple of ways to look at this whole messed up situation. First there's IK Enemkpali. This is not Enemkpali's first brush with off-the-field violence. At 19, while at a bar when he was at college at Louisiana Tech, a fight broke out and he punched an off-duty cop who was working security at the bar. On that night, Enemkpali had to be subdued first with pepper spray and then with a stun gun. He was arrested and charged with battery on a police officer and disturbing the peace/drunk, according to court records. The charge was amended to simple battery, and he received a suspended jail sentence and was placed on 13 months' probation. He also was ordered to perform 32 hours of community service and to complete an anger-management course (ESPN).

So, as you can read, Enemkpali has had some anger issues in the past. It may have lead to this and him having a short fuse. It doesn't come as a surprise that he was cut as soon as this happened. Its a good move, a statement move, by the Jets. Its telling the fans that there is no tolerance for this kind of stuff in the locker room or with this team. I fully support Coach Bowles and how he has handled this whole thing. Todd Bowles has had a lot to deal with in his first few weeks at Jets camp and as Jets head coach for that matter. I mean think about it, from what has happened before camp with Sheldon Richardson to now having to deal with this. That's a lot for a first year head coach to take on and he's handled it quite well.

When it comes to Geno and the quarterback position, that's a whole different story in and of itself. First there's Geno. He hasn't had the greatest first two years for an NFL Quarterback.  His 41 turnovers, and 34 interceptions, have been well documented. He is 11-18 lifetime as a starter, coming off a 3-10 season last year. Everybody, including myself, had gotten on Geno the last few years for being a weak starting QB. I was willing to give him a little more slack going into this season. Why? Because he now has weapons to work with in the passing game. I was looking forward to see what he could do with better receivers. Now who knows what's going to happen with Geno when he comes back.

With Geno out of action, it sits that Ryan Fitzpatrick is the starting QB with Bryce Petty, a rookie, serving as the backup. Fitzpatrick is a solid quarterback, he doesn't have as strong a throwing arm as Geno does, but he is still a  good QB. Fitzpatrick best years as a starter came with back to back 6-10 seasons as the starter for the Buffalo Bills in 2011 and 2012. Sure he has a tendency to turn the ball over, as he did throw 23 interceptions in 2011, he has more experience and is a more well rounded QB than Smith. I would have trusted Fitzpatrick as a starter than Geno. Now this leads me to believe what will happen when Geno gets healthy. The earliest he can come back is Week Three against the Eagles at home, and he can come back no later than Week Seven in New England. Who is going to start when Geno gets back is up to Fitzpatrick. If Fitz is playing well, I wouldn't see going back to Geno. You have to stick with the hot hand at QB. The Jets may also look other places for QB's. Some sources say that the team has looked into Tyler Thigpen and Rex Grossman.

The whole incident was childish on both IK's and Geno's part. It could have easily been taken care of quietly, but it wasn't and it lead to this. Both guys were in the wrong and now both guys are suffering from it.

Remembering Frank Gifford

This past weekend, the NFL and the football world for that matter, lost a true Giant of a man. A big huliking, but shifty running back, Frank Gifford was the face of the New York Giants from 1952 to 1964. He was able to then make a smooth transition into the broadcast booth, being a staple of Monday Night Football from 177 until 1997. Gifford passed away this past Sunday in his home in Connecticut. He was 84 at the time of his passing, which came of natural causes.

Gifford got his start in the football world, making a name for himself as a shifty running back at USC. He was an all-american in 1952, putting up stellar numbers the year before. In 1951 alone, he ran for 841 yards on 195 carries. People knew right then that Gifford was going to be a big star in the game. He began his NFL career with the New York Giants by playing both offense and defense. He made eight Pro Bowl appearances and had five trips to the NFL Championship Game. Gifford's biggest season may have been 1956, when he won the Most Valuable Player award of the NFL, and led the Giants to the NFL title over the Chicago Bears. During his 12 seasons with the New York Giants (136 regular season games) Frank Gifford had 3,609 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in 840 carries, he also had 367 receptions for 5,434 yards and 43 touchdowns. Gifford completed 29 of the 63 passes he threw for 823 yards and 14 touchdowns with 6 interceptions. The 6 interceptions is tied with Walter Payton for most interceptions thrown by a non-quarterback in NFL history, while the 14 touchdowns is also the most among any non-quarterback in NFL history. When Gifford finished his career, the numbers are staggering. All told, Gifford ran for 3,609 yards and 34 touchdowns, caught 367 passes for 5,434 yards and 43 touchdowns, and threw 14 touchdown passes on the halfback option (NY Times).

Gifford was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 30, 1977. Giffrod's three Pro Bowl selections came at three different positions: defensive back, running back, and wide receiver. Once his playing career came to an end, Gifford couldn't truly leave the game he loved, so he tried his hand at broadcasting. Gifford broadcasting career took off when he became a commentator mainly for NFL games on CBS. His big break came in 1971 when he replaced Keith Jackson as play-by-play announcer on ABC's Monday Night Football, joining Howard Cosell and Don Meredith, and would continue on as a commentator until 1997 (He was the last surviving member of the group. Cosell died in 1997 and Meredith passed in 2010). The three of them became the face of Monday Night Football, becoming must watch TV every week during football season. He was so good in the broadcast booth, Gifford was able to pull home some awards and honors for his broadcasting work. Gifford was a Two-time Emmy Award winner, winning Outstanding Sports Personality in 1977, and winning a Lifetime Achievement Award for broadcasting in 1997. Also, in 1995, Gifford won the Pete Rozelle Award for longtime exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football.

As a player, Gifford was the personification of the Giants during their glory years in the 1950s and early ’60s, the best-known figure on teams that featured many other stars, including quarterbacks Charlie Conerly and Y. A. Tittle, linebacker Sam Huff, fullback Alex Webster, defensive back Emlen Tunnell, defensive linemen Andy Robustelli and Roosevelt Grier, and his fellow running back and receiver Kyle Rote. He was the face of the Ginats, as he bleed Blue form the time he was drafted until the day he died. Gifford always believed in the franchise he played for, never giving up on the Giants in his career.

As great a football player as he was, he was all that as a broadcaster, which is what most football fans of the younger generation remember him for. Some of his work in the broadcast booth will go down in history. He was able to bring the game to life, providing new insight to the world of football like few before him. Tuning into Monday Night Football during the late 80's and early 90's was enjoyable in part because of the men in the booth. Frank Gifford made it fun to watch Monday Night Football

Frank Gifford is survived by his wife, Kathie Lee Gifford, and children.