Tuesday's Thoughts

While thinking about what it would be like to follow a real NFL football team, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* Well, Mike Pettine and Ray Farmer became the next in a long line of fired head coaches and general managers who have been fired by the Cleveland Browns and more specifically by that smooth snake oil salesman, Jimmy Haslam.  While there was no question that Ray Farmer had to go, I really believe that Mike Pettine could have remained as head coach.  Pettine's biggest problem was the decline of the most expensive defensive unit in the NFL.  Firing Pettine made sense if the new general manager was going to be hiring the new head coach.  But according to Snake Oil Jimmy, the head coach will be hired first and then he along with Haslam, his wife and Sashi Brown (the new V.P. of Football Operations) will hire the general manager. What a joke.

* Snake Oil Jimmy's press conference was pathetic. Oh we had to hear how he was accepting full responsibility for the failures of his team, If that is suppose to make me feel better, sorry Snake Oil Jimmy but that does nothing for me. What's clear is that Haslam has no idea what the hell he's doing. We are all suppose to be impressed because he has brought in an executive search company to assist in the hiring of the new head coach. Snake Oil tells us that this company was involved in the hiring of Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, Pete Carroll at Seattle and Andy Reid at Kansas City. Really!! An executive search company was needed to bring Harbaugh to his alma mater or Reid to Kansas City?? Give me a break!! What Haslam didn't tell us was that this company was also involved in the hiring of failed NY Jets General Manager John Idzik.

* Haslam's promotion of Sashi Brown is another example of Snake Oil Jimmy's incompetence. Brown is a lawyer who has worked for the team as its cap specialist and contract negotiator. He is not a football guy, yet Snake Oil Jimmy said that Brown will have ultimate say on the 53 man roster. Brown will also have the final say on draft day.

* Every NFL expert and former coaches have said that the Cleveland job will be the least attractive of all the current openings. But not according to Snake Oil Jimmy. His incompetence will result in the Browns settling for a guy who has never been a head coach in the NFL.

* Johnny Manziel needs to be cut. I'm tired of his defenders trying to justify this spoiled rich kid's actions. He doesn't give a damn about his team, his teammates or the fans. All he cares about is promoting himself. But here's the bigger issue, Manziel is not a pro quarterback. He's too small and his arm isn't strong enough. Couple that with him not being committed to being the best he can be and you have an Arena League QB.

* Heard Justin Gilbert, another one of Ray Farmer's disaster first round picks in 2014, yesterday on Cleveland radio 92.3. The reason why he couldn't make team meetings in his rookie season was because he was a hard sleeper. You can't make this stuff up. This clown needs to be cut too.

* I wonder what Sashi Brown thinks of the $9 million contract that Dwayne Bowe got to do absolutely nothing this year.

* What a great testament to the character of Tom Coughlin by former Giant Justin Tuck. Tuck said that not only was Coughlin a great football coach but he also taught his players how to be good husbands and good parents. Will be interesting to see who the Giants will get to replace their former soon to be Hall of Fame coach.

* So much for exciting college football playoff games. Both games were a bust and one has to wonder how good the championship game will be. In fact the bowl games on New Year's Day were also non-eventful.

* The Maple Leafs head out west for a three game road trip beginning Wednesday against the Anaheim Ducks. You have to be impressed with the job that Mike Babcock is doing. The turnaround that this franchise has made since Team President cleaned house and brought in Kyle Dubas, Mark Hunter, Lou Lamiorello and Babcock has been amazing. Maybe Shanny could give Snake Oil Jimmy a call.

* With Wild Card weekend approaching, isn't it interesting that Brian Hoyer is leading the Houston Texans into the playoffs. As was pointed out by someone in Cleveland yesterday, the beginning of the end for Mike Pettine may have been when he was forced to keep Hoyer on the bench after he was injured so Johnny Boy could play.

* Here's hoping Cincy, Washington, Minnesota and Kansas City are victorious this weekend.

* Loved seeing Peyton Manning come off the bench and lead the Broncos to victory and the number one seed in the AFC. I'm not a Denver fan but I would love to see Manning lead them to the Super Bowl.

* The best that could happen to the Browns is if Hue Jackson or Jim Schwartz were hired as their new head coach. Both have head coaching experience in the NFL.

* And finally, it was really nice listening to former Browns Head Coach Sam Rutigliano yesterday. Brought back many great memories of the Kardiac Kids Days. Not sure if we will ever get back to Cleveland being relevant in the NFL again under Snake Oil Jimmy.

Tuesday's Thoughts

While not being able to handle the first winter weather of the year, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* Well, I had a feeling Brian Cashman wasn't done yet and sure enough the Yankees acquired fireballing reliever Aroldis Chapman for 4 minor leaguers, none of which were any of the team's top prospects.  With Chapman, the Yankees will have an awesome back of the bullpen with Andrew Miller, Dellin Betances and Chapman.  The only concern is whether the 3-time 27 year old All-Star will be suspended for an alleged domestic violence incident.  One would think that the Yankees would have checked out the situation and believe even if Chapman is suspended he would still be available for most of the 2016 season.  A bulked up hard throwing bullpen will help to bolster a fragile starting rotation.

* As many of you who follow me know, I have been extremely critical of Cashman but right now I would give him high marks for this off season's acquisitions as the Yankees continue to get younger and more athletic.  It will only get better as the 4 big contracts come off the books.(Beltran, Sabathia, Texiera and ARod)

* The Maple Leafs continue to shock many in Leafs Nation as they defeated the New York Islanders in the Barclay Center.  It is apparent that the team is responding quite well to Head Coach Mike Babcock and if they can get decent goaltending they will be a factor in determining who gets into the playoffs.  One only wonders where they would be in the standings if they hadn't had such a terrible October.

* What will be interesting to see is who General Manager Lou Lamiorello will try to move at the trade deadline.  Certainly it's possible that Michael Grabner and P.A.Parentau could be moved but one has to wonder if there would be any consideration to move Roman Polak or fan favorite Leo Komorov.  Of course, there is the persistent speculation about the Leaf futures of Joffrey Lupul, Dion Phaneuf and Tyler Bozak.

* Speaking of Bozak, it has been really annoying how this guy has been a constant whipping boy.  The fact remains that he didn't ask to be the team's number one center.  He is a college free agent who has played up to his ability and has served the Leafs well.  Babcock seems to have slotted him perfectly as is the case with Dion Phaneuf.

* Watching William Nylander get knocked out of Team Sweden's game against Switzerland had me thinking that this franchise is cursed.  Luckily, the word is that he very well may play again in the World Juniors and that is good news for Sweden and better news for the Marlies and the Maple Leafs.

* It's interesting how Manzielmania continues to grow with each game that Johnny Football plays.  I guess I'm confused as to how an NFL quarterback who rushes for nearly the same number of yards as he passes for is the formula for a Super Bowl contender.  

* While I would agree that it may be unfair to evaluate Manziel with the receivers that he has to throw to, his actions off the field may be just as important when determining whether or not he is the quarterback of the future.  Of course, now we see the Christmas Eve video of Manziel with an alcoholic beverage in his hand.  Many will say what is the big deal.  But the big deal is this kid was in an alcohol rehabilitation program.  He shouldn't be drinking period.  This has to call into question his judgment. To me the Browns have 2 options: 1.) get rid of him or 2.) keep him and draft another quarterback, not necessarily with their first round pick.

* The Bleacher Report is reporting that Ray Farmer will be shown the door once the season is over but Mike Pettine will be retained as head coach.  I don't have a problem with that, particularly if Browns owner Jimmy Haslam insists that Pettine bring in some assistants who have some pro football experience.  There is also rumors that Haslam will bring in former Green Bay GM Ron Wolf to act as a consultant to rebuild football operations.  Would be a good move in my opinion.

* It didn't take long for the honeymoon to end between Bills fans and Buffalo head coach Rex Ryan.  What is very telling is how the Bills have regressed under Ryan and the Jets are on the verge of making the playoffs under Todd Bowles.

* If I were a member of the Jets and needed additional motivation for Sunday's game, all I would think about is how Ryan was jumping around on the sidelines after the Bills win at MetLife Stadium earlier this season.

* Would really like to see Arizona or Carolina win the Super Bowl.  Bruce Arians has done a great job and it's fun watching Carson Palmer have a chance to go far in the playoffs, particularly after the crushing injury he received a few years back against the Steelers when he was playing for Cincinnati.  What can I say about Cam Newton.  The kid is having an awesome year and Ron Rivera has this team really playing well.  Would be a great NFC Championship Game.

* I don't know what to think about the Al Jazeera report about Peyton Manning and others using HGH. It seems hard to believe that Manning would risk his reputation.  With the so-called source recanting his story, one would have to give Peyton the benefit of the doubt.

* For all of the gasbags and self-righteous morons who are slamming Mike Ditka for calling Al Jazeera not credible and garbage, I'm with Ditka.  Since when is Al Jazeera a sports reporting agency.  Credit to Da Coach for telling it like it is.

* With word that the Maple Leafs are looking to change their uniforms, one has to wonder how much of this is a result of Addidas getting the NHL contract for apparel next season.  We know that Nike was involved in the ridiculously stupid new uniforms for the Browns.  So much for tradition.

* There was an interesting article last week in the NY Post that raised the question as to whether or not Sidney Crosby is a coach killer.  Crosby has had four head coaches in his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The article pointed out that Crosby has a close relationship with Penguins owner and icon, Mario Lemieux.  I'm a Crosby fan, but the article gave me something to think about.

* If the playoffs started tomorrow in the NFL, the starting quarterbacks for the AFC playoff teams would be: Tom Brady, AJ McCarron, Brandon Weeden, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Alex Smith and Brock Osweiler.  A far cry from the days of Kelly, Elway, Kosar, Marino and Esiason.

* By the way, the Browns could have had Bruce Arians or Todd Bowles as their head coach.

* Really looking forward to watching the Final Four in the College Football Playoffs and the Fiesta Bowl with Notre Dame and Ohio State.  I'm pulling for Oklahoma, Michigan State and the Fighting Irish.

* Wonder if the gasbags on WGR550 realize that these college games are taking place this weekend.  I'd bet anything I have that there will not be a segment in the morning or during drive time about them. More concerned about getting the right musical effects when they talk about Ryan O'Reilly.

* Here's hoping that you all have a Happy and Healthy 2016!!

Tuesday's Thoughts

While loving the fact that we may not have a White Christmas, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* The Cleveland Browns had an impressive win on Sunday against the Blaine Gabbert led 49ers and many are ready to anoint Johnny Manziel as THE guy to lead the Browns to the Super Bowl.  I'm not ready to go that far as the better tests will be upcoming against Seattle, Kansas City and Pittsburgh.  While I don't expect the Browns to win any of those games, it would be encouraging if they were competitive and Manziel played a part in that.

* It's amazing that the Browns were able to finally run the ball and the defense played their best game of the year.  Of course, one has to wonder how much of this was as a result of San Francisco being awful.  That's why the next 3 games will be interesting.

* I'm hearing rumblings that Browns GM Ray Farmer may be saved and that it will be Mike Pettine who will be shown the door.  For Farmer to keep his job after having blown 4 first round draft picks in 2 years, terrible free agent signings, allowing productive players leave via free agency and an inability to realize that you need playmakers to win is a total outrage.  Pettine ends up being the fall guy for an organization that is a joke.

* The Maple Leafs play tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Steven Stamkos.  Rumors are flying big time about the feud between Stamkos and Lightning head coach Jon Cooper and that Stamkos will head to free agency on July 1st.  There are many in the Toronto media who believe that Stamkos could come to the Maple Leafs as a result.  This was further fueled by Stamkos "liking" a tweet talking about the 25 year old superstar coming back to his hometown.  I am not going to get overly excited just yet.  If we get past the trade deadline on February 29th and Stamkos is still playing for Tampa Bay without a contract extension then come see me.

* Tonight's game is going to be a big one for Jonathan Bernier as this will be his first game back since coming off his stint with the Marlies.  A weak performance could be the beginning of the Garrett Sparks era for at least the remainder of this season.

* The announcement that the Maple Leafs are going to change their logo and uniform for their 100th Anniversary season next year has me on high alert.  The Leafs are an Original 6 franchise and the Maple Leaf logo is iconic.  While a uniform re-design is one thing, playing around with the logo and the colors is another.  Would the Green Bay Packers, New York Yankees, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks or Detroit Red Wings change their logos and team colors?  If the plan is to go back to the early 60's logo I'm ok with that.  But any Star Wars type change is a disgrace. Besides, I still haven't got over the Browns stupid uniform changes!!!

* Someone should tell LeSean McCoy to keep his mouth shut.  His rant against Eagles head coach Chip Kelly during the week got rammed down his throat after the Eagles defeated the Bills on Sunday essentially ending Buffalo's chances to make the playoffs.  Then he shows no guts by storming off the field, throwing his helmet and blowing off reporters after the game.  What a great role model!!!

* I'm beginning to wonder about Rex Ryan.  I believed that he got a raw deal in New York and that he would be a good fit for the Bills.  But, his team's performance this year calls into question his coaching abilities.  What's most troubling is the lack of discipline which has resulted in an alarming number of penalties.

* Despite his ability, the Bills need to move Jerry Hughes.  His stupid uncalled for penalties week after week are an embarrassment.

* Take a look at this Sunday's NFL schedule.  There is only one game, Denver vs Pittsburgh, where both teams are over .500.  What a joke and it shows that the product being put out there every weekend is inferior to what it used to be.  But it doesn't matter as ratings are up and the NFL continues to make money hand over foot.  I'm so glad I canceled The Sunday Ticket.

* Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has determined that Pete Rose's reinstatement request has been denied.  Manfred's decision is based upon the fact that Rose has shown no remorse and he continues to gamble.  Noble reasons indeed however hard for me to swallow when Major League Baseball are partners with Draft Kings, the fantasy sports website which has been outlawed in a number of states because it has been determined as a form of gambling.

* Let me start out by saying that I was never a Pete Rose fan.  But, he is the all time hits leader and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.  What has never been proven is that Rose threw games in order to win a bet.  In fact, he bet on the Reds.  In the Black Sox Scandal, it was determined that members of the White Sox threw games in order to get paid.  As a result, Shoeless Joe Jackson has been barred from the Hall even though many believe that Jackson was not directly involved with the plot.

* I still believe that Brian Cashman will make another move or two to shore up the Yankee pitching staff.

* And finally, take a look at the nationally prime time games coming up this week.  Tampa Bay - St. Louis on Thursday, NY Jets - Dallas on Saturday, Arizona - Philadelphia on Sunday and Detroit - New Orleans on Monday.  In this group, only the Jets and Cardinals are over .500.  Yet, people will watch.  Enjoy!!!

Browns: Can It Get Any Lower Than This?

When it was announced that the Browns were coming back to Cleveland, long time fans were looking forward to once again cheering for their football team.  We looked forward to once again enjoying fall Sunday afternoons like we did watching Jim Brown w/Frank Ryan, Bill Nelson w/Leroy Kelly, Brian Sipe w/Greg/Mike Pruitt and Bernie Kosar w/Mack & Byner.  Well, we were in for a big letdown as they've only been in the playoffs once (2002) and have had only 2 winning seasons since their return in 1999.  In fact, their record since coming back into the league, including this year, is 86 - 180.

It's been hard being a Browns fan since 1999 but this year may be the worst yet as this franchise is totally identified with the circus known as Johnny Football.  There have been a multitude of bad first round picks going back to the Modell days but the selection of Johnny Manziel may very well be the worst of them all.  I say that because it's not just his inability to be a franchise quarterback but it illustrates the total dysfunction of a franchise that was a perennial contender prior to their hijacking to Baltimore in 1995.

While I understand the argument that the Browns need to play Manziel to see if he is "their guy", his actions off the field demonstrate to me that he cannot be the man to lead Cleveland to a Super Bowl.  Moreover, his recent incidents illustrate something bigger: Manziel has an alcohol problem.  This is a guy who was in rehab for 73 days and has fallen hard off of the wagon.  The following was in a 2013 ESPN The Magazine article: "Manziel's father, John Paul, acknowledged that he was concerned about his son's anger issues, his drinking and his struggles dealing with celebrity. 'Yeah, it could all come unraveled', Manziel's father said. 'And when it does, it's gonna be bad. Real bad'."  This isn't from a media person who has an ax to grind.  This is coming from his own father.

On top of his alcohol issues, he has difficulty being truthful to his teammates, the Browns organization and the fans.  On multiple occasions he has said that he learned his lesson.  That he was going to be dedicated to being a professional and not a rock star.  So much for that.  But the icing on the cake was instead of admitting to his coaches that he screwed up, he lied and he has his so-called friends lie for him.  Sounds more like a 14 year old busted for drinking cheap wine after the homecoming game than the guy who will lead his team to a championship.

Head Coach Mike Pettine was right in changing starting quarterbacks as a result of Manziel's shenanigans this past weekend and his lying.  For those who want to see whether Manziel is "the guy", Pettine has left the door open for him to be named the starter before the season is over.  In my opinion, this organization should cut its losses and end the circus known as Johnny Football.

What also needs to happen is that the guy responsible for the state of this team needs to be fired.  General Manager Ray Farmer may go down as the worst general manager in NFL history as he has blown four first round draft picks over the last two drafts.  Not one of these players have had any type of positive impact for a franchise starving for playmakers.  Farmer is in over his head and needs to be shown the door.

I feel bad for Mike Pettine.  He is a football guy and he seems to have the respect of his players.  Unfortunately, he is also known as a defensive minded coach and the Browns defense is one of the worst in the league.  While I would have no problem if he was given another year without Farmer and Manziel, I think that if you are going to have a new General Manager that person needs to hire his own Head Coach.

The one guy who can't be replaced but deserves a lot of the blame is owner Jimmy Haslam.  When Haslam bought the Browns, we were sold on the idea that since he was a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers that he knew the importance of continuity, both in the front office and with the coaching staff.  That has hardly been the case.  Instead of following the Rooney family model, he seems to be following the footsteps of such meddling owners like Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder.

In fact, under Haslam's ownership, he has brought this franchise to it's lowest point ever.  From changing the team's iconic uniforms to those resembling that of a high school program to applying pressure to draft an undersized 20 year old quarterback who has character issues and a sense of entitlement, Haslam has made it harder for long time Cleveland fans to follow this team.  What he has created is a bad soap opera that needs to be cancelled.  

Tuesday's Thoughts

While trying to stay warm, here's what is on my mind this morning:

* The Toronto Maple Leafs are limping home after a terrible 2-7 road trip which leaves them hanging on to the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. There has been plenty of discussion about what needs to be done to turn this team around. There are those who believe that the coach should be fired and there are others who say that some of the core players should be moved. But another piece that should be considered is the general manager. If you want to talk about the core players, it was Nonis who re-signed Dion Phaneuf and Phil Kessel to their current contracts. It was Nonis who gave the ridiculous contract to Mimico's own David Clarkson. And it was Nonis who signed 37 year old Stephane Robidas. Maybe the first person that needs to go is Dave Nonis.

* While many like to get on Kessel and Phaneuf, the fact of the matter is that both of them are players who are miscast. Phaneuf is not a true number one defenseman. He's a good number 2 or 3 but he is expected to be the shut down guy. Kessel is a goal scorer. He's not a Selke Trophy candidate but neither is Patrick Kane. Kane has Toews, who does Kessel have? Both of these players are miscast and I have more of a problem with the contract that Clarkson has than Kessel's and Phaneuf's. Let me ask who would have more value on the trade market: Kessel, Phaneuf or Clarkson?

* In my mind, Randy Carlyle needs to go. Carlyle's teams have historically declined in the area of puck possession. This includes his time in Anaheim. In the three seasons that Carlyle started as head coach, the Leafs have had monumental collapses. Players certainly share in the blame, but so does the head coach.

* I find it interesting how in love so many Leaf fans are with Cody Franson. He certainly has a great shot from the point but he is slow and I don't find him all that great defensively. If history tells us anything, the Leafs will overpay to keep him. In case anyone realizes it, Franson is part of the core.

* In the end, the problem stills circles back to Dave Nonis.

* The National Football League should be ashamed of itself for a lot of reasons but one of them has to be the state of the performance of their referees. Officiating this year has been awful and the Detroit-Dallas playoff game really put a spotlight on this sad state of affairs. I have been watching football for over 50 years and all I have ever heard was that a defender needs to be looking at the ball in order to potentially make a play. The Dallas linebacker never looked back toward the ball and he made contact with the Detroit receiver. How the flag could be picked up on that play is a joke. But it doesn't end there. At the end of this play, Dez Bryant goes on the field without his helmet on and was screaming at the officials. This is a blatant unsportsmanlike penalty but apparently no offical saw this. The NFL is the most popular major sport in North America but it is the only sport of the four major ones that employs part-time officials. The integrity of the game is being called into question with such terrible officiating.

* Of course, no one should think that the NFL cares about integrity when money is what drives it. Case in point, the owner of the St.Louis Rams has announced that he is going to build a new stadium in Inglewood, California which would lead to the franchise moving to Los Angeles. How does a current St.Louis season ticket holder re-up for the 2015 season? And where is Roger Goodell looking out for those fans? He could careless because it is all about the money.

* But for the Dallas game, the other three wild card matchups were not very exciting. 

* The situation with the Buffalo Bills has really gone south. While everyone wants to blast Doug Marrone, it was Russ Brandon who gave him his contract with the $4 million dollar guaranteed opt out and it was Doug Whaley who traded away the team's first round draft pick in 2015 in order to acquire Sammy Watkins. The problem is there is only one person currently on the roster who could throw to Watkins and that is EJ Manuel.

* Speaking of the Watkins trade, it seems that Marrone was extremely opposed to the trade as he and Whaley argued over the move. While Bills fans may feel that Marrone is a control freak jerk, he was right about the trade as the Bills could have drafted an Odell Beckham Jr. and still had their number one draft pick this year. 

* Reports out of New York is that the interview with the Jets did not go very well for Marrone. One has to wonder how much of that was as a result of the New York media, particularly the Daily News, slamming the Jets if they settled on Marrone. In the end, Marrone may find himself sitting out this season while he collects his $4 million dollars from Terry Pegula.

* Johnny Manziel was involved in another bar incident, this time in Houston, Texas. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said that the team would not put up with players who are not committed to winning. What more does this organization need to see that this kid is a media creation who is nothing more than a cartoon character. Manziel needs to be removed from the Browns organization.

* While very painful to watch, Phil Jackson is doing the right thing by tearing down the New York Knicks. With only 5 wins, New York is going nowhere this season and so it is imperative to clear cap space and be in position for a top pick in this year's draft.

* It has been reported that the Yankees have interviewed Willie Randolph for the first base/infield coaching job. I have been calling for this to happen since Mick Kelleher was fired. This is a no-brainer and Number 30 should be in the first base coaching box this season.

* When is the NCAA going to start looking into the lawless college football program called Florida State. Jimbo Fisher is an enabler who condones all of the various misdeeds. If you want a window in the mindset of this program, just look at the end of their game against Oregon when the team went straight to their locker room without congratulating the Ducks.

* I pity the team who drafts "Crablegs" Winston in the 2015 NFL Re-entry Draft.

* Here's hoping that Jim Harbaugh restores the Michigan football program.

* Love the fact that the SEC had a terrible bowl season. The smugness of its fans and the ESPN connection is enough to make anyone get sick.

* As someone pointed out yesterday, if there was no playoff format the national championship game would have been between Florida State and Alabama.

* I'm not an Urban Meyer fan, so I will be rooting for Oregon to win the national championship.

* And finally, congratulations to my Canadian friends in the big win for Team Canada in the World Juniors Tournament.

Tuesday's Thoughts

While wondering if 2015 is the year that one of my teams will make the playoffs, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* Another Browns season comes to an end and another dumpster fire is burning in Cleveland. The events of the past week have made it abundantly clear to me that Johnny Manziel needs to go. He's an immature punk who will never amount to a true pro quarterback. What he lacks in size he needs to make up with by increased preparation and paying attention to detail. Unfortunately, this kid doesn't have it upstairs to understand that. He is a college frat boy. He says he is going to change and be more dedicated and then the team has to send out security to find him because he was late for treatment. You can't trust a thing this punk says. If Johnny Manziel is on the Browns next year, it is a slap in the face to every Browns fan.

* The Browns also need to look long and hard at Josh Gordon. Of the 3 Stooges, Gordon could probably bring back the most to the Browns in a trade. During the off season I was ok with the Browns keeping Gordon on the team and riding out the suspension. But in light of recent events, Gordon has to go. When you look at rookies like Odell Beckhan Jr., Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins and Kelvin Benjamin and the impact that they have had this year with their respective teams then there is hope that you can get that talented number one receiver in the draft. Something to think about: how much better off would the Browns have been if they drafted any of these guys in the first round as opposed to Manziel and Justin Gilbert?

* Justin Gilbert may be the most salvageable of the 3 Stooges. However, he would have a short leash and if he didn't turn things around in OTAs and training camp, he would be gone by opening day in 2015. As a point of reference, here are the last 5 first round picks of the Browns: Brandon Weeden, Trent Richardson, Barkevious Mingo, Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel. And you want to know why this team is a dumpster fire every year?

* If I were in charge of the Browns, I would bring back Brian Hoyer and Connor Shaw and I would draft a quarterback later in the draft, somewhere between the third and fourth rounds. It is imperative that the lack of depth on the offensive line be addressed and tough decisions need to be made pertaining to Jordan Cameron and Jabaal Sheard. In my opinion, they would both be back.

* It's great that Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam called out the 3 Stooges by saying such behavior won't be tolerated. What concerns me is that Haslam qualified things after he said that by saying that these young guys will be given the opportunity to correct things. To me, that's a bunch of crap. If you weren't prepared to complete your job at work or if you came late to work, you would be fired. Haslam needs to have a backbone and get rid of the 3 Stooges.

* The Chicago Bears cleaned house on Monday by firing GM Phil Emery and Head Coach Marc Trestman. It was evident that Trestman lost the team and that was really clear when his Offensive Coordinator Aaron Kromer called out Jay Cutler publically. At that point, Trestman should have fired Kromer. When that didn't happen he was done. Emery was the guy who hired Trestman and signed Jay Cutler to his current contract. His free agent signings have been a bust and the rapid decline of the  Bears defense has doomed this team, in spite of all the offensive talent. In my mind, the right guy for the job as head coach would be Rex Ryan. Ryan is a defensive specialist who can build defenses. With the right offensive coordinator, Ryan could be the guy to restore the Monsters of the Midway.

* The New York Jets followed the Bears by doing what everyone expected by firing Ryan along with General Manager John Idzik. Idzik was in over his head and that showed in his drafting and his inability to bring in any quality free agents. Jets owner Woody Johnson needs to give some hope to a fan base that is rancid right now about their team.

* The Michigan Wolverines football program may be on the road to respectability with the hiring of Jim Harbaugh. This was a good move for both the school and for Harbaugh. What will be interesting now is how San Francisco will replace him.

* Mike Smith getting fired in Atlanta came as no surprise particularly after their terrible performance Sunday against Carolina. Of course, not much has been done to improve the Falcons defense.

* People want to criticize Tom Brady but for me he is the ultimate team guy who is all about winning as he re-negotiated his contract to give the Patriots an extra $24 million dollars in cap space.

* Now on the other hand you have Ndamukong Suh. This guy stomps on Aaron Rodgers' leg and as a result is suspended for next weekend's playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys. It will be interesting to see if the Lions will re-sign this thug and if they don't who will. Guy has a ton of talent but he can't control himself.

* One team you might not want to play in the NFC Playoffs is the Carolina Panthers and the team that could knock off Seattle in the NFC is Dallas.

* The injury to Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell knee may prevent him from playing against Baltimore on Saturday night. That's a tough break for Pittsburgh as Bell has been a work horse. If he is unable to go, Ben Roethlisberger will really be asked to carry the offensive load.

* I was not a big Shawn Kelley fan but I'm not sure I understand what Brian Cashman is doing. He's added Andrew Miller and Justin Miller and has lost David Robertson and Kelley. The big talk was that Cashman was going to build up the bullpen a la Kansas City. Somehow I don't see it.

* The play of the Toronto Maple Leafs as of late is a disgrace. Blowing both games in Florida after having a 2 goal lead is inexcusable. The last time that happened on consecutive nights by the Maple Leafs was in April 1989. What's more maddening is being out shot continuously by wide margins. Seems like the same old story. I'm not a big Randy Carlyle fan but I'm not sure changing the coach will change this team's inability to play sound defensive hockey and have it start to maintain puck control in the other team's zone.  

* The announcement by Kyle Orton of his retirement from the NFL has really set the Buffalo Bills into panic mode. Orton was signed just before the season started as it was felt that there was a need to have a veteran ready to step in if EJ Manuel faltered. Well after the loss to Houston, Orton was in and he was better than Manuel but not good enough to get the Bills into the playoffs. With Orton out, the Bills are left with Manuel and the so-called Bills Mafia is besides themselves. One has to wonder if going 9-7 this year will ultimately have set the franchise back. If the Bills have decided Manuel is not salvageable, then they will need to bring in not only a veteran but also need to get a young guy. 

* And finally, to all of those who follow this blog, a Happy and Healthy 2015.

Tuesday's Thoughts

While being proud of myself that I have finished my Christmas shopping, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* Well, the Johnny Football era began in Cleveland on Sunday and it was a total disaster. Manziel looked awful. He made bad throws and looked lost out there. The running game was non-existent which put more of an onus on Manziel. The Browns defense was terrible. To allow the Bengals to rush for over 100 yards in the first half was disgraceful. 

* Merrell Hoge was very outspoken in his criticism of Manziel and the Browns in general. To be honest with you, I agree with Hoge. There is no doubt we have only seen Manziel start one game but Hoge made an excellent point when he said that Manziel was not a first round talent but was taken in the first round. The pick was a reach and I have to wonder how much influence Jimmy Haslam had with that decision. But Manziel is not the only questionable selection in the first round as Justin Gilbert has had a VERY unimpressive rookie season. Gilbert was the eighth pick overall in the draft and could not crack the starting lineup. With two first round picks in the 2015 Draft, let's hope General Manager Ray Farmer does a better job than he did in this year's draft.

* Interesting article in the NY Post this morning about Johnny Manziel. The Post's Bart Hubbuch called into question Kyle Shanahan's play calling by saying that Manziel was in sets that did not capitalize on his ability to use his legs which set the rookie quarterback up for failure. Hubbuch makes some interesting points particularly when he claims that his league sources indicated that the Browns drafted Manziel at the behest of owner Jimmy Haslam rejecting Mike Pettine's opinion on Manziel.

* By the way, I hate the all brown uniforms that Cleveland wore Sunday. What happened to tradition? The classiest uniforms are the traditional ones: Green Bay, Indianapolis, NY Giants and Dallas. 

* The Toronto Maple Leafs are on fire as they had a weekend sweep of the Detroit Red Wings and the Los Angeles Kings. Moreover, they swept all four games in the two back to back sets that they faced. What has been a pleasant surprise has been the secondary scoring that the Leafs are receiving from guys like Mike Santorelli and Richard Panik. It's funny how being able to roll four lines that can play has had a major impact up to this point of the season. The depth that the Leafs have will lead the coaching staff to make some tough decisions once Leo Komorov and Roman Polak are ready to play. 

* It's really fun to see a player grow in front of your eyes and that's what we are witnessing with Nazem Kadri. I'm going to be honest with you, I had my doubts about this kid but he has made me a believer. Not sure if it was the chat that he had with Brendan Shanahan but Kadri is no longer a defensive liability. He is arguably the Leafs best all around center. I was truly impressed with how he handled both Henrik Zetterberg and Anze Kopitar. As he continues to commit to the defensive aspects of the game, with his offensive skill he can be one of the top all around players in the league. 

* Leafs Lunch on Friday had the three hosts predict how many points the Leafs would get on the weekend. Brian Hayes said the Leafs would get three points, Jamie MacClennan said two points and Jeff O'Neill said zero. I guess Jeff was wrong and shame on Hayes for not calling him out on it Monday.

* The Leafs have five games remaining before the Christmas break and those five games start off tonight against the Anaheim Ducks at the Air Canada Center. It is key for the Leafs to avoid any extended losing streaks if they are to convince themselves and their apprehensive fan base that this will be another season where there is a late season collapse. After tonight, the Leafs go to Carolina on Thursday, play Saturday at the ACC against Philadelphia and then go to Chicago on Sunday to take on the Blackhawks. Their last of the five game stint is on December 23 at Dallas. I'll take going 3-2 before they head out on a five game road trip after Christmas.

* The Yankees announced the signing of Chase Headley to continue to play third base. The deal was four years at $52 million dollars. If Headley can stay healthy then this is not a bad deal. My concern is that this guy has had a history of back issues. Hopefully those are behind him. This signing would also seem to indicate that the Yankees see Alex Rodriguez as mainly a DH which according to both NY dailies will not sit well with him. Nothing like ARod drama to begin another baseball season.

* Brian Cashman indicated in an interview that the Yankees are not in on Max Scherzer. The reason given was that the team did not want to commit to a seven year contract to a 30 year old pitcher. Hmmm...do you believe him?

* Is there a bigger joke of a franchise in the National Hockey League than the Edmonton Oilers? Dallas Eakins is the latest head coach to get the ax as it was announced yesterday that Eakins was fired and General Manager Craig MacTavish has named minor league coach Todd Nelson as interim head coach. As I mentioned last week, Eakins would have been better served being an assistant coach in the NHL before taking a number one job, especially one that saw two experienced head coaches (Pat Quinn and Tom Renney) not be able to turn the team around. There are two constants that have overseen this mess: Kevin Lowe and Craig MacTavish. Someone should tell ownership that it is time to cut the cord from the 80's Oilers as these guys have led this once proud franchise into the toilet. 

* Interesting fact number one: the Green Bay Packers have never won in Ralph Wilson Stadium. 

* Interesting fact number two: the New York Jets 16-11 victory over the Tennessee Titans is the first time that the score of 16-11 has ever been the final score of an NFL game. 

* Plenty of talk about the NHL expanding to Las Vegas. To me, expansion is not the answer but re-location is the way to go. All they would have to do is move the Florida Panthers to Las Vegas and that would give each conference 15 teams. There is no question that Quebec City or a second team in Toronto is more deserving but the NHL must even out the conferences. Bringing the league up to 32 teams further dilutes the talent. 

* So far the Boston Red Sox have spent the most money in free agency. So much for the evil empire. 

* Jon Lester was presented to the Chicago media as he had signed with the Cubs. Lester's number is 34 in deference to Walter Payton, Kerry Wood and Nolan Ryan. This guy is going to be well liked in the Windy City. 

* Tough news for the Dallas Cowboys as DeMarco Murray has a broken hand and has been ruled out for Sunday's game against Indianapolis. It will be interesting to see how this impacts the Cowboys since he has become a vital cog in that team's offense. 

* Kudos to Marcus Mariota for winning the Heisman Trophy. It will be interesting to see if this kid decides to leave Oregon. 

* Was really interesting to hear former Heisman Trophy Winner John Huarte tell the story how he was notified that he had won the award. Huarte was the quarterback for Notre Dame and won the award 50 years ago. He was in his dorm room and the phone was ringing out in the hallway. Huarte answered it and was told that he won the Heisman. Far cry from today's major production put on by ESPN.

* Well Bills fever is running wild in Western New York. Buffalo's chance to make the playoffs are slim but it is feasible that they could go 9-7 which would be a big improvement over last season. However the big question is: will this success lull the franchise to believe that they can be playoff contenders with Kyle Orton as quarterback?

* And finally, Ted Nolan is one of the best coaches in the National Hockey League. Despite a roster way short on talent, he has managed to get the Buffalo Sabres to be a respectable hockey team. While I understand Sabre fans wanting their team to tank so they can draft Connor MacDavid or Jack Eichel, it is not in Nolan's DNA to have his team not compete. Think about his first stint with the Sabres when he had "the hardest working team" in the NHL. If the Sabres wanted to tank, they should have kept Ron Rolston. By the way, there were plenty of empty seats at the First Niagara Center last night when Buffalo played Ottawa.

Tuesday's Thoughts

While wondering if anyone under the age of 45 in Western New York knows what "The Little Three" is, here's what is on my mind this morning:

* Well I wonder if Joe Thomas still thinks that Brian Hoyer gives the Cleveland Browns the best chance to win. If he does then he has taken too many blows to the head while playing on the offensive line. The Browns confounded Andrew Luck for a good portion of the game, scored two touchdowns on their own and set up a field goal with an interception but it was still not enough as the Indianapolis Colts came from behind to defeat the Browns 25-24. The defense forced the Colts into four turnovers but the most the Browns could get out of that was three points. But this has been a problem for weeks and the blame lies with Hoyer and Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan. 

* Hoyer had good field position throughout most of the game but was unable to capitalize on it. I'm not sure what more needs to be seen to realize that Brian Hoyer is not a starting quarterback let alone a franchise quarterback. You saw one on Sunday in Andrew Luck. Even when they are having a bad day, they make plays to win and Luck did just that particularly in the second half. 

* Really disturbed over reports by Jay Glazer that the Browns were not happy with Johnny Manziel because he was at a Cleveland Cavaliers game. According to the report, the Browns are concerned over Manziel's lack of preparation and that he should have been spending his time getting ready for the Colts' game because there was a chance he might start. Are you kidding me? If this is true then the Ray Farmer/Mike Pettine era may rank up there with the list of dumb regimes that have ran the Cleveland Browns since 1999. The Browns knew that this kid marches to his own drumbeat. His off the field exploits should not be a surprise. Besides, two hours at a Cavs game is going to make the difference in whether Manziel is ready to play? Give me a break!!

* Saw Coach Mike Pettine's press conference and I'm still not sure who will be starting against Cincinnati this Sunday. If the Browns have no intention of bringing Hoyer back or they don't feel they can keep him at what they consider fair, then Johnny Manziel should be the starter. By the way, in my opinion, he should have been the starter against the Colts. 

* The Toronto Maple Leafs have a big week coming up with two sets of back to back games. The first set begins tonight at 7:30 as the surprising Calgary Flames roll into the ACC. The Leafs are 4-1 on this current homestand and they would like to close it out with a victory. Then on Wednesday they go over to Detroit to take on the Red Wings. The Wings have been playing well as of late and the Leafs must be ready from the opening face off in both of these games. I would imagine that James Reimer will play one of these two games. Jonathan Bernier has really asserted himself as the team's number one but Reimer should get one of these two games. The weekend sees the Leafs hosting Detroit on Saturday and the defending Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings on Sunday. No doubt that both goalies will see action over the weekend. 

* It had been reported a week or so ago that Phil Kessel is fending off some nagging injuries and it looks it. Kessel never wants to come out of the lineup but he doesn't seem to have his usual spark when he has the puck in open ice. He seems to be laboring quite a bit. If he is hurting, the team needs to step in as missing a couple of games in December isn't a big deal but missing 5 or more in February and March could be a big problem. 

* It is really a pleasure to see the Leafs utilizing all four lines. The off season acquisitions have panned out as Mike Santorelli, Daniel Winnik, Richard Panik, Leo Komorov and David Booth are giving the Leafs forward depth that they have not had in quite awhile. Wonder if Randy Carlyle misses Colton Orr and Fraser McLaren. 

* Nazem Kadri really impressed me Saturday night against Vancouver. Carlyle had Kadri centering a line with Mike Santorelli and Daniel Winnik. Their assignment was to battle the Sedins and Kadri was every bit up to the task. The defensive side of the game has been a concern pertaining to Kadri's play. But, it's obvious that the young center has received the message and is starting to round out his game. This bodes well for the Leafs along with the development of their other young center, Peter Holland. Both of these former first round draft picks are giving the Leafs some hope at the center position. 

*The Baseball Winter Meetings began yesterday and it will be interesting to see what the New York Yankees do as they still have some holes to fill. Last week, the Yanks traded Shane Greene in a three team deal to acquire shortstop Didi Gregorius. Gregorius will fill the shortstop position vacated by the retirement of Derek Jeter. This 25 year old youngster is an excellent defender but has a weak bat. Moving Greene creates another hole in the starting rotation that has Masahiro Tanaka (fingers crossed he doesn't need Tommy John), Ivan Nova (won't be ready until May-June coming off Tommy John), CC Sabathia (coming off knee surgery) and Michael Pineda. If Adam Warren and David Phelps round out this rotation, I don't care who they have in the bullpen. 

* Speaking of the bullpen, letting David Robertson go is a huge mistake. Brian Cashman has said that they don't have a proven closer and that they might go after someone like Jason Grilli. Are you kidding me? There is something terribly wrong with this organization as it seems coming up through the farm system means nothing when it comes to free agency. 

* Its being reported that the Yankees and Giants are the team's most interested in Chase Headley. 

* The Cubs signed Jason Hammel and appear to be in on Jon Lester. According to Jon Heyman, the Cubs and the Giants appear to be the favorites to sign the 30 year old left-hander. If the Cubs get Lester look out!!

* The other Chicago team, the White Sox have made two huge moves signing Yankee closer David Robertson and acquiring Jeff Samardzija. 

* The Seattle Mariners seem to be the favorites to sign Miquel Cabrera. You know Robinson Cano will be lobbying for the Melkman. If they get Cabrera, the Mariner lineup bulks up big time with Cabrera, Cruz and Cano. 

* The Oakland A's appear to be in sell off mode as they have moved Josh Donaldson to the Blue Jays and Brandon Moss to Cleveland along with letting Jason Hammel and Jeff Samardzija go. Apparently, Billy Beane believes he needs to re-tool with youth. 

* Interesting story about how the relationship between David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez has soured ever since ARod's attorney questioned Ortiz's use of PEDs. If the shoe fits, wear it Big Papi. 

* The NCAA Playoff Committee got it right by knocking TCU out of the final four and putting Ohio State in it. The Buckeyes deserve the opportunity after defeating Wisconsin in convincing fashion 59-0 in the Big Ten Championship Game. What made it more impressive was that the Buckeyes did it with their third string quarterback. 

* Really looking forward to watching Marcus Mariota and his Oregon Ducks take on Crablegs Winston and Florida State. Here's hoping the Ducks do the job on the lucky Seminoles. 

* Paul MacLean was fired yesterday as head coach of the Ottawa Senators. Rather strange since this guy was the darling of the hockey world two years ago. Maybe the powers that be in Ottawa should realize that they don't have a very good team. I'm sure MacLean will find a job somewhere next season. 

* There is a report that Cubs starting shortstop Starlin Castro may have been involved in a firefight in a nightclub in the Dominican Republic. I really like Castro and think he could be a star shortstop for years to come but if he is involved here this won't bode well for him with GM Theo Epstein. 

* Two of the most sought after head coaches in the NFL may be Jim Harbaugh and Rex Ryan. I've seen Ryan's name mentioned with Atlanta and Chicago. Harbaugh is rumored to be coveted by Oakland and the NY Jets. 

* And finally, The Little Three consisted of the three Catholic independent basketball teams in Western New York: Niagara, Canisius and St.Bonaventure. The schools would play a home and home series each year, though Niagara's home games were played at Buffalo's War Memorial Auditorium because the Student Center (now named the Gallagher Center) was too small. These three schools regularly played Syracuse, Villanova, St. John's and Providence. In fact, all three programs were better than Georgetown. 

Pettine Creates A Problem With QB Situation

Cleveland Browns Head Coach Mike Pettine has created another, in a long line, of quarterback controversies by replacing Brian Hoyer on Sunday with Johnny Manziel and then naming Hoyer the starter for this Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts. Pettine indicated that his decision was based on the belief that Hoyer gave them the best chance to win. If that is the case, why put Manziel in against Buffalo early in the fourth quarter with the team down 20-3? After all, Hoyer has been the master of fourth quarter comebacks.

What Pettine probably didn't expect was the drive Manziel directed which ended with Johnny Football running in for a touchdown to make the score 20-10 with plenty of time remaining. In that same drive, Manziel showed a stronger arm than Hoyer and obviously provided more of a running threat. Johnny Football gave the offense a much needed spark, something that has been lacking over the last few games. 

In full disclosure, I did not want the Browns to draft Manziel. I questioned his ability to play his type of game in the NFL and be successful. Pettine's decision to name Hoyer the starter was the right one to make at the beginning of the season. In the first 7 games of the season, Hoyer threw for 8 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions. What made him successful was limiting turnovers. However, the last five games have been a disaster. The stat line shows only 3 touchdown passes and 8 interceptions. These numbers include the win on a Thursday night over Cincinnati where Hoyer didn't throw a touchdown or an interception. It makes the numbers even worse. 

Many are saying that the Browns are still in the playoff hunt so it would be foolish to hand the fate of the team's playoff chances to a rookie quarterback. That's all fine and dandy but let's have a reality check. In order for the Browns to make the playoffs they are going have to win the division which means that they will need to beat Cincinnati and Baltimore and win one of the games against Carolina or the Colts and that might not still be enough. If they happen to make the playoffs, they are not going to the Super Bowl. So I guess until they are mathematically eliminated, the Browns will keep Hoyer as the starter and delay the evaluation process of Johnny Manziel. In a word: stupid. 

I've heard some say that the Browns should give Hoyer the remainder of this season and the beginning of next season before your consider replacing Hoyer with Manziel. Really?? People want to compare Hoyer to Brian Sipe but he is no Sipe. In 1980, Sipe was the AP NFL Most Valuable Player. Somehow I don't see Brian Hoyer being an NFL MVP. I don't see him being a Pro Bowler either. 

Based on what I've seen this season, Hoyer is a serviceable back-up quarterback. He is not a franchise quarterback. Johnny Manziel?? I'm not sure if Johnny Football is the answer but I would like to find out now. In the 2015 Draft, the Browns have two first round picks that could be packaged to move up to take a Marcus Mariota. That's why the Browns need to know if Johnny is the guy. They can only find out if he plays. 

If Hoyer starts off the Indy game like he has in the last two games, the crowd at First Energy Stadium will be surly and Mike Pettine will have a full blown quarterback controversy on his hands. A controversy he created.

Tuesday's Thoughts

As the countdown to Christmas begins, here's what is on my mind this morning:

* The Johnny Manziel era begins in Cleveland and it is the move that had to be made. As anyone who has read this blog or my Twitter posts, you know that I was not crazy about the Browns drafting Johnny Football. I had no problem with Coach Mike Pettine going with Brian Hoyer as the Browns starting quarterback. But over the last five games, Hoyer has shown that he is not the quarterback of the future let alone the guy to lead this team to the playoffs this year. In his last five games, Hoyer has thrown for three touchdowns while also throwing 8 interceptions. The first seven games, he had 8 touchdowns and only two interceptions.

* As a realistic Browns fan, I know it would be nice if they made the playoffs but if they did they would probably get bounced in their first game. That's why making the move to Manziel is best for the long term future of the franchise. It's imperative that the Browns see what they have in Johnny Football before the end of this season to determine if they need to use a top draft pick on another quarterback in the 2015 Draft. 

* Kyle Shanahan had another bad game and all of the talk about him getting a head coaching job next year is pre-mature in my mind. Two points: 1.) Why did he continue to run sweeps with Isiah Crowell? The play went no where every time it was called. 2.) On Buffalo's 1st series of the second half, Kyle Orton was picked off by Joe Haden inside Buffalo territory. Why wouldn't you go for the jugular with a play action pass to the end zone? Instead he tried the same running play to Crowell that went no where. Then Hoyer gets sacked and the Browns have to punt the ball away. 

* One other point about the play calling, the Browns red zone offense is no better now than it was under Pat Shurmer and Rob Chudzinski. You need to score touchdowns. 

* The Maple Leafs continue to play well as they convincingly defeated the Washington Capitals 6-2 on Saturday night. Since the 9-2 drubbing at the hands of the Nashville Predators, this Leaf team seems to be playing with a purpose. Even in their 4-3 overtime loss at Pittsburgh, they showed some fight as they fought back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game in regulation.

* The Leafs are finally healthy up front as they got Joffrey Lupul and David Booth back and as a result Randy Carlyle is using four lines which have all been productive. 

* The Alex Ovechkin hit on Leo Komorov was a cheap shot and should warrant a review by the NHL. All I have to say is this: if the shoe was on the other foot and Komorov cheap shot Ovechkin resulting in him being taken out of the game, Komorov would be suspended. Here's hoping Komorov can play tonight against Dallas. 

* Jake Gardiner's heart has been called into question but he was the first player who I saw get into Ovechkin's face after he nailed Komorov. Funny, I haven't heard any of the Toronto gasbags mention that at all. 

* Here's hoping Korbinian Holzer continues to play as he had the last two games. If it continues, the Leafs are in a very good position for a possible trade once Roman Polak comes back.

* The Leafs will have some difficult decisions to make as they approach the trade deadline this season. They have a number of players who will be free agents next season (Cody Franson, Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Bernier, Mike Santorelli, Daniel Winnik). There have been reports that Joffrey Lupul is concerned about possibly being moved out of Toronto. I like Lupul but the Leafs really didn't miss a beat when he was out with an injury. If Holzer shows that he can play well consistently, the Leafs may be able to move a defenseman. The key would be to clear cap space as the cap will not go up that much next season. While the Leafs can be a playoff team, I think its safe to say that they are not a Stanley Cup contender at this point. The next couple of months will be very interesting in Leafland.

* New York media types calling for the Giants to move Eli Manning are morons. I'll take a two-time Super Bowl Champion any day. 

* At the end of the day, the AFC North may be the most overrated division in the NFL. Pittsburgh looked awful against New Orleans and Baltimore blew a game at home against San Diego. Cincinnati held on for dear life against Tampa Bay and the Browns are fortunate to be 7-5. 

* Was so happy to see Colt McCoy get a shot in Washington. He threw for close to 400 yards on Sunday.  

* Speaking of Washington, you have to wonder if RG III will ever get back to what he was his rookie year. You have to wonder if the decline in his play is related to his knee injury or is it a result of him being too much of a celebrity. Rumors are that the Redskins would take a 5th or 6th round draft pick for RG III. 

* The Browns-Bills game on Sunday was one of the worst games I've seen in a long while. By the way, for these Blue Cheese breath morons here in Western New York, the Bills are not a playoff team and if they get in they will be knocked out in the first game which is the same thing I said about the Browns.

* Kudos to Jerry Sullivan for pointing out to the Louie Lackawannas of the world that it's nice to be happy about being in the hunt but the Bills offense is putrid and they are not a legitimate playoff team. 

* It will be interesting to see how the Bills top defensive line plays next week against Peyton Manning and the Broncos in Denver.

* The arbitrator's decision to overturn Ray Rice's indefinite suspension should not be a surprise to anyone. The fact is that Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Ray Rice twice for the same offense. In most labor-management situations that is a no-no. Yet, had to hear people being interviewed in bars saying that the arbitrator's decision sends the message that domestic violence is not a big deal. Really?? The message that the decision sends is that the National Football League, in working with the NFL Players Association, needs to set up a process on how to handle such offenses. Goodell cannot be the judge and jury.

* The Toronto Blue Jays made a nice move in acquiring Josh Donaldson for Brett Lawrie and 3 prospects. Lawrie has a history of being injury prone and Donaldson adds more punch to a lineup that already features Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista. Add the acquisition of Russell Martin and the Blue Jays will have a formidable experienced lineup in 2015. Don't be surprised if they make some additional moves during the Winter Meetings. 

* Melky Cabrera is as good as gone in Toronto. Will be interesting to see where the Melkman ends up. 

* Meanwhile Brian Cashman is preparing to repel down a building in Connecticut.  

* Any reason why Willie Randolph has not been hired by the Yankees to be their first base and infield coach?

* In 2009, the Yankees infield was Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and Mark Teixiera. All were considered All-Stars. In 2015 it will be ? at third base, ? at shortstop, ? at second base and lucky if you get 125 games from Teixiera at first base. Meanwhile, Cashman is repelling down a building with Bobby Valelntine.

* It's being reported that the Yankees are interested in lefty reliever Andrew Miller. There is plenty of speculation as to what the Yankees are doing by going after Miller. Are they looking to build a back end bullpen that would consist of Miller, David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Justin Wilson? Are they looking to send a message to Robertson that they will move on without him? I simply don't understand why there should be any question about re-signing Robertson. This home-grown 30 year old, who has had one of the best earned run averages of any reliever since 2009, is looking for a four year deal and the Yankees are only willing to give him a three year deal. It's not about the money, it's about the term. This whole situation sounds like the Cano scenario from last year. Why do the Yankees have a hard time giving home grown players long term contracts but have no problem giving long term contracts to free agents such as Jacoby Ellsbury and Brian McCann? And let's not forget the guaranteed three year contract they gave to 36 year old Carlos Beltran.

* The NFL rule change that limits what a defensive back can do five yards beyond the line of scrimmage is a big joke. It is also inconsistently called.  

* Would love to see Missouri knock off Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. If that should happen it could be possible that no team from the SEC makes the playoffs.

*Do you remember when Brian Burke said that he felt the Toronto market would be too tough for a rookie coach and that is why he hired Randy Carlyle over Dallas Eakins? Well, now some NHL gasbags are saying that Edmonton may have made a mistake by hiring Eakins. Their rationale is that it would have made more sense for Eakins to serve as an NHL assistant coach before taking on a head coaching job in the NHL. I guess Brian Burke was right even though certain members of the media would never admit it. 

* Gotta love Sportstime Ohio talk show host Bruce Drennan. After the Browns loss to the Bills on Sunday, Drennan said that the worst thing about the loss was that the Bills stink!! That's why I love the guy!!

* The Packers-Patriots game was billed as a Super Bowl preview. Somehow, I don't see it. I'm not a big fan but with a renewed running game, Denver will be a tough team to beat in the playoffs. I'm really impressed with their young running back C.J. Anderson and he could be a difference maker in the post season. 

* It seems to be a foregone conclusion that Jim Harbaugh will be gone from San Francisco. Big rumor has him either going to Oakland or the Jets. But wouldn't it be great if he went back to where his career started in Chicago?

* And finally, does anyone know whatever happened to Everrett Golson??

Tuesday's Thoughts

While beginning my four month bitch about the cold and snow, here's what is on my mind this morning:

* What a sports weekend. Let's first start with my favorite hockey team: the Toronto Maple Leafs. After a great game against the Boston Bruins, the Leafs dropped back to back games on the weekend. Friday they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the ACC. The Leafs didn't play great but they certainly had a chance to get a point. But the 6-2 loss to the lowly Buffalo Sabres left many Leaf fans shaking their heads. The Leafs were awful in all aspects of the game and it's hard to understand. How can a team play so well against the Bruins and be embarrassed by Buffalo. 

* Remember the controversy caused when Joffrey Lupul said it was frustrating playing at home because the ACC crowd was too quiet? Well in Buffalo on Saturday, there were more Leaf fans in the First Niagara Center than Sabre fans. Not only were there more Leaf fans but they were loud and proud! So much for the crowd getting the team going. If the Leafs played with as much passion as the Leaf fans who go to Buffalo to watch them play, their record in Buffalo would not be 1-14-1 in their last 16 games at First Niagara Center. 

* There has been plenty of questions, both inside and outside the organization, about the first line being weak defensively. If that is the case, why not break them up? Prior to Joffrey Lupul being injured, Randy Carlyle did just that. After the Lupul injury, Carlyle had Daniel Winnick on the line with Phil Kessel and Nazem Kadri. But, when Carlyle needed some offense he went back to Tyler Bozak and James van Reimsdyk teaming up with Kessel. So what do you want Randy??  

* The furor that was caused by Phil Kessel refusing to speak to the media after Saturday's debacle in Buffalo is a joke on many levels. First, Kessel was obviously pissed at being embarrassed by the worst team in the NHL. But, you see he can't win. Kessel has been criticized for showing no emotion and being a me-first player. But when he shows emotion he's a dirt bag because he wouldn't talk to the media. Leading the media pity party was TSN Leaf beat reporter Jonas Siegel. Siegel believes that Kessel owes it to the fans to speak to the media. Really Jonas?? I could careless if Kessel speaks to you ever again. What I also found interesting that Siegel said that he covers for the players. I want to know, what are you covering up Siegel?? I don't buy that for a minute. 

* Secondly, there are members of the Toronto media who will never warm up to Phil Kessel. I remember a couple of years before he re-signed with the Leafs, some media types saying that Kessel will leave Toronto when he became a free agent so the Leafs should trade him to get something before they lost him and got nothing. You see, according to these geniuses, Kessel didn't like the pressure of playing in Toronto and would want to go back to the U.S. Well, I guess they were wrong as Kessel has expressed numerous times about how he loves playing in Toronto.  

* I wonder how many members of the Washington media are ready to run Alex Ovechkin out of town because he isn't a good two-way player. In fact, I would make the argument that Kessel is a better all around player than Ovechkin. I am sick and tired of the Kessel bashing by the Toronto media. He is Toronto's best player. The challenge for Brendan Shanahan is to surround him with players who can compliment his talent. Is he a great two-way player? No he is not. But he is their most talented player and I'm not expecting him to be Patrice Bergeron. Kessel is not this team's problem. 

* If you want to look at a problem, how about Mimico's own David Clarkson. I was happy when the Leafs signed him but he has been a major disappointment. He does not deserve to be on the second power play unit and I question as to whether or not he shouldn't be on the fourth line. His penalty in Buffalo on Saturday killed the momentum that the Leafs had achieved and led to a Sabres power play goal. The guy should not be up on the second line with Kadri. He actually played his best when he was with Bozak and JVR. 

* Its to the point where I honestly believe that it is in Jake Gardiner's best interest to be traded. Heaven help him if he makes a bad play that leads to a goal but when Cody Franson swan dives, misses the puck and allows the Sabre forward to come out in front of the net which leads to a Buffalo goal, you don't hear a word about it. Maybe what all of the Toronto media would like to see is Kessel, Gardiner, and Phaneuf traded for draft picks so we can build through the draft. Boy, wouldn't that be great!!

* Funny how the Toronto media criticizes Kessel for being a terrible interview but goes bonkers when he tells them to get away. Good for Phil. 

* By the way, for a guy who the media believes is out of shape, Phil Kessel has not missed a game in the 5 1/2 seasons he has played for the Leafs.

* Boy, I miss Brian Burke.

* The Cleveland Browns could not stand prosperity as they went from first to last place after their 23-7 loss to the Houston Texans at home. I really lay the blame for this loss on the coaching staff. Why would you not blitz a quarterback who was making his first start in four years? Why wouldn't you have put eight men in the box to stop the run and force Ryan Mallett to make plays? Why would you not play Ben Tate who was going up against his former team? Why would Terrence West, your leading rusher the last two games, only get five carries?? Mike Pettine and his staff were completely out-coached. 

* I still have my doubts on Brian Hoyer being the guy to lead the Browns to the promise land. The problem is I don't believe Johnny Manziel is the answer either. If I'm right, the Browns will still be looking for a quarterback in 2016. 

* Browns General Manager Ray Farmer needs to be held accountable as both of his first round picks: Manziel and Justin Gilbert have not contributed at all. Cleveland cannot afford first round picks not having an immediate impact. I wonder if Ray watched Zach Mettenberger last night. Mettenberger was Tennessee's sixth round pick in the 2014 Draft and has had more of an impact that Johnny Football.

* Remember when all the so-called media experts pronounced the end of the New England Patriots? Well, they have won six in a row including Sunday night's domination of the Indianapolis Colts. Right now they are the best team in the AFC and maybe in the entire NFL. 

* It might be time to take the Kansas City Chiefs and the Arizona Cardinals seriously. I have been a believer of the Cardinals as they shutdown the Detroit Lions Sunday. It will be interesting to see how they perform against Seattle this week. Kansas City's victory over the Seahawks is starting to get me to take notice.  The Chiefs are not a great team but they have a great running back, an efficient quarterback and a very good defense. They should make the playoffs once again.

* I wonder if Packers head coach Mike McCarthy realizes that he doesn't need to run up the score to make the final four in the NFL. It's difficult to explain why McCarthy has left Aaron Rodgers late in games against the Bears and the Eagles. I wonder what he would think if some frustrated defensive player took a big hit against Rodgers putting him out for awhile.

* A month ago, Notre Dame was a possible final four contender and Everrett Golson was a potential Heisman candidate. Well, ever since their heart breaking loss to Florida State the bottom has fallen out for the Irish and for Golson. Golson has been a turnover machine and Notre Dame has lost two in a row, the last defeat at the hands of Northwestern at South Bend. At this rate, Notre Dame may be looking at the Poulan Weedwacker Bowl. 

* Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman wants all Yankee fans to be excited because he re-signed Chris Young and acquired left-handed reliever Justin Wilson for Francisco Cervelli. Young being the Yankees fourth outfielder really excites me when it's a good bet that he may start close to 100 games as a result of the injury prone Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran. Young couldn't start for the Mets. As for Wilson, Cashman says that the left-hander is a part of building a deep bullpen even though Wilson had an ERA over 4. 

* While Cashman talks about building a deep bullpen, there is a chance he will let the team's closer David Robertson leave via free agency. I would not be surprised if Robertson is this year's Robinson Cano.

* While Cashman fiddles, the Blue Jays signed Russell Martin and are reportedly interested in Jon Lester and Andrew Miller. The Red Sox are courting World Series star Pablo Sandoval. If these teams load up, you can be looking at another playoff-less October in 2015 for the Bronx Bombers.

* While the New York media continues to speculate whether Giants head coach Tom Coughlin will be shown the door at the end of the season, the real focus should be on their general manager Jerry Reese. Reese has done a terrible job in drafting and Coughlin may pay the price. The other casualty of Reese's ineptitude is Eli Manning.

* It's looking like Bills head coach Doug Marrone may be on the hot seat after his team's 22-9 loss to the Miami Dolphins last Thursday. While Marrone deserves to be wondering about his job, GM Doug Whaley also deserves to be looked at critically. Whaley believed so much in EJ Manuel that he traded away his first round draft pick in 2015 to obtain Sammy Watkins. I love Watkins but what good is it to have him if no one can get him the ball. The Bills could have stayed at number eight and selected Mike Evans. If Marrone has to go the same could be said for Whaley. Under Ralph Wilson, the Bills were criticized for not bringing in top coaches and general managers to run football operations. If Terry Pegula wants to make a mark on this franchise he needs to bring in quality football people to run his team.

* And finally, thoughts and prayers with hockey great Gordie Howe and his family.

Tuesday's Thoughts

While thinking it might be a good time to start my snow blower up, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* The Toronto Maple Leafs completed a weekend sweep on Sunday by defeating the Ottawa Senators 5-3 after winning 5-4 on Saturday against the New York Rangers. In both games, the Leafs gave up the first goal but were able to prevail. What was really hopeful was that the Leafs were able to get secondary scoring from the likes of Peter Holland, Leo Komorov, Mike Santorelli and Josh Leivo. Holland has 3 goals and 2 assists since being moved up to the third line. Anyone who has read this blog knows that I have been advocating more ice time for Holland. This kid can be a contributor in the top nine of the Maple Leafs and he has shown that every time he has been given the opportunity. 

* Wednesday night the Leafs take on the Boston Bruins. If you remember the Bruins dominated the Leafs on a Saturday night in Toronto as they came away with a 4-1 win. The score was not indicative of how widely the Bruins dominated the game. After Wednesday, the Leafs take on the Penguins Friday night. Pittsburgh also dominated the Leafs on a Saturday night at home. It will be interesting to see if the Leafs are more competitive in these two games than they were in October. 

* Had the opportunity to be at the Sabres-Penguins game on Saturday in Buffalo. I only stayed for the first period as the game was a joke. It was like a Jr. A team playing a pee wee team. Can't believe Sabres season ticket holders are very happy with the entertainment value they are being provided by St. Pegula's team. 

* Great article by Bucky Gleason in the Buffalo News about Sabres fans hoping and praying for Connor McDavid. Gleason pointed out that the Sabres chances to get the number one overall pick was 20%. More importantly, he correctly stated that one player is not going to turn things around and that the Sabres will need more than McDavid. Pittsburgh took off not only with Sidney Crosby. They also had Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, and Kris Letang to name a few. 

* Well, they are drawing me back in. I have been fighting not to jump on the bandwagon. I've been burned too many times. But Thursday night's 24-3 victory at Cincinnati has me getting ready to jump on the Cleveland Browns bandwagon. With a stout defense and the rediscovery of their ground game, the Browns came out victorious in a game that I had very little faith in their ability to win. Brian Hoyer played an efficient game and helped to ease my doubts about his ability to lead this team. The upcoming game Sunday against Houston is one that they should win but it won't be easy. The Browns don't have the luxury to take a game off if they want to maintain the top spot in the AFC North. 

* Watched all of the Bills-Chiefs game on Sunday and it was plain and simple: the Bills gave the game away. Sure there was the McKelvin fumble and Dixon fumbling out of the end zone which hurt the Bills. But, they were in the red zone twice and had to settle for two field goals. In the one series, Kyle Orton overthrew two open receivers in the end zone. The defense, which played well for the most part, gave up a 39 yard touchdown run to Jamaal Charles on a fourth and one play. If the Bills falter, this will be the game they look back on as the one they let slip away. 

* Things are blowing up in Chicagoland as the Bears were embarrassed by their bitter rivals, the Green Bay Packers, Sunday night on national television. I really believe that Marc Trestman is in over his head. Of course, the guy who really should be held accountable is GM Phil Emery. 

* How pathetic is the NFC South that New Orleans leads the division with a 4-5 record. Atlanta at 3-6 is still in the race. 

* What a tough break for Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals as Palmer is done for the year with a torn ACL. It will be interesting to see if Bruce Arians is able to keep things going with Drew Stanton as their QB. 

* Very happy for Rex Ryan as his NY Jets pulled off a huge upset over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Everyone believed the Steelers would roll over the hapless Jets but Ryan & Company dialed a game plan up which led to a victory. Just goes to show you: "on any given Sunday".

* The recent information that has come out pertaining to Alex Rodriguez is hard to believe. What really annoys me is that it is beyond a reasonable doubt that ARod has lied about his use of performance enhancing drugs. Would it not have been better for him to negotiate a deal in 2013 as opposed to the charade that we all witnessed? The Yankees have a lot of issues to resolve in 2015 and it was hoped that ARod would be a part of the solution. However, I think it is clear that the media circus will be back as a result of this latest revelation that ARod admitted to the Feds that he bought PEDs from Anthony Bosch in exchange for immunity from any prosecution.

* Rumors flying around that the Yankees may be interested in Elvis Andrus and Alexi Ramirez to play shortstop next year. The rumors never indicate who the Yanks would have to give up but Andrus is only 26 years old while Ramirez is 33 years old. I would take either over Stephen Drew. The one draw back on Andrus is that he will just be starting an eight year contract.

* Everrett Golson took himself out of any Heisman thoughts with his terrible performance Saturday against Arizona State. It also took his Notre Dame football team out of any consideration for the Final Four. 

* I must admit I was never a big Mark Sanchez fan but I did think he got a raw deal in New York. That's why it's nice to seem him bounce back in Philadelphia. Only 28 years old, Sanchez could be the Eagles franchise quarterback as he put on a fine performance last night against Carolina. If there needs to be another reason why John Idzik should be fired as Jets GM, it's watching Sanchez possibly leading Philadelphia deep into the playoffs.

* And finally, GR Gasbag Howard "I never met a donut I didn't like" Simon was equating Marcel Dareus with Warren Sapp. While Dareus may have the same stats as Sapp did at this point in both of their careers, the key will be if Dareus can stay out of trouble long enough to even think about the hall of fame. It's guys like Simon and the rest of the GR Gasbags who perpetuate the unrealistic perceptions of Buffalo's professional athletes.

Tuesday's Thoughts

While wondering who will win a World Series first, the Yankees or the Cubs, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* Well, the Cleveland Browns once again won a game yet somehow many weren't overly excited. You see, as against the winless Oakland Raiders last week, the Browns struggled to win 22-17 over the 1-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While throwing for 300 yards, Brian Hoyer still had enough moments to make one wonder if he is the quarterback of the future. Once again the Browns sputtered inside the red zone in the first half. These last eight games of the season will be important for this franchise to determine if Hoyer is the guy. If he's not, then there is a decision that will have to be made: go with Johnny Manziel or draft another quarterback.

* Really like the undrafted wide receiver from Abilene Christian, Taylor Gabriel. He is a part of a receiving corp that has stepped up in the absence of Josh Gordon. I really think they should try this kid on kick and punt returns.

* With the performances of rookie wide receivers Mike Evans, Odell Beckham and Sammy Watkins, I don't know what Browns GM Ray Farmer was thinking in passing up on any of them.

* Thursday night's game against Cincinnati may well decide the direction of this season for the Browns. With the bunched up AFC North and wild card teams, the Browns will need as many wins as possible. A loss would not be devastating but it will make the road to the playoffs all that much harder. 

* The Toronto Maple Leafs begin a four game stretch tonight against the Arizona Coyotes where they will play 3 out of the next 4 on the road. It will be imperative that the Leafs continue their recent play in this 4 game stretch. 

* It is really tiring to hear the constant goaltending debate both in the media and in Leaf Nation. I think it is clear that Leaf management considers Jonathan Bernier the number one goalie. If both Bernier and James Reimer play well, it only benefits the team. In spite of Reimer's great performance against Chicago, I would expect Bernier to play 3 of the 4 games with Reimer playing Sunday against the Ottawa Senators in the back end of a back-to-back weekend. Reimer has a very good record against the Sens. 

* One has to wonder what is going on with the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers lost to the St. Louis Rams on Sunday and the rumors are really heating up about the future of Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. The most popular rumor has him going to his alma mater, Michigan. But keep an eye on the situation in Chicago where questions are being asked about Marc Trestman. The Seahawks held on to defeat the winless Oakland Raiders. Things were so bad that the 12th Man booed the World Champs off the field at halftime. There seems to be plenty of internal issues in that locker room and one wonders if Pete Carroll is the right guy to deal with the situation. 

* Kudos to Mark Sanchez for a nice game filling in for the injured Nick Foles in Philadelphia's 31-21 win over the Houston Texans. Foles will be out 6 to 8 weeks, so Sanchez will have an excellent opportunity to further prove what a moron NY Jets General Manager John Idzik is. It was Idzik who drafted Geno Smith and basically pushed Sanchez out of New York. 

* The New England Patriots continue their winning ways by dominating the Denver Broncos 43-21. The Patriots own the best record in the AFC, so much for the demise of Belichek and Brady. 

* Really felt bad for Ole Miss on Saturday as they lost their star receiver with a broken leg and lost the game against Auburn all on the same play.  

* I'm amazed at the amount of hate being directed at Knicks head honcho Phil Jackson. Funny how I don't remember hearing anything when he was coaching the Bulls and Lakers. By the way, I think Derek Fisher is going to make a good NBA coach. 

* If the Yankees don't re-sign David Robertson, Brian Cashman is a bigger idiot than I thought. Robertson replaced the greatest closer in the game and did an excellent job. To allow him to leave and place the closing role on Dellin Betances is a huge mistake but what do you expect from a GM who stockpiles past their prime players. 

* Reports out of New York also indicate that the Boy Genius Cashman is considering bringing back Stephen Drew to play shortstop. What a joke!!

* The Alex Rodriguez story continues as it is being reported that A-Rod paid his cousin, Yuri Sucart, $1,000,000 million dollars for his silence about A-Rod's PED use. Apparently, A-Rod is a key witness in the government's case against Sucart and Anthony Bosch.

* Monday the Chicago Cubs announced the hiring of Joe Maddon as their manager. This was a great move by Theo Epstein as the Cubs and their young stars appear to be ready to be contenders in the National League Central Division. The Cubs are being mentioned as being big-time players in this year's free agent market with Jon Lester and Max Scherzer being on their shopping list. Maddon should be the right guy to bring playoff dreams to the North Side.

* Wrigley Field is undergoing renovations so the Cubs held the Maddon press conference at the iconic Cubby Bear Lounge which is across the street from Wrigley. At the end of the press conference, Maddon called on a bartender to give everyone a shot and a beer and that it was on him. My kind of guy!!

* This past Friday was Halloween and the Western New York Sport's Leader, WGR 550, had a Candy Draft on Stupe & the Bulldog Show. Not that anything else was going on in the world of sports. Oops, I forgot the Bills had a bye so the NFL didn't exist this past weekend.

* And finally, whatever happened to The Coach, Chuck Dickerson.

Tuesday's Thoughts

While wondering how many times FOX will show George Brett up in his box watching the World Series, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* This past sports weekend was a terrible one for me. It started with a totally lackluster performance by the Toronto Maple Leafs at home against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night.  Losing is one thing but lack of effort drives me crazy and the Leafs showed no effort in a 4-1 loss. Saturday was going to be the time for redemption as the Leafs went to Motown for the back end of a home and home series with the Red Wings. The Leafs played much better but lost in overtime 1-0 as a result of a Henrik Zetterberg goal with 10 seconds before the shoot out. Also on Saturday night, Notre Dame took on Florida State in a game I truly believed they could win. In the end, they should have won but for a bogus pass interference call that nullified the go ahead touchdown with three seconds left in the game. The downward spiral continued as the Cleveland Browns lost to the previously winless Jacksonville Jaguars 24-6. What a great weekend!

* The Leafs are really a puzzle to me. They play a really good game at home against Colorado and follow it up with a dud on Friday night. Randy Carlyle continues to limit the amount of ice time the fourth line gets and at the end of the day this will come back and bite them. Not sure how that is any different from last year.

* I think Jake Gardiner can be an excellent defenseman. But somehow I think the best thing that could happen to him is if he did got traded. You can teach defensive positioning but you can't teach talent and somehow I don't see Carlyle being willing or able to do that. 

* One thing that is clear after the Leafs first six games is that if the Kessel line doesn't score, the Leafs won't win. Not sure how that is any different from last year. 

* Notre Dame's loss on Saturday night was a travesty and Head Coach Brian Kelly has every reason to be upset. Here's hoping the Irish run the table. 

* When is Everrett Golson going to be mentioned as a Heisman Trophy candidate?

* Mike Pettine and his coaching staff were badly out coached Sunday by Gus Bradley's Jaguars. The lack of adjustments is baffling considering that they have done that in all of their previous games. The loss really diminishes their chances to make the playoffs. If the Browns lay another egg Sunday at home against Oakland, look for the honeymoon to be over for Pettine & Company and you can expect the drumbeat to begin to bring in Johnny Football. 

* What has happened to the powerful NFC West? Both Seattle and San Francisco have three losses and Arizona leads the division with one loss. Will be interesting to see what teams out of these three make the playoffs. Would love to see the Cardinals make it.  

* Kudos to Bills Head Coach Doug Marrone for recognizing that his team has a lot to work on if they are going to challenge New England for the division crown. A last second win at home against the lowly Minnesota Vikings is nothing to write home about. Don't be surprised if Rex Ryan's New York Jets give Marrone's Bills all they can handle Sunday in New Jersey. 

* When will stubborn Gary Bettman admit that the Florida Panthers need to be moved. It is a disgrace as to the attendance numbers particularly when solid hockey markets such as Quebec City and Seattle would support that team much better than greater Miami. Hell, they can't even support the Marlins or the Dolphins.

* New Jersey has authorized legal betting on sports games. In my opinion, I'm in 100% support of this. But go figure, the NFL, NBA and NHL have filed papers in court to prohibit this from happening with the claim that legalized sports betting could harm their respective sports. Really? Illegal sports betting with bookies, Pro-Line in Ontario and the big money fantasy leagues already are happening so why shouldn't New Jersey cash in? Instead of worrying about gambling, how about looking at the use of PED's, steroids and other criminal activities involving athletes in the respective sports.

* It's being reported that the New York Yankees are interested in their minor league hitting instructor, James Rowson, to replace Kevin Long as hitting coach. Apparently, the team is impressed with Rowson's work in the minors. Hmmm...really? It also has been reported that Gary Dembo is being promoted to head up player development for the Yankees. He was the second in command under Mark Newman. What a joke? How about bringing in some new blood with a new set of eyes Mr. Cashman?

* And finally, the World Series begins tonight in Kansas City as the San Francisco Giants take on the Royals. I am an American League fan and normally this young, underdog Royals team would be normally who I would be rooting for. But, being a Yankee fan, I remember the bitter rivalry between the Royals and Yankees back in the mid to late 70's and the early 80's. So I'm pulling for the Giants and look for San Francisco to win the Series in 6 games. Besides, I can't bear to see George Brett jumping for joy in his luxury box.