http://beyondtheboxscore.com/story/2008/1/21/22620/0869

Twins G.M. got a little too greedy so now with the Redsox and Yanks pulling out of talks, Mets can get him for a modest package. Once the Yanks pulled out, the Redsox were much less interested, which leaves the Mets. Nice work there Bill Smith. He thought he was going to get the Moon for a pitcher who just may be on the other side of a great run, and will require a 5-7 year contract at 20 mill per year. I hope the Mets pull their best prospect out of the offer and really put the screws to the rookie G.M.

Text size – +
Sox trying to add a lefthanded hitter
Link Posted by Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff January 22, 2008 06:20 PM

The Red Sox are mulling their options and could add a lefthanded bat off the bench by the end of the week.

The Sox would love to sign Brad Wilkerson, the former Expo and Ranger, but he might have options for more money and security elsewhere. The Sox prefer someone who can play a corner infield spot and protect either Kevin Youkilis and/or Mike Lowell. In the past the Sox have rested Lowell by moving Youkilis to third. That could still happen if the Sox obtain a backup first baseman.

There are still interesting ones out there such as Sean Casey, Tony Clark, Doug Mientkiewicz, Mark Sweeney, and Eric Hinske.

Casey, 33, is an intriguing possibility. He's lost his first base job to Carlos Guillen in Detroit. He's limited defensively, but he hit .296 last season with four homers and 54 RBIs. He also hit .455 as a pinch hitter (5 for 11) with three RBIs. He had a .353 on-base percentage and has a .366 OBP over his 11-year career. Casey loves Boston and at this stage of his career has indicated his main objective is to play for a team that can win the World Series. He would accept a limited role.

There are also lefthanded-hitting outfielders such as Trot Nixon, Shawn Green, Luis Gonzalez, and Ryan Klesko (who can play first), but the need is more for a true first baseman or third baseman from the left side.

Clark indicated in an e-mail yesterday he would love to return to the Red Sox. He has a very good relationship with Terry Francona, but sources indicate Clark would be further down on the list of preferences.

The Red Sox are hoping to obtain a player who can give Youkilis more rest. Because of the hard-nosed nature of Youkilis's play, the Sox are concerned he wears down at the end of the season.

Key to beating the pats

This is easier said then done but here what i think.... First though to answer your questions I am new here but I do read a lot of post im a New YOrk Giant Fan leaving in San Diego Im just a kid almost 18 so ya....

Anyway..... We need to take away the long and short passing game away at the same time.... Moss has to becovered by two guys..... Our seocndary needs to manipulate the Seondary.... They need to devize a plan where it looks like is man to man but in reality saftys are there and dont get fooled with welker....

To take away the short game we need to have a spy on Welker.... As if a QB spy but like a on a slot reciever.... What made the Pats so good this year was the distraction randy moss made which mad welker stay at the line of scrimmage catch the ball and run for 15 yards.... By having a spy on welker.... He will catch the ball but will be hit while he catches it.... We need to also sack Brady at least twice and have contiues pressure on him..... If we dont get to him Knock him down.....

This is what i think but i know i forgot some things... Your thoughts

# ?Boys shopping busts? The Dallas Morning News is reporting that the Cowboys are shopping former 1st round picks DE Marcus Spears and LB Bobby Carpenter at the Senior Bowl. Spears was one of two Dallas 1st rounders in 2005, while Carpenter was the team?s top pick the following year.

http://cowboys.beloblog.com/archives/2008/01/trade_rumors_swirling_about_carpenter_sp.html

Tiki has no regrets

Tiki Barber doesn’t hate his old team. But he’s not sad that he’s missing this Super Bowl ride.

That’s what he just said on The Barber Shop, the Sirius NFL Radio show that he co-hosts with his Buc brother Ronde. After going 50 mind-numbing minutes without really talking about the Super Bowl at all, Ronde finally broke the ice by asking Tiki if he was “sad” that he retired a year too early.

“I’m not, dude. I really am not,” Tiki said. “It’s interesting. My wife asked me that exact question. Ginny asked, ‘So you have to feel, even just a little bit of remorse that you left early.’ I said ‘Honey, I’m trying to make myself think that and wish I was still there. But I’m not. I was done with football. In my heart I knew I didn’t want to do it anymore. My life, personally and professionally, has gone a different way. My passion is elsewhere.

“That being said, I’m ecstatic for those guys. My longtime teammates, like Michael Strahan, it’s awesome for him. Amani Toomer is the same way. He’s really one of the most underappreciated wide receivers in the history of the National Fotoball League. This is a chance for them, after 2000 when we lost that game, for them to finish or at least conclude their careers on a phenomenal note. I’m happy for them. I really am.”

He is not, however, happy with the people who continue to suggest that because he was a frequent critic of the Giants that he somehow has grown to hate his old team.

“I said what I said about the New York Giants because it’s my job,” Tiki said. “But that doesn’t mean that I’m not a supporter of New York Giants. People think I’m a Giant-hater. I’m not. I went down Tampa to watch (Ronde) play. I wasn’t rooting for (Ronde). I was root for the Giants.”

Speaking of the Giants, here’s the most remarkable thing about the 90 minutes of the show I listened to. Tiki had some of his highest praise for Tom Coughlin, the same coach he famously (and publicly) ripped for being “out-coached” in the playoffs in 2005.

“The last three weeks they have out-coached their opponents,” Tiki said. “Their game plans have been better than the teams they have played.”

I couldn’t agree more




I believe Tiki when he says that he is done with football because he gave up half way through last season. As for his not hating the Giants, that might be true but he sure does not respect all of his former teammates, E.G., that would be Eli. It's not his job to insult his former teammate and call him a comical leader.
Posted by fusionhead on January 22, 2008 8:58 PM

does this set up greg williams of skins possibly eplacing spagnuola if he leaves?


--------------

profootballtalk.com

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Fassel could be the head coach of the Washington Redskins as soon as Wednesday.

And Fassel could be paired with former Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, who is under consideration to return to the Ravens in that same capacity — and who also could end up coaching the Falcons.

Left out in the cold would be current Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who not long ago was given a healthy raise to get him to refrain from pursuing other opportunities to become a head coach elsewhere. Williams has been interviewed multiples times, has spent four years in the building, and hasn’t been offered the job. That’s not a good sign.
Posted by bob s on January 22, 2008 9:03 PM

Tiki is full of crap if he says he is not sorry he didn't stick around for this season! I hope he goes to bed every night and ask himself, "What if?"

And I don't believe him that he was rooting for NY against Tampa. He wouldn't root against his brother.

Thanks for the report Ralph. You must be one of the few that actually tune into that garbage radio show...
Posted by Big Blue 86 on January 22, 2008 9:10 PM

Let's be honest, If Tiki were around he would have continued to divide the team and we would not be on our way to the Super Bowl. By Tiki running his mouth it gave Eli and co. the opportunity to grow and become a TEAM. When things were good Tiki was front and center, when they were bad, Tiki found a way to point his finger. Now go blame Matt Lauer for assigning you how to make an apple streudel with Rachel Ray. Look out Al Roker, Tiki would love your job, where else can you be wrong all the time and people still want to listen to you?
Posted by BlueSeatNation on January 22, 2008 10:12 PM

The Giants have learned to play football as a team after Tiki left. The offense now runs through 11 members on the offensive squad, not 1! Tiki was a better team player when he was less of a star. As long as you can run your own audio board Tiki you can be the top dawg on your radio show!
Posted by AlinNC on January 22, 2008 10:21 PM

I agree with BlueSeat. To a man the Giants claim good team chemistry as one of most important factors in their success. Tiki is all about Tiki and would have destroyed that. Funny how he and Terry Bradshaw and all the other Coughlin haters have all jumped on the bandwagon.

This says it all Tiki. Out of every bar I hang out to watch the games I have only seen one Barber jersey.
Posted by angeltattoo on January 22, 2008 10:30 PM

Ralph, I can't imagine Tiki would even publicly say he wishes he was with the team. That would be on the back page tomorrow. I commend him for keeping a low profile in recent weeks, but it seems as if his response to Rhonde was calculated. Just going by what you wrote. I find it hard to believe that was the first time Rhonde was asking him the question. I'm thinking he has at least one more self promotional idea up his sleeve before the big game...........
Posted by John (CT) on January 22, 2008 10:49 PM

Tiki's comment that Coughlin outcoached his last three opponents is a self indictment. The Giants now are a "team" who can be coached. Tiki was never amenable to that.
Posted by nooger on January 22, 2008 10:58 PM

Tiki has no regrets. And he shouldn't. He never gave less then 100% and for Giants fans not to see that they must not be real fans. And by the way, when the Giants were 0-2 they were playing bad football. After Tiki's comments, which were correct, they team rallied. So Tiki got them to act as a team. He should be rewarded for this. Teams pay people $$$ to be motivation coaches who do much less for the team then what Tiki did. By the way, Go Giants.

This trashing Tiki from Giants fans reminds me a little of Yankee and fans calling the Pats cheaters when a lot of the Yankees are on HGH etc. Give Tiki is do.
Posted by ed drossman on January 22, 2008 11:11 PM

As I'm writing this another Yankee from the Mitchell report, Chuck Knoblauch is being told by Congress to take the stand.
Posted by ed drossman on January 22, 2008 11:21 PM

ed drossman--there's much more than giving 100% on the field when you're part of a team. It's OK if you're a golfer--football is different and if you listen closely to the Giant players now, they want no part of Tiki. Doesn't that tell you something?
Posted by nooger on January 22, 2008 11:26 PM

So Tiki isn't suposed to do his job as a reporter? I'll bet you that Micheal Strahan, who mocks reporters will become a reporter after he retires and he will also tell it like it is. And if Tiki wasn't an ex Giant, no one would care what he said.

Nooger,
I'm wondering if you're a fan of the Yankees and all their cheaters. Yankees are cheaters like the Pats. Go Giants. Yet another Yankee, Chuck Knoblauch will lie on the stand soon. People should be trashing Clemens Knob etc. Those guys are cheaters. Go Giants.
Posted by ed drossman on January 22, 2008 11:33 PM

Tiki was a great player who did what he thought was best for the team while he was there. No argument. He has, however, made many mistakes in trying to parlay his local stardom into a broadcasting career. He reached with his criticism and got a little to cute for his own good. Now, in his first year behind the mike, he's got egg on his face and nobody to pick on.

If you believe he doesn't want to be playing in two weeks, I've got a bridge I'll sell you. After all he's said an done, there's no way he'd waiver from his standing statemenent - it would call into question much of what he said during the season.

I honestly think that Tiki gambled and lost in how he launched/managed his broadcast career. With his weekly foil proving him wrong by going to the bowl, what value does he add to any conversation anymore? Need proof? try to listen to him speak to anything but the Giants on his radio show - snore.
Posted by bluestreak on January 22, 2008 11:37 PM

Tiki was a cancer. He gave 100% because he wanted to make a name for himself. He never did it for the team. Fact is after he left his team high and dry he blamed Coughlin for it.
Posted by angeltattoo on January 22, 2008 11:39 PM

Michael strahan will also be honest when he retires and becomes a reporter also.

But what can I expect, many Giants fans agreed with the Giants when they cut Phil Simms. And I recall Simms and the coach he won two Super Bowls for Parcells would get into screaming disagreements on things on the side lines.

I don't have a problem with what tiki said that that time Eli wasn't being a leader and because of Tiki's comments, Eli become a leader. I'm happy that tiki made his comments because now the Giants are a team.

I'll give you an example, is Mark Jackson or better yet Walt Clyde Frazer said the Knicks suck and then the Knicks start winning, I won't trash Frazer, I would praise him.
Posted by ed drossman on January 22, 2008 11:57 PM

Ralph, I have two questions, and I apologize if they've been asked already:

1) Is there any projection on whether two weeks will be enough to get Dockery back on the field?

2) What is it that James Butler does so well, or that Michael Johnson does so poorly, that Butler is still starting over Johnson?
Posted by OtherEli on January 23, 2008 12:02 AM

I thank tiki for his comments they made the Giants into a real team something that scores of coaches since Parcells couldn't do. These comments just prove how short most Giant's fans memories are. By the way, I think a lot of a running back's success comes from the offensive line. I do think the Giants have a great chance, and I haven't given up on winning the Giants season ticket holder lottery and going to the big game

Go Giants.
Posted by ed drossman on January 23, 2008 12:03 AM

Also: WHOOOOO!!!!

*ahem*

Sorry.
Posted by OtherEli on January 23, 2008 12:03 AM

The anti Tiki talk reminds me of the anti Simms talk that I heard from fans all over when Simms was cut. People said Simms’ time was done and that Kent Graham or Dave Brown had better football mechanics. If Simms was trashed why wouldn't I expect the same for Tiki. I do think the combo of Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are better then just Tiki. Two running backs with different styles serves to confuse other teams. But I might add that Fassel, who everyone hates also got the Giants to the Super Bowl, with Collins. People forget that. Again having a great oline makes everyone better. Lets win the game.
Posted by ed drossman on January 23, 2008 12:10 AM

"This is a chance for them, after 2000 when we lost that game, for them to finish or at least conclude their careers on a phenomenal note. I’m happy for them. I really am.”

Tiki did make the Super Bowl. Making the game isn't enough, we must win it.
Posted by ed drossman on January 23, 2008 12:27 AM

Sorry Tiki - too little too late. All the posturing in the world will not change the minds of the Giants fans you shocked with your bitterness. I remember chanting MVP with my son at the Chiefs game when you ran through their defense. Did you have to become so negative??? During the season it was your 5 year plan, setting yourself up for life after football, you should have seen this coming bla bla bla...to anyone that would listen. Then you retire and throw your coach under the bus....what was it?....know what, at this point we really don't care. You blew it. PS - it was Coughlin who helped erase the bad memories of ALL THOSE FUMBLES.
Posted by Dennis F on January 23, 2008 12:28 AM

I think the criticize of Barber has been a little bit overblown considering how he was the greatest offensive player in team history. But to say that his comments rallied the team together and were the reason why they were united is pretty ridiculous. That would be a major discredit to the performance of this coaching staff, which has been pretty damn good, as well as the performance of the players on this team. Fact is, Tiki Barber had a small impact on the 2007-08 Giants, if any impact at all.
Posted by MK1 on January 23, 2008 12:43 AM

Tiki, I know that you are reading this. The Giants are going to the Super Bowl and you can not help yourself to see what everyone is saying. Now that you know that I speak some truth (come on smile) and that I have your attention, here is my take on where you went wrong.

In my view, and if I can speak for some of the fans that turned on you, is this: what you did wrong as a player was bite the hand that fed you. The one person that transformed you from *that* Giants running back who was best known nationally for putting the football on the ground, to a star top rated NFL running back that never fumbles, was Mr. Coach Tom Coughlin. When you blamed the coach publicly for that play off loss as you did, you lost my respect. Sure you worked hard and were a great player once coach helped you. You were making all of those great runs. I loved it as did most fans. I *was* a huge fan of yours and wouldn’t bother to write this if I weren’t. So why did they all turn on you? Think about that for a moment while we go on to the next topic.

Next, you totally destroyed the team dynamics by creating the retirement announcement mid way through the season. This was a huge distraction. Every game the media was talking about how this is affecting the giants team. Guess what? It detracted from what the team was trying to do. If you were done with football at the point in time, you should have let Brandon take over and walked away from it. Next topic (is that three strikes and you’re out?)

What you did wrong as an analyst was to disrespect the place that you helped build. There are better ways that you could have conveyed positives and negatives about Eli’s play. Some things are also better off not said. You could have recused yourself as I’ve seen Chris Collensworth do. Being a good journalist is knowing where that line is, and because you were a player, it’s a little more tricky. Maybe you just made a rookie mistake. If that was the case, then say so.

As you can see, there are a few supporters for you here, but mostly bad feelings towards you. The other thing that you could do is apologize to Eli. Maybe you have already.

If you feel that this is not what happened, feel free to call our consummate professional beat write, Mr. Ralph Vacchiano for an interview. You will be in good hands and you will be able to set the record straight.
Posted by fusionhead on January 23, 2008 12:43 AM