The Zionist Conspiracy |
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A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews. 
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Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
New Sports Blog We at The Zionist Conspiracy are pleased about the latest addition to the coverage of sports in the J-blogosphere. Hirhurim, written by Gil Student, opened yesterday with a debate about Rav Soloveitchik and the Red Sox. My own sense is that the evidence presented fails to show that the Rav was really a Red Sox fan. More likely, living in Boston, he was somewhat aware of them when they were prominently featured in the news. Unfortunately, some zealots are outrageously accusing Rav Soloveitchik of declaring, after the Red Sox lost the 1978 AL East race to the Yankees, "I've had it rooting for the Red Sox. For sixty years, this has been one of the worst sports franchises in all of professional sports. It ranks right down there with the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Cavaliers, St. Lous Cardinals, San Diego Clippers, New York Nets." Hopefully Hirhurim will continue to feature posts about sports. Sunday, October 28, 2007
Week 8 Just got back from the game. The regression this team - the front office, coaching staff and players - has had since last season is incredible, even for the Jets. It's difficult to even be hopeful about the future. I don't miss Herm, but right now Eric Mangini and his staff are worse than Herm Edwards at his worst. I've wasted enough time on the Jets today, so that'll be it for this week and, with my current work schedule, probably for a while. Sunday, October 21, 2007
Week 7 Very brief thoughts about the dreadful New York Jets: Defensive coordinator Bob Sutton must go. Eric Mangini's 3-4 scheme is a complete failure. Based on last year's success, Eric Mangini gets another year to prove he can coach in the NFL. Anthony Schlegel stuffed a few runs today. Seems like someone the Jets - who cant' stop anyone - could use. Thomas Jones is an average running back. Nothing more. This season feels a lot like 1995 and 1996. Unfortunately, Bill Parcells, Bill Bellichick and Charlie Weis will not coming on board next season to turn things around. Will Kellen Clemens make a difference? We'll probably start to find out next week. Thursday, October 18, 2007
The Jets Askanim Must Go! No matter how many times I address this subject, it probably isn’t enough. But this time I address it with a sense of hope that things are truly changing. There is silence no more. People are finally noticing that the emperor has no clothes. I am referring to the latest of a number of articles written by prominent Jets fans decrying the way ‘Tangini’ are handling problems. To be sure, they still venerate Tangini and reiterate the requirement to listen to their every word. But that disclaimer aside, the message is very clear: Tangini are clueless. This time it is Elster. Just to repeat what I’ve often stated, I am one of his biggest fans. I am probably his only reader. Not that we always agree. But we do agree a lot. And on the primary point of his article, we are one. In an article in Generation Jets magazine he basically rips apart Jets askanim. And he does it masterfully. Jets fans who surround Tangini, shield them from the public, and feed them information filtered… and often distorted… through their own biases. Had this article been written by me, I would have been ripped apart by my detractors… as I often am when I write about these things. I would be called a ‘Chad addict’. A 'Laveranues lover'. 'Vilma's veiber'. But this time it isn’t me. It is Elster. Of course I can’t tell ‘Tangini’ what to do. Compared to them, I am a peon. And despite the popular conception about me, I would never have the Chutzpah to do so, anyway. But were they to ask my advice, here is what I would tell them: Get rid of your Askanim! They may mean well but do not serve you well and may destroy you... and the New York/New Jersey Titans/Jets in the process. Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The Arab Hero and the Forgotten IDF Soldiers Amidst the purportedly renewed peace process and the apparently renewed indirect negotiations between Israel and Hezbollah, it is worthwhile to consider Samir Kuntar, the Arab hero whose release is demanded by Hassan Nasrallah. Kuntar's bravery is celebrated throughout the Arab world for his kidnapping of Danny Haran and his four-year old daughter Einat. Kuntar shot Danny dead in front of Einat, and then stoned Einat to death. Although Hezbollah did not provide any substantive information regarding the fate of Ron Arad - who was captured 21 years ago yesterday - at least Arad's name remains newsworthy. In contrast, the media now completely ignores Zachary Baumel, Tzvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz, who were captured in June 1982 during the first days of the Lebanon War. Why is it that Kuntar remains a cause celebre both in Israel and the Arab world, yet Baumel, Feldman and Katz are forgotten by their country? Sunday, October 14, 2007
Week Six 1. Once again, the Jets' coaching staff put in an atrocious performance. Despite the success running the ball, throughout the game, even on 3rd and 2 or 3, the Jets utilized the shotgun rather than the playaction pass. If Chad Pennnington is the QB, why does Brian Schottenheimer continue to eliminate the playaction from his playbook? 2. Schottenheimer's playcalls on the Jets' final drive were particularly awful. The quarterback sneak on 3rd and 1 was bad enough, as was the fade route on 4th down and 1. The use of the shotgun on 4th down was idiotic. The Eagles knew a pass was coming. A run was probably the better call, but if the Jets really wanted to pass, playaction was clearly the way to go. 3. It appeared that the coaching staff did not have much confidence in Pennington today, essentially keeping him a short leash and hoping he could manage the game to a close win. There were far too few downfield passes, even the 15 yard routes that Pennington excels in were rare. If indeed the coaching staff has little confidence in Pennington, they must switch now to Kellen Clemens. If Pennington remains the QB, Schotteheimer should review film of Jets games in 2002, 2003 and 2004, and watch how former offensive coordinator Paul Hackett utilized Pennington. 4. The missed tackle by Andre Dyson and Eric Smith on the game's only touchdown was inexcusable. 5. With the season already essentially over, I do not know whether I will continue to regularly post my thoughts following Jets games. I'm about to go into another very busy stretch at work, and blogging will therefore be very light for approximately the next two months. Friday, October 12, 2007
Thanking The Dolans Unlike many people I know who went to the game, I had little interest in last night's exhibition game between the Knicks and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Like many who are fans of the Rangers and/or Knicks, over the years I have found much to criticize about the Dolans' mismanagement of those teams. It is appropriate, however, for religiously observant Jews to express basic hakaras hatov to the Dolans for directing all proceeds to last night's game to Migdal Ohr, an Israeli organization providing Jewish education to underprivileged children in northern Israel. For this, the Dolans and Isiah Thomas are deserving of our praise. Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Theeeeeeeeeee Yankees Lose! As a Mets fan, I'm pleased to see the Yankees season end a mere eight days after the completion of the Mets' collapse (it seems like longer, doesn't it?). As a baseball fan and a New Yorker, I must confess that I would have enjoyed a Yankees vs. Red Sox ALCS. I envy the must-win attitude that would lead the Yankees to fire Joe Torre, such a welcome contrast from Omar Minaya's claim that the Mets 88-win season was an overall success. But is firing Torre the right move? I don't know. Of the eight teams in the 2006 MLB playoffs, only the Yankees made it back to the playoffs this season. Torre's feat of 12 straight playoff appearances is outstanding. Even if his game strategy is not perfect, he's a lot better than Willie Randolph, and he never lost his team. I'm skeptical that Don Mattingly or Joe Girardi will achieve better results than Torre, but that's for the Yankees to decide. Of course it won't happen, but I actually think Davey Johnson would be a great fit for the Yankees. He knows how to manage a young pitching staff and with the Mets, Reds and Orioles did well mixing veterans and young players. Sunday, October 07, 2007
Week 5 There is little point in wasting time analyzing today's fiasco. The Jets offense, defense, coaching and front office all suck, with game balls for today's disgrace going to Chad Pennington on offense for his two terrible second half interceptions, and Andre Dyson on defense for one of the worst defensive plays in NFL history on the game-losing touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress. Unless the Jets turn their season around over the next few weeks - and there is little reason to think they will - today's game will likely mark the end of the Pennington era. With the 2007 season slipping away, Kellen Clemens will probably get a chance at QB during the second half of this season. Monday, October 01, 2007
Heath Bell It's 10:45, and the Padres vs. Rockies game just went to extra innings after Heath Bell completed 2 2/3 dominant innings during which he struck out 5 batters and allowed no hits. Willie refused to give Bell a chance with the Mets, and then Omar traded him away for nothing last offseason. Assuming his night is done, Bell finishes the 2007 regular season with a 2.02 ERA in 93 2/3 innings over the course of 81 games, with 102 strikeouts, a .189 batting average against and a huge clutch performance tonight. The Zionist Conspiracy Fundraising Campaign: Willie Randolph Relief Fund UPDATE - October 2: Thanks for all of the generous contributions. We are still not quite near our goal of $4,250,000, and with the Knicks now organizing a competing campaign to raise no less than $11.6 million (not to mention the same amount to pay the fees of those damn lawyers), the Mets will be retaining Willie for at least part of the 2008 season. But don't fret! Pitchers and catchers will be reporting in just 4 1/2 months and 2008 is sure to be another great season. For the Bobby Valentine-led Chiba Lotte Marines, that is. As for the Mets, well, check your inbox. I don't know about you, but I got a nifty e-mail from Jeff Wilpon. Thanks and shana tova, Jeff! As some of you may know, the New York Mets are indebted to their manager, William Randolph, in the amount of $4,250,000 for 2008 and 2009. The Wilpon family has for years been generous to all of us, and now they need our help. The Mets are in desperate need of a new manager, without which they, and indeed all of New York, will be mocked by our enemies. That is where you come in. With your support, Willie Randolph will be paid $4,250,000 and a competent individual will be found to manage the Mets! Please be generous. Even a thousand dollars can make a difference and help defray the cost of Bobby Valentine's business class ticket for his flight from Tokyo to Queens! Please direct all payments to my Paypal account. Please also inquire with your employer about many charitable matching opportunities available in furtherance of this most worthy cause. Thank you all in advance for your generous support, and let's go Mets! Blogger Scholars: Elster's World Has Multiple Authors For nearly 2 1/2 years, the blogging community has assumed that Elster's World has contained the posts of a 30 something lawyer named "Elster" about his family, his sports teams, his efforts to get his book published, and his television program interests. Now, a group of Blogger scholars who have closely analyzed the text of Elster's World have concluded that the blog, rather than being constructed by a single author, has multiple authors - indeed as many as four, including at least one female. The scholars note a large number of contradictions in the text of Elster's World. For example, after expressing strong support for the Mets' signing of Julio Franco and praising Franco's clutch hitting and team leadership, "Elster" now has lambasted the Mets use of Franco. Similarly, after years of support of Mets General Manager Omar Minaya's moves following the 2006 season, "Elster" suddenly contradicted all of his prior posts, and now blames Minaya for failing to upgrade the team. "Elster" also repeatedly insisted that the Mets bullpen was fine, while he now argues otherwise. He also attacked an argument a few weeks ago that the Mets were "imploding," yet now writes that the Mets implosion was "a done deal" weeks ago. Similar contradictions in the text are apparent in "Elster's" analysis of the New York Jets. At times "Elster" supports Jets quarterback Chad Pennington, and at times not. "Elster" sometimes felt that Herm Edwards was the perfect person to lead the Jets, but on other occasions called for Herm to be replaced. With respect to the New York Knicks, in some posts, "Elster" wrote that the Knicks have no talent and team president Isiah Thomas should be fired, while absolving ex-Knicks coach Larry Brown of blame for the Knicks' failures. Yet "Elster" also often wrote that the Knicks are filled with talent, and attacked Thomas for failure to coach the team to their capability. Perhaps most bizarrely, "Elster" has been both a passionate fan of the New York Rangers, and an anti-hockey zealot who railed against physical play in the NHL. As further evidence for their argument that "Elster" could not have only one author, the Blogger scholars noted that "Elster" not only closely followed sports, he also watches every ABC television program and almost everything on ESPN, owns a mediocre fantasy football franchise, has recently authored several books, holds a grueling job as a New York attorney, complained about his very long commute to and from work, and purported to be a devoted husband and father of three children, even as he authored Elster's World and several other affiliated blogs, and commented on dozens of other blogs. Mets Shakeup Coaching Staff FLUSHING, NEW YORK - October 1 - The New York Mets have scheduled an afternoon press conference during which Chief Operating Officer Jeff Wilpon and General Manager Omar Minaya will announce major changes to the team's coaching staff, The Zionist Conspiracy has learned exclusively. Minaya responded with a terse "no comment. You know what I'm sayin'," to questions about the subject of today's press conference, but according to multiple sources directly involved in the construction of CitiField, the Mets are poised to replace pitching coach Rick Peterson with Baltimore Orioles pitcher Victor Zambrano. In exchange for Zambrano, the Mets will send first base coach Rickey Henderson and outfielder Lastings Milledge to Baltimore. Orioles GM Jim Duquette reluctantly agreed to include Zambrano in the deal after Minaya agreed to part with Milledge. Henderson's spot will be taken by current third-base coach Sandy Alomar, with Bobby Bonilla slated to replace Alomar at third. The Mets believe Bonilla's card playing skills will adequately replace the void left by Henderson's departure. Randy Niemann, the Mets rehabilitation pitching coordinator, will rejoin the team as a left-handed middle reliever, while Armando Benitez will take Niemann's role. The Mets reportedly are also in negotiations with both Julio Franco and Carlos Baerga to take over for Howard Johnson as co-hitting coach. HoJo would then join Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling in the broadcast booth, with Gary Cohen likely to host Cohen's Corner, SNY's new Mets post-game show. Finally, ex-Mets shortstop Rey Ordonez is coming back to Flushing to head the team's community relations department. The Worst Team Money Could Buy: The Collapse of the New York Mets A generation goes and a generation comes ... What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. The title of this post has already been taken by Bob Klapisch to describe the Bobby Bonilla led early 90's Mets, but it aptly describes the 2007 New York Mets, an arrogant, listless, underachieving group led by an overrated GM and a clueless manager. Contrary to the media reaction, the Mets stunning failure to hold a seven game division lead with 17 games to play was not the worst possible outcome. It would have been much worse for the Mets to have held on, won the division, and then lost in the NLDS. The magnitude of the Mets failure will hopefully demonstrate that significant changes must be made. The remaining readers of The Zionist Conspiracy should not be at all surprised by the performance of the 2007 Mets. Prior to the season, I sharply criticized Omar Minaya's offseason moves, particularly with respect to the Mets pitching staff, especially the bullpen. I therefore wrote, on March 29, that: The 2006 Mets blew the team's best opportunity in 18 years to win a World My prediction was very slightly off - the Mets finished 88-74, and in third place in the wildcard race. After the Mets opened with a good start, Elster wasted little time mocking my preseason analysis, particularly my attack on Minaya's bullpen moves. Throughout the season Elster took a contrarian view to any Mets-related criticism I proffered, either for the sake of being contrary or because he is simply unable to apply his intelligence to rational analysis of sports. The person most responsible for the September fiasco is Minaya. He built this Mets team, made numerous offseason moves that hurt the team and very few that helped, and could not acquire anyone other than Luis Castillo and Jeff Conine (for whom he traded two prospects!) down the stretch. Minaya was responsible for the Mets using a 6 man rotation so as to give Pedro Martinez extra rest, resulting in Brian Lawrence and Philip Humber losing one game after another down the stretch. Minaya's trades for highly paid veterans resulted in Humber and Pelfrey being the Mets sole remaining major pitching prospects above A ball - and neither of them met expectations. Minaya learned nothing from Orlando Hernandez's 2006 breakdown, instead giving him a 2-year contract at $6 million per, and not only left the Mets unable to replace El Duque when the 2007 breakdown occurred, but failed to obtain any decent number 5 starter, instead trading away potential AL Rookie of the Year Brian Bannister. Minaya, who hired Willie Randolph, fired Randolph's hitting coach, and stuck cardplayer extraordinaire Rickey Henderson onto the coaching staff. He also left Randolph with few bullpen options and a starting pitching staff that rarely could get to the 7th inning even on a good night. But Minaya is going nowhere, so Mets fans can only hope that Randolph takes the fall. Anyone who has watched the Mets these past three seasons knows that Willie is not exactly a master strategist. He even remains mystified about how to pull off the double switch. We were told, however, that he is a "winner" and a motivator for whom players will play hard. The reality is that Randolph not only completely lost this team, he led the collapse himself, by repeatedly insisting that the Mets were the best team in the NL and insinuating that their talent entitled them to the pennant. It was hardly surprising that the Mets never demonstrated a sense of urgency as their lead disappeared. With the Wilpons having ceded complete authority over baseball decisions to Minaya, I think Randolph will be back, but I hope I'm wrong. I doubt he'll be managing the Mets in 2009. There must be wholesale player changes, as well. Tom Glavine had a great career. He is done. The end comes suddenly for lots of pitchers, and the Mets cannot again pay $13 million to a pitcher who begged the Braves to take him back, gave his team no chance to win in his last three starts, and then expresses nonchalance after mailing it in yesterday. The bullpen mess won't be completely fixed this offseason, but the Mets can look to sign Turk Wendell and Dennis Cook type workhorses who can pitch 70+ games and give them much more than they got from Scott Schoeneweis and Guillermo Mota. Scott Linebrink is hardly a star, but he fits that mold. Unfortunately, Billy Wagner has now performed poorly late in two consecutive seasons, yet he will be the Mets 2008 (and 2009) closer. Carlos Delgado also appears to be nearing the end. His bat speed is not nearly what it was, yet with a huge salary, he is untradeable. So he too will be back. Jose Reyes had a disgraceful last month of the season. He suddenly turned into a bum, failing to run out grounders and picking a fight Saturday that motivated the Marlins yesterday. Little help can be expected from the Mets farm system, which is severely depleted so that guys like Jeff Conine could finish their careers in a Mets uniform. With the Phillies loaded with young talent and the Braves likely to be contenders, the future may be bleak for the Mets. The man who can best fix the Mets is the anti-Willie, Bobby Valentine. He is a brilliant baseball man who plays the best players and refuses to give free passes to veterans, gets a lot out of marginal players, and will not accept lackadaisical play. Unfortunately, Bobby V leading the Mets probably will never again be more than a memory or a pipe dream. | "
