The Zionist Conspiracy |
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A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews. 
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Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Ranking The Coaches Following is my ranking of Jets' coaches since 1963. Based on the following, along with the fact that (1) Bill Cowher has rejected the Jets and (2) Romeo Crennel has expressed an interest in working as defensive coordinator under Eric Mangini, my current inclination is that firing Mangini was the wrong move. 1. Weeb Ewbank 2. Bill Parcells 3. Walt Michaels 4. Eric Mangini 5. Al Groh 6. Herm Edwards 7. Joe Walton 8. Pete Carroll 9. Bruce Coslet 10. Charley Winner 11. Lou Holtz 12. Rich Kotite Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Today's Quiz In what order will the following win a Super Bowl: a. Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Abraham b. Tennessee Titans center Kevin Mawae c. Former New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini d. Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington e. New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma f. the Detroit Lions g. the New York Jets h. the Toronto Bills Silence In Response To Terror Supporters I had a bad headache as I left my office at around 7:15 last night. Five minutes later, I reached 40th and 6th, where a group of people who support the murder of Jews were marching and chanting "Free Free Palestine." I walked over to the corner. My instinct was to loudly chant "IDF, IDF" in response to the lovers of terror. I looked around for a minute and did not see anyone who seemed likely to join me. And so my response to evil was to walk into the F station and go home. I don't know whether that was the best thing to do. What I do know is that, like in Washington in 2002, many of us would like to express our strong support for Israel and strong opposition to Palestinian barbarism. Alas, our leaders are busy with things that are apparently more important, and so the vocal minority are the ones who are heard in New York City's streets. Rich Cimini Nails It I very rarely post extensive quotes of someone else's writing, but Rich Cimini's latest blog post is absolutely on target about the dismal state of the Jets. Cimini exposes the fact that Woody Johnson has gone Steinbrenner on us (the 80s Steinbrenner). Here's his gem, in full. Some teams, like the Giants, Colts and Patriots (except this year), begin the postseason by preparing for a playoff game. The Jets begin by looking for a coach. Here's my plan: After sitting in section 119 since 1994, I won't be shelling out thousands in PSLs to Woody. Monday, December 29, 2008
Bring Him Back  Bill Parcells has already done a masterful job turning around the Miami Dolphins. Upon the sale of the team, he will have the option to become a free agent. Parcells belongs on the sidelines, not in the front office. The Jets need to find a way to bring him back as their head coach. Sunday, December 28, 2008
Week 17 1. Many players and coaches contributed to the Jets collapse, but none are as culpable as Brett Favre, whose two touchdowns and nine interceptions over the last five games stalled the offense, even when the running game was effective. The name on the jersey said "Favre" but the quarterback played like Nagle, Brister and Clemens. 2. Favre's "I'm not making excuses, but my shoulder really hurts" lines (which followed his lamenting the poor weather during the Denver game) are unbecoming. This is the NFL, not a shul in Palm Beach. Tom Brady's ankle was probably killing him in last year's Super Bowl, but he never used it as a reason for his mediocre performance. 3. On defense, Bob Sutton's playcalling was terrible for much of his three seasons as defensive coordinator, a job he simply is not qualified for. After good starts, Kris Jenkins and Calvin Pace faded badly down the stretch, while Kerry Rhodes took a huge step back after receiving a mega-bucks contract. 4. Eric Mangini is superior to some of the awful head coaches who have led the Jets. He works hard in studying and preparing. That said, Mangini is neither among the elite football minds like Bill Belichick, nor a man who intimidates his players like Bill Parcells. Whether to keep Mangini is the offseason's first key decision. The Jets should not simply fire Mangini out of frustration for how the 2008 season ended. If under Mangini they can bring in Romeo Crennel to replace Sutton as defensive coordinator, they should consider doing so. Regardless of whether they keep or fire Mangini, right now, among division teams, New England and Miami look to have much brighter futures than the Jets. 5. Two coaches who Mangini is better than are Dick Jauron and Herm Edwards. Jauron today did one of the worst ever imitations of an NFL head coach. As for Herm, where are all the "experts" who bashed the Jets for letting go of that master motivator? 6. As the Jets' 2008 season concludes, I hope my readers know that I did my best to blog interesting post-game thoughts. I didn't always succeed. My neck has been hurting, I have a little carpal tunnel syndrome, my sinuses have been acting up again, and every time it gets humid my foot starts killing me. I have no excuses, but there are definitely posts I'd like to have back. Sunday, December 21, 2008
Week 16 1. It's official: Brett Favre is done. He again kept underthrowing his receivers and can't do anything other than dink and dunk. Once the Seahawks put seven or more defenders in the box, Favre couldn't do a thing. 2. It's official: Kris Jenkins is MIA. 3. The defense didn't lose the game today, though poor tackling and more ultra-conservative playcalling by Bob "Three Man Rush" Sutton didn't help. 4. The illegal formation penalty on 3rd and 1 and the delay of the game that took away a field goal were inexcusable mental lapses. 5. Eric Mangini should have let Jay Feely try a 50 yard field goal following the delay penalty. 6. With a much more difficult schedule next season and the return of Tom Brady to New England, 2009 does not offer much hope. With that in mind, perhaps it's best for the Jets to bring in a new coaching staff. 7. Good luck to Jets' owner Woody Johnson in selling his PSLs. Thursday, December 18, 2008
Bring Back Irgun That's the thought that comes to my mind whenever I see pompous British Foreign Secretary David ("Bevin") Miliband pontificate about the Middle East conflict. Milliband seems to have forgotten that the British Mandate has expired. Next thing you know, he'll be calling for The White Paper to be put back into effect, and for the High Commissioner to prosecute Jews who cross into the "occupied territories" to pray at the Western (Wailing?) Wall in "Arab east Jerusalem" to the full extent of Her Majesty's Law. Monday, December 15, 2008
The Days The Jets' Dream Died In the decade before the arrival of Bill Parcells, the Jets had one winning season and played one playoff game. In the nine years since Parcells resigned as head coach, the Jets have not been nearly as bad as during the later Joe Walton years or the Bruce Coslet, Pete Carroll and R*ch Kot*te years. They have had six winning seasons since Parcells left, and have gone to the playoffs four times - and can of course make it five with two more wins. And as a result, Jets fans have been lulled to sleep and become relatively complacent about the fact that the Jets' Super Bowl chances are remote. Parcells was all about winning a Super Bowl. During his tenure, it was clear that was the goal. In 1998, he almost made it happen. Sitting in traffic on the way home from Sunday's game, my mind flashed back to the end of the Parcells era. Y2K had come and quietly gone without mass computer crashes. The next day, superfeldman and I (it was not a fast day) watched the Jets win the 1999 season finale to finish at 8-8 after a 1-6 start. Parcells would not commit to returning during his post-game press conference, though most expected him to be back for one last season, reasoning that he would not want to quit after '99 was ruined by Vinny Testaverde's injury in Week 1. Anyway, even if Parcells left, we were assured that Bill Belichick would take over and would retain Parcells' staff, including Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel - who would be promoted to defensive coordinator. The day after the '99 season ended, I made my first visit to LA. I immediately liked the warm January air, the palm trees leaving LAX, and the valleys and mountains on 405 North that remind me of Israel. I pulled into the driveway of my friend's Encino home when I heard the news: Parcells had resigned. Belichick was taking over and would appear at a press conference the next day. The news was very disappointing, but I had a good feeling about Belichick, despite his prior failures as a head coach. The next day, I hung out at Venice Beach, at the Santa Monica Pier, and in Pico-Robertson. After dinner, I drove to the Staples Center, where the Clippers were hosting the Lakers. Staples was brand new, and even my LA friends were excited to be there. Standing outside the arena, I for some reason called my friend in New York. I asked him whether Belichick had anything interesting to say during his press conference. He asked in amazement, "You didn't hear?" and proceeded to provide the sordid details. The thing is, it still didn't seem so bad. On the next Sunday, just before I went home, I watched Keyshawn Johnson being interviewed on a playoff pre-game show. He was full of optimism about the future of the Jets. With Vinny back, they'd be contenders in 2000, he said. Keyshawn never played another game for the Jets. Whether or not the trade was a good one on paper (debatable, though I think not), severing the team from their emotional leader was ultimately the wrong move for the Jets - and bad for Johnson too. Nine years (and six southern California trips) later, listening yesterday to Eric Mangini talk about how "pleased" he was with the win epitomized what's been wrong with the Jets since Parcells quit. Post-Parcells, the goal has been to make the playoffs, and the Jets have actually met that goal relatively often. They are not the Detroit Lions. But their chances of winning a Super Bowl aren't that much higher than the Lions'. It's true, Parcells didn't win a Super Bowl in New England, or here, or in Dallas. But what he did do is instill the understanding that a championship can be the only goal. Parcells' draft record was mixed and the Johnson trade a mistake, but he left the Jets with some talent. Vinny Testaverde and Chad Pennington at QB. Curtis Martin at RB. Richie Anderson at FB. Laveranues Coles and Wayne Chrebet at WR. A solid offensive line led by Kevin Mawae, Randy Thomas and Jason Fabini. On defense, a core of Shaun Ellis, John Abraham, Jason Ferguson, Aaron Glenn, Mo Lewis and Marvin Jones. Herm Edwards took away the recognition that a Super Bowl was what the Jets needed to shoot for. His teams were not the most talented in the NFL, but they had enough talent that when opportunities arose, an elite coach would have taken advantage. Had Herm not been the coach, would the 2002 Jets' run have stalled against Oakland? Would the 2004 Jets have managed to blow the Pittsburgh game? Mangini, to his credit, actually does know what the real goal is, but just doesn't seem to have the staff or the credibility with his players to make it a real possibility. He doesn't have Belichick's football mind, or Parcells' dominating personality that forces players to play hard every week. He has reason to be concerned about his job security and probably can't afford to express lofty goals like winning a Super Bowl. This year, with New England decimated by injuries and with the Jets having avoided injury to key players, the Jets actually are the most talented team in the AFC East. Where would they be with the best coaching? We really have no idea. And that's the problem with the post-Parcells Jets. Sunday, December 14, 2008
Week 15 1. The Jets would be a real contender if only they didn't have a noodle-armed QB who floats passes into double coverage, underthrows his WR by ten yards, and turns a TD into an INT. Hold on a second - Chad Pennington is not the Jets quarterback anymore? Brett Favre is?! Hey, sure Favre throws the occasional interception (17 so far this season), but that's part of what makes him so great! And Favre did bounce back from that INT when he led the Jets to a field goal after taking over on the Bills 20 following a Jets fumble recovery. He also was solid on his final drive, when Leon Washington returned a kickoff to midfield, and Favre drove the Jets into Bills territory, before the drive stalled at the 48. Anyway, you can't judge Favre based on stats. Or based on inaccurate passes. Or turnovers. Or the lack of any deep game - something that Pennington (playing with the same WRs, but without Dustin Keller) was bashed about. Favre's all about intangibles. Here's the real deal: Favre looks old and tired. 2. No, I am not happy with the win - though it's admittedly preferable to a loss. WWPT is my approach. That stands for What Would Parcells Think? I think Parcells would think the Jets played poorly again and deserved to lose. And he'd have said so after the game. 3. Bob Sutton is a joke. When he blitzes, good things frequently happen. But he almost never does. Kerry Rhodes is not allowed to make plays anymore (and he forgot how to tackle and how to cover in the meantime). Even Calvin Pace dropped back on most pass plays. Romeo Crennel please. 4. Why do opposing kickers always make long field goals against the Jets? 5. Reggie Hodges is awful - much worse than the mediocre Ben Graham was. 6. Terrible job by Washington shying away from two obvious fair catches, thereby twice pinning the Jets inside their own 3. 7. How many times will the Jets punt return unit allow successful fake punts? 8. Vernon Gholston looks like he will be the worst draft pick in Jets history. Lam Jones, Blair Thomas, Kyle Brady and DeWayne Robertson were big time busts, but they each at least had a handful of moments. Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Two Years Later The economy has tanked, and much has changed over the last two years. The Jets remain the same old Jets. Is Tzipi Livni Lying Now Or Was She Lying Ten Years Ago? After parties to his right brought his government down, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was forced to call for early elections in 1999. A noteworthy newcomer then among the Likud's Knesset candidates was Tzipi Livni. Livni campaigned for Netanyahu, calling for his re-election. Livni did not, at that time, describe the preceding three years during which Netanyahu led Israel as "terrible." Nor did she question his "decision-making ability." Yet in last Friday's Haaretz, Livni had the following to say about Netanyahu's tenure: When Netanyahu speaks, people remember who he is, what he is. They remember his very problematic activity. His decision-making ability, an ability that is in doubt, if it exists at all. Have we forgotten what went on here when Netanyahu was prime minister? It was terrible. Do we want to go back to that?Livni's present description of Netanyahu's term as "terrible" and her attack on his "decision-making ability" leads to the question of why she so avidly supported him in 1999, calling on Israelis to keep him as prime minister. It'd be one thing for Livni to say that she used to share Netanyahu's political views, but now circumstances have changed and she's changed her mind. It is absolutely appropriate for her to make cogent policy arguments for why Israel should elect her as prime minister, and not Netanyahu. Alas, Livni doesn't offer any cogent policy arguments. She was for the Lebanon War and also against it. She rejects Ehud Olmert's proposed concessions but won't rule out making similar concessions. She might be okay with giving Syria the Golan, but wants to find out if Syria is serious about peace. In the meantime, on some days she supports negotiations with Syria, while on other days rules out talks. So Livni must resort to providing red meat in the form of personal attacks to the Netanyahu-hating media. Which never bothers to ask why, if Netanyahu's tenure was "terrible" and demonstrated that his "decision-making ability" may not "exist at all," Tzipi Livni ran on the 1999 Likud Knesset list he headed. Likud vs. The Stepford Wives The media has hyperactively been yelling and screaming about Likud's purported shift to the far right in the wake of Monday's primary. In fact, this is all much ado about very little I'd strongly prefer that Moshe Feiglin and his small but noisy group end their efforts to infiltrate Likud. It's a shame that Feiglin managed to push the talented Yechiel Leiter to 39th place, thereby probably keeping Leiter out of the Knesset. But the exaggeration about Feiglin's influence is fear-mongering - nothing more. The man is in 20th place on the Likud slate. He'll be elected to the Knesset and will make extreme speeches there, but will have no influence whatsoever on government policy. But, we are warned, most of the Likud candidates opposed "disengagement" from Gaza. Well, that's pretty obvious, isn't it, given that those in Likud who supported ending Israel's presence in Gaza all moved over to Kadima. Of course, those remaining in Likud are, for the most part, loyal to Likud's policies, in contrast to Ariel Sharon's many Stepford Wives: the ex-Likud opportunists who all coincidentally radically shifted their ideology at the very same time as Sharon did. And anyway, why would Israelis punish Likud for having candidates who opposed "disengagement," now that Hamas has taken over Gaza, smuggled massive amounts of weapons, and even the dreadful Kadima-Labor government is telling us that Israel will soon have to re-engage in Gaza, and on a massive scale? In the end, Israel's 2009 election is not about a two-state "solution", or a shelf agreement, or the Saudi Plan. It's a choice between continuing to be willfully delusional for short-term expediency, or soberly dealing with the difficult challenges facing Israel. Monday, December 08, 2008
Citi Field Won't Be The Same Greg Maddux said the following during today's press conference announcing his retirement: Shea Stadium is one of the best places to play baseball on the road, and especially when the Mets were good. There was just a buzz in the air there that you'll never forget. There was a smell, actually, that I'll never forget. There were just certain things about Shea Stadium that, this is a pretty cool place to be and you're just lucky to be a part of it.Hamavin yavin. Pennington vs. Favre From The Phinsider: W-L Comp/Att Comp% Yds YPA TD Int Fumbles 20+ 40+ Rating Pennington 8-5 261/393 66.4% 3,062 7.8 12 6 2 34 6 93.7 Favre 8-5 288/421 68.4% 2,845 6.8 20 15 10 28 7 88.2 Passes that travel at least 21 yards through the air: Comp/Att Comp% Yds YPA TD-Int Rating Pennington 8/24 33.3% 309 12.9 2-1 93.9 Favre 10/34 29.4% 362 10.6 4-5 48.9 Sunday, December 07, 2008
Week 14 Once again the Jets proved to be poorly coached and mentally soft. The 49ers took away Brett Favre's dinks and dunks, rendering the passing game useless. The 2008 season appears headed to a Week 17 triumphant return by Chad Pennington. Saturday, December 06, 2008
The Best Closer The Mets should - must - sign Kerry Wood to be their new closer. Wood is better than either K-Rod or Fuentes, will cost many millions less, and he won't even cost a draft pick. Of course his injury history is a risk, but it's worth taking. The millions saved will enable the Mets to sign a top setup man too. Friday, December 05, 2008
Two Miscarriages Of Justice O.J. Simpson's 1995 acquittal on murder was the result of overwhelmed prosecutors, All Star defense attorneys, and foolish jurors. His 2008 conviction and 15 year sentence on dubious charges of armed robbery and kidnapping is the result of overzealous prosecutors and a Judge who wants to appear tough on crime. O.J. should be serving a life sentence for murder. The unfortunate failure to convict him of murder is no basis to send him away for 15 years on heavily exaggerated grounds. Bring Back Chad If anyone still harbors any doubts as to whether Omar Minaya is a stubborn, arrogant phony who has no business being GM of an anything more than a bad fantasy team, a report yesterday by Joel Sherman of the Post should put those doubts to rest. Sherman wrote: If you are looking for a sign that the Mets are being frugal with their dollars then know this: The Rays offered Chad Bradford to the Mets because $3.5 million is too much in Tampa's world for a set-up man, and Ray officials were shocked when the Mets told them it is too much for them, as well. Bradford pitched to a 2.12 ERA between Baltimore and Tampa last season. Pitching for the Red Sox, Mets, Orioles and Tampa over the past four seasons, Bradford has worked to a 2.92 ERA. He does not strike out many, just 101 in 209 1-3 innings, but he also does not walk many (48). The blow away stat, however, is that he has allowed just six homers in those 209 1-3 innings. Bradford was outstanding for the Mets during the 2006 regular season and playoffs, which prompted Omar to let him leave as a free agent. Minaya explained that his policy was never to give a setup man a three-year deal. A few days later, Minaya abandoned that policy when he gave Scott ("Season Ending HR") Schoeneweis a three-year deal for more than Bradford received! Last season, Bradford - in the course of another excellent season - was traded for a couple of minor leaguers. Minaya expressed no interest, preferring instead to watch as the bullpen imploded for a second straight season. Now Minaya still won't bring Bradford back, because one year at $3.5 million is too much money. Never mind that in each of the last two seasons, Bradford would have been the difference between narrowly missing the playoffs in Game 162 and making the playoffs - and that the Mets would net millions for each home playoff game. Omar is simply stubborn and arrogant. He likes "his guys" - generally players he scouted back in the 80's, or former Montreal Expos or Washington Nationals. Luis Ayala is the kind of guy that Omar would bring back for "sloppy seconds." Chad Bradford doesn't qualify. Thursday, December 04, 2008
Front de libération du Québec We at The Zionist Conspiracy are proud to offer the following guest post by McGill University senior Adam Brander. Adam's piece first appeared as a letter to the editor in the McGill Tribune. Michel Lafleur states that "Quebec secession groups are overwhelmingly not motivated by racism against North Americans." Perhaps. But in evaluating the empirical truth of that claim, we should look at what occurred at the lecture about anti-Canadaism, which was the impetus for Mr. Lafleur's article. During the presentation, several Front de libération du Québec members in the audience were publicly defending a poster which likened The Maple Leaf to Elmo, as well as a cartoon depicting Stephen Harper as a French (fry) eating monster of "sloppy seconds." Someone in the crowd even praised the cartoon (which also included a depiction of actress Elisha Cuthbert) as "beautiful." Surely this goes beyond opposition to any particular policy of the State of Canada with regard to Quebec, but instead demonizes the very notion of a State of Canada. If Michel Lafleur is truly sincere in his opposition to racism, than he should have condemned this barefaced bigotry, which is only discrediting the cause of a free, liberated independent Quebec. Lest one think that this letter is coming from some radical Canadian nationalist, let me say that I strongly support the two-state solution and an end to the occupation of Quebec. I hope for a respectable Québécoise movement that will have the courage to stand up for the human rights of every Quebecer instead of simply attacking Canada's very existence. I'm still waiting. Adam Brander Bring Back Avery  What's wrong with "sloppy seconds?" The Jets brought Laveranues Coles back. Obama brought Larry Summers back. Israelis will hopefully soon bring Likud and Binyamin Netanyahu back. Now it's time for the Rangers to bring Sean Avery back where he belongs. Avery needs the Rangers and New York and the Rangers need Avery. And when that's taken of, the Nets should bring back Eddie Jordan and the Mets should bring back Bobby Valentine. Monday, December 01, 2008
Mumbai and the Israeli Occupation Last week's attacks in Mumbai once again underscore the failure of the Bush Administration to adequately address the primary threat to international stability: Israel's occupation of the West Bank. Mumbai further underscores the urgency of immediately ending the occupation and establishing a Palestinian state. So long as the occupation continues, it will be inevitable that frustrated youth, living without hope for a better future, will resort to the use of violence. The world must not continue to passively watch as innocents die because of Israel's refusal to grant the basic rights of the Palestinian people. The Chabad House Massacre There is very little if anything for me to add to the many words already written. But here are a few thoughts: 1. Rescuing hostages is extremely difficult. Even a well-planned and well-intentioned rescue operation would likely have resulted in failure. That said, the raid by Indian commandos was appalling in its complete disregard for the Chabad House hostages. The raid was in no way a rescue operation. It was first and last an operation to ensure that the terrorists be killed without any casualties among the Indian military. The statements by ZAKA members on the scene, that Rabbi Holtzberg and possibly others were likely still alive when the raid began on Friday, are heartbreaking and infuriating, and mandate that India's apathy toward the hostages be condemned. 2. The apathy toward the hostages was consistent with the media coverage from India, particularly that of IBN, which had significantly less information about the hostage situation than anyone could pick up in five minutes on the Internet. CNN's India reporters similarly had no idea even of the basic facts. This is not really surprising, since many more victims were located in the other locations, and India was presumably most concerned about its own citizens. The exhausted media members were similarly mainly focused on the situation at the Taj Mahal hotel. Nevertheless, it is hard to avoid the obvious conclusion that in India, the victims in the Chabad House were at most an afterthought. 3. I've read comparisons to the massacres at Ma'alot and Munich, which are certainly apt. But for me, the enduring thought about last week is the murder of a Jewish family in their own home. Neturei Karta Mourns Holy Mumbai Martyrs We are Neturei Karta International, representatives of the Torah abiding Jews throughout the world who stand true in their Torah observance and stand strong in their opposition to Zionism and the state of “Israel”. Torah true Jews stand in solidarity with our Islamic brothers opposed to Zionist colonialism. Neturei Karta expresses our deep mourning over the loss of the nine kedoshim in Mumbai, India, who died sanctifying G-d's name. Leaders of Lashkar-e-Taiba, we Torah true Jews stand with you in solidarity. We support you as you seek justice and vengeance over the cowardly murder of nine of your finest members by Zionist-controlled India. Sunday, November 30, 2008
Week 13 The weather was terrible. The playcalling was terrible. The officiating was terrible. The tackling was terrible. The inability of the the WRs to make any plays was terrible. Denver's bogus injuries were terrible. Not a good day for Jets fans, and an even less good day for Jets fans who foolishly went to the game in the cold persistent rain. And an even less good day for those of us whose new Blackberry was ruined when the rain soaked our pockets. Free Ajmal Amin Kasab One of the leaders of the Pakistani resistance is being held in India for his role in the Mumbai incidents. The time has come to release him. For years, Ajmal Amin Kasab tried to persuade India to end the illegal occupation of Kashmir through negotiation. He tried to persuade them in order to preempt the next confrontation. Kasab failed, and he himself turned to the path of violent struggle. It is doubtful whether prosecuting him would be diplomatically wise, but there is no doubting the political wisdom of releasing him. Modern history has known national leaders who turned to violence and were jailed, until they were released to become political leaders. Nelson Mandela is one such example. Now Kasab's turn has come. Releasing prisoners, Kasab among them, could serve to change the atmosphere between India and Pakistan. It would prove the sincerity of India's statements regarding its intention to turn over a new leaf and bolster the moderate forces. After endless conflict, India must look to achieve peace with its neighbor. Ajmal Amin Kasab as a free leader could greatly assist in achieving that. Friday, November 28, 2008
India's Peace Process Must Continue It is not surprising that emotions are running high today, following the unfortunate activity of some hotheaded young Pakistanis in Mumbai. But ultimately, reason must prevail over emotion, and the root causes of the militant operation must be addressed. Indians understandably view the militants as their enemy, which is all the more reason why they must resolve their dispute with those militants at the negotiating table. It is axiomatic, after all, that one negotiates with his enemy, not his friend. Those who call for militants with whom they disagree to be killed offer no alternative that would lead to a better future for both sides. Instead, what they advocate would inevitably continue the cycle of violence. Their angry voice must be rejected, their call for further mayhem condemned. There is good news. The outlines of a resolution have become clear: Kashmir must return to its pre-1947 status. Elsewhere, Muslim territory must be handed to Pakistan, with Hindu areas going to India. Once the two-state solution is fully implemented, peace will surely prevail. Wednesday, November 26, 2008
11/26 - Nariman House In Mumbai The reports from the Indian media and bloggers - they can almost instantly be accessed via Google - are increasingly ominous concerning the situation at Nariman House in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), which was purchased by Chabad and houses several Jewish families. There is probably nothing more frightening from a Jewish perspective than Jews - particularly identifiably religiously observant Jews - being directly targeted by Al-Qaeda. Echoes of thousands of years of massacres can be heard tonight by those who are listening. We can only pray and hope for those who are inside. Sunday, November 23, 2008
Week 12 Fantastic performance today on offense and defense, and fine coaching too. For the Jets to go on the road and dominate the lines against a Titans team that started 10-0 by doing just that is also a validation of Mike Tannenbaum's offseason moves. Friday, November 21, 2008
Is There A President (Or A Treasury Secretary) In The House? The incompetence of President Bush and of Hank Paulson is incredible. Not since thousands of soldiers died in Iraq while Bush and Donald Rumsfeld insisted things were going well has an administration been so clueless. Thursday, November 20, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Week 11 Very good job by the offense, led by Brett Favre, to overcome coaching decisions that surely horrified even Herm Edwards. First, up 24-6 and with the ball late in the 2nd quarter, Eric Mangini elected to go super-conservative and give the ball right back to the Patriots. Then, to ensure that the Patriots would score a TD before halftime, the defense played a soft zone, letting New England march right down the field before Dwight Lowery did his usual awful impersonation of an NFL cornerback. Mangini was then totally unable to keep up with Bill Belichick's halftime adjustments, as New England came right back to tie the game. But it was the defensive playcalling on the Patriots' tying drive at the end of regulation that was truly incredible in its idiocy, indeed representing absolutely the worst coaching I have ever seen. And I watched Herm Edwards for five years. The Jets were extremely lucky to win the overtime coin toss. Otherwise, thanks to Mangini and the again clueless Bob Sutton, tonight would have been one of the worst losses in the tortured history of the New York Jets. Tonight's great victory is badly marred by the removal of any lingering doubt that the Jets' coaching staff is sorely lacking in common sense. Sunday, November 09, 2008
Week 10 Great performance today, except for Dwight Lowery. I'm too busy for more, and probably won't be able to post again until next week. Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Why I Don't Vote I was all set to vote for Gore-Lieberman in 2000, until I read the following in the Wall Street Journal several days before the election. I didn't vote in that election and haven't since: October 30, 2000 -- By JOHN HARWOOD and BOB DAVIS Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL WARREN, Mich. -- Monday, November 03, 2008
Obama and Crazy Frum Jews As I predicted at the start of primaries last January, Barack Obama will probably be elected president tomorrow. I won't be voting in the election, and I have concerns about Obama's presidency. Particularly if - and as I hope - Likud forms the next Israeli government, I expect to have serious disagreements with Obama's administration. Concerns, disagreements and criticism should be expressed. Paranoia, fear mongering, racism and hatred are, on the other hand, entirely deplorable. Alas, it is obvious that large sections of the frum community have simply gone off the deep end in their loony views about our next president. Sunday, November 02, 2008
Week 9 1. Great performance by the offensive and defensive lines. 2. Brett Favre looked more like Chad Pennington today than Brett Favre. 3. A few bad decisions by Eric Mangini. 4. Jay Feely is really shaky. 5. Post-game posts are short these days because there's lots of work to do on my end. Sunday, October 26, 2008
Week 8 After (1) driving to Brooklyn, (2) dropping off my children and picking up my father, (3) driving to the game, (4) driving from the game back to Brooklyn, (5) picking up my wife from work, and (6) driving home to Queens, I'm quite tired. So this will be brief. A bad win is always better than a loss. But the Jets just aren't a good team right now. Brett Favre is terrible right now. So is the coaching. The only thing that has been good is the schedule. Monday, October 20, 2008
Welcome Back, Sean  If much of the New York hockey media are to be believed, Sean Avery was an off-the-ice distraction who hurt the team's locker room chemistry, and the Rangers are better off without him. This is absolute nonsense. The bottom line is that Avery's arrival completely turned around what looked like a lost 2006-07 season. He energized the team and messed with the game of the Rangers' opponents by constantly agitating them. It's fair to ask whether Avery was worth signing to an expensive long-term deal. I think he was and that letting him go was a mistake, but reasonable people can differ on that one. Certainly the Rangers have done okay without him thus far this season, but it's very early in the year. Unlike some in the media, Rangers fans recognize and appreciate what Avery brought to the team and will surely give him a standing ovation when he returns to MSG tonight. Sunday, October 19, 2008
Week 7 1. All Brett Favre did this week and last was dink and dunk. 2. Favre's constant turnovers deep in opponent territory are inexcusable - even if not surprising. He also holds on to the ball too long and never throws the ball away. 3. Alan Faneca has been a huge disappointment considering how much cap space he'll be taking for years to come. Generally, the pass protection was terrible. 4. Even though Favre was awful, Brian Schottenheimer's playcalling in overtime was a joke. It seemed like the Jets were playing for a tie. Why no playaction passes? 5. While the offense, coaching and special teams were primarily responsible for the loss, the defense failed to force a turnover and allowed big gains on key runs and screen passes, as well as the overtime completions on the final drive. 6. Eric Mangini is in over his head. He has a decent football IQ - higher than Herm Edwards, for example - but he's no Bill Belichick when it comes to X's and O's. And he doesn't motivate his players or cause them to fear him. 7. Simply put, the Jets are a mediocre team, even if a soft schedule and a weak AFC keeps them in wildcard contention. Monday, October 13, 2008
President Obama, Secure Borders and Peace Now Jews I've never bought the notion that Barack Obama has any malice or ill will toward Israel. Instead, my concern about Obama all along has been his position that Israel must withdraw to the 1949 armistice lines. Obama has rejected the idea of Israel having any legitimate claim to anything beyond those borders. That position is also consistent with Joe Biden's, who has been a longtime vocal opponent of settlement in Judea and Samaria. Lots of Jews will have access to the Obama Administration, but not so many Jews whose views on the Mideast differ from the Peace Now line. We will presumably experience a return to the situation during the Clinton years, when the likes of Michael Lerner were frequent White House guests. U.S. Jews for whom settlement is not only not anathema, but something to celebrate and financially support, will not have a chance to present the bases for their views to Obama's administration. Unlike many observant Jews, I do not believe that God will unilaterally determine Israel's borders. This is not because I do not believe in God, but because I believe that whatever the degree of God's intervention in the matter, ultimately we should and must assume that the actions and decisions of people on earth will make this determination. I also disagree with those who say things like, "the terms of an agreement are already clear." Would a settlement be based on Israel's proposals at Camp David II, in which Israel would cede 91 percent of Judea/Samaria and outlying Jerusalem neighborhoods? Would it be based on the Clinton proposals and the Taba talks? The Geneva Accords? The Saudi plan? There is a big difference between ceding 91 percent - or even an egregious amount like 95 percent - and 100 percent. Dividing the Old City will mean the end of the Jewish Quarter and access to the Western Wall. Anybody who thinks it would feasible to enter the State of Palestine at Jaffa Gate, and then safely walk the half-mile or so to the Jewish Quarter, is delusional. Instead, visits to the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall would be akin to what visits to Rachel's Tomb at the northern border of Bethlehem have entailed since Oslo II. Of course, Israel and the Palestinians would have to negotiate the terms of a deal. But the position of the U.S. administration would still be a significant factor. Furthermore, just because the "two-state [non]solution" has been the flavor of this decade does not mean this will remain the case forever. Let's not forget that throughout the 70's and 80's - and until the mid-90's, a confederation among Jordan and the Palestinians was the consensus preferred solution. Israel may agree to a Palestinian state on nearly all of Judea, Samaria and Gaza and to a divided Jerusalem. But that would still not provide an actual solution. As I have been arguing for years, the real solution must involve Jordan, regardless of whether or not King Abdullah likes it. As Giora Eiland - the former head of Israel's National Security Council - has been stating, the "two-state solution" is untenable, and any real solution must involve Jordanian security control over Judea and Samaria and active regional participation in a deal. Polls indicate that nearly 30 percent of Palestinians would approve an agreement based on Eiland's outlines. If Israel would make this its policy, more Palestinians would get on board. Would President Obama then join, and pressure Jordan and Egypt to participate? The peace processors in an Obama Administration, and the homogeneous voices of the Jews with access to it, would render that very unlikely. Sunday, October 12, 2008
Week 6 1. Great rendition of the national anthem by Victoria Cuomo, 11, of Staten Island. Look out for her on American Idol in a few years. 2. The special teams was outstanding today. 3. I did not like the dink and dunk game plan. 4. The offensive line is not terrible like last year, but still seems pretty shaky. 5. Great run defense today, particularly compared to last season's game vs. the Bengals. From late in the 2nd quarter on, the Jets did allow Cincinnati to move the ball in the air. They were fortunate that Carson Palmer was injured. 6. Laveranues Coles doesn't seem to have great hands this season. 7. Good job by Jerricho Cotchery turning short passes into big first downs. 8. The crowd was good today, and traffic and parking were tolerable. Thursday, October 09, 2008
It's Only Money Nearly all of my money is in the stock market, and in the aggregate my stocks are down around 40 percent from their high. As a result of the stock market decline, the credit market crash and other bad stuff that will have a negative financial effect, I expect to be stuck in my two bedroom Queens apartment for a while. Nevertheless, I am totally baffled as to why so many people are in such lousy moods over their paper money losses. I could understand being depressed about losing one's job, or facing foreclosure of a house, or certainly an illness in the family. The deterioration of one's stock portfolio doesn't seem worth getting too down about. Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Mets Analysis - Part 3: The Pitching Staff 1. Pedro Martinez is thankfully probably gone, but I would not be against the Mets keeping the door slightly open. If no market emerges for Pedro, and he is willing to come back for a heavily incentive-based contract with a low base salary, he might still provide some upside. But otherwise, his career as a Met must be over. 2. Oliver Perez has 2009 free agent bust written all over him. Nevertheless, if the Mets can sign him in the 4 year/$50 million range, they should. If he somehow can get 5 year/$75 million, the Mets must pass. 3. C.C. Sabathia would obviously be a great addition, but it ain't gonna happen. 4. For years the Mets have refused to move Aaron Heilman from the bullpen, claiming he's too valuable there. Now that Heilman's only value is to opposing hitters, the Mets will likely dump him for nothing. If Braden Lopper can be a competent starter, Heilman - who has better stuff than Looper - certainly should be given a similar opportunity. Rather than spend $10 million on a .500 pitcher with an ERA in the 4.50 range, the Mets should make Heilman their number 5 starter. 5. Supposedly, Johan Santana and John Maine will both be fully recovered from their surgeries in time for spring training. Most likely that will be the case, but I'll remain concerned until seeing them actually pitch. 6. How is El Duque's post-surgery rehab coming along? 7. If the Mets don't sign Perez, presumably they will bring in someone like Derek Lowe, Ryan Dempster or A.J. Burnett, though none will be reasonably priced. 8. Too bad the Mets ignored my pleas last offseason to sign Kyle Lohse, who had a very good season and has now signed a long-term deal with the Cards. 9. I'm not convinced that K-Rod is the answer to the Mets bullpen problems. Of course, the Mets must get involved in the K-Rod sweepstakes, but they should not feel a need to sign him. Brian Fuentes will likely be Omar Minaya's fallback option if the Mets don't sign Rodriguez. Fuentes is a good reliever, but again, the Mets should not break the bank for him. 10. The Mets' biggest failure in recent years has been their failure to develop young relievers. Except for Joe Smith, none have been given a real chance to perform. That has to change. Sunday, October 05, 2008
Mets Analysis - Part 2: The Position Players 1. Contrary to the rantings of a few loudmouths, the Mets should not look to trade David Wright or Jose Reyes. No player should be untouchable, and both Wright and Reyes have come up short in key spots. But it is hard to see how the Mets would gain by trading players locked up in reasonable long-term deals and opening a hole in positions at which they would otherwise be set for years to come. Furthermore, on a team filled with aging players who keep getting hurt, why trade two guys who have been among the most durable in baseball over the last four seasons? 2. Ryan Church has been mentioned as a player who will likely be sent away this offseason. I've never been a huge fan of Church, and I was and remain strongly opposed to the trade of Lastings Milledge for Church and Brian Schneider. But I don't see Church as a problem, or as someone likely to bring back more than what he offers. Church was overhyped by Omar Minaya. He's not a great everyday player. He is a solid hitter against righties, and ideally would be part of a platoon who would come off the bench against lefties if a right-handed reliever came in late in the game. 3. Omar will try to trade Luis Castillo, but won't get anything back except for equally terrible contracts. Given Castillo's track record, it's premature to pick up most of Castillo's salary, as the Mets did with Roger Cedeno. 4. While I'm probably in a strong minority here, after picking up his 2009 option, I do think the Mets should shop Carlos Delgado. Delgado's value is relatively high after his fantastic second half, but he's going to turn 37 next season and is not the long-term answer at first base. Of course, Delgado would have to be replaced at first. Aside from Mark Teixeira, whom I don't see the Mets going after, there's not much at first among free agents - something that enhances Delgado's trade value but also makes finding a replacement for him a challenge. 5. I'm also in the minority in my view that the Mets should shop Carlos Beltran. Lots of teams would be interested, and he'd probably bring back both a solid pitcher and position player. Beltran is a good player and sometimes a very good player. But he's not the superstar who played for the Astros in 2004. At times he reminds me of Kevin McReynolds, another very talented and very quiet player who seemed to coast through much of his career. 6. The Mets can use an upgrade at catcher, but would have to trade either Schneider or Ramon Castro. I've liked Castro in the past, but he seems to keep getting hurt, especially late in the season. One player the Mets should not go after is Pudge Rodriguez. 7. I also like Damion Easley, but am not sure the Mets should bring him back. The team needs to get younger and avoid old players who break down. If the Mets think Daniel Murphy can play second base, I'd prefer to let Easley go and allow Murphy and Castillo to battle for the second base job - or share it. Otherwise, Orlando Hudson and David Eckstein might be worthwhile free agents to consider, but only at the right price. 8. If available for a bargain, Nomar Garciaparra should also be considered. Though he does go against my strong preference for durable players, Nomar provides a lot more upside than the likes of Easley, Marlon Anderson (who unfortunately is signed for 2009) and Jose Valentin. 9. Obviously the Mets will sign an outfielder to replace the departed Moises Alou. Endy Chavez is clearly not a favorite of Jerry Manuel, and Nick Evans does not appear ready for the majors. The Mets will presumably acquire at least one solid outfielder via trade or free agency. Coming up: The pitching staff. Sunday, September 28, 2008
Where Were Knight and Valentine? How could the Mets invite Doug Flynn for Shea's goodbye ceremony, but fail to even mention 1986 World Series MVP Ray Knight? And having invited Yankee Hall of Famer Yogi Berra for his stint as manager that included the '73 pennant, as well as Mike Piazza, Robin Ventura, Edgardo Alfonzo, Todd Zeile and Al Leiter of the 1999 and 2000 Mets (not to mention John Franco), how could Bobby Valentine's name never come up? Mets Analysis - Part 1: The Rot At The Top It was fitting that after yet another bullpen implosion, Matt Lindstrom was on the mound for the Marlins, throwing in the high 90's and closing out the Mets. Lindstrom was among the talented relievers traded for literally nothing by GM Omar Minaya after the '06 season, while Scott Schoeneweis and Luis Ayala were among the many awful pitchers Minaya acquired for the Mets' pathetic bullpen. Even as he sent away Lindstrom, Heath Bell and other talented pitchers, Minaya has failed to bring in a single decent reliever since Duaner Sanchez's injury in July 2006. And this season alone, Minaya wasted $21 million on Luis Castillo, Moises Alou and Orlando Hernandez. Due to his incompetence, the Mets have only a single NLCS appearance to show for the highest payroll in the NL since 2005. Meanwhile, the Phillies, spending tens of millions less, are again NL East champs. If "accountability" was in the Mets' lexicon, Minaya were surely be gone - especially after Willie Randolph, who was Minaya's choice for manager, was let go by Omar. But unlike the Steinbrenners, who are all about winning championships, for the Wilpons, "playing meaningful games in September" and selling tickets are what matter. Losing and failure are spun as success and excitement. Indeed - moronic Jeff Wilpon has already proclaimed that the 2008 Mets "overachieved." Incredibly under normal circumstances - but therefore hardly surprisingly under the dysfunctional Wilpons - Minaya is set to be given a four year extension, through 2013, as the Mets' reward for his failures. The Mets are also set to bring back Jerry Manuel and sign him to a long-term deal. Manuel made some questionable moves down the stretch, and was unable to stop this year's September slide. Overall, Manuel must be credited with doing a pretty good job, and he is clearly a major upgrade over Randolph. However, the failure to even consider whether Manuel is the best man to manage the Mets is another indication of the Wilpons' clueless sense of satisfaction about this season. Bobby Valentine would have been the ideal choice for manager. Bobby V is not only an excellent baseball mind and game manager, he is a man who holds his players - and himself - accountable and who will play the best players no matter what. The Mets have now wasted huge opportunities in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Valentine will likely be back in the majors soon. It remains to be seen whether the failure to bring him to Citi Field will represent another foolish decision by the Mets' hierarchy. Coming up: Part 2 - The position players. Week Four 1. I had tickets today for both the Jets and the Mets. I decided to go to the Jets' game, figuring I also had playoff and World Series tickets for the Mets and that if the Mets lost I didn't want to be at Shea. It was, alas, the right move. 2. Following Favre's terrible first quarter interception, the passing game looked great. Yet I still am not too confident about the running game. 3. Kris Jenkins and Calvin Pace were outstanding again today. 4. After a strong performance in weeks one and two, Dwight Lowery is looking like a rookie. 5. Bad job by the special teams on the Cards' onside kicks. The Jets were very lucky when Arizona touched the 4th quarter try just before the 40 yard line. The special teams unit does deserve credit for blocking the field goal early in the game. 6. Once again the Jets had huge success when they blitzed, so why did defensive coordinator Bob Sutton play so softly for much of the second half, allowing Arizona to score five touchdowns, largely by dinking and dunking? Of course, the Jets defensive players deserve blame for this too; their intensity seemed to go down after the Jets took a 34-0 halftime lead. Friday, September 26, 2008
Shea Stadium Deserves A Suitable Sendoff Really, there would only be two fitting ways for the last game ever at Shea to end.  Ideally, with a World Series victory, like in '69 and '86.   Otherwise, it would be most appropriate for there to be a crushing defeat, like losing the World Series to the Yankees in 2000, or the Jets losing to the Bills in the '81 playoffs on an interception near the end zone, or Terry Pendelton's homer in '87, or Mike Scioscia's homer off Dwight Gooden in the '88 NLCS, or Game 7 of the '06 NLCS, or Tom Glavine's meltdown to complete the 2007 collapse. Those epic moments from Shea's history will never appear on any celebratory DVDs, but they represent much about the Shea Stadium experience over the last 45 years. A loss on Sunday to eliminate the Mets, or worse, a loss on Monday in a wildcard tiebreaker, would be worthy ways for Shea to end. Losing in the playoffs at home would also be terrible enough for a real Shea sendoff. Luis Aguayo Everyone's wondering how he keeps holding runners at 3rd who would easily score, and sends runners home when they're going to be dead ducks.  And how could Daniel Murphy twice bunt in the 9th last night - even with two strikes and Reyes running - when the hit sign was supposed to be on? Well, has it occurred to anybody that Luis Aguayo played nearly his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies? Yes, the Mets' current third base coach is the same Luis Aguayo whose game-winning 10th inning homer off Jesse Orosco dashed any remaining hopes of the 1987 Mets. Surely, the man bleeds Phillies red. Now, about those missed signs and strange decisions at 3rd base... Thursday, September 25, 2008
Memories Of Shea - The Field, Dugout and Darryl I went to Israel with my father for three weeks during July 1990. I was 17 years ago, just having graduated high school. I must have been pretty bored, because one day I came with him to the office at which he was working, and typed a letter to the sports editor of The Jerusalem Post, suggesting that they hire me to cover U.S. sports. A few days later, I had the job. When I got back home, I wrote to all of the New York sports teams requesting press credentials. I also applied for credentials to the MLB playoffs and World Series. The last place Yankees treated me great, basically welcoming me to come anytime and to bring a guest along too. It was a pleasure watching the game from their press box, which included a full concession stand with everything except a cash register and a line. The Mets, who were in a tight pennant race with the Pirates, begrudgingly told me I could cover one game during the 1990 season and apply again in 1991. MLB approved me for playoff coverage. September 2, 1990 was the game I chose. It was a Sunday, the day before Labor Day. Yeshiva wouldn't start until later that week. I'd been an avid Mets fan since the late 70's, since I was around five. I took the train from Boro Park and got to Shea nearly an hour before batting practice. The train was surprisingly crowded with people going to the U.S. Open. I sat by myself in the Mets dugout. I walked on and around the Shea field and behind the batter's box. It never occurred to me not to wear my yarmulke. During batting practice, I watched and listened to the players on both teams mingle and schmooze. I remember Darryl Strawberry talking with Brett Butler. Strawberry would be a free agent after the season. It sounded like he said something to Butler about not coming back to the Mets. Darryl noticed me eavesdropping and gave me a look. I stepped away. I don't remember much about the game. I remember that the Mets won, that Mackey Sasser had a big hit, that Tommy Herr had just been acquired from St. Louis and led off and started at second base, that watching the game from the press box wasn't so great, and that the Mets gave me a box with the media guides of every team in baseball. Those media guides are still in my old room in my parents' home. The Mets didn't win the division and I didn't travel to cover the playoffs or World Series. Strawberry left for LA after the season. This was the last time I saw him play at Shea as a Met. Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Today's Musings 1. Ahmadinejad is not Hitler. That does not trivialize the danger that Iran poses to the world, and particularly to Israel. Ahmadinejad is evil and is an Islamic fanatic. However, Ahmadinejad has not gone from country to country and village to village, forced Jews out of their homes and mass murdered thousands of them every day for many years. 2. I am baffled when I hear people who otherwise hold staunch anti-abortion ("pro-life") views note disapprovingly that Sarah Palin (or any other social conservative) opposes abortion "even" in cases of rape or incest. Rape and incest are terrible things, but if abortion is otherwise unacceptable, why should pregnancy resulting from rape or incest be treated differently? 3. During the latest episode of Bill Maher's HBO program, Andrew Sullivan had the gall to interrupt Maher's weekly rant mocking religious people. Whatever the merits of Maher's disdain for organized religion, it's quite interesting - at least to me - that his audience invariably roars with approval in response to whatever he says, and that Maher's guests either pile on or say nothing at all. This despite the fact that most of the audience and guests are likely - like Sullivan and a majority of Americans - themselves people who hold moderate religious views. 4. I am not a proponent of gay marriage. But I don't really understand why rabbis sometimes feel a need to warn about its supposed dire consequences. Putting aside the fact that the battle is already essentially over and the world still goes on, why should gay marriage be a major issue? Perhaps there's a generation gap here, but it's very low on my list of priorities and there many other things that seem a lot more dangerous. Monday, September 22, 2008
Week 3 1. Ben Graham looked a lot better. 2. Can someone introduce Leon Washington to Brian Schottenheimer? 3. Is it too early in the season to repeat that Bob Sutton is not an NFL defensive coordinator? 4. Why does it always seem that Eric Smith is in on every blown coverage? 5 Ron Jaworski said that it takes years for a QB to learn a new team's offense. Unless, I suppose, that QB and new team is Drew Brees and the Saints. Or Vinny Testaverde and the Jets. Or Chad Pennington and the Dolphins. 6. Did I misconstrue something or did Jaworski seem to think that David Harris is a DB and David Barrett an LB? And did I hear Mike Tirico proclaim that Brad Smith has made big progress as a WR? 7. D'Brickishaw and Faneca look good as decoys on all those runs to the right side. D'Brickishaw still looks lousy in pass protection. 8. Couldn't at least one 2008 Jets game have fallen out on a Jewish holiday? At least the week after next is the bye. 9. I hear Herm Edwards may be in trouble. Any chance we could trade Mangini to the Chiefs for a pick? Perhaps Jewboy - who I believe is from Kansas City - can opine on that one. 10. Nice move waiving rookie WR Marcus Henry to resign Ben Graham. Four QBs, two kickers and two punters on a 53 player roster. Makes sense to me! 10a. Thus far my children (not yet four and two, respectively) don't seem too interested in football. Perhaps there's hope for the next generation! 10b. Hockey will be back next Saturday. Let's go Rangers! NFL Mystery What is wrong with the Kansas City Chiefs, who have now lost 12 straight games? A few hotheads aside, informed observers are well aware that Herm Edwards is among the NFL's elite head coaches. Few men can motivate their players like Herm does, and he is acclaimed for producing very tough defenses and teams that play hard every week. There are two explanations. First, the Chiefs have been battered by injuries. Indeed, they are so decimated that Herm must be credited for keeping the team as motivated as they are. Second, unfortunately, with the exception of Dick ("Who Am I? What Am I Doing Here") Curl, KC may need to make a move to replace some of its assistant coaches. While Herm is an intensely loyal man, his coordinators are not playcalling to his high standards. It may take a few seasons for the Chiefs to get back on track, but there is little doubt that with Herm at the helm, their future is bright. Omar Must Go I've been saying the same thing over and over since the disastrous 2006-07 offseason. Omar Minaya destroyed the Mets bullpen then, and has done absolutely nothing to fix the mess he made. Indeed, when Omar had a chance in July to bring back Chad (2.08 ERA) Bradford for essentially nothing, his massive ego prevented him from doing so. After all, how could Omar ever admit that refusing to give Bradford a three year deal days before giving Scott Schoeneweis three years for more money was a huge mistake? Minaya has also refused to let Aaron Heilman start, because he's too valuable in the bullpen - where he has posted an ERA of 5.33 that is nearly as high as superstar ace Pedro Martinez. Omar's failure will probably negate the fine job by Jerry Manuel. Manuel has made some mistakes, but ultimately it's doubtful that anyone could win with this bullpen. Whether the Mets collapse completely this week, or bow out quietly next week to the Cubs, it's time for a change at GM. Perhaps I'm an optimist for thinking the Mets could fire Omar. But this time last year, whom among us really thought Willie Randolph would be feted last night at Yankee Stadium? Monday, September 15, 2008
Bring Back Pedro Another gutsy performance tonight by Pedro Martinez against a very tough Washington lineup. Cynics point to Pedro's 5.47 ERA this season and his 17 wins over the last three seasons to argue that he's not quite worth the $14 million or so per year he's been making. Of course, real Mets fans know that if not for Pedro, the Mets would not have been able to attract superstar free agents like Billy Wagner, Moises Alou and Luis Castillo. If the Mets want to retain impending free agents like Alou, El Duque Hernandez and Luis Ayala, they must also do everything possible to bring back Pedro.  After turning the Mets around, Pedro deserves a three-year deal with a nice raise so he can continue complimenting team mascot Mr. Met at Citi Field through at least 2011. I am confident that Omar Minaya will indeed do everything possible to bring Pedro back. When Pedro chooses to end his Hall of Fame career and his number 45 is retired, the only question will be whether he will enter Cooperstown as a member of the Mets or the Red Sox. Sunday, September 14, 2008
Week Two The drive today was the familiar one on gameday - the LIE to the Midtown Tunnel, across Manhattan to the Lincoln Tunnel, and then Route 3 to Giants Stadium. But I didn't get off 3 West at the stadium exit. Instead I drove another five or six miles to Clifton for the funeral of a colleague who was around to watch Week 1 of this NFL season but on Thursday morning was somehow suddenly gone. The funeral started at 1, so I could have done both. I could have gone to the funeral, offered my condolences and paid my respects, and afterward made the short drive from Clifton to Giants Stadium in time for the 4:15 kickoff. Likely, that's what Rich would have suggested I do. Instead I sold the tickets - to a Patriots fan. After the funeral and a stop at Rich's home in Bloomfield, I headed back, driving past the stadium - at 3:30 then starting to fill up - and went home. There will be other Sundays to go to Jets games. I did watch the game. Favre was inconsistent and threw a terrible INT. The kicking game was abysmal. The playcalling was poor - especially the three consecutive runs with 1st and goal at the 3. Lots of terrible penalties were committed. Overall, the game convinced me that my preseason 8-8 prediction was on target. The only positive I can think of was the play of Chansi Stuckey, who looks like the Jets' number 3 WR. There will be other Sundays to commiserate after a frustrating Jets (and Mets) loss. Today for me is a day to reflect on the wins and the losses that I experienced with Rich, on our many, many office conferences, on the thousands of late-night and early morning e-mails we exchanged. On the untimely loss of a fine man and a fine lawyer. Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Memories of Shea - The Rabbi, The Agent and The Ride The weather was similar to today, with on and off rain, but that didn't stop me from taking a break from yeshiva to go to Manhattan and pick up three field box tickets to that evening's Mets vs. Giants game that my friend had secured. It was 1988 - I was in tenth grade - and for some reason we felt like we needed a ride home. Most fortuitously, we learned that Rabbi Travis, our secular studies principal, would be going to the game. He'd be taking his sixth grade class in another yeshiva (the elementary school I attended) on a bus. Could we join Rabbi Travis and his class on the bus, we asked him? He looked at us like we were crazy for having the audacity to ask, and said that if we went to the game, we'd be in big trouble. He pointed out, correctly, that we'd have to cut our last class to get to Shea on time. Rabbi Travis was a well-meaning guy, but he was always way less clueless than we'd have liked. Back in 8th grade, I took off - with my parents' acquiescence - the day after my bar mitzvah. I went outside mid-afternoon and there was Rabbi Travis - I wasn't in his class but he recognized me - asking me what I was doing out of school. In high school, he always had a sixth sense for when we were cutting class, especially if we were cutting to avoid a test. Long before the advent of e-mail or cell phones, my friend found a ride. The guy renting his parents' basement would be going with a sports agent, and they'd give us a lift home. We left school shortly after carefully confirming Rabbi Travis' departure, and headed to Shea via the D and 7 lines. When we arrived, it was very cloudy but the rain held up. The Mets won 6-3 behind Ron Darling, Roger McDowell and Randy Myers. The agent's client - Randy Bockus - pitched a scoreless 8th inning for the Giants. We stayed for the entire game and were reveling in the victory as we walked in the Shea parking lot. And there was Rabbi Travis, walking briskly past us. He ignored my attempt at a high-five, instead stating firmly, "Schick, W***** and H******, be in my office tomorrow." Monday, September 08, 2008
Free Market Economy At Work A few months ago, the Federal Reserve bailed out Bear Stearns. Now the federal government is taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And some liberals still don't concede that only a free market economy works for America! Of course, sophisticated fiscal conservatives realize that the free market approach doesn't apply when billions of dollars are at stake! When it comes to big investment banks and to mortgage market-makers, socialism is the way to go! Belichick's Hatred For Mangini: A New Theory During yesterday's game, Phil Simms mentioned this interesting tidbit: When the Jets hired Eric Mangini, he gave Chad Pennington a copy of the Patriots scouting report on Pennington. Scouting reports belong to the Patriots, don't they? Is a departing coach going to a division rival authorized to take copies of scouting reports on opposing players - especially those who play for the coach's new team? Could this be why Belichick had Mangini locked out of the Patriots facilities? Could it explain Belichick's animosity? Scenes From JFK Prior to Nefesh B'Nefesh Charter There was no Jbloggers convention at JFK yesterday, but there were 235 North American Jews (and at least four dogs) about to make aliyah. Many years ago in The Jerusalem Report, writer Stuart Schoffman recalled that when he arrived in Israel upon making aliyah, the passport control agent exclaimed, "oleh chadash!?" - in shock that an American would do something so strange as voluntarily move to Israel. That's what Nefesh B'Nefesh has changed. It used to be that you had to be a real die-hard Zionist to move to Israel. Zionism still helps, a lot. But now American aliyah is mainstream and lots of red tape has been removed from the process. And that's how it felt at JFK yesterday. If not quite like a typical pre-flight (family members don't usually come to the airport for routine flights), watching 235 people move to Israel was almost ordinary. Not ordinary in a negative way - it is inspiring to see Jews returning to their land. But ordinary in the sense that this is now a normal decision, not really different from moving to a different part of the country. Take-off was scheduled for 2 p.m. A few minutes before 1, with the new olim and their families lingering near the security metal detectors, Nefesh B'Nefesh announced that it was time for everyone to say goodbye. And so the olim went their way to the start of their new lives in Israel, and those that remained rushed to the parking lot so as not to miss the start of their new NFL season. Sunday, September 07, 2008
Week One A road win should never be taken for granted, but the way the Jets finished today was disappointing. Bob Sutton's patented prevent defense keeps blowing big leads. But going into a three man rush against Chad Pennington is particularly stupid. The three straight runs on the Jets' final drive were a terrible call. Just get a first down and win it. Perhaps he really was hurt, but Mike Nugent continues to be a bust. The special teams generally was not too good. Finally, the pass protection was poor, the Jets took some bad penalties, and Laveranues Coles was invisible. On the plus side, the run game was good, the run defense played well, and the Jets did get pressure on Pennington when they wanted to. In particular, Dwight Lowery looked good, as did Calvin Pace and Kris Jenkins. Friday, September 05, 2008
Musings On McCain/Palin 1. I am obviously on a very different wavelength than my staunchly conservative friends: Not only did I have no idea what Sarah Palin was talking about for much of her rant, I found her speech to be shrill and divisive. If Hillary Clinton had been as nasty, the same people who loved Palin's speech would call Hillary a b*tch. 2. Much of McCain's speech was nothing special, but it struck a much better tone than what went on for the first two days of the Republican convention. 3. Ultimately, for me, as an American engaged in the political process who nevertheless will not be voting, it appears that Barack Obama, Joe Biden and John McCain are qualified to be president. Palin as vice president is the same type of politically expedient but reckless thinking that led Israel to end up with Ehud Olmert as Ariel Sharon's deputy prime minister and later Amir Peretz as Olmert's defense minister. And Olmert was much more experienced than Palin is. 4. A few months ago, I wrote: Social conservatives rail against the large number of abortions performed in the U.S. But then the same people repeatedly ridicule pregnant teen TV star Jamie Lynn Spears, who, according the media, intends to raise her child and marry the father. It's nice to know that social conservatives have belatedly come around to my perspective, now that Bristol Palin is pregnant. Thursday, September 04, 2008
2008 Jets Prediction and Analysis 8-8. Maybe I'm jaded (okay, definitely, not maybe). But I just don't have a great feeling about Brett Favre. Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Palin Fallout: The Jews Are Nuts That's the only reaction that makes sense to an honest observer of the absurd back-and-forth between Democrat and Republican Jews concerning Sarah Palin. There are very few Jews in Alaska, and Israel is not covered quite as extensively there as, say, in New York. It is hardly surprising that Palin has no record whatsoever on issues of particular interest to Jewish Americans. That has not stopped liberal Jews from coming up with tidbits to support their notion that Palin agrees with Pat Buchanan about Jews and Israel, and that she believes Israelis are killed in terror attacks because Jews have not accepted Jesus as the messiah. Nor has it stopped Republican Jews, in response, from insisting that because Palin has met with Israelis once or twice and once even put a little Israeli flag in her office, she is a strong supporter of Israel and is a friend of the Jews. There is nothing wrong with Jewish Americans feeling strongly about issues that are important to them, and wanting to know where political candidates stand on those issues. But that does not mean that the world revolves around us. Most of us know this. But political hacks do not, and in the process they are making all of us look crazy. Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Israel First - Without Apology Tens of millions of Americans will not vote for a candidate who does not support abortion rights. Tens of millions of Americans will not vote for a candidate who does not oppose abortion and pledge to appoint judges likely to overturn Roe v. Wade. Millions of Americans won't support a candidate who does not pledge to support the right to bear arms. The majority of Cuban-Americans vote based on policy toward Cuba. Presumably all of these people are interested in other issues. But for them, there is one supreme issue that keeps them up at night, about which they will never vote for someone who does not represent their concerns and advocate their positions. I am an American who - first and foremost - will not support a candidate who will not seek to assist Israel in maintaining secure and defensible borders, as mandated by UN Resolutions 242 and 338. Barack Obama and Joe Biden have made damn clear that they oppose a permanent Israeli presence in more than a very tiny part (if even that) of Judea and Samaria. Research their record and their statements if you think I'm wrong. Their view may not be based on antagonism toward Israel. Indeed, it may be based on a different perception of what is in Israel's interest than my own. I am absolutely convinced that Ma'aleh Adumim, Givat Ze'ev, Har Choma, Gush Etzion, the Old City of Jerusalem and various other post-1967 parts of Israel are vital areas that Israel must retain. And while in principle I support territorial compromise, I am also convinced that at present, the purported "two-state solution" would solve nothing. So I can't and won't vote for Obama-Biden. They fail my litmus test. John McCain would also not be a great friend of "settlements," especially if Joe Lieberman is his Secretary of State. But at least some people with views similar to mine would have some access to a McCain Administration. Anyway, there isn't likely going to be a McCain Administration. This post is about Barack Obama and why, despite my belief that he is an immensely talented man, I cannot and will not vote for him. Friday, August 29, 2008
The View The top of Louis Armstrong Stadium at the US Open provides - at least to this Mets fan - a beautiful view of Shea Stadium and Citi Field side by side, from a distance of around half a mile. Alas, I did not have a camera with me yesterday. Too bad, because I most likely won't make it back to the Open this year, and when I return next year, only Citi Field will exist. On Obama I did not vote in 2000 or in 2004, and do not intend to vote in this election. This post is not an endorsement of either presidential candidate. The historic nature of Obama's candidacy should be recognized by his supporters and detractors alike - and also by those who are undecided or whom will not vote for either candidate. This is a country that enslaved people because of their skin color, that enforced segregation based upon the notion of "separate but equal" and that refused to allow many of its best athletes to play in its best sports leagues. Obviously a lot of progress was made well prior to Obama's ascendance. African-Americans have increasingly risen to prominence in the army, in the business world, in politics, and in sports - as managers, coaches and GMs. And on the other hand, with or without an Obama presidency, there will still be racial issues that will not be resolved and will not disappear. There will still be too much racially-based job discrimination and de facto neighborhood segregation, and day-to-day slights will persist. Too many young urban African-Americans will still mostly know whites based on their interactions with local police officers. But Obama - his bi-racial family, his academic achievements at Columbia and Harvard, his election to the Senate, and finally his nomination for the presidency - symbolize and represent the most significant indications of this country's progression from its shameful past toward the ideals expressed in its Constitution. On McCain-Palin My first reaction - around two hours ago - to reports that John McCain has selected Sarah Palin as his running mate was negative. In particular, how can the 72 year old McCain continue to argue that Barack Obama lacks experience now that his VP candidate is significantly less experienced than Obama? I also am skeptical that Palin will be very popular with very many Hillary Clinton supporters, in light of her staunchly conservative views. Nevertheless, McCain's other options were pretty lousy, so perhaps Palin is not such a bad choice. She offers something very different from the array of boring white men who were McCain's other options, is a real "Washington outsider", and is reportedly very popular in Alaska. This also makes the race more interesting. Joe Lieberman would have been a lousy choice for McCain's VP candidate. Worse, in the event McCain were to win, would be Lieberman as Secretary of State. As the great Sidney Zion wrote when Lieberman was Al Gore's VP nominee, Lieberman would require a full-time chiropractor in the State Department, as he'd be bending over backwards to show his loyalty is not to Israel. Thursday, August 21, 2008
Goodbye Loge I have a bad feeling that Mike Hampton circa 1999 is going to appear for tonight's Mets vs. Braves game - complete with an extra base hit off Pedro Martinez. I will be sitting in the loge section, behind home plate just to the first base side.  Since the mid-80s, the loge behind home has been my favorite place to sit. Close to the field, but better sight lines than field level. When I joined Elster, MoC and MoC's older son for a game a few months ago, I was sure to mention this at least twice every half-inning. This may well be the last time I sit in the loge. I expect to come to Shea once or twice more during the regular season. The FFL Draft Since a number of members of our fantasy football league have weighed in on last Saturday night's draft, I figured I'd post some observations from my perspective. I usually enjoy the pre-draft banter, but with my younger son sick was late to log on. Then, at around 10:04 - eleven minutes before the draft started - I checked my e-mail to ensure in my capacity as league manager that nobody was having any trouble logging on. Alas, Jewboy had e-mailed me with that problem. We spoke on the phone, with JB finally joining the draft just after his turn to pick 6th came. I picked eighth and last in the first round, and was pleased that Steven Jackson was still available. I had ranked Jackson 5th overall. The second and third rounds were unusual, with lots of quarterbacks and wide receivers selected, but very few running backs. By the time I picked at #24 at the end of the 3rd round, all of the elite quarterbacks were gone and seven WRs had been taken. Passing up some other solid WRs to stick with my ranking of the best available players, I selected Clinton Portis and #24 and Reggie Bush at #25, giving me three strong running backs in a league in which two can play. As usual, I kicked off the drafting of defensive players when I picked Patrick Willis in the 6th round. I had Willis and David Harris ranked almost equally as the top defensive player, but went with Willis because I had hoped that Harris might still be available when I next picked at #56, at the end of round 7. But MoC astutely made Harris the second defender taken when his turn came in round 6. I did not pick a quarterback until Matt Hasselback in round 8 and did not pick a number 2 wide receiver until round 11. I was pleased that Brandon Marshall fell to the 12th round. When he returns from his suspension, Marshall should be a solid number 2 WR. I had hoped to snag Marvin Harrison in round 13, but MoC picked him up early in thar round. As soon as MoC made his pick, my computer started going haywire. The result was that Marcus Trufant - whom I had pre-ranked as among my top DBs - was automatically selected when my time ran out while my screen was frozen. I did not want Trufant there because he and Bob Sanders, my previously selected DB, have the same bye week. But for now he'll be a decent option at DB. My computer froze again in round 18, resulting in Donald Lee being drafted for me. I did not want Lee and did want Zach Thomas, so subsequently waived Lee and picked up Thomas. I was surprised that Thomas - always among the top LBs prior to his injury riddled 2007 season - went undrafted. Overall, I was pleased with my draft. A few questionable picks aside, I also felt that my competition knew what they were doing and also drafted well. Monday, August 18, 2008
Mike And The Mad Dog Terrible job by WFAN not allowing departing host Chris Russo to do one last farewell show following his Thursday night departure from the station after more than 20 years. I remember Russo back when he was on WMCA and Francesa back when he was subbing for Jim Lampley, and am one of the few who preferred the duo separately. Early in his FAN career, Russo memorably went nuts when the Jets drafted Jeff Lageman in 1989. Francesa provided insightful sports analysis and a thorough knowledge of college and pro sports (with the exception of hockey). In FAN's early days, those qualities were a rarity. Russo and Francesa guest-hosted for Pete Franklin in 1989 and also sparred on Imus In The Morning. Their debate about Don Mattingly vs. Will Clark was particularly entertaining and ultimately led to their pairing when Franklin was let go. Nevertheless, while entertaining, I believe that their immediate success inflated their egos to the detriment of their show - at least for those of us who preferred serious sports talk. During my tenure as a yeshiva boy/credentialed sports journalist, I regularly came across various members of the sports media. I'd often see Francesa in the Madison Square Garden press room, and saw him and Russo together at some Mets and Yankees games in the press box. I recall shyly schmoozing a bit with other FAN hosts like Steve Levy and Howie Rose, but Russo and Francesa had this aura of superiority about them, as if they were the kings. Perhaps that was just my perception. But they really were the kings - and they knew it. While I wasn't always a big fan, I regularly listened to Mike and The Mad Dog from its inception in 1989 until October 1997, when I started working. Since then I've listened very occasionally. So it's been a long time since I really listened to the show, and I won't really miss something that I haven't listened to in more than a decade. My reaction instead is sort of nostalgic, for a time in my life before billable hours, for a time when I was a phone call away from free entrance to almost any game. Mike And The Mad Dog was on for a very long time, and Russo has been with FAN for a little longer. New York sports talk won't be the same. Nor will WFAN, whose shameful refusal to do a farewell show was a small-minded and short-sighted dissing not only of Russo, but much worse, of their most loyal listeners. Brigitte Gabriel and The Times I was taken aback on shabbos morning to see The New York Times Magazine matter-of-factly refer to Brigitte Gabriel as a "radical Islamophobe." Gabriel, a Lebanese-American, is a staunchly pro-Israel Christian woman whose family suffered at the hands of Lebanese Islamic fanatics. To be sure, she is provocative, but what basis does the Times have to call her a "radical Islamophobe"? The bottom line: When someone from the Arab world supports Israel and bashes radical Islam, they are an Islamophobe - and their stance is so unbelievable that they are asked - as Gabriel was in the Times interview - whether they work for the CIA. In sharp contrast, when a Jew - especially an Israeli - supports the Arabs and bashes the Jewish religion, the Times finds them to be a progressive, humanitarian role model. Indeed, not too long ago, a Jewish law professor with an obsession about legal systems based on Islamic law bashed observant Jews and the Jewish law they practice. The same Times Magazine gave him a front page feature to rant about those terrible Orthodox Jews who - much worse than suicide bombing or hijacking planes - never wished him a formal mazel tov in his high school's newsletter after his marriage to a non-Jewish woman. Monday, August 11, 2008
The Favre Hype Some more thoughts about Brett Favre and the Jets: 1. As jetsphan correctly stated at the outset, the trade is a strong statement of no-confidence in Kellen Clemens. The Jets clearly hoped Clemens would beat out Chad Pennington as their starting QB. Actually, even a tie would have sufficed. The Jets would have traded or released Pennington during the offseason, but there was no veteran free agent QB as good as Pennington. With camp underway, it was clear that Pennington was going to beat out Clemens. The Jets did not want Chad to be their starter, which is why they pounced when Favre became available. 2. The failure of Clemens to develop reflects poorly on GM Mike Tannenbaum, who drafted Clemens in the second round in 2006 after passing on Matt Leinart in round one to select D'Brickishaw Ferguson. Ferguson has been mediocre, while third round pick Anthony Schlegel did not even make the team last year. If Leinart becomes a star and Ferguson again is repeatedly beaten by defensive ends, the 2006 draft will be a disaster for the Jets. 3. I may be alone among Jets fans, but I do not like the trade. Favre is almost 39, has to learn the offense in a very short time and takes up a ton of cap space with his $12 million salary. 4. The Jets paid a higher price for Favre than most appreciate. 2nd and 3rd round picks have to sign long-term contracts for relatively little money, and giving them up for a short-term fix of Brett Favre is foolish. Favre makes the Jets wildcard contenders, but they already were wildcard contenders. It's very unlikely that he could lead the Jets past teams like the Patriots, Colts or Chargers in the playoffs. The goal of any sports franchise should be to win a championship. I don't believe the Favre trade moves the Jets toward that goal. 5. Rather, I believe the trade has a lot to do with PSLs. Even if the excitement proves to be short-lived, having Favre on board in 2008 will make it easier for the Jets to convince fans to shell out thousands of dollars per season ticket. Thursday, August 07, 2008
Birthright Shabbos I've heard it said about both Joe DiMaggio and Michael Jordan that they played every game with the awareness that some of the fans in the stands would see them play in person only that one time. I thought about this while at the Western Wall my first Friday night in Israel. On that night, the Kotel was packed with participants in some of Birthright Israel's programs. Many of these people were college students, whom, at least by appearance and observation, were pretty far from traditional religious observance. It occurred to me that for many of them, this would be their only real exposure to shabbos and traditional Judaism. During kabbalas shabbos, various Shlomo Carlebach niggunim were sung, and as they became more comfortable, more and more of those on Birthright joined in the singing and dancing as the davening went along. After kabbalas shabbos, a large group of Birthrighters began singing "Am Yisroel Chai" to Carlebach's tune again and again. It seemed that they did not want kabbalas shabbos to end and for the unfamiliar (to them) maariv service to start. For some, Birthright becomes a transformative experience, leading to aliyah, or becoming more observant, or involvement in Jewish communal activities or pro-Israel advocacy. Most go home and their lives are pretty much the same. But it is probably not unreasonable to believe that their feelings toward Israel and toward traditional Judaism are impacted at least a little in a positive way. | "
