Nine years and counting..

2001. The Knicks finished the season in 4th place in the Eastern Conference. A playoff appearence. Jeff Van Gundy as head coach. The best defense in the NBA (league-best 86.1 PPG allowed). And an all-star, Latrell Sprewell. That last one, an all-star.. is something the team hasn't touched since.

This season looked to be the one to finally conclude the near decade-long drought of Eastern Conference all-star benches lacking a New York representative. David Lee, prior to the Janury 28 game vs. Toronto) has averaged 19.4 points per game, 11.4 rebounds per game, 3.4 assists per game, and is shooting with a percentage of 55.4%, all while playing as a 6 foot-9 inch center. His jumpshot now extends to about 20 feet out and for lack of a better term, is pure money. The game is seemingly just too easy for Lee this season, as he is emerging as a dominant force in the league.

Are these the qualities of an all-star? According to the NBA head coaches, no. Al Horford of the Hawks managed to squeak in as the last forward reserve in the east. Horford is averaging 13.6 points per game, 9.8 rebounds per game, 2.2 assists per game, and shooting at 57%.

But the difference in votes to the trip to Dallas next month depended on one element: the standings. The Hawks sit among the elite in the east at third place, behind powerhouses Cleveland and Boston. The Knicks, however, entering Thursday's game, appear at 10th place, 4 games behind Charlotte for the eighth and final playoff seed.

David Lee is one of the finest forwards in the eastern conference, no question. His team however, doesn't particularly share that same success. This fact alone is what kept Lee from appearing in the first All-Star Game of his career, and the first for a Knick in nine.. yes.. nine years. Do the Knicks, their fans, and Lee himself have a legitimate gripe with the final selections? Sure they do. But is the reasoning that supports the voters' decisions wrong in any way? Not at all.

There is one major flaw in not only NBA all-star voting, but in other sports as well. Fans vote for all-star starters, and their (or should I say, our) vote counts 100%. The players, coaches, and the league have absolutely zero say as to who starts in the game. The result of this defect in the voting system is what we are all afraid of, and fears have turned into reality in 2010. Allen Iverson, who started the season in Memphis, played three games there, half-heartedly announced his retirement after Donnie Walsh and the Knicks didn't want to put player-development at risk for the sake of signing him, then returned to the city he called home for a decade, and is currently averaging the lowest numbers of his entire career, has not just made, but is starting the All-Star Game at the point for the East. An all-star roster spot that so many well-deserving players yearn to call theirs, is being held hostage by a 34 year-old point guard, averaging 14 and 4.

But what do I know? I'm just another fan, right? Not according to the NBA, (along with the MLB and NHL) who believes my peers and I deserve the right to determine the best players in the league.

Now What?

Options are rapidly wearing thin for Omar Minaya and the Mets.

Three pitchers that the team has eyed to nab as their number two starter, have found new homes in the past week-none of which being Citi Field.

To begin the madness, on January 22, the top available free agent pitcher at the time was taken off the board, and landed not in New York, but Los Angeles. The Angels agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with Joel Pineiro. In 2009, Pineiro posted a 3.49 ERA and enjoyed a 15 win-season for the Cardinals. The Mets were reportedly in the running for him also, but came up short in negotiations. In three starts against the Mets in '09, Pineiro went 2-0 with a 3.68 ERA. The Mets as a team batted just .253 against him. Compared to the asking price, which according to some reports was 3-4 years at $15 million per, this pick-up is a steal for LA.

Today, Ben Sheets, who the Mets were also in pursuit for, signed with Oakland on a one-year, $10 million+incentives deal. Sheets missed all of the 2009 season after undergoing elbow surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon. Granted, $10 million is a lot of cash to throw at a pitcher who has been known to have injury troubles, and coming off elbow surgery; but if anybody is worth the risk, it's Sheets. With a career ERA of 3.72, Sheets is a 4-time All-Star. And prior to 2007, the highest that his team had ever finished in the NL Central standings was 3rd, finishing in last place three times. With both defensive and run support, you can expect a healthy Ben Sheets to be in Cy Young contention. But will he be able to stay on the mound? The Athletics have 10 million reasons to really, really hope so.

Later in the day, news came across the wire that starter Jon Garland, Diamondback-turned-Dodger in '09, had agreed to a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the Padres. Garland was the next-best available free agent pitcher on the market, and finished last season with a record of 11-13 and a 4.01 ERA. His record with the NL West-Champion Dodgers down the stretch was 3-2. While settling for about half of Sheets' contract value, Garland is looked at as a "sure thing" type pitcher. He's started at least 32 games each season since becoming a full-time starter in 2002, and totaling at least 191 innings in all of those years. He relished back-to-back 18 win seasons for the White Sox in 2005 and 2006, but oddly enough has never been a team's number one starter. San Diego will undoubtedly view their new acquisition as a bargain compared to the contract Sheets recieved just hours earlier.

After this reason shuffle of free agent pitchers, the Mets look at minimal options remaining in this offseason. They have been linked to 43 year-old John Smoltz, who split a mediocre season with Boston and St. Louis in '09. He looked just about finished following his short stint in Boston, but came back from the dead somewhat after signing in St. Louis. But at this point, you ask yourself, do the Mets need a 43 year-old pitcher, who is a shell of his former self, holding down the back end of their rotation? Why not bring back Pedro Martinez, if that's the path they wish to take.

Other possibilities include:

• Former Met-closer Braden Looper who has since been made a starter, and has gone 38-33 with a 4.77 ERA in his three seasons as a starting pitcher. Mets fans' response to considering bringing back Looper for a second stint with the team following his putrid first go-around is a collective "You're kidding, right?"
• Former Yankee Chien-Ming Wang who has enjoyed great success at the big league-level, but with major injury problems, probably won't be expected to pitch any time in the near future.
• LeBron Ja... oops, wrong off-season.

The Mets are really out of options at this point. Whether it be poor management, or just looking into 2011, the book of the 2009-2010 offseason is just about closed for the New York Mets. And if looking into next offseason is the case for Omar Minaya, he probably won't be around by then.

Year One: Success

The New York Jets magical run finally came to an end. Surprising? Not necessarily. Unfortunate? Absolutely. But Jets fans, worry not. Next year is right around the corner and here are a few reasons to look forward to it.
1) Mark Sanchez- as a rookie quarterback (who could have just as easily been finishing his collegiate career at USC) his team finished just one win shy of reaching the Super Bowl for the first time since January of 1969. However, the loss to the Colts was no fault of his. Throwing 2 touchdowns and only 1 interception, he went punch for punch with Peyton Manning for 3 quarters. He has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, and the Jets and their fans can certainly look forward to a bright future with number six under center.

2) Rex Ryan- In his first year at the helm of the New York Jets, Ryan proved that he could back up his confident words with remarkable success. He lead the Jets to their first AFC Championship game since 1998. His confidence was sky-high all season, and surely matched his team's on field performance. He certainly made believers of his players, and their fans, and by season's end, he had also made believers out of the rest of the league. While surely Rex was disappointed with the team's playoff loss, as any good head coach would be, he can rest assured that thanks to his personality, and reputation as a player's coach, the Jets, from this point on, will only keep getting better.

3) Defense- Without a doubt, this team's strongest asset was their defense. While they certainly disappointed in the 2nd half against Indy, (not that there's any shame in giving up yardage to Peyton Manning) they certainly did not play up to their ability. However, that does not take away from the fact that they were one of the league's most vaunted units, and led Gang Green to an improbable playoff run. And in the years that lie ahead, you can expect them to be just as great. With electrifying, hard-hitting players such as Bart Scott, Kris Jenkins, and Shaun Ellis, (not to mention a certain corner who banishes opposing receivers to his own island)the New York Jets defense is, and will continue to be, a fantastic group of players who will keep any offensive coordinator or quarterback shaking all week long.

So cheer up Jets fans. We know the season didn't end as well as hoped, but realize this team is one built for the future. They will co-open a new stadium next season, with higher expectations than ever. Worry not, the "same old Jets" mantra is a thing of the past. These new Jets' best days lie ahead.

- contributions were made by both James Stumper & Jack Dorn.

The Kids are Back in Town

At the end of last season, the New York Islanders and their fans couldn’t have been more down on their luck. After playing out the end of another abysmal year, (finishing last in the league, in a building in desperate need of a renovation) the glory days of the 1980’s dynasty team consisting of all time greats such as Nystrom, Potvin and Billy Smith couldn’t have seemed like a more distant memory. Not only was the on-ice product an absolute joke, the front office continually made moves that puzzled the fanbase. The Nassau Coliseum was a ghost town, as it was no longer fun to watch this team that had been ravaged by injuries play out another bad season. As if this all wasn’t bad enough, rumors floated about that maybe, the team Long Islanders love could have found a new home.

However, on April 14th of 2009, the Isles finally caught a break. They won the league’s draft lottery, assuring them of the #1 pick in the upcoming draft. Unfortunately, that wasn’t nearly enough to make believers out of the fans once again. Doubters emerged immediately. Surely they couldn’t pass up the number one prospect John Tavares, the teenage sensation from Canada? But these are the Islanders, surely they’ll find a way to mess this up, right? Wrong. With no disrespect to Swedish sensation Victor Hedman or the exciting young Matt Duchene, the New York Islanders, without a doubt, drafted the class of the draft when they chose the exciting young forward out of Mississauga, Ontario. Finally, just maybe, these fans who have endured so much over the last decade may have a reason to smile. And smile they have. These young Islanders led by Coach Scott Gordon, sit in 9th place in the Eastern Conference, just a point out of a playoff spot.

Who would have thought it. A mere 7 months after the selection of Tavares, these Islanders are absolutely one of the league’s most exciting young teams. They are led by a nucleus of young players including not only the previously mentioned Tavares, but others such as Kyle Okposo, Blake Comeau, Josh Bailey and Matt Moulson. But with all the youth and excitement, someone has to be an example. The Isles seem to have just enough of a veteran presence both on the ice, and in the locker room. A team with a core of players as young as these could easily get distracted, but veterans such as Doug Weight, Trent Hunter, and Mark Streit keep this team in line. However, there was certainly one major thing troubling the minds of the Islander’s fans. Problem- solved. On Friday, January 8th, the New York Islanders welcomed back, with open arms, Rick DiPietro. The franchise goalie for the next decade-plus returned to action against the Dallas Stars for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. Although they dropped the game 4-3, what they got back was way more important than what they lost.

The Islanders are a team that demands respect, and to be honest, for the first time in a while, they deserve it. And while we are by no means comparing the Islanders to the league’s elite such as the Penguins or Capitals, this is undeniably a step in the right direction. It is once again fun to head out to the Coliseum, because win or lose, you are guaranteed to see a young team with electrifying players give it their all and leave absolutely nothing out on the ice. So who knows? This team’s future on the Island is very much still in doubt, and that arena certainly isn’t getting any younger. But for now, Islander fans, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

Frustration.

For a while it seemed as if the impossible may have been brewing.The Knicks had only turned the ball over three times and held a one point lead. They had constrained Kobe Bryant to a pedestrian 14 points. Wilson Chandler had 26, David Lee had 21; all signs were pointing to yes for the Knickerbockers.

Then the fourth quarter started.

The defending champion Lakers came out for the final period firing on all cylinders. Kobe Bryant was suddenly Kobe Bryant again. Pau Gasol was getting fed down low and getting to the hole. Before long, LA found themselves on a 20-9 run and lead the Knicks 104-93. Therein lies the difference between a championship basketball team, and a lesser one.

The Knicks hung in with the Lakers basket for basket and maintained a lead of a few points occasionally. They defended Bryant to the best of their ability, which for a long time looked as if it was enough to get a victory. But suddenly the Knicks (17-25) returned to form, turning the basketball over six times in the final period, watching Kobe Bryant regain his touch while scoring 13 in those last twelve minutes, and left with a sour taste in their mouths after a 115-105 defeat. Gasol scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth, a day after Bryant called him out following their 93-87 loss to the Cavs, calling Gasol "too nice" and saying that he needs to stop thinking so much.

The Knicks, who currently are sitting at 10th place in the East, 2.5 games out of a playoff spot, have enough talent to run with the defending champs for three quarters, which is nothing to shake a finger at. David Lee finished with a season-high 31 points and 17 rebounds while earning praise from Kobe Bryant, whom he called "the best player in the world", as Bryant said after Friday night's game that Lee should be an all-star. Wilson Chandler finished the game with 28, and Danilo Gallinari with 20 - shooting 3 of 7 from beyond the arc. But the team as a whole simply didn't have enough fire-power to finish. As the deficit increased while the time on the clock decreased, the New Yorkers just couldn't body up on Gasol down low, and no matter which way you decide to defend Kobe Bryant, if he's feeling it, the ball goes in the basket. While the Knicks attempted to cut the LA lead down as time dwindled in the fourth, they did an exceptional job of getting the ball to Lee, who is sporting an array of new post moves. Chandler also managed to penetrate the Laker defense and get to the basket. But with minimal time remaining, 20 year-old Gallinari got lackadaisical spotting up for three, getting his pocket picked and putting the game on ice for the Lakers.

The Knicks are close, no question; they make you believe, that's for certain. As a fan it's hard not to look to this summer-Free Agency 2010. But realistically, will LeBron James, Amare Stoudamire, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, or Joe Johnson (to name a few), want lock up a multi-year contract with a loser? No. I do believe the Knicks can clinch a playoff berth by the end of the season. President Donnie Walsh may have to make a deal with the interest of this season in mind, however. Will he be able to take his mind off of the summer long enough to entertain this thought though? We will soon find out.

The Grass is Getting Greene-er.

A season that was all but pronounced dead.. in fact, was pronounced dead by Head Coach Rex Ryan one month ago to the day, is finally shaping up to have the Cinderella ending that not only Jets fans, but all members of the extended New York fanbase have so greatly needed to rally around. 

(With the exception of the Yankees) The majority of sports enthusiasts residing in the Empire State have had to endure much more heartbreak than any fan should have to weather. In the year 2009 alone, there has been a hockey team that finished with the worst record in the NHL, a basketball team missing out on the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, while paying their best player to stay away prior to losing him to their in-division rival, the defending Super Bowl champions' season coming to a sorry finish after their number one offensive gun (pardon the pun) was lost to the state penitentiary. Not to mention the highest paid team in the National League finishing up with their worst record since the Art Howe era. 

Call me nieve, but 2010 is looking to be much more kind to us fans. Starting with the New York Metropolitans suring up a power bat for the next four seasons: far from a franchise-saving move, but one that needed to be made. There's also a newfound electricity throughout Madison Square Garden these days thanks to those ever-confusing Knicks, who earlier in the calendar year had found themselves tied for a playoff seed. The question is, is the hope that all fans now seem to sport caused by their team's on-court play, or simply anxious anticapation of what, or shall I say, who is to come this offseason?

Whatever the reason may be, there is a new, undoubted confidence that is now possesed by us hurting fans, maybe even unadmittedly. This current Jets football team could he exactly what we all need after the recent extended period of unrest. The team with personel from all parts of the neighborhood. A head coach who has never held the role before. A quarterback with all the promise in the world, but before last season, his junior year at USC, hadn't started a single game since high school. There are guys like Alan Faneca, who have tasted greatness, who have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. There's Lito Sheppard and Thomas Jones, againg veterans who can now taste their first Super Bowl victories. Shonn Greene, Brad Smith, and injured Leon Washington, young, explosive players who play such a paramount role in the team's success. Bart Scott, who, like Coach Ryan, talks the talk but can certainly walk the walk.

This Jets team, coming off their very unsuccessful one year experiment with Brett Favre, is one win away from winning the right to play on Super Bowl Sunday. This Jets team, which very easily could've taken it easy, let their rookie quarterback sit back and learn the ropes for a season and declared a "rebuilding year", are on the verge of duplicating a run that their Giants Stadium co-tennants completed with a championship just two seasons ago. And on behalf of all fans of New York sports, thank you.