On Point w/ Sean Napfel

Mariano Rivera’s hint at retirement no sure thing

Sean Napfel — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:48:06 +0000

Mariano Rivera says Monday that he wants to ‘leave the game on top.’ (COREY SIPKIN/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)

Mariano Rivera, whose 603 saves over 17 years with the New York Yankees are the most in Major League Baseball history, said the 2012 season may be his last, although he’s not ready to announce his decision.

Rivera, 42, told reporters yesterday at the team’s spring training facility in Tampa, Florida. that he wasn’t sure when he’ll be ready to announce any such thing,

“It can be tomorrow, it can be in August, it can be in July, but I will definitely let you know, I won’t let you know now, but I know. I want to do my job, always, but I made my decision already.”

Rivera, who has helped the Yankees win five World Series titles, surpassed Trevor Hoffman’s career saves record in September, establishing a mark that some baseball historians said may stand forever. No other reliever has more than 500 saves and the closest active pitcher, 36-year-old Francisco Cordero, is 276 saves behind Rivera.

Rivera is coming off a season in which he had 44 saves and a 1.91 earned run average, his 11th year with an ERA under 2.00. Rivera has averaged 40 saves since 1997, when he took over as the Yankees’ closer.

Rivera has an 8-1 record with a 0.71 ERA in a record 94 postseason appearances and his 42 career playoff saves are 24 more than any other pitcher.

Rivera said when asked about the possibility of retirement:

“Decisions like that are hard, It involves what you do, it involves what you have done for 22 years. At the same time, they have to be made.”

Rivera is entering the final season of a two-year, $30 million contract with the Yankees, the only team he’s played for during his major-league career.

Former Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, one of Rivera’s closest friends, retired last month after 17 major-league seasons at the age of 40. Rivera said he’s not quite ready to follow yet.

“When I let you guys know, you guys will know,” Rivera told reporters yesterday. “I’m going to leave it at that.”

David Robertson is currently the favorite to supplant Mariano Rivera as Yankee closer.

There are skeptics, however. Including some of Rivera’s teammates, specifically Rivera’s eighth inning set up man David Robertson who would be the legendary closer’s presumptive successor, rolled his eyes when asked about the potential retirement of Rivera.

Simply put, Robertson said: ”I’ll believe it when it happens. You never know, he might Brett Favre us.”

By all indications, Robertson figures to be next in line after emerging as one of the game’s top relievers.

Robertson earned all-star honors for the first time last season, when he went 4-0 with a 1.08 ERA in 70 appearances, most of them as Rivera’s set-up man. The 26-year-old Robertson admitted that he’d relish a chance to close someday. But he’s not entirely sure that “someday” is coming any time soon.

Welcome to spring

Sean Napfel — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:16:53 +0000

Welcome to spring, everyone. Well, spring training at least.

For me, this has always been the first official sign of spring.

Pitchers and catchers officially report to camp this morning. They’ll take their physicals — those who haven’t done so already – before going through their first official workout tomorrow.

It’s been a long and often quiet winter, but . . . → Read More: Welcome to spring

Rumored sale of Orioles is wishful thinking

Sean Napfel — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:54:39 +0000

Call it wishful thinking, Orioles fans.

On Tuesday, reports surfaced out of Washington DC that maligned Orioles owner Peter Angelos was “quietly shopping” the Baltimore Orioles. The whispers of a potential sale originated from Eric Bickel, a radio host on 106.7 The Fan in Washington. Bickel said Tuesday that he had heard Angelos was quietly discussing a sale of the Orioles. Bickel said Angelos was looking to sell the team but not his majority share in the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, which broadcasts Orioles and Washington Nationals games.

However, an Orioles official told Childs Walker of the Baltimore Sun that there’s “absolutely no truth” to rumors owner Peter Angelos is considering selling the team. Walker goes on to state the obvious by suggesting the reports of Angelos considering a sale have become annual grist for Baltimore-area sports fans, desperate to see the Orioles end their streak of 14 straight losing seasons.

I’m not an Orioles fan, but by living here I can certainly attest to those notions.

Jaws out: Tirico-Gruden duo will call MNF

Sean Napfel — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:52:06 +0000

(Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE)

Ron Jaworski will exit ESPN’s ‘Monday Night Football’s’ announcing team, as it goes to a two-man booth with Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden. Jaworski, working from Bristol, will join ESPN’s Sunday pregame show and its MNF pregame show and continue with his NFL Matchup show.

In addition, ESPN gave Jaworski a new five-year contract extension. In a statement, Jaworski said:

“I am grateful for having the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of working on ‘Monday Night Football’ the past five seasons with Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and so many other talented people behind the scenes who make the show so great, and I look forward to bringing my passion and knowledge of the game to more fans in more places than ever before on any and all football topics.”

This will be first time in 15 years that ESPN has used a two-person booth to call NFL games since Mike Patrick and Joe Theismann called “Sunday Night Football” from 1988 to 1997.

The duo of Tirico and Gruden will make their 2012 regular-season “Monday Night Football” debut Sept. 10.

**Exerts from USA Today and ESPN.com news services were used in this post.*

Jeremy Lin delivers again, makes me believe

Sean Napfel — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:20:14 +0000

I think I’ve come down with Lin fever. As I’ve said many times, I’m not an NBA guy and I’m not a regular NBA watcher, nor am I a fan of the New York Knicks. I do, however, love the game of basketball but it’s usually of the college variety. That being said, Jeremy Lin has made the NBA fun again.

Yeah, I was in denial but I finally caved in and caught Lin fever.

Jeremy Lin added another important factor to his rapidly growing mythical status – clutch, with a game winning shot against the Toronto Raptors, with 0.9 seconds left on the clock, to give the New York Knicks a 90-87 win, their sixth in a row, with Lin, as usual, leading the way with 27 points.

In general it was night of point guards, with Jose Calderon leading the Raptors scoring 25 points and dishing nine assists. Amar’e Stoudemire also made his return after dealing with the death of his brother, having a very good return with 21 points and nine rebounds. Above all, for obvious reasons, was Jeremy Lin.

He played 43 minutes in his fifth consecutive career start. He hasn’t played less than 36 since making himself known on February 4 against the Utah Jazz. Lin’s numbers since being discovered? Averaging 26.8 points and 8.5 assists, with his 11 against the Raptors a career high and his second double double of the season. Linsanity, into its second week, simply can’t be stopped.

With six straight wins in what can only be called the beginning of the Lin dynasty before ‘Melo makes his return, the Knicks are back in the playoff picture with a 14-15 record and suddenly, a scary looking team. If Carmelo Anthony does fit in to this very nice puzzle suddenly creates, as if by chance and luck and not by long term planning and actual talent observation.

The dreaded prophecies of the day Anthony returns to the lineup have been hovering around since the moment people understood what a gem the Knicks had stuck at the end of the bench all this time. It’s all quiet in the Anthony district right now, but it’s simply intriguing to see how well does he adjust to the new Alpha on the Knicks’ roster, who clearly flourishes with a different type of basketball to what Carmelo usually prefers and dictates on his team.

The first test, of seeing how well Lin meshes with Stoudemire, went by swimmingly. The Raptors aren’t the toughest of opponents, but a road win is a road win.

Amar’e didn’t have the best of nights in terms of shooting, getting blocked 7 times and finishing with 8-22 from the field, but it’s clear the two can work together.

Lin’s turnovers were an issue, finishing with 8. He’s turned the ball over 30(!!) times in his five starts, with this being the second game of 8 turnovers by the 23 year old Point Guard, in his second NBA season. So far, it isn’t costing his team wins, which is the important factor, but bad habits and stats tend to catch up with you.

Are Jeremy Lin-Tim Tebow parallels warranted?

Sean Napfel — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:13:05 +0000

Jeremy Lin (AP)

Former benchwarmer Jeremy Lin is quickly becoming the toast of the NBA, posting career numbers while leading the injury-plagued Knicks to three consecutive victories. The Harvard grad, a slow-footed point guard who lacks an outside jumpshot, was cut from two teams last year before finding his way to the end of New York’s bench, where he languished until this past week. Now, a series of clutch baskets and other dazzling moves have merchandisers scrambling to get the guard’s number 17 jersey on shelves for an increasingly rabid fan base.

What They’re Saying around the web:

“Linsanity”: The point guard certainly “checks all the Tebow-esque boxes,” says Jake Simpson at The Atlantic. He’s a college star who was expected to fail in the pros. He’s a devout Christian who thanks Jesus after every game. He plays a key position on a team that was flailing before he arrived.

Yes, like Tim Tebow, Jeremy Lin fulfills “several prerequisites for Internet superstardom,” and it’s no wonder his run this week drove the blogosphere “berserk.” As impressive as Lin’s court presense has been, it’s “dwarfed by his larger-than-life image online.”

“Linsanity: How the Internet Made Jeremy Lin a Star in Less Than a Week”

Tim Tebow (AP)

The comparison doesn’t really work: “The Lin-Tebow comparison is facile,” says Eric Freeman at Yahoo. Sure, the Christianity parallels are there. And Lin even cites Tebow’s approach to winning and off-field charity as an inspiration. But Lin “wasn’t drafted and received no scholarship offers as a recruit,” while Tebow “was a first-round pick, won the Heisman, and was a consensus top prospect in high school.”

“Jeremy Lin draws inspiration from Tim Tebow”

In any case, this is a special moment: “I have seen a lot of Knicks fans’ neuroses and breakdowns play out in public before, but never quite like this,” says Emma Carmichael at Deadspin. It’s as if nervous fans are afraid “the mere mention of [Lin's] name might make him disappear, like some kind of magical elf.” After all, despite his solid fundamentals, his playing time and production will not last forever, especially as better teams start giving him attention. He remains a mystery. Still, I can pinpoint at least one reason why Lin’s rise has been so much fun to watch: “He is having the best time ever.”

“Asian Harvard Grad Somehow Succeeding In New York; Or, Why I Love Jeremy Lin”

Duke-UNC launch 2012 rivalry

Sean Napfel — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:50:10 +0000

Two of the games best coaches leading two of the most storied programs in the nation.(AP)

The Tar Heels and Blue Devils square off tonight at the Dean Dome in Chapel Hill for the first of at least two meetings this season, and the environment will be off the charts.

It always is.

Duke will look to bounce back after suffering a 78-74 overtime loss to the Miami Hurricanes as 12-point home favorites, as it travels to Chapel Hill. Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski is 36-36 all-time in this rivalry, including an 11-14 mark in tonight’s venue. The program has won four of its last five games in the series.

, Seth Curry [C], and Austin Rivers [R] to lead them to victory”]

Duke will rely on the trio of Andre Dawkins [L

The Blue Devils have not lost back-to-back games in quite some time, posting a 14-0 record following a loss since February 2009. Duke has managed to win those games by an average of 14.6 points per game. Seth Curry is certainly a player to watch on the floor in this contest, averaging 17.7 points in three games against North Carolina last season. Freshman guard Austin Rivers will also be a factor, ranking 12th among freshman in scoring with a team-high 14.5 points per game.

North Carolina will open the second half of Atlantic Coast Conference play Wednesday night and will look to move its win streak to six games. The Tar Heels have tallied an impressive 23-4 mark in their last 27 conference games. Senior forward Tyler Zeller has really led the team since the start of ACC play, averaging 17.8 points and 11.0 rebounds in eight games. Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams has faced a Duke team coming off a loss five times, posting three wins in those affairs. North Carolina is 4-4 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points the last two-plus years.

Duke will try and stop a dominate UNC front line trio of Tyler Zeller, Harrison Barnes, and John Henson.

The Tar Heels are 60-32 all-time against the Blue Devils when playing in Chapel Hill, coming away with an 81-67 victory as 1.5-point favorites a year ago. When the first game of this rivalry is played in Chapel Hill, North Carolina is 0-4 during the Williams’ era. Some bettors will want to take a look at the first half in this contest, as the average halftime lead in the past four games in this series has been 16.8 points.

Beyond the numbers, beyond the players, Duke-North Carolina is one of the best rivalries in all of sport.

What separates this series from the others isn’t just that both are two of the best three or four programs in the history of college basketball, nor is it because they’ve exchanged back-to-back national titles twice in the last 20 years and have combined to win seven during that frame to go with 16 Final Four appearances, or because they’ve dominated what is historically the best conference in college hoops.

It also isn’t because Duke and UNC have done things the right way and without scandals, their players graduate and the programs have built families without peer in sports. With respect to Bama and Auburn, Ohio State and Michigan, and so many others, they simply have no case on the topic of integrity.

But it also isn’t because the schools are just eight miles apart, and the players often find themselves using the same barber, going to the same movie theater, or even dating siblings from the other side, like injured UNC guard Dexter Strickland dating Duke freshman Austin Rivers’ sister.

And it isn’t because perhaps the two greatest coaches in the history of the sport led these programs into greatness, and another Hall of Famer has stepped in to continue the amazing run in Chapel Hill.

It’s because of all of the above.

You can’t spell elite without ELI

Sean Napfel — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:04:34 +0000

Eli Manning is now a two time Super Bowl MVP (AP)

Super Bowl XLVI is in the books. We’ve seen this movie before from the Giants. The New England Patriots wee once again on the receiving end of a crushing defeat.

The New York Giants reign victorious over the New England Patriots once again. Four years ago in Glendale, Arizona the Giants shocked the world by defeating the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII and ruined the Patriots attempt at perfection. Fast forward to November 6, 2011 – week 9 of the season – the Giants defeated the Patriots one again. This time, it was in the Patriots back yard, Foxborough, Mass. Eli Manning engineered yet another fourth quarter comeback and led the Giants to a 24-20 victory. The loss to the Giants in week 9 was the last time the Patriots tasted defeat in the 2011-12 season prior to Super Bowl XLVI.

Last night in Indianapolis, Indiana in Lucas Oil Stadium – the “House that Peyton built”, Eli Manning and the Giants got the better of the Patriots for the third straight time and the second time in four years on the worlds biggest stage. The New York Giants finished the job and defeated the New England Patriots 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI and earned the right to be called champions.

From the moment the Giants traded up for Manning in the 2004 draft, rather than take Philip Rivers or Ben Roethlisberger, there has been a constant argument among fans and pundits over whether that move was a smart one.

Manning has constantly had to deal with comparisons to his talented older brother Peyton, while many said he was not in the same class as Tom Brady, Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers, and even after winning his first Super Bowl four years ago, a typical NFL talking point has been whether Eli can be considered an ‘elite’ quarterback.

Tom Coughlin, Eli’s head coach of his entire career thus far, says it’s time for the talk to stop.

New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin holds the the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Giants' 21-17 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. (Chris O'Meara / AP)

“I thought again about this business of elite quarterbacks. I think that question has come and gone. I don’t think we will hear much about that again.” - Tom Coughlin

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, normally keen to steer clear of such talk, chose the presentation of the MVP award to comment on Manning’s place in the rankings of top quarterbacks in the league.

“He’s only the fifth player to be named on a multiple basis as MVP of the Super Bowl, and he joins a pretty elite group of quarterbacks that achieved that.” - NFL commissioner Roger Goodell

Manning though, preferred to talk about the contributions of his team-mates and their prospects for the future.

“I’m excited about a number of young guys who stepped up this season. There were some questions going into the beginning of the season on a few spots, but that quickly got answered. Victor Cruz has been a great story, Jake Ballard. Some of these guys have played great football, made great plays for us this year. We felt we had talent across the board on the team, that there were a few spots where we needed young guys to step up, as any team always does every year. You’re going to need young players to come in and play a role, and give you a chance to win a championship.” - Eli Manning

While the talk over Manning’s elite status may subside, the comparisons with his brother are unlikely to.

Peyton’s future, as he tries to return from a neck injury, is uncertain but it could well involve a move away from the Indianapolis Colts.

The two brothers spent some time in conversation after Sunday’s game but Eli said there was no issue of him now having ‘bragging rights’ over his brother who has a single Super Bowl ring.

“This isn’t about bragging rights. This is a lot bigger. This is about a team, an organization being named world champions, and that was the ultimate goal.That’s the only thing that’s important, is the team finding a way to get a victory. That’s the only thing I care about and Peyton and I both know that’s what the goal is every year. It’s not about anything else.” - Eli Manning

Eli is right, but he’s certainly got the right to brag and a heck of a lot to brag about. Eli Manning is no longer in anyone else’s shadow. He’s earned the right to stand alone. Today, he’s standing alone with the rest of his teammates on top of the NFL’s mountaintop as Super Bowl champions. The New England Patriots are standing with the other 31 teams in the NFL wondering what could have, should have, or might have been.

You can’t spell elite without the ELI.

Super Bowl XLVI prediction

Sean Napfel — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:47:23 +0000

Super Bowl XLVI logo

We’re finally less than 48 hours from the kick off Super Bowl XLVI.

It’s the Super Bowl matchup that must make Rex Ryan’s skin crawl. On one side, there’s the rival that shares a home stadium with the Jets. On the other side, there’s the rival from within their division and the gold-standard franchise of the AFC.

It’s the Giants. It’s the Patriots. It’s Super Bowl XLVI.

Even though his team has failed to win a championship, Ryan was correct with his belief that the Road to the Super Bowl goes through his team. The Pats haven’t lost a game since beating the Jets in November, while the G-Men have remained undefeated since they defeated their co-tenants at the Meadowlands on Christmas Eve.

The Giants and Patriots are the fifth pair of teams to meet in multiple Super Bowls. Not only is Sunday’s game a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, when the Giants stunned the football world by upsetting the previously undefeated Patriots, this game marks a rematch of a Week 9 regular season contest from earlier this season. The Giants beat the Patriots 24-20.

Also, whichever starting quarterback wins – Brady or Eli Manning, he will take sole possession of the mark for most road or neutral-site postseason game victories with seven. I say this because it’s obvious that the most important player for each team is its quarterback. Whether you rank Manning or Brady first and second or vice-versa, they are the two most important players in the game. The third-most important player is Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who continues to receive treatment for a high left ankle sprain – an injury that leaves his status uncertain for Sunday’s showdown. He is the player whom Brady utilizes most effectively in the Patriots’ passing game and he is the one who creates mismatches in the Giants secondary.

If he plays – and can do so effectively – the Patriots have a greater shot at winning.

New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree (85) make the catch over New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison (37) in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLII at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ on Feb 3, 2008. (John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE)

But, as I have stated in recent weeks through out this most recent playoff run, there is something special about this Giants team and season. This game stands to be a career-defining moment for Eli Manning, who can move ahead of his more famous brother on the Super Bowl victories list with a win and improve to 2-0 in Super Bowls when going head-to-head against Brady.

A New York win will not mean that Eli is better than his brother Peyton or Brady, for that matter, but it will mean that Eli belongs in the elite class of active quarterbacks in the NFL. And that recognition is all he has wanted this season. This Sunday, he gets what he wants.

Prediction: Giants win 31-26

Super Bowl XLVI takes place on Sunday February 5 from Indianapolis, Indiana. Kickoff is set for 6:29p.m. eastern on NBC. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will have the call.

Sources: Rangers Hamilton has alcohol relapse

Sean Napfel — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:32:16 +0000

Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, had a relapse this week, according to a report from Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News.

Sources told Fraley that Hamilton drank alcohol on Monday night in an area bar, but the circumstances leading to the incident could not be determined.

The Rangers released a statement today to say they were “aware of a situation, but we don’t have further comment at this time.”

This was Hamilton’s second relapse into drinking in just over three years; he also drank to excess in a Tempe, Ariz., bar in January 2009.

Hamilton, the 2010 American League MVP, is entering the final year of his contract with the Rangers. He’s due to make $13.75 million in 2012.