No. It's Not The End Of The World

Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post wrote a column after the Yanks lost to Detroit in the ALDS, that it's not the end of the world. Well, to Yankee fans and New York sports fans it technically was the end of the sports world. Think about it.

Most Yankee fans are probably also Giants football fans, Knicks basketball fans and depending on where they live in the suburbs Rangers, Islanders or Devils fans. My preferences are Yanks, Knicks, Jets and Rangers. Tell me. What are the chances of the last three teams winning anything soon?

The Knicks haven't won anything in what, 38 years. The Jets haven't won since 1969 and are a strong contender to smash the Ranger record of 54 years of futility between championships. The Rangers? Forget it. Two Cups in 71 years is not a ringing endorsement or encouragement for future successes.

The closest team to the Yanks in stature are the New York Giants football team. Since their inception in 1925 the Giants have been Champions 7 times the latest being 2007 so there is hope there. Hope, but not much chance in the foreseeable future. The Mets have won two World Series in four appearances so they are not entirely impotent but if they let the most exciting player in baseball, Reyes, escape to another team it will take them decades to recover.

The LI/NJ/Brooklyn Nets? They won two ABA Championships, the last one in 1976 and with new owners, new Arena and new location in Brooklyn they may surprise us all especially the Knicks. So that leaves us with our hockey heroes.

The NJ Devils have won three Cups and with their great GM they are always a threat to go all the way. The Islanders have had their moments. Four straight Cups the last one in 1983. They have a young team with a good young coach. They need a new Arena and they need it bad. Don't hold your breath waiting for the next Islander Cup.

So we are down to our heroes, the Blueshirts. The perennial also rans. One Cup since 1940 and that by the strength and skill of one man, Mark Messier. But the team is defined by the Bones Raliegh shot that hit the crossbar in the 1950 Cup finals that was turned around for a Cup winning goal by Pete Babando (who). Since then its been a parade of poor coaches, questionable decisions and clueless GM's. Surely, their Cup runneth over.

So maybe Vaccaro was wrong. From a sports standpoint it is the end of the world at least 'til next year when the Yankees make another run at the World Series. However, they better think about ridding the team of some of its overpaid super stars and getting some young blood in there. It's okay for old men to write sports blogs but not okay for old men to play pro sports if they can't perform at a high level.

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ICINGS:
Going North we see that last week Don Cherry started a verbal brawl over NHL fighting that pulled in Chris "Knuckles" Nilan. Things got personal with Nilan calling out one of his detractors, to get together with him for a "cup of coffee." Nilan's idea of a "cup of coffee" sounds like it might be spiked with some rum punch.

Chris Nilan / Knuckles Nilan blog:
Email of the Week --

I have to say the support and the emails and messages I have received is pretty overwhelming. Although 99% of them are great support there is always a couple that wish to let me know how they feel. I have blacked out some of the inappropriate language so I have attached for your viewing pleasure. Oh by the way I replied asking JIM for a cup of coffee to talk it over and the email came back. Gutless Jim already canceled his email. Pretty Big coward to send this garbage and then hide. If Jim has a pair he should email me again...

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