This Week on the Blog

Alright, this week it became Trey Burke's World and we're just living in it.  A good organization would know what to do -- but let's see what the Knicks do.  Otherwise, the Giants started assembling an impressive staff, the Yanks continued showing Cashian patience, and the Rangers finally look like they are selling. Cool stuff.  Let's take a look at the week ahead.

Giants: The Giants have named most of their defensive staff, the only the Wide Receivers coach on their offensive staff.  They are either still talking to coaches or waiting for coaches who are in the Super Bow -- and probably a little of both. Meanwhile, clues are that they will be very "multiple" on O, and we're going to see Olivier Vernon standing up more.  We might also go back to taking some of those "tweeners" who can pass rush, like Reggie Torbor and Clint Sintim, and this time letting them RUSH THE PASSER.  How novel.

Knicks: The Knicks have veteran problems.  First, Lee said he'd be fine with a trade, next Noah left the team, and third, and most problematically, Jarret Jack is playing more than Trey Burke and Frank Ntilikina, and that's just really stupid. It's both stupid for now and the future.  Frank, who's still just 19 has looked a little confused, as he should be, by the coach's decision to take Frank's minutes and give them to Burke, and not Jack's minutes.  Frank and Trey should be splitting the minutes now.  That's the only way for Frank to go, and not have to go through the multi-year sojour that has brought Burke back as a star.  Now they have to find out what they have in both Frank as well as Burke, but cause they don't want to make the same mistake with a 25 year old Trey Burke that they made with a 25 year old Jeremy Lin.  Sheesh -- should be really easy to figure out.

Yankees: Nearly 2 months ago, after the Stanton Deal, Randy Levine bragged that the Yanks weren't done.  Well, we're waiting. And waiting.  Over the past two decade's Cash's patience -- which runs totally counter to the Boss's old impatience -- has really paid off of the Yanks.  Let's see if it does again. Remember, we got ARod over Valentine's Weekend 14 years ago.

Rangers:  Larry Brooks and the other beats are reporting that the Rangers are ready to sell, sell, sell. While that is the appropriate strategy, it's all about the take back.  The Yanks got  literally nothing for Gary Sheffield and Randy Johnson when they sold them off, but 10 years later, they kicked ass during their sell off.  The Rangers sold Leetch and others about 15 years ago and literally got nothing.  Now they have to make sure they're more like the 2016 Yanks, than either of their last attempts. Picks and prospects, please.

So there it is, the Giants have a staff to fill, the Knicks have policy to make, the Yanks could strike or not, and the Rangers need to run a successful fire sale.  So there it all is.  Have a great one, peeps!

Giants Introduce Shurmur

This morning the Giants introduced Pat Shurmur as their new head coach.  This was no surprise, but it was also not like the introductory conference two years ago because the clothes fit the man.  There may be some symbolic value in all of that if the outcome varies enough.  Also, Shurmur said he knew he was sympatico with Gettelman when Dave said, "It all starts with the Offensive Line."  This was music to my ears. He also detailed how they quickly flipped the line in Minny by signing 2 FA's and drafting a C who came in a played like a veteran.  He also said he felt lucky to get Betticher and considers him a rising star in the industry. He also intimated that some of his other coaching choices aren't yet available.  Solid, solid intro, with the music of dancing elephants once again.

Giants Land James Bettcher for DC

All right, for the hot coordinators hires, the Giants are now 2 for 2. Bettcher is younger than Spags and Del Rio, but that hasn't stopped him from leading some impressive defenses.  He's basically been a 3-4 guy, but everyone is so "hybrid" and "multiple" these days, he shouldn't have to blow up our front line. This a bit more salsified than taking Del Rio, who would have been fine, but the Giants are going for "the Next Great Giant DC" with this move, and it's to be applauded.  He probably won't be around long if he does well, because a lot of folks view him as an HC is waiting.

Giants Announce Shurmur

So the waiting is over and Pat Shurmur is the 18th Head Coach of the New York Giants. He was rumored to already have a staff ready to go with him should he find a gig like this.  Now let's see who it is.  All the jobs are important and new blood would be welcome in any of them after 3-13. I'm sure there'll be a press conference this week, too, but a winter storm over Minnesota may delay it a bit.   I wonder if he'll be heading down to Mobile for the Senior Bowl.  

We wish him the best, and let's see who he hires.

Giants Stuff

Some Giants Buzz today.  First, they could have a new coach as soon as tomorrow if the Vikes lose today, though I'd rather have the Vikes end the Eagles season, and get our coach in two weeks.

Second, the beats are now circulating Gettlemen's intention of building around Eli for the short term.  That certainly would make it possible to kick the QB of the future can down the road, and take Barkley at 2, or keep them open for a trade down. In any event, the Giants are going to need a franchise back, as much as a franchise QB of the future and they might be able to take care of both requirements in the first 2 rounds of the draft, because their should be some great backs available at 34 if they take a QB at 2.  All this will be predicated by the Giants fixing the OL before the draft.

Finally, word it that Jack Del Rio, the deposed Raider Coach is Shurmur's top for DC.  That's a bit of surprise since Shurmur and Spags vacation together.  We'll see what happens, but Del Rio reminds me of Fox and we'll have to find him some LB's if he comes.

Could be back later with a coaching update.

This Week on the Blog

Alright, Giants are in a league imposed holding pattern, the Yanks are in a self-imposed holding pattern, and the Knicks and Rangers are still nudging themselves toward selling.  Let's take a look at what's coming right up.

Giants: The Giants will either have a coach starting this week, or starting two weeks laters.  In the meantime, Dave Gettlemen and the scouts will be heading down to mobile for the Senior Bowl this week. Schwartz is reporting that Gettlemen will first sit the scouts down and teach them a new grading system. We'll have to see how that works out, but once Jerry Reese stopped running the drafts, they pretty much sucked and we lost the advantage that smart drafting used to give us.  Let's see if this restores the magic.  Then let's see who Gettlement poaches from the Panthers to head up future drafts. Because you know that's coming.

Yankees: the Yanks are still in a holding pattern as they wait for the prices to continue to tumble.  Maybe something will happen, more than likely it won't.

Knicks: I'm beginning to think Hornacek is a guards only coach and has no sense of what to do with KP or the other big men on the team.  Last night they won, and KP started out hot and getting the ball where he could do damage, then nothing till the 4th quarter and he finished with 18.   He's got to get consistent touches and get the ball where he's a nightmare for the other team.  He's not, and that is the fault of the coach and maybe the guards.  Speaking of guards, the Knicks better not trade for Kemba Walker.

Rangers:  The Rangers are still up and down and should be heading into sell mode any day now.  D'Angleo, who was finally starting to do well in the AHL was recalled and will get a big chance here.  What we don't want to see if for the Rangers to go into "buy" mode again.  They're just not that good and Kreider and Shattenkirk are both out long term.  Burn it down.

So there it is, holding patterns and teams that should sell at the deadline, and hire new coaches.  Have a great one!

Rangers: Shattenkirk Out Indefinitely

Couldn't find my picture of Shatty as a Ranger, and don't think I'll be needing it any time soon.  Shattenkirk is off to have surgery on his torn meniscus, which he has been trying to play through for some time.  They called up DeAngelo.  In other news they called back Filip Chytil from overseas and he'll start back in the AHL, though I expect we will see him again this year, especially if the Ranger wise up and SELL!

The Shurmur O

Okay, I've spent the past 24 hours or so learning more about Pat Shurmur.  Previously I had known him as one of the best OC's who'd failed in Cleveland.  If he's learned his lessons I think he can be sort of a cross between Fassel and Coughlin, which would be a really good get.

First of all, he's not running the traditional WCO, he was sort of raised in, with Minnesota.  He's running the power spread offense combined with the air-raid passing scheme. This, as you've noticed is a very effetive scheme, as it turned out, is easy to teach and easy for players to learn. I think this combo is going to be the new base offense, like the WCO became for 30 years. In the most recent MBA's practice time has been so limited, teams need stuff that's easy to teach and "multiple."

In that he's from the WCO but likely to run something else here,  he is similar to Jim Fassel.  Fassel came to the Giants and didn't really have any QB talent with which to fully install the WCO, though he did run Charles Way ragged with lots of throws to the FB.  Anyway, when Tiki got things figured out and Mouse McNally took over the offense became something a little different from a WCO, and when they had Toomer, Ike, Dixon and Shockey, things got very air raidy for while.  In any event, those best Fassel O's looked a little like the power spread/air raid passing combo will be, and that can be particularly explosive with OBJ, Engram and Sheppard. Paul Pierce will also either prove to be useful as a run and pass guy or he'll be gone.

And he's also sort of like TC in the way he too adjust his O to mix power running and the run and shoot. However; the power spread/air raid is much easier to teach and learn than that combo was. In fact, the reduced practice times may have lead to TC's and the team's diminishing returns.  They almost certainly cost Gilbride his job.

Anyway, with Shurmur we should see the return of a power running game, lots of play action and lots of medium and deep passes.  And that's what our best O's have looked like.

NFL: Giants Expected to Hire Pat Shurmur

Here we go. This is starting to be "expected" all over the place so it looks like the Giants are hiring Pat Shurmur.  Shurmur is known as a Quarterback Whisperer and offensive guru.  These are basically the same credentials Jim Fassel had when he was hired. I will say this, though, when Fassel was hired he was expected to FIX the unfixable Dave Brown, and Shurmur will not be saddled with that kind of baggage, and the second pick in the draft, who will probably be a QB.

The Fassel teams both overachieved and underachieved and got the living crap screwed out of them in 2002 when they were hot enough to go all the way, but had the refs blow a call in SF.  He did make it to a Superbowl and did coach the team to a win over an undefeated Denver team in Denver, so not a terrible coach, and who knows how good he might have been had he had better talent at the position he was known to whisper to.

Any Shurmur staff will need a great DC and a great new OL coach. In Minny, his OL was rebuilt in one offseason and Gettelman will aim to that for him here, too. Don't be surprised if Spags gets another chance, since Shurmur worked for him with the Rams, and with him for the Eagles for many years.

This is just sort of breaking and we'll probably have to wait for confirmation.

Giants Might Be Screwed

The big news this AM was that Matt Patricia, the Giants seeming first choice for new HC has chosen Detroit.  Some rocket scientist.  Anyway, that leaves the Giants with two "finalists" in the somewhat duplicative McDaniels and Shurmur.  McDaniels wants roster control, which he's not getting from the Giants and so will head to the Colts.  Did you like Jim Fassel?  Did you like McAdoo?  Then you'll love Shurmur and understand why I don't see titles there. What's more Shurmur might be headed to AZ.  Leavingn the Giants 0-3 on their "three finalists"  In other words, screwed.

They'll need to think outside the box to salvage this seeming full fail.

UPDATE:  Rumors starting to mount that the Giants have hired someone.  Probably won't announce till after the game and I might be mobile at that point, so use this thread.

Yankee Tea Leaves

As of today there is one month left till pitchers and catchers report, though the cool kids like Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres and probably more are already down at the Tampa Complex working out.  Anyway, Gerrit Cole, so long rumored to the Yanks, just went to Houston for what is looking like a lighter 4 player package than the Yanks were being rumored to have offered.

Now reading the tea leaves, it seems the Pirates probable lost the Yanks trade offer somewhere along the way and had to make the best deal that they could with the Astros.  So the questions become: are the Yanks still in the trade market and did they offer the Cole prospects package in another deal?

Given that the Yanks want to stay under the tax threshold but still maintain some room for call ups and the deadline, I think they're staying in the trade market and out of the big FA market, and we'll have to see what they are doing about their "sixth starter" fixation and veteran infield comfort addition. I think they must have something cooking for one or both of those issues, and I think we should know pretty soon since the Cole trade has been made.

This Week on the Blog

Alright, last night Tim Hardaway Jr. returned to the Knicks and looked good in limited minutes, so that was good, and we'll get to the rest.  In other news, the Rangers still looked like a team that should sell, the Giants are still looking for a Coach, and the Yanks are hanging comfortably in their leverage.  Let's take a a look at the coming week.

Giants: The Giants have reportedly narrowed their field to Patricia, Shurmur and McDaniels. Of course, there are still 4 openings, and they could be out of luck if all three guys take other jobs.  So, I think they already know which way they'll go and are just playing around with the League's narrative of no back channels and false transparency.  So, unless the Pats and or Vikes lose, we're probably a ways away from an clarity.  Of course, if the Lions hire Vrabel in the meantime, we'll know we have a coach.

Yankees: Cash was making the radio rounds this week, and intimated his desire to add either a veteran IF or a starting pitching.  Given what the money situation is after the Yanks signed all 8 of their arbitration eligible players, the easiest thing to do would be to sign or trade for one or the other but not both. Their inability to move any part of the Ellsbury deal has them a bit hamstrung, and moving easily tradeable salaries like Gardy's or DRob's could hurt the onfield product.  So, the Yanks are going to have to be really clever or just keep all powder dry till next offseason.  We'll see what they do.

Rangers: The Rangers need a new coach and should be sellers at the deadline.

Knicks: The Knicks got Tim Hardaway Jr. back last night, and played pretty well for 3 quarters, but collapsed again in the 4th,  They have a serious problem with their rotation and Hornacek has exposed Jarret Jack to the point of failure.  The Knicks also seem to need a new coach - as KP is not being deployed properly - and the Knicks should also be sellers at the deadline.

Alright, there you have it, two teams that should sell, one team that needs a quick turnaround, and the Yanks just chilling. Have a great week.

UPDATE: Ramon Sessions has been waved and Trey Burke is likely on the way.

Giants Reportedly Down to 3 Finalists

The beat guys are reporting the Giants have settles on 3 candidates for there second round of interviews, all of which will feature Steve Tisch.  The finalists are Patricia, Shurmur and McDaniels.   Somewhat surprisingingly, Wilks is out.  What's left are two Offensive Whiz Bangs, in Shurmur and McDaniels, and the defensive descentant of Parcells and Belichick in Patricia.  Looking back on what Gettleman said before this process began - that defensive guys make the better HC's - now tells me he was thinking specifically of the 2 Bills, rather than at a larger survey.

I fully expect that Matt Patricia will be the next Head Coach. McDaniels is said to want more control that the George Young modeled front office the Giants won't abandon.  Shurmur might be a little too much like McAdoo.

Interesting final group, and each probably could succeed but only one will get the chance.

Yanks Sign Former Brave IFA Angel Rojas

BA says the Yanks gave SS Angel Rojas 350K today he's about the 5th or 6th player they have signed from the 3.5 Million they had pooled for a run at Ohtani.  They signed an RHP, Renzo Mejia, earlier this week.  Rojas was from this year's IFA class and had originally been had for 300K by the Braves.  Now he's either proved a bit more or there was competition or both. The Yanks now have more SS prospects than they could fit in the stadium on a given day.  And they have even more RHP's.

UPDATE: I think the time when teams and players start approaching arbitration dates is nigh, so we could see some of these younger guys like Machado and Cole traded in the next few days.  I happen to think the Yanks have turned attention to  Manny, and moving another salary to make room for a free agent starter, rather than making one trade for Manny and then another for Cole or someone.  I think they'll have to move Ellsbury (please!) or Gardy or Robertson to make room for Manny's arb salary as well as what they'd need to sign Darvish or whomever.  Of course, Gardy and Robertson are true Yanks, so let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Giants Closing in on Patricia?

So, this morning I woke to a bunch of tweets and articles saying that Pat DC Matt Patricia will probably be the Giants next coach.  None of the articles offered any proof, so the timing of them could suggest that the information was introduced to goad Detroit into giving Patricia more, or it might have been introduced to get Wilks to hurry back. I have no idea and we'll have to see if there's any truth to the Patricia rumors.

That said, Patricia has always been the most intriguing candidate and checked the most boxes.  Sure he hasn't had a head coaching gig to get fired from, but he is a bright guy, from New York state, who developed his own useful analytics.  Takeo Spikes calls him Belichick's protege, and I buy that.  You might remember that Bill's winning formula for Super Bowl 25 involved allowing Thurman Thomas to run for 100 yards.  That was outside fo the box and Patricia is the same sort of thinker.  It would be fun to have that kind of advantage again.

It will also be interesting to see if Patricia can put together a coaching staff.  He's only been with the Pats on the NFL level, so he doesn't have the relationships a more traveled coach, like Wilks would have.

Of course it could just be public negotiating, but could also be the truth.

Giants Coach Search Set to Continue

While these sort of dull Wild Card games have been playing out, the NFL Gossip machine has been singing out.  The feeling is that both of the Pats coordinators will be taking other jobs.  Patricia purportedly with the Lions and McDaniel with the Colts. If guess a healthy Luck and the #3 pick was  more attractive than old Eli and the #2 pick. Though it's possible that McDaniel wasn't getting an offer from the Giant and the only Pat they like is the Head Coach.  Meanwhile, the Giants will be interviewing Panther DC Steve Wilks tomorrow who is thought to have a big believer in Dave Gettleman. As an added benefit, if things don't change soon, Wilks will be able to start right away.  While, I'm not crazy about GM's having a favorite before the process starts, I'm thanking god it's not Saban.  Saban's a great coach, but Ernie obsession with him cost TC some important assistants in 2004, while Ernie froze the process to make sure Saban didn't want the job.

Anyway, it might very well be Wilks, and it would then be incredibly important that he find a great OC and QB coach, since we are almost certainly taking a QB in Round One, whether that pick is #2 or made after a wise trade down. Studesville is supposed to interview Tuesday, and maybe it will be for a different position.  We'll see.

UPDATE:  The Panthers have lost, so Wilks can take the job right away if it is indeed offered to him.

This Week on the Blog

Last night, Lias Andersson's Swedish National Team finished second at the World Juniors.  Upon be awarded his silver medal, Lias immediately took it off and left the podium in disgust.  Coolest thing this century, but it also reminds me of what Gordie Clark was saying when the Rangers drafted Lias last June: words to the effect of "He has something we don't have." Now I think I know what it is.  Too many folks comfortable with losing on the Blueshirts, not Lias, though.  

In other news from this past week, the Giants are still looking for a coach, the Knicks can't win the close ones, and the Yanks are biding their time.  Okay, let's see what's coming up.

Giants: The Giants are interviewing Shurmur today, after having interviewed both Pats coordinators yesterday.  It's unclear whether or not they are interviewing Schwartz tomorrow or will just continue on with Wilks and others starting Monday.  Meanwhiel, the Giants are involved in a tricky game of duck, duck - goose. They can't delay their decision while seeing of Belichick can come over, but they also can't rush it, in the event that Little Bill signals he'll be available.  Best case might be to hire one of the Patriot coordinators, then bring Bill in as a consultant for a year, before re-organizing around him - or not - next offseason.

Yankees: the Yanks signed IF Jace Peterson, former Brave to a minor league deal yesterday, as reports of Yankee interest in Manny Machado resurfaced.   In an interview with The Sporting News, Cash said the Yanks were comfortable going into the season with Glyeber Torres at second and Miguel Andujar at third.  This reminded me very much of his saying "Enrique Wilson is our 3rd Baseman," and "Bubba Crosby is our Centerfielder" in offseasons past.  So stay tuned, this could be another Valentine's Day Surprise.

Knicks:  KP takes too much crap for a 22 year old.  While it's probably true that he needs THjr back, as does the rest of the squad, the refs continue to let KP get butchered.  He should be collecting Moses Malone level trips to the stripe, but the pos refs won't do their jobs.  This is why people don't trust the league.  Also, Jarret Jack must go.  He's beyond the point of diminishing returns.  And Horny is not helping the team with his rotations, either.  We'll see what happens.

Rangers: The best players on the Rangers aren't on the Rangers yet.  They are Andersson, Chytil and Igor. In any event, the Rangers need to be sellers at the deadline, and make way for the next wave, including Igor, and replace their lousy coach with someone who can work with kids.  They have a chance to do a quick turnaround, like the Yanks did, but they need to organizational will to do so.

Alright, that's what's up. Have a great week everyone!

Giants Interview Pats Coordinators

The Giant braintrust (do we trust those brains?) has made it to Boston to interview Patricia and McDaniels.  Patricia went first and his interview is complete.  He's interesting because he brought advanced analytics to the Pats.  They are currently interviewing McDaniels, who is interesting because he is a whiz with QB's and offense, and the Giants might just be using the #2 pick in the draft on a new QB for their offense. While they are there it might be wise to do everything short of outright tampering to see what Little Bill is thinking.  Any one of the three could be the next coach, though, to  our knowledge the Giants haven't passed the Rooney standard yet.  Shumur is tomorrow.

Giants Stuff

Giants have set-up interviews with McDaniels and Studesville on Friday, Patricia on Saturday, and Wilks on Monday.  They are also either interviewing or have already interviewed Spags. The tricky part here is McDaniels, who will also intverview with the Colts on Thursdays and the Bears, as well as the Giants on Friday.  The Colts presumably have Luck coming back next year, and the Bears have Trubisky just starting out.  Will the prospect of a rehabbing Luck and the #3 pick in the draft be more attractive to McDaniels than aging Eli, unknown Webb and the #2 pick in the draft? Impossible to know.  And what about the Bears situation with Trubisky and the #6 pck?  Is that more attractive to a QB/Offensive guru guy than what the Giants have?  It might be, of course once you weigh in the return of OBJ, Engram and Sheppard, but who knows?  The Giants have the least amount of presumable long term QB stability than either the Colts or the Bears have and if the Giants take a QB at 2, the Colts can take Barkley at 3 and have Luck and Barkley and a pretty clear path to greatness. So it will be an interesting decision for McDaniels, and I sort of hope he's not their top choice, because of the two other teams he'll be meeting with and what the Colts, specifically, have to offer.

Update: Shurmur is not scheduled for Saturday, after first meeting with the Lions, Cards and Bears. Cards have QB instability since Carson Palmer just retired, and they don't pick till 11th. Detroit picks 18th. And the Bears are the same as they were for McDaniels.

UPDATE: The Giants will be interviewing Schwartz this weekend afterall.

UPDATE: Rosen and Darnold have declared for the draft, and are the presumptive first two picks.

Rangers Win The Classic!

The Rangers are money outdoors and just won their 4th out of 4 Winter Classics as JT Miller scored from the doorstep during and OT power play. It was a fun game as always, and Miller, Hayes and Vesey all almost kept scoring.  Hayes had a spin-o-rama assist on Grabner's goal, the Ranger's second of the first period. Paul Carey had had the first goal, and that was it for regulation.  Par for the course, Letierri was a healthy scratch after scoring a goal in his firs game.  The Rangers need a new coach.

Giants Reach Out to the Pats

The Giants have asked the Pats for permission to interview their OC Josh McDaniels and their DC Matt Patricia. During the long Tom Coughlin Era, I always assumed the next Giant coach would come from Little Bill and his staff or former staffers. Thought it would be O'Brien this time, but looks like he's staying at Texas. Obviously, McDaniels and Patricia are both bright, and McDaniels intelligence probably makes him a good bet to do a better job in his next HC gig than he did in his first. Patricia went to th RPI, and is said to have revolutionized the Pat's metrics.  The Giants probably NEED him, or someone who does understand and can use the new metrics.  So between Schwartz, McDaniels and Patricia, the Giant are going to have a very busy bye week - and there could be more.

Btw, the Giants will start signing guys to futures contracts, so we could start getting a look at the different scouting priorities we'll probably be seeing.

UPDATE: Gettleman has told the Giant assistant coaches they are free to look for jobs.

UPDATE:  Studsville will interview on Friday, then the Giants will go interview McDaniels and Patricia on Saturday.

UPDATE: The Giants have also requested a meeting with Vikings OC Pat Shurmur.