R.A. Dickey, What a Story...Does He Deserve Cy Young?

What an awesome story! Here's a guy on a terrible ballclub, who is a knuckleballer, has never won more than 11 games and whose only good previous  year  was 2010  where  he won 11 games and had a .284 ERA. Out of nowhere this year he's 20-6 with an impressive .269 ERA.  Tremendous  year, tremendous numbers !
   Now, while  the story is  great, do his numbers  in their entirety really  justify a Cy Young  for the " knuckleballer"?  I think the answer is  most definitely yes. Who else, Strassburg? He was shut  down.
   The real big question is will  Dickey ever be able to duplicate  this  year's performance?
       Your thoughts?

Selma Alabama, Rebuilding a Monument of The Ku Klux Klan's First Grand Wizard, Get a Fuc_n Grip On Yourself!

Monuments have gotten a lot of play in the media recently . Penn State did the right thing and tore  down the Paterno Statue in "Happy   Valley". I  always considered that monuments should be erected  in honor of great people, like  Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson,  Martin Luther  King and JFK.
   So what in God's name was  Selma, Alabama thinking when it  decided  to rebuild the monument of Nathan Bedford  Forrest, a Civil War General and first Grand Wizard of the KKK?   Are they intentionally trying to be stupid, ignorant, racist, bigoted  and insensitive all in one fell swoop ? Apparently  so! Remember this is 2012, not 1812.
  Anyway, I got an idea . Let them rebuild it and erect it. Then in an official ceremony  provide all the townspeople with axes and picks , and let  them tear it down piece by piece  signifying  the death  of  bigotry, racism and hatred in Alabama.  MLK  would be proud.   Now, that's an idea!

I'm Not a Huge Mets Fan, But Ike Davis Does Have 30 Homers and 88 Rbi's!

 I was reading the boxscores this morning, like everyday since I'm 9 years old, and   I was pleasantly surprised to see Ike's #'s. Yes, he is batting .227, but  let's remember back in May when  he was one at bat away from being sent down to Triple A.  He's hung in there, turned things around and has been one  of the few bright spots for the  boys from Flushing  this year .
  If he can get to .240 and knock in 100 runs that would be something.  Go Ike!

Yanks Win a Marathon ,Extra-Inning Game vs.Oakland...Every Game is Meaningful!

Today's  six hour affair vs Oakland was a classic. Down 9-5 in  " extras" the Bombers  come back to win it  10-9!   Everyone contributed  to the big  "W" , from top to bottom. After  Freddy Garcia got jacked , I was  very close  to  turning the game off out of sheer  frustration and disgust .
   Next thing I  know 2 men are  on and  Cano singles to load it  . Five runs later, this game qualified for an  "all-time Yankee classic". No doubt . So the Yanks  continue to get wins..Two thrillers against the gritty A's.
    I gotta tell you one thing...Nothing like being involved in a "Pennant Race " in September . Another important game on Sunday.  Ibanez, you were the man today!

Miguel Cabrera, Triple Crown, What's He Worth ?

Look at the season  Cabrera is having...41 homers, 130 RBI's , BATTING .330 . Only one homer behind Josh Hamiliton  for a  possible Triple Crown. Would be first since 1967!.Going to be  an interesting last 12 games or so.
  So this all brings me to my question: What is a guy like Miguel Cabrera  worth out there in the marketplace? A-Rod makes about $30 million/year. Most of the top, top guys are  in the $20 million range . So if he keeps it up, is he worth $150 million over 5 years?
   You be the judge! 

Ichiro, 7 Hits, 4 Steals in Doubleheader..If He Can Keep it Up!

Wow, Ichiro was his machine-like self yesterday, dominating 2 games with singles and stolen bases, Right now, I'd experiment and move him to #2 slot. Swisher can bat 6th or seventh.
  Gotta tell you  if   Jeter and Ichiro  can set a "nightly banquet table", things could get very interesting.
    Anyway, one game at a time!

Will the Dow Hit 14,000, That Is The Question ?

At 11:08 this morning the Dow hit 13,586. Amazing, considering it had bottomed out in the low 7,000's in the fall of 2008. If somehow, someway it reaches 14,000, the Dow would effectively have grown by almost 7000 points in the last 4 years. How do you explain it, taking into account all the other negative economic data?
You don't! Happy trading.

Reporting Market analyst Steve "Milton Friedman " Goldman.

Mirror, Mirror on The Wall, Who Is The Greatest Fourth Quarter Quarterback of All? Eli Of Course!

Eli is no longer Peyton's little brother . Two Super Bowl rings, Super Bowl MVP. Much improved arm strength . Confidence in himself. Team believes in him . Never gives up..Never gets too down on himself.
Now, I think we can without hesitation state he is the best 4th quarter QB in the game. No ifs ands or buts. Comeback after comeback last year. Playoffs, Super Bowl. This past week against Tampa Bay to me was the "icing on the cake". Slow start. Some bad picks. Giants on the brink...Then lo and behold, "Eli the Gunfighter " takes over. Giants score 25 fourth quarter points(Yes 25 I said!), and Eli throws for 510 yards..(Move over Y.A. Tittle, Phil Simms) . Crazy numbers.
But you want to know something? To Eli, the numbers are not crazy. He believed all along the way he could and would do it!
Don't stop him now.

NFL reporter Steve "Sack" Goldman reporting.

Whistleblowers; I Got an Idea, Work For a Crimininal Enterprise, Turn Everybody In and Collect $104 Million..Easy As 1,2,3!

Ok, ready for your next "get rich quick scheme"? Here's how it goes . Get a job at "well-established bank ", imbed yourself in the bank's business of hiding assets from the IRS, turn yourself in, rat out everyone under the sun and collect a $104 million reward. Not bad right?
Well that's exactly what Bradley Birkenfeld, the former UBS banker did. Birkenfeld received a 40 month prision sentence and has now been released to home confinement . Let's put it this way. After paying his attorneys he should net about $70 million. Not bad for an unemployed criminal, former banker. Will certainly change his life.
And who said crime doesn't pay !

Legal analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Murray, First Brit Since 1936 To Win Tennis Major.

Not going to get into "micro-analysis " of yesterday's 5 hour marathon final between Murray and Djokovic . First of all I was wrong(but happy). I predicted Djokovic. Secondly , the match was one for the ages! Surreal moment. Nine o'clock on a Monday night, with Novak cramping, Murray reaches into the "reserve tank " and pulls it out. Monkey is off his back.
Long live the Queen! And of course, Andy Murray!

Steve "Bjorn" Goldman reporting.

US Open Men's Tennis Prediction; Djokovic Over Murray in Five Sets!

Something about Monday afternoon Tournament Championships that I love. I guess it kinda extends the weekend and turns a Monday afternoon into something special. Speaking of special..I think that's exactly what this final will be! While I'm rooting for Murray, my prediction is Djokovic in 5 sets in a tremendous marathon!

Hope it ends before Monday Night Football.

Enjoy.

Serena Williams at Age 30 Wins US Open, But It Was Really About Last 4 Games!

I've watched a lot of sports since I'm a kid . Everything, including cliff diving from Mexico. Is that actually a sport ? Anyway, what Serena did yesterday was one of the greatest sports performances I ever saw. Coming off singles and doubles titles at Wimbledon and the Olympics, she looked unbeatable! And through the first six matches and one set Sunday, she actually was "Wonderwoman". Physically imposing, the heart and will of of a lioness. She steamrolled every opponent she faced.
Then something happened. I don't know what happened. Maybe Azarenka stepped it up a notch. Perhaps Serena lost her concentration. She could have gotten tired...Nerves? We may never know!
But all of a sudden , Azarenka ties things up at 1 set all. Then Azarenka is up 5-3 in the 3rd. Serena looked tired, lethargic...And as she said, she was preparing her runnerup speech.
What happened next was a thing of beaty, grace, power and nerves of steel. Serena reeled off 4 straight games in a row . She played perhaps the greatest 16 straight points at a pressure packed moment, in tennis history! Nothing her opponent could do.She hit perfect power stroke after power stroke. She got to every ball, made every shot.
By the time we all came up for air, it was over. Great champions do great things.
This being her 15th major...It had to have been special! Enjoy it.

Dow Jones; Don't Look Now, Dow just Hit 13,302 !

Wall Street is a world unto itself . Unemployment, Libor scandals, Euro craziness and mortgage debacles....But somehow, the Dow has gotten up off the canvas and has reached 13,302 as of 10 minutes ago. Wow!
How do you explain it ? Short answer , you don't . You can rationalize it after the fact, but there is no way to look inside each " investor's head " to know their mindset. The slightest tick can set off a worldwide selling spree . So for the time being , while the market is no longer the investment tool it used to be , the Dow Jones Index is as mighty as ever.
Now , what is going to happen with Facebook?

Enjoy the weekend!

US Open Tennis; Adios Roddick and Federer!

Another amazing day at the Open. Serena rolling along. Murray and Djokovic advance. Sharapova struggles a bit but advances. But the big stories of the day were Roddick's exit and the upset of "Roger" by Berdych . In an emotional, yet gutsy performance by Roddick, he simply didn't have the answers for Del Potro who played like a champion. Andy played well , but Del Potro handled his serve and hit stinging passing shots all match. Andy will be missed!
Roger must be extremely disappointed. He did not play "Federer-Like" tennis and Berdych, except for a little "3rd set blip", may have played the best match of his career!
So we move on ..My two favorite players gone. Still, an abundance of talent and some great matchups over the best (last) 4 days of the tourney.
Woops, gotta go. Matches on in 38 minutes on ESPN 2.

Steve "Bud" Goldman reporting.

Democratic Convention; If I'm the Democrats, I'd Follow Michelle With Hillary, Bill and Wrap It Up With the President!

Watched a little of Michelle's speech from last night at the convention . I gotta tell you, while I'm not a big " convention guy", she did a tremendous job ! Real positive, high note ! Like the former trial lawyer I am....When things are going well, get your case in quickly and efficently and get it to the jury.
Here, I'd keep things short and sweet.. Put Hillary Clinton on. Put the "Grand Poobah ", Bill Clinton on , and wrap it up with the President. Anybody else will be a "time killer" at best .
So Democrats let's end on a strong note, and spend the next two months unleashing ad after ad attacking Bain Capital, Romney's problems with womans' issues and and of course his failure to connect with the "common man".
You got em where you want them now.

Political reporter Steve "Delano " Goldman reporting.

A-Rod Returns; Still Not Enough For the Yanks! Lose 4-3 to Rays.

A-Rod returned to the lineup today. Hopefully, he'll regain the form of "A-Rod of old"! They badly need his right-hand bat. If you look at the Yankees carefully, it's almost a miracle that they're still clinging to first place. Mo out. A-Rod was out. Andy out. Tex out on and off .Granderson has been out. Joba out . Need I go on? Shaky starting pitching . Granderson and Ibanez batting in the .230's . Russell Martin still on the "interstate ". They've lived and barely survived on the long ball this year. But right now they're hanging on by a thread.
The moon, stars and planets will really have to line up perfectly for the Yanks to even get into the playoffs(less than 30 games left) , let alone make a run!
Well, I can say one thing. There will definitely be a lot of meaningful Yankee games played in September. Enjoy things , while we sweat it out!
Happy Labor Day!