tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

Tuesday’s Thoughts

While wondering what's more disgusting deep fried butter or a hamburger in between a glazed donut here is what else is on my mind:

* Well, well, well, AJ Burnett finally got off his August losing streak as the Yankees came back and defeated the Royals 7-4. Burnett did his usual one inning melt down in the 5th inning, blowing a 2-0 lead by giving up 3 runs in the bottom of the 5th. In 5 1/3 innings, the Blonde Bomber gave up 10 hits and struck out 2. Hardly confidence inspiring but I'm sure Mr. Cashman is pleased.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2011/08/16/2011-08-16_colon_in_pen_could_relieve_rotation_logjam.html Filip Bondy's article today in the Daily News is exactly what I have been thinking since Cashman told us all to smoke the reality pipe. Bondy is right on the money when he says that it would be a huge mistake for this season and the future if you play games with Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes. Since Burnett is not going to the bullpen by Cashman's edict, Bartolo Colon to the pen makes sense. Interesting Colon stats in the article.

* Yesterday in the NY Post, there was an article where Jorge Posada said he loves the Yankee fans but if he decides to play next year it could be with another team. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Jorge.

* In direct contrast to Posada is Bernie Williams. Williams just walked away when he was not guaranteed a roster spot in 2007. I don't ever recall Bernie saying a bad thing about the Yankees since he has left. It's a disgrace that the high muckety-mucks in Yankeeland have not had a Bernie Williams Day. Williams was just as important as the Core Four and in case you forgot, was a homegrown product.

* There was a good article in the last edition of Sports Illustrated about Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Cutler has taken all kinds of heat for coming out of last year's NFC title game in spite of the fact that he suffered a Grade II tear of the medial-collateral ligament in his left knee and as a result couldn't plant and throw. Players, such as the genius Maurice Jones-Drew, called Cutler out calling him gutless. Cutler was sacked 52 times last year, the most of any quarterback in the NFL in 2010. Do you remember the Giants game when he was sacked 9 times in the first half!!! This is also a guy who plays while being a Type 1 diabetic. Cutler is also a professional athlete who does quite a bit of work for various charities with the understanding that he doesn't think its necessary to broadcast it to everyone. And that's why Cutler isn't looked favorably by the media, he doesn't go out of his way to cater to them. I'd take Jay Cutler on my team any day, not only for his athletic ability but also because of his off the field endeavors.

* Read yesterday that during the lockout, Colt McCoy went down to Mississippi to meet with Brett Farve to talk about the West Coast offense. Farve of course played under Mike Holmgren so it would make sense for Colt to pick Farve's brain. McCoy's 2011 debut was certainly impressive against the Packers. I'm liking this kid more and more.

* Last week I touched on the sad state of sports radio here in Western New York. While all markets tend to focus on their own teams, the Buffalo Sports Station, WGR550 covers only the Bills and the Sabres 365 days a year. Pennant races, March Madness, World Series are all non-existent on GR. But that's what happens when there is no competition. About 10 years ago or so, Western New Yorkers had options with WWKB Radio and WNSA. It raised the level of the product. Now, with no competition, sports talk turns into talk about how much pizza one of the co-hosts ate and compiling lists of favorite foods and movies. Hard hitting sports talk?? Give me a break!! The smug morning co-host Jeremy White would say: why do you listen if you don't like it. My response: I don't listen but my local sources keep me posted on what's going on with the best sports radio station in Buffalo.

* Congrats to Jim Thome for hitting his 600th home run last night. In fact, he hit is 599th and 600th against the Tigers in their 9-6 win. Thome is a throwback to the sluggers from the 60's and 70's. You've never heard his name mentioned with any performance enhancing drugs.

More troubling news out of college football as it's being reported on CBS Sportsline that the University of Miami's football team is being investigated for special favors and money being given to players. This allegedly happened prior to the current coaching staff. Let's see: USC, North Carolina, Oregon, Ohio State and now Miami. Hmmmm....there's no problem in NCAA Football.

* We also see that Texas A&M is looking to bolt the Big 12 and go to the SEC. What's pushing this is the fact that the Big 12 has allowed Texas University to have its own television network called "The Longhorn Network". The Aggies are concerned because this would give the Longhorns an even greater advantage in recruiting the many talented Texas high school football players.

* And finally, do you think the WGR guys know where Texas A&M is???