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

Tuesday’s Thoughts

While wondering if anyone would even know who Hank Williams Jr. is if it wasn't for Monday Night Football, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* As a Yankee fan you couldn't have expected anything worse: being down 2-1 in a best of 5 series and AJ Burnett is the starter for Game 4. Burnett has been a mess since the Yankees signed him in 2009. Yes, the Yankees will point to the 2009 Game 2 start that Burnett made in the World Series. However, his body of work throughout his Yankee career clearly outweighs that one game which makes me feel that tonight can very well be the end of the Yankee season.

* The ineptness of the middle of the Yankee lineup continues to plague this team's chances to advance. ARod and Mark Teixiera are 1-23 in this series. Teixiera is hitting .161 in his Yankee playoff history and Nick Swisher is hitting .152 in his Yankee career. If the Yankees are going to win this series against the Tigers, the offense will need to step it up.

* It's pretty sad when your best hitters in a playoff series are an aging Jorge Posada and Brett Gardner. You also have to like the guttiness of Russell Martin. But the Yankees probably would be getting ready for the ALCS if the big hitters were doing their jobs to compliment the efforts of Posada, Gardner and Martin.

* There seems to be some rumblings that all is not well in Believeland. Browns fans are questioning Coach Pat Shurmur's 4th and 1 call that did not include handing the ball off to Peyton Hillis. Shurmur denied that there are any problems between him and the bruising running back. But one has to wonder if this was just the case of a rookie head coach being too cute by not giving the ball to Hillis in that situation.

* Tight end Evan Moore was not happy after Sunday's loss to Tennessee. In a post game interview it was clear that Moore felt he should have been targeted more in the Browns offense. I agree with Moore. During the preseason it was apparent that Moore and Colt McCoy had developed a relationship that could bode well this season. For whatever reason, that hasn't translated during the regular season. Here's hoping that with the bye week, Shurmur will figure out how to get Moore involved in the offense.

* The Maple Leafs made the right move by keeping Jake Gardiner on their NHL roster. This kid has been the highlight of the preseason and seems to have a special quality that the Leafs haven't seen since the days of Borje Salming. It's unfortunate that Keith Aulie was sent to the Marlies but I think we will see the big defesneman back up with the Leafs sooner rather than later.

* I was not happy with the Tim Connolly signing and his preseason injury has done nothing to change my mind. How can he develop any chemistry with his linemates when he is not on the ice. It looks like another year that Phil Kessel will be without a true #1 center man unless Matthew Lombardi can comeback strong.

* Ohio State continues to show how they are a football program totally out of control. Yesterday the bumbling Atheltic Director Gene Smith announced that 3 players will be suspended for being paid for work that they did not perform over the summer. Smith had the unmitigated gall to defend the University and lament that this is all on the players, a rogue coach (Tressel) and overzealous boosters. If Gene Smith had a slight bit of pride, he would resign and save himself the indignity of being fired.

* And finally, here's hoping that loud mouth Country Western singers like Hank Williams Jr. stick to singing and keep their over the top opinions to themselves. If it was up to me, his stupid song should be shut down for good.