D-Train

sixth show

Today we spoke about the end of the Rangers season and looked ahead to next season. We also covered the Yankees acquisition of Roger Clemens, the NBA playoffs, and the NHL playoofs. We also covered Tiger’s win at the Wachovia championship.

The Yankees finally fired their conditioning coach, following the injury to Philip Hughes. Today we spoke about his ineffectiveness and just hours after we recorded our show the Yankees fired him. Here’s a link to the article that talks about his firing.

Click here for article

fifth show

Today we had Joel Spielberger in studio to discuss the NHL playoffs. We also spoke some more about the NFL draft, the NBA playoffs, and had an extensive conversation about the Mets and Yankees.

fourth show

This show is the most comprehensive one yet. Included is complete NFL Draft analysis, NHL playoff recap, NBA special, and MLB talk. We included a comprehensive look at every NBA and NHL series, as well as all the notable draft picks.

Michael Vick has been under investigation since police found malnourished and scarred dogs at his home. Police say he did not take good care of the animals and had them fight each other. This is not the first time Vick has been in trouble. Last year, he was fined for giving the middle finger to the Atlanta fans and tried to sneak a water bottle with Marijuana onto a plane.

Click here for the article

third show

Here’s our latest show. Today we discussed the Yankee’s latest woes and the Mets win. We also analyzed the second round of the NHL playoffs, the NBA games, and the NFL draft.

Here’s the article we were referencing about Sebastian Telfair: Sebastian Telfair Article

second show

Here is our new show with special guest Peter Vizcarrondo. Today we broke down the first round of the NHL playoffs, the Yankee-Red Sox and Mets-Braves series, the NBA playoffs, and the NFL Draft.

Here we go again—let the drama begin. Spring training has just kicked off, and we have already been bombarded by the A-rod-Jeter controversy and how it will thwart the Yankees in their attempt to end their six year draught.

Isn’t this just getting ridiculous? These guys are unbelievable athletes that are making 20 million dollars a year—does it really matter what happens off the field and in the clubhouse?

Unfortunately, however, for A-rod and Jeter and every Yankee fan out there, the answer to these questions is yes. While Alex Rodriguez is probably the most talented Yankee since Mickey Mantle, he is shockingly fragile and even more sensitive. There is probably not a player in any sport that allows pressure to get to him like A-rod does. And when he’s slumping, he only digs himself a bigger hole when he talks to the media. Rodriguez comes off as stupid and overconfident in his interviews, never accepting responsibility for his play and trying to cast his 0-4 with two errors as another “off day.”

However, although I could spend all day bashing A-rod for his abominable postseason performances and his cowardly behavior, I believe that this issue starts and stops with Jeter. Jeter is the Yankee captain—he is their leader, their poster boy, and represents what a great athlete is all about. His leadership and maturity are probably even more impressive than his on-the-field heroics, and thus the buck has to stop with him.

In years past, Jeter has come to the aid of numerous teammates, most recently Jason Giambi after the whole world seemed to be against him during his steroids scandal. Jeter came out and told Yankee fans to get off of Giambi’s back, and said that they would need Giambi if they wanted to win another world championship.

Granted, Jeter did not have this kind of rocky history with Giambi that he has now with Rodriguez. Jeter has not seemed to have gotten over A-rod’s comments in Esquire Magazine in 2001, where the Yankee third basemen said that Jeter could not carry a team and that he was not responsible for the Yankee dynasty. Said Rodriguez, “Jeter’s been blessed with great talent around him. He’s never had to lead. He can just go and play and have fun. And he hits second—that’s totally different than third and fourth in a lineup. You go into New York, you wanna stop Bernie and O’Neill. You never say, Don’t let Derek beat you. He’s never your concern.” Clearly, time has proved A-rod horribly wrong and immature, and it is only human nature to hold a grudge against someone when they make comments like that. But this is bigger than a grudge, this is bigger than whatever bitterness Jeter feels and the issue is certainly more important than he is playing it out to be.

While being interviewed on the first day of spring training in Tampa, Jeter seemed irritated by questions concerning his relationship with A-rod, and repeatedly said that it was a non-issue—it doesn’t affect what they do on the field. But the Yankee captain is sorely mistaken. The fact that he has not gotten behind his teammate and defended him in the face of glaring criticism and scrutiny speaks volumes about how Jeter just does not seem to care if A-rod struggles—it’s almost like he sees this as an opportunity at revenge. For a player that defines and sets the standard for classiness on a ballfield, this is—without any hyperbole—by far and away his most immature moment as a Yankee.

Jeter has to find it in himself to do the right thing and put this unnecessary saga on the backburner. Whether he likes it or not, his team needs Rodriguez to perform when it counts, the Yankees need A-rod to come up big in the postseason. Throughout his whole life, Jeter has been the bigger man, and we have praised him for it. He needs to be it again—now more than ever—or Rodriguez will continue to fold at the hands of the ruthless New York faithful.

Don Cherry, who hosts Coach’s Corner for Hockey Night in Canada, will be part of the broadcast team for the this year’s Stanley Cup finals. Cherry is a controversial figure, often criticizing French-Canadians, Russians, and players who wear visors. Here is an interesting and informative feature that ESPN did earlier this year on Don Cherry.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=doncherry

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