Thursday, October 28, 2010

LT’s resurgence vaults Jets to No. 2 rushing attack, best record in football

At 5-1, the New York Jets are right where they want to be: leading the league in wins.


It would be impartial not to thank one of the Jets’ gambles, an offseason free agency acquisition of Ladanian Tomlinson, for the success the team has had thus far as teams approach the halfway mark of the 2010-2011 season.


In fact, the Jets are only one point away from being a perfect 6-0 football team.


Tomlinson and the Jets, along with RB Shonn Greene and the versatile Brad Smith, have boasted an impressive 159.2 rushing yards per game, second to only the Kansas City Chiefs and the workload of former Jets RB Thomas Jones.


Although LT(2) is not the leagues leading rusher, he has already shown the value the Jets believe he still had in only the first six games of the season. He is averaging 5.3 yards per carry in 92 rushing attempts with 490 total rushing yards and five touchdowns.


The league leader in rushing, the Giants Ahmad Bradshaw, has tallied similar numbers: 5.3 yards per carry on 134 rushing attempts while gaining just over 700 yards. Perhaps if Tomlinson’s number of carries were increased he’d be atop the league in rushing alone, but needless to say, the Jets have found themselves a potent rushing attack for the second straight year.


And it seems to be working.


Remember, the Jets No. 1 ranked rushing attack last year led them to an AFC Championship game appearance last January. Now, the Jets are hoping it leads them to somewhere they haven’t been in 40-plus years.


In order to get there, the Jets need Tomlinson to continue to produce with the same fire he has shown in the first six games of the season. Tomlinson needs only 20 rushing yards to reach the 13,000-yard milestone for his career. Six players have rushed for more yards in NFL history and it seems possible that Tomlinson could pass No. 6 Eric Dickerson and No. 5 Jerome Bettis come seasons end.



The resurgence of LT has not only appeared worthwhile on the field, but off the field as well. Tomlinson’s leadership ability, which was oft-criticized in San Diego, has caught the attention of fellow teammates and future Hall of Famer’s in the locker-room.


Fourteen-year veteran linebacker and surefire Hall of Fame inductee Jason Taylor, who is admittedly not one for rah-rah speeches, expressed that one of Tomlinson’s speeches in particular, one in which LT praised former Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi’s speech on “What it takes to be No. 1,” made him realize what he’s here for.


“We're trying to get a ring, and he wants it, and he wants it bad, and he let us know that," Taylor told Greg Garber of ESPN.


"He didn't just read it," Taylor said, "he almost acted it out. You can tell when something means something to somebody. When they deliver it with such passion, such conviction, it goes deeper. LT delivering it, to me, meant something. It hit home. It got your blood flowing."


Taylor, who came to the Jets for the same reason Tomlinson did, to win a Super Bowl for the first time in his career, now has a copy of Lombardi’s speech hanging in his office.


Perhaps the Jets need Tomlinson for more than they had originally thought.


Saturday, October 16, 2010

Two men who have seemed to lose their power...


Nolan Ryan just looks plain deflated/flabbergasted/confused here. I guess that's how it feels when you sit front row and watch your beloved Rangers fall victim to the defending World Series champs after leading, 5-0. Hey Nolan, next time sit in the luxury suites atop that ginger ale soaked Arlington ballpark so you never have to deal with a picture of you like this surfacing ever again. And as for Bush, 'nuff said.

Did Ron Washington really think that taking C.J. Wilson out of the game would strengthen the Rangers' chances of winning? Are you kidding me? If you've watched the Yankees this season or last, at all, you would know that we are a 7th, 8th and 9th inning team. We beat up bullpens and the more bullpen pitchers you throw at us the more we're going to make the game look like a quick BP session.

Say what you want about the payroll and our starting lineup, but don't expect to shut the Yanks out, nor ever count them out of a game. You saw what the Yanks did last night: sit back and let the opposing pitcher work himself into trouble and trust the guy behind you. They aren't called the Bronx Bombers for nothing.

As for C.C., Carsten is still my homeboy. One rough outing shouldn't scare anyone except the Rangers' lineup should they face him again. Guaranteed that C.C. is out for blood come next start.

Also, Robbie Cano went BOOM! again. MVP? Maybe. Clutch? Definitely.

Prediction: Yankees in 5.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

This Brett Favre allegation has made my week...

Listen to Brett Favre's (alleged) voicemails to Jenn Sterger, formerly of the New York Jets, here. Don't mind the supposed Favre manhood at the bottom.

By the way, I knew you couldn't hack it in N.Y. grandpa. Go pull a Kobe and buy your wife a multi-million dollar ring now to save your marriage. I would give you an A for effort because Jenn Sterger is a perfect 10, but there's no proof that you even bagged her! She was afraid she'd end up in a garbage can...

P.S. If this wasn't bad enough, you still have the face the Jets' defense on Monday night. Best of luck Brett!