MLB: Yankees vs. Redosx

by Steve Cernak

Can someone please explain to me why Boston and New York fans are cool with one another now? And am I alone wishing that the bitterness returns?

When "NYY vs. BOS" shows up on the schedule, the game is now a rivalry. Before the Sox won a couple chips, the game technically wasn't a rivalry, but meant more.

The All-Star Break unofficially started with Terry Francona riding the Yankees' brass and Mariano Rivera's jocks. And the Yankees' brass rode Francona's unit, and Hal Steinbrenner said something about the two empires having similar interest in and outside of baseball.

What the hell happened?

I once had this girlfriend that was a huge Sox fan. I felt dirty every time I thought about it, like I had violated the sanctity of the team, sport, and region. Now, Francona says Derek Jeter deserves the two hole, and gives priority to Alex Rodriguez over and above Manny Ramirez?

What the hell happened?

And crazier yet, Sox fans acknowledge how very special this All-Star game is, with the game likely being the last major baseball performance on this most historic of stages.

Yet even crazier, is as a Yankees fan, I'm happy to get accolades of that magnitude from the new Kings of Major League Baseball. I need an effing shower.

MLB: Steriods Aside, Mark McGwire Not Worthy of Hall

By Steve Cernak

Instead of talking about Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn or Goose Gossage's snub, everyone yaps about Mark McGwire's Hall of Fame "snub." Hardly surprising when his home run record chase single-handedly put baseball back on the map, after the strike. We know he took andro then and after his Congressional meltdown, we're all pretty sure he jammed needles into his butt. What's bothersome about all this McGwire Hall-talk, with or without steroids, is his numbers only have him on the cusp of baseball immortality.

If we assume McGuire didn't take steriods and analyze his numbers, it becomes clear he was a one-trick pony. His 583 homers is certainly a ridiculous total and his career slugging percentage is a robust .588 as a result. Consider, though, he only hit .263 for his career, a career-high 161 hits his rookie season. Throwing out his his 1986 call-up, he had 100+ hits in eight of 16 seasons. He had seven 100 RBI seasons if we combine his output before and after the Oakland trade with St. Louis.

All McGwire really did was hit home runs and, apparently, many were solo jobs.

From 1996-1999 he was one of the best power hitters in baseball. Great. But since when does the Hall of Fame discount longevity? Four of his 100 RBI seasons happened in this four year window. He hit 42 percent of his homers during this stretch. He hit above his career average during this stretch too. His dominance was an aberration, albeit of epic proportions.

If I had a vote, I wouldn't vote for him because he's on the fence regardless of steroid use. When you consider the likely explanation for his home run boon two years before his retirement, then, no, he doesn't deserve a Cooperstown plaque.

The much more interesting debate is why Goosage hasn't been honored yet. One of the finest relievers in history was legitimately snubbed again. But here we are, discussing Big Mac.

NFL: Picking Playoff Winners

The NFL Playoffs are officially here, and so far our first set of picks for this weekend's Wildcard round. As was expected, there are two nice matchups in the AFC side and two dismal coin flips on the NFC side. All season long, the NFL has been a virtual crapshoot and the first round of the playoffs should be no different. With that said, here are our rolls of the dice.

Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts

Dustin Hockensmith: The Colts win by putting points on the board and making opposing offenses impatient and more prone to abandon the run. If Larry Johnson and the Chiefs don't get out of the gates early, Trent Green can't possibly lead a comeback through the air. The Colts are 8-0 at home this season and stay perfect on Saturday. Colts 24, Chiefs 13.

Steve Cernak: I'm skeptical picking the Chiefs because they are 3-5 on the road and the Colts are 8-0 at home. However, the Jaguars and Bengals both showed the league how to pick apart Indy's pathetic run defense. Larry Johnson will run wild and KC's great corner tandem of Patrick Surtain and Ty Law slows Peyton Manning. Chiefs 30, Colts 17.

Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks

DH: Both teams enter the playoffs with losses in three of their last four games, which makes it hard to gauge what they will do with clean slates. The matchup between an 'overconfident' Tony Romo and the Seahawks depleted secondary plays too big a part in this game, and I think the Cowboys win it ugly on the road. Cowboys 21, Seahawks 20.

SC: I don't like either team. So Bill Parcells is a better coach than Mike Holmgren, but that's the only advantage I'll give the 'Boys. Shaun Alexander I heard is pretty good. Seattle's receivers are good, but Matt Hasselback will be throwing to playoff proven Deion Branch.

What interests me more than the game is whether or not Parcells chokes the life from Terrell Owens. Seahawks 27, Cowboys 20.

New York Jets at New England Patriots

DH: This is the must-see game of the weekend. These two teams play the same brand of football under two coaches from the same school of thought. The Jets are a nice story under Bill Belichick disciple Eric Mangini, but I just don't see them winning in Foxboro. Tom Brady leads a touchdown drive in the final five minutes, and the Pats come back to win. Patriots 20, Jets 16.

SC: Who picks against the Patriots, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in January? Me. I never claimed to be smart. Belichick versus Eric Mangini pervaded the headlines, with Belichicks allegedly despising his former protégé. Could this be a distraction of epic proportions?

The Jets are a good team and Chad Pennington was the feel-good story of 2006. No one believed the weak-throwing quarterback would bounce back after his throwing shoulder exploded. He fought through can't after can't and this would make for one hell of an icing. The Jets' superior receivers put Pennington on the NY tabloid backpages and makes Mangini look genius. Jets 24, New England 21 (with the Pats missing Adam Vinatieri)

New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
DH: So much turmoil for the Giants, and here they are in the playoffs. They play the Eagles in Philadelphia for the second time this season with a new sense of hope and a second chance for their season. Tiki Barber and Brandon Jacobs run wild, and Jeff Garcia's emotions get the best of him. Giants 28, Eagles 21.

SC: The Giants are my team. I follow them closely. They looked like Super Bowl contenders the first half of the season but the second half… Tom Coughlin is a joke. Peyton Manning did a great job teaching his younger brother Eli how to completely miss expectations. Trust me, I could go on forever. Even though the Eagles stink too: Eagles 107, Giants -3.