Thursday, September 10, 2009

Jeter ties Gehrig for hits and class


I’m glad Derek Jeter listened to his parents and is taking some time to savor the magnitude of tying the iconic Lou Gehrig for most hits by a Yankee.
“I know a lot about the history,’’ Jeter told the Associated Press, after equaling the Iron Horse's hit total with three base knocks Wednesday night. “What he stood for, being a captain, he’s probably one of the classiest people to ever play the game.’’
The same can be said for Jeter, who, unlike too many big-name athletes and celebrities, has exhibited grace and dignity on and off the diamond.
Whether you like the Yankees or hate them, you can’t help but respect the way Jeter plays the game and comports himself.

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I’m OK with the firing of offensive coordinator Turk Schonert and left tackle Langston Walker. I just wish the moves had been made at the end of last season and not a week before the Bills play their season opener in Foxboro against the New England Patriots.
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How about Schonert criticizing his former boss, Dick Jauron, for running a "Pop Warner" offense? I think Schonert should apologize – not to Jauron, but to Pop Warner football teams across America. Heck, comparing them to an NFL unit that produced just three points in 15 possessions this summer is a terrible insult.
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I don’t care if Tom Brady is rustier than an old Lackawanna steel mill, how are the Bills going to compete Monday night with three offensive line starters who’ve never taken a regular-season NFL snap? Tell me Bill "The Genius'' Belichick isn't licking his chops while preparing for this one.
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Now that Trent Edwards has gotten his way and gotten rid of his offensive coordinator, I think it’s high time he mans up and shows us he has the stuff it takes to be an NFL quarterback.
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Although Greg Paulus threw an interception that cost Syracuse a shot at a win last Saturday against Minnesota, I was thoroughly impressed with his command on the field. It’s pretty obvious his confidence was contagious as the Orange men played with more fire than we’ve seen in some time.
Even Joe Paterno, whose Penn State team hosts SU Saturday, noticed the difference.
“Paulus helped them tremendously,’’ Joe Pa said of the former Duke point guard. “He’s a guy who’s used to winning, who likes to compete. He has them believing they can play with anybody.’’
That said, I still think the Nittany Lions roll the Orange this week. But I don’t believe it’s going to be as bad as last year in the Dome when Penn State eviscerated them, 55-13.

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I was kind of surprised that former Syracuse forward Paul Harris was invited to the Utah Jazz training camp. Don't get me wrong, he’s a great athlete, but at 6-3 and change, he’s not big enough to be a forward and he doesn’t have the jump shot to be a guard.
I still think he would have made a fabulous tight end, but he told me long ago that football never appealed to him because he doesn’t like to get hit.

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