Sporting news

A few sports thoughts following an eventful weekend ...

-- The Yankees failed to reach the World Series with A-Rod, they can fail to reach the World Series without him. Let him go.

-- One of my buddies, a Jets season-ticket holder, wondered if Eric Mangenius really is the next Bill Belichick. My friend compares Mangini's time with Jets to Belichick's stint with the Browns. If so, the question is this: Which team will Mangini be cheating with to win Super Bowls in about 10 years?

-- The Giants won a game in London -- that's all that matters. I couldn't care less about the final score, or Eli Manning's passing numbers, or the team's scoreless second half. The only thing that matters was the 'W.' Now it's a bye week before Dallas visits the Meadowlands.

-- So the New England Yankees won the World Series. That makes it three in 89 years. Good for them. I hope they sign A-Rod on their way to supplanting the Yankees as the team with the highest payroll. :)

Trent Green needs a kick in the head

Is Trent Green serious?

Bruce is right (sort of)

I agree with Bruce Springsteen that we've seen some things in the past six years that, as Americans, we thought we'd never see.

Let me list a few:

A former U.S. President (Jimmy Carter) visiting Fidel Castro's Cuba.

Paris Hilton.

An ombudsman hired by the New York Times.

The New York Times ombudsman concluding newspaper did have a liberal bias in coverage of certain social issues.

Phil Mickelson winning major golf championships.

$3 per gallon gasoline

Osama bin Laden evading capture and/or death.

And, perhaps the most amazing, the Boston Red Sox winning the World Series.

See, Bruce was right.

Springsteen and Me

I'm going to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in concert tomorrow night at Philly. It's the third stop on the band's "Magic" tour.

Although the sound of Bruce's new album is upbeat and definitely a return to good Rock and Roll -- not that I disliked "Devils & Dust" or the "Seeger Sessions"; in fact, I enjoyed both albums -- many of the "Magic" lyrics contain political and social messages.

Since Springsteen's political beliefs and mine appear to be quite different -- e.g. I sat out the Vote For Change Tour, Bruce did not -- it might be surprising that I still pay to purchase Springsteen's albums and see him in person.

But you see, I got into Springsteen's music when he largely sang about girls, cars, the beach and friendships. He hailed from the Jersey Shore (me from Staten Island, N.Y.) and played good hard rock.

Through the years, Bruce and I have grown. Grown apart in some ways, sure, but also we've endured our respective lives and experiences.

While I believe some of Bruce's messages and frustrations are, at times, a bit misguided, I still enjoy good music ... make that GREAT music, and getting my money's worth.

Tomorrow night, I expect to get both.

Even if Bruce would prefer that I get the message instead.