The Sports Insanity Network

TWIW – This Week In Wrestling 7/18/22 – 7/22/22

By Jeff Knapp

The biggest news of the week was Friday when Vincent Kennedy McMahon officially retired from the WWE. Good or bad, Vince changed the wrestling business forever.

It was announced that Ric Flair’s last match on July 31 in Nashville, TN will be a tag team match and he will partner with his son in law Andrade El Idolo vs Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal

As it stands right now the card will be as follows (in no real order)

Impact World Championship Match: Josh Alexander vs. Jacob Fatu

Impact Knockouts Championship Match: Jordynne Grace vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Rachael Ellering

The Wolves vs. The Motor City Machine Guns

Killer Kross vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.

Clark Connors vs. Ren Narita

Laredo Kid vs. Bandido vs. Taurus vs. Rey Fenix

The Von Erichs vs. The Briscoes

Bunkhouse Battle Royal

Ric Flair and Andrade El Idolo vs. Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship Match: Trevor Murdoch vs Tyrus (after Billy Corgan stripped Nick Aldis of his opportunity at the title live on Busted Open Radio

Bully Ray vs Mike Knox in tables match

NWA President Billy Corgan announced that at the NWA 74th Anniversary show, we will see the return of the NWA United States Tag Team Championships

WWE – RAW

This week we saw Carmella challenge and lose to Bianca Belair once again for the Raw Women’s Championship.

After Damien Priest defeated Rey Mysterio, he told Dominik to join the Judgment Day, or he would destroy his father. He agrees to join, but Priest told him that’s not how it works.

This was a hard show to get behind but did have its moment. KO-Bro? I’d take anything Owens is involved in, and the Riddle vs Rollins at SummerSlam? That will be another amazing match and could be match of the night.

The 24/7 champion was once again passed around like a collection plate at a church. It’s enjoyable for the entertainment value of a laugh

Finally, to end the night Ciampa tries to attack Logan Paul, but his attempt is thwarted and now The Miz has to accept Paul’s SummerSlam challenge. Logan really did impress me at Wrestlemania, just like Bad Bunny did and both men have earned my respect for all the time and effort that put into preparing for their respective matches.

One of my biggest gripes that Raw is a 3 hour show that has 7 matches, but only for a total of under an hour and they could have gotten at least 90 minutes of wrestling in there.

NXT

In an overall better wrestling product, NXT gave us 5 really good matches this week including the debut of Axiom, who is supposed to be a mathematical genius or something? I’m not positive about the gimmick, but I’m guessing he uses match to solve how to escape different holds? Either way, this was a fun match and hope to see more from him with higher profile opponents.

Now, in my opinion, Cameron Grimes vs JD McDonagh was the match of the night, but Roderick Strong put on another great showing against Damon Kemp, and it would be a shame to see him leave. Not sure what would happen to the Diamond Mine of he left. Speaking of the DM, the promo with the Creed Brothers had great passion and I hope they keep it up.

I am a fan of Joe Gacy and his odd peace / doomsday gimmick, but ENOUGH with the name changes. The Grizzled Young Veterans are now known as Joe Gacy’s Dyads. James Drake is now Jagger Reid and Zack Gibson is now Rip Fowler. Why? Just bring in some new performance talent that are ready to step up to the plate. They were a solid tag team and I’m sure could remain that, but this is just bad booking.

The night ended with the return of Zoe Starks. She had a lot of great tools and sadly she got hurt and was out for a while before she could get some real traction behind her. Of course, being that she is returning and in a battle royal, you have to win. Forget any ring rust or the momentum of any of the other wrestlers. I’m just glad it wasn’t Cora Jade, Lash Legend or Tiffany Stratton.

AEW – DYNAMITE

Dynamite started out like a ball of fire with Darby vs Brody King. Darby put up one hell of a fight. It had its pros and cons. The pros were how hard hitting and entertaining the match was, but the cons were the near-death experiences I saw Darby either perform himself or that crazy piledriver type move Brody finished him off with. I hate having to close my eyes, yell of S**t more than once per match. I’ve always been a bit scared for the safety of the wrestlers, but after that horrible bump that broke Big Es neck a few months ago, I never want to see that happen to any wrestler again.

Moxley and Wheeler Yuta took on and defeated Best Friends in another great match that both these teams can have. Chuck Taylor is very underrated and gets a lot of slack for some of the artistic things he did while in PWG and other indy promotions, but I give him an A for inventiveness. He did the slow motion and pants grenade spots. I wouldn’t want to see that on TV, but as an overall performer along with Trent they are great together.

After some time off from the beatdown, Jungle Boy returns to AEW and just when Christian thought Luchasaurus was going to attack Jungle Boy, he stood beside him. Now, how will Cage get his revenge and who will stand beside him now?

Absolute Ricky Starks comes out to defend his FTW championship in an open challenge, which is answered by Cole Karter, who is the reincarnated Troy “Two Dimes” Donovan from NXT. Donovan doesn’t sound like a made guys last name, but it was a WWE idea. Although Starks retained the title, we got to see more of Karter than just some, well whatever it was the WWE had for him. Good for him.

After the match, Starks said he was ready to defend his FTW title again, and this brought out the very nice and very evil Danhausen. Starks looked shocked and said he didn’t mean right now but will face him next week. If Danhausen captures the title, the roof will come off the building since the AEW faithful absolutely adore him.

In tag team action we saw Athena & Willow Nightingale take on the TBS Champion Jade Cargill & one of her baddies Kiera Hogan. Although Jade got the pinfall over Willow, she is loved by that crowd and who can blame them. She has this energy and spirit that is contagious. She’s young and will learn and grow, but the fans are behind her 100% from what I can tell and I’m one of them.

In the main event it was “The Painmaker” Chris Jericho facing Eddie Kingston in a barbed wire anywhere match. I enjoyed this match, but my biggest gripe was the amount of time this match was given. I was hoping for at least another 10 minutes. The bookers could have cut out the entire Tony Nese gets knocked out by some rapper in the front row segment.

IMPACT

Women’s tag team VXT started things off against Jordynne Grace and Mia Yim, who will face each other at Emergence. Mia got double teamed and was pinned by Purrazzo. Both teams need time together to get some type of rhythm since it was ehh at best.

In what was the match of the night, X-Division champion Mike Bailey defended his title against VBD’s Deaner. Bailey’s been showcased quite well lately so I know what I’m getting, but this match really let us see how Deaner can go on his own and it was great to see.

The main event saw Alex Shelley defeat his MCMG partner Chris Sabin to become the #1 contender to the Impact World Championship and will now face Josh Alexander at Emergence.

After the match, VBD came down and attacked but they were saved by The Time Splitter, Kushida.

WWE – SMACKDOWN

Stephanie came out to start the show and announce her father’s retirement and led the crowd with a “Thank you Vince” chant

Ludwig Kaiser with the WWE Intercontinental champion Gunter at ringside defeated Shinsuke Nakamura with some assistance from Gunter. After the match Kaiser had his hand raised by the champ and then his chest was hit with those meat hooks again this week even though he won. Tough love I guess

Raquel Rodriguez had another strong outing, this time against Sonya Deville who keeps getting put in last minute matches by Adam Pierce because she can’t stop running her mouth and that gets her in trouble.

Leading up to the tag team championship at Summerslam, which might steal the show the Usos teamed up with Theory to face the Street Profits and Madcap Moss. Just when the Usos thought they were going to walk out on Theory, the tables get turned and Theory walks out on them, only to be super-kicked and thrown back into the ring and eventually defeated.

After the match Brock Lesnar came out and totally kicked the daylights out of Theory, giving him 2 F5s, one which was on the MITB briefcase. This was a great surprise, since it was all over the dirt sheets that Brock walked out of when he heard the news of Vince’s retirement.

Deal In The Desert

By : Mike Rifkin

On Thursday the Arizona Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray agreed to a five year 230 Million dollar contract with 160 Million guaranteed. Murray’s 46.1 Million in average annual salary is second behind Aaron Rodgers. Murray had two years and 35 Million dollars left on his rookie contract.

In his career Murray has a 66.9 completion percentage 11,480 yards, 70 touchdowns and 34 interceptions with a 93.8 QBR. Murray has also run for 1,786 yards and 20 touchdowns. The last two seasons Murray has gotten off to MVP caliber starts and down the stretch he and the team faded.

This chart shows Murray’s decline down the stretch of the last two seasons. Last year Murray and the Cardinals started the season 9-2 before their bye week, and went 2-4 down the stretch. The Cardinals still made the playoffs and lost to the Rams in the Wild Card Round. Murray was 19-34 for 137 yards and two interceptions including one returned for a touchdown. Part of the reason Murray struggled down the stretch last season was due to the absence of Deandre Hopkins who had an MCL injury. Hopkins will now miss the first six games of the season due to a failed drug test. The Cardinals did acquire Murray’s former college teammate Hollywood Brown from the Ravens to help the receiving group.

After the season Murray unfollowed the team on social media in hopes of getting a new deal. Murray still had two years left on his contract, but the Cardinals had to pay him. They had to pay him not because of the social media unfollow but because they extended head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Because Kingsbury was brought in and immediately told the team to draft Murray first overall they were tied together. If I was Steve Keim I would have had Murray play out this season and then decide if the extension is warranted, but the same should have been for Kingsbury before they gave him his contract. This situation could really blow up in the face of Keim.

Is Kyler Murray an electrifying player? Yes. Is he worthy of this contract? As of right now I would say no. He needs to put the last two seasons behind him and have a consistent season. There will be a lot of heat in the desert for Murray to live up to this contract.

CAMERON SMITH WINS THE BRITISH OPEN

By Ross Mazin

Cameron Smith is you’re 2022 British Open winner, and it was a well-earned victory. Before the open began he was not even in my top 5 to win this tournament. He was cool calmed and collective during these four rounds. He shot rounds of 67,64,73,64 making him 20 under par for the tournament. The third round was a little tough with weath and some bad luck but he got rid of the yips and took care of business. With this win, he has now won the British Open Championship and the PGA Championship in his career, which is more than many golfers accomplish on the pro circuit in their time on the tour.

The course at St Andrew’s is one of the more challenging courses and probably the most legendary in the world. This course is where the game of golf was invented. This course is steeped in rich history and reverence. To get the chance to play on this famous course is an honor. It is like playing in the original Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden, and Texas Stadium, as it is never short of a superstar. This course will test a golfer’s mental aptitude. Weather is just one of the many factors that will challenge a golfer on this esteemed course. The course is designed with traps, Hazzard, and at times, visibility issues which anyone will tell you if you can’t see where it’s going just yell “FORE.”

Cameron Smith has quietly become one of my favorite golfers on this year’s tour. He is just an overall gentlemanly golfer, and with all the changes going on with the LIV signing more and more players, this will give Cameron the chance to be a clear shot at being in the top ten in the PGA in the world.

JEFF MCNEIL’S RETURN TO FORM

By Mark Halpern

Picture it Queens 2018; a young 2nd baseman is promoted from AAA to the majors to become a staple in the Mets organization. Jeff Mcneil has done the same thing every day he steps out onto the ball field, and that is to give his team the best shot to win the game no matter what the cost. Jeff McNeil is 30 years old and really in the prime of his baseball career, and this year he has returned to the 2019 version of himself. The Mets have plenty of Mega and Superstars, and Jeff is just one of those stars in this constellation. This Mets team is special with Alonso, Lindor, Marte, McNeil, Nimmo, Scherzer, and DeGrom, and in the minors, the Mets have three young studs ready to make their big league arrival. McNeil is just one cog in a giant machine, but he has been the Mets unsung hero, in my opinion.

In Jeff’s first three seasons with the Mets, his batting average was .319, his OPS .868, his slugging percentage was .485, his OBP was .382, and his play in the field was pretty flawless. You look at those numbers, and you see an above-average ball player who doesn’t get the recognition and spotlight a player like that should get. However, with every up, there is a down, and for McNeil, 2021 was his downfall. All those stats that i mentioned above dropped better than half a point across the board. He was very injury ridden and was also learning to play the outfield because the Mets had traded with the Mariners, which brought Robinson Cano to play second (A colossal failure, in my opinion). At the time, the Mets had no interest in trading McNeil, and thank goodness they didn’t.

This year from the start of spring training to the moment I am writing this, you hear his name much more than ever. The Jeff McNeil we all came to love has returned. Jeff has come to a complete 180-degree turnaround. Through the first half of this year, he is slashing .300/.452/.816 also to go along with four home runs, 38 runs scored, and 35 rbi’s. These are the type of stats the Mets need from a player like McNeil. Consistency is always better than power in this case.

McNeil hasn’t shown off the power on home runs, but that doesn’t matter if he is producing offense in other ways. He is not super-fast, but he runs the bases well. Jeff has two stolen bases on the year, and again he is doing this to help this team win. His play in the outfield has been good, but not as good when he plays second, in my opinion. Jeff hustles not only on the base paths, but he lays his body out for any ball that is close and is not afraid to go for those long outfield catches that he might hit the wall. Jeff is the type of player all teams want. He plays hard every game, he doesn’t make excuses when he is slumping (which happens to all of us), and he is one of the most indispensable and irreplaceable Mets on the current roster. Jeff earned his way on the all-star team this year originally as an alternate, but due to injuries of some players, he got to start alongside Alonso. Also, right before the all-star break, he and his wife welcomed a new baby boy, and they brought their little bundle of joy to the event. Jeff took pictures on the national stage with his wife and child with him, and the smiles were ear to ear.

I genuinely hope Jeff keeps this up and, if he does, will be a featured piece of the Mets organization for years to come.

SIN’S BLITZER OFFSEASON RECAP

With Training Camp on the horizon here is how we viewed the offseason.

Team that improved the most this offseason?

Mark- When you look at it Miami has really put the extra time and work to make them a favorite in AFC east this year. With the additions of Hill and Cedric Wilson along with Waddle are going to have very big stat seasons as long as these 3 are healthy.

Bill – I am going to say the Los Angeles Chargers with Khalil Mack trade and beefing up their Defensive line with Sebastian Joseph Day and Austin Johnson. .

Mike: The Los Angeles Chargers had a -1 turnover differential last season and had 35 sacks. How did they fix that they added JC Jackson and Khalil Mack to an already stacked defense in what will be a very competitive AFC West.

Jeff – The Jets greatly improved. During free agency they added a big hoss upfront with Laken Tomlinson, who only gave up 2 sacks and committed 5 penalties while playing about 1,100 snaps. They also added DB help with the addition of DJ Reed, who was near the top of the list in tackles for a DB. During the draft, they filled much needed holes, with a shutdown DB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, a burner at WR in Garrett Wilson and ACC Defensive Player of the year, DE Jermaine Johnson II

Patch-Man You have to give credit to Miami They went out and got Tyreek Hill on a 4 year deal along with getting Teddy Bridgewater who will back up Tua Tagovailoa and added other players such as OG Connor Williams OT Terron Armstead, WR cedrick Wilson Jr and RB Chase Edmonds. All of this with expression of Bridgewater will help Tua in the end cause it help improve the team on offense and with new head coach Mike Mcdaniel at helm Miami can definitely be a wildcard contender not saying a division frontrunner yet until the season gets started.

Ross- the New York Jets. Especially during the draft with getting a great supporting cast for Wilson.

Quarterback under the most pressure this season?

Mark- The Quarterback who has to perform is Daniel Jones if he has a poor season he will be on the outside looking in. Even though my expectation is he only lasts 3 -4 games before being replaced

Mike : Tua Tagovailoa. Yes this is a bit of a homer pick but the Dolphins went out and added Tyreek Hill, Terron Armstead, Raheem Mostert, and Chase Edmonds to what was a inconsistent offense last season if Tua doesn’t improve the Dolphins have the ammo to upgrade the quarterback position in the offseason.

Bill- Daniel Jones after they declined his fifth year option , this is a total prove it year for him. Going into his fourth season he has not had a winning season. Maybe with a new offense minded coach with Brian Daboll he can be molded into an NFL Quarterback

Jeff – Daniel Jones has the most amount of pressure on him. A high first round pick that has regressed in every category each year, who was sacks half the number of times as Joe Burrow and put up a fraction of his numbers. He is in the last year of his contract, since the Giants declined his 5th year option making him a free agent after the season, but now has to contend with journeyman veteran QB Tyrod Taylor, who was playing pretty well in Houston before losing his job to injury.

Patch-Man- Daniel Jones it’s simple his numbers are not bad I mean 45-29 TD-INT ratio in 4 years is not great and it’s not terrible this stents from that he is in New York and that old NY mentaly comes in if you are not great off the bat we don’t want you anymore. Also with it being the last year of his contract, maybe the NY Giants not picking up the last year of his contract is going to be lighting the fire under him to see if he can prove that he is worth a contract extension. Put it this way, if Jones and the Giants are not over .500 by the halfway point of the season the Daniel Jones Experiment will be over in NY and Tyrod Taylor will be in and the Giants will be getting a new QB at the 2023 NFL Draft. Where Jones goes after that if that happens who knows we will half to wait and see.

Ross- Zach Wilson has to improve this year. The organization made it a priority to surround the former second overall pick with talent.

Which first year head coach will win the most games?

Mark- Darrell Bevel of the Jags has the best shot of a 9 game win season. With a revamped team and some good signings this team is packed with talent and 9 wins will not get them into the playoffs but they will be contenders. You also have to give the Accountants/Lawyers on that team some credit with how contracts are worked and making sure the money is there with no violations.

Mike: Dennis Allen: Sean Payton’s former DC will get Michael Thomas back healthy and with the additions of Chris Olave and Jarvis Landry with Alvin Kamara the Saints offense should do damage. Defense should continue to be very good the Saints are a sleeper team to get to the Super Bowl.

Jeff- Although the Raiders and the Broncos have improved, they are in a tough division alongside the Chiefs, I will also have to say the New Orleans Saints’s Dennis Allen. Not only will they get a returning Jameis Winston and a healthy Michael Thomas, but they also added Jarvis Landry, and although they are going against the Bucs, who might sweep them both times, they have surefire wins against the Panthers, Falcons and Browns.

Bill – I am going with Nathaniel Hackett , I think we are going to have see how he works with Russell Wilson after seeing his work with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. This is a Bronco team that is ready to win games.

Patch-Man Nathaniel Hackett with Denver trading for Russel Wilson this gives Denver the best shot minus the 2021 season Wilson has had a winning season since he entered the league in 2012. With this also being a fresh start for Wilson Wilson will be out to prove that he can work with a new head coach. Yes the AFC West is tough when you have quarterbacks such as Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert in it but i think Nathaniel Hackett and Wilson can get the job done and split division play and get a 10 game win season

What offseason addition will have the biggest impact?

Mark- I think that the addition of Tyreek Hill The dolphins are trying to win it this year. He will make Waddle better. I expect with the addition of Hill, Waddle is going to be even better than last season. With the addition of Mostert they now have a running game which they were seriously lacking last yr.

Mike: Von Miller. The one thing the Bills defense needed was a legit pass rusher. Miller was really good for the Rams on their way to the Super Bowl. He should do big things in Buffalo.

Jeff – The Broncos addition of Russell Wilson. Adding a franchise QB and possible future hall of famer will be what the Broncos need to challenge the rest of the teams in a strong AFC West

Bill- Davante Adams , I believe him reuniting with Derek Carr who he played with at Fresno State will be a beautiful thing. Adding Adams to an offense with Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow and Josh Jacobs the Raiders offense should be able to score.

Patch-Man – Denver getting Russel Wilson this will bring some life to the Broncos as they have been struggling since they Peyton Manning era where they last one the Super bowl at SB 50. The Trade also just made the whole AFC West competitive and probably at a QB standpoint the best QB Division you have KC and Mahomes LAC and Herbert and LV and Carr. When it comes to the Division you will see that no team will win all their in division games and see a lot of splitting and this can make the case that this will be a close division as well.

Ross- George Karlfatis : The Chiefs had 31 sacks last season, the only teams with less were the Lions, Eagles and Falcons. Karlaftis should definitely help generate more of a pass rush for the Chiefs defense.

Head Coach under the most pressure?

Adam – Matt Rhule. It’s time for the Panthers to take that next step.

Mark- Mike McCarthy anything short of Super Bowl then Sean Payton is next Dallas head coach. McCarthy has NFC winning team possible its entrant for the Super bowl. If Dallas isn’t in the Super bowl than he is gone.

Mike: Matt Rhule. The Panthers have talent everywhere on the field but they need to upgrade the quarterback position. If Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield don’t play well enough again it will cost Rhule his job.

Jeff – Brandon Staley of the LA Chargers. This is Justin Herbert’s 4th year under a rookie contract. No playoff appearances in 3 years. Last year they were 2nd in passing yards, 5th in passing TDs, tied for 6th in rushing TDs, 3rd in scoring, had 2 players with 1000 receiving, 3 players with 99 or more tackles, Joey Bosa had 10.5 sacks. They also added Khalil Mack and Kyle Van Noy on defense. They have a real shot at making the playoffs, but if they don’t make it, tons of injuries notwithstanding, then Staley could be out in LA

Patch-Man – Mike McCarthy he has had one winning season (2021) where he went 12-5 and lost in first round of the playoffs to SF 49ers and his first season with Dallas (2020) where he went 6-10 granted Dak Prescott got hurt that year so who knows how the season would have ended. But coming into his third season as the Cowboys head coach he is under the most pressure because looking at the NFC East he has the best team and should easily win the Division and if so when it comes to playoff time he needs to take the Cowboys on a run instead of being one and done. If the Cowboy make the playoffs and go one and done or have a losing season Owner Jerry Jones will have to make the decision to weather to keep McCarthy or fire him and go Head Coach shopping at the end of season.

Would you rather trade for Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo? (Note this was written before Baker was traded)

Adam – Jimmy Garoppolo : Garoppolo led the Niners to a Super Bowl appearance. In the right system Garoppolo can still be a very good quarterback.

Mark- Baker to me has the bigger upside with his arm and vision on the field. Baker also has a lot to prove that he is a top 12 QB in the NFL. With the Watson decision looming Baker could see a huge 1 yr contract and if he shows off well enough like we know he can then he will be the hottest FA next season.

Mike: This is a tough call for me but I lean towards Baker because the Browns adding Deshaun Watson should put a chip on his shoulder, and if he goes to the right situation (Seattle) Baker could flourish quickly.

Jeff – I’d take Jimmy G. Since 2019, Jimmy’s had a better starting record, better completion%, less Ints, almost a 12 points higher Quarterback rating and has taken 33 less sacks. Over 37 games, he’s 25-12 as a starter compared to Baker who is 23-23 over 46 games as a starter. He’s also won in the playoffs and Baker hasn’t been there yet.

Bill – I am going to say Jimmy G , he has more experience . My thing with Baker is needs to gain confidence back after the whole Deshaun Watson situation and see if he will be starting in Carolina.

Patch-Man I would go for Baker because of the Browns decision to go out and get Deshaun Watson before his case is settled and what the league will do with him. Baker Needs help and The Browns instead of trying to get more help for him went out and basically said screw you we want a new qb and saying its all his fault not ours. I like Jimmy Garoppolo but how many times is he going to be hot and cold? If you watch Garoppolo play when he has help he is hot but when that help is not there he is cold as ice. If you get Baker a new team and a fresh start i think he will go out and show that he belongs in NFL and that the Browns should have gotten him more help instead of going out and getting a QB who is off the field issues that have not been settled and that his suspension from the NFL has not been handed out yet. Now that we know Baker has a new home with the Carolina Panthers he will do his best to win the starting position to get that Week one matchup against the Browns .

Ross- Baker Mayfield

Which Quarterback are you more willing to give a long term contract to Lamar or Kyler?

Ross- Lamar Jackson : Lamar has won an MVP. Kyler at times has been very inconsistent.

Adam – Lamar Jackson certainly warrants a contract extension more than Kyler Murray in my opinion. Lamar was a league MVP just

Mark- Both are very accomplished Quarterbacks but after seeing the immaturity of Murray in the off season and play over the last 2 years it’s Lamar all the way. Lamar brings more to the table with his running ability. Jimmy has played well but just not well enough.

Mike : Lamar has won an MVP. Kyler the last two seasons has faded down the stretch and here is the thing Kyler should get an extension by way of Kliff Kingsbury getting one but I would be more comfortable handing one to Lamar Jackson.

Jeff – This is hard because Lamar is more versatile, and Kyler seems to be a bit more accurate of a passer. Kyler has only 1 playoff appearance that he lost and Lamar, who is an MVP has a 1-3 record in the playoffs. Lamar deserves it more at this point, but with all his running, I’d be a little scared of injury. Lamar’s 37-12 record vs Kyler’s 22-23 record, his MVP and he has more come back wins and game winning drives than Kyler. I might change my mind in a year or 2, but right now I’d stick with Lamar Jackson.

Bill- Lamar , I think he is a better running QB and he has a better record . Kyler only has one winning season and one playoff appearance. Lamar has won MVP.

Patch-Man This is interesting because at this time i think neither deserve a long term deal both QBs have their flaws. Jackson in four seasons is 37-12 at qb which is great but is 1-3 in postseason he is a great running qb in the age of the running qb but his postseason performance is subpar because its like he does great all regular season but come playoffs its like he cracks under pressure. Murray in three seasons with Arizona is 22-23-1 which its not great or terrible it’s ok. His immaturity off the field does not help his case for a long term deal but age could play into that giving he is only 24 and he entered the league at 22. But with the Cardinals picking up his fifth year option it might show that the Cardinals are giving him one more chance to prove that he deserves the deal. So at this point I can’t give an answer who deserves a long term deal. At the halfway point of the season I might be able to give an answer.

MLB Awards

By: Mike Rifkin

With the MLB All Star Game upon us here is how I would vote for each award.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

MVP : Aaron Judge – Yankees : Judge on Sunday tied a Yankees record by hitting his 33rd Home Run before the All Star Break. His 70 RBI’S are the most for a Yankee in 12 seasons. Every time the Yankees needed a big hit Judge has been the guy that has delivered. Other candidates: Yordan Alvarez (HOU), Shohei Ohtani (LAA)

Cy Young/Comeback Player Of The Year : Justin Verlander – Astros : 12-3 with a 1.89 ERA and 108 strikeouts two years after Tommy John Surgery. Verlander has been great for the first place Astros. Cy Young Other candidates : Shane McClanahan ( Rays) Dylan Cease ( White Sox), Shohei Ohtani (Angels) Comeback Player Of The Year other candidate : Mike Trout (Angels)

Manager Of The Year : Scott Servais – Mariners: Yes this is more of what is currently happening here as the Mariners have won 14 consecutive games prior to the break. The Mariners currently own the second wild card in the AL. Other candidate : Aaron Boone (Yankees), Terry Francona (Guardians), Brandon Hyde (Orioles)

Rookie Of The Year : Julio Rodriguez – Mariners : Rodriguez is four home runs shy of a 20/20 season. He already has 21 stolen bases and has a slash line of .275/.337.477. Other candidates: Jeremy Pena (Astros), Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals)

National League

MVP : Paul Goldschmidt – Goldschmidt leads the NL in Average, On Base Percentage, Slugging percentage, OPS, and runs scored. He is top ten in Home Runs and is second in RBI. Goldschmidt leads the Cardinals in all offensive categories all while still playing Gold Glove First Base. Where would the Cardinals be without Goldschmidt? Other Candidates: Pete Alonso (Mets), Austin Riley (Braves), Manny Machado (Padres), Freddie Freeman (Dodgers)

Cy Young : Sandy Alcantra : Marlins – 13 consecutive starts of going at least seven innings is where I start this. Alcantra (who should start the ASG for the NL) is 9-4 with a 1.76 ERA. And if he had more offensive support he could have a better record. Other Candidates : Max Fried (Braves), Tony Gonsolin (Dodgers), Corbin Burnes (Brewers), Carlos Rodon (Giants)

Manager Of The Year : Buck Showalter – Mets – Showalter has led the Mets to a very impressive first half. Jacob DeGrom has not thrown a pitch in the Majors and Max Scherzer missed six weeks due to an oblique injury yet the Mets are still in first place in the East. This team has taken on the personality of their manager. Other Candidates : Brian Snitker (Braves), Bob Melvin (Padres)

Rookie Of The Year : Spencer Strider – Braves : Strider has one of the better mustaches in baseball currently as well as sporting a 3.03 ERA. Strider has come out of the bullpen and started for the Braves. He has 114 strikeouts in 74.1 innings pitched. Other Candidates : Michael Harris (Braves), Nolan Gorman (Cardinals), Seiya Suzuki (Cubs)

Comeback Player Of The Year : Ronald Acuna Jr.- Braves: Acuna tore his ACL last season. The Braves were very cautious with the young superstar and he has been very good since returning to the lineup Acuna has a slash line of .265/.363/.413. Showing no after affects of the injury Acuna already has 20 stolen bases this season.

Mets Unsung Hero

By : Mike Rifkin

The New York Mets have gotten a lot of contributions throughout the first half of this season. David Peterson, Trevor Williams, Colin Holderman, Yoan Lopez, and Adonis Medina have contributed to help a pitching staff that has had some injuries. Offensively Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, Starling Marte, Jeff McNeil and Francisco Lindor have been fantastic.

But the guy who has been doing it all for the Mets has been Luis Guillorme. Guillorme has been one of the team’s better defenders over the years, but this year he has gotten more playing time and has excelled. Guillorme has been stellar defensively creating a great combination up the middle with Lindor, but wherever he plays Guillorme has been sensational defensively. Guillorme’s offense has been good as well he has a slash line of .294/.372/.371 with Two Home Runs and Ten RBI’S. Guillorme has had a lot of big hits for the Mets this year including two in the series this past week against the Braves in helping the Mets win two of three.

Everything Guillorme gives the team offensively is a bonus because he plays Gold Glove caliber defense at Second Base, Third Base, and Short Stop. As the first half comes to a close on Sunday I think it is fair to ask where would the New York Mets be without Luis Guillorme?

DONOVAN MITCHELL TO THE KNICKS A PIPE DREAM BUT A POSSIBILITY

By Mark Halpern

As pointed out to me by Mike Rifken (Host of SIN Podcasts) last night that the Knicks haven’t had a superstar on their bench since Carmelo Anthony. During our podcast last night, I stopped and thought for a few seconds, and he is right. We haven’t had a true Superstar player on the Knicks in a very long time. We have and had plenty of stars but no real Super Star. Donovan Mitchell would change that immediately in New York. As Dan Ryans says, “Bring him home,” and I agree 100% with him. However, it’s not just as simple as a phone call. He would have to be traded to them, which is where things become dicey.

Everyone from ESPN-tiny affiliates has been putting together their version of what they think it will take to bring Mitchell here. The Knicks aren’t the only ones making offers, so time is of the essence. The Knicks did a fantastic job on draft night by acquiring numerous first-round picks in a multitude of trades. The Knicks have something many teams don’t, and that is a good crop of very young players to offer. These players are Quintin Grimes, Deuce McBride, Immanuel Quickly, and Obi Toppin. The Knicks also have some vets who they are willing to part with, and they are Julius Randle & Derrick Rose. The Knicks have said that R.J. Barrett is Untouchable (meaning they won’t move him under any circumstances.)

Instead of going Reporter by Reporter, Station by Station, and Analyst by Analyst of the trades they think should be offered. I will give you my offer, and you can compare it to yours and anyone else with an opinion on this matter. The first thing the Knicks will need to offer is draft picks. The Knicks have a lot of these, and they are all first-round picks. Considering we are talking Mitchell, here is my best offer.

6 first round picks (covering various years)
Immanuel Quickly
Quintin Grimes
Julius Randle
Obi Toppin. Note he is one player I want to see build into a superstar in this organization but to obtain the best, you have to offer the best you have to get it.

I think this offer is more than fair to obtain Donovan Mitchell. I know teams want McBride, but I hold his defense and shooting ability higher than others. We will see if the Knicks and Jazz can come to terms on a deal involving one of today’s biggest SUPERSTARS and that is how the old man sees it.

HOMERUN DERBY 2022

BY Mark Halpern

We are just two days away from the most extraordinary event during the All-Star break, the Home Run Derby. This year’s field combines a bit of old and new players to the derby. Let’s take a look at them one by one.

PETE ALONSO: is your two-time defending Home Run Derby champ. He is not holding back on how excited he is to try and go for the 3-peat. He currently has 24 Home Runs at the halfway point, and we know that balls will travel better once the warmer weather comes. Pete is my pick to win this derby. Pete will be facing Ronald Acuna Jr.

Kyle Schwarber: Another powerful Home Run hitter. Kyle is the DH for the Phillies, and despite his awful BA .221, you should get noticed when you hit 28 home runs by the break. He has good power and sees through the ball. Kyle will be facing off against the great Albert Pujols.

Ronald Acuna Jr: One of my favorite ball players in the game who isn’t a New York Met. He is that 5 tool player we hoped he would be, but last year ended with a torn ACL, and he missed most of last year and a small portion of this season. He currently only has 8 home runs, but this young superstar can do much more than just what he accomplished. Especially returning from the ACL tear. Ronald will be facing off against Pete Alonso

Albert Pujols: This ball player doesn’t need any introduction. In 2001 Pujols came on the scene and made an immediate impact. His powerful swing and vision on the field are why he will be a future HOF. Albert gets one final chance to swing as hard as possible with no consequences. He should make a run even though, with playing time diminished, he only has 6 home runs on the year. Albert faces off against Kyle Schwarber. I have Pujols losing to Alonso

Juan Soto: This Washington National is one of the scarier participants in this derby. Soto is surrounded by rumors of whether he will remain a national or go somewhere else for a lot of money. Soto is an accomplished hitter who can hit all fields of play. His power and smooth swing make me think he will hit the farthest home run during the derby. Juan currently has 19 home runs on the year. Juan will face off against Jose Ramirez.

Julio Rodriguez: Can we make it official and give him the ROY title now. This young kid has transformed into an MLB star. Rodriguez takes everything seriously on the field. He is a great teammate and nice young welcome addition to the derby. Coming in with 16 home runs on the year, he is a young rookie with good power. Julio will be facing off against Corey Seager.

Jose Ramirez: I am glad he has decided to join. Jose has been the most consistent player in the Guardians organization over the past few years, hence why he got his extension. Ramirez is not only a home run hitter with power, but he can spray the ball all over the diamond. Jose is my wild card for this derby. Jose will face off against Juan Soto, and this round will be fun.

Corey Seager: Over the past few years, Corey Seager has been a dominant player for the Dodgers. Corey decided to up and move to the Rangers on a massive 10-year deal. Corey has 22 home runs and is batting a meager .246. He is a very experienced ball player and can swing the bat well. Corey will face off against the rookie Julio Rodriguez.

Over the past 5 derby’s, this one has the best lineup. A mix of rookies and old veterans whom all have the power to hit the ball a country mile and then some. Pete Alonso will defend his championship, but anyone participating has a chance. My Final Two will be Pete Alonso vs. Albert Pujols.

5 cities where the MLB should expand to.

By Lawrence Lang

With the recent talk of Major League Baseball wanting to expand to 32 teams, the question is, where does MLB go if they were to expand to 32 teams. Here are my top five cities that I think deserve an MLB team. Las Vegas and Montreal would be excluded since Vegas will most likely be the new Home of the Oakland A’s and Montreal be the new home of the Tampa Bay Rays if MLB approves the relocations of both Teams. For now, we leave both cities alone since they are the two major cities that would get a major league team again; let’s get to the list.

5. San Antonio, Texas – Since 1888 baseball has been in San Antonio with the San Antonio Mission being there since the inspection of the Original Texas League and have been there ever since and are currently the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. San Antonio has other sports teams in the area as well. The Spurs( NBA) and Stars (WNBA). Now with Houston Astros and Texas Rangers being MLB teams in the league, would that make a case for a third team in the Lone Star State? Well, Travel could be one from San Antonio to Houston is about a three-hour drive, and going from San Antonio to Dallas is just over a four-hour drive. Also interesting enough, when looking at a Texas map, the three cities create a triangle so that it could make for a great major league baseball trip. Plus, you could cut travel time for the other half of Texas if they want to see Major League Baseball. Baseball does exist on the west side of Texas, with El-Paso having the Chihuahuas sister farm team to the Mission and Triple-A affiliate to The Padres. Having Texas Get another team would be cool, especially in San Antonio since they have had baseball since the 19th Century, and it has remained for over 134 years. It shows that baseball can last, and MLB should pull the trigger here.

4. Indianapolis, Indiana – Now Minor League baseball is in Indiana having three teams that are affiliated with MLB teams. Fort Wayne Tincaps High-A affiliate to the San Diego Padres and the South Bend Cubs High-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs both play in the Midwest League. Then in Triple-A, The Indianapolis Indians are the Affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Indians were a part of the original member of the minor league American Association in 1902 and have been around ever since. Interestingly enough, the Indians play at Victory Field, a 15,000-seat stadium, and according to 2019 Attendance records, they were ranked fourth in attendance for the year. Now other sports do exist in Indianapolis. The Colts (NFL) and Pacers (NBA) are located here, and the famous Indianapolis motor speedway where the INDY 500 takes place. MLB can have a team here, especially if a minor league team is in the top five of attendees, and it also can bring some new rivalries in MLB. Detroit, Michigan, Chicago, Illinois, Cincinnati, Ohio, and St Louis, Missouri are in the surrounding area.

3. New Orleans, Louisiana. Interestingly, there is no Minor League Baseball team in Louisiana, and do you think either Baton Rouge or New Orleans would have at least a team? New Orleans is already a sports city with the Saints (NFL) and Pelicans (NBA). Adding baseball would be great because it would increase the tourist city’s revenue. It could also help bring minor league baseball to the state by adding the minor league teams in the state and having the teams in cities like Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, and Shreveport. Plus, if baseball can succeed in New Orleans, the National Hockey League might also consider an expansion team for them. Also, could you imagine an MLB All-Star Game down in New Orleans it’s already a fun week to watch, but it would be a big party as well because we all know New Orleans like to party!

2. Atlantic City, New Jersey. Now here is an interesting case because Jersey does have its sports team. It just happens to be that it’s pretty much minor league baseball. Granted, you have the New York Giants (NFL) and Jets (NFL), who play in East Rutherford. Yes, we can debate why they aren’t called the New Jersey Giants and Jets different time and place for that. So for them, it’s a hop and skip across the Hudson River. The New Jersey Devils (NHL) lost to the Nets (NBA) when they went across the Hudson to Brooklyn. So with the NBA out of Jersey, let’s give MLB a shot. New Jersey ready does have minor league baseball in Lakewood. You have the Jersey Shore Blueclaws High-A Affiliate to the Philadelphia Phillies. Bridgewater has the Somerset Patriots Double-A affiliate to the New York Yankees. Augusta has the Susses County Miners, and Little Falls has the New Jersey Jackals. Both play in the Frontier League, a partner league to the MLB. Finally, the Trenton Thunder, a former Double-A affiliate to the Yankees, is currently not affiliated with any MLB team after the Minor League baseball realignment but is part of the MLB Draft league for top Collegiate players that are draft-eligible. So baseball can last in Jersey. Why hasn’t MLB pulled the trigger in Jersey yet? Atlantic City would be perfect because it would be a good trip for the family that wants to go to AC and not gamble. Plus, it brings life to a city that is just synonymous with gambling. Plus, the Trenton, Miners, and Jackals could be your minor league farm system, and everything would be all in the state, so it helps with that. Plus, you could have a beautiful ocean view wherever you put the stadium. Who wouldn’t want that view of the ocean and the sounds of baseball? It would have you feeling like you’re on cloud 9. Yes, the possibility of hurricanes is possible, but that is something that MLB already deals with the Marlins and Rays playing in Florida. Baseball can work here because baseball is doing well in other gambling cities like Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Like the other cities listed above, Nashville, Tennessee, has other sports to fill up Tennessee. Nashville, you have the Tennessee Titans (NFL) and the Nashville Predators (NHL), plus in Memphis, you have the Memphis Grizzlies (NBA). Nashville is perfect because the Titans and Predators are already successful in the city. Plus, they have existed since 1978. The MLB would be foolish not to pull the trigger here because if a minor League team can last almost for 45 years, then it can deffinietly work here as well. It works; it could make a case for the NBA to consider maybe putting a team here as well, then Nashville would have all four major sports. Currently, in Nashville, a minor league team called the Nashville Sounds is a Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Nashville is already a tourist city with the Country Music hall of fame. Bumping the Sounds from Triple-A to an MLB team would probably boost revenue in the city, just a little as well, plus a payday in October. If the team were to make the playoffs, you could hit a three-run home run here and see the MLB team, the Titans, and Predators in a weekend getaway for sports. Now that to me sounds like heaven.

We will have to wait and see what MLB decides to do regarding an expansion. Any city that gets a team deserves it. Hopefully, it succeeds because if you’re able to bring a team to a city that doesn’t have one or upgrade persay a farm team to major league status. It just means they are expanding the game to give everyone a chance to see major league ball players play. Once again, these five cities are my thoughts, and me thinking outside the box. These five cities could work if done right, but for now, it is a wait-and-see game from MLB.