MONEY TALKS

By Mike Rifkin

According to reports Deshaun Watson has an early lead over Shedeur Sanders in the Browns Quarterback competition. In week seven of the 2024 season, Watson tore his Achilles, and suffered a setback last January. Sanders, last season played in eight games and had a 56.5 completion percentage, 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. 

This offseason the Browns hired former Ravens Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken to be the head coach. But, why this early in the offseason are the Browns talking about who is leading the competition?  It’ll be almost two years since Watson has taken a snap, and Shedeur showed some signs last season. Well, there is one answer, Watson is due to make 46 million dollars and it’s fully guaranteed. After the season, the Browns could void the contract ending this saga.

The Browns signed Watson to a fully guaranteed five year 250 million dollar contract after acquiring him from the Texans. The Browns gave up three firsts to get Watson, hoping he’d be the solution to a position that’s been a black hole for their organization. Since being acquired by the Browns, Watson has a 61.2 completion percentage, 3,365 yards (177.1 yards per game), 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 12 games played. 

Are either of these guys the future of the organization? Well, Watson will be 31 in September, while Shedeur is 24. So if either of the two has more of a long term future it’d be Sanders. But if this is about the money it’ll be Watson, but the ultimate question is are the Browns eyeing the 2027 draft for a potential franchise Quarterback? But if you erase the 2027 draft and the 46 million Watson makes, who would start? Based on results it should be Sanders, but let’s be honest it’s not like the Browns have been loaded at receiver for either Quarterback. 

It just seems odd to announce in April, who has the advantage. I’d wait until pads are on and enter training camp with a competition between the two. But the guy who should play more games in 2026 is Shedeur, he’s younger, more athletic and I can see if he is a potential franchise QB.

A 1/1 FOR THE AGES

BY MARK HALPERN

    As most of you may or may not know, I have been a Sport Card Hobby dealer in the Sport Card Business for the better part of the last 3 decades. Let me first address the title. A “1/1” is a specialized card with in a trading card set and it’s got that 1/1 symbol that means it’s the rarest one of those caeds for that player, of that card set and from that year. When 1/1’s broke into the market in the very late 1990’s early 2000’s they were so rare that some have not been unearthed. With some sets 1/1’s are more common today that sometimes they don’t even fetch the price that this type of card should command. Well throughout my 35 years in this business I have pulled plenty of newer 1/1’s, I have pulled some of the first ones when Fleer Metal released them and I have witnessed some very rare ones pulled right in front of me but, nothing could prepare me for what happened on Monday evening 4/26/2026.

     So, I am having surgery on this Friday 5/1/2026 and decided to buy into just one more product before my time is just to recover and let’s be honest going to need the money for after care after surgery. A great friend and Business owner Mark Mariano owner of R.B.I Baseball Breaks had 2 cases of Topps 2026 series 1 but from the Japan series which features some specialized Koi Fish and Cherry Blossom Borders. You still could get some of the same cards that are featured within the Topps Series 1 75th anniversary edition. As an avid collector and seeing the Mets available left to be purchased I wasted no time in claiming the spot. The question becomes what would I be chasing that I don’t already have from this years Topps set. Well Nolan Mclean and Jonah Tong chances of getting those specialized borders were what was my real motivation. If you have never watched two cases of Topps cards being broken it can be monotonous but, if you want to see the action you need to watch begin to end even if it’s a 3-hour break. Mark does a thorough job because sometimes Topps cards that are specialized can slip through so Mark takes extra time to make sure no one misses out on a special rare card.

     During the middle of the second case in one of the last two packs Mark notices a gold shimmer/gold vinyl colored card and this mean two things one it was numbered out of /50 or jus /1. Being how special of a card it is he finished off the rest of the box he was working on so he really could give it the moment it deserved. Mark quickly knew he had a 1/1 because not just seeing it others in the group were saying it’s a “Superfractor” or 1/1. This could have been of anyone of the cards in the entire series 1 set and it has a big base card checklist so this could have been anyone. As Mark got to the card he was being so meticulous not only to not damage the card but to make the suspense last more. As he turned the card and slowly moved the card used to block it out of the way the first thing everyone saw was “NYM” in big orange, Blue and white bordered letters so my heart was pounding and when he revealed that it was the Fransico Lindor true 1/1 Autographed Superfractor, I believe I woke not only my entire family up but a few others in my building as it was just about 11 at night. The jumping up and down and pumping my arms in excitement cause so much pain in my neck, that ran down my shoulder and into my hand that I could not care about it at all. A Superfractor is something that a collector or even dealer dream of pulling cause yes there are a plethora of 1/1’s out there from many different companies, sports, brand of cards, players and on and on but, there is no better feeling then pulling a True Superfractor 1/1. 

  What’s next for this card you may be asking? well first it’s me getting through surgery and then it will be headed to be graded. As any collector would and will tell you is that this card is begging to be graded and you would be right. I hope beyond hope the grading gods are with me and it comes back a Gem Mint 10. Then next question becomes what happens if it grades a 10 or a 9? As a DIE-HARD Mets fan, I would love to keep this in my collection for as long as I could but, to be fair every person has a price and what is mine you may ask? Well email the network with questions or even a request to join a zoom to discuss the card and an offer on an episode of the 1/1.

GAMBLING ISSUES

BY MIKE RIFKIN

On Monday it was announced that Texas Tech Quarterback Brendan Sorsby, the top quarterback transfer this season is entering a gambling addiction program. According to ESPN Sorsby’s decision comes in the wake of the discovery that he made thousands of online bets on multiple Apps. The NCAA is looking into the matter, which could jeopardize Sorsby’s future with Texas Tech as the NCAA doesn’t allow betting on any sports college or professional. While we do hope Sorsby gets the help, there’s another matter at hand and that is that all of these leagues have gotten themselves caught up with all of the gamblings apps (none are sponsors) that it’s having an impact on players. 

For Sorsby, there’s a good chance he would have been a first round pick in the 2027 NFL draft. In the NFL Jameson Williams, Calvin Ridley and others have been suspended for gambling. In Baseball we can talk about the Shohei Ohtani case or what’s going on with Emmanuel Clase of the Guardians. In Basketball Terry Rozier and the case of Chauncey Billups, both are ongoing.There’s also Jontay Porter, who got saw his career end betting on himself. 

Since these leagues have gone into business with these apps, there’s been nothing but trouble. Now, while these commissioners and owners may like the money flowing in from these deals, it’s been a problem for the athletes themselves (or in the Ohtani case an interpreter). I’m not sure if there needs to be more severe discipline? But, it’s not working and now these people are having their lives ruined to a degree, is it their own fault? Sure, they made the decisions, but when you watch a game and every other commercial is a gambling advertisement, they get sucked into it. Yes, the leagues can come down with a more harsh punishment, but that’s not my issue, it might be time for the leagues to abandon these deals. (Again these apps are not a sponsor) People are ruining their careers, yes, it’s partly their own doing but at the same time the leagues have to share some responsibility too, if a higher up in one of the leagues gets caught gambling do they feel the same pressure? No, probably not, this is just a simple case of greed and the players, who definitely deserve blame get the bigger punishment.

LAST DANCE

BY MIKE RIFKIN

Four times in the history of the National Hockey League has a team overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series. That’s the hole the Pittsburgh Penguins have dug themselves to their interstate rivals the Philadelphia Flyers after losing game three 5-2. The last team to overcome a 3-0 hole was the LA Kings, who wound up beating their interstate rival the San Jose Sharks. The Penguins have not won a playoff series since 2018, where they beat the Flyers. So, if the Penguins don’t comeback what comes next?

Over the next three years the Penguins have 25 draft picks, including seven picks in the second round over the next three drafts. The Penguins are also expected to have around 46 million dollars in cap space this summer. But, Kyle Dubas has a few things to consider this summer. 

The two biggest questions have to do with two of the best players in franchise history, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby will be entering the final year of his contract and Malkin will be an unrestricted free agent. In 68 games played Crosby had 29 goals and 74 points, and averaged a point per game. Meanwhile Malkin had 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games. Both are future hall of famers, but it might be time for the Penguins to explore letting Malkin walk in free agency, and see what Crosby wants to do. 

Two other guys who had a major impact on the Penguins in the regular season were Anthony Mantha, who scored 33 goals and Egor Chinakhov had 36 points in 43 games for Pittsburgh after being acquired from Columbus. Mantha, will be an unrestricted free agent and Chinakhov will be a restricted free agent. Chinakhov, will fit into the Penguin future, while Mantha may have priced himself out, but would he take a discount to stay? Other players Dubas might have to make decision on include Defensemen Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang and goalie Stuart Skinner. 

If this is the end of this iteration of the Penguins, Kyle Dubas has a ton of ammunition to mold the team the way he sees fit. They surprised us with the hire of Dan Muse and by making the playoffs, so maybe the Penguins future is brighter than people think.

Is OBJ Coming Back To The Giants ?

By Bill Murphy 

Well it has been reported that Odell Beckham JR. has worked out and taken a physical with the New York Giants.Beckham’s return would bring him back to where it all started, but is it worth it? Let’s explore both the pros and cons of the Giants bringing him back.

Pros :

  • As stated earlier , Odell Beckham Jr started his career with the New York Giants as made famous by the one handed catch against the Cowboys. He was there from 2014-2018 before being traded to Cleveland. It would be nice to see him come back to where it started.  During his time in East Rutherford, Beckham wracked up 5,476 yards and 44 touchdowns.
  • At age 33 , Beckham  could be a veteran influence on Malik Nabers (both went to LSU) and if the Giants draft a new wide receiver (either Carnell Tate or Jordon Tyson ).
  • If he were to come back to the Giants, he would be reuniting with new Giants head coach John Harbaugh. Beckham played for Harbaugh in Baltimore. In his one season in Baltimore  Beckham had  565 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games. Beckham could be apart of the new regimes enforcement  and mentoring the team about Harbaugh’s methods.

Cons:

  • Here is one that is obvious that was previously stated, Beckham is 33 years old.  Does he have any fuel left at his age and has been gradually declining . 
  • He is injury prone , he tore his ACL twice, once at the end of 2020 season and during Super Bowl 56 .
  • He also did not play at all last season due to his suspension in violating the leauges performance enhancing drug policy 

Conclusion : 

As much as I like Odell Beckham JR. I think the Giants should not sign him because of his age and injury record,  that ship has sailed.The Giants have already signed Calvin Austin and Darnell Mooney, and while they might not be Beckham, I’d rather add another receiver through the draft. 

ROCK BOTTOM?

BY MIKE RIFKIN

The Mets lost 2-1 in 10 innings on Sunday, marking the Mets eleventh straight loss as they finished a road trip 0-6 against the Dodgers and Cubs. Every little mistake the Mets have made, has wound up coming up costing them in a big way, and Sunday and old friend beat them. Michael Conforto hit a game tying RBI double in the bottom of the ninth off of Devin Williams. The Mets offense has been a massive issue during this stretch, they are averaging 1.70 runs per game. They’re hitting an even .200 with 17 extra base hits, a .537 OPS and a .145 average with runners in scoring position. It’s still April but it’s getting late early in the season. 

Point the finger at whoever you want. Steve Cohen, Carlos Mendoza, the players, or David Stearns. The problem is the answer is they’re all at fault, and as much as we want to say Juan Soto will help and he will, we can’t think he’s the savior despite being paid like it. I’ll say this I was on board with some of David Stearns’ decisions this past winter. I was on board with moving off of Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo, despite both getting off to good starts with their new teams. I was not a fan of letting Pete Alonso walk, and I think the Mets right now are feeling that weakness right now. They miss Alonso’s power, as they are tied with the Tigers and Marlins with 15 homers, only the Giants and Red Sox have fewer. And say what you want about his defense, but Mark Vientos and Brett Baty haven’t exactly been awesome defensively. Jorge Polanco hit the IL on Saturday with a Wrist issue. 

David Sterans was able to convince Cohen that changes were necessary after last season’s collapse, and the truth is the Mets probably did need to make some changes after last season. But the goal in the offseason was to get better, but right now the Mets are going through the motions and just not coming up clutch. They’re lucky it’s April, but continue to play this way and Citi Field will be a ghost town this summer and that’s the last thing Steve Cohen wants, especially with a work stoppage looming in 2027.

CHERRY ON TOP

BY MIKE RIFKIN

Thursday was another tough day if you’re a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Thursday was locker room cleanout day, which meant for the final time this season Leafs players and coaches spoke to the media. For the first time since getting injured against the Ducks, Captain Auston Matthews spoke and said a lot of interesting things. 

The most interesting thing Matthews said was that he couldn’t “predict his future.” Matthews was speaking for the fact that the Leafs still need to hire a new GM, and that GM has to decide between retooling the Leafs or rebuilding the Leafs. But if you’re a Leaf fan, you were hoping Matthews would say he wanted to continue to be a Leaf. After winning Gold with Team USA during the Olympics, Matthews did take some heat in Toronto, which may or may not also affect his decision. 

Now to the GM part, which was literally the cherry on top of Thursday, the Leafs top candidate to become their next GM, Sunny Mehta was hired to become the GM of the New Jersey Devils. Keith Pelley, the man in charge of finding the next GM of the Leafs gave a press conference two weeks ago, which was not good (more on that here https://thesportsinsanitynetwork.com/2026/04/04/swallowing-pride ) But something that Pelley and people keep mentioning is this retool vs rebuild situation, which will most likely dictate Matthews’ future. Now while nobody in Toronto will want to hear this it’s clear to me this is more of a rebuild situation. Yes, everyone is pointing to the situation in Boston and Washington to show how the Bruins and Caps were able to retool quickly. But the difference between those two teams is simple they had cornerstone pieces and players ready to take over. Boston had David Pastrnak, Jeremy Swayman, Charlie Mcavoy. All of them are cornerstone pieces. Washington drafted very well and you’re seeing the benefits of players like Ryan Leonard and Connor McMichael. But because the Leafs have been in situations where they’ve gone all in they don’t have those kinds of pieces waiting in the wings. 

We don’t know how this situation will play out, but if you’re a Leaf fan Thursday was not a good day. And that might mean that it might be a tougher summer than anticipated, because whoever the next GM is they cannot be a yes man, they have to be willing to tell Pelley what they truly think otherwise you just continue what has gone on in the last decade.

GARBAGE

BY MIKE RIFKIN

One thing about the NBA and Stanley Cup Playoffs that separated them from MLB and NFL was at least in the first round you’d get to listen to your local broadcast do the games. Well, the NBA decided against that. The NBA playoffs begin on Saturday and they just released the schedule and on Saturday there will be four games played, three of them on Amazon Prime. So if you’re a fan of the Raptors, Cavs, Timberwolves, Nuggets, Hawks or Knicks you better have Prime. 

Knicks announcer Mike Breen said during Sunday’s final game of the season : “ first time ever the entire playoffs exclusive to National TV… Poor decision fans want to hear their home team’s announcers, at least in the first round… Part of the family, I get networks pay a fortune… but fans deserve to be thrown a bone, this is our final telecast of the season.” Breen is absolutely correct the fans deserve to be thrown a bone. Now, look this isn’t just a crusade against the NBA, I hate the fact that you have to have three streaming services to watch the NFL too. 

Fans pay to watch and attend these games (which is also a fortune), and what do they get in return? And for the NBA of all the leagues to do this, while we can clearly see that they have teams tank is absurd. Fans develop a relationship with their local broadcasters, it’s bad enough they only get to hear them for the first round, but now fans have to pay a streaming service in order to watch their team in the playoffs is wrong. The NBA signed a 11 year 19.8 Billion dollar deal with Amazon Prime and a 76 billion dollar deal with Peacock (at least some of those games are on tv). 

When will a Super Bowl or NBA Finals be streamed? Yes, this is the way the world is going at the moment, but the fact that hard working people who want to open a beer and watch the playoffs, can’t unless they have these services is a bunch of nonsense. Once again if these leagues truly cared about their fans, they’d give them something, instead they don’t care about the fans, they just care about their money.

OFFENSIVE TO WATCH

BY MIKE RIFKIN

For the second consecutive day, and for the third time in four games the Mets were shutout. They lost 4-0 to the LA Dodgers. If you look at the Dodgers’ pitching staff you could understand if Ohtani or Yamamoto, the two pitchers the Mets will face over the next two games shut them down, but on Monday it was Justin Wrobleski. Wrobleski threw eight innings and gave up two hits, the Mets as a team had three (all singles) and struck out two. Entering Monday the Mets had a team slash line of .236/.305/.353. And in Monday’s lineup had two hitters hitting over .300 (Alvarez and Robert) the next closest is Mark Vientos at .244. This offense has been up and down to start the season, but without Juan Soto the holes in the lineup are glaring. 

The Mets went through a lot of changes in the offseason and felt the need to cutdown on strikeouts and get more athletic. While, they might be better defensively, right now that doesn’t matter if you cannot score runs. Now, you can’t make the playoffs in April, but you can miss the playoffs in April, and the Mets with their payroll cannot miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season. So, how do the Mets get some offense, well how about a shakeup in the lineup. Let’s use some of what Stearns did this offseason to the Mets advantage. 

Francisco Lindor has been dreadful to start the season, how about taking him out of the leadoff spot for now and try to get him a little more confidence. The Mets had four players in Monday’s lineup including Lindor hitting under .200. 

NEW LINEUP (WITHOUT SOTO) : BICHETTE, POLANCO, LINDOR ROBERT, VIENTOS, ALVAREZ, SEMIEN, PHAM/BATY/TAYLOR, BENGE. 

I’m not saying the new lineup would work, but getting shutout in three of four games is absolutely pathetic. With the next two games being against Yamamoto and Ohtani, try and shake things up, because if this isn’t rock bottom, I’d hate to see what actual rock bottom looks like (if the Mets could even hit that).

THE CONTENDERS ARE LINING UP

BY MARK HALPERN

     The Masters, Golf’s Super Bowl is being played this weekend in Augusta. Some years the field is very tight and it comes down to the wire. This year has had some exciting moments and a new crop of golfers some expected some surprising on the standings.

     Right now, if the Masters was to stop and a winner was dawned the Green Jacket, we would be putting it in on Rory Mcllroy who is currently the leader with a -12 and a comfortable 6 stroke lead. A lead like this is not only is a tribute to the golfer himself but almost a slam dunk guarantee, but in this sport it’s not the first day or the last day that will kill you. Black Saturday, The Third Day which a lot of golfers have their worst rounds on this day. Weather always plays a factor but it is going to be a nice 65 degrees and sunny with some wind. This is ideal conditions for golfers just starting out for professional it’s a gift from the golf gods. I want Rory win not only because he is one of my favorite golfers, not because I picked him to win and not because he has a 6 stoke lead. Rory won the Grand Slam last year (winning all 4 major golf tournaments) but I want to continue to see his dominating ways. 

     Even a six-stroke lead can be cut in half after a bad day but, hopefully Rory can keep the yips and the other golfers away.