News by Tom Barton
News by Tom Barton on South Shore Press
The Knicks are Dangerous
The Knicks sit in 4th place in the Eastern Conference standings and are within shouting distance of 3rd place and second is not too far away. They have been excellent at home and have one of the best defenses in the NBA. What is so impressive about this team though is that they are young and exciting. While the Celtics and Bucks have their mega stars, the Knicks are playing like a true team.
Will The Polar Bear Walk
Stearns gave a press conference just days before players were expected to report to camp and in that conference he was asked about the face of the Mets, and impending free agent Pete Alonso's future with the club. Stearns' response was deafening for fans. Stearns said he believes that the most likely outcome would be that the team would not negotiate with Alonso during the season and he expects him to test free agency. With a smile that annoyed many, he went on to explain that the Polar Bear was represented by agent Scott Boras, a notoriously tough player negotiator, and that usually leads to his players testing the market.
Already Looking Ahead
In the world of sports betting the next game is always more important than the last game. As the confetti was still falling on the Kansas City Chiefs in Allegiant Stadium this past Sunday, sports books just minutes from the game were posting 2025 Super Bowl odds. They wanted to make sure as people walked up to the counters in Las Vegas to cash their Super Bowl 58 tickets, they could turn that money over into the hope of a big future play for the big game 59.
Super Bowl LVIII Preview
Betting and the Super Bowl have always been hand in hand in the American lexicon, but this Sunday there will be no greater example of how far the sports betting world has come than the city of Las Vegas hosting it's very first Super Bowl. The San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs, or as most publications and media will now present the game ... the San Francisco 49ers are a 2 point favorite over the Kansas City Chiefs, with a total set at 47 1/2.
Super Bowl MVP Odds
Name recognition and popularity will be the theme for this year's big game and no player is more popular than #15 for the Chiefs. That's why even though the Kansas City Chiefs opened as underdogs for the Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers, Patrick Mahomes opened as the favorite for the games Most Valuable Player award.
And Then There Were Four ...
We usually reserve the phrase "Final Four" for the NCAA Basketball championship in March, but being one of the final four teams in the NFL really does lift teams to a new stratosphere. This year's group of teams who have advanced all have some new flavor to the mix, which is refreshing for NFL fans and adds a nuance for football bettors.
Greatness Walks Away
Last week, Nick Saban announced his retirement as head football coach of the University of Alabama, and the very next day, Bill Belichick announced he and the New England Patriots had mutually agreed to part ways. The two miraculous coaching tenures came to an end within hours of each other, and both have had unparalleled success in their coaching careers. All of those wins and championships though only begin to highlight the similarities between the two friends and icons of the football world.
It's Playoff Time
The NFL playoff picture is set and while it took some twists and turns to get here, most of the teams are no surprise to be in the field. What could be a surprise will come next when we have weaker top teams than in years past, and many of these playoff contenders have limped to the finish line. In fact, it's not far fetched to say that every team in the playoff picture has a glaring weakness, the question is can anyone take advantage of those, while masking their own inadequacies.
2023 is Gone and Good Riddance
New York sports has a long and storied history of immense talent, bigger than life players and championships littered throughout it's history. There have also been some pretty lean years for the area's sports teams over those years. 2023 may have just proved to be the leanest years in the history of New York Sports.
No Guarantees for LA
After spending over a billion dollars, yes that is a billion with a B, this winter the Los Angeles Dodgers are the prevailing World Series favorites. After LA opened their purse for Shohei Ohtani, their World Series odds fell from +550 to +450. Once Yamamoto signed last week the boys in blue had their chances to win it all go all the way down to under 4 to 1 in some books across the country.
The Backup Plan
As of this writing Yoshinobu Yamamoto has yet to be signed by a team, and while it's being reported that as many as five teams have made offers north of $300 million dollars, and he will sign this week, we are also watching the fallout in New York. This is the first time that Steve Cohen and his huge bank account will be in the pursuit of the same free agent as the Evil Empire and Hal Steinbrenner. Someone will be left disappointed and there is a chance that neither New York team lands the coveted free agent. That means they will need to pivot their offseason after the miss.
Juan Amazing Christmas Gift
Use whatever phrases you must to explain what happened to the Yankee Universe this week but it all comes out the same. Pushing all your chips in, making a statement or whatever other fun sayings fans and media will use can be interchanged, but one thing is for certain ... The Evil Empire is back!
Travesty Strikes College Football
This Sunday afternoon changed the course of College Football forever, and the dominos continue to fall. Not only will this be the last time we ever have a four team college football playoff, but it is also the last time we will see many teams in their respective conferences. Beginning in 2024 there will be an expanded playoff format, as well as key teams moving to new conferences, and by all accounts the end of the Pac 12 as well. All of this should have been enough to make us say that nothing will be the same for college football fans, but this selection committee also gave us a game changing decision.
Far More Than Rodgers
They say that perception is everything. We live in a country, and a world, where perception clouds reality far more often than it should and for the New York Jets, and their fans, it's important to not allow ownership to allow perception to mask reality. The New York Jets season is over, but this is not only because Aaron Rodgers is not under center.
Daily Feed
Ward Melville's Athletic Trainer Wins Alumni Award
Ward Melville's Athletic Trainer and Science Teacher Claudine Weiner recently was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award from Stony Brook University.
Coach Desi Honored
This weekend the Suffolk County Baseball Coaches Association honored legendary Coach Al Desiderio.
Parents Protest at William Floyd High School
Multiple groups, including “Moms for Liberty, Suffolk Chapter” and “Show Me Your Face” protested the William Floyd School District after concerned parents claimed a biological boy is a member of the Girls’ Varsity Track Team.