Michael McDonald's New York Yankees fan blog

For what it's worth, here are my picks:

East Region, 1st Round Winners:  UNC, IU, ND, WASH ST, SJU, L'Ville, South Bama, Tennesse

Round 2 Winners:  UNC, ND, L'Ville, Tennessee

Sweet 16 Winners: UNC and Tennessee

Elite 8 Winner:  UNC

Midwest Region, 1st Round Winners:  KU, UNLV, Nova, Vandy, KSU, Wis, Gonz, G-Town

2nd Round Winners:  KU, Vandy, Wis, G-Town

Sweet 16 Winners:  KU and G-Town

Elite 8 Winner:  KU

South Region, 1st Round Winners:  Memph, Ore, MSU, Pitt, UK, Stan, Mia, Tex

2nd Round winners:  Memph, Pitt, Stan, Tex

Sweet Sixteen Winners:  Memphis and Texas

Elite 8 Winner:  Memphis

West Region, 1st Round Winners:  UCLA, A & M, WKU, Uconn, Baylor, Xavier, WVU, Duke

Continue reading "the PICKS"

We always say that time flies, but don't tell that to the people in Kansas.  Deep in the heart of middle America, it's as if time has been moving on the back of a snail.  To the folks of Lawrence, students (both current ones and alums) and natives have not seen their beloved Kansas Jayhawks win the national championship in precisely two decades. 

It was in 1988, when Larry Brown and Danny Manning led the ultimate underdog Jayhawks to the national championship.  And the world was stunned.  While it was a powerhouse basketball program throughout the 80s, Kansas entered the dance that year with very little hope of making a long run into the tournament.  As a sixth seed, many had KU going down to Xavier in their first round matchup.  But game after game, the fans "waved the wheat" and the players played the type of basketball that kept sending their opponents home for good ( www.kansascity.com/sports/sory/534306.html). This created a brilliant Jayhawk joyride that culminated on April 4, 1988, when Kansas defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 83-79.  For the rest of us, the last twenty years have flown by at the speed of light.  Yet in Lawrence, Kansas, 1988 seems like a century ago. 

Continue reading "Kansas will be Kings of the Madness"

PART 1 of 2 

I hung out with Babe Ruth last night. Sure, it was only a dream, but this was a such a mystical tale it just had to be real. I started crying like a baby when I awoke, because, well, it just had to be real.

I met him at a dive bar in Hells Kitchen. He was sitting in the corner, beer mug to his left and shot glass to his right,  with a blonde by his side and a brunette on his lap. He wore a grin on his face the size of the grand canyon.  He had that Ruthian look that told you there was no other place that he would rather be. He swigged from his beer mug then kissed his two lovely companions before they exited the bar.  

The empty seat next to him was now mine, and there I was, sippin sizzurp with the Sultan of Swat.  

"I'm a huge fan.  I mean, I never got to see you play, but I've heard the stories Babe.  From your struggles in a Baltimore orphanage all the way to the days when you were blasting those balls in the Bronx.  The called shot, Murderer's Row, barnstorming in the winters and that final speech in the Camel Coat.  Man, it's an honor to meet you sir.  Your an American legend."

Continue reading "Burnin with the Great Bambino"

President's Day.  What a Holiday!  It's a reminder that winter is winding down and your treated to a nice little three day weekend.  There's nothing more fun than a day off in February.   When March 1st rolls around, it is time for all true sports fans to get ready to rock and roll with the three headed monster.  March Madness, Beisbol and to cap it off the NBA is going to prove why it really is Fantastic  Get jacked folks.  

With the Giants football run, I really have not gotten into College Hoops yet, but now I won't be able to help it.  Conference tournaments are just around the corner and I'm gettin the feeling that this is going to be yet another special March Madness Baby!  In just a week we're all gonna start talking like Dick Vitale Baby!  (By the way, when Dickie V writes an e-mail, do you think he uses exclamation points on every sentence he writes?)  Oh and another quick thing on Vitale.  I was thinking it would be funny to get someone who does a good Dickie V voice  dressed up to resemble the rambling goof that is Dick Vitale.  Ya Know, someone that could play the part.  Of course  Vitale could just play the role himself  Here's the sketch: A documentary that goes through random moments of his life.  The birth of his kids, coaching at Seton Hall, heck even a marriage proposal to his wife.  "Will you marry me Baby?!"  Part of me thinks that this would be hysterical, but there's another part of me that thinks this wouldn't work.  Because Vitle is so damn annoying?"  Cue the college stoner imitation:  Dude, I'm stoked about March Madness.  One thing I know is that you have five special teams that could all give the Miami Heat a run for their money.  Memphis, Duke, North Carolina, UCLA, and how about Kansas?  Every player on that team has the speed of a mongoose.  I can't wait to find out the final destination of these five squads.  March Madness baba!

Continue reading "President's Day"

It's been just three days since the Giants won the Super Bowl and to tell you the truth, each day just keeps getting better.  The weather is warmer, jokes are funnier and the highlight clips are endless.  I mean, how many times have you watched the Manning to Tyree play?  Today I want to get into Eli, Strahan, the Coach, and the Tom Brady Snub

 -ELI, the New York Legend:   Eli Manning is now a New York hero.  I was talking to my good friend John, who is the only Eli Manning fan that I actually know.  When it comes to the Big Blue, there is no player that John stands by like #10.  John's been riding a one Mann bandwagon since the Jints drafted the kid out of Ole Miss in 2004.  John, a lifelong season ticket holder, never criticizes the

Continue reading "Blog Jammin with Mikey Treehorn: Eli, Mike, Tom and Brady da Baby"

I told myself that I was not going to write a blog entry following the Super Bowl. Whatever the outcome would be, I figured that I would be too emotional and exhausted to dictate my thoughts into the computer for thirty minutes.. But the GIANTS won!!!!!! They did it!!!! In one  of the greatest stories in the history of New York sports the Jints derailed the New England Patriots' pursuit for Perfection. After an unforgettable game for the ages the Giants lifted the Vince Lombardi in the heart of the Arizona desert. And I'm speechless. No, I'm not speechless. I just keep screaming the same word to myself while smiling and pumping my fists, "YES"!! "YES"!! "YES"!! Sing it like Marv Albert.

I'm worn out. There are a million story lines here to discuss but I'll let the media hit those up before I do. It's 1 am and I gotta go to bed. I leave you with this.....

Continue reading "Super Bowl Winner"

After nearly two weeks, my mind is made up. I'm ready for Super Bowl prediction and I'll be damned if I'm wrong on this one. For the last thirteen days I have obsessed over this one game, unlike any other in my almost 27 years. Day after day I'm constantly looking at the storyline. I guess the reasons why I am so jacked are:

A. The Giants haven't won a SB since I was in the 4th grade

B. New York hasn't won jack since 2000

C-Z. Forget it, I could go through the whole damn alphabet at least 100 times with reasons why I want the Giants to win this game on Sunday night.

This  just might wind up being the greatest Super Bowl ever played. It's going to be a physical, no holds barred dogfight in the dessert. It could be Broncos, Packers, Giants, Bills, Rams, and Titans all rolled into one. But this, this, will be different. These two teams are so damn physical and you can sense just how badly they all want to win. This ain't just a football game. You have Tom Brady, Bellicheck, and Moss gunning for perfection. While Tom Coughlin's Road Warrior Giants try to bring the prize back to Glorious Gotham, the northeastern shoulder of the country has a lot at stake. From the tip of Maine all the way down to the Jersey shore, there are people beaming with Patriot Pride and others bleeding Giant blue. Bean Town versus the Big Apple; the football version.

Continue reading "Dogfight in the Dessert"

There is definitely a collective theme being preached by the Big Apple media to the New York Giants. It's all over the New York sports sections today. It's a simple plan really, but a mighty task for the Big Blue defense. Ya see, if the Giants truly want to win this Super Bowl, if they want to bring glory to the greatest city in the world, they are going to have to hit Tom Brady like he has never been hit before. They need to hit him in the legs, throw him to the ground, and even attack that famous gimpy ankle of his. The only way the Giants get to lift that glorious silver Lombardi trophy is by leaving Tom Brady lying on the ground like a wounded soldier. A wounded soldier who throws wounded ducks.

With three Super Bowl rings, a perfect season (thus far) and the hottest girlfriend in the world, everyone seems to have the perception that Tom Brady is untouchable. Forget Gotti, Brady is "Teflon Tom". But let's remember this, there have been many times over the last couple of seasons that Brady was rattled, including the Denver playoff game two years ago and last year's AFC championship game against the Colts. And when Brady gets hit, he gets a little cranky, acting like a toddler who missed his afternoon nap. He argues with refs, he yells at teammates, and he even engages his opponent in unnecessary dialogue. When the quarterback gets distracted, the offensive game plan deviates a little bit for New England. Then it's time for Michael Strahan, Osi, or Justin Tuck to put the blue pedal to the metal and knock Brady off his feet. Of course, this doesn't happen often. With eighteen straight wins you've seen Brady celebrating touchdown passes more often than taking hits from an opposing defense.

Continue reading ""

Come Friday, Giants fans are going to be pulling their hair. Hopefully, if your not already bald, you'll still have a full head of hair come gameday. It's tough, because you have now waited twelve days since the Green Bay win and you are coming up on 48 hours away from the Super Bowl. Your legs are shaking, you're on your fourth cup of coffee (or Pepsi in my case) and you go to ESPN.com ten times before noon. Not to mention, you have read the sports pages of the New York Post and the Daily News three times each, front to back, strictly Giants coverage. Jeez, will they play this damn game already?!?!?!?

I have some suggestions for the hard core fans who just can't take it anymore. It's not easy to pass the time when you're approaching the game of your football life. Here is what I will be doing when my Super Bowl Patience Tank nears empty.

Continue reading "A Giant Wait for the Super Bowl"

One of the great stories about this New York Giants team is the personality transformation of the head coach. During his first three years Tom Coughlin was known as a hard nosed, no nonsense disciplinarian whose stubborn coaching methods held him back from truly connecting with his players. This season, however, it is evident that Coughlin has become much more approachable, not just to his players, but to the media as well. In interviews Coughlin is much more animated than in past years, engaging reporters in conversation and sometimes even joking around And the players don't have to duck their heads anymore when they pass Coughlin in the weight room.

From Boston College to Jacksonville, Coughlin was always known as the ultimate hardass. Now, there is no question that Coughlin's new "nice guy" persona is having a positive impact on his football team. While people were skeptical that Coughlin could pull off these changes, one must realize that Coughlin is still just as hard nosed as he has ever been. Just because he is more available to the team does not mean that Coughlin's fire is not burning. Did you see his reaction when Lawrence Tynes missed those field goals? How about his facial expression throughout the entire Green Bay game? The man looked like a general at war.

Continue reading "Tom Coughlin: New Attitude, Same Coach"