COHEN'S CORNER SPORTS

 The New York Jets have relieved Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilkes of his duties following the Jets 48-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.  Passing Game coordinator Chris Harris will take over play-calling duties.   Wilkes had been much maligned all season as the Jets had one of the worst defensive units in the NFL this year, ranking in the bottom half in the league in total defense, rush defense and points allowed (28.4).  In fact Wilkes unit has gone the entire year without forcing an interception. In the last two weeks alone, the Jets gave up a total of 82 points to the Dolphins and Jaguars combined.  Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence enjoyed one of the best games of his pro career, tossing for 321 yards, five touchdowns and rushing for another. The Jets had no answer for anything the Jaguars did on Sunday as Jacksonville ran through them like a hot knife through butter.  The Jets found themselves down 14-0 before anyone could blink, ...

Add Pete Alonso to the growing list of former Mets who are getting out of dodge.  Alonso signed a five-year, $155 million deal with ... the Baltimore Orioles. Stunning, I know.  The slugger was supposed to meet with both the Orioles and Boston Red Sox, and many assumed that the Red Sox, who were coming off a playoff season in 2025 would be the odds on favorite to land him, but no! Instead Alonso heads to the AL East rival Orioles.   According to Antohny DiComo of MLB.com, the Mets never made a formal offer to Alonso. The Mets were steadfast on going in another direction, and were not interested in committing long term to their man who is first in franchise history in home runs.  The Mets were steadfast on sticking to a plan of three years on Alonso and were not going to move on it. It's a shame. The Mets under David Stearns are clearly in rebuild mode, and there is no telling what Stearns has up his sleeve as to what this team will ultimately look like come 2026...

 David Stearns stood in front of the media with a big smirk on his face as he described his strategy for the Mets 2025-26 off-season. Now that smirk better be off his face.  The Mets struck out big time on one of the most valuable pieces of their bullpen when Edwin Diaz left the Mets for the glitz and power of the Los Angeles Dodgers for only three-years at $69 million . This just days after the Mets signed what turned out to be Diaz's replacement, Devin Williams to a three-year $51 million deal.   Of course soon after the deal was announced the Mets hurriedly rushed out word that they had offered Diaz a deal of $66 million over three years and were willing to pay more as a way to make Diaz look bad on the way out the door.  What a disgrace for a franchise that has pounded its chest ever since Steve Cohen bought the team in 2020 that they have deep pockets, and would stop at nothing to improve the team.   This is the same Mets that have the second hig...

 According to the New York Post's Mike Puma, first baseman Pete Alonso is scheduled to meet with the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox at the Winter Meetings.  It is unclear if the Mets will meet with Alonso per the same report.  Meanwhile, Puma reports that the Mets are showing interest in Phillies free agent Kyle Schwarber, who is the reigning NL MVP after blasting 56 homers this past season.  While nothing is set in stone, this is a bad sign for those in the camp of wanting Alonso to return to Flushing.  It was reported last week that the Mets were looking at three years for Alonso, while the slugger wanted a longer term deal in the range of six to seven years. Then over the weekend, Joel Sherman reported that he heard from an A.L. executive that Alonso would be hard pressed to get a four year deal from someone.  This is not to say the Mets are out of the mix, but one would imagine that the slugger has considerable interest in getting something done s...

 Just logon to X or Instagram and you will find Jets fans going gaga for Indiana's Fernando Mendoza.  After Mendoza played well in the Hoosiers 13-10 victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday, and, coupled with the Jets 34-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, there is a segment of the fanbase that wants the Jets to go all in on Mendoza no matter what.  Fans have compared him to Tom Brady and Josh Allen, and said they want the franchise to trade all of its draft capital in order to move up to get Mendoza. Currently the Jets select seventh if the draft were held today.  Fortunately we got four more games, and four more months til the draft actually happens. Ugh  

Reliever Devin Williams was introduced to the media as the Mets biggest signing of the early off-season up to date. Williams, who struggled with the Yankees last season is hopping to rebound in a big way across town in Queens.  Of course what role he has on the 2026 squad hinges on whether Edwin Diaz returns to the Mets or not.  Reports have indicated that the Mets do not want to go five years on Diaz, although they remain a favorite to land him according to Jon Heyman. The Blue Jays are also interested.  "I think its a good situation. If he comes back, we will have a really good back end of the pen. More arms is always a good thing," Williams said.     The right-hander who had a 1.83 ERA in six years in Milwaukee as its closer, says he has been working on a new pitch called a Gryro Slider that he hopes to carry over into this coming season.  Willianms signed a three-year $51 million deal with deferments that trim his annual salary just below $15 milli...