COHEN'S CORNER SPORTS

This is what baseball is all about. This is why they play 162 game s over six months. For the first three days of the month of September, with pennant races gallor, all eyes will be tuned in for this three game series. The New York Mets (76-61) a game in front of the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL East, and the Milwaukee Brewers (80-56) 6.5 games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL Wild Card, and 4.5 game back of the Chicago Cubs for first place in the NL Central. If things continue to pan out as they are, the Mets and Brewers are on a conllision course in October baseball. But, first it is this series. Tomorrow afternoon the two teams will throw up a gem in front of Brewer fans, as Mets Ace Johan Santana (12-7 2.70 ERA) will face off against Ben Sheets (12-7 3.05 ERA). Santana after struggling at the start of the season has really turned it on and has been the ace that the Mets thought they were getting in Feburary. Santana has been going deep into games of l...

METS 6 MARLINS 2 You have to hand to interim Manager Jerry Manuel, he has completely turned around the Mets, and they continue to play inspired baseball right through the month of August. After today's 6-2 win against the Florida Marlins , Manuel is 42-26 as Met Manager, and has put the Mets in prime position to win the NL East. Today, the Mets had to fight off a distrubing loss from Saturday night, as well as the threat of a tropical storm in order to win this one. Pedro Martinez was shaking once again. It seemed that he would put two men on in every inning he pitched. In the first, Martinez gave up a lead-off single to Hanley Ramirez. Next, Luis Gonzalez doubled to right driving home Ramirez for the 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Mike Jacobs skyed to right for the sacrifice, as Gonzalez came into score, 2-0 Fish. Martinez was so upset by his effort that he slammed his hat and glove on the bench in the dugout and was screaming at teammates as he walked down the stairs into the lock...

BLUE JAYS 6 YANKEES 2 There is not much left to say about the 2008 Yankees, their collapse is as complete now as it was three weeks ago when the completed a 3-7 road trip that took them from Toronto to L.A. to Minnesota. It is amazing that a franchise with a $210 million payroll could be playing for peanuts come September 1, but that is life in Yankee land right now. The Yankees who were five back of the Red Sox when the week started, are now seven back. They are also 11.5 and pushing 12.5 games back of the first place Rays. If you don't call this lackluster performace from this week as giving up on the season, then I don't know what you call it. The Yankees never gave themselves a shot today against the Blue Jays, as Andy Pettite continues to be one in a long line of overpriced All-Stars to struggle here in the last two months. In the first inning Pettite walked Marco Sutaro to start the ballgame, and then gave up a single to Alex Rios. Vernon Wells then came up and poked a s...

METS 5 MARLINS 4 Well after nearly two hours and 10 minutes of boring baseball that saw the Mets sleepwalk through the entire contest trailing the feebel Florida Marlins 2-1 going into the ninth inning, a miricale happened in unlikely fashion. Florida closer Kevin Gregg came into to close out the Mets in the ninth and just could not complete his job. He was wild with his control and left balls hanging over the plate. With two out in the inning and the Mets just about done, Luis Castillo, who is just coming off a long stint on the DL, singled innocently up the middle. David Wright followed up with a single of his own, and the snowball started to get bigger. On the first pitch to Carlos Delgado, Gregg hit Delgado on the leg putting him on base to load the bases for Carlos Beltran . Now if anyone knows Beltran's history with runners in scoring position in potential game changing situations, he has come up small. Look back at Beltran's caught looking at Adam Wainwright's curveb...

METS 6 PHILLIES 3 Just what the doctor ordered after a terrible collapse on Tuesday night for the New York Mets. With Johan Santana having a bad night on the mound, the Mets found a way to beat the Philadelphia Phillies and reclaim first place in the NL East. Santana was off all night. In the first inning he gave up a lead-off single to Jimmy Rollins and allowed the pesky shortstop to steal second with two out in the inning. Ryan Howard took a Santana fastball into the left field stands to give Philadelphia a 2-0 lead. Jayson Werth opened up the second inning with a homerun to deep left handing the Phillies a 3-1 lead. It looked as if Santana would not last long, but he found a way to get through six innings without his best stuff on the mound. Fast forward to the sixth, and Carlos Delgado delivered, hitting a solo homerun to deep right field to get the Mets to within one at 3-2. Brian Stokes proceeded to hold the Phillies in the seventh, opening the door for the Mets to make some noi...

RED SOX 11 YANKEES 3 Another day and another defeat for the sinking New York Yankees as they were blasted by the Boston Red Sox for the second straight night, this time losing 11-3. The Yankees are now seven games behind Boston for the Wild Card, and if they should lose and get swept tomorrow night, then you can put the 2008 season in the books for the New York Yankees. Sidney Ponson got the start tonight for the Bombers, and for the past month and a half, Ponson has been on the money, surrendering two or three runs a game and keeping the Yankees in games whenever he started. However, tonight was a different story. Ponson got rocked for four runs on seven hits in just four and two-thirds innings; he even walked four batters. It was the second straight game that a Yankees starter has failed to complete five innings of work. The Red Sox wasted no time in this one. With David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia on base, Jason Bay doubled to left to drive home both runners to give Boston a 2-0 adva...

PHILLIES 8 METS 7 Here we go again Met fans!!! It is almost September and it is almost time for the Mets to have their annual plane crash in the standings. With a 1/2 game lead over the Phillies for first, and holding a 7-0 lead with Perdo Martinez on the mound, the Mets still found a way to lose. What else is new? Nothing. Thing's got really interesting in a hurry, when Martinez started to struggle to get out of the fifth inning. First he allowed Clay Condrey to get his first double of the year, as a ground ball went past outfielder Fernando Tatis. Later, Jimmy Rollins, who was 5 of 7 in this contest, homered to right to pull Philadelphia to within 7-3. Pedro soon got wild walking Chase Utley, and serving up a cookie to Ryan Howard who blasted the ball all the way to Allentown PA. 7-5 Mets, all of a sudden. Still the Mets found ways to avoid serious damage. Brian Stokes was able to get out of a huge jam as he struck out Pat Burrell with two on in the sixth. In the eighth Joe Smit...

RED SOX 7 YANKEES 3 Ok now I am convinced the Yankees are indeed dead! The Red Sox thrashed the Yankees in the opener of a huge three game series at Yankee Stadium expanding their lead over the Bombers to five games in the Wild Card. With the Yankees up 2-1 in the third inning, the Red Sox found a way to come back on starter Andy Pettite. David Ortiz doubled to start things off. Later, Kevin Youklis doubled to left to drive home Ortiz to tie the game. Jason Bay followed with a single to center to bring in Youklis to give Boston a 3-2 lead. It would stay 3-2 Boston until the fifth, when the Red Sox piled on more runs on Pettite, knocking him out of the game after just four and two-thirds innings pitched. First, Bay singled to center. Then Coco Crisp single to the right center gap, driving in Bay to give Boston a 4-2 lead. Finally Jeff Bailey put the nail in the coughin when singled down the third baseline to drive home Crisp and Jed Lowrie: 6-2 Boston. Tim Wakefield got the win for the ...

Looks like Michael Strahan will stay retired after all. A day after his agent fielded an offer from the Giants to return to the Meadowlands as a saviour, after the sudden injury to lineman Osi Umenyoria, Strahan offically turned down the Giants offer. In Jay Glazer's article on Fox Sports.com, he quotes Strahan as saying: "This has been one of the toughest nights of my life," Strahan said from Greece. "But after long deliberation and throwing around a million scenarios in my head for the past day, I think it's just best if I stay retired. "I have gone back and forth on this because as a player you'll always want to play, you'll never lose that urge to be out there. But I could only do this if I could commit 100 percent, physically, mentally, emotionally and I can't do that. I've tried to convince myself and my body to give it one more year, but in the end I just don't think I could turn it on like I need to again" (Glazer). This sh...

Yes call it Brett Favre Part II, only this time plug in Favre's buddy Michael Strahan into the staring role of "Should I Stay or Should I Go Now." A day after learing that Osi Umenyiora is now out for the season after suffering a torn ligiment in his left knee is a preseason game against the New York Jets, the Giants are very much interested in bringing back the gap-toothed leader to the Meadowlands. According to a story on New York Post.com , the Giants' people are talking to Stahan's people about a comeback. However, unlike the Favre situation, where the quaterback never wanted to retire and recognized the decision as a mistake in early July, Strahan signed a sweet $4.5 million deal to work with Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson on the FOX NFL SUNDAY Pregame show in June. Also, unlike Favre, Strahan retired in June when mandatory workouts were taking place, and with training camp in the horizon. So, one would thing that Strahan would have had a good ...

METS 9 ASTROS 1 Ok, stop the presses, the Mets have had another complete game; and this one was the second in a week for new ace Mike Pelfrey . Pelfery, once again found a way to master his opponent; as he surrendered only six hits in the contest, two of which came in the game's final inning. Big Pelf's ERA continues to drop like a stone, now recoreded at 3.70. He also owns the club lead in wins with 13. Pelfrey is on pace, if he keeps it up for his next five remaining starts before the end of the regualr season to win 17 to 18 games, in just his second full season in the big leagues. Still, this night didn't just belong to the team's Cy Young Award Winner, it also belonged to the team's MVP, Carlos Delgado. In the first inning with Jose Reyes and David Wright sitting on the base paths, Delgado laced a homerun the oppiste field that just hit the foul poll near the retired numbers in left field. 3-0 Metropolitans. Later, in the seventh, Delgado was at it again, this...

It is tough enough to defend a world championship, when your ball club is a full strenght; it is even harder when there are key pieces missing. Giants' defensive end Osi Umenyiora will have season ending surgery on his left knee, after sustaining an injury in last night's 10-7 loss to the New York Jets in a preseason game. Apparently there is a tear in Umenyiora's lateral meniscus. The Giants will have to turn to Mathias Kiwanunka, once a top prospect that the orgainization drafted a couple of years ago to fill the void. Another possiblity, although highly unlikely, is bringing Michael Strahan out of a retirement and a sweet multi-million dollar deal with FOX Sports. In the article from Yahoo sports, Coach Tom Coughlin blocked out any idea of lurring Strahan back, “ The only thing I talked with Michael about was his new challenge, moving forward in his new assignment and he was very excited about that,” Coughlin said ( Canavan ).

JETS 10 GIANTS 7 Usually the third preseason game is a dress rehearsal for the starters to showcase what they will be in the regular season, and if this game is any indication, than maybe New Yorkers and New Jerseyans should hold off on reserving hotels in Tampa Bay for the Super Bowl. This was a downright mess and fiasco at the Meadowlands between the Super Bowl Champion Giants and the rejuvianted Jets. Even though the statistics say that Eli Manning and Brett Favre had good nights, neither quaterback could move their respective offenses anywhere. Manning had trouble avoiding sacks. One of which included a huge sack on thrid and goal at the Jet 5 yard line. Manning dropped all the way back to the 20, trying to avoid defensive end Calvin Pace, but he couldn't pull off another miracle as he was sacked for a huge loss. New Giant kicker Jeff Houston proceeded to miss a field goal that ended the first half in a scoreless tie. As for the Jets offense they could nothing right. When...

Y A NKEES 5 ORIOLES 3 Maybe the Yankees aren't dead yet. After the Red Sox got blown away by the Blue Jays by a score of 11-0, the Yankees had a chance to trim the Red Sox Wild Card lead to five, if they could take care of businees against the Orioles. With Johnny Damon on second, Alex Rodriguez sent a double to center to drive home Damon to give New York a quick 1-0 lead. Later Jason Giambi singled to second base to score Rodriguiez. Yet the Yankees gave up the lead. The infamous Carl Pavano surrendered three runs in the second inning to give the O's a 3-2 lead. Yet Pavano settled down and lasted five innings to earn the victory; his first in years. Later in the third, Giambi blasted a two run homer to center field to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead. Finally, in the seventh, Hideki Matsui is making good on his comeback, hitting his second homerun in as many days to give New York a 5-3 lead. The Yankee bullpen did the job, as Mariano Rivera earned his 30 save of the year.

METS 3 ASTROS 0 Pitching wins championships! That is the common phrase that describes how baseball games are won and lost at any level, and tonight at Shea Stadium in Queens N.Y. we had ourselves great pitching on display, as Johan Santana hooked up in a duel with Houston's Roy Oswalt. Both pitchers were fantastic. Oswalt gave up only three runs early in the contest, but was effective for the rest of the game, as he didn't allow a hit in his final six innings of work. The Mets had to get Oswalt early in this one, and they were lucky to. In the first, the Mets used some small ball to get a run across. Jose Reyes singled to lead things off, and later took second on a wild pitch. Argenis Reyes then moved Jose over to third with a sac. bunt. Then, David Wright singled to right to drive in Reyes. It was Wright's 99 RBI of the year. In the second, two former Washington Nationals did some damage on the Astros' ace. Ryan Church, who returned for the first time after spending t...

METS 5 BRAVES 4 MVP! MVP! MVP! That's what they should be chanting for Carlos Delgado right now, because the first baseman is having a terrific season, and has been in the middle of most of the Mets victories this year. No player has been more valuable to the Mets than Delgado. Early in the season, when Delgado was floundering around .220 the Mets were usually a game or two under .500. Ever since his resurgence the Mets are flying high, now 2.5 games ahead of the Phillies for first place in the NL East. Tonight was no exception, Delgado went 5 for 5 with three RBI, including the game winner in the bottom of the ninth inning. With the Mets trailing 1-0, Delgado singled up the middle, off of the glove of the shortstop Yunel Escobar to drive home Jose Reyes with the tying run. Later, in the third inning, Delagdo singled up the middle again, this time driving in David Wright to give New York a 2-1 advantage. In the fifth, Wright lifted a Mike Hampton fastball deep in the New York ni...

Mega thief Carl Pavano will actually make a start for the Yankees, before he finds a way to hit the disabled list again. The righty who has had a tourtured stay here in New York, as he has had one injury after another, and one excuse after another will make a start for the Yankees this Saturday in Baltimore. " We liked the way (Pavano) was throwing the ball and we felt that Hughes needed some more work,” manager Joe Girardi said before Thursday’s game against the Blue Jays . ( Yahoo Sports ). It should be very interesting to watch.

It didn't take long for ex-WFAN host Chris "Mad Dog" Russo to find a new gig. The long time partner of the now defunct "Mike and the Mad Dog Show" that entertained millions of radio listeners and TV viewers for 19 years has completed a deal with SIRUS Satellite Radio to compete for ratings with the "Francesa on the FAN"show of 660 AM WFAN. The show will kick off Monday September 15 and will air from 2 pm to 7 pm, which starts and ends an hour later than Mike Francessa's program on WFAN. It can be heard on SIRUS channel 123 and XM channel 144. Of course you have to subscribe just to listen to these networks. " SIRIUS channel 123 and XM channel 144 will relaunch as Mad Dog Radio, a reformatted channel that will cover the spectrum of sports with engaging talk, high profile interviews, up-to-the-moment news and live remote broadcasts from the biggest sporting events ."( SIRUS Satellite Radio Press Release 8/19/08 ). Unfortunately, for Russo,...

METS 7 BRAVES 3 How about them Mets? eh? Even when the get the news that their closer, Billy Wagner, is likely out for the remainder of the season, and when their starter, Oliver Perez is once again erratic in a big game, the Mets found a way to beat the Braves 7-3 at Shea Stadium in Queens N.Y. The Braves were a pathetic 0-19 on the road in one run games, and they were able to grab a 3-2 lead in the third inning and maintain it until the eighth inning. These are the types of games that the Mets would find a way to lose, because they are..the Mets! The Braves chipped away when Chipper Jones singled to center to bring home Gregor Blanco to cut the Met lead to 2-1. Later, Brian McCann grounded out into an RBI, as Yunel Escobar was able to score from third, when the bases were loaded. Finally, Jeff Francoeur hit a sac. fly to right center to drive home Jones to give Atlanta the lead. Perez just didn't have it. His command was off all night long, as he walked five and gave up three run...

BLUE JAYS 2 YANKEES 1 Ok, enough already with trying to act like the Yankees will somehow find the Foutine of Youth and find a way to reverse their bad fourtunes in hopes of catching the Red Sox for the Wild Card. It 'aint happening. The Yankees are indeed DEAD !!!! Tonight, A.J. Burnett who has been struggling as of late for the Toronto Blue Jays, mastered the Yankees for eight innings of five hit ball, while striking out 13 Yankees. Burnett is now 3-0 lifetime against the Bombers, and improves his 2008 numbers to 16-9 on the year with a 4.51 ERA. Darrell Rasner was not bad for the Yankees; he did a decent job going six shutout innings, but then the roof caved in. In the seventh, Rasner left one over the plate and Adam Lind, of all people, took the pitch into the right field seats to tie the game at one a piece. Fast forward to the eighth, the Yankee pen continues to stink it up, the lastest culprit Jose Veras. Veras surrendered a two out single to Jason Inglett. Later, Marco Suct...

Mets closer Billy Wagner may not be back this season, thanks to a linggering "pain and swelling" in the pitcher's left arm. Wagner hit the DL two weeks ago because of arm pain, and was scheduled to come off the DL for tonight's game against the Atlanta Braves, but he just can't do it. Now Omar Minaya, who acquired Luis Ayala earlier in the week, will have to go out and try to get a top reliever from a club that is out of playoff contention. It won't be easy, because any player Minaya wants to acquire will have to clear waviers, meaning that any team can swoop in and claim the player. If the Mets can't land another pitcher, perhaps John Maine, who has struggled with arm trouble all year, may have to move to the bullpen where he could be more effective pitching less innings. The Mets are in big trouble; injuries have spelled the Mets season. First they lost Mosies Alou for the year with several leg injuires, then the lost Ryan Church for most of the season ...

Like NCAA college football, specifically Division I, that ranks each team based on BCS and Coache's polls, I will rank each NFL team by a similar power ranking based on who is playing the best for each week of the season. A team ranked number one could easily drop big if they are playing poorly. In other words I don't rank teams based on history, but on weekly performance. As we know, in the game of football, as in life, performance matters... Since the season doesn't offically kick off until September 4, I will make a preseason ranking, based on how teams have improved themselves in the offseason and training camp. Here are teams ranked 1-7. More later.... 1) New York Giants - They are the World Champions for a reason. Don't let people tell you that last year was just a fluke, the Giants have a very good defense that can get pressure on any quaterback in the leauge. Offensively, Eli Manning should have a big year, considering he has a title under his belt, and his big...

GIANTS 37 BROWNS 34 Who cares that the Dallas Cowboys get all the coverage and hype this year by the experts this preseason, the New York Giants are and will remain the best team in the NFC, if not the NFL. Even though it was preseason, the Giants showed the nation on ESPN's Monday Night Football, why they are the World Champions, and why Eli Manning is one of the leauges' preimere quaterback's. The Giants starters rolled up 23 points on the Cleveland Browns in the first quater, on route to a 37-34 victory, the Giants first of the preseason. Manning looked great, going four of seven for 52 yards and two touchdowns. Trailing 3-0 early, Manning hit Domenix Hixon from 11 yards out to take a 7-3 lead. Later in the first, Manning threw a bullet to Hixon from 24 yards out to take a 14-3 lead. Manning looked sharp, relaxed and poised. Don't be suprised if Manning has a breakout regular season - something he has not had yet in his career. After a Cleveland punt was blocked in ...

METS 4 PIRATES 0 Once again Johan Santana was marvelous for the Mets, as the $137 million man gave the Mets and their beleaguered bullpen a needed boost as he went the distance for his second complete game victory of the season. Santana threw 113 pitches in the effort. This is the second complete game for Santana this year. A couple of weeks ago, Santana pitched brilliantly in a 9-1 victory over the St.Louis Cardinals for a 105 pitch complete game performance when the Mets needed it most. Today, he did so again, striking out seven and walking none. Santana gave up only three hits on the day. He is now 11-7 on the year with a 2.75 ERA. Offensivley the Mets didn't have to do much to give Santana enough to work with. With Dan Murphy on second, Brian Schnieder blasted a homerun over the gigantic scoreboard in right field to give New York a 2-0 lead. It was Schineders fourth homer of the season, and second on this roadtrip. Fast forward to the fourth and Schnieder delivered again, as si...

YANKEES 15 ROYALS 6 It doesn't take long to begin the process of turning around a miserable season. A day after rookie Brett Gardner delieverd his second career walk-off hit to give the Yankees a comeback win over the Kansas City Royals, the Bronx Bombers bombed the Royals in a Sunday matinee at the Stadium. Offensively the Yankees pounded out 17 hits; four players had more than two hits on the day, and three players had more than two RBI. After Kansas City grabbed a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning, the Yankees woke up from their long slumber to show the pesky Royals whose boss. A-Rod got it started with a three - run blast to left to tie the game. Next, the X-Man, Xavier Nady hit his seventh homer as a Yankee and 20th on the year, shooting one to right field to give the Yankees a sudden 4-3 lead. Later in the inning, Jose Molina doubled home Robinson Cano, and Gardner continued to rake as he trippled to right to bring home Molina. In the second with the bases loaded, Jason Giam...

Once again, Mets GM Omar Minaya pulled one over the eyes of Met fans, this time going out of his way to acquire one of his priceless pieces of trash from his Montreal Expos days, Luis Ayala to help a beleaguered Mets bullpen. Ayala who has spent his entire career with the Montreal Expo/Washington National franchise brings a awful 1-8 record and 5.77 ERA to big Shea, as he will be expected to give the Mets another arm. Ayala hasn't been completely a bust in his career; in 2003, when Minaya was the Expos GM, Ayala went 10-3 with five saves and a 2.92 ERA in 65 games. Career Stats . In 2004 he pitched in 81 games, and collected a 6-12 record, 2 saves and a 2.69 ERA. However once the franchise burned its Expo history in order to move to D.C. Ayala began to struggle. He didn't pitch at all in 2006, and in 2007, Ayala had a 3.19 ERA, a career hight untill this year. This season Ayala has given up 41 runs, 37 earned runs, both career highs and has been prone to walking people, 22 wal...

METS 7 PIRATES 4 All of a sudden the New York Mets are red hot again; just goes to show you what an easy schedule can do for ya'. Tonight the Mets won their fifth straight ballgame, 7-4 over the pathetic Pittsburgh Pirates, and preserving their one game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies. Pedro Martinez , put together his best start of the entire season. In fact it looked like the old Pedro was back in toe for the Metropolitans. Martinez went seven glorious innings, scattering eight hits and a run while striking out four. He even pitched six shutout innings. The only blemish on Martinez's night was a solo homerun he gave up to Andy LaRoche in the seventh inning. As for the Mets offense, they were on fire!! In the first inning, Jose Reyes, who has been asleep at the plate for most of the season, finally took off, as he homered to left field, near the foul pole to give New York a 1-0 lead. Later, with David Wright on, Carlos Beltran doubled to right center to drive home Wright ...

REDSKINS 13 JETS 10 Dispite the fact that the Jets failed to convert on a last second field goal that would have tied the game and sent it into overtime, the Jets still looked sharp, especially Brett Favre . Favre, who recieved three different standing ovations during his first quarter of action in tonight's game, was on the money going five of six for 48 yards and a touchdown. Favre looked crisp, proving that all the complaining and concern that he would struggle in the Jets offense was mute. In his second drive of the night that started at the 50 yard line, because of a penalty on Washington, Favre drove the Jets all the way down the field for the go-ahead TD. He hit Jericho Cothery in the flat on a key third down for 15 yards to extend the drive. Later, he hit Brad Smith to bring the Jets down to the five yard line. Finally Favre hit tight-end Dustin Keller for the touchdown to give New York a 7-0 lead. That was it for Favre, as the Jets differed to Kellen Clemens, who was tota...

It was a really sad radio show this afternoon as the "Mike and the Mad Dog Radio Show" concluded for the final time as a tearful Christopher Russo called in at around 1:20 pm to say good-bye to his long time partner and millions of loyal listeners. The show opened with the familiar Mike and the Mad Dog jingle followed by a tape recording of Russo's always familiar "A...AAAAAAAAAA...ND Good Afternoon Everybody, how are you today, weclome to the Mike and the Mad Dog program..." only to be interupted by a mournful Francesa who confirmed the news that the show is now over. "For 19 years that is how we welcomed this program to New York everyday," said Francessa after the recording was played. "The response to me has been overwelming," said Francesa, "We started this program on Sept. 5, 1989. It was a shotgun wedding. We did not get along very well in the beginning. The show was considered to be a colossal misjudgment within the first couple o...

It is true that things do not last forever. Nothing can be more shocking or painful when something that seems so good, ends abruptly. For 19 years Mike Francessa and Christopher Mad Dog Russo co-hosted a five and a half hour radio show every weekday from 1:00 to 6:30 pm, and whether it was a rainy March Tuesday, or a week before the Super Bowl, or a nice sunny crisp day on a Friday in mid-October, the "Mike and the Mad Dog Show" gave me and many listeners enough news and entertainment to make the middle of day grand. It will be hard to accept football Fridays without both Francessa and Russo making their NFL picks for week during the 5:00 hour. It will be hard to accept that the two of them drilling a coach, or general manager, or player for making a stupid play or managerial move, that will now, only include one voice of reason. It will be hard to accpet that "Mad Dog's" always right to the point analysis of various topics from Adam 'Pacman' Jones, to ...

Breaking news that just happened at around 10:10 p.m. Thursday night. Christoper "Mad Dog" Russo who was a key player in the weekly afternoon "Mike and the Mad Dog Radio Show" has been released from his contract by WFAN. According to a story from the New York Post , Russo and WFAN Radio have "agreed to go seperate ways." ( Read the Article ). Meanwhile, Mike Francesa has signed a multi-year contract with WFAN to remain in his regular spot - this time flying solo. There were no specifics as to why Russo was let go. This ends speculation that started back in June when a Newsday article from June 22 reported that there could be a split between Russo and Francessa because the two were not getting along anymore. The next week, Russo went on the air and said that there were no problems between he and Francessa and that the two had worked things out. However, when Francessa returned after a brief vacation to do a show before the Yankee-Met Subway Series, France...

METS 9 NATIONALS 3 Yes folks, the Mets are hot!?!? Believe it or not! The Mets are also in sole possesion of first place in the NL East! Believe that or not!!!! One again, the Mets put together another dominating performance against the Nationals, beating up and sweeping the worst team in the NL, exteding the Mets winning streak to three games, and temporarily putting the concerns of this club into the rear view mirror. The Mets got it going in the fourth as they scratched out two runs on a Carlos Delgado grounded out to short to bring home Argenies Reyes to take a 1-0 lead. Later, Carlos Beltran hit a sac. fly to center to drive home David Wright to make it 2-0. Fast forward to the fifth inning, with a man on, Brian Schnieder hit his third homerun of the year to left field, as the ball feel into a bunch of plants that lined the outfield wall. 4-0 Metropolitans. Oliver Perez pitched well. He held the Nationals scoreless through the first six innings of the game tonight, but got into ...

METS 12 NATIONALS 0 A day after the Mets had to sweat out another ballgame, they finally got a much needed laugher as they walked right past the Washington Nationals 12-0, Wednesday night. The Mets got all they needed in the third inning as 13 men came to bat against starter Jason Bergmann. The Mets scored a season high eight runs in the inning to take a 10-0 lead. Dan Murphy, who had a huge night, singled to left to drive home David Wright to get things going in the third. Later Fernando Tatis, who had homered in the second inning, singled to left to drive home Delgado giving the Mets a 4-0 lead. After John Maine walked to drive home another run, Jose Reyes drove home two more with a single to left center to make it 7-0 Metropolitans. Finally, Carlos Beltran doubled to left center, to bring home two more runs to make it 10-0. It was a total debacle for Bergmann, who had to gut it out and stay through the punishment to save the National bullpen. In the fifth, Murphy added to his big ni...

Brett Favre is non too happy about how he is performing in practice right now. In a post practice media session the three time MVP said that his arm was "dragging a little" and that he feels "tired" and will "speak to Eric" Mangini about his aparent fatigue. Favre still doesn't feel that his timing with Lavernous Coles, Jerricho Cothery and David Clowney is up to par yet, but is still hopeful that things will get straightened out soon. Watch video from the NFL Network of Favre's interview. Still Favre's teammates are impressed by how quickly Favre is grasping the offense. Bubba Franks the Jets tight-end who played his first eight years with Favre and the Packers feels that Favre is picking things up quickly, and remarked about how smart the quaterback is. Favre will start Saturday against the Redskins, kickoff is at 7:00. The game can be seen on CBS channel two in the New York Metropolitan region, or on the NFL Network.