COHEN'S CORNER SPORTS

 According to a report by the New York Post's Mike Puma, Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor wasn't exactly chums with teammates Jeff McNeil and Juan Soto going so far to to make the case that the rifts may have contributed to the Mets downfall in 2025.  The exclusive story which has been behind a paywall since it was revealed on Friday night, Lindor got into a verbal exchange with McNeil after the second baseman misplayed a grounder in a 10-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies back on June 20.  The story rehashed the odd history between the two that dates back to 2021 when both infielders got into a physical altercation in the tunnel between the dugout and clubhouse, which the two tried to swipe away as disagreement over "rats and raccoons."  Lindor and McNeil would "patch" things up a bit come 2022 -- the year Buck Showalter arrived -- and McNeil led the NL in batting average. Lindor would buy him a new car the following season.    As far as Lindor's relati...

 If you believe all the leaks and reports that have been swirling over the past 48 hours it looks like Rams Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula and Colts Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo are the early favorites for the Giants Head Coaching job.  Regarding Anarumo many are connecting the dots because of the coach's relationship with Giants General Manager Joe Schoen. The two worked together with the Miami Dolphins back in 2017. In fact Ryan Dunleavey of the New York Post tweeted that Anaurmo is a slight favorite.   Anarumo, 59, has never been a head coach at any level, and he's been coaching football since 1989. If he were to attain the Giants job, he would be 60 come next season.  It's not unusual for a Head Coach to attain his first job at such an advanced age; think Mike Zimmer with the Vikings.  Zimmer was 58 when he took the Vikings job in 2014.  Anarumo, a Staten Island native is certainly familiar with the Giants having worked on Pat Schurmur's staff ...

 The New York Giants have parted ways with embattled defensive coordinator Shane Bowen following Big Blue's disheartening 34-27 overtime loss to the Lions on Sunday afternoon.  The move was announced by Interim Head Coach Mike Kafka, who said Monday it was his decision to make the move, a total 180 from Sunday night when Kafka said that he had confidence in Bowen and the Giants defensive coaching staff.  Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen will take over play-calling duties as Defensive Coordinator.   "My decision," Kafka said Monday. "My decision to make this move. "... The results just weren't where we wanted them to be, and so Charlie is going to step up for us and rally the group. The defensive staff will rally around Charlie and put together a great plan. I got a lot of confidence in the room and a lot of confidence in our staff to do that." When asked about the change in opinion on Bowen's job status Kafka said:  "I just had an ...

 In the first real big move of the off-season, the New York Mets have traded outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for infielder Marcus Semien on Sunday night.  The move is basically a swap of bad contracts for two players who once were really good for their respective franchises. Nimmo has five years at $19.25 million per season remaining on an eight year, $162 million deal he signed with the Mets in 2023.  Semien, who is about three years older than Nimmo, has three years at $26 million per year. His final year in 2028 is only $20 million.  While both players have struggled at the plate the past two seasons, where the deal does make sense for the Mets, its the defense that Semien provides in the infield that made this possible. Semien infield defense is still considered one of the best in baseball, where as Nimmo's defense in the outfield has gone downwards.  Nimmo will be missed. He was a lively presence in the Mets clubhouse that brought leadershi...

Utility outfielder Trent Grishom will return to the Bronx next season after accepting a one-year qualifying offer from the New York Yankees, assuring New York keeps one of its more reliable veteran bats in the fold for 2026.  Grishom is set to make $22 million this coming season.  Grishom enjoyed a career year , belting 34 homers, 74 RBI and 116 hits. He also set career bests in slugging percentage (.464) and OPS (.811). He could have easily parlayed that success into a bigger contract elsewhere, but the 28-year old wanted to be part of the Yankees regardless of contract.  It's a shrewd move for Grishom, who is essentially betting on himself to have another stand-out season while simultaneously competing on a team with a shot at a World Series ring.   Now the question is what happens with Cody Bellinger?  Bellinger enjoyed one of his finest offensive seasons, belting 29 homers and driving in 98 last year in the Bronx. He solidified the Yankees hole in righ...

 The New York Mets are mulling the possibility of re-signing Edwin Diaz, and signing Yankees free agent reliever Devin Williams and pairing the two of them together at the back end of the Mets bullpen in 2026. That according to Jeff Passon of ESPN.  A far cry from the initial assumption many made on social media (including yours truly) that the Mets were considering Williams as a Diaz replacement. Not true, at least not right now.  "New York is in on Devin Williams , whose connections to those in the Mets organization, including president of baseball operations David Stearns, date to their time together with the Brewers," Passan wrote.  "Williams is coming off the worst season of his career with the Yankees, but his peripheral numbers were excellent and his stuff still graded out well-above-average. Williams has suitors from coast to coast, though the Mets are mulling the opportunity to sign Díaz and Williams to head up a bullpen in need of a total restructur...

 The New York Jets will once again bench quarterback Justin Fields in favor of Tyrod Taylor as New York prepares to face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.  The move had to be made. The Jets have been unable to much offensively with Fields under center. The Jets are ranked 32nd in the NFL in pass yards per game, and Fields has thrown for a combined 505 yards in his last five starts.  Fields threw for only 116 yards in a 27-14 loss to the Patriots last Thursday, and threw for only 57 yards in a grind-em-out victory over the Browns before that.  In desperate need of  a jolt, the Jets go back to Taylor who has appeared in two games this year. He started the Jets 29-27 loss to Tampa in Week 3, and appeared in mop-up duty of a 13-6 loss to Carolina in Week 7. He hasn't been that great either, but at least he's a veteran.  The Ravens are going to pin their ears back against this Jets offense, and the Jets coaches probably feel that Taylor gives them a better shot t...

 So much for the debut of Mike Kafka as Giants interim Head Coach. The Giants were still the same old G-Men (sorry Jets, you don't have a patent on the phrase 'same old'), as Big Blue dropped its fifth in a row 27-20 to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.  Yes, there were moments where it looked like the Giants might come away with the upset. They gave the Packers a run for their money, with Jamies Winston providing a necessary spark to the offense. Heck the Giants rolled up 336 yards on Jeff Hafley's defense, which at times didn't have any answers to slow down Big Blue.  Nope, the only ones stopping the Giants on Sunday were the Giants themselves.  Twice the G-Men had the lead, and twice, they watched it fritter away as Big Blue's defense had no answer for Jordan Love or even Malik Willis when the back-up came in for Love after the former left for concussion protocol.   But here were the Giants with a 20-19 lead thanks to Winston's one-yard plung that capped ...

 You can cross Bill Belichick off t he list of potential candidates for the New York Giants' head coaching vacancy.  Belichick went scorched earth on the speculation, emphasizing his commitment to the University of North Carolina.    “I have great respect and genuinely care for the New York Giants organization and both the Mara and Tisch families,” Belichick wrote. “The New York Giants played an important role in my life and in my coaching journey. It was a privilege for me to work for the Mara family and be a member of Coach Parcells’ staff for over a decade. However, despite circulating rumors, I have not and will not pursue any NFL head coaching vacancies.”  According to New York Daily News writer and NFL historian, Gary Meyers, there is a chance -- that Belichick may have burned his bridges with the Giants about 4-5 years ago.    It's been hard times for the Hall of Fame Head Coach, who couldn't land an NFL HC job after getting fire...

 The New York Jets didn't make the grade in Foxborough, Massachusetts either on Thursday. New York was grounded by their arch rivals 27-14 on Thursday night as the Jets failed to extend their two-game winning streak, dropping to 2-8.  The Jets opened the game with a beautiful 14-play, 72-yard drive that featured a mix of runs by Breece hall, Isiah Davis and Justin Fields. Fields would score the games first touchdown on a seven-yard scamper, but that was it for New York.  Mental mistakes spelled doom for the Jets the rest of the night. The Jets were flagged seven times, many of them for silly mistakes that cost the team dearly in field position.  Jarvis Brownlee had a nightmare of a game, getting flagged multiple times, and even missed a tackle on DeMaryo Douglas in the fourth quarter on a play where Douglas initially gave himself up at the Patriots own 40, got up and gained 16 more yards.  Give Brownlee credit, he faced the media and fessed up to the bad game....

 Leave it to Jets owner Woody Johnson to find his way to the center of the storm.  According to the Jet Press , Johnson, the Jets billion dollar owner of the past 25-seasons, was a "key figurehead" in the NFL owners filing a grievance against the NFLPA's report cards that came out last year.  Of course, Johnson's report card was none too pretty, as it came back as an F, with the Jets ranked 29th overall in the NFL, and players citing a "culture of fear" within the organization.  ESPN, which first reported the story state s:  The league claims the report cards, which poll players on various aspects of working conditions, violate a CBA clause that says NFL owners and the union must "use reasonable efforts to curtail public comments by club personnel or players which express criticism of any club, its coach, or its operation and policy," according to an August letter from the league's management council to NFLPA general counsel Tom DePaso th...

 The New York Giants officially fired Head Coach Brian Daboll on Monday afternoon, following Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears.   Essentially it comes down to this: Brian Daboll failed to protect his most important asset, quarterback Jaxson Dart when the quarterback may have played with a concussion during Sunday's game. How long he played with that concussion is unknown, but Daboll didn't help himself when he couldn't diagnose the issue.   "I am not sure exactly the play where it happened. I am just concerned for the kid. I don't know the exact play it happened for him relative to him getting hurt or not getting hurt," he told reporters on Sunday.  Dart's health concerns are nothing new for the Giants. A month ago Daboll earned Big Blue a $200,000 fine from the league office after breaking protocol by going into the blue tent when Dart had concussion symptoms against the Eagles. Daboll was also seen yelling at team doctors, imploring the quarte...

 This has to be it.  There is no coming back from this for Brian Daboll. A head coach is responsible for three things: win games, establish a culture of success, and protect your players, even from themselves.  Unfortunately for Daboll that didn't happen in Sunday's disheartening 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears in snowing Chicago.  Not when quarterback Jaxson Dart left this game with a concussion, and didn't return. And in his post game comments, Daboll all but admitted that he had the quarterback he practically hand-picked in the NFL Drat last April, back onto the field with a concussion.  When pressed by the media when Dart suffered the concussion, Daboll said he wasn't sure.   “As he was going back out on the field, it just didn’t seem right, so I called the trainers over and said, ‘Let’s get him out and make sure he gets looked at,’ Daboll told reporters. ”He went in and got looked at and he ended up being evaluated for a concussion.” However it...

Like the rainy and gloomy weather that pounded MetLife Stadium most of the afternoon on Sunday, the Jets found a way to win an ugly 27-20 contest against the equally lowly Cleveland Browns.  It wasn't pretty. The offense under quarterback Justin Fields was again stuck in neutral for the entire first half, but thanks to two special teams touchdown returns, and a huge second half by running back Breece Hall, the Jets came away victorious.  On top of that the Jets defense, which had lost stalwarts Quinnen William and Sauce Gardner at the beginning of the week via the trade deadline, put together its best effort as a unit, granted it was against the Browns. The Jets sacked Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel six times, four of which belonged to edge rusher Will McDonald.  Trailing 7-0 in the first quarter, the Jets answered right away when Kene Nwangwu returned the kick-off 99-yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 7.  Later, after a Browns three-and-out, Isaiah Williams...

 One team that was curiously absent from all the hubbub of the NFL trade deadline was the New York Giants.  At 2-7, the Giants are going nowhere as the season has spiraled out of control in the last three weeks.  New York has seen valuable pieces like Malik Nabers and Cam Skatebo go down with season ending injuries, and they have also seen rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart throw his body around to the point he had to crouch down on the ground in pain on the sideline during a 34-24 drubbing to the 49ers on Sunday.  Not to mention the Giants lauded defense has given up 30-plus point in each of the last three games, all loses.   So what is going on here?  The Giants didn't get any help for their rookie quarterback who needs it.  As it stands now, the Giants have only one first round and one second round pick going into next year's draft, meaning they will either have to get creative in trades this off-season, or get aggressive in free agency.  Is t...

 The New York Jets are blowing it all up and starting over. At least mostly anyway.  Jets General Manager Darren Mougey and the front office took a major step toward the future by trading away two Pro Bowl players for a ton of draft capital it will plan to use in the near future.  First New York dealt Ahmad Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for two first round picks (one in 2026 and another in 2027), and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, and, then traded away defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for a second round pick in 2026, a first round pick in 2027, and tackle Mazi Smith.   By the time the 4 p.m. trade deadline came and went, the Jets did not trade away running back Breece Hall, who according to Jordan Schultz, wanted to be traded out of New York. The Jets were looking for a third round pick, didn't get it.  Quinnen's brother, linebacker Quincy Williams was also not traded.   Wide receiver Garrett Wilson will also re...