COHEN'S CORNER SPORTS

On the same day that all 32 NFL teams opened up their doors to begin the 2011 league year, the 8th Circut Court of Appeals in St. Louis has granted a stay on the NFL owners desire to put the NFL lockout back in place. This means that the lockout is back on, people. According to NFL.com, the 2-1 decision from a panel of the 8th Circuit was issued by Judges Steven Colloton, Kermit Bye and Duane Benton. It included a lengthy dissent from Bye, who suggested temporary stays should be issued only in emergencies. "The NFL has not persuaded me this is the type of emergency situation which justifies the grant of a temporary stay of the district court's order pending our decision on a motion for a stay itself," Bye wrote. "If we ultimately grant the motion for a stay, the NFL can easily re-establish its lockout." Players across the country returned to work Friday morning in good spirits, only to be sent home hours later with the understanding that the lockout was ...

After failing to preserve the lockout on the players, the NFL lost their litigation in the court room, as Judge Susan Nelson refused to change her verdict on lifting the lockout, meaning that the NFL will open its doors on Friday. The 8th Circuit Court refused to grant a stay on the lockout, meaning that it is officially over. This means that players can return to their teams training facilities, coaches can now meet with their players, hand out play books for the up coming season, discuss the schedule for training camp, mini camp, and OTAs. The big issue will be free agency and trades. Without a new CBA, that means the 2011 season is in danger of being an uncapped year, meaning that the richest of teams can throw the most money at top free agent talent, like Peyton Manning, Santonio Holmes, and Braylon Edwards. Look for the Jets to open up their wallets to Holmes and Edwards, both of whom they must retain, after their success with quarterback Mark Sanchez last season. Free agency wil...

We all know Rex Ryan loves to talk. Heck, Ryan became the most popular New Jersey televison personality since Tony Soprano last summer with his unapologetic approach to coaching on HBO's "Hard Knocks." This summer, Ryan has decided to voice his opinons in a tell-all book called "Play Like You Mean It." I know, I know; I figured something like "Happy Feet," or "Go $#**@ Yourself" would sound like a more apropos title for it, but, hey, it's got his name on it. The book, which is scheduled to come out in bookstores and online next week, is already making waves. ESPN New York and Daily News columnist Rich Cimini revealed some interesting tidbits from the book; Ryan goes on rants about former Jets Kerry Rhodes and draft day flame out Vernon Gholston. He even makes bold predictions about the Jets success in the next decade, saying: "I know it's going to piss off every Giants fan to hear this, but here you go: We are the better team. We...

Not so fast folks, the NFL lockout is not over quite yet. Players made their way back to their respective team's facilities today in light of the news Monday night that the NFL lockout had been lifted by Minnesota Federal Judge Susan Nelson, yet NFL owners won't open the doors. Some players were allowed into the facilities but were not allowed to work out. In the case of Bills safety, Leodis McKelvin, he told ESPN that he was turned away at the front gate like a rabid fan trying to get a peek at his favorite team. The Jets had several players check into their facility in Florham Park, NJ, including Jericho Cotchery and D'Brickashaw Ferguson. "I took every opportunity to avail myself of a work out, but at this time, I wasn't afforded that opportunity," Ferguson told ESPN. The NFL owners have to appeal the injunction if they hope to keep the players locked out. If their appeal is denied, then the league will open up business in a blitzkrieg off-season of free ag...

The NFLPA and owners are still engaged in a bitter stalemate on the CBA for the next season, but that has not stopped Judge Susan Nelson from granting the injunction necessary to lifting the lockout, meaning that football operations could be back up and running in a matter of days. Still keep in mind this is a technical lift on the lockout. The owners can still appeal the proceedings that will force the lockout to remain, preventing a blitzkrieg off-season for NFL franchises. If the appeal falls through, then football is back in full force, even without a new CBA. This could be a huge problem for the NFL. Without a CBA, there will be no salary cap, meaning big market teams like the Cowboys, Redskins, Patriots and Giants could get fat on top free agents by throwing money around like the Yankees, while small market teams like the Jaguars, Bills, and Saints would suffer greatly. Either way football appears imminent. Look for details right here on Cohen's Corner on how the blitzkrieg o...

CELTICS 101 KNICKS 89 The season is now over for the New York Knicks. A year full of great promise after the Knickenbockers acquired Amare Stoudemire in the off-season, and traded for superstar Carmelo Anthony at mid-season, concluded with utter disappointment as the Boston Celtics swept New York out of MSG in the first round of the playoffs. After two very close games in Boston, the Knicks showed little heart and even littler might at home the past two nights. Sure the Knicks had a nice charge in the fourth quarter of game four, cutting the Celtics 23 point lead to four, but it was never enough. Ray Allen, who has killed the Knicks throughout the series hit a big three pointer, again, to augment the lead back to seven, and after that the Celtics rolled along in the final five minutes. The Knicks problems have always been the same: they don't play defense. There is no help in the paint against the size of someone like a Kevin Garnett, no size to make rebounds on either end, and re...

METS 8 D-BACKS 4 Someone break up the New York Mets! Either the Mets are starting to figure it out, or the schedule makers should put the Arizona Diamondbacks on the schedule more often for the Metropolitans. I tend to believe the ladder. The messy Mets defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks on Easter Sunday 8-4 to sweep the Desert Snakes, and earn their fourth straight victory to improve to 9-13 on the season. The Mets broke out offensively thanks to David Wright. Wright, who has had the worst of times hitting in Citi Field, hit two homeruns in the ballpark to help stake the Mets to an 8-1 lead. Wright who had only 17 career homers in Citi Field since in opened in 2009, already has two at the stadium, and three on the season. Ike Davis who blasted two homeruns the past two days, drove in two more runners with a RBI single in the fourth inning. Even new-comer Jason Pridie cracked a three run homer to right to help the Mets cause. Jon Niese was solid. He delievered his best start of the year...