No love for Sammy

Sammy, we need to talk.

Try to understand. It's nothing personal against you, Dominican Daddy. It's just that, well... we aren't right for each other. You see, we've been hurt before.

We haven't been on speaking terms with Mo Vaughn and Steve Philips for a while now, after the way they wrecked our 2000 World Series team. Tom Glavine is in the dog house, too. And Cliff Floyd. Don't even mention Robbie Alomar. Lately, we've been investing a lot of time and energy in guys like you, and we've been rewarded with three straight sub-.500 seasons. Love hurts.

So when another aging, oft-injured, big-money player promising us the moon and stars comes a-knocking on our door, you'll have to forgive us if we look the other way. You see, we're Mets fans. We've learned to expect the worst. Besides, bringing you into our lives wouldn't be fair to you when we've really got our eyes on someone else.

His name is Carlos. He's young, talented, charming. Gold Glove fielder, power-hitter, base-stealer. He's really quite perfect. We're trying not to let ourselves believe he could really be ours, but we're hoping. And as long as we've got him in our heads, we can't be loving and faithful towards you.

Sammy, now is not the time for us. There may have once been a time where we were good for each other, but that time is past. Wouldn't you be much better off with someone else, anyway? I mean, you've still got some spark. Explore your options, see what's out there, you never know.

In the meantime, tell the Cubs to stop calling. We aren't interested. Let's just move on and pretend this whole affair never happened.

E-mail Mike Casey: michael.casey@newsday.com
Stay updated on the latest Mets news: www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets

Isles off to fast start

Buoyed by a quick start by Alexei Yashin, a rejuvenated Mark Parrish and a recent win over Tampa Bay, the Islanders are off to one of their hottest starts in franchise history. At least in a fantasy world.

You see, the good folks at G4 tech TV are simulating the entire season on their web site. They even have a weekly highlight show hosted by Luc Robitaille. The Islanders are 7-2-3-0 and are sitting in second place behind the Flyers. Yashin has 6 goals already, as do Parish and Czerkawski. DiPietro has looked solid in net too.

As for the Rangers, well they stink. But you knew that. Mike Dunham and Kevin Weekes are taking turns being pummeled in net and the Blue Shirts are off to a 2-9-1-0 start. It seems as if the lockout may be good for them. The only teams worse than the Rangers are the Coyotes, Capitals and Hurricanes.

So rather than watching in horror as the NHL self-destructs, I can watch live game updates on the web and just picture Peca not clearing the puck, DP leaving the crease dangerously and chanting Mike Must Go! At least we are winning.

Terrell, just shut up already

It seems like everyone these days is enlightening us with an opinion on Terrell Owens. He's a flamboyant superstar! He's a spoiled primadonna! He's a spokesman for a generation! He's a homophobe! ... Oh the contradictions!

So who is Terrell Owens? Well I'm not going to tell you I know for certain, since I've never met him, and if I did, I wouldn't ask him to describe himslf, because I'm sure his answer would involved fifteen references to the Lord, nine "I'm a team player" comments, seven improper adjectives and four occurrences of double talk. Actually, the only reason I feel a need to chime in on the matter is because the answer is unbelievably simple:

Terrell Owens is the most immature idiot in pro sports.

Others have tried to attribute his quirks to an overly ebullent personality, a stark desire to win, an unfair media, and I believe, on one occasion, al-Qaida. Friends, it's not all that complicated. Owens is dumb. And unlike some of his fellow pro athletes, he's not getting any less dumber (pardon the colloquialism).

Take Jeremy Shockey, Owens' homophobe brother-in-arms. Well, we all thought Jeremy was pretty cuckoo for insinuating that a certain Cowboys coach with a fishy nickname was a fan of Boys on the Side, but since then he's been able to keep his insightful social commentary to a hush. Sure, he still whines about his playing time like a two-year-old without a teething ring, but just yesterday I saw him do the most incredible thing.

With the Giants trailing 28-14 at the end of a very long, very poorly played game against the Chicago Bears, Shockey caught a touchdown pass. And then, without hesitation, without celebration, he flipped the ball to the official and jogged off the field. I nearly fainted.

Where was the flexing and the posing and the strutting? I checked the number. Yep, it was 80. Well, well, I thought, it appears Jeremy is finally learning the value of sportsmanship over a cutesy highlight on SportsCenter. But not our Terrell...

Terrell knows the cameras are on him. He likes that the cameras are on him. He eats it up. He absolutely thrives off it. As ESPN.com writer Skip Bayless recently pointed out, Owens is a master of self-promotion. His ear-to-ear grins and touchdown celebrations have an undeniable appeal. But to say that Owens intends to be so controversial, to act so stupidly so shamelessly, gives T.O. way too much credit. Because as much his Sharpie-wielding, pompom-shaking, sign defacing stunts have made him into a celebrity, they've also turned him into a anomalous circus sideshow.

What people should be talking about his how many touchdowns he's scored this season, and how he's the greatest receiver since Jerry Rice. Instead, they talk about everything else. Instead of Terrell Owens, Hall of Fame receiver, he's become Terrell Owens, lightning rod for controversy and spokesmodel for immaturity. He's 31 years old, and he still doesn't understand there's a difference between superstardom and celebrity... Sigh...

Sadly, as long as he continues justify his obnoxious behavior with virtuoso on-field performances, he'll largely be shielded from criticism. If the Eagles finally win the big one, he'll be celebrated as the man who helped put Philly over the top. People will forget about his ignorance and his self-interest because everyone loves a winner.

But history plays a game too, and right now Owens is on the wrong team. While men like Rice will be remembered principally for their accomplishments, Owens seems destined to be remembered as a curious character, a self-serving egomaniac, and oh yeah, a pretty decent ballplayer. If Pete Rose coaches that team, it looks like he's found his wide receiver.

E-mail Mike Casey.

Dry ice

I enjoy a good basketball game as much as the next person. But seriously, is this NHL thing ever gonna get figured out?

Today is the 50th day of the lockout; 146 games have already been missed, not counting the All-Star Game and every contest in the next 45 days, which have all been cancelled too. The NHL and its players association have not met since September, a couple of days before the lockout went into effect. More than 200 NHLers are scattered across Europe and North America, trying to earn a living by playing for local professional clubs or minor-league teams. Commissioner Gary Bettman said recently the season is "likely to slip away" and NHLPA boss Bob Goodenow affirmed that the "all the guys are on board" in their staunch opposition to a salary cap. Somehow all of this is not making me very confident.

I'm starting to feel like I have a better chance of seeing my alma mater Loyola-Maryland Greyhounds celebrating a men's basketball title on the grey tarps at Reitz Arena than I will of seeing NHL hockey this season. (For those of you not familiar with the program, our record the last two seasons is 5-51.) I'm pressing along in my NHL 2005 season for PS2. Seven games into the season, I'm 1-5-0-1. And I still think I've got a better chance of winning a Stanley Cup this year than any NHLer.

What will June be like without a grizzled, bearded man listing along the ice toting a big silver cup and flashing a toothless, ear-to-ear grin? How will I get through April without 16 teams, 16 wins, octopii, sudden death, Buccigross and Melrose? No Sam and J.D.? No Howie and Joe Mich? No Doc, nor Chico, nor Pang & Steve Levy? I'm starting to feel ill...

No matter how the rhetoric czars in the NHL's PR department try to explain it, the league needs to realize that the average fan doesn't understand or care why a salary cap is important. They just want cheap tickets and an exciting product on the ice. And similarly, the players need to understand that the average fan doesn't give a damn about your financial problems when you've been living in a mansion in Oyster Bay for the last six years. No amount of explanations or excuses or apologies can atone for my having to spend January watching sporting events like the "Huminatarian Bowl" or the "Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl." I'd rather be humming the National Hockey Night theme song and knocking hockey balls around my house.

Unfortunately, no one seems all that interested in reaching a bargain or appeasing my appetite for pucks. A few NHL players have spoken out in question of the impasse, but Goodenow has quickly reached out to hush any malcontention. We are left to believe that both sides are at a complete standstill, completely unable and unwilling to work together. And at the expense of those who pay their salaries, the players and owners have got me pretty convinced.

So while we wait for an end to the obstinance, we'll get by on other distractions: the Knicks, Jets, Giants, St. John's, World Series of Poker, Rutgers, or the -- *gulp*, dare I say it? -- Nets! I hope the players are enjoying their extended vacations. I hope the owners have a little extra change in their coffers come Christmastime. In the meantime, I'll be warming up to Trevor Ariza and Jamal Crawford, trying to catch the occasional Rangers classic, and suffering the intolerable silence of an NHL fan who is alone in his misery.

E-mail Mike.

Newsday's Mark Herrmann chats with Pat LaFontaine.

These (don't) go to 11

Meet the 2004-05 New York Knicks, a talented but flawed bunch.

Although New York has assembled what many consider to be the favorite to win the reconfigured Atlantic division, the Knicks proved Wednesday night why they're still a step or two short of making a serious title run.

The Knicks had the guts and the wherewithal. What they didn't have, to borrow from Spinal Tap, was "the extra push over the cliff." When the T-Wolves kicked the energy up to 11, the Knicks were stuck on 10. New York couldn't find its fifth gear -- or simply hasn't formed one yet. Until that happens, it will be tough to compete with the best teams in the NBA.

With that in mind, let's take a look at a player-by-player recap of the team's performance in the loss to Minnesota:

Stephon Marbury: Stephon was his usual self, dishing off several nice passes and finishing the game with 10 assists and 27 points. But the former Lincoln High star never got into a serious groove offensively and couldn't make tought shots down the stretch. He also missed two free throws late in the third quarter that would have given New York the lead.

Jamal Crawford: Came out firing early and showed his explosive offensive potential. Crawford made some nice plays defensively, but his shot selection was erratic and he occasionally took the Knicks out of their offense with wild lay-ups and quick jump shots. If he settles down he should be an excellent pick-up for GM Isiah Thomas.

Tim Thomas: Awful start for the Knicks' starting swingman. Thomas played just 23 minutes and went 3-13 from the field. He looked out of control and out of sync on offense and lost a lot of playing time to rookie Trevor Ariza in the second half.

Kurt Thomas: Kurt had his hands full guarding league MVP Kevin Garnett and did about as well as one could expect. His defense was solid -- although at times irrelevant when KG got hot -- and he made a couple of his long-range jump shots. Came up with 15 rebounds to help limit Minnesota's second opportunities. But was invisible offensively for most of the game and couldn't contribute down the stretch.

Nazr Mohammed: Nazr had a quiet game, playing 29 minutes and notching 5 points and 7 boards. He did not have a blocked shot and did not run the floor especially well. Did nothing to dispel the notion that the Knicks might have trouble at center this year.

Trevor Ariza: Isiah hit the jackpot with Marbury, the daily double with Crawford and may have landed a trifecta with Trevor Ariza. This raw, talented second-round draft pick saw plenty of crunch-time minutes in the second half and played reasonably well. He created problems defensively for Minnesota and gave the Knicks some needed energy. However, he needs to learn to harness his energy, or he'll end up drawing a lot of offensive fouls and taking a lot of wild shots. Overall, the future is bright for the rookie.

Michael Sweetney: Last year's first round pick contributed as well, playing 18 minutes and scoring 10 points off the bench. He also grabbed 6 hard-earned rebounds and showed a physical and atheltic maturity that should make him a fixture in New York's rotation throughout the year. Looked comfortable playing big minutes late in the fourth quarter, although he still has some learning to do.

Penny Hardaway: Penny struggled to make an impact, going 1-5 and scoring just 3 points. His calm on the court may be his best asset to the Knicks, but he's also going to have to make some clutch shots and play tough defense, too.

Jerome Williams: The Junkyard Dog looked good defensively and under the boards but couldn't help much on the offensive end. If teammates can remeber to keep the ball out of his hands, the Knicks should get their money's worth with this guy.

Vin Baker: Baker was combative in his six minutes and looked for his shots on offense. If he gets hot during games throughout the season, look for coach Lenny Wilkens to favor him over the offensively-challenged Williams. His lack of mobility appears to be his biggest liability for the run 'n' gun Knicks.

Moochie Norris: Still not sure why Moochie is a Knick. When you have to get rid of Frank Williams, I guess Norris is the next best option. Williams may be the most sorely-missed player this year, as Moochie just doesn't have the talent to keep Stephon Marbury on the bench for the rest he needs.

Shandon Anderson: Well... uh.... he gave some good high fives. I'm still not sure why the Knicks stopped using him. He would have been useful on defense over a cold Penny Hardaway tonight. But I guess if Isiah doesn't mind letting him sit on the bench collecting his pay checks, I don't mind either.