The Giants and the 49ers are over 48 hours from dueling at the Bay. But before that, Bob Glauber of Newsday writes about Jerry Reese’s conventional approach to get his team here. Who’s the best linebacker in all of football? Well that’s Patrick Willis and he has a story that may sound very familiar says Kevin Kernan of the Post. Mike Lupica of the Daily News writes how close this season was to being for naught. Mark Purdy of the Conta Costra Times writes that Candlestick Park is a fortress for the 49ers.
Forget the hype and delirium that I’m feeling while typing this. As a Giant fan, its unnerving to know that most prognosticators will pick them because they have been flying under the radar throughout these playoffs and during their run. Its an unusual position to put the Giants in but they have to be weary of an opponent who plays possum. Alex Smith’s career was done when this season was about to start. Now he’s led his team to a playoff victory in dramatic fashion and remade his legacy in San Fran. He’s now one win away from a Super Bowl berth. Meanwhile the Giants are standing in his way.
The Jerry Reese story is funny because during his first full year as GM, Reese had seven draft picks whom all played and had a role in the Giants success during their first Super Bowl run. But he’s had to go out and remake the roster and after sitting and lying in wait this off season as the Eagles were signing every marquee name, the Giants were able to stick to what they knew best: player development. Victor Cruz. Will Beatty. Kevin Boothe. Henry Hynoski. Chase Blackburn returning. Read out the names and you wouldn’t give him any offseason awards, but read those names again before the NFC Championship game and you may give him props and were it not for all the gold that the Niners found among all their free agent nuggets perhaps Jerry Reese would be a slam dunk for GM of the year, but alas, all is well if the G-Men go out and play the game that we know they can play.
While the Giants have found their offensive punch, the Knicks haven’t found theirs as Mitch Lawrence of the Daily News writes, they had better find it soon. According to Amar’e Stoudemire, the Knicks need to speed up their offense says Marc Berman of the Post.
Its perplexing to me as much as Mike D’Antoni and he said it right: if with Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire the Knicks cant score 85 points they don’t deserve to win. My problem is that the offense has yet to be in synch because there isn’t enough spacing in D’Antoni’s offense and also because there’s too much iso play going on. There are moments when the Knicks can look good, and feel good but their reliance on a 3 point shot is beyond foolish and they continue to shoot with reckless abandon even as they miss and miss and miss. Yet every single shot they miss they don’t get offensive rebounds so most of those opportunities are missed because there are no second chance points.
Will Baron Davis help? Perhaps they need a better floor leader capable of handling the point but here’s the dilemma. Too much one on one play and too much standing around while superstars shoot must stop. The Knicks have been prone to making those mistakes and frankly its tough to watch and tough to stand. Watching them play this way is the reason that people drink these days during the mid afternoon.
What will help the knicks? If you have answers please do share with Knick management. Its gotten so bad that James Dolan began making hockey predictions and forgot that he has a basketball team.
acebook
witter
