Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 10/1 - Sport

Some thoughts on the sports scene: After such great hope in the first few years of the Rex Ryan era, it seems the window of opportunity for a Super Bowl appearance by the Jets has slammed shut. Their offensive skill players are mediocre at best. If things don't improve soon, they will be forced to start Tim Tebow and let him run until he gets injured. Then again, I thought the Giants were dead late last season. By the way, are the regular refs that much better than the replacements? They're as overpaid as politicians and professors.

Well, they’ve done it. Yesterday’s loss clinched a 20th consecutive losing season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Six weeks ago they actually had a shot at the playoffs. I don’t think the Mets will go two decades without a winning record, but the immediate future is bleak, as the organization is still deep in debt and not able to spend on the most talented free agents. They should keep the starting pitchers and David Wright and Ike Davis. Anyone else except their top minor leaguers is expendable. They should try to get lucky signing players whose market value has been diminished by injury to one year contracts and hope they get lucky.

The Minnesota Twins signed former Japanese all-star Tsuyoshi Nishioka to a lucrative contract a few years ago. He has been a flop, spending a lot of time in the minors. The second baseman was so embarrassed by his performance that he asked the team to release him, forfeiting the three million dollars his contract guaranteed for 2013. For once, it wasn’t about the money. Best wishes, sir. American born pitcher Gil Meche did the same thing a few years ago. How refreshing in this age of entitlement.

There is a great story coming out of the University of Iowa, where several running backs were lost to either injury or criminality. Mark Weisman, a walk-on, left the Air Force Academy, the only school to have offered him a full scholarship, after six months. According to his former high school coach, he couldn't get the hang of making his bed correctly and was forced to sleep on the floor. He carried the ball only twice in the first two Hawkeyes' games. He was then switched from FB to TB. The result the past three games: 507 yards rushing, seven TDs. I love stuff like this.

My thanks to the two ladies who bought books in Park Slope today.

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