Millions of men and women love sports. In fact, many are
obsessed with their favorite sports teams. I understand this because I am the
same way. I am obsessed with my favorite sports team (the New York Yankees and
New York Jets). Unfortunately, many times in our love of our sports teams, we
forget the importance of loving God. So I write this blog as a reminder to
focus first on loving God, before we love our sports team.
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
-1 Timothy 6:10
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
- Matthew 6:21
Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
-Proverbs 17:1
Several weeks ago my wife and I took our two daughters to Chuck- E- Cheese. I tell you this not because I want to promote this establishment. This was important to me because we spent a grand total of $5.00 and everyone had a great time. It was a great reminder that you do not have to spend a lot of money to have memorable moments with your family. In fact, many times I have taken my family to a local park for free and my kids have had a wonderful time. Unfortunately, too many times I think parents (especially fathers) feel limited recreationally due to finances. If we do not have the ability to spend lavishly we chose to do nothing instead. The most wonderful gift you can give your family is your time. It is easy to be consumed by commercialism, there are many ways to spend money for recreation. Therefore, the same applies for the opposite. Sometimes parents foolishly think since they spent so much money on social or recreational activities that their job is done. However, when the amount of money we have to spend on "things" for our family takes away from quality of things we "do" with our family; we miss the mark. God wants us to be responsible with our finances. The best way to do that is to focus on him and the things he wants us to do. Like spend quality time with our families
Apparently New York Jets new GM John Idzik is very concerned with his new teams finances and based on the way the former GM Mike Tannenbaum mismanaged the salary cap (talk about poor stewardship) he should be. The interesting thing is that under his leadership the team had gone from $30 million over the cap to $13 million under (before Darrell Revis trade ). Clearly he had no intention of paying Darrel Revis "quarterback" money or more likely he was forbidden to do so by Woody Johnson. Either way Revis is gone. The New York Jets have 2 first round picks and a manageable salary cap number. This may not be a popular notion but I am really excited to see what John Idzik is going to do with these picks, the draft and this team. I wish the New York Jets could have kept Darrel Revis, but I will not foolishly make Revis out to be a victim. If he really wanted to be a New York Jet, he would be. The bottom line is Revis was much more interested in getting EVERY dollar he could from the New York Jets. He was not focused on making as much money he could and remain a New York Jet. These are two very different things. Of course, the New York Jets paid lots of money to Santonio Holmes and Mark Sanchez. Clearly, any Jet fan would rather have seen the money spent on those two- go to Darrel Revis instead. I do not think John Idzik will overpay for such players in the future. So if a player - let's say Kenny Brit is all of a sudden made available for a 5th round pick (because the Titans are tired of his off the field incidents) and Rex comes running into Idzik's office (a la Santonio Holmes), I truly hope John Idzik will send Rex back to his office to work on the defense. Wouldn't it be great if the Bucs cut Revis after 2 years and the New York Jets re-sign him. It is nice to dream.
As far as tomorrow's draft goes. I would love to pick Jarvis Jones as our pass rushing OLB (assuming Dion Jordan is long gone) I share the fear of many Jet fans that Barkevious Mingo is Aaron Maybin re-visited. If the New York Jets pick Mingo I will hope that Charlie Cassserly is correct that he is the best pass rusher in the draft after Jordan. If the Jets pick Tavon Austin with the 13th pick, we will have reason to be excited. Whenever, you draft a playmaker that can score a touchdown whenever they touch the ball you have to be excited. It wouldn't be the worst thing to see the Jets trade out of one of those picks. In the 2nd round the Jets should draft Travis Frederick from Wisconsin to be plugged immediately into the right guard position and he can also play center as he did in college. I gave Travis Frederick the slight edge over Barret Jones simply because there is something special about Wisconsin offensive lineman. Eric Reid from LSU could also be an option here if he was not snagged in the 1st round. In the 3rd round the Jets can grab their tight end to replace Keller with Gavin Escobar from San Diego State. In the 4th round (usually a good one for the Jets) they get a starting safety with JD. Swearinger from South Carolina. This pick is actually a toss up because I would just as soon pick Robert Lester from Alabama and put him at free safety. If the jets don't trade their 5th round pick for Chris Ivory they can go wide receiver with Aaron Mellette from Elon. With the 6th round pick the Jets get the future "Tom Brady" pick with Sean Renfree from Duke. Many fans will boo this pick but he will be the Jets starting QB in 2014. In the 7th round the Jets get their running back (assuming they have not traded for Ivory) with Kerwynn Williams from Utah State a player with break away speed. This draft will be Idzik's moment to shine after the heartache of losing Darrel Revis. He will then have an opportunity to field a competitive team for 2014 and practice good money management.
I continue to be on board with the New York Yankees getting to under 189 million for next year. That would be a good way of showing responsible spending. I think Brian Cashman has done a great job of getting role players and bench players. But could someone tell Cashman that when you have lost A-rod, Jeter, Granderson and Texeria only getting Vernon Wells is not enough. They needed Wells before Teixeira got hurt. Cashman should have made a trade to acquire a power hitter to replace Teixeira. No one wants to hear about how difficult that would be. That is Cashman's job. He gets paid a lot of money to deal with situations like this. The Lyle Overbay's of the world are good if you have to replace on All-star who just had a stint on the 15 day DL. He is not a viable options as a player to be part of a the solution when 4 all stars are out until at least the All star break.
Fortunately the Yankees have great pitching, so that has been a tremendous help. But 4 singles for Andy Pettitte is not going to cut it. Also, can someone tell Girardi that Cervelli is NOT a number 5 hitter. I would much rather see a slumping Edwardo Nunez there than Cervelli.
That is all I have for now.
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
-1 Timothy 6:10
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
- Matthew 6:21
Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
-Proverbs 17:1
Several weeks ago my wife and I took our two daughters to Chuck- E- Cheese. I tell you this not because I want to promote this establishment. This was important to me because we spent a grand total of $5.00 and everyone had a great time. It was a great reminder that you do not have to spend a lot of money to have memorable moments with your family. In fact, many times I have taken my family to a local park for free and my kids have had a wonderful time. Unfortunately, too many times I think parents (especially fathers) feel limited recreationally due to finances. If we do not have the ability to spend lavishly we chose to do nothing instead. The most wonderful gift you can give your family is your time. It is easy to be consumed by commercialism, there are many ways to spend money for recreation. Therefore, the same applies for the opposite. Sometimes parents foolishly think since they spent so much money on social or recreational activities that their job is done. However, when the amount of money we have to spend on "things" for our family takes away from quality of things we "do" with our family; we miss the mark. God wants us to be responsible with our finances. The best way to do that is to focus on him and the things he wants us to do. Like spend quality time with our families
Apparently New York Jets new GM John Idzik is very concerned with his new teams finances and based on the way the former GM Mike Tannenbaum mismanaged the salary cap (talk about poor stewardship) he should be. The interesting thing is that under his leadership the team had gone from $30 million over the cap to $13 million under (before Darrell Revis trade ). Clearly he had no intention of paying Darrel Revis "quarterback" money or more likely he was forbidden to do so by Woody Johnson. Either way Revis is gone. The New York Jets have 2 first round picks and a manageable salary cap number. This may not be a popular notion but I am really excited to see what John Idzik is going to do with these picks, the draft and this team. I wish the New York Jets could have kept Darrel Revis, but I will not foolishly make Revis out to be a victim. If he really wanted to be a New York Jet, he would be. The bottom line is Revis was much more interested in getting EVERY dollar he could from the New York Jets. He was not focused on making as much money he could and remain a New York Jet. These are two very different things. Of course, the New York Jets paid lots of money to Santonio Holmes and Mark Sanchez. Clearly, any Jet fan would rather have seen the money spent on those two- go to Darrel Revis instead. I do not think John Idzik will overpay for such players in the future. So if a player - let's say Kenny Brit is all of a sudden made available for a 5th round pick (because the Titans are tired of his off the field incidents) and Rex comes running into Idzik's office (a la Santonio Holmes), I truly hope John Idzik will send Rex back to his office to work on the defense. Wouldn't it be great if the Bucs cut Revis after 2 years and the New York Jets re-sign him. It is nice to dream.
As far as tomorrow's draft goes. I would love to pick Jarvis Jones as our pass rushing OLB (assuming Dion Jordan is long gone) I share the fear of many Jet fans that Barkevious Mingo is Aaron Maybin re-visited. If the New York Jets pick Mingo I will hope that Charlie Cassserly is correct that he is the best pass rusher in the draft after Jordan. If the Jets pick Tavon Austin with the 13th pick, we will have reason to be excited. Whenever, you draft a playmaker that can score a touchdown whenever they touch the ball you have to be excited. It wouldn't be the worst thing to see the Jets trade out of one of those picks. In the 2nd round the Jets should draft Travis Frederick from Wisconsin to be plugged immediately into the right guard position and he can also play center as he did in college. I gave Travis Frederick the slight edge over Barret Jones simply because there is something special about Wisconsin offensive lineman. Eric Reid from LSU could also be an option here if he was not snagged in the 1st round. In the 3rd round the Jets can grab their tight end to replace Keller with Gavin Escobar from San Diego State. In the 4th round (usually a good one for the Jets) they get a starting safety with JD. Swearinger from South Carolina. This pick is actually a toss up because I would just as soon pick Robert Lester from Alabama and put him at free safety. If the jets don't trade their 5th round pick for Chris Ivory they can go wide receiver with Aaron Mellette from Elon. With the 6th round pick the Jets get the future "Tom Brady" pick with Sean Renfree from Duke. Many fans will boo this pick but he will be the Jets starting QB in 2014. In the 7th round the Jets get their running back (assuming they have not traded for Ivory) with Kerwynn Williams from Utah State a player with break away speed. This draft will be Idzik's moment to shine after the heartache of losing Darrel Revis. He will then have an opportunity to field a competitive team for 2014 and practice good money management.
I continue to be on board with the New York Yankees getting to under 189 million for next year. That would be a good way of showing responsible spending. I think Brian Cashman has done a great job of getting role players and bench players. But could someone tell Cashman that when you have lost A-rod, Jeter, Granderson and Texeria only getting Vernon Wells is not enough. They needed Wells before Teixeira got hurt. Cashman should have made a trade to acquire a power hitter to replace Teixeira. No one wants to hear about how difficult that would be. That is Cashman's job. He gets paid a lot of money to deal with situations like this. The Lyle Overbay's of the world are good if you have to replace on All-star who just had a stint on the 15 day DL. He is not a viable options as a player to be part of a the solution when 4 all stars are out until at least the All star break.
Fortunately the Yankees have great pitching, so that has been a tremendous help. But 4 singles for Andy Pettitte is not going to cut it. Also, can someone tell Girardi that Cervelli is NOT a number 5 hitter. I would much rather see a slumping Edwardo Nunez there than Cervelli.
That is all I have for now.
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ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement and support.
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