In the Web

The greatest time on the sports calendar is upon us and so is the first edition of “In the Web.”

Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees are set to initiate their playoff series with the Indians in Cleveland Thursday night at Jacobs Field. You don't have to be a clairvoyant to envision this series being a sheer bloodbath. The Yankees are so superior to their Cleveland counterparts that this ALDS could be a landslide rivaling the 1980 presidential election between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale. Despite their marvelous regular season, it's hard to fathom that the Indian's will be worthy adversaries for the men from 161st and River Avenue in the Bronx. This is the best Yankees team since at least the 2003 brand and the Indians have about as much muscle as Clay Aitken. As wrestling legend "the Enforcer" Arn Anderson once uttered, "Adversity introduces a man to himself." Come late-October, after a season laden with tumult, the pinstripe public can expect an introduction to their 27th ticker tape parade.

In regard to the lightning bolt of controversy that is Rodriguez, ideally his parade float will proceed and lead him to the first exit out of Gotham. Rodriguez has had a year of legend and his status as an iconic baseball figure has been cemented. Despite his surreal 2007 campaign and my belief that he will finally succeed this autumn when "it counts," inexplicably and without real warrant, he still chaps my ass. I firmly contend that his salary could be dispensed to others on the free agent market this winter more judiciously. As hard as it is to comprehend and let register, the Bronx Bombers would be better off next year without the best player in the game.

New York Knicks Head Coach Isiah Thomas and his employers at Madison Square Garden lost a sensational sexual harassment lawsuit yesterday to their former team executive, Anucha Browne Sanders. The verdict rendered by four women and three men will force the leaders of "the World’s Most Famous Arena" to shell-out $11.6 million to the embattled Sanders. One can only presume that Zeke's costly, embarrassing and crude advances will bring him that much closer with Garden Chairman, James Dolan. It's a genuine novelty. The more Thomas is exposed as an incompetent gump, the higher his job performance soars. Britney Spears will be a more qualified mother than Teresa was before Thomas leads the Knickerbockers to their first championship since1973. Unfortunately, if Thomas keeps banging the pooch with this type of fervor, he'll still be in charge of the Knicks in 2073.

Notre Dame's portly beacon of arrogance, Charlie Weiss, should have his chubby ear put to the stove for the performance of his troops on the gridiron this year. Weiss scoffed with scorn at preseason rumblings that the Irish were in for a rebuilding year and here they are in the month of October without ever sniffing the aroma of victory. Nevertheless, if the blue and gold can defeat the Boston College Eagles at home on October the 13th, I will extend a mulligan to the boys from South Bend. Like Jeff Lebowski, "I hate the fucking Eagles, man." They better play like champions that day or prepare to face the relentless wrath of Cwebb.

As a passionate New York Jets fan, giving the New England Patriot's any love whatsoever is akin to rooting for the reemergence of polio. Still, it's hard not to applaud the Pats for their performance thus far. This collection of parts seems to be a genuine threat to the Dolphin's unblemished campaign in 1972. No matter how unlikely, if New England ever does actually run the table and complete a 16-0 campaign, at least we will no longer be forced to watch Don Shula and the rest of his men in teal and pink pop champagne bottles to celebrate their place in history every year. As a Gang Green lifer, that may make another Patriot reign almost worth it.

As for the 1-3 New York Jets who play football in New Jersey at Giants Stadium, their flight is rapidly descending. Eric "the Mangenius" Mangini had better start flexing his pigskin IQ soon or this flight is destined for doom. Artie Bucco's celebrity dinner guest has an affinity for presenting classic boxing footage to his team as a source of motivation and inspiration. The way the green have looked to date, Mangini may have to consider more drastic measures to the point of digging up Rocky’s old boxing trainer, Mickey Goldmill.

Another option for Mangini could be presenting tape of Saturday's epic middleweight championship fight between Kelly "the Ghost" Pavlik (32-0) and Jermaine Taylor (27-1-1) in Atlantic City. After being dropped to the canvas by a savage barrage of punches in the second, the precocious pride of Youngstown, Ohio rose to his feet and gave Taylor, 29, his first professional defeat via TKO in the seventh round. The powerful and gracious champion is an exciting ring presence and he has a chance to be the next darling of "the sweet science." If Pavlik, 25, maximizes his ample skills and veers away from the pitfalls that come with fame, he'll be one ghost that will be easy for all fans of pugilism to see for the foreseeable future.

For better or worse, boxing fans will see Evander Holyfield (43-8-1) again this Saturday when he travels to Moscow to fight champion Sultan Ibragimov for the WBO Heavyweight crown. If "the Real Deal" prevails at the Khodynka Arena and becomes the "real life" answer to Rocky Balboa, it will be a great sports story for the ages. But, because of Holyfield's age, 44, checkered medical past and laundry list of ring wars, it also has a chance to be a sports tragedy. Holyfield’s been hit more than Lindsay Lohan has after a few snorts of snow and he’s still sanctioned to lace up the gloves. The fact that Holyfield is still allowed to enter the ring is exactly the reason why famous sportswriter Jimmy Cannon once dubbed boxing "the red light district of sports."

Former San Francisco Giants megastar and future Hall of Famer Barry Bonds said he had two words for his team of 14 years, "Goodbye." The way Bonds apparently is able to count words, I anticipated the two words to be "cheaters never win.”

I am sincerely thankful that you took the time to read my rants and raves and unique look into the world of sports. I hope I entertained and I will keep my nose to the grindstone to ensure that I continue to do so in the future.