Just a reminder – I’m on Twitter. Hope you come follow me.
A few things:
First of all, In the Line of Fire was on last night, and since Lists Are What We Do here at Mark My Words, I wonder where John Malkovich’s character ranks on the best movie villains of the last 20 years scale. I might rank Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter as number one. But is Malkovich’s character (I think his name is Mitch Leary in the movie) number two? Who else is in contention? Nicholson’s Joker? Heath Ledger’s Joker?
Secondly, very interesting what’s going on with the Knicks and their point guard situation, because from Marc Berman’s reporting, it appears as if they might get Ramon Sessions. Which I’m tempted to say would be a good move and a steal, but I’m basing that mostly on what I read about Sessions – production, age, Knicks like him, etc. But as Marc points out, this past year was the first in which Sessions played a lot, and in my opinion, it sounds a little like when the Knicks signed Chris Childs.
Check out the similarities:
The year before Childs came to the Knicks, the 6-foot-3 195-pounder averaged 12.8 points, 7.0 assists and 1.4 steals and shot 42 percent while playing 31 minutes per game with the Nets — this, after only starting 11 games the season before that. This past season in Milwaukee, the 6-foot-3 190-pound Sessions averaged 12.4 points, 5.7 assists and 1.1 steals and shot 45 percent while playing 28 minutes per game — this, after only starting seven games the season before.
Now, granted, Sessions (who just turned 23) is younger than Childs was when he signed with the Knicks (he was about to turn 29). And obviously they’re different players. But just something to keep in mind.
Anyway, onto today’s list. The Mets just finished playing the Braves, featuring the Jeff Francoeur-vs.-Ryan Church reunion/battle. And with that in mind and with the trade deadline coming up, it’s worth looking at the people who left New York in recent sports history and proceeded to explode somewhere else:
10. John Fox. A great Giants defensive coordinator who helped take them to the 2001 Super Bowl, then later became head coach of the Panthers and took them to a Super Bowl. The Giants should have kept him and let Jim Fassel go.
9. Jose Contreras. Eh, all he did was get traded to the White Sox and become their ace as they won the World Series.
8. James Farrior. He played okay for the Jets, but as a Steeler, he’s been to two Pro Bowls and won two Super Bowls.
7. Derrick Ward. A few months after drafting him in 2004, the Jets waived Ward and signed him to their practice squad. The Giants signed him a month later and saw him rush for over 1000 yards in part-time duty this past season.
6. Scott Kazmir. Good lord.
5. Trevor Ariza. He’s blossomed pretty well, I’d say.
4. Heath Bell. Kazmir in the Mets’ rotation and Bell in the bullpen would be a lot more helpful than Victor Zambrano not being in the Mets’ rotation and Ben Johnson not being in their outfield.
3. Carlos Pena. The Yanks had him for four months in 2006, then released him. He had a stop with the Red Sox after that, but with the Rays he’s become terrific.
2. Pete Carroll. Left the NFL and became a collegiate champ at an historic program.
1. Bill Belichick. If you’re keeping track, the best college coach (probably) and the best pro coach (definitely) both came from the Jets.
