Osi Umenyiora had a bad day. He got annoyed with something that defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan said or did at practice Monday and he left. Osi wouldn't get specific but he said he overreacted to something trivial. So trivial that he couldn't believe his own behavior. But the normally mild mannered, friendly Umenyiora did and said all the right things, taking full responsibility for his actions. He apologized and wants to move on. This is not a pattern of behavior for Osi. So I say, let bygones be bygones and indeed, let's move on. Umenyiora addressed the situation at his locker on Tuesday. Listen in:

Some might argue that the only authority higher than ESPN is God, and today, the Big Man Upstairs won out.

Originally the Yankees and Red Sox were scheduled to play Sunday September 27th at 1:00 PM.

(By the way, I used this picture because I always thought Don Zimmer was Jewish. He's not. But still...Zimmer?, come on!)

Predictably, the World Wide Leader chose to “flex” that game (to use NFL parlance) and move it to Sunday night at 8:00 PM.

Only problem is, the 27th is Yom Kippur…the holiest day of the Jewish year.

As you might imagine, Yankee fans who bought tickets for that game (and those who were planning to watch it on TV) were banking on a 1:00 start in order to be home before sunset….the official start of the holiday.

And there in lies the dilemma. Major League Baseball – it’s your move.

With the prodding of New York City Congressman Anthony Weiner, ESPN and MLB agreed to move the game back to 1:00 PM....Mazel Tov!

We were down on the field this afternoon at KeySpan Park watching Carlos Beltran take batting practice before his rehab assignment with the Cyclones.

His balky right knee looked strong and the balls clanging high off the replica Cyclone rollercoaster in left center were an indication that he might be close to returning to the Mets’ lineup.

**Carlos spoke to the media and we’ve posted his press conference below…complete with extended video of his swings from both sides of the plate**

But should Carlos Beltran return to the Mets in 2009? What’s the point?

I say yes, he most certainly should make every effort to get on the field EVEN IF IT’S FOR ONLY ONE GAME.

The Mets and their fans need the psychological boost.

Back in June, when it was becoming clear the Mets wouldn't contend for a playoff spot, we watched the Amazin's because of Carlos Beltran’s offensive tear.

When he went down and all hope was lost we tuned in to see how Johan Santana would pull off another win despite the awful team behind him.

With Cy Santana sidelined for the year the ONLY reason to keep watching the Mets in 2009 was to marvel at that massive piece of plastic a top David Wright’s concussed noggin.

Yes, that one. Look at it, in all it’s tremendous glory.

Well folks, I hate to be the one to tell all you nice people who were busy at work today while the Mets were on TV….but David Wright is no longer wearing his GINORMOUS helmet.

He has jettisoned it in favor of his original. Here’s the heart-breaking visual evidence to prove it:

It's been a roller coaster ride for David Tyree. Right now the ride is on its downward side, hopefully to go up again. The wide receiver who made "The Catch" in Super Bowl 42 was released by the Giants. I remember it well... The Giants were down 14-10 with 1:15 left in the 4th quarter. Eli Manning did a great Houdini act and escaped the clutches of Patriots Defensive Lineman Jarvis Green then heaved the ball downfield to Tyree who made an incredible catch as he cradled the ball against his helmet while fighting off Rodney Harrison. The play went for 32 yards and set up the game winning touchdown to Plaxico Burress. The Giants were the surprise winners of Super Bowl 42. Tyree was one of the heroes, a bittersweet moment because his mother had passed away not too long before that and was not able to see her son's moment in the sun. Tyree soaked in the praise and was humbled by it, always remembering his mother and thanking God when he spoke about the play.

Over the weekend, I got a chance to check out the new sports comedy "Big Fan" and I really enjoyed it.

"Big Fan" written by Robert D. Siegel profiles the life of an obsessed New York Giants fan played by Patton Oswalt.

Set and shot in Staten Island, NY, Oswalt's character, Paul, works as a parking-garage attendant, lives with his mother and the only thing he finds comfort in is watching or should I say "worshipping" the G-Men.

Siegel, who grew up on Long Island, does a great job translating his his childhood memories into a movie that's both an insightful and amusing look at ourselves and fellow sports fans.

And whether you'll admit it or not, the one thing that makes the movie so real, is that we ALL know someone like Paul.

Check out the trailer after the jump.

He is one of the "most clutch" players in all of baseball!!! And now that Derek Jeter is on the verge of tying or passing Lou Gehrig's all-time Yankee hit record (2,721 career hits), it got me thinking of all Jeter's contributions. His numbers speak for themselves, so I won't bother because to me, the numbers are just part of the story. We can all remember the times Jeter has come through with a hit to win the game or a great defensive play to get the last crucial out. I want to know your memories... Here are several from Caroline (author of below blog) and editor Dave...both avid Yanks fans! We will go from there....

Tuesday night, Carlos Beltran made his return to the Mets lineup after being out since late June with a knee injury. Its been a long time since the Mets have played a meaningful game but maybe, just maybe the Mets fan has something to look forward to next year. Its nice that he came back this year but the games don't matter so as far as I'm concerned... it's too little too late... But maybe I'm just a frustrated Mets fan. Anyway, Beltran spoke before Tuesday's game... Take a listen.

James Plummer was more than just a member of the Mets staff and today the team honored his memory.

The Mets unveiled the "Plum Room," a private holding area at Citi Field.

In the video below the jump, Mets GM Omar Minaya, franchise legend Rusty Staub and Mr. Plummer's son speak about Jimmy Plummer during the dedication ceremony.

Plummer passed away of a heart attack last year at the age of 57. He worked for the Mets for nearly five decades, rising from bat boy during the Mets rookie season in 1965 to the front office.

Take a listen.

We caught up with four Jets legends today at JFK Airport as the Jets announced a partnership with Jet Blue Airlines.

The Jets and Jet Blue are celebrating the agreement by offering passengers sweet deals on trips to Buffalo, Boston and Fort Lauderdale….the home cities of teams in the AFC East.

We're talking flights from $12 (in honor of Namath's jersey number) to $50 (celebrating the Jets' 50th anniversary)..

For more on the deal, check out this link.

As for the legends, we talked to THE JET, Broadway Joe Namath, the NFL’s 4th All-Time leading rusher Curtis Martin, fan favorite Wayne Chrebet and Sack Exchange member Marty Lyons.

Click after the jump to hear what the guys had to say on everything from Mark Sanchez to Rex Ryan to their thoughts on the franchise’s direction:

Put yourself in the shoes of a fan who bought tickets to tonight’s Yankees game:

Derek Jeter is three hits shy of tying Lou Gherig’s all-time Yankee record for career hits in pinstripes…..EXCEPT the Captain is mired in his worst slump of the season; 0-for-12 during the past three games.

Chances are when you walked into the Stadium tonight you weren’t feeling too good about seeing history made tonight.

And then Jeter decided it was time do things his way.

It started with a bunt single to get things rolling. What a crafty veteran move.

The guy couldn’t hit a lick since Sunday so instead he decides to kick-start tonight with a bunt single while the Tampa defense was on it’s heels. Brilliant.

That set the stage for a rocket grounds-rule double to center (probably the best hit ball all season at Yankee Stadium that didn’t go over the fence) leaving Jeter one hit shy of tying Gherig.

Eight years ago we as a nation were devastated with the images of planes flying into buildings and crashing into fields... complete destruction of iconic landmarks and the senseless loss of innocent lives. The September 11 attacks affected us all in different ways. But they affected us all. Maybe you lost a friend or neighbor, maybe you lost a father or mother, a wife or son, maybe you were fortunate and did not lose anyone close to you. But I think everyone lost something. We lost our innocence. This was another benchmark moment in history where you know where you were and what you were doing when this terrible tragedy happened. Pearl Harbor... the Kennedy assassination... the Space Shuttle explosion. We all remember these events and what they did to us as a nation, as a people.

Wow... Never saw this before... A tennis match ending like this... Serena Williams was defeated by Kim Clijsters 6-4, 7-5 in the semis of the U.S. Open. The match ended in a controversy. Clijsters was leading 6-5 in the second set when Serena was called for a foot fault. Serena vehemently disagreed with the call... Replays showed that it was a very close call, possibly a bad one... but very close. But Serena lost control. Instead of arguing the call, she verbally assaulted the line judge. The audio was somewhat tough to hear but it looked like Williams threatened to shove the *expletive omitted* ball down the women's throat. That's not nice. She definitely gestured with the ball and later racket. That much I do know. This is supposed to be a gentleman's sport. Serena definitely did not act in a sportsmanlike manner. Her behavior got her a point deduction. So that ended the match. Serena went to Clijsters, who had no idea what was going on, and congratulated her. Williams was on her way.

It was a banner day for the local football teams this afternoon as both the Giants and Jets opened their season with rousing victories.

In an odd twist, both teams led 17-0, and both games’ scores went to 17-7 on fluky touchdowns.

Houston scored on a fumble return and the Redskins got on the board with a fake field goal (is there anything worse than a punter carrying the ball?)

As for the rest of their respective games, the Jets defense dominated while the Giants struggled at times to put the Redskins away for good.

I know it’s just week one but Jet fans have to be psyched about Rex Ryan orchestrating this defense.

When was the last time you saw a Jet team pressure a QB the way this team did Matt Schaub today?

And Mark Sanchez…the kid seems unflappable.

Pedro Martinez continues to prove naysayers wrong...continues to dominate despite his "elderly statesman" title (Pedro turns 38 in October)...and is one of those old school pitchers that just pitches. There are no rules when it comes to Pedro and I love that! I don't think he is necessarily a stick to them kind of guy but he is rejoicing in his performance last night against his old team.

My goodness what is going on in Flushing Meadows...first of all Roger Federer actually LOST in the Mens final of the US Open. 40 straight wins...DONE! You have to hand it to the 20 year old Argentine, Juan Martin del Potro though, he showed grit with all those comebacks. Congrats to him on his first majors victory! However, you can't dismiss the fact Federer broke down after arguing a call with the head official in the second set and couldn't get it together. Federer mentioned the S-word on live air...that's always interesting.

It seems frustration ruled the Open this year. Serena...Federer...top players just losing it. Look it's an emotional sport, I get it but quit the outbursts and cursing unless you are a John McEnroe who will do it on command. Then it becomes more show than sports and I don't want that. I want to see/hear the slams and forehand winners more than the potty mouths. Clean it up folks!

Nice showing by Juan Martin del Potro tonight at the US Open, stunning Roger Federer and putting stupid jerks like me in my place.

See, I’m not a big tennis guy…and like most other dummies who think they know everything about sports, I didn’t give JM del P much of a chance to beat Federer.

In fact, I went ahead and gave the 20-year-old Argentine a nickname that I thought summed up his chances to win….. “Del Potro-Potty.”

Not my best effort, but it got a few chuckles around the office.

And then he went ahead and pulled off one of the greatest upsets in US Open history….effectively slamming the door to the “Del Potro-Potty” in my face.

So I take my hat off to del Potro, who’s quest for the title went through NOT JUST Federer (who had won 40 straight matches at Flushing Meadows), but Rafael Nadal, too.

How pathetic am I? I'm already looking toward next year. As a Mets fan... That's all I have. I'm hoping and praying that we only have half of the injuries next year that we had this year. (That would be twice the injuries we had last year, but I digress.) Anyway, the 2010 schedule has come out for both the Mets and the Yankees.

Here are some of the highlights. The Mets start the year April 5th against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field. They face the Yankees May 21-23 in Queens and June 18-20 in the Bronx. If you like eating seafood in the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, you can plan a trip for June 11-13, the Mets go to Camden Yards for the second straight season. The Mets get their first crack at the Phillies April 30th in Philadelphia. If the season comes down to the final weekend (wouldn't we have loved that this year, minus the heartbreak at the end) the Washington Nationals will be at Citi Field October 1-3.

Tonight’s rather dull Yankee game turned into something out of WWE in the 8th inning when Jorge Posada went after Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Carlson and an all-out brawl ensued.

In case you missed it, here’s the background:

-The Yanks hit two Blue Jays earlier in the game.

-Carlson threw behind Posada during his at bat in the 8th. Posada took exception….benches cleared….but cooler heads prevailed.

-Later in the inning, Brett Gardner hit a double that drove in Posada, and as Jorge crossed the plate, he threw a shoulder into Carlson….then all hell broke loose.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good brawl (see a blog post from a week or so ago where I referenced my all time favorite…Nolan Ryan splitting Robin Ventura’s face open), but my criticism of the Yanks here is this:

Why stoop to the Blue Jays’ level and get involved in petty junk when all that can arise from it is injury and/or suspensions?

We caught up with Yankee manager Joe Girardi at the Stadium before tonight’s game with the Blue Jays…and the #1 topic was last night’s brawl.

Right off the bat, Joe talks about his black eye and who may have been (and who definitely WAS NOT) responsible for his shiner.

Joe also touched on all things brawl:

-Whether or not he likes to see that kind of fight from his players

-What he thought about the timing (season-wise)

-His take on Jorge Posada’s involvement

-….and much much more.

All of it is a candid look at the manager’s take on an incident that seemed more embarrassing for the Yankees than unifying.

Take a listen:

We caught up with a bunch of key Giants to get their takes on Sunday’s big game down in Big D.

Eli Manning, Michael Boley, Shaun O’Hara and Mario Manningham offer up their thoughts on the rivalry, improving from week one, and the Cowboys new billion dollar stadium.

Of particular note are:

-O’Hara’s comments on the Giants correcting their problems on third and short situations.

-Manningham on the progress of the maligned receiving corps.

-Boley talking about finally getting on the field after serving his one game suspension.

Take a listen to the guys and adjust your fantasy teams accordingly:

If you said “completely unbelievable,” then you’re probably not alone.

Seriously, raise your hand if you had the Jets at 2-0 after opening the season at Houston and home against the Patriots.

So what do me make of the suddenly perfect Jets? Is this team for real? Can Mark Sanchez really lead Gang Green to a division title?

Answer to the first question: yes. Answer to the second question: probably, believe it or not.

When you think of where this team is at this early stage of the season, it conjures up memories of…..think WAAAAAY back with me now…..to the 2008 Baltimore Ravens.

Haven’t we heard this before?

Well... after a year's hiatus, the Yankees are back in the post season (where they belong... according to most Yankees fans)... No, I'm not bitter... I'm actually looking forward to the playoffs... And no, I won't be rooting against the Yankees. I think it will be VERY interesting to see what this Yankee team does with a new manager at the helm. Obviously this is Girardi's second year with the club but this will be his first playoff series as a manager. The Yankees made the playoffs every year with Joe Torre at the helm but after 2000, they couldn't get it done in the post season. Will a new voice make a difference this October? We'll see.

The NJ Nets (for now) and their fans should be rejoicing! The deal that gives Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov 80% of the Nets and 45% of the Brooklyn arena project is a great thing and here's why. The way I see it the Nets NOW have a future. I mean seriously, weren't we all just a little concerned with Bruce Ratner's indecision with this team? Weren't we all questioning the move to Brooklyn and asking ourselves, is this really going to happen? Now...all signs point to yes. (I need my 8 ball)

A couple of notes: Prokhorov is aggressive and has always liked his basketball. With contracts expiring, from management and coaches (sorry Lawrence, you know I love you), Mr. 9-Billion can start from scratch. Already, Prokhorov has said one of his main purposes for this transaction is to bring Russian coaches and players into the NBA. Hey, I'll take it if they can play! NBA Commish David Stern must be salivating at the thought that his global push is happening. Nets played in London last preseason. I see a trip to Siberia in our future.

The Ratner folks tell me that 20% ownership remains with the "old" crew. That means Jay-Z retains his 1.47% stake in the Nets and still has the power to woo big name prospects. Lebron James anyone! But now, when Jay woos, Prokhorov can pay! Oh, this lovely capitalist world we live in...

The Atlantic Yards project is an actual reality. 19,000 seat arena...new jobs...economic development (I naively hope this is all TRUE). Brooklyn in the house!

We were in the Giants locker room this morning and caught up with a bunch of the guys to get their feel for Sunday’s game against the Bucs.

The G-Men are a quiet 2-0….and I say quiet because all the talk in this town has been J-E-T-S.

Something tells me that’s just fine with the Giants.

If you look ahead on the schedule, Big Blue plays three awful teams in a row: Tampa, Kansas City and Oakland.

There’s a real chance this team gets out of the gate 5-0.

But obviously that’s NOT what the guys were talking about today.

Find out what they WERE yapping about below. We’ve got Eli, Justin Tuck (talking about his injury and spewing some bulletin board stuff for the next time they play the Cowboys), Mathias Kiwanuka, Domenik Hixon, Mario Manningham and Danny Clark.

Plenty to whet your appetite for Sunday’s game.

And as I always like to say, “set your fantasy rosters accordingly!”

Update 6:15PM: DT Jay Alford will have knee surgery and is out for the season.

Safety Kenny Phillips is out and will be missed! Aaron Rouse has been picked up and should be ready soon. C.C. Brown, however, is expected to start for Phillips on Sunday against Tampa Bay. (Thank goodness the Giants aren't facing a tougher team!) Anyway, here are some stats on Rouse...

Aaron Rouse stats:

25 years old, 6'4", 227 pounds
This season so far: 9 tackles, 7 solo in Green Bay loss to Cinncinnati last week. 3 solo tackles against Chicago in Week 1. Released yesterday by Green Bay

3 yr pro with 27 games and 11 starts
4 interceptions including a pick of Peyton Manning for a 99 year return for a touchdown last season. It's the longest interception return at Lambeau Field ever.

2007 Third Round draft pick from Virginia Tech

Got out of my mom’s basement last night and took the blog to Yankee Stadium for Yankees/Red Sox and noticed a disturbing trend:

Red Sox fans are waaaaay too comfortable at our park.

Now let me make this clear: I’m not advocating physical violence (with the possible exception of that guy) against Sox fans when they come to the Stadium.

But a little good-natured harassment goes a long way in establishing a proper home field advantage….and last night, I wasn’t feeling that in the Bronx.

Everywhere I looked there were Sox fans decked out in red and blue.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t there a time when wearing Sox colors in Yankee Stadium pretty much guaranteed a beer dumped on your head?

That was CERTAINLY the case during my one trip to Fenway.

As a day camp counselor I brought a group of 12 year olds to a Red Sox-ANGELS game, and it wasn’t long before our kids were sniffed out as Yankee fans.

Long story short, good thing I was wearing a hooded sweatshirt because it helped shield me from the beer and pizza being rained down on us.

That taught me a lesson: You don’t show up at Fenway wearing Yankee colors without expecting a hard time….and that’s the way it should be.

I thought that was still the case at Yankee Stadium. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it appeared last night.

The Yankees knew they were in the playoffs... But it still feels good. They clinched the American League East by sweeping their hated rivals, the Boston Red Sox. And they did it in style, winning their 100th game of the season. Now they have a little over a week to rest up and get ready for the playoffs. Hopefully, nobody gets hurt and the Yankees can have a long run in October. Sunday was step number one on the way to their goal, their 27th World Series title. We were in the Yankees triumphant locker room and here are some of the highlights.

We are just one month away from the start of the NBA season. The Knicks are hoping to field a competitive team while waiting to see if they can get their hands on LeBron James or any of the other attractive players who will be free agents in the summer of 2010. We spoke to the players today at their annual media day.

New York football fans are feeling giddy. Both the Jets and the Giants are 3-0. That's the first time since 2000, the final year of the Clinton administration and the year the Yankees topped the Mets in the last REAL Subway Series. That season, Big Blue went to the Super Bowl (the one I tend to forget given the 34-7 mauling by the Ravens) while Gang Green failed to make the playoffs at 9-7.

That's where this leads me: Jets fans need to calm the heck down. I understand that Rex Ryan has changed the whole victim/losing culture of the team. I get that unlike Eric Mangini, Big Rex has a pulse. Yes, Mark Sanchez is doing great as a rookie QB. No fooling, an active agressive defense is what you need to win.

But let's hold the phone-LITERALLY!! If I hear Vinny from Brookville PROMISE one more time on a sports radio call in show that Gang Green WILL WIN the Super Bowl, I may throw up.

Another week, another first-class opponent for the Jets.

This Sunday it’s the 3-0 New Orleans Saints; a team with the top-ranked offense in the NFL.

Led by Drew Brees and a litany of highly-athletic running backs and receivers, the Saints offense is the latest unit to challenge the Jets and their 3rd ranked defense.

We were at Jets camp today to get the D’s take on New Orleans’ O.

Adjust your fantasy rosters accordingly....Take a listen: