A military proposal??, So long Yao, Lo Mein fixation, this and a whole lot more in this edition of Rants and Raves.

Before we start off with sports, I found this interesting:

Sgt Scott Moore with 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines in Musa Qala, Afghanistan asks Mila Kunis to the Marine Corps Ball in Greenville, NC on November 18th

The reply is at the bottom of the blog.

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Has anyone been to Nathan’s at Coney Island recently??? If so do they still have that lo mein I mentioned in last weeks blog??? The main Nathans was different from all the other franchised Nathan’s in that it served pizza, hamburgers, and sorted other foods besides the standard menu.

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Is Yao a Hall of Famer?? He did open the NBA to the Chinese market. But, will it end now that Ming is no longer playing? An eight-time All-Star selection, Yao averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebounds in his eight seasons, but his impact on the league goes far beyond the numbers. Yao single-handedly expanded the NBA's reach throughout Asia, spiking merchandise sales and TV ratings for games after the Rockets made him the top overall pick in the 2002 draft.

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It was a great couple of day’s for the US Women’s Soccer team. First beating Brazil shorthanded 5-4 in a shootout and then defeating France 3-1. But the goal they are still talking about is Megan Rapinoe to Abby Wambach in 122' in extra-time.

This is a clip from a fan in the stands.

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Will the NFL get a deal done?? It better. It was a bad week for NFL players Hines Ward (DUI) and Adam “Pacman” Jones (resisting arrest). Shouldn’t the NFLPA police themselves??

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Congratulations to Derek Jeter, the newest member of the 3,000 hit club.

First Career New Yankee player to get 3,000 hits.

First player to get his 3,000 hit at Yankee Stadium.

2^nd player to get 3,000 hit on a home run (Wade Boggs was the 1^st)

Jeter’s uniform number 2, got his 3,000 hit on his 2^nd at bat, and 2^nd hit of the game, and it happened at 2pm.

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You know there is no games being played when you sit down and watch the home run derby. It was entertaining. I say that, because this Yankee fan liked that Robinson Cano won the event.

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Mila Kunis, after some pushing from Justin Timberlake (he say to her do it for your country), said yes. 

Do the Islanders finally have balls?? A Yankee clause?? Barclay is arising?? Yankees stocking up on retreads?? 18 Games?? My rant on the NFL?? All this and much, much more in this edition of Rants and Raves.

For the record…I am a season ticket holder, Jacksonville Jaguars, and I am for an 18 game schedule. I shouldn’t have to pay big bucks to watch meaningless exhibition games.

Why does it take a month for NFL training camps in the first place? Shouldn’t these high paying slobs be in shape all year round? It is their living, at least they should be in game shape by the start of camp. Let me get paid like them so I can come into camp with a big belly, slow in foot, while raking in millions of dollars.

Yeah, yeah I know all sports have way too long to get into shape before their season starts. Maybe that should change!!

Are the Red Sox that scared of the Yankees?? There is a clause in Carl Crawford’s contract that states if he is traded the club acquiring Carl may not trade him to the Yankees.

Well it looks like retreads are in for the New York Yankees. The Yankees signed pitchers Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon to minor league contracts and invited them to Spring Training.

35-year-old Freddy Garcia, who was 12-6 with a 4.64 era, signed a contract for $1.5 million if he makes the Yankees. He does have an opt out by March 29^th, but if he makes the team and reaches 30 starts Garcia will receive up to $3.6 million.

Meanwhile, the Yankees signed 37-year old Bartolo Colon to a Minor League Contract with the chance to make $900,000 if he makes the team. Colon did not pitch last year and the last time he had a decent year was in 2005, with the Los Angles Angels when he was 21-8. He hasn’t pitched more than 19 games since then. I would say the Yanks hope he has left something in him.

Both pitchers are trying to compete for a rotation spot behind Sabathia, Burnett and Hughes. Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre are also in the hunt for spots as a starting pitcher.

A couple of weeks ago Jason Kidd mentioned that the Nets won’t be able to attract free agents until the Barclays Center is complete. He might be right, but the Nets put up a display outside the Nuggets locker room when they played the Nets. It showed the progress of the Center and was meant to get the attention of Carmelo Anthony.

If the Nets were smart they would update the display and let all players on opposing teams see what the “State of the Art” Center looks like presently and what it will look like when it is completed.

I just don’t get it. He only played in 5 games this season and won’t play for the rest of the season. So how in the world did Yao Ming get voted in as a starter for the NBA all-star game?? I know he is popular, he is likeable, but to be selected by the fans to start is totally wrong.

Speaking of totally wrong. What’s up with Gilbert Arenas? Last week, Gilbert was served child support and custody papers as he left the court during halftime of a game played against the Miami Heat. Ex-girl friend, Laura Mendoza Govan filed a petition in California seeking custody and child support for 3 children that she says are Arenas’. She claims the he financially cut her off. Laura is looking for $109,000 monthly is support payments. Gilbert claims he did not cut her off, but is actually paying her $20,000 a month.

Chuck Tanner, the manager of the 1979 “We are Family” World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates passed away at the age of 82. The Pirates were facing elimination in the series against the Baltimore Orioles 3 games to 1 when they made a dramatic turnaround to win the series 4 games to 3. Tanner also managed the White Sox, Athletics, Pirates and Braves. Chuck is also in the record books as a player, as he hit the first pitch he saw in the majors for a homerun while playing for the Milwaukee Braves. But, he will mostly be remember for his teams historic turnaround in the World Series. When down 3 games to 1, Tanner woke up to learn his mother had passed away. He stuck with the team while grieving and made a move which at the time sounded strange. He started 4 game winner Jim Rooker to lead the team in game 5 instead of Burt Blyleven. It turned out to be the right move as Rooker held the Orioles to only one run in 5 innings as the Pirates won game 5 and turned the momentum their way, and as they say “the rest is history.”

Maybe it’s a good thing the New Jersey Nets didn’t sign DeMarcus Cousins. He got into a altercation with teammate Donte Green because DeMarcus didn’t get the ball on the final possession of a 99-97 loss to Oklahoma City over the weekend. Cousins was not allowed to join the team to Phoenix. One source said Cousins and Green argued in the locker room, with Cousins telling everyone he wanted respect, regardless of his rookie status. Cousins is averaging 13.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

The Nets didn’t draft Cousins because they were concerned about his attitude. Well maybe the Nets were right all along.

The New York Islanders haven’t been a tough team in nearly three years, But did they let loose against the Penguins in which the Islanders won 9-3. Here is the rockem-sockem Islanders in action:

At the end of the game the Penguins had no one left on the bench.

There were 346 minutes in penalties.

Pictures by: Barclays Center Arial view - netsdaily.com, Boston Red Sox Logo - minot43.homestead.com, New York Yankees - frontrowking.com, New York Islanders - pages.videotron.com, NFL Logo - midwestsportsfans.com, Freddy Garcia - blog.prorumors.com, Bartolo Colon - captnsblog.files.wordpress.com, DeMarcus Cousins - sportsocean.com/wp-content, Chuck Tanner - thirdage.com, Gilbert Arenas - hoopedia.nba.com, Yao Ming - yao-ming.tripod.com,

Video By: Islanders fighting video by NYYfan46