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NFL Mock Draft: Round 1, Picks 1-5

April 09, 2012 , ι By ANTHONY SULLA-HEFFINGER

With the NFL Draft three weeks away, The Post will have you covered with news, updates and mock drafts leading up to Draft Day on April 26.1. Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck – QB – Stanford – Andrew... Read on

With the NFL Draft three weeks away, The Post will have you covered with news, updates and mock drafts leading up to Draft Day on April 26.

1. Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck – QB – Stanford – Andrew Luck will be the first name called in Radio City Music Hall, you can bank on that. Luck, considered to be the best quarterback prospect to come out of college since Peyton Manning, completed over 71 percent of his passes in his senior season at Stanford in addition to throwing 37 touchdown passes. While Robert Griffin III turned in jaw-dropping combine numbers, Luck was not far behind Cam Newton’s combine numbers a year ago. Luck’s 4.67 40-yard dash time was about one-tenth slower than Newton, but he bested the Panthers’ QB with a 36-inch vertical leap and 124-inch broad jump. Luck has the athleticism and passing skills to be the Colts’ franchise QB for a very long time.

2. Washington Redskins – Robert Griffin III – QB – Baylor –Washington is praying it was right about Robert Griffin III, considering how much it gave up to move from No.6 overall to No.2 overall. Griffin III’s 4.41 40-yard dash and 39-inch vertical leap were both the best among quarterbacks at the combine, but the most impressive number about Griffin III was his height, which was a major concern for teams looking at the Heisman Trophy winner. Griffin III has all of the physical abilities to succeed at the next level and will be a nightmare for defenses to plan for. If Cam Newton proved anything last season, it is that athletic quarterbacks can succeed early in their careers in the NFL.

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3. Minnesota Vikings – Matt Kalil – OT – USC –Minnesota is going to need to protect Christian Ponder and Adrian Peterson, and Matt Kalil is a perfect fit for the Vikings at No.3. Minnesota has a few other holes to fill, mainly in the secondary and in the receiving game, but if Ponder is on his back consistently and Peterson (provided he returns from injury) cannot run the ball behind an effective offensive line, it is in trouble.

4. Cleveland Browns – Trent Richardson – RB – Alabama - Cleveland needs a lot of help in this draft, especially at the running back position with the departure of Peyton Hillis. During his pro day last month, Richardson dispelled fears about his knee, running in the low 4.4 range and making perfect cuts, which literally floored Cleveland’s running back coach Gary Brown. Richardson would step in immediately and be a significant upgrade to Cleveland’s offense and could relieve some of the pressure that rests on Colt McCoy’s shoulders.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Morris Claiborne – CB – LSU – With Aqib Talib’s future with the Buccaneers in doubt due to an upcoming felony trial and Ronde Barber entering his fifteenth season, cornerback is a glaring need for the team. After addressing many of its other needs via free agency, Tampa Bay will need to strengthen its secondary. Claiborne is widely regarded as the best defensive back in this year’s draft and despite his relative small size (5’11 188 lbs) and abysmal Wonderlic score (4 out of 50) Tampa Bay will not be able to pass on the LSU cornerback.

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POST POWER RANKINGS: Yankees, Mets highlight strange start to season

April 09, 2012 , ι By JUSTIN TERRANOVA

It’s been over six months since my last baseball power rankings, one that was aptly headlined “The Dead Sox Edition” three games before they completed their epic collapse. And in that time a lot has... Read on

It’s been over six months since my last baseball power rankings, one that was aptly headlined “The Dead Sox Edition” three games before they completed their epic collapse.
	 
And in that time a lot has changed with the Red Sox: their manager, their rotation and most importantly their rules when it comes to clubhouse drinking. But they are not alone in the very-early-season struggles, with the Yankees also getting swept the opening weekend of the season. Combine that with the Mets 3-0 start and the fans of the Amazin’s had the perfect chance to gloat to pinstriped supporters this holiday weekend.
	 
When families gather again for Memorial Day and July 4 who knows where the New York teams will be. But as my brother-in-law put it: “You can’t take this away from me right now.”
	 
And with that we are ready for the first rankings of the 2012 season.
	 
(The previous ranking category is from the end of last year’s regular season)
	 
1. Tigers (3-0) (Previous Ranking: 6)– The Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera combination is off to an ideal start.
	 
2. Rays (3-0) (9)– After a year with the Cubs in the National League, Carlos Pena is back with Tampa and back to owning the Yankees.
	 
3. Cardinals (3-1) (7)– The defending champs are off to a solid start despite the retirement of manager Tony LaRussa and departure of star Albert Pujols.
	 
4. Rangers (2-1) (3)– Yu Darvish makes his much-anticipated debut on Monday night, and the rest of the rotation looked solid against the White Sox, too.
	 
5. Diamondbacks (3-0) (5)– Finished off sweep of Giants with comeback from 6-0 deficit on Sunday.
	 
6. Mets (3-0) (17)– After a disastrous beginning to spring training, Mike Pelfrey will try and keep the good vibes going at Citi Field.
	 
7. Dodgers (3-1) (13)– Don Mattingly did not get enough credit for salvaging 82 wins from last year’s team. Now with the ownership situation stabilized, the former Yankees great has a chance to lead this team to the playoffs.
	 
8. Orioles (3-0) (20)– Two big asterisks for Baltimore’s unbeaten start: They opened last season 6-1 before falling off the cliff and their sweep came over the terrible Twins. Still, they take a three-game lead over the Yankees into the two teams’ series that starts on Monday.
	 
9. Royals (2-1) (22)– They got shut down by Jered Weaver on Friday night, but bounced back to take two out of three from the revamped Angels.
	 
10. Blue Jays (2-1) (12)– It took 28 innings, but Toronto opened 2-0 in Cleveland before dropping series finale.
	 
11. Pirates (2-1) (23)– Can Pittsburgh replicate last season’s surprising start? Taking two out of three from the in-state rival Phillies was a good place to begin. Another positive sign was Erik Bedard throwing seven innings of one-run ball as the team’s new ace.
	 
12. Phillies (1-2) (2)– Scoring six runs in three games in Pittsburgh confirms Philadelphia’s fans concerns about this team’s ability to score without Ryan Howard and Chase Utley to start the season.
	 
13. Nationals (2-1) (16)– Washington is dealing with plenty of injuries in the early season, but opened season with series win against the Cubs.
	 
14. Reds (2-1) (18)– I still don’t quite understand Aroldis Chapman not earning a spot in the rotation, but worked out well on Sunday when the flame-throwing lefty threw two shutout innings to earn the win against the Marlins.
	 
15. Mariners (3-1) (28) — Benefited from playing in Japan last week, which allowed Felix Hernandez to start two of their first four games, and from those games being against the A’s.
	 
16. Angels (1-2) (11)– Kendrys Morales finally returning with five hits in the opening series was overshadowed by Albert Pujols’ debut.
	 
17. Brewers (1-2) (4)– Zack Greinke backed up the spring training hype with seven shutout innings against the Cardinals to help Milwaukee to its lone win.
	 
18. Yankees (0-3) (1)– No reason to freak out, but I don’t put any stock in the argument that people shouldn’t worry because the last time the Yankees started 0-3 they won 114 games.
	 
19. Astros (2-1) (29)– Houston opened with a series win over Rockies, something it took six series to do last year.
	 
20. Red Sox (0-3) (8)– Two concerning things about Boston’s start: The bullpen looks ill-equipped to handle the loss of Andew Bailey and Josh Beckett looked awful.
	 
21. Indians (1-2) (15)— Justin Masterson looked like a legit No. 1 with a dominant Opening Day performance (that the bullpen wasted).
	 
22. Marlins (1-3) (27)— Ozzie Guillen found a way to take people’s minds off his team’s bad start by offending Cubans with comments that he loves and respects dictator Fidel Castro.
	 
23. Cubs (1-2) (24)– Questionable bullpen already blew leads in Chicago’s first two games.
	 
24. Braves (0-3) (10)– Atlanta’s lineup lacks punch unless Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward both turn the corner this season.
	 
25. Giants (0-3) (14) – Not a good sign when Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain get roughed up in the first two games of the season.
	 
26. White Sox (1-2) (19) – Did anyone need an Opening Day home run more than Adam Dunn? (Alright, maybe Jason Bay.)
	 
27. Rockies (1-2) (21)– 49-year-old Jamie Moyer making Colorado’s roster is a feel-good story, but being the team’s No. 2 starter speaks to their lack of starting pitching.
	 
28. Padres (1-3) (26)— Chase Headley, once thought to be a top hitting prospect, took four games to get his first hit, but it was a grand slam.
	 
29. Athletics (1-3) (25)– Yoenis Cespedes appears to be a nice pickup for Oakland, but he still can’t carry that lineup.
	 
30. Twins (0-3) (30) – They scored five runs in three against the Orioles starting combo of Jake Arrieta, Tommy Hunter and Jason Hammel.

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POST POWER RANKINGS: Howard making Magic a mess

April 06, 2012 , ι By ANTHONY SULLA-HEFFINGER

If Orlando GM Otis Smith had known that Dwight Howard would be making the kind of headlines he has been making this week, I bet he would have traded the superstar center at last month’s NBA deadline.
	 
Howard’s tone and commitment to Orlando at the time swayed Smith into convincing himself that Howard could, and would, be happy playing for the Magic for the rest of this season and at least half of next.
	 
The problem is, Howard is only happy when he is calling the shots, and his most recent demand, the firing of head coach Stan Van Gundy, suggests that regardless where the superstar center plays his next 4-5 seasons, there will be a ton of drama associated with it.
	 
Drama is not new to superstar players and the NBA, however. Knicks fans can recall that Carmelo Anthony bullied his way out of Denver and the next season bullied Mike D’Antoni out of New York. Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum have made negative headlines with regards to the Lakers coaching style of Mike Brown.
	 
There are few teams and coaches in the league that would be immune to a Howard-type scenario, so few that you can probably count them on one hand. Gregg Popovich, George Karl and Doc Rivers seem to be the only coaches in the league who would not fall victim to a superstar player’s demands. Erik Spoelstra, Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks have managed to keep superstar talent at bay, and are three of the prohibitive favorites for the NBA title. This is no coincidence.
	 
Howard may believe he is getting somewhere by making demands that Smith may or may not succumb to, but in reality he may be turning off suitors when the time comes to offer him a nine-figure contract next summer.
	 
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1. Spurs (38-14) (Previous Rank: 3) – I’ve written several times this season about the Spurs and how they managed to win their first NBA title during the previous NBA lockout. Winners of nine straight, San Antonio is peaking again at the correct time and will be a dangerous team in the postseason.
	 
2. Heat (39-14) (4) – LeBron James is averaging 32.7 points per game in April and has been responsible for his team’s past two wins, scoring 41 and 34 points. If James can continue this level of play, he will finally get his ring this summer.
	 
3. Bulls (43-13) (2) – Chicago hasn’t allowed an opponent to score 100 points in its past five games, showing off the NBA’s best defense. Derrick Rose still hasn’t returned from injury, and with 10 games left, his health is becoming an increasingly concerning topic.
	 
4. Thunder (40-14) (1) – Oklahoma City picked up an impressive win Sunday against the Bulls, but lost its two subsequent games to the Grizzlies and Heat. The Thunder are last in the NBA in assists per game (18.4) and haven’t had a player in double-digits in the category since March 7. This issue arose in the playoffs last year and may surface again.
	 
5. Lakers (35-20) (6) – The Lakers haven’t won a game by double-digits since March 21 (109-93 win over Dallas), but they have managed to close out games in the fourth quarter, evidenced by Kobe Bryant’s 3-pointer against the Nets this week.
	 
6. Clippers (33-22) (5) – Every time Blake Griffin posterizes a player like he did to Pau Gasol this week, you think sky is the limit, until you remember Griffin shoots .530 from the free-throw line.
	 
7. Celtics (30-24) (7) – Boston was 2-2 this week, but each of its games was impressive in its own right. Boston beat Minnesota and Miami by a combined 40 points then lost to San Antonio and Chicago by a combined eight.
	 
8. Pacers (33-21) (8) – Three straight wins has Indiana in control of the No. 3 seed in the East, which means it would get a favorable matchup against the reeling Magic in the first round.
	 
9. Knicks (28-27) (12) – The Knicks are deep enough to survive the injuries to Amar’e Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin, for now. New York’s best hope at a series win will come if it can overtake Philadelphia and Orlando to grab the sixth seed.
	 
10. Mavericks (31-24) (11) – Dallas will need to depend on Dirk Nowitzki getting hot once again if it wants to win in the playoffs. The Mavericks have very little else in terms of scoring; aside from Nowitzki, only Jason Terry and Shawn Marion are averaging more than 11 points per game.
	 
11. 76ers (29-25) (9) – After a fast start, Philadelphia has hit a wall. The 76ers have one three-game winning streak since Feb. 1 and are 13-19 over that span.
	 
12. Hawks (32-23) (13) – Atlanta plays five of its final 11 games against playoff opponents, which will be a nice tune-up for the Hawks. Atlanta is 3-3 against New York, Dallas, Boston, Orlando and the Clippers, who are its toughest opponents for the rest of the season.
	 
13. Grizzlies (30-23) (14) – Memphis has allowed one team to score 100 points against it since March 24 (Clippers), having one player lead among scorers (O.J. Mayo). The Grizzlies have the makings to be a major upset team in the West.
	 
14. Rockets (29-25) (15) – Goran Dragic has been able to fill the void left by Kyle Lowry. Since Lowry’s last game March 10, Dragic has had two games with fewer than seven assists.
	 
15. Magic (32-23) (10) – Anyone who thinks Dwight Howard will not win this battle in Orlando is crazy; Stan Van Gundy’s time is very limited now.
	 
16. Bucks (26-28) (17) – Milwaukee continues to lurk in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.
	 
17. Nuggets (29-25) (18) – Denver has eight players averaging over 10 points per game. The Nuggets have one of the most balanced offensive attacks heading into the playoffs.
	 
18. Suns (28-26) (20) – Steve Nash says he’s unhappy, but the Suns are playing their best basketball and have a decent chance at the playoffs.
	 
19. Pistons (21-33) (22) – Detroit is on a three-game winning streak, but it may be too little, too late. The Pistons are 6-1/2 games behind the Knicks for the last playoff spot in the East.
	 
20. Trail Blazers (26-29) (21) – Portland has alternated wins and losses since March 22. If the Blazers can finally put together a winning streak, they can make a run at the eighth seed in the West, or at least play spoiler down the stretch.
	 
21. Jazz (28-27) (19) – Losing three of four this week and with San Antonio on the slate twice next week, the Jazz seem unlikely to make the playoffs.
	 
22. T’wolves (25-31) (16) – Minnesota has lost four straight and Kevin Love has been held to fewer than 30 points in each of those games. In some ways, that helps Love’s status as an MVP candidate, which is Minnesota’s only bright spot at this point in the season.
	 
23. Warriors (21-32) (23) – Golden State snapped a six-game losing streak with a three-point win over Minnesota. The Warriors’ guard play has been troublesome lately, with Klay Thompson being the last to lead a game in assists.
	 
24. Kings (19-36) (24) – DeMarcus Cousins scored 41 points in a 109-100 loss to Phoenix this week, illustrating the Kings’ biggest problem. When Cousins, the team’s best player, leads in scoring, the Kings are 2-7.
	 
25. Raptors (20-35) (28) – The Raptors have won three in a row for the first time all season, powered by Andrea Bargnani and his 24 points per game over that span.
	 
26. Nets (19-37) (26) – Kobe Bryant’s 3-pointer Tuesday night not only put the dagger in the Nets’ chances of winning, but seemingly slammed the door on the team’s slim playoff hopes.
	 
27. Hornets (14-40) (27) – Apart from a 17-point loss to Phoenix, New Orleans has been an improved team. The Hornets lost to the Lakers by four and beat the Nuggets over the past week.
	 
28. Cavaliers (17-35) (25) – Cleveland went from fringe playoff contender to lottery hopeful in a matter of weeks. If the Cavs can get lucky in the lottery and land a top-three pick again, they can build a very serious, young contender.
	 
29. Wizards (12-43) (29) – Washington hasn’t won a game in April, but John Wall is averaging his second highest assists (8.3) and points (16.9) totals of the season in the Wizards’ four losses this month.
	 
30. Bobcats (7-41) (30) – Don’t call them lucky, but the Bobcats’ last win was on St. Patrick’s Day against the Raptors.

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FOUR CORNERS: Knicks coach can't like Magic feud

April 05, 2012 , ι By JUSTIN TERRANOVA

Mike Woodson had a front-row seat Thursday to see what happens when the star player turns on his coach. Woodson was the beneficiary of such a relationship in New York with Mike D’Antoni resigning... Read on

Mike Woodson had a front-row seat Thursday to see what happens when the star player turns on his coach.
	 
Woodson was the beneficiary of such a relationship in New York with Mike D’Antoni resigning after failing to reach star player Carmelo Anthony, who did not fit into his former coach’s speedball offense and decided not to play defense as a result. And Woodson has been riding the Anthony wave to a 9-3 start as Knicks coach, the same way Stan Van Gundy has with Dwight Howard and the success the Magic coach and star have enjoyed. The same way Mike Brown did with LeBron James with the Cavaliers before they fired the coach when James became a free agent in order to entice the star to stay in Cleveland.
	 
But Howard isn't happy anymore. And Van Gundy laid the Magic’s dirt in front of the media Thursday, confirming a report that Howard has asked brass to fire the coach. In a surreal scene, Howard then came out and put his arm around Van Gundy not knowing what was just said.
	 
It’s a prime example of how NBA teams view star players in comparison to the men in charge of coaching them. And it furthers the idea that Woodson’s time in New York will only be as long as Anthony allows it to be. So, why would any big-name coach like Phil Jackson, or John Calipari if you consider him that, come to the Big Apple knowing how much pull Anthony would have with owner James Dolan and the Garden bigs?
	 
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Who’s got the point?
	 
The Knicks season started poorly because of a lack of a point guard, and now with 10 games left they find themselves in the same predicament.
	 
Jeremy Lin is out until the playoffs with a torn meniscus and myriad Baron Davis injuries make him a poor second choice, but the one the Knicks will have to live with. Mike Bibby should not be playing at all, and Iman Shumpert has been impressive as a starting small forward, but is still woefully miscast at the point because of his predisposition toward shooting.
	 
So, it’s Baron or bust. The smart money is on bust.
	 
Like he was back in Cleveland
	 
Whenever the LeBron James late-game choking argument comes up, my mind wonders back to Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals.
	 
That’s when James put the Cavaliers on his back and scored their final 25 points in an upset of the Pistons for a 3-2 series lead on their way to a six-game series win. With Dwyane Wade for the Heat out Tuesday against the 76ers, James returned to take-over mode, scoring 15 of the Heat’s final 17 points in the 99-93 win.
	 
Just a reminder what he is capable of.
	 
And they still wish he was back in Cleveland 
	 
The Cavaliers youth has hit a stone wall in the strike-shortened regular season.
	 
After being in the mix for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, led by No. 1 pick Kyrie Irving, the Cavaliers are now playing like one of the NBA’s worst teams. Following a three-game winning streak, highlighted by upsets in Denver and Oklahoma City, Cleveland has dropped 12 of its past 13 games. Before a nine-point loss in Milwaukee on Wednesday night, they had lost seven straight by double digits.

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Bobby V to have weekly spot on New York radio station

April 04, 2012 , ι POST STAFF REPORT

It’s 2002 all over again. Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine confirmed he will do a weekly spot on ESPN 1050 Radio, starting Wednesday afternoon. Valentine, who managed the Mets from 1996-2002, will... Read on

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VIDEO: Kaymer skips ball across pond into hole during Masters practice round

April 04, 2012 , ι By JUSTIN TERRANOVA

You won’t see this once it counts.Germany’s Martin Kaymer skipped a ball across the pond that covers the length of the par-3 16th at Augusta and into the hole during Monday’s practice round. Several... Read on

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McCarver says Mets won't contend for 'a while'

April 03, 2012 , ι By JUSTIN TERRANOVA

Maybe next year, maybe not. Tim McCarver, who a year ago said the Wilpons should sell the Mets, offered a slightly better prognosis for the team now that their clawback lawsuit is behind them. Very... Read on

Maybe next year, maybe not.
	 
Tim McCarver, who a year ago said the Wilpons should sell the Mets, offered a slightly better prognosis for the team now that their clawback lawsuit is behind them.
	 
Very slight, that is.
	 
“I would say going into this year, that as desperate as last year was, it is a step up but not much of a step up,” McCarver said on FOX’s season preview conference call.
	 
“It’s going to be a while before the Mets have a contending team. That’s the way I look at it.”
	 
McCarver expressed confidence in GM Sandy Alderson, but even if the Mets are able to compete, the long-time analyst expressed doubt at the team’s ability to improve at the trade deadline.
	 
“It’s going to be very difficult,” McCarver said. “It’s not that Ike Davis is not going to have a good year; I think he will. It’s not that David Wright is not going to come back and have a good year, or some of their pitching.
	 
“But if they get to a situation to June or July ... are they going to be able, and as competent as other teams are, in making moves? And I think that’s what hamstrings a guy like Sandy Alderson that’s not necessarily the case with other general managers.”
	 
The Mets could be more likely to be sellers than buyers at the deadline with the team facing a $16 million contract option on Wright.
	 
“I think they should hire an auctioneer,” McCarver’s broadcast partner, Joe Buck, said.
	 
“They have to hope (Johan) Santana is right the first half of the year, David Wright is healthy. To me, if they were will to let Jose Reyers walk away, I think they are willing to deal and listen to (offers for) anyone on their roster.
	 
“And if that’s the case they can help a lot of teams, and they can go about rebuilding their franchise. I think they have to be happy that some of the unknowns from the (Bernie) Madoff, (Irving) Picard situation is behind them and now they can go forward.”

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NBC analyst Milbury apologizes for calling Crosby 'punk'

April 03, 2012 , ι

Hockey analyst Mike Milbury apologized Tuesday for critical comments made about Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. Labeling Crosby “a punk,” Milbury, the former NHL coach and general manager, criticized... Read on

Hockey analyst Mike Milbury apologized Tuesday for critical comments made about Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.
	 
Labeling Crosby “a punk,” Milbury, the former NHL coach and general manager, criticized the Pittsburgh center on a Philadelphia radio station Monday. He called out Crosby for his role in instigating a game-ending line brawl in Sunday’s contest between the Penguins and Flyers.
	 
“I reached out to (Pittsburgh president) David Morehouse and the Penguins about the comments I made yesterday on Philadelphia radio,” Milbury said. “In hindsight, I realize what I said was inappropriate and wrong, and I want to apologize to the Penguins organization and their fans.”
	 
Milbury is an analyst on NBC and also appears on CBC. He called Crosby “little goody two shoes” and also referred to “his 35th concussion.”
	 
Milbury spoke to Sports Radio 94 WIP Monday, a day after the chaotic scene in the waning moments of Philadelphia’s 6-4 victory resulted in 52 minutes in penalties being assessed between the two teams.
	 
The fighting was touched off in part by Flyers forward Brayden Schenn’s cross-check to Crosby.
	 
“Little goody two shoes (Crosby) goes into the corner and gives a shot to Schenn. Schenn was late to the party, he should have turned around and drilled him right away, but I guess better late than never,” Milbury said.
	 
“So you know, Crosby gets cross-checked, big whoop. He said after he came back from his 35th concussion, ‘I’m not going to do this anymore, I’m not going to get into this scrums, I’m going to stay away from that stuff.’ He couldn’t help himself because there’s a little punk in Crosby.
	 
“He’s not the perfect gentleman. He’s not the sweet kid you see in interviews with his hat pulled down over his eyes.”
	 
Crosby said Tuesday before the Penguins played in Boston that he’s not sure what provoked Milbury’s tirade. The 24-year-old former MVP has been limited to 19 games over the last 15 months due to concussions.
	 
“I don’t know what he’s looking for, if he’s looking for attention. I don’t know what it is,” Crosby said. “I really don’t know where that came from. He’s pretty good at twisting things around, that’s for sure.”
	 
Crosby’s agent Pat Brisson believes Milbury’s apology isn’t enough.
	 
“Milbury went too far this time attacking the very sensitive issue of the concussion,” Brisson said. “A simple apology isn’t accepted in this case. The real way to treat this disease is by either suspending or firing Milbury. Plain and simple “
	 
Crosby said he’s “not a gentleman on the ice at times” but added he’s usually retaliating. He had no major issue with Schenn’s hit, saying “that’s not out of the blue.”
	 
On Monday, Flyers coach Peter Laviolette was fined $10,000 for calling out his coaching counterpart, Pittsburgh’s Dan Bylsma, over the incident from bench to bench. Penguins assistant Tony Granato, who stepped on the top of the side boards and in between the two head coaches, was also fined $2,500.
	 
Laviolette was upset that the Penguins’ fourth line took a shift shortly after Jakub Voracek’s empty-net goal made it 6-3.
	 
During the shift, Penguins forward Joe Vitale leveled Flyers center Danny Briere shortly after the ensuing faceoff, starting off a chain of events that included Crosby’s run-in with Schenn, as well as Laviolette smashing a stick over the glass.
	 
“Those guys hadn’t been out there in 12 minutes,” Laviolette said in his postgame press conference. “It’s a gutless move by their coach. It’s gutless.”
	 
The two teams meet again Saturday, and will likely face each other in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs next week.
	 
“It’s not totally uncommon,” Milbury said of Laviolette’s behavior. “I can remember being on such a perch, or at least trying to climb over the boards to get at somebody to make a point.
	 
“And I thought Dan Bylsma should have taken off his skirt and gone over there.”

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BACK PAGE: Jets don't need 'Hard Knocks' to add to drama

April 03, 2012 , ι By JUSTIN TERRANOVA

Jets owner Woody Johnson was explicit in saying the acquisition of Tim Tebow was only done to improve the football team. “Let me be really clear about this: We work for the fans and the fans want us... Read on

Jets owner Woody Johnson was explicit in saying the acquisition of Tim Tebow was only done to improve the football team.
	 
“Let me be really clear about this: We work for the fans and the fans want us to win games, so all of the decisions we make regarding the team are just for football,” Johnson said last week from the NFL owners meetings.
	 
“It’s hard to predict other things. If you get confused as to what your mission is, you’re not going to accomplish your mission. Our mission is to win games, pure and simple. We think Tim Tebow has been a winner all his life.”
	 
The Jets cannot say the same about the existence of their franchise. And it seems one of Johnson’s first acts would be to take this combustible situation and turn it into a reality TV show.
	 
Johnson said Monday the Jets would consider doing another season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks”, and they’ve had informal discussions with the cable channel about the possibility.
	 
The TV viewer in me screamed with joy. I think the cast of “Jersey Shore” would be better off in their own lives if they quit the MTV show, but that does not mean my DVR won’t be set when Season 6 premieres.
	 
The fact that HBO has not made the discussions formal and locked up the Jets is the only surprise. Except for those offended by Rex Ryan’s salty language (see: Dungy, Tony) the Jets made a good impression in their training camp reality show two seasons ago. Other players were impressed with Ryan’s relationship with his players and there was a thought that would boost the team’s chances of landing free agents.
	 
But it’s been a long two years. There were certain people (see: Francesa, Mike) who never liked Ryan’s boasting since coming on the New York scene. But the Jets for the most part were a nice story heading into Ryan’s second year off a surprising run to the AFC Championship game.
	 
Now, what would make them such an intriguing reality subject is the exact reason they should avoid the spotlight. Ryan admittedly lost control of a fractured locker room last season, and things have only gotten worse since then.
	 
The team’s best receiver, Santonio Holmes, reportedly had a terrible relationship with quarterback Mark Sanchez. Anonymous teammates called out Sanchez this offseason and called for the Jets to pursue Peyton Manning. And, along with many other teams, that’s exactly what they did. When Manning landed with the Broncos, the Jets traded for Tebow.
	 
Appearing on ESPN last week, Darrelle Revis, whose holdout was the biggest storyline in “Hard Knocks” two seasons ago, said the Jets chemistry is in “disarray right now” and that adding Tebow would only make it worse.
	 
“It was a circus, and it’s going to be even more of a circus with him in the locker room,” Revis said. “I’m not questioning his ability to play the game. He can flat out play the game, but it’s just going to bring more to the locker room of every day: ‘Does Mark need to start? Does Tim need to start?’ It’s going to just be an ongoing thing throughout the whole season.”
	 
It’s a question that will be asked many times during training camp, and if Johnson gets his way, cameras will be rolling the whole time to watch the drama unfold. It seemed disignenuos for Johnson to suggest the Tebow move had nothing to do with the off-the-field attention the controversial quarterback would provide. If the Jets go forward with this it would seem like a farce.
	 
Maybe they can invite “The Situation” and his “Jersey Shore” roommates. For once, they might fit right in at Cortland.

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Red Sox's Valentine on Schilling: 'Consider the source'

April 03, 2012 , ι By JUSTIN TERRANOVA

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine had a curt response to Curt Schilling's rant against him. Valentine was asked about Schilling's radio rip, when he said of the Red Sox under Valentine, "It’s going bad... Read on

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine had a curt response to Curt Schilling's rant against him.
	 
Valentine was asked about Schilling's radio rip, when he said of the Red Sox under Valentine, "It’s going bad quicker than I expected it to."
	 
"I just consider the source when I hear stuff like that,’’
	 Valentine said Monday, according to The Boston Globe.
	 
Before being hired by the Red Sox, Valentine worked with Schilling at ESPN. A network source told The Post he never noticed any animosity between the two. Valentine last managed in the big leagues with the Mets in 2002.
	 
Schilling, who pitched for the Red Sox from 2004-07, said he has spoken to players who were frustrated with Valentine's openness with the press. But at least two Red Sox pitchers, Josh Beckett and Daniel Bard, have refuted Schilling's criticism.
	 
Valentine is taking over for Terry Francona, whose team last year blew the biggest September lead in baseball history amid reports off-day pitchers were drinking beer in the clubhouse during games, Beckett reportedly among them.

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About the Author

JUSTIN TERRANOVA Justin Terranova joined the Post's sports department in 2006. He covered NASCAR before taking over as the sports media reporter in 2007. He joined NYPost.com the following year and has worked as a reporter, editor and a blogger for the Web site.