Don't Make Joe the King of Queens

The Mets have made so many mistakes over the last few seasons that David Letterman doesn't have enough room on his top ten list to name them anymore. Hiring Joe Torre would be another in a long line of errors for the franchise. It all sounds good on the surface...Torre's going to be a free agent, and he's thrived managing in the pressure cooker that is New York. He brings along credibility, a steady hand and a sterling resume. If you're thinking this is all too good to be true, it's because it is.

Let's face facts...these Mets are not the 1996 Yankees. In other words, Torre wouldn't be walking into a situation where the club is ready to win now. I'm not saying there's no talent at Citi Field, but most of it comes from the visiting clubhouse every day. Despite his track record, Torre doesn't have any fairy dust in his back pocket that's going to turn back the clock for the over-the-hill Luis Castillo...or make Carlos Beltran's knees feel any better...or heal Johan Santana's shoulder for that matter.

I also don't think Torre's in it for the long haul, and that's exactly what it might be before this team is a World Series contender again. He's 70-years old now. Will Torre really have the patience to groom the likes of Ike Davis, Josh Thole, Jenrry Mejia and Ruben Tejada? There's no quick fix here, and although they are willing to spend some money, the Mets aren't going to break the bank like one of his former employers. In case you're slow on the uptake, the Wilpons are not the Steinbrenners.

On top of everything else, Torre's personality doesn't fit what the Mets need right now. Not to compare the two, because Torre's prime rib and Jerry Manuel's ground chuck, but you'd essentially be replacing a laid back manager with another laid back manager. One thing this team must have is a motivator. There are too many players who have been far too comfortable while losing game after game and that needs to end immediately. So while I have the utmost respect for the guy, and believe there will be a spot reserved for him in Cooperstown some day, hiring Joe Tore would be yet another swing and a miss by a franchise that can't seem to keep its eye on the ball.

Put Up or Shut Up!

This might be the understatement of the year...Rex Ryan likes to talk...Possibly as much as he likes to eat. I think it's a toss up. The Jets head coach isn't shy about making bold proclamations, which has endeared him to the fan base, and earned him scorn from the opposition. Ryan is the lightning rod for a franchise that consistently made headlines this off-season with high profile additions, an extended holdout by their best player, and to cap it off, a training camp in front of the cameras on the HBO series Hard Knocks.

Along the way, Ryan has predicted a Super Bowl Championship. And come February, if he's holding the Vince Lombardi trophy, he can flip the bird to all his detractors and say, "I knew it all along." But it's a long road to Dallas, and if the Jets don't deliver, it'll be a very cold winter for Ryan who'll be looked upon as just another fat guy with a big mouth. In other words, talk is cheap. It's time to find out if there's any substance behind one of the most over hyped teams in recent memory.

There's no denying this Jets roster does have some sizzle. They added what appears to be a rejuvenated LaDainian Tomlinson to the backfield, traded for talented but troubled receiver Santonio Holmes and cornerback Antonio Cromartie, brought in safety Brodney Pool, and even picked up renowned Jets hater Jason Taylor. But there are as many questions as there are answers.

Second year quarterback Mark Sanchez has been shaky at best this pre-season. This off a rookie year in which he threw for 20-interceptions. The team released 9-time pro bowl offensive guard Alan Faneca, and replaced him with the underwhelming Matt Slauson. Chemistry could also be an issue. With all that star power comes a number of big egos. When the games count you have to wonder if they'll all be pulling in the same direction. So in the end Rex Ryan can make all brash statements he wants, but if the team doesn't back him up with wins, J-E-T-S will stand for Just Empty Talk Stupid.