First Take doesn't care about hockey pic.twitter.com/O9hkJmv76v
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 2, 2023
If you only take two pearls of wisdom away from Mike Francesa and Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo, they are as follows:
1. Take the ziggy off the board.
2. We don’t do regular season hockey.
You want proof Stephen A. Smith is a real one? A true disciple of Mike and Dog? This is it.
Our current New York next champion rankings (MLS doesn’t count):
1-Rangers
2-Mets
3-Yankees
4-Jets
5-Devils
6-Islanders
7-Giants
8-Knicks
9-Nets
Michael Kay is right about the Blueshirts. Mets and Yankees are an obvious Nos. 2-3 in that order. We go with the Jets at No. 4 because once they have the quarterback anything is possible. The Devils are thinking big after getting Timo Meier. Your mileage may vary at Nos. 6-8; the Islanders have been closer more recently and Lou Lamoriello is Lou Lamoriello. The Giants have a lot of holes to fill and the Knicks need another star. And LOL at the Nets.
Actually, hot take: If the Jets get Aaron Rodgers, that “weirdo” could propel them up to No. 2 behind the Amazins or Rangers pending what happens in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs. As Smith said earlier this year:
If Aaron Rodgers went to the Jets, they can win it all. They can win it all. With that defense, if he went to the New York Jets, Aaron Rodgers in the AFC, against (Patrick) Mahomes, against (Joe) Burrow, against Josh Allen, against Tua Tagovailoa, I’m telling you, the Jets have got a chance now. I’m not saying I’d pick them. But they’ve got a chance now. They’re in the mix.
MORE ON ESNY:
• Mike Francesa says Aaron Rodgers is acting like a ‘weirdo’
• Jets’ Robert Saleh responds to anonymous ‘time efficiency’ gripes
• Another reminder the NFL is a billion-dollar lemonade stand
• MSG goes direct to consumer as clock ticks on YES Network
• Paul O’Neill’s YES broadcast booth vaccine saga is finally over
James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @jameskratch.
