Yanks Designate Randy Winn for Assignment

Randy Winn was ready for bad news on Friday, and he wasn't surprised when it came. To open a roster spot for Curtis Granderson to be activated from the disabled list, the Yankees designated Winn for assignment, dumping the veteran outfielder from the roster after he hit .213 through 29 games.

"A move was going to have to be made," Winn said. "Curtis was coming back. I played terrible. It fits."

Winn has been an all-star and he has a career batting average of .285 through 13 major-league seasons, but at 36 years old he struggled in a part-time role with the Yankees. He had been a regular since 2001, but the Yankees signed him to a $1.1 million deal this winter to serve as their fifth outfielder. He seemed to never adjust to having only occasional at-bats.

"I don't think that's an excuse," he said. "I just didn't play well, period. When I hit the ball, guys on the other teams were catching it. That was the bottom line."

In dumping Winn, the Yankees chose to keep 25-year-old Kevin Russo, who had been the Yankees' left fielder in the last few games before Granderson's return. Russo came through the minor leagues as an infielder, but he has learned to play all three outfield spots.

"We like the versatility that Russo gives us being able to play a number of positions for us," manager Joe Girardi said. "He's played well since he's been up here and we went with the versatility."
The Yankees now have 10 days to either trade Winn or pass him through waivers. Winn said he has not thought about what his next move might be.

"I'm going to go home and play with my kids, and that's all I'm thinking about right now," he said. "Although I was prepared for the possibility of it, I have not thought that far ahead."

Well good riddance. Winn not only couldn't hit the ball, but he couldn't play defense either, something he usually does pretty well.

Islanders Sign D Prospect Hamonic

The agent for Islanders prospect Travis Hamonic tells Point Blank that a deal between the team and his client will be finalized this week.

“For all intents and purposes, we’re there,” said agent Craig Oster of a three-year, Entry Level contract with Garth Snow for the impressive defense prospect. “We completed some of the work before the Memorial Cup and then took a break. We didn’t want there to be any distractions for Travis. Now we’re back at it and you should hear something in the next few days.”

The Islanders have until the end of May to sign Hamonic, whom they selected with their third pick in the second round of the 2008 draft.

Although some signs have pointed to the Islanders throwing Hamonic directly into the NHL in 2010-11, Oster was wisely more cautious.

“He’s a great kid and a great prospect who you can be confident will get the most out of his talent. He cares so much and has that drive to succeed,” said Oster. “I just don’t know if he’s a guy anyone expects to play right away. Travis will be the first to admit he still has a lot to learn.”

But now it is being reported, as I write this article, that the Islanders have, in fact, finalized a three-year entry level deal with Hamonic.

This bit of news is fantastic for Islanders fans because this kid is a special player and is expected to compete for a top six defenseman role. He can score, pass, hit and play defense. I am excited to finally see this kid in an Isles uniform come training camp in September.

Vazquez Pounded Again, Yanks Can't Complete Sweep

I'm really getting tired of writing the same line after just about every time Javier Vazquez takes the mound for a start. The Minnesota Twins hit rocket after rocket off of Vazquez, tattooing him until he left in the sixth inning.

The result of this is that Vazquez, who was just starting to turn some skeptics' minds, shot back to the top of the "Most Disliked Yankees" rankings. He had nothing and the Twins hit everything in the Bombers' 8-2 loss.

The soft-spoken Vazquez took a line out of the old Art Howe playbook and said he battled. He said that is the biggest improvement from earlier in the year.

"Even though we got the loss, I battled out there," Vazquez said after allowing five runs (all earned) on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. "My first few games of the season, I wasn't battling as well as I did today."

How does he define battling?

"I guess battling means staying aggressive," Vazquez said.

Vazquez barely touched 90 mph on the gun. Ideally, he wants to be between 90 and 93. With his velocity down, Vazquez needed to be more precise.

"Obviously, I have to locate better," Vazquez said. "Obviously, when you don't have your good fastball, you have less room for error, trying to locate better. That's what I'm trying to do."

That is what Vazquez had been doing. The progress that Vazquez recently had displayed seemed to vanish in the warm Minnesota air.

Was it really a week ago that he made the Mets look as if they were swinging with miniature bats? Was it really less than 10 days ago that Vazquez was striking out Kevin Youkilis in front of Yankees fans to end a Red Sox rally and win a game? Was it a little more than two weeks ago that he put together seven strong innings in Detroit? Yes. Yes. And yes.

And then there was Thursday night.

Vazquez had an excuse if he wanted to reach for it. He could've pointed to his bruised right index finger. It was a nasty contusion after he took a pitch off the finger while bunting against the Mets.
He and Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that wasn't the problem. Girardi didn't think it was Vazquez's fastball, he thought it was his off-speed stuff.

"He left some breaking pitches up and they didn't miss them," Girardi said.

It is one thing not to have any velocity, it is another not to have control. With one out in the first, Vazquez walked Orlando Hudson after going up 1-2.

The pitch that sent Hudson to first was a 3-2, 88 mph fastball in the dirt.

Next, Joe Mauer singled and Justin Morneau hit a sacrifice fly -- and right away it felt as if bad Javy had made the trip to Target Field.

The second inning was worse. In that inning alone, the Twins hit three doubles, hammering Vazquez all over the park. When Jason Kubel hit a solo bomb in the sixth, it was the first Twins home run in since May 19.

May 19 was the day after Vazquez bested Youkilis in the Bronx. On Thursday night, it seemed like a very long time ago.

But I don't think that is an accurate description. On Thursday night, he made it seem as if it was an eternity ago. Once again Vazquez showed he could not pitch for the Yankees and in the American League.

This act is becoming old and very tiresome. His velocity is down and he can't locate anything. I'll give him until after Interleague play is over because I think that's where he will pitch well. After that's over, I'll give him one more American League start, and then I'll say it's time for the Yankees to cut their losses.

Yeah, it would look bad for Yankees GM Brian Cashman, but so would keeping him on the team while he pitches them into a bigger hole in the standings. Why not try and swing a deal to bring Cliff Lee over here. Now, normally I am not one to just throw out superstars for the Yankees to sign and trade for because most times, it isn't necessary.

But the purpose of the Vazquez acquisition in December was to strengthen a rotation that only had three starters in the postseason last year. So why not do that but by trading Vazquez for Lee, or some variation of that.

I'm sure the Yankees could bring the Mariners to the table with a starting offer of Vazquez and catcher Jesus Montero for Lee. And I throw in Montero because the Yankees have Austin Romine, who might not be able to smack the ball out of the yard at the rate Montero can, but he can still hit very well and is a gargantuan upgrade on defense over Montero.

Like I said, I'm getting tired of Vazquez stringing together poor start after poor start, and I'm sure many other Yankees fans feel the same way. Let's give it just a couple more weeks.

Yanks Bring Back Gaudin to Shore-up Depleted 'Pen

The New York Yankees, uncertain when or if Alfredo Aceves will return from the disabled list, have reacquired Chad Gaudin.

I'll be honest with you. I kind of saw this coming and if you ask my brother he will tell you that I pretty much called it. I knew once the Oakland Athletics released him that the Yankees would be knocking on his door with the recently struggles of their bullpen.

"We don't know when we are going to get [Aceves] back," Joe Girardi said.

Aceves was eligible to return from the disabled list on Tuesday, but a bulging disk forced him to return to New York instead to see doctors. With Gaudin on board, Sergio Mitre could pitch in some shorter relief roles.

Gaudin finished last season with the Yankees and was with the team in spring training, before being released on March 25.

He signed with Oakland and went 0-2 with an 8.83 ERA in 12 appearances before being released by the A's last Friday. He last pitched on May 15.

Gaudin was on New York's postseason roster in 2009, throwing one scoreless inning in the ALCS.
To make room for Gaudin, left-hander Boone Logan was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Shane Lindsay was designated for assignment.

Only a Matter of Time Before Jets Sign Brunell?

There's a feeling around the Jets that it's only a matter of time before the team signs free-agent QB Mark Brunell, most recently of the New Orleans Saints.

By rule, they can't sign Brunell now because of the so-called "Final Eight" rules. To add him now, they'd have to lose an unrestricted free agent, and it doesn't look like that's going to happen anytime soon. Therefore, they will have to wait until July 22, when the restriction is lifted.

But the Jets, who had a good visit last month with Brunell, are willing to wait. There are some whispers that they already have a wink-and-nod agreement with Brunell, the former longtime Jacksonville Jaguars starter. Why Brunell, who will be 40 for the season? They want to add a pair of veteran eyes to help the development of Mark Sanchez.

Sanchez already has more career starts than backup Kellen Clemens (15 to nine), and there's a sense that Sanchez could really benefit from a mentor-type player. It's a tough situation for Clemens, a good soldier, but he knows the writing is on the wall. The Jets tried to trade him before the draft, but found no takers and decided to keep him around through the off-season workouts, letting him run the offense while Sanchez recovers from knee surgery.

Jets Brass Looking for the Magic Touch

Rex Ryan believes in Magic -- Magic Johnson, that is.

One day recently, the New York Jets coach dined in Manhattan with the NBA Hall of Famer to discuss team-building, coach-player relations and ... well, winning. Ryan was joined by Jets owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum, a lifelong Boston Celtics fan.

Ryan met the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar recently in Las Vegas at the Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley fight and they agreed to get together when Johnson was in New York.

"You try to surround yourself around great people -- at least that's what Magic told me, anyway," Ryan cracked Thursday after an off-season practice.

When Ryan heard Johnson was going to be in the area, he reached out to him and they met at an Italian restaurant in Manhattan. When Ryan asked if anybody wanted to join him, several hands shot up immediately.

Ryan said he learned a lot from Magic, things he can apply to football. They talked a lot about Johnson's interaction with Pat Riley. They also discussed how to raise the standards of a sports organization.

"We talked about, as he put it, doing things the Laker way," Ryan said. "The Lakers had a way of doing things. I just look at our standard as an organization, what we stand for, how we're going to play, how we're going to practice, how we're going to prepare.

"When new guys come in ... they have to live up to those standards. If they don't, you have to move on. That's something I've always been a big believer in, but when you hear a guy like Magic Johnson talk about it and the success that he had, I feel confident that we're on the right path."

Ryan mentioned Johnson when discussing the elevated level of competition on the Jets' practice field, with receivers such as Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards being covered by Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. Magic told Ryan stories about the Olympic Dream Team, and how they competed against each other.

"I asked him what those practices were like, and he said they were the most intense things and the fiercest competition that he's ever been in, more than games, more than anything else because you're with the greatest players in the world," Ryan said.

The Jets aren't the Dream Team, but they're a dreaming big team.

Do you think Al Groh, Herm Edwards or Eric Mangini ever did anything like this? To quote a favorite movie of mine: "that is highly unlikely." Rex knows how to coach and he is showing every day that he knows what he is doing.

Who better to pick the brain of than the great Magic Johnson?! Rex already was pretty good at building team chemistry and getting the guys in the locker room to go to battle for each other, and now he might have just gotten better at it -- if that's even possible -- by reaching out to and getting advice from Johnson. I am drinking the Gang Green Kool Aid! J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS! JETS!

Jets' Scott has Goal: Best Defense Ever

The New York Jets lost only two starters from the defense that lined up against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game, and they added established players such as cornerback Antonio Cromartie and pass rusher Jason Taylor to a unit that led the NFL in several statistical categories.

What could they possibly do for an encore? Bart Scott has something in mind -- something big.

"You try to be the No. 1 defense -- ever," the veteran linebacker said matter-of-factly Thursday after practice. "Why not?"

The Jets finished No. 1 in total defense last season, their first under Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. Adding Cromartie and Taylor, not to mention safety Brodney Pool and first-round cornerback Kyle Wilson, are "all cherries on top," Scott said.

As Scott said, "You eat [the ice cream], you're full and it's like, 'Damn, I get a cherry, too?' "

The former Ravens linebacker believed the 2006 Baltimore defense was good enough to be mentioned as the best in history -- it allowed a league-best 12.6 points per game -- but it lacked the validation of a Super Bowl title.

"You have to win the Super Bowl to be considered the best," he said.

Even though it's early, the Jets' collection of talent has made a strong impression on running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who was swallowed up by the Jets in last season's divisional playoffs.

"This defense," he said, "is pretty scary."

You know, this whole new Jets attitude is starting to rub off on everyone. And in saying that, I will say this as well: why not?! I am a believer! Rex Ryan has turned this team around in one season and they all have grabbed hold and run with Coach Ryan. This defense certainly has the pieces to be the best ever. Now I can't wait to see what it has to offer on opening day in September.

Yanks to decide on new Hughes Rules

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi and pitching coach Dave Eiland will soon decide how much of the next phase of Phil Hughes Rules they need to implement, ESPNNewYork.com has learned.

The Yankees have the guidelines for a plan that could give Hughes nearly two weeks of extra days off from now until July 20. The days off would be spread out over the next six weeks and would not be nearly as noticeable as the ones that were implemented for Joba Chamberlain last season.

Girardi and Eiland will make their decisions based on how many innings -- especially high-stress innings -- and pitches that Hughes has thrown thus far.

They could decide that Hughes is right on pace and they don't need to make any adjustments because of how their schedule unfolds.

With June and July around the corner, the largest phase of the Hughes Rules is ideally set to move forward. Because of the four off days in June, including two that sandwich a series against the Dodgers toward the end of the month and the looming All-Star break in July, the Yankees feel they won't have to be as radical as they were with the Joba Rules last season.

They are very hesitant to speak about the plans, because they don't want the Hughes Rules to draw the same fanfare as the Joba Rules.

"That is all up to Joe and Dave," GM Brian Cashman said. "They know just like last year with Joba what the limits are."

Cashman added that Girardi and Eiland will make sure Hughes gets the proper amount of rest because the Yankees believe it is wise to protect young pitchers. The Yankees haven't revealed how many innings Hughes will pitch, but Hughes thinks it is around 175. Hughes has thrown 49 2/3 innings entering his start on Friday.

Without any adjustments to their current starting schedule, the Yankees can rest Hughes without anyone really noticing. With a little manipulation of their rotation, they may be able to give Hughes even more time off. They likely will push him back one day at some point next month to fully take advantage of the All-Star break.

If they don't adjust the rotation at all, then counting the extra day that Hughes has going into his start on Friday against the Indians, he will have a built-in fifth day off (as opposed to the normal four) in five of his next eight starts.

The big part of the Yankees' Hughes Rules will come around the All-Star break. At that point, the Yankees will likely have Hughes start as many as four days before the break, then coupled with the four-day All-Star intermission, a three-game series to begin the second half and yet another scheduled day off, Hughes could easily have nearly two weeks off in July.

"We'll get to that when we get to that," Eiland said.

Yankees decision makers have formulated these plans so these rules are not as intrusive as last year's were for Chamberlain. They actually may have used a similar setup last season if not for the injury and ineffectiveness of Chien-Ming Wang.

While innings have often been the focal point of the Joba Rules, the more important metric the Yankees look at is Hughes' pitches.

"Some innings are more stressful than others," Eiland said. "You can throw five innings and 100 pitches and it can really take its toll on you because you are really laboring through that or you can throw seven innings and 100 pitches. It is less pitches in an inning and you are not laboring as much. The more you have to labor, the more stress it puts on your arm."

Through eight starts, Hughes has thrown 840 pitches. At this rate, going on the assumption he would make 29 starts, he would finish with 3,045 pitches. This would be 310 more than Chamberlain's 2,735 last year. Although the exact limit is unknown, it is known that he can have more than Chamberlain.

The Yankees likely want to use a similar strategy as the Tigers used with Rick Porcello last season. Prior to the All-Star break the Tigers shut down Porcello for a little more than two weeks. He finished the season with 170 2/3 innings and 2,726 pitches.

Cashman said he didn't want to make any "public opinion" as to what he thought of the Tigers' plan with Porcello.

"We have pitching programs that are all based on things that have happened in recent history and past history," Cashman said.

Cashman added that the 23-year-old Hughes (5-1, 2.72 ERA) has been one of the best pitchers in baseball thus far. The Yankees want to keep him that way -- for a long time.

Yeah, they want to keep him that way. He's going to be a stud, we hope. But does this phrase not come to mind here: "Here we go again!" I mean, this whole thing didn't work with Joba last season. It actually ruined his season. Who's to say it won't do the same to Hughes?

Granderson to Return to Lineup Tomorrow Night

After coming through his final rehab assignment without any problems, center fielder Curtis Granderson is expected to return to the New York Yankees lineup on Friday.

Granderson has been out since May 2 with a groin injury. When he returns he will play center field, while Brett Gardner will move back to left. There is a chance that Granderson also could move into the No. 2 hole for the Yankees. The spot has been a revolving door since DH Nick Johnson went to the disabled list earlier this month.

While Joe Girardi wouldn't commit to any lineup order, he did say that he likes Nick Swisher in the sixth hole.

"Swisher is the only one who breaks up the lefties," Girardi said of Swisher, a switch-hitter.

On Thursday night, Gardner batted second.

Granderson is hitting .225 with two homers and seven RBIs.

But right now, who cares what his batting average is. The Yankees need him back in a bad way so they can stop using Randy Winn and Marcus Thames as much as they have been. Granderson is a big key to that lineup and if he can stick in the number two slot, the Yankees lineup will be set.

Islanders Ship Niemi to Rangers in Rare Deal Between Bitter Rivals

The New York Rangers have acquired defenseman Jyri Niemi from the New York Islanders for a sixth-round pick in this year's draft. The Rangers immediately signed Niemi to an Entry Level contract and he will report to their prospect camp.

The trade announced Tuesday is the first between the New York area rivals since forward Ron Stewart was dealt to the Islanders for cash on Nov. 14, 1972, during the Islanders' first season.

The 19-year-old Niemi played in 50 games with Saskatoon of the Western Hockey League last season. He had eight goals and 21 assists with a plus-9 rating.

Niemi was chosen by the Islanders in the third round -- the 72nd pick -- of the 2008 draft. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound native of Finland has spent the last three seasons with Saskatoon.

Just about everyone in the league has said over the last years that Niemi - the Isles 3rd round pick in 2008 who had to be signed by the end of this month - was not considered an NHL prospect. However, all it takes is one scout to believe in a player, and obviously Gordie Clark at the Rangers employs someone who thought the 6'3" Finnish player was worth a shot.

For Garth Snow, instead of losing a player for nothing, he gets another dart in the sixth round. Since the Islanders don’t think Niemi is anything significant, the deal was a no-brainer.

It seems as though the Islanders had no interest in signing him to a deal or having him develop in their system, but, even still, this trade is very shocking for the mere fact that it was done between these two bitter rivals. Good for Garth, though, for getting something when he was about to lose this kid for nothing.

NY/NJ, New Meadowlands Stadium Wins Bid to Host Super Bowl in 2014

If you build it, they will come -- wearing winter coats.

The New Meadowlands Stadium, the $1.6 billion jewel co-owned by the New York Giants and Jets, will host the 2014 Super Bowl, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced Tuesday afternoon at the league's spring meeting.

"It's a historic moment for the league," Goodell said.

Saying that New York is a unique market, Goodell added: "It will be a great experience for our fans. It will be a great experience for the NFL."

The league's 32 owners, undaunted by the prospect of a wintry championship game, awarded Super Bowl XLVIII to the New York/New Jersey region after also considering bids from Tampa and South Florida, both traditional sites. South Florida and Tampa have hosted the Super Bowl 10 and four times, respectively.

At 4:04 EST, the owners voted for the 2014 Super Bowl. And ... there was no winner.

By rule, one city needed at least 75% of the vote (24 out of 32) on the first ballot to be declared the winner. At 4:10, Goodell announced that no one had made the cut.

It's believed that no city ever has won on the first ballot. So they voted again. Once again, a 75% majority was needed in Round 2.

At 4:10, the 32 owners began to vote in Round 2. There's no lobbying, no speeches, no nothing. The owners simply take another ballot and write in their choice.

Once again, there was no winner, but by rule, they had to eliminate the third-place finisher. As expected, that was South Florida. Adios, Miami. You've been great for 10 Super Bowls, but you're not hosting in 2014.

And then there were two: New York/New Jersey vs. Tampa.

Is the third time the charm for New York/New Jersey? The answer was ... no.

At 4:18, Goodell announced to the room that neither New York/New Jersey nor Tampa received the required 75% of the vote to win the bid.

One more time. This time, there will be a winner. Only a simple majority (17 votes) is needed.

And then there was a winner. It took four rounds of voting to determine the host, but New York/New Jersey won by a simple majority over Tampa.

The official tag line of the New York/New Jersey bid was "Make Some History," and it did. It will be the first open-air stadium in a cold-weather region to host a Super Bowl. In their presentation to the membership, the Jets and Giants reps showed a video that included clips from historic cold-weather games, including Adam Vinatieri's forever field goal for the Patriots in the 2001 divisional playoffs in Foxborough, Mass. -- a.k.a. "The Snow Bowl" and "The Tuck Rule Game."

"An old-school matchup in a new-school stadium," the voiceover says.

There could be a record-low temperature at kickoff. The current record is 39 degrees in 1972 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, and that would be considered a warm February day in East Rutherford, N.J.

There's never been snow in a Super Bowl game and that could happen, too.

"Obviously it will be cold, but that's what playing football is all about," Giants quarterback Eli Manning told Fox News Channel's Studio B with Shepard Smith. "I've been in the Super Bowl and I've been to a couple of Super Bowls and if you're not in it, the Super Bowl is an event and its kinda a place to be and there's no better place to be than New York City for that vibe and that atmosphere."

The average temperature range for the Meadowlands area during February is 24 to 40 degrees, with several inches of rain, according to the bid documents. Remember, the game kicks off after sunset in the Eastern time zone, so temperatures would be dropping throughout the night.

Planners have factored it all in. They're plotting giveaways to warm hands and seats, having hundreds of people ready to shovel away snow and anything else they can do to make the experience more than just bearable.

Jets owner Woody Johnson cracked, "I like doing things for the first time ... I hope it snows."
It could be the last cold play for a long time, as the league made this a one-time exemption to its 50-degree rule.

"People talk about the weather, but, you know, this is football, not beach volleyball," New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg told the NFL Network. He said his city welcomed the chance to host its share of a worldwide event and noted the Sept. 11 attacks.

"America came to the rescue of New York, and that's something I think that New Yorkers have never forgotten," Bloomberg said. "This is a little bit of our chance to say thank you."

Meadowlands CEO Mark Lamping told the owners, via the NFL Network, "This region has hosted every big event -- except the Super Bowl." Lamping described their plans to integrate the Super Bowl into the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and Fashion Week.

Organizers expect the 2014 Super Bowl to generate approximately $550 million for the local economy. While there will be no direct financial benefit to the two local teams, the Super Bowl will help the Giants and Jets sell the naming rights to the stadium. That could be worth an estimated $500 million.

The two teams will have access to 109 of the 219 club suites in the 82,500-seat stadium, and those will be distributed to their suite holders. But the money goes directly to the league. The Giants and Jets will split 6.2 percent of the overall ticket allotment. Because two teams are hosting, more hometown fans than usual will be left in the cold. Typically, the host city gets 5 percent.

Johnson wasted no time in raising the possibility of a Jets-Giants showdown in four years.

"We'll try to be in that Super Bowl together," he said, then turned to Giants co-owner Jonathan Tisch. "Am I right?"

Giants co-owner John Mara thanked his fellow owners "for having the guts to want to make some history."

He credited Johnson for hatching the idea in 2005, when the two teams agreed to share the new stadium.

"Woody started pushing the idea about four years ago, and he was absolutely relentless," Mara said.
Johnson said: "I was born in New Brunswick, N.J. To be a Jersey boy and to bring something like this -- to be involved in something this big -- is a tremendous thing for all the people that live in our area."

There are three possible dates for the game in 2014 -- Feb. 2, 9, 16. It depends on the structure of the 2013 season.

Mara tried to imagine how his late father, Wellington Mara, might have reacted to New York getting the Super Bowl.

"I think he would've thought we've come a long way since the Polo Grounds in 1925," Mara said in an NFL Network interview immediately after the announcement.

But no matter how you slice it and dice it, this is fantastic news for the New York/New Jersey region. A Super Bowl here will enable fans from all over the country to see the brand new, and beautiful Meadowlands Stadium.

Despite the game most likely being played in very cold weather, this game could definitely become one for the ages if snow and cold weather become factors. You don't have to go too far back in the memory bank to find the latest memorable cold weather game. Brett Favre's last season in Green Bay featured the Giants vs. Packers in a thriller that ended in overtime thanks, in part, to a Favre interception (shocking, right?). The bottom line is this: Cold weather games are extremely fun to watch and be a part of.

As a native New Yorker, I am proud of my city and proud to say that we will host the 2014 Super Bowl. But before this party kicks off in the Meadowlands, the Super Bowl will be held in Dallas (2011), Indianapolis (2012) and New Orleans (2013).

Islanders Call off Team Trip to China

New York Islanders owner Charles Wang has pulled the plug on the team's planned nine-day trip to China, Newsday reported on Monday.

Arrangements for the nine-day trip had previously been agreed upon by the team, the NHL and the NHLPA. But when the NHLPA began to follow through on making sure logistics including arenas, transportation and lodging met the union's standards, Wang became angered, according to the report.
General manager Garth Snow confirmed the trip was off, according to the report.

NHLPA spokesman Jonathan Weatherdon told ESPN.com Monday that the union's planned logistics check was standard operating procedure for any event involving the union's membership and was not in any way a sign of disrespect for Wang or the Islanders.

"It's what we do," Weatherdon said.

Weatherdon said the NHLPA always sends staff in advance to other North American events, as well as Premier Game sites in Europe, to ensure there are no surprises for players taking part.

Weatherdon pointed out that when the Tampa Bay Lightning were preparing to play an exhibition game in Bratislava, Slovakia, in the fall of 2008, the NHLPA staff that visited the arena noted that there were nails sticking out of the boards. New boards were installed before the Lightning arrived.

Furthermore, Weatherdon said, the NHLPA had waived its normal percentage fee for participating in international events for the China trip, instead asking for a donation to Goals and Dreams, the union's grassroots hockey program, to benefit youth hockey in China.

The union conducted a formal review of the trip with Rick DiPietro and a few other Islanders players. Said the official: “Once an appropriate training camp schedule was determined between the Islanders, the NHL and the NHLPA, the tour had the support of the Players Association.”

It all sounded so unofficial, hazy and preliminary, but that could be hindsight. You have to wonder: why didn’t the Islanders just cancel the trip and not say anything? Between the team, Chinese officials and the union, it would not have been difficult to keep a lid on it.

So now the Islanders move on, after staff members spent months buttoning down the details of the complicated training camp in China with trips to four cities over nine days. As much as the players and coaches knew the opportunity might be once in a lifetime, their legs, hearts and minds will thank them in October. And quite honestly, thank god this trip isn't happening. I thought it was a terrible idea from the start, but I digress.

A source told Point Blank this morning that the city of Saskatoon would welcome a second straight visit by the Islanders. Saskatoon had a two-way option with the Islanders for a training camp before the team decided to go to China. The Islanders also have an operative in Canada who set up the team-friendly deal in Moncton, although that city is not an option this time around.

Since the Islanders operate Iceworks and the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, perhaps the organization will make the best of the China syndrome and bring the hockey team closer to its fans in New York during the month of September.