Listen to part one here.

Listen to part two here.

Audio courtesy of Bob Trainor of Trainor Communications. To contact Bob, please email him at trainorcomm@gmail.com.

It had been a full decade since the Giants had appeared in a Super Bowl, and after missing the playoffs the previous two years, head coach Jim Fassel guaranteed that his 7-4 team (at the time) after two home losses, would make the playoffs. The Giants responded by winning their final five regular season games to clinch the NFC’s top seed. However, many thought that the Giants wouldn’t be able to slow down the high-powered, second-seeded Minnesota Vikings in the 200 NFC championship game, on January 14, 2001. Although the Giants would get blown out by Baltimore, 34-7, in Super Bowl XXXV, they not only reached that game by slowing down Minnesota, but they completely shut the Vikings down, and shut them out. In a game they could have won 80-0 if they wanted to, the Giants completely dominated Minnesota on both sides of the ball in a 41-0 thrashing, after leading 34-0 at halftime. Vikings’ star wide receiver Randy Moss called it “the worst defeat in his life.” Though, stay tuned for later in the list for one that might have been tougher for Moss to swallow, even if the score was a lot closer.

#9) 2009: The Knicks Slowly Returning To Relevance

After the Knicks achieved much success in the 1990’s, but finished that decade the same way they completed the 1980’s –- without an NBA title — former Knicks’ head coach Jeff Van Gundy could see the Knicks’ impending decline coming well in advance. With the Knicks still over .500 (10-9), just 19 games into the 2000-2001 NBA season, Van Gundy resigned on December 8, 2001. The Knicks proved Van Gundy’s prophecy correct, going 22-43 after Van Gundy stepped aside, to finish that season 32-50 while failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in 24 seasons. From that point, the Knicks, despite being the most highly valued NBA franchise financially, have remained irrelevant in the NBA. However, as the decade winds down, there appear to be real signs that the Knicks might finally be turning the corner back on the road to relevance and respectability –- which would be great for both city which houses basketball’s mecca, and for the NBA, which has always considered New York its biggest market. On April 2, 2008, the Donnie Walsh era began, and the Knicks have since been pointed in a better direction. By no means has Walsh made all of the perfect moves since he’s joined the Knicks, and he certainly has plenty of work still cut out for him. But, with the firing of former GM and head coach Isaiah Thomas, and the hiring of current Knicks’ head coach Mike D’Antoni, Walsh has given the Knicks something they had lacked since the 1990’s –- an actual working blueprint for restoring success to the franchise. Walsh was been able to effectively clear cap space to possibly bring in top free agents, while developing a young core of supporting talent. While about half of the current team will likely not be part of the team next season, there are still several players on one of the NBA’s youngest rosters who will be part of the future and who have given reason for hope. With those players contributing significantly after a 1-9 start (tying the worst in franchise history) en route to a 3-14 mark through November, the Knicks are 9-5 in the final month of the decade, with one very winnable game left New Jersey before 2010. And, they’re no longer simply trying to outscore teams under D’Antoni, as they’ve returned to their 1990’s roots, holding teams under 100 points in their past 11 games, while compiling a 7-4 record during that stretch.

Although the Mets lost the game, 6-5, the fans did enjoy the new ballpark, which the Mets will now call home.

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The Yankees open their doors officially on Thursday for a game against in Cleveland Indians.

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This is Glen Sather’s first step correcting the mistakes of last July. In the off-season makeover, Sather decided to change the heart of the team. Sure he got the squad younger, but in the process he lost some personality.

Avery was a big part of that, but even larger though was Jaromir Jagr. And more than The Grate One, No. 68’s presence is missed on 33^rd Street.

Yes, we know why he’s no longer here. Failing to score 84 points last season to kick in the option on his contract, he became a free agent and looking to continue his $8 million-plus salary. Not willing to pay a 36 year-old that kind of money with a full cap hit, Sather passed, sending the Ranger captain off to Russia to play for Omsk of the K.H.L.

Looking back, Sather probably wouldn’t have signed Wade Redden and Markus Naslund, and paid Jagr his king’s ransom, because the future Hall of Famer is what the Rangers need right now.

Forget the 25 goals and 43 assists last season, No. 68 brought a presence on the ice that’s missing from this year’s Ranger team. With Jagr, the Blueshirts had a true No. 1 finisher, who commanded the opposing team’s checking line against him on the ice. This meant the other Ranger lines went against lesser defenders. Last year, that meant the No 2 line of Scott Gomez, Brendan Shanahan and Avery, which opened them up to some scoring opportunities.

If Jagr was still on the team this year, he would have Brandon Dubinsky as his pivot, with Gomez and Nikolai Zherdev able to open the ice up on their pairing.

Also he always had two men on him, which allowed some free looks for some fortunate left winger. Usually it was Marty Straka, but just look back and take a look at the production of all the wingers on Jagr’s line in the last few years. Avery joked about it, while Nigel Dawes scored at his best pace. Heck, playing with Jagr made Marcel Hossa look like his brother for a short period of time.

Then there’s the leadership. By all accounts Chris Drury is a quiet captain, who leads by example. Not a bad thing, but this Ranger team seems to need something more. Jagr was very vocal in the dressing room, at least the European players on the club. Sure Brendan Shanahan would be gone, but Jagr would be fully entrenched in the captaincy. With Drury and Gomez taking the alternates a smoother transition of power would probably have happened.

And he is still productive with 25 goals with 26 assists in 48 games for Omsk this season. It is a lesser league, but if he was on Broadway, you would figure the Rangers would score a few more goals and also have a better power play.

Sure Jagr seemed to mail in parts of last season and by his own admission, he saved himself for the playoffs. And when the quest for the Cup started, he was the best player on the ice. Although the Rangers went out in the second round, Jagr single handedly carried the Rangers on his back, scoring five goals with 10 assists in 10 games. He outplayed both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, spurring a Garden cheer for the superstar.

And that’s what’s missing. No one on the Rangers offense right now can carry the team like Jagr could. Avery will certainly help if the Rangers can get him in a few weeks, but it won’t solve what’s really missing from this squad.

Although there are rumors Jagr wants to come back to the NHL, the Rangers will lack the cap room to sign him, if he is able to get out of his Omsk contract. And that means not signing Jagr will be a mistake, the Rangers and their fans will continue to rue.

Bobby Holik scored eights minutes into the second period and Zach Parise added a power play goal 1:27 later, giving the New Jersey Devils a lead the New York Rangers could not over come.

The Devils won 3-0, and goaltender Scott Clemmensen earned his first shutout this season and the first since March 26, 2004.

“It’s most important to get the win, but now that I have one, I can say it feels really good,” said Clemmensen.

New Jersey (34-17-3) is now 25-0-1 when taking a lead into the third period. Finding that lead, though, has been difficult for the Devils recently.

Clemmensen was solid early, making glove saves and protecting rebounds on several Rangers’ power plays. His teammates also kept the pressure off of him by keeping the puck in the offensive zone.

The Devils outshot the Rangers 13-7 in the first period, including several two-on-one rushes and short handed opportunities. New York is last in the NHL in short-handed goals allowed, and New Jersey’s penalty kill unit seemed more aggressive than usual because of it.

Zach Parise scored the second goal of the game. (Jim leary/NYSD)

In the beginning of the second period, John Madden and Brendan Shanahan created a shorthanded two-on-one opportunity that was deflected behind Lundqvist, but “King Henrik” was not safe for long from his former teammate.

Shanahan, playing in his first game against his former club, pushed the puck up ice with eight minutes gone in the second. He sent the puck to Patrick Elias on the wing, and Elias passed back to Shanahan behind the net.

Shanahan found Holik on the left post and put the puck right where Holik could tap the puck in between Lundqvist’s legs.

“For once in a long time, I timed it well and it skated right into him. A little bit of hard work and a lot of luck,” explained Holik.

Before the Prudential Center crowd could calm down from the first goal, a holding penalty was called on Rangers center Brian Dubinsky, and the Devils’ power play unit capitalized.

At 9:27, Jamie Langenbrunner sent the puck from the point on net. With Parise crashing, Travis Zajac knocked the puck out of the air and swept it to Parise on the left post. Parise knocked the puck past Lundqvist to extend the lead to 2-0.

Taking the lead into the third period was important to all the Devils, but especially to Clemmensen.

“I didn’t want to give up a goal, because that would have brought them within a goal of tying us,” Clemmensen said. “They battled all the way to the very end, and I expect nothing less from them.”

He helped his own cause by making a great save on Aaron Voros in the third period.

Voros made a charge down the left wing and put a shot in on Clemmensen that took a funny bounce.

Clemmensen made the save and another on a Chris Drury one-timer half way through the third that was deflected out of play.

With all of the lines for New Jersey working hard to keep the puck out of harms way, the Rangers had to up the offensive pressure.

With just under two minutes left in the game, Lundqvist was pulled for an extra attacker.

On the ensuing faceoff, Zach Parise took the puck from Langenbrunner and skated all the way to the other end of the ice, scoring an empty-net goal with 1:23 left to seal the game.

Shanahan down played the rematch with his former teammates, saying “The focus was on us getting a win against a division rival.”

Head coach Brent Sutter was extremely pleased with his team’s effort and performance, a change from the previous home games. “We responded well, it was a very solid game on our part, through our whole lineup,” he said.

The Devils will have another chance to put on a show for the home crowd against a division rival when the Islanders come to the Prudential Center on Wednesday. New Jersey hosts two more games this week, against the Boston Bruins on Friday and the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.

Check out www.devilsmademedoit.com for more from Melinda on the Devils homestand.

A-Rod told ESPN’s Peter Gammons in an interview, “Back then it was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young. I was stupid. I was naive, and I wanted to prove to everyone that, you know, I was worth, you know- and being one of the greatest players of all time. ”

Rodriguez’s confession came two days after a published report issued by Sports Illustrated stated that he had failed a survey test administered in 2003 by Major League Baseball to determine how rampant steroid usage was in the sport. Rodriguez tested positive for Primobolan and testosterone.

However, the testing was done with a condition of anonymity and players who tested positive for banned substances were not subject to punishment at the time.

A-Rod spoke with ESPN's Peter Gammons today and came clean about his use of steroids. (Pete Borriello/NYSD)

Rodriguez also told ESPN that he was young and naïve and made a mistake.

“It was such a loosey-goosey era. I’m guilty for a lot of things. I’m guilty for being negligent, naive, not asking all the right questions,” Rodriguez said. “To be quite honest, I don’t know exactly what substance I was guilty of using.”

A-Rod offered his apologies for his actions.

“And I did take a banned substance and, you know, for that I’m very sorry and deeply regretful. And although it was the culture back then and Major League Baseball overall was very-I just feel that-You know, I’m just sorry. I’m sorry for that time. I’m sorry to fans. I’m sorry for my fans in Texas. It wasn’t until then that I ever thought about substance of any kind, and since then I’ve proved to myself and to everyone that I don’t need any of that.”

Rodriguez’s name was one of 104 names included on a list that was cited by the Sports Illustrated. His admission directly contradicts the statements he made in a 2007 interview on 60 Minutes in which he said he had never taken steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance enhancing drug to compete.

“I’ve never felt overmatched on the baseball field,” he said at that time. “I felt that if I did my, my work as I’ve done since I was, you know, a rookie back in Seattle, I didn’t have a problem competing at any level.”

A-Rod’s name has frequently appeared in the sports section and tabloids in recent months. He and his wife Cynthia divorced after the ex-Mrs. Rodriguez filed for divorce and referred to A-Rod’s alleged adultery. Rodriguez was romantically linked to Madonna, but both denied an amorous involvement or that it was a reason that Madonna, too, divorced her husband director Guy Ritchie.

Just last month Rodriguez was a major subject of attention in Joe Torre’s new book The Yankee Years where Torre painted Rodriguez as a narcissist who craved attention and was more worried about he looked in a situation than just getting the job done. Torre also referred to A-Rod’s “single white female” obsession with Derek Jeter.

Now Rodriguez comes as the latest big name to pop up in the never ending steroid scandal. However, by getting out in front of the story and admitting he used illegal performance enhancing drugs A-Rod has avoided the same trappings that have snared the likes of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro. Oh sure, he’ll have to answer a gazillion questions down the road, but what he may have done is save his bid to enter baseball’s Hall of Fame after he hangs up his spikes.

America loves to forgive. Just look at Andy Pettitte and Jason Giambi. They made their mea culpas about using illegal substances and have pretty much been left alone. And let’s face it, A-Rod is correct in saying he was just a dumb kid when he did what he did. The same line Michael Phelps used when he got caught performing mouth-to-mouth on a bong full of Marijuana. Phelps will lose some endorsements for a time, but eventually he’ll work his way back into everyone’s good graces. Alex Rodriguez can do the same. He just has to use his smarts and avoid controversial situations. That often proves to be a very tough task for Mr. Rodriguez.

I bet there is one person who would probably like to thank A-Rod for taking the heat off him, and that would be Joe Torre. Thanks to A-Rod’s latest fall down the stairs Torre moved to the back burner.

Correction: In my article on Saturday, “Steroids Scandal Could Take Down A-Rod ,” I inadvertently said A-Rod, who denied using steroids in an interview on 60 Minutes, gave that interview in 2003. The correct year was 2007.

But to ask for Tom Renney’s head for this outrage is ridiculous.

In his fourth full season as Rangers head coach, Renney brought back the pride of the Rangers organization. After missing the playoffs seven years and having poor choices behind the bench, the Blueshirts found a man, who knows how to handle a dressing room, the media, and the pressures that come with being on Broadway. He is organized, smart and stands behind his players.

Tom Renney is 162-127-40 as Rangers head coach. (Jim Leary/NYSD)

Plus he made the playoffs for three years in a row and won two rounds. Just for that reason alone, Renney deserves the season.

To make a change now, means general manager Glen Sather will probably take a candidate from inside of the organization, one subscribes to the same defensive philosophy as Renney.  That means the same lack of scoring problems will arise from time to time. Right now, the Rangers do not have a No. 1 finisher, like a Jaromir Jagr, so it’s the coach’s job to win with what he has. The Blueshirts won’t win the 5-4 games. They were built from the beginning to grind out the 2-1 matchups.

But that means they will also be playoff tested, since many of those games end up as low scoring affairs. Renney knows this and he also knows all he has to do is finish in the top eight. With his defensive system and Henrik Lundqvist in goal, the Rangers have a chance win any round. As of today, the Rangers are sitting in sixth place, 10 games over .500. It’s true they are five points out of the playoffs, but they are six points behind the Devils for first in the tight Eastern Conference.

Also remember, the Rangers are owned by Madison Square Garden, an organization which says loyal to its soldiers. Isiah Thomas got shown the door after five years of bad basketball and $13 million sexual harassment loss. Glen Sather stayed in his job despite missing the playoffs his first four seasons. Renney had four bad games.

Maybe, though, the Garden loyalty will get rewarded. Two years ago, Tom Coughlin faced the ax with the Giants, but he was given the chance to turn around the team. Coughlin won the Super Bowl the next season. That’s not to say, Renney will win the Stanley Cup this season, but he could surprise people in the playoffs.

It just doesn’t make sense to ask for Renney’s head right now. Sure he makes his mistakes, but he feels his message is getting through. In today’s NY Post, Renney told Larry Brooks he felt his job is safe.

“It’s a question that has an inevitability to it regarding anyone’s shelf life, but I do believe they’re listening to me,” said Renney in the Post. “I do not believe it’s reached the point where the message has become redundant.

“I know this group [of players]. I firmly believe they want to do well for the organization, themselves and the coaching staff, but I’m not sure that they know how, and that’s generally what the conversation just now was about.

“I don’t believe that a change is being considered and with the relationship I have with the organization, I think I would be aware of it if that were the case. I don’t sense we’re anywhere near that.”

If the Rangers miss the playoffs this season, then the Rangers may make a change. It would give Sather a chance to hire someone from outside the organization, and time to come up with their own system. But as of right now, Renney’s job seems to be safe. And rightfully so.