These are the best of our guys. These are the worst of our guys. Love ’em or hate ’em, this is the way we see ’em in Part One of our seventh annual two-part rating of New York’s professional sports personalities.
OVERRATED
1. Latrell Sprewell, Knicks – Once this team’s battery, but with no inside threat to draw double-teams away from him, Knicks now start with his jumpers. Gets to the basket about as often as he does to the phone when running late. What’s really overrated is the value of keeping a 32-year-old player on a team that’s not even close to being a contender.
2. Mike Mussina, Yankees – Gets banged a lot for his big bucks. The idea was when Roger Clemens ran down, the Yankees would have an ace-in-waiting. We are waiting.
3. Alexei Yashin, Islanders – Only 81/4 years left in a 10-year deal. Fans starting to think they are doing harder time than John Spano.
4. Dikembe Mutombo, Nets – Statue of limitations in the middle. Seven-footer who never could hit an 8-footer was acquired for his blocks. Unfortunately, has been around the block a few too many times.
5. Charles Wang, Islanders – Rule of Arron Asham’s 10 thumbs: If it seems too good to be true, it usually is. After one good season in eight, raised ticket prices like Rick Tocchet once gouged Dean Chynoweth, then didn’t put a dime into more talent, only into orange jerseys that make the fishermen duds look spiffy.
UNDERAPPRECIATED
1. Kurt Thomas, Knicks – Out of position, sometimes out of his mind. But hits the boards, the 12-foot J, and, so far at least, no referees.
2. Chris Bober, Giants – Hard lesson learned: Never take for granted the guy who snaps the ball. Or the undrafted free agent who anchors the nobodies who grew up fast to help turn the Giants into somebodies again.
3. Kareem McKenzie, Jets – Kareemed ’em as a first-year starter at right tackle. Devastating hole opener. Nothing blocking the way to the Pro Bowl.
4. Steve Trachsel, Mets – Not in any hurry himself, so there never is any rush to give him credit. But had the 15th-best ERA in the National League last year, and at 21-18, 3.36 since his return from minors in mid-2001, is well above the curve for a fourth starter.
5. Roman Hamrlik, Islanders – Steadiest Roman since Caesar on team that too many nights has been absolutely Brutus.
FRIENDLY
1. Rondell White, Yankees – It takes more than a .288 on base percentage to knock the smile off this face.
2. Petr Nedved, Rangers – Hockey player would flash you a grin with his last tooth. Booed mercilessly and deservedly every time he touched the puck a year ago. Seemed to like it, calling Glen Sather over the summer and insisting he wanted to come back.
3. Jason Giambi, Yankees – Asks reporters where they’ve been after a couple days off. Misses us more than White misses two-strike breaking balls.
4. Richard Jefferson, Nets – Practical jokester sneaked up on Byron Scott out for a walk and, with a blast of the car horn, sent his coach higher than David Thompson. Second career choice was PR, not surprising for 6-7 imp who will toot his own horn to any reporter, anytime.
5. James Darling, Jets – Appropriately named sweetie to teammates and media alike. Dime linebacker would give you his last one.
ALOOF
1. Wayne Chrebet, Jets – Least accessible big-name athlete in New York. Free-agent from Hofstra, portrayed as Everyman, turned out to be Every Man for Himself when he complained about not getting the ball after team had won three straight. Fantasy of beat reporters unable to tell him to go take a flying leap finally fulfilled in Champaign.
2. Mike Mussina, Yankees – More into crossword puzzles than his teammates. What’s a five-letter word for channel changer or this guy’s chances of being a staff leader?
3. Robbie Alomar, Mets – Didn’t connect, either swinging from the right side or with the important players on the team. Then again, hated Rey Ordonez, so must be a helluva guy.
4. Dan Blackburn, Rangers – Meditates to get ready for games. Has the constant look of somebody whose eyes just followed a pocketwatch swung in front of his face for 60 minutes. Granted, playing in back of this defense, a goalie could get his head detached.
5. Howard Eisley, Knicks – Starting point guard who should be a reserve is awfully reserved. Granted, the most important thing is that the ball winds up in the right hands, but this team’s final possessions can leave you speechless.
TOUGH
1. Curtis Martin, Jets – Sprained his left ankle in the opener. Sprained his right ankle in Game 7. Still ran for 1,094 yards. Has more carries per game than any of his fellow top 15 all-time NFL rushers, including granite legends Jim Brown, John Riggins and Jim Taylor, who outweighed Martin by up to 45 pounds.
2. Scott Stevens, Devils – Man or machine? No defenseman in NHL history has continued to play this physically, this incessantly, at 38.
3. Kerry Collins, Giants – Immobile sitting duck behind line that was rebuilt twice during his 4-year tenure, yet never wounds. Hasn’t had to miss a play.
4. Michael Peca, Islanders – Listed at 5-11, 183. Stars he matches up with have ice packs bigger than that. Knows how to get every ounce into his hits. Back more than a month ahead of schedule from knee reconstruction.
5. Jeremy Shockey, Giants – Butkus with the ball. Seeks out contact with opponents, destroys any concept of discretion, either with his body or mouth.
SOFT
1. Michael Doleac, Knicks – You would think a 6-11 man who presumably can put his hands up even higher than Scott Layden reached when Allan Houston demanded the max, would have a rebound occasionally fall into his hands.
2. Mo Vaughn, Mets – As season went on, veteran first sacker appeared to take on yet another new roll. Shadow of his old self after dropping about 20 (both pounds and ground balls).
3. Brad Isbister, Islanders – Biggest waste of 220 pounds in town. Biggest waste of Peter Laviolette’s words and Mike Milbury’s time, trying to change this guy’s nature.
4. Jeromy Burnitz, Mets – The Portobello of bad starts turned into a season-long self-pity party as boos rained down. A Met once … twice … going … going … after miserably failing two auditions for the role of J.J. Hunsecker in remake of “Sweet Smell of Success:” “I love this dirty town.”
5. Tom Poti, Rangers – Allergic to multiple foods and body contact.
EXCITING
1. Jason Kidd, Nets – The art of the dish makes worthwhile the cost of a dish. YES?
2. Alfonso Soriano, Yankees – No. 1 reason of many good ones to go see the Yankees. Creates so much buzz on the base paths, could even steal hearts throbbing for Derek Jeter.
3. Santana Moss, Jets – Have to go deep (Homer Jones?) to remember a constant touchdown threat like this on a New York team. More electric than Times Square. Faster than even Chrebet can get mad at the media.
4. Jeremy Shockey, Giants – More spectacular crashes than NASCAR.
5. Jason Giambi, Yankees – Grand slam homers in downpours in 14th innings to win games 13-12. OK, he’s done it only once, but the possibilities remain endless. After 41 home runs and 122 RBIs, anybody here still think they should have stuck with Tino?
SLICK
1. Al Leiter, Mets – Insists his political ambitions did not include talking Fred Wilpon into a new manager. Will someday be Mayor. In this locker room could have gotten elected dog catcher.
2. Tiki Barber, Giants – Turned three lost fumbles in Giants’ last call at a playoff berth into a triumph of perseverance. Far from the most disingenuous barber since Sweeney Todd, but can spin it for more than extra yardage.
3. Joe Torre, Yankees – Boss, as usual, is looking for a coach’s head to hang on the wall like a moose. Torre, knowing he’s still the most bulletproof guy in The Bronx, says the Angels series was all his fault. In most pressurized job in sports, never lets anybody see him sweat.
4. Derek Jeter, Yankees – Limo drivers dropped off Mariah down the block. Keeps his real thoughts more private than the hotel the Red Sox bought out in vain attempt to keep the Yankees away from Jose Contreras. Shoots the messenger, the headline writer, rather than shoot back at the guy with the gun, the Boss. But even George, jealous he never gets invited to birthday parties ending at 4 a.m., wonders who Derek Turns Two at night.
5. Jason Kidd, Nets – Wife he once hit is now a front-row trophy for a model marriage. Worst franchise ever becomes a big winner with ball-on-a-string point guard, and plenty of strings will be attached to him staying. Just wait and watch Rod Thorn, Byron Scott, Lou Lamoriello and Lewis Katz dance.
PARANOID
1. Jim Dolan, Madison Square Garden – Wants all interviews with his GMs cleared in advance. Thinks the Rangers are going to win the Stanley Cup. Sees dead things. Contempt for the media that lets him hang himself is obvious every time he talks.
2. Kurt Thomas, Knicks – Remarkable streak of never having committed a foul continues despite calls even more obvious than the sad truth Othella Harrington will never be Elgin Baylor.
3. George Steinbrenner, Yankees – The collective bargaining agreement wasn’t designed for the good of the game, only to bring the Yankees down, unless those birthday parties do first. Larry Lucchino, personal trainers or Saddam Hussein? You decide.
4. Peter Laviolette, Islanders – Conducts more media critiques than Columbia University.
5. David Wells, Yankees – Owners and players worked a deal for the first time without a damaging work stoppage. In locker rooms, board rooms, and even down at the dangerous diner, everybody is relieved but Wells, who rips Bud Selig. War’s over, Boomer.
NEXT: Immature, Classy, Hated, Well-liked, Overachievers, Underachievers, Generous, Bright, Time to Go.