A Super Bowl victory may leave a team on top of the world for a few months, but every team, whether they have ice on their fingers or not, must always look to the future in a league where injuries reign supreme as a big part of the game. Anyone can go down at any minute, and the next man up must produce or the team will suffer at that position. The Giants persevered through many significant injuries this season, and won the Super Bowl with several star players on the sidelines. Terrell Thomas and Jonathan Goff both missed the entire season, and the defense suffered because of it until the end of the year.

As great as it was to see the guys behind them on the depth chart step up and produce, one can’t expect this trend to continue year in and year out. So what are the Giants biggest draft needs? Let’s explore.

Jake Ballard, Bear Pascoe, and Travis Beckum got the job done when it mattered most, but are any of these guys the tight end of the future for the Giants? Probably not. Eli Manning already has a slew of young receivers to catch his passes, but if he had a big, athletic tight end taking the pressure off of these guys, the offense would be virtually unstoppable. The Giants could take a tight end with their first pick in the 2012 draft, and have been linked to Dwayne Allen, a tight end from Clemson who has been characterized as extremely athletic and fairly close to NFL ready.

The Giants have several other needs that they must address in the draft, most notably a linebacker and help for the offensive line. There is no doubt that they will miss out on Matt Kalil and Riley Reiff, the two best linemen in the draft, but GM Jerry Reese will almost certainly find hidden talent somewhere in the 2012 class, as he has become known to do.

Winning the Super Bowl automatically gives the Giants the 32nd overall pick, so they will miss out on some of the top talent this year, but at the same time, a few good draft choices will almost certainly bolster an already solid core. With regards to the linebacking situation, the Giants will look to bring back Chase Blackburn and Jonathan Goff, who was sidelined for all of 2011 after tearing his right ACL before the start of the regular season. Goff was projected to have a break out year at middle linebacker.

At the end of the day, winning the Super Bowl will cost the Giants an opportunity to draft some elite talent this year, but with an already championship caliber core, GM Jerry Reese will be able to analyze more carefully the lesser known players in this year’s draft class.

The first half of the season ended on somewhat of a down note for the Knicks, as they dropped 2 out of 3 contests heading into the all-star break. The Knicks went 8-1 before heading into the final stretch of the first half to get back into contention, but then sputtered a bit heading into the break.

Is it a coincidence that Carmelo Anthony returned to the starting lineup just before the skid began? The answer is unclear. But there is an entire second half to play, and we will learn what this team is made of very soon after play resumes.

The Knicks defeated the Hawks in impressive fashion before heading down to Miami to face the Heat in the first half finale, but stumbled down the stretch and often looked significantly inferior to the current number 1 seed in the east. They just didn’t look quite ready to take their play to the next level, but there is still a lot of time for them to do so, and they will have stiff competition to test them before the playoffs.

The Knicks open the second half of the season on Wednesday at home against the Cavaliers before going on the road to face the Celtics, the Mavericks, the Spurs, and the Bucks, a five game stretch that could really tell the world what this team brings to the table. They then return home for one game against the division leading 76ers before heading to Chicago to face the current number 2 seeded Bulls.

This 7 game stretch is important both for the Knicks’ record as well as the team’s confidence. If the Knicks can manage to win 4 out of these 7 games, they will have survived their toughest test so far this season and could gain a lot of confidence heading into the season’s final months.

The schedule does not get a whole lot easier after these 7 games, as the Knicks will have to face the Pacers twice, the Bulls two more times, the 76ers, Heat, Hawks, Clippers, Magic, and Celtics one more time each before the regular season ends.

The Knicks will have to win the games in between against inferior teams in order to have a chance at being considered a legitimate contender this season, and will also have to win several of these key match ups in order to feel confident at a chance to do some damage in the post season.

Overall, the Knicks are in a position to make a run. The All-Star break provided a much needed break for some of the Knicks’ key players, like Amar’e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert, who have looked out of sorts at times due to the condensed schedule and increased frequency of big games. That being said, we will finally be able to see what this team can do with a fresh slate, a healthy team, and a formidable schedule the rest of the way.

A recent conversation between Mario Manningham and the Vindicator, a news source based in Ohio, revealed that the Giants’ Super Bowl hero is likely on his way out in New York.

He told the newspaper that there is a 75% chance that he will leave. He has been linked to the Buccaneers, who are desperate for a talented receiver to complement their talented but still young quarterback, Josh Freeman. Former Giants quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan recently signed a deal to become the Bucs’ offensive coordinator, so the move would make sense.

GM Jerry Reese has said over and over again that he wants to keep Manningham, but has said so in a way that seems like he is expendable when it is all said and done. And with the amount of other moves that the Giants need to make before the start of the 2012-2013 season, a new contract for a third receiver doesn’t seem to be a top priority.

Osi Umenyiora and Brandon Jacobs both need extensions on their contracts, as Umenyiora’s presence on the defensive line clearly takes the Giants’ pass rush to an elite level, and Jacobs’ presence in the backfield is an essential complement to Ahmad Bradshaw’s speed. These new deals are unquestionably the ones most important to the Giants.

On top of that, the Giants will also need to find a way to re sign injured CB Terrell Thomas, who was poised for another pro-bowl year before tearing his ACL in the pre-season. Other notable free agents include Aaron Ross, who ended up doing a good job filling in for the injured Thomas down the stretch.

On top of wanting a larger paycheck, Manningham has also said that he would like a bigger role in an offense, and proved he deserves one after his memorable fourth quarter performance in the Super Bowl. Tampa Bay is a perfect fit in this case, as the Bucs’ passing game was one of the worst in the league this past season. His acquisition would certainly help Josh Freeman develop his game and make the Bucs’ offense somewhat more formidable.

In addition, on the Giants’ end, they will need to pay receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz big salaries in the coming years, and will most likely want to save the money for the two explosive young wideouts who proved their worth in this past season. Although Manningham did as well, he was unquestionably the clear cut third option for Eli Manning, and it is because of this that the Giants will most likely let him go. It has been rumored that either Jerrel Jernigan or Ramses Barden would take the place of Manningham as the Giants’ third receiver.

Nothing is set in stone though, as there is still time for negotiation. But all signs seem to say that Super Mario has collected his last coin in New York.

After a tough loss to the Nets on Monday night, the Knicks find themselves below .500 at 16-17 going into a pivotal match up tonight with the Atlanta Hawks. This is a must win game for the Knicks, as they have a very tough stretch of games ahead of them that could make or break the season.

The Hawks will be without star shooting guard Joe Johnson, so the Knicks will look to capitalize on his absence. Johnson’s injury is even more important because the Knicks will again be without rookie Iman Shumpert, who has established himself as the team’s best perimeter defender. The Knicks will be looking to avenge the bad loss to the Nets and get back to .500 before heading down to Miami on Thursday for a huge match up with the conference leading Heat to close out the first half of the season.

After the All Star break, the light at the end of the tunnel for the Knicks will still be nowhere in sight. After a home game against Cleveland on February 29, the Knicks will hit the road for a 4 game road trip against very stiff competition, and have 6 straight tough games overall.

They will begin the road trip in Boston, and then travel to Dallas where the Mavericks will certainly be looking to avenge their recent loss at Madison Square Garden. It doesn’t get any easier, as they will leave Dallas just to head to San Antonio, where the Spurs will surely be licking their chops before facing a Knick team that will surely be fatigued after facing the Celtics and Mavs consecutively, and all the travel time in between. After the Texas tour concludes, the Knicks will head to Milwaukee, where they always seem to have a tough time, even though the Bucks are currently 6 games under .500.

After the tough road trip, the Knicks will return home to face the division leading 76ers, who they did defeat earlier in the season, but this Sixer team looks like a force to be reckoned with coming down the stretch.

The tough 6 game stretch concludes with a road game in Chicago where the Bulls will most likely have Derrick Rose back from his injury.

This is certainly do or die time for the Knicks, and it is coming upon them very quickly. They will need to get the chemistry between Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, and recent stud Jeremy Lin working immediately, and there is no time for excuses if mistakes occur.

The Knicks need to rack up as many W’s as possible in order to get a decent seed in the playoffs, and it all starts tonight against the Hawks.

Everyone knew that the Yankees were going to trade top catching prospect Jesus Montero. But no one knew it would simply be a one for one swap.

Brian Cashman took a gamble in trading the mighty Montero for Michael Pineda, a good pitching prospect, but one who has yet to prove himself as Major League ready.

As a Mets fan, by nature it is hard for me to say anything positive about the Yankees, and I laughed when I first heard about this trade, thinking, “Wow, Cashman is a fool.” But after looking further into it, this may have been the move of the decade for the Yankees.

With a starting rotation that was less than stellar in the last few seasons, the Yankees have been looking to get younger with regards to starting pitching, as they have been letting Ivan Nova pitch more than expected. The Yankees kept this train of thought by trading for Pineda, the 6’8 290 pound right hander from the Mariners that makes CC Sabathia look like Steve Urkel.

The question is, who will have a bigger impact in 2012, Pineda on the mound for the Yankees? Or Montero at the dish for the Mariners? Montero showed massive power in his short stint with the Yankees, making the short porch in right field his friend rather quickly. It was a tough call to trade Montero at all due to his strong swing, but most fans knew it had to happen in order for the Yankees to upgrade their rotation (not to mention dumping AJ Burnett off on the Pirates).

The Yankees also are not lacking in the power department. With big bats like Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, and Alex Rodriguez holding down the heart of the order and Curtis Granderson providing a spark no matter where he is placed in the lineup, Brian Cashman felt that Montero was worth giving up for a good pitching prospect, and they got a good one.

Pineda has been clocked in the high 90’s, even topping 100 mph on his fastball several times. Many scouts say he has the potential to make an immediate impact this season for New York, and could even end up being the team’s number one starter by season’s end. CC Sabathia might have something to say about that, of course, but the fact that Pineda has a similar build and a very live fastball could create one of the best 1-2 pitching punches in the American League. With new free agent Hiroki Kuroda, Ivan Nova, and either Phil Hughes or Freddy Garcia behind them in the rotation, the Yankees pitching staff could be poised to help the Bronx Bombers to the World Series for the first time since 2009, when they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies for their 27th championship.

Overall, Pineda appears to be the real deal. Trading proven hitting talent for pitching is always a gamble, as pitching is never a sure thing in this day and age, but the Yankees appear to have reeled in an ace.

2011’s training camp began with turmoil between Osi Umenyiora and the New York Giants, the team he has played for his entire career.

Entering 2011, Umenyiora had 2 years remaining on his contract, and was not happy about the amount of money the Giants were paying him for his services, and has been looking for a new deal for quite some time. Now that he only has one year left on his contract, the Giants will need to make a decision on the pro-bowl defensive end sooner rather than later.

There is no question that Umenyiora is a key component of the Giants pass rush, but there are several questions surrounding his future with the team. The emergence of Jason Pierre-Paul has made many fans take Umenyiora for granted somewhat, and many feel that letting him go wouldn’t be the end of the world being that Pierre-Paul is in the process of becoming one of the league’s best pass rushers.

However, there is no debate that the combination of Umenyiora, Pierre-Paul, and Justin Tuck give the Giants the best possible defensive front they could have, and the best chance to win consistently. It would behoove the Giants to rework Umenyiora’s contract and sign him to a long term deal following the conclusion of the 2012-2013 campaign, as his presence on the defensive line would keep the Giants pass rush near the top of the NFL for many years to come.

But as we all know, the NFL is a business. Umenyiora will demand a high price to stay in New York, and many feel that Pierre-Paul is good enough to replace the perennial pro-bowler as a full time starter. The Giants could also get a lot in return for Umenyiora should they trade him before the start of the 2012 season, as his stock is very high after his contributions to the team’s magical Super Bowl run.

It is hard to imagine Umenyiora having the same type of success elsewhere, as the Giants’ philosophy has always been defense first, especially on the front line with other dangerous pass rushers such as Tuck and Pierre-Paul, but there is no question that many teams will be lining up to acquire Umenyiora should he become available either in free agency or via trade. And at the end of the day, as teammate Antrel Rolle likes to say, players tend to look out for themselves before the good of the team.

So what will happen with Umenyiora? The answer is unclear as of this moment, but there is no question that GM Jerry Reese will do everything in his power to ensure that Umenyiora will be chasing quarterbacks while wearing a blue uniform for the rest of his career. If the price is right.

In 2006, the future of the New York Mets seemed to be bright. But after 2 consecutive seasons of relinquishing the division lead at the end of the season, followed by a year plagued by injury in 2009, the Mets hopes of winning have dimmed dramatically.

The Wilpons finally cut GM Omar Minaya loose after the 2010 season, and brought in Sandy Alderson, whose resume is quite impressive from his time in Oakland. But the Mets only made small moves in 2011, and the team finished below .500 yet again.

This past offseason, Mets fans’ worst nightmare came true. Jose Reyes signed with the Marlins as a free agent, bringing to an end the idea of he and David Wright leading the Mets to a World Series. Although this was a devastating loss, one can’t help but understand Alderson’s reasons for not resigning the star shortstop. The team is in massive debt, and even with Reyes on the roster, the Mets still could not find a way into the playoffs for four consecutive seasons.

Now that the dust has settled, it is time for the Mets to look to the future. 2012 could be a surprising season in Flushing, as the starting rotation appears to be pretty solid heading into spring training. Coupled with some big bats in the lineup and some new arms in the bullpen, the Mets could have the potential to make some noise this season.

The acquisition of Frank Francisco as the new closer was a huge move, and the rest of the bullpen is relatively set, with arms like Jon Rauch, Tim Byrdak, Ramon Ramirez, Bobby Parnell, and Jason Isringhausen. This group could provide the Mets with some much needed help late in games, a problem that has plagued the team over the past 4 years.

The starting rotation is shaping up to look like one that could contend. With Johan Santana returning from an injury that kept him out for all of 2011, the rotation immediately gets an injection of talent. Behind Santana, the Mets will start Mike Pelfrey, Jon Niese, R.A. Dickey, and Dillon Gee, all of whom now have significant tenures in the major leagues, and could certainly pitch the Mets to a solid number of victories this year.

But they won’t be able to do so without run support. This is the biggest question for the Mets entering 2012. Will they be able to score? Moving the fences in at Citi Field will help, but it will also help the opposition, so what should we expect to see? The answer is unclear, but the offense currently on the roster certainly has potential to score.

Andres Torres most likely will lead off, replacing Jose Reyes in the order and Angel Pagan in center field. Torres is a fast runner who can get on base consistently. David Wright should be back to his old self once again, and we can expect him to hit at least 30 home runs with 100 RBIs. The question marks lie behind him in the batting order, however. Young first baseman Ike Davis is coming off an injury, but his power certainly should not be overlooked. The man has put several balls onto Shea Bridge in right center field, and will only get better with experience. If he can hit well in the cleanup spot, it should give Wright some pitches to hit.

Behind Davis, the struggling Jason Bay will need to find his offense again in order for the team to be successful. If he can regain even close to the production that we saw during his time in Boston, the Mets could have the opportunity to sport quite a dangerous hitting attack.

At the end of the day though, they are still the Mets. They still have many pieces to add in order to fill out the lineup, but the farm system looks promising and the future may not be as dim as many fans once thought.

So that wasn’t what we wanted to see. But have no fear, Knicks fans, this is only the beginning. The Nets clearly outplayed the Knicks last night, there’s no question about that, but despite Deron Williams’ 8 three-pointers and a 40% team shooting percentage, the Knicks only lost the game by 8.

That being said, there’s only one thing that cost the Knicks last night: hustle. The Nets went hard after every loose ball, and seemed to come up with big offensive rebounds when it mattered most, taking more time off the clock in the 4th quarter and not allowing the Knicks to set up their offense to get back into the game.

The Knicks cut the lead to single digits with about 7 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter, but the Nets defense held up down the stretch, causing turnovers and confusion while the Knicks were desperate for points.

The Nets as a team shot almost 50% from three point range, a stunning statistic for a team with only 10 wins playing on the road in a hostile environment, but Deron Williams didn’t forget what Jeremy Lin did to him the last time they faced each other, and was out for revenge from the opening tip. Lin had 25 points and 7 assists in the game that sparked the “Linsanity” against New Jersey on February 4th. Lin did get his job done last night though, scoring 21 points with 9 assists, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals.

To the delight of Knicks fans, Carmelo Anthony was unselfish, and did the best he could after a 7 game layoff due to injury, so this loss was not on him either. It simply comes down to defense for this team. The offense will be there; scoring 90-100 points per night should be customary for this group moving forward, so defensively the Knicks will have to bring a bit more intensity and will have to do a better job hustling for loose balls.

It also fits to mention that Iman Shumpert, the Knicks best perimeter defender, was out last night while fighting knee tendonitis. Low and behold, the Nets hit 15 threes.

So is it all over for the Knicks? Absolutely not. Even the best teams lose games to bad teams from time to time, so there is no way to judge this new look squad based on one game back together as a full unit.

The Knicks’ next game will be a tough test at home on Wednesday against the Hawks before flying down to Miami to face the Heat on Thursday.

So far, 2011-2012 has been the year of the emerging star in New York City both on the gridiron and the hardwood.

Victor Cruz, a Paterson, NJ native and undrafted free agent wide receiver from the University of Massachusetts, put himself on the map in the 2010 pre-season during a game against the New York Jets, when he dazzled the crowd for nearly 200 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. An injury landed the young receiver on IR for the remainder of the season, and he came into camp in 2011 as the fifth receiver behind Hakeem Nicks, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and Domenik Hixon.

Steve Smith departed for the Philadelphia Eagles before the start of spring training after an ugly contract battle with New York, leaving a gaping hole in the Giants receiving core. Hixon began the season promisingly, but suffered a season ending injury in Week 2 against the Rams after making a spectacular one handed touchdown catch. These injuries paved the way for Cruz, who certainly made the most of his opportunity.

In Week 3 against the Eagles, Cruz absolutely torched the Eagles’ prize free agent acquisition, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, for two touchdowns, and even wrestled one of them right out of the perennial pro-bowlers hands. Cruz became an instant sensation in New York for helping the Giants defeat one of their most bitter rivals, who had given them a lot of trouble in recent matchups. Cruz would go on to rack up over 1,500 yards, a single season record for any Giants receiver, while continuing to drop jaws at Metlife Stadium with unbelievable catches of 99 and 74 yards against the Jets and Cowboys respectively, helping the Giants find a way into the playoffs, and ultimately to their fourth Super Bowl championship.

Jeremy Lin, an undrafted free agent point guard from Harvard University must have seen Cruz play and said, “Hey, if he can do it so can I!” Lin bounced around from team to team last season and the beginning of this one, landing with the Knicks after rookie Iman Shumpert went down with an injury. Being an undrafted free agent, it was obvious that Lin would have to ride the pine unless a dire situation presented itself. It did. And since, the Knicks have lost only one game.

Jeremy Lin entered a must win game against the Nets with the Knicks struggling to move the ball, he finished with 25 points and 7 assists, leading the Knicks to a much needed victory and saving coach Mike D’Antoni’s job. That win made the Knicks 9-15, and they haven’t looked back. With only one bad loss to the lowly Hornets, the Knicks are 8-1 in their last 9 games with Lin getting a healthy number of minutes, and they have done so all without star forward Carmelo Anthony. After defeating the defending champion Dallas Mavericks on Sunday in impressive fashion, it appears as though the Knicks are on the rise, and it is all thanks to Jeremy Lin.

So how did these two former no name athletes make it so big in the largest sports market in the country? The answer is unclear, but both Cruz and Lin have not only silenced critics, but have almost single handedly revolutionized the way teams will scout players moving forward. In other words, teams might look beyond Mel Kiper and Todd McShay’s big board to find talent. More importantly, though, they have helped their teams win, and New York that is all that matters.

There is nothing better than an underdog story, and the city of New York is lucky enough to have been a part of two sensational stories within one year’s time. And the best is yet to come.

Yes. They can. This New York Knicks team, although sporting a measly .500 record as of today, is playing like a group who is starting to mesh at the right time, much like the Giants did in their magical Super Bowl run.

Although we will not have a clear indication as to how well the team will do until Carmelo Anthony returns to the starting lineup tonight against the Nets, it is reasonable for one to think that this team has a bright future, and that the sky is the limit starting right now.

The emergence of Jeremy Lin as a quality point guard has helped the team gel, as Mike D’Antoni’s run and gun offense is virtually useless without a point guard who can pass effectively and get the ball to the team’s primary scorers. Lin has certainly answered D’Antoni’s prayers to the ball movement gods as he has averaged over 20 points and 7 assists per game since his first start against the Jazz.

The popular question these days though, has been whether or not Carmelo Anthony will fit into the mix. My answer: why not? With a solid point guard now running the offense in New York, it will give Anthony a chance to play off the ball, and will give him a better opportunity to catch passes for open looks. As long as Anthony can play unselfishly, there is no reason why this team cannot be very dangerous come playoff time. The addition of J.R. Smith will also prove to be important, as he, like Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire is true scorer. At the end of the day, Jeremy Lin really couldn’t have asked for a better set of teammates to help him get his career started.

The most important thing for the Knicks, however, is depth. They have created their own depth from within with the emergence of Lin, as well as the stellar play of Steve Novak, who has averaged over 12 points per game since his minutes were increased. He has hit big three after big three, including one against Dallas late on Sunday which he celebrated by showing off his “discount double check” belt move made famous by Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The Knicks also have valuable, young assets in Landry Fields and Iman Shumpert, who are only getting better and better game by game. The acquisition of J.R. Smith will also take pressure off of the young guards, especially come playoff time.

Another key ingredient to the recipe for success of this years Knicks team is veteran point guard Baron Davis, who has yet to see the court this year due to injury. Once he gets back on his feet, he will prove to be a valuable back up to Lin, even if it is only for this one season.

Defensively, Tyson Chandler and Jared Jeffries have been getting the job done. The Knicks are allowing around 11 fewer points per game than they did a year ago, and this is no coincidence. Jeffries has distinguished himself as one of the best in the league at drawing charges in the paint, and Chandler already has a ring to show for his defensive tenacity.

Overall, the Knicks appear to be heading in the right direction. With new star Jeremy Lin running the offense and passing to the likes of Stoudemire, Anthony, and J.R. Smith, the team should not have much trouble scoring close to a hundred points per game or more from here on out. Defensively, the team is much improved, and showed it with a win over the reigning NBA champions this past Sunday. If all goes well, the Knicks could have their own title to defend come 2013.