For the 13th year in a row the Yankees will make the playoffs. And we know one fan out there isn’t too happy about it.

It was only a few months ago when everyone was writing the Yankees off. A-Rod was mashing the ball, but the rest of the team was in shambles. What happened after the break that caused this team to click? How did they all of a sudden start to gel?

“This is what it was about. It was a lot of unselfishness,” Torre said. “There were a lot of guys who played through some injuries, played through some fatigue. And, of course, Alex — we sort of rallied around him.”

The Yankees are now only one shy of the record set by the Atlanta Braves from 1991-2005 for most consecutive playoff appearances. That feat is truly phenomenal. In what other sport do you have a single team make a 13 or 14 year playoff streak. It just doesn’t happen anymore in the age of free agency. And this may be the last year the Yankees make the playoffs for awhile if the rumors of them duping Torre are true.

Does anyone else feel like Brian Griese is this generations Vinny Testeverde? This guy just keeps coming back to get his shot at glory.

The Chicago Bears are reportedly benching former Gator Rex Grossman in favor of Griese. He played sparingly in 6 games last season for the Bears and compiled a 62 QB rating in those games. Gross of course hasn’t been any better this year. He’s sitting on what has to be an NFL worst QB rating of 42. Ouch! And those 3 interceptions last week against Dallas didn’t help his cause.

Bears fans have to be excited about the opporunity for someone new to step in. Griese can’t be any worse! And Griese has some big game experience. He had some decent seasons in Denver and a couple playoff appearances.

Former Heavy Weight Champion, video game legend, and thug Mike Tyson might be headed back to the slammer after he plead guilty to drug and DUI charges. He could face up to 4 years in prison. I would NOT want to be his cell mate.

Mike Tyson has always been one of the most interesting and intriguing athletes of all time. Tyson was the best fighter the world had ever seen. At 18 years old he was practically killing people in the ring, but by his mid 20s he was allegedly raping his wife. He went from top to bottom faster then Michael Vick.

It’s a sad story seeing someone so talented just waste it away. I blame Don King…and the fact that Tyson could get escape the life of a thug. I remember seeing on Real Sports one time that Tyson robbed an old lady at like 6 years old. What a shame.

In the past few months he’s been trying to box again. I say, Tyson needs to stop trying to revive his career and land himself on a reality TV show. His recent antics in court make him this week’s “Make the world a better place, punch Mike Tyson in the face” victim.

Brett Favre is redefining the game of football. He’s probably the oldest starting quarterback in the NFL right now, yet his team is 3-0 and he just tied Dan Marino’s all-time touchdown record. While fans and the media love the hype around Favre and the records he owns, Brett could care less. “I’m going to be totally honest with you,” he said. “I am so glad we won that I could care less about that record.”

The Green Bay Packers are the surprise of the NFL right now. No one of Earth would have predicted the Pack would start 3-0, especially when their first three games were against the Eagles, Giants and Chargers. What looked like a tough opening schedule, turned out to be OK.

Brett Favre, the gun-slinger we’ve come to know and love over the past decade and a half could be in for one of his best seasons yet. Brett has 861 passing yards, 6 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions. With the NFC as bad as it is, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Packers ended with a top playoff seed.

Andrei Kirilenko is moving back to Russia to fight in Rockey VII.

Kirilenko who is under contract through 2011 with about $63 million left, is ready to leave the NBA and all his money behind so he can return to Europe to play basketball. Say What?!?! “I just want to explain to everybody what I think and feel and that I could sacrifice my career with the NBA. The only thing I’m not prepared for is if I’m told, ‘Andrei, we want you to stay anyway.’ I’m sure then the next season would be a repetition of the previous one, and what will the fans say then? How could you possibly rely on a player who wants to leave?”

Damn.

“I have never been unfair and I don’t want to enjoy something that I don’t deserve,” Kirilenko told Sport Express. “Big money is obviously good, but I am prepared to make less. The size of my salary doesn’t mean that much for me. The main thing is to play with a spark.”

Double Damn.

Kirilenko obviously has millions of dollars in his bank account, so it’s not like he would be scraping by if he moves back to Russia. But who on Earth has ever laid down $63 million in guarenteed money? There was a period a few years ago when Andrei was one of the best shooters in the game. He is a star in the NBA.

I guess the old saying is true: You can’t buy happiness.

Floyd Landis lost his expensive and explosive doping case Thursday when the arbitrators upheld the results of a test that showed the 2006 Tour de France champion used synthetic testosterone to fuel his spectacular comeback victory (AP).

No shit? Landis used doping and drugs to win the Tour de France? Say it ain’t so!

If Americans cared about cycling this might piss some people off. He’s brought shame to the sport (is it a sport?) and to his fellow Americans. He’s about to be the first person in 105 years to lose his racing title because of doping. Of course nobody started doping till the 90s anyways.

The French tried to bring down Armstrong for 7 years and they couldn’t. Either Lance was clean, or he knew how to cover his tracks better. Landis, on the other hand, is a complete moron. “It’s not a great surprise considering how events have evolved. He got a highly qualified legal team who tried to baffle everybody with science and public relations. And in the end the facts stood up.”

As the facts stand up, Floyds career and life go down.

The man who made #8 the most recognizable number in racing, will now try to repeat that marketing success with a new number. What’s the easiest way? Just double the 8 to make #88. “I was trying to do good by my fans,” Earnhardt said with a smile. “With this number, they should be twice as happy.”

Yesterday, Dale Earnhardt Junior reeached agreements with new sponsors and a new racing number. He’ll now be sponsored by PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew and Amp energy drink. You can see a picture of the car in this post. It will have a green tint to represent Amp. “It’s basic and clean-looking, and we painted the back deck flat black in honor of the Corvette that I drove with my dad” in an endurance race, Junior said.

Of course all this won’t be important unless Junior starts winning some races. He’s been a disappointment in the standings for the last few years now. Hendricks will make their marketing dollars, but they also want to win championships. Lets hope this fresh start will help propel Earnhardt into the winner’s circle.

In a desperate move, the Atlanta Falcons have signed former Jaguar quarterback Byron Leftwich to a 2-year $7 million contract. The Falcons apparently aren’t happy with ‘confident’ Joey Harrington and his league leading 13 sacks. By signing him to a 2 year year, you have to wonder if the Falcons are thinking long-term with Leftwich. And why would Leftwich sign a contract that would make him a backup for 2 years when he’s specifically said he won’t be a backup for anyone. I guess Joey Harrington can’t be so confident any more.

As a Jaguar fan, I’ve dealt with the aches and pains Leftwich has caused us for the last 4 years. Straight up, the guy is a bum. The Falcons went from the most mobile QB in the NFL, Michael Vick, to the slowest piece of crap in the NFL. And not only is Leftwich slow, but he also has terrible accuracy. This guy couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. Not to mention he doesn’t know how to throw the ball away when he feels the pressure. You know you’re bad when the Jaguars cut you.

I was a bit disappointed to see Leftwich will not be wearing the #7 jersey that he worse in Jax. He’s chosen #4 I believe. I hate wishing bad things to players, but I really hope Leftwich gets an opportunity to start. I can’t wait to watch him fall on his fat ass behind Atlanta’s terrible offensive line.