The first 50 fans who purchase a game card worth $25 or more will receive an exclusive, regulation size, Red Bulls soccer ball. The Red Bulls open their season on March 20 against Santos FC in their new home, Red Bull Arena, located in Harrison, New Jersey.

*The regulation size, Red Bulls soccer ball is available while supplies last.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. ET

WHERE: ESPN Zone located in Times Square – 1472 Broadway @ 42^nd Street       

For most games, tickets are available for seating that can run you over $300 per ticket. Instead of spending $600 on two seats for a regular season game, I can put that money toward playoff tickets from a secondary ticket broker.

Recently, I’m starting to rely on secondary brokers more often. Last season, I bought Yankees vs. Red Sox tickets in the bleachers for August (the four game sweep series) at Barry’s Tickets for $45 each. Then, I bought bleacher tickets for Game 2 of the ALCS against the Angels (a 13 inning Yankees win) for $65 each the day before the game and just printed the tickets out online. 

Why do I enjoy the bleachers so much? I first got a taste of the bleachers at Game 3 of the 1999 World Series. I sat in section 39, home of the Bleacher Creatures. I was 13 years old and I loved the atmosphere. It could have been because of the game (Chad Curtis won it with a solo home run in the 10th inning over Atlanta), but to this day, I’d argue there’s no better place to watch a Yankees game from than the bleachers, specifically the right field bleachers. Why else do I love the bleachers so much? Because of Bald Vinny and role call, Rick Flair, the late inning songs, the YMCA remix, the chants and plenty more that I can’t say in order to keep this blog clean. I’m barely scratching the surface. 

Unless I am given free tickets, you’ll find me in the bleachers. Even then, I’ll try to scalp those tickets and buy some bleacher tickets the day of the game.

Take note, Knicks. 

It’s not going to be easy landing LeBron James this summer, but the Knicks have the ability to go to LeBron this summer and say, “Listen, go pick any other free agent that you will want to play with for the next six years and we’ll sign you both.” 

Although it could be possible that LeBron may want to play with another player more than he wants to play with Joe Johnson, having LeBron pick Johnson would be ideal for the Knicks because Johnson is most likely not going to get a max contract like Dwayne Wade or Chris Bosh. Signing LeBron at the max and Johnson a bit below the max will leave some wiggle room for the Knicks to add other players, but let it be LeBron’s choice first. Leave the “wiggle room” factor out of it. If he wants Wade, do it. If he wants Bosh, do it. Do whatever is necessary to get LeBron playing 41 games a year at the Garden.

My hope is that the Lakers win the title again this year, leaving LeBron wanting to join forces with another NBA star in order to surpass the Lakers. My thinking is that LeBron will come to terms that he’ll need another monster name on his side in order to upheave the champion Lakers and win multiple titles in the future. If he can’t win it all in Cleveland this year with Antawn Jamison and a supporting cast that includes Shaq also, then going to a team that has the financial flexibility to sign any two max deals it wants is optimal for LeBron.

It’s going to come down to either Cleveland or New York for LeBron this summer and if he really wants to play with Joe Johnson or another star player, like people say he does, then we may see a new No. 6 lighting up New York City.

In a statement, Monasch said, “Coach Roberts took over a very challenging situation and has advanced our program in many respects. We appreciate the class and integrity he exhibited in his six years at St. John’s.”

Some names that have been thrown around as possible replacements include current NBA announcer and former St. John’s and NBA player Mark Jackson, Virgina Tech’s Seth Greenberg, and even Florida’s Billy Donovan.

Which player’s jersey does my $80 deserve to go toward? Well, have you ever heard of the saying there’s “no such thing as a sure bet?” In the landscape of sports today, it’s not often a player spends his entire career with one team. Here one year and gone the next. There are, however, a number of players that do spend their entire careers with one team, but it is a small percentage of the total number of athletes in each sport. There are a number of reasons for this, but that’s neither here nor there. The intention of this article is to address the jerseys that you can count on being able to wear for the next five years and hopefully beyond. You could always buy a Lawrence Taylor, Willis Reed or Mickey Mantle jersey to be extremely safe, but I’m talking about the jerseys of more current and active players.

When precisely picking a jersey, some factors should be considered such as the player’s current length of contract, relationship with the organization, and character (on and off the field). Other factors to consider are depth at the player’s position and the player’s age. Buying a jersey is not a cheap investment so you want to make sure you will be able to get years of usage out of it. 

In most cases, the future is more important than the past. Take A-Rod for example. Performance-enhancing drugs aside, he’s a good Yankees jersey to buy. He’ll end his career as a New York Yankee once his contract expires when he’s 42-years old. It’s not that big of a deal that he played for two different teams before becoming a Yankee. That shouldn’t be a deterrent to buying his jersey. 

The following is as sure as they come when picking the right active player jersey of your favorite team.

New York Yankees
I want to preface this section by saying that Yankees jerseys should never be bought with names on the back of them. If you have a nameless #25 jersey that you bought when Jason Giambi joined the team in 2002, you can still be wearing that jersey today because it’s the jersey of the Yankees’ current first baseman, Mark Teixeira.

It’s easy to compose a list of jerseys that are safe to buy when it comes to the Yankees. Let’s take it one step further and put them in order, starting with the absolute safest to buy. 

• 1A) Alex Rodriguez – He’s under contract until he’s 42-years old and is the highest paid player in the game. After his post-season performance in 2009, he has become the safest Yankees’ jersey to purchase. 
• 1B) Derek Jeter – He’s not the absolute safest because his contract expires after 2010, but he’ll be back in pinstripes until he retires. Once he signs a contract next off-season, then he’ll become the number one safest Yankees’ jersey to buy. 
• 2A) Jorge Posada – Although not a very “sexy” jersey to buy, Posada has spent his entire career with the Yankees and will probably be hanging his cleats up after a few more years.
• 2B) Mariano Rivera – Similar to Jeter, Mariano’s contract expires after 2010, but he’ll re-sign. Depending on how long he wants to pitch, the Yankees will find a way to make it work with Rivera. Also, you can’t go wrong with having the number 42 on the back of a Yankees jersey since some players choose to wear number 42 on Jackie Robinson day. I have this jersey and it’s my favorite jersey to have.
• 3) Mark Teixeira – He signed an 8-year deal last year so you can figure on being able to wear his jersey for at least seven more years.
• 4) CC Sabathia – CC signed a 7-year deal before 2009 and is a work-horse. You’re safe with his jersey for at least the next six years. 

Basically, you can’t go wrong with buying most nameless Yankee jerseys. You could always go with a classic and buy a Mantle, Gehrig, or Ruth jersey among many other former Yankee greats. Bernie Williams’ jerseys is a great one to have, as is Paul O’Neil’s. The numbers 2, 13, 20, and 42 will become classic Yankee jerseys in the future.  

Buyer Beware: Jesus Montero
He is one of the Yankees’ top prospects, but for the right player, the Yankees aren’t afraid to trade top-level prospects for proven major leaguers.

Out Of The Ordinary: Phil Hughes
You see some Hughes jerseys, but not frequently. He’ll be on the major league roster in some form, whether as a starter or in the bullpen, and has a bright future as a Yankees no matter which role they place him in.

My Pick: Mariano Rivera
Rivera is a “can never go wrong” pick for a Yankee fan. He will be the last MLB player in history with #42 on his back due to the league retiring the number throughout the sport in tribute to Jackie Robinson.

@AnthonyUp on twitter adds Joba Chamberlain. Anthony says, “What about Joba? He’s home grown, big apple personality, heavily invested by the org and fans.”

New York Mets
David Wright is the best bet here. He’s young, a fan favorite, and a perennial All-Star. He signed a 6-year contract extension in 2006. After Wright, Johan Santana is the next best. He’s their ace and a proven veteran. After being traded from the Twins, Santana signed a 6-year deal with the Mets in 2008. Next is newly acquired left fielder Jason Bay. His bat was a much needed addition to the Mets lineup and he’ll soon become a fan favorite for what he does in the middle of the order.

But what about after Wright, Santana and Bay? Are Beltran and Reyes the next two or does Francisco Rodriguez supplant them due to their injury problems and troubles with the team? If this were two years ago, Beltran and Reyes would have been nearly even with Wright.

Buyer Beware: Jose Reyes
I’m not sold that he will last his entire career with the Mets.

Out Of The Ordinary: K-Rod
He’s going to save a ton of games on a good team. As long as he remains healthy, he’ll be effective.

My Pick: David Wright
He’s a respectable person with a great attitude that shows up to play hard everyday. You can’t go wrong with a player like that.

Play online poker from your home and enjoy plenty of silence after attending a Mets game wearing whichever jersey you choose.

New York Giants
For Giants fans, you can’t go wrong with an Eli Manning jersey. He’s the franchise quarterback and is not going to be cut or traded any time soon. He agreed to a 6-year deal last summer. Steve Smith had a heck of a year in 2009 and has become their number one receiver. Tight end Kevin Boss has replaced Jeremy Shockey nicely and was a key part of the team when they made the Super Bowl run a few years back. Justin Tuck is a beast at defensive end and could be worth a buy.

Buyer Beware: Osi Umenyiora
Will he stay or will he go?

Out Of The Ordinary: Hakeem Nicks
Nicks is entering his second season in the league and will continue to grow and develop into a viable target for Eli Manning.

My Pick: Steve Smith
Smith had a breakout year in 2009 and his connection with Eli Manning will turn him into the Giants’ number one receiving threat for a long time.

New York Jets
It starts with either Mark Sanchez or Darrelle Revis for Jets fans. Obviously Sanchez is the safest pick among the Jets because he is their franchise quarterback entering his second year, but Revis is a close second due to him being one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL and a favorite of head coach Rex Ryan. Revis is due for a payday very soon and of all the players, he’ll be the first the Jets will work with. 

The Jets have a lot of young, talented players that could be worth a buy if you don’t want the name on your back to blend in with the rest in 2010. Tight end Dustin Keller, center Nick Mangold, and running back Shonn Greene are also worth a buy.

Buyer Beware: LaDainian Tomlinson
Tomlinson could turn out to be a major bust for the Jets. He turns 31-years old in June and didn’t have a great season with the Chargers in 2009.

Out Of The Ordinary: Jim Leonhard
Leonhard’s hard work makes up for what he lacks in physical attributes and athleticism.

My Pick: David Harris
Rex loves his defenders and Harris is a major contributor at middle linebacker. He’s going to be a Jet for a long time as long as Rex Ryan has his say. The Jets had the opportunity to trade for Brandon Marshall last summer, a much needed receiver, but didn’t because the Broncos were asking for Harris in return.

New York Knicks
You probably will want to wait until the summer to buy a Knicks jersey. That’s when the Knicks may lure in a big-time free agent. If LeBron James chooses the Knicks this summer, his jersey will become the best selling jersey in all of sports. But if you had to get one now, the two best bets are either Danilo Gallinari or Wilson Chandler. Along with rookie guard Toney Douglas, Gallo and Chandler are the only players that are under contract for next year. Eddy Curry is too, but he is Eddy Curry. Hopefully the Knicks will buy him out before free agency. Gallo and Chandler are the young nucleus that team president Donnie Walsh is going to build around in free agency. 

Nate Robinson was a fan favorite and he was traded to the Celtics. David Lee is a fan favorite, but depending on what happens in free agency, he may not be back with the Knicks next year. Recently acquired players like Tracy McGrady, Eddie House, Sergio Rodriguez and Bill Walker will all be free agents this summer and like David Lee, it’s uncertain whether they will return due to many variables. 

Buyer Beware: Anyone not under contract for next season
The Knicks may have a complete turnover in players other than Gallo, Chandler and Douglas.

Out Of The Ordinary: Toney Dougles
He’s a rookie and should become a nice role player for the team in the future.

My Pick: Wait!
Hold off until free agents sign this summer.

There you have it. I hope this helps during an economic climate where spending $80 on a jersey will need to last you for years.

The opening of the Mets new stadium was grossly overshadowed by the new Yankee Stadium, the house that Jeter built. The teams were equally disappointing a month and a half into the season. The Mets had been stripped of its potential by a plague of injuries that one could only assume was summoned by a Yankees fan practicing Voodoo in a Brooklyn basement studio. Luckily, the Yankees had just plain failed to show up as well. Then, the Yanks had a great rest of the season and the talks of power alley and ridiculously expensive New York Yankees tickets for the cheap seats had been replaced by whispers (and eventually shouts) of winning the franchises 27th World Series.

The New York Jets only received their due praise late in the season when it became obvious that the Giants had fallen apart following a four-game losing streak. Even then, everybody was waiting for Mark Sanchez to throw into too much coverage and spoil the poetic dominance of the Jets defense and the barrage of blitzes from every angle.

The 2010 sports year seemed to hold more promise. The Mets had recovered most of their roster from the IR and the Jets had undoubtedly established themselves as the best football team in the New York Metro area.

Ah, but then the sports gods stepped in and suddenly the Mets are without Jose Reyes for the first month of the 2010 MLB season because of unbalanced thyroid levels and Carlos Beltran will be joining him in street clothes as he recovers from a knee surgery after botched medical care last year.

Then the NFL privately decides that the Jets are not good enough to open the new Meadowlands Stadium after a phantom coin toss apparently held in the panic room with Roger Goodell and the television executives from Fox Sports.

So what is to be done? How do I end this rant? Well, I have to hope that the Mets were right to stick with Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, and Oliver Perez in the starting rotation. I have to hope that the Yankees rotation is mired by weight issues, inconsistencies, and old age. I have to hope that Mark Sanchez makes another jump in development and clearly surpasses Eli Manning as the best and more consistent quarterback.

Guest Post by Brian Sarna

Glauber tweeted, “Giants and Jets to play at home on opening weekend. Giants on Sunday, Jets on Monday.”

Rich Cimini of the NY Daily News went further in an article;

“The NFL just issued a press release on the controversy. Here it is:

The New York Jets and New York Giants both will play at home in their new Meadowlands Stadium on the opening weekend of the 2010 regular season, the NFL announced today.

The Giants will play on Sunday afternoon, September 12, and the Jets will play in the first nationally televised Monday Night Football game of the season on September 13. The NFL is completing the final stages of the 2010 schedule. The opponents for the Jets and Giants Kickoff Weekend home openers will be announced soon.

In addition, the NFL announced that the Jets will host the first NFL game at the new stadium during the preseason in August.”

Earlier in the day, it was reported by several media outlets that the Giants won a coin toss that gave them the rights to host the first game at the new stadium. This move should appease the Jets, having their game in prime-time a day later. Having both teams play home games on back-to-back days during opening weekend makes complete sense and the NFL did a very good job making this work.

Lombardi wrote, “I keep hearing from my Jets sources that they’re having internal discussions regarding Brandon Marshall and would love to put together a package of players that might entice the Broncos and still keep their first-round pick.”

Lombardi’s words have Jets fans in an uproar. A lot of people are against the idea of acquiring Marshall, citing his off-field problems and character issues. Other people see past his issues and see him as a talented receiver and one of the best in the league.

Whether you’d welcome Marshall or not, Lombardi’s report doesn’t mean the Jets are getting him.

People praise Lombardi for being accurate with his reporting, but Lombardi is only reporting that the Jets are having “internal discussions” about Marshall, not that a trade is in place. So, yes, Lombardi is dead on with his reporting again, but that doesn’t mean a trade is imminent. All it means is that they are talking about it and trying to come up with a package of players that the Broncos would consider. The Broncos aren’t even involved in the report other than being the team that has Marshall under contract. 

I’m sure the Jets’ brass have “internal discussions” about a lot of guys in the NFL. That’s their job. It’s called doing their due diligence. This shouldn’t be as big of a deal as it is. They talk about players everyday and try to come up with possible trade packages for several players throughout an off-season.

Sure the Jets are interested in Marshall. They flirted with the idea last off-season. They were reported to have the opportunity to trade for Marshall last summer but the Broncos asked for middle linebacker David Harris in return and the Jets weren’t making that trade. This time around, Lombardi’s report suggests that the Jets are trying to get together a package that doesn’t include their first round pick. 

What kind of package could “entice” the Broncos without including a first round pick? The Jets would have to create a package around a pretty good player in order to make it worth the Broncos’ while. The Jets have built a very good team, why trade away a decent piece for Marshall? The only way a trade happens is if the Broncos are truly sick of Marshall’s act, don’t have any other teams pursuing Marshall, and would want either Jerricho Cotchery or Braylon Edwards in the trade (along with other pieces such as their second round pick).

Discussions are discussions. When the Jets make an official offer to the Broncos for Marshall, then we can talk about Marshall more in depth. Until then, the Jets are going to discuss players. Let’s not get over-carried away in either direction of liking Marshall or hating him as a possible Jets because the Jets are far away from acquiring the troubled receiver.

The addition of Tomlinson means the Jets have one less area to fill. Depth at running back is now complete, no matter if you think Tomlinson will have a good season or not in 2010. 

Now the Jets can focus on adding players that can have a bigger impact on the team than Tomlinson. Adding another running back was needed due to the release of Thomas Jones, but there are other positions the Jets need to tend to in order to get back into the AFC championship in 2010.

The Jets need to add to their defensive line and outside linebacking corps. The 29th pick in the draft is a critical one for them. Enough of the L.T. talk. It’s time to start focusing on strengthening the defensive front seven, which will have more of an impact on the success of the team than L.T. will. With a strong defensive backfield, adding to the pass rush will make the defense even stronger. To twist a football cliche into Jets terms; you win games in the trenches, not with your backup 31-year old running back.

Acee says;

“According to three people with knowledge of the process, Tomlinson has decided to become a New York Jet.

“It’s 100 percent,” one source said. “Done deal.”

Tomlinson is expected to announce the decision today or tomorrow.”

To reiterate, a deal is not confirmed, but sources are suggesting that L.T. will be choosing the Jets. I’m excited for him to make a decision so we can put this behind us and start focusing on more pressing needs and the draft. L.T. will be a welcomed addition to the Jets if the reports are true. How much he has left in the tank is one issue, but his character is top-notch.