• The New York Jets announced that they will be starting Mark Sanchez at quarterback on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, in a game that should be marked with no additional interest. When the Jets announced that last week they would be starting Greg McElroy it was assumed that the second year player would be playing for the rest of the year. However, McElroy suffered a concussion last week and will be out this week.
• The announcement that Sanchez will start kept Tim Tebow on the bench yet again. Tebow said he wasn’t happy with the decision, but coach Rex Ryan said he chose Sanchez due to the short time frame before the game, and Sanchez’s comfort with the system.
• This caps an already disappointing season for the Jets. Both Tebow (who's already rumored to be traded to Jacksonville in the offseason) and Sanchez are unlikely to be with the team next year, and the Jets will be looking for their long-term answer at quarterback. That answer may very well be McElroy, but it could also mean that coach Rex Ryan will be fired and the new coach will look for his own QB in the draft, as new coaches typically do when there's not an established veteran already on the team.
Matsui retires
• Hideki Matsui ended his 20 year career (10 of which were spent in the MLB) on Thursday, officially announcing his retirement. Starting off as a dominant outfielder in Japan for the Yomiuri Giants, he signed a deal with the Yankees in 2003, instantly becoming a fan favorite. Over the course of his MLB career, he hit .282 with 175 home runs.
• Although he only finished 2nd in the 2003 Rookie of the Year voting, he had a much better career than the winner, Angel Berroa, going on to make 2 All-Star teams and win the 2009 World Series MVP with the Yankees against the Phillies. He became only the third player ever to hit over .500 with 3+ home runs in the same World Series, joining Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
• Possibly the most impressive thing about him is not his stats, but the impression he left on teammates. Derek Jeter gave him a glowing recommentdation, saying: "I've said it numerous times over the years, but it's worth repeating now. I've had a lot of teammates over the years with the Yankees, but I will always consider Hideki one of my favorites."
• The 38 year old Matsui last played with the Tampa Bay Rays this past season, never really producing before the team released him in August.
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