CBSSports.com and WFAN’s Jon Heyman has learned the Yankees and Pirates are in the final stages of hammering out a trade that would send the enigmatic Burnett to Pittsburgh for two non-roster minor leaguers, barring a last-minute snag.

The Pirates have agreed to pay the Yankees $13 million of the $33 million Burnett is owed through 2013.

The deal has yet to be finalized and will need MLB approval, which will include a Burnett physical.

Heyman has also learned the Yankees plan on adding two bats to their bench once the Burnett trade goes down. Right now they are focusing on utility infielder Eric Chavez and veteran outfielder Raul Ibanez.

New York general manager Brian Cashman let it slip in November that Burnett would be in the rotation “if he’s with us.” The comment made headlines and Cashman backtracked a bit, later telling the New York Daily News, “I won’t be shopping anybody.”

Burnett went 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA in 2011. He also led the major leagues in wild pitches.

In three seasons with the Yankees, the 35-year-old righty has gone 34-35 with a 4.79 ERA.

Do you think Burnett will eventually be shipped to the Pirates? Sound off below…

Carter was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor last May, two weeks after finishing his second season as coach at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Keidel: Gary Carter Touches Home Plate | Time To Salute ‘The Kid’ Gary Carter

Coutinho: “The Kid” Will Remain In Our Hearts Forever | 25 Years Ago The Mets Owned The Baseball World

“I am deeply saddened to tell you all that my precious dad went to be with Jesus today at 4:10 p.m.,” Carter’s daughter Kimmy Bloemers wrote on the family website. “This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to write in my entire life but I wanted you all to know.”

WCBS 880′s Peter Haskell With Some Highlights From Carter’s Career

Carter was an 11-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner. His bottom-of-the-10th single in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series helped the New York Mets mount a charge against the Boston Red Sox and eventually beat them.

LISTEN: WFAN’s Mike Francesa Speaks With Ex-Met Darryl Strawberry about the life and career of Gary Carter

Carter played nearly two decades with the Mets, Montreal, San Francisco and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He led the Expos to their only playoff berth and was the first player enshrined in Cooperstown wearing an Expos cap.

LISTEN: 1010 WINS’ Al Jones Reports

Carter was known as much for his effervescent personality as his talents at the plate and behind it. He earned the nickname “Kid” as an eager teen in his first major league camp and the label stuck for the rest of his career, and beyond.

“An exuberant on-field general with a signature smile who was known for clutch hitting and rock-solid defense over 19 seasons,” reads his Hall plaque.

The bronze plaque shows him with a toothy grin, too, forever the Kid.

“Gary was one of the happiest guys in the world every day,” Mets teammate Mookie Wilson once said.

With curly, blond locks flaring out from beneath his helmet, and a rigid, upright batting stance, Carter was immediately recognizable at the plate.

He was especially enthused during the biggest moment of his career. The powerful Mets were down to their last chance in the ’86 Series when Carter stepped up with two outs. No one was on base and New York was trailing Boston 5-3 in the bottom of the 10th inning in Game 6.

Carter said he had just one thought in mind: “I wasn’t going to make the last out of the World Series.”

True to his word, he delivered a clean single to left field off Red Sox reliever Calvin Schiraldi. Kevin Mitchell followed with a single and when Ray Knight also singled, Carter scampered home from second base.

As Carter crossed the plate, he clapped his hands, pointed at Wilson on deck and clapped again. Moments later, Bill Buckner’s error scored Knight for an amazing 6-5 win. Carter rushed from the dugout to join the celebration at home plate, catcher’s gear already on.

Overshadowed by the rally was the fact that Carter had tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Then in Game 7, Carter drove in the tying run in the sixth inning, and the Mets went on to win their most recent championship.

Carter homered twice over the Green Monster at Fenway Park in Game 4 and totaled nine RBIs in that Series. Since then, only one player has gotten more in a World Series (Sandy Alomar Jr. had 10 for Cleveland in 1997).

Overall, Carter hit .262 with 324 home runs and 1,225 RBIs with the Expos, Mets, San Francisco and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He set the major league record for putouts by a catcher, a testament to his durability despite nine knee operations.

Carter twice was the MVP of the All-Star game. He won the award in 1981 by homering twice in baseball’s first game after a players’ strike that lasted two months. He remains the lone player to have a two-homer performance in an All-Star game and a World Series game.

He set the NL record for games caught, but spent his first full season in the majors primarily as Montreal’s right fielder. His first All-Star appearance came that year, in 1975, as a defensive replacement in left field for Pete Rose.

Carter was recognized, too, for his contributions off the field when he was honored with the Roberto Clemente Award.

He hit his first major league homer in September 1974 off future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton as a 20-year-old rookie — Carter homered 11 times against the ace lefty, his top victim.

Carter spent his first 11 years with the Expos and was part of a solid core that put them into the 1981 playoffs. They beat the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies in a new first round created after the strike split the season into two halves, but lost to the Dodgers in the NL championship series.

A perennial fan favorite, Carter returned to Montreal in 1992 for one final season. His last swing was a memorable one — he hit an RBI double in the seventh inning at Olympic Stadium, left for a pinch-runner to a huge ovation from the home crowd and walked away after that 1-0 win over the Cubs.

Carter was elected to the Hall in 2003 on his sixth try. He had joked that he wanted his Cooperstown cap to be a half-and-halfer, split between the Expos and Mets. The Hall makes the ultimate call on the logo.

Carter pleased Canadian fans by delivering part of his induction speech in French. Born and raised in California, he took a Berlitz course to help him learn the language after the Expos drafted him.

The Expos traded him to the Mets after the 1984 season for Hubie Brooks, Mike Fitzgerald, Herm Winningham and Floyd Youmans. Carter turned out to be one of the last missing pieces on a New York team that already had the likes of Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and Keith Hernandez.

He made an immediate impression — it just took a little extra to get it right in his Mets debut in 1985. In the season opener at Shea Stadium, Carter took strike three, had a passed ball that gave St. Louis a run and watched Cardinals pitcher Joaquin Andujar steal a base against him.

But in the bottom of the 10th inning, Carter hit a home run that won the game and drew a standing ovation plus chants of “Gary! Gary! Gary!”

“What a way to start,” Carter said with a grin afterward. “Hit by a pitch, strike out looking, a stolen base, a passed ball and then the home run.”

“There’s not enough words to describe what it feels like,” he said. “I’ll certainly remember this the rest of my life.”

It wasn’t the only time he bounced back from a rugged start. Slumping badly in the 1986 NL championship series, Carter hit a winning single in the bottom of the 12th to beat Houston in Game 5, putting the Mets within one win of the World Series.

A two-sport athlete as a boy, Carter won the 7-year-old national division of the NFL’s first Punt, Pass & Kick skills competition in 1961. He was a pitcher and shortstop in Little League and switched to catching in high school after a scout suggested it was the fastest path to the big leagues, turning down a chance to play football at UCLA.

Carter stayed in baseball after his playing days ended. He became a broadcaster for the Florida Marlins, coached and managed for the Mets in the minors, managed two independent minor league teams and coached in college.

The only hint of negative publicity Carter drew came a few years ago when he appeared to be campaigning for the Mets’ managing job though it was already filled.

Carter, however, always had a winning touch. At the ballpark or away, he greeted fans with a hearty handshake — many marveling at how his big right hand had swallowed up theirs.

After his diagnosis, the Mets began playing a highlight reel of Carter’s accomplishments on the video board during games at Citi Field and posted this message: “Our thoughts are with you Gary. From your millions of fans and the New York Mets.”

At the Hall ceremonies in July, new inductee Bert Blyleven mentioned Carter. “Gary, keep battling the way that you always have,” he said to the crowd.

Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said Carter continued to inspire him in later years. In a 2006 column for The Associated Press, the former Phillies star recalled the pure elation that enveloped Carter when he was voted into Cooperstown.

“No player ever appreciated that call to the extent he did. The joy it brought him, his family, and friends, especially me, was so real and pleasantly genuine, I ate it up and still do,” Schmidt wrote.

“He does not take it for granted. He will wear his emotion, from this election, on his sleeve the rest of his life,” he wrote. “His induction actually made me appreciate mine all the more.”

Statements From The Mets

GENERAL MANAGER FRANK CASHEN: “The genesis of the trade was that we wanted to add a big bat to the lineup. He did that right away, but perhaps more importantly was the way he handled our young pitchers. He was the perfect guy for so many reasons.”

MANAGER DAVEY JOHNSON: “Gary was a one-man scouting system. What people didn’t know was that he kept an individual book on every batter in the National League. He was the ideal catcher for our young pitching staff.”

DARRYL STRAWBERRY:  “What he added to the team was character. His approach to the game was contagious. It spread to the rest of us. He helped each of us understand what it took to win.”

DWIGHT GOODEN: “I relied on Gary for everything when I was on the mound including location, what pitch to throw and when. Even when I didn’t have my best stuff, he found a way to get me through the game. He was just a warrior on the field.”

WALLY BACKMAN:  “He was like a big brother to me.  I always went to him for advice. No matter what time of day it was, he always had time for you.”

TIM TEUFEL:  “The baseball community has lost a Hall of Fame player and a Hall of Fame person. He was a good man and will be missed terribly.”

MOOKIE WILSON: “The one thing I remember about Gary was his smile. He loved life and loved to play the game of baseball.”

TOM SEAVER: “No one loved the game of baseball more than Gary Carter. No one enjoyed playing the game of baseball more than Gary Carter. He wore his heart on his sleeve every inning he played. He gave you 110 percent and played the most grueling position on the field and that was something special.”

Statement From The Family:

Hello to Team Carter,

It has been exactly 4 weeks since the last journal and that decision was made as a family. I am deeply saddened to tell you all that my precious dad went to be with Jesus today at 4:10 pm. This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to write in my entire life but I wanted you all to know.

He is in heaven and has reunited with his mom and dad. I believe with all my heart that dad had a STANDING OVATION as he walked through the gates of heaven to be with Jesus.

Thank you all for loving my dad and my entire family. I will still share with you all the last four weeks with my dad because they were incredibly special.

I am thankful that many years ago, my dad accepted Jesus Christ to be his personal Savior because I know He is now in NO pain and is the most beautiful angel. He is now in God’s Hall of Fame.

We praise you, Jesus and thank you for giving my dad to us for 57 years.

…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

After enduring their worst losing streak in five years, the Blackhawks busted out in a big way and broke their nine-game skid with a 4-2 victory over the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers on Thursday night.

The win wasn’t that surprising, it was the stunning swiftness that it unfolded that caught everyone off guard. Chicago scored all its goals in the first 9:38 against backup goalie Martin Biron.

Jonathan Toews scored on a penalty shot to start the outburst, and the Blackhawks emphatically got back to the winning ways they hadn’t experienced since Jan. 20 against Florida.

“You’re up 4-0 in the first few minutes, it can’t get any better than that,” said Patrick Kane, who had an assist. “Everyone got a little confidence out of it, and I think everyone got pretty excited.

“Everyone was pumped up for this game to kind of prove ourselves, not that we can win a game but we can also beat one of the best teams in the league, too. It shows that this team has potential.”

Defenseman Nick Leddy doubled the lead 1:03 after Toews scored, and Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa added goals to make it 4-0. Corey Crawford kept things mostly intact the rest of the way, stopping 22 shots.

Toews and Hossa both added assists in the first period, and defenseman Brent Seabrook set up two goals for the Blackhawks, who scored over three goals in a game only once during their streak (0-8-1). Chicago, which had 22 shots, was 0-6-1 during the first seven games of a nine-game trip that ends Saturday at Columbus.

“The next game is even bigger than this one,” Toews said. “We’ve got to keep going. We’re in a tough situation after this cold streak we’ve been on. We need to keep digging our way out of the hole, and we can’t be comfortable with this win for one second.”

The Rangers went 0 for 7 on the power play and missed a chance to jump over Detroit to the top of the NHL standings as their four-game winning streak was broken. New York had won eight of 10 (8-1-1) to open a seven-point lead in the East over defending Stanley Cup champion Boston.

New York came out much better in the second period, pressuring Crawford and drawing penalties, but the early deficit was too much to overcome. Defenseman Marc Staal wrecked Crawford’s hopes of a shutout when he brought the Rangers to 4-1 at 3:04 of the second period with his first of the season.

Carl Hagelin made it 4-2 with 4:45 left.

“We had a great second half of the second,” Rangers captain Ryan Callahan said. “In the third we continued to pressure, but four goals is a tough lead to come back from. Our second and third were good, but the first killed us.”

Crawford bounced back from a loss to San Jose on Friday, in which he gave up five goals on 27 shots, and won for the first time since Jan. 18. Ray Emery was the starter in the Blackhawks’ previous two games.

Even with their long skid, the Blackhawks are still in a playoff position in the West, sitting in sixth place.

The Rangers thought Marian Gaborik shoved a shot in during the second period, but the puck sat on the goal line and wasn’t pushed all the way into the net by Callahan until after the whistle blew.

Biron was blitzed for four goals on Chicago’s first seven shots, although the onslaught wasn’t all his fault. The frustrated Blackhawks connected on a penalty shot and two breakaways — finding space between Biron’s old-school brown pads consistently.

“It’s not on him at all,” Callahan said.

Toews struck just 1:04 in after Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi was caught covering the puck in the crease when Biron couldn’t control a rebound. Leddy made it 2-0 when his shot from inside the blue line made its way in through traffic.

After a Rangers turnover, Toews found Sharp with a long pass to send him in on a breakaway. Sharp split Biron’s pads with a shot to make it 3-0 just 4 minutes in, prompting annoyed Rangers fans to break into chants of “Hen-rik! Hen-rik!” while helpless No. 1 goalie Henrik Lundqvist sat on the bench.

When Biron stopped a shot from Seabrook from the other end of the ice — measured at 132 feet — he received a mock cheer from the annoyed crowd that has grown accustomed to good defense and winning hockey.

“There were a couple of chances for me to make saves to get momentum on our side or to stop their momentum. I wasn’t able to do it,” Biron said. “That was the game right there.”

Hossa stretched the lead to 4-0 at 9:38 on the Blackhawks’ seventh shot of the period. Patrick Kane sent the high-scoring forward in on another breakaway for his 22nd goal of the season. Rangers coach John Tortorella then used his lone timeout, but there was little he could say to his team at that point.

Tortorella said he never considered removing Biron.

“He didn’t need to be pulled. He needed to work through it, and he did,” Tortorella said. “Don’t blame Marty at the beginning. There were a couple of breakaways and we had a few other things go on there.

“I really respect how he hung in there.”

The most goals the Rangers have allowed in a game this season is five to Ottawa on Oct. 29. They had given up a season-worst three goals in a period three times this season.

In comparison, Lundqvist has yielded only seven goals in six outings in February.

NOTES: Crawford was 0-4-1 in his previous five outings. … Callahan had a four-game goal streak broken. … Toews leads the Blackhawks with 14 goals and 16 assists on the road.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

The way he saw it, there was no choice.

The Pacers’ leading scorer ignored a painful sprained left ankle and scored 32 points to lead Indiana past the struggling New Jersey Nets 93-88, a win Granger and his teammates desperately needed to right themselves.

“It’s been a lot of icing, a lot of pain medication,” Granger said after producing his second-highest points total of the season. “I knew I had to play tonight. We had lost five in a row, we had to get off it tonight.”

Granger made sure the Pacers (18-12) put an end to this dubious, season-long losing streak once and for all.

Yes, there were questions about how long Granger could play and how effective he would be after missing seven straight quarters since landing awkwardly on his foot Tuesday against Miami. When the Pacers forward arrived at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, he was still listed as day-to-day.

But Granger knew better, and it didn’t take him long to prove he could overcome the pain.

He made 10 of 20 shots, eight of nine from the free-throw line and grabbed five rebounds, igniting an early run that wiped out New Jersey’s 11-point lead. He also made the key shots during a late 9-2 run that finally gave the Pacers control of the game.

Indiana needed every ounce of energy Granger could provide.

“He was close last night, but he was going to be limited with what he could do in terms of pushing off,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. “Twenty-four hours makes a huge difference. The one thing about it is that he had fresher legs than anyone else out on the court.”

New Jersey (8-23) sure didn’t want to see Granger playing this way.

Deron Williams scored 29 points and Kris Humphries had 24 points and 10 rebounds, not quite enough to snap their losing streak which is now at eight. The last time they lost eight in a row was Nov. 30-Dec. 14, 2010.

And in a metropolitan area that already has a Super Bowl champion (the Giants), the biggest mouth in football (Rex Ryan), a Stanley Cup contender (the Rangers) and the NBA’s hottest new attraction (Jeremy Lin), the last thing the Nets needed in this latest public relations battle was another loss.

“So much pressure, I don’t know how we’re going to deal with it,” Williams said sarcastically.

The difference Thursday was Granger.

New Jersey sure didn’t make it easy.

Humphries controlled the inside early, making his first six shots and scoring 12 points in the first quarter as the Nets built a 29-18 lead.

But when Humphries went to the bench after drawing his second foul with 47.4 seconds left in the quarter, Granger asserted himself and the Nets collapsed.

The Pacers forward hit a 3-pointer to start a 15-0 run. Paul George ended it with another 3 to give Indiana a 33-29 lead.

From that point, the teams were locked in a virtual stalemate and Granger was just trying to hang on.

“A lot of times, when you get into a game and the adrenaline starts slowing, you’re not in as much pain as you would normally be in,” he said. “But I felt it.”

Things didn’t change much in the second half. Neither team led by more than four points in the third quarter, and it wasn’t until George made a 21-foot jumper with 8:15 to go that the Pacers finally took the lead for good.

Then, Granger re-emerged. He followed George’s basket with two free throws and made two more after George forced a turnover and tossed the ball down the court. Suddenly, Indiana had a 75-69 lead with 7:05 left, and after extending the margin to 88-79, all the Pacers had to do was fend off one more Nets’ charge.

Granger made sure of it by making the final four free throws of the game.

“We definitely missed him,” George said after finishing with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists. “Danny brings a lot. He’s our best scorer. He defends so well, with Danny out, that definitely hurt us.”

Notes: The biggest surprise of the night came when the lights went out with 8:08 left in the first half. The officials sent both teams to their benches briefly before the lights came back on. … Indiana has only six fast-break points in its past two games. … The Pacers have played five games in seven days and wrapped up their first back-to-back-to-back of the season Thursday. … Indiana played its 11th straight game without George Hill, who has a chip fracture in his left ankle. … New Jersey was missing Shawne Williams, who is out indefinitely because of a sprained left shoulder, sore left foot and knee.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

McDonald has played only six games after missing 51 with a concussion.

Kevin Shattenkirk, Jason Arnott and David Perron also scored, and Alex Pietrangelo had three assists to help the Blues move within three points of NHL-leading Detroit with 77 points.

Brian Elliott made 26 saves, allowing only Frans Nielsen’s goal.

The Blues have points in a team-record 20 straight home games (17-0-3) and have 25 home wins, one more that the Red Wings for most in the league (25-3-4).

The Islanders’ road winning streak ended at four.

Nielsen gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead just 59 seconds into the game, corralling his own rebound when his initial shot was blocked by Shattenkirk, then lifting the puck over Elliott.

The Blues came back with two goals to grab a 2-1 lead on goals by Arnott and Shattenkirk.

Arnott was able to lift a shot in tight over Montoya’s left shoulder with 5:20 left in the period to tie it. Then, on their first power play of the game, Shattenkirk’s first goal in 16 games on a one-timer squirted through Montoya with 2:48 left in the period for a 2-1 lead. Backes supplied the screen in front.

The Blues kept up the pressure in the second, with McDonald getting his first of the season for a 3-1 lead, but the key sequence came at the other end.

Elliott’s key pad stop on Jay Pandolfo prevented the Islanders from tying the game, and the Blues were on the attack with an odd-man rush. Montoya stopped Jamie Langenbrunner’s initial shot, but McDonald crashed the goal and backhanded the rebound in at 2:53.

The Blues showed no mercy to Montoya, who was a surprise starter when Evgeni Nabokov was a late scratch with the flu. Perron’s tip of Pietrangelo’s shot from the right point 8:52 into the period made it 4-1, making the Blues a perfect 2-for-2 on their first pair of power plays.

Oshie tipped Pietrangelo’s point shot from the slot through Montoya’s pads with 5:07 left for the Blues’ fifth goal on only their 19th shot of the game.

NOTES: The Blues are the only team in either conference to be unbeaten in regulation against the opposing conference. They are 12-0-2 against the East and 13-0-2 dating to last season. … Arnott (shoulder) and D Kent Huskins (ankle) were activated from injured reserve Thursday. … After earning 21 points in 12 straight games, Islanders C John Tavares has two assists in eight games. … The Islanders were the last Eastern Conference team to beat the Blues in regulation.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Perhaps you can park your Linsanity for a few moments while we shift our eyes from someone who’s had a good week to someone who had a great life.

As with Whitney Houston and other entertainers of great acclaim, we measure our lives by the smiles they put on our lips and the joyous trips down memory lane, a path lighted by their gifts, to a place where not only they were great and young, but perhaps we were, as well. And if we weren’t, we could reach those high clouds while tethered to their talents.

Someone I respect once told me that if you believe in God, act as if He’s watching, and later discover that there is no God, then you’re still way ahead of the game. You needn’t be religious to understand the wisdom in those words.

So it was with Gary Carter, who died about two hours ago. No need to parse the particulars; doctors have that covered. All we need to know is that we lost a hero in a sport and a world with a dearth of decency. Carter never caved into the me-first mantras, groin-grabbing theatrics, and visceral narcissism that define the modern player. And we thank him for it.

And it was altogether fitting that he was fitted for a mask, as he never sought the camera or the credit, all of his deeds far more muted while he doubled as catcher, captain, and pitching psychologist for an eclectic pitching staff.

Gary Carter played a man’s game with a child’s glee, hence his handle, “The Kid.” And as much as Mets fans worshipped at the altar of No. 8, I think you had to be a Yankees fan to feel his full impact. For this fan, when it got too gory in the Bronx I quietly watched the glory in Flushing. Many of us who pledged to pinstripes secretly nudged the dial two clicks, from WPIX to WOR, from Phil Rizzuto to Tim McCarver, to see what good baseball was really like.

It’s hard to hate a team or a player when they can’t play. Indeed, the mid-‘80s Mets were everything the Yankees weren’t – stable, selfless, prosperous, and wildly talented. Like a young, wild horse in need of a good jockey, the Mets – renowned for playing hard and partying harder at night – needed someone of Carter’s heft and reputation to keep the bar-brawling Mets in check.

Every time we talk about that team there’s a sense of a charmed but also cheated existence, as all of us in New York City who were alive and lucid at the time realize that team had the studs to win three or four World Series rings, yet they got just one. No one, however, disputes Carter’s effort or eminence. Indeed, the Mets don’t even get that one ring if Carter doesn’t swat a line drive to keep the inning alive on a chilly night in Queens. The next bad thing said about Carter will be the first, and that testimonial sparkles beyond the sheen of a baseball diamond.

Religion is a keenly personal matter and, in her statement, Carter’s daughter said that her father is now with Jesus. The existence of one deity or another is above my pay grade. But if there’s a good God out there, I have no doubt he’s now got Gary Carter behind the plate.

Feel free to email me: Keidel.jason@gmail.com

www.twitter.com/JasonKeidel

The year was 1985 and the Mets had begun to assemble the core of a great team with Keith Hernandez, Darryl Strawberry, Doc Gooden, and Ron Darling leading the way but the offense needed another piece and the pitching staff needed a veteran catcher to lead their young pitchers through games. That man was Gary Carter known as “The Kid” and that nickname was very appropriate because he played with the enthusiasm of a young Met fan. And many feel this was the final piece to the building of a championship team.

The back of Gary Carter’s baseball card speaks for itself. But what I will remember about him the most is Gary Carter–the man and the way he lived his life. He was a great teammate and one of the leaders on that championship team. I remember the great moments–the game winning hit in Game 5 of the NLCS, the 2 Homers in Game 4 of the World Series and the guy who got the “Buckner inning” started. I had the pleasure of getting to know him as a young reporter and the other thing I remember about him is how kind he was to everyone. And I mean everyone–every single person he met. Gary Carter had a way of making everyone around him feeling good about themselves.

From a Met fan’s perspective, he loved interacting with fans and not just the obligatory autograph. He spent time with them and made them feel like part of the Met family. There was also a “competitive fire” in Carter and that was never better illustrated than in the 1986 post-season. He was having an awful NLCS but when he stepped to the plate with the winning run in scoring position, he relished that challenge. And the rest is as they say, history.

And the way he battled this disease was not a surprise to anyone who knew Gary Carter. He fought it as hard as he could even though he knew the fight was an uphill battle. For the Met fans who don’t remember Gary Carter, ask your Mom or your Dad about him and watch that 1986 World Series video together. For those who do remember, pass the memories on to someone else. In the meantime, let’s honor him this year by helping someone who needs it because that is what Gary would want.

We should all try to be more like Gary Carter–care about people, don’t be selfish, and understand that when people look to you for leadership, you have a responsibility to provide it. And providing it will keep the legacy of Gary Carter alive. That is how you keep the memories of great people fresh in our minds.

On Wednesday night, Jeremy Lin only played 26 minutes. He only took six shots. Yet, to me, it was his most impressive performance as a Knick. He had 13 assists and made the Knicks offense look as efficient as it has all season long. That’s what a great point guard can do: make it look easy.

Landry Fields looks like his old self, Tyson Chandler leads the NBA in field goal percentage and Iman Shumpert is once again looking like a late first steal, and an impact rookie. Obviously, those individuals deserve credit but some of their recent success can be traced back to Lin. He gets them the ball in rhythm, cutting to the basket, and where they can succeed. That’s what a point guard does: make everyone around  him better.

The scoring has been a great bonus, but it’s the playmaking that will keep Jeremy Lin in Knicks fans minds as their future point guard. That’s why last night was so important; he was able to affect the game in such a powerful way without shooting a lot. Once Carmelo Anthony gets back and the Knicks have their full complement of scorers, Lin must first and foremost be a playmaker.

The days of 20 plus shots a game, and being the leading scorer will be over. It will be Lin’s responsibility to get everyone else involved and make sure the offense continues to flow. He has been the epicenter of the unselfish play that has infected the entire roster in the last two weeks. That must continue, especially with the return of Carmelo Anthony.

Lin’s one issue has been with turnovers. While high, they have been more of a result of the ball being in his hands all the time than bad decisions. He has been guilty of trying to squeeze a couple interior passes into spaces that are too small, but the risk/reward of those plays are acceptable. All young point guards have issues with turnovers and decisions. As much as Lin has been a star the past two weeks, it has also been a huge learning experience. He has never played sustained minutes against the caliber of athlete and player that he does in the NBA on a nightly basis.

With Stoudemire and Anthony out, the Knicks have also asked him to do an awful lot, throwing the fate of the team on his shoulders for an extended period. That sort of pressure will lead to turnovers. The Knicks simply asked him to do too much. A lot of that responsibility will be taken off of his shoulders with the return of Carmelo Anthony. I’ve read dozens of stories the past week analyzing what affect Melo’s return will have on the Knicks new synergy and this is the conclusion I’ve come to.

Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin should make each other better. Anthony will provide another threat defenses can’t cheat off of when Lin runs the pick and roll. He gives Lin another option on dishes off all that movement the high screen can provide. Similarly, Anthony will get the ball in rhythm and in better places to score than he did when the Knicks didn’t have a point guard.

The same way Anthony will lift the scoring pressure from Lin, Lin will lift the playmaking pressure off of Anthony. With Toney Douglas, Iman Shumpert and Mike Bibby trying to play point guard earlier this season, Carmel o Anthony had to take on the role of point forward. This changing role made him question his own habits, and decision making, something never good for a player.

Fans shouldn’t be worried about Anthony taking too many shots. Everyone wants him taking around 20 shots a game. He might be the best pure scorer in the NBA. Taking that away from him doesn’t help anyone, certainly not the Knicks. The key will be whether he can get those shots and looks in the midst of the offense and off of ball movement. If he can get those shots in the flow of the game, the Knicks might be the toughest team to guard in the league.

I don’t have any doubt Carmelo will try to do just that. He showed more of a willingness to pass this season, and he was one of Jeremy Lin’s biggest supporters. He wants to fit in and that’s a great sign for the Knicks. If JR Smith comes to town, it will only make the Knicks offense that much more dynamic. People shouldn’t fear the future, they should look forward to it. Lin and Anthony together should work, and help both guys mask their deficiencies. They complement each other well and will make the Knicks a very dangerous playoff team.

You can follow me on twitter for everything on the Knicks and Giants at: https://twitter.com/#!/Schmeelk.

According to the New York Daily News, the Knicks are close to signing free agent shooting guard J.R. Smith.

Smith, a first-round draft pick in 2004, would likely receive the team’s $2.5 million cap exception, the Daily News reported.

The Knicks would need to free up a roster spot if they sign Smith.

Unbelievably, the Daily News said Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin “would have been the most likely candidate” to be released had he not been given a chance to ignite the team nearly two weeks ago.

Over seven seasons, Smith has averaged 12.5 points per game on 42.8 percent shooting. The 26-year-old recently returned from China, where he had been playing without an NBA opt-out clause since the lockout.

The Knicks have won seven games in a row behind Lin since Feb. 4.

Do you think Smith would be a good pick up for the Knicks? Sound off below…

WWE announced late Wednesday on its website that WrestleMania 29 has been scheduled for April 7 of next year.

Gov. Chris Christie held a news conference Thursday, along with the owners of the New York Giants and Jets, the NFL teams that co-own the stadium, at the two-year-old stadium to announce the details.

1010 WINS’ John Montone reports

Vince McMahon and wrestlers Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Cena, Triple H, and Sheamus were also in attendance.

“Fans will converge from every state in the union, so many many countries all around the world, to witness thesplendor and grandeur and the majesty of WrestleMania,” WWE’s Vince McMahon said Thursday.

Champion John Cena told WCBS 880 reporter Paul Murnane that wrestling is a mother of invention.

“We pretty much coined sports entertainment before there was sports entertainment. And if you look at how sports presents itself, a lot of relationships between good and bad, some of the players and their attitudes, it runs very parallel with the WWE,” Cena said.

“You’re gonna have fans from all across the country and from around the world who are going to come, generating tens of millions of dollars,” said Christie.

The Rock shrugged off any unflattering comparison to other big events.

“There is nothing like this type of platform that instantly gives me that connection with the audience. So, whether you like the WWE or you don’t, whether you love or you don’t, that’s okay,” he told Murnane.

WrestleMania XXVIII will be held in Miami on April. The event, which has a week’s worth of activities, generally fills stadiums. Last year’s event in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta drew a crowd of 71,617 and generated millions in revenue for the region.

The traditional WrestleMania Week activities, including WrestleMania Axxess, the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and Monday Night Raw will take place across the New York/New Jersey area in the days leading up to the show.

WCBS 880′s Paul Murnane At The Meadowlands

Since making the full-time shift to holding the spectacle in football stadiums in 2007, the production has rivaled the Super Bowl. WrestleMania drew 72,219 fans at University of Phoenix Stadium in 2010; 72,744 to Houston’s Reliant Stadium in 2009; 74,635 to the Citrus Bowl in 2008 and 80,103 to Ford Field in 2007.

Are you excited? Let us know below…

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Next target: Orlando?

If the NBA gets its way, Knicks guard Jeremy Lin would be an active participant in next weekend’s All-Star festivities, the New York Daily News reported Thursday.

According to the Daily News, Lin would be added to the Haier Shooting Stars competition on Feb. 25.

Each trio in the shootout includes one current NBA star, one current WNBA player and one on-air talent and legend from TNT.

Also on Thursday, the NBA announced their All-Star slam dunk roster, which will include the Knicks’ Iman Shumpert. According to ESPN.com, Lin will be “assisting” Shumpert in the competition.

Lin, who has come out of nowhere to take the Tri-State area by storm, wasn’t selected to participate in the Rising Stars exhibition between the league’s top rookies and sophomores.

Do you think Lin deserves to participate in more than Haier Shooting Stars? Sound off below…

It has been a roller coaster ride for the Islanders since the All-Star break.

They have come up with big overtime wins over Ottawa and Los Angeles to help them chip away at their deficit in the Eastern conference playoff race.  They have had heartbreaking losses at home to Buffalo and Florida.  And just when you think it’s time to shut it down for the season and give up the playoff dreams, they win a game like last week in Philadelphia and Tuesday night in Winnipeg.

I know I was ready to close up shop for the season if they lost in Winnipeg, but once again they showed some heart and pulled out a victory. Before Toronto’s win last night in Edmonton, the Isles were six points out for the first time in two months (they do have two games in hand on the Maple Leafs entering tonight). It’s quite a feat for them considering how miserable they were during their annual swoon from mid October to late November.

What led the charge back into contention?

John Tavares

JT has had a breakout season for the Isles as we’ve talked about plenty this year here.  Leading the Isles to a 7-5-1 record in January helped earn JT the NHL’s first star of the month and give the team its first winning month of the season.  He was so hot in January that he eventually had to hit a slump, and he has here in February, but even without filling the score sheet, you can see his presence on the ice.

Evgeni Nabokov

A lot of the talk early in the season was who would take control of the revolving door of Islander goaltenders between Nabokov, Al Montoya, and Rick DiPietro.  Thankfully for the Islanders, Evgeni Nabokov has taken the ball and run with it since the calendar turned to 2012.  Nabby has been a rock with an 8-3 record in his last 11 starts with a 1.56 GAA and has kept the Isles in every game.  Nabokov has really done an outstanding job since camp.  He never complained about playing time early in the season and has now set himself up for a nice contract this offseason.  Will it be with the Islanders? Probably not.  The better question is will he be here after the trade deadline on February 27^th.  The next week and a half will tell that story.

PA Parenteau

Raise your hand if you thought back in October that in the 2^nd week of February PA Parenteau would be in the NHL’s top 20 scorers and would be top five in the NHL in assists.

If you raised your hand you are lying. What a season from PA.  Most thought once he left Tavares and Moulson on the first line his production would drop, but he has been just as good, if not better.  For a team so starved for production outside of its top line, Parenteau has given the 2^nd line life.  He was the best player on the ice in Winnipeg Tuesday night where he scored the game winning goal.  Also a free agent at season’s end, PA is picking the right time to step up his game.

The Eastern Conference

Let’s face it, it’s not just the fact that the Islanders have played better since January 1^st, it helps that the teams they are chasing have been bad.  The teams near them such as Buffalo, Montreal, and Tampa have been brutal and can’t get anything going.  The Islanders have now caught up to or passed these clubs.  The teams ahead of the Isles have been just as bad.  Ottawa had a long losing streak, Washington can never get going, and now Toronto has hit a slump.

The past few years it has taken between 88 and 93 points to grab the 8^th seed in the east.  If these teams continue to slump, the Isles may be able to sneak in, but it would still take a huge run.  The schedule is brutal over the final six weeks and points will be at a premium.  A three-game skid at any time would cripple them.  It’s possible, but at this moment, still a little unrealistic.

They may not make it, but it is nice having games that matter in mid February for a change.

A flurry of items have made their way to eBay since “Linsanity” began on Feb. 4. Well, a new item is about to hit the online auction block.

And it could be the biggest gainer yet.

29-year-old Yair Rozmaryn purchased a Lin rookie card for $1,000 last Monday. On Thursday night, the upper West Side resident plans to make it available on eBay.

“Well first of all, I’m a lunatic,” Rozmaryn told WFAN’s Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton on Thursday. “I figured hey, if this kid could take off there’s a real big market for him. So why not take the chance?”

LISTEN: Rozmaryn with Boomer & Carton

Minimum bid: $12,000, according to the New York Daily News.

“Aw, that’s crazy,” Lin later told Boomer & Carton. “If that’s the case I need to get myself a card and sell it on eBay too.”

EXTRA: Lin’s entire interview with Boomer & Carton

The card is numbered 17 in a set of 25. No. 17, of course, is Lin’s jersey number with the Knicks.

Rozmaryn said the card has been autographed by Lin and also contains a piece of the star’s jersey.

He told the Daily News that he hopes to fetch $75,000 for the collectible. His figure was a more modest $25,000 to $50,000 when asked by Boomer & Carton.

Perhaps Lin said it best: “I’m gonna have to see it before I believe that!”

Hey, it’s a “Linvestment.”

Rozmaryn wants the phenom on hand when completes the transaction.

“I want it to happen at Madison Square Garden,” he said, “with hopefully Jeremy Lin present.”

How much cash would you shell out for the card? Sound off below!

Retailers were caught off guard by the sudden, shocking performance by Lin, who as recently as February 3 was still relatively unknown in the NBA after being given up by Golden State and Houston.

But now, the whole world has been caught up in “Linsanity.”

LISTEN: Jeremy Lin with Boomer & Carton

Even Lin is caught by surprise by his sudden celebrity, telling WFAN’s Boomer & Carton “It’s unbelievable. I don’t really have words right now to explain it.”

The sensation has spawned countless Lin-isms: “Lincredible.” “Lin your face!” “Va-LIN-tine’s Day.”

We noticed all the folks at his games wearing Lin masks and got to wondering: Is he the new sports heartthrob?

Tell us below what it is you like – or don’t like – about his look and sex appeal. Take our poll, and sound off in our comments section. Tune in later to see if we use your comment on air!

AARON CRAFT, OHIO STATE

THE SKINNY: There couldn’t be a list of “glue guys” without Craft.

Tough as nails and a nuisance on the ball defensively, Craft can single handedly dominate a game without having an impact on the offensive end of the floor. This Ohio native is a like a defensive back playing point guard — he’s that fierce a competitor.

JORGE GUTIERREZ, CAL

THE SKINNY: Bumps, bruises, Gutierrez has it all. While many athletes talk about sacrificing their bodies, this guy does it on a nightly basis. Unselfish and a legitimate scorer, the senior guard from the Chihuahua, Mexico has a real chance to go down as the toughest player to ever play for the Bears.

WILL YEGUETE, FLORIDA

THE SKINNY: The warrior of warriors, Yeguete has been the perfect bridge between Florida’s talented perimeter and starting center Patric Young. A tenacious rebounder and stalwart defender, Yeguete often impacts a game with the biggest weapon he has — his heart.

SCOTT MARTIN, NOTRE DAME

THE SKINNY: Perhaps no one on this list has had to undertake more responsibility this season than Martin. After Tim Abromaitis was lost for Notre Dame early in the year with a torn ACL, Martin went from ancillary piece to veteran focal point — and he’s absolutely floruished. A terrific passer and help defender, the lefty forward has led  the Irish to the place that always seem to wind up in mid February — on the brink of the NCAA Tournament.

ANTHONY MARSHALL, UNLV

THE SKINNY: He’s not the first guy people put in bold print when they discuss the Runnin Rebels but Marshall is a major key to UNLV’s success. A terrific perimeter defender, Marshall has added a completeness to his game that didn’t exist a season ago as he’s averaging close to five assists, five rebounds, and two steals per game.

BRANDON TRICHE, SYRACUSE

THE SKINNY: Jim Boeheim described Triche recently as someone who “just always waits his turn” and sums up the junior combo guard in a nutshell. With a smooth pace to his game and an even smoother calmness about himself, Triche always seems to be at the core of big plays for the Orange on both sides of the floor. It’s no surprise why this Syracuse native has done what most don’t accomplish under Boeheim — owning a place in the Orange starting lineup for three consecutive seasons.

KYLE KURIC, LOUISVILLE

THE SKINNY: Rick Pitino has put Kuric in virtually every possible position on the floor during his career with the Cardinals and in each spot, the sharpshooter has responded with flying colors. When Louisville was undersized a year ago, Kuric played power forward and flourished as a stretch four man. This season, he’s back in his natural wing position and has responded with career best averages in rebounds and steals.

E.J. SINGLER, OREGON

THE SKINNY: It might be physically impossible for Singler to squeeze any more basketball ability out of his body. The 6-foot-6 junior has been a model of consistency for the Ducks at small forward over the past two seasons, contributing on the boards and being a capable ball mover. If the Ducks are to find a way to make a push down the stretch in the PAC-12, it will be because of Singler’s presence.

ANDRE WALKER, XAVIER

THE SKINNY: There are games where nothing Walker does shows up in a boxscore — and it doesn’t change one bit how important he is to his teammates. The fifth-year transfer from Vanderbilt has brought a plethora of experience to Xavier, whose benefited from Walker’s post defense and high post passing. If Chris Mack’s team is good enough to reach the field of 68, Walker will be a major asset.

JAQUON PARKER, CINCINNATI

THE SKINNY: The moment the Bearcats turned their season around was the instant Mick Cronin put Parker in the team’s starting lineup. A pesky defender and terrific rebounder for his size, the 6-foot-3 junior has been the key to Cincinnati’s four guard attack and has balanced the floor with his accurate 3-point shooting.

WCBS 880′s Paul Murnane On The Story

On reports of an 87 percent rise in MSG ratings, maybe it’s not a surprise to hear that MSG Network and Time Warner Cable have held their first meeting on their standoff since December.

The head of MSG media tells WFAN’s Mike Francesa that “now is the time to do a deal.”

Will Flaherty at seatgeek.com says ticket prices are rising to an average of $250 for Friday’s game and $300 for Sunday. CNBC’s Darren Rovell said on Twitter that Sunday’s price is up to $704.09.

“I think the best thing to do, really would just to be, quite really to look for some games… against Atlanta and against the Nets,” Flaherty told WCBS 880 reporter Paul Murnane.

At the Village Pourhouse, $10 gets you what the New York Pork post describes as Lintoxicated Bombs – shots of Japanese shoku liquor and Chinese beer.

With the sun beaming on baseball again, the slumber of last season replaced by new players on new teams jogging leisurely to the tune of whispering palm trees and sunsets over western cacti, hope springs it annual leak for most MLB clubs.

Except in Queens, where the sun rarely rises. And thus it’s time to feed Fred Wilpon’s gorilla, nearly the size of King Kong, squatting in his living room.

A recent report in The New York Times introduces a new actor in the Mets’ drama, starring the Wilpon/Madoff/Picard triumvirate.

It seems that Sterling Equities wasn’t, well, so sterling over the last decade, at least. And while Mets ownership demands its innocence, it also declares amnesia over dealing with a woman named Noreen Harrington, who looked at Bernard Madoff’s profits back in 2003 and didn’t like what she saw. She could be the cog that derails any notion that the New York Metropolitans were unaware of foul play with the appalling, imprisoned Ponzi king.

According to the article, Ms. Harrington – a Goldman Sachs executive who ran a hedge fund owned in part by Mets ownership – confronted Saul Katz, Wilpon’s partner and co-owner of the Mets, about the numbers sprouting from Madoff’s spread sheets. Putting it bluntly, she essentially said there’s no way anyone could make that kind of profit all the time. And according to Harrington, Katz became indignant over her assertions, lecturing her rather than investigating Madoff, whom he told Harrington was a longtime and trustworthy friend.

How’s that going?

This was back in ‘03, which means for many years the Mets did business with Madoff after Harrington’s accusations. “Fiction” is the term she used to describe Madoff’s monetary gains.

And when she suggested to Katz that Madoff could be stealing in order to feed his profits, she said Katz got visibly angry. And when Harrington said she couldn’t continue in her current capacity if Madoff were a main source of income, Katz ignored her. So she quit.

She also asked to look at Madoff’s books independently but was “rebuffed with disdain” according to the article written by Richard Sandomir. “You don’t get it, do you?” Harrington said she was told by a big wig at the hedge fund who steered clients to Madoff. “This is a privilege. You don’t get to ask questions.”

How’s that going?

For folks who claim systemic innocence and transparency, the men who run the Mets have been awfully delicate and defensive over Madoff. If there’s nothing to hide, then why hide? It reminds me of a great line by Ricky Roma (played by Al Pacino), who once said, “Tell them the truth. It’s the easiest thing to remember.”

If Irving Picard, the attorney trying to recoup millions for Madoff’s victims, can find a few more Harringtons and, worse, even get Grandma on the stand to sing her sorrows about being gutted by Madoff’s greed, being forced to sell her dream house to move into a one-bedroom box of an apartment, eating canned goods instead of red snapper for dinner…well, let’s just say the suits at Sterling will be cracking open their checkbooks before the jurors are done deliberating. Defiant to the end, Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz have claimed they knew nothing of Madoff’s malfeasance, refusing to cut a deal, to settle out of court.

Unless Wilpon has an unseen ace up his sleeve, it will be tough to imagine him garnering any sympathy from a jury of much poorer peers who hear about private planes and nine-digit bank accounts while the regular folks forked over their pension plans into Madoff’s toxic, financial wasteland. Indeed, it doesn’t take a wizardly financial chef like Warren Buffet to smell the pungent books Madoff cooked.

In fairness, Ms. Harrington said she provided no physical proof to Katz that Madoff was stealing. (Though it’s hard to do when she’s denied access to his records.) But surely her cynicism didn’t appear in a vacuum, and we need to remember that the standard for proving guilt in a civil suit is far more relaxed than a criminal case. Picard only needs to provide a preponderance of evidence to prove Wilpon and Katz’s guilt. I’m not an attorney (nor do I play one on television) but it doesn’t take Vincent Bugliosi to know that dismissing the suspicions of Ms. Harrington – who has two decades of big-time finance under her belt with Goldman Sachs, Barclays Capital, and M.D. Sass – is probably poor form and could be quite costly.

Picard will no doubt remind the courtroom that Wilpon, Katz, and their entourage arrive in towns by limo and Learjet, some of which, Picard will argue, was fueled and financed by Madoff. And while being rich doesn’t mean you’re guilty, playing the have and have-not card could resonate with a jury.

And let’s not forget who pays Wilpon’s bills – you, the fan. So even if you’re inclined to forgive Fred for the Madoff transgressions, dismiss the charges and declare that he was duped like the rest of Madoff’s victims, you’ve got a terrible team waiting for you on Opening Day.

Beyond the posturing and poor publicity that comes with all things Ponzi, Sandy Alderson shaved – heck, purged and blasted– payroll by $50 million, the largest single-season fire sale in MLB history. Do you think it’s just a coincidence he did this on the heels of the lawsuit? You don’t think Sandy is doing this under direct orders from his bosses? It’s hard for an objective baseball man to argue that letting homegrown hero Jose Reyes walk was good business.

If the Yankees are the emblem of excess and avarice, Gordon Gekko gone wild, then the Mets are the dark side of that coin, lunging for the quick score without doing due diligence on the man upon whom they heaved a few hundred million quid.

Then they want you to spend thousands of your legally obtained bucks for courtside seats. And I’m quite sure the more prudent among you are watching ringside in civil court before you drop your dollars on a sub par baseball team.

No one questions Alderson’s bona fides as a baseball man. But if he, beyond cutting spending, is charged with selling you the idea that New York City is the natural province of a paltry payroll and small market team, then he can’t win. It’s an impossible sell, particularly juxtaposed with that juggernaut in the Bronx. With his comments this week, Alderson essentially raised the semantic white flag before the season has begun.

It says here that the Mets are in grave danger, springing leaks faster than they can plug them. Besides the chasmal gaps in their club, they’ve also scrambled for minority investors for cash flow purposes. But who would want to buy the entire franchise at proper market value, especially now that it doubles as a public piñata? And if the Metropolitans don’t draw at least 2 million fans – they drew just 2.3 million last year before Reyes, their most popular player and NL batting champion, moved to Miami – it may be time to nudge the Wilpons near the door, with or without their permission.

Bud Selig isn’t inclined to boot a friend from the owner’s box, but he got involved with the Dodgers on the basis of financial woes. Depending on how things go against Picard, the Mets might not give MLB much choice but to at least investigate the possibility of taking the team from Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz.

Fred Wilpon’s obstinacy could cost him more than money, extra commas in the checking column. Could it cost him the Mets?

Feel free to email me: Keidel.jason@gmail.com
www.twitter.com/JasonKeidel

Your thoughts on the Mets’ financial woes? Sound off below…

SI.com, citing anonymous league sources, reported Wednesday that Manning had a previously unknown procedure between his May surgery and the September surgery that ended his season.

The report says the same doctor who performed the fusion in California did not perform either of the previous two surgeries. It was believed Manning had undergone three neck procedures in a 19-month span that ended in September. According to the report, it was actually four.

The report also says Manning may have bone spurs in the neck and could require more surgery.

Meanwhile, Jets coach Rex Ryan avoided discussing the possibility of Manning suiting up for his team next season.

“I’ve paid enough fines this year,” Ryan said Wednesday, according to the New York Daily News.

NFL rules restrict coaches from commenting on the potential acquisition of players under contract elsewhere.

Ryan called current quarterback Mark Sanchez an “ascending” player.

“One thing about us: We dare,” said the boisterous coach. “We put it out there. I put it out there — that we want to be great.”

Jets fans, would you take a chance on Manning if he becomes available? Sound off below…

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

On Feb. 3, Lin was a relative unknown in the NBA. Already given up on by Golden State and Houston, the second-year guard was just another Ivy League basketball product buried on the bench. That night, he famously crashed on teammate Landry Fields’ sofa.

The following day Lin exploded for 25 points against the New Jersey Nets  — and “Linsanity” was born.

“It’s unbelievable,” Lin told WFAN’s Boomer & Carton on Thursday morning. “I don’t really have words right now to explain it.”

LISTEN: Jeremy Lin with Boomer & Carton

Lin has gained more than 315,000 followers on Twitter since taking the world — and the “Linternet” — by storm.

And — surprise! — it might all be because of Carmelo Anthony.

Lin insisted any notion that Anthony is “selfish” and unable to share the spotlight should be thrown out the window. In fact, it was Anthony who convinced coach Mike D’Antoni to insert Lin against the Nets.

“I’m just confused, because he’s the one who vouched for me in the first place,” said Lin. “We want to play together and we want to work together and we’re buying into that. You know, some people are calling Melo selfish and (saying) ‘He doesn’t buy into the team.’ I mean, that’s just tough for anyone to hear. Especially when we don’t think it’s true.”

The question is whether the Knicks will continue to have success with Anthony in the mix. D’Antoni said Wednesday that the superstar, out since Feb. 7 with a strained groin, could return as early as Friday.

Lin said there won’t be any issues sharing the court.

“I don’t want to come out here and shoot 20 shots a game,” he said. “But if that’s what the defense gives me, on those nights that’s what I’m gonna have to do.”

There’s no doubt that Lin, like Anthony, has serious star power.

Tribute videos are all over YouTube. One former classmate was trying to sell an “authentic” Lin-signed yearbook for $4,800 on eBay. The catch? It was from seventh grade. The auction has since been ended by the seller.

“To live it and to be a part of it and for it to become real is definitely beyond my wildest dreams,” said Lin.

The sensation has spawned countless Lin-isms: “Lincredible.” “Lin your face!” “Va-LIN-tine’s Day.” While we’re on the subject, Thursday’s appearance was his first radio “Linterview.”

Heck, even President Barack Obama is engrossed in “Linsanity.”

“There’s been times of doubt when there’s been a rough game or a rough stretch,” said Lin. “I knew I could play at this level, but I didn’t think it would happen like this, this fast.”

It’s no wonder some are hailing Lin as the new Tim Tebow. But his sudden success and unwavering Christian faith are just a small part of the story.

For starters, Lin has been proving his doubters wrong multiple times per week, not just on Sundays.

“I respect him a lot, I’m a fan of his,” Lin said. “I think our stories are very different. People see similarities because we talk about our faith or whatnot, but I think our stories are still very different.”

The peak of Lin-mania perhaps came Tuesday night in Toronto, when he drained a dramatic game-winning three pointer to stun the Raptors. And how about this stat: Lin scored 136 points in his first five starts. That’s not just good. It set a post-merger NBA record.

“It was crazy,” Lin said of Tuesday’s away game. “Half the crowd would go crazy when we scored, half the crowd would go crazy when they scored.”

On Wednesday, Lin led the Knicks to their seventh straight victory. He had only 10 points on six shots, but dished out a career-high 13 assists.

From sharp-shooter to floor general? That could prove to be the winning formula for New York.

“I look up to Melo,” said Lin. “He’s a leader on this team, he’s a captain. We need him out there and we’re excited to have him back. “

Consider the rest of the NBA on notice.

“There will be an adjustment process, but we’re committed and we’re gonna make this thing happen. We’re gonna find a way to become even more explosive offensively and I think that’s gonna be the exciting part.”

Are you “Linsane” for the Knicks sensation? Sound off below!

And no, he’s not worried about sharing the court with sensation Jeremy Lin.

“I can’t worry about what other people are saying about me,” Anthony told WFAN’s Mike Francesa on Wednesday. “At the end of the day, it’s just their opinions. But if I said I don’t hear it or it doesn’t bother me a little bit, I’d be lying to you.”

LISTEN: Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony talks Linsanity on WFAN

Anthony was brought in from Denver last February and led the Knicks to the playoffs, though the team struggled at times to come together.

It was more of the same to start 2011-12. The Knicks, then 9-15, were coming off a win over New Jersey when Anthony went down with a strained groin on Feb. 6.

Now the Knicks are back to .500, riding “Linsanity” to seven straight wins going back to Feb. 4. But what will happen when Anthony makes his return, perhaps as early as Friday?

“Come on, man,” Anthony told Francesa. “Come on. I’ve only been with two teams, but they said the same thing when (Allen Iverson) came to Denver. They said the same thing when Chauncey (Billups) came to Denver. They said the same thing when I came last year. It’s not going to never stop, so I take it for what it is.”

Anthony, who has also battled thumb, wrist and ankle ailments this year, said he won’t come back until he’s “100 percent.”

“I won’t do that to myself,” he said. “I already tried to go out there and tried to play injured. It didn’t work. We went on a losing streak and then I get all the whips on my back. I’m not doing that no more. I’m not trying to play Superman. I want to be 100 percent.”

Knicks fans got a glimpse of what Lin can do when he’s dishing Wednesday. He had 10 points on only six shots, but handed out a career-high 13 assists in New York’s 100-85 win over Sacramento.

That could be the winning formula for Anthony and Lin.

“Will I have to make adjustments? Yeah,” said Anthony. “I’ll figure it out. I’m a very smart basketball player, I want to go out and play ball.”

Do you think the Knicks will be even better with Lin and Anthony teamed up? Sound off below…

(Don’t laugh too hard at that last one. The odds are getting better, according to one online sports book.)

Nothing seems too Lin-possible now after Jeremy Lin’s incredible first week as an NBA starter, and the story keeps getting better.

The undrafted player from Harvard made a 3-pointer with five-tenths of a second left Tuesday night to give the Knicks a 90-87 victory at Toronto.

Lin and the Knicks returned home Wednesday night and ran their winning streak to seven games with a 100-85 victory against Sacramento that got them back to .500 after an 8-15 start.

Lin joined the rotation only then, so hold off on making him a Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal or LeBron James just yet. But the Knicks have seen enough to believe this ride may last a while.

“I don’t know when there’s an ending, maybe there won’t,” coach Mike D’Antoni said.

Lin, the reigning Eastern Conference player of the week, took only six shots Wednesday. Fans at Madison Square Garden, quite a few wearing Lin’s jerseys or holding masks of his face, loved it anyway. They chanted “MVP! MVP!” as he was interviewed on the court after the game and held up signs such as “Lin Your Face,” ”Linderella,” and — of course — “Marry Me Jeremy.”

“It’s crazy. Thank you for the energy as always,” he said to the crowd.

LISTEN: Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony talks Linsanity on WFAN

Lin’s story has blown straight past the New York sports pages and all their cute headlines such as “Va-Lin-tine’s Day,” all the way to a basketball-crazed continent on the other side of the world, where he’s been “kind of like the great Asian hope,” said Orin Starn, professor and chair of Cultural Anthropology at Duke.

Lin has done wonders for shares of Madison Square Garden Inc., the company that owns the Knicks, the Garden and the namesake sports network. The stock has surged 9 percent since Lin began his heroics Feb. 4, reaching an all-time high of $33.18 earlier this week before retreating slightly to close at $31.91 Wednesday.

“Rangers and Knicks fans do tend to buy the stock when the teams are doing well,” Miller Tabak analyst David Joyce said.

And Linsanity has reached America’s most powerful basketball fan, with President Barack Obama talking about Lin’s winner Wednesday.

White House spokesman Jay Carney called Lin “just a great story, and the president was saying as much this morning.”

Lin arrived in New York in December with no guarantee he’d last more than a few weeks. Already cut by Golden State and Houston this season, he was so hesitant to get comfortable in his new home that he refused to even get his own.

Instead, he slept at his brother’s place in the city, and had crashed on teammate Landry Fields’ couch the night before his breakout game against New Jersey on Feb. 4.

Even an Ivy League education couldn’t help Lin explain what’s happened since — the most points in any player’s first five games as a starter since the NBA merged with the ABA in 1976, and a contract that’s guaranteed for the rest of the season.

“No, but I believe in an all-powerful and all-knowing God who does miracles,” Lin said.

If that sounds familiar, yes, Lin has been frequently compared to Denver quarterback Tim Tebow. Both relied on their faith as much as their previously overlooked skills to guide them through hot streaks that made them sensations even beyond their sports.

Tebow carried the Broncos right into the playoffs, and now there are some who believe Lin can do the same with the Knicks.

The Knicks were 40-1 odds to win the NBA championship on Bovada.lv before Lin’s run began. Now, they’re down to an 18-1 shot and conjuring up memories of another New York team.

“A guy like this is great for the game and has drawn a lot of interest from bettors on the Knicks games also,” Kevin Bradley, the sports book’s manager, said in a statement. “I am having visions of how the public was treating the Giants going into the Super Bowl being the hottest team in the NFL and costing us a mint, and right now the Knicks are by far the biggest loser for the book.”

Not everybody is convinced. Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. played down Lin mania on Twitter, saying that Lin is just doing what plenty of black players do but is getting more attention because of his Asian heritage.

And Lin is certain to cool off. It’s one thing to beat teams such as the Nets and Wizards when they’ve barely had time to learn your name. It’s another when NBA defenses are prepared to stop you.

“He’s a marked man now, he’s not going to sneak up on anybody, and every night’s going to be tough,” D’Antoni said.

Then again, Kobe Bryant had said he wasn’t familiar with Lin’s game and would have to study up on him. The next night, Lin burned the Lakers for a career-high 38 points in a nationally televised victory.

That was a huge moment in Taiwan, which Lin’s parents left in the 1970s. Asia lost its biggest basketball star when Yao Ming retired last summer, but ratings are up in China, and TV stations around the continent have rushed to add Knicks games to their broadcasts.

“I like Jeremy Lin (more than Yao Ming) because Yao Ming was already famous (when he started playing in NBA). For Lin, it’s like nobody had heard of him before. Kobe gave an interview saying he did not know who Lin was. So this is truly a rising star,” Taiwanese university student Zhang Gan-yu said.

Lin has been gaining followers on social media and had the NBA’s top-selling jersey online in the first week it was available. With Knicks games blacked out to many New Yorkers because of a local cable dispute, the Knicks held their first viewing party in Chinatown on Wednesday night.

Their hero had a relatively quiet game, scoring only 10 points with a career-high 13 assists in the win.

Lin is the NBA’s first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent. Starn called his emergence sort of a “coming-out party for Asian-Americans,” who he said haven’t had a significant presence in entertainment despite their growing population. And certainly not on the basketball court.

“I think it is appealing to a lot of Americans when somebody comes along that seems to break out of this set of stereotypes — and in this case, an Asian-American from the heart of the Silicon Valley,” Starn said. “I think Jeremy Lin has this special kind of attraction because he seems to capture this visibility of Asian-Americans.”

But Lin will have to have lasting success to be just a short-term phenomenon, even to Asians. Yao was beloved because he proved to be an All-Star. Yi Jianlian, drafted in 2007 and now with his fourth NBA team, has seen his popularity wane because he is a journeyman.

Not to worry, D’Antoni says. Lin’s the real thing.

“He’s going to be a good player,” D’Antoni said.

Do you think “Linsanity” will last? Sound off below!

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Why wait until next year?  It’s not too late this year.  Jeremy Lin should be an All-Star.  Now.  Certainly, somehow, David Stern can get this done.  Any player drops out of the East squad, put Lin in.  If no player drops out, add him to the roster.  While the NBA All-Star Game, like virtually every other All-Star game, is now a meaningless exhibition, what is the NBA All-Star Game this year without Jeremy Lin?  Even a more meaningless exhibition game, if that’s possible.

You can do this, David Stern.  And your TV ratings will go through the roof.

WHAT’S THE MOST TELLING PLAY THAT LIN HAS MADE TO DATE?

You might think that it’s hitting a three near the buzzer to beat Toronto.  You might think it’s dropping 38 on the Lakers.  You might think that it’s any one of a number of lobs or no-look passes leading to easy dunks for non-offensive players.

But it’s none of those plays.  The play that showed you that Jeremy Lin is an NBA player happened during the Laker game.  Obviously, part of the Laker game plan against Lin was to beat him up, to try and physically wear him down and/or intimidate him.  Nobody thought Derek Fisher could guard Lin (and he couldn’t).  But there was one play that, in this writer’s opinion, showed that Lin is here to stay.  A shot is taken and the ball goes the other way.  Only Jeremy Lin and Kobe Bryant remain under the basket.  Kobe, away from the ball, gives Jeremy Lin a shove.  And Jeremy Lin, here to stay, shoves Kobe back.

A little thing?  Not at all, if you understand what the Lakers were trying to do.  What they did do was tire Lin out for the next night, where he was woeful against Minnesota in the second half but still managed to hit the winning foul shot with 4.9 seconds left.

IS IT REALLY A LEGITIMATE QUESTION THAT THIS KID IS A FLASH IN THE PAN?

Not a chance.  A point guard with a brain.  What a concept.  And I don’t mean just a Harvard brain (although that doesn’t hurt).  I mean a basketball brain that is off the charts.  Jeremy Lin can play the pick and roll with any big man in the NBA.  And, even if his shooting doesn’t stay at the high level it has been at, that excellent decision-making ability will keep him in the league for years as a playmaker.

Is he legit?  Of course.  Is he a flash in the pan?  Not a chance.  You can’t teach the decision-making ability that this kid has.  You can’t teach the feel for the game that this kid has.  Nor can you teach the toughness that this kid has.  Nor the quickness.  How do you explain it?  Well, he didn’t learn his toughness in the Ivy League.  He must have learned this in schoolyards or playgrounds when he was a younger player (hopefully an intelligent interviewer will ask him that question).

HOW WAS JEREMY LIN (ALMOST?) OVERLOOKED?

The almost with a question mark is because he was overlooked.  Until now.  Here’s a kid, successful at every level, clearly with NBA quickness in college (admittedly at Harvard), who really never got a fair shot.

Sure he was on the Mavericks summer team in 2009 (where he torched John Wall; Google that video).  Sure he signed a contract with Golden State but never really got a fair chance.  Sure he was signed and released by the Rockets, where he also never really got a fair look.

And he was about to be cut by the Knicks (no matter what you hear).  Here’s what Jeremy Lin had to have happen in order to get a fair chance:  Toney Douglas had to prove he couldn’t be a starting point guard in Mike D’Antoni’s system.  Mike Bibby had to prove he couldn’t be a starting point guard in Mike D’Antoni’s system.  Iman Shumpert had to prove he couldn’t be a starting point guard in Mike D’Antoni’s system.  And the guy formerly known as the saviour, Baron Davis, had to be hurt the whole season and then get hurt again as he was close to playing.

Oh, and it didn’t hurt that shooting stars Carmelo and Amar’e were, essentially, out for this whole miracle.

Was there some stereotyping involved?  Probably.  Racism?  A tougher question.  But certainly, at a minimum, no matter what you hear, an Asian kid who walks onto a basketball court at a high level game certainly gets some strange looks if not outright disdain.

But Jeremy Lin has turned even this into a positive.  A confident kid like him (one who knows he can play and is quicker than virtually everyone) is actually at an advantage when the guy who is guarding him figures he can’t be that good just because he’s Asian-American.  Or because he played at Harvard.  By the time the defender understands how good Lin is, the game is half-over, if not totally over.

FORCE HIM LEFT?

Well, you’ve already heard the new theory.  Teams that are “scouting” Lin decide to make him go left because he is quick and deadly to his right.

Be serious!  Every right-handed point guard on the planet is made to go left.  But the amazing ones, including Jeremy Lin, can go left (and do some damage) and, at times, start left and go back right.  Look at the John Wall summer game video; the first two moves against Wall are to Lin’s left.  Look at the amazing spin move against Derek Fisher; the initial move is to the right but the spin is actually to the left.  What about that thunderous dunk?  The first move is to his left followed by the crossover to his right hand for an amazing dunk.

SO, DID JEREMY LIN REALLY COME FROM NOWHERE?

Well, it’s interesting to hear virtually every coach Lin had say that he could play in the NBA.  So, again, why did he almost not make it?  Kobe, after Lin scored 38 against the Lakers, had a great comment:  “Players don’t usually come out of nowhere.  If you can go back and take a look, his skill level was probably there from the beginning, but no one ever noticed.”

Interesting, no?  Given the fact that he was on three NBA teams (and played summer ball for a fourth), somebody noticed, but not to the point of giving him a real chance.  Now that he (finally) got one, he lit the world on fire.

Are there other Jeremy Lins in the past who never quite got the chance and drifted into oblivion?  I think the answer to that is yes, even though I can’t name them (for obvious reasons).  Do I think that the next Asian-American kid who can really play will get a better look and a chance sooner than Jeremy Lin?  Absolutely.  But players like this don’t grow on trees.

And to think that Jeremy Lin was just days away from, maybe, slipping into that oblivion.  Makes you wonder about those that came before.  Having said that, maybe all teams will take a look at the last players on their roster and give them a better chance than they were given in years past.

I don’t know if there is another Jeremy Lin out there, but I think he has given many longshots a better chance to succeed (at many levels) than they had just two weeks ago.

Truly amazing.

By the way, this doesn’t mean that the D’Antoni “system,” so beneficial to intelligent, quick point guards like Jeremy Lin (and Steve Nash), can win an NBA Championship.  But with Lin, a defensive presence like Tyson Chandler, and scorers like Carmelo and Amar’e, in a very weak (outside of the Heat) Eastern Conference, the Knicks can certainly make a playoff run in this strange, shortened NBA season.

A FEW KNICK NOTES:  It’s going to be hard for Steve Novak to get the open looks that he’s been getting once the Knicks start playing tough, meaningful games (and, of course, he won’t take as many shots with the return of Carmelo and Amar’e).  That’s not really a function of just Jeremy Lin.  Once the opposing defense understands that it’s got to stay home with Novak, it’s going to be extremely hard for him to get the open looks he has gotten the last few games.

It says here that Toney Douglas should get the Mike Bibby minutes.  Anybody who watched Bibby play poorly for Miami last year understands that he really couldn’t be a key cog in the Knick offense.  While he was the leading % three-point shooter the day he showed up in Miami, he played poorly for them.  He’s continued to play (and shoot) poorly for the Knicks.  Douglas, at least, can defend and, with a little confidence, could be a helpful addition to the rotation.

Going forward, if Jeremy Lin continues to shoot the way he has (which, I think, is the biggest surprise of all in his game), he’s the first option for a final shot.  But, when the Knicks run four low (as they did against Toronto), Lin makes the initial move and, if anybody else comes to him on the double team (which, obviously, didn’t happen against Toronto), Lin’s open teammate will get the ball.  The second option on four low (of course, that means Lin at the top of the key creating with the ball and the other four guys along the baseline) is to have someone pick for Carmelo and he gets the ball from Lin.  Carmelo will be able to live with that, I’m sure (or, at least, hopeful).

Make Jeremy Lin an All-Star? What do you think?

The winning basketball continues!

Knicks fans never tire of the victories.

And apparently nobody ever tires of Lin Mania!

It really is the year of the Lin.

Even the president is keeping track of “Linsanity.”

But is Kim Kardashian watching?

LISTEN: Somers’ Monologue: The Knicks’ Linning Continues! How About That!

First we heard about the romantic Valentine’s Day CC spent with his wife at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, before Boomer expressed concern for the ‘hefty-lefty’s’ health.  CC assured the guys that he is feeling good & healthy, saying the weight is good, the arm feels good and he should be ready to go.

Sabathia is tipping the scales at 290lbs. and says he plans to maintain that weight throughout the season.  He also blamed a lack in focus, not his weight,  for his late season struggles last year.

He addressed the AJ Burnett trade-rumors, seemed excited about the addition of Micheal Pineda and like the rest of New York, CC has gotten wrapped-up in the ‘LINsanity’.

We learned that Sabathia never gave any serious thought to opting out of his contract with the Yankees, going on to say how much he & his family love living in the tri-state area and how much he loves pitching for the Yankees.

Sabathia was also on-hand to promote ‘MLB 12: The Show’  for PlayStation 3 & PlayStation Vita – a baseball video game that really doesn’t need much promotion because it is clearly the best game of it’s kind on the market.

Last but not least, although not something he does regularly, CC was pretty confident he could bench-press 275-280lbs…

LISTEN: CC Sabathia Is Feeling Good & He Too Has, ‘LINsanity’ (02/16)

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Craig believes what we saw last night is a sign of things to come, specifically when Carmelo Anthony makes his highly anticipated return in the next couple of days.  To Boomer’s delight Craig went on to say that between the Knicks and the Booms’ Rangers, the Big Apple is in for great times ahead.

Boomer mentioned Lin’s fearlessness and marveled that just one man is primarily responsible for the Knicks mind-boggling turnaround.  With the win – their 7th in-a-row – the Knickerbockers improved to 15-15.

Lin’s enormous success, combined with the Knicks winning ways as of late (assuming they continue) has Craig touting the Knicks starting point guard as the MVP of the entire league!!!  As for Boomer, he is a big Lin supporter and is definitely  buying into the ‘Linsanity’ but believes his radio partner was be getting a little bit ahead of himself  and he told him so – calling him a bandwagon jumper.

So it was yet another somewhat cantankerous Show Open, as the Dynamic Radio Duo break down the latest development in the on-going fairy-tale  that is the life of one Jeremy Lin…

LISTEN: Jeremy Lin & The Knicks in 7th Heaven – Can You Say MVP??? (02/16)

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LISTEN: Moment of the Day (02/16)

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Below you can listen to and download all of the memorable audio from today’s (02/16) edition of the Boomer & Carton Morning Extravaganza in one nice little package for your convenience…Until tomorrow morning, stay classy New York

LISTEN: Thursday’s Podcast (02/16)

Right Click Here To Download

As for Mike D’Antoni, he is thrilled with the increase in Lin’s assist production and the point guard’s court vision.  Amar’e Stoudemire & Landry Fields have both benefited from Lin’s aforementioned court-vision and they couldn’t help but take notice of the charged atmosphere these days at the Garden.  Craig also offered a bit of advice to Lin, telling him to just be himself.

The win got the Knicks back to the .500 mark with a record of 15-15 and the New Orleans Hornets up next this Friday at MSG.  The Knicks hope to have Carmelo Anthony back in the line-up by then and the ‘Melo-Man’ joined Mike Francesa yesterday and admitted to being a bit bothered by the naysayers who are questioning whether or not he an Lin can co-exist.

Plus, the Nets were beaten by the Grizzles 105-100 but that didn’t stop Avery Johnson from putting on a positive spin, as for Nets point guard Deron Williams, he apparently care much for all of the ‘Linsanity’.  Nets are in Indiana tonight, the Rangers are home for the Blackhawks and the Islanders will skate in the St. Louis…

LISTEN: The ‘Lindarella’ Story Continues & Carmelo Can’t Wait To Be Part Of It (02/16)

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“We were just having fun and kind of talking about how we’re both excited for when he comes back,” Lin said.

Hey `Melo, no need to rush. Lin and the Knicks just keep on winning.

Lin put aside his record-setting scoring to hand out a career-best 13 assists, and New York got back to .500 with its seventh straight victory, 100-85 over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.

WCBS 880′s Peter Haskell Catches Up With Excited Fans

Lin added 10 points, focusing more on his role as a distributor while others torched the Kings for 51 percent shooting. Landry Fields had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Bill Walker and Steve Novak each chipped in 14 points as the Knicks put seven players in double figures for the first time since April 5, 2009, at Toronto.

“As a point guard, my field goal attempts have been really high and I don’t think that’s necessarily good,” Lin said. “I think it’s more of my job to distribute and get people in rhythm.”

Lin scored 136 points in his first five starts, most by any NBA player since the NBA merged with the ABA in 1976. His 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left Tuesday allowed the Knicks to pull out a 90-87 victory in a game they trailed nearly the whole way.

The Knicks (15-15) led this one almost throughout, evening their record for the first time since they were 6-6 after a loss to Oklahoma City on Jan. 14. They host hapless New Orleans on Friday, hoping Anthony will return from a strained right groin.

Lin, the reigning Eastern Conference player of the week, played 26 minutes before checking out for good late in the third quarter.

“We wanted to be aggressive, make it hard for (Lin), but he still ran the team and got assists,” Sacramento’s Tyreke Evans said. “They made shots. It seemed like they were making everything tonight.”

Evans scored 19 points for the Kings, who had won four in a row in New York. DeMarcus Cousins added 15 but shot only 7 of 18 and grabbed just four rebounds.

Already the NBA’s biggest story, Linsanity had peaked about 24 hours earlier with the former Harvard guard’s winner in Toronto. The shot was replayed on the overhead video board at the Garden, triggering a huge ovation as if it had just happened live.

But Lin would have few other scoring highlights, taking only six shots.

Fans, quite a few wearing Lin’s jerseys or holding masks of his face, loved it anyway. They chanted “MVP! MVP!” as he was interviewed on the court after the game and held up signs such as “Lin Your Face,” “Linderella,” and — of course — “Marry Me Jeremy.”

“It’s crazy. Thank you for the energy as always,” he said to the crowd.

Then he was peppered with an array of questions usually reserved for superstars, from his thoughts about President Barack Obama watching him, to whether it was time to get a new haircut.

But for Lin, the only focus is basketball.

“I knew him before he was Linmania. He’s still the same humble guy,” Kings coach Keith Smart said. “The guy has not changed a bit, which is real special for a young man.”

Lin played last season in Golden State for Smart, who praised Lin’s work ethic and attitude, but never imagined “the perfect storm” that would lead to these results.

“It’s good Monday morning quarterbacks are here now, but no one could have predicted this guy being this big in this place here,” Smart said before the game.

Lin opened the game with a three-point play, giving him nine straight points dating to late Tuesday, but passed more than shot as the Knicks scored easily in the first half. Lin beat the defense with penetration and dishes to shooters, or by throwing lob passes over the top.

The Knicks led 25-17 after one quarter, then blew it open late in the second. Novak converted a four-point play, Lin hooked up with Fields for an alley-oop dunk, then made a free throw to cap a run of seven straight points and make it an 18-point game. The Knicks closed the scoring when Lin drove and threw a wraparound pass to Tyson Chandler for a dunk with 1.7 seconds left, extending it to 54-36.

“I just thought we played really exceptionally well the first quarter,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Just the ball was moving, every time we drew up a play they ran it perfectly. Every time I think there was an opportunity to make a great pass, they did it.”

Lin had six points and nine assists in the first half. He found Fields for a layup that made it a 25-point game early in the third, and the Knicks coasted from there.

Notes: Kings rookie guard Isaiah Thomas was booed when his name was announced after checking in late in the first quarter. The names are pronounced the same, but he’s not related to former Knicks coach and president Isiah Thomas. “I knew it was going to happen here,” Thomas said. “I was expecting something. Spike Lee told me next time you come to New York, you better change your name.” … The Knicks last won seven in a row near the end of last season. … Former vice president Al Gore and ex-heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson were at the game.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

It’s defense first, and offense by committee. Rudy Gay leads the way most of the time but anyone can step up in the clutch. Tony Allen and Marresse Speights did it against the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night.

Gay scored 25 points, Tony Allen matched his season high with 21 and Speights had a season-best 20 points and a career-high 18 rebounds in a 105-100 victory that sent the Nets to a season-high seventh straight loss.

“At the end of the day it’s about the Grizzlies getting a W, whether it’s pretty or ugly,” said Allen, who also matched his season high with five steals. “We try to do it together. This is a team thing. Ain’t nothing pretty for us. We’re not going to come out here like the Lakers, where one guy can get it done. We have numerous guys who can get it done.”

Mike Conley added 16 points and 10 assists for the Grizzlies, who won for the fourth time in five games despite giving up 100 points for only the fourth time this season.

“We all have our roles and we have nights where our guys fill their role and more,” Gay said. “That’s what `Mo’ did today and Tony did the same thing.”

Speights, acquired from Philadelphia in January, was big in the second half, scoring 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting and adding 10 of his 18 rebounds. His previous career high was 15.

“A lot of people said I couldn’t do this and do that, so this is a fresh opportunity,” Speights said.

Deron Williams scored 20 of his 26 points in the first half for the Nets, who committed four turnovers in the final 2:40 in handing the game to Memphis. Anthony Morrow added 17 points, hitting 3 of 8 from long range.

Neither team led by more than three points in the opening 10 minutes of the fourth quarter with Allen putting the Grizzlies ahead for good at 95-93 with a 3-pointer from the right wing with 2:57 to play. It was only his fourth 3-pointer of the season.

“I’m not going to turn down any shots,” said Allen, who was 3 of 7 from long range coming into the game. “As hard as I work on the defensive end, you give a dog a bone every now and then, so I shot it with confidence and it went in.”

After Williams and Morrow miscommunicated on a pass for a turnover, Gay missed a jumper. With a chance to tie it again, MarShon Brooks missed Williams with a pass and Gay made them pay this time with a jumper for a 97-93 lead with 1:53 to go.

“It was tough, we got a little careless with the ball,” said Morrow, who will complete in the 3-point competition at the All Star game. “Me and Deron one time weren’t on the same page and it was probably my fault. I just read my man wrong.”

Once again Williams threw a pass away on the ensuing possession and Allen scored on a layup to push the lead to six at 99-93 with 1:38 left and the Nets never got close again.

“The difference between where we want to be at and where we are right now, right now we are a team that turns the ball over three of four possessions with the game on the line,” said forward Kris Humphries, who added 10 points. “It’s no one’s fault, in particular, we just have to tighten and be able to play under pressure in the fourth quarter. There is no play you can draw up for that. We just have to play basketball and execute. We didn’t give ourselves a chance to win.”

Trailing 77-69 with 4:20 to play in the third quarter, the Nets closed the period with a 9-0 run that Sundiata Gaines capped with a 3-pointer.

The Nets played one of their best halves of the season in the first 24 minutes. Williams scored 20 points and the Nets shot nearly 53 percent but the performance only gave them a two-point lead.

Memphis even picked up some late momentum when Gay hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cap a 16-point half and get the Grizzlies to within 55-53. Memphis led most of the third quarter but it missed its final seven shots and trailed by a point entering the final 12 minutes.

NOTES: Gay had a highlight reel reverse dunk late in the first half when set up by Conley on a 2-on-0 break. …Nets backup point guard Jordan Farmar was a late scratch with a groin injury, leaving New Jersey with only nine players, including Andre Emmett who was signed to a 10-day contract earlier this week. … New Jersey won both games with Memphis last season. …The Nets honored the late Whitney Houston by playing her rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” from the 1991 Super Bowl before the game. … Memphis is 8-1 vs. sub .500 teams.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

The phenomenon has sparked a frenzy in the city that even included a New York Knicks viewing party in Chinatown Wednesday night.

Lin put up another spectacular performance, which included 10 points and 13 assists in a blowout win of the Sacramento Kings. The team has now won seven straight.

“He’s completely resurrected Knicks basketball.  The Garden is alive again,” Alvin Kong told CBS 2′s Hazel Sanchez. “Everybody loves it, New York loves it, the world loves it.”

Basketball has never been so popular at P.S. 1 in Chinatown, where the kids can’t get enough of their new role model.

“He’s so good that it just makes me feel so proud,” 10-year-old Matthew Lai told CBS 2′s Cindy Hsu.

Lai said Lin’s emergence has inspired him to dream big dreams to “be a NBA star just like him.”

“I think he’s really amazing because he also went to a great school,” said Nina Lin, 10, referring to point guard’s Harvard education.

While Lin-Mania started less than 2 weeks ago, some die hard fans like Kyle Lew, have been following Lin for years. Lew says his focus on the team on and off the court is what’s most impressive.

“Every time the interview happens he always list his teammates and how it’s not him, it’s his teammates and he just dedicates everything to the fans,” Lew said.

The Lin craze has extended across the globe. Hsu even met some tourists visiting from Taiwan, who were buying up plenty of Jeremy Lin t-shirts and jerseys to take home with them. They said they are planning to extend their vacation to catch a game at Madison Square Garden.

Minh Nguyen, of Bay Ridge, bought a Lin Jersey for his 3-year-old son and says just having an Asian name on the back is inspiring.

“We’re going to watch the games every single night when it comes on and we’re going to be rooting Jeremy on,” Nguyen said.

While Linsanity is sparking dreams in a lot of young fans throughout the world, there are some parents who are now reaching for the stars as well.

Has Linsanity reignited your interest in watching Knicks basketball?  Share your thoughts below…