Confirmed by a few sources, Tom Savage will be committing to the Scarlet Knights on Friday at 2 p.m.. Savage is a five-star prospect from Cardinal O'Hara High School. Savage will be the highest rated skills player in Rutgers history.

Brett Favre will announce his retirement today. Packers sources confirmed this story. He has notified the franchise earlier this week.

As the 2008 MLB season is approaching, the New York Mets are looking to rid the thoughts of the collapse of 2007. Manager Willie Randolph will be making some minor adjustments to the outfield of 2007.

GM Omar Minaya made the first change to the outfield this off-season. Minaya sent prized prospect Lastings Milledge to Washington for 29-year-old outfielder Ryan Church and 31-year-old defensive specialist Brian Schneider. This reassured that Shawn Green would not be coming back to the Mets in 08. The probable right fielder Church hit a .272 average in 07 along with 15 homeruns and 70 RBI. According to Randolph, it is Church's job to lose.

There are no discussions over the centerfield position. Carlos Beltran will look improve on his 07 numbers while leading the Mets outfield in 08. Beltran has put the pressure squarely on his shoulders early in spring training by guaranteeing a division championship. Beltran had some injury problems in 07 while playing in only 144 games. After having both knees cleaned out in the off-season, look for Beltran to be 100% by opening day. Expect Beltran to produce near his 33 homeruns from 07. It should be interesting to see how Beltran will perform with the added pressure of his guarantees.

Arguably, the most intriguing position in 08 will be left field. For the Mets to be successful in 08, they need 41-year-old Moises Alou to stay healthy throughout the summer. Last year in only 87 games, Alou hit .341 with 13 homeruns and 49 RBI. If Alou can put up those types of numbers while avoiding the DL, management will be happy that they decided to keep him around.

With doubts about the aging Alou's durability, the Mets will likely be using a number of outfielders to spell Alou this season. The competition for the fourth outfielder spot should be an interesting race during spring training. Endy Chavez looks to be the leader in the race. While missing a majority of 07 with ankle and hamstring issues, Chavez will be chopping at the bit to see more playing time. Along with Chavez, newly acquired Angel Pagan and Marlon Anderson will also be vying for playing time.

Even with Randolph already having his outfield starters penciled in for opening day, there will be plenty to prove during March for a majority of the Mets outfielders. With a large part of the questions in 08 focused on the health of the outfield, look for a wide variety of outfielders to seek playing time. Do not be surprised if the Mets make a move before the deadline if Alou cannot stay healthy. Keep an eye on the Mets #1 prospect, Fernando Martinez to make an appearance at Shea this year. If the NL East is locked up by late August, do not be surprised if Martinez gets some big league experience.

With minor adjustments from 07, Randolph and the Mets will look play solid baseball. Keep an eye on the outfield throughout spring training along with the month of April. It will be key towards the success for the Mets in 08.

With the Mets coming off the epic collapse of 2007, manager Willie Randolph and the Mets are looking forward to the upcoming 2008 season. A month ago it looked like the Mets and their fans would be going into the season with a bad lingering taste in their mouth. Then GM Omar Minaya came through with arguably the biggest trade in Mets history. Minaya picked up the 28-year-old ace Johan Santana. Now with the Mets community reenergized, let's take a look at the infield for the 2008 season.

At First Base, the Mets are looking at the 35-year-old slugger from Puerto Rico Carlos Delgado. Coming off a very disappointing season, Delgado will have to improve on his .258 batting average along with his 24 homeruns. With a drop-off in power numbers, Delgado had a rough time producing runs. In order for the Mets to make a run at the National League East, Delgado will need to produce more like his 2006 numbers.

At Second Base the Mets will be relying on ex Minnesota Twin Luis Castillo. The 32-year-old switch hitter should solidify the 2nd spot in the batting order. Castillo not only brings consistency to second base but also should provide great leadership for the young Jose Reyes. Castillo had a average Castillo season last year while hitting .296 for the Mets.

The Mets arguably have the most exciting player in baseball starting at shortstop. Jose Reyes will look to improve on his numbers from 07. Unfortunately while the Mets were slumping in September, so was Reyes. Reyes had only 8 hits in his final 46 at bats. Some speculators have blamed the collapse on Reyes but he was not the only slumping Met in September. Even though Reyes only hit .280 for the season, he did steal a career high 78 bases. In 2008 look for Reyes to improve his batting average while becoming a more mature shortstop.

Easily the strongest position player for the Mets in 2007, David Wright will look to help lead the Mets in 2008. Not only did Wright hit .325 in 07 but also hit 30 homeruns and stole 34 bases. The 25-year-old righty will handle the hot corner for a number of years to come for the Mets. If Wright stays on track, 2008 could be a MVP year.

Looking to provide depth for Willie's infield is Damion Easley and Ruben Gotay. The versatile Easley can play all the infield positions that will allow Willie to keep his men rested. Gotay on the other hand will mostly see time at 2nd base relieving Castillo on occasion. Both had less then 200 at bats in 07 but both should surpass this mark by seasons end.

After the biggest collapse in Major League Baseball history, the Mets seem to be in good shape in the infield. With one of the best left sides in baseball, look for the Mets to improve on their numbers from last year. Even though Wright has stated " I believe the team that won last year is the team to beat" , the Mets still look to have one of the stronger infields in the NL east.

The Mets started the new year with many disappointed fans in regards to their off-season activity. After the historic collapse of the 2007 season, Met fans needed something to cheer for. Luckily things changed today as the Mets sent Carlos Gomez, Phillip Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Deolis Guerra to the Twins for their Ace Johan Santana. This may come to a surprise to most Met fans that thought they would not be able to acquire the ace without giving up their number 1 prospect Fernando Martinez and former Wichita State Ace Mike Pelfrey. This deal is still contingent with the Mets working an extension with the 28 year old southpaw but Mets GM Omar Minaya will not allow this one to get away. This deal would project the Mets pitching staff to have Santana as the Ace, Pedro Martinez as the 2, John Maine 3, Oliver Perez 4, and either El Duque or Mike Pelfrey as the number 5. This move also allows the Mets to possibly put El Duque in a relief role which could hopefully protect him from his constant injuries along with solidifying the bullpen which was also a big problem for the Mets in 2007. This will allow the Mets to compete for the National League title which they were slated to compete for last year. The fans Christmas gift came about a month late but better late then never.

Last night Knick fans got a look at the future as Isiah Thomas kept his promise and made some changes in the starting line-up against the Orlando Magic. With previous lackluster performances by a majority of the veterans, Isiah decided to insert David Lee and Jared Jeffries into the starting line-up along with Eddy Curry, Quentin Richardson, and Jamal Crawford. With Curry getting into foul trouble early, the Magic did get a healthy dose of Zach Randolph with over 33 minutes. The difference was apparent early in the game with the emergence of David Lee's defensive leadership. With Lee playing more then 37 minutes, put up a double double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Lee helped slow down Dwight Howard while holding him to only 16 points. Unfortunately the Knicks let down their guard in the fourth quater though whilte being outscored in the quater by 11 points. Even with the new look line-up, the Knicks could not find a way to stop Hedo Turkoglu who had 26 points while torching the Knicks back court. There was a lack of hustle in the 4th quater which allowed the Magic to pull away with the victory. The Magic won 110-96. Even though the Knicks let down their guard, the Knicks have found a marque forward with a great attitude in David Lee.

Rutgers checks in on Monday with a huge weekend in the recruiting world. The weekend started with two big commitments with Morgan Carter and Marquise Hamm. Carter is a stud athlete from Virginia who is projected by most at the wide-out position. Hamm happens to be from New Brunswick and projects as a defensive end. Monday morning Rutgers also got news of Wayne Warren from Maryland. He could step in at either Quaterback or Defensive Back. When the fan thought that was all just recently previously commited DC Jefferson who decommited early this year and choose LSU but now has decommited from LSU and decided on Rutgers again. Jefferson is a tall athletic quaterback that could step in and contribute. Rutgers fans have had a crazy last few days. On Thursday evening Knight fans were in fear of Schiano leaving and now on Monday evening they have four young stars and one of the best coaches in college. Rutgers is on the Rise.

According to sources out of New Jersey, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano has been offerred the Head Coach position at the Univeristy of Michigan. Word has recently came out that he has turned the position down in order to stay at Rutgers.

Reports from New Jersey have Michigan interviewing current Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano. With Les Miles taking a extension that is good through 2012, Michigan might have moved to the second name on their list. Another dark horse for this job could be former Detriot Lions head coach Steve Mariucci. It is official, the coaching carousel is starting the pick up some speed.

Here is a look at some position ratings for the 2008 NFL draft. With a lack a senior talent, I have included junior who are projected to come out this year.

Quaterback

1. Matt Ryan-Boston College

2. Brian Brohm-Louisville

3. Andre Woodson-Kentucky

4. Colt Brennan-Hawaii

5. Chad Henne-Michigan

Others likely to be drafted- Dennis Dixon (Oregon), Joe Flacco (Delaware)

Running Back

1. Darren McFadden-Arkansas

2. Rashard Mendenhall-Illinois

3. Jonathan Stewart-Oregon

4. Mike Hart-Michigan

5. Ray Rice-Rutgers

Others likely to be drafted- Kevin Smith (UCF), Allen Patrick (Oklahoma)

Wide Receiver

1. Limas Sweed-Texas

2. Earley Doucet-LSU

3. Adarius Bowman-Oklahoma St.

4. DeSean Jackson-California

5. Mario Manningham-Michigan

Others likely to be drafted- Malcolm Kelly (Oklahoma), DJ Hall (Alabama)

Tight End

1. Fred Davis-USC

2. John Carlson-Notre Dame

3. Travis Beckum-Wisconsin

4. Martin Rucker-Missouri

5. Chase Coffman-Missouri

Offensive Line

1. Jake Long-Michigan

2. Samuel Baker-USC

3. Ryan Clady-Boise State

4. Jeffrey Otah-Pittsburgh

5. Micheal Oher-Ole Miss

Defensive Line

1. Chris Long-Virginia (DE)

2. Glenn Dorsey-LSU (DT)

3. Calais Campbell-Miami (DE)

4. Sedrick Ellis-USC (DT)

5. Vernon Gholston-Ohio State (DE)

Others likely to be drafted- Derrick Harvey (Florida), Kentwan Balmer (UNC)

Linebackers

1. James Laurinaitis-Ohio State

2. Dan Connor-Penn State

3. Keith Rivers-USC

4. Ali Highsmith-LSU

5. Rey Maualugor-USC

Defensive Backs

1. Kenny Phillips-Miami

2. Malcolm Jenkins-Ohio State

3. Aqib Talib-Kansas

4. Mike Jenkins-South Florida

5. Reggie Smith-Oklahoma

Justifications

1. If West Virginia does not win a national title, Steve Slaton will remain in school and take one more shot at the title with his teammate Pat White.

2. Chris Long is currently ranked above Glenn Dorsey due to Dorsey's constant injury problems (knee and back).

3. Dennis Dixon will be dropped in the draft due to his current injury (ACL). He dropped from a early 2nd round pick to a late 3rd to early 4th.

4. The running back position is very deep this year and could yield 15-20 running backs taken.

Watch in the coming weeks for the first mock draft projection.

Some Brave fans may find it a bit strange that they decided to trade away Edgar Renteria early this week. After hitting for a .332 batting average in 2007, the Braves traded him away to the Tigers. When looking at the Atlanta line-up, you may find it strange that they would do this due to their need now for a stud shortstop. With the trade of Edgar Renteria and the Braves not signing star outfielder Andruw Jones, the Braves will now have a decrease in pay-roll of 22.5 million. A logical answer to this question would be for the Braves to take a shot at A-Rod. With A-Rod looking for a deal in the 30-35 mill a year range, the Braves have now put themselves in a situation where they can make a substantial offer to the former Yankee third baseman. The only logical explanation for the Edgar Renteria trade is for something such as an acquistion of Stray Rod to Atlanta. This could be bad news for the rest of the NL east. This could put the Braves over the top in the NL east once again. Only time will tell.

You heard it here first

It was a warm summer night in central New Jersey where Coach Schiano and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights set the tone for the 2007 season. The Scarlet Knights made there first steps towards BCS bid with a thirty-five point win over the Bulls of Buffalo.

The Knights had quite an explosive offensive performance tonight. Tiquan Underwood had a break out game for the Knights with 10 receptions, 2 touchdowns, and a school record 248 receiving yards. Not only did Underwood perform well but Heisman Trophy candidate Ray Rice found a way to rush for 184 yards on the ground with 3 touchdowns while sitting out for a majority of the second half. Quarterback Mike Teel also had a solid performance connecting on 16 out of 23 pass attempts with 2 touchdowns and a career high 327 yards. As a team, Rutgers had 563 total yards with only 1 turnover.

The Scarlet Knights looked a bit sloppy on defense even though they held the Bulls offense to only 3 points. The Knights were led on defense by linebacker Kevin Malast. With 10 total tackles, the outside linebackers seemed to be in on every play. Brandon Renkart and Courtney Greene also played a pivotal role with 7 total tackles each.

The Bulls really did not have anything to brag tonight. Buffalo looked extremely over matched. Former star and now Head Coach of Bufallo, Turner Gill is definitely showing progress at Buffalo but is not quite at the level of the Big East elites such as Rutgers.

The Scarlet Knights will look to continue their winning ways against Navy on September 7. The midshipmen come into Rutgers stadium looking to give Rutgers a bit of pay back after the Knights took out their starting quarterback Brian Hampton last year. In order for Rutgers to continue their success, they will have to step it up on defense. Kick off will be at 7 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPN.

Now entering late August, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights prepare for a run at a Big East title. Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano will be looking for his seventh season at the helm to as memorable as his sixth. A season after winning six National Coach of the Year honors and a Big East coach of the year award, coach Schiano has his mind set of improving on the 2006 season. Coach Schiano looks to get things started this Thursday against the Bulls of Buffalo.

The Scarlet Knights will look to get things started with a strong running attack anchored by Heisman Trophy candidate Ray Rice. After averaging 138 rushing yards per game in 2006, the rising star will carry the majority of the offensive load in the 2007 opener. To help spell Rice, the Scarlet Knights will look to use the sophomore Kordell Young. In 2006, Young scored 3 touchdowns on 29 carries. Scarlet Knight fans could also see true freshmen Mason Robinson pick up a few carries for Schiano's club. The speedster out of Somerville High School in New Jersey could add another spark for the already potent Rutgers running attack.

The Rutgers defense will be led this year by the senior defensive tackle Eric Foster. The Sports Illustrated's Pre-Season All-American is looking to improve his 51 tackles in 2006. You can also find leadership eight yards behind the line with Courtney Greene. One the best safeties in the country will play a major role in the passing defense for the Scarlet Knights. Look for the Bulls to keep their eye on Greene throughout the game.

The Buffalo Bulls look to spoil the promising season for the Scarlet Knights. Turner Gill will be coaching Bulls for the second consecutive season. In 2006, Gill led Buffalo to a 2-10 season with wins over Temple and Kent State. With Coach Gill returning eight starters on offense, look for the Bulls to challenge the Rutgers's defense.

The Bull's offense will have a New Jersey native under center. Drew Willy will look to put on a show in front of his home state fans. The junior will look to improve on his 6 touchdown to 6 interception ratio of 2006. Also, look for the sophomore running back James Starks to impact with a strong running attack.

On defense, the Bull's will have a difficult time defending against Rutgers's extremely explosive running game. The Bulls are will be working primarily with a 4-3 defense, which is led by three senior linebackers. New Brunswick native Kareem Byrom will look to have a big game coming back to his hometown. Cornerback Kendrick Hawkins was a member of "The Sporting News" Freshmen All-American team and can cause havoc to opposing quarterbacks. This playmaker will give fourth-year junior Mike Teel something to think about throughout the game.

Going into the season opener, the Scarlet Knights are favored over the Buffalo Bulls by 32 points. The visiting Bulls will look to come into Rutgers Stadium and pull off a huge upset. The Scarlet Knights are ranked sixteenth in the preseason polls and look to completely blowout the opposing Bulls. Kickoff will be at 7:00 Thursday night. The game will be televised live on MSG and will also be broadcasted live on XM satellite radio.

Pick Prediction Rutgers 42 Buffalo 9