Friday, December 30, 2011

As Gang Green Turns: The Party Is Over for Rex and His Men

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: The Party Is Over for Rex and His Men on Blogcritics.


It really matters very little what happens against Miami next week; the party is over for head coach Rex Ryan and his minions. His kingdom is fractured, and if he hasn't fallen off the wall yet it's only because he's holding on for dear life. My advice is "Let go, Rex." It'll makes things easier in the long run, and then all your horses and men can scatter to the far corners after next week's game instead of worrying about putting you back together again.

Ryan is his own worst enemy. He is reminiscent of Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden character in spirit and in person. While Rex never seems at a loss for words or embarrassed by what comes out of his mouth, Kramden often recognized that his got him into lots of trouble, hence the famous "I've got a BIG mouth" line from The Honeymooners. We can only wish Ryan had such awareness.

The Jets were playing what could ostensibly be called a mini-Super Bowl against the Giants at MetLife Stadium. It had the aura of it building up the week before, with Rex shooting his mouth off, saying the Jets were a better team, and the rest of his blather. Compared to Ryan, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin comes off like a Harvard professor. All week the buzz in New York was that Coughlin needed the win against the Jets or would lose his job. Perhaps the talk should have been about Ryan losing his, and after that debacle on Christmas Eve against the Giants, it seems reasonable to me to indeed bring that possibility into discussion.

Ryan has made nothing but promises (empty ones it seems for the most part) for the last three years. He is supposed to be a master of defense, but the team seems shaky in that department, especially this year. To make matters worse, the offense is sputtering like a Model-T Ford of late. Sanchez is always under the gun, seemingly without more than a few seconds before he has to throw the ball. When he does throw, the competition licks its lips because chances are pretty good for an interception.

I don't need to see next week's game (I predict the Jets will lose 21-14 by the way) to say that I think Rex's big mouth has taken a toll on this team. He needs to either learn to shut up and take some notes from guys like Coughlin, or maybe it is time for him to go. As for Sanchez, it has been a three year experiment that seems to have fizzled: no smoke and mirrors are going to make him a better QB. He is looking more and more like a back-up quarterback to me, but I am sure he will not want that and will go elsewhere.

Yes, we Jets fans are bitter after that loss on December 24. It ruined our Christmas worse than a stocking full of coal. We have to blame Ryan and Sanchez, and even a partridge in a pear tree would do nothing to make us feel better. So please, Jets fans, don't start thinking about if the Bengals lose or if this team or that wins, because it is over.

Deflate the blow-up Jets player on your lawn, throw all those green cups and plates into a bag, and hang up your Jets jerseys and hats in a dark closet. Tom Coughlin and the Giants taught us all a terrible lesson on Saturday, but Ryan may be the only one who learned nothing from it.

There will be no playoffs this year and a long time before next season. Hopefully, Ryan will take some classes on public speaking, start rethinking his offense and defense, and maybe owner Woody Johnson will do what needs to be done and offer as much money as possible to a new QB who can really lead this team. Can anyone say "Peyton Manning" without picturing him wearing a green uniform? Now THAT would be a great belated Christmas present for Jets fans.

Photo Credits: Gleason - hark.com; Ryan - Daily News

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Bobby Valentine Hates the Yankees - Join the Club

Article first published as Bobby Valentine Hates the Yankees - Join the Club on Blogcritics.


Bobby Valentine, the new manager of the Boston Red Sox, is already making headlines with his "I hate the Yankees" quotation. As if the winter meetings in Dallas haven't been exciting enough, you can always count on Bobby V to get things interesting. If Reggie Jackson was the straw that stirred the drink, consider Valentine to be the ladle that pours out the gravy.

Like him or not, Valentine is someone who has an energy that makes things happen. When he was manager of the Mets you could always count on him for some kind of quip or reaction that would make over the top seem low. Once, when he had been thrown out of the game by an umpire, he sat in the corner of the dugout wearing a disguise (sunglasses and a mustache) and was caught by the cameras. It is an unforgettable moment and I can still laugh about it.

Of course, there is a serious side to Valentine, and this was never more evident than after September 11, 2001. Valentine honored the families of the victims and handled himself well as the Mets played the first professional sports game held in the city after the attacks. Whatever else people think about him, at that time he and his players gave New York just what it needed most. It too is unforgettable and I will always respect Valentine for the way he spoke and acted at that time.

Now, of course, he wears a different uniform and manages the Boston Red Sox. People calling into the sports shows on talk radio here in New York were getting crazy today. It was kind of like "How dare Valentine say that about our Yankees?"

These people have to be kidding themselves. I have no illusions; Yankees fans hate the Red Sox just as much if not more. They broke the Curse of the Bambino and things haven't been the same ever since in the American League East. Yankees fans know it and everyone else does too.

Beside, unless you are a Yankees fan, you probably hate the Yankees. Valentine was being honest (a rarity in sports these days) and saying what most fans of other teams think: we all hate the Yankees. As a Mets fan I can say I like Bobby V even better today than I did before. That will last until the Mets are facing the Red Sox in the World Series again, and the way the Mets are going, that probably won't be until sometime after 2020.

So this Mets fan wishes Bobby Valentine well in Beantown. I hope the Red Sox and their fans will appreciate the man for his many talents, and forgive him when he says the wrong thing. Like Rex Ryan, that probably will be more often than not, but Valentine is entertaining and knows how to run a baseball team. You can bet Joe Girardi and his players are a little worried about that.

Photo Credit: bleacherreport.com

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Mets Mess: Loss of Reyes Worse Than Tom Seaver Trade

Article first published as Mets Mess: Loss of Reyes Worse Than Tom Seaver Trade on Blogcritics.

I, no doubt like most fans of the New York Mets, am still not able to process the loss of superstar short stop Jose Reyes to the Miami Marlins. Yes, I know it has occurred, but I am still hoping that something will make me snap out of it and realize this is only a dream.

Actually, it is like some terrible nightmare. In my mind this is right up there with the worst trade in Mets history - Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds, but it is in fact a more insidious and devastating move that will affect this team and its fans for years to come.

The loss of Seaver in a deadline trade in 1977 sent away the player, dubbed The Franchise by New York sports writers, who embodied the heart and soul of the Mets. It didn't matter that the Mets were a losing team when Tom Terrific was pitching. People went to see him, to watch his mastery on the mound, to enjoy his personality and his true connection to fans and team.


Now flash forward to 2011. Reyes may not have been "the franchise," but he surely was the most popular, effervescent, and talented player on the Mets in recent years. Coming off his best year ever, including a .337 average that gave him the National League batting crown, Reyes was (just like Seaver) a reason to come to the ballpark. Watching him hit a triple was like sitting back and listening to Yo-Yo Ma playing the cello. It became an ethereal experience, making for a majestic and surreal moment when all seemed right in the Mets' universe.

Sadly, Reyes takes his wonderful smile, his exuberant spirit, and his many talents to Miami. Yes, there are those who say Reyes is too injury prone. His legs are going to go on him. Whatever the reason the Mets did not make a serious offer, it leaves Mets fans cold. Many of us feel that GM Sandy Alderson should have done whatever it took to get Reyes back to Citi Field. Now he will return with the visiting Marlins on April 14, 2012, and how much do you want to bet that there will not only be a capacity crowd but that they will give him a standing ovation?

Now on talk radio there are the rumbles about trading David Wright because Reyes is gone. Alderson is no doubt fueling these rumors with talk about using the cash that would have gone to Reyes for "rebuilding." Now, don't go get visions of sugarplums and C.J. Wilson dancing in your heads, because it is more than likely that Alderson is settling his brain for a long winter's nap.

Let's face the ugly facts: the Mets are going nowhere in 2012. We can call this the "Season of If" : if Ike Davis can return in top shape, if Johan Santana can return and pitch like he used to do, if Ruben Tejada can be a full-time shortstop, if Mike Pelfrey can ever shake the bats out of his belfry, if Lucas Duda really has thirty homers in that bat, if Angel Pagan can return from last year's disappearing act, if Jason Bay can be the guy he used to be in Boston. The "if" list can go on and on.

In the end this loss of Reyes is worse than the Seaver trade. The loss of Seaver destroyed the team and it took years (seven actually) for the Mets to start to show signs of resurgence (ironically, after Seaver again was lost to the Chicago White Sox and a young pitcher named Dwight Gooden came into the picture). Losing Reyes now is a firm and clear commitment by Mets management to giving up on 2012 before it even commences. At least Seaver was traded during a lost season; this time it is clear the season is already lost!

Now, it has been eleven years and counting since the Mets were in the World Series. Let's say with great confidence that this will the twelfth year without any shot at it. Many more lost years may be on the horizon if Alderson lets Wright go and basically waits for the Phillies players to start needing canes and walkers. With Miami poised to become the new powerhouse in the NL East, there probably will be no joy in Metville for a long time to come.

Photo Credits: reyes - espn.com; Seaver - bleacherreport.com

Monday, November 21, 2011

Occupy Wall Street: Wild Bill Says The Thrill Is Gone

Article first published as Occupy Wall Street: Wild Bill Says The Thrill Is Gone on Blogcritics.


Every neighborhood has its characters in New York City, and in my father's Queens location there is a guy I know as Wild Bill. I do not know his real name, nor do I feel compelled to find out, but WB (as some of the local kids call him) is an eccentric, slightly scary, and infinitely funny old coot who walks around in a trench coat even in the summer. I am sure he is not homeless because he is never unclean, but I have no idea where he lives. He has been spotted getting on and off a city bus with a cup of Starbucks coffee, so I figure he has some source of income to keep him in grande cappuccinos and Metro Cards.

After not seeing him for a rather long time, I ran into him yesterday and noticed the copy of the New York Times under his arm wrapped in the iconic blue plastic. I started thinking maybe he swiped it off a lawn somewhere, but the cup of java in his other hand made me think not. The best way to describe WB is that he looks kind of like Nick Nolte when he got arrested that time for drunk driving. His eyes dart back and forth over the aviator sunglasses he wears on the end of his nose, a cigarette is always in his mouth, and it seems as if he is always nervous and wants to keep moving.

On this beautiful day WB was very animated as he told me that he quit Zuccotti Park. I asked him why and he said, "Man, the pigs ruined the party for me, took away my tent, but some people are going to stay until the frost is on the pumpkin and Santa comes out of the ice and snow and brings them nothing but coal."

Okay, WB is a little creative but he is honest as far as I know. He went on to say that he had some friends there and ate very well for a long time. He didn't say whether he was committed to the OWS cause or that he just wanted free eats, but then he has told me about his "hippie past" spent in San Francisco where he protested all the time, mostly against the war in Vietnam. Later, he came here to New York "to protest everything from A to Z."

He says that he knew Jerry Rubin, Abbie Hoffman, and Tom Hayden and admits to getting arrested more times than he can remember. He also says "My brain is more fried than an egg on a Manhattan sidewalk in July." I do recall many years ago seeing him walking around with a black T-shirt with LSD on it in big white letters; therefore, I think WB is ostensibly telling the truth, or at least the way he remembers things.

I asked him if he felt that the protesters would really stick it out over the winter, and he said, "The core will, man. They are committed. They don't care if the pigs come in there with a tank; they're going down fighting."
We talked a little while longer and, as our conversation was ending, I asked WB if he was going back to Zuccotti Park any time soon, and he said, "No man, the thrill is gone."

I asked where he was going, and he looked around and then pointed up to the sky, and I started thinking the worst until he opened his trench coat and revealed a Hawaiian shirt. Now, looking more like Nolte in that picture than ever before, he said, "Don't worry, brother, I'm taking a flight to paradise. See you in the funny papers." Off WB went in the brilliant sunshine, sipping coffee and carrying that New York Times. In that instance I suddenly understood that WB was summer soldier and a sunshine patriot, and he seemed not to have a problem with that; neither did I.

If Zuccotti Park is still occupied come the spring, maybe WB will return to the fold, or perhaps he will join Occupy Honolulu or something like that. No matter, the neighborhood will be less colorful without him in the days ahead.

Happy trails, WB. Happy trails.

Photo Credit: smokinggun.com

Sunday, November 20, 2011

As Gang Green Turns: The Ryan Express Continues to Derail

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: The Ryan Express Continues to Derail on Blogcritics.



The once hallowed Jets defense, head coach Rex Ryan's version of The Maginot Line, is looking more and more like Swiss cheese. How did Tim Tebow lead a 95-yard drive (and carry the ball for a 20-yard touchdown run)? The answer is the same as how the Germans overcame that supposedly impregnable French barrier in World War II: they simply went around it.

Ryan has made many promises to the fans and his players, but now it seems he just has miles to go before he sleeps - the promises have already been unkept. The 5-5 Jets are in no position to take the division and probably have very little chance of making the playoffs.


Yes, the defense didn't do its job on Thursday night against the Denver Broncos (5-5), but the more important story is Mark Sanchez and the offense. Sanchez still seems like he is treading water out there, while Tebow is doing his best Fran Tarkenton impersonation and making his fans believers. In fact, when Sanchez starts looking around for someone to catch his pass, the opponents are probably happier than the Jets' wide receivers. Chances are just as good for Sanchez to throw a ball that will be intercepted rather than a completed pass. It is starting to get that bad.

A great quarterback can be a game changer. Look at Indianapolis this season. They are 0-10 without the services of Peyton Manning. No one can underestimate how important that great quarterback is, for if he were playing in full health that team would no doubt be 8-2 now. It goes without saying that Manning is that terrific; however, the Jets with Sanchez are 5-5, and at this point it would be hard for us to say they would be doing much worse without him.

Yes, the Jets' offensive line has been taking a lot of blame for this Sanchez meltdown, but most Jets fans should see the truth by now. Sanchez is no great quarterback and struggles to be even moderately good. Ryan always gives him support and that is all well and good, but when does the coach finally face the fact that Sanchez still doesn't seem to have his head in the game? Maybe when he is sitting home watching the playoffs.

The great Ryan defense, the supposedly unstoppable express train to the Super Bowl, has been derailing this season. Ryan's offense is not much better, and the truth is that this train is probably not making it into the station. So for all Rex's promises and all his bluster, we face the reality of what will probably end as an 8-8 (or worse?) season.

If this happens again, Jets fans are going to be grumbling all the way through the playoffs. We then have to face the facts and perhaps Ryan will too: maybe Mark Sanchez never becomes the next Joe Namath, and then we have to start thinking about who is QB in 2012? Chances are that the Colts will not sign Manning and he will be a free agent? If Woody Johnson's deep pockets can pull out thirty or so million dollars, the Jets may indeed have a great quarterback again, a game changer, who could finally lead them past the Patriots to take the division. Wouldn't that be a great way to get the Ryan Express back on track?

Photo Credits: Ryan & Sanchez - Daily News; Peyton Manning - ESPN.com

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Joe Paterno Fired - Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing

Article first published as Joe Paterno Fired - Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing on Blogcritics.


There is an old saying: "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" This can lead to many discussions, as would "The sound of one hand clapping." But this is not a philosophical discussion, but rather a look at the fall of Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. He fell from grace and there were plenty of people around to say "Timber!" That is all fine and good enough, but the chopping down of this man and his legacy is all bluster if something much more significant does not follow.


I think many of us were shocked when we heard students were protesting the removal of Paterno as coach by the Board of Trustees at Penn State. Was this because Paterno is the most successful coach in Division I history? Was it because of his relationship with his players and the fans? Whatever the case, the students who engaged in turning over a news fan, smashing car windows, and clashing with police are misguided in their efforts. Make no mistake, they are no Occupy Wall Streeters who have a social agenda - they are there to defend a man who allowed something sinister to pass his way and did nothing substantial to stop it.

Of course, most of these students are probably not parents. If they were they wouldn't have mustered a word of support for this man. The questions are abundant and the answers meager in terms of why Paterno did not do more than to report to university officials about alleged sexual assaults by former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. Paterno's supporters say he did what he was supposed to do by notifying superiors, but that should not have sufficed because the coach had to realize that nothing was being done about it.

If you compare this scandal with the sexual abuse cases concerning Catholic priests, you can see some similarities. In many cases a pastor may have reported a case of suspected sexual abuse against a minor, but usually that stayed within the realm of the diocese where it took place, with superiors moving the offender to another parish where he was likely to commit the same crime again. This kind of internal handling of these things doesn't work and is incongruous to wanting to handle the larger problem at hand: stopping and punishing the deviants who abuse children.

Despite its history of covering up its dirty laundry, the Catholic Church saw the light thanks to an awakening that may have come through divine intervention, but most likely arose because of millions of dollars in lawsuits. Here in the United States the church has started the Virtus Program to "protect God's children." This is a substantial effort by the church to train and educate adults in order to protect the most vulnerable among us.


The firing of Joe Paterno is a good first step for Penn State, but that has to be the start of something much more substantial. Besides getting their house in order (calming down students, finding out how many college officials knew about this case, etc.), their efforts to stop this disgraceful behavior from ever happening again have to continue long after the press and public stop rattling their cage.

Penn State has to take the lead here. They must set high standards for all employees, students, and teams. Something like Virtus must be initiated that will provide continuing education that allows all parties to recognize situations and individuals who may be predators. This effort must go beyond the firing of employees to putting the fire of knowledge and understanding into them. They have to be infused with the awareness that something like this can never, ever happen again, but if it does, that genuine protocols will be in place to handle the situation immediately.

A once mighty star has fallen at Penn State, and there will be those who do not get it and never will, but they cannot be allowed to dictate how this situation is handled. At this point Joe Paterno and his legacy mean nothing. He now becomes an enabler, someone who will not be remembered for winning games and anything else he has done. Now he is at best a bystander who was no innocent. He knew what was happening and did nothing substantial to stop it, like a captain of a ship who doesn't notify his passengers that it is going down.

Unfortunately, that puts him and Sandusky in the same sinking boat, and all the life preservers in the world cannot rescue them. Whoever joins them in that vessel (and there will no doubt be more revelations to come) is going down too. Drowning is a terrible way to die, but that is nothing compared to what Sandusky's victims had to endure and have to continue to live with for the rest of their lives. As Joe goes down after his last breath he will eventually be remembered not for what he has done but what he failed to do. That is a fitting legacy to be sure.

Photo Credits: Penn State students - AP; Joe Paterno - NY Daily News

Monday, October 31, 2011

Protesters in Zuccotti Park - Will This Be Their Valley Forge

Article first published in Blogcritics


I know lots of people who said the protesters in Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan wouldn't last beyond Columbus Day, but they are as wrong as those people who once said that the Beatles were just a fad and would be forgotten in a few months. Now, after the first snowfall of the season and close to freezing temperatures, the protesters are still encamped in the park, even after the FDNY took away their generators because of "safety" precautions.

Pretty soon we are going to start thinking of these people as a new breed of protesters. Perhaps they are not even protesters anymore, but revolutionaries, freedom fighters in every sense of the word similar to Washington and his men at Valley Forge. If they can last the winter there it will be amazing, and then who knows what kind of long term change can come out of this?

Of course, life for the Occupy Wall Street gang is not all land of milk and honey stuff. I hear from people who work down there that the encampment is actually split into two distinct groups: the original protesters who are hunkered down for the long haul, and the drop-in variety of hangers-on who got the notion to get in on a good thing, grab some free food, and crash the party. The committed group is on the East side of the park, and those with little interest in the cause (and some of them committing crimes) are on the West side.

Of course, this is to be expected. Hundreds of people are living in a small space, and as the temperature drops things are going to get harder. Still, those whose voices have shaken not just this city but the world are in position not to be taken for granted. Too many people have shrugged off the notion of the 99%, but celebrities and politicians have shown their support, and the truth is that the 1% folks better face the reality that this protest has brought into focus: these people are mad as hell and clearly not going to take it anymore.

I think that the protesters in lower Manhattan are evolving, and the more committed they are to their cause the stronger they will become. All over the country and all over the world they have inspired others to do the same thing. These tent cities filled with people who are raging against the machine are not an aberration, so maybe those fat cats on Wall Street and on all those other streets where the wealthy look down on the people in the streets from their ivory skyscrapers, will not take them seriously, like those who mocked the Beatles by wearing the mop-top wigs. However, something that started as a protest has become a movement, something that the 1% cannot fathom or appreciate, at least not yet.

In the end, and yes, the Zuccotti Park gang will eventually disperse, it is not how long that they are camped out but the fact that they did it at all, and Mayor Bloomberg and all his 1% pals could do nothing about it. The Zuccotti Gang are there until they choose to leave, and then it will be on their own terms. Whenever that happens is not the point, and the truth is that change is coming. Long ago those men who were freezing at Valley Forge knew it, and the Zuccotti Park crew know it too. Before King George knew what hit him, America was lost; perhaps the 1% will be in for a similar awakening.

Photo Credits: Valley Forge - archives.com; Zuccotti Park - Reuters

Sunday, October 16, 2011

As Gang Green Turns: Humpty Dumpty Rex Teetering On the Wall

Article first appeared on Blogcritics.

Rex Ryan, Jets head coach and intimidating master of his domain, seems ready for a big fall. It isn't enough that he has negotiated his path with his foot in and out of his mouth going on three seasons, but now all the king's men are not loyal to his service, so even if the big guy falls off the wall, it is unlikely they will all rush to put him together again.


"Controversial" seems to be a word that is always connected with Ryan. He brags about his team, sometimes without thinking, and oftentimes even if he has time to think he still blabbers about things that are potentially damaging to the team. He is like a parent who keeps telling his kid that he is a prodigy, but the kid can barely play the piano and hits all the wrong keys. Then he goes on bragging to the other parents about how great his son plays and puts him in the spotlight, only to see the child fall apart on stage. Incongruously, he learns little or nothing from this and continues to push the child without ever doing the most sensible thing - teach him how to play the piano the right way.

This turmoil on the Jets is nothing new. Ryan seems to enjoy it, even if it is a subconscious pleasure, and manifests situations which continually mix things up. Unfortunately, the big guy is not just a straw that stirs the drink, but rather a blender that has the cover off. But if Rex doesn't like the heat, why does he keep putting himself in the kitchen you may ask. The answer is not because he is looking for a gargantuan snack, but more likely that he is unable to stop himself, sort of like the shark that eats its own intestines after you slit open its belly.

If the things I hear on talk radio on sports stations here in New York are even half accurate, the Jets locker room has more protesters than can be found in lower Manhattan in Zuccotti Park. Many people see this unrest as a key to the team's terrible start (2-3), but the problem is inherent in the culture that Rex has established in the team. Anyone who watched the HBO show Hard Knocks last season can tell you that Rex wants his guys to win and aspire to be a bad boy bunch as they mow down the competition. Sometimes this has worked for him, but now his methodology seems to be imploding.

When questions have been rightly raised about quarterback Mark Sanchez and his throwing problems, suddenly the focus shifts and it's the offensive line that is to blame, or even more specifically offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Derrick Mason complains about the line, and before you can say Gang Green, Mason is traded to the Texans. This goes a long way to qualifying King Rex's rule over his kingdom, as obviously he is ready to banish those who do not show loyalty to him or his minions.


Now we have Santonio Holmes complaining about the offensive line. Apparently Plaxico Burress has also complained, and right guard Brandon Moore is accusing Holmes of being "disrespectful" and causing dissension on the team. Center Nick Mangold has indicated that he has no problems with Holmes, but one wonders how true that can be. Clearly, the writing is on the wall and Rex, not that light on his feet to begin with, is walking a shaky path on top of it.

Rex can say that none of this matters, that his offensive line has "skin like an armadillo," but there is a fear for this Jets fan that this season is on the brink of being lost. I am not at all certain that you can blame the linemen for Sanchez's performance thus far, and perhaps it is legitimate to blame Schottenheimer (but he is not the guy throwing the ball), who says "The team's a family and all families have disagreements." Is Schottenheimer pretending not to notice the jeers of the fans? They and some of the players think it best if he goes, but Rex is standing by his man (at least for now).

So the chicken or the egg question this week is this: is it just that Sanchez is not throwing the ball well, or is it because the line is not giving him enough time to throw it even if he were? The painful process of watching the last three games seems to clarify things for me: poor blocking, the lack of Schottenheimer's "pound and ground" game of running the ball, and no success putting the ball in the air either because of Sanchez throwing poorly or receivers not catching the ball.

In the next episode of the ongoing soap opera that is As Gang Green Turns, the guest star this week is the Miami Dolphins (0-4), coming into the New Meadowlands Stadium for the big Monday night game. The Jets are coming off three losses in a row, and there should be no doubt about the outcome of this one, but right now there is nothing but uncertainty. If the Jets should lose this game, Rex may indeed have that big fall from the wall, and all his horses and all his men are going to run in different directions. If that is the case, Rex will lie there in the hot sun for a long time, and the season may well be over after six games. How do you pick up the pieces after that?

Photo Credits: Ryan - New York Daily News; Sanchez - New York Post

Friday, September 30, 2011

Mets Mess: Reyes Wins Batting Title As Another Disappointing Season Ends

This article first appeared on Blogcritics.

No New York Mets player ever won a batting title before. No Mets pitcher has ever thrown a no-hitter. No Mets player has ever been the league's Most Valuable Player. Okay, you get the idea. In a less than thrilling season, the notion that one of our guys would capture the batting crown was something to keep fans going. It even brought fans to Citi Field on the last day of the season.


They wanted to see Jose Reyes compete against Milwaukee's Ryan Braun for the batting title. Some people brought their kids because they wanted them to remember the moment. Others, thinking this could be Reyes' last game as a Met, wanted to be there to appreciate his talents for one last time. All that mattered little when Reyes led off the bottom of the first inning, bunted for a base hit, and then was pulled for a pinch runner.

Did Reyes pull his hamstring? Did something happen to him? The crowd didn't wait to find out and started booing. We found out later that Reyes pulled himself from the game, with the hit guaranteeing him a .337 average and making it almost impossible for Braun to catch him unless Braun went 3 for 4 that evening. Braun actually went 0-4, so it now this stands out as poor sportsmanship for Reyes to have backed into the title that way.

Fans booed Reyes during what is possibly his last game at Citi Field. Long-time Mets fans were annoyed with Reyes' selfish attitude, putting his personal record ahead of the good of the team. Although manager Terry Collins supported Reyes and the decision, it is clear that such a move is at best tacky and at worst emblematic of Reyes' disrespect for Mets fans and the organization that he has called home for the last nine years.

After the game when asked about the unhappy fans, Reyes said, "I don't care what people think. A lot of people told me, 'Don't play today.'"

Okay, so Jose doesn't care what the fans think. That will go over in New York as well as instant pizza and frozen bagels. We Mets fans are passionate about our team and our city. We support our players and respect them, but we want the same from them. It has always seemed the Reyes is a total player. His uniform is always dirty after a game. He throws himself completely into a game, and we have come to appreciate that dedication, so I guess when we saw this completely unexpected cop-out we were more hurt than angry, although many expressed themselves vehemently when they booed.

Some have argued that the 77-85 Mets had nothing on the line in this game. They were just playing out the schedule, and that made it okay for Reyes to take an early shower. Things would be different if this were a game deciding a playoff spot. This would matter more if this game mattered more.

I am sorry, but every game (every inning) counts. It is not about the contest having meaning because the game is more important than anything else. You know the old saying, "It's not if you win or lose but how you play the game." Well, that is applicable here. Jose made a tremendous mistake and manager Terry Collins should have told him "No!" He should have said, "The hell with the batting title. Get out there and play your nine innings and give these fans what they paid for."

Unfortunately, this was not to be. Once again, Mets fans, stung by the Bernie Madoff scandal and injuries galore, had to endure yet another slap to the face. In the old days that might have sparked a duel, but the way we Mets fans are feeling now, we are better off just turning the other cheek and walking away.

Jose Reyes won a batting title; so what? Truthfully, I'd rather he hit .235 and see the Mets were going into the Wild Card series. The batting title is little comfort for a horrible year that has followed other horrible ones. Reyes will no doubt take the money and run - all the way to another team as far as he can go.
So Mets fans, we can once again say, "Wait until next year." It seems that is what we always say. Now we can languish in our winter of discontent, watching other teams make bold moves, and we can be secure in the notion that the Mets are going to cut payroll. GM Sandy Alderson is giving Mets fans about as much hope as those people who jumped off the Titanic without life vests. Wait until next year? What's the point when all we can hope for is another lost season?

Though my blood still runs orange and blue, I am exhausted after this season. I feel depleted; I feel like all Mets fans are the equivalent of the Biblical Job. How much more can we take until we break?

Photo Credits - Daily News

Sunday, September 25, 2011

The House That Truth Built: Girardi Reveals Yanks Need Home-field Advantage in Playoffs

This article first appeared in Blogcritics.

The words said by New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi seemed as if they came in a private conversation; however, they were uttered during a post-game interview. As a New York Mets fan listening to the radio, I immediately noticed that this revealed truth is salient and yet seems to be lost on most Yankees fans, and thinking about it I see this as either being the Yankees' greatest strength or ending up to be their Achilles' heel.

What did Girardi say? He spoke candidly about what the team needed to do to have success in the post-season. "We still need to win some games because we want to have home-field advantage." After a follow-up question, Girardi reiterated the obvious: "It's (home-field advantage) real important. I really believe that we were built around this ballpark."

"Aha!" I thought, how true this is because the Yankees have always been built around that ballpark. When the first Yankee Stadium opened with Babe Ruth as the star, a convenient right field "porch" made it possible for the Sultan of Swat to bang lots of homers. Of course, we can argue that Ruth could hit homers in any park, but playing half of his games in Yankee Stadium certainly didn't hurt him. This is also true for Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, and current players like Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira.

Girardi's revelation may not be a surprise to many, but I think it is crucial to understanding the Yankees' success story. When he says that the team is "built around this ballpark" we can understand that he means that Granderson and Teixeira need the dimensions (314 feet down the right field line and 318 feet down the left field line), as do the other players, to succeed. We can only guess about how many championships might have never been if the Yankees played in a different stadium.

Take my suffering New York Mets and their home ballpark. Citi Field is like the Grand Canyon of baseball parks compared to the home run friendly Yankee Stadium. How many homers are lost in the field that Citi helped build will never be known, but just take a look at David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay, and others whose power has diminished while playing there.

Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks coined the phrase "the friendly confines" when referring to Wrigley Field. We can well understand his liking the park where he had so much success (512 career home runs), but imagine someone like Willie Mays who went from the Polo Grounds in New York to a place like Candlestick Park in San Francisco, where he lost so many homers in the wind. How many homers would Mays have hit if he had played in a more homer friendly arena? In my humble opinion he would have had more than Hank Aaron, who for many years played in a very homer-friendly Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta.


So Joe Girardi revealed a truth which may or may not be ugly, depending on your point of view. Yankees fans will no doubt scoff at the notion that their team's history of success is based on the dimensions of Yankee Stadium, but most everyone else knows the truth: the House that Ruth Built was designed to have Ruth and other Yankees players hit lots of homers.

Certainly, opposing players might be seen to have the same advantage, but I beg to differ. I think that many great opposing players came into Yankee Stadium salivating for the chance to chip the ball into the short right field porch, but the execution of that is not so easy as it is for those Yanks who play eighty-one games a year there. Trying to pull the ball many hitters came up short, just as many guys who tried to poke one over the Green Monster in Boston's Fenway Park found out.

By the way, Girardi got his wish. By sweeping the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and with the Boston Red Sox losing to the lowly Baltimore Orioles, the Yankees have clinched the division. It seems Girardi is going to get what he wants: to have the home-field advantage during the playoffs. Now we have to see if that will be a deciding factor in the Yankees going all the way. Girardi got what he wanted; for the rest of us, it seems that is the reason why they are known as those Damn Yankees!

Photo Credits: NY Daily News

Sunday, September 18, 2011

A Fashion Dilemma: Is White the New Black?

This article first appeared in Blogcritics.


Let me qualify things right away here: I know as much about fashion as I know about quantum physics - virtually nothing. Still, I do think of myself as a pretty good observer of things. As a writer, I always find myself not just seeing things but actually studying them. Over the years I have watched and listened to people and stored their voices, idiosyncrasies, and faces in my mental toolbox. This is just something I always do.

So now I feel like I have been observing a trend (at least here in New York) that I find a bit surprising and slightly unsettling: white seems to be the new black. What I mean by that is that white seems to have become the color (or is that the un-color?) of cool. People are wearing all sorts of white vests, shorts, pants, skirts, shoes, and hats (even in these days after Labor Day). These people are both young and old and of all different backgrounds, so there is no question that it seems to be a trend, and they are looking cool wearing white despite the fact that the football season has already started.

My perception of white probably stems from my old uncle who in the summer months always wore a white ship captain's hat, a white belt, and white shoes. I thought of him as Captain Ahab minus the big whale, and although he thought he looked great he looked kind of strange to me. The funny thing was lots of other older Italian guys wore the same thing during the summer. It looked like they were all going yachting instead of down to the park to play bocce in the heat.

In my youth I never wore white. Yes, I heard of the rule that white should only be worn between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but I much preferred wearing black like Johnny Cash or Roy Orbison or the bad guys in cowboy movies. Black was cool. Extremely cool, even when it was hot outside. I liked going out in a black shirt, black pants, and black shoes. It felt good and seemed right to me. I still like black now and wear other darker colors too, but white just doesn't seem right, at least for me.

During Fashion Week here in New York, people were wearing white. This picture of the Kardashians at one of the runway events shows them clearly enjoying the color. Now I am wondering if I was wrong all along. Maybe white is the color to wear. P. Diddy even throws an annual "White Party" (guests may only wear white clothing), so that certainly makes it clear that white is the new cool color.

It's not even warm here in New York anymore, but I am seeing people wearing white. It is on people who look very fashionable and seem to know what they are wearing. They spice it up with flashes of color: the women with scarves, hats, belts, and shoes; the men with hats and socks, but it seems like white is all right for them and who am I to question that?

So is white the new black? Should I break my own tradition and venture out wearing white? I think I'm afraid that I might be mistaken for an ice cream man or the guy looking for escapees from the funny farm if I dare to wear all white.

Autumn officially comes into town this week, and I want to see if the white trend continues. Either way I am not going to start wearing white until I get older and can wear the belt, the shoes, and the captain's hat. Then I can go to the local park and play bocce with the other old guys like me. Until then I can admire those wearing white from a distance. They are the ones who embrace an eternal summer, and maybe that is a good thing for the body and the mind.

Besides, if white is not the new black then maybe it is just the new white, and that seems to make it okay for anytime of the year, so those of you out there wearing white can keep at it right through Christmas and into the new year. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Ten Years After 9-11-01: Still A Day That Will Live in Infamy

Article first published as Ten Years After 9-11-01: Still A Day That Will Live in Infamy on Blogcritics.

I walk into Windows on the World; my eyes are drawn to the skyline. The sun is brilliant this day; everything inside the restaurant is glowing preternaturally. I don't detect the odor of the fine breakfast food, but I see the waiters and they are gimping along with their trays. The people are all at the tables eating, but there seems to be nothing on their plates.

I sit at my table and lift my copy of the New York Times. A bus boy pours some water in my glass, but his hand is shaking and the ice and water run all over the table. I look up at him and he is like a holograph; I can see the skyline right through him.

I look at the newspaper and see the date: September 11, 2011. The headlines are illegible, as is the text of the stories. There are pictures on the front page that are all blurry. I look at my watch and note that it is 8:45. I think I have a meeting or something that I must get to; I start trying to signal the waiters, but they turn their backs on me and stare out the windows.

I open the paper to the next page and I can make out some of the letters. "Tenth Anniversary..." and the rest is a blur. I hear a familiar voice and look up. My grandfather is standing over the table with a cigar in his mouth. "Hey, Pop," I say, as if twenty seven years haven't passed since he died. "Want some breakfast?"

Pop shakes his head and points to the exit door. "You have to get out of here."

I fold the paper and look up again and he is gone, but at the same time the building starts rumbling like an earthquake is hitting the city. The table shakes, my glass topples over, and the floor beneath my feet is turning into gelatin. I look at the exit door and run as Pop suggested. I throw open the door and step out into the sunshine and the blue sky is all around me. I start falling and look back, but there is no building at all. I am falling toward the earth, and I see a crowd of people below me. I see them all standing there dressed in black, and I notice the footprints of the towers. I want to scream but I cannot, and I continue to fall towards the earth, but then, as is always the case with this dream, I wake up.

After all this time and space between then and now, I am still haunted, still hurting, and still looking for answers. People have moved ahead and on with their lives, and their ability to do so is admirable. Many people who lost loved ones have remarried, or gotten divorced, or moved away from New York City, and some have died. Out of necessity and despite things beyond their control, these people have dealt with 9-11, but many of us still have not found peace and perhaps never will.

I still mourn the loss in my family, of old friends, and the devastation of my city that I love. I cannot look at the skyline and not think about what happened. I see an airplane overhead (a sight that once used to make me think of travel to exotic places) and I get agitated and nervous. In the street I find myself looking up, watching the buildings and wondering and waiting if they too will fall. On the subway or bus every package or backpack seems sinister; the passengers could be terrorists. There is a feeling of unease, of things falling apart, and I have no sense of equilibrium or any hope that it will get better.

I hear the naysayers all the time. "You have to get over it," is frequently said. "There hasn't been an attack in ten years; what are you worried about?" This is another good one. "Snap out of it!" is yet another, said more vehemently than when Cher spoke that line in Moonstruck. Perhaps a smack on the face should follow those words. None of this matters though. If you are a New Yorker you have been scarred, and all the time in the world won't hide the evidence, but we can take great pains to cover up and conceal this from others, which only makes the hurting get more intense.

I have much for which to be thankful, and I never forget that, but 9-11 is omnipresent for me in this city. Maybe if I could pull myself away, perhaps live in Fiji or Bali or someplace like that, I would be able to move on. I do fear that out of sight will not be out of mind, and I could go to the ends of the earth, but I would still have my dreams and nightmares, and there would be no denying that it happened and changed my city and my life forever.

We mark the tenth anniversary collectively. There are ceremonies, prayer services, and gatherings to commemorate the day. All this is well and good, but it is also hard to ignore. The media pounds the message home day after day, so to escape the onslaught is nearly impossible. I believe it is good to do all those things because we never want to forget what happened, but it is also painful to remember for many of us. We are the ones caught in a constant struggle; we wish to honor the memories of those lost, but in doing so we lose a little piece of ourselves each time.

I want my children to remember the day and to understand what happened, so I try to confront it as best as I can. When my daughter asks, "Why did we lose Uncle Steve that day?" it is an incredibly more difficult question than "Where do babies come from?" or "Why is the sky blue?" I can talk to her about it, and in doing so it helps me cope, but it still doesn't stop the pain or the tears.

So this year is the same as last year but infinitely more difficult; ten years of my life and your life and everyone's lives have been spent in the shadow of 9-11. Some pretend it never happened, but then they could find themselves like I am in my dream: up in the air and ready for a big fall. In this case I know I am like Humpty Dumpty; nothing can put me back together again and make me the same person I was on September 10, 2001. I have to live with that, accept that, and try to move on.

September 11 will always mean something to people. To those who wanted to hurt us, it is a holiday. To New Yorkers it is a day of infamy, right up there with December 7, 1941 or November 22, 1963. We who lived through that day know where we were when we heard about it; we will never forget how that day started and how it ended.

As the years go by there will be less people who can say they lived through 9-11. It is our sacred duty to carry the torch, to tell young people about it, and make sure that no one ever forgets. There is a beautiful memorial that will open to the public in New York City, and that will always be a reminder, even after we are gone. Those of us who knew and loved those who died will one day die too, and the voices who tell the stories will change, but the stories will remain for all the generations to come.

Ten years have gone and many people will gather for the ceremony, and many more people will watch the proceedings on television, but the most important audience will be those lost. They are watching and listening, so we had better never falter and never stop marking the day, because if nothing else they have a right to know they are remembered now and until the end of time.

New York Teams Observe the Tenth Anniversary of 9-11

Article first published as New York Teams Observe the Tenth Anniversary of 9-11 on Blogcritics.

For those who may remember September 21, 2001, the first professional sports game after 9-11 took place at Shea Stadium between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves. Ten days after the attacks that brought down the Twin Towers, the city was looking for any reason to feel something good again. Mike Piazza stepped in and socked a a two-run homer against the Atlanta Braves. I'll never forget that homer, and Piazza still recalls the moment fondly as the roar of the crowd shook the old stadium. The Mets went on to beat the Braves in that game, and so New Yorkers had something to cheer about again.

All these years later the city still needs things to help it get through the tenth anniversary of the attacks. It is very comforting to see our sports heroes take the time to recognize the day in tangible ways. I remember seeing the Mets wearing those FDNY and NYPD caps ten years ago, and it still gives me chills. Now the New York Mets will hold a ceremony before their home game against the Cubs on September 11, and the New York Jets will also be observing the tenth anniversary at the Meadowlands.

In truth this is more than just the right thing to do, and both organizations seem honored to have the opportunity to be playing home games on September 11. Last week the New York Yankees also had a ceremony to commemorate the anniversary. It is notable that the teams have opened their arms to the city in an effort to assuage what are still significantly deep wounds even after all this time.

These "remembrance ceremonies" are substantial moments in sports history. Chilling as Lou Gehrig's farewell speech at Yankee Stadium, these events become part of our collective memories, and reflect sports at its very best.

The Mets and Jets will be honoring the first responders, those lost, the rescue workers, and their families. The Mets will specifically involve families from Tuesday's Children (who lost parents on 9-11). We will watch and feel the tugs on our hearts and the tears on our cheeks, all the while knowing that this is not only marking the importance of this day but the integral relationship of our sports teams with the city and the fans.

This will be a long and emotional day for most of us. By the time former American Idol star Pia Toscano sings "God Bless America" tonight at Citi Field, we are all going to be exhausted but exhilarated too. Hopefully the Mets and Jets will win these games, but that really doesn't matter as much as what is happening on the field before play begins.

This is an example of sports at its very best. It is also a reflection of our city, though bruised and battered as it has been, New York has risen from the ashes of 9-11. The world will be watching today, and we are ready to show our best at the World Trade Center site in the morning and in our ballparks tonight. This is what New York City is all about, and we can thank our teams for doing their part to make the Big Apple shine brightly on this day and all the rest of the days of this season and many seasons to come.

Photo Credit - AP

Friday, September 9, 2011

New Kids on the Mets Just Having Some Fun

Article first published as New Kids on the Mets Just Having Some Fun on Blogcritics.

When I see Lucas Duda hitting another long home run, or Justin Turner playing second base like he was in the seventh game of the World Series, or Dillon Gee on the mound making me think of a young Tom Seaver, I realize that 2011 is not another lost year at all: it is more like 1968 all over again. For those of you too young to remember that, it was a turning point for the Mets organization. I believe this year is pretty much the same thing.
Like the 1968 Mets, the team got a new manager. It is interesting to compare Terry Collins with Gil Hodges, whose managerial styles seem similar. In fact, Hodges took over a dismal team and made the players think they could win; Collins has done pretty much the same thing this year.

The 1968 Mets were 73-89 for the season, but this was an internship for most of the young players and, just like the 2011 Mets, there were quite a few of them on the team. The elder statesman in '68 was Ed Charles (35), but the rest of the players like Cleon Jones, Tommie Agee, and Ed Kranepool were in their mid-twenties. Seaver was 23 and clocking in with a 16-12 season. Gee will probably end with a better winning percentage this year, but the similarities are striking.

There was also the most salient aspect of life for the 1968 season: Hodges wanted those kids to go out and have fun. In the process they were learning, sort of on the job training, and the same thing is happening with the 2011 Mets. The current team is 67-69 and may just end with a better record than their 1968 counterparts, but the foundation is being established by Collins for next year, just as Hodges did in 1968.

The 1969 Mets would be what legendary announcer Lindsey Nelson would describe as "a new breed of Mets." The team would post a 100-62 record, take the division, and then the pennant from the Hank Aaron led Atlanta Braves, and then impossibly take on the legendary Baltimore Orioles and defeat them in the World Series.

I am not saying that the 2012 Mets will accomplish this, but the groundwork is being done for next year's team to be really big. If you watch the fireworks going off on the field, you will see the energy level this team is bringing out of the dugout. While the players could get comfortable and just play out the remaining games, Collins has them pushing hard and playing like it matters, and in a way it does matter, even more so than if the team were locked in a pennant race.

This is a win-win for the team and its fans. The games at Citi Field are exciting because the players are going out, having fun, and winning some games and losing some, but all the while the fundamentals are present and Collins is responsible for this culture of positivity. The team definitely thinks it can win any game against any opponent, and that will go a long way with the fans for the rest of this year.

Next year the Mets will be stronger; perhaps they will add a big bopper (just as the 1969 Mets added Don Clendenon) who can get that three run homer when they need it most. All the ingredients are coming together now thanks to the way Collins has churned the pot. Don't be surprised if next year the Mets will have the recipe for success, and we will have master chef Collins to thank for it.

Photo Credits:
Terry Collins - AP
Gil Hodges - centerfieldmaz.com

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Labor Day Is No Holiday for the Unemployed

Article first published as Labor Day Is No Holiday for the Unemployed on Blogcritics.

I have always viewed Labor Day as an important holiday to celebrate. As Mother's Day and Father's Day make us take notice of those unsung heroes of our families, Labor Day is meant to recognize all those who labor, and across America those people who are in blue collar, white collar, and no collar jobs deserve this day set aside as a "thank you" from Uncle Sam for all the effort all year long.

If you find yourself unemployed on Labor Day, the day takes on a different significance. I have heard an unemployed friend say, "You have the day off? I wish I was working today. I would work every holiday and every weekend. I just wish I had a job." I am sure many people without jobs feel the same way, especially if they are long-term unemployed (out of work for more than twenty-seven weeks).

Right now we still have an unemployment rate of 9.1 percent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics that means fourteen million Americans are out of work, and this figure is unchanged since April. So I do keep hearing this sector and that sector are adding jobs, but other jobs are being lost and that means there is no tangible improvement at this point.

I know Congress and President Obama are not playing nice these days. I guess expecting them to work in a non-partisan way to benefit the American people is too much to ask. I mean, it is summer after all and why should our senators, representatives, and President deprive themselves of vacations (to places we can only dream of going)? That budget problem was heavy lifting for these guys, so I guess tackling unemployment is not a priority, at least while they work on their tans, golf swings, or are rocking in a hammock somewhere.

So we may hear some politicians talking about Labor Day; some will march in parades, and others will take adds out in newspapers saluting the American worker. That is all very nice, but that does nothing to change that 9.1% unemployment rate.

We should collectively think about what can be done to get people back to work. If you own a business, is there a way to hire more workers? We can write to our local and national leaders and tell them "Make unemployment the thing you tackle first when you come back from your extended vacations." If enough people raise their voices, at least we will be heard.

As you celebrate Labor Day and throw hot dogs, burgers, and another shrimp on the barbie, remember how fortunate you are to have a job. Quit complaining about the small stuff, and recognize that you wouldn't want to be one of those 9.1%.

We are lucky to have our jobs, and some of us even have two in order to make ends meet, but there are those out there who need a break in order to get back to work and lower that unemployment rate. We Americans owe it to those people and future generations to fix this situation, now if only Congress and the President could get with the program.

Perhaps, if they don't deal with this issue, we voters can make a difference and put some of these people out of office. Then they will be out of work too and know the feeling, and maybe that unemployment rate will mean something more to them than just numbers. Come on, Washington, the clock is ticking!


Monday, August 29, 2011

Some New Yorkers React Predictably to Hurricane Irene Response

Article first published as Some New Yorkers React Predictably to Hurricane Irene Response on Blogcritics.

New Yorkers were in a real funk over this past weekend, mostly because Mayor Michael Bloomberg had the nerve to react proactively to the arrival of Hurricane Irene. I have lived in New York all my life, and I never remember the mass transit system being completely shut down. Yes, blizzards have a way of doing that after the fact, but this is the first time I can recall subways, buses, and commuter railways being shut down prior to an event. New Yorkers were predictably lost especially without their lifeline beneath the ground, and everything closed including Broadway shows, fancy restaurants, and sporting events.

Once Irene passed over us inflicting much less damage than expected, the armchair quarterbacks were quick to complain about Bloomberg's "over reaction" to the hurricane. I guess if people didn't wake up and see the torch from the Statue of Liberty sticking out of a skyscraper and the Brooklyn Bridge broken into chunks floating in the water, they felt they were robbed of a Saturday night in the city unnecessarily.

Well, I applaud Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo's handling of the event. Let it suffice to say that they learned from President George W. Bush's debacle with Hurricane Katrina, and yes that was a much more powerful Category 5 storm, but the same fears of flooding and devastation came with Irene too. Bloomberg and Cuomo really took the steps that were necessary, and the evacuations of low lying areas, the cancellations of transit service, and the closing of bridges and tunnels created a virtual lock down of the city that no doubt saved many lives.

I guess it should be expected that people would complain about this, but the bottom line is that the eight million plus residents of the Big Apple survived relatively unscathed. Yes, about 900,000 people lost power in the five boroughs, in Westchester, and Long Island, but only one person lost his life (a City Islander who fell into the water as he was trying to secure his boat), and credit has to be given to the mayor and governor and all those cops, firefighters, and transit workers who made the operation a success.

So, thank you, Mr. Bloomberg and Mr. Cuomo. New York survived and your leadership made certain most of the populace survived as well. To quote GWB, "you did a heckuva job" but in this case the praise is well deserved.



Sunday, August 28, 2011

Hurricane Irene Is A Spoiled Sport

Article first published as Hurricane Irene Is A Spoiled Sport on Blogcritics.

Well, if you spent your hard earned money to visit New York City this week, you probably are grumbling right about now. It's not bad enough that you had to experience our earthquake, but now we are throwing a hurricane your way. What's a tourist to do but stay in the hotel room and watch CNN, at least until the power goes out?

This weekend is especially bad news for local sports fans. The New York Mets have cancelled today and tomorrow's games against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field, so if you came into town for this and have to be back at work on Monday, you are out of luck.

The Yankees did not escape Irene's wrath even though they are out of town. Their doubleheader against Baltimore is postponed today, and the games will definitely not be rescheduled in any way that is good for the Yankees since they will lose one of their two remaining days off to make them up.

Irene also postponed the New York Giants and Jets showdown at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. This game was perfectly scheduled for 7 PM tonight, but now it will be played on Monday night. Too many viewing parties were disrupted because of this, and if the power goes out, all those six-foot heroes and other party snacks are not going to last until Monday. Many dejected hosts and hostesses will no doubt have their knives and forks working overtime this weekend to take care of that.

Irene has also disrupted the action at the Barclays at the Plainfield Country Club in Edison, New Jersey. It seems like Sunday's final round will be washed out, and conditions are not likely to improve enough to do anything on Monday.

Other sports events that have been canceled or postponed include the Red Bulls game against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday, The Staten Island Yankees Sunday home game, the Brooklyn Cyclones Sunday home game, and racing at Monmouth Park and Yonkers Raceway.

Finally, and probably the saddest thing to report is from the US Open, where Arthur Ashe's Kids' Day had to be cancelled. This includes all activities and the stadium show. This is a great day that promotes the sport and also gives children opportunities to meet the players and see some of their favorite musical artists perform.

Hurricane Irene is turning millions of people's lives upside down this weekend, and she has obliterated the sports schedule. Oh, and don't think you're going to be able to sit down and watch games being played out of Irene's reach, because in all likelihood Irene is going to knock down trees and cut out power.

I have already planned to do what good old Abe Lincoln used to do: read some good books by candlelight. Hey, I wanted to catch up on my reading anyway.

Photo Credits-
Harrison Frazar - AP
Arthur Ashe Kids' Day - Getty Images


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Hope Springs Eternal for Old Brooklyn Dodgers Fans

Article first published as Hope Springs Eternal for Old Brooklyn Dodgers Fans on Blogcritics.

For old Brooklyn Dodgers fans, 1957 is not long ago and far away; it is like yesterday. That is when their team packed up and went to Los Angeles. To them these last fifty-four years have been sort of a long hiatus. Some became NY Mets fans in 1962, and others chose to pull up stakes and follow their Dodgers to California, but there still are those who cling to the mystique of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who believe that a new field could spring up somewhere in the borough and that their Dodgers will be coming home.

Admittedly, they will tell you it is a long shot, but they still keep dreaming of that day. Recently, with the financial troubles of Dodger owner Frank McCourt in the news, these fans have something to stoke the flames of their kindled dream. They hear rumors of Major League Baseball taking over the Dodgers, and some will come out and tell you that is the beginning of the Dodgers coming home to Brooklyn.

While I don't take much stock in these fantasies, I have learned that these Dodgers fans are sometimes so earnest and determined that perhaps anything is possible. They talk about the Dodgers building a new field on the spot where Ebbets Field used to be. The existing housing on the site is not seen as an impediment; they are certain eminent domain can be used to get that new stadium built.


Others think the Dodgers could share Citi Field with the Mets. "Why not?" they ask. The New York Mets and The New York Yankees once shared Shea Stadium for two seasons while the old Yankee Stadium was being rebuilt, so anything is possible. They see the fact that Citi Field was built to resemble Ebbets Field as an omen, yet another reason why the Dodgers will be coming home.

Even if MLB does take over the Dodgers, I doubt that Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig would ever condone having three teams in one town. A long time ago New York had three teams, but these days I don't imagine that would work for most people. New Yorkers might be pleased, but there are many other towns looking for a MLB franchise.

It does break my heart to listen to these old Dodgers fans talking. In between hearing them mention names like Branca, Hodges, Reese, and Robinson, they will discuss the "what ifs" they have been discussing since 1957. They know what happened but still can't believe it. As a Mets fan, I kind of understand their hopes and dreams and know what it is like to be kicked in the teeth again and again by the team you love.

So for the record, Brooklyn Dodgers fans, your team is not coming home. It is staying in LA for now and I am sure for many years to come. Hold on to the dream if it makes you happy. I still keep thinking about the Mets being in contention this year, so I know all about impossible causes.

If it makes you feel any better, there is the one thing we Mets fans and Brooklyn Dodgers fans have in common: the hope of next year. Mets fans can dream of an injury free season and a chance for the play-offs; Brooklyn Dodgers fans can keep hoping for that miracle of a return engagement. It probably will never happen, but back in 1955 after Brooklyn beat the Yankees in the World Series, did anyone ever think their team was moving to LA?

Keep dreaming, old Dodgers fans, and hang in there!

Photo Credits:
Ebbetts Field - nyc.gov.
Citi Field - NY Daily News

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

What About Art for Art's Sake? NYC Board of Education Plans to Test the Arts

Article first published as What About Art for Art's Sake? NYC Board of Education Plans to Test the Arts on Blogcritics.


As a parent and as an educator, I am annoyed by the assessments that are thrown at public school students here in New York. The students are tested across the board every year in math and English (and science in fourth and eighth grades). They also must endure standardized testing during the course of the year, and in some cases still also have to take midterms and final exams.

Now the NYC Board of Education has made it known that, starting this October, some eighty public schools in New York City will begin testing fifth and eighth graders in the arts (dance, music, theater, and visual arts).
The French term l’art pour l’art comes to mind here.  This term, coined by French art critic Théophile Gautier, was meant to free art from any purpose that was not about the art itself. In other words, the art is not for pleasing the public or earning awards or for any reason than the art itself: art for art's sake.

That makes sense to me. As a writer I more or less feel the freedom to write whatever I please on topics that interest me. The same should hold true for artists in all areas. More importantly, students should experience fine arts in the same spirit. I wouldn't want my child to think that every picture drawn, every song sung, every composition played on the piano, or every play that she participates in will be subject to an assessment. It is not only bizarre but it is also counter-productive to the nature of the arts in the first place.

As an educator I have seen how students who may be struggling academically can flourish in the arts. Much of this has to do with nascent talent, and the right teachers then come along and help these kids bloom. So yes, talent has a lot to do with it, but it is not about finding the next Mozart or Picasso here. Even the kids who just draw stick figures or sing off key experience a release, a feeling of freedom, that only the arts can offer. Now, if we start categorizing and assessing these things as if they were just like work done in any other class, then it may as well be just that. I fear the arts will no longer offer students the unbridled sense of freedom of expression that they have enjoyed in these classes. Sadly, teaching to the test will no doubt rear its ugly head and that is truly a pity.

By 2014 the BOE plans to assess all students in all schools to determine whether they are receiving a quality education in the arts. I understand that they believe this to be a way to improve instruction, but this is also a thinly veiled attempt to work toward a place and time when they will be able to remove teachers whose students perform poorly on the arts assessments  (as they want to do with teachers in academic areas). Besides this reality, the simple fact is that teachers and students do not need yet another set of assessments to worry about.

The problems with assessments already in place are clear: they are time consuming, they require training for teachers (which means they are pulled from classrooms for it), and they also need to be graded (once again pulling teachers from classrooms). The loss of valuable instruction time is obvious, and the more insidious aspect is making children feel that every facet of their scholastic experience is now under scrutiny.


With this plan in place, a dance or theater or art class will be assessed. Will this include the painting a child draws or the sculpture made from clay? Or will it be even more invasive, asking a child to decide whether he or she can understand a work of art? One student can look at Van Gogh's Starry Night and see something different than the next, as it should be. But now we are moving into a very gray area, with it quite possibly being that the assessments will qualify the arts and force students to all see the same thing.

Art and music history can be taught, of course, but what are we going to start expecting them to be tested on: Impressionists and great composers? Are we going to take art and music appreciation to a level that will actually lessen that appreciation. Truthfully, I have seen students turned off to literature because of being over tested on it, so the danger is real and worrisome.

One thing I have learned over my years as an educator is that you can't fight City Hall, so in essence this is no doubt a done deal now. I fear the impact it will have on instruction in theater, dance, music, and art. More importantly, it could be a case of losing something that has always been an outlet for those less than academically gifted students who shine in the arts. If this happens, it will be just another case of ignorance on the part of those who think they know better or want to improve something at the cost of ruining or
destroying it. What a sad day that will be for New York City public schools and the children they serve.

Photo Credits:
Picasso- biographyonline.net
Starry Night- vangoghgallery.com


Sunday, August 14, 2011

Tiger Tanks at the PGA

Article first published as Tiger Tanks at the PGA on Blogcritics.

You could ask who was afraid of Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club? The answer is only the fish in the ponds, as Woods was looking as lost as those balls he was driving into the drink.

Woods was seven-over par during the first round on Thursday, and he shot three-over-par on Friday; the once dominating Woods finished ten-over and missed the cut by six strokes. This is not what he must have expected as he came in to try to regain his standing in the golf world after a tough year of physical and emotional disappointments.
With Woods out at the PGA, it is a fair question to ask what is actually wrong with him? Is it that at thirty-five that his body is just not bouncing back from the injuries as he would have hoped? Or is it something more insidious, like something akin to writer's block for a once prolific author?

Obviously, there are some people who may be enjoying this situation a little too much, but what can we expect after what has happened to Tiger Woods these last two years? With the scandal that cost him his marriage behind him now, and with long-time caddie Steve Williams out of the picture, Woods may have thought he was embarking on a fresh new voyage into success, but he is looking more like a lost kid in a department store out there now.

I am not sure if I feel sorry for Woods, or I just think that his fall from grace and poor performance are lamentable because of the greatness he once displayed. Most fans of any sport enjoy seeing a master at work, and an inevitable part of every game is that eventually even the best grow older and their powers fade.

There is no question that there is time for Tiger to get back on track, if not this year then maybe in 2012; still the PGA is less thrilling without him at the top of his game. It is sad to see Tiger gone so soon, but perhaps he can use this extra time he now has to get himself straightened out for his own sake and, more importantly, for golf's sake. He owes it to the fans and most of all to the game that he loves.

Photo Credit: Getty Images



Sunday, August 7, 2011

A Nation Still at Risk: Real Education Reform Needed Now

This article first appeared in The Apple on July 18, 2011.

In 1983 the landmark publication of the report A Nation at Risk seemed to shake our nation from its slumber regarding the scary truth about education in America. It detailed how there were serious problems in schools in this country and recommended fixes for what ailed schools. Unfortunately, twenty-eight years later there are still many things that are wrong in education, despite George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind program and President Barack Obama's drive to improve our nation's schools.

Recently Mr. Obama said, "In the 21st century, it's not enough to leave no child behind. We need to help every child get ahead. We need to get every child on a path to academic excellence." Of course, that is a terrific sound bite, but we have to wonder if it has teeth. We have to see real proactive measures taking place here and now, not in some nebulous and undefined future place.

The problem now is that there are too many schools seen as "failing" schools. This number continues to rise. Here in New York City, there have been schools closed because of failing grades. New ones (especially Mayor Michael Bloomberg's darling charter schools) have risen to take their place, but students are still struggling. Statistics are not conclusive about the effects of smaller schools (like charters), but the reality is that more schools than ever before are seen as failing here in New York (and across the country). As the state looks to make evaluation of teachers more stringent, and with the new Common Core Standards looming, it is likely that more than ever before we will be faced with schools that are seen as lacking or failing.

What is actually wrong with our schools? An easy out is for one to look to the classrooms and blame teachers. For me, this is what is wrong with what has been happening for years. Instead of addressing many other larger and more important concerns, the easy fix has always been to target the teacher and look for ways to replace him or her. Things like "merit pay" or tying teacher evaluations to standardized test scores only exacerbate this problem.

"Our Nation is at risk. Our once unchallenged preeminence in commerce, industry, science, and technological innovation is being overtaken by competitors throughout the world." Sound familiar? These are the opening words of the 1983 report. It is worth noting that this was a time before the Internet connected world of today; the time of the Soviet Union and other supposedly nefarious countries and people wanting to destroy us. This was pre-September 11th and all the concerns of terrorism that haunt us now. If I didn't know those words were written in 1983, I'd wager they were composed yesterday about our current state of education and place in the world.

And things are not getting better. A Nation at Risk cited some very mind-numbing statistics, including 23 million functionally illiterate adults, 13 percent functionally illiterate 17 year olds, 17 year olds lacking "higher order" thinking skills, and American students many times placing last amongst the nations of the world in achievement (based on data from other industrialized nations). Today about 45 million adults are functionally illiterate, so despite an increase in the nation's overall population, it is apparent that the warnings of this Reagan-era report were not in any ways tangibly effective, nor has No Child Left Behind and the current efforts of President Obama's administration.

Why is this happening? If standards are increasingly more stringent, shouldn't we have an upturn in achievement? Where is the smoking gun in the death of what once was the finest education system in the world? The answer is that American education has been undone by endless bureaucratic minutiae, the drive for testing without a concern for other meaningful instruction, and a feeling like the baby has already been thrown out with the bath water, so why not just give up on the baby?

The most terrifying thing about No Child Left Behind wasn't that it didn't work very well, but rather that it worked at all. While it seems Bush's mandate on the surface should have been a good thing (who can argue with an "all children can learn" philosophy?), the problem is that while all children should learn, many of them learn differently. The core problem is that differentiated instruction is not at the heart of many of these initiatives, and the only way that all kids are going to learn is via it.

The reality is that now students are not reading, writing, listening, or speaking any more than they did in school back in 1983; in fact, with the Internet, video games, i-Pods, cell phones, and a host of other electronic distractions, they are probably doing much less of this. Reading a story? Reading a poem? Reading a complete book? The harsh reality - and I have asked students about this - is that many students have not read a book from cover to cover by the time they are in eighth grade. This slap in the face may be news to some of you, but couple that with less time for homework due to more time needed for texting and video horseplay, and you can get an idea of how high the deck is stacked against us.

Some teachers are definitely the problem too. Many are not comfortable with reading long selections (let alone writing long responses). I have spoken to English teachers who have never taught writing because they are intimidated (or too afraid to mark the papers because they themselves are not sure about grammar). That is indicative of the greater problem: teacher preparation is not what it should be in this country, and because of that prospective teachers, students, and current teachers continue to suffer.

Since we are still indeed a nation at risk in terms of education, what can we do to turn things around? There are no easy answers, but someone has to be honest here. It is one thing to say a child is going to learn; it is another thing to get him or her to do it. Overwhelming teachers with standardized tests that are unrealistic, poorly constructed, and yield terrible results is one of the biggest issues. Making teachers drop their normal curriculum to teach to the test is another. Of course, in a world ruled by the test makers, the exception is becoming the rule: teaching to the test has become a normal part of the day in many classrooms.

Teachers want to keep their jobs, so they understand the game, but there is much more at stake than districts being able to gush about their high test scores. High test scores are nothing more than window dressing. You can very likely dig under them and find nothing of substance beneath. This is because in teaching to the test teachers are training students to take that instrument and succeed. This has nothing to do with higher order thinking, with true understanding of concepts, or a lifelong affinity for the learning process. When a teacher is done grinding the students into standardized test robots for one year, they are not going to retain much of anything for next year, which means the rote process of teaching to the specific test has to start all over again. In that type of scenario, when does the real teaching ever get accomplished?

If so many adults are functionally illiterate, there must be a way to stop things and say, "This is criminal and this system is corrupt." Of course, I am not expecting that to happen today or tomorrow, or maybe even when all the agreements with standardized testing companies expire for these districts. But someone has got to stop the express train to disaster that we are all riding on right now. We will never stop being a nation at risk until people like the president and many others shake the education system to its core.

The best thing we can do is try to find time to teach instead of trying to find time to test. We need to stop beating teachers into becoming slaves to the test scores, and we need students to be opened up to a wide range of possibilities beyond assessments. As a teacher I always loved teaching the subject; I never enjoyed sitting there and watching students take tests. We need to move away from that testing obsession and move toward multiple types of assessment that extend over weeks, months, or even whole semesters. We need to get back to grammar, punctuation, and spelling. We need to teach phonics and math and art and music and science, and then after all that the kids need to get on their gym clothes and run and play and compete on the field.

I have so much hope for American education because I know at the heart of this whole thing are the good teachers, the ones who want to make a difference. That's why any of us went into teaching in the first place. It was because we cared and we thought that the way to help the bigger picture was to smart small, in the classroom, one child at a time. In fact, that should be the name of Mr. Obama's new education initiative: One Child at a Time. In that way no one is left behind, everyone will be taught based on individual needs, differentiated instruction will be dynamic and meaningful, and we can move away from worrying about test scores.

Maybe we can one day say, "We are no longer a nation a nation at risk," but until that time we must do something meaningful about education and it has to be done now, not tomorrow or next month or next year. Now is the time, and the proverbial clock is ticking.