New York Basketball

This site is dedicated to the three major New York Area basketball teams: the New York Knickerbockers (or Knicks), the New Jersey Nets (formerly of New York), and the St. John’s University Red Storm (formerly the Redmen). Since I am vertically challenged, I never made my school’s basketball team. However, I did try to play one on one or participate in pickup games with my friends on occasion. The Knicks are New York’s first major league basketball team, founded in 1946. For part of their history they were not too good. However, they were the National Basketball League champions after the 1970 and 1973 seasons, and lost in the finals (hey, we’re #2!!) in 1994 and 1999. There were some other good seasons in the '90's, including 91/91, 92/93, in fact all the way to 1997. Some of the greats who have worn the Blue & Orange include Bill Bradley, Earl Monroe, Walt Frazier, Patrick Ewing, Dave DeBusschere, and Willis Reed.

I managed to go to two Knicks games so far. The first was in November 1966 against the Baltimore Bullets (now the Washington Wizards). Sorry, but I cannot remember the score, but I think that the Knicks won. It is a significant game for me personally in that it was my first Manhattan date (I took my first girlfriend) and it was the last event I attended at the old Madison Square Garden on 49th Street. The second New York Knicks game was on December 6, 2006. I met a friend from Yahoo 360 who was visiting New York with his family. I met them after work and he, his dad, and I walked from near the old Garden site to the new one, and got to see the Knicks play the Wizards, and lose 113-102. However, we all had a good time. The Knicks managed to win a few days later against the Milwaukee Bucks. I was home this time and watched it on television.

Some of the Knicks' stars for the 06/07 season include Steph Marbury, David Lee, Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford, and Channing Frye. The coach is NBA legend Isiah Thomas. While former Coach Thomas may be a bit of a controversial person, he was one of the 50 Greatest NBA Players of all time. More importantly, he is active in charities like Autism Speaks (as I am the father of a teenager with autism, this means a lot to me).

In 2012 the Knicks acquired a player from the Golden State Warriors named Jeremy Lin. He immediately became a celebrity for his great ability, good demeanor, and that he is one of the few Asian-Americans to ever play in the NBA so far. He has helped the Knicks fill the Garden, and made them a contender. As my old neighborhood (Flushing) has become predominately Asian, with the best Chinese and Korean food east of Guam, I am happy to see an Asian American basketball player make it and improve the game. Go Jeremy and go Knicks!!

The New Jersey Nets first got on the map as part of the American Basketball Association in 1967. Actually they were first called the New Jersey Americans for one year and in 1968 became the New York Nets and moved to Long Island. They would not move back to the Garden State until 1979, after they had joined the NBA. Some of the stars for the New York Nets include Julius "Doctor J" Erving and Rick Barry. The Nets' homes on the Island included the now demolished Commack Arena and Island Garden, and the still standing Nassau Coliseum. By 1970 WPIX was broadcsting the Net's games and I was hooked. Another factor that hooked me to the ABA and the Nets was the fact their coach and three players came from my alma mater, St. John's University. Coach Lou Carnesecca had on his staff former Redmen Billy Paultz, Sonny Dove (RIP), and Joe DePre. The Nets' opponents included teams like the Memphis Pros, Virginia Squires, Kentucky Colonels, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Rockets, and Indiana Pacers. On March 12, 1971 my uncle, my cousin and I went to a Nets game at the Island Garden. The opponents were the Denver Rockets, and I remember that the Nets won. The Rockets are now the Nuggets, and went with the Nets, Spurs, and Pacers into the NBA Ain 1976 when the leagues merged.

In 1978 the Nets moved back to New Jersey, playing their home games in Piscataway. Once the Meadowlands Arena was completed they moved there and called it home for several years (they now play in Newark at the Prudential Center). Among the stars gracing the court now are Vince Carter, Marcus Williams, and Richard Jefferson.

In December 2006, the Nets' owner, Bruce Ratner, won approval to build an arena at Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn. I certainly welcome the move. The new arena would be over the Brooklyn Long Island Railroad terminal, which is in an area that is being gentrified. 20 years ago you could not give the area away. Newly arrived yuppies fear displacement, but when areas of Manhattan were developed and un-wealthy people were displaced, nobody cared about them. I guess it sucks not having money and influence. However, I do hope that Bruce Ratner succeeds in his plans with the minimum amount of displacement.

The new arena, called the Barclays Arena, will be open for business in September 2012. The Nets will be returning to New York and Long Island.

I have been connected with St. John's University since elementary school. Since it was Catholic school, we had religion class and filmstrips produced by St. John's. Then when we went to church each Sunday at 9 AM, the priest was almost a Vincentian from SJU. I can remember to this day a sermon when one priest made a reference to SJU basketball. It helped to pique my interest in the school, and after freshman year at Marist College (see my Homestead page dedicated to Marist for the story) I ended up a student there. I did not play basketball, or any other sport. In fact I only went to one game while there (SJU vs. Davidson, and SJU won). I would not go to another game until alumni night in 1979 with my girlfriend (now my wife). I remember that SJU won, but I forget who they played. After we got married in November 1979 we went each year until 1984 on alumni night. Unfortunately I remember that SJU lost to Boston College in the 1984 game. We would not go again as a couple. My wife was not really a basketball fan. There would be no SJU basketball again for several years. However, since I work in Manhattan I did start to go to the games at Madison Square Garden on occasion. They played Notre Dame and lost on one night. The next time was in 2004, at Alumni Hall and against Fairfield University. This time the Red Storm made mince meat out of Fairfield, winning by 40 points. Perhaps I will get a chance to see the Red Storm play live again soon.

On November 12, 2011 I got that chance. It was the women's basketball team. I met a friend at the Carnesecca Arena and we got to see the Red Storm Ladies play St. Bonaventure's women's team. For a good part of the game SJU was leading, by as much as 13 points at one point. But it was too good to last and the Bonnies surged in the second half and won, 64-58. I met that friend again on February 25, 2012 to see SJU play Villanova. This time the Red Storm won, 69-49.

The best SJU coach in recent history has been Lou Carnesecca. He was there when I first came to SJU in 1968 and was only gone from 1970-1973 when he coached the New York Nets (see above). Coach Lou recently retired and the actual arena in Alumni Hall is named for him. In 1996 I was at a school dinner and had my picture taken with Coach Lou and the president of the university. In 2009 I also got my picture taken with Coach Carnesecca, as well as former Red Storm star and New York Knick Mel Davis, at an event held at Brooks Brothers' flagship store.

The basketball tradition goes back to 1907, and in 99 season the Redmen/Red Storm have a .673 record. There are 6 NIT postseason championships, the last being in 2003. They have also made the NCAA Final 4 twice and the Final 8 on 6 occasions.

While I have paid tribute to the New York Knicks, the New Jersey Nets, and the St. John's Red Storm,I would like to also take some time and space here to pay tribute to my own company's basketball team. We play in the Lawyers Basketball League at places like the Dalton School, Trinity School, Martin Luther King High School and Xavier High School. I joined the team in November 2008 and principally play bench warmer. Since I have not played on an organized team in years, it's fun just being there for the camaraderie and teamwork. At the end of the 2008-2009 season we won our division and played for the championship at Madison Square Garden. Since they went on the day of my father's wake, I could not make it. However, I returned to the hardwood floor in November 2009 and played several games with them. Like the prior year, we made it to the Garden and played on April 13, 2010. This time I was there as well. Our opponent was from the Corporate Basketball League, and these guys were pretty good, since they beat us 51-42. Who cares, we had a great time and were thrilled to play on the same court as the Knicks and St. John's, and where the Ringling Brothers Circus performs, as well as where music greats like Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton and George Harrison performed.

Below are some pictures from the game.

The 9 pictures in the above photo gallery were taken at the "Johnnies & Bonnies" (SJU v. St. Bonaventura) game on November 12, 2011. In the top row we have Johnnie the St. John's mascot alone and with me; the Johnnies taking a foul shot, the cheerleaders and the dance team, and the ROTC & Junior ROTC cadets on the gym floor. In the second row it's another shot of the cadets, a huddle, the Johnnies at the foul line, and a contest where fans purchased pink rubber ducks which they were tossed into a target on the arena floor (the proceeds went to benefit the Queens American Cancer Society chapter).


	Old Madison Square Garden 301 West 49th Street New York, NY 10019