JERSEY CITY, NJ – Pigs are flying. Snowballs are being thrown in Hell. The Mets are outspending the Yankees. A basketball team from Jersey City is in the headlines. Two of the aforementioned four statements are true. With that, let’s get to Sweet St Peter’s, Rangers Strike Lightning and John Clayton.
Sweet St. Peter’s
My grandparents got off the boat from Ireland at Ellis Island and settled in Jersey City, as bewildered teenagers torn from their families. Both of my parents were born and raised in Jersey City. I was born in Jersey City. Saint Peter’s College is in Jersey City. It’s in a crappy/gritty section of a city comprised mostly of crappy neighborhoods. Most people only know the reclaimed Newport part, right on the Hudson looking at NYC’s skyline. For the most part, you can still dump a body in most corners of this large municipality. To think that this tiny school of 2,400 is playing in front o 18,000 fans and in the Sweet 16 is madness. March Madness. You don’t have to like sports. You don’t have to care about basketball. These guys, and their stories, deserve your attention. They are Davey vs Goliath. They are Rudy. They are Rocky Balboa. They are Cinderella times a zillion. They deserve your attention. That is all.
Rangers Strike Lightning
Dare I say it? Should anyone ever say, “Maybe Jim Dolan was right? Well, as those pigs are still flying, us hockey fans may have to say that maybe… possibly… Dolan was right in firing John Davidson and Jeff Gorton for the team lacking grit. After last night’s thrilling, playoff-like battle and ultimate win over Stanley Cup Champion Tampa, one could make a strong case that the New York Hockey Rangers are legitimate Cup contenders. Funny what winning tight games against great teams can do in the court of public opinion. Add the Blueshirts to your sports watch-list… just under #1 St. Peter’s.
John Clayton
67-yearsold is way to young to pass away. That’s how old longtime sports pundit/reporter John Clayton was when he succumbed to a brief illness. I never met the man, but came across as someone you could trust. He seemed like a nice guy and I always listened if he had some inside intel, as it was usually accurate. He was a no-frills guy that I thought of as a Harry Truman of sports. Rest in peace, Mr. Clayton. See you at that big tailgate in the sky.
That’s it for me – a 7:25 AM flight and it’s 1:25 AM now. Come back tomorrow for a guy that knows all about not sleeping, Junoir Blaber.
