NEW YORK, NY – It’s 30 degrees outside. Historically, that’s not an outrageous temperature for this neck of the woods, but this ain’t your childhood’s weather system. It’s down right dangerous for us now that we’re used to no snow and whine when the mercury dips below 45 degrees. Raise any argument you want but yours truly grew up directly across the Hudson River – from the 79th Street Boast Basin in Manhattan – 1 mile, to be precise. Yeah, so what? Well, I’ll tell you what! and I played hockey on the small man-made lake in the 3.1 miles-in-circumference James J Braddock Park. I didn’t have money to skate anywhere else. I got good enough to get a whiff of D2 Hockey at the University at Buffalo. (They disbanded the program while I was in school). The lake hasn’t frozen enough for skaters in 25 years. 
That’s a fact. Another fact is that James J Braddock, aka Cinderella Man, is from my town – North Bergen. Indeed, his other nickname was the Bergen Bruiser. And while Russell Crowe did a great job portraying him, Braddock was actually 6’4″ – like my Dad, who ushered at masses the retired boxer attended weekly. Crowe is about 5’11. But hey, that’s Hollywood. Matt Damon played a 6’3″ South African in Invictus. WAIT… we’re not here to talk about the weather or boxing! We’re here to talk about: Aaron Rodgers Stays In Green Bay, Mets Curse of Purse, Rugby Is Cool
Aaron Rodgers Stays In Green Bay
Could you imagine? That would be SOOOOOoooooo J-E-T-S! The possibility exists that AA-Rod (stealing that from Cam James) may simply be playing Gag Green (not a typo) to get more green from Green Bay! Maybe A-Rodge just wants MORE leverage with the Packers. There is an article in the NY Post claiming the Jets have the leverage in this deal. Really? Who the Flacco is going to be the QB for Savant Salah if it ain’t Rodgers? Mike “Matt Cassel” White is in Miami. Back to Zach! When you’re ace in the hole is Zach Wilson, you have NO LEVERAGE.
Mets Curse of Purse
“Karma is a bitch, babe.” – Kojak [probably said this]. It was either him or the late Robert Blake, who played Baretta. This whole Steve Cohen thing could be taking a Curse of the Bambino turn for us psychologically frail Mets fans. Cohen allegedly made a bunch of cash shorting stuff on 9/11. Not that the Amazins aren’t a cursed franchise to begin with, but great golly gosh, it sure seems like this WBC Diaz disaster could be a new pox on Flushing, this one the Curse of the Purse (TM)! Fortunately, Brandon Nimmo isn’t out for the year. But really, you know something even more absurd will happen – like Pete Alonso getting hit by a girder on a golf course. Sounds impossible. It ain’t. This is the Amazins, after all.
Rugby Is Cool
Have a looksie. And tune into MSG at 3pm ET.
And finally…
A classic bout in which a local boy makes good.
