New York! New York!
Ah! I may now finally understand why many New Yorkers simply adore their Yankees. In all the madness that transpires in the Gotham-area sports, only the Yankees have shown some return on investment.
When the dust settles on all the trades that transpired in the NBA yesterday, it might seem like New York Knicks are so flush with money, they can afford to be sitting in the cellar of the worst division in the NBA, and yet absorb players with bigger contracts than what they gave up in the trades.
For no plausible reason, NY-area teams are intent on taking on bigger/bloated contracts of players and add them to teams that are decidedly heading no where. Consider the Knicks of the past couple years, the Mets of Major-League Baseball, Islanders and Rangers of the currently-defunct National Hockey League and you begin to get a picture of ineptitude that has currently seized the executives of the largest television market in the country. I guess that is enough reason in itself - after all, when you are flush with cash from TV contracts, why bother being prudent right? The National Football League, with its strict salary cap, still managed to provide us the spectacle of having to see good-guy-coach Jim Fassel of the East Rutherford Giants being reduced to a lame-duck coach by the players that tuned him out. Even the New Jersey Nets of the NBA were not immune to the lunacy that gripped the area-teams, by letting Kenyon Martin walk away at the beginning of the season. But to their credit, they tried to restore a semblance of order by getting Vince("I play hard when I feel like", "Showboat") Carter.
Strangely though, the biggest spenders of them all - the Yankees - have been relatively unscathed from this ineptitude. Yes, they boast the highest payroll in MLB, but have gotten atleast something to show for it. Namely a few championships, a few championship-round appearences. And oh, of course the biggest collapse ever in the history of Major-League Baseball playoffs (but thats a separate story for another day).
Honestly though, it is good that the sports execs of these teams are doing what they are doing. How else could the rest of the pro-teams get rid of their bad/bloated contracts/payroll?
9 comments:
I'm equally puzzled. The Knicks could have done much much better. do you know they are above the cap as well and still lottery bound :)
try beating that :)
now they are talking about bring the Zen Meister. I doubt if he will accept the offer, coz there is no Jordan or Kobe or Shaq to coach. they would be better off hiring Larry Brown instead.
first timer here, good blogging dude.
The Knicks need to rid themselves of Isiah Thomas and get some "real" front-office type people. But, given that court-side seats at Knicks home games sell for about $1900 a pop, and there is no dearth of money in the TV market, I doubt if fiscal responsibility is even a considered option for them. But then, as an avid San Antonio Spurs fan, I am happy that San Antonio has long-term financial flexibility thanks in large part to these bumbling Knicks.
I honestly wish the Zen Meister would not taint his legacy by coaching his ex-team (believe he played for the Knicks).
As for Larry Brown, it would be a match made in heaven...he can whine about the players not playing well, the NY-area media can whine that the coach whines, and we can whine that the NY-area media whines about a coach that whines :)
Ramesh
Since I live very close to NY let me tell you this. the NY media is the most punishing of all sports cities in the country. They thrive on action and unless you deliver, its adios baby.
Given that pressure, very few have lived up to the potential they showed, pre-New York.
I am not a bb person. From a baseball perspective, the Yankees (much as I hate them- I am a RedSox fanatic) are the cornerstones of profitability and living up to the name. Much credit goes to THe Boss and Joe Torre. Last year was an exception(a much enjoyable one at that) but I expect the Yankees to come thundering in this year with Big Unit.
The Mets on the other hand have plonked the most money this offseason, only to have almost the same bad pitching staff (Pedro isnt the same old Pedro) and a weak team. Imagine that for ineptitude.
The Knicks as far as I understand are no real threat to anybody and that leaves us with what ?
I can understand that the media in NY is relentless and demanding. And I applaud their relentless pursuit of excellence.
Maybe this is what drives the executives of NY sports teams nuts?
Jokes aside though, atleast for the Knicks, I can say this much. They are slowly, steadily and with conviction, descending into mediocrity and worse. In a way I guess they deserve it for blaming Pat Ewing for their championship drought.
On the other hand, the double whammy of a relentless media scrutiny/glare and relentless media-driven criticism of failure does point to a vicious cycle that seems to be favoring no one.
Ramesh,
Couldnt agree any more on NY teams, overspending and ineptitude. I cant figure out the NY mets, sometimes I feel I can do a better front office job than those at the mets office (guess that george coztanza really got hired by the mets)
The New York media cries for the blood of players and coaches even for an ordinary day at office. At the same time the very media takes good and great performers to the highest of the highest pedestal. Remember Broadway Joe- he still is the apple of their eyes.
I like the Newyorkers and the NY media in this regard. If you can perform on a consistent basis and if they know that you are playing your hearts out, they will back you like no one else can(atleast the NY fans). This is why players like Jeter will go down in the golden pages of NY media when everything is said and done (the catch that he took during the regular season game against the rsox is still fresh in my mind).
I have to admit here that I am with the evil empire. I rooted for the sox during the postseason, but normally I would like to see the yankees win.
And ranga, whats with the fans of the city of brotherly love. It seems they boo every known player ever take the field in that city. Read somewhere they even booed Santa claus during a December football game.
Regarding the Philly fans, well, lets just say that they are way too passionate about their sports. And supposedly thats their reason to boo Santa.
Michael Strahan, Defensive End for the NY football Giants once remarked that Philly is the one city where in a game, you would see a grand-father and grand-son stand together and flip you the birdie.
that was one hilarious comment on Larry Brown :) super.
Hey
I am not a fan of any of the teams in the City of Brotherly Love. I love the city but I back all the NE teams. So if the Philly fans booed Santa, so be it. Ill laugh at it along with you !
Apparently the churlishness is not restricted to just the sports fans of the city.
If you don't follow the NBA on ESPN, you are missing out on the essential comedy that is Stephen A. Smith in a dogfight trying to argue his side of the story. If I watch the half-time shows of the NBA games on ESPN, it is in the hope that this philly.com beat writer can enlighten us with his prudish remarks and loud obnoxiousness.
Apparently this lack of championship since 1983 thingie is a really serious issue to this city or atleast to its sports fans and sports writers.
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