By Jamie Stuart

New York is a pressure cooker.

That’s what we hear.  Rich Kotite, Ray Handley, Isiah Thomas, Dallas Green, Art Howe…  The list goes on and on of coaches who have been chewed up and spit out by the Big Apple.

But one man hasn’t faced ANY of that pressure–and he’s been here almost two years!

His name:  Mike D’Antoni.

The Knicks head coach went 32-50 in his inaugural season last year.  This year, he’s off to a stellar 1-7 start.
But nobody’s screaming for his head.  Nobody’s saying their grandmother coaches better than him.

Why?  Because nobody cares, for one more year.   Next year, Lebron, Dwayne, Chris Bosh and a host of other super stars are free agents.  The Knicks are getting to be way under the cap, so they can nab not one, but two superstars.

It’s a good plan that’s been well advertised.  I just find it funny that D’Antoni hasn’t and won’t have to deal with one iota of pressure for his 1st two seasons as coach.

We’re giving him a free pass.  When, and only when, we get some superstars at the Garden, will we start to care again.
Do we know if D’Antoni is a great coach?  Nope.  Do we care as of now?  Nope.

For the 1st time that I can remember, a New York coach has a two-year free pass–with NO championships under his belt.

FOOTBALL SEASON!!!

If you’re like me, it can’t come soon enough. I’m talking NFL and Long Island high school football.

Time for 4th quarter drives..goal line stands…and 2 minute drills.

Time for pick 6’s..bone-jarring hits…and ridonkulous runs.

Time for bad calls by refs….ill-advised celebration penalties…and waiting 5 minutes for the instant replay ruling.

I can’t wait!

Time to see if Rex Ryan’s “D” will in any way remotely resemble his past Ravens’ bunch.

Time to see if the G-Men can live up to expectations without a true #1 receiver.

Time to watch pre-game shows, get the chips and dip ready, and talk to my dad and bro before the games.

Time to knock over the chips..spill the drink..and storm around the house when a bad play happens.

Can’t wait.

By Jamie Stuart

New Yorkers love a comeback.  They love a reunion.  We may be tough on the outside, but there’s a small place inside us that cries like a baby when sports figures, or in this case, teams, make a comeback.

Such was the case w/the Jets return to Long Island on Wednesday night.  It was dubbed, “Family Night” by the Jets, and there were certainly plenty of Generation Jets parents and kids to go around.  

It was a bittersweet event.  Sure, the thousands of fans went hoarse yelling for their beloved green and white.  But there was sadness, or wistfullness in their eyes, as well.

Why did they have to leave!?  Long Island IS their fanbase!  Look at all the support they get here!

Those were some of the cries I heard from the Jets faithful.

My answer to them?  I have no clue.  You’re right.  I don’t know why they left for Jersey, further alienating their NY and more specifically Long Island fan base.

But why stop there?  Woody Johnson had a chance to be a demigod in Jets history.  All he had to do was build a stadium, a JETS stadium, on Long Island.  Heck we’d even settle for Queens.

But, alas, that shipped has sailed.

Instead, we’ve been reduced to a One Night Only, “Family Night.”

I’ll shed a tear.  On the inside, of course.

6:15am Leave News 12 building (suprisingly alert)

7:45am Have breakfast at LaGuardia airport where the 70-year-old employee kept screaming “No microwaves folks, we have a real chef here!”

10:15am Arrive in Canada, get our baggage, and rent a SWEET Lincoln rental car!

11:30am Arrive at our hotel in downtown Montreal…greeted by fans wearing Islanders jerseys

12:15am Go to the Bell Centre, get our draft credentials and then interview those Islanders fans.

1pm Edit our piece with the fans for the 5pm sportscast.

5pm Feed back our piece with the help of a Canadian TV Station. (Everything goes smoothly)

5:30pm See Islanders owner Charles Wang and GM Garth Snow walking by…Snow stops for a quick interview.

(more…)

Rain has stopped play in the third round of the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black just before 7 p.m. Saturday.

3:38 p.m.

The USGA says the 3rd Round should begin at 5: 30 p.m. Light rain is coming down now.

3:06 p.m.

Tiger bogeyed 9; he is 11 back, which would be the largest deficit overcome in U.S. Open history if he were to win.

2:34 p.m.

Rain coming down very hard now. Once the puddles start forming, they’ll probably suspend play.

1:06 p.m.

Rain is falling now. The fans say it’s not their fault, so the hope the USGA will bring back the U.S. Open in the future.

11:28 a.m.

A nice morning out here at the Black, but ominous clouds loom. I’ve got my raincoat on.