The topic I chose to research is the Nets possible move to Newark instead of Brooklyn. While I still believe Prudential Center is the best thing to come to the city in ages, I also believe the Nets coming to the city would be an even bigger boost for both the city and the state. It would pump more revenue in the city and help to change the publics view about Newark. Now that NJ has more sports/concert venues I also feel that this area cant handle another one, it would hurt everyone in the end. Last, New York get too much from NJ. The Giants and Jets playing in NJ but using New York’s name is something I don’t understand, if you play here, your ours! Keep the Nets in Jersey

N.J. NETS pack preseason at Newak’s Prudential Center with Ticket giveaways, discounts

 http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/nj_nets_pack_preseason_at_newa.html

 This article details Prudential Center being filled near capacity for the Nets pre-season game. Newark is using this as proof that a move to Newark is the ideal choice, being that there is a strong fan base and easy accessibility. The article also shows that steep discounts were given on the tickets in order to get people to the game. It showcases the fact that not even Izod Center is filled with as many fans.

 Prudential Center vs. Izod Center: Proper end to NJ’s dueling arena saga

http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2009/10/prudential_center_vs_izod-cent.html

 This article talks about the plans to finalize plans for each arena’s use, being a few exits apart from each other on the Turnpike. It would keep Prudential Center as the Sports Arena for the NJ devils and Seton Hall Pirates and use Izod Center as the family and entertainment arena. This would turn a weakness into a strength and keep promoters from pitting the two against each other.

 The Nets are coming to Newark! The Nets are coming to Newark! Maybe

 http://blog.nj.com/njv_joan_whitlow/2009/10/nj-devils-need-to-pay-the-rent.html

 This opinion article by Joan Whitlow discusses the possible move from Izod Center to Prudential Center for the Nets, at least until the Brooklyn arena is ready. The Nets have a contract to stay at Izod Center until the Atlantic Yards complex is ready, however, they received such a positive response in Newark that they could possibly be moving, leaving Izod Center high and dry.

 I believe the last article by Joan Whitlow, “The Nets are coming to Newark” is the best article. She makes solid argument as to why the Nets should come to the city and how much it would help with cash flow, as well as regeneration. It also details a plan to have both arena’s under one booking agent to keep them from competing and ultimately hurting each other.

Here are some of the postgame quotes after Wednesday’s 3-1 Devils win over the Ducks:

Martin Brodeur:

Talk about the next three games (at Pitt, vs. Wash., at Philly)…

“It’s going to be a big week, a big weekend; these three games are going to be hard. This one is a back-to-back, so it was good to get a win in the front end.”

Did the ceremony make you think that you’d like to have a (Cup) celebration here at the Prudential Center?

“It doesn’t matter where (laughing), just another one would be awesome. I think it’s always nice to see things like that — because we worked really hard for the guys that were there — and for the young guys, it makes you realize what you can achieve. These things are great; it’s a special year with us playing all three teams that we beat in the Stanley Cup Finals in one season. And it’s definitely nice to see the faces on the scoreboard and the faces of the few guys that were here.”

The PK was real strong tonight going 6-for-6…

“Yeah well…we got ourselves in penalty troubles – again too many men on the ice – twice in the game. Sometimes you pay the price when give these kind of freebies to the opposition, but our guys stepped in; we didn’t quit. Guys worked really hard on the PK and that’s why we were able to be dominant tonight.”

Zach Parise:

Talk about your shorthanded goal…

“It was a good play by Whitey to step up and hold the blueline there and Jamie was able to thread the needle there (to me). I think I caught (Ryan) Whitney a little flat-footed there and was able to jump past him and get a breakaway.”
You’ve seen time on the PK this year, how do you like it?

“I like it a lot; it’s better than sitting on the bench for two minutes. You want that responsibility, you want to be one of those guys that they (the coaches) feel comfortable having on the ice. Yeah, I like penalty killing.”

They say the worst thing you can do is give up a goal in the first or last minute of a period, was your goal a backbreaker for them?

“Yeah, they were on the power play, it’s a 2-1 game, they were looking to tie it up and we know it doesn’t feel good (to give up a goal there). We’ve been on the other side of that.”

For you it had to be a great feeling to score there…

“Yeah, it’s a good feeling (to score), regardless of when it comes. It’s definitely a good feeling being able to contribute.”

Jamie Langenbrunner:

Tough schedule coming up…

“Obviously we have some tough games coming up and it’s nice to start off this segment with a win. The thing about this league is we have a game tomorrow so we have another tough game and we have to focus on that.”
Talk about your goal in the opening minute…

“It was definitely a focus of ours to have better starts. A great job by Zubie to win the face-off, good job by Zach jumping in to get it, good shot by Greenie; I just went to the net and was able to get my stick on it.”

What part of your stick did you get on it?

“I got the blade on it I think; I’m not 100% sure, but I think it was the blade.”

David Clarkson:

You had a nice goal tonight, describe it…

“I think Greenie made the pass, it was just one of those plays that I saw the D coming across so I just pulled the puck across (my body). I knew that if I did that the goalie would be coming the other way, so I put it (my shot) back the other way and it went in the net.”

It seemed (Jonas) Hiller gave up a lot of rebounds tonight; is that something the team talked about?

“Yeah, I think you pick up on stuff like that – rebounds around the net. We knew we had to get there. You see Zach’s goal, it was hard work – he just kept banging at it and banging at it and it went in. Those are things we did talk about; the rebounds around the net, get to them and get pucks at him, because there’s a chance it could go in.”

Talk about the penalty kill tonight…

“The penalty kill was great. I took a couple of penalties myself – I’d have to see the replay to see if they were real penalties – but they (the PK) were huge. I came out of the box and thanked them, because I was the guy in the box most of the night.”

Marty said he keeps telling you that the toe drag doesn’t work anymore…

“(laughing) Yeah we were joking it’s a men’s league move but I guess it worked there tonight. The guys were bugging me a little bit, but you know what I was just going to the net and its something you try right? Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t; tonight it worked and I’m happy the puck went in.”

The shootout goal (in Tampa) and now this one – two nice goals you have now this season…

“I’m learning stuff (all the time), from players in this room and trying to pick up some moves that guys make to try and make myself better; and I find it’s helping me.”

Jacques Lemaire:

Is your team getting better?

“I think in some aspects of the game we’re getting better; not all of it, not yet.”

Where are the exceptions?

“(Smiles, then laughs) we have to get better at too many men on the ice…that’s one thing.”
But you’re good at it.

“Yeah exactly, we’re getting good at it.”

When you have this (winning) streak, there’s some sort of formula that’s enabling this streak. What’s enabled it? It’s six in a row now…

“It’s hard to say, it’s hard to say. I think right now we’re getting some breaks, which is a big part of it. I think the guys believe that they can be successful, that is a big part. They believe we can do it, they believe we can come back. So I think it’s all of this. We’re playing as a team more and more, but there are still little things.”

What do you call a break, what break did you get tonight?

“Tonight we worked well; we worked well enough to win the game. When they scored the goal, we picked it up, again, which was good. I thought tonight was our best start since the beginning of the season.”

What will stick with you about Clarkson: the move/shot on his goal or the penalties?

“The three penalties; I want the guys to play for the team – which he does – all the time. He’s going to get some penalties, it could be accidental, but the one that I really didn’t like (the too many men on the ice call) was when he jumped on the ice, he got the puck…when Zach just came in front of him. That’s the one I didn’t like. But on the other hand, when you look at it after the game…his goal was a huge goal. His goal was a huge goal.”

How about this kid from Rome, NY, Tim Sestito, he seems to fit in really well?

“He’s playing with energy which I love. He’s on the puck, and he’s in good position, he takes the man and plays as aggressive as he can and skates well. So, that’s why he’s playing.”

Will Brian Rolston go to Pittsburgh?

“Yes, he will be playing tomorrow.”

How good was your D tonight?

“They were as good as they’ve been all year. Maybe at the start we couldn’t find the high man, our long passes were not good. We were going D-to-D, or back to D; we don’t want that. We have to find the open players, and that we didn’t do too well at the start. But we talked about it and during the first period they started to get better.”

How impressed are you with Mark Fraser?

“Very impressed, very impressed…he’s solid. You know who would say, at the start of the year that this kid would be with us? Secondly, playing, now he’s among the top four (defenseman). He’s getting a lot of minutes and I love the way he plays. He’s very safe and aggressive and he’s playing a man’s game out there.”

Andy Greene led you club in ice-time and added two assists, your thoughts?

“He’s been very steady all year; probably the best defenseman up till now. He’s so calm and knows the game well. He’s sneaky – what I mean is he is getting away from guys and putting pucks where his teammates can get them. These little passes that he makes…its all smarts, stuff that he does.”

How much does he remind you of Scott Niedermayer?

“Greene? He doesn’t have Nieder’s speed. He has his finesse, the speed does it all for Nieder.”

The PK tonight?

“Tonight had to be our best, our best PK of the year so far.”

How was Patrik Elias tonight?

“Very good, you know he’s getting better and that’s what I like. I know he’s not at his best, but he’s got good skills and its coming. When he’s in top shape he’s going to help us a lot.”

Is he going to Pittsburgh?

“Yeah, I think he’s ready (for back-to-back games).”

It looks like I’m not the only one who thinks the Nets should move to the Prudential Center in Newark:

Miley Cyrus backstage interview at Prudential Center, NEWARK NJ. Talking about her tour, being in the Sex And The City movie, social networks and more! (source)

I am in crazy heaven listening to this! It’s as if I had been there in-person. Thanks so much, tamster1328!

Heaven

Crazy

Credit: tamster1328

I decided to see the Nets’ last preseason game against the Knicks at The Rock. The tickets were only ten bucks so I came through with my lil’ homey from Rutgers.

So, do the Nets fit in well with Newark?

Let’s start from the beginning. This was my first time at The Prudential Center so I was somewhat anxious to check it out. We finally made our way in and somehow cut the line. It’s quite impressive once you get in the lobby. Neon lights painted the windows from the inside and it It just felt modern when you walked around. Plus the upper and lower levels entrances are open unlike Izod.

It’s convenient since you can take quick peaks at the game if you’re not by one of the flat screens. The only undesirable part was our seats. It felt like we were up in the Adirondacks but hey, that’s what you get when you don’t pony up. All things considered the Rock makes the Izod Center look like a dusty airfield hanger.

I thought we came late as we grabbed our seats 2 minutes before tip off. Then a lot of heads showed up out of nowhere deep into the 1st quarter. I guess everyone was running on CPT and I missed the memo.

Now on to the actual game. Well, the first half went from decent to abysmal. The Knicks got an 18 point lead at the break. I’m a Nets fan but I grew up in a family full of Knicks diehards so I have no hard feelings towards them. At any rate I don’t like blowouts and the crowd seemed to agree with me. It really took a ton of energy out of the building.

My friend wanted to grab some ice cream so I decided to tag along. I’m a tall dude so my legs needed some circulation anyway. We finally found a small Carvel vendor and she dropped a Lincoln for a cup of ice cream. That’s was a pretty ridiculous price but hey you can’t get between a woman and her food.

She didn't even finish it!

Thankfully things picked up in the third as the Nets went on a run. The place came back to life and then some. Chris Douglas-Roberts started to drain shots out of nowhere and got some cheers. Then Keyon Dooling shook someone (Chris Duhon I think) and made the crowd go OOOOOOOOHHH!! I had to bring myself down for a moment. It felt like a regular season game considering how well attended it was.

The Score After 3

The Nets built up a one possesion lead in the fourth but tempers flared as Bobby Simmons got it in with Nate Robinson of all people. Like I told my friend, what do you really gain from picking on someone Nate’s size? Dude is barely tall enough to ride a roller coaster but I bet he’d knock him out. Most NBA cats can’t fight anyway but it was funny nonetheless.

It's out of focus but that's the best I could do.

Nate and Bobby got a double Technical and they kept it moving. The Nets continued to fluster about with their slim lead as did the Knicks in their attempt to catch up. You could kind of tell that the game would eventually fall out of their favor with only 5 minutes left in the game and Devin Harris in street clothes.

Then those Knickerbockers got their act together and got the lead back in the waning moments. They seemd to ice it with a 2 possession lead and mere seconds on the clock. Then they fouled Courtney Lee which was pretty stupid. He missed the second shot on purpose, got his own board and got an and 1. The Nets were back in it with slim hopes but most of the crowd left at that point. Lee forced the miss and the ball bounced around with failed tips toward the basket until the buzzer sounded. The Knicks squeaked by with the W while the Nets suffered a winless preseason at home.

We had a good time even though they lost. Even though NY heads came in via Penn Station there were a good number of Jersey faithfuls seen throughout. it was easy to see that fans were genuinely interested in the slim possibility of the Nets making their new home in Newark.It took a little bit to get the crowd going at first but they stayed in their seats until the Nets choked at the end.

Obligatory post game photo shoot

Now on to some funny/weird events that transpired throughout the game. Dwight Gooden was in the building and that’s all well and good. But the DJ kept playing Michael Jackson records and I couldn’t figure out why. Sure MJ is a legend and all of that but it didn’t seem natural. Come to find out Joe Jackson was sitting court side and made the jumbotron. The crowd sounded confused when they found out. You know how weird it sounds when people cheer and boo evenly at the same time? Yeah that happened.

He can dance better than your grand-dad

Cheerleaders are OK with me but I guess the senior citizen dance team was all the rage. They started out with some geriatric dance number then started gettin’ it to this song.

It was pretty hilarious and somewhat unexpected. I just hope I can move as well as them when I get up there.

These little girls were a riot. They startin’ wildin’ when they played You’re a Jerk and got live for the free t-shirts. Unfortunately the cheerleaders didn’t have arms like Jay Cutler so those shirts didn’t quite make it up there.

Wrapping things up, having the Nets in Newark would really bring interest back in the waning franchise. But the NBA Lords don’t want that to happen so it’s just a pipe dream for now. Meanwhile, the people aren’t clamoring for the Barclays Center or Atlantic Yards. On another note, the traffic heading into the game was pretty bad even for Newark. Atlantic Avenue would easily be worse should people dare to drive in to the Barclays. Then again that’s why I suppose they’re building it right next to Atlantic Ave-Pacific St. Station. Oh well, it was great while it’s lasted. Now I just have to wait until spring when the league will take my team away.

Oh and another thing. My first post on the Nets and The Prudential Center made NJ.com.  It’s really dope to get a nod from the Star Ledger but I guess I should clear something up. I never went to that game. When I said I checked it out I meant I watched it on Yes. It sounded right in my head when I wrote it but I guess it didn’t translate to the author of that post. I just thought it was funny and I got some shine from it. I just hope I’m not discredited for being honest.

I’ll end it with this. As we got past security they had a promoter getting people excited for the game. He said “New Jersey and NEWW YORRK… Are YOU Ready?!?!” or something to that effect. Then some dude behind me says “We Don’t CARE about New York!! We CARE about NEW JERSEY!!”

Too bad more people out here don’t feel the same way…

]]> http://wayoverhere.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/warm-evening-sky-over-boston-102209-not-many-of-these-left-this-year/ Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:50:23 +0000 davidstopforth http://wayoverhere.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/warm-evening-sky-over-boston-102209-not-many-of-these-left-this-year/

We have repeatedly posted about the excitement surrounding Red Bull Arena and all that it could mean for the franchise and MLS.  The stadium is beautiful, is intended to help revitalize Harrison, NJ and will be a showpiece for soccer in the United States.  However, the questions remains; will the new stadium impact Red Bull attendance or the team’s profile in the New York media market?  Based on our experience Saturday night in Newark, the answer is still very much in question.

For those who don’t know, in October 2007, the Prudential Center opened in Newark, NJ as the home of NJ Devils of the NHL, Seton Hall basketball and more.  The stadium is state of the art, cost more than $375 million to build and was intended as part of a downtown revitalization for the City of Newark that included retail, residential units and more.  The Devils are a perennially good team, and have won three Stanley Cups over the last 15 years.  Newark and Harrison are essentially neighbors, so the Prudential Center represents an interesting comparison for Red Bull Arena.

On Saturday Night, I took in my first game at the “Pru” as the Devils hosted the team formerly known as the Hartford Whalers. I had dinner with 5 friends in downtown Newark and then walked to the Arena among a sea of red jerseys.  We had purchased tickets on Stub Hub for essentially 60 cents on the dollar.  The facility was beautiful, yet remarkably, only about half full.  And this is the issue.  Just starting its third year, the bloom is already off the rose.

Our seats were 15 rows from the ice and we could have walked down much further and found 6 seats together.  The most expensive seats were essentially empty (although many are reportedly sold).  The upper level was more crowded, but whole sections were largely unoccupied.  Attendance was reported as 15k, but the sense from those around me was that the number was closer to 10k.  In sum, a beautiful new New Jersey Arena in its third year, with a powerhouse team as a tenant, was half empty on a Saturday night in October.  It is also worth noting that the New York Mets couldn’t generate sell-outs for their new stadium in year one in Queens.

This is the nightmare scenario for the the Red Bulls.  Build a sparkling new stadium with all the amenities, public transportation accessibility, natural grass and fill it with star players.  Pack in crowds for all 25k seats for a few games and then slowly watch attendance drop off.  Sure, the new revenue streams will be outstanding (recall that Rio Tinto has raised RSL’s revenue 42%).  But will Red Bull be happy with 13k on a Saturday night in August? Many in the New Jersey/New York area have no idea the new stadium exists and thus there is limited excitement about its debut.

Many American soccer fans think that the stadium will be a savior for a franchise that sits dead last in MLS.  Others believe that Red Bull management has been playing opossum, saving resources for the big opening.  The latter may be correct, but the former seems a bit of a strectch.  Stadiums generate revenue, but they are no guarantee of long term attendance increases (hello FC Dallas).  My experience at the Devils game was oustanding (even if the Whalers went down to defeat), but shocking in the emptiness of the building.

So the question remains; will it matter?  Will Red Bull Arena take the franchise to new levels and elevate soccer in New York, keep interest at the same level or something different?  We take a middle view…if the team does well in its new digs, interest will increase, but a middling team will continue to receive middling interest in any venue.

Here is the link to my recap of last night’s Devils-Atlanta game:

http://nycsportsnews.com/articles/details.htm?id=1019

Dan’s Three Stars of the Game:

#1 – Ondrej Pavelec (Atl) – 28 saves, win (3-1-0)

#2 – Rich Peverley (Atl) – 2 pp goals (4)

#3 – Bryce Salvador (NJ) – 2 assists (2)

I will post more quotes from postgame tomorrow…

Here are the line combo’s & d-man pairings:

New Jersey:
Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner
Bergfors-Zubrus-Clarkson
Pandolfo-Niedermayer-Rolston
Peters-Pelley-Pikkarainen

Martin-Oduya
Salvador-Murphy
Mottau-White

Atlanta:
Kozlov-White-Afinogenov
Kovalchuk-Little-Antropov
Kane-Peverley-Armstrong
Boulton-Reasoner-Thorburn

Kubina-Hainsey
Bogosian-Enstrom
Popovic-Salmela

I checked out the Nets pre season game against the Celtics last night. The Nets lost a game they should’ve won but that’s not the point. Instead, it seems like their new owner has the game locked up as far as moving the squad to Brooklyn. I can go on about how it’s a dumb move in more ways than one but think about this. Why not just play in Newark?

Its a logistically and financially sound alternative to this oft-delayed move. Prudential isn’t used that heavily outside of Devils games and the occasional concert/event. On top of that Penn Station is just a few blocks away. You want to get idiots (like me) to pay for those PATH trains and overinflated NJ transit tickets if they’re not driving in. Besides Cory Booker is all gung-ho about revitalizing Newark. Therefore, I’m surprised he didn’t campaign harder for the Prudential Center to serve as the potential home of the Nets. Hell even the Devils said they’d work with the Nets in organizing home games.

Yes,building a new stadium creates new jobs and the Barclays Center looks impressive. But they’re beyond expensive usually don’t see profits for years to come. On top of that I never saw a huge demand behind BK wanting it’s own team outside of Mikhail, Bruce Ratner and co. trying to capitalize on an appealing location. NY belongs to the Knicks when it comes to basketball and Madison Square Garden is up there with Yankee Stadium anyway. The Barclays Center looks like the ugly stepchild in comparison and it’s not even here yet. On top of that New Yorkers either don’t like or don’t care for the Nets for the most part. What makes the owners think that the fans will keep coming after the honeymoon is over? It’s not like Lebron is coming here anytime soon.

Most importantly, as a NJ resident and one of the few that follows the squad, I’d hate to hit the bridge just to watch my team in person. The Meadowlands ain’t easy to get to either. In a perfect world the Nets would’ve been at The Rock since the Devils arrived: rendering the Izod Center worthless.

I could share pictures from my recent visit to Boston with my BFF Kim from now until who knows when with 400 pictures on my computer that I took that day but life keeps moving forward and so must my ramblings here. I first shared part of our day in this post and then last week’s M.M.  I also shared a shot here and here(that photo album that I featured is on its way to me!). This week’s Mosaic Monday I’ll wind things up with some of my very favorite images from that glorious early Fall day.  Here bottom right is on Newbury Street. Just before the Life is Good store in the background of the shot was this colorful artwork. It was one of the first things we saw getting off the Subway and just made me so happy with its playfulness. The photo right above it is looking out the third floor window of the Apple Store on Boylston Street. The store was all glass and awesome! We captured some day and night shots of it. The larger photo on the left is looking up Commonwealth Avenue. Love those homes!  Next on the upper right of this mosaic is heading down Boylston Street toward the Prudential Center and I looked back to the John Hancock Tower. I liked the way the old signage from the Lennox Hotel looked with that modern glass skyscraper.  The picture under it is my desktop picture right now. It’s the Women’s History Memorial on Commonwealth Avenue, looking over Abigail Adams shoulder toward Phyllis Wheatley and further down the mall.  The larger photo on the right is walking up Winter Street toward Washington Street. Love that ‘city’ look with the people bustling and the tall buildings.  I also like the light and shadows here.  Many monuments and statues in Boston and one of the most famous is this one of George Washington located in the Boston Public Garden.  I love playing around and getting different angles that give you different views of a scene and give an idea of the size of things like this one of former Boston Mayor Kevin White.  On a previous visit I had Kim take my picture with him and this time I took hers. Also captured this image in the upper right of the 10 foot statue.  Toward sunset as we walked along the waterfront I took the photo in the lower right of this boat moored to the dock. Love the light! Back as we walked up Winter Street we stopped in at this Starbucks for a beverage. Taking pictures of every Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks I found in the city got me getting creative with my angles so I all my shots of them didn’t look the same. The buildings and locations were so different I don’t think it was a problem.  The corner of Winter and Washington and well in the upper right you can see ‘The Corner’ lol. And the store may be gone but the old Filene’s clocks still remain on the historical building on Washington and Summer Streets. The end of the day and the end of  Kim and my visit to Boston.  I look at these and think of so many more memories and images I want to share. The upper right is taken looking toward Quincy Market.  Walking up Newbury Street we stopped in to a Dunkin Donuts to get coffee for our T ride and I captured this last image of the Prudential Center shining in the night. Then it was down to the T and a last goodbye to Boston.  Thanks Mary for creating Mosaic Monday as a forum to share our creations and be sure to visit the other participants who design such wonderful mosaics to share their beautiful images.

This past weekend was filled with sports.  It was all sports all the time.  It all started Friday night with our North Arlington Vikings going on the road again to play the New Milford Knights.  Once again the game did not get off to the start we wanted it to and we were down by two touchdowns before we knew what was going on.  There was no real rhythm to our offense and we stalled on all of our drives.  The only good news to come out of the game, offensively, was that we were able to take our first three Red Zone snaps of the season.  We were down 28-0 at halftime when I snapped.  I am not a guy who yells and screams,  but I was fed up with what I had been watching the last two weeks.  I challenged the team to go out in the second half and play like we know how to play.  When we went out for the second half, we had to kick off and the Knights returned the kick off 95 yards for a touchdown.  So much for the yelling and screaming.  We are now down 35-0 and the ensuing kick off is returned by us and our best defender breaks his ankle and his leg.  Things were just not meant to be for us that night.

On Saturday, Melissa, Deanna, and I made plans to go to Verona to watch Verona play Cedar Grove.  This game was each other’s biggest rivalry game.  They usually play this game on Thanksgiving Day, but I think with all of the realignment going on in the state they had to drop their Thanksgiving Day game.  Our cousins go to Verona High School and one of them, Olivia, is in the band, and one, Charlotte,  is in the color guard.  Our other cousin, Evan, doesn’t do either so we sat with him in the stands.  It was a good game.  Verona and Cedar Grove both played like it was a rivalry game.  You could definitely tell they both wanted to beat the other.  It was a close game throughout.  The Verona quarterback made a few more mistakes than he would have liked, but sometimes that happens.  Verona lost 22-0, but the three scores were so far apart from each other that it never felt like a blow out.  Halftime was a lot fun to watch.  The Verona band was awesome.  The did a great job of performing and marching.  The color guard is always a lot of fun to watch too.  They are always precise.  We had a lot of fun at the game and on October 10, the three of us will be going to Montville to watch Charlotte and Olivia perform at battle of the bands event.  I will let all of you know how that is.

After two straight events of football, it was good to get out to Prudential Center for the New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Devils got off to a quick start and scored 2:04 into the first period on a snap shot goal by Dainius Zubrus.  But that was all the scoring either team would do.  The game was really boring.  The Devils and the Flyers, it looked, were just going through the motions.  That was not a good way to prepare for the season opener when these two teams meet on October 3rd.  I wish I had more to write about this game.  There was nothing else to write about.  There was even a fight.  Terrible.

On Sunday, Melissa and got up early and went to watch my godson, Matt, play in his football game.  My cousin, Bob, called me when we were at the Devils game, to let me know that they were playing their biggest rival.  It was a chilly day and rain was in the forecast.  But the game was a lot of fun.  The coaches get to be on the field with the players as they go over every play before the players break the huddle.  A lot of the kids were real small and their pads were real big.  It was very cute.  My godson plays a little running back and he had one run where it looked like he was going go break away and score, but was just caught from behind.  The game was a back and forth affair that saw both teams score by halftime as it was tied at the break.  The second half came and the game was even more of the back and forth we saw in the first half.  Late in the game, Butler (the other team) fumbled and gave Bloomingdale (Matt’s team) the ball at the twenty, going in.  Maybe six plays later, Bloomingdale scored to take the lead with less than a minute to go.  Butler got the ball back, but Bloomingdale stopped them three times in a row and won the game.  After the game, Butler’s mayor presented Bloomingdale with the trophy and everyone on the Bloomingdale side, coaches included, were jumping for joy.

This past weekend was a lot of fun.  We saw a lot of good football, none of which from my team, and some hockey.  Watching hockey whether it’s boring or not, is always a good time.

Here are the transcripts of my post-game interviews after last night’s 1-0 Devils win over the Flyers at the Prudential Center.

Andrew Peters:

Your thoughts on the game?
“Don’t you want to talk to Dainius Zubrus? It was a good game, big win. Marty (Brodeur) played great. We came out a little bit slow, but as the game went on we got a lot better and sometimes….”

Good bounce back after losing to Philly 2-1 in OT on Thursday night?
“It was a tough loss the other night, you hate losing in overtime. But I think there’s a rivalry here and guys really get amp’d up to play against each other. There was some good energy put there.”

How are you doing, as far as getting in shape?
“I feel better every day. I came to camp big and strong; I put on 15 pounds over the summer, so at first it was tough to adjust (playing) at that weight. You know, as much as you skate back home, it’s not the same as being in a game. So it’s an adjustment when you’re carrying that much extra weight around. I think I’m adjusting just fine and my goal is to continue to learn Coach Lemaire’s system and play the system the best I can.”

How has your experience been with Coach Jacques Lemaire been so far?

“Great. He’s a great teacher. He really takes time to make sure you understand and he wants to make sure that everyone is on the same page; the way he explains the game, he makes it so simple. I think that’s why he’s had so much success as a coach in this league.”

Paul Martin

Thoughts on the game?
“We were a little streaky. We had some chances we didn’t score on. I think we had a little lackadaisical second (period), but I thought we played better in the third. So it was good to finish strong.”

The PK was good tonight, going 5-for-5.
“Yeah, we did well, Marty played good. We have to get the puck out (of the zone) though – we gave them a couple of extra chances. Otherwise the PK did good tonight.”

Good response after a loss to Philly on Thursday?
“Yeah, it’s always feels a lot better when you win, and you’re doing things right, so that helps.”

Thoughts on the new coach?
“It’s been good so far. He’s come in and changed some things up, so it takes a little time to adjust; but so far guys are buying in and working hard, so with time I’m sure it’ll be good.”

Zach Parise

Your thoughts on the game?
“I think we played pretty well at certain times in the game. I think our PP could be a little better; we can try and get some more chances. There are still areas that we need to improve on – but that’s what training camp and preseason games are for.

PK was good tonight, and you played 3:08 in the game on it, something you haven’t done too often here in New Jersey. Your thoughts on both?
“I thought our PK was really good. I like penalty killing, its helps you stay in the game more – every 15, 20, 30 seconds you’re out there, you get your legs going a little bit. I think our PK has been good. We’ve been aggressive, and aggressive at the right times.”

Your thoughts on the new coach?
“It’s been really good. He’s a really good teacher, I’ve learned a lot. He makes suggestions on things we can do better and gives the explanation why. Its good, so far we’ve learned a lot.”

Jacques Lemaire

“I didn’t like that second period. We set the puck up, we didn’t control it, and we just sat back.”

Are you close to where you want to be offensively?

“I think there’s a lot of improvement for us to get to where we want to get to. You know I felt we made good steps from game to game, but this game was step back.”

Consistency?

“We didn’t work hard enough and we weren’t at our best at skating tonight. Our thinking cap wasn’t on, and that’s why we played, in the second period we sat back a little too much. In the third, we came back and you could see that there was more intensity, but we want to play more like the third period than the second.”

Jay Pandolfo?

“He’s sore, not sick.”

Brodeur’s game tonight?

“Very solid; very focused, that’s the goalie that I know. He controlled the puck well, he made good plays. On the PK he sent the puck down a few times. He looked good.”

Zubrus?

“It’s not one player that makes a line. And that line didn’t go as well as I would like to and its the chemistry of the 3 guys that has to be better. The chemistry could be to support at the right time, the right play. I remember one time they had a great chance to make a play and they shot instead of making the play. They make the play…it’s a goal. That type of chemistry I’m talking about. Good support offensively, skating at the same time; not one guy, not two guys, but all three. Back the defensemen up when its time to back them up; be consistent in all this. That’s what we’re looking for. They do it, but not all the time. That’s why the line is not working; they don’t have success right now. At times it’s everyone. It’s every line that has to do a little more, or working better as a line, it’s everyone. “

What about the Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner line?

“No, no, no. Not as much as I’ve seen (in the past).”

Seton Hall and Georgetown have both been named hosts for the 2011 NCAA Tournament. The Prudential Center in Newark, NJ and the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. will be the venues for the events.

The Prudential Center will host two regional semifinal games on March 25th and the regional final on March 27th, with the winner of that game advancing to the Final Four at Houston’s Reliant Stadium. It will mark the first time Seton Hall has hosted an NCAA Tournament game since 1999, when they played at what is now the Izod Center in East Rutherford.

The Verizon Center will host first and second-round action. That schedule includes four first-round games on March 17th and two second-round games on March 19th. This is the third time Georgetown has hosted the NCAA Tournament, and the first since 2006, when George Mason made their miraculous run to the Final Four.

Last night was the Devils first game since they lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Carolina Hurricanes.  It was only pre-season, but it was good to back to Prudential Center and see a game.  The game itself was not the greatest of games, but I like going to see the kids play the pre-season.  I like to see if they have anything or if they need more time either at their respective junior teams or in the AHL.

The game got off to a slow start as the Devils seemed to take penalty after penalty.  But it was David Clarkson who started the scoring midway through the first on the power play.  He was camped out in front of Henrik Ludqvist and was able to scramble and put a rebound passed an out stretched Lundqvist.  The Devils took the lead into the locker room after the first.

Another thing you can always look forward to is seeing fighting.  The young kids want to show that they have the toughness to make it in the NHL.  The Devils Mark Fraser fought Aaron Voros in the second period.  This was an interesting fight.  Fraser had made it with the Devils for 7 games in 2006-2007.  But has spent the last two years in the minors as he was never really given a shot under Brent Sutter.  Voros got off to a great start for the Rangers last year but then slid dramatically.  When the Rangers hired John Tortarella, Voros did not play a single game.  Both players had something to prove, but it was obvious that Fraser got the best of that bout.

After Clarkson scored another power play goal in the second to give the Devils a 2-0 lead, the Rangers came back in the third to tie the game.  After an uneventful overtime, the game went to a shootout.  Why not?  The game had just about everything.  The shootout was entertaining as they always are.  Rangers rookie defenseman Matt Gilroy gave the Rangers the lead in the shootout as he beat goalie Yann Denis five hole.  But the next shooter was Zach Parise.  Parise is a tremendous shootout performer and Rangers goalie Chad Johnson (no relation) had no chance.  After the Devils and Rangers traded save after save, Travis Zajac won the shootout and the game.

It was not one of the best games, even for the pre-season, but it was a good one nonetheless.  The next Devils home game is September 26.  I don’t know if I will be able to make that game, but if I do, I will have a post.

The New Jersey Devils just topped the New York Rangers 3-2 in a shootout in their preseason opener at the Prudential Center. Here’s what I liked and didn’t like about the Devils first game since losing a stunning Game 7 last year to Carolina.

Positives:
David Clarkson — Scored two PP goals and is well on his way to becoming this team’s version of Randy McKay. He is poised to score between 20-25 goals this season if he sees an increase in ice-time.

Yann Danis — Played a great game in his Devils’ debut, despite blowing the two-goal lead. Both goals were a result of questionable defensive plays and in the shootout he was very good, stopping five of the six Rangers’ shooters — only surrendering Matt Gilroy’s goal in round three.

Zach Parise — From the drop of the opening puck, Parise was very noticeable every time he was on the ice. He showed me that despite having a remarkable season in 2008-09, he is still hungry to be even better.

The power play — They scored twice with the man advantage and that’s a big deal in Devil-land. There weren’t too many games last season that they scored more than one PP goal in.

Negatives:
Dainius Zubrus — Once again looked slow and failed to do much of anything offensively. He really needs to step up with Patrik Elias being sidelined for the next 3-6 weeks after groin surgery.

Brian Rolston — Same as above, will have to score more in Elias’ absence. He doesn’t look as lethargic as Zubrus on the ice, but the results are the same as far as producing points goes.

Blowing a two-goal lead — After last postseason, the Devils should be very protective with any type of lead, so it was a little disheartening to see them blow a two-goal lead in the 3rd period. Thankfully Danis was sharp in the shootout and Parise and Travis Zajac were able to score on Rangers goalie Chad Johnson (no not Chad Ochocinco!!).

New Jersey is off for a week until their next preseason game on Wednesday in Long Island against the Islanders.

With football preparations in full gear, I have finally found a moment to get back to this blog.  It just so happens that it is also the day the New Jersey Devils kick off their pre-season schedule against the New York Rangers tonight.  I am looking for a few things tonight: to see how the young kids play and to get back to Prudential Center after a long break.  After the 2007-2008 season, I saw Kimbo Slice fight and I Jeff Dunham at The Rock.  But this year I didn’t get a chance to really get there after the Devils season was over.  The last event I saw at The Rock was Devils 2009 Draft Party.

After a long offseason that saw the Devils make, at best, minor moves, the feeling and the itch is coming back.  I was not a fan of the hiring of former coach Jacques Lemaire at first, but after reading what he has been saying about his expectations, and reading about how the Devils players are reacting to him, I am on board 100%.  I am really looking forward to seeing the Devils offense pick up where it left off last season by dictating the play and forcing turnovers, instead of sitting back and waiting for the other team to make a mistake.  It should be fun, and I am looking forward to the beginning of a great season.

So I have had two posts within the last couple weeks or so dedicated to how ridiculous some of the claims and tactics of the opponents of the Obama health care reform bill are. From Obama Hitlers to death panels, it seems there is nothing that the other side won’t try. Additionally, based on the portrayal of the debate in the media, the negativity of some of the town-halls held as well as the general controversy over the matter seem to  be clouding the volume of people in favor of drastic reform.

I myself have been ignorant of the fact that though there are some out there going to extreme methods to turn people against the bill, there is a far greater number of people who understand just how important health care reform is to this country. I learned that fact today on my daily bike ride.

"Do it for Teddy."

After taking a leisurely roll through Downtown Crossing, Government Center, Fanueil Hall, and Chinatown, I found my way back around the Copley area where I suddenly found myself immersed in an enormous march that, to be honest, choked me up a bit. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of people were marching together with signs in hand with messages like “Do it for Teddy,” and “Health Care Reform Now!”

It was pretty awesome:

On my way to Fenway Park for last night’s Red Sox game, I saw this being installed in the plaza in front of the Prudential Center. I figured it had something to do with branding, so I went back today to take some additional pictures and try and learn more about this promotion, advertising campaign and brand strategy. Here is what I found out:

It turns out that Absolut has introduced a series of limited edition Vodka’s based on American cities and the limited edition batch for 2009 is Boston. To launch the spirit, Absolut and Boston have developed a fully integrated marketing campaign including the wall, which features plaques signed by Boston area sports icons, including Red Sox greats like Carton Fisk, Carl Yastrzemski and Johhny Pesky and Olympic gymnast Alicia Sacramone.  (Those are the only ones I remember at the moment. Cut me some slack. It was really hot out today and I could only snap so many pictures on my iPhone.)

UPDATE: From  Absolut Boston on Facebook:

Today ABSOLUT and the Charles River Conservancy unveiled the ABSOLUT® BOSTON Wall of Pride. On view in Boylston Plaza until Sept. 4th, the wall displays the handwritten remembrances of Jim Rice, Johnny Pesky, Doug Flutie, Amy Poehler, The Dropkick Mu rphys and other distinguished Bostonians. Bid for their signed wall tiles in the charity auction and own a piece of Boston history – click the ‘Auction‘ tab on our page.

Either way, this is great for the brand, as Absolut seems to have captured the essence of the Boston brand by incorporating it’s strong culture, history and athletics pride in the campaign. They are also interested in preserving the city which I greatly appreciate as a resident. Al0ng with the mini-Green Monster, the tag line “Everyone gets a piece of the wall,” echoes the sentiments of all who want to someday knock one over, or at least into, the Green Monster (Just a few days ago I was thinking that I could probably hit a ball pretty close). Plus, when you look into the bottle, it actually looks like a piece of the Green Monster.

Does anyone know what agency was responsible for this promo?

Full information on Absolut Boston is below, along with some additional photographs of from the downtown promotional wall.

Based on the information from the Absolut Boston Facebook fan site (http://www.facebook.com/absolutboston)

ABSOLUT® BOSTON is third in a series of limited-edition, premium vodkas inspired by the most distinguished US cities.

Featuring a collector’s quality bottle that honors Boston’s famous left-field wall, its unique, delicious flavor comes from a revolutionary blend of black tea and elderflower.

Mission: To give back to the city it celebrates, a portion of profits from ABSOLUT® BOSTON will go to the Charles River Conservancy – a nonprofit dedicated to the renewal and stewardship of the Charles River Parklands.

Editor’s Note: I saw that Stephanie’s on Newbury was hosting a party for the launch with a variety of cocktail choices with Absolut Boston, as well as an ice sculpture on the outdoor patio. Also, I purchased a 1-liter bottle from Al’s Liquors in South Boston for $26.99. I heard bottles are only $19.99 in New Hampshire, but I couldn’t wait.