(Jason Schott – NY Sports Day)
The New York International Auto Show, which is run by the Whitestone-based Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, got underway at the Javits Center on Good Friday and will go until this Sunday.
There are the usual toys of the rich and sometimes famous from such car makers as Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce. Unfortunately, the best that you can do is gape at them because they are fenced off from the public. The good news for sports car buffs is that there are plenty of Porsches and Corvettes that you can sit behind the wheel and tap the accelerator. It makes for a fun selfie anyway.
Chevrolet is capitalizing on its endorsement deal with Major League Baseball by printing Topps baseball cards of Auto Show visitors who pose in front of its green screen. Toyota, which is the official car of the New York Yankees, exhibited its Bronx Bombers model which a company representative said is available for purchase. Nearly every auto manufacturer showed at least one car that is used on either the NASCAR, Indy Car, or Grand Prix circuit.
Former Mets pitcher and current team SNY broadcaster Ron Darling has written a new book titled “Game 7, 1986″ (St. Martin’s Press). In what is the first of probably many books whose release is timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Mets’ last World Series championship, Darling is certainly candid with his readers.
Ron publicly discusses for the first time the notorious incident in which he and three of his Mets teammates were arrested for a disturbance in a Houston bar during the summer of ‘86. He also doesn’t sugarcoat his poor performance in Game 7 of the World Series against the Red Sox where he was removed in the fourth inning although the Mets did come back and won that decisive game. He admits that nerves got the best of him. If you are a Mets fan and want a behind-the-scenes look at that memorable 1986 team then this book is for you.
Interest in the 1986 Mets is undoubtedly helped by the fact that our Flushing heroes made it to the World Series last fall. Greg Prince is as fanatical a Mets fan as you will find as evidenced by faithandfearinflushing.com, the literate website devoted to their beloved team that he and his buddy Jason Fry created.
Prince revisits the Mets somewhat surprising return to relevance with his new book, “Amazin’ Again” (Sports Publishing). Yes, it’s a solid recap of the 2015 season, but what makes this book a fun read is Prince’s obsession with trivia. Did you know that outfielder Michael Conforto is the 1,000 player to wear a Mets uniform? Can you name all of the opposing players who made the last out in a game that sent the Mets onto the postseason? Don’t worry if you can’t because Prince does.
Last Tuesday the Queens Economic Development Corporation joined forces with the Brooklyn Nets to hold a Queens night at the Barclays Center. While it was nice to see a few folks wearing “Represent Queens” t-shirts (a play on this year’s Nets marketing slogan, “Represent Brooklyn”) the night was a dud and not just because the Nets turned in a lackluster effort against the Charlotte Hornets in a dreary loss.
When the Knicks hold their annual Queens night every year, they use their overhead jumbo screen to highlight the history of the borough as well as its bustling neighborhoods. The Nets’ nod to Queens was limited to showing a photo of one of their former stars, Lefrak City native and Archbishop Molloy High School alum, Kenny Anderson.
YES Nets television voice, CBS NFL and NCAA men’s basketball play-by-play man, and most importantly, Forest Hills High School alumnus, Ian Eagle, will once again team up with longtime WNBC-TV sports anchor Bruce Beck, to hold their annual sports broadcasting camp for youngsters between the ages of 14 and 17 at the Yogi Berra Museum in Little Falls, New Jersey from July 18 through 22.
Two of the camp’s alums are WCBS 880 sports voice Justin Shackil and MLB Network air personality Scott Braun who has occasionally subbed for Gary Cohen on Mets spring training SNY telecasts the last two years. Their camp experience is a good leg up for young people who want to work at a college radio station after they graduate from high school even if they have no desire to try to make a living in the insanely competitive world of sportscasting. For more information log onto sportsbroadcastingcamp.com
Ever since the witty and very knowledgeable Adam Schein left SNY for a full-time job with the CBS Sports Network, the Mets cable home had been rotating partners with co-host Chris Carlin on its 5:30 PM aptly named sports gab fest, “Loudmouths.” It has been a mixed bag. WFAN fill-in Marc Malusis has always been solid while former WFAN producer Sal Licata has generally been dreadful.
Last week SNY named Jon Hein to be Chris Carlin’s verbal sparring partner. Hein, who is also a contributor to Howard Stern’s Sirius XM radio show, turned in a solid first week and appears determined to add pop culture topics to the usual and frequently tired sports debating points. Keep up the good work, Jon.
I finally got to see “Stomp” which has been playing for nearly 22 years at the Orpheum Theater in the East Village. It’s about as unusual a production as you will find as there is neither dialog nor an orchestra. The only music that you hear is from the performers using everyday items as brooms, pails, matchstick boxes, garbage cans, and yes, even the kitchen sink, to create percussion rhythms. My favorite routine was a Harlem Globetrotters-style passing and dribbling drill which was terrific choreography. The troupe tosses in some Marcel Marceau and Charlie Chaplin-style comedy along with improvisation with the audience to make for a fun show.