Let’s Hear It For New York
Fri-Day! Yes! And as you roll into the weekend, here’s a quick guide with a few things worthy of your precious free time…
Empire State of Mind
I have spent my adult life in three cities: Atlanta, where I was born; Memphis, where I moved almost a decade ago and have raised my family; New York City, where I learned how to be an adult, how to build a life and career for myself.
As a Southerner moving to Manhattan, I wasn’t quite as naïve as Kenneth on “30 Rock,” but there was certainly some culture shock. I tried to fit in, learning how to survive the snowy winters, memorizing the subway map, finding my favorite red sauce joint. The city has a tough exterior, but, as I learned, the people of the city have a heart just like anywhere else. I made friends and found a community, but the one way I was never fit in was through sports. I had assumed I’d adopt a local team or two as my own, but it never happened. The Giants and the Jets couldn’t match the excitement or skill of SEC football. I wanted to root for the Yankees, since they’re historically pretty good, but the Braves had an unyielding hold on my heart.
And then there were the Knicks and Nets. The Nets were just sort of the vague idea of a franchise, a team that played in a Jersey swamp and then moved to Brooklyn just as I was departing. The Nets went to the NBA Finals twice but never really had much identity or heart. The Knicks played in the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, about 50 blocks from my apartment, so I went to see them a couple of nights a week.
The problem was that the Knicks just weren’t very good. In my 16 years in New York, the Knicks won a total of eight playoff games, and six of those were during the 2012-13 season. I knew plenty of Knicks fans who were rabid for a winner, but it seemed like over and over again, hoping to appease those fans, the Knicks tried to skip steps, constantly trading their future for a present that never panned out.
But now the Knicks find themselves four wins away from winning their first championship since 1973. The Knicks have looked awesome in these Playoffs, blowing teams out on the way to the Finals, but they also haven’t had a competitor on the same level as Oklahoma City or San Antonio. Like Becky Hammon, I didn’t think Jalen Brunson could carry a team to a title. And also like Becky Hammon, I’m willing to admit that I might be wrong. We’ll know in about two weeks.
Honestly, I don’t care who wins the NBA Finals—the only NBA team I root for these days is our Grizzlies. But with the Thunder one year from a title and the Spurs recently off an epic run of rings, I feel like the fair thing to do is to root for the happiness of the folks I left behind in NYC. If you can make it there…
Succession/Secession
I’m known around the GCM offices as an SEC true believer, someone who swears up and down that the SEC the best college sports conference in the country. (Often to the chagrin/bemusement of folks like Jessica Benson and CJ Hurt.)
Yet while I am sure the SEC is mighty, I don’t believe it belongs in a league of their own. Which is the idea being increasingly floated by some around the SEC. With the expansion of the college football playoffs being debated, this week down in Destin at the annual SEC meetings, Kirby Smart suggested the thought of the SEC essentially seceding from the NCAA, if they can’t get their way.
“I’ve been a huge advocate that if we can’t find rules that everybody plays by, then we should play our own,” Smart said. “I’m not afraid of that. I’m not afraid to break away and say that our conference is strong enough to go out and play.”
Doubling down on that was UGA president Jere Morehead, who spoke to The Athletic: “The Georgia-Alabama SEC championship last year had ratings through the roof. Imagine if that had been for the national championship? I think our fanbase is strong across the country. I think we’d have tremendous interest in a situation of that nature. But, again, I’m going to be listening to the commissioner.”
First of all, Smart and Morehead are clearly trying to talk to the commissioner, not listen to him. By speaking to different outlets with essentially the same message, it’s pretty obvious what they were trying to get across.
The problem, at least to me, is that they are wrong. Sure, the SEC could probably make a lot of money on its own. But the bigger issue is that if Georgia and Alabama played for the national championship without having to go through other teams or conferences, it wouldn’t be for a national championship. That would be for an SEC championship. Which is a game that we already have.
I believe the SEC is the best conference in college sports. But you need the other conferences for context. Whether you like it or not.
The Grey Alliance
One of the stranger side effects of having so many streaming services available is that it seems more difficult than ever to find things I want to watch. Sure, I have a dozen subscriptions I’m paying for (on top of old-school cable TV!), but on those rare nights when sports are not on and I need something to watch? That’s when I feel defeated.
One of the shows that got me through the last few years has been “The Mandalorian.” As a certified Star Wars nerd, I’ve loved riding shotgun with Mando and Grogu as they traversed the galaxy and engaged in various adventures. Last weekend, I was first in line at the movie theater to see the movie version of Mandalorian and Grogu, because getting to have a Star Wars experience in a theater is pretty rare. And I had a good time! It’s just that the movie wasn’t great—it felt like a TV show, and you could even kinda tell when each episode would have started and ended. It was fun, sure, it just wasn’t quite epic enough. (Also, Jabba the Hutt’s son speaks with a clear voice and an American accent?)
Then I found something new worth watching: “The Boroughs” on Netflix. From the folks who brought you “Stranger Things,” “The Boroughs” asks what if there were similar paranormal adventures happening at an upscale retirement village in the American Southwest? This means instead of a group of plucky kids solving mysteries, we have a group of plucky senior citizens solving mysteries. The accomplished actors (Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Geena Davis, and even Clarke Peters from “The Wire”) playing the seniors are all fun to watch, and while “the Boroughs” isn’t perfect, it’s pretty good, good enough to invest my time.Â
Then again, it’s hard to find anything that’s perfect these days. Sometimes, pretty good is good enough.
Odds and Ends…
- If you’ve never used an iPod before, this is how it used to work, clickwheel and all…Â
- We are going to have a full city on the moon by 2032. Maybe they’ll let me write the newsletter…
- Speaking of, is everyone ready for the blue micromoon this weekend?…Â
- I knew I didn’t need eight hours of sleep…Â
- New Cooking With Lang! Here’s your easy breakfast hack…
