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At the Intersection of Sports and Culture

Photo Credit for Header: Alex Foucre-Stimes

Did Mike D’Antoni Kill Rosie Larsen?

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Of course not! Because Rosie Larsen is a fictional character from AMC’s new hit series The Killing and Mike D’Antoni is not a homicidal maniac. Some deranged, overzealous Knicks fans probably felt like they could have gone on a murdering spree after watching their team falter in the Garden last night.

In what was billed as the biggest basketball game in New York City in over a decade, the Boston Celtics took the Knicks, and their fans, to the proverbial woodshed. From the start, the game wasn’t close. Amare was clearly hurting – bad backs are so hard to disguise – and for some strange reason the much maligned Knicks defense allowed Paul Pierce and Ray Allen open look after open look. It got so bad that I started to wonder if a team has ever fired their head coach at halftime. I can’t imagine the Knicks, or Mike D’Antoni, coming back from a 3-0 deficit against the suddenly rejuvenated Celtics.

To be honest with you, I didn’t even really watch the 2nd half. Of course I checked in to see the score a few times but last night gave me a perfect opportunity to see why everyone is raving about The Killing on AMC. Going into the pilot I was worried the show was going to be too much Twin Peaks and not enough Seven. After three episodes the show has surpassed my modest expectations and it’s safe to say that I’m in for the long haul.

A few other things:

– The best part of The Killing is the time/attention given to developing individual characters. I may only be through the first 3 episodes but I thought the actors playing Mitch and Stan Larsen have done a particularly great job of showing viewers the various stages of grief following the murder of their daughter.

-And who did kill Rosie Larsen? Early odds – Jasper & Chris 3:5, Richmond 4:1, Holder 8:1, and longshot Mitch Larsen 100:1.

-Could this series take place in any other city besides Seattle? The Emerald City is the perfect backdrop for this murky murder mystery. I was however disappointed by the lack of product placement. I figured Linden and Holder would have passed by at least 25 Starbucks by now.

-Finally, AMC and HBO have really cornered the market on television dramas. Waiting to get into HBO’s Game of Thrones, which I hear is also excellent, and looking forward to season two of Treme.

view from MSG courtesy of @verosoraptor

NYC’s College Basketball Team?

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Here are a few quick views from tonight’s St. John’s/UConn Big East basketball tilt in Madison Square Garden.

Seems like the Garden filled up nice and early for the game, although it looked like the upper level “blue” seats remained unoccupied for the duration. Crowd sounded sluggish at the start perhaps due to the fact that they were not quite sure who they were supposed to root for.  St. John’s hasn’t been relevant for a few years now so many New Yorkers have perhaps switched their allegiance to other NY teams like Syracuse and maybe even Fordham. (I kid! I kid!)

This year could be different as the Red Storm are poised to make a run at the NCAA tournament. This game vs UConn could prove to be crucial in determining St. John’s March Madness chances.

views from MSG courtesy of @VeganCapitalist and @its_twon

Seasons Greetings From the Association

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Hello, friends. This year, there’s a veritable glut of Christmas NBA action– about 13 hours of it in all– starting at Noon and finishing up on Boxing Day, ET. Here’s our brief look at today’s matchups.

Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks, 12:00 PM (ESPN)
It appears that basketball has finally returned to The Mecca. The rivalry began in the early 90s, only to lose a lot of its steam after Michael Jordan retired. But now, with both squads tapping the free agent big man market over the summer, the tradition returns to MSG. And by the way, Ray Felton IS an elite NBA point guard.  Look no further than his numbers: 18.2 PPG, 9.1 APG, 3.9 RPG, 1.9 SPG. Stats don’t lie. As good as Amar’e has been early on, and he’s been great, I would argue that some of those Garden “M-V-P” chants could easily be thrown Ray’s way. He’s finally in sync with Stoudemire on the pick-and-roll, is not afraid to step back and knock down a three-pointer, and seems to thrive on pressure situations, making shot after shot when it counts.

(view courtesy of @dR3wMiLL3R)

As a lifelong Knicks fan who remembers the 90s and what those Knicks-on-Christmas game meant to the NBA, I’m just thrilled that this game means something. Again.

Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic, 2:30 PM (ABC)
Boston has won 14 games in a row. The Big 3 has been consistent, steady, and reliable. The two O’Neal’s and Rondo have all been shelved at some point (J.O and Rondo won’t play today), every game seems to come down to the last shot, but somehow the Celts are 23 and 4, leading the East.

Orlando has looked awful at times this year. Their two wing scorers, Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter, loved to disappear, to the point where the Magic blew up their squad with two blockbuster trades last week.  The Magic looked great in beating the Spurs on Wednesday night. Arenas, Turkoglu, and Richardson are all playing meaningful minutes, without any semblance of a formal offense yet, alongside Howard, Nelson, and a somehow-relevant-again JJ Redick.

In the closing seconds, the ball will be in Paul Pierce’s hand and I think you can all guess what happens next.

Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers, 5:00 PM (ABC) [Read more…]

“Veni, Vidi, Vici”

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He came, he saw, he conquered.  That about sums about Lebron James and Co. introduction to the Garden as members of the Miami Heat.  James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh combined to score 84 points in the Heat’s 113-91 rout of the New York Knicks. Believe it or not, the game was actually tied at the half however, thanks to a few highlight real dunks, and some incredibly poor shooting by the Knicks, Miami was able to pull away in the 3rd quarter.

New York fans were hoping for so much more.  After a sizzling 16-9 start, NY has now dropped two games in a row. Keep in mind that their last two opponents, the Boston Celtics and the Heat, are both considered title contenders.

I watched this game in a bar alongside VMS contributor and avid Knicks fan Dave.  His Knicks season ticket package did not include last nights game and when he went to look on stubhub, the average ticket was going for $350, that included 70K each for a few prized floor seats. Needless to say, he was more than happy to watch the game from a bar where we split a few beers and a plate of nachos for $70. Money well saved Dave. Money well saved.

Share your views.

“The Garden Has Some Serious Juice”

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These were the immortal words of viewmyseats own Dave after attending today’s Knicks matinee in Madison Square Garden. With Sunday’s 129-125 win over Denver, New York extends their win streak to 8 games and raises their season record to a formidable 16-9.

This is a crucial week for the Knicks as the Celtics come to town Wednesday, followed by Lebron and the Heat on Friday night.  Dave and his brother are lucky enough to have tickets to Friday nights contest against Miami.  I was hoping to stumble upon a ticket myself but as Mike Francesa continues to remind me, there is “huuuge, repeat huuuge” demand for seats.  Fear not, VMS will still be well represented.

Anyone else fortunate enough to have tickets to the Knicks/Heat Friday night? Share your views.