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| Tylor Megill beginning a big double play hit into by Rhys Hoskins in the third inning. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The Mets, despite a possible momentum boost from Tylor Megill, dropped the series finale, 4-1, to the Milwaukee Brewers, who completed the sweep on Easter Sunday afternoon.
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| Luis Severino pitching to William Contreras in the first inning. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The Mets lost another tough one one to the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-6, on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field, their second loss in a row, and one that revolved around Rhys Hoskins, to open the season.
Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring
By Brad Gooch
HarperCollins Publishers/Harper Books; hardcover, 512 pages; $40.00
Brad Gooch is a poet, novelist, and biographer who has authored ten books including Smash Cut, a memoir that captured his exuberant youth in New York's art scene in the 1970s and '80s; Godtalk: Travels in Spiritual America; City Poet: The Life and Times of Frank O'Hara; and Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor, which was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, a New York Times bestseller, and a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle Award.
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| Yankee Stadium. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The Yankees open their season this afternoon at 4:00 p.m. when they are in Houston to take on their rivals, the Astros, in a four-game series.
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| Starling Marte in the batting case, as Pete Alonso (left) and Jeff McNeil (center) look on. Photo by Jason Schott. |
On Wednesday afternoon at Citi Field, the Mets worked out on the field ahead of Opening Day, when they will take on the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday at 1:40 p.m., delayed a day because of predicted rain tomorrow afternoon.
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| Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Nicole Shanahan. Provided by the campaign. |
Independent Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named attorney, tech entrepreneur, and philanthropist Nicole Shanahan as his vice running mate in a much-anticipated announcement in Oakland, California, on Tuesday afternoon.
Studies at the School by the Sea
By Jenny Colgan
Avon Books; hardcover, $30.00; paperback, $18.99; available today, Tuesday, March 26th
Jenny Colgan is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including Midnight at The Christmas Bookshop (please click here for our review from this past December), Little Beach Street Bakery, and Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe.
DRIVE: The Lasting Legacy of Tiger Woods
By Bob Harig
St. Martin's Press; hardcover, 336 pages plus one 8-page photo insert; $30.00; available today, Tuesday, March 26th
Bob Harig is a writer for Sports Illustrated, formerly of ESPN and the Tampa Bay Times, who has covered Tiger Woods since the very beginning of his career nearly three decades ago. Harig is one of the few authors who has conducted dozens of one-on-one interviews with Tiger, and is the author of Tiger & Phil: Golf's Most Fascinating Rivalry (click here for our review from April 2022).
DRIVE is Harig's look at the remarkable career of Tiger Woods, and this book comes five years after his improbable win at the 2019 Masters. Improbable because of all that Woods had been through in the prior decade, from injuries to multiple car accidents to revelations of extramarital affairs, but not unlikely if you have witnessed the determination Woods has had throughout his career.
Just two years before his triumph at Augusta, Woods had severe back injuries that resulted in spinal fusion surgery that he feared would be career-ending. That same year, in May 2017, Woods was arrested after he was found by police asleep in his car on the side of the road. He spent the next two years finding his way back from surgery to the golf course.
That all came to fruition as he approached the 18th Green on Sunday at The Masters in 2019, and when the final putt landed in the hole, CBS announcer Jim Nantz proclaimed it, "The return to glory." To Harig, it was that and more, as it brought together all the qualities that compose someone who is not only an enduring figure in sports, but a supremely-gifted athlete whose drive to succeed transcended all the greats.
Then, in October 2019, after Woods underwent arthroscopic knee surgery just two months before, he won the inaugural ZOZO Championship, the first event sanctioned by the PGA Tour in Japan. That gave Woods his 82nd win on the PGA Tour, which tied him with Sam Snead for the all-time record, and he has not won since.
Woods was then faced with more adversity less than a couple years later, as he was badly injured when the car he was operating rolled over in Los Angeles just two days after he hosted the Genesis Open in February 2021. Extensive leg surgery and rehabilitation followed, and another comeback - one Harig feels is possibly more remarkable than the 2019 victory - came just 14 months later, when Woods played in The Masters in 2022, and made the cut.
Woods was known as a golf prodigy from a very young age, but he burst into stardom when he appeared at The Masters for the first time, at just 21 years old, in 1997, and won by a record twelve strokes and breaking the Augusta record. This was his first appearance in a major tournament, and it was the first victory in a major for an African-American or Asian-American player. Incredible to note also is the fact that Woods shot a 40 on the front nine in the first round and still won by 12 strokes.
This began a 15-year run of dominance for Tiger, becoming arguably the most famous athlete in the world, as he transformed golf by setting course records and winning majors at a pace that was never thought possible. Woods is tied for the most wins in PGA history, with 82, and is second in major tournament wins, with 15. He spent more than 600 weeks ranked as the #1 player in the world.
Woods impact extended beyond what he did on the course, as brought more fans to the game of golf than ever before, which let to record television ratings, as marketing the game was never so successful. That led him to become a billionaire who earned over $110 million in prize winnings, as well as over a billion dollars in endorsement money. One of the many companies Woods endorsed, and whose gear he wore, was Nike, which is why it was front-page news when their partnership ended in January after 27 years. He also endorsed numerous products, such as Gillette razors, with one of his memorable ads for them being one in which he appeared with tennis legend Roger Federer and soccer star Thierry Henry in 2007, and Yankees superstar Derek Jeter appeared in later versions.
That 1997 Masters win began Tiger's run of greatness, which included him not missing a 36-hole cut, a record 142 consecutive tournaments, from 1998 to 2005, which well surpassed the previous record of 113 by Byron Nelson. In the modern era, no current player has approached even half of Tiger's record.
In this excerpt, Harig writes of the depth of Woods and his evolution as a player and person: "Tiger Woods has proven to be a complicated figure throughout his decades in the spotlight. Child prodigy. Guided by a nurturing, some say overbearing, father. An accomplished junior player who turned into a record-setting amateur player and then a pro without peer. Woods transformed the game, turning golf geeks into keen observers, casual golf fans into ardent followers, and even indifferent sports fans into curiosity mavens.
He will undoubtedly be known for the raw numbers: eighty-two PGA Tour titles, tied for the most all-time with Sam Snead fifteen major championships, three behind Jack Nicklaus; a billionaire, according to Forbes, who amassed more than $110 million in official PGA Tour earnings. He was vastly underpaid, if you think about it.
But even before his historic Masters title at Augusta National in 2019, Woods had emerged with a different outlook and was received with warmth and adulation. Sure, there are still the haters, those who wonder if he continues to play, almost jealous of his accomplishments. But there's undoubtedly been a transformation, due in part to maturity, having two kids, and the perspective that he's lucky to be alive following his February 2021 car crash. And certainly, fortunate to be competing.
It is a long time removed from 'Hello, World,' the words he uttered as part of a marketing slogan for Nike upon turning pro in 1996. And from that 12-shot Masters win in 1997. Or the 'Tiger slam' of 2000-01. The amazing consistency from 2005 through 2009. The scandal of 2010. The return to No. 1 in 2013. And the subsequent back problems that somehow did not keep him from winning a fifteenth major title and tying Sam Snead's PGA Tour record for victories.
Not so long ago was the horrific one-car crash that Woods somehow survived on February 23, 2021. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, 'The primary causal factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and the inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway.' He was traveling at more than 82 miles an hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone, and it was unclear whether Woods attempted to negotiate the curve in the road.
His Genesis SUV went into a median, struck a curb, knocked down a wooden sign, and drove into opposite lanes before hitting a tree and rolling over.
He suffered broken bones in his right leg and injuries to his right foot and ankle.
That is the straightforward explanation. Woods needed several surgeries to fix the broken bones in his leg. He has never fully disclosed what occurred to his right foot and ankle, other than to suggest he needed 'pins and screws' to put them back together. It's fair to say Woods had multiple tiny broken bones in his foot.
And yet, somehow, barely a year later, he returned to play in the Masters, where he broke par in the first round and made the 36-hole cut. He also played in the PGA Championship, again making the cut but suffering through the third round, then withdrawing - with something amiss, causing him to fly to California afterward to meet with doctors. Woods later disclosed that he had two procedures in 2022 related to his right leg, but didn't say what they were for or when they occurred.
It's reasonable to believe one of the procedures took place following that withdrawal at the PGA Championship. Later, it was learned that one of the screws in his foot was protruding through the skin. Woods then skipped the U.S. Open.
But he returned for The Open at St. Andrews, the one goal he had all year. Woods desperately wanted to be part of the 150th playing of the game's oldest championship at the Old Course, the home of golf. It is where he played as an amateur in 1995, where he won in 2000 and 2005, where he completed six times but might never again as a competitive golfer.
That he managed to get around despite what appeared to be serious limitations was one of the stories of the golf year, despite a score well over par and nowhere near making the cut.
“It’s pretty insane, actually,” says Justin Thomas, who despite an age difference of eighteen years became close to Woods. “To make the cut at Augusta for how he felt early in the year, it’s mind-blowing, honestly. I can’t put into words how much his mind just works in his favor compared to everybody else and how much better it is than everybody else’s.
“He’s a different person when he gets out there, and especially at Augusta, all the good vibes and memories and everything he has. When that focus clicks on, it’s a different person.”
The latter years of Woods’ career help form a different picture. Sure, all the records remain framed for history, and his overall resume of greatness will be how he is remembered most. But all along, there was in inner drive, a never-say-quit attitude that served him extremely well when he made the game look easy - and that was all the more apparent when the game suddenly was not easy.”
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| Robert F. Kennedy Jr. |
On the eve of Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s announcement of his running mate in Oakland on Tuesday afternoon, its campaign is dealing with a new issue about ballot access in Nevada.
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| Spencer Jones connecting on a home run in the Spring Breakout Game on March 16. @Yankees. |
On Monday, the Yankees announced that outfielder Spencer Jones was honored with the 2024 James P. Dawson Award for being the most outstanding rookie in spring training. He received a watch from Betteridge Jewelers in conjunction with the award.
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| Citi Field this past Thursday. Photo by Jason Schott. |
With Opening Day coming up on Thursday on Citi Field, the Mets announced that they will have a patch honoring Mets Hall of Famer Buddy Harrelson, a member of the 1969 Amazin' Mets and coach on the 1986 World Championship team.
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| UConn's Donovan Clingan slams one home to give them an 11-2 edge early in their win over Northwestern. Photo by Jason Schott. |
On Sunday evening at Barclays Center, in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, the elite teams on the court played like it, as Duke dominated the Dukes of James Madison University in a 93-55 win, while Connecticut cruised by Northwestern, 75-58, in the nightcap.
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| All Photos by Jason Schott. |
The Mets held their New In 24 event at Citi Field on Thursday, and they unveiled the new dining options that fans will find at the park on Opening Day and throughout the season.
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| Duke's Tyrese Proctor lining up a three-pointer that put them up 53-44 with 6:43 remaining. Photo by Jason Schott. |
In the Friday night session of the NCAA Tournament at Barclays Center, in the South Regional, Duke and the Dukes rolled to victory to set up a Sunday showdown.
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| Northwestern players being introduced before tipoff. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The first round of the NCAA Men’s Bssketball Championship tipped off at Barclays Center at noon on Friday with East regional action.
No. 9 Northwestern won a thriller with No. 8 Florida Atlantic, 77-65, in overtime, and No. 1 Connecticut, the defending National Champion, rolled past No. 16 Stetson, 91-52.
NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS 77, FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS 65 (OT):
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| Florida Atlantic guard Jalen Gaffney brings the ball past half court early in the game. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The first half of this one was a defensive battle, with a score to embody it of 20-19 Florida Atlantic at the half.
Florida Atlantic got all their points from three scorers, as Johnell Davis had 11 points, Alijah Martin had six, and Vladislav Goldin had three.
The Owls shot 33.3 percent, or 7-21, from the field, including 1-9 (11.1%) from behind the arc. The Wildcards were held to just 21.2 percent shooting, or 7-33, as their nine offensive rebounds gave them 12 more shots, but they didn’t take advantage.
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| Northwestern’s Luke Hunger missed multiple chances at the rim on one possession late in the first half. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The second half started with a bang, as Northwestern opened up a 35-27 lead on a Ryan Langborg jumper at the 14:51 mark. They would basically maintain that edge, as another Langborg jumper made it 54-45 with 6:43 remaining.
Vladislav Goldin followed with a layup at the 6:03 mark, and after Brandon Weatherspoon poured in five points in a row, Goldin made four free throws to tie the game at 56 with 2:44 left.
Johnell Davis then took one into the lane from the right side for a layup and FAU was back on top, 58-56, a 13-2 run to that point, with 1:04 remaining.
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| Johnell Davis’ shot that put FSU ahead. Photo by Jason Schott. |
After a Northwestern turnover and Goldin missing the first of a one-and-one at the free throw line, Brooks Barnhiser drove down the lane for a basket to tie the game at 58.
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| Brooks Barnhiser laying one in to tie the game. Photo by Jason Schott. |
Davis missed a three-pointer as time expired, so off to overtime it went.
The OT belonged to Northwestern, as they raced out to a 12-1 run capped by a three-pointer from Langborg at the 1:58 mark that made it 70-59 and largely sealed the win.
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| Ryan Langborg’s three-pointer from the right side. Photo by Jason Schott. |
Northwestern was led by Ryan Langborg, who had 27 points on 11-19, including 3-8 from behind the arc, with four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Boo Buie had 22 points (8-20 FG, 4-10 threes), with four assists and three rebounds. Brooks Barnhiser had 13 points (6-12 FG, 1-2 threes) and 10 rebounds to give him a double-double, plus three assists and two steals.
FAU was led by Vladislav Goldin, who had 19 points on 5-6 shooting and made nine of his 11 free-throw attempts. Johnell Davis had 18 points (6-16 FG, 1-6 threes) with six resounds and two assists, with the one negative being nine turnovers.
COACH’S COMMENTS: Northwestern Head Coach Chris Collins said: “Our team, the toughness level and the heart of this team is like nothing I’ve ever been a part of. I mean, for us to have the first half we did, we shoot 7 for 33 and it was all - we were excited. We’re excited to be here. We’re excited to compete, and we couldn’t throw it in the ocean. Our defense, though, was just so on point in the first half.
“So even though we really struggled offensively, being at halftime at 20-19, I actually felt really good, because I knew we would settle in. I knew we would get to - you know, I’m always - the people who cover me always know I’m a gun slinger, so I’m one of these guys, if we miss ten in a row and you’re a 50 percent shooter, you’re going to take ten in a row at some point just because water is going to find its level.
“In the second half, we saw the ball go in, and really was proud of how our guys - you know, the flagrant foul occurs, we are up four there, under four. We think we have the ball but now they got two and ball (referring to Nick Martinelli being called for a flagrant 1 on Goldin with 3:21 left - Goldin’s free throws made it 56-54 NW). The momentum shifted for those couple minutes. They got the lead, 58-56. Fortunately we got a missed one-and-one, and I was just proud of the poise on these guys on the last - I’m not a big call-a-timeout guy and I like to trust these guys to let them - we know what we want to go to late, so why let them set their defense.
“We came down and showed tremendous poise. They were over-playing Boo. He set a great screen for Brooks. Brooks got to the basket and was able to get a layup and we got a stop. We just got together at the end. We played so many overtime games in our league, guys that follow us know. And we just said when we got to overtime, we are going to find a way because that’s what we’ve done all year. And it’s a real credit to these guys for their heart and toughness and will to just dig down and win the game.”
Florida Atlantic Head Coach Dusty May: “Like to express gratitude for taking so many people on a great ride and we had great moments today. Credit Northwestern. They are statistically better in almost every facet of the game, and we just were not at our best and they made enough plays to win. But credit them. They made them when they needed to.”
CONNECTICUT HUSKIES 91, STETSON HATTERS 52:
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| Tristen Newton draining a three-pointer from the top of the key to make it 19-4 UConn early. Photo by Jason Schott. |
Connecticut wasted no time dominating this one early, as they had an astonishing first half to take a dominant 52-19 lead. The Huskies shot an astonishing 68.8 percent, or 22-32 from the field, and an even 50% (7-14) from behind the arc. Stetson shot just 30.8 percent in the first half, making just eight of their 26 shot attempts.
UConn was led by Donovan Clingan, who had 19 points on 9-for-11 from the field, with eight rebounds and four assists. Cam Spencer had 15 points (5-11 FG, 3-7 threes), with five rebounds and three assists. Their other three starters also were in double figures, with Stephon Castle pouring in 14 points, Tristen Newton chipping in 13 points, and Alex Karaban had 12 points.
UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley said afterwards, “Obviously love the start. It’s exactly how you want to start a game like this where - you’re in March Madness. You know the history of these No. 1s or high seeds and we just took away all hope in that game from them early on with the defense, with the offense, with the relentlessness. So I thought pretty good first performance.”
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| Photo by Jason Schott. |
The Mets, along with Citi, Lyft, and the NYCDOT, held a ribbon cutting on Thursday morning of the new installation of CitiBike at Citi Field.
The Waves Take You Home
By Maria Alejandra Barrios Velez
Lake Union; hardcover, 319 pages $28.99; paperback, 319 pages, $16.99; Kindle eBook, $3.99; Audiobook - Brilliance Audio, 10 hours, $19.99
Maria Alejandra Barrios Velez is a writer who was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, and currently lives in Brooklyn and their scruffy dog, Gus. She has an MA in creative writing from the University of Manchester, and she was the 2020 SmokeLong Flash Fiction Fellow. Her stories have been published in Shenandoah Literary, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, El Malpensante, Fractured Lit, SmokeLong Quarterly, and The Offing. Her website is mariaalejandrabarriosvelez.com.
I Never Did Like Politics: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor and Why He Still Matters
By Terry Golway
St. Martin's Press; hardcover, 304 pages; $30.00
Terry Golway was a senior editor at Politico, a member of the New York Times editorial board, a columnist and city editor of the New York Observer, a columnist for the Irish Echo, and the author of several works of history, including Frank and Al and Machine Made. He had a Ph.D. in United States history from Rutgers University and has taught at the New School, New York University, and the College of Staten Island.
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| The view from the field, also known as the pitch for soccer. Photo by Jason Schott. |
Yankee Stadium announced today that it will be hosting a weekend complete with a pair of international soccer matches in late July.
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| St. John's Head Coach Rick Pitino and players before a game at Carnesecca Arena on December 6. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The St. John's Red Storm received the sobering news that they will not be partaking in the NCAA Tournament when the 68 teams competing were announced tonight, Selection Sunday.
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| The celebration was on for Duquesne as the clock hit 0.00. Photos by Jason Schott |
The Duquesne Dukes dominated early, and showed a steely determination late, as they won the A10 Championship Game, 57-51, over VCU on Sunday at Barclays Center.
The win assured that Duquesne, which entered the A10 Tournament as a No. 6 seed, will be in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1977. VCU was the fifth seed, which shows how topsy-turvy this tournament was, and they just missed their chance at repeating as champions in Brooklyn.
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| The scene during the National Anthem. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The Dukes came out firing, and opened up a 24-9 lead, then were up by as many as 18, at 34-16, and they took a 36-22 lead into halftime.
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| David Dixon connecting on a layup that made it 31-16 Duquette with just under four minutes left in the first half. Photo by Jason Schott. |
Just as team did throughout this tournament, VCU made a comeback. The Rams pulled to within three, at 42-39, with 6:49 left.
Duquesne responded with a 7-2 run to take a 49-41 lead when Jakub Nexaa buried a three-pointer at 4:35.
VCU pulled within a point, 49-48, on a pair of Joe Bamisile free throws with 1:36 left, but Jake DiMichele then made a layup at 1:07 to restore Duquesne's three-point edge.
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| The reaction to Jake DiMichele's basket going in. Photo by Jason Schott. |
Jimmy Clark III then made a pair of free throws with just 21 seconds left that made it 53-48 Duquesne and basically sealed the win.
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| The Duquesne fans anticipating Clark III taking his spot at the free throw line. Photos by Jason Schott. |
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| Clark III connecting on his second free throw that made it a five-point game. |
Duquesne was led by Dae Dae Grant, who had 10 points on 3-12 from the field, including 3-8 from behind the arc, with four steals and two assists. In an incredibly balanced Duquesne scoring attack, he was the only player to put up double figures.
Jimmy Clark III had nine points (2-17 FG. 1-7 on threes, 4-4 free throws), with five rebounds, four steals, and two assists. Fousseyni Drame had 6 points (all from the free throw line), 12 rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
VCU was led by Joe Bamisile, who had 20 points off the bench, on 7-15 shooting, with four rebounds and two assists.
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| Joe Bamisile of VCU slams down a dunk with just 42 seconds left in their win over Saint Joseph's. Photo by Jason Schott. |
In the A-10 Semifinals on Saturday at Barclays Center, VCU won the opening game, as they outlasted Saint Joseph’s, 66-60, while Duquesne beat St. Bonaventure, 70-60.
VCU, looking to repeat as tournament champion, and Duquesne will meet in the A-10 Championship Game on Sunday at 1:00 P.M.
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| Daniss Jenkins looks to make a play late in the first half. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The St. John’s Red Storm gave the Connecticut Huskies another battle, but as they did twice in the regular season, came up short, as they lost, 95-90, on Friday night in the Big East Tournament Semifinals.
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| RJ Luis Jr. goes up for a layup. @StJohnsBBall. |
The third time was the charm for the St. John’s Red Storm against the Seton Hall Pirates, as they earned a 91-72 win in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden on Thursday afternoon.
This came after the Red Storm lost two brutal games to Seton Hall in the regular season, the second of which was the Red Storm’s last loss before they concluded the regular season with five straight victories.
On a larger point, this was St. John’s 20th win of the season, which should assure them a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
It is also the first time St. John’s has made a Big East Tournament semifinal since 2000. They move on to face the top seed in the tournament, Connecticut, the defending National Champion, at 5:30 PM on Friday evening at The Garden.
St. John’s took this game over halfway through the first half, when they took a 10-2 lead to take a 33-26 edge on a pair of Joel Soriano free throws at 6:18. The Red Storm took a 45-40 lead into halftime.
The start of the second half was really the breakthrough St. John’s was waiting for against The Hall, as they went on an 11-3 run to open up a 56-43 edge.
That lead expanded to 15 points when Jordan Dingle buried a three-pointer that made it 71-56 at the 9:11 mark. From that point on, with minor deviations, St. John’s maintained a ten-point edge the rest of the way until a 10-2 run, capped by a Daniss Jenkins steal followed by a basket, gave them a 16-point edge, 85-69, with just 1:52 left.
St. John’s was led by RJ Luis Jr., who had 18 points on 5-11 from the field and a perfect 8-8 at the free throw line, nine rebounds, and two assists. Joel Soriano, Nahiem Alleyne, and Jordan Dingle each chipped in 14 points. Chris Ledlum and Daniss Jenkins had 11 points apiece to give the Red Storm six players in double figures.
Seton Hall was led by Al-Amir Dawes, who had 22 points on 9-15 from the field and 4-10 on three-pointers, with three rebounds, two assists, and two steals, but he committed five turnovers.
For the game, St. John’s shot 51.6 percent, or 32-62, while Seton Hall was held to just 43.1 percent, or 25-58.
PITINO POSTGAME: St. John's Head Coach Rick Pitino addressed the media after the game, and he opened with this statement: "We're extremely happy for St. John's fans and the university. You know, about three weeks ago, I don't know the exact date, the administration, we were talking and they said, look, Coach, everybody's behind you. But I want to correct that and make sure I say it verbatim, so I don't look back. They said, you know, you started so well and I think everybody's expectations were a little too high. And I just kept thinking. And they kept saying, so, you know, it's a good season, and let's just finish up, and it's a good season.
"I could sense in their thinking that in their minds it was over. In our minds it was just beginning, because March is what it's all about in college basketball. We told the guys, you gotta play your best basketball going into March. And we knew we had seven now, I think, six or seven, elimination games. Seven. And these guys arose to the occasion on all seven. They knew if they lost to Creighton, lost to Butler, lost to DePaul, lost to Georgetown, it could be over. So we decided to change our whole defensive scheme in terms of pace in three days, because we felt Seton Hall was better from the top of the key to the back board game.
"We knew we had our rebound. We knew he had to get in the gaps like they do, because they're really an outstanding basketball team. And we thought that they would play their guys a lot of minutes. And I told our guys, we're going to substitute right away. Run the floor, run the floor, run the floor. And they did a beautiful job. So I'm real proud of them, real happy for St. John's.
"They're a terrific team. We beat an outstanding team tonight and we scored 91 points, which leads to what we want to do. Real proud of them. Big fella here did an outstanding job. RJ is getting better and better. Now he's practicing, for the first time, every day. So that's really, really good. Joel told them, he said it's about time to start practicing."
Q: Rick, when the administration talked to you guys, why did you think differently? What did you see in this team that you thought? Pitino: "It's not necessarily what I thought at that moment. I just said that there's so many games to be played. I remember one time I was at Louisville, looked like we were down and out and we had to beat Pitt on the road. Another great road game. And we won I think seven out of nine, seven out of ten games to make it.
"It's never over if you keep getting better, keep improving, and we were playing really good basketball. We were losing to outstanding teams by one, two, three. All close games. So, you know, I wasn't - I told the guys, you know, March is what it's all about. Going into March in the last two weeks of the season, if you get better, then you're going to be a March team. And they kept getting better. And it's a credit to them."
Q: Coach, Nahiem Alleyne played amazing today. Do you think he was your secret weapon because he's played in the tournament before? Pitino: "He had zero turnovers, two assists, five for five, three for three from three. So I think you're right on that. I think he's a veteran basketball player. We needed him. But I thought all the guys made great plays tonight. You know, it's very difficult for us to play without D.J. But Na and Jordan did a fabulous job, and we've got a third point guard and that's RJ. RJ is a man, he plays power forward for us. He plays the wings. RJ can play all four positions, and it's not easy to do and he does it very well."
Q: With you having six players scoring double figures today, with this win streak you guys have had different contributors kind of stepping up. Having all of them do it today, what does that show about the progress this team has made? Pitino: Well, we had three tough practices, and the message I had to them - I gave them two messages. I said this time of year some teams get really, really tight and they rely on their half court basketball. And I said I want you to do the opposite. I want you to go out and try and score 100 points tonight. I want you to play race horse basketball, get a high number of assists, and get in the gaps and play them.
"But we've gotta play a different style come March. It's gotta be race horse basketball, because I feel it takes the pressure off teams. When you're in the open court and you're running and you're having to move the ball, pass the ball and cut, you're not overthinking in the half court. And we did that tonight. We gave them two messages. Pace, we're going to sub right away. And then the second thing I put, I just put on the board, I said, we got dinner right away. Then we have the Connecticut film. And then we're bringing you back at 1:00 for Connecticut film. (Laughs)."
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| St. Bonaventure celebrates after beating Loyola of Chicago in double overtime. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The Atlantic 10 Tournament took a major turn on Thursday as the top four seeds were eliminated. St. Joseph's knocked off the top seed, Richmond, 66-61, then VCU knocked off the fourth seed, UMass, 73-59, in afternoon action. The night session began with No. 7 St. Bonaventure knocking off No. 2 Loyola Chicago, 75-74, in double overtime, and finally, No. 3 Dayton fell to No. 6 Duquesne, 65-57.
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| Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in New York City on February 17. Photo by Jason Schott. |
Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be announcing his choice of a Vice President in less than two weeks, on Tuesday, March 26, in Oakland, California.
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| VCU's Kuany Kuany going up for a layup that gave them a 24-22 edge midway through the first half. Photo by Jason Schott. |
In the second day of action in the A10 Tournament at Barclays Center on Wednesday, St. Joseph’s beat George Mason, 64-57, and VCU beat Fordham 69-62, in afternoon action. St. Bonaventure's beat LaSalle, 75-73, while Duquesne beat Saint Louis, 83-73, in the night session.
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| St. John's Head Coach Rick Pitino at Carnesecca Arena on December 6. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The St. John's Red Storm will take on the Seton Hall Hall Pirates on Thursday afternoon in the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
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| Abdou Tsimbila makes an early up in Fordham’s win. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The Fordham Rams opened the 2024 A10 Tournament at Barclays Center on Tuesday afternoon with a stirring comeback win over the Davidson Wildcats, 71-63, in overtime.
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| The scene at the A10 Tournament Final between VCU and Dayton in 2023. Photo by Jason Schott. |
March Madness hits Brooklyn Tuesday when the A10 Championship commences at Barclays Center, with local darling Fordham in the opening game. The tournament runs through Championship Sunday, March 17.
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| Daniss Jenkins draining a three at Carnesecca Arena on December 20 against Xavier. Photo by Jason Schott. |
St. John's Red Storm point guard Daniss Jenkins was named to the 2024 All-Big East Second Team, the conference announced on Sunday a day after the regular season concluded.
Jenkins led St. John's with 14.7 points per game, and shot 44.7 percent from the field, plus a superb 83.7 percent from the free throw line. His 5.5 assists per game ranked third in the Big East and 31st in Division 1. In addition, he was sixth in the Big East with a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio and seventh averaging 1.5 steals per game.
St. John's Head Coach Rick Pitino said of Jenkins after Saturday's win over Georgetown, "[Daniss] is a great player. He is one of the premier guards in the country, and NBA talent. I can't say enough about him about how proud of him I am. He killed it at Iona and now he's killing it at St. John's. Wherever he goes he is going to kill it because he has the stuff to make it happen."
Jenkins was also named to this week's Big East Weekly Honor Roll, the fourth time he has appeared this season. He posted a team-high 17.0 points and 4.5 assists per game in St. John's two wins this week against DePaul and Georgetown.
In the 20 Big East Conference games, Jenkins averaged 16.1 points per game, and he shot 47.1 percent from the field, which was 10th in the league. In addition, in conference play, he ranked fourth in assists (5.1 per game), sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0), 12th in steals (1.4), and 12th in three-pointers (2.0 per game).
Jenkins had a season-high 27 points, including 12-18 from the field, with six assists, two blocks, in two steals in St. John's season-turning win over Creighton on February 25. That win keyed a five-game winning streak to close the regular, and give St. John's an overall record of 19-12, including 11-9 in Big East play, as they are right on the doorstep of making the NCAA Tournament.
St. John's faces Seton Hall on Thursday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. in the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM:
Tristen Newton - Connecticut, guard, Gr. 6-5, 195, El Paso Texas
Cam Spencer - Connecticut, guard, Gr., 6-4, 205, Davidsonville, Md.
Baylor Scheierman - Creighton, guard, Sr., 6-7, 2-5, Aurora, Neb.
Tyler Kolek - Marquette, guard, Sr., 6-3, 190, Cumberland, R.I.
Devin Carter - Providence, guard, Jr., 6-3, 195, Miami, Fla.
Kadary Richmond - Seton Hall, guard, Sr., 6-6, 210, Brooklyn, N.Y.
NOTE: Scheierman, Kolek, and Carter were unanimous selections.
ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM:
Trey Alexander - Creighton, guard, Jr., 6-4, 190, Oklahoma, City, Okla.
Ryan Kalkbrenner - Creighton, center, Sr., 7-1, 270, Florissant, Mo.
Oso Ighodaro - Marquette, forward, Sr., 6-11, 225, Chandler, Ariz.
Daniss Jenkins - St. John's, guard, 6-4, 180, Dallas, Texas
Eric Dixon - Villanova, forward, R-Jr., 6-8, 255, Willow, Grove, Pa.
ALL-BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION:
Donovan Clingon - Connecticut, center, So., 7-2, 280, Bristol, Conn.
Josh Oduro - Providence, forward, Gr., 6-4, 290, Gainesville, Va.
Quincy Olivari - Xavier, guard, Gr., 6-3, 200, Atlanta, Ga.
BIG EAST ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM:
Finley Bizjack - Butler, guard, 6-4, 195, Trophy Club, Texas
Stephon Castle - Connecticut, guard, 6-6, 215, Covington, Ga.
Rich Barron - Providence, forward/guard, 6-5, 220, Chicago, Ill.
Isaiah Coleman - Seton Hall, guard, 6-5, 180, Fredericksburg, Va.
Trey Green - Xavier, guard, 6-0, 160, Charlotte, N.C.
Dailyn Swain, Xavier, guard/forward, 6-7, 200, Columbus, Ohio
NOTE: Stephon Castle was a unanimous selection.
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| Chris Ledlum burying a three-pointer in front of the St. John's bench early in the second half. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The St. John's Red Storm used a late surge to secure a win in the regular season finale against the Georgetown Hoyas, 86-78, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon, with the Big East Tournament on tap in a few days.
The Holocaust: An Unfinished History
By Dan Stone
Mariner Books; hardcover, 464 pages; $32.50
Dan Stone is Professor of Modern History and Director of the Holocaust Research Institute at Royal Holloway, University of London. He is the author of editor of books, including Histories of the Holocaust (Oxford University Press); The Liberation of the Camps: The End of the Holocaust and its Aftermath (Yale University Press); and Concentration Camps: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press).
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| Provided by Kennedy 24. |
Around the time President Biden was set to deliver his State of the Union address, Independent Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the opportunity to release a speech on Thursday night.
"How I See The State Of Our Union" is Kennedy's video on how he sees the state of our country, and declared "What we once were, we can be again."
In this address, Kennedy paints a picture of an America that was thriving after World War II, the envy of the world when his uncle, John F. Kennedy was President, and how we can be that country again.
"Other countries aspired to be like us, and our children grew up proud of their passport, proud of their flag," Kennedy said. "My uncle, President Kennedy, left us a legacy of peace, and the hope of ending the arms race and winding down the Cold War. Those were the traditions of freedom, prosperity, and peace that my father, my uncle, and Martin Luther King Jr. were striving to protect and advance. In the half-century since their deaths, we've lost touch with that vision for our country.
"I want to tell you right now that we can still restore that America, the America that almost was, and yet may be. But we have to start with being honest with ourselves. Neither my uncle nor my father would recognize the version of America that we have today.
"We have become a nation of chronic illness, violence, loneliness, depression, and division. What happened to 'America, the land of opportunity,' where you could be sure that if you worked hard and played by the rules, you would have a decent life?...
"We may be on the mat today, but we can be on our feet and happy and healthy and strong again, with good leadership, tomorrow. Our people and our system were built for resilience. And here's the most important thing I want to tell you about the state of our union: Our nation seems more divided than ever, but Americans everywhere want to heal that divide. Our nation has become artificially divided by political forces that can survive only when we the people are at war with each other. People are tired of being manipulated by fear. We learned that lesson during COVID. We recognize that the same techniques of manipulating fear are being used by elites today to corral us into voting for one political candidate or the other.
"Americans are tired of these dire warnings that to preserve democracy itself, you better vote for our guy. I can tell you that in every state of this union, people are rejecting fearmongering. 80% of Americans say they don't want to be forced to choose in this election between the lesser of two evils. They're tired of voting against something or someone.
"I see it in the crowds of mixed Republicans and Democrats and Independents who attend my rallies That a growing number of Americans are rejecting divisiveness. They are ready to unite, to rebuild this country, and to fulfill the promise of the America of my youth. They're ready to vote for something and for someone they like, for someone who represents hope and healing, for someone with an inspiring vision for America's future.
"For a future that they can believe in. So that's the State of the Union that I want to bring you today. It's a nation that hungers to heal. It's a nation ready to face reality. To rebuild, to end the forever foreign, wars, to clean out the corrupt Washingon establishment, and to turn again toward peace, freedom, good health, and prosperity. When we unite in that vision, we're going to be unstoppable."
To view Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s entire address, please click here.
