The addition of Tyson Chandler was supposed to make the Knicks a championship contender. But after a 7-12 start, Knicks fans are calling for the subtraction of Mike D’Antoni, whose club has dropped eight of its last nine games.

The call to replace D’Antoni grows louder with every loss. The fans want owner James Dolan to entice Phil Jackson to come out of retirement to coach his former team.

Jackson was a supersub for Knicks coach Red Holtzman when New York won its only two championships in 1970 and 1973. He coached Michael Jordan and the Bulls to six NBA titles in nine years, then moved on to Los Angeles, where he guided Kobe Bryant and the Lakers to five more  championships. Continue reading →

The Patriots arrived in Indianapolis on Sunday night with their coach smiling and joking around.

Suit and tie was the uniform of the day rather than hoodie.

All right, New England, who is this guy you brought to Lucas Oil Stadium and what have you done with Bill Belichick? Continue reading →

When did the morning after the NFC and AFC championship games become January’s version of Black Friday?

I went to bed last night following two thoroughly enjoyable football games and woke up to a marketing campaign.

Radio and television ads alerted us to great deals on Giants’ NFC championship shirts, hats and whatever else. And stores would be open as early as six and seven in the morning to turn Giants fever into dollar signs as soon as possible. Continue reading →

The hype about this weekend’s clash of NFC heavyweights threatens to go into overdrive the closer we get to Sunday night’s 6:30 kickoff in San Francisco.

So let me get right to it. I expect the Giants to win a close game on Sunday, one that is not nearly as high scoring as either of last week’s NFC divisional-round matchups.

Why? There’s a lot to sort through first: Continue reading →

A story of Christmas, family and the old neighborhood

     Eddie “The King” Janowski  says there’s very little difference between us that family can’t explain. I maintain that although we are alike … we also are very different. 

     The King and I are about the same size: medium build, slightly better than average height. If anything, I am a hair taller, even considering the poof of his Elvis ’do. But whenever anyone meets The King for the first time, they can’t help but remark about how tall or how big he is. I never get that. 

     That’s probably the most personal difference between us. I am aware that The King is larger than life. He is unaware. But we are both aware that I’m just me, and that’s okay, too. Continue reading →

The 49ers provided the Giants with the blueprints to beat the Packers yesterday. Now it’s up to Eli Manning and Co. to make it happen today in Green Bay.

Get off to a fast start, put pressure on Aaron Rodgers, force a turnover or two, have Eli Manning throw the ball to his receivers downfield and use Ahmad Bradshaw or Brandon Jacobs to break off a big run when least expected.

Problems exist, of course. Continue reading →

A good-looking young hitter with no position for a legitimate No. 2 starter right now and a future ace?

Some baseball analysts call this a fair swap. Put me in the other camp, the one who politely shake their heads in disbelief or impolitely snicker behind the other general manager’s back.

Unless Jesus Montero evolves into the next Edgar Martinez for the Mariners, the Yankees absolutely stole Michael Pineda from Seattle in last night’s four-player deal. Continue reading →

When Rex Ryan came to town three years ago he felt he had to make a point. Making the playoffs was not enough. He wanted to show everyone that he had so much confidence in his Jets that he fully expected to win a championship in his rookie season.

The new coach went so far as to plan his team’s playoff itinerary right down to the Super Bowl parade. He made sure every player had a copy of the script, and he didn’t care who knew about it.

Ryan’s Jets still haven’t been invited to any Super Bowl parades yet, but no NFL team will be more prepared for it if it happens.

Tom Coughlin isn’t nearly as brash. So I’ll lay out a scenario for him. Continue reading →

Introducing Gino Tenpenny

“Devil’s Hollow” is a detective mystery that introduces Lt. Gino Tenpenny, a well-seasoned, no-nonsense lawman attached to a fictitious city in northern New Jersey.

Once a Marine, always a Marine, Tenpenny says of himself.

Tenpenny is like two of his football heroes: Vince Lombardi and Jim Brown, two legends from another time. He’s someone who believes in tradition and commands respect like Lombardi. But he’s also someone who is old-school tough like Brown.

And very much like Jim Brown, be aware that there’s a danger to Tenpenny lurking just underneath the surface.

In this debut story, Tenpenny finds himself with a single mom as his new partner and a 20-year-old cold case to solve.

Two men are found slain in an apartment in Tenpenny’s town. One of them is the longtime fugitive and main suspect in the original “Devil’s Hollow” killing in New York City. The other is one of his would-be victims from long ago.

Continue reading →

I grew up in New York City’s East Village during the late 1960s before moving to “the suburbs” – Elizabeth, N.J. That’s Exit 13 on the New Jersey Turnpike to you. Yeah, the one near the refinery, the oil tanks and the “God, that’s awful” smell. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

My kids were born and raised at the Jersey Shore in the ’90s, pre-Snookie and company. It’s remarkable that we even speak the same language today. Continue reading →