Jersey Pride: At Least We Still Have the Devils

After the Nets dropped the "New Jersey" from their away unis, prompting a NJ State Senator to propose legislation withholding funding to in-state teams who refuse to recognize the Garden State in their respective names (and threatening an "attitude readjustment), lawmakers "praised the New Jersey Devils for their state pride."

Said State Senator Joseph Vitale, "The New Jersey Devils are a class organization who have made our great state their home. And we share in the pride that the words ‘New Jersey' represents in their name."

Assembly Majority Conference Leader Joan Quigley, "I've got to hand it to the Devils for not only making New Jersey home, but doing it with pride as other teams have kicked New Jersey around, even as they benefited from support from New Jersey fans and taxpayers."

Vitale is also vocal about the large "NY" the New York Giants display on the side of their office building at New Jersey's Meadowlands, "It is my hope that the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority will feel that same level of pride and recognition that we all do by removing the ‘NY' logo from a building that real New Jerseyans have mostly paid for."

Photo: PolitickerNJ.com

Meanwhile, Governor Jon Corzine Assemblyman Michael Doherty could evidently care less about regulating such nonsense.

Corzine: "It would be an overreaction for us to demand that they put the logos on their jerseys. Would there be an advertising value for us if they put 'New Jersey' on their jerseys? Yes."

Said Doherty, "I hope the Nets stay in New Jersey and we should not use any tax dollars to support professional sports teams regardless of whether they use New Jersey of their logo or not."

Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.

Blake's "Spin-a-Rama" Beats Devils

The Leafs' Jason Blake shootout goal against the Devils at the Air Canada Centre was a perfectly legal "spin-a-rama" as defined by Rule 25 in the NHL rules for Shootout procedures.



The rule states: "The spin-o-rama type move where the player completes a 360° turn as he approaches the goal, shall be permitted as this involves continuous motion."

Search though we did, we couldn't find any mention in the rules about the seldom used "Dipsy Daisy," "Okie Muskogee" or "Hot Carl."

While NJ Coach Brent Sutter conceded it was a close call, Bobby Holik calls bullshit.

Holik told NJ.com's/The Star-Ledger Rich Chere, "I know it's legal, but it's so un-hockey. I think it's B.S. There was so much back-tracking you could do pretty much anything. I know the league loves it because it's exciting, but the puck should always be moving forward.

"What, next time they'll let him circle the net?"

"It's easier to do on a team that has nothing to lose than on a contender. I know (GM) Brian Burke won't like that statement, but..."

We'd have been much more impressed by Blake had he performed a Booker T Spin-a-Roonie during the shot.

Yes Yes Yes. No No No.

Devils Security Takes on Rangers Fan In Jersey

NJ.com passes along three different angles of a skirmish in the upper level of the Prudential Center during last night's Rangers/Devils game between a Blue Shirts fan and security.

To his credit, he put up quite a fight.







More on the squabble here at Puck Daddy.

Sports Figures Carry Political Clout in the Garden State

We were tipped off that each year PolitickerNJ.com anoints its Political Power List, which "identifies New Jersey’s 100 most politically influential personalities...we eliminat[ing] anyone who currently holds elected office, as well as the Judiciary."

This year's list included a few prominent sports figures, including two team owners and a former Scarlet Knight/Steeler Linebacker.

2 John Mara
President, New York Giants

#1 on the power list has only lived in New Jersey for three years, and #2 is a New Yorker: John Mara, the President of the Giants football team. Under Mara’s control is nearly $2 billion in construction projects in the Garden State – a new stadium, a corporate headquarters, and a training complex in Florham Park. He has demonstrated considerable success at influencing public policy in North Jersey, ultimately convincing government officials to spend enormous sums of public money on his projects – and without making huge campaign contributions. The political elite love to be around Mara and his team, especially with a Super Bowl championship and a new stadium coming soon.

17 Elnardo Webster
Democratic fundraiser
Not every former NFL player winds up on ESPN. The former Pittsburgh Steeler is Cory Booker’s best friend and ex-law partner, and a favorite of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy. He’s also a player in Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. With a base of Newark and Hudson County, he’s making a ton of money, accumulating a tremendous number of chits, and if his guys – Booker , Healy and Obama – win, he’ll keep moving up on this list.

29 Jeff Vanderbeek
Owner, New Jersey Devils

The Devils owner opens his arena – no small fete – and is a regular host to New Jersey politicians who pay homage to him at the Prudential Center.

Cougarville, USA

Last night, like any good New Jersian should, Ariel and I spent the night at a Bon Jovi concert celebrating Dr. Jon's 46th birthday, albeit we did so across the river in Philadelphia. We joked about how many Soul references the AFL owner would make, and needless to say, he was right on cue early on welcoming fans to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania..."Soulville, USA."

While stuck in traffic I noted that if I were single and looking, an Bon Jovi concert is certainly fertile grounds for prowling. And it's not just the cougars. As a guy pushing 30, I realized something I coined the 8-year cougar/co-ed window. The age range of screaming women nicely bookends my current age.

The outfits above were only the beginning. Sitting directly in front of us was a 40-something year old man mimicking Jovi's every move. Directly to his right was a 115-pound dude wearing an Under Armor shirt who was sitting next to one of the many women wearing a Tony Graziani jersey.

Opening act was solid. Not knowing what to expect from Idol alumnus Daughtry, the guy and his band can flat out rock. Hard too. Totally unexpected, but it worked, even if he teased about going back to the 80's only to sing the opening verse to "Home Sweet Home" before breaking into "I'm Going Home."

Visibly, Jon is showing his age. His feathered, darkened hair looked, well, contrived. He had a black vest on that was eerily reminiscent of the Springsteen Human Touch/Luck Town era and his preachiness is straight out of the Boss' Gospel of Rock 'n Roll. Sambora, wearing his finest wine-colored velvet pants and purple leather 3/4 coat, looked like a poor man's Little Steven Van Zandt. Tico Dice Clay looked tough as ever but Ariel noted she was waiting for him to reach his arm around his head and take a puff of an unfiltered smoke. David Bryan and his JT-inspired mane hasn't changed in 25 years. Nice to see Asbury Juke Bobby Bandiera touring with the boys.

Show it self was a lot of fun. Jon, celebrating his birthday and coming off a big Soul win, seemed exceptionally inspired. Ariel noted he was playing all my favorites (with the exception of "Saturday Night"). Big highlight was Daughtry coming out and doing a fantastic "Blaze of Glory" (rock on, Young Guns).


And as if him referring to the crowd as the "brothers and sisters of Soulville" and promising to bring Philadelphia a championship (what, do the Kixx not count?) weren't enough, the inevitable happened. Out came the Soulmates and a handful of players to sing happy birthday.

FB/LB Wes Ours, WR/KR Mike Brown, DL Gabe Nyenhuis, et. al.

See the players and Soulmates yucking it up here:

Only thing missing was Jaws.

Photo: buffalosportshallfame.com

The Devil is in the Details

Barry Melrose, perhaps regrettably, made this observation about the Prudential Center in beautiful downtown Newark last fall: "It looks great on the inside, but don’t go outside, especially if you got a wallet or anything else, because the area around the building is awful."

As an early Valentine's Day gift, I took Ariel to the arena for something-I-care-not-to-admit-I-was-actually-at. (Let's just say I'm a great husband and it had to do with her reality TV fetish.)

To address Melrose's argument, I was, initially skeptical. But the trip up was a cinch, albeit stinky, via NJ Transit, and I never once felt unsafe walking to the nearby arena. Police presence was abundant, so much so that I didn't feel I would be the sole protector of the 10,000 women and gay men I was walking with.

Anyway - the reason of this post isn't to address the event itself, but rather the arena. I grew up thinking every place was like the Spectrum or the Vet. How far sports and entertainment venues have come.

The Prudential Center is downright incredible (granted, we had luxury box seats - but that's how I roll), both inside and out.

Even the pissers are customized.


Barry, while I shared your skepticism, I liked the place so much, I'm not only willing to go back, but to give your dying sport a chance in the process. I would even take in Nets games if they moved there, rather than the inconvenient swamps of the Meadowlands.