Monday Morning Bathroom Break (3-15-21)
This Day in Music (3-15-2015)
Kendrick Lamar’s third album, To Pimp a Butterfly, releases a week early on streaming services. Though polarizing to some, the album has since joined its predecessor good kid, m.A.A.d city in having a reputation as a modern classic.
Patience starts paying off this time of year. The weather thaws, the clocks are reverted out of their perverted daylight savings time, and the endless cycle of fun and distraction returns form its brief winter hiatus. A new league year in the NFL begins Wednesday with teams being free to officially make moves to improve for the upcoming season. Spring Training is in full-swing with just two weeks to go before the daily pledge of baseball is back. The winter leagues of the NHL and NBA move further along towards dramatic conclusions coming with it a near-certainty that New York City will be at the forefront. Things are truly on the up-and-up, so let’s quickly take stock of where all the newsmakers stand heading into this most-busy season.
At 12 PM this afternoon the floodgates will be open across the NFL as “legal tampering,” window begins. A 52-hour timeframe filled with rumor, intrigue and innuendo, this legal tampering period allows for free-agents and franchises to negotiate in good-faith ahead of the official opening of free agency on Wednesday afternoon. Given the clout-chasing nature of the 24 hour news-cycle, it’s very likely we’ll find journalists breaking stories before Wednesday’s 4 PM starting gun. As discussed last Monday, this offseason will be a crucial one for both the Jets and Giants, with both teams looking to re-establish themselves as players in the chase for the Lombardi Trophy. Early reports are surmising the Jets will be looking to spend their vast trove of assets to improve both the offensive line and pass rushing units. The Giants will be looking to surround Daniel Jones with all options necessary to prove he is a second-contract QB, while continuing to build on last year’s surprisingly stout defensive display. As news of signing’s begin to flow, Nick is preparing to deliver all the goods in breaking down what all these moves mean for the success of the NY teams (especially his Jets).
Though no trip through the Grapefruit League is completely drama-free, through the first half of Spring Training both the Mets and Yankees have largely kept themselves out of the headlines. That is no doubt a welcomed change of pace for two fanbases who’s expectations lie more in making news once the games actually count. The Mets have stayed especially quiet this month, going about their business in preparing for an assault on the National League with a much-improved and confident squad of young players. Though questions remain about who will assert themselves as the team’s fifth starter, the great first base debate of Alonso vs. Smith, the pecking order of the bullpen and perhaps most importantly, sophomore manager Luis Rojas’ ability to push the right buttons, the Mets seem content to try and answer these questions on the field. Their cross-town rivals are finding out answers of their own on the field, as the Yankees appear to be as laser-focused as this collection of talent has been in their now five-year quest for a 28th World Series title. While all fans of the team will still wait in bated breath for the next ugly shoe to drop, the Bombers look healthy, driven and dangerously talented during their Spring dress rehearsal.
Tonight, New York will truly feel like the “Mecca of Basketball,” as the star-studded Nets play host to the vulgarian Knicks in a primetime showcase on ESPN. Both teams come into the occasion with their best foot forward, as the Knicks and Nets both secured victory Saturday ahead of Monday night’s anticipated contest. The Knicks handled the Oklahoma City Thunder with relative ease in the second half Saturday afternoon, running away from OKC in a 119-97 victory. Julius Randle was brilliant once again, recording a triple-double with 26 points, 12 assists and 12 rebounds. Knicks fans were also electrified by 32 points by young R.J. Barrett, who continues to come into his own as a legitimate contributor. The indomitable spirit of Barrett, Randle and co. will be put to the test Monday night when they step into the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. While the Nets did not play their best basketball Saturday in a 100-95 win over Detroit, the team continues to find ways to win. Add that to a performance where the Nets can feel as though they played unusually stout defense, and one has to feel as though the confidence of the NBA’s most talented team is rounding into form. The team is still without Kevin Durant, and though Kyrie Irving and James Harden are doing an admirable job sharing the spotlight, there is still work to be done in carving out the chemistry that will be necessary to win it all this Summer. As important of a test tonight’s matchup represents for the upstart Knicks, it is an equally important one for the Nets. While no game in March can make a dent in the stranglehold the Knicks have over the heart of NYC, a win (and an impressive one at that) could be crucial for the confidence of the Nets. Tonight is a golden opportunity for the team to show off and prove they are who many believe they are.
Perhaps most successful this weekend were the area’s hockey teams, as the Islanders defeated the Devils in both games of a back-to-back, extending their current winning streak to nine games and their point streak to 12. This recent form of dominance has seen the Islanders surge to a somewhat-secure four point lead atop the Eastern Division standings. Not only that, but yesterday’s victory saw the Islanders move with 42 points to the top of the NHL, with a chase for a President’s Trophy now looking every bit as real as another “miracle,” run to a Stanley Cup. Truth be told, this Islanders team will need no miracles come playoff time based on the way things currently stand. So long as the team is able to hold up to the attrition caused by last season’s deep playoff run and Barry Trotz’s physically-demanding system, the Islanders appear as poised as ever to return to heights they have not seen in nearly 40 years. While the Rangers cannot say with any certainty they are headed in a similarly glorious direction, Saturday afternoon certainly gave fans reason to recall feelings of optimism before the harsh realties of the season began to set in. Though even the most ardent supporters of the Blueshirts didn’t draw up 4-0 shutouts over the Boston Bruins with Keith Kinkaid in net, that’s exactly what happened when the Rangers traveled up to TD Garden. It is more than likely that the young team flew into town on a whirlwind of confidence upon learning that embattled star Artemi Panarin would be taking the ice with them. Panarin showed little to no rust in his return from political sabbatical, driving the team as he had prior to his absence to a dizzying offensive display. The man who stepped up most in his absence, longest-tenured Ranger Chris Kreider, continued his scintillating play of late by adding yet another goal and continuing to be in all the right places at all the right times. There’s still a long road ahead to consistency for the Rangers, but it’s evident that this young collection of stars is starting to not only take the hits necessary in order to become stars, but get back up and deliver deadly blows of their own.