December 23, 2024 - Brooklyn Downtown Star

JJ: A Holiday Wish List For NY Sports

BQE Admin on December 23, 2024

JOHN JASTREMSKI

I hope that the 2024 holiday season has treated you well.

We all have our wish lists every year for Santa Claus and what he may bring us under the Christmas tree.

Maybe it’s that apple watch or the newest video game console, but I have my wish list for Santa Claus for some of the New York Sports teams.

For some of the New York teams, this past year brought a lot of presents.

For some others, a whole lot of coal.

Mets: Re-Sign Pete Alonso

Yes, the Mets are coming off one of their best seasons without a championship. A feel good ride to the NLCS. To cap off the year, the Mets signed Juan Soto away from the Yankees to become the next franchise cornerstone.

The Mets added Soto, brought back Sean Manaea, but still have one more major need to address.

They need to bring back Pete Alonso to round out the middle of their lineup.

The power, protection for Soto and the idea of Alonso being a Met for life all should make the Mets fans spirit bright.

Giants: Find And Draft a Franchise Quarterback

The Giants are in the middle of the worst season in the 100 year history of the franchise.

The season thankfully ends in two weeks, but now the stage is set for a great present in late April.

If the Giants lose their final two games of the season, they end up with the # 1 pick in the draft.

Of course it’s not a given, but the idea of the next hope at quarterback come April and the entire draft to choose from, at least gives 2025 a chance at a promising start.

Jets: End the longest playoff drought in professional sports! Hire Mike Vrabel!

The Jets have the longest playoff drought in professional sports. They’ve hired plenty of GM’ and head coaches since 2010.

They brought in Aaron Rodgers, a future Hall Of Fame quarterback, yet here we are.

No playoffs since 2010.

The franchise needs a program and culture builder.

There is no better place to start than to look at Mike Vrabel to be that guy.

Vrabel thrived for years as coach of the Tennessee Titans. His teams were always prepared, tough minded and successful.

This is the perfect choice to change the culture.

Yankees: Become More Fundamentally Sound in 25!

The 2024 Yankees ended a 15 year drought without an American League pennant.

They were also a team that was fundamentally flawed all season long.

They ran the bases terribly and the team’s defense left a lot to be desired.

The Yankee defense was responsible for one of the worst defensive innings in the history of the Yankees and the World Series in a 5th inning of Game 5 of the World Series that will live in infamy.

I am hopeful that the Yankees can be a more fundamentally sound team next season.

Adding Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt who are two terrific defensive players should help the overall team defense.

It will be needed with the addition of weak contract machine Max Fried joining Gerrit Cole at the top of the rotation.

There are a few of the things I listed for New York fans to wish for under their trees for 2025.

To all a Merry Christmas and to all a good night.

You can listen to my podcast New York, New York on the Ringer Podcast Network on Spotify/Apple podcasts every Sunday & Thursday. You can watch me nightly on Honda Sports Nite at 11 PM on SNY.

Greek Americans Defeat Pancyprian Freedoms 3-1 in Hellenic Derby

BQE Admin on December 23, 2024

First defeat faced by Pancyprians in EPSL as we head into the winter break

NOAH ZIMMERMAN

noah@queensledger.com

The NY Pancyprian Freedoms suffered their first loss of the EPSL season, dropping the Fall finale to the NY Greek Americans in the “Hellenic Derby” at Hofstra University.

NY Pancyprians were near perfect in league play, with 9 wins and a draw heading into the rivalry matchup. They boasted a division-leading 33 goals and 7 goals allowed (+26 GD) with 5 consecutive wins since their 2-2 draw to Lansdowne Yonkers prior to the final contest.

Right behind the Pancyprians were the Greek Americans, who had gone 7-1-1 since their Week 1 loss to NY Athletic Club. They sat just behind the leaders in points and goals scored entering the final week.

Under the lights at Hofstra, the Greek Americans put their rivals to the test. In the 28th minute, a deflected free kick gave them a 1-0 advantage heading into the half.

In the 64th minute Brian Saramago doubled the Greek lead, going on to complete his brace with their third goal just minutes later.

The Pancyprians were able to pull a goal back in stoppage time, but ultimately fell 3-1 in the derby. They maintain a three point advantage in the EPSL Metro Division as we await the second half of the season following the Winter break.

St. John’s Opens BIG EAST Play with Pair of Wins

BQE Admin on December 23, 2024

Rick Pitino’s Red Storm improve to 10-2 with wins over DePaul and Providence

NOAH ZIMMERMAN

noah@queensledger.com

The St. John’s University Red Storm improved to 10-2 last Friday night as they capped off a pair of wins to open conference play in the BIG EAST, 89-61 over DePaul and a 72-70 victory in Rhode Island.

The Red Storm overcame a 16-point 1st half deficit in Providence, taking the lead with 4 minutes remaining in the 2nd half. A three from Bensley Joseph knotted the game up at 70 with 20 seconds remaining to keep the Friars in the game, but St. John’s carried the ball back down court with a chance to win.

Breakout Jr. Zuby Ejiofor pulled down an offensive rebound in the dying seconds, bailing out a miss by Sr. guard Deivon Smith. Ejiofor floated home the game-winner at the buzzer, leading St. John’s to victory with a game-high 19 points and 10 boards.

“Obviously, it was good to be on the good side of a buzzer beater and just win on the road,” said the forward following the game.

“Showing your toughness, fighting through adversity, coming back in the second half and taking care of business. Everybody can go home and enjoy Christmas.”

An extra gift for Ejiofor this holiday season is his third consecutive appearance on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll and 4th honor this season. He maintains a Division 1-leading 4.6 offensive rebounds, with the most recent setting up his game winning shot.

“My philosophy and Coach [Pitino] says every shot is essentially my rebound. I have pride in going and getting my team a second chance. That’s exactly what I did, find a way to get an offensive rebound and put it in the rim,” said Ejiofor.

Despite the early deficit in Providence, Coach Pitino ensured the Red Storm remained confident in the face of adversity.

“I told the guys in one timeout, ‘This is nothing. I’ve been down 30 points with 15:30 to go on the road. It’s nothing. You’re going to come back and win this game. Just be patient, take your time, one possession at a time.”

St. John’s head into their final non-conference matchup this Saturday as they host Delaware at Carnesecca Arena in Queens. The Red Storm return to BIG EAST play on December 31, wrapping up 2024 in Nebraska as they visit Creighton.

Breakout junior Zuby Ejiofor was celebrated following his game-winner in Providence (Photo from @stjohnsbball on Instagram)

The Red Storm poured onto the court to celebrate the buzzer-beater as they began BIG EAST play 2-0. (Photo from @stjohnsbball on Instagram)

Christmas Without CTE?

BQE Admin on December 23, 2024

MIKE PORCELLI

What’s Christmas without tool-skills?

At Christmas two years ago, I wrote about the many skilled workers who make the holiday season possible and the ways their skills are essential, not only during holidays – but every day. For example, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, the most popular attraction of Christmas in this city since it was first erected almost a hundred years ago. It takes thousands of skilled workers to produce that iconic symbol. Think about what this and every holiday would look like without the skills those workers bring.

Imagine Dicken’s classic Christmas Carol with a focus on skilled trade workers. In this version, the Tradesman-of-Christmas-Past is the Jack-of-All-Trades, who can build and repair every piece of technology. He can grow the tree, cut it down, transport it, install it, decorate it, light it, and then remove it when the season ends. He learned his skills from generations of craftsmen who came before and passed their skills onto their children. Each successor improved their skills, as they used them to make life more enjoyable for their contemporaries, particularly during the holidays.

Now, think about two versions of the Tradesman-of-Christmas-Present. The first one learned his skills from a parent, or one of the excellent public school vocational programs of the last century, or both, as I was privileged to do. Next, there’s the Non-Tradesman-of-Christmas-Present, educated by a school that removed shop classes from the curriculum. This person grew up without tool-skills and is virtually helpless in dealing with anything requiring their use. So sad! These unskilled individuals are the butt of Christmas morning horror stories about the most dreaded words found as children unwrap their gifts and find on the boxes – ASSEMBLY-REQUIRED. Deprived of shop classes growing up, they struggle to allow their children to enjoy their gifts. Some must even pay others to provide those required assembly services. How embarrassing!

Lastly, imagine what life would be like in the future if we continue to lose skilled workers at growing rates. This bleak scenario is represented by the Non-Tradesman-of-Christmas-Future, who’s not only incapable of assembling toys, but symbolizes a future without enough skilled workers to provide all the services modern society is dependent on. Life, as we know it – will cease to exist. Scary!

Children believe their presents are built by Santa’s Elves in his North Pole workshop. Elves with tool-skills. At some point, they begin to comprehend those elves are really the skilled tradesmen working in factories, and the products they produce with their trade skills, are not delivered on Santa’s sled propelled by reindeer, that are led by one with a red nose. They come to understand that those packages are really delivered by other skilled workers in the supply chain, particularly those ever-present blue Amazon trucks.

Let’s prevent the unskilled version of Christmas future, and other holidays, by… expanding CTE in all schools!

That’s the best present of all… for all!

Mets: Re-Sign Pete Alonso

Giants: Find And Draft a Franchise Quarterback

Jets: End the longest playoff drought in professional sports! Hire Mike Vrabel!

Yankees: Become More Fundamentally Sound in 25!

First defeat faced by Pancyprians in EPSL as we head into the winter break

Rick Pitino’s Red Storm improve to 10-2 with wins over DePaul and Providence

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