It had to happen some time. For once this season at least, the Rangers can actually say they beat a Western Conference team. Having entered this afternoon’s home tilt against the visiting Sharks 0-7-2 against the West, it was their final opportunity to come away with two points versus the other conference.

Thanks to inspired performances from forwards Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan along with reliable goaltending from recently re-upped No.1 goalie Henrik Lundqvist, the Blueshirts cameback from a goal down to post a hard fought 3-1 win over San Jose at Madison Square Garden.  

It was their second straight victory temporarily moving them into sixth in the East two points clear of the Flyers, who at last check trailed the Canadiens 2-1 after one period. With 67 points and 21 games remaining, New York trails the division-leading Devils by four points and second place Pittsburgh by two pending the result between the Pens and Sabres tonight. The Penguins led 2-1 in the third.

After permitting the game’s first goal on a nifty Joe Thornton backhand setup to finisher Jonathan Cheechoo, a determined Ranger club cameback to tie it when Chris Drury got to a loose puck and found Ryan Callahan all alone in front for his fourth.

Lundqvist was strong in net for the second consecutive day of a challenging back-to-back allowing only one goal as he had in a 5-1 home win over Buffalo yesterday. The 25 year-old Swede came up with a large save on Milan Michalek’s shorthanded bid getting a pad on it. It would prove pivotal as his teammates went the other way three-on-two with leading point getter Scott Gomez setting up a Drury right wing power play slapper past San Jose netminder Evgeni Nabokov at 5:44 of the second. It was Drury’s seventh goal in the last nine games.

With a focused Lundqvist standing up to the Sharks’ challenge in the third (12 saves) and a solid Blueshirt D doing an excellent job in their end, Callahan salted it away with an empty netter with two seconds to go for his second of the day concluding a very productive weekend.

“These are two big wins to build on,” the 22 year-old Rochester native noted to the Associated Press after recording his fourth goal in five following a lengthy 25-game drought.

“We have a long road ahead of us, but we can move forward and go from here. We have a lot of character in this room from top to bottom. You have to follow your leaders and go from there.“

Lundqvist outdueled Nabokov (30 saves) finishing with 29 stops altogether in notching his 26th win of the season.

If the Rangers are to continue to climb up the competitive East, they must continue to get solid goalkeeping from the former 2000 seventh round pick who was nominated for the Vezina as the league’s top goalie the past two years.

They also must continue to play as fundamentally sound as they did this weekend. Now, the Blueshirts hit the road for a game Tuesday at Buffalo and then go across the border to play Les Habitants next Friday.

We’ll see how they fare. 

For more on this game and how close the Eastern playoff race actually is, please refer to my other blog over at Battle of NY.

Movie: Juice (1992)

Reason: Cause whenever I’m random, I tend to come up with throwback movies which totally rule and this happens to be one of my faves!!!!!

HB Analysis: Juice stars 2Pac and Omar Epps along with Jermaine “Huggy” Hopkins and Khalil Kain as four troubled inner city youths who hang out frequently cutting school, listening to boom boxes and going up against a gang rival all for the quest of legacy. Who has the most JUICE??? If you’re into gang oriented movies with real good acting, then this is your type of flick. So sit back, relax and get the popcorn and beer or whatever the heck you have and watch this because it’s a freaking classic.

2Pac plays Bishop, who turns into the loose cannon becoming fascinated by the power of guns. Epps in his first signature role is the cool Q, who is a very talented dee jay whose goal is to win a contest. Hopkins plays Steel, who always carries his boom box blasting it as loud as possible. Then there’s Kain, who as Raheem is the ring leader.

We also see cameos from Samuel L. Jackson and Queen Latifah. Each has smaller roles. Jackson plays a pool hall owner who relays messages back and forth to Bishop and Q, who by the end wind up against each other due to Bishop’s power trip. Latifah is the Ruffhouse MC during the DJ competition Q reaches the finals in.

It starts off very innocently as they cut class and then chill in the park. There’s a hilarious scene where they scare a well dressed caucasian male by just playfully screaming at them and then watching the poor person almost knock into a tree.

The movie takes place near Riverside Drive in Harlem giving it a hometown appeal. As is the case with most urban gang movies, the language is street slang. It’s got that cool hip hop vibe. Naughty by Nature had the featured “Uptown Anthem” hit in this movie. If you’ve seen the video, they use scenes from it which realllly works.

The acting from a young Tupac and an 18 year-old Epps who were both in their debut roles is just off the charts. They were each fantastic playing off each other so well and making their characters very believable. While 2pac turns into the classic villain, Epps plays the smarter well schooled likeable character who you find yourself rooting for.

They clash because Q doesn’t agree with how far Bishop will go. During his DJ competition before the finals, they rob a local grocery store putting on masks with Bishop brandishing the gun. It’s at that point that for no reason, he shoots and murders the clerk who just wants them to leave. After he’s dead, they scram with the money and hide. The plot only thickens from there which sees Q drift further and further apart from a crazed Bishop who will do anything to get ahead. Even if it means killing his own kind.

There are some great lines between the two which only add to the movie’s street creed. One scene sees Bishop standing behind Q’s school locker and they have a great exchange:

Q: Bishop, you’re crazy!
Bishop: You know what? Last time you said that, I was kinda trippin’, right? But now, you’re right. I am crazy. And you know what else? I don’t give a fuck. I don’t give a fuck about you. I don’t give a fuck about Steel. I don’t give a *fuck* about Raheem, either. I don’t give a fuck about myself. Look, I ain’t shit. And you less of a man than me, so as soon as I figure you ain’t gon be shit, *pow*! So be it. You remember that, motherfucker. ‘Cause I’m the one you need to be looking out for… *partner*!

Definitely one of the best scenes of this action packed movie. I also really like the police scene where they’re interrogated about who murdered Raheem. That’s pretty intense!

I’ll try to get some videos up at some point. Just stay tuned.

HB Rating: Users on IMDB give it 6.5 stars out of 10. This movie got nominated for Best Film in 1993. I really dig it. So I’m giving it 8.0 out of 10.

If you like Boyz N’ Da Hood, you’ll love Juice.

It was what you’d come to expect. At least if you followed the Berkeley Carroll Boys Varsity basketball team this topsy turvy season.

There have been instances where the BC Lions haven’t played their best ball. However, that was far from the case at a crowded Friends Seminary gym yesterday afternoon where despite being two men short, they went toe to toe with one of the better ACIS teams before falling 74-70 in a great game.

If ever you might’ve expected the Lions to not be up to the challenge, it was yesterday afternoon on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. They were again without key starter Giancarlo Hirsch and reserve shooting guard Joe Longo meaning that against a very good opponent who boasted a full roster, Berkeley Carroll had only seven players for the first of two regular season meetings less than a week apart.

Friends Seminary had won the last two league championships including a nailbiting two-point win to repeat in 2007. They still had most of their players back with the notable exception of star big man Troy Whittington, who went on to play for Williams College.

It certainly seemed like a tall order to expect Berkeley to be able to go into their gym where at least four returning starters from that championship team were still around along with a few key additions from last year’s JV. When your coach basically has his pregame notes written out on the scorebook in the timeouts section, it’s usually not a good sign.

Apparently, Coach was praying to the basketball Gods to let his team play the way they were always capable of. Maybe he knew something because it didn’t start out promising for his shorthanded team which fell behind 13-2 forcing him to use a timeout.

Maybe the 11-point lead Friends built up gave them a false sense of security or just maybe a resilient Lions squad wasn’t ready to pack their bags and grab the train back to Park Slope. Whatever the explanation, suddenly the BC backcourt of senior Jason Lewis and junior Philip Seay started to play more aggressively getting into the lane, scoring and finding open teammates for buckets.

While they were BC’s best two scoring options, what couldn’t be overlooked was the job players such as Daniel Halper, Sam Adler, Max Peskowitz and John O’Shaughnessy did getting to loose balls for second chances. Halper stepped out and knocked down a three and also hit a few free throws and Adler also rebounded well and showed some range with a 17-footer from the left baseline. O’Shaughnessy’s play on the offensive end was inspired, repeatedly hurting Friends inside with some nice putbacks.

By the end of what was one of the most exciting first quarters, it was anyone’s game. Friends Seminary led 21-18. One thing was abundantly clear. The Lions weren’t going away. In fact, while a deeper opponent was getting flustered by BC’s hardnosed approach, the underdog gained more and more momentum as they continued to beat Friends’ players to the spot and get them into foul trouble.

It was now Berkeley who controlled the tempo of the game on a bigger court which worked perfectly for their offense, allowing speedy guards Lewis and Seay to get into the paint and also utilize the baseline to their advantage. The Lions had played so well on both ends that they slowly built a nine-point lead. It was also aided by a technical foul as the level of frustration on the Friends players was very evident.

How chaotic was this game? So much so that there were even moments where I couldn’t keep up with what was going on. You had two teams scoring very quickly making for  frenetic end-to-end action.

If Berkeley was to pull off the upset, they needed to find a way to slow down Friends’ top outside threat. I can’t recall the name but if they didn’t throw off No.24’s rhythm, there was no way they could win. He had a terrific first half seemingly hitting every open trey off well executed screens.

For two quarters, BC slowed him down enough to take an eight point lead early in the final quarter with the end almost in sight. Just when you thought they had it, the kid with the awkward flatfooted shot which you couldn’t believe was knocking ‘em down sprung to life as did his backcourt teammate No.12. At least that’s what Varsity girls basketball star Zoe Cohen concluded as did this writer.

Editor’s note: I had seen a spunky player like this once before. His name was Tim Hyland and he could knock them down from 28 feet out for Curtis High School when they were dominating the Staten Island High School League (SIHSL) winning championships. Thing is Hyland was even more flatfooted. He also was probably better as he could involve teammates with very smart passes.

It was the PG’s play which helped turn around the game. He’s one of those kids who can be lazy at times but when it’s on the line, suddenly flips on the switch. He was almost invisible for 24 minutes but when the pro-Friends crowd urged their school on, he stepped up much like in last year’s championship game where his transition lay-up gave them a league repeat. Here was the same player suddenly turning it on getting into the lane and either scoring or finding teammates- usually ‘ole reliable No.24 who went for a ridiculous 37 and drained at least six trifectas by the time it was over.

There was also a huge setup for one of their other players, who finally got an open three to go down. In the first half, the same kid missed one where you were sure it was down. This time, the ball bounced his way and against Berkeley Carroll.

With No.12 and 24 hitting all their free throws, it looked like the Lions’ valiant effort would fall short. In spite of some splendid play from Seay, whose big third quarter included an unbelievable trey after faking a shot and getting fouled. What a great play that was. It wasn’t the only one he made. He had 23 with more than half coming in that second half.

Lewis meanwhile had rebounded from a disappointing game on Senior Night. He stepped up all game and scored pacing his team with 28 which included a couple of extremely difficult off balance three’s in the last 60 seconds. It allowed his team to burn their final timeouts and hope they could either force a turnover or hope for missed free throws.

Unfortunately, the two money players for Friends didn’t cooperate as No.24 sank the last couple for the final four-point outcome.

Maybe the Berkeley players didn’t get the desired outcome but they won in a lot of people’s minds. Sometimes, you can’t measure what’s inside a team’s heart. They left it all out there and probably deserved a better fate.

Just maybe it will finally go their way when they get the same team again next Thursday at their home gym before the ACIS playoffs begin.

Nothing to hang their heads over on this day. Just an old fashioned well played game. Now it’s some much needed time off and then on to the next one.

According to a published report, the Sacramento Kings have agreed to trade starting point guard Mike Bibby to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for veteran PG Anthony Johnson, former 2006 first round pick Shelden Williams, guard Tyrone Lue and veteran big man Lorenzen Wright.

HB Analysis: A brilliant move by the Hawks, who finally appear ready to make a return to the postseason for the first time in almost a decade. With already a solid roster which features guard Joe Johnson, athletic deluxes Josh Smith and Marvin Williams along with solid first-year center Al Horford, Atlanta makes the move they needed to to finally send the right message to their fans. They are ready to compete in an abysmal conference aside from heavy hitters Boston, Detroit and Orlando.

The 29 year-old Bibby might not be what he used to be but the former Arizona standout is still an effective point guard who can get into the lane, score and get other teammates involved. It looks like a good fit.

For the Kings, they decided it was time for a change. Already with a solid nucleus in place which includes former LaSalle Academy product Ron Artest, Bronx native Francisco Garcia, leading scorer Kevin Martin, PG Beno Udrih, center Brad Miller and instant offense John Salmons, Sacramento is ready to move on without Bibby, who missed the entire first half before returning to play in 15 games netting 13.5 PPG, 5.0 APG and 3.7 RPG.

They essentially got Bibby’s contract off the books and it looks like they received expiring contracts. So, even though they got garbage in return, the deal from their position also made plenty of sense.

It remains to be seen if the 21-28 Hawks, who are tied for the final two spots with the Nets and 76ers will make the playoffs. However, with Jason Kidd expected to still wind up in Dallas if Jerry Stackhouse would just shut the heck up already, you have to give them a decided edge to get in which should be real exciting to watch. I’d liken it to last year’s feel good story with Golden State where they hadn’t been in for a while, had an athletic team and pulled a huge first round upset of Dallas.

Who would want to draw the Hawks in the first round? I sure wouldn’t.

It’s not everyday that so many innocent lives are taken due to the uncontrollable sick acts of a couple of troubled individuals. Sadly, these kinds of tragedies are becoming more and more common which is extremely humbling.

The two latest tragedies took place the past couple of days which once again begs the growing question: WHY???

Why would someone chop a well known psychologist to death who resided on the Upper East Side and injure another in the same gruesome manner before getting away? The most haunting aspect is this maniac is still on the loose.

While that unsolved murder rages, an even more devastating incident took place at the campus of Northern Illinois Thursday where 27 year-old graduate student Steven Kazmierczak unloaded on a lecture hall taking five lives and injuring over a dozen others.

What would set off by all former friends accounts a very bright individual who was a criminal justice major. At NIU, the same person got solid grades earning a couple of awards for academic achievment. What went so terribly wrong for Kazmierczak to snap attacking innocent people he didn’t know before committing suicide?

Well, for starters, he had shown erratic behavior for a couple of weeks due to being off medication. As someone who works part-time for a non-profit organization who helps people deal with anxiety and depression, I’m certainly more familiar with how important it is for clinics like Freedom From Fear to be open for troubled individuals in need.

Who doesn’t feel down at some point? It can’t always break your way. Every person is different in terms of how they cope. I will openly admit that as an older brother, I’ve been there to support my brother who battles OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). If you’re familiar with it, then you know about the kind of rituals and superstitious behavior/patterns it can entail on a person.

It’s extremely vital to support a loved one or close friend when they go through a mental illness. I can’t say for certain what happened to set off these two individuals but obviously, they were being treated for something and in at least one case, being off the med had an extremely negative affect impacting so many others. Think of all the families out there who sent their kids to Northern Illinois and now are dealing with loss or praying that the injuries aren’t serious if they’re even that fortunate.

Good god. This is what it’s sadly become lately in our society. Where the Virginia Tech Massacre is now referenced when another one of these unpredictable catastrophes takes place.

Remember Columbine? Who doesn’t? There was even a movie made about it which I caught some time last year. I don’t even know why I watched. I have yet to see 9/11. Maybe because it’s just too close to home.

Like most regular people, I would just like to believe these types of incidents will finally go away for good. However, unless we analyze why they’re happening and do everything possible to prevent them by any means possible (group sessions with students, public speakers, etc), then it’s not going to be nearly enough.

Maybe next time instead of procrastinating over Liar Liar Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee, our disingenuous politicians should try focusing on why this much bigger problem still exists.

The sad cold reality is that if someone decides to snap for a couple of minutes, we don’t have much control over the situation. That’s why you have to count your blessings these days.

Here’s hoping things look up.

In case anyone missed it, the Rangers and starting goalie Henrik Lundqvist reached agreement Thursday on a new six-year contract worth a reported $41.25 million.

The 25 year-old netminder who led Sweden to Olympic gold two years ago in Torino has been nominated for the Vezina for the NHL’s top goalie the last couple of seasons. The former Rangers’ 2000 seventh round gem has been largely responsible for the Original Six club’s turnaround- backstopping them to the postseason the last two years and leading them to a series sweep of Atlanta for the team’s first playoff victory in a decade.

After coming out of the gate on fire this season, the affable Lundqvist has struggled the past couple of months while dealing with the off-ice distraction of his father who is back home in Sweden recovering from a brain aneurysm.

He started the season looking primed to capture his first Vezina posting a 15-9-2 record with a 1.83 GAA. However, since Dec.1, King Henrik has been subpar with a 3.35 GAA as the club has played sub-.500 hockey (13-15-5) to drop out of the Eastern Conference’s top eight. They currently trail seventh seeded Buffalo and eighth seeded Boston in the playoff race with only 23 games remaining to salvage a very disappointing season with so many high expectations due to key additions Scott Gomez and Chris Drury. 

“There is a lot maybe going on,” Lundqvist told the Associated Press after the deal was signed on Valentine’s Day. “When you’re here or when you play a game, you don’t really focus on what goes on around you, whether it’s a contract or your dad is sick or whatever it is.

“When I’m here I focus on the right stuff, and I don’t think it affected me. I just want to work really hard here and bring my ‘A’ game.“

Despite only a 24-21-5 record in 50 games this season, his seven shutouts ranks second in the NHL behind league-leader Pascal Leclaire. He’ll need to be just as razor sharp in helping the Rangers elevate their game down the stretch if they want to see the Spring for a third consecutive year.

“We talked about this during the summer, that we would sign for one year and then start talking at the start of ‘08,” he admitted. “Nobody really wanted to wait until the summer. We wanted to get it done.”

Lundqvist could’ve become a restricted free agent in July. He’s making $4.25 million this season. By next year, the popular Swede will become the league’s highest paid goaltender passing Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo where he’ll be slated to earn $7.75 million. Luongo makes $7 million.

In his three-year NHL career, Lundqvist boasts a 91-55-22 record with a career 2.32 GAA, .916 save percentage and 16 shutouts.

“All I’m seeing is the metamorphosis of a top-notch goaltender in this league,” Rangers coach Tom Renney said. “He’s still evolving.”

HB Analysis: It’s easy to see why the Ranger organization got this done as Lundqvist has become their best goalie since Mike Richter, whose No.35 hangs from the rafters. Now is the time for King Henrik to relax and elevate his game to where it needs to be to get this team into the playoffs and beyond.

Guess this means Al Montoya is officially a bust. Another first round draft pick wasted by the club. What a shock? With the exception of Marc Staal, the Rangers are clueless when it comes to drafting and developing top draft picks. When will they get a clue?

With Spring Training finally getting in full swing, some of the former players we covered have been down at the Tampa Yankee complex for a while preparing for another full pro season as they try to carve out roles and progress in the organization.

One of those players who had a brief stint with the Staten Island Yankees last July before finishing strongly in Charleston was utility man Chase Odenreider. The 24 year-old Omaha Nebraska native is entering his third pro season this year.

He’ll be looking to build on last year’s performance with the Riverdogs where he spent time at the hot corner and in the outfield finishing with a .291 average with four home runs, 19 RBI’s and four stolen bases in 46 games (134 plate appearances).

The former 2006 Yankees’ 49th round selection was kind enough to give us a few minutes out of his very busy schedule.

Hitting Back: You didn’t start the season until July getting into a few games with Staten Island before moving up to Charleston. Were you injured? If so, how tough was it to comeback/not being able to play?

Chase Odenreider: I did get a late start on the season last year. I was kept in Tampa to work out a few mechanics on my swing. I had a solid spring training, but there was small things in my swing that I needed to fix to move up through the Yankees system. It was a good thing for me because I received very good instruction and a lot of repetitions.

HB: Once you got back into the Riverdogs lineup, you played well getting some time at the hot corner and outfield. How fun was it to help provide a spark down the stretch?

CO:  I really enjoyed my time in Charleston. I really think my versatility helped out a lot because down the stretch of our playoff run we did have a lot of guys go down with injuries, and being able to step in and play almost any position on the field is a huge plus.

HB: You seem to have carved out a utility role. Do you have a favorite position? Does it really matter?

CO: I’ll play wherever I am needed. I’m at the point in my career where I want to be on the field and in the batters box. I have no favorite position…I guess I have equal love for them all.

HB: As someone from Omaha, you started your college career with Nebraska before transferring to Creighton. How difficult was it to move away from home?

CO: Well Creighton is located in Omaha, so I basically came home after leaving Nebraska. Being at Creighton allowed me to get a top notch education and my parents were also able to see all of my games.

HB: Can you talk about the impact starring at Creighton had on your career?

CO: I would never consider myself a star. I would consider myself a major contributor. I enjoyed being a leader and a great teammate who tried to work harder than anyone else on a daily basis. I really give a lot of credit to my to Coach Ed Servais for allowing me the opportunities that I received.

HB: You were drafted by the Yankees in the 49th round a couple of years ago. How tough was it to wait that long? How rewarding was it to have your name called? What was the reaction?

CO: Yes, those two days of the draft were very nerve racking. I watched every pick of every round. I was elated when my name was called. I have always wanted to get an opportunity to play at the next level.

HB: Does being taken so late give you extra incentive on the field?

CO: Whether I was taken in the first round or the 50th round, I have been coached and taught to bust my tail and play with reckless abandon.

HB: Can you talk about the differences between college and pro ball?

CO: Wood bats are definitely not as forgiving as metal obviously. I really think that pro ball is more station to station with less small ball being played. I also believe the pitching is consistently better from starters to the bullpen. Pro ball games definitely seem longer than college games.

HB: You were on the road with a lot of teammates. How much fun was it? Any good stories? Who was the funniest teammate? Any practical jokers?

CO: I have met a lot of good guys playing in the Yankees organization. I enjoy bonding on the road and and staying in touch in the off-season. The season is so long that you can’t take things so seriously…so I guess at times we are all goofballs.

HB: Final question: Do you have any specific goals for this season?

CO: The only goal I have is take full advantage of all the opportunities given to me.

Special thanks again to Chase for taking part in this HB exclusive interview and best wishes for a great season.

It’s hard to fathom that I’ve written that many posts on this blog. When I began the HB blog a little over 18 months ago, it was with the idea to inform and give my hard hitting views on things.

Over that span, I’ve covered a repeat New York-Penn League championship courtesy of the minor league Single-A Yankee affiliate out here as the Staten Island Baby Bombers swept past the Verrazano rival Cyclones and got a great pitching performance from George Kontos and closer Mark Melanchon to shutout Tri-City 2-0 in the deciding game touching off a great celebration.

It was a pleasure to cover such a well together T-E-A-M which jelled combining timely hitting with great pitching and defense in becoming the first back-to-back Penn League champ in over two decades.

I don’t like to single out players but the performances of Mitch Hilligoss, Seth Fortenberry, Wilmer Pino, Kyle Larsen, Francisco Cervelli, Colin Curtis, Nick Peterson, Tim Norton and Jonathan Hovis were on display that special summer in 2006. More often than not, they delivered and made covering them a joy for this fortunate reporter.

Anytime you get to see a team win a championship, it’s pretty cool. We have jobs to do just like they do. Only difference is that without them, there wouldn’t be anything to write about. I think sometimes columnists forget that important aspect.

I don’t view athletes as any different than us. However, as someone who ran cross country track, played tennis and also travel basketball during my adolescence, I certainly have an appreciation for the kind of hard work and commitment these players put themselves through. It takes a heck of a lot to be able to perform at a high level.

Can we as writers take players to task? Certainly. If you see a player not trying on the defensive end, etc, it puts into question why they’re not following their assignment(s).

I’ll openly admit that it’s much easier to watch a game and conclude that so and so isn’t giving their all. The truth is I don’t really know. Unless you’re there on the inside, it’s totally a different perspective.

I was talking to an injured Berkeley Carroll basketball player Giancarlo Hirsch during a tough home defeat to Staten Island Academy this past Monday. The 17 year-old junior starting small forward had suffered a bruise which kept him out of that game. Instead, he was forced to help keep the scorebook while I worked the game and shot clock. Fyi…I’m the official scorer for all the BC games two years running.

Quite obviously, it was killing him to be reduced to the sidelines instead of participating and maybe helping the Lions avenge an earlier road loss at SIA the prior month.

Hirsch teams with senior guard Jason Lewis and fellow junior Philip Seay to form a three-guard offense. When they’re aggressive slashing to the basket and drawing defenders, usually good things happen. Whether it’s a hard driving lay-up or a kick out to the perimeter for an uncontested three, their speed can wreak havoc on opponents. It’s all about making smart decisions with the ball and involving teammates.

With his team fighting hard despite being down to seven players, Hirsch concluded that we haven’t seen this team’s best yet. He believes that they’ll turn it on when the ACIS playoffs start in a week. Hopefully, he’ll be back tomorrow for the first of two regular season meetings against Friends Seminary.

We’ll have to wait and see. That’s part of what’s great about sports. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, something unpredictable like the Giants coming together at the right time under Tom Coughlin to win it all.

The excitement of a Final Four Cinderella such as George Mason is what can make it all worthwhile.

There will always be stuff to write about. Hopefully, with the Roger Clemens-Brian McNamee three-ring circus behind us, it will be more positive than negative.

Until then, I’ll keep on blogging.

 
Tonight’s video selection takes us back to the mid-1980’s when Dire Straits were one of the top rock bands going. With lead singer Mark Knopfler also doubling as a lethal lead guitarist who plucked out some of the best riffs ever, this was a fun band to follow who produced several big hits including classic video, “Money For Nothing” along with “Walk Of Life.”Most know these couple of huge hit songs quite well but that’s not all.

Also featured on a strong Brothers In Arms album which was quite a solid track in itself was one of my personal faves “So Far Away,” where Knopfler sings about a girl who obviously wasn’t close enough for his sake. I think it’s a topic many of us can relate to. The lyrics are quite good too.Aside from the above songs mentioned, “Sultans of Swing,” “Making Movies” and “Romeo & Juliet” are three of their best.

What you get with Dire Straits is exceptional sounding rock music with Knopfler’s great guitar playing alongside brother David (guitar), bass player John Illsey plus outstanding drummer Pick Withers. If you like that classic sound featuring awesome guitar riffs, solid bass playing along with terrific drums, then this was an easy band to like.

Being someone who played guitar and still owns an electric to this day, there was plenty to like.

The video I’m featuring tonight is the “I Want My MTV” hit Money For Nothing. If you’ve never had the pleasure of seeing this video, here’s your chance to catch one of the coolest creative as well as interactive music videos of its time. I’d still rank it as one of the better videos I’ve seen.

Jason Kidd got his wish. He’s no longer a Net. The multidimensional point guard who led the Nets to two NBA Finals was finally dealt to the Mavericks earlier today.

In exchange for the disgruntled 35 year-old NBA All-Star, the Nets are getting point guard Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, DeSagna Diop, Devean George, Maurice Ager, 2008 and 2010 first round picks plus three million in cash. The Nets will also reportedly send backup forward Malik Allen to Dallas.

Another deal between the two clubs has Nets’ guard Antoine Wright moving closer to home for a future second rounder plus other considerations.

HB Analysis: It’s expected that the Nets will buyout the remainder of Stackhouse’ contract allowing him to possibly return to the Mavs as part of their NBA championship push. They also added expiring contracts (Diop and George) and got the young player they coveted along with first round picks.

This trade needed to happen for Nets GM Rod Thorne as his club was going nowhere with an uninspired Kidd anyway. The 24 year-old Harris is a splendid dribble penetrator who can score and distribute the ball. He was averaging a career best 14.4 points along with over five assists- also a career high. The speedy guard who starred at Wisconsin should fit in well with Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter to formulate a new trio.

With the development of young bigs Sean Williams and Josh Boone, the Nets’ future looks much brighter than before.

For the Mavs, they get their man and essentially just lose one key component off a roster which features last year’s regular season MVP Dirk Nowitzki and explosive shooting guard Josh Howard. Kidd finally returns to where his NBA career began when he was once teamed with another duo in Jimmy Jackson and Jamal Mashburn. Too bad that didn’t work out due to plenty of immaturity and Toni Braxton.

The Mavs are banking on Kidd to be the final piece to the puzzle teaming with Dirk and Howard to formulate a deadly trio. However, in such a competitive conference, nothing’s a given. Especially with Shaq out in the Desert and Pau Gasol teaming with Kobe in LA. Let’s not discount those defending champion Spurs either. When Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are all healthy, the Spurs are still in a class by themselves.

So, who will come out of the West? Probably a team we haven’t mentioned like the Hornets, Jazz or Warriors. Wonder how the other teams’ fans would feel if that actually happened? Never mind.