Like a lot of New Yorkers, I was not born In New York City,
did not go to high school or spend my teenage years in the city. I WILL call
myself a New Yorker however, much like a large section of the world I grew up
and was influenced by New York artists & and; culture as if I had lived here all
my life! (having parents that went to university in New York certainly helped in
forming my allegiance to the city admittedly).
My status as a New Yorker personally was vindicated by the Combat jack show stating that in order to call yourself a New Yorker you should have 2 stats to your credit, the first: living in the city for at least 5 years (check), the second: spending a night in central bookings (check – a story for another post). That’s why I feel New York enough to write this.
My status as a New Yorker personally was vindicated by the Combat jack show stating that in order to call yourself a New Yorker you should have 2 stats to your credit, the first: living in the city for at least 5 years (check), the second: spending a night in central bookings (check – a story for another post). That’s why I feel New York enough to write this.
Like most communities there are rivalries that are understated
and often misunderstood to the outside world. New York is the same thing! You
have a Queens/Brooklyn thing,Brooklyn/Harlem (think jay-z/dame dash) Brooklyn/Bronx, North New jersey (yes New jersey-
technically another state but really an unofficial borough), and so forth (Note Brooklyn is the common theme) long Island is in this equation as well- somehow (don't know how.. but I digress)
The one unifying
thing or rather rivalry that transcends the geographical boundaries is sports. As
an example The New York jets & Giants both play in New jersey another is
the fact that New jersey does not have any baseball teams so the New Jersey
residents (closer to NY) support the Yankees and Mets. The majority of Brooklyn
Dodger fans switched allegiances to the New York Mets (who play in Queens- but
are not necessarily a Queens team) after the team headed out west... New York teams (Hockey aside) are New York teams!! Owned by everyone here... Well until now!
Within my time here I have found Brooklyn to be the most interesting
borough… I hated the place when I first got here... I always thought “Brooklynites” where full of
themselves, just the fact that they call themselves them that as opposed to “New
Yorkers” like the way people from North Jersey do (you know it’s true). I have
always seen Brooklynites as arrogant, more so than people from Manhattan who
are now forced to call themselves “Manhattanites”. People from Brooklyn in my
opinion believe they are a grade better and act accordingly. Truth is Brooklyn is
its own Planet, one I have grown to understand and accept as different in an
awesomely un-paralleled way.
The Brooklyn Dodgers where a source of pride and iconicaly
represented the proud people of Brooklyn. To this day the people of Brooklyn still
wear Brooklyn Dodgers gear; the Jackie Robinson Expressway is probably the most
important road that links Brooklyn and Queens (after the BQE).
After the Brooklyn
Dodgers moved in 1957, the city of Brooklyn has been at a lost, for a major pro-sports
iconic representative team/symbol. The Brooklyn Nets have since come in to fill
that void, inhabiting physically and emotionally the space left by the Dodgers.
It’s tricky (for lack of a better way to word it). The Nets
have now come to represent Brooklyn, with arguably Brooklyn’s most recognizable
figure at the helm (well kind of) Jay- Z. The Nets logo (as horrible as it is)
and gear can now be seen all over Brooklyn &; the world, by basketball and
non-basketball fans alike.
Brooklyn residents with the advent of the Nets have managed
to further separate themselves from the rest of the NY community. A proud
people with something to root for which is unquestionably Brooklyn. The Nets
epitomize the American dream so to speak... A Marcy guy that grew up with nothing,
helped bring Brooklyn something to call its own. You can’t help but respect it…
Deep down I want the Nets to succeed.
As a lifelong Knicks fan, that lives in Queens I hope they
sign Dontrevius Winters (I know, I Know Google him) Marbury, Sprewell, & every other former Knick/NYCt baskebtall icon tomorrow AND SUCK BIG TIME!
I mean SUCK REALLLY REALLLY BIG TIME! No really... Like REALLY REALLLY REALLLY REALLY BIG TIME.
I mean SUCK REALLLY REALLLY BIG TIME! No really... Like REALLY REALLLY REALLLY REALLY BIG TIME.
The New York structure and sense of unity has been restructured…
Bring it!
Signed
Knicks Fans
Signed
Knicks Fans
