My support for Atlantic Yards has been constant. My opinions regarding the matter, made public on this blog page, have been known for some time now. A particular organization thought they would have a little fun at my expense, using some of my comments and photo postings in a snarky last ditch and desperate attempt to draw support for their protest and belittle proponents of Atlantic Yards. I do not begrudge them for believing in a cause and being active towards such end. As a matter of fact I applaud them. Why? Simply and briefly I'm relieved there are still some who believe they can affect government in a country that supposedly is predicated on the premise, For-The-People, Of-The-People and By-The-People (is the order important here?). I believe this country has all but lost our revolutionary spirit so your efforts have not gone totally unappreciated.
This is not a political Blog, nor is it a terribly socially civic-minded Blog. This Blog is more a celebration of two things I love most in life; Baseball and following my sports teams & my hometown of Brooklyn and the joy I have living here.
As for you ladies and gentlemen at "JEERS"; the place where we don't care to know your names, who gave me such a "CRAPTACULAR" (to use your word) review, and to those of you who so impressively showed up in the tens of tens to be civil disobedients as part of your cause and belief in "NoLandGrab" (wink!), unfortunate as it may be for your Band of Merry Meddlers, you'll have to wrap your "cold dead hands" around your frosty mugs somewhere else. It's not like you have to leave, it's just that you can't stay there. Having ONE person arrested for civil disobedience it appears didn't have the effect you originally planned. Being as the Village Voice, of which I occasionally read, rated you as the best little bar in Brooklyn (incredulously may I add; not too mention ludicrous and inane),...perhaps their classified section can be of use in finding you a new location where you can continue your quest to live out your little urban fantasies. Oh, and sorry about the traffic passing by on Atlantic Avenue. If it weren't for that I might have heard some of the chants your platoon were belting out through the fence. One less draft from the tap might have inspired one of you to bring a bull-horn. So in closing, remember the old adage; he who snarks last, snarks best. Good Luck in your next "Crap-tastic" Crusade. If you're so inclined, see you at the Brooklyn Nets opening tip-off. Cheers!
In the end, at almost the seven year mark since the project was first proposed, through the protests, legal battles and an economy that tanked at the wrong time for this plan, we get it. Finally. The number of hold-outs, those who would not sell their properties to Bruce Ratner, who stood to make a nice profit from the transaction, and now have to settle for less, was I believe in the low teens at last count. Perhaps they can take it up with their real-estate agents as to why they were not informed about the history of the area or enlightened about past proposals or current developments for that grid. If you moved there with-in the last six years, you should have known about the risks. Whether you were not informed, didn't research the area on your own, or just chose to remain ignorant or stubborn, is an entirely different conversation. You knew, or should have known you were buying into a Junk Bond by purchasing there; High Risk, High Reward. Investment ventures are a risk my friends. You guessed wrong on the side of risk. However, your principle is still in tact so spare me the crocodile tears.
The fact is that particular grid has been screaming for attention for well over 50 years. With neighborhoods surrounding it's rim rejuvenating themselves and feeling reinvigorated, this area was a crater left behind by an asteroid called urban decay. This grid is responsible for the inability of three great neighborhoods from coming together in a beautiful urban unifying setting for all to enjoy, prosper and thrive in. Like having a giant hole in your living room, this hole in the ground must be addressed and fixed. Atlantic Yards and Barclays Center is the answer, remedy, solution for the apathetic treatment this area has endured by the Borough and City for too long.
Thank you Bruce Ratner and to the City of New York for having the vision and want, to make what's best for Brooklyn, possible, unlike the urban-planning megalomaniac Robert Moses and his lack of compunction for his part in Brooklyn loosing their Dodgers, and then Mayor Robert Wagner, an invertebrate in the presence of said Robert Moses.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to celebrate the historic groundbreaking of Atlantic Yards and the Barclays Center, future home of the Brooklyn Nets. See you there!
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Baseball Looses an Heirloom
I'm sorry to interupt everyone's Spring Training.
A moment of silence is in order.
I am not a Mets fan today. I am a New Yorker.
Goodbye Old Friend.
New York Daily News, March 7, 2010
Kenny Albert; New York Ranger's Radio Voice
It's simple. This guy is a great announcer!
Thank You Very Much Kenny!
Baseball Geography..101
Yesterday I said I would present my own fix for Baseball's re-alignment dilemma. This is my third crack at this since I got home today. I deleted the other two attempts already. Then it dawned on me. MLB already has the fix. They already have a blue print. Kinda. I told you yesterday about my eerie feeling I had that all this grumbling over realignment, balanced and unbalanced schedules will ultimately lead to one thing:
EXPANSION
That's right. It is my humble opinion MLB is starting to plant the seeds for more expansion.
No...not contraction; Expansion. You heard right.
The more I tried to poke fun at Selig and the GOOFY plan his hand picked staff of 14 Sun-Dried Tomatoes of On-Field Matters came up with involving a GOOFY re-alignment scheme, the more my better sense kept screaming at me, telling me, reminding me there is already a blue-print in place. Damn it!! I hate it when I know too much Baseball history. Truth is I came up up with my own little realignment plan and designs for suspending reality. I really wanted to give Selig a good Wedgie tonight, but the baseball fan on my left shoulder is winning over my brain. The punk on my right shoulder will have to wait. Instead of having a good laugh at Bud's expense, I offer you something a little more creative. My "id" is not happy right now!
Like EVERYTHING, History is the road map to the present.
The National League was formed in 1876..blah blah. We pick up this story in the year 1901. Nothing prior to that is really relevant for this post. It was quite simple then with eight teams. They are the Senior Circuit. How baseball evolved to this point is a romp through 60 years (nice round number) of baseball's infancy and adolescence.
Brooklyn Dodgers
New York Giants
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Boston Braves
St. Louis Cardinals
The American League was just the most recent come-lately formed to rival the National League. The historic formation of the AL is a very different story than that of it's senior. The N.L. was a continuation; the evolution of our original game only more organized. The A.L. was a rival, like others before them.
Pay attention. I'll make this short.
A minor league, the Northwestern League, operated from 1879 to 1887. In 1888 they reformed and operated as the Western Association till 1891. From 1892 to 1899 it was known as the Western League.
Ban Johnson was a cat with an axe to grind against the N.L. He wasn't allowed to buy a team and the N.L. refused to expand to accommodate him. He had a bad attitude, a good reason and most importantly, re$cource$ to declare war on the N.L. He purchased the Western League, disbanded it in 1899 and in 1900 re-organized it as the American League, opening the 1901 season. Ban Johnson's War vs the N.L. had begun.
As of 1895 the Western League operated in:
Indianapolis
St. Paul
Kansas City
Minneapolis
Detroit
Milwaukee
Toledo
Grand Rapids
Ban Johnson reorganized the league and this is what happened over 1899 & 1900
Indianapolis - OUT. They continued to operate in a new minor league named the Western League est.1901.
Indianapolis - OUT. They continued to operate in a new minor league named the Western League est.1901.
St. Paul - operations shut down, packed up and moved to Chicago to compete directly with N.L. team. Ding ding ding!
Kansas City - OUT. Western League with Indianapolis.
Minneapolis - OUT. Western League too.
Detroit - Ding ding ding! Yep! These aren't the Detroit Wolverines either!
Milwaukee - operations shut down, packed up and moved to Washington D.C. for the 1901 season. Ding ding ding! For the opening of the 1901 season, Milwaukee was given a second team.
Toledo - operations shut down, packed up and moved to Cleveland. Ding ding ding!
Grand Rapids - operations shut down, packed up and moved to Buffalo. They never did get to unpack their boxes. They folded before 1901.
Between 1901 and 1902 there were still changes before things settled and 1903 gave shape to a more recognizable MLB as far as "we" are concerned. Ban Johnson was a straight gangsta and wasn't joking. For the 1901 season he completed his new league by giving teams to cities and owners rebuffed by the N.L.'s monopoly. Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore made eight and the A.L. was in business.
The second Milwaukee team moved to St. Louis for the 1902 season to become the Browns. Ding ding ding! And after the 1902 season, Baltimore was boxed up and mailed to NYC to become the Highlanders/Yankees.
Stay with me people. That was the hard part. Finally the A.L. of 1903:
New York Yankees head-on vs. NL
(Milw) St. Louis Browns head-on vs. NL
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
Washington Senators
Philadelphia Athletics head-on vs. NL
Boston Red Sox head-on vs. NL
Chicago White Sox head-on vs. NL
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Finally allied, the NL and AL firmly put down a challenge by the Federal League in 1914-1915.
The NL/AL War went Cold status. It turned into a Golden Age Game of Franchise Chicken.
Who was going to blink first?
Throw in some planes, trains and automobiles and now it's a whole new game.
The Boston Nationals blinked. The Americans win the battle of Boston in 1953. Wicked!
Milwaukee gets a third team and supports the Braves to the tune of 2 million fannies a season and the rest of Baseball said, "Oh $hnap!!"
The Battle of St. Louis was won by the Nationals in 1954 and the Browns fled east to Baltimore where the Orioles had the rest of Baseball saying out loud, "OH $$HNAPP!!"
Now more and more teams were getting the fever and the only prescription, was more U-HAULS.
The Battle of Brotherly Love was won by the Nationals in 1956 and Kansas City was the new home of the American A's. This time the owners just flat out declared, "Holy Chitt!!"
Just in time for 1958, the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants got caught in bed together and eloped to the Left Coast. This is where everything changes. This is when everyone stopped being kids; when the Dodgers and Giants got caught wearing leather chaps, snappin whips with red rubber balls in mouth! Filthy Hanzel and Dirty Gretel made all the wanna-be's take stock of the situation. If the MLB was being run like a Roman Toga Party and they didn't let anyone in to their little club, a certain MLB who shall remain nameless was gonna get served with papers.
Better yet, a lawyer named William Shea, in concert and on behalf of interested owners (like Mrs. Joan Payson; a NY Giants season ticket holder who's team abandoned her), declared their intentions to establish a third Major League; the Continental League.
Greed made MLB compete head to head in 5 cities.
When the owners saw there was money to be made by moving, Greed made teams abandon their fan bases to pick another cities' pockets.
C'mon!? How long did they think they could keep everything for themselves (16 owners) with all those markets out there? I don't think they were thinking at all. They were asleep behind the wheel because they were arrogant (just like your ENRON'S etc.). So what happened? In their drunken stupor, they got served.
The writing was on the wall and they had to open the doors of the club. That's Capitalism folks. That's America! If your city has a team that was not one of the original 16 (and their movement), you can thank the Continental League and the MLB owners for being sloppy drunks.
There will not be contraction; Not likely; Not Soon. Not happening.
The lawsuits are still pending in a sense and cities are still lined up waiting for theirs while they hold on to "Letters of Shut-Up and Wait Your Turn".
The Continental League, incorporated 1959;
a direct causality of the NL and NYC's lack of a representative.
Disbanded in 1960 based on MLB acceptance of franchise movement and expansion.
It's no different than the exclusion practices prior to 1947. It was unspoken; the unwritten rule; it was understood. Shut-up and wait your turn.
The original idea; 8 teams:
New York
Buffalo
Ft. Worth
Denver
Houston
Minneapolis (St. Paul)
Atlanta
Toronto
As you can see, since 1960, everyone got their team, except Buffalo. The Senators were allowed to move in to MINN, and the void left behind would be filled by a 2nd Wash team. In the 60's Buffalo had a population of 600,000 strong. Today they sit at 250,000. You can see how they just might loose their football team.
The Continental League also had plans for expansion of their own; in concept of course:
Montreal
Indianapolis
Miami
New Orleans
Portland
Seattle
Honolulu
Jersey City
You see what's going on here, don't you? As far as the present day dilemma, MLB has to give Seattle someone closer to home. Their travel is ridiculous and they're not happy about it. Besides, after the Seattle Pilots folded after one year and Selig purchased and moved them to Milwaukee (their 4th team!), Seattle was working on a promise the next team would be theirs. They got it in 1977. MLB made a lot of promises. If MLB doesn't expand, they have to shuffle the deck if they want to be in relative geographical harmony. That means LA/LAA in the same division OR breaking up the CUBS/CARDS OR having NYM/NYY/BOS in same division....it doesn't have to be those but this is certain - A new rivalry must be created or an old one must be broken up. It's the only way without expanding the league. Like I said, there are still cities waiting to collect on their I.O.U.'s. The only scenario the Twins would have been contracted was if Mr. Pohlad retired and folded the team. That's it. That's law 101. The team was his and he held that right but DUD Selig couldn't deny a buyer if the Twins owner was selling. Contraction is a myth people.
Like I said, MLB will address Seattle's burdensome travel by getting them another team; Portland maybe. My Spidey Sense tells me they are dying to get in Las Vegas. Both cities work for Seattle if it means they won't have to fly to Los Angeles or Texas anymore.
And you can bet, the owners know there is labor strife ahead when the current contract expires. They might want to pad their pockets with some expansion fees to dull their nerves. Expansion has to come in a pair, obviously. Portland and Las Vegas just might be the winners. They make the most sense geographically.
Getting back to the teams, after MLB realized their mortality, Baseball moved into LA(A), Washington (2),
NY (Mets) and HOU. The A's bounced from K.C. and landed in Oakland. The Milwaukee Honeymoon Effect wore off and the Braves broke for Atlanta. K.C. got a team again. S.D. and Montreal got theirs. Seattle got one then lost it and Selig was there with his Pooper-Scooper and made Brewers out of them. The Washington Senators Junior got tired of D.C. too and went to Arlington.
Then MLB started making good on their promises. Seattle got another and Toronto their first in 1977. Florida, Colorado, Arizona and Tampa bring us up to date.
What options does MLB have? Left on the original Continental League docket is:
- Buffalo? Not happening.
- Indianapolis? Would make the region too crowded.
- New Orleans? Fits perfectly between Texas and Florida. Hmmm?!
- Portland? Discussed, very viable!
- Honolulu? MLB is crazy enough to do it!!
- Jersey City? Maybe...not exactly, but north New Jersey is dense and has always been a location of interest.
Dark Horse candidates? Charlotte, Salt Lake City, Orlando
Does anyone remember plans for the United States Baseball League? In 1995, this League was to be an equal equity system between players, owners, agents, and whatever other interested parties and municipalities. This was their idea:
- Washington - since filled by the Nationals.
- Buffalo
- Tampa Bay - since filled by Rays
- Baltimore
- New York
- Toronto
- Los Angeles
- Texas
- Kansas City
- New Orleans
- Oakland/San Jose
- Phoenix - since filled by D-Backs
They even had ideas for foriegn expansion into Mexico City, San Juan, Monterrey and Vancouver.
In conclusion, all this was just to say, Bud Selig, I think you're full of Chitt.
You don't want re-alignment or competitive balance. You're buddies want expansion money.
Say good night Gracie!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Lipstick on a PIG; Bud Selig's Solution
I know!! Instead of stopping the bleeding I'll devise a way to best clean up the blood. Instead of seeking to remedy the root cause of sickness, perhaps we should all just creatively medicate ourselves to mute the symptoms. Instead of cleaning a cut on your arm and applying a proper dressing, let's just wear a long sleeve shirt and hide the on-setting infection. Instead of fixing the big hole in the floor, I'll just throw a rug over it and no one will know it's there. Forget the shooting pain emanating from that infected tooth you choose not going to the dentist for. Just chew your food on the other side of your mouth and chase it with a shot of Johnny Walker Black (the official idiot juice/stupid water of the NYY by the way....C'Mon! I haven't taken a cheap shot at them all winter. Cut me a break, will ya?). Now hold this thought until I finish scratching this AROD itch I have.
Today's post could have very easily been about A-Rod. I've been trying to avoid him. I've RANTed myself silly over the years about him. Frankly I'm bored with it and him. I'm not one of those who think now that he has a ring the scrutiny he has historically received should now somehow dissipate like smoke in the breeze. Sorry, it's not that simple and he is proving why. ARod did not quit his addiction to controversy in one October detox. We all know where I'm headed with this. The story has been out for days and you know the names of the doctors, the Yankee's statement regarding, and all the speculation why ARod was involved with Dr. Galea in the first place without any one's authorization.....(I'm bored already!). Why ARod and not Beltran and/or Reyes? Why am I being a biased Met fan? I'm not. Beltran and Reyes acted out in the open for the most part. Beltran had issues with the Met's Med Staff etc but everything was out in the open; Reyes ditto. Trust me though, - I'm upset they're mentioned and involved. ARod has priors. And we are finding out that no one connected in this still developing blister is on the same page of music outside Dr. Phillipon and Brian Cashman. Further speculation is probably best left unsaid until ARod talks to the Feds, then the Yanks, then ultimately the media and us. (quack-quack...sounds like a duck?)
This is not Yankee Hater talk. This is ARod hater talk. The Yankees have nothing to do with this. Alex Rodriguez played with my cousin in Seattle. I was a fan of his...once, and of that whole mid-90's Seattle team by default, obviously. It's AROD I do not like! ALEX was cool. ARod is a Monster in the classic Greek Tragedy sense, or the tragic Frankenstein's Monster motif. It's you're choice. A monster by any other name is still a monster (or was that a rose?) ; )
But like I said, this isn't about the Yanks or ARod although my want is to stay on him.. This is about another one of my most frequent targets; Bud Selig - Mr. Of-the-Owners By-the Owners For-the-Owners himself. This is about Bud and his little goofy band of 14 Special Committee Members for On-Field Matters. C'mon, just the title alone sounds so goofy! Bud the Dud and his crack staff are toying with thoughts of re-alignment. Tom Verducci's Sports Illustrated article details MLB's On-Field Staff's goofy little plan for realignment based on team payroll and a team's degree of commitment to making the playoffs in a given year in a musical chair division format. Did you hear that? Really? Is this what 14 Baseball people came up with? Who are these people? I want to know because I don't think I'd trust them to mail a letter for me.
HUH? Put me in the D Division cause I'm not paying for a playoff team this year? Normally that would have been a cheap shot at the Marlins for pocketing revenue sharing and not increasing payroll by 2 cents. But this is just too much. What's happening to our game people?
GOOFY (there's that word again). Honestly, I can't think of another word to use. I know what I want to say. Decorum doesn't permit me to do that here. This all goes back to the way I started off this post before I digressed about ARod.
Don't go after the heart of the problem; the root cause....Buy it a new suit and stick it in witness protection.
Today's post could have very easily been about A-Rod. I've been trying to avoid him. I've RANTed myself silly over the years about him. Frankly I'm bored with it and him. I'm not one of those who think now that he has a ring the scrutiny he has historically received should now somehow dissipate like smoke in the breeze. Sorry, it's not that simple and he is proving why. ARod did not quit his addiction to controversy in one October detox. We all know where I'm headed with this. The story has been out for days and you know the names of the doctors, the Yankee's statement regarding, and all the speculation why ARod was involved with Dr. Galea in the first place without any one's authorization.....(I'm bored already!). Why ARod and not Beltran and/or Reyes? Why am I being a biased Met fan? I'm not. Beltran and Reyes acted out in the open for the most part. Beltran had issues with the Met's Med Staff etc but everything was out in the open; Reyes ditto. Trust me though, - I'm upset they're mentioned and involved. ARod has priors. And we are finding out that no one connected in this still developing blister is on the same page of music outside Dr. Phillipon and Brian Cashman. Further speculation is probably best left unsaid until ARod talks to the Feds, then the Yanks, then ultimately the media and us. (quack-quack...sounds like a duck?)
This is not Yankee Hater talk. This is ARod hater talk. The Yankees have nothing to do with this. Alex Rodriguez played with my cousin in Seattle. I was a fan of his...once, and of that whole mid-90's Seattle team by default, obviously. It's AROD I do not like! ALEX was cool. ARod is a Monster in the classic Greek Tragedy sense, or the tragic Frankenstein's Monster motif. It's you're choice. A monster by any other name is still a monster (or was that a rose?) ; )
But like I said, this isn't about the Yanks or ARod although my want is to stay on him.. This is about another one of my most frequent targets; Bud Selig - Mr. Of-the-Owners By-the Owners For-the-Owners himself. This is about Bud and his little goofy band of 14 Special Committee Members for On-Field Matters. C'mon, just the title alone sounds so goofy! Bud the Dud and his crack staff are toying with thoughts of re-alignment. Tom Verducci's Sports Illustrated article details MLB's On-Field Staff's goofy little plan for realignment based on team payroll and a team's degree of commitment to making the playoffs in a given year in a musical chair division format. Did you hear that? Really? Is this what 14 Baseball people came up with? Who are these people? I want to know because I don't think I'd trust them to mail a letter for me.
HUH? Put me in the D Division cause I'm not paying for a playoff team this year? Normally that would have been a cheap shot at the Marlins for pocketing revenue sharing and not increasing payroll by 2 cents. But this is just too much. What's happening to our game people?
GOOFY (there's that word again). Honestly, I can't think of another word to use. I know what I want to say. Decorum doesn't permit me to do that here. This all goes back to the way I started off this post before I digressed about ARod.
Don't go after the heart of the problem; the root cause....Buy it a new suit and stick it in witness protection.
I've never used this term before. I never thought I would.
But this is just putting lipstick on a pig!!
Remember Kenesaw Mountain Landis? He refused to be Baseball's Commissioner if he didn't have full autonomy to preside over Baseball as he saw fit in accordance with Baseball's best interests.
Remember Fay Vincent? He warned the owners a work stoppage wasn't in the owner's or Baseball's best interest. He warned the owners about a looming problem called Steroids and wanted to proceed forward with reasonable suspicion and present a grievance to the Union. Fay also approached MLB about re-alignment that was clearly & obviously in need. The Chicago Cubs wound up suing Fay Vincent in a local Chicago court as Fay Vincent, Commissioner of Baseball, for even suggesting the St.Louis/Chicago rivalry be tampered with. Atlanta was in the NL WEST. St. Louis was in the NL EAST and Houston was a proponent of both teams changing divisions.
Short version...The owners fired Fay Vincent because they tired of Commissioners with backbones and have re-formed the greedy little brat pack that will lead themselves over the cliff like lemmings. But it was OK to address realignment when it came time to expand and look forward to the expansion fees they'd be pocketing. Right?
The owners begged Landis to protect them from themselves then. Just like in life, the newer generations of owners are bed-fellows with gov't and the owners finally have had someone they can stick their arms up his back to speak their bidding. Selig is one of them folks. Everything put forward in Tom Verducci's article sounds absolutely ludicrous to me.
There's two things I have an eerie feeling about. The first thing my Spidey Sense is telling me is the owners are on the same self destructive path they were on before they were put on a leash by Mountain Landis. They are literally off the chain now. Selig is merely part of the pack. Secondly I sense this is just a build-up to MLB expanding by two more teams. They will use the excuse of having 16 teams in the NL and only 14 in the AL and the need to balance it out. BULL!! They have an itch for more expansion fees. They've been like clockwork. Whenever they start grumbling about unbalanced vs. balanced schedules and realignment, expansion has always followed.
In my next post I hope to show a little more life because quite frankly this post bored me. These were two items that I felt needed to be thrown out there. I'm just a little blunted because it seems this is becoming a yearly ritual of Spring; having to put up with all these sideline items and having the game itself take a back seat.
In my next post I will play Commissioner, TSAR of Baseball and actually give a pragmatic assessment of the situation. And who knows, I may actually make some sense and best case scenario..
..Save Baseball from Selig!
Can ya hear me now?
Anything is better than putting lipstick on a pig!
* credit selig pic- wordpress.com
Monday, March 08, 2010
State of the TROLLEY Address
TheBrooklynTrolleyBlogger.com
...is under construction.
I don't know how long it's going to take me. That all depends on my learning curve. I'm going solo. But I'm committed to it. I do not plan on moving out of the MLB BloggerHood. I like it here! I will continue this blog with joy.
I also have my
I will also maintain this blog just the same and just incorporate them into the website.
There are two other blogs I started on Blogspot but they were primarily meant to be guinea pigs while I learned how to do new things and see how they worked, and also to see where I went wrong. I'll be deleting those in the coming weeks and consolidating everything into Breukelen Station. Over the last two weeks I've been spending a little more time here while Met Camp is quiet with no real new developments.
My Blogspot page has ALL the content of my MLBlog, but this is where I really get Brooklyn centric and relax things up a bit. In a little bit of shameless cross self-promotion I offer you three posts from my Blogspot.
*
This post was triggered by a recent e-mail I received by a person/group who oppose the Atlantic Yards Project and the uses/abuses of eminent domain. This is all about the NBA NETS moving to Brooklyn. They thought I might be interested in what they had to say. Boy did they think wrong. I kinda put "her" on blast. I probably shouldn't have been so rough on her but what's done is done. I meant everything I said though. But I didn't have to be such a *%$# about it.
*
This post is fifteen minutes of some guy's life he'll never remember. But if he should ever want to know what happened to him that one mid-morning winter day, I have the whole thing documented! When I saw this cat trippin, stumblin & fumblin down the block, my Spidey Sense said pull over for a couple of minutes and watch. Our inebriated friend didn't disappoint. This guy wasn't a homeless person I was getting a good laugh out of so I didn't feel bad. This guy looked like he just partied way too much @ 11:30am!
*
This last post is about the continuing construction of Brooklyn Bridge Park. The old obsolete shipping and long-shore-men's paradise is being transformed into a public park along several miles of Brooklyn's waterfront. If you want to watch a quick 2min clip about an early 19th century building getting torn down as part of the demolition/construction, check out the post and click the vid.
Thank you everyone for all your kindness.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Demolition & Construction; Brooklyn Bridge Park - Feb. 2010
The transformation of Brooklyn's obsolete waterfront piers continues in earnest.
Brooklyn Bridge Park and the greater Empire State Park project is moving along.
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It is suffering delays like any other project in this city. But the day will come when we'll be enjoying it's full benefits and finally bid farewell to the notoriously organized crime controlled piers whose days on this waterfront are long past. This is a completed section on the street side access.
For the first time along this long developed waterfront's history, the Furman Street strip will be accessible and become enjoyable public space for Brooklynites and tourists alike. This is a long departure from the more maritime, shipping and dock-worker/long-shore men paradise it was in the 19th and early 20th century. The construction site is busy. In this park plan however there are
some of Brooklyn's older buildings that have to be sacrificed.
Yea, they're old and date from the Civil War and before.
Historically though these buildings weren't terribly significant, I don't believe.
some of Brooklyn's older buildings that have to be sacrificed.
Yea, they're old and date from the Civil War and before.
Historically though these buildings weren't terribly significant, I don't believe.
Take at good look at this building.
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In about 2 minutes it will no longer be standing. Watch it fall.
Also, take notice there is not one steel beam in the whole structure.
I can't say the project is death for anything in it's path. That would not be true. In the portion of park completed between the bridges, they've done very well to preserve the old coffee warehouses of more robust times 100+ years ago. They're still getting a good work over. My point is the project was not neglectful to incorporate the existing surroundings,
I can't say the project is death for anything in it's path. That would not be true. In the portion of park completed between the bridges, they've done very well to preserve the old coffee warehouses of more robust times 100+ years ago. They're still getting a good work over. My point is the project was not neglectful to incorporate the existing surroundings,
such as these buildings, which will get some TLC very soon.
This picture of the Fulton Landing in 1750
harkens back to a day when the waterfront was still "eco-friendly" by today's definition.
The house in the lower right and today's Ice Cream Factory
are aligned for your viewing and sense of perspective.
The oasis that was the River Cafe, the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and Fulton Landing replete with commemorations to Gen. George Washington and the Continental Army will finally be given a condition and environment to thrive in. The established businesses and sprouting ones off Fulton Street will all come together in a waterfront splendor. The view from this waterfront in Brooklyn has to be without a doubt, one of the more spectacular in all the world. I don't just say that because I live here.
Just north on the other side of Old Fulton Street into the DUMBO district, portions of Brooklyn Bridge Park are complete and being enjoyed by many.
These are areas in the 70s and 80s that were abandoned, run-down, desolate, dingy, dilapidated, dark, dangerous districts dedicated to creatures of the night. Re-zoning changed all that. Old historical buildings have been reclaimed and renovated. This area was once the product, again, of an obsolete maritime shipping waterfront. The area is now thriving with multi-million dollar units with
buyers lined up across the Brooklyn Bridge.
I myself could not believe it took so long. I can only reference my own life span. It really all goes back to 1974 when then President Ford told the city to drop dead. The city almost did, literally. I digress. So before I lose focus, this post ends here. I'll be back to let ya know how it's going down on Old Fulton Street.
Here are some parting images..
The River Cafe is neatly tucked in there right on the water's edge.
Think about the view at night and having dinner with the city's downtown lights glittering off the river underneath the beautiful Gothic Arches of the Brooklyn Bridge.
It's one of the finest dining experiences "ya'ever gonna have..Fugheddaboudit!"
the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
Friday, March 05, 2010
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Thank You CRZ BLUE's Dodger Blue World
Back in December '09, one of my initial posts of this newborn blog was a little trip back to the present day site of Ebbets Field. It was a simple post with a picture of the stone marker signifying the site of Ebbets and the street sign of Bedford Ave, alternatenly named Gil Hodges Way. That post received one comment. I was very new in the BloggerHood; very new. I was happy. It was a step forward. A couple of posts followed I'm sure with me complaining about the Wilpons or the Mets in general. Then I wrote the following quick post in what was to become (unofficially) "our" second TrolleyRide through the Hood. Here is that post which is fairly brief, about the Brooklyn Dodgers. But what made it different from just about any other post or Trolley Ride I've taken you on, I for the first time and maybe the last time, openly expressed my hate (hate? hate is strong.)...my hate for the Los Angeles Dodgers. But I'm not one of those clouded cats. I'm just a baseball fan above all else and to be quite honest, there's nothing like taking in Vin Scully starting at 10:30pm my time to end my nights. Take a quick peek because today's post has everything to do with my commenter, not me...
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/12/the-boys-of-summerat-least-whats-left-anyway.html
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/12/the-boys-of-summerat-least-whats-left-anyway.html
This post was visited by the one same commenter; CRZBLUE, or as we affectionately know her, Emma.
CRZBLUE'S Dodger Blue World.
She made no mention to my L.A. Dodger quips.
Very recently when I threw my SchoolYard, Hot Dogs Baseball and Brandy Bonfire to the Fans, Emma brought so many goodies for us to eat while we all cajoled about baseball. As part of that SchoolYard post I took a little poke at "her" Dodgers (affectionately but intentionally) and this time she bit right back!
I loved it. She's been riding on the Trolley since day one and is one of my greatest supporters. She followed me through the Caribbean Series.
Her recent posts celebrating black history month and the women who played in the Negro Leagues still have me fascinated. She put together an amazing list of Brooklyn Dodgers still alive. She just informed us that list was shortened by one less name with the passing of another former Bum. Her desire for her Dodgers is insatiable. Personally, I love her blog. She keeps digging up things I've never known and that I find amazing.. We all pride ourselves somewhat on our knowledge about baseball. Don't we? But I for one can say I've learned from you all. Another recent post she made featured the L.A. Dodgers 2010 commemorative patch:
1st World Championship
1955 Dodgers
55 Since '55
I salivated like Pavlov's dog when I saw it, and in jest said I had to have one.
Today when I arrived home and checked my mail box, I received this item
and hurried myself to settle in for the evening.
Upon opening it, this is what I found inside:
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I loved it. She's been riding on the Trolley since day one and is one of my greatest supporters. She followed me through the Caribbean Series.
Her recent posts celebrating black history month and the women who played in the Negro Leagues still have me fascinated. She put together an amazing list of Brooklyn Dodgers still alive. She just informed us that list was shortened by one less name with the passing of another former Bum. Her desire for her Dodgers is insatiable. Personally, I love her blog. She keeps digging up things I've never known and that I find amazing.. We all pride ourselves somewhat on our knowledge about baseball. Don't we? But I for one can say I've learned from you all. Another recent post she made featured the L.A. Dodgers 2010 commemorative patch:
1st World Championship
1955 Dodgers
55 Since '55
I salivated like Pavlov's dog when I saw it, and in jest said I had to have one.
Today when I arrived home and checked my mail box, I received this item
and hurried myself to settle in for the evening.
Upon opening it, this is what I found inside:
It's the small things in life that make the most impact with me.
This is HUGE!! Emma! What can I say?
I'm at a loss, - I'm sorry my words may not come out the way I want them. But to all my neighbors in the BloggerHood, and especially to you Emma...I'm very happy to know and learn and share with you.
Thank you for this gift!
AND...
For Emma and Brooklyn/L.A. Dodger fans,
CatLovesTheDodgers,BehindBlueEyes
I offer you my BrooklynTrolleyBlogger
55 SINCE '55 Tribute
C'mon!...This is cause for celebration. Everyone, I know this is a little unexpected...but,
Let's Jump-the-Trolley!!
Emma...get up here...You're drivin'!
NEXT STOP
1955 and the Party Time Hotel
It was always wait till next year with them. They were a buncha Bums.
(mine) (mine)
But Dem Bums were our Bums, Chum! Then one season, it happened.
They faced off against the N.Y. Yankees, our hated cross town rivals, in the World Series again.
After so many years of winning the National League Championship and loosing to them in the Series,
I'm gonna spare myself the details.
(my 1947 pin)
But in '55
(program and tickets, T.S. Collection)
(Topps Cards, Mine)
after winning
and winning
and Winning.
In game seven at Yankee Stadium, Bronx
Johnny Podres shut-down the mighty Yankees and Vin Scully announced,
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the Brooklyn Dodgers are Champions of the World"
On the field...
....and the paper the next day looked like...
There was still the matter of some serious celebration and party to be had.
So, today we're pullin up to the Bossert Hotel on Montague Street.
This is where the Dodgers celebrated their 1955 World Series victory.
The Bossert Hotel
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That must have been some party!
Brooklyn finally had their..
(Yep..it's mine. autographs are real)
(on my wall)
(something I put together)
I know that was just a quick trip up the block, but I can really picture what that night might have been like in the Hotel. Emma, I hope you enjoyed my little tribute to that day in 1955; 55 years ago this season.
I appreciate the Patch so much. Now I don't know whether to put it on my -
(rookie jersey L.A.)
OR
because we spent a lot of time using the Brooklyn Cyclones (our Baby Bums as we call em) to celebrate our old Brooklyn Dodgers, many fans put their Dodger patches on their -
So I have to decide which it's going to be.
Does anyone have a thought which jersey to slap this patch on?
*note: The Bossert is no longer a hotel and was just recently sold.
But she should be fine.
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