Well, it was fun to think about anyway, no?
This was the morning of Feb. 1. Kristaps Porzingis has just been exiled to Dallas. The relentless misery of the 2018-19 Knicks was in full bloom. And there, on the back page of your New York Post, was a sliver of hope, presented thanks to the wonders of photo illustration technology:
Left to right: Zion Williamson in a No. 1 Knicks jersey. Kevin Durant in No. 35. Kyrie Irving in No. 11.
Headline: “LIVING ON A PRAYER”
And, well, let’s just say that philosophy worked out better for Tommy and Gina, back in the day. At least they had each other (and that’s a lot).
Knicks fans? Well, Zion certainly isn’t coming here. Durant certainly shouldn’t come here. And Irving suddenly sounds like he’s been a bigger Nets fan than … well, he would instantly become the biggest-ever Nets fan the moment he signs his name to dotted line at the bottom of his presumed Brooklyn contract.
At least Gina, who dreamed of running away, had Tommy whispering, “Baby, it’s OK. Someday …”
Knicks fans?
see also
Knicks one of biggest losers in aftermath of painful NBA Finals
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Warriors and the Knicks lost the…
It’s been a weird week, in a time when weird is actually a better feeling than what they get mostly. There is still a faction of the fan base that believes the team should still pursue Durant, despite the fact he’ll essentially be taking a red-shirt next year. Kyrie is making google eyes at the other team in town. And as terrific a player as RJ Barrett is, and as good a pick as that would be … well, he isn’t Zion.
And that back page from 3 ¹/₂ months ago? That hearkens to another song written by John Francis Bongiovi Jr., back when he was known to root for the Jersey incarnation of the Nets.
“Bad Medicine.”
Bonilla, Klapisch team up
It is amazing what can happen when old adversaries bury the hatchet. You may recall the spring of 1993, some bad old days for the Mets. Bob Klapisch, whose splendid work has graced the pages of The Post at various times since 1983, had just co-authored a book about the club’s travails, “The Worst Team Money Could Buy.” (Aspiring baseball writers: If you haven’t yet, read this. It’s a how-to textbook on covering the sport.)
Bobby Bonilla, an occasional target in the pages of that tome, took exception. He confronted Klapisch, famously telling him at one point that he’d “show [Klapisch] The Bronx. That encounter lives in YouTube infamy, and though the two shook hands when Bonilla made his second tour through Queens in 1999, that remains the most notable interaction between scribe and ballplayer. … Until now.
Danny Colon is a 54-year-old who has spent much of his life, like Klapisch, in local amateur baseball circles. Two years ago he started having trouble buttoning his shirt and on Jan. 25, 2018, then received a devastating diagnosis: ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
His health has become a daily concern. But so has his living situation. He has exhausted his lifetime health insurance, and he is facing eviction from his New Jersey home. Friends have put together a GoFundMe page.
But Klapisch and Bonilla have also agreed to bury the hatchet to help. Colon grew up a Bonilla fan (like Bonilla, he was raised in The Bronx), and when Bonilla heard of his plight, he wanted to help. Ray Negron, the Yankees’ community outreach representative, will have his play, “Bat Boy: a Yankees Miracle” produced at the Yogi Berra Museum in Montclair, N.J., on Aug. 5, and all proceeds will go to the Colon family.
And Klapisch and Bonilla are teaming to bring awareness to both the play and the fundraising effort.
“I’ve put aside my past differences with Bob Klapisch,” Bonilla said “I’m teaming up with him to help Danny Colon with his fight with ALS.”
Said Klapisch: “It’s the craziest thing in the world that we’re allies, but it’s also a perfect karmic ending to that incident in the clubhouse. I’d like to forget about it as I’m sure Bobby would too. … The fact that we’re on the same side now, joined for a higher cause, shows you nothing is impossible.”
And Colon appreciates best of all this meaningful new friendship.
“I am beyond grateful for something I would’ve never thought was possible. I’ve been reading Klap for so many years, and I was big fan of Bobby Bo’s. … Two people I’d never met before I got sick are now helping me in my toughest fight. Funny how life works.”
Vac’s Whacks
There are few things better during the summer than getting a note-perfect book recommendation, so let me pay it forward by suggesting, quite fervently, that you immediately get your hands on “Two and Two: McSorley’s, My Dad and Me,” a beautiful memoir centered in one of New York’s treasured landmarks, written with breathtaking elegance by the great Rafe Bartholomew.
see also
Pete Alonso doubles down on hurtful tweet reply, push to play
Pete Alonso played better defense than the rest of the…
As with most dominant champions in all sports, it isn’t until they’re in repose that we finally learn to appreciate them fully. We learned so much about the collective heart that has regulated the Warriors these past five years over the past five days of the Finals. It’s been amazing to watch.
Good for Pete Alonso, for not only wanting to win the right way the other night in the rain, but for standing up for himself — and his teammates — afterward. There are times it’s impossible to believe he’s only been at this for less than three months.
I think HBO could have a surefire hit spinning off “Hard Knocks” and just putting a live camera in the Jets’ coaches room 24 hours a day. Who says no?
Whack Back At Vac
Ronald Gambardella: It is becoming apparent that Brodie Van Wagenen’s bold statement, “Come get us,” is rapidly becoming a cry for help!
Vac: I suspect if life came with a “delete” button, BVW’s would be worn out by now.
see also
Yankees look old and busted, and it has to stop
CHICAGO — The Yankees looked old and tired Friday night….
@mediamatt: Dom Smith reminds me of Cecil Cooper. If he settles into a full-time role with the Mets or elsewhere, that would be a wonderful career to emulate.
Click Here: bape jacket cheap
@MikeVacc: Why do I get the unshakable sense he’s destined to be turned in to the next bullpen guy to special-deliver heartburn to Mets fans?
Rick Hubbell: Do the Yankees have even one starting pitcher who is considered even a decent No. 5 starter?
Vac: At best right now it’s a long string of 3s and 4s.