| 2006 |
With Tampa Bay Devil Rays announcers Andy Freed (l.) and Dave Wills at Yankee Stadium after the game on
July 28th.
July 28th.
| Top 5 sporting events from 2006 |
5. December 20th, 2006 -- New York Knicks 111, Charlotte Bobcats 109 (2OT): OK, let me start from the
beginning. The last bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal that goes directly to my apartment building leaves at 11:30
pm. If I miss that bus, then I can only go to downtown Secaucus and have to take a cab home from there, and for those
that don't know me, I hate cabs. Well, it looked like I had no chance of catching the 11:30 bus on this night -- if this game
had gone to triple OT, my fate would've been sealed. Well, with the game tied with just .1 seconds left in double OT, the
Knicks would inbound the ball. The only chance of them scoring to win the game and prevent a triple OT is if someone
could tap -- not catch -- or redirect the inbounds pass in to the basket. And that's exactly what David Lee did, ending the
game right on the spot. And I wound up catching my bus by a whopping three minutes. This wasn't a miracle, this was
something more divine and I'm still trying to figure it out. Not lost in this is that the Knicks were down three suspended
players due to a brawl against the Denver Nuggets four days earlier and had to rally from a 19-point first half deficit.
4. September 18th, 2006 -- New York Mets 4, Florida Marlins 0: It was meant to be. The Mets were supposed to
lose three straight games in Pittsburgh so they could clinch the division at Shea Stadium. And it was never in doubt that
they would clinch their first division title since 1988 on this night. And the team really got in to the celebration...this wasn't
like a Yankees celebration (OK, we did our business, let's move on to the next round). The Mets really got in to it. After
the locker room celebration, which had champagne flowing everywhere, the entire team came out on to the field to
celebrate with the fans that stayed. And they did their best, in today's type of world, to include the fans as part of the
achievement...one player grabbed the infield water hose and sprayed the fans with it. The celebration lasted over an hour
after the game. And I was happy to be able to enjoy it and be in the middle of it. Last year, when I was in Boston for the
Yankees division celebration, I was too busy with the job I had to do, too stressed to get it done to really enjoy it as much
as I should've. This night, on the other hand, was a fun night. My job was easy, ended early, and allowed the fun to take
place. It was redemption of sorts.
3. December 2nd, 2006 -- West Virginia Mountaineers 41, Rutgers Scarlet Knights 39 (3 OT): So close and
yet so far. The Big East championship and Orange Bowl appearance was right there for the Scarlet Knights had they won
(and on the Rutgers Radio Network, we even had an Orange Bowl representative on with us at halftime), but a failed
two-point conversion opportunity for Rutgers in the third OT sent the Knights instead to third place in the conference and
the Texas Bowl. But people are going to forget that at one point Rutgers was down 20-10 in the third quarter before
rallying behind a Tim Brown 72-yard touchdown catch and two Jeremy Ito field goals to take a 23-20 lead late in the 4th
quarter. And yes people will unfortunately remember a dropped TD pass by James Townsend with the score tied 20-20
that eventually forced Rutgers to settle instead for that last go-ahead field goal by Ito. But those same people will also
forget that despite that drop, Rutgers still had the lead late in the game, and also DID lead by a touchdown in the second
OT before West Virginia tied it up. It was a great game in what I consider to be the best overall atmosphere in the Big
East. I just don't know how in the World I was wearing a short sleeve t-shirt in an open air booth that didn't appear to
have any heat in it when it was just about 25 degrees outside. I must've been in to the game that much that I didn't care
about the cold.
2. October 19th, 2006 -- St. Louis Cardinals 3, New York Mets 1: OK, a lot of Mets fans I know aren't going to
like me for including this in my top 5, but when you have an LCS game seven be tied heading in to the 9th inning -- and
thus be determined by the final at-bat, the bigger question is, how can this game NOT be one of my top 5 of the year?
Yadier Molina's two-run home run in the 9th inning off of Aaron Heilman broke that 1-1 tie, to give the Cardinals the
National League Championship. The homer was just a part of the night's excitement (even though you could hear a pin
drop in the stadium after the homer itself was hit). The Mets Endy Chavez robbed Scott Rolen of a two-run homer in the
6th with the highest over the wall catch you'll ever see, then the Cardinals were able to get out of a bases loaded one-out
jam in the bottom of the inning. Finally in the bottom of the 9th and the Mets down two runs, they had runners on first and
second with nobody out, but Adam Wainwright struck out Cliff Floyd, got Jose Reyes to hit a hard line drive that fans
thought could drop for a double, but instead was caught by Jim Edmonds, then struck out Carlos Beltran to end the game.
What made this game -- and the whole scenario most unusual -- was the somberness after the game. The park was so
loud all night, and the weather before the game was perfect -- very mild. It was a very loud and giddy scene. But after
the last out was recorded, the somberness was clear. It was raining, there was very quiet organ music playing in the
background, and the fans just sat there in disbelief, unable to leave the stadium or even get out of their seats for the longest
time. About an hour after the game, the entire stadium had the feel of a funeral morgue, with the lone exception of the
stragglers leaving the Cardinals clubhouse. The implications of this game for me will linger. A regular season baseball
game will never have meaning to me again. When you dominate your division and your league all year, yet lose by the
slimmest of margins in a game seven of a series, the bubble is burst. I could care less about spring training, pitchers and
catchers reporting, trades, free agent signings, attendance numbers, fireworks and merengue (sp?) nights. It's all
meaningless.
1. November 9th, 2006 -- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 28, Louisville Cardinals 25: Make no mistake about it. In a
magical season of Rutgers football, this was the game that put the program on the map. While Rutgers did come back
from a 25-7 second quarter deficit to win the game, what really made this a big event was the pre-game and post-game
atmosphere. Before the game, Rutgers students were lined up halfway around the stadium to get in, there was a huge
audience outside the Mike and the Mad Dog Show in the parking lot, and there was just a huge anticipation in the air that
a big night was coming. I saw the Louisville cheerleaders walk in to the stadium before the game and it almost looked like
the school snuck them in so nobody would...well, bother them. It was an atmosphere that has never been around Rutgers
Stadium. And yes, I got my share of ticket requests for this game....sorry, no can do. The big play that got Louisville on a
roll came after Rutgers tied the game in the first quarter, 7-7. JaJuan Spillman returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a
touchdown. After Louisville tacked on 10 more points, Rutgers would make the score 25-14 by halftime thanks to a
39-yard catch and run by Kordell Young, which set up an 18-yard scoring carry by Ray Rice. In the third quarter, a
67-yard pass play from Mike Teel to Kenny Britt set up another Rutgers TD, and the Knights would tie it on a Jeremy Ito
46-yard FG with over 10 minutes left in the 4th. Louisville's offense stalled in the second half, crossing the 50-yard line
only once, and Rutgers would set up for the winning FG in the closing seconds thanks to a Mike Teel to Brian Leonard
26-yard pass play on 3rd-and-6. Ito would miss a 33-yard FG, but an offsides call on Louisville -- which clearly affected
Ito's concentration on the kick -- gave Ito a second chance from 28 yards out, which he connected on. The best scene of
the game came after Spillman returned the ensuing kickoff to the Louisville 42 and was down with time for one play. The
fans started to rush on to the field prematurely, and totally took over one side of the field, but just as quickly as they ran
on, the announcement that the game wasn't over yet had them run off just as quickly. The delay was very minimal. It was
a sight to see. They were on and off in a span of about 30 seconds. On that final play of the game, Brian Brohm was
sacked, and this time the field was totally swamped with fans and they wouldn't leave until the party was over about 30
minutes later. It would wind up being Louisville's only loss of the season. Like I said, it was the kind of Rutgers never
seen before at a football game, but is expected to be quite a regular occurrence in the near future.
beginning. The last bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal that goes directly to my apartment building leaves at 11:30
pm. If I miss that bus, then I can only go to downtown Secaucus and have to take a cab home from there, and for those
that don't know me, I hate cabs. Well, it looked like I had no chance of catching the 11:30 bus on this night -- if this game
had gone to triple OT, my fate would've been sealed. Well, with the game tied with just .1 seconds left in double OT, the
Knicks would inbound the ball. The only chance of them scoring to win the game and prevent a triple OT is if someone
could tap -- not catch -- or redirect the inbounds pass in to the basket. And that's exactly what David Lee did, ending the
game right on the spot. And I wound up catching my bus by a whopping three minutes. This wasn't a miracle, this was
something more divine and I'm still trying to figure it out. Not lost in this is that the Knicks were down three suspended
players due to a brawl against the Denver Nuggets four days earlier and had to rally from a 19-point first half deficit.
4. September 18th, 2006 -- New York Mets 4, Florida Marlins 0: It was meant to be. The Mets were supposed to
lose three straight games in Pittsburgh so they could clinch the division at Shea Stadium. And it was never in doubt that
they would clinch their first division title since 1988 on this night. And the team really got in to the celebration...this wasn't
like a Yankees celebration (OK, we did our business, let's move on to the next round). The Mets really got in to it. After
the locker room celebration, which had champagne flowing everywhere, the entire team came out on to the field to
celebrate with the fans that stayed. And they did their best, in today's type of world, to include the fans as part of the
achievement...one player grabbed the infield water hose and sprayed the fans with it. The celebration lasted over an hour
after the game. And I was happy to be able to enjoy it and be in the middle of it. Last year, when I was in Boston for the
Yankees division celebration, I was too busy with the job I had to do, too stressed to get it done to really enjoy it as much
as I should've. This night, on the other hand, was a fun night. My job was easy, ended early, and allowed the fun to take
place. It was redemption of sorts.
3. December 2nd, 2006 -- West Virginia Mountaineers 41, Rutgers Scarlet Knights 39 (3 OT): So close and
yet so far. The Big East championship and Orange Bowl appearance was right there for the Scarlet Knights had they won
(and on the Rutgers Radio Network, we even had an Orange Bowl representative on with us at halftime), but a failed
two-point conversion opportunity for Rutgers in the third OT sent the Knights instead to third place in the conference and
the Texas Bowl. But people are going to forget that at one point Rutgers was down 20-10 in the third quarter before
rallying behind a Tim Brown 72-yard touchdown catch and two Jeremy Ito field goals to take a 23-20 lead late in the 4th
quarter. And yes people will unfortunately remember a dropped TD pass by James Townsend with the score tied 20-20
that eventually forced Rutgers to settle instead for that last go-ahead field goal by Ito. But those same people will also
forget that despite that drop, Rutgers still had the lead late in the game, and also DID lead by a touchdown in the second
OT before West Virginia tied it up. It was a great game in what I consider to be the best overall atmosphere in the Big
East. I just don't know how in the World I was wearing a short sleeve t-shirt in an open air booth that didn't appear to
have any heat in it when it was just about 25 degrees outside. I must've been in to the game that much that I didn't care
about the cold.
2. October 19th, 2006 -- St. Louis Cardinals 3, New York Mets 1: OK, a lot of Mets fans I know aren't going to
like me for including this in my top 5, but when you have an LCS game seven be tied heading in to the 9th inning -- and
thus be determined by the final at-bat, the bigger question is, how can this game NOT be one of my top 5 of the year?
Yadier Molina's two-run home run in the 9th inning off of Aaron Heilman broke that 1-1 tie, to give the Cardinals the
National League Championship. The homer was just a part of the night's excitement (even though you could hear a pin
drop in the stadium after the homer itself was hit). The Mets Endy Chavez robbed Scott Rolen of a two-run homer in the
6th with the highest over the wall catch you'll ever see, then the Cardinals were able to get out of a bases loaded one-out
jam in the bottom of the inning. Finally in the bottom of the 9th and the Mets down two runs, they had runners on first and
second with nobody out, but Adam Wainwright struck out Cliff Floyd, got Jose Reyes to hit a hard line drive that fans
thought could drop for a double, but instead was caught by Jim Edmonds, then struck out Carlos Beltran to end the game.
What made this game -- and the whole scenario most unusual -- was the somberness after the game. The park was so
loud all night, and the weather before the game was perfect -- very mild. It was a very loud and giddy scene. But after
the last out was recorded, the somberness was clear. It was raining, there was very quiet organ music playing in the
background, and the fans just sat there in disbelief, unable to leave the stadium or even get out of their seats for the longest
time. About an hour after the game, the entire stadium had the feel of a funeral morgue, with the lone exception of the
stragglers leaving the Cardinals clubhouse. The implications of this game for me will linger. A regular season baseball
game will never have meaning to me again. When you dominate your division and your league all year, yet lose by the
slimmest of margins in a game seven of a series, the bubble is burst. I could care less about spring training, pitchers and
catchers reporting, trades, free agent signings, attendance numbers, fireworks and merengue (sp?) nights. It's all
meaningless.
1. November 9th, 2006 -- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 28, Louisville Cardinals 25: Make no mistake about it. In a
magical season of Rutgers football, this was the game that put the program on the map. While Rutgers did come back
from a 25-7 second quarter deficit to win the game, what really made this a big event was the pre-game and post-game
atmosphere. Before the game, Rutgers students were lined up halfway around the stadium to get in, there was a huge
audience outside the Mike and the Mad Dog Show in the parking lot, and there was just a huge anticipation in the air that
a big night was coming. I saw the Louisville cheerleaders walk in to the stadium before the game and it almost looked like
the school snuck them in so nobody would...well, bother them. It was an atmosphere that has never been around Rutgers
Stadium. And yes, I got my share of ticket requests for this game....sorry, no can do. The big play that got Louisville on a
roll came after Rutgers tied the game in the first quarter, 7-7. JaJuan Spillman returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a
touchdown. After Louisville tacked on 10 more points, Rutgers would make the score 25-14 by halftime thanks to a
39-yard catch and run by Kordell Young, which set up an 18-yard scoring carry by Ray Rice. In the third quarter, a
67-yard pass play from Mike Teel to Kenny Britt set up another Rutgers TD, and the Knights would tie it on a Jeremy Ito
46-yard FG with over 10 minutes left in the 4th. Louisville's offense stalled in the second half, crossing the 50-yard line
only once, and Rutgers would set up for the winning FG in the closing seconds thanks to a Mike Teel to Brian Leonard
26-yard pass play on 3rd-and-6. Ito would miss a 33-yard FG, but an offsides call on Louisville -- which clearly affected
Ito's concentration on the kick -- gave Ito a second chance from 28 yards out, which he connected on. The best scene of
the game came after Spillman returned the ensuing kickoff to the Louisville 42 and was down with time for one play. The
fans started to rush on to the field prematurely, and totally took over one side of the field, but just as quickly as they ran
on, the announcement that the game wasn't over yet had them run off just as quickly. The delay was very minimal. It was
a sight to see. They were on and off in a span of about 30 seconds. On that final play of the game, Brian Brohm was
sacked, and this time the field was totally swamped with fans and they wouldn't leave until the party was over about 30
minutes later. It would wind up being Louisville's only loss of the season. Like I said, it was the kind of Rutgers never
seen before at a football game, but is expected to be quite a regular occurrence in the near future.
| Honorable mentions |
1. January 2nd, 2006 -- New York Knicks 140, Phoenix Suns 133 (3OT) -- Not a bad start to the year. This
marathon game (which I drove to by the way, thus no risk of missing a bus) improved the Knicks record to a whopping
8-21. Two Eddy Curry foul shots with 8.4 seconds left in regulation forced the first OT, Jamal Crawford's potential
game-winning shot missed at the end of the first OT to keep the game deadlocked, and Pat Burke's missed baseline
jumper with the game tied again forced the third extra period. Stephon Marbury scored seven points in the third OT to put
this one to rest.
2. January 8th, 2006 -- Carolina Panthers 23, New York Giants 0 -- Carolina just kept running the ball and running the
ball and running the ball, chewing up the clock. This must've been the fastest NFL game I've ever been to and because this
first round NFL playoff game went so fast, I was able to stay for the entire contest before I had to get to MSG for the St.
John's game that same night. I was prepared to leave early if necessary but I really didn't want to leave a playoff game
before it was over. I didn't have to. Way to go, DeShaun Foster.
3. January 12th, 2006 -- New York Rangers 5, Edmonton Oilers 4 (OT) -- It was Mark Messier night at Madison
Square Garden and the pre-game celebration, which MSG made a big deal out of ahead of time (even handing out special
media credentials for the contest) were top notch. Then the Rangers had to rally in the contest itself from 3-1 down before
winning in overtime on Jaromir Jagr's goal just 14 seconds in to the extra period. The only negative from the evening came
late in the second period, when a power failure knocked my radio broadcast off the air for a few minutes.
4. February 1st, 2006 -- Syracuse Orange 86, Rutgers Scarlet Knights 84 (OT) -- Rutgers guard Quincy Douby breaks
a Carrier-dome scoring record with a career-high 41 points but Terrence Roberts three-pointer from the top of the key
with 0.4 left in OT prevented Rutgers from winning its first basketball game at the Carrier Dome.
5. February 3rd, 2006 -- New Jersey Devils 3, Carolina Hurricanes 0 -- It's Scott Stevens night at the Meadowlands.
Then the Devils dominated in front of a packed house.
6. February 5th, 2006 -- Navy 67, Army 62 (OT): -- Wow, what a surprise. Another overtime game. But this one was
more emotionally charged up in West Point, NY. I strongly recommend any college basketball fan get to a game between
these two schools. It's a very strong rivalry, yet one where both sides have such respect for one another, more so than I
think the way TV illustrates it. That was never more evident during the two institutions' alma maters, which were played
after the game. It was a Matt Fannin bank shot that gave the Midshipmen the lead for good in OT.
7. February 12th, 2006 -- Syracuse Orange 75, St. John's Red Storm 60 -- Nothing in life comes easy. There's always a
snag. I'm all ready to work my first ever broadcast for Westwood One radio, but in order to accomplish that feat, I have
to drive through an ongoing blizzard and two feet of snow from Secaucus to Manhattan in order to get to the contest. I get
to the game in plenty of time after one of the scariest car rides in my life, but then amazingly after the game, I managed to
get to that same night's Nets game back in New Jersey. A very strange day to be at two games.
8. March 5th, 2006 -- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 82, St. John's Red Storm 70 -- In the final regular season basketball game
for both schools, the winner of this game would advance to the BE tournament, the loser would likely have its season end
on the spot. Quincy Douby shined in Queens for Rutgers with a 36-point effort, as Rutgers in the second half was able to
pry open a 3-point halftime lead.
9. March 8th, 2006 -- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 61, Seton Hall Pirates 48 -- First the Scarlet Knights eliminate St. John's
from a BE tournament appearance, then they knock out the New York area's other BE team in the first round.
10. March 8th -- 10th, 2006 -- Syracuse 74, Cincinnati 73 AND Syracuse 86, Connecticut 84 (OT) AND Syracuse 58,
Georgetown 57 -- Syracuse's run in the Big East Tournament included three games that all went down to the final
possession. The first game against Cincinnati was especially surprising since both teams scored baskets in the final
seconds. Syracuse needed to win that first game to even have a chance at going to the NCAA's. The Orange would wind
up winning the Big East Tournament to qualify for an automatic bid.
11. April 22nd, 2006 -- New Jersey Devils 6, New York Rangers 1 -- The Rangers first playoff game in nine years is a
blowout, but a great atmosphere at the Meadowlands.
12. May 16th, 2006 -- New York Yankees 14, Texas Rangers 13 -- Yankees tie their biggest comeback in team history
by rallying from nine runs down to win. Jorge Posada's two-run homer in the bottom of the 9th ended the game.
13. May 23rd, 2006 -- New York Mets 9, Philadelphia Phillies 8 (16) -- On a night I could've instead gone in to the
NBA Lottery right in my Secaucus backyard and been done with work by about 8:30, instead I went to a baseball game at
Shea that lasted well in to the night. Carlos Beltran ended the misery with a leadoff homer in the 16th inning.
14. September 17th, 2006 -- New York Giants 30, Philadelphia Eagles 24 (OT) -- The problem with this game was from
my vantage point, it was very difficult to see one side of the field within the 40-yard line. So, of course that was the
direction the Giants were going in during the 4th quarter when they rallied from 17 points down to force OT. And their
winning touchdown in OT -- an Eli Manning to Plaxico Burress pass play -- also went to that same side of the field.
15. September 29th, 2006 -- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 22, South Florida 20 -- Rutgers rallies from a halftime deficit, then
thwarts USF's two-point conversion attempt that would've tied the game. The Rutgers locker room celebration was quite
wild for a regular-season win, but this road contest catapulted Rutgers football to four straight wins and an overll 9-0 start.
16. December 28th, 2006 -- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 37, Kansas State Wildcats 10 -- Rutgers first-ever bowl game
victory didn't make the top 5 for the right reason. It was a blowout; there was no drama. Naturally, Ray Rice had a big
day, rushing for 170 yards and a TD on 24 carries.
marathon game (which I drove to by the way, thus no risk of missing a bus) improved the Knicks record to a whopping
8-21. Two Eddy Curry foul shots with 8.4 seconds left in regulation forced the first OT, Jamal Crawford's potential
game-winning shot missed at the end of the first OT to keep the game deadlocked, and Pat Burke's missed baseline
jumper with the game tied again forced the third extra period. Stephon Marbury scored seven points in the third OT to put
this one to rest.
2. January 8th, 2006 -- Carolina Panthers 23, New York Giants 0 -- Carolina just kept running the ball and running the
ball and running the ball, chewing up the clock. This must've been the fastest NFL game I've ever been to and because this
first round NFL playoff game went so fast, I was able to stay for the entire contest before I had to get to MSG for the St.
John's game that same night. I was prepared to leave early if necessary but I really didn't want to leave a playoff game
before it was over. I didn't have to. Way to go, DeShaun Foster.
3. January 12th, 2006 -- New York Rangers 5, Edmonton Oilers 4 (OT) -- It was Mark Messier night at Madison
Square Garden and the pre-game celebration, which MSG made a big deal out of ahead of time (even handing out special
media credentials for the contest) were top notch. Then the Rangers had to rally in the contest itself from 3-1 down before
winning in overtime on Jaromir Jagr's goal just 14 seconds in to the extra period. The only negative from the evening came
late in the second period, when a power failure knocked my radio broadcast off the air for a few minutes.
4. February 1st, 2006 -- Syracuse Orange 86, Rutgers Scarlet Knights 84 (OT) -- Rutgers guard Quincy Douby breaks
a Carrier-dome scoring record with a career-high 41 points but Terrence Roberts three-pointer from the top of the key
with 0.4 left in OT prevented Rutgers from winning its first basketball game at the Carrier Dome.
5. February 3rd, 2006 -- New Jersey Devils 3, Carolina Hurricanes 0 -- It's Scott Stevens night at the Meadowlands.
Then the Devils dominated in front of a packed house.
6. February 5th, 2006 -- Navy 67, Army 62 (OT): -- Wow, what a surprise. Another overtime game. But this one was
more emotionally charged up in West Point, NY. I strongly recommend any college basketball fan get to a game between
these two schools. It's a very strong rivalry, yet one where both sides have such respect for one another, more so than I
think the way TV illustrates it. That was never more evident during the two institutions' alma maters, which were played
after the game. It was a Matt Fannin bank shot that gave the Midshipmen the lead for good in OT.
7. February 12th, 2006 -- Syracuse Orange 75, St. John's Red Storm 60 -- Nothing in life comes easy. There's always a
snag. I'm all ready to work my first ever broadcast for Westwood One radio, but in order to accomplish that feat, I have
to drive through an ongoing blizzard and two feet of snow from Secaucus to Manhattan in order to get to the contest. I get
to the game in plenty of time after one of the scariest car rides in my life, but then amazingly after the game, I managed to
get to that same night's Nets game back in New Jersey. A very strange day to be at two games.
8. March 5th, 2006 -- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 82, St. John's Red Storm 70 -- In the final regular season basketball game
for both schools, the winner of this game would advance to the BE tournament, the loser would likely have its season end
on the spot. Quincy Douby shined in Queens for Rutgers with a 36-point effort, as Rutgers in the second half was able to
pry open a 3-point halftime lead.
9. March 8th, 2006 -- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 61, Seton Hall Pirates 48 -- First the Scarlet Knights eliminate St. John's
from a BE tournament appearance, then they knock out the New York area's other BE team in the first round.
10. March 8th -- 10th, 2006 -- Syracuse 74, Cincinnati 73 AND Syracuse 86, Connecticut 84 (OT) AND Syracuse 58,
Georgetown 57 -- Syracuse's run in the Big East Tournament included three games that all went down to the final
possession. The first game against Cincinnati was especially surprising since both teams scored baskets in the final
seconds. Syracuse needed to win that first game to even have a chance at going to the NCAA's. The Orange would wind
up winning the Big East Tournament to qualify for an automatic bid.
11. April 22nd, 2006 -- New Jersey Devils 6, New York Rangers 1 -- The Rangers first playoff game in nine years is a
blowout, but a great atmosphere at the Meadowlands.
12. May 16th, 2006 -- New York Yankees 14, Texas Rangers 13 -- Yankees tie their biggest comeback in team history
by rallying from nine runs down to win. Jorge Posada's two-run homer in the bottom of the 9th ended the game.
13. May 23rd, 2006 -- New York Mets 9, Philadelphia Phillies 8 (16) -- On a night I could've instead gone in to the
NBA Lottery right in my Secaucus backyard and been done with work by about 8:30, instead I went to a baseball game at
Shea that lasted well in to the night. Carlos Beltran ended the misery with a leadoff homer in the 16th inning.
14. September 17th, 2006 -- New York Giants 30, Philadelphia Eagles 24 (OT) -- The problem with this game was from
my vantage point, it was very difficult to see one side of the field within the 40-yard line. So, of course that was the
direction the Giants were going in during the 4th quarter when they rallied from 17 points down to force OT. And their
winning touchdown in OT -- an Eli Manning to Plaxico Burress pass play -- also went to that same side of the field.
15. September 29th, 2006 -- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 22, South Florida 20 -- Rutgers rallies from a halftime deficit, then
thwarts USF's two-point conversion attempt that would've tied the game. The Rutgers locker room celebration was quite
wild for a regular-season win, but this road contest catapulted Rutgers football to four straight wins and an overll 9-0 start.
16. December 28th, 2006 -- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 37, Kansas State Wildcats 10 -- Rutgers first-ever bowl game
victory didn't make the top 5 for the right reason. It was a blowout; there was no drama. Naturally, Ray Rice had a big
day, rushing for 170 yards and a TD on 24 carries.
| Strange facts from 2006 |
1. January 8th was the first time I attended a first-round NFL playoff game. I have now attended at least one NFL playoff
game in each round (including the Super Bowl).
2. Beginning on December 31st, 2005, I saw Rutgers basketball, the Jets, Knicks, Devils, Islanders, Rangers and Nets (in
that order) each play a home game on seven successive days. In addition, I saw St. John's and the Giants play home
games on January 8th, meaning I saw nine different teams play a game at home over a nine-day period. Also, this
represents the first time I saw all five major NY pro indoor teams each play a game in the same week.
3. January 2nd is the first time I saw any game in any sport that went triple OT. That game, between the Phoenix Suns
and New York Knicks, is also the highest scoring NBA game I attended since March 30th, 1990.
4. With the Rutgers win over St. John's on March 5th, it dropped the Red Storm to 0-6 in games I saw St. John's play in
during the 2005-'06 season -- five of them home games. The Red Storm also lost 10 straight games overall -- against 10
different teams -- in games I saw them play in, prior to that streak ending on December 21st of this year. Prior to the
12/21 game, I hadn't seen St. John's win since February 18th, 2004.
5. The NJ Devils -- NY Islanders game on March 2nd was my 23rd hockey game attended in the 2005-'06 season and
the first one to end in a shootout.
6. While at Penn State on March 14th, it snowed, meaning it has either snowed or rained all three times I have attended a
game at Penn State (the other two were on September 16th, 1989 and December 10th, 2003).
7. March 16th was only the second time I attended a game at Hawk Hill on St. Joseph's campus in Philadelphia. The only
other time I was there was January 31st, 1990, marking the longest period of time between two consecutive appearances
for me in one building.
8. With my attendance at the April 23rd Indiana-NJ Nets contest, I've now been to at least one NBA playoff game for
nine straight seasons.
9. May 10th was the first time I had ever attended an NHL second-round playoff game, meaning I have now attended at
least one game from each round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
10. June 13th represented the first time I've seen the Cleveland Indians play, meaning I've now seen every American
League baseball team play at least one game.
11. June 24th is the first time I ever attended a baseball game that started, then was called because of rain before it was an
official game.
12. September 17th in Philadelphia represented the first time since November 13th, 1994 I attended an NFL
regular-season game not played at Giants Stadium. The 1994 game was also a Philadelphia Eagles home game.
13. September 30th was the fourth time I went to a Metrostars/Red Bulls soccer game. It was the first of those games
that didn't end in a tie.
14. October 12th represented the first time I went to a baseball playoff game that the NY Yankees didn't play in. It was
also the first time I saw the Mets play in a playoff game, meaning I've now seen each New York area major professional
team play at least one playoff game (plus I've seen each of those teams play a playoff game at home). In addition, October
12th of this year was the first time I saw the St. Louis Cardinals play in a game since July 1st, 1991.
15. October 31st represented only the second time I saw the Chicago Blackhawks play in a game and the first time since
November 3rd, 1990.
game in each round (including the Super Bowl).
2. Beginning on December 31st, 2005, I saw Rutgers basketball, the Jets, Knicks, Devils, Islanders, Rangers and Nets (in
that order) each play a home game on seven successive days. In addition, I saw St. John's and the Giants play home
games on January 8th, meaning I saw nine different teams play a game at home over a nine-day period. Also, this
represents the first time I saw all five major NY pro indoor teams each play a game in the same week.
3. January 2nd is the first time I saw any game in any sport that went triple OT. That game, between the Phoenix Suns
and New York Knicks, is also the highest scoring NBA game I attended since March 30th, 1990.
4. With the Rutgers win over St. John's on March 5th, it dropped the Red Storm to 0-6 in games I saw St. John's play in
during the 2005-'06 season -- five of them home games. The Red Storm also lost 10 straight games overall -- against 10
different teams -- in games I saw them play in, prior to that streak ending on December 21st of this year. Prior to the
12/21 game, I hadn't seen St. John's win since February 18th, 2004.
5. The NJ Devils -- NY Islanders game on March 2nd was my 23rd hockey game attended in the 2005-'06 season and
the first one to end in a shootout.
6. While at Penn State on March 14th, it snowed, meaning it has either snowed or rained all three times I have attended a
game at Penn State (the other two were on September 16th, 1989 and December 10th, 2003).
7. March 16th was only the second time I attended a game at Hawk Hill on St. Joseph's campus in Philadelphia. The only
other time I was there was January 31st, 1990, marking the longest period of time between two consecutive appearances
for me in one building.
8. With my attendance at the April 23rd Indiana-NJ Nets contest, I've now been to at least one NBA playoff game for
nine straight seasons.
9. May 10th was the first time I had ever attended an NHL second-round playoff game, meaning I have now attended at
least one game from each round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
10. June 13th represented the first time I've seen the Cleveland Indians play, meaning I've now seen every American
League baseball team play at least one game.
11. June 24th is the first time I ever attended a baseball game that started, then was called because of rain before it was an
official game.
12. September 17th in Philadelphia represented the first time since November 13th, 1994 I attended an NFL
regular-season game not played at Giants Stadium. The 1994 game was also a Philadelphia Eagles home game.
13. September 30th was the fourth time I went to a Metrostars/Red Bulls soccer game. It was the first of those games
that didn't end in a tie.
14. October 12th represented the first time I went to a baseball playoff game that the NY Yankees didn't play in. It was
also the first time I saw the Mets play in a playoff game, meaning I've now seen each New York area major professional
team play at least one playoff game (plus I've seen each of those teams play a playoff game at home). In addition, October
12th of this year was the first time I saw the St. Louis Cardinals play in a game since July 1st, 1991.
15. October 31st represented only the second time I saw the Chicago Blackhawks play in a game and the first time since
November 3rd, 1990.
| Date visiting team home team sport 1/1/06 Buffalo Bills 26 New York Jets 30 NFL 1/2/06 Phoenix Suns 133 NY Knicks 140 (3OT) NBA 1/3/06 Florida Panthers 0 New Jersey Devils 3 NHL 1/4/06 Florida Panthers 3 New York Islanders 4 (OT) NHL 1/5/06 Philadelphia Flyers 4 New York Rangers 3 (OT) NHL 1/6/06 Orlando Magic 106 New Jersey Nets 113 NBA 1/7/06 Florida Panthers 0 New York Rangers 4 NHL 1/8/06 Carolina Panthers 23 New York Giants 0 * NFL 1/8/06 Georgetown 79 St. John's Red Storm 65 % CBB 1/10/06 Calgary Flames 2 New York Rangers 4 NHL 1/12/06 Edmonton Oilers 4 New York Rangers 5 (OT) NHL 1/13/06 Atlanta Hawks 94 New York Knicks 105 NBA 1/15/06 Rutgers 68 De Paul 58 (OT) CBB 1/16/06 Minnesota 96 New York Knicks 90 NBA 1/19/06 Detroit Pistons 105 New York Knicks 79 NBA 1/22/06 Rutgers 71 Cincinnati Bearcats 66 CBB 1/25/06 Sacramento 106 New York Knicks 102 (OT) NBA 1/27/06 Orlando Magic 94 New York Knicks 97 NBA 1/28/06 Nashville Kats 57 New York Dragons 28 AFL 1/29/06 West Virginia 66 St. John's Red Storm 61 % CBB 1/30/06 Philadelphia Flyers 3 New York Rangers 2 (OT) NHL 1/31/06 Washington Capitals 3 New York Islanders 5 NHL 2/1/06 Rutgers 84 Syracuse 86 (OT) CBB 2/2/06 New York Rangers 5 New York Islanders 2 NHL 2/3/06 Carolina Hurricanes 0 New Jersey Devils 3 NHL 2/4/06 St. John's 73 Providence Friars 81 CBB 2/5/06 Navy Midshipmen 67 Army Black Knights 62 (OT) CBB 2/8/06 Rutgers 63 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 90 CBB 2/10/06 San Antonio Spurs 83 New Jersey Nets 73 NBA 2/12/06 Syracuse Orange 75 St. John's Red Storm 60 % CBB 2/12/06 Milwaukee Bucks 79 New Jersey Nets 94 NBA 2/18/06 Rutgers 65 South Florida Bulls 51 CBB 2/22/06 Rutgers 50 Georgetown Hoyas 66 CBB 2/26/06 South Florida Bulls 44 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 62 CBB 2/28/06 Montreal Canadiens 5 New York Islanders 3 NHL 3/2/06 New Jersey Devils 2 New York Islanders 3 (SO) NHL 3/3/06 Columbus 65 New York Dragons 54 AFL 3/4/06 Louisville Cardinals 80 Connecticut Huskies 84 CBB 3/5/06 Rutgers 82 St. John's Red Storm 70 CBB 3/6/06 Carolina Hurricanes 2 New York Rangers 1 NHL 3/8/06 Syracuse 74 Cincinnati Bearcats 73 $ CBB 3/8/06 Notre Dame 63 Georgetown Hoyas 67 $ CBB 3/8/06 Rutgers 61 Seton Hall Pirates 48 $ CBB 3/8/06 Louisville Cardinals 56 Pittsburgh Panthers 61 $ CBB 3/9/06 Syracuse 86 Connecticut 84 (OT) $ CBB 3/9/06 Georgetown Hoyas 62 Marquette 59 $ CBB 3/9/06 Rutgers 55 Villanova 87 $ CBB 3/9/06 Pittsburgh 68 West Virginia 57 $ CBB 3/10/06 Syracuse 58 Georgetown 57 $ CBB 3/10/06 Pittsburgh Panthers 68 Villanova Wildcats 54 $ CBB 3/12/06 Atlanta Thrashers 3 New York Rangers 2 (OT) NHL 3/14/06 Rutgers 76 Penn State 71 NIT CBB 3/15/06 Portland 65 New Jersey Nets 78 NBA 3/16/06 Rutgers 62 St. Joseph's Hawks 71 NIT CBB 3/17/06 Detroit Pistons 103 New York Knicks 105 NBA 3/18/06 Toronto Maple Leafs 2 New York Rangers 5 NHL 3/19/06 Dallas Mavericks 89 New Jersey Nets 100 NBA 3/19/06 Miami Heat 111 New York Knicks 100 NBA 3/21/06 Montreal Canadiens 1 New York Islanders 3 NHL 3/22/06 Philadelphia Flyers 6 New York Rangers 3 NHL 3/24/06 Kansas City 48 New York Dragons 54 AFL 3/25/06 Atlanta Thrashers 1 New York Islanders 5 NHL 3/29/06 Boston Celtics 123 New York Knicks 98 NBA 3/31/06 Philadelphia 76ers 117 New York Knicks 112 NBA 4/1/06 Grand Rapids 24 New York Dragons 48 AFL 4/2/06 Miami Heat 78 New Jersey Nets 90 NBA 4/4/06 Philadelphia Flyers 2 New York Rangers 3 (SO) NHL 4/5/06 Cleveland Cavaliers 94 New York Knicks 96 NBA 4/6/06 New York Islanders 1 New York Rangers 3 NHL 4/7/06 Florida Marlins 3 New York Mets 9 MLB 4/8/06 Washington Capitals 0 New York Islanders 5 NHL 4/9/06 Florida Marlins 2 New York Mets 3 MLB 4/11/06 New York Islanders 3 New York Rangers 2 NHL 4/13/06 Toronto Maple Leafs 4 New York Islanders 3 (OT) NHL 4/14/06 Milwaukee Bucks 97 New York Knicks 80 NBA 4/15/06 Pittsburgh Penguins 4 New York Islanders 5 (SO) NHL 4/16/06 Philadelphia Flyers 1 New Jersey Devils 5 NHL 4/17/06 Charlotte Bobcats 98 New York Knicks 91 NBA 4/18/06 Philadelphia Flyers 4 New York Islanders 1 NHL 4/19/06 New York Knicks 90 New Jersey Nets 83 NBA 4/21/06 Florida Marlins 4 Philadelphia Phillies 3 MLB 4/22/06 New York Rangers 1 New Jersey Devils 6 * NHL 4/23/06 Indiana Pacers 90 New Jersey Nets 88 * NBA 4/25/06 Tampa Bay 1 New York Yankees 9 MLB 4/26/06 Tampa Bay 4 New York Yankees 2 (10) MLB 4/27/06 Tampa Bay 1 New York Yankees 4 MLB 4/29/06 New Jersey Devils 4 New York Rangers 2 * NHL 5/6/06 Georgia Force 35 New York Dragons 47 AFL 5/10/06 Carolina Hurricanes 3 New Jersey Devils 2 # NHL 5/12/06 Oakland Athletics 0 New York Yankees 2 MLB 5/13/06 Oakland Athletics 3 New York Yankees 4 MLB 5/14/06 Oakland Athletics 6 New York Yankees 1 MLB 5/15/06 Texas Rangers 4 New York Yankees 2 MLB 5/16/06 Texas Rangers 13 New York Yankees 14 MLB 5/17/06 Texas Rangers 3 New York Yankees 4 MLB 5/18/06 Texas Rangers 6 New York Yankees 2 MLB 5/21/06 Georgia Force 72 New York Dragons 69 * AFL 5/23/06 Philadelphia Phillies 8 New York Mets 9 (16) MLB 5/24/06 Philadelphia Phillies 4 New York Mets 5 MLB 5/25/06 Philadelphia Phillies 5 New York Mets 3 MLB 6/3/06 San Francisco Giants 6 New York Mets 4 MLB 6/3/06 San Francisco Giants 2 New York Mets 3 (11) MLB 6/4/06 San Francisco Giants 7 New York Mets 6 (12) MLB 6/9/06 Oakland Athletics 6 New York Yankees 5 MLB 6/10/06 Oakland Athletics 5 New York Yankees 2 MLB 6/11/06 Oakland Athletics 6 New York Yankees 5 MLB 6/13/06 Cleveland Indians 0 New York Yankees 1 MLB 6/14/06 Cleveland Indians 1 New York Yankees 6 MLB 6/15/06 Cleveland Indians 8 New York Yankees 4 MLB 6/21/06 Washington Mystics 66 New York Liberty 72 WNBA 6/23/06 Florida Marlins 5 New York Yankees 6 MLB 6/24/06 Florida Marlins 1 New York Yankees 0 ** MLB 6/25/06 Florida Marlins 1 New York Yankees 2 MLB 6/25/06 Florida Marlins 5 New York Yankees 0 MLB 7/3/06 Pittsburgh Pirates 11 New York Mets 1 MLB 7/4/06 Pittsburgh Pirates 6 New York Mets 7 MLB 7/5/06 Pittsburgh Pirates 0 New York Mets 5 MLB 7/6/06 Pittsburgh Pirates 5 New York Mets 7 MLB 7/7/06 Florida Marlins 7 New York Mets 3 MLB 7/8/06 Florida Marlins 3 New York Mets 2 MLB 7/8/06 Florida Marlins 3 New York Mets 17 MLB 7/9/06 Florida Marlins 6 New York Mets 7 MLB 7/14/06 Chicago White Sox 5 New York Yankees 6 MLB 7/15/06 Chicago White Sox 3 New York Yankees 14 MLB 7/16/06 Chicago White Sox 4 New York Yankees 6 MLB 7/21/06 Houston Astros 6 New York Mets 7 MLB 7/22/06 Houston Astros 3 New York Mets 4 MLB 7/23/06 Houston Astros 8 New York Mets 4 MLB 7/28/06 Tampa Bay 0 New York Yankees 6 MLB 7/29/06 Tampa Bay 19 New York Yankees 6 MLB 7/30/06 Tampa Bay 2 New York Yankees 4 MLB 7/31/06 Florida Marlins 15 Philadelphia Phillies 2 MLB 8/4/06 Philadelphia Phillies 5 New York Mets 3 MLB 8/5/06 Philadelphia Phillies 3 New York Mets 4 MLB 8/6/06 Philadelphia Phillies 1 New York Mets 8 MLB 8/8/06 Indiana Fever 77 New York Liberty 44 WNBA 8/11/06 LA Angels 7 New York Yankees 4 MLB 8/12/06 LA Angels 2 New York Yankees 5 MLB 8/13/06 LA Angels 5 New York Yankees 3 MLB 8/14/06 LA Angels 2 New York Yankees 7 MLB 8/17/06 Kansas City Chiefs 0 New York Giants 17 ! NFL 8/25/06 Philadelphia Phillies 4 New York Mets 3 MLB 8/26/06 Philadelphia Phillies 5 New York Mets 11 MLB 8/28/06 Philadelphia Phillies 3 New York Mets 8 MLB 8/31/06 New England 23 New York Giants 31 ! NFL 9/2/06 Rutgers 21 North Carolina 16 CFB 9/9/06 Illinois Fighting Illini 0 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 33 CFB 9/10/06 Indianapolis Colts 26 New York Giants 21 NFL 9/13/06 Tampa Bay 4 New York Yankees 8 MLB 9/14/06 Tampa Bay 4 New York Yankees 7 MLB 9/16/06 Ohio University 7 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 24 CFB 9/17/06 New York Giants 30 Philadelphia Eagles 24 (OT) NFL 9/18/06 Florida Marlins 0 New York Mets 4 MLB 9/20/06 Florida Marlins 6 New York Mets 3 MLB 9/21/06 Florida Marlins 6 New York Mets 2 MLB 9/22/06 Florida Marlins 2 Philadelphia Phillies 5 MLB 9/23/06 Howard University 7 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 56 CFB 9/29/06 Rutgers 22 South Florida 20 CFB 9/30/06 Chicago Fire 0 New York Red Bulls 1 MLS 10/1/06 Indianapolis Colts 31 New York Jets 28 NFL 10/5/06 Washington Capitals 2 New York Rangers 5 NHL 10/8/06 Washington Redskins 3 New York Giants 19 NFL 10/12/06 St. Louis Cardinals 0 New York Mets 2 & MLB 10/14/06 Rutgers 34 Navy Midshipmen 0 CFB 10/15/06 Miami Dolphins 17 New York Jets 20 NFL 10/16/06 Nashville Predators 2 New York Islanders 1 (SO) NHL 10/18/06 St. Louis Cardinals 2 New York Mets 4 & MLB 10/19/06 St. Louis Cardinals 3 New York Mets 1 & MLB 10/21/06 Rutgers 20 Pittsburgh Panthers 10 CFB 10/22/06 Detroit Lions 24 New York Jets 31 NFL 10/25/06 Florida Panthers 4 New York Rangers 2 NHL 10/26/06 Florida Panthers 0 New Jersey Devils 2 NHL 10/28/06 Columbus 0 New Jersey Devils 1 NHL 10/29/06 Tampa Bay 3 New York Giants 17 @ NFL 10/29/06 Connecticut Huskies 13 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 24 CFB 10/31/06 Chicago Blackhawks 2 New York Islanders 5 NHL 11/4/06 Indiana Pacers 109 New York Knicks 95 NBA 11/5/06 Buffalo Sabres 4 New York Rangers 3 (OT) NHL 11/9/06 Louisville Cardinals 25 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 28 CFB 11/10/06 Miami Heat 113 New Jersey Nets 106 NBA 11/11/06 Florida Panthers 2 New Jersey Devils 4 NHL 11/12/06 Chicago Bears 38 New York Giants 20 NFL 11/15/06 Kansas State 55 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 41 CBB 11/18/06 Rutgers 11 Cincinnati Bearcats 30 CFB 11/19/06 Chicago Bears 10 New York Jets 0 NFL 11/19/06 Tampa Bay Lightning 1 New York Rangers 4 NHL 11/25/06 Syracuse Orangemen 7 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 38 CFB 11/26/06 Houston Texans 11 New York Jets 26 NFL 11/29/06 Rutgers 54 Temple Owls 77 CBB 11/30/06 Philadelphia Flyers 3 New York Islanders 2 NHL 12/2/06 Rutgers 39 West Virginia 41 (3 OT) CFB 12/3/06 Dallas Cowboys 23 New York Giants 20 NHL 12/5/06 Ottawa Senators 4 New York Islanders 2 NHL 12/6/06 New Hampshire 48 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 55 CBB 12/7/06 Montreal Canadiens 4 New York Islanders 2 NHL 12/9/06 Rutgers 53 Princeton Tigers 47 CBB 12/10/06 Florida Panthers 1 New York Rangers 2 NHL 12/11/06 Boston Celtics 97 New York Knicks 90 NBA 12/16/06 Iona Gaels 51 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 66 CBB 12/17/06 Philadelphia Eagles 36 New York Giants 22 NHL 12/20/06 Charlotte Bobcats 109 New York 111 (2 OT) NBA 12/21/06 NJIT 50 St. John's Red Storm 68 CBB 12/22/06 Lehigh Engineers 61 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 67 CBB 12/23/06 Columbus 0 New York Islanders 4 NHL 12/24/06 New Orleans Saints 30 New York Giants 7 NHL 12/28/06 Rutgers 37 Kansas State Wildcats 10 + CFB 12/31/06 South Carolina State 68 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 75 CBB % Game played at Madison Square Garden ! Exhibition game * First-round playoff game $ Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden # Second-round playoff game ** Game was called after 1/2 inning due to rain. Result of the game didn't count. & National League Championship Series @ Left game before it concluded + Texas Bowl at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas Back to sports page |
