While We’re Young (Ideas) – Giving Thanks in 2023
By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief
NEW YORK – It’s Thanksgiving Weekend 2023 and we’re here to make some important statements. “We’re back to normal,” and “Thanksgiving of 2019 seems so long ago.” That conjures up ill-fated memories of the horror, death and overall separation felt by most from March of 2020 to this past May 2023, after the Delta and Omicron variants of the virus subsided.
While it seems to be a trend to downplay the virus and knock Dr. Anthony Fauci with many pointing fingers as though Fauci, alone, was responsible for a global pandemic, the opposite is true. Remember now, COVID-19 hospitalized 6,484,329 Americans and killed 1,153,910 poor souls with the numbers posted by the World Health Organization through November 21st. To the informed, there’s an honest realization that Fauci did his best to forecast and curtail an on-going virus that was ignored by his bosses – an administration that – literally – wanted to dismiss cruise ships at sea from docking in the USA just to “keep our numbers down.”
Worldwide, the number of deaths from COVID-19 are daunting as 6,979,786 souls (and counting) are gone due to the virus with severe spikes realized and tracked in January 2020, January 2021 and 2022. With WHO public numbers updated through November 16th, there are 772,011,164 confirmed cases and they’ve been treated with 13,534,602,932 doses of the various anti-COVID vaccines.
You’re sick of COVID, we all know, so why do all these facts and figures head up a sports notes column on Thanksgiving Weekend? Because sports fans need to be more aware and thankful for Science. It is something to truly appreciate, despite the fact it’s outside of the world of sports.
Please be thankful for the researchers who worked so tirelessly – under pressure – on a dangerous public health issue beyond what any of us could fathom. I’m thankful for the doctors/nurses, medical workers, first responders and all who teach them. I’m even thankful for the lawyers who backed their work. That has to date back to 1948-1955 when the polio epidemic and Dr. Jonas E. Salk and his colleagues researched and developed a polio vaccine that treated some 16,000 cases of polio in 1955. By 1994, polio was eliminated in the Americas.
As it relates to the all-important research, I urge all readers of WWYI to be aware of the likes of the JIMMY Fund and Pan Mass Challenge (research work at the Dana Farber Institute) that raised $72 million this year and a total of $972 million since 1980. Those incredible amounts of money are enough to endow every single cent to go towards the research which saves lives on a daily basis and someday might save your life, especially if you’re suffering of the dreaded disease of cancer.
It did mine.
MORE THANKS: Yes, there’s poverty, crime, lawlessness, and mass murders by the week (maybe by the day). There’s war – terrible wars in Ukraine/Russia, the Middle East and genocide in Sudan – but you don’t hear much about Congress arguing over funding for the Sudanese wars, do you? But, for one second, stop your crazy life and think.
There’s so much to be thankful for in 2023. Again, I please note science, research and education are the foundation of health – and remember, “the greatest wealth is health” or think of the Arabian proverb, ““He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.”
MORE THANKS II: In 2023 and beyond, let’s be thankful for former NY Islander Pat LaFontaine and his Companions in Courage foundation. Executive Director Jim “JJ” Johnson just noted CiC helped their 1,000,000th patient. JJ needs some help from us now and the support from Holy Trinity is and will be at the highest possible point as ‘23 turns to ‘24. … How about a thanks to coach Bob McKillop? Add: Lou Carnesecca and John Kresse. ,,, Here’s a few more: The McIntyre family and their ability to care for a jacket, Val Ackerman and John Paquette of the BIG EAST, the end of the UAW and SAG strike, Boston College – athletics and resident assistants, and the same for Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville.
Thanks, Norah and the CBS News, the entire WBZ-TV news team (David Wade) and the entire sports crew, led by Dan Roche in the Red Sox press room, then Kevin Doyle, PR and press room attendant at Fenway, Jeff Twiss at the Celtics, Brian Olive, too. Travis Basciotta and Annie Kew at the Bruins. Abby Murphy, Justin Long, Devin Benson, Raleigh Clark and Carlos Villoria Benitez at the Sox. And to Zineb Curran on the corporate side. The coolest thing about Zineb – aside the fact she excels at her impossible/never ending job – is that she’s from Casablanca (Morocco). She recently announced Boston Common Golf and reps bud, Mark Lev, amongst the FSG and Sox hierarchy. … Skip Pernham, Joe Fav, Audrey, Sammy, Tony Fay, Kevin Sully Sullivan, and Josef Volman. To Will Ahmed, and Jonathan Jeffrey of Whoop, Joe Malone, Mark Sage, Bobby and Greg Pannell, Billy Ess, Dennis, Chuck, Johnnie D, Pat Hogan, Goldy, Scoot, Barney, Rick H, Harold – Harry O. Mugs and Mary, Godmothers Barbara – who always remembers the important dates, and Barbara and Bryan, too. By the way, Billy’s son, Matthew, made the team at Kellenberg! Forgive me if I overlooked a few.
A high Five for Madison Square Garden and Fenway Park – my favorite room and ball yard. Add, the Beacon Theatre, Bar & Books on Hudson, the old Corner Bistro and Villanova Tommy (Ret.), along with Bruce Hornsby, Billy Joel, Mark Riviera, Southside, Rich Pagano, Will Lee, and Jeff Kazee. Jeff’s the man on December 20th at the new and larger venue, The Cutting Room.
High 5’s for the great Matt Winick, loyal reader Rich Hussey, David Goldberg and Tom Junod (Trinity’s best two writers), Rob DiGisi, Joshua Milne aka Mr. Carolina. Thanks to Matt Doherty, Brian Moran and our Rebound Live zoom cast. … The Cross Sound Ferry, a Padron Anniversary ‘64, Angel Gallinal and Rob Levine. HT friends, one and all: Min, Tony Luisi, St I contingent: Audrey, Dianne, Mary Civ, Clare Krummenacker-Crossley (who has a Sweet J from the perimeter), Debbie and her Mom who ran the bookstore. Robert Bed, Ray, Speels, Tony Pagano, George, Paul LoPresti, Barbara Kobel, Joe Koch, Dougie, Murph, Jim Dige, Ernie L, Bill Macedonia – my HS gym locker-sharing bud, and John Geerlings. Add: Joey T and Kathy L, Atta, John Murray, Mario, Regina C(fellow St J’s) and Carole Ann Catapano (thanks on the house assist, as it was gut-wrenching). Hundreds of others – all still one – Remember “The Black,” Mike Blackie Blackwell, and we’re all Titans forever.
Closer to home, thanks to Joe D, Stephen Riley, Tod Rosensweig and the recently retired DJ all deserve a Boston-based mention. … Best to Bob Ryan – the Commish, Jan Volk and The Tradition. … Johnnie, Dave, Arty, GM Dana and GM Higor along with the entire West End Johnnies (and Fenway Johnnies) operation. Congrats to Dana and his bride on their recent nuptials.
Here’s to John Kosner, who is always there for for our friendship and for sound business advice. Buddy Gumina – Grant Ave Partners, Boston VC Sports crew and especially to Ken Adelson via Pivottv Media.
I’m thankful for my neighbors. If the pandemic did ONE thing, it solidified the relationships for many of those who live on our street. Special thanks to Tucky and Matt and Jen, to Rachel for organizing the best damn block party in the history of the Commonwealth. Crap! Even, the Mayor showed up! … And special thanks to Margo and the late golden retriever Deacon. … Deacon was a great dog – went out, got cancer and was gone in a blink of an eye. He was our dog, Penny (Lane)’s role model. … While we’re at it, let’s thank the good dog, Billie, and his Dad, Kevin and all the other members of our little play group that has Penny – somehow sensing it’s Saturday and/or Sunday and going bonkers all morning until she sees my Yeti travel mug and knows it’s PLAYTIME!
By the way, let’s give thanks and a warm welcome to Max. He’s the new pup on the block and Penny’s little brother. He’s been fully adopted by the Lyons/Martin crew and is calling our home his home, as of this weekend. Which brings us to the finish line for this year’s THANKS … to Clare and the girls and all of our wonderful immediate and extended family (Tom and Mom).
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: There’s a special trio of new books to recommend as Holiday gifts for your favorite basketball fan. Let’s list them in no particular order and highly recommend you buy/read/gift them all.
David Hollander wrote, “How Basketball Can Save the World.” Hollander stresses the powerful aspects of the sport of basketball and how it teaches very important messages in the simple manner in which the game is played. Let’s focus for a second on teamwork, being in sync with one-another, and a realization of being one small part of a concept much larger than any one of us.
Consider how basketball teaches everyone important messages about gender and equity, inclusion and resilience. As we know, there’s a lot going on to help a basketball team at any level become one. The buzz-phrase is to put “trust in each other” and, as coach Larry Brown always preached, “to play the right way.”
Taking those messages and the basic concept to the world is what Hollander hopes and truly believes can make the sport an international language for peace and understanding. He works and provides guiding principles for reimagining what might be possible to correct the course the world is on today.
The United Nations took one of Professor Hollander’s ideas and declared December 21 – the date that Dr. James Naismith invented and played the first game – as World Basketball Day. Among the ways to celebrate the day are:
- Hand someone a basketball
- Join or host an “open run” (scrimmage)
- Attend a game (Live-any level)
- Watch a game on TV or a screen somewhere
- Gift a Nerf-hoop to a college student
- Simply hold a basketball
Along the same lines, there’s a great new book by friend and colleague Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff entitled, “Basketball Empire: France and the Making of the Global NBA and WNBA.”
Krasnoff, who earned her Ph. D at the City University of New York, is both a student and teacher of sport and basketball as a tool of diplomacy. Her book and her lifelong research delved into the rise of the sport of basketball in France. She taught the concepts of Sport and Diplomacy at NYU’s Preston Robert Tisch Institute of Global Sport (where yours truly has lectured) and later became a Research Associate and Co-Director of Basketball Diplomacy-Africa for (School of Oriental and African Studies) SOAS University of London.
Her research led her to write her first books, “The Making of Les Blues: Sport in France, 1958-2010” and “Views from the Embassy: The Role of the U.S. Diplomatic Community in France (1914). Krasnoff combined efforts with Mr. Boaz Paldi and the United Nations’ Development Programme where Paldi works as the Chief Creative Officer. Together, they tackled tough issues on how sports and public relations can play important roles in the problems humanity faces in times of crisis.
Basketball Empire is a good read for a fan seeking a deep dive into the history of basketball or an academic looking for clear results from extensive research in the field of diplomacy.
Lastly, a fun read for any New York sports fan or for any fan who appreciates some of the greatest sports stories in history is “The 20 Greatest Moments in New York Sports History (Our Generation of Memories – 1960 to Today) by Todd Ehrlich and Gary Myers.
While the book is a must read for any New Yorker born from 1959 through modern days, it is so well done, it’ll be appreciated by all.
The book begins with a forward by former New York Giants wide receiver, David Tyree, and if you remember, it was Tyree who made one of the most unexpected, difficult and impactful catches in Super Bowl history. (Super Bowl XLII (2008) when Tyree made what is commonly called, the “Helmet Catch.”
It was the last catch of Tyree’s career and it miraculously extended the game-winning drive in the Giants’ 17-14 victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots. The moment was voted “Play of the Decade” (2000s) by NFL Films and it tips the hand on the type of memories described marvelously by Ehrlich and Myers throughout the book.
“20 Greatest Moments in New York Sports” is a great gift for your 20-to-60 something sports fan and the concept of the book is sure to spread to other cities and even college campuses as Ehrlich expands his research and writing team(s).
Without spoiling the contents of the book, the key aspect of the storytelling is the magnificent way a single moment/memory is backed-up by the steps taken by the team or individual to get to that meoment in sports history.
Additionally, there was not a moment missed – and in an unusual manner – there might not be a valid argument to top the 20 moments chosen by the authors. How rare is that in the age of sports talk radio and arguing over every single day in sports?
You can purchase the books:
TIDBITS: Some early observations from college hoops: After beating No. 1 Kansas in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational this past Tuesday, the Marquette Golden Eagles lost 78-75 to No. 2 Purdue in the title game of the tourney. The Golden Eagles (4-1) were down 15 points before making a late surge and having a chance to tie the game in the game’s final possession. Tyler Kolek led MU with 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists. … UConn’s Tristen Newton recorded his third career triple-double on Friday and No. 5 Connecticut (6-0) routed Manhattan College, 90-60, to win its 23rd consecutive non-conference game. … Each of those 23 non-conference wins, including all six in the last NCAA Tournament, have come by double digits. That gives the Huskies a tie with the 2008-2009 North Carolina Tar Heels for most consecutive victories in non-conference play.