Opinion Sine Metu

With a number of new arenas around the country, owners, architects, builders and C.E.O.’S know that the arena’s location is as important as its fans. And the location is also as important as the area’s culture and style. Madison Square Garden is well known for capturing the city’s spirit and grit, and the Staples Center is also well known for capturing that Los Angeles, star studded swag, that a number of players often agree to play for, for just that reason. The new Barclay’s Center in downtown Brooklyn captures an aura of its own and omits Brooklyn style, flavor and toughness in every aspect.

In front of the Barclays the pavement is built in similar Brooklyn brownstone architecture, which gives you the feeling of walking around in neighborhoods like Park Slope, Sunset Park, Prospect Park, Cobble Hill and others. People who grew up in Brooklyn that now live in other Burroughs or in Long Island, will be time machined to an era where fire hydrants spit water all over the street and on ecstatic children and when chilling on a stoop was the thing to do. The space in front of the Barclay’s is also wide enough so that fans can just chill and post up in regular Brooklyn fashion. Unlike the Garden, which has a pretty narrow front and a sidewalk that connects to other streets.

The Barclays is plotted on a large piece of concrete that’s only purpose is to serve as a sports complex as well as a boxing venue, concert hall and multi purpose entertainment mega complex. It doesn’t have a sidewalk connecting to other streets. It does however have a train station entrance right in the front, that seems to be a mouth that spits fans right into the walkway of the entrance. There are other train stations in a one or two block radius so that regular commuters won’t have to intrude or mix with fans, like Madison Square Garden’s arena.

The black and white jerseys that the Brooklyn Nets play in, also captures that fuggadeaboutit attitude that Brooklyn is known for. The team itself seems to represent Brooklyn’s grittiness. Players like Joe Johnson, Deron Williams and Gerald Wallace look like they all could have grown up playing in Flatbush. Their style of play also seems to represent that down the block, elbow in your mouth, and no-calling-foul type of play which is all too familiar for a Brooklynite. Brook Lopez and Chris Humphries are like kids who grew up in Bay Ridge that learned fundamentals before the street style of play and simply learned “street” by travelling to Coney Island,Brownsville, Red hook and Sunset Park for tournaments.

The prices at the arena represent the slow but sure progression of Brooklyn. THEY ARE NOT old school BROOKLYN-LIKE. Well, maybe boerum hill, DUMBO,Carol Gardens and Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn-like. But these neighborhoods only represent Brooklyn in the contemporary fashion. The aura captures that old Brooklyn swag but mixes it with the new hipster, contemporary style, rising prices and gentrification.

A cheeseburger, soda (that you can no longer get in a large size) and fries run up to about $19. The cheeseburger and fries are mediocre at best. The soda lives up to its over sugared and syrupy fountain-like greatness, that one usually gets at these venues. But, the whole point of getting this heart attack in a cup is to enjoy a large amount of it. Bloomberg probably has something going on with the outlawing of large size drinks, but he shouldn’t have banned them at games. There is nothing like a huge fountain coca cola, cheeseburger and fries during a game, or a beer for that matter. Sports venues specialize in junk food and are held to a higher standard than the average products you get at a grocery store. If you don’t know what I am talking about, watch an episode of Modern Marvels on the history channel to find out all about the Gourmet quality snacks produced at these type of venues.

The seats in the higher level are definitely Brooklyn-like, Red hook projects, Brownsville, Marcy projects, Flatbush and Coney Island Brooklyn-like, dangerous and tight, with a lot of people cramped up in a small area. The seating in the higher levels are so cramped and narrow that getting up to go to the bathroom or stepping out is a very dangerous task. For someone who is bigger or taller than average the task is almost impossible. This should concern management because the problem is without a doubt serious. What’s Brooklyn without some danger?

As of now the Barclays Center is still raw.

With The London 2012 Summer Olympics gone with the wind, analysts, experts and bloggers are already speaking about team NBA’s performance. Bloggers are already going in on how each player’s performance either harmed or boosted their reputations. However,  each individual performance at the Olympics does not give you a crystal ball reading into how each player will play in the upcoming season.

Team U.S.A. played phenomenal throughout the preliminary games and even better when the games counted. Although, the preliminary games were just as important for the team’s reputation. If U.S.A. would have lost during the preliminary games that would have been a major blow to the respect of the team and the country.

They played well and names that we’re most likely unknown, on an international level, should be ringing around Europe. Players like Russel Westbrook, Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Andre Iguadola and Kevin Love all played well enough to make a European kid by their jersey’s.

However, don’t make the assumption that the way NBA players played in London will be the way they play back home. Overseas, they played teams who were clearly on a much lower talent level. Coming back home they are going back into the high level, high energy, high octane and unpredictable NBA, where the competition is on a very different level.

Carmelo Anthony played very well in London and I still think he’s an elite NBA player. He still has much to prove so don’t start labeling anyone or making assumptions. Don’t pull the trigger just yet.

Every Sunday a group of ballers meet to play a game, a game they grew up loving, a game that hasn’t changed as much as their lives did. Basketball is something really embedded in NYC culture, even more so in certain neighborhoods. The court however, is horrible. There are cracks on the floor, the paint is old and the surrounding area isn’t maintained well.

Growing up in Brooklyn means growing up with basketball. A lot of kids use the sport like any other as an escape from everyday life whether it be a hard knock one or a normal one.

In most boroughs you won’t have to travel a long distance to find a court where you can play basketball at. “There use to be a basketball court down the block from where I live. I grew up playing there, I’ve been balling since I was 9-years-old,” said local resident Sammy Parea.

According to Parea, as you get older the opportunity to play the sport or any sport for that matter decreases because of responsibilities like work or family life. Unless you’re a professional athlete the chance of you playing basketball with your buddies the way you did when you were growing up are low.

“Playing basketball was a way for most of us to stay out of trouble and for some of us it was a way to escape our everyday lives. A lot of people around here didn’t grow up rich,” said Parea.

Across the street from the court is an award winning hospital. Next to the court there is a playground where children play and is in fairly good shape. The court has been in bad condition for years. Every time the ball hits one of the cracks it’s liable to go out of bounds and that decreases the quality of the game.

According to local resident Paul Ruiz, the court has had cracks with grass sprouting out for about 10-years. “It’s been like this for about a decade, they’ve been cleaning up parks around Brooklyn and they’re probably getting to this one next.” The cracks in the court are not only eye sores but are dangerous. Anyone playing on the courts, especially smaller children, can get hurt.

During the 1970’s, playground safety became especially important and that’s when NYC started to see new changes. Concrete structures started becoming more colorful and more visible so parents can watch their children carefully. If NYC has adopted methods of bringing safety to playgrounds shouldn’t all playgrounds be safe? In the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website, a study in New York City found that playgrounds in low-income areas had more maintenance-related hazards than playgrounds in high-income areas. For example, playgrounds in low-income areas had significantly more trash, rusty play equipment, and damaged fall surfaces.

The questions are, if there is a parks commissioner handling city parks are there parks that get excluded from certain rebuilding or renovation? If you go to certain basketball courts around the city they are in great condition. Why isn’t every court up to par? Ruiz is blindly optimistic about the playground.

I recently wrote an email to the press office of the NYC Parks department. Below is the letter I wrote following their response.

To [email protected],

I am working on an article regarding a specific park in Brooklyn. It’s a playground called Martin Luther Playground in Sunset Park Brooklyn 55st and 2nd avenue. It is located right across the street from Lutheran Hospital. There are cracks all over the basketball courts and the park is not maintained properly. I spoke to local residents and they claim that the playground has been in this condition for about a decade. I have some general questions regarding the issue. It seems that there are a number of playground around NYC that are in great condition. Why aren’t all parks maintained in the same fashion? Is it a lack of funding? How does funding get issued for playground maintenance? Is it through taxes? Which parks receive priority? Are all parks treated equally? Is it possible that the city will recognize and take action with this specific issue? These questions are regarding all parks in general but are specific to playgrounds and basketball courts around NYC and Brooklyn for that matter.

If I can get statements and answers regarding the matter that would be great.

Thank you,

Rafael Lacayo

This was the corresponding email I received.

Hi Rafael,

There are no funded capital projects in Martin Luther Playground at this time.

Meghan Lalor Press Officer

According to the NYC Parks website, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has committed $111 million dollars in capital funding for playground improvements and according to Press Officer Lalor, Martin Luther Playground isn’t on the list

A well maintained court is especially important for the quality of life for residents around the area. In NYC, people play basketball in the middle of January or when it is pouring outside. Throughout the boroughs you can find kids playing competitively in all types of conditions.

Playing every Sunday becomes especially important for the “grown up kids” who just need a break from the weekly routine.

“Throughout the week I basically sit at a desk. I don’t get much physical activity in there. I have a son and he takes up most of my time, playing basketball once a week at least gets me to burn some calories and gives me the chance to get out of my house,” said David Molina who plays at the court every week and who grew up in the neighborhood.

Ruiz believes that basketball courts are very important for the neighborhood and can decrease violent acts of crime. “When I was young the courts were open all night long so we would eat breakfast lunch and dinner and be at the courts. You have these young kids killing younger kids with stray bullets because they really have nothing to do.” Ruiz isn’t alone in his beliefs. According to The Playground and Recreation Association, “Much crime and most juvenile delinquency are undoubtedly the results of perverted play and recreation.”

Funding for playgrounds doesn’t always stem from capital funding. In some cases park maintainenace comes from private entities. The Prospect Park Alliance is a group that helps get the funding for restoriation and maintanace. According to http://www.prospectpark.org/about/alliance, …. “by supplementing the Park’s basic operating budget with private funds, the Alliance has initiated a large array of capital projects and community programs. The Alliance has boosted public awareness of the crucial role parks play in the urban environment, while gaining support from donors and volunteers for the restoration projects that have brought Prospect Park back to prominence.”

Much has been done in Prospect Park, through private and public funding. Martin Luther Playground is a different story. Although it is not a large or well known park like Prospect Park it is still part of the City’s Park system. It is clear that there isn’t any current capital funding for Martin Luther Playground, the answer seems to be in private funding or in public awareness. Prospect Park wasn’t always a beautiful park and funding has made a significant impact on its appearance and maintenance.

Funding however shouldn’t be used in specific parks but rather in all parks in the city so that the quality of life for its residents increases. In the case of Prospect Park there is a perfect example of a coalition working together and getting things done for the better of the community. From this example and from knowing that capital funding won’t cover every playground in the city, certain neighborhoods have to take it into their own hands in order to start seeing improvement.

Team U.S.A. takes gold in London’s 2012 Summer Olympics. And take it they did, as they cruised by every game, like driving through Manhattan’s west side highway at 2 a.m. on a weekday, no problems at all.

U.S.A. played against its most competitively challenging team of the tournament, Spain, in its final bout, winning the game by a low 7 points. Spain’s bigs did their best work in the paint but couldn’t shake U.S.A.’s athleticism. U.S.A. point guard Chris Paul came up big, hitting a crucial three-pointer in the fourth quarter and a layup that made Coach Mike Krzyzewski jump for joy, something no one has ever seen Krzyzewski do.

The games throughout the Olympics showed the world U.S.A.’s superiority but also showed other countries’ developments in the game. Spain only lost by 7 points and that shows that teams around the world are on the come up.

For the 2012-2013 season NBA players will earn astronomical amounts, to the surprise of no one. Players raking in millions to go out and play a game that they grew up loving. The 2012 U.S.A. men’s basketball team has a roster made up of the highest paid players in the NBA. But does talent equal more money or is it more than that?

The 2012 Men’s U.S.A. basketball team is made up of 12 elite players from the NBA. For the upcoming year the total earnings of the entire U.S.A. team is $184,378,691 U.S. dollars. This amount is the sum of each players salary for the 2012-2013 season. It’s quite insane that only 12 basketball player salaries add up to that amount.

There are factors to consider when questioning how much a player makes in regards to his skill. Yes talent usually means making the big bucks but sometimes it’s more than that. Lets take a look at some factors.

Lebron James holds the current MVP title in the NBA and has just won his first NBA championship. James has been outstanding ever since he first got drafted in 2003. He’s arguably the best player in the league. I’m not saying he’s the best player and I’m not saying he’s not the best player. His numbers are outstanding, he plays really well and he just silenced a lot of his critics with a championship win. But there is just supernatural talent from a number of other players that makes the argument, well, arguable.

If you add all these factors up, you would think his contract is the highest out of every player in the league. That’s wrong. There are three players on the Men’s USA basketball team who will earn more in their contracts. Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul have higher paid contracts.

Bryant will earn $27,849,149, Anthony will earn $20,463,024, Paul will earn $17,779,458 and James will earn $17,545,000.

Once upon a time Bryant was arguably the best player in the league, that ship has sailed and Bryant is rapidly descending into retirement. Why is he still earning more than everyone else in the league? Well there are three big reasons: his contract states so, he’s still better than a lot of players and he has championship experience.

When a player of Bryant’s caliber signs a contract it’s usually a big one for a number of years. Thus when the contract was offered to Bryant certain factors were taken into consideration. Factors like how well he played at the time of signing and how well they think he will play after that.

Anthony has yet to make it passed the first round of the NBA playoffs so why is he earning more than James? It’s because Anthony plays for the second highest grossing team in the NBA, the New York Knicks. James could have made even more than Anthony had he chose to play for New York a couple of years back.

James went to Miami and signed a contract for a lesser amount that he would have received elsewhere. I mean $17.5 million is still a ridiculous amount of money but he could have had a higher paying contract.

Contracts are usually major contributing factors to player fortunes but in James’s case it only accounts for some of the income that he makes. One of the probable reasons why James didn’t mind taking a contract of a lesser amount is because he has many endorsement deals. When James first joined the league he signed a whopping $90-million-dollar contract with Nike, he also has deals with McDonald’s, Coca Cola and State farm.

According to celebrity net worth on the richest.org, James has an estimated net worth of $110 million dollars. Bryant has an estimated net worth of $200 million and Anthony is estimated at $60 million. Bryant has the highest net worth in the NBA with James trailing not too far way. Bryant’s wife filed for divorce and this can have a major impact on Bryant’s net worth, I doubt he will ever be poor but his ranking will surely drop. Until then Bryant has the highest net worth.

“In New York there’s a basketball court at every corner. Basketball is all we knew.” –Carmelo Anthony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5g0JZ7dFT4

Born on May 24^th 1984 in the Red Hook Projects area of Brooklyn, Anthony has come along way from balling in street corners. Anthony moved to Baltimore when he was eight-years-old and grew up in a hostile outside environment. His father died when he was two-years-old and was raised by a single mom.

Growing up he was a top basketball prospect playing in elite basketball tournaments such as the Jordan Brand Classic and McDonald’s All-American Game. At the McDonald’s All-American game, Anthony played with future teammates Raymond Felton and Amare Stoudemire, scoring 19 points and winning the Sprite Dunk Contest. He was ranked 2^nd in the nation by College Basketball News.

Anthony only played one year of college ball and helped Syracuse win their first NCAA Tournament title in 2003. During that season, Anthony averaged 22.1 points and 10 rebounds, not too bad for a freshman. In the championship game when Syracuse played The University of Kentucky he scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds. He then chose to enter the 2003 NBA Draft where he was selected third overall by the Denver Nuggets. Darko Milicic was selected second overall and Lebron James was first overall in the same draft class.

In the beginning of his career Anthony established himself as a great player, landing spots in the NBA All-Star game and average 20 or more points a game. He played for the Nuggets from Jan 2003 and then was traded to the Knicks in Feb 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trgCLYseWS4

All this information makes for a nice NBA resume, no one can argue that. In an article “Carmelo Anthony Is Overrated: Melo Isn’t Even a Top-10 NBA Player” Analyst Rich Kurtzman goes into depth on why he believes that Anthony is overrated.

“He pump-fakes under the hoop more often than just attempting a dunk the first time and either making the shot or getting fouled in the process. Of course, Melo gets many of his free throw attempts while driving, but his weak finishes could be and-ones instead of misses and two shots from the free throw line,” said Kurtzman.

Kurtzman then goes on to say that Anthony doesn’t grab enough rebounds, doesn’t get a lot of assists, making him bad for the offense, he gives to much energy on the offense and that’s the reason why his defense lacks. He continues to say that Anthony is not a leader and is not the first one in the gym and last one to leave either.

This may all have some merit and Kurtzman makes some valid points. I agree that Anthony needs to make more assists and needs to work on his defense but that does not make Anthony overrated. Anthony is a scoring machine and has one of the most efficient jab and shoot game the NBA has even seen. He’s fast for his size, making it difficult for defenders to guard him on the perimeter, he also goes hard in the paint. He’s also one of the best clutch shooters in the NBA.

On August 2, 2012 Anthony hit 10 out of 12 three-pointers breaking the record for attempted threes and made threes against Nigeria in the London Olympic Games.

Anthony clearly has skills and is no doubt an elite NBA player. There’s only one argument that can be made against him and that is that he has no rings. Lebron James didn’t hear the end of it until he obtained his current NBA title. James has it worse though he has to get some more rings before critics let him rest.

Anthony has a different kind of burden because no one is comparing him to the great Michael Jordan. Anthony must win a ring and if he does not people should then have the right to say he’s overrated. The truth is, Anthony has more time to prove himself and until then he is not overrated.