(Long Island, NY) The New York Dragons of the Arena Football League have had their share of problems so far this season. Similar to the New York Jets, they have lost their starting and back-up quarterbacks to season-ending injuries. But unlike the Jets, the Dragons are still in position to qualify for the playoffs. Call it league parody if you like, but with a 5-4 record they have time to go on a run and extend their season.

Losing the best quarterback in AFL history would have put most teams in a tailspin to lose their grip on the season. Aaron Garcia went down with a broken leg in week five and the second stringer Juston Wood was lost two weeks later with a knee injury. Newly signed quarterback Nick Brower came off the bench at Austin to merely throw five touchdowns and lead the Dragons to a 59-56 win versus the Wranglers.

The Dragons have split their last two games, losing to the Tampa Bay Storm on the road and defeating the Kansas City Brigade at the Nassau Coliseum. The remainder of their schedule is, with record in parenthesis:

• Grand Rapids (3-6)
• Dallas (7-2)
• At Columbus (5-4)
• At Los Angeles (3-6)
• Philadelphia (5-4)
• Georgia (5-4)
• At Dallas (7-2)

They have the advantage with four out of the remaining seven games at home. Their toughest games are obviously against the division-leading Dallas Desperados. Hopefully the last game of the season will not be a ‘must-win’ for the Dragons to secure a post season berth. Currently, the Dragons hold the tie breaker on common opponents against Columbus, Tampa Bay and Georgia. With six teams qualifying for the AFL playoffs in each conference, the Dragons can stay close if they do not go on a long losing streak. At press time, they are in fifth place in the National Conference.

All season long, the Dragons defense has been their Achilles heel. Head Coach Weylan Harding has stated that this was an area that needed to step up. On the offensive side of the ball, the Dragons have a talented crew of wide receivers in ex-Jet Kevin Swayne, Mike Horacek and Will Holder. The former Valparaiso product Brower has looked as comfortable throwing to the trio as Garcia did. On special teams, kicker Jesse Obert has settled in nicely to a position that has been a long troubled spot for the Dragons.

Let the schedule play out and we’ll see where the Dragons stand when the dust settles. The way it appears now, their consecutive division crowns will end at three. But as long as they can put themselves in a position to pick off Dallas in the playoffs, they will be satisfied with passing the torch on the top spot. They also owe the Orlando Predators for ousting them in last season’s first round of the playoffs.

If there is a storm in Arena Football, the Dragons are on their way to weathering it if they can once again play for ‘the prize.’

(Long Island, NY) It happens every spring. We get ready for the NCAA Tournament by filling out our brackets and try to figure out the inevitable upsets. And we’re always shocked when they happen.

This past week even the most radical fans would have had to be going out on a limb to pick these ‘bracket busters.’ Thursday night we were treated with three games that made the following day’s water cooler and sports talk radio conversations a difficult decision. Should we get into the number 1 seeded Duke Blue Devils getting ousted, with only an 11-point night from J.J. Reddick? Or Texas and West Virginia trading 3’s until the buzzer? How about Gonzaga blowing a double-digit lead to UCLA?

The undersized Duke Blue Devils were banged around by the LSU Tigers. With their star being pressured all game long, they didn’t have a second option after Reddick.

Texas survived a gallant effort by the Mountaineers. The Longhorns saw their three point lead disappear with five seconds remaining. Instead of calling a time-out, they pushed the ball up the floor before hitting a three-pointer as time expired to avoid overtime.

The Gonzaga-UCLA game seemed to be more or less over when the Bulldogs had the big lead in the second half. CBS stayed with the Texas game until the exciting finish, keeping us up to date on the ‘Zag game with the score in the corner of the television screen. Anyone who thought that it was over and shut off their sets missed an incredible comeback by the Bruins.

Remember- they don’t call it March Madness for nothing. The network resumed the scheduled game and UCLA must have sensed it was time to turn it on. They chipped away and stole the ball in the closing seconds to convert a lay-up and take a one point lead. Gonzaga had one last chance but missed a good-look ‘3’ after a full-court inbound pass. Adam Morrison, the star Gonzaga forward, was overcome with emotion in defeat and was sobbing lying on the court after the horn sounded.

Had enough? Hardly. Sunday brought us the headliner. The big, bad number 1 seed UConn Huskies versus the mid-major, at-large bid 11th seeded George Mason Patriots. Never in a million years, right? Wrong! UConn may have survived an earlier overtime scare from Washington, but the little school that could, George Mason, would not allow them to play with matches twice and get away with it. Another overtime thriller that should not have even went that far. The Huskies were lucky to have a pulse when the clock expired in regulation. The Pats missed a few key free throws down the stretch to give UConn a chance, and they tied it with a lay-up at the buzzer. Credit to the coaching staff and players on George Mason. They held it together and outplayed the Huskies in the extra period. It still came down to a missed jump shot at the end of overtime before it was decided.

Then the later game had the Florida Gators at number 3 outplay and defeat the Villianova Wildcats, who were number 1. Another top seed going home early. It’s been the theme of this dance.

It’s been some tourney so far. As the field dwindles to the Final 4, the games get even tighter. Enjoy the madness.

(Long Island, NY) This season marks the 30th anniversary of the 1975-76 New York Nets winning the last ABA championship. One of the ‘outlaw’ league’s premiere franchises captured the crown that closed the book on the ABA before the merger with the NBA.

The team started out in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans and called the Teaneck Armory home. The following season they moved to Long Island and changed their name to the New York Nets. Throughout their history, they played their home games in venues such as the Long Island Arena, the Island Garden and later the Nassau Coliseum.

The Nets captured two ABA championships in their final three seasons, the first coming in 1973-74. The team had many talented and colorful players, such as Rick Barry, “Super” John Williamson, Billy Paultz and Bill Melchionni. But their best was obviously Dr. J himself, Julius Erving.

Erving was a native Long Islander and played at Roosevelt High School. He left the University of Massachusetts after two years and signed as an undergraduate with the Virginia Squires of the ABA in 1970. The Nets acquired him in a trade in 1973 and he brought his high flying dunks home.

The Doctor became the marquee attraction for the league. The ABA went through turbulent periods throughout its history and needed a talent such as Erving and for him to make his team successful. The Nets were a more stable franchise than Virginia and in a bigger market. It was a perfect setting.

The Nets defeated the Denver Nuggets in six games in the 1975-76 ABA championship series. The Nuggets had the league’s best record during the regular season, followed by the Nets. They were a tough out and were coached by present New York Knicks head coach Larry Brown. The clinching game was played at the Nassau Coliseum.

The following season, the Nets, Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers merged with the NBA. The four clubs had to pay fees to join the league and in addition had to forfeit television revenues and draft rights. The Nets had to also pay the Knicks territory fees.

In serious financial trouble, the Nets sold Erving to the Philadelphia 76ers on the eve of their NBA opener. They lasted the one season at the Coliseum before the franchise came full circle and moved back to New Jersey.

(Long Island, NY) It comes as no surprise that the feud has taken center stage in this dismal Knicks season. Head Coach Larry Brown and Point Guard Stephon Marbury have taken it to the next level. Showdown at high noon. Which one ends up on Boot Hill is all that remains.

Basketball people everywhere questioned the marriage when General Manager Isiah Thomas hired Larry Brown. Marbury was the focal point of the Knicks and definitely not a Larry Brown-type player. Especially with their problems at the Athens Summer Olympic Games. Brown wanted to send Marbury home a week before the tournament started. That was not a good sign.

The two played that down after they were together again in New York. But it was a divorce waiting to happen. These two were as bad a couple as Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley.

Marbury and Brown have been trading barbs in the media back and forth on a regular basis recently. If the season wasn’t such a disaster already, it would be a major distraction.

Now the Knicks must decide how to rectify this problem. They cannot have the two combatants together next season. It would be a good guess to say trade Marbury, especially with Steve Francis already on the roster and eating a big part of the salary cap up. But what team would be willing to take Steph, his contract, and all the extra baggage he carries? Three years and $60 million dollars to go on that albatross of a contract. There are not too many General Managers out there gullible enough to accept that back in a trade without getting rid of their own team-cancer. And what good would that do the Knicks? There would be no cap relief and they would be getting another sour-puss in return.

The Knicks can also buy his contract out. But they would be getting hit on the salary cap, anyway. For years to come, no less. The only positive would be the addition by subtraction scenario.

It is unfortunate that a player with the talent such as Marbury has had a bumpy road. Popular belief was that he should have stayed with the Minnesota Timberwolves as the quarterback for an offense built around Kevin Garnett. Both of their careers may have turned out differently. Possibly even an NBA championship. But Marbury forced his way to New Jersey after Garnett signed a long term deal with the T’Wolves. There would not have been enough money under the cap for two max deals. This was Marbury’s first mistake- believing that he was in the same category as Garnett.

Whatever happens in the off season, Brown and Marbury are stuck with each other for the time being. Maybe they can paint a long white dividing line like Herman and Grandpa Munster did. The remaining games for this season will be interesting only to see who has the better quote in the newspaper the day following another Knicks loss.

(Long Island, NY) The USA gets more lives than Morris the Cat and still cannot advance to the Final 4 in the WBC. They did not play hard and the teams that beat them did. End of story….. Another spring, another Kaz Matsui injury. Some scouts the Mets had when they came back from Japan lauding this guy as an iron man that rarely made an error…..When you see that guy the next time, tell him to fill it up with regular….. I was referring to the scout, but it wouldn’t have been a stretch if you thought I meant Matsui….. Morgana the Kissing Bandit has spent more time on the field than Kaz…..And she had better range then him, too.

This Larry Brown-Stephon Marbury hissy fit is like watching two schoolgirls with the classic comeback, “I know what you are but what am I?”….. Isiah created this mess and he may be lucky enough to be dismissed before he can screw it up even more….. Eddy Curry recently missed some time due to a stomach virus. This guy is like the patient in the board game “Operation”.

March Madness. Fill out those brackets and start rooting for a school that you never knew existed…..BC survives a double OT scare in round one. Iowa gets ousted at the buzzer. Seton Hall gets invited but forgets to wear their dancing shoes. This is what makes the tourney so much fun every year. And these are actual kids playing a kid’s game. Not like that throw-together wearing blue and orange at 33rd and 7th.

The Rangers have hit the skids a bit since that first game back after the Olympic break. Not to make excuses because I felt this all along, but to stop the season for that long a period just to showcase what has already been showcased is ridiculous. The Olympics has sucked ever since they stopped sending amateurs. These Dream Teams are a nightmare and after the first time have become a bore and a disappointment. Especially in basketball where the underachievers have taken center stage….. Lake Placid was the greatest moment in this country’s sports history. By having these overpaid professionals embarrass themselves and their country is a mockery of everything the old Olympics stood for.

LAST CALL: Bravo to Isles/Dragons owner Charles Wang in winning the Nassau County redevelopment plan proposal. He has stated for a long time that his team’s fans deserved an upgraded or new arena and he will have the chance to do it. But personally I would rather see an affiliated minor league baseball team play in the proposed stadium that is part of the plan than the Atlantic League team that has been floated.

Long Island Sports Update: The New York Dragons have lost two starting quarterbacks so far this season but have threaded water enough to be 4-4 at the half-way point in the season.

The Strong Island Sound have won 9 straight games and are headed to Rochester for the Great 8 tournament of the ABA playoffs. They finished the regular season at 16-14 and defeated the Birmingham Magicians by two points in Long Island in the opening round of the post season. They then went on the road to Harlem and defeated the Strongdogs 112-107. The last team standing in the single-elimination playoffs will be crowned ABA champs.

(Long Island, NY) Barry Bonds has been raked over the coals with the pending release of a ‘tell all’ book on his steroid use. Some may say that this is the ‘smoking gun’ we have been waiting for to finally incriminate him. But in reality, do we even need proof that Bonds divulged in some kind of performance enhancing drug?

All the signs have been there for years. Even the casual baseball fan can see that something is different about Bonds from his early days. But even a player that has never been accused of steroid use has many of the same qualities. Roger Clemens has also improved with age and was arguably the best pitcher in the game last season in his 40’s. He has lost nothing off his fastball, which is out of the ordinary. Am I trying to say that Clemens has joined the juice club? No, but he is an interesting possibility.

People have screamed that Bonds is bigger and better than ever at his age and questioned how. He has not helped his cause with his BALCO testimony about never “intentionally” using steroids. And he has not denied the charges in the new book, either.

Has Bonds ‘cheated’ the way that everyone is convinced Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Raphael Palmiero has? That is a question that may never have a definitive answer. Whatever the outcome, the sport will survive.

Baseball has had its scandals of the past that have hurt the game, but not have torn the stitching off the ball. Pete Rose was one of the best, if not the best, pure hitters of all time. He had all the individual awards and the championships on more than one team. His gambling charges as a manager after his playing career ended have resulted in a lifetime ban from baseball and he may never see the Hall of Fame without purchasing a ticket.

The 1919 “Black Sox” scandal took place in a different era but proved that greed can overtake competitiveness. The eight Chicago White Sox players were thrown out of baseball for conspiring with gamblers to lose the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.

These infamous situations have caused players such as Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson to be remembered for their troubles as opposed to their accomplishments. Maybe the penance that Bonds will have to pay will be fans recalling him as a ‘juice monkey’ and not the player with the season home run record.

(Long Island, NY) The Jets recently restructured quarterback Chad Pennington’s contract to give them some salary cap relief. But it was clear that the new administration is not huge supporters of the incumbent, who is rehabbing from his second shoulder surgery. Who takes the first snap behind center next season is a big question mark at this time.

New Jets Head Coach Eric Mangini and General Manager Mike Tannenbaum are not convinced that Pennington will be ready to go once training camp rolls around. Chances are that he will not be healthy even at the start of the regular season. The team does not want a repeat of last season when then-head coach Herman Edwards started Pennington before he was one hundred percent and he re-injured his throwing shoulder, which landed him on Injured Reserve and ended his season.

The Jets have already released Jay Fiedler, the back-up who was also lost for the season in the same game when Pennington went down. Brooks Bollinger is still on the roster, but he will probably be a third stringer this season, at best.

There have been rumors that the Jets will trade for the Washington Redskins’ Patrick Ramsey, who can probably be obtained for a mid-to-late round draft pick. But he started only one game in DC last season and is not thought of as a ‘franchise’ quarterback. Duante Cullpepper of the Minnesota Vikings has requested a trade, but he is coming off his own injury. Then there is Drew Brees, who himself was injured in the San Diego Chargers last game.

As far as this year’s draft goes, the Jets have the fourth overall pick and there is a question if they are going to trade up or down. They are dangling Defensive End John Abraham, who was designated as the team’s ‘franchise player’ for the second straight year. He wants a long term deal and would like to be traded if the Jets are not going to sign him to one. They may be able to package Abraham and their pick to move up from their current spot.

They have shown interest in the three quarterbacks coming out. Private workouts were being scheduled with Matt Leinart of USC, Vince Young of Texas and Jay Cutler of Vanderbilt. But there is a good chance that both Leinart and Young will be off the boards when the Jets are on the clock at number four. Should Cutler be picked that high? That is where the Jets have to read minds of the other General Managers if they roll the dice and trade down. The new regime needs to have a strong draft to convince the Jet fans in attendance on April 29th. The boo-birds in green and white have voiced their opinion in the past and Mangini and Tannenbaum will know right away once NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliubue finishes the sentence, “With the (fourth) overall pick, the New York Jets select…”

(Long Island, NY) The World Baseball Classic tournament has received a lot of criticism. Some of it is warranted, but it became overkill on the New York sports talk airwaves. This is still a professional baseball event taking place while the temperature is still close enough to freezing. How bad could it be?

Many of the big name players have dropped out for one reason or another. Major League Baseball organizations cannot stop participation by their players, but it is no secret that they prefer them to stay in camp where their progress is being closely monitored and there is less chance of injury.

The Mets have to be relieved that their new star closer, Billy Wagner, decided to stay in camp instead of playing for the United States team. Taking his place was Al Leiter, who is trying to make the Yankees as a specialist reliever. He probably is decreasing his chances by participating in the WBC, but he feels that it is an honor to be invited.

This is a tournament that is taken more seriously in other countries around the globe than in the USA. I’m sure that the Latin American counterparts of Mike and the Mad Dog are not dismissing it as an exhibition that has little value. If people enjoy it and the games have a little juice to them, that apparently was the point.

The big question was the timing. Some folks said that it would have been better served after the World Series. Personally, I agree with that assumption. A few years back there was an All-Star mini-series held in Japan after the MLB season concluded. It attracted some popular players and there weren’t as many negatives said about the timing. The Major Leaguers played a team comprised of Japanese All-Stars. It was a success and there were no serious injuries.

Perhaps the next time (if there is a next time) they play the World Baseball Classic, they will take into consideration the other options as far as time of year it takes place. They will have this tournament to use as an example and hopefully it is a good thing for the game and its fans.

So instead of knocking it, we should take it for what it really is. It may be an exhibition for some people and players, but it may also mean the world for that youngster from another country who is not a big leaguer. This is his stage to prove he has what it takes and there’s nothing wrong with watching a hungry ball player this time of year.

(Long Island, NY) Recently I wrote a column on the Long Island Ducks hockey team from 1959-1973. Some people may have been surprised that there was a team with that name before the baseball team that exists today. But now I’m ready to shock even those who may have known about the hockey club.

There was another professional sports team called the Long Island Ducks. And they didn’t play hockey or baseball. For one season in the old Eastern Basketball Association, hoop fans on the island had their own team. (The Nets had already moved to New Jersey after the ABA-NBA merger)

The 1977-1978 EBA season had the Long Island Ducks participate in their Eastern Division. They were actually successful on the court, finishing in second place with a 15-15 record. They finished four and a half games behind the Jersey Shore Bullets. The Ducks qualified for the playoffs but were swept in two games by the Lancaster Red Roses by scores of 166-149 and142-136.

Their lone season in the EBA, the Long Island Ducks led the league in team defense, but had the second worst offense. Judging by the scores in the two playoff games, that is hard to believe. They seemed to be able to score in the series, but gave up an incredible amount of points to a team (Lancaster) that finished the regular season at 19-12 and five games back in the Western Division.

The Eastern Basketball Association would be renamed the Continental Basketball Association the following season and is still running today. It is the oldest continuous running basketball league in the history of the sport, even preceding the NBA by a few months in 1946.

Long Island also had a team in the EBA for the 1975-1976 season called the Long Island Sounds. They had an 8-15 record, finishing 14 games behind the Allentown Jets.

Other basketball teams that have called Long Island home have been the Long Island Knights and the Long Island Surf of the United States Basketball League. The USBL is called “The League of Opportunity”, and schedules its games in the spring and summer. The Knights’ played for one season in 1987, and their biggest attraction was signing Nancy Lieberman, the women’s basketball star. The Surf operated for a few seasons starting in 1991.

More recently, the Strong Island Sound are an expansion team in the new ABA and are competing this season to continue the tradition of pro basketball on Long Island.

(Long Island, NY) The Long Island Ducks were launched in the year 2000 as an independent minor league baseball team in the Atlantic League. They have become part of the fabric on the island and fill their beautiful ballpark, Citibank Park in Central Islip, on a regular basis. But some sports fans may be unaware that the team name was originally used for an old hockey club in Suffolk County.

The Long Island Ducks were a member of the Eastern Hockey League from 1959-1973. They were originally known as the New York Rovers and played at the old Madison Square Garden. When they came out east, their home venue was the Long Island Arena, sometimes known as the Commack Arena. Unfortunately this building is no longer there, being replaced by a Target in a shopping center. But for the people who witnessed the games at that drafty, hut shaped building, the charm will never wear off.

The Ducks had a cast of characters that are still talked about today. The most popular player was John Brophy, who is said to be the model behind Paul Newman’s character (Reggie Dunlop of the Charlestown Chiefs) in the hot movie “Slap-Shot”. In a scene from that movie, Dunlop fights a character named Tommy Hanrahan during a game between the Chiefs and the Long Island Ducks. John Brophy was the Eastern League’s most penalized player. He was traded from the Ducks six times and acquired seven times in his career. This is where he belonged and he kept finding his way back.

John Muckler, the former Minnesota North Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers coach, started out as a player on the Ducks and eventually became their coach/general manager/part-owner.

There are so many interesting stories about this franchise. A few quick recaps are as follows:

• The Ducks once spent four days traveling to Johnstown in a snowstorm
• The Midnight Game- the Ducks were delayed for a home game upon returning from the Jamestown trip. They arrived late and put on their uniforms, which had not been cleaned. The game against New Haven started at approximately midnight. The game was filled with brawls.
• One game was delayed because they could not find any pucks, which were later found in an ice cream freezer.
• Al Baron was the team owner and radio announcer. At one home game, some fans started a bonfire in the chilly stands. Baron commented on the air, “This game is being brought to you by the Smithtown Fire Department.”
• The ABA’s New York Nets also played in the Long Island Arena. The new bright lights added for basketball melted the ice.
• A Zamboni driver named Henry crashed through the boards while waving to the crowd.
• The team trainer had to be the back-up goalie because they only carried one. The league also had a spare goaltender that could step in.

It wasn’t all bad, though. The Ducks were successful on the ice. They had a great fan base and would sell out their home games regularly on weekends. They also captured the Eastern League Championship, the Walker Cup, in April 1965.

Eventually with the NHL expansion of the New York Islanders, the Long Island Ducks folded. But they will always be remembered and enjoyed. As John Brophy said, “Once you’re a Duck, you’re a Duck for the rest of your life.”