Hey Everyone:
So to start, I want to again thank everyone who contributed, encouraged and supported me (specifically) and Running for Rebecca (in general) during last Thursday's Wall Street Run and Heart Walk.
Becky was absolutely smiling down on us Thursday night, as after a week of lousy weather, we had an absolutely perfect evening, not a raindrop to be felt, and a perfect temperature. The turnout was unbelievable, close to 12,000 I heard someone say.
Tim and I trekked in on the LIRR, then took the A train down to Chambers Street. It was I'm almost embarrassed to say, the first time I had been down to the World Trade Center since they opened the 9/11 Memorial. It was the first time I have seen the rebuilt downtown.
The meeting place was Brookfield Plaza down near the Hudson. Coach Kate handed out the shirts and we got to catch up with old friends. Mom and Dad were there to root us on. Everyone was in good spirits.
The Walk/Run Route: Photo Credit: Patch.com/downtown nyc
Tim and I at the Starting Gate
Kate was the only one of us who was going to run, so the runners went first. The rest of us walkers followed, and even though I've been living in Oceanside the past 10 years, I still consider myself a consummate New Yorker. But during this walk, I saw streets and places I've either never seen before, or haven't seen in a long time. Some of those streets downtown, haven't changed since the Revolutionary War. There were about 10 bars or so, that were right next to each other that would have been perfect in my pub crawl days.
We walked by the Fraunces Tavern, the Stock Exchange, and had some fantastic views of the Freedom Tower. We also walked by 1 New York Plaza
This building holds some historical significance for us Gallaghers, for it was here that my Mom and Dad met after Dad got home from Vietnam. It's also where my sisters and I spent quite a few Christmas Eve Mornings. One year, my dad ordered breakfast for us from the short order cooks in the lobby. One toasted corn, two of the usual and three brown cows. (TRANSLATION- one toasted corn muffin, two toasted bagels, and three chocolate milks)
The end of the walk/run was right along the Hudson, with a great view of the Statue of Liberty.
The breeze off the water was welcoming, as we (or at least I) had worked up quite a sweat from the walk. We were greeted by Mom and Dad and Kate.
This whole thing could not have gone better. Perfect weather, great company, unbelievable sights and sounds. It was a tragedy that brought us to this night, but a triumph what was accomplished. Just all of us getting together to remember our angel was special in and of itself.
But our team was able to raise (as of this writing) over $7000. (Our goal was $4,000). On a personal note, thanks to my amazing family and friends, I raised $985 through Facebook and the blog. This is good to know for when I toss my Met cap in the ring to kick off my campaign for the White House in 2020. (easy folks-that's a joke)
Seriously though, from the bottom of my heart, to all of you.
:O) Thank you.
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A wild week in sports around here...
THE GOOD-Rangers bring JD home.
The Rangers hired their former goalie/broadcaster John Davidson to be their new team president, taking over for the retiring Glen Sather. JD had previously been president of the Blues and Blue Jackets, two teams that made the playoffs this year. I miss him working the booth with Sam Rosen, but I'm happy he's running the team. He's a good guy who knows his hockey, and I think he will work well with GM Jeff Gorton.
It's been frustrating the past two seasons with the Rangers, watching them miss the playoffs. But with Sather hanging it up, the Rangers picked the right time to pick a new boss, before the draft and free agency. Unlike one of my other teams..
THE BAD-Jets fire Maccagnan, promote Gase
I nearly fell out of my chair at work the other day when I saw the breaking news that the Jets fired their GM. The shock wasn't that he was fired, rather when he was fired.
I will go on the record here and say again, that I was in favor of keeping Maccagnan as GM. No, he hasn't set the world on fire with his moves, but I also felt like his background in scouting would have served the franchise well. Look, I realize this is NY, I realize we fancy ourselves a championship factory, but the fact of the matter is that is nonsense. Since the century began 19 years ago, our 9 teams have won 6 times. Two for the Yankees, two for the Devils, and two for the Giants. we can be as demanding as we want, but the older I get, the more I feel like a GM needs more than 3 or 4 seasons to build a winner. Especially a team as dysfunctional as the Jets.
But that's just me. Maccagnan's spotty record was probably enough to warrant a change. But that change needed to be made PRIOR to his running the draft and signing free agents. If he was going to fired, that needed to happen when Todd Bowels was let go. Not in the middle of May.
A lot of folks around here will be eating crow if Adam Gase turns into Bill Bellichick and leads the Jets to the Super Bowl. I will be one of them because I think this guy is a disaster. And I feel like a schmuck that I defended Woody/Christoper Johnson when it came to rating the owners of my teams. I'll put my owners (the Johnsons, the Wilpons and the Doalns) up against any three sports owners in terms of overall incompetence. My three of a kind will be yours, day in and day out.
Speaking of the Wilpons...
THE UGLY- Mets swept by Marlins
You know who probably needs to get fired? Mickey Callaway.
I don't know if the Mets losing ways is entirely his fault, but I don't think this team is as bad as they are playing, and is in dire need of a good a$$-kicking. I don't think Mickey Callaway is the man to deliver said a$$-kicking.
I know what you're thinking, "Hold on there Gallagher, you just said you have to have patience with the GM, but you want to fire the manager?"
Yes.
It takes time to build from scratch like the Jets. The Mets are a win now team, and the manager needs to act accordingly. I don't see it here.
Losing these games to the Marlins is inexcusable. The Marlins are barely a major league team. To get 1 hit by them like they did on Saturday is a disgrace. Callaway seems like a good guy and he was an excellent pitching coach. He may actually turn out to be a good manager some day.
But with this pitching staff and some of the bats we have, we can't afford to wait. I hate to say it, but he needs to go. Pronto.
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY-The Knicks Lose the Lottery (but not that badly)
With everything else going on with my three other teams, I almost completely forgot that what we all thought was going to be the biggest story of the week, was the Knicks NOT winning the draft lottery and the ability to draft Duke superstar Zion Williamson. That's obviously the bad news. The good news is that they could have dropped to 5th in a draft that has 1 potential mega-star and two potential superstars. The ugly news is that they are banking on signing two max free agents. Kevin Durant? If he's healthy and wants to come here, great. Kyrie Irving? Do the Knicks bank on him as a potential franchise saviour? I wouldn't. Anthony Davis? he's not a free agent, and you'd have to trade to get him. Assuming 1) he still wants to be dealt, (his team, the Pelicans won the right to draft Zion) and 2) the Knicks must deal the 3rd pick in the draft, how will they go about building a team around him.
I have no doubt the Knicks are going to screw this up. But lets hope not.
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So the Dope from Park Slope made it official on Good Morning America the other day, announcing he was running for President. Like most other sane New Yorkers, I think this is a pipe dream on his part, but there is one way I can see him actually making a run.
It crossed my mind when President Trump tweeted a video aboard Air Force One, saying ".....the worst mayor in the United States is now running for President."
Great job, genius.
Because all Trump did by making that video was legitimize TDFPS candidacy. THAT is going to be DeBlasio's MO here. "Hey look, Trump hates me. I'm in his head! He's so afraid of me, he had to attack me right away!"
And he's not wrong.
If Trump was smart, he would have said nothing. And if someone asked him about it, he should answer, "Who?"
Now DeBlasio has street cred from his fellow democrats. Will it help? Probably not, but it does give him something to work with.
I have not seen one episode of Game of Thrones/ I hope for those invested, the finale wasn't a let down, as finales tend to be.
Again thank you for helping me keep my niece's memory alive. I've been looking at pictures from the event, especially with all the kids, and wishing she was there, before realizing that by all of us running and walking in her honor, that she was there.
She was there.
Have a Great Week
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