I’m just askin’…

And, please don’t try to blame “bad lighting” or something like that.

(photos courtesy Getty Images)

  When Game Six of the World Series reached the top of the 9th inning last night, I turned down the sound on the TV and turned up the radio. If the Yankees were going to win the World Series, I wanted to hear John Sterling make the call. John didn’t disappoint.

“Ballgame over! World Series over! Yankees win! THHHHEEEE YANKEES WIN!”

I know there are a lot of Yankee haters out there. That’s fine. Whatever.  I’m not one of them.

People here in New York who were born Yankee fans - or at least grew up with the team in the late 1990s - may think that winning the World Series is a birthright. It’s not (as witnessed by the last nine Series-less seasons).

I’m what you call an “acquired taste” Yankee fan. I’m a Yankee fan by choice, thank you…not birthright. I was born in California and then lived 20+ years in Chicago before moving here a few years ago. I don’t know when I started liking the Yankees a little. Maybe all the way back in the 1970s, watching the bickering between Billy Martin and Mr. Steinbrenner.  Maybe it was the late ’90s, with the emergence of Jeter, Pettitte,Posada and Rivera. It was certainly solidified when I joined WCBS 880, the radio flagship of the Yankees. I became a fan!

This is the first time that a team I really liked has won the World Series since the Oakland A’s of the early- to mid-1970s, when I was a kid growing up in California. Oh, I was in Chicago when the White Sox won in 2005. It was fun to watch their World Series run, but I was never a die-hard White Sox (or Cubs) fan.

I’m not a jump-up-and-down kind of fan. But, as I listened to John Sterling call the final out last night, I found myself quietly doing a Derek Jeter-esque bent-arm clenched fist. The radio broadcast on WCBS was several seconds ahead of the TV broadcast…so I knew the outcome before my wife saw the final play on TV. I turned up the sound on the radio.

 Ballgame over! World Series over! Yankees win! THHHHEEEE YANKEES WIN!

Indeed!

So, excuse me, Yankee haters. Let me - and other Yankee fans - enjoy the Yankees’ 27th World Series title.

My WCBS 880 colleague, producer Lou Zambrana, put together this nice AudioFile that brings you the sounds of the Yankees’ Game Six win.

Now…bring on the parade in the Canyon of Heroes!

(Yankee celebration photo courtesy Getty Images)

I’m all suited up and ready to go. 

Good luck Yankees!

It must be hard to be a New York Mets fan today. 

The Mets’ hated rival, the Yankees, have advance to the World Series…where they will play the Mets’ hated rival, the Philadelphia Phillies.

What’s a Mets fan to do?

Just ignoring the World Series is not an acceptable answer. Mets fans are some of the most loyal, most passionate fans in all of baseball. And, they are baseball fans. They could never just ignore the World Series.

It’s mathematically impossible for neither team to win the Series. So, that option is out for Mets fans.

I know a bunch of Mets fans. Most of them say they will root for - get this - the Phillies. Yes, their hated division rival…the team that has kept the Mets out of the playoffs the past few years. These Mets fans so hate the Yankees, so despise them, that they will root for any one to beat them. In this case, that “any one” is the hated Phillies.

I don’t know who will win the World Series, but it must really be tough to be a Mets fan right now.

What IS a Mets fan to do?

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

What was DirecTV thinking?

I was watching the Yankees/Angels ALCS game on Fox last night…and was shocked by a commercial that I saw.

The ad is for DirecTV. It shows the actor David Spade…and, the late comic actor Chris Farley. Chris Farley, as you may know, was an alcohol- and drug-abusive man-child, whose addictions led to his death at age 33.

The  commercial showed Chris Farley at his stereotypical worst. With the help of modern technology, an archival clip of an obviously intoxicated Farley was mixed with a current version of David Spade. Somehow, this was supposed to convince me to buy DirecTV.

What a terrible message from from DirecTV.

The commercial glorified and mocked the very abuses that killed Chris Farley. And, it portrayed Farley’s intoxicated state as something fun and goofy. The message to kids watching last night’s game: “Hey, look at me! It’s pretty fun to get all f*cked up!”

As a journalist in Chicago in 1997, I covered Chris Farley’s drug-induced death. I was outside his home at the John Hancock Center when his body was taken from the building. I’ve seen the photos of Chris Farley’s body from inside his apartment. Google them. Serious, Google them and take a look. You’ll see that he died a horrible, horrible death.

Is this the lifestyle and behavior DirecTV wants to promote in its advertising? I don’t think so.

A friend of mine defended the ad…comparing it to ads featuring old clips of the late actor Humphrey Bogart. With all due respect to my friend…sorry, this is apples and oranges. The Bogie ads were cool and dignified, showing a dashing movie star from days gone by. The DirecTV Farley glorifies the very drug and alcohol excesses that killed Farley.

DirecTV should pull those ads…now! They should not air again…especially in a program with a large audience of kids.

What was DirecTV thinking?

Shame on you, DirecTV! Shame on you!

(Steve’s note: The above photo is not from the commercial. It shows Chris Farley and David Spade in happier times: Before Farley died his horrible death…bruised, with vomit coming out his mouth.)

Yes, the Yankees are in the ALCS. Yes, the Giants are 5-0.

So, it’s time to talk…basketball!

I did the public address announcing last night, as the Knicks played their pre-season home opener against Philadelphia at Madison Square Garden. Here’s a nifty picture taken courtside before the game! 

Something was different last night. No, I don’t mean the Knicks’ Nate Robinson changing his number from 4 to 2.

During the pre-game introductions, instead of announcing referees with names like Dick Bavetta, Jess Kersey and Joe Crawford…I announced Scott Twardoski, Mike Bobiak and Jaime Morales. The only Joe Crawford to be found was a reserve player on the Knicks’ bench.

The regular NBA referees are in the midst of a labor dispute with the NBA. They’ve been locked out, and replaced by…well, “replacement” officials. The replacements come from places like the WNBA and the NBA’s Development League. Last night, for the Knicks and 76ers at the Garden, it was Scott Twardoski, Mike Bobiak and Jaime Morales.

You know what? They did the best they could.

NBA players (and coaches) can be tough on the regular officials. When they get inexperienced replacements, it’s like a shark smelling blood in the water. They make catty remarks. They react with Academy Award-winning performances when a call goes against them. In short, they bait them as best they can.

A retired NBA referee sat courtside to counsel, encourage and rate the replacements. Some of the things he reminded them about seemed pretty basic compared to the NBA refs. But, I thought they did the best they could, and called a decent game. Sure, there were more traveling violations called than usual - NBA players are used to getting away with an extra step or two. And, they called the fouls a little tight. But, all in all, I thought Misters Twardoski, Bobiak and Morales did okay.

Neither team won nor lost because of the officiating. And, at the end of the game (especially a pre-season game with replacement refs) that’s all either team could ask for.

That said, I sure hope this labor dispute can be resolved soon. And, I hope that “other” Joe Crawford will be back at the Garden soon!

It pains me to write this. It really does. 

It may be time for “Mo”…to go. Well, not “GO” go…but step aside as the Yankees’ closer.

Like I said…it pains me to write this. I am a huge Mariano Rivera fan. He may be the greatest relief pitcher of all time. He’s a certain Hall of Famer, and one of the classiest players ever to wear Yankee pinstripes.

But right now, he’s just not getting it done. He’s already given up four home runs this season…including (for the first time in his career) back-to-back homers to the Rays last night. And, they haven’t just been home runs…they have been game-changing (or game-losing) home runs.

Oh, it pains me to write this. But, for now, at least…Mo needs to step aside as closer.

Joba Chamberlain should take that role.

Joba has shown he can be a decent starting pitcher. But, I’m not seeing Don Drysdale or Nolan Ryan when I see Joba as a starting pitcher. I do see Goose Gossage…or maybe even Mariano Rivera…when he comes out of the bullpen.

Joba has shown he can be an intimidating force out of the bullpen. No worries about facing the opposing lineup 2 or 3 or even 4 times. With his near-100mph fastball, he can come in for an inning and simply blow a team away to close out a game.

And, he’s young. He could be the Yankees closer for the next 15 years.

It’s easier to replace a number 4 or 5 starter than it is to replace a Hall of Fame closer. The Yankees have that rare opportunity.

Mo is still a very good pitcher. But, right now, he’s just not getting the job done as closer. His ERA is near 4. To his credit, he hasn’t walked a batter this year, while striking out 17. But, he is not saving games.

The season is still young. Mo is not (39, or so they say).  Before the season gets out of hand, the Yankees need to do something. Make Joba the closer.

Did I mention that it pains me to write this?

(photo courtesy Getty Images)

After the Yankees lost their first two games of the season, I decided that desperate times called for desperate measures.

Something had to be done.

And, I had to do it.

So, I found a bottle of Derek Jeter “Driven” cologne that I had somewhere in the bathroom…and gave myself a couple of squirts. 

The Yankees won.

So, I did it again yesterday.

And, the Yankees won.  Again.

Okay, I’m not superstitious (yes I am!)…but I’ve given myself a couple more squirts of “Driven” today.

Can the Yankees make it three in a row?

Great win for Chris Drury and the Rangers last night, as they beat Montreal, 3-1, at the Garden. 

Florida lost to Philadelphia…so the Rangers now hold a 2 point lead for the final playoff spot, with two games left to play.

Hang in there, Rangers!

By the way, if you were at the game last night, did you hear me doing the general PA announcing? Not the goals or penalties…but, the general in-house stuff. You know…“Fans, the Garden has a great selection of food and beverages for you…”  And, of course, “Don’t forget to stop by the Rangers Team Store at Gate…” I like doing the PA for Rangers games…but, it’s sure a lot different than the non-stop exhausting pace of basketball when I do the Knicks! 

(photo courtesy Getty Images)

Tonight’s the night! The Yankees and Mets will christen their new ballparks tonight. The Yankees host the Cubs at the new Yankee Stadium…while the Mets will play Red Sox at Citi Field. Okay, these are just exhibition games - they won’t count in the standings. But, they’re the first games ever in the new stadiums!

I like this photo of the two Yankee Stadiums next to each other.

The new ballparks are magnificent! You can get an inside look at both new ballparks - including video and photos - here.

Sure, the weather forecast looks lousy. There’s a decent chance we’ll get rained on…at least a little.  But, that doesn’t matter - it’s baseball season!  I’ll be at Yankee Stadium tonight. I have some co-workers who will be over at Citi Field.

  Here’s a nice pic of Citi Field. I think fans will really enjoy both stadiums.

See ya at the ballpark!

(photos courtesy Getty Images)