SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

This really has very little to do with neighborhood news, but sometimes these things irk me. And I have a soapbox. So I’ll abuse it.

On Monday, we told you about Lance Stephenson, the former Lincoln High School basketball star and Indiana Pacers rookie that tossed his girlfriend down some stairs. At the end of the article, we had to ask, “Do you think the New York Post would’ve repeatedly referred to Jasmine Williams as Stephenson’s ‘baby mama’ if he were not black?” Well, our question fell on deaf ears, as they published at least four more reports using the arguably racist term.

Now we’ve got more eyebrow-raising reporting, as the fawning sportswriters over at the Daily News forget just who it is that’s the victim. They questioned Sebastian Telfair, another Lincoln H.S. basketball alum, about advice for Stephenson to overcome the apparent hurdles of his abusive, shithead nature.

Telfair says the Indiana Pacers rookie can bounce back as long as he owns up to his actions.

“He has to understand that it’s a mistake he made, and the quicker he gets over it, the better off he’ll be in life,” Telfair told the Daily News Wednesday evening at the Most Precious Blood community center in Gravesend, Brooklyn, where he treated nearly 150 kids and coaches from his 3T Family basketball tournament to trophies, food and refreshments. “Sometimes we go through things, we make mistakes and we dwell on it for too long. I hope he knows (Sunday’s incident) doesn’t make who he is as a person. He’s going to show his character as a good person, which I know he is. He’ll be all right.”

…

“It’s an unfortunate situation, but this isn’t the first obstacle he’s had to jump over,” Telfair said. “I’m sure he’ll get through it and come out strong. He has a lot of talent and with the opportunity, he’ll be able to do great things for himself.”

Wouldn’t “Stop beating your girlfriend” be better advice? This isn’t just one mistake Stephenson made. It’s just the one he got caught on. Family friends said Williams has been the victim of his temper before.

Daily News’ reporting almost left me feeling bad – sympathetic even – for this douchebag. How will he ever bounce back from this cosmic tragedy baring down on his life and career? How?!

Oh, then I remembered this maggot is the one that caused his own problems, and he physically hurt someone else in doing it. And he still gets to walk away with his $1.5 million contract.

Boo. F’ing. Hoo.

Source: NYPost.com

From the NY Post:

Former HS hoops star busted for allegedly pushing baby mama down stairs

Former city high-school hoops phenom Lance Stephenson — who just went pro in the NBA — was busted yesterday for pushing his baby mama down the stairs of her Brooklyn home, cops said.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Stephenson — who holds the state record for scoring and who led Lincoln HS in Brooklyn to four city championships — was charged with felony assault, weapons possession and other raps after the 5:05 a.m. violence on the stairwell of gal pal Jasmine Williams’ Gravesend home, authorities said.

Williams, 21, with whom Stephenson has a child, told cops that he pushed her down 10 steps and she struck her head.

Keep reading for the rest of the story, and see what question I raise about the reporting.

Source: NewYorkCricket.com

I played cricket once. I was in New Zealand, and my host family decided to show it to me in the backyard. All I remember is: 1) I sucked, 2) Holy crap! Is that a wooden ball? Why are they throwing it at me so hard?! 3) I sucked.

Compared to a lot of Brooklynites – or Americans, for that matter – this amount of cricket knowledge makes me an expert by comparison. Outside of specific immigrant communities, the sport is merely an exotic staple of places like Marine Park.

Well, thank goodness our children will be better educated. Kingsborough Community College has launched a cricket program for their College For Kids offerings. College For Kids is a daytime program for kids ages 6 to 12. (It’s fun. I did it one year as a kid, and learned useful skills like how to draw cartoons and make deformed vases…)

Here’s some useful information from NewYorkCricket.com that’s more relevant than my blathering:

Now, cricket stands alongside baseball, soccer, tennis, and swimming, as part of the college’s CFK active programming. The cricket program has attracted 31 girls and 49 boys between the ages of 8 and 13 years old. Some 95% of the boys and girls have never played cricket, while 50% have never even seen or heard of the sport. Coached by USA national cricket coach Linden Fraser and USA national female cricket player Triholder Marshall, the program is gaining traction in popularity among the young players and is expected to be included in the college’s fall CFK programming, on weekends only.

Coaching sessions are conducted indoors and outdoors, using cricket safety sport equipment designed for the age group in attendance. From all reports, the enthusiasm of the young athletes has been very encouraging, more so when the similarity between baseball and cricket is pointed out to the students.

Coach Fraser, who has extensive experience coaching players from youth to the under-19 levels and beyond, said it was a bit challenging at first getting some of the athletes to resist the baseball approach to swinging the cricket bat, as well as the motion of pitching as opposed to bowling. He however stated, “…one would be surprised at how well most of the participants have adapted to the rudimentary techniques of the “new” sport of cricket.”

Irina Krush - Source: BrooklynEagle.com

Irina Krush of Sheepshead Bay won her third United States Women’s Chess Championship last Monday, skirting past competitors by just half a point.

The 26-year-old first made history in 1998, when she won the title at just 14 years old. She took the top prize again in 2007, but told Brooklyn Eagle that this year was her toughest yet.

“I actually think it was easier when I was young,” Krush told the paper. “There was no pressure then. It wasn’t a result that I expected of myself. The whole tournament became a little easier for me. This time, I definitely feel like it was a difficult tournament. There were three people in the race for first place. That doesn’t really give you a moment to breath.”

The Ukrainian-born Krush, an Edward R. Murrow High School alumnus, is an International Master that also earned Olympic Silver and Bronze on the U.S. Teams in 2004 and 2008.

For her next trick, Krush is aiming to become a FIDE-recognized grandmaster, the highest title a player can achieve.

“I’d be the first American woman ever to hold that title,” she told the Eagle. “It’s not something that a lot of women have done.”

We’re wondering why there are different leagues for men and women in chess. Can anyone lend insight?

For those of you following the very emphatic Facebook page of THIS IS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, you know that the class of 1990 and friends of Sheepshead Bay High School alumni are planning a special summer get together and reunion for anyone who graduated from the school.

The event will have a sports spin with a planned basketball game. Here is the information in a cut-and-paste from the Facebook page (date clarification added). There is also a mingling party planned at TGIF restaurant in Sheepshead Bay the night before the reunion. There’s not much time left to pay the entrance fee, unless you use the PayPal payment option.

Check out the details of the Sheepshead Bay High School gathering

Here’s a little political trivia for you: did you know Councilman Lew Fidler is a fantasy baseball heavyweight?

In fact, the councilman managed the business of the Rotisserie Baseball League’s Founding Fathers as the “Official Stat Service” during the late 80s and early 90s. For his role, interviews with Fidler will be aired on ESPN as part of a a tongue in cheek history of the original Rotisserie Baseball League.

“I can’t say that I play a starring role, even though I filmed about five hours of interview and historic recreation,” Fidler said in a press release. “Only a bit of it made it in, but at least I made the cut.”

The docu-drama, titled A Silly Little Game, is scheduled to air on ESPN Tuesday evening, April 20, at 8 p.m. The movie premiered last Monday at the home of the Tribeca Film Festival and is part of the ESPN series “30 for 30” in celebration of the 30 years of ESPN sports broadcasting history.

The Rotisserie Baseball League was founded in 1980 by sportswriter Daniel Okrent and his New York City friends. The first fantasy sports game based on real-time stats and conditions, the Rotisserie League blossomed throughout the 80s and 90s spreading across the nation and inspiring fantasy leagues in all other major sports.

The film will air six times in the next two weeks: Tuesday, April 20, at 8 p.m. (ESPN) and 10 p.m. (ESPN 2); Thursday, April 22, at 10 p.m. (ESPN Classic); Friday, April 23, at 2 a.m. (ESPN 2); Tuesday, April 27, at 9 p.m. (ESPN); and Thursday, April 29, at 8:30 p.m. (ESPN 2).

Betcha didn’t know that, did you?

The SportFishing, Hunting and Outdoor Expo 2010 is headed to the fishing capital of the Northeast United States. That’s us!

Starting at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 9, Floyd Bennett Field will be all set up with exhibitors and news media.

The big trucks will be rolling down Avenue U with their kayaking cargo, so let’s hope they read the recent news about overpass clearance problems or be ready to catch a k-turn.

If you missed the application deadline to be an exhibitor, you can still check out the application for some really surprising facts about our area. For instance, did you know that “60 percent of all hunting licenses in the entire state of New York are purchased by Long Islanders and NYC residents”?

Not much of an exhibitionist, you say? You can pack up the kids, drive off (yes, there’s free parking), and go check out the kayaks, boats and water-related vessels that the trucks dragged in. Check out the website for the full details.

17th Annual SportFishing, Hunting, and Outdoor Expo
Aviator Sports & Events Center – Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, NY
Friday, April 9, 2010 from 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, April 10, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 11, 2010 from 10:00am-6:00pm
Tickets cost nothing, $5, $8, or $10 — depending on your age

We at Sheepshead Bites are very sociable people (not really). So it should come as no surprise (actually, it’s very surprising) that we receive invitations to cool events and offers all the time (almost never). For example, just recently we got invited to see the Brooklyn Cyclones game this Wednesday, July 15, at Coney Island’s Keyspan Park for just $2.

But wait, there’s more! The invitation is extended to all of our awesome readers by the event’s organizers, the NYMeetup group. Tickets include a hot dog, a soda, and – for the early birds – a batting helmet (first 2,500 at the park). Sure, it’s the bleachers – but where in New York can you get a hot dog and coke for $2?!

Tickets are expected to sell out quickly, so be sure to head over to NYMeetup’s page, find out the details, and confirm your spot ASAP. Oh, and drop us a line if you’re going – ’cause we’ll be there, too!

Coming in from Five Boro Sports: Leon M. Goldstein High School – formerly Kingsborough High School – competed for the first time in the Mayor’s Cup this past weekend.

The team was led by freshman Becky Shtilkind, who last week defeated Cardozo freshman Arielle Griffin, 6-0, 6-1, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, making her the “first freshman to win the PSAL girls’ tennis individual tennis championship in recent memory.” Shtlikind is a Ukrainian immigrant living in Sheepshead Bay.

The victory over Cardozo won them entrance to the Mayor’s Cup this weekend, where the sixth-seeded Dolphins bested No. 3 Francis Lewis, 5-0, in the quarterfinals in Flushing. They faced Cardoza – No 2. – on Sunday and lost in the semifinals.

Despite ending their Mayor’s Cup run in the semifinals, the team still ought to be proud to have raised the bar for Goldstein High School’s sports.

When we last checked in with Rockin’ Ray Fiore, he was throwing a fundraiser for his H.O.N.K. (Help Our Neighborhood Kids) Boxing Club and Youth Center here in Sheepshead Bay. Well, that was back in March, and apparently Ray wasn’t able to raise enough. Daily News is reporting that he owes the landlord two months rent, and faces eviction if he can’t come up with $7,000 by Sunday.

H.O.N.K. is a great community organization that helps mentor kids – many who are troubled – and is also the only boxing club in southern Brooklyn. Help keep great organizations like this in our community by contacting Ray to see what you can do to keep the club going.
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