New York Times Metro section on sports teams, Oct 2002

NYC-WTC 000143184 "Et"ü? bi..: THE NEW YORK TIMES METRO TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2002 L+ B7 REGION For New York Fans, It's Like Mudville Continued From Page Al is usually a long waiting list, are from the ESPN Zone sports enter- tainment complex in Times Square yesterday afternoon. "The Mets stink, the Yankees stink, the Knicks stink - well, the season hasn't start- ed yet, but they re already stinking. And the Jets- geez, they're terrible. It seems like all of the New York teams have lost their heart." One might have to reach back to theKoch administration-from the fall of 1987 to the spring of 1988, to be precise, when the Yankees, Mets, Gi- ants, Jets, Knicks and Rangers all missed the playoffs - to find a sea- son as cheerless as this one has the potential to be. Most of the damage seemed to happen suddenly, in the course of a couple of October weekends. First, the Yankees folded like lawn chairs (or, maybe more accurately, Mets) at the feet of a perennial also-ran, the Anaheim Angels. Then, ob Saturday, the Knicks saw their prospects for success collapse when Antonio McDyess, acquired in a blockbuster off-season trade, broke his kneecap. Until then the team's preseason had been marked by the disciplining of Latrell Sprewell, who responded by sulking on his yacht in Milwaukee, of all places, nursing his pride as much as his broken pinky. The next day, the spiritual anchor of the Giants* defense, the tackle Keith Hamilton, was helped off the field with that most symbolic of sea- Learning to live with loss in a town that's used to winners. yours for the asking (and the $2,800). According to Ticketmaster, there are even $210 and $100 seats still available for the home opener, Nov. 2 against the Celtics. Morris McWilliams, who managed the Harlem 12-year-olds to the Little League World Series in August, pre- scribed patience forfans and players alike. "It's coincidence" he said. "It's just kind of the ebb and flow. The consensus at the bar is that it's just the fortunes of what goes on in pro- fessional sports and poor judg- ment on the part of management." Still, he conceded, *it is insane, Maybe the Giants might do some- thing, but not this year. It's kind of wait till next year already." There have been a few bright spots, to be sure. Last month the Staten Island Yankees, the Bronx Bombers' farm team, won the Class A Penn League championship for the sécond time in three years. And here's good news for Knicks fans: season tickets, for which there "You've got to continue to perse- vere and hang in there," Mr. Mewil- liams said. "Hopefully things will turn themselves às time goes on." Back at the OTB, a 58-year-old security guard named A. Gardner said that although he would not bet on any of the localteams *That would be stupid" - he remained hopeful. "Take the Knicks he said. "You can't go by the preseason. I'm not going to give up on them" Then he turned bis attention to what seered like a surer thing. "Come on 3," he shouted at the TV screen as the horses rounded a turn. "Get him 3. Get on that rail!" Shortstop Derek Jeter, at left,manager Joe Torre and other Yankees players and coaches watched the Anaheim Angels celebrate after eliminating the Yankees from post-seasonplay 10 daysago. NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document