Kaplan's KornerJews are known as "the people of the book," but they're also the people of the ball and bat and net. Kaplan's Korner, a new blog from New Jersey Jewish News, is dedicated to bringing the latest sports news and commentary on Jews in sport at a local, national, and international level.Kaplan's Korner on Jews and Sports © 2010 New Jersey Jewish News Jewps, neat (no Jice)Permalink Leave a commentMon, 08 Feb 2010 15:05:48 | by Ron Kaplan To more games, two more losses for Omri Casspi and the Sacramento Kings. The Israeli rookie scored 17 points in the 114-102 Feb. 5 loss to the Phoenix Suns and just three in 19 minutes in yesterday’s 115-104 international defeat to the Toronto Raptors. Jordan Farmar scored six points in the Lakers’ 126-133 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 5, but rebounded (pardon the pun) with 12 in a 99-82 win over the Portland Trailblazers the next game. But let’s talk “Old School” for a minute: National Public Radio conducted this interview with David Vyorst writer, director, and producer of the documentary, The First Basket, which I wrote about while it was still in its nascent stages. The NPR story links to the audio of the interview. Over on the slippery stuff, no new to report other than Steve, our senior graphics deisgner and sytems manager, broke a tooth on a pretzel at a recent NJ Devils game. Say a mishabreach.
All the Veingrad news that’s fit to printPermalink Leave a commentMon, 08 Feb 2010 14:50:34 | by Ron Kaplan My clever (?) way of referring to this story about former NFL player Alan Veingrad in The New York Times‘ “On Religion” column. I’ve written a few pieces on Veingrad, who appeared in the 1992 Super Bowl as a member of the Dallas Cowboys, but once you’ve tasted fame in the Times, there’s no turning back.
What’s the Super Bowl without a nosh?Permalink Leave a commentMon, 08 Feb 2010 14:43:24 | by Ron Kaplan Kosher Sports Inc. (KSI), a New York-based kosher concessions provider geared to the sports industry, provided kosher food to this year’s Pro Bowl and Super Bowl games at Dolphin Stadium, the first time kosher fare was made available at the events. On the menu for this year’s football finals: Abeles & Heymann frankfurters, Italian sausages, and knoblewurst, as well as grilled salami sliders. Yum.
Marquis mark-upPermalink Leave a commentThu, 04 Feb 2010 17:57:16 | by Ron Kaplan The Washington Jewish Week’s Eric Fingerhut published this profile on the Nats’ new pitcher. It’s refreshing to see such sentiments about religion on display. Before coming to DC, Marquis pitched in Atlanta, St. Louis, and Colorado.
Unaccustomed as I am to public speakingPermalink Leave a commentThu, 04 Feb 2010 16:50:40 | by Ron Kaplan I nevertheless gave a talk to a local men’s club about the November trip to Yankees Fantasy Camp. For all the prepping I do, it never seems to come off the way I envision it. I guess I’m more comfortable in a Q&A situation rather than a straight “lecture.” I screened the DVD from the session (A portion of which is available on this blog, over to the top/right. Thanks again, Phil!), which expressed my thoughts to such a degree that extra speechifying seemed superfluous. Watching the video put me back into the situation. The main feature, as far as I’m concerned, is the section of individual interviews with my teammates. Although they were done separately, a common theme was repeated: we came together as strangers, no one (especially our coaches) expected us to do well, but we gelled and exceeded those expectations.
But I digress… After the DVD came, I jotted off a few quick emails to my teammates to say hi and bust chops over how we came off on screen. Looking forward to their responses, but I’m not holding my breath.
Jewps & JicePermalink Leave a commentThu, 04 Feb 2010 16:23:15 | by Ron Kaplan Omri Casspi scored eight points in 32 minutes in another Kings loss last night, this time 115-113 to the San Antonio Spurs. Jordan Farmar had nine points in 25 minutes as the Lakers edged the Charlotte Bobcats 99-97. Meanwhile, Eric Nystrom had an assist in the Flames’ 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes last night. Matthieu Schneider, now with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League, is still eying a comeback to the NHL. In eight games with Manitobia, the defenseman has three goals and two assists. The Canadiens’ Michael Cammalleri is still on the mend from a bad knee injury.
“Faster than a speeding…”Permalink Leave a commentWed, 03 Feb 2010 18:11:34 | by Ron Kaplan Before you complete that phrase, read Dan Steinberg’s “D.C. Sports Bog” from The Washington Post. Steinberg does an in-depth parsing of remarks made over the years by the late Abe Pollin, owner of the NBA’s Washington franchise, formerly known as the Bullets (a name they had since their origins in Baltimore) but changed to the Wizards in 1998.
 Abe Pollin with Michael Jordan The situation is even more timely thanks to the Wizards’ poster boy for the NRA, Gilbert Arenas, who was suspended by the league for brandishing an unloaded handgun in the team’s locker room last December. He also faces criminal charges for unlicensed gun possession, loaded or not. (More about Arenas and his recent op-ed apology in the Post here.) Why the name change? Was it because of the violent connotations of the “Bullets,” made all the more prominent by the assassination of Pollin’s friend and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin? Or was it a crass maneuver for more merchandise money? Opinions vary. Pollin died last November at the age of 86.
Super queriesPermalink Leave a commentTue, 02 Feb 2010 18:07:56 | by Ron Kaplan Remember when your teachers would tell you, “There are no dumb questions?”
Mayo on dearth of Jewish candidates for Baseball HallPermalink Leave a commentTue, 02 Feb 2010 17:52:58 | by Ron Kaplan I always look forward to Jonathan Mayo’s sports items in the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, such as this column on the paucity of consideration-worthy MOTs for the HoF. FYI, Shawn Green will be on the ballot for the first time in 2012. Great, another Jew finally gets elected and the world comes to an end. But seriously: Green belongs in the Hall of Very Good, but there’s no way he’s Cooperstown-worthy, to be honest. FYI, part deux: Mayo, author of Facing Clemens: Hitters on Hitting Against Baseball’s Most Intimidating Pitchers (which was released just before the steroids allegations came to light), is the go-to guy for minor league prospect news. You can follow him here.
Jewps & JicePermalink Leave a commentTue, 02 Feb 2010 17:08:50 | by Ron Kaplan Omri Casspi scored 14 points in the Kings’ 112-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets last night. Sacramento has lost three in a row following their 99-96 win over the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 26. Since the beginning of the year, the Kings have a record of 2-14. Although they are just one win away from tying last years win total of 17, their losing ways have been a real setback.
Jordan Farmar scored five points in 20 minutes in the Lakers’ 95-93 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Teammate Kobe Bryant set a record for most points in franchise history during the game. * * * Michael Cammalleri had an assist in the Canadiens’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 30.
Arrivederci, RomaPermalink Leave a commentTue, 02 Feb 2010 15:07:22 | by Ron Kaplan From the JTA:
Speaking of SandyPermalink Leave a commentMon, 01 Feb 2010 17:54:31 | by Ron Kaplan Thanks for the “honor”? Some ball clubs host Jewish Heritage games. The Brooklyn Cyclones, a single A affiliate of the Mets’, will jump on the Jersey Shore bandwagon (assuming it’s still popular by then) with a “Jersey? Sure!” Night on July 21st. At that night’s game, The Situation, star of the reality show, will take batting practice with the team, gift certificates to local gyms and tanning salons will be handed out, and techno music will blast between innings.” Those those of you who walk upright, and therefore do not know about TJS, it’s another “reality” show on MTV that depicts the life of the young and brainless. The “stars” of the show made an appearance about a week ago at the opening of a new club in Montclair, causing massive traffic jams and all sorts of police presence. P.S.: the club was shut down within a few days for violating its lease. Anyway, according to the item on the JDub site,
Maybe this is why Koufax shuns the limelight.
Speaking of the OlympicsPermalink Leave a commentMon, 01 Feb 2010 17:04:04 | by Ron Kaplan This item from the JTA: Israeli flags defaced in Vancouver Two Israeli flags that were part of an Olympic display in Vancouver were removed after being defaced. The Israeli flags were covered in paint with the words “Free Palestine” written on them, the Vancouver Sun reported Sunday. They were removed last month. The display on the streets of the city features 450 international flags from 80 countries. The flags will be replaced before the start of the games, according to the Sun. Their slots are now empty.
Israeli skating deicision: On the one hand, on the other handPermalink Leave a commentMon, 01 Feb 2010 16:54:48 | by Ron Kaplan
Katz, a three-time national champion, met the International Skating Union’s standards for Olympic eligibility, but not her nation’s when she cam in 21st. On the one hand: Her inclusion could serve as an inspiration to young Israeli athletes. How difficult must it be to excel at a winter sport in a country that’s almost perpetually in summer mode? And finishing among the best in the world is no small feat. On the other hand: To put it in the vernacular, rules is rules. There comes a point where you know longer get props for participating, or an A for effort. This isn’t little league anymore. If the Israelis allow this, can they deny the same consideration for an athlete that finishing 18th? Sixteenth? Some countries want to win medals; others are satisfied with the pride of being there. According to this article in the Jan. 20 New York Times,
Perhaps, but seven place? I hate to seem like an ogre here; the illness factor is certainly heartbreaking for Katz, but them’s the breaks. Israel will send three athletes to Vancouver: a team of ice dancers and a skier. Way short of a minyan.
Because us Jews gotta stick togetherPermalink Leave a commentMon, 01 Feb 2010 16:21:16 | by Ron Kaplan Veteran sportswriter Maury Allen wrote this column about the shande of Marvin Miller being kept out of the Hall of Fame, calling it “the crime of the century.”
A posthumous Mazal TovPermalink Leave a commentMon, 01 Feb 2010 16:10:56 | by Ron Kaplan To Allan Roth, referred to as the “Father of Sabermetrics” by Bill James, for his recent election to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. According to the press release, Roth, who was born in Montreal
There’s a chapter on Roth and his contributions in Alan Schwarz’s excellent book, Numbers Game : Baseball’s Lifelong Fascination with Statistics.
More code words?Permalink Leave a commentMon, 01 Feb 2010 16:04:23 | by Ron Kaplan Remember all the trouble Rush Limbaugh got into recently with his remarks about bankers and Jews and Obama? Maybe I’m being paranoid, but this profile of Chuck Greenberg, “who stands to become the Rangers’ new managing general partner and chief executive officer by opening day,” according to this piece in the Dallas Morning News, has some weasel words, too.
But continuing, the reader would see tha, in fact, Greenberg “brings neither the bloodlines nor the Gordon Gekko greed. His wealth is not in money but in practical experience. And in that regard, he may be well ahead of all those captains of industry when it comes to being prepared for the job at hand.” So, Jews are good in business, huh? And, since they’re so clannish, there’s also a “did you know” item that notes that Greenberg and Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban attended the same synagogue in Pittsburgh as kids. So Greenberg is not only Jewish, he’s a Yankee carpetbagger as well? Here’s a Greenberg Q&A with ESPN’s Richard Durrett.
Junior JewpsPermalink Leave a commentMon, 01 Feb 2010 15:24:03 | by Ron Kaplan
Thanks to Korner friend Ari for the heads-up.
Sandy Koufax sighting…Permalink Leave a commentMon, 01 Feb 2010 15:13:08 | by Ron Kaplan From the JTA:
After many years of refusals, Willie Mays finally consented to an authorized biography, which comes out this month (Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend, by James S. Hirsch/Scribner). You wonder if, at age 78, Mays isn’t feeling mortality rearing its ugly head. Koufax just turned 75. Here’s hoping he’ll finally open the door and allow his fans to get a glimpse of their hero. Koufax has often said he didn’t think he was that big a deal in the grand scale of things. So what? You think that Lenny Dykstra or John Kruk or even Jose Canseco had the same impact on the game as did Koufax? They all have published autobiographies. We all know what a private person he is, but better she should have some control while he’s alive rather than what will most likely happen to J.D. Salinger now that he’s gone. I’m just sayin’.
Speaking of familiar storiesPermalink Leave a commentMon, 01 Feb 2010 15:02:08 | by Ron Kaplan This one sounds like a bad movie. Israeli coach Avram Grant took over the Portsmouth Football Club last fall. Things are not going well, to say the least, as per this story from the London Times. (If this was a movie, Keanu Reeves would be the star player and Gene Hackman would be the coach.)
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The part about friendship, however, I’ll attributed to the dewy-eyed moment. Sure we all got along great, which was a bonus and no doubt helped in a loose atmosphere, but I guess I’m still thinking like a kid when it comes to the belief that we’ll keep in touch. (Part of the camp package is a reunion at Yankee Stadium during Old-Timers Weekend. Most of the guys live in the NY-NJ area, so I expect they’ll be there. Not sure if wearing the uniform is part of the deal. I hope not. It’s one thing to do it at camp, but I would feel a bit silly, as an adult, in dressing up like that.) On the other hand, that’s part of the pro experience, too. A lot of fans have the notion that teammates are always hanging out together. It ain’t necessarily so. And during the off-season, I wonder if holiday cards are even exchanged. It’s almost like a war mentality: you don’t want to get too close to anyone because they can be gone in an instant, traded, injured, retired, etc. And if traded, tour former teammate is your current “enemy.”
I asked him in an email if there are any promising Jewish prospects to keep an eye on. His reply: “
Meanwhile, Casspi was selected for the annual rookie-sophomore on Feb. 12 in Dallas ahead of the NBA All-Star game. As of this writing, he ranks in the top 10 among rookies 
The Israeli Olympic Committee has decided not to send Tamar Katz, its highest ranking skater, to the Olympics because she did not finish in the top 14 at the recent World Championships held in Spokane, Wash.
Roth, who died in 1992 at the age of 74, will be represented by his son Michael at the Induction Ceremony on June 19 at the Hall in St. Marys, Ontario.
Of course, I could stop there and get everyone in a snit: “Shrewd business deals?” I wonder what demographic they’re talking about there. “Untold wealth?” Hmmm. That would get people talking about Evan Grant, who wrote the piece.
