Brooklyn
"Brooklyn on the front, Brooklyn on the back." More Brook Lopez Faces (AP)
"Brooklyn."
At least, that's the nickname Brook Lopez will put on the back of his jersey when the Brooklyn Nets play the Miami Heat this season, in a game where both teams will put nicknames on their jerseys instead of their regular names.
"Brooklyn on the front, and Brooklyn on the back," the team-oriented Lopez said with a smile at Brooklyn's Media Day at Barclays Center.
Lopez originally wanted to put "Batman" (*ahem*), but a copyright dispute with Warner Brothers put the kibosh on that idea. Nets forward Reggie Evans, whose nickname is "The Joker," has the same issue.
I can't tell if this is an elaborate troll at the expense of people who think nicknames are a good idea, or if Lopez genuinely likes the idea of putting "Brooklyn" on the back of his jersey. It comes off well -- he's literally putting the team above himself, it's a play off his own name, and since he doesn't have an officially sanctioned nickname, it's hard to beat the borough you play in.
Still upset that "The Brookie Monster" won't fit on a jersey, though.
Other Nets nicknames: Paul Pierce is "The Truth," obviously. Kevin Garnett is "Big Ticket." Shaun Livingston is "S-Dot" (his nickname since his rookie year). Jason Terry is "Jet." Joe Johnson has no idea: "I still don’t really know what’s going on... y’all going to have to wait and see." The NBA won't allow Andrei Kirilenko to use his nickname AK-47, for obvious reasons.
"Brooklyn on the front, Brooklyn on the back." More Brook Lopez Faces (AP)
"Brooklyn."
At least, that's the nickname Brook Lopez will put on the back of his jersey when the Brooklyn Nets play the Miami Heat this season, in a game where both teams will put nicknames on their jerseys instead of their regular names.
"Brooklyn on the front, and Brooklyn on the back," the team-oriented Lopez said with a smile at Brooklyn's Media Day at Barclays Center.
Lopez originally wanted to put "Batman" (*ahem*), but a copyright dispute with Warner Brothers put the kibosh on that idea. Nets forward Reggie Evans, whose nickname is "The Joker," has the same issue.
I can't tell if this is an elaborate troll at the expense of people who think nicknames are a good idea, or if Lopez genuinely likes the idea of putting "Brooklyn" on the back of his jersey. It comes off well -- he's literally putting the team above himself, it's a play off his own name, and since he doesn't have an officially sanctioned nickname, it's hard to beat the borough you play in.
Still upset that "The Brookie Monster" won't fit on a jersey, though.
Other Nets nicknames: Paul Pierce is "The Truth," obviously. Kevin Garnett is "Big Ticket." Shaun Livingston is "S-Dot" (his nickname since his rookie year). Jason Terry is "Jet." Joe Johnson has no idea: "I still don’t really know what’s going on... y’all going to have to wait and see." The NBA won't allow Andrei Kirilenko to use his nickname AK-47, for obvious reasons.
Lance Stephenson (AP)
Indiana Pacers guard and Brooklyn's own Lance Stephenson will have his jersey raised into the rafters today at a ceremony at Coney Island's Lincoln High School, and will be honored at the school's alumni ceremony this weekend.
From friend Ray Anczelowicz at Gotham Hoops:
The former Railsplitter’s prep resume includes; New York State’s all-time leading scorer in high school basketball (2,946 points), four city basketball championships with Lincoln, New York State Mr. Basketball and McDonald’s All-American selection in 2009.
With an exceptional past couple of months, the sky is the ceiling for Stephenson as the AND1-athlete concludes a phenomenal third NBA season with a commemorative jersey-hanging ceremony.
Stephenson's most memorable game this season -- and of his career -- came in a playoff elimination game against the New York Knicks, putting up 25 points & 10 rebounds as the Pacers put away the Knicks for good, 106-99.
Gotham Hoops -- STEPHENSON TO BE HONORED AT LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL
Barclays Center (AP)
In what was "quite a journey" according to Brooklyn Nets CEO Brett Yormark, Brooklyn's Barclays Center won the Sports Business Award's Sports Facility of the Year in its inaugural season. According to Yormark, Barclays Center has hosted 157 events since Jay-Z opened the arena in September with eight shows in nine nights, attracting 1.7 million patrons in that time.
No confirmation if the award was won solely due to the magical energy radiating from the oculus.
Video of the Yormark interview from Sports Business Daily below.
Barclays Center has a distinct, intentional odor. (AP)
A trip to the Barclays Center offers a wealth of neural stimulation: ample stimuli for the visual cortex, from Andray Blatche's point-center crossovers to the rare-but-thrilling dunks of Deron Williams and the many entertaining faces of Brook Lopez; auditory treasures from the sonorous chants of "Broook-lynnn" to the Warrior cries of Gerald "Crash" Wallace.
And then there is the olfactory system. According to a DNA Info source, Brooklyn's Barclays Center pumps in a "signature scent" into the arena, thanks to ScentAir. The aroma is a a "fresh-smelling fragrance with citrus notes."
"(ScentAir) manufactures custom fragrances pumped into the air at theme parks, stores and hotels around the world. The odors function like mood music for your nose. They're meant to enhance the consumer experience and build brand identities."
Fans have chimed in with their take on Barclays' Odor, or B.O.
A fan on Twitter described the smell as that of a Calvin Klein Store , while another told DNAInfo that the aroma was akin to Axe Body Spray.
Josh Newman, who covers the Nets for SNY, finds the smell appealing, and attributes the added amenity to Nets owner and Russian billion oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov's spare no expense mentality.
"It's a brand-new building. They've spent over a billion dollars. [The scent] kind of goes along with the whole over-the-top nature of the building."
ScentAir said it couldn't discuss what it does or doesn't do for Barclays and arena officials declined to comment on the smell.
Read More: Leslie Albrecht DNAInfo New York - - Barclays Center's 'Signature Scent' Tickles Noses, Curiosity
The Brooklyn Nets released an updated video for "Something to Lean On," the team's official song written by Brooklyn resident John Forte, complete with more shots of Forte, people in Brooklyn, team highlights, and an awkwardly dated shot of now-former coach P.J. Carlesimo speaking to the team in the locker room.
(h/t Atlantic Yards Report)
Bruce Ratner (AP)
John Liu, Bill Thompson Sal Albanese, Bill de Blasio, and George McDonald threatened to penalize FCRC for the delays:... MORE →
The Nets aren't the only thing that traveled from NY to NJ to Brooklyn. (AP)
In its inaugural year, Brooklyn's Barclays Center will host the 2013 NBA Draft, the NBA announced today. The draft will be held on June 27th at 7 P.M., with tickets going on sale on the 22nd.
The draft was held annually at Madison Square Garden from 2001 until 2011, when it moved to Newark's Prudential Center (then-home of the then-New Jersey Nets) for the 2011 and 2012 draft.
“Brooklyn has become a major NBA market and basketball fans throughout the borough will be excited to welcome the next class of outstanding talent into the league,” Barclays Center and Brooklyn Nets CEO Brett Yormark said in a prepared statement. “Many of the borough’s greatest all-time players have been drafted into the NBA, making this night a perfect fit for Brooklyn. We are honored to host the 2013 NBA Draft as we continue to bring many of the most high-profile sports and entertainment events to Barclays Center.”
Barring a trade, the Brooklyn Nets will have the 22nd overall pick in the first round.
Jay-Z, playing at Barclays Center (AP)
Amidst the information leaking that Jay-Z, AKA Shawn Carter, is divesting his shares in the Brooklyn Nets to begin the sports agency "Roc Nation Sports," Jay-Z recorded a pissed-off song titled "Open Letter" addressing the sale and the reaction to it, including attacking an unnamed person -- presumably a member of the Nets organization. Audio and lyrics after the jump.... MORE →
