From the Desk of Marty: Newark–Brooklyn Smackdown!
Julia Lipkins | May 2, 2008
Yesterday, The Star-Ledger of New Jersey reported that NJ Devils owner Jeffrey Vanderbeek is working with Newark Mayor Cory Booker to “assemble a group of investors to buy the Nets and move the basketball team to Newark.” Unnamed sources also told the paper that Booker discussed the Newark deal with an official at Forest City Ratner – the developer behind the Atlantic Yards project.
A long-time supporter of the Atlantic Yards project, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz released a statement about the Star-Ledger’s report:
After years of obscurity mired in the Meadowlands, the Nets are ready for a slam dunk in the Brooklyn big leagues—who knows, maybe the Devils want to lace up and come here too! If my esteemed colleague Cory Booker in Brooklyn’s ‘western suburb,’ a.k.a. Newark, New Jersey, is looking for a professional basketball team, maybe he should ask the Knicks. But seriously, I own a Brooklyn Nets jersey and I’m ready to suit up and cheer for our new ‘dem bums’ in Brooklyn’s fabulous new Barclay’s Center.
Booker was none to pleased that Markowitz called Newark a “western suburb.” In response, Booker said:
I yield to…Marty Markowitz, my esteemed colleague in the “eastern suburb” of Newark a.k.a Brooklyn, and would like to officially challenge him with the remaining shreds of my athletic pride to a one and one basketball game to battle for the Nets!
Markowitz replied, “…I am only 5-foot-5…I’ll accept the challenge only if I can have a ringer play against him.”
Maybe Markowitz could expand his list of classified ads to include a “proxy/ basketball star.”
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