THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR | 2,905,611 VISITORS VISIT 8,324,077 TIMES 3 TIMES EVERY DAY IN ONE YEAR. HIGHEST ACTIVITY IN WPCNR HISTORY.White PlainsCitizeNetReporter lifted its worldwide visits from unique visitors to wpcnr.com to 8,324,077,a 1,306,419 increase in visits in one year from 7,017,658 visits to the site last year which covers White Plains and Westchester County. The 8,324,077 visits were made by 2,005,611 unique visitors who visited wpcnr an average of 3 visits a day. ON JULY 20- -2026 visitors have accessed wpcnr and made 3,072 visits an average of 1.6 visits. In the last week 33,495 individual vistors made 54,458 visits, averaging 1.6 visits. In the last month, 152,940 visitors recorded 229,338 visits (1.5 visits)

It’s Not Joe. It’s the Rotation.

Posted on October 9, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. By John Baseball Bailey. October 9, 2006: As The Bronx wallows in the gloom of the Yankee failure this last week, and reports of Joe Torre being fired after managing the Yankees to the most successful decade in their history, it is time to put things in perspective.

A different Game. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

Yankee Stadium, 2003 World Series. Photo, WPCNR Sports

Good pitching always beats great hitting. Great hitting kills lousy pitching. Let’s face it, the Yankee rotation was not reliable this year. When your number 1 starter just happens to turn up and take over the number 1 spot because he’s the only consistent starter, (C.M. Wang), when two over-the-hill pitchers (Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina) are relied on, and your only consistent pitcher pitches one inning a game (Manuel Rivera), you do not have a pitching staff.

You certainly do not have five strong starters which is what the Yankees ran into this last week against Detroit. Every Tiger starter pitched a strong six innings or more. Three of the four Yankee starters did not. And that’s what kills you in the 5-game division series. Since the games are played 5 in 6 days…you’re only as good as your 4^th and 5^th starters. The Yankees have not had that all year. They never had a stopper except for Wang. Who inexplicably does not pitch on three days rest Saturday! You needed that game before you played the 5^th game.

And, let’s be fair – the Yankee infield is not a strong fielding infield. They have A-Rod at third who has no range – and has strange mental lapses – like failing to play close to the line in the lates. They have a shaky first base position which forces Robbie Cano to play two positions. Over a regular season, the bats fatten up and can win you 2 of every 3, but in a short 5-game series, your pitching has to be solid, and you have to scout the opposition well.

Moreover, you cannot let games get out of hand. Perhaps Joe Torre’s greatest flaw is his management of pitching in big games. How can you pitch Jared Wright in the biggest game of the season? How can you leave him in to choke up four runs?????

Then compound the felony by bringing in mop-up guys in a game you have to have?????

But, hey – Wang should have started – what was Joe saving him for? Then of course there was the leaving Mussina in to cough up the lead in Thursday afternoon’s turnkey game. Johnson getting hammered Friday night was no surprise. The Yankee middle relief the last two years has no ability to get out of jams. Johnson has not won a big game for us since he got here. The soft under belly of the Yankee pitching staff – inconsistent all season – was not equal to the task.

You have got to bring back Wang to start Saturday’s game. He had three days rest! You got to win Saturday before he gets to pitch Sunday – then roll Mussina and Johnson in for Game 5 on Sunday. Torre is incredibly uncreative when the wheels come off. He has confidence in all his players to a fault. But occasionally his pitching moves mystify.

He lost the Marlin World Series in 2003 when he conceded the fourth game in the 12^th inning by inexplicably bringing in Jeff Weaver in the 12^th instead of Rivera. I remember that game, too.

When the Yankee rotation gets discombobulated, Torre is slow to adjust. In the infamous Boston 4-game sweep, Torre could not stabilize his pitching after Boston beat the Yankees in 14 innings in the 5^th game. But, how do you start Kevin Brown twice in that series?

Sadly, the Torre managing job this last week recalls the managing of Casey Stengel in the 1960 World Series which cost Casey his job. Casey’s Yankees killed Pittsburgh three games, and Pittsburgh edged the Yankees in three going into Game 7.

The Yankees rallied in the 8^th to go ahead of the Bucs 7-4 with Little Bobby Shantz of the Yankees having pitched 5 innings of terrific relief into the 8^th. Gino Cimoli singled off Bobby to start the bottom of the 8^th. Next Virdon hit a smash to short that hit a stone and bad-hopped Tony Kubek in the throat putting runners at first and second. Next Dick Groat singled, scoring Cimoli. 7-5 NY. And Casey’s out of the dugout. Now, mind you Shantz has not been hit hard. But Casey brings in Jim Coates – a starting pitcher without relief experience most of the season. He could have brought in Ryne Duren, Duke Maas or Luis Arroyo – all experienced firemen. But, nooooooo, he brings in Coates.

He throws gasoline on the fire. Coates induces Bob Skinner to sacrifice and the runners move up. 2^nd and 3^rd one out. Rocky Nelson flies to right. 2 out. Instead of walking Roberto Clemente, Casey and Coates pitch to him. The Great Roberto, as Bob Prince used to call him, chops a ball to first and beats it out for a hit and it is 7-6. Still Casey leaves Coates in. He has the flamethrower Duren in the pen. The nasty sinker artist Arroyo in the pen, and still he leaves Coates in. Coates hangs one to Hal Smith and Smitty hits it over the left field wall for a three-run homer. 9-7, Pittsburgh. Then Stengel brings in Ralph Terry who closes the inning.

But the Yankees rally. Tie it in the 9^th. Who comes out to pitch the bottom of the 9^th. Ralph Terry – a pitcher prone to the homerun ball. Mind you Casey could have brought the experience reliever Maas or the experienced reliever Duren, or the left hander Arroyo. He elects to leave Terry in who gives up a series winning homer to Bill Mazeroski on his third pitch.

Stengel also outsmarted himself in this series by starting off the series with Art Ditmar instead of Whitey Ford. Ditmar lost two games in the series. Ford won two. Just a quibble.

Stengel was fired at age 70. Something I never thought should have happened. Now today we hear rumors that Lou Piniella is going to take over for Joe Torre. I hope not. The Yankees have to go back to the winning formula of 4 starting pitchers who are consistently good. Remember Pettite, Rogers, Key, Gooden and Cone of 1996 – and Pettitte, Clemens, Hernandez in 2000 – and reaching back in time – how about Figueroa, Hunter, Ellis, Alexander and Hotlzman in 1976 – and Guidry, Figueroa, Gullet, Torrez and Tidrow in 1977. You have to have five solid starters.

The Yankees overestimated their pitching this year. But against the Tigers, the starters fell apart – early.

If Torre is fired Monday, GM Brian Cashman needs to go with him. Cashman had to know his pitching was weak and he did not deal for a big pitcher to shore up the Yankee staff down the stretch! He made the Abreu deal – but that was not what the Yanks needed. But perhaps he was prevented from doing that.

That is a trademark of previous Yankee pennant winning drives of the past. You do not need hitting in the shorts – you need pitching.

And speaking of managers who should go—How can Grady Little bring in an unknown quantity pitcher in Penny in the 7^th of game one with the 5-4 lead? You don’t experiment when you have the lead, Grady. So what happens, Penny with the questionable back walks two Mets. Grady still leaves him in. You can’t hope for outs! You gotta make a move! And he had no bullpen heating to back up Penny. Game Over. Mets feast. Dodgers dead for good. Bad pitching management.

And Bruce Bochy of San Diego – how can you yank your starter today in a 3-2 game for a hideous reliever, Cla Meredith? A hits batsman, a single and a single and the game is gone. Could we have Trevor Hoffman please? It’s the 6^th. You have to hold em. The pennant’s on the line, Bruce! You cannot turn the game over to a middle reliefer!!!! The look on Woody Williams’ face said it all as he watched the Cardinals tee-off. Bochy also made the Torre mistake he withheld Jake Peavy, his ace, from the game he had to win, hoping to pitch him Monday.

As the Mets go into the series against St. Louis Tuesday – we shall see if the Mets’ superior hitting can overcome the loss of Hernandez and Martinez. And we shall see if the Tiger bats can overcome the best pitching staff in the Major Leagues of the Oakland A’s.

Breast Cancer Walk one week from Today

Posted on October 8, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR STAT. From American Cancer Society. October 8, 2006: Hope starts here on Sunday, October 15th as thousands of Westchester residents – moms, dads, children, grandparents, co-workers, breast cancer survivors and their loved ones – will join the fight against breast cancer by walking in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event at Manhattanville College.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is a fun, memorable experience and a great way to get actively involved in the fight. Since 1993, Making Strides has been the American Cancer Society’s premier event dedicated to raising awareness and dollars in support of breast cancer research, education, advocacy and patient services. The success of the event has enabled the American Cancer Society to fund more than $295 million for breast cancer research projects since 1972. Dollars raised at Making Strides also help spread lifesaving breast cancer awareness messages; fund advocacy efforts for screening opportunities for all people; and help to ease the cancer burden for people facing the disease.

The American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is a rallying cry for awareness, the venue to remember those who fought and continue to fight breast cancer, and an opportunity for us all to make a difference in the lives of people with breast cancer. It is also a chance to educate women about the importance of early detection and help change the alarming decline in the number of women going for their potentially lifesaving annual mammogram.

This year, there will be more than 110 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks taking place throughout the country in October. An estimated 400,000 walkers are expected to participate. Last year, 400,000 participants nationwide helped to raise more than $34 million for breast cancer research, education, advocacy, and services.

For additional information about Making Strides Against Breast Cancer or for general cancer information, contact the American Cancer Society at 800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline.

The End of Baseball As We Know It: The Wild Card is Baseball’s Real Steroid.

Posted on October 7, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR Press Box. THE UPPER DECK GUY By John Baseball Bailey. October 15, 2002. UPDATED October 8, 2006: WPCNR’s Upper Deck Guy wrote this article in October, 2002, and based on the Detroit Tiger tanking the last week of the season allowing the Minnesota Twins to win the AL Central, it is fitting to revive this column. I hate the Wild Card because it compromises the integrity of the game. By all rights the Tigers should be sitting home drinking Stroh’s instead of Dom Perignon tonight, because they dogged it for a month because they could thanks to the Wild Card booby prize.

VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK GUY.
Photo of Wrigley Field by WPCNR Sports

How do we know this? Because the Tigers celebrated clinching a playoff berth, lollygagging the last week of the season, losing 3 in a row to Kansas City to lose first place to Minnesota, they still got into the playoffs. Yet, another example of the Wild Card compromising the integrity of the races.

Howie Rose, the New York Mets broadcaster was horrified too, remarking on the air how he always thought you wanted to finish first, and grousing about Detroit’s celebrating denigrating first place. Howie is right, and we hope he’s back after uttering that blasphemy. Tom McCarthy his sidekick tried to save Howie from himself with some comments about Minnesota’s great run. But, the damage had been done. Howie Rose spoke the truth. Now I don’t always agree with Howie, but he’s really right.

As far as the 2006 Yankees go, they prove why you cannot have playoffs in baseball involving mediocre teams. All you need is some hot bats and two hot pitchers and you can beat anybody. Let alone that the Yankee pitching was spotty all year, as was their fielding. Now let’s revive my old column written 5 years ago when two Wild Cards got hot and left better-constructed teams in the dust:

The laughing stock of baseball is about to begin. The losers will be playing for the World Championship as the San Francisco Giants and the Anaheim Angels, the two teams who finished second in their respective divisions in baseball ambushed the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals, and the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins, respectively to make it to the World Series.

The Fall Classic is about to become the Fall Basic, and establishment, politically correct sports authorities are touting this as good for the game.

I don’t think so.

The New York Times and the executives of baseball are already trotting out the virtues of the Wild Card, giving us those bromides today’s society uses to excuse poor performance, bad behavior, less than satisfactory standards. We are already hearing that the Wild Card is good for baseball because “It gives more teams a chance,” “It shows that low payroll teams can win,” “It’s good to see some new teams in there for a change.”

I say, “Bush!”

The results of the last two weeks show conclusively why baseball must contract to an even number of divisions, so only first place teams play to get in the series. For integrity’s sake.

Anything can happen in a short series.

And, what happened? You saw the Angels cannonade a Yankee pitching staff that either was given an overconfident scouting report on the Angels hitters, or could not execute when they had too. Why? Perhaps the Yankee management was overconfident. Though the Angels blasted Yankee pitching in the regular season, too. Not a good matchup.

However, this was also the same Angel team that kept pace with the Oakland A’s dramatically, but still fell short of the Oakland A’s pace in their own division, while winning just enough to hold off Seattle for the Wild Card.

Did the Bombers underestimate the Angels, or underscout them? But, the Angels should not have had a shot at the Bombers in the first place.

First Place Means Nothing in a Wild Card Setup.

The Bombers on the other hand made the major effort to oust the Boston Red Sox and win their own division. The Angels though keeping pace with the A’s, could not beat them head-to-head, to take the West Division of the American League. They should be out of there . But they are not, thanks to the notorious wild card.

Lest we take the Angel run as a great testimony to their worthiness, I suggest they were simply assuring themselves of the Wild Card over the Red Sox, and Seattle, not trying to overtake the A’s. They were trying to stay ahead of the Mariners.

And it did.

The same, “win just enough to get in” philosophy, applies to the San Francisco Giants. The Giants won just enough to overtake the Dodgers, who faltered miserably in the stretch, with the Giants not being able to handle the bigger challenge of overtaking the Diamondbacks, who though without Luis Gonzalez, and Greg Counsell (read, if they were the Yankees, Derek Jeter and Alfonso Soriano, comparable losses), held on to win first, because they thought it was meaningful.

The Wild Card gives teams an excuse not to leave it on the field.

Nature of Baseball and Softball: Form is Very Hard to Establish.

Now we have the prospect of watching a series between teams that finished second, whose management and players were not good enough to out-general-manage clubs that could be the best over a long haul, but are good enough and dangerous enough to give better teams trouble in one series.

The Giants and Angels could be accused of “backing in” to the Wild Card, because they knew all they had to do to reach postseason was to beat out the Dodgers and Mariners-Red Sox, respectively.

Getting the Wild Card is no big deal or great achievement. You just have to do well enough to finish second. The regular season performance becomes a joke.

Just as the Florida Marlins stole a trip to the series in 1997 by ousting the Atlanta Braves, as did the Mets in 1999, thanks to dumb managing of the Arizona Diamondbacks by Buck Showalter in Game 3, the maddening inconsistency of playing baseball illustrates why you simply cannot have a wild card system.

Last Hurrahs for Bravos and Bombers.

What the last two weeks also showed, was the fatal flaws in the Atlanta Braves, who put out the best pitching staff and best starting lineup in baseball year-in, year-out, but fail to get a good bench together to put up that strong pinch hitter up in the lates.

The end of the New York Yankees run: The Yankee pitching staff showed its flaws. It is old, and not as fast and effective as it used to be. The club forgot to play “D.”

All season, we saw a Yankee defense compromised by a slow moving outfield and a first baseman who cannot move to his left or right. We should also not forget that the Red Sox did not have Pedro Martinez the entire season.

This year’s Yankees looked vaguely like the 1964 Yankees on their last run before fading to oblivion for some time to come.

Congratulations to the Wild Cards.

The Giants and Angels sucked it up and played over their heads for 10 games and outperformed their opponents head-to-head, something they could not do during the regular season. Any team can do that, to borrow the NFL’s bromide, “on any given day.”

The results the last two weeks are very reminiscent of the Chicago White Sox (“The Hitless Wonders”of 1906), who beat the winningest major league team ever (116 wins), the Chicago Cubs in six games. It is tough to beat a team playing over their heads once you have already beaten them.

Bonds no Aaron or Ruth or Musial.

I resent the deification of Barry Bonds as another Babe Ruth. Bonds, a .292 lifetime hitter, Sammy Sosa, a .277 hitter and a host of .250 hitters are jacking homeruns off juiced-up baseballs and raw pitching.

Ruth hit .342 lifetime. Aaron hit .306 lifetime. Stan the Man hit .331 lifetime.

We should also not forget that Barry is a free agent attracted to San Francisco for the money, so much for the poor teams getting a chance.

The Angels and Giants are two of the richer franchises, though the Angels do have a lower payroll.

Can More Wild Cards Be Coming?

Bet on it.

America’s penchant for giving second chances just makes sense. This year, I’m sure New England Fans would have liked the Red Sox to have a Shot, and how about those sadsack Montreal Expos. Soon, the “competition” committee will have the first two clubs in each division make the postseason, I will bet, after the interest in this “Season of the Wild Card.”

Then how about the third place team with the best record in each league?

It will be an excellent solution to leveling payrolls. If all you have to do is finish at .500 to make the playoffs, why spend to improve? Why spend money on scouting to set up a good farm system?

Remember, the main interest now in the baseball season, is not who is going to finish first, but what teams are going to be the wild cards. A very similar situation exists in the National Football League.

Pretty soon, we may even see the handicapping schedule, an insidious device invented by the National Football League that allows lousy managed football teams like the New York Football Giants and the New York Jets to continue to have one good year, one bad year, and still give fans hope each year that they can win the super bowl.

When the Giants and Jets get the loser’s schedule, they finish over .500 and make the playoffs. When the next year the Giants play the winner’s schedule, they LOSE A LOT. But, that’s another column. Look for baseball to consider this.

The Roman Empire Syndrome

As baseball’s moguls and businessmen make baseball more like the other sports, pro basketball, pro football, and pro hockey, with everyone having a chance to win, they discourage the pursuit of excellence. The fact that the owner of the Minnesota Twins wanted to fold his team, which actually won its division this year, shows you just how much baseball owners care about the fans, great baseball, or doing what it takes to win.

The overwhelming majority of owners do the least amount possible, especially their commissioner, who since he took over the Milwaukee Brewers as provided that city with the flat beer of mediocrity, which is what we can expect to see in the next two weeks. Mediocrity on display: The greatest of the mediocre, to be sure.

I for one, will not watch one pitch of it.

Remember, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the Yankees 4 out of 6 in the last two weeks of the season. Perhaps the Devil Rays were just making their stretch run, and maybe deserve a crack at the Giants or the Angels.

Believe me, some owner in the major leagues is going to read this last paragraph and take me seriously.

SO LONG FROM THE UPPER DECK GUY.
Photo of Comiskey Park 1975 by WPCNR Sports

Tigers Swarm Roosevelt, 26-8, On Petit Big Plays, LaBarbera’s 2 TD Tosses.

Posted on October 7, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. October 7, 2006 UPDATED WITH MORE PIX COACH INTERVIEW: Joe Petit’s 67 yard sweep to paydirt on the Tigers second play of the day set the tone Saturday afternoon at sunsplashed Tony DeMetteo Field in Yonkers, followed by his pickup of a blocked punt and subsequent return of the poached pigskin to gave the Tigers a 13-8 lead at the half.

Paul LaBarbera hit Ray Mitchell on a flying crossing pattern over the middle for a 56-yard scoring strike to take Roosevelt out of the game to start the second half, then added a 5 Yard pretty pitch to Savaughn Green at the close of the third quarter to cap a day of aggressive defense and Tiger gang tackling and notch their first win of the season, beating Roosevelt 26-8.

Like Jim Taylor! Joe Petit, (# 10) on Tigers’ second play from scrimmage in First Quarter in left of picture turns corner on the Jet Sweep, thanks to terrific block by Mike Howard (15) just like Vince Lombardi drew it up for Jim Taylor in the 1960s. Petit then high tailed it down the sideline outrunning three Roosevelt defenders.

THEY’RE NOT GONNA GET HIM! Petit (10) outruns the last outpost at the 20 yard stripe on his 67 yard touchdown run at 3 minutes into the first quarter Saturday afternoon. Photos, WPCNR Sports.

The White Plains Tigers played a swarming vicious defense today and made big plays on the arm of Quarterback Paul LaBarbera to rip apart the Roosevelt High Indians. The Tigers spent much of the afternoon in the Roosevelt backfield lead by linebacker Mike Howard, Defensive End Savaughn Greene, Linebacker Bobby Thompson, and Joe Petit from his defensive end spot. For the first time the Tigers showed an effective pass rush that overwhelmed Roosevelt blockers and hurried Zach Thompson every time he tried to throw, and blocked two punts. But it was lightning strikes, not sustained drives that made the difference.

Sack of Woe: Spectacular pursuit by Shivaugn Green who is pinning Roosevelt’s QB on his own 15 in the 3rd quarter. It was typical of the Tiger ferocity today. Photo, WPCNR Sports

After the opening series in which the Tigers stopped the Indians three times and forced a punt. The Tigers ran one play from from their own 33 picking up a yard, then a second. The second play was a pitch to Joe Petit who got a block sprung by Mike Howard, turned on the jets and outran three Indians down the side line for a 67 yard touch down run, the way Spencer Ridenhour used to do. Mike Howard kicked the point and it was 7-0 Tigers with 3 minutes played.

Tiger D-Time!

A Save, 2 Sacks and a Block.

After an exchange of series, a promising Roosevelt series was stopped on a big tackle by Joe Petit. With third and 1 on the White Plains 48, Zach Thompson, Indian QB hit Byron McKenzie on a flat pass at the Tiger 40, he spun out and had Joe Petit to beat at the Tiger 35 for a touchdown but Joe collared him to save 6. On 2^nd and 10 from the 35, Mike Howard and Ray Mitchell sacked Thompson for an 8 yard loss, relentlessly clawing their way through to him. The ball was back on the Tiger 43.

On the next play, the orange and black sent a pack of Tigers streaming through the Roosevelt line and Savaughn Greene, Mike Howard and Paris Young chewed Thompson pinning him for another 8 yard loss. The ball was at midfield.

The snap for the punt came backon 4th and a mile. Thompson took too much time and Gino Gisondi blocked the punt. Joe Petit picked it up on a bounce and turned into a rhino with speed, heading straight to the far side line, turning the corner and outracing three pursuers for a 35 yard return of the blocked punt for a touchdown. The kick failed and the Tigers lead 13-0 after the first quarter.

The Tigers stopped Roosevelt on their next two series, Roosevelt penetrating to the Tiger 35, only to lose 10 yards on a penalty back to their own 48, on the second, and they punted away. After White Plains failed to gain a first down on one possession, they found themselves with a first and 10 on their own 44 with 3. Paul Labarbera threw into the right flat, far sideline and Eric Layton picked it off running it back 60 yards for a score. A 2-point run made the score 13-8 at halftime, Roosevelt. The pick was just one of those untidy things that now and then stings.

LaBarbera Lasers Light up 3^rd Quarter.

White Plains took the kickoff to start the second half and with a 3^rd and 4 on their own 38, Labarbera dropped straight back, got 3 seconds to pass while Ray Mitchell angled down the side line into a slant pattern over the middle, 5 yards in front of the deep safety. Paul zipped it in to Rumblin Ray on the letters! Ray turned gracefully at the Roosevelt 40 to recept and curved cross the field down the sideline for an electrifying 53 yard pass play to extend the Tiger lead to 19-8.

Shawn Edwards in the dust blocks punt in the third quarter. The second Tiger Block of the day. Photo WPCNR Sports.

As ball bounces loose it bounces backward, Joe Petit in the melee, recovers for his second blocked punt recovery of the day to set up the fourth Tiger 6. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

The Tigers added another big play TD on their only sustained drive of the afternoon. After Petit recovered his second blocked punt of the afternoon at the Roosevelt 40, the Tigers drove in for their final score.

Shifty Shakes Loose: The big play came with a 4^th and 6 on the Roosevelt 23. Labarbera dropped back and connected with Shavaughn Green at the 15 yard line running parallel to the line over the middle, “Shifty ” shown here, his shoulders visible ahead of Roosevelt’s Jose Guzman(16) and Mike Garcia (53) finessed his way down to the 9 yard line for a first and goal. Jerry Henry (44) ran Green down on the five. On the next play, Paul found Shifty all alone in the far corner of the endzone for Paul’s second touchdown pass of the day. Photo, WPCNR Sports

The Tigers controlled the ball the rest of the way for a solid 26-8 victory. Roosevelt committed a number of holding penalties costing them good gains because of the swift Tiger pursuit today.

Coach Praises Dedication.

The Tigers had lost three games in a row, but Coach Skip Stevens had this to say about the Tiger commitment when asked how he keeped them focused and up:

“It’s a testament to our kids,” Stevens said, “We don’t have a lot of numbers and we’re very, very young. But there’s one thing that this team does. They get along and they work hard and they don’t give anybody a hard time. So when we say we have practice, they’re there. When we say we’re working hard they work hard. When we say practice is over, they go home. When we say we’re just going to get better every week, or every day, they don’t question what we’re trying to do, which I think is great. They just get better every single day. I think that’s self-motivation for them. They know how young they are, they know inexperienced we are, they start putting it together, and they keep their own morale up.”

Tuning the D

“The defense was better today based on condifence. We just simplied things,” Stevens said. “We played two different defenses today. Two different coverages. That was it. We knew they had a great back in Hogue (Douglas), and when he went down early (in the 2^nd quarter), that made it a little easier for us, not that we let up, but it made it easier in the fact, that you’re not stopping a division one kid.”

On the Petit big play, Stevens described it as “the Jet Sweep,” “Great start. It’s called the Jet Sweep, we try to get the timing from the snap to the quarterback as fast as possible. Joe (Petit) was able to break one tackle because he’s so strong and he outran everybody.”

Joe Petit. Tiger of the Day: a 67 yard TD run, a 33 yard blocked kick return for a touchdown, and two TD saving tackles. Photo, WPCNR Sports

On the blocked punt that Petit scooped up and ran in for the 13-0 lead, Stevens said the Tigers try to pressure the offensive line, the snapper and the punter. “We just missed it early (when White Plains pressure caused a 5 yard punt in the first quarter). We got after it the second time. Gino Gisondi got a hand on it. Joe (Petit) tried to pick it up, fumbled around with it, and again because Joe is so big and strong and fast, he’s able to pick it up, break a tackle and outrun everybody to the sideline.”

Petit also saved a touchdown taking down Jeremiah Sanchez at the White Plains 46, when Joe was the last Tiger standing on the very next series.

Paul LaBarbera deserves kudos for his three excellent passes, for touchdowns to Rumblin Ray Mitchell (55 yards) and Savaughn “Shifty” Green for a 4^th and 5 conversion and a touchdown. LaBarbera used the pocket, and threw perfect passes today to seal the first V.

One of the Great Thrills the Opening Kickoff. Mike Howard kicks off to begin another Tiger autumn Saturday afternoon. Saunders High is next on the Schedule. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

Fisher Hill Opposes Post Road School Construction. Debate Discouraged

Posted on October 6, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS NEWS & COMMENT. By Charles O. Lederman. October 6, 2006: On Thursday evening, the Council of Neighborhood Associations organized a presentation by Tim Connors and the Board of Education on their current bond proposal. The event was a disaster. Ken Werden, president of CNA and Mark Politzer, one of the organization’s long time leaders did not distribute announcements and advertisements as usual, or in time. The result was an embarrassment, maybe a dozen guests (about as many people as were sent by the schools) who mostly drifted over after a neighboring Reynal/RockeyDell Association meeting.

The District made its standard sales pitch, as it has at every opportunity (many open house nights at school included their presentation to the captive audiences). The District has also hired a marketing consultant to help them pass this bond issue, and has published some full-page and half-page advertisements in local “news” papers. This was my first time watching some new minions (for they are legion) of the school district, including the “construction manager” (the board’s latest feeble attempt to show that there is some impartial oversight).

The Official Explanation for High Individual Item Prices

One developer (whether he was an architect, financier, construction manager I cannot tell) stood before the audience and explained the complexity of the estimating process. They start with the overall cost of a “similar” project in Boondock County, then they inflate that project price for inflation since that project was completed, the extra cost of supplies in this area compared to the area where that previous project was, etc. In my own simple words it’s “Well, Boondock paid 20 million for a new school, you guys should pay 35 million because things are more expensive in White Plains.”

I asked if that is why there is a numerical common denominator to many of the line items I have been questioning since the Budget Committe meetings last winter. After all, that explains why we have so many line items costing multiples of 365, 730, 1460, 2920 etc. These guys started with the overall price they want (remember they are including whatever profit or excess was included in these prior “similar” contracts) then apportioned it among all of the line item jobs that they needed to be done. That’s how you end up with a $29,200 gas valve (that costs a few bucks in Home Depot).

You know how the lead architect answered me? “There is no numerical common denominator. It’s just coincidence.” Well I must be imagining the pages that they provided to me at the budget committee meetings, and all of the copies I have made and distributed. You all decide. I am still waiting for anyone to explain to me why any one of the line items is so extravagantly priced other than “oh, well, we might open a can of worms and have to do a whole lot more work.”

In the example of the $29,200 gas valve, one minion explained, “we might have to repipe the whole room.” My question to you all is, shouldn’t they know that before they estimate the job? This is all a smoke screen to keep you from understanding that IF THEY GOT YORKTOWN TO PAY THEM 30 MILLION, WHITE PLAINS CAN DISH OUT 40 MILLION, OR PLEASANTVILLE CAN DISH OUT 29 MILLION. THE DEVELOPERS ARE THE SMART ONES, BECAUSE THERE IS A BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT JUST ACCEPTS THIS PRACTICE WITH AN ARROGANT DEFENSIVENESS.

Dissent, Discussion Not Allowed.

Mike DiMarco, co-president of the Fisher Hill Neighborhood Association (who lives right across from the Post Rd School being replaced) spoke out against the project. He questioned the intelligence of placing a ballfield on Post Road with only a six foot fence along a major highway running through our city (Route 22). While DiMarco and the FHNA have many other grounds for opposition to the project (they debate the necessity to replace their own neighborhood’s school), Ken Werden interrupted his questioning, citing DiMarco’s argumentative questions and moved on.

Another man whose name I do not know posited that sinking millions of dollars into Mamaroneck Avenue School is a waste, because it is as old as Post Rd. School, and will likely have to be completely replaced by some other Board within a few years. Why build something just to tear it down? Again, Ken Werden said this was no place for opinion, ask a question or sit down.

One lady and another gentleman inquired as to why White Plains is the only district around that plans on building turf field stadiums solely at the taxpayers’ expense . . . all of the other towns have used grant writers and corporate donations as well as funds raised by civic organizations. I believe that the substance of Tim Connors’ answer was “That’s a good question.”

Moving Right Along.

After each question was posed, and as the administration began it’s explanations, Mr. Werden pointed out audience members with hands raised saying “you’re next.” This had a terrible effect of interupting the flow of the answers, hurrying everyone along, discouraging follow up questions. There were also at least three warnings that argumentative questions and positions were not wanted. Three is my limit.

If the CNA forum is just a stage for a sales pitch, I’m not interested, so I left. Folks, this is the time for argument. If Werden wants peaceful meetings, he should join the girl scouts. Do any of you remember that there was a revolution fought over taxation without representation? Wake up and look around. You pay the highest taxes in the country already, and largely due to an ineffective (look at the scores) of inefficient (look at the numbers) school district. Now that school district wants to borrow 70 million dollars for you to pay back with taxes. For what?

So the school developers profit! I have met too many of you who blindly trust the bureaucrats and say “it’s for the kids,” or “they’re the experts.” Well, there were suckers in Roslyn, Nassau County, Yorktown, wherever they have ended up busting corrupt and wasteful school bureaucracies.

And do you think you are represented? Do you even know when or where to vote on this issue, or that there is an election? Should the district be allowed to hire professional marketers to advertise for one side of an issue that is up to a vote? Is that fair when I, the opposition only have Bailey’s site (no offense John). By the way, the vote is on their machines, in their schools, collected by who? Counted by who? Overseen by who? You don’t know? Well neither do I. If you can find out, let me know. 55,000 voters in White Plains, and how many have voted in any School election? Maybe 1% at most. STOP TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!

Man, Charged Last Week with Robbery, Arrested for Attempted Rape.

Posted on October 6, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. October 6, 2006 UPDATED October 7, 2006 12 Noon E.D.T.: White Plains Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson reports a 34 year old woman was attacked Thursday evening at approximately 11 P.M. while walking her dog on Old Mamaroneck Road. Police apprehended the same White Plains man who was charged for the robbery of a resident of 90 Bryant Avenue last week, and charged him in connection with the attempted sexual assault.

The official police statement from Commisioner Jackson: “Last night we arrested Elvis Mckenzie, a 20 year old from 115 Old Mamaroneck Rd. for attempted rape, assault, and sex abuse, for an incident that occurred on Old Mamaroneck Rd. at around 2250hrs. The incident occurred as a 34 year old woman was walking her dog on Old Mamaroneck Rd. She received minor injuries in the attack and the suspect was arrested at his Old Mamaroneck Rd. residence.

Mckenzie was also arrested on 9/29 for the robbery at 90 Bryant Ave. of another White Plains resident. He has been arraigned and remanded to the custody of the county jail. Both cases are now in the hands of the courts.”

Deputy Commissioner Jackson reports Saturday: “Mckenzie is currently being held at the county jail. We will certainly monitor his status due to his alleged connection to these serious incidents.”

Jackson said he could not comment on bail decisions of the court made in regard to the previous arrest.

New York Hospital Refuses Comment on Council Tabling of the MOU

Posted on October 5, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR EAST SIDE STORY. October 5, 2006: A spokesperson for New York Presbyterian Hospital declined comment on a series of questions WPCNR posed to them after the Common Council voted to table the Memorandum of Understanding that, if approved will pave the way for a subdivsion of at least 125 homes on 60 acres of NYPH property lying adjacent to Bryant Avenue.

WPCNR asked Willa Brody of the NYPH Community Affairs, why if the hospital was so inclined to provide a park for the city that they would not give the 5.5 acres to the city outright, with no compensation as a good will gesture, leaving the rest of the 60 acres available to build the proton accelerator/biotech facility.

WPCNR asked if the hospital had no plans to build housing on the 60 acres, why they would require “payment” of 11 additional homes to put into any apparently mythical subdivision instead of a cash payment of approximately $10 Million.

WPCNR asked what plans the hospital had for developing the rest of the property (the north side of the property) other than the 65 acres covered by the Memorandum of Understanding?

WPCNR asked in the Proton Accelerator Proposal/Biomedical facility was dead, considering that the hospital was reported eager to agree to the Memorandum of Understanding.

Ms. Brody declined comment on behalf of the hospital thusly, issueing this statement: Received your questions, but we have no response at this time. This is the Mayor’s proposal and at this point the matter lies with the Council.

However, when Mayor Delfino first presented the proposal he described it as a agreement he had worked out with the CEO of New York Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. Herbert Pardes, over the course of a year, indicating it had been a mutual plan.

Details on the City/Armory Plaza Senior CenterLease Made Public.

Posted on October 5, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR FOR THE RECORD. By John F. Bailey. October 5, 2006: The details of the new lease approved Tuesday evening by the Common Council contracting the city to rent the Senior Center from Armory Plaza Preservation Housing Development Fund, Inc. (a newly formed subsidiary of the present owners of the property, Related Apartment Preservation of Manhattan) for the next twenty years with an option for thirty were made public in the City Clerk Office today.

The city, as reported by WPCNR previously will pay $264,000 a year (up from $126,000 the city has been paying the last twenty years annually), for ten years to rent the the senior center. After 10 years there will be a 2% increase in year 11 (to $269,280) running through year 20, or to year 30 if the 10 year extension is agreed upon. The document dated August 30, 2006, was not included in the back-up material provided the media Monday October 2.

The document describes the increase as follows: “The recommended rent for the new lease brings the rent on the leased premises to market rate…” and notes “Although this represents an initial significant increase in the (city’s) rent for the leased premises, this increased rent is necessary to preserve the low income senior citizen housing on the premises and represents the first increase in 20 years.”

The city was told by Related Preservation Companies in August that a recent Housing and Urban Development survey had determined that Related Preservation had been charging too much for the senior apartments and told the company to reduce their rents. The reduction as reported by Andrew Glantz, press spokesperson for HUD’s Manhattan office told WPCNR

What has happened as stated in the work session when this lease was discussed is that Related Apartment Preservation has been charging rents over and above guidelines HUD has established and the Housing and Urban Development department has told Related Apartment Preservation to reduce their rents which the company did. Related Apartment Preservation asked the city to make up the rent loss difference dictated by HUD surveys of typical rents, in the September work session.

HUD Explains: Rents too High.

Andrew Glantz, spokesman for HUD of Manhattan, told WPCNR last week that Related Apartment Preservation had been charging $1,087 a month for its 13 efficiences (of which the elderly tenants pay one-third), and HUD demanded Related lower that rent to $925. Glantz said the average decrease was $146 a month, which cost Related Apartment Preservation $1,898 a month in rent or $22,776 a year.

Glantz reported to WPCNR that of the 39 one-bedrooms, Related Apartment Preservation had been charging an average $1,306 a month, and HUD has forced Related to lower that rent to $1,215, a decrease of $91 a month. That works out to $3,549 a month in rent shortfall or $42,588 a year. The total rental shortfall, according to the figures Glantz supplied on the individual apartments totals $65,364. The city had been paying Related $125,000 a year for rent on the senior citizen center in the Armory. Related wanted the city to up that rent and also take care of a portion of the rent loss demanded by HUD.

Police on the Greenridge Gun Accident. Victim I-D’d; Capt. Lundin Retires

Posted on October 4, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From White Plains Department of Public Safety and WPCNR. October 4, 2006, 4:30 P.M. E.D.T.: Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety, Daniel Jackson moments ago issued this statement to WPCNR on the Tuesday afternoon shooting at 74 Greenridge Avenue, the reported retirement of Captain Paul Lundin (previously head of the Central Business District Neighborhood District, and the unsolved Ferris Avenue shooting of September 11:

Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson on the Greenridge Incident, the Ferris Avenue stabbing and the departure of Captain Paul Lundin. Photo,WPCNR News Archive.

Yesterday afternoon at around 5 PM we responded to 74 Greenridge to a reported robbery/shooting that had allegedly occurred around the corner on Linda Ave. Due to inconsistencies in the robbery story, it was determined to be a false report. The victim, 22 year old Carlton Brown, had suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder and his girlfriend Elena Sannella was on scene as well but, it was determined that the incident had occurred inside 74 Greenridge. Investigation revealed that Ms. Sannella had shot her boyfriend inside the house while he was showing her the gun. The gun was an illegally possessed 22 caliber handgun which has been recovered.

Mr. Brown was still at the Westchester Medical Center last night being treated. The wound was not life threatening.

Ms. Sannella has been charged with Assault 2, Reckless Endangerment, Criminal Possession of a weapon, and Falsely Reporting an incident. It is expected that Mr. Brown will be charged as well upon release from the hospital.

She will be arraigned in White Plains City Court today.

(WPCNR notes from independently gathered information from sources, that the young woman is a student of White Plains High School and was engaged to Mr. Brown. Persons who know the couple said the incident was not the result of a quarrel or dispute or any violent interchange.)

On the Lundin matter:

Captain (Paul) Lundin has announced his retirement. We will be adjusting personnel to compensate for his absence. Lt. Christopher will be handling the CBD at this time.

On the Ferris Avenue shooting:

‘
The investigation is continuing in the Ferris Avenue case. The victim is reluctant, as are the witnesses.

Motorcyclists Injured in Accident on Cent Westchester Parkway.

Posted on October 4, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. October 4, 2006: White Plains Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety, Daniel Jackson said today that two motorcyclists collided into the back of a stuck truck which had wedged itself under the footbridge crossing southbound on the Central Westchester Parkway at about noon today. The two cyclists were injured and hospitalized. One of the cyclists from Port Chester, Jackson said was “in bad shape.” Presently G.W. Parkway southbound is closed, Jackson said police expected to have it open by evening.