New Jersey Nets: Kiss Those Forty-Three Cent Seats Goodbye

By Tony Mangia

New Jersey Nets tickets went on sale yesterday for their future home in Brooklyn.  The long delayed Barclays Center is scheduled to open in the summer of 2012 and start hosting the Nets that season.  The team is offering  a variety of "All-Access" seating packages which run from $99 (in the lower deck) to $1500 (courtside) per game.  The team's new slogan should be "Come For Vujacic; Stay For A Kardashian."

The Nets are offering the few die-hard season-ticket holders first crack at the 4,000 All-Access premium seats which offer perks like unlimited food and soft drinks, private entrances, concierge service and early access to the arena.

If you are one of those embarrassed Nets fans — you know, the desperate ones hiding their faces in what is basically the NBA witness protection program at Newark's Prudential Center, and are used to snagging a 43-cent ticket on StubHub, fugeddaboudit.  There will be 2,000 tickets priced about $15 at the team's new location, but the chances of snagging a bargain-basement Nets ticket for the newer and trendier Brooklyn locale will be out of the question— no matter how bad the team is.

The flash factor alone will go through the fast-rising roof top.  The Knicks may boast their Big-Three, but the Nets have Jay-Z.  The rap star mogul and a state-of-the-art arena.  That means Beyonce and a slew of shiny new celebrities not named Woody, Dustin or Spike.  The curiosity factor will draw new Nets fans in droves, even if the 43-cent tickets will have as much of a chance as a Net victory.

Years of legal haggling and zoning red-tape had turned the 18,000-seat Barclays Center project into a construction quagmire even the woeful Nets front office couldn't get into.  But it was the Nets image which has really gotten stuck in the mud.

New majority owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, and his partner, Jay-Z, took over a team that hadn't contended since 2006-07 season and failed to land a big-name player last year.  Deron Williams is a start.

The Nets watched as LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony played footsie with the Nets big aspirations, only to be left at the PATH station.  The Knicks had the hubris to taunt their incoming rivals by placing a billboard of their prized player, Amar'e Stoudemire, staring down at the giant hole at the corner of Flatbush and Atlantic--the site of the Nets new home.

The Nets are counting on luring fans, new and old,  by not charging personal-seating licenses. They said the All-Access deals are just as good and will allow purchasers first-shot at buying tickets for other non-Nets events like concerts and boxing matches.

"I think this is the best entertainment buy in all of New York," claims Brett Yormark Nets CEO, "Especially when factoring the ability to see top acts like Madonna before tickets hit the secondary market."

If you are a Nets fan, that is definitely a perk---maybe the highlight of the deal---especially when you have to commit to purchasing the locked-in priced seats for the first three years. 

The average price of a current Nets ticket is $60---one of the lowest in the league.  The new average price at the Barclays Center will be around $132--more than the Knicks current average ticket price of $88 and one of the highest in the league.

The Nets cross-borough rivals price will be rising next season after the Knicks announced a 49% increase to cover the on-going renovations at Madison Square Garden. 

The Los Angeles Lakers currently get an average price of $113 per seat--the costliest ticket in the league.

It's hard to believe the Nets, in their inaugural season will be getting more than Kobe and company, but if more money means more wins...Go Kris Humphries.

Cameron Diaz Looks To Star In Film With A-Rod; We See "Gigli 2"

Hollywood star, Cameron Diaz, and New York Yankees slugger, Alex Rodriguez,  could be making a major film together soon.  If Diaz has her way, the Yankee third baseman, and current flame, will star opposite her as leading man in a romantic comedy.

The Daily Express, a British newspaper, claims the actress is shopping the idea of a baseball-themed rom-com around Tinseltown.

That's pretty funny because only last month at the Super Bowl, camera-shy A-Rod went bonkers after Diaz was shown on the big Jumbotron screen plopping individual kernels of popcorn into his mouth.  I guess love is never saying no when the producer is your girl.

Whether for research or romance, Diaz has been spotted in Tampa watching the Yankees and A-Rod a lot in spring training this year. 

Diaz and A-Rod had been routinely spotted together since last year and, only recently, have made the relationship public domain.  Cam-Rod have now joined the ranks of celebrity couples like "Bradgelina" or whatever they're called.

According to a source close to Diaz, the actress and aspiring producer has been taking more of an interest in the game itself for her film production.

"She's very excited about developing her own projects, and the fact this one is about a baseball player means she has good reason to spend time with A-Rod and the Yankees,' the source said.

"She's even thinking that Alex could star in the movie with her."

Diaz has starred with athletes like Lawrence Taylor in "Any Given Sunday" and Brett Favre in "There's Something About Mary" before; while the closest A-Rod has gotten to a Hollywood set  is dating Diaz and Kate Hudson.

Last year, A-Rod was set to make his acting debut in "Friends With Benefits," but the role never panned out.

Just what the film-going public needs, another vanity project from a self-indulged couple who thinks the public is enamoured with their love affair--in a baseball setting much less.

Couples starring in films together are usually a recipe for disaster.  Breakups are almost as common as  A.J. Burnett breakdowns.

"Gigli," that bomb starring Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck and was even banned in New Jersey, which started that whole annoying conjoined names thing with "Bennifer" is a prime example.  Now if Gigli was about a group of gigolos, A-Rod might be a good leading man.

For every Bogie and Bacall in a "To Have and Have Not", there is a "Eyes Wide Shut" with Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise--otherwise known as Kid-Cruise or Cruise-Man.

If Diaz's project ever gets the green light, maybe Cam-Rod could then remake some of the baseball classics.

"Bang the Drum Slowly," maybe?  No, too suggestive a title for A-Rod.

"The Babe" is a possibility.  It could be about A-Rod's go-go dancer friend in Toronto from way back.

"Pride of the Yankees?"  No way that'll ever happen.

"Bingo Long and the Traveling All-Stars" would work.  Just hire the rest of the Yankee team.  Derek Jeter already showed his acting chops in last year's action comedy "The Other Guys."

What the world really needs is another "Major League."  Hey, you can never get enough of Charlie Sheen these days and the Wild Thing is going to need work pretty soon.

Jose Canseco Attempts To Use Twin Brother In Boxing Match Switcheroo

As if it wasn't already hard enough being mistaken for or compared to Jose Canseco, his lesser twin brother, Ozzie, tried to fill in for Jose in a celebrity boxing match this past weekend.

Jose's scheme to slip his brother into the ring against Billy Padder in Miami was thwarted after eagle-eyed fans noticed that certain tattoos on the stand-in's bicep didn't match Jose's as he entered the ring.

Jose---the former major league baseball slugger, steroid user and author---tried to double his pleasure and lessen the hurt by attempting to fool fight fans and officials by having his look-a-like brother trade places and get into the ring.  Jose tried pulling the time-worn twin ruse because he believed the promoters reneged on their deal.

Ozzie must really be hurting.  The 24-game major-leaguer was willing to take the beating for less money than Jose would take.

The big switch almost worked.  Ozzie fooled officials at the pre-fight weigh-in by wearing a tee-shirt and sunglasses.

When spectators inside the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino noticed that Ozzie wasn't Jose, police escorted the impostor from the ring.  No punches was ever thrown.  Just another black eye to Jose's reputation.

It has been reported that Ozzie allegedly "filled in" for Jose at some baseball card shows.

It probably didn't matter which 46 year-old twin fought.  Jose's "boxing" record includes a first-round KO by former NFLer Vai Sikahema in 2008, a three-round draw against Partridge Family member Danny Bonaduce in 2009 and an MMA beat down by 7'2" Choi Hong-man later that year.

Ozzie's record includes a Miami barroom brawl alongside Jose in 2001.

Jose Twittered that the promoters didn't honor their end of the contract and claims he did nothing unethical.

On his Twitter account he said, "Is anyone out there smart enough to figure it out or are you all a bunch of hateful morons."

Celebrity Boxing promoter, Damon Feldman, said Jose was paid his fee in full in two installments.

Jose, a member of the elite 40/40 Club, was outed by the 20/20 Club--20/20 vision that is.

Bill "The Big Tuna" Parcells Now Dolphin-Free

Bill Parcells, a consultant to the Miami Dolphins, is taking his Team Rehab show on the road once again.  The well-traveled NFL head coach, general manager, consultant and talent evaluator's next gig will be under the studio lights at ESPN.

Parcells, who was with the Dolphins organization since 2007, will be joining ESPN for a third time as host of a program about the NFL draft.

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The taped hour-and-a-half special titled "Bill Parcells Draft Confidential" will give viewers inside look at the NFL draft process.  Parcells' thirty years of NFL experience will give fans an insider's perspective as how the draft works.

The 69 year-old team fixer-upper will break down how football teams evaluate players and "how difficult it is to draft successfully."

Parcells may want to explain to Dolphin fans how he let quarterback Matt Ryan slip through his hands a few years ago.  Instead, he drafted a great offensive tackle in Jake Long, but the bane of the Miami teams during his tenure was the lack of a good or injury-free signal-caller.

The Big Tuna, named for his once-rotund body and penchant for the sandwich, had a reputation as a great coach and team flipper.  He twice turned the three-win 1983 New York Giants into Super Bowl Champions during seven years,  and took the New England Patriots to another in 1996.

Parcells' magic touch started to fade after coaching the New York Jets and the Dallas Cowboys.  He left both teams in flux before moving to Miami as the V.P. of Football Operations.

The Dolphins were 11-5 his first year and won the AFC East title, but the team never met expectations the next two years. He passed the V.P. job to Jeff Ireland before last season and stayed on as consultant.

Where Parcells lands after this is any one's guess.  He has "retired" before due to health reasons or refusing to cow-tow to a flamboyant owner, but his football I.Q. is still in high demand.   Even the label 'egomaniac' won't scare away prospective suitors.

ESPN could keep Parcells on it's analyst roster.  He has broadcast experience and done it many times before.  Parcells worked with NBC for two years and  co-hosted a weekly show with Mike Francesa in New York, where he is still idolized by Giants fans.

It's a good bet Parcells will be netted by a struggling team needing a quick-fix and turnaround. The lure of the game is too strong for the coach.

It'll be interesting to hear Parcells' calculations on the Carolina Panthers first draft pick--quarterback or lineman?  The former linebackers-coach has a soft-spot for lineman.  Look how hard he rode Phil Simms and threw roses at L.T.'s feet during the Giants championship years.

I just wonder if Parcells regrets not taking Ryan and if he had taken the quarterback instead of Long, would he still be Miami?

The show airs Tuesday, April 26 at 9:30 ET.

Girardi On 5th Starter: It's Colon, It's Garcia, It's Colon, It's Garcia, It's...

The Yankees four-horse Steinbrenner Cup Derby for the remaining two spots in the Yankees starting rotation is galloping down the stretch and it looks like the colt Ivan Nova has a comfortable lead over the old plugs, Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia.  Sergio Mitre looks like the also-ran and has already been relegated to the stable, I mean bullpen.

If you listen to manager Joe Girardi call this Win, Place or Go race, you wouldn't know who is pulling up the rear.

On the backstretch Monday, it was Colon who was in the money.  Girardi praised the hefty right hander after a six-inning, 5 strikeout and no walk performance.  "His stuff was outstanding," said the manager.

Yesterday, it sounded like the skipper was singing the praises of Garcia.  "I have a pretty good feel on  what Freddy can do.  It's work and just coming out healthy," he said.

And yesterday on Colon?   Girardi said, "Bart didn't pitch last year so if you start talking innings, will there be a point where innings catch up to him during the course of a season."

Garcia will be at the Yankees minor league complex pitching in a minor league game today.  Pitching coach, Larry Rothschild--and possibly Girardi--will be watching.  Garcia has been miserable in his last two starts and has an ERA of 5.93 over four games.  He has a lot to prove.

D-Day is March 29, when Garcia can opt out of his contract. His base salary is $1.5 million with an opportunity to make an additional $3.6 million in performance bonuses.

The 37 year-old Colon will earn $900,000 if he makes the roster.

Colon looked like a long shot to make the rotation when he came into camp 25 pounds overweight after sitting out 2009 due to injuries, but had that great game Monday along with 17 strikeouts 15 innings this spring.  The 267 pound righthander has had his fastball clocked in the 90's.

The big concern with Colon, and it is a big as his girth, is whether or not he has the stamina to go a full season.  The one-time workhorse threw 200 inning seasons in his sleep during his glory years, but only threw 257 innings since 2006.  The 2010 lay-off will be a big concern of Girardi's.

Colon has out pitched both Garcia and Mitre this March and if picking the No. 5 starter was justified on statistics alone, Colon would be a shoo-in.

But the 34 year-old Garcia is a relative pony compared to former Cy Young winner Colon and hasn't sat on the shelf for the past five years.  Garcia pitched 157 innings while winning 12 games last year for the White Sox.  Garcia has been clocked mostly in the mid-80's this spring.

 Does Girardi let a soft spring training for former All-Star Garcia influence his decision?  The righthander made it perfectly clear he has nothing to prove nothing in Triple-A and would not go down.  Colon has not made any such ultimatums.

"We're getting to the point where we have to sit down and have a long meeting," said Girardi.  There's still some stuff we have to look at, but they've put up a pretty good body of work together, all of them.  We have to sit down and find some time to have it."

At the beginning of spring training, Girardi said statistics would not be the most important factor in picking the No. 4 and 5 spots. Yesterday, he said he wouldn't base his decision on Garcia's minor league performance today. 

I'm picking Mark Prior as the dark horse.

The Yankees have a only a few days left before that "long meeting."

Tommy Zbikowski Gears Up For For Saturday's Heavyweight Bout

Baltimore Ravens safety Tommy Zbikowski is making the the most of the NFL lockout and piling up pro boxing fights faster than Chad Ochocinco changes names.  The NFL star Zbikowski worked out today in a Manhattan gym preparing for a heavyweight pro-fight on Saturday in Atlantic City--only two weeks after his last fight.

The former Notre Dame football star waited almost five years between his pro debut and his second paid bout, a first-round TKO against Richard Bryant on March 12.

Zbikowski's weigh-ins have lasted longer than his first two fights.  In his pro debut, June 10, 2006, 'Tommy Z', at the age of 21, TKO'd Robert Bell at 0 :49 into the fight at Madison Square Garden.  Bryant managed to last until 1:45 from the opening bell when Zbikowski  left the bigger fighter breathless after a nasty body shot.

The former- All-American  Zbikowski (2-0, 2 KO's), will fight Caleb Grummet (0-0-1) in a four-round heavyweight undercard of the featured WBA and IBF featherweight Championship bout between Yuriorkis Gamboa (19-0, 15 KO's) and Jorge Solis (40-2-2, 29 KO's) at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.  It will be shown live Saturday night on HBO.

The 25 year-old Zbikowski worked out at Manhattan's Kingsway Gym on Wednesday after leaving a Facebook post seeking help with his fight gear color scheme for this Saturday's bout: 'Need help...Should I wear purple and black or purple and white trunks at the fight Saturday?'  Most of the responses sided with the purple and black, but there were a few Blue and Gold as well.

While many NFL players have been talking about crossing over to other sports including the NBA or, like Ochocinco, boxing, to help pay the mortgage should the NFL season goes kaput,  Zbikowski is punching ahead--literally and quickly.  It only took minutes after his March 12 win against Bryant that he announced fighting this bout only fourteen days later.

Today, Zbikowski said that he will keep busy during the NFL lockout and pro-boxing is more passion than moonlighting and, as long as the labor strife continues, he will box.

"Right now, this isn't a second career for me," said Zbikowski.  "It is a first career."

His father, Ed Zbikowski backed up his son's immersion into the sweet science the other day.  "It's not about money," he said.  "It's about earning respect on the boxing community.  It's also a great way to train for football if there is a lockout."

Well, there is a lockout.  Now Tommy Z gets to follow his dream while the NFL and team owners create a sports nightmare.

Bartolo Colon Looking Like Yankees No. 5 Starter

Bartolo Colon has come a long way since the opening day of the Yankees' spring training camp.  The 37 year-old righthander was a bargain-basement gamble thrown into the four-way mix for the No. 4 and 5 spots in the starting rotation.  Another solid spring showing has almost guaranteed Colon a job in the starting rotation.

On Monday night, Colon allowed one run and two hits in six innings.  He threw 62 pitches, struck out five without a walk.  Colon has 17 strikeouts and one walk over 15 innings this spring.

Unofficially, the No. 4 spot has been locked up by Ivan Nova and you would be hard-pressed to think the Yankees would demote their 24 year-old projected star.  So it's really become a three way horse race.

Colon, who didn't play last season, was expected to battle it out with 34 year-old Freddy Garcia--who won 12 games last year--and the incumbent Sergio Mitre.  Mitre, who has bullpen experience, looks like he will be exiled back to long relief.  Garcia, who doesn't have the spring numbers to match Colon, was the early favorite, but  it looks like he could be the odd man out.  Garcia has until March 29 to ask for his release if he is not added to the roster.

The 267-pound Colon hasn't pitched in the majors since 2009 because of a myriad of physical troubles.  He had a remarkable run from 1998-2005, winning 135 games with the Indians, Expos, Angels and White Sox.  In 2005, he won 21 games and a Cy Young Award until a series of injuries to his shoulder, knee back and elbow cut off his productivity until 2009.

That was then, this is now believes Yankee manager Joe Girardi.  The hefty hurler's fastball was clocked at 90-92 mph and has been recorded as high as 95 so far this March.  Good news for the Yankees.

"That's the Bartolo that I remember," said Girardi.  "The guy had outstanding command of his fastball, didn't walk people and didn't beat himself.  His stuff has been outstanding."

In his four spring training games, Colon is 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA.  Garcia lags behind at 1-1 with a 5.93 ERA in four games.  Garcia's pitches have recently wheezed home in the mid-80's.  He said he has nothing to prove by going to the minors.

Colon was a long-shot for the rotation, especially after he arrived in camp 25 pounds overweight.  Now he looks like the front-runner, even if the poundage hasn't disappeared.  If the veteran starter can toss a fraction of 222 innings he threw during his Cy Young season, the Yankees would feel a lot better about the rotation.

Girardi is hoping Colon can throw the ball every five days.  "You have to try to predict," said Girardi.  "You don't want to predict, 'I'm only going to get 50 innings out of this guy.'  We're predicting that whoever we take can start the whole year."

Looks like the Phillies Cliff Lee was right, the Yankees are getting older.