CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!

I've lived in NY all my life. I've been fortunate enough to have seen some amazing Championships won and celebrated here. My first memory of a NY Championship was the 1977 NY Yankees. I was only 5 at the time, but I remember it. Then they repeated in 1978. After that, the NY Islander Dynasty from 1980-1984, as the NY Islanders won FOUR consecutive Stanley Cups.

In the mid 80's we saw the Mets win an improbable Game 6 of the World Series with 2 outs and nobody on in the 10th inning. The next night, the Mets were champs. A few months later, the Giants beat the Broncos for their first NFL title. A few years went by and the Giants won another Super Bowl, against a great Buffalo team on a missed field goal as time expired.

In 1994, a Championship was won that I never ever wanted to see, the 1994 NY Rangers won the Stanley Cup. A few years passed and the NY Yankee Dynasty emerged, capped off by beating the NY Mets for their fourth title in five years. Since 2000, it's been pretty lean here in NY. The Yankees losing in seven games in 2001, and in six in 2003. The big collapse in 2004 against the Sox, and first round losses ever since. The Mets have been a joke, the Knicks a high school team, the Islanders and Rangers boring and bad. Last night, NY was a champion once again. In an improbable win, in an improbable season, the NY Giants are Champions this morning in one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent history.

Shortly after the final seconds ticked off the clock, fireworks sounded in my Long Beach neighborhood, car horns started honking all over town, people came out in their yars yelling and screaming. I had to take Bruce for a walk to take it all in. Kids were out, way past their bed time to celebrate...it was something I won't forget anytime soon.......

Today, as always, I am in a NY state of mind!!!!!