|
|
The New York City Sports Commission
December E-Newsletter
| MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR |
Dear Friends:
The weather's getting chilly, but the sports scene in New York is heating up this month. From December 2-6, NASCAR will return to New York City for the 5th annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champions Week. Champions Week honors the sport's dedicated fans and brings the authentic NASCAR experience to our City. The week's main event is the NASCAR Tailgate City driven by Ford on December 4 featuring NASCAR drivers, celebrities, and entertainment from the Ford Sound Stage. Additional Champions Week events include the Aflac Pit Stop Tour, Aflac Fan Fest, and NASCAR's annual awards banquet at the Waldorf=Astoria.
Meanwhile, the Madison Square Garden hardwood remains the best place to catch college hoops. The Big Apple Classic, a men's doubleheader featuring Historically Black College and University programs Virginia Union, Bowie State, Hampton, and Howard, kicks things off on December 6. On the 9th, The Jimmy V Classic, benefiting the V Foundation for Cancer Research, will feature Davidson, West Virginia, Texas, and Villanova. On December 14, women's powerhouses Rutgers and Connecticut get into the action at the Maggie Dixon Classic, also featuring Army and Penn State. Finally, on December 20 and 21, fans can cheer some of New York's own teams as Virginia Tech, Columbia, Marist, and St. John's take part in the Aéropostale Holiday Festival.
On the 20th and 21st, our local track & field stars will sprint, leap, and toss their way to glory at the Bishop Loughlin Games-the oldest and largest high school indoor track & field meet in the United States. The Games are expected to draw 8,500 athletes from over 250 schools throughout the Northeast.
To learn more about these and other events, please visit the New York City Sports Commission's Web site at www.nyc.gov/sports.
Sincerely,
Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor
| |
| POSTSEASON COLLEGE SOCCER |
St. John's |
St. John's Men's Soccer Advances to Quarterfinals of NCAA Tournament
Sophomore Sverre Wegge Gundhus scored his second straight game-winning goal to give the third-seeded St. John's men's soccer team a 3-2 win against UC Irvine in the third round of the NCAA Division I Tournament. St. John's advances to the NCAA Quarterfinal Round and will host Indiana at 5 p.m. on December 6.
For more information, please visit http://redstormsports.cstv.com.
|
|
| UPCOMING SPORTING EVENTS IN THE BIG APPLE |
Champions Week |
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champions Week - Dec. 2-6
For the 27th consecutive year, NASCAR returns to New York City to crown the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion. In conjunction with this celebration, NASCAR will take over the city with the 5th annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champions Week. NASCAR will host a week-long celebration with events including the Aflac Pit Stop Tour, Aflac Fan Fest, NASCAR Tailgate City driven by Ford, and NASCAR's annual awards banquet.
|
Big Apple Classic |
Big Apple Classic - Dec. 6
The Big Apple Classic is a men's college basketball doubleheader that will showcase four Historically Black Colleges and Universities at Madison Square Garden. Bowie State University will tip off against Virginia Union University in the first game followed by the "Battle of the HU's" featuring Howard University and Hampton University.
|
Jimmy V Classic |
Jimmy V Classic - Dec. 9
Four of the nation's top men's basketball programs will meet at the 2008 Jimmy V Classic in Madison Square Garden in support of the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Davidson will face off against West Virginia University in the first game of the doubleheader and the University of Texas will play Villanova in the second game.
|
College Football
Hall of Fame |
College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Dec. 9
13 of college football's all-time best players and two coaches will be given the sport's highest honor when they are inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2008. This year's class will include quarterback Troy Aikman (UCLA), 1959 Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon (LSU) and Coach Lou Holtz (Notre Dame).
|
Big Apple
Basketball Challenge |
Big Apple Basketball Challenge - Dec. 13-14
High school basketball teams from the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) will square off against teams from the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) in the Big Apple Basketball High School Challenge at St. John's University and Baruch College. Both leagues boast some of the nation's best high school boy's basketball players including O.D. Anosike (St. Peter's), Chaz Williams (Bishop Ford) and Jayvaughn Pinkston (Bishop Loughlin).
|
New York
National Boat Show |
New York National Boat Show - Dec. 13-21
The New York National Boat Show will feature more than 1,000 of the best boats, boating electronics, fishing equipment and marine accessories. The Boat Show will also offer free freshwater and saltwater fishing demonstrations and seminars.
|
Maggie Dixon Classic |
Maggie Dixon Classic - Dec. 14
The Maggie Dixon Classic, a women's basketball doubleheader created in honor of the late Army women's basketball coach, will be held at Madison Square Garden. This year's Classic will feature Rutgers facing Army in the first game and Connecticut taking on Penn State in the late game.
|
Heisman
Trophy |
Heisman Trophy Presentation - Dec. 15
The Heisman Trophy is awarded annually to a player deemed the most outstanding college football player in the United States. One of the most recognized trophies in all of sports, the Heisman represents excellence and achievement both on and off the football field.
|
Holiday Festival |
Aéropostale Holiday Festival - Dec. 20-21
The Aéropostale Holiday Festival, the nation's longest running holiday college basketball tournament, will once again be held at Madison Square Garden. The Holiday Festival will feature the Columbia Lions squaring off against the Virginia Tech Hokies, as well as the St. John's Red Storm battling the Marist Red Foxes in two days of doubleheader action.
|
Midnight
Run |
Emerald Nuts Midnight Run - Dec. 31
Get a head start on that New Year's resolution to improve your health with the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run in Central Park. This New Year's Eve 4-miler has become a New York City tradition since the first running in 1979. The evening's festivities will include music and dancing, a costume parade and a New Year's Eve Fireworks Countdown which will be choreographed to music.
|
| RECENT SPORTING EVENTS IN THE BIG APPLE |
Foot Locker
X-Country |
Foot Locker Cross Country Championships - Nov. 29
The Foot Locker Cross Country Championships returned to Van Cortlandt Park for the Northeast Regional qualifier. Solomon Haile of Sherwood HS (MD) and Emily Jones of The Bromfield School (MA) prevailed in the boys' and girls' seeded races posting times of 15:21 and 17:31, respectively.
|
Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip Off |
Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off - Nov. 26 & 28
Blake Griffin scored 18 points and grabbed 21 rebounds to lead the Oklahoma Sooners to a thrilling 87-82 victory over the Purdue Boilermakers in the championship game of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off. Willie Warren finished with 22 points, while Taylor Griffin added 19 points for the Sooners, who knocked off UAB in the semifinal round. E'Twaun Moore had 22 points to pace Purdue, who had advanced to the championship game by defeating Boston College in the semifinals.
|
FDNY vs. NYPD Boxing |
FDNY Bravest Boxing vs NYPD Fighting Finest - Nov. 22
New York's Finest and Bravest went toe-to-toe in a 10-bout fight card in front of a sold-out crowd at the Aviator Sports Complex at Floyd Bennett Field. In the end, the NYPD prevailed over the FDNY six bouts to four in the competitive but friendly event. Proceeds from the evening were donated to the Police Athletic League's community programs for New York City youth.
|
2K Sports Classic |
2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer - Nov. 20-21
The college basketball season got off to an exciting start with the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. Tournament MVP Kyle Singler's 15 points and eight rebounds led Duke to a 71-56 win over Michigan in the championship game. In the consolation game, UCLA defeated Southern Illinois by a score of 77-60.
|
Boxing @ MSG |
Boxing: Calzaghe vs. Jones Jr. - Nov. 8
Light-Heavyweight champion Joe "The Pride of Wales" Calzaghe (46-0, 32 KO's) successfully defended his title against former world champion Roy Jones Jr. (52-5, 38 KO's) in a unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden. Calzaghe, the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization Light-Heavyweight champion, is three title defenses shy of breaking Joe Louis' record of 25 career title fights and three victories short of Rocky Marciano's record of 49-0.
|
ING New York City Marathon |
ING New York City Marathon - Nov. 2
The 2008 ING New York City Marathon saw two former champions return to the winner's circle. Brazilian runner Marilson Gomes Dos Santos, the 2006 champion, captured his second ING NYC Marathon title with a time of 2:08:43. Paula Radcliffe picked up her third New York victory and defended her 2007 title with a fast 2:23:56 win--nearly two minutes ahead of the second place finisher. This victory bumped Radcliffe into second place for most New York wins behind Grete Waitz' nine.
|
|
| NEW YORK CITY JANUARY SPORTS PREVIEW |
Upcoming Events
Here's a look forward to some of the exciting sporting events that will take place in the Big Apple in January.
|
Annual & Special Events: |
Professional Bull Riders Versus Invitational - 1/9-1/11
|
Hispanic Games - 1/10-1/11
|
JP Morgan Tournament of Champions Squash - 1/23-1/29
|
New Balance Games - 1/24
|
Millrose Games - 1/30
|
Hall of Fame/Mayor's Cup Challenge - 1/31
|
Golden Gloves Preliminary Rounds
|
| NEW YORK CITY'S HOME GAMES IN DECEMBER |
| Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
| |
1
|
2NYK v. POR
NASCAR
Champions
Week
(DEC 2-6) |
3
Rangers v.
Pittsburgh
|
4
|
5
|
6
Big Apple
Classic
|
7NYG v. PHIL
NYR v. CAL
NYK v. DET
|
8
|
9Jimmy V.
Classic
College
Football
HOF
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13Rangers v.
Carolina
NY National
Boat Show
(DEC 13-21)
|
14Jets v.
Buffalo
Maggie
Dixon
Classic
|
15
Heisman
Trophy
Presentation
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
Knicks v.
Milwaukee
|
20Bishop
Loughlin
Games
Holiday
Festival
|
21NYG v. CAR
Bishop
Loughlin
Holiday Fest.
|
22
|
23
Rangers v.
Washington
|
24
|
25
|
26
Knicks v.
Minnesota
|
27Rangers v.
New Jersey
Marine Corps
Holiday
Classic
|
28Jets v.
Miami
Knicks v.
Denver
|
29
Rangers v.
NY Islanders
|
30
|
31
Emerald Nuts
Midnight
Run
|
DECEMBER |
|
| NEW YORK CITY'S PROFESSIONAL TEAMS IN ACTION |
 |
New York Giants |
New York Jets |
| New York Knicks |
New York Rangers |
| New York Titans |
Schedules For All Teams |
2 Washington Street, 15th Fl., New York, NY 10004 / Toll Free: 877.NYC.SPORTS / Fax: 212.487.7090 |
| | |
