Editor's Note: Yesterday, we ran an article profiling Patrick Creighton, an Island Trees High School graduate, who is a finalist for today's WFAN's Phenom Challenge. During our discussion, I asked him a few questions about the New York sports world. His answers are below.
On the Islanders:
“The Islanders are equated with their early ‘80s dynasty. They’re equated with John Spano, who tried to buy the team with falsified assets. Now, they’re equated with a failed Lighthouse Project and a failed new arena and a team that can’t financially get out of its own way.
The Islanders right now happen to have a lot of young talent. Their ability to get a new arena and generate new revenue is going to play a big part in having to keep those players or trade them off. The Islanders have been in a perpetual rebuilding stage since 1993. No money, no end.”
On the Islanders-Rangers rivalry:
“It’s one of those rivalries where, no matter how bad the team is, they always amp up to play each other. That’s the real true rivalry among New York teams. They play in the same division. They’re 30 miles apart. They fight for playoff spots. That’s a real rivalry, where fans have that true venom for the other team. The other sports, it’s not the same.
On the Giants losing Steve Smith:
Steve Smith was a huge part of the offense, but he’s also coming off of microfracture knee surgery. Even if he’s able to play this year, I think he’ll wind up on the [Physically Unable to Perform] list and miss the first six games. But even if he overcomes that Injury and plays this year, he’s still not going to be 100 percent until the following year.
“You saw that with Osi Umenyiora. He had the microfracture, and then the next year, he was terrible. He followed that up with a Pro Bowl year.”
“The Giants are a very well-run organization. The head coach is very good, the general manager has shown he’s very good. They’re a class organization from top to bottom. You have to trust their judgment that they know their players better than other teams know their players.”
On athletes as role models:
“I think parents have a responsibility to teach their kids that athletes are not role models. There are a lot more Michael Vicks than there are Derek Jeters. If you want your kid to be involved in sports and you want them to look up to a particular athlete for the way they play and the way they conduct themselves, it’s your job as a parent to teach your kid who they should look up to. I wouldn’t let my neighbor or my cousin or some random person I meet in the store tell my kid who they should look up to.”
Make sure to check out Patrick Creighton's two-minute monologue from the semi-finals at Miller's Ale House as part of this article. Creighton will participate in the contest today, which will air live on WFAN during Mike Francesa's show between the hours of 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m..
