The New Yankee Stadium Will Host More Than the Yankees

A swing--but no miss--was in full form yesterday at the site of the old Yankee Stadium, as a portion of the upper deck was destroyed as part of the demolition of the old stadium; it's being razed to make room for parks.
The new Yankee Stadium (home of last year’s World Series champions, of course) which opened last year, hosts its opening day game on April 13. (Spring training is already underway. Yay!)
But the stadium will play host to more than just baseball teams this year. Part of the agreement when the new stadium was built was that uses would be found for it year round. The inaugural New Era Pinstripe Bowl (college football; who knew?) is scheduled for December 30 of this year. It will host the third-best Big East team against the sixth-best Big 12 team. ESPN will televise it (Unlikely if it were not being played at the home of the Bronx Bombers…)
We don’t make up these things; we just report them.
Team officials say that in part because of the college bowl game, employment will now be available year round, and that free tickets to the game will be given out to local residents.
A major boxing match is also planned at the stadium for this June, as is the Notre Dame-Army game in November.
College and professional games were also played sporadically at the old Yankee Stadium.
In the meantime, play ball!

Even the Empire State Building Supports the New York Jets

It’s not St. Patrick’s Day, but green and white are the colors to display this weekend in the city in honor of the New York Jets football team. Even New York’s Empire State Building is getting into the action—the building will glow green and white all weekend in honor of the team’s making it into the playoffs.
The official lighting ceremony took place on Friday; former Jets wide receiver Wayne Chebret had the honor of flipping the switch that set the building aglow in the team’s colors. The Jets ”Flight Crew" cheerleaders and some former players joined fans for the ceremony.
The Jets are heading to San Diego, CA for the divisional playoff game on Sunday, at 4:40 pm. They play the widely favored San Diego Chargers. The Jets, if they win, will be one game away from the Super Bowl.
However, the Jets, for those keeping track, have not made it to the Superbowl in more than 40 years--since 1969.
Can’t make it to San Diego? Well, at least you can turn on your TV—and also go gaze upon the Empire State Building.
By the way, upcoming lighting schemes for the Empire State Building include red, black and green for this Monday, January 18, and the celebration of Martin Luther King Day; all red for the National Heart Association “Wear Red Day” (February 5); and red, pink and white for Valentine’s Day weekend.