Bad Day on Air, Despite the Blue Blazer

Schoolman Buddies! 

Just like with any newscast, NYU Tonight can have its off days.  Today was definitely one of them! For starters, our minuscule staff shrunk from 10 to 8.  Plus, the prompter wasn't working properly, so Chris and I didn't get to practice with the words on the screen before going live.  Although our start time was scheduled for 5, it was more than a half after late.  Also, there was a slight mix-up with the director and stage manager.  A package didn't run, and we had no idea where to look or what to say.  I may be famous for making situations awkward, but there's no getting past on-air dead time.

Nonetheless, the show still had to go on, and stories still had to be written.  I ended up writing 9, but here's the one's that matter most..today's top sports stories:

One of the most unlikely players in Major League Baseball accomplished one of the greatest achievements possible---a perfect game.  In Saturday's matchup against the Mariners, Chicago White Sox pitcher Phillip Humber faced 27 batters and sent them all packing.  It was only his 30th start in the big leagues.  Still, he had no walks, no errors by the defense, not even a hit-batsman.  Humber joins a short list of 21 pitchers to have ever achieved this feat, all of whom are current or guaranteed Hall of Famers.

The Nets can no longer call New Jersey its home.  But Governor Chris Christie says he's not shedding any tears.  "It's one of the country's most vibrant cities, and they want to leave here and go to Brooklyn?  Good riddance.  See you later," Christie said.  Monday's 105 to 87 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers was their last ever home game at the Prudential Center.  The Nets ranked dead last in the NBA attendance this season but their farewell game had a sellout crowd.  After another disappointing season in New Jersey, it's on to the brand new Barclay's Center in Brooklyn for the Nets.

The New York Rangers are in 7th Heaven.  In last night's game against the Ottawa Senators, the Rangers re-established their lunch-pail identity, just in time to force a winner-takes-all Game 7.  It's not necessarily what the top-seeded Rangers were hoping for when their  first round Eastern Conference series against Ottawa started, but they're thrilled about it now  On Thursday night, the teams will play in New York at 7pm.  It's the first Game 7 in an sport at Madison Square Garden in 17 years.

Team schedules were released last week, but we still don't  know who's on the NFL roster.  The Indianapolis Colts are slated to make their first selection shortly after 8pm on Thursday  For the 3rd straight ear, the draft will run over  three days.   Thursday will be dedicated to the 1st round only.  Friday will host rounds 2 and 3, and the final four will take place on Saturday.  Quarterbacks Andrew Luck from Stanford and RGIII from Baylor are projected to take the top two slots.