What Does Losing Feel Like?

         When you play a football game on someone else’s field the odds are against you: a new climate, unfamiliar territory and a hostile crowd. If you are motivated by the love of your city, however, anything is possible. September 23rd was going to be a rough day. Just two weeks earlier two American jet liners had slammed into one of the most iconic buildings in New York City, the World Trade Center. Both the Giants and the Jets had lost their previous games and were really in a slump, but they needed to win this one for New York City.

         The Giants had always been a good team, but the Chiefs would be one tough team to beat, and the emotions running through the player’s heads wouldn’t make it any easier. Many people thought that they wouldn’t even be able to emotionally pull it together. Hank Gola for the New York Post predicted that the Giants would lose to the Chiefs 17-14. The odds were seriously stacked against them and there was no doubt that it would be an intense game.

         However, when the Giants took the field, they saw something different; the terrorist attacks had sent shock-waves throughout the country, and it showed. Kansas City residents were holding up signs saying “KC loves NY,” and they are not known to be the friendliest of crowds in the country. This was something that the Giants did not expect, and maybe it helped them, because when they took the field, they crushed the Chiefs 13-3.  The crowd erupted in applause; Chiefs fullback Tony Richardson said, “They deserved the applause [because] it was their backyard, they actually saw it, they’ve been down to the site. Some of these people were their friends, their neighbors.” The Chiefs knew very well that this victory would mean a lot to the Giants, and all of New York City. “They were playing for their city and their state,” said Chiefs defensive end Eric Hicks.

         All of the players were ecstatic, and proud that they had won one for New York. Kerry Collins of the Giants said, “It was nice to know that, on some level, we had a positive influence for the events going on.” Shaun Williams for the Giants added, “It was important for our city to have something to smile about. It was important for them to have something to feel good about again." The Giants knew that this had meant something for New York City, and so did the Kansas City Chiefs, but the Jets winning the same day made the taste of winning even better.

         Coming out of a slump is no easy job, especially when bad emotions are raging, and on top of that, they had been crushed by the Colts just two weeks earlier. It would be tough for the Jets to come out ahead of the Patriots, but somehow they won. The Jets coach Herman Edwards definitely had something to do with it. Prior to the game he told his team, “People who can deal with inconvenience, those are the guys who are successful.” Taking the field equipped with their coach’s advice, and with their pride and passion for their city, the Jets were able to extract a 10-3 victory out of the Patriots.

         Winning the game was no easy task. However, the Jets did it using key defensive elements. The Patriots had turned the ball over four times during the game; two of these times were when they were in the red zone. On the Patriots last drive, perhaps the most important play of the game, Jets’ linebacker Mo Lewis crushed quarterback Drew Bledsoe as he tried to scramble for extra yards. This forced him out of the game and gave the job to the Patriots’ backup quarterback, Tom Brady. Brady failed to score and the Jets ended up conquering the game.

         The Patriots knew that this was a sensitive game. During the game, the Patriots honored the firefighters and police officers that had died during the terrorist attack. They even had Joe Andruzzi’s father and three brothers, New York City firefighters that had participated in the rescue operations at the World Trade Center, on as honorary captains. During the game over 60,000 American Flags were given out to all of the fans, and many people donated to the Red Cross. The Patriots played this game light-heartedly, "You've got to have fun playing this game, or it doesn't mean anything. No matter how much you get paid, you've got to have fun," said Patriots cornerback Ty Law. Football was one of the many ways that Americans would learn to cope with the unspeakable tragedy of September 11th.


Contributed to by: Greg Sakas, Timothy Jacobs and Amora Meas

NY Athletes Remebrance of 9/11

The attacks on 9/11 affected everyone in New York. Area professional athletes were unsure how to react and how to get back to work. New York Jets coach Herm Edwards said in an interview to the New York Post, "I got the team together and said, ‘Boys, let me tell you something. If you're not focused today, I get it, because I ain't focused.’ I said, ‘You guys go home. What we need to do right now is pray. We need to pray as Americans.’”

Michael Strahan, who was the Giants defensive end was deeply affected, changed his feelings about going on the road. He said in an ESPN interview, “The feeling of going on the road, playing an NFL game, it definitely changed ... because there was patriotism.”

After 9/11 baseball had a huge impact on the emotions of New Yorkers. The two major baseball teams that had a major effect were the Yankees and the Mets. Before 9/11, the Yankees players were resting at home. The Mets were traveling back from Pittsburgh. As they entered New York they noticed a large puff of black smoke. Feelings of sorrow, grief and fear passed through their minds. Despite their feelings they had to move on.

Ten days after the attack, the Mets had their first game. Although the Mets were very depressed, they had to play. The crowd wasn’t too happy before that game, but Mike Piazza’s home run turned their frowns upside down.

Now ten years after 9/11 the Mets look back and remember the event as if it were a picture. Bobby Parnell, the closer for the Mets, still remembers the exact number of firefighter and paramedic casualties. This year the Mets third baseman David Wright said, "The whole week was special leading up to tonight." Obviously, we remember and honor those heroes, but at the same time, I think it should be done a little more often than once a year."

Mike Piazza was present at the 10th anniversary game. During that day,Piazza had a chance to reflect, “It definitely is painful looking back, thinking about that week and reflecting on it,I thought the ceremony was very moving and just very well done. I'm very proud to be a part of it, very humbled to be a part of it.”

During the aftermath of 9/11, Yankee players came to lower Manhattan to see how the situation was. The level of pain that victims’ families were facing emotionally made visiting it awkward for the players, but they eventually learned that families appreciated them coming. In a previous interview, Derek Jeter said, “I think after that we had a better appreciation of what we represented.”

MLB eventually restarted and the Yankees were back to the World Series. Mariano Rivera and Jeter both sensed a boost in the importance of winning. “That’s when it seemed like most of the city was rallying around us,” said Jeter. The New York Yankees won all three of their next games, two of which where late-inning rallies.

Ten years later, the effects of 9/11 are still in the minds of athletes. Each day goes by in remorse. Now the athletes are more aware of their role on the general public.


By: Shafat Choudhury, Nasif Chowdhury and Velid Mulic

New York Mets Overcoming the 9/11 Attacks

The 9/11 attacks definitely changed the face of everything in New York. Baseball wasn’t exempt from these changes. Major League Baseball had to deal with a ten game break. During this break, many groups of first responders helped at the site of the attack. What happened when the first responders needed assistance? Bobby Valentine, the former Mets manager said,“Were we just going to be a Band-Aid over this gaping wound or would we make a difference?” So they decided to make a big difference.

The Mets were at the Ground Zero site passing out care boxes for the first responders. They also stayed in the parking lot of Shea Stadium where they handed out boxes of food and water to people helping at Ground Zero and victims the attacks.

Not only did they help the victims of the horrible attacks, they helped the city recover emotionally. Ten days after the terrorist attacks, the Mets played the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium. They were down 2-1 at the end of the eighth inning. Mike Piazza, the star catcher on the Mets gave a lift that America needed badly He hit a glorious two-run homerun to give the Mets the lead and eventual win. "I feel blessed to be remembered for a home run that helped heal the city,” Mike Piazza stated to SNY.

Piazza made healing the wounds that were dealt on the dreaded day much easier. His miracle woke America up and told it to get up and move along. America needed this wake up call; they needed something to cheer about. People everywhere still remember this game and how he gave the people what they needed. He gave the people the spirits to move on and continue with their lives, to focus on the present and get over the past.

Every year there is a 9/11 anniversary to commemorate the people that died on that day. This day is where everyone feels great sorrow, where everyone is connected in a special way no matter what race what gender or what nationality, and a day everyone will never forget. Ten long years have pasted and still this feeling of sorrow has not been completely healed. The death of 2,819 cannot be undone, the devastation that came with the 9/11 attacks cannot be forgotten, and the memory of that day will scar the world. The day we lost our sense of security, the people we loved, and the tower that symbolized our pride. We have lost so much but we will always keep one thing with us: our hope.

-Contributed by Alex Long and Jason Wang

Tragedy Strikes the Yankees Morale

After the 9/11 attacks, the Yankees felt awkward playing baseball again. It didn’t feel right playing in front of people that were directly affected by 9/11. “It was awkward because you meet [people] who just lost family members,” expressed Jeter in an ESPN interview. “What do you say?" The thoughts going into a game, after 9/11, was that seeing baseball isn’t what people needed at that point, “There are still looking for people,” Jeter said, “I don’t think it’s the right time to play baseball.”

Yankee players were left scrambling to do what little they could to relieve some pain and tension caused by the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. With the city in shock, Major League Baseball immediately canceled all games. When baseball resumed, the Yankees were playing at Chicago. There was a moment of silence at the game, a fan yelled, "We love you, New York!" and the crowd exploded in cheers. ”[It] just gave you goose bumps when you realized that it was just a country coming together," remembered Joe Torre. "And our baseball was there to distract the people from thinking about the horrors that just went on." During the 9/11 attack, it was awkward to continue sports, for the Yankees, but they felt that it was needed to restore the united nation.

Less than two months after the 9/11 attack, the Yankees were representing America in the 2001 World Series, the World Series that is arguably one of the most memorable in the history of the game. It was a distraction that the World Series provided for the country. “I don’t know if the attacks added to the desire and need to win for us”, said Derek Jeter. “I think what it did is it sort of gave the fans of New York … something that they could cheer for at least three hours a day because it was tough times and people didn’t have too much to smile about.”

Game 4 of that World Series was played at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees down by two runs, had a runner on base. Tino Martinez, the Yankees first baseman came to the plate. The Yankees were going to go down three games to one in the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but Martinez had other plans, “Tino Martinez hit a home run to tie it and that was as loud as I’ve heard Yankee Stadium,” remarked Jeter. President George Bush came out to throw the ceremonial first pitch. As he did so chants of “USA, USA, USA!” filled Yankee Stadium letting people across the world know that 9/11 would not be forgotten but that America would make it through the devastating experience. .

September of 2001 was one of the toughest times in Yankee’s history. The 9/11 attacks gave the Bronx Bombers the responsibility to carry New York on their shoulders. To call their run in the playoffs inspirational would be an understatement, they didn’t win, and they brought tranquility back to the people of New York City.

After 9/11, the Yankees mentality changed. It gave them a sense of pride and responsibility to wear the black and white pinstripes. The following off-season the Yankees made a couple of high profile moves. The Yankees had a great season, winning 103 games. They were knocked out by the Anaheim Angels in the ALDS (American League Divisional Series) but they still held their heads high.

Contributed by Geoffrey Nathan, Sebastian Villada, Dionys Gutierrez