Governor Chris Christie To New Jersey Nets: “Good riddance, see you later”
The New Jersey Nets played their final home game in New Jersey Monday night and Governor Chris Christie was not in attendance for the 105-87 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
In a press conference with the media at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, Christie was asked if he was going to the Nets game and defiantly said no. Christie seemed a little irked, still, that the Nets decided to relocate to Brooklyn after this season.
Christie then went off on a bit of a tirade and said, “good riddance, see you later.”
The Nets played in one of the most state-of-the-art arenas for the past few seasons, the Prudential Center. The Prudential Center is a gorgeous arena in down town Newark, New Jersey that, in addition to the Nets, houses the New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall Basketball and other minor league sports teams as well as various concerts including the latest Bruce Springsteen shows. Being that I am a resident of New Jersey, I have seen the stadium and it is gorgeous. It is better than the Izod Center will ever be.
The Nets are scheduled to move into the Barclays Center in Brooklyn next year and it cannot be that much better than the Prudential Center. As far as the Nets moving, I am terribly saddened. The Nets have been around since I was a little kid and it is shocking to me to see them leave.
In their loss to the Sixers Monday, Philadelphia clinched a playoff spot, rookie Marshon Brooks led the Nets with 18 points and Armon Johnson scored the final points for the Nets. The last home win for the Nets was April 8 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In 35 years in New Jersey, the Nets have brought home four Atlantic Division titles in the last four years and since the move from New York to New Jersey, the Nets have made two NBA Finals appearances losing to the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers in both appearances.
Hopefully, some NBA team moves into the Prudential Center to fulfill a void that the Nets are leaving at home.
Goodbye New Jersey Nets, see you in Brooklyn.
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