Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The Park is indeed open

The lock on the dog areas comes off tomorrow and the park is now open as it should be. Later in December the mayor said the city would hold a ribbon cutting. The hell with that. That's why Johnny has told this story from the beginning, so when the truffle sniffing glory hounds show up in two weeks you'll know who did the work to get the park back up and running, Candice Osborne and Johnny. If not for the combined efforts that place would till be a shitwreck, it would.

By Johnny's reckoning the people who live at The One should be able to walk through it or bring their dogs in March of 2020, about the time the rest of the PAD was denied use of their park for over two years.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Late night open tread

Go on, click this and then go make plans to enjoy your favorite smart cocktail. Come on, click, don't cost nothin'

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Hallelujah and pass the Tylenol -- UPDATED!

Finally. Some 2 and 3/4 years in the making and Johnny got confirmation his #1 priority is finally opening, yes, he got a message from Ward E councilwoman Candice Osborne that Mayor Steve Fulop wasn't aware the park hadn't opened (Surprise!) and told Parks and Rec to open it TODAY! Friends, Johnny took the dire wolf by and they are putting down the final line larkers and pulling some fencing away.

Not to be a glory hog but Johnny worked almost tirelessly, writing, cajoling, whining, yelling and stomping his feet or sadly this could well have run on into 2018 with no end in sight. The important thing is it just became must easier and safer to traverse from the Harsimus Cove HBLR to the Grove St. PATH and the PAD finally has a park again, something they're not had for almost three years.

Thanks to Councilwoman Osborne, about PAD's only champion in this when it came to the city.


















10:25 PM UPDATE -- Johnny just checked his Twitter messages and Councilwoman Osborne says the park opens Thursday.

Monday, November 27, 2017

Late night open thread

State trivia night. One state in the United States has SEVEN words in it's official name. It's true. The reasoning for such is here if you want to find out why, if you just want to know which state click here.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Sadly we had to take down the K9dergarten link

Nothing has made Johnny sadder than to have to take down the link to K9dergarten BUT when a business, in this case a place that boards dogs, feels the need to politically endorse candidates (Rebecca Symes), hold fundraisers for, and block signs for other candidates, they risk this kind of backlash. You board dogs. There were 5 candidates for Ward E councilperson and you decided that four of the other candidates customers don't meet your grand political ideals. It's a backhand K9dergarten is what it is.

Now of course Johnny has done his homework. His dentist is upstairs from K9dergarten and he stopped in one afternoon before the first vote after seeing all the Symes Symes Symes window signs and went to those behind the counter. He asked if K9dergarten was all in or fully committed to Symes or if they just had a fundraiser there as she's a client and the signs were still up. Suppose, Johnny asked, what if (and honestly he picked a name out of the sky and) had a Jake Hudnut sign and wanted to put that in the window if that would be OK. Someone went in the back for a couple minutes and came back and said no.

Johnny left quite perplexed. Were they really being this obtuse and dismissive of the thousands of Ward E dog owners who voted for someone else?

Turns out, yes. Johnny went back in after the first vote gave Ward E a runoff between Symes and James Solomon. "Are you guys sure you want to only support just one candidate and can you even see why dog owners of someone who liked Grillo or Solomon or the aforementioned Hudnut wouldn't be a bit bothered?" The best Johnny got from the boss that day was "she's a client."

Did Krispy Kreme endorse anyone? Barcade? The Little Sandwich Shop? Skinner's Loft? No. Know why? They understand not sticking a finger in some of your customers eyes by being so needlessly political (and it's not even that political it's, 'she's a client' which means anyone who takes their dog their can expect a political endorsement) is a smart idea.

Vaya Con Dios K9dergarten, you're not bad people, you just need to understand this act of shooting yourselves in the foot was a bad idea and so unnecessary.

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Late night open thread

Good to see Pedd State is so toxic still.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Nine years in Jersey City!

Johnny posted this to Twitter yesterday but wanted to remind our exclusive blog readers that it was nine short years yesterday that Johnny moved to Jersey City and he's still here.

Of course he complains about it, he wants it to succeed. If he didn't care there'd be a New York City Desk or, LOL, a Hoboken City Desk.

Here's to nine more!

Giants football Gameday!

Yeeeeaaaaah, that was Thursday, they lost. They do remain third in the NFL Draft Watch® behind Cleveland (In Cincinnati today so a wee shot at a win) and San Fran is playing the Seahawks to an even slimmer chance to win we'd guess. If chalk holds into next weekend the Browns schedule gets much HARDER, for even them. Nobody ever accuses the Brownies of tanking, they're just that bad.

Hopefully the Giants can sit around, watch some Red Zone today and plan out their next few losses.

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Late night open thread

The Saturday Night Scoreboard Show -- We love breaking bad news

Auburn 26
Alabama 14
Forget Nick Saban lost to Auburn for the 4th time, enjoy this one because it made it almost impossible for Ohio State to make the playoff

Ohio State 31
Michigan 20
The biggest problem for the Buckeyes was a phantom "cameraman" who hurt Bucks QB J.T. Barrett. Yet one more reason to leave OSU at home, hurt star QB, the Dennis Franklin rule comes back to bite Ohio State all these years later

Stony Brook 59
Lehigh 29
A Patriot conference winning season comes crashing down at 5-7 for Lehigh

Furman 28
Elon 27
Furman scored 7 points in the 4th quarter and Elon scored 6. You do the math

Michigan State 40
Rutgers 7
Sparty flips it by turning around an awful 3-9 2016 into a 9-3 2017 and most likely goes somewhere warm on New Year's Day

Florida State 38
Florida 22
And the Gators are Florida's worst team for those scoring at home

Wisconsin 31
Minnesota 0
Ok Bucky, the stage is all yours, do something with it

Oregon 69
Oregon State 10
If Johnny were a Beavers fan in Oregon he'd be hiding all his Beaver-wear for the next year

Clemson 34
South Carolina 10
Cock-slapping fun for the Tigers in Columbia tonight

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
San Jose St. 20
Wyoming 17
Sometimes the Game of the Week isn't all about winning titles, it's about winning those big close games that break 10 game losing streaks. DeJon Packer got power up and ran it in from 44 yards out with just over 2 minutes to play for San Jose St. and thus DeJon Packer may loot and pillage the greater San Jose are for the next 24 hours

Rutgers football Gameday!

Last call in Piscataway today for the Rutgers 2017 season. Michigan State (And Johnny) will make up the opposition today but before we dig into today's particulars, how did RU really do this season?

The Scarlet Knights under Chris Ash sit at 4-7. After a miserable and truly pathetic 2-10 season a year ago they have doubled their win total but is this a truly 'feel good' about the two game improvement we're really going places or just a tiny bit better? Our answer is, and you'll hate us for punting, but we won't know if it's real improvement until next year. For every good 14-12 win at Purdue there was a 16-13 loss to Eastern Michigan at home. For every good win vs Maryland and Illinois there were still outright drubbings by Ohio State and INDIANA. For a few weeks they can run then the well runs dry. For a couple games the passing game looks passable then, dumptown. With the next recruiting class in it will take until this time next year to see if RU is going to press for bowl eligibility in their last two games of if god forbid they backslide. We'll say this, they competed well in the B1G this year, certainly better than predicted.

Every two years Sparty comes to town and every two years Johnny and Mrs. Johnny take on the hell that is NJ Transit who dumped an entire train of MSU & Rutgers fans in Rahway in 2015 after assuring them all (about 20 fans) that train that left Newark was going to New Brunswick. An Uber ride with RU fans met on the train saved the day and kickoff. 15 yard penalty on NJ Transit for targeting the wrong stop.  last time a wobbly #4 Spartan team and in on a Saturday night and RU gave them all they could stand and only walked out victorious after RU QB Chris Laviano spiked the ball on 4th down denying the Scarlet Knights a chance at a hail mary. The key that night was RU stopped the Spartan running attack.

They'll badly need to do that again today. MSU had become quite the passing team as the year has gone on, leaving that 'pound green pound' persona gained over the last few seasons of success with Javon Ringer, Le'Veon Bell & the LJ Scott battering ram of two years ago, not the chronic fumbler of this year. Last week vs Maryland however the old ground attack was back with a vengeance and with Sparty being of single mind today, "Flip it" (Meaning 3-9 last year to a possible 9-3 this year) they'd love nothing more than to dull this one down and unleash Scott, Madre London and Gerald Holmes again and again and again on a Rutgers defense that struggles mightily against the run. However if RU can slow the Spartan ground game, Chris Lewerke has plenty of targets to throw to. Felton Davis III should be on a lot of all-Big Ten teams with is 45 receptions for 586 yard and 8 of Lewerke's 16 TD passes. He's a big target who catches well and well in traffic.

Rutgers best advantage is one they'll have to make themselves, sow doubt in MSU's mind. If Sparty loses today this whole feel-good season or redemption and turn around somewhat ends as a buffed turd. Losing to a team with Rutgers record and not completing their 'flip' and suddenly the shine comes off 2017. As Dom DeLuise said in History of the World Part I, "Nice....not thrilling....but nice." There was a great article on it written in the Lansing State Journal. This game means a LOT to Michigan Sate, if RU can drag them into the deep water of the 4th quarter, like 2015, anything can happen.

Offensively, well, ugh. Johnny thought there was a good chance for RU last weekend before last place Indiana handed the Scarlet Knights their lunch 41-0. Has the RU offense checked out? Are they capable of running the ball against an awful tough team to run against? Are they willing to simply air it out today against a defense that brings pressure but puts corners and safeties in one on one coverage? DING DING DING! RU has to throw and throw well. Look, nothing to lose but everything to gain. Option passes, reverse passes, going for it on 4th down, throw caution to the wind and that does go to the idea of RU causing MSU some doubt. Sure that kind of gameplan can backfire but standing toe-to-toe with MSU in the trenches is a losing plan.

Like we said, last call on the Rutgers season. While RU might enjoy a night vodka tonic or Manhattan before they go, we kind of have a feeling tonight it'll be Boone's Farm wine.

Fearless Forecast
Michigan State 31
Rutgers 20

Friday, November 24, 2017

Late night open thread

Can't wait for the Rutgers football thread tomorrow, Sparty's in town...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE DRAMATICS!

Ahhh, starting things off tonight with some of that great sounding and always welcome Stax/Volt record label music that signifies quality. Let's step off the show tonight with The Dramatics and their classic 'Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE YARDBIRDS!

The 'Shapes of Things' you ask? Well, Jimmy Page is pretty fucking good and you Jersey City Desk music fan, well you get to hear it again for free right now.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with AL STEWART!

Hey now, how is this possible? This is the very first time we're featured Mr. Al Stewart on the Music Series. 'Year of the Cat' would be a good one to run with but we're going to choose another great track by Al (Can Johnny call you Al?). 'On the Border' features castanets, something, if done correctly, can add to a song. Problem is, besides this one and Elton John's 'Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding' there aren't a lot of chances to hear them. Johnny's ready to learn of you have other songs with them so prevalent in the comments section, love to her from you on this.

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Late night open thread

Hope everyone's turkey was tender and family visits were good.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope Turkey Claus was good to everyone. Have yourselves a wonderful day and remember, the dump in Stockbridge Massachusetts is closed today.

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Late night open thread

Everyone off to bed or Turkey Claus won't come and we'll all starve tomorrow!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Happy Thanksgiving Eve

A great day in the American experience, the day before the turkey. Traveling, catching up with friends who are also back in town, movies, bars or just hanging at home with family.

If you are traveling today we wish you a safe trip and please don't forget the people train don't run out of Wichita, people train runs out of Ssstubville...

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Late night open thread

Would have been nice to have time to post a proper story tonight but since Comcast decided to puke and give zero information as to why all our munniez can't keep their services on, it's just too late as Johnny gets up around 4:15am. Kind of a flippant attitude once again. Comcast gonna Comcast.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Monday, November 20, 2017

Late night open thread

Every year Gordon insists on deep frying a turkey and every year the insurance buys us a new garage.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

We're gonna get her a nice fruit basket

Johnny's favorite Jersey City spokeswoman, Jennifer Morrill is leaving Jersey City to become the unnecessarily combative and overly dramatic spokeswoman at Care Point Health. She served Mayor Healy vs Steve Fulop and Mayor Fulop vs Jerramiah Healy.

You can't get much more spokesperson than that. More on her storied career in Jersey City here.

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Late night open thread

Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.
 -- Winston Churchill

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Giants football Gameday!

Would you look at that, it's Sunday and so a Giants game is at our throats again. Unlike a bad college season which ends for 95% of college teams next weekend, the Giants shall plod on into the holidays.

The Kansas City Chiefs roll into the New Meadowlands this afternoon for a windy and cold November matchup, red vs Big Blue. On paper this looks like a wipeout, the Chiefs are 6-3 and the Giants took a huge step to challenge the Browns for the #1 overall draft pick when they laid a deep dish pizza in San Francisco last Sunday.

But that wind out there, 40 mph, 50 mph, the G-Men see this often, the Kansas Cities, not so much. How many times in history have the Giants been able to turn a really windy day into scoreboard gold? So, passing will suck equally, let's see who can run the ball. Toledo Rocket rookie Kareem Hunt started like a house afire for KC but has found the sledding much tougher over the last month. He hasn't had a 100 yard game since mid-October and hasn't scored a TD since late September. SO, can the Giants keep him bottled up, thus giving them a shot at a useless win?

No. The Giants are 30th in the NFL against the run. We'd expect the KC offensive line right now to be chomping at the bit to get out and get run blocking. Kansas City however isn't much better coming in at #29 against the run. That'd be great but the Chiefs have what you;d actually call a real running attack whereas that went out the window for the Giants in like week 2.

Is there anything in the passing numbers, something so lopsided that even the weather might not stop it? Not really, the Chiefs are 8th in the league in passing yards and for context ahead of teams like Detroit, and Atlanta. The Giants, they can't run well and can't pass consistently hitting the team passing list at #22.

Everything seems to tip in Kansas City's favor today. All the stats line up for a Chiefs win, we're seeing piss-poor effort from some of the G-Men and the Chiefs are far more likely to be the team with a 100 yard rushing day.

Still, that wind...

Fearless Forecast
Kansas Windy Chiefs 22
New Windy Giants 17

Draft Watch®
Huge loss by the G-Men last week. Well timed and to the right team, the one ahead of them in the draft order. They need to keep up that "lolligag the ball around the infield" attitude with KC. The Browns are at home today against the on-the-rise Jacksonville Jaguars. The one thing that could help the Browns win today is the Jags are the #1 overall rushing team BUT, and are you sitting down? The Brownies are #6 vs the rush in the NFL.

1) Cleveland 0-9
2) NY Giants 1-8
3) San Francisco 1-9
4) Indianapolis 3-7
5) Cincinnati 3-6

For those of you looking ahead and wondering now whom might be available and who is projected to come to the Giants here are a couple draft prediction sites. Walter Football & CBS Sports.

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Late night open thread

The only Saturday Night Scoreboard Show you'll still respect in the morning.

Wisconsin 24
Michigan 10
Wisconsin claims the all important 'Weasel-Family' trophy this year

Montana State 31
Montana 23
In case you're in Montana and need to choose sides real quick

Alabama 56
Mercer 0
Ah, homecoming in the SEC the week before the last league game when almost everyone gobbles an early turkey dinner

Lehigh 38
Lafayette 31
Lehigh goes back-to-back in the Patriot League and have won an automatic bid to the playoffs 5-6 overall record be damned. This is the longest running college football rivalry with today being game #153.

Michigan State 17
Maryland 7
When people ask you what happened here, tell them winter came for House Terrapin's bowl hopes
Oklahoma 41
Kansas 3
About the only good thing you can say about Baker Mayfield's behavior today is at least he didn't steal anything in China

Florida State 77
Delaware State 6
Still not going to a bowl game, no matter how badly you beat down 1-AA teams

Toledo 66
Bowling Green 37
Why is the town called Bowling Green but their main color is orange?

Coastal Carolina 13
Idaho 7
Nothing here but the fact Coastal Carolina and Idaho are in the same league

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Dartmouth 54
Princeton 44
Dartmouth scored 34, yes, 34 points in the fourth quarter, including a game winning TD with no time left (the other points at the end came on a fumbled mandatory kickoff) by Jared Gerbino, his fourth of the day to get power up and take the Big Green to 8-2. In Johnny's polling Dartmouth moves ahead of Miami FL in the four team playoff race. Jared Gerbino may now loot and pillage Hanover N.H. for the next 24 hours

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Rutgers football Gameday!

On the road for the last road game of the season in Bloomington Indiana today with a noon kickoff as the Scarlet Knights look DOWN at the Hoosiers in the B1G East standings.

What's that? There are TWO teams below Rutgers in the B1G East right now? It's true, a very strong second half of the season shows RU ahead of both the Hoosiers and Maryland. A win today would assure the Scarlet Knights of no less than 5th in the loaded East. Who among you had RU coming in right behind the Murderer's Row of Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan and Pedd State? Maryland and Indiana, who are they?

OK, let's not get too cocky but it's fun to even jest about these matter this late into November.

Indiana comes into the game in last place at 1-6 in B1G conference play. Wait a second, it's around here somewhere...

So, Indiana comes into today in last place in B1G conference play as the offensive juggernaut of the last few seasons never materialized. Can Rutgers keep it good and hibernated for another week?

That's why Johnny's writes these things.

First off, records aside, Johnny thinks this one will be close. Rutgers gives about about as many points as IU averages. The Hoosier defense gives up a tad more scoring than Rutgers. So our key to success? The same way they beat Illinois and Purdue, KISS, Keep.It.Simple.Stupid. Run the ball. RU averages around 166 yards a game on terra firma and will most likely need something close today. At Michigan State the mantra when the ground game is going well is, "Pound Green Pound" and if RU can get a "Pound Red Pound" today and control the clock they'll at least be in the game with better than a 50/50 chance to win. Indiana gives up a stingy 150+ on the ground so effort and lack of holding or false start penalties will be needed. Johnny's actual game key today for the Scarlet Knights is penalties. Composure on the road for a young growing team is vital.

If there ever was a time for Chris Ash to play the 'no respect' card it is today. Huddled away in a dump of a locker room in Bloomington Ash can point out despite being two games ahead of IU in the standings they are 10.5 point underdogs. The ESPN Matchup Predictor has IU at 76% likely to win today. Win today, and hope for the best vs Sparty next week in Piscataway and this season, this expected moribund season could end at 6-6. Could, might, maybe. All those words start today.

Fearless Forecast
Rutgers 30
Indiana 25

Late night open thread

Too soon?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday, November 17, 2017

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS

Johnny has always loved this song as it was always a reach back to The Clash and The Sex Pistols and The Ramones with that fast three chord power song about not giving a fuck. As the studios and radios were bringing New Wave to the masses this Joan Jett rocker always made Johnny happy.

'Bad Reputation' kicking things off right tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NEKO CASE!

Johnny has spent the better part of his musical adult life hearing about how Jim Morrison is considered a well thought of poet. Books have been written about said. Johnny has no reason to quibble, he loves The Doors and has almost all their music and does indeed think Jimmeh wrote at a level many simply can't.

So what does that make Neko Case? Poet Laureate of Rock and Roll Alt or otherwise? This woman writes songs on a plane almost unheard of and when you set it to her multi-layered musical vision there are few who can match this level of music making. Enjoy the show.

'Prison Girls' from the Middle Cyclone album, a staple in any proper music libarry.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE FARM!

Tonight in that 33rpm getting you on your way to the clubs and parties and couches in and around Jersey City, it's The Farm and 'Groovy Train' which is not run by NJ Transit.

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Late night open thread

It was 40 years go today that Saturday Night Fever burst onto the scene bringing with it disco, three piece suits and light up dance floors. Know this, Johnny was a real punk, not of the space variety yet and had very little time for the scourge of disco music. But if nothing else this blog is a celebration of music and even if it's not his style that movie and soundtrack were giant in the culture at the time and since, plus Mrs. Johnny loves it. For the first and last tie here, it's The Bee Gees and 'Stayin' Alive' of which the original chorus in those high pitched voices was to be "New York, New Yooooork"

FACT
Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Welcome you are Jersey City

Johnny working on his Yoda this morning...

When you speak of Johnny, do speak well; The failed EV parking program that encompasses the block between Marin & Provost on First St. has now turned most of those EV spots over to actual parking people actually use. With the parking crunch downtown from all the construction, residents have been forced into 'streets away from home parking.' It made no good sense to take an entire block of prime city parking, you know, the kind that pays the city back with permits and fines, and turn it over as part of Shuster's abatement "giveback" for the Art House and Jokeman. Johnny railed on this ridiculous plan from the hop. He did his research on how many EV's were sold in Hudson and Essex counties that might just need to come park on a one block section of First St. in downtown Jersey City, and not all that easy to get to. Just about the only cars seen charging were owned by Maven, the company that partnered with General Motors on the chargers. Johnny wondered that almost every time he sent his research to the city and showed how poor the plan was he'd see Maven cars charging over the next couple days. This idea comes straight from the playbook that if a McDonalds isn't selling enough cheeseburgers at a location Ronald McDonald comes in and buys 100 to get the numbers up.

Time and time again Johnny posted pictures and showed councilwoman Candice Osborne as well as Rolando Lavarro, council president, of an empty street that could certainly be used. Since this wasn't any kind of 'We'll do this for one year and see how it goes program' rather than just a bad idea for an abatement give back we're going to go ahead and say the squeaky wheel gets the grease and Jersey City gets some badly needed parking back.

The UCLA basketball team can thank Johnny now.

Late night open thread

I wanted to buy a candle holder, but the store didn't have one. So I got a cake.
 -- Mitch Hedberg

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Somebody help a Johnny out

Johnny is all about these painted black and white cats and kitteh paws everywhere but can someone help out if you know and help Johnny know what it's all about Alfie?

Thanks in advance.

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Late night open thread

Pizza's here!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

In other news, water is wet

The Jersey Journal is reporting if new Governor-elect Phil Murphy makes recreational marijuana legal, the price will come come down. See, see, now everyone who's ever bought a dime bag in their life figured this out in college. We kid because we love and there is more to the article than pointing out the obvious. Take a few minutes of time to get your learn on as to how the legalization process might well play out.

Monday, November 13, 2017

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Happy 90th birthday to the Holland Tunnel

The first vehicle crossing was 90 years ago today so happy birthday to an integral part of our lives whether we drive or bus through it or not. Such a rich history as you'd expect. This link will take you to the Jersey Journal story with some cool Holland Tunnel facts and this link will take you to the official report archives of the great south tunnel fire in May 13, 1949 chemical truck fire that cost several lives courtesy of the Hoboken Historical Museum. The WIkipedia post on the fire goes into some more detail. Originally the tunnel was called either the Hudson River Vehicular Tunnel or the Canal Street Tunnel depending on which side of the river you lived on.

Happy Birthday to a tunnel, it's well deserved.

Sunday, November 12, 2017

Late night pen thread

Don't despair Giants fans, it sucks here, now, today but take it from a Browns fan, come Draft Day, it'll all be worth it.

One of us.
One of us.
One of us.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Giants football Gameday!

Look, theres only one reason this game matters, draft picks. We're not going to go into any depth about the Giants needing to establish a run against today's opponent, the San Francisco 49ers, we don't care about how bad the Niners pass defense matches up with Big Blue tight ends and wideouts, so lets just skip down to the draft watch, THAT is why we're here today.

Draft Watch®
1) San Francisco 49ers (0-9)
2) Cleveland Browns (0-8)
3) New York Giants (1-7)
4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6)
5) Indianapolis Colts (3-6)

You can clearly see why today's game is so important. Should the Giants LOSE to San Fran, they'd slide into the #2 slot behind Cleveland. The Browns are in Detroit today and will more than likely be 'turkey-holed' to death by Matthew Stafford at Ford Field. Another point in a Giants loss, the Giants would have to win another game for San Fran to slide back in front (if you will). A loss gives the Giants the tiebreaker with the Niners. Indy hosts the Stoolers today so we'd be willing to bet the Colts go to 3-7. The Jets, just off this list, are in Tampa today. That game could go either way so do keep an eye on it.

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Late night open thread

The one, the only, Saturday Night Scoreboard Show!

Auburn 40
Georgia 17
Auburn wallops the top ranked Bulldogs and backhands the SEC East in the process

Clemson 31
Florida State 14
The Seminoles fall to 3-6 and the FSU mascot on the horse can pretty much throw that flaming spear into their bowl hopes

South Carolina 28
Florida 20
The Gators fall to 3-6 and the UF mascot can go cleanup the flaming mess left by the FSU mascot

Ohio State 48
Michigan State 3
Urban Meyer makes sure he gets a proper meal tonight, no golf cart pizza for him

Wake Forest 64
Syracuse 43
Don't we warn against this every week with someone? Syracuse built a 38-24 halftime lead then went to sit on Santa's lap at the Syracuse Mall while the Demon Deacons go bowling with 40 second half points

Lehigh 41
Holy Cross 28
Lehigh is going to win this conference with a losing overall record. With only Lafayette at home on South Mountain next weekend and a win over Colgate, the Mountain Hawks shall rule over mediocrity















Furman 56
The Citadel 20
Johnny's Furman shirt status update: It was dirty, didn't get worn (Not that his MSU Spartans shirt helped out)

Wisconsin 38
Iowa 14
The playoff committee is going to have a real problem if Wisconsin beats the Buckeyes in the B1G title game. If they do boy, all aboard the Bucky Bus

Alabama 31
Mississippi State 24
The Tide come back late and ruin a perfectly good night where  #1, 2 & 3 could have all lost

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Oklahoma State 49
Iowa State 42
We sure hope one of those behind the scenes programs have been following Iowa State around all year with all these close games against top teams, some glorious wins, some wrenching losses, that'd be a good show. Know what else is a good show? The Cowboys may loot and pillage Ames Iowa for 24 hours.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday, November 10, 2017

Late night open thread

“Nothing burns like the cold.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with R.E.M.!

OK, everybody out of Rockville.








No you '(Don't Go Back to) Rockville' either bub. You're done. Listen to Stipe, Not going back.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with HAPPY MONDAYS!

Jersey City, you talk so hip you're twisting Johnny's melon man...

'Step On' up next on the Jersey City Desk Jukebox of your dreams.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with 999!

Did you know then that the band 999 is named after the British emergency number; as you dial 911 here for help, there it's 999 and right here it's 999 with 'Homicide'

Happy Veteran's Day!

Seems somewhat glib to ask you to have a happy Veteran's Day since the day isn't about happiness, it's about remembrance and honor but "Remembrance & Honor on Veteran's Day" makes for one awkward headline. So, honor the day and those who served and you should be fine.

Johnny's dad serving in Korea.

Late night open thread

On this day in history, November 10 1969, Sesame Street debuted.

It's a fact!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Earl Morgan, for the win

Every so often Earl has a pearl of Jersey City wisdom, this is one of those columns.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Late night open thread

“November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.”
 -- Clyde Watson

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

The Big Show--Election night analysis

Well friends, the Cult of Personality has won and won big. Steve Fulop won by almost a 4-1 margin. Four more years of abatements for anyone who asks (More on the council later), sending thugs around to do his bidding and let department workers know what he expects on contracts and what not and another four years of swaths of Jersey City being ignored or given lip service like happened to Journal Square for over 30 years. Worst though is the finances that look great right now but aren't before too much longer. A lot of those first abatements to get people to buy downtown again are coming due and sadly because of the lack of city planning back then they'll come due at the same time a lot of them. More come off after that. That's when taxes go up and there's still never enough money to fix problems or invest in Greenville and other areas that are overlooked. Accounting tricks are great but there's always that moment of clarity where you realize how the trick works.

Do you really think the city can take close to $100 million off the city tax rolls downtown alone, hire more public servants, give the ones we have needed raises, pay rising insurance costs, not raise taxes for two years and not have a ticking bomb somewhere? Incidentally part of this time Mayor Fulop was looking at the governor's race and this year for mayor and optics mean you can't raise taxes. Not what's best for Jersey City in the long run, it's what's best for Steve Fulop short term. FYI if you're upset by Johnny pointing this out and want to bring up all the new buildings opening, yes, Mayor Healy can be proud of the ones opening now, these aren't Fulop buildings, these are the ones he railed against as councilman. Johnny's guess? This term starts out with Fulop once again forgetting who elected him as he eyes a bigger office, maybe Bob Menendez's job or a congressional run. He's done this very thing before when he sees something shiny. No reason to think that won't be repeated.

The council races went largely as expected. Incumbents and Fulop rubber stamps Rolando R. Lavarro Jr., Joyce E. Watterman and Daniel Rivera all won their At-Large seats quite comfortably. Great. Feel all that energy? Lavarro, who never met someone else's money he couldn't spend, will be trying to increase his visibility as he should be announcing he's running to replace Fulop in the next election by Friday.

In Ward A to replace the 'Gone fishing 4 years ago' Frank Gajewski, Denise Ridley and Joseph Conte will face each other in a runoff with Ridley's campaign running strong.

Ward B had maybe the biggest 'surprise' last night with new seat holder but incumbent Chris Gadsden, who has been a fantastic addition to council flush with new workable and smart ideas on school funding will face Mira Prinz-Arey, who outpolled Gadsden last night.

Despite one of the worst answers to a question about his independence from Steve Fulop, John Hanussak got enough votes to win a runoff in Ward C with incumbent and Fulop burr under the saddle Richard Boggiano. Our guess is Boggiano holds this seat at first glance but he's only ever one grumpy moment away from perhaps not.

Michael Yun will continue to serve Ward D with honor and distinction and continue to drive Fulop spokesperson Jennifer Morrill batshit.

Ward E (and you may be hearing more on this race in the upcoming days--maybe) brings the fourth runoff between top vote getter Rebecca Symes and James Solomon. Big question here is can Solomon coalesce the Hudnut and Grillo vote into enough support to win.

 Ward F also returns a good councilman, Jermaine Robinson who was never really headed in his race.

There you have it friends, election night in Jersey City 2017, a good night for team Fulop in November that could still go wrong on a night in December.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Late night open thread

Thinking isn't agreeing or disagreeing. That's voting.
 -- Robert Frost

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Election night clusterfuck

Hudson County is having all kinds of problems getting anyone the Jersey City election totals so, sadly, Johnny is going to have to have an election result and analysis post tomorrow instead of tonight as he has to be up at 4 bells tomorrow.

So far though, so good for the adults being back in charge tonight nationally.

Monday, November 6, 2017

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Vote for Steve Fulop.....IF

With tomorrow being the election here in Jersey City and everywhere else in America, Johnny wanted to touch on the importance of the one who gets elected at the top of the ballot, Jersey City Mayor. With Bill Matsikoudis set to face incumbent Steve Fulop on the 'morrow, Johnny wanted to take a close look at the race and offer some salience to Jersey City voters before the big day.

Vote for Steve Fulop.......IF

Vote for Steve Fulop if you liked him making every decision for the first three years as to how it would be viewed through the lens of a statewide governor's race and not how it would benefit Jersey City residents.

Vote for Steve Fulop if you think a mayor should have to be shamed and dragged to fund schools the state just gave Jersey City control back of because he's a shill for developers and doesn't want to inconvenience their bottom lines.

Vote for Steve Fulop if you think thugs should be running around on behalf of the mayor to 'recommend' certain vendors get certain contracts, you know, if you know what's good for you.

Vote for Steve Fulop if you think him using the JCPD as props in his ads is OK while the city bargains in questionable faith knowing they'll get relief vs police union on pay with mediator.

Vote for Steve Fulop if you think it's ok for cops to be pulled off active to duty to stand around and protect empty buildings.

Vote for Steve Fulop if you still defend that very program.

Vote for Steve Fulop if you think the utter hash he's made of the JCPD is fine.

Vote for Steve Fulop if you think the big change at Jersey City Parking worked....at all...in the least.

Vote for Steve Fulop if you think it's OK to badger a local artist to paint an ad for his real estate company buddy into a Monopoly board.

Vote for Steve Fulop if you think those on city payroll telling residents they live like pigs and in filth should keep their job.

Vote for Steve Fulop if you think looking the other way while one of his useful idiot buddies gets drunk, crashes into three people, lies on job timesheets as long as he votes for his items on council AND deserves a stack of the mayor's campaign cash is good by you.

Above all, vote for Steve Fulop if you think entire swaths of the city are ok to be ignored while almost $100 million dollars comes off the tax rolls downtown, ensuring those ignored neighborhoods will have no money to help grow and can't get the least bit of their fair share of Jersey City goodness.

Sunday, November 5, 2017

Late night open thread

For general consumption, a nice high resolution picture of Jersey City from high atop the World Trade Center for you to use if you'd like a computer desktop or just want to use it to show where you live. Johnny's not crapping it up with his name or 'property of' because that just kind of defeats the purpose.

When you speak of Johnny, speak well.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Sunday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with OASIS!

WOW, our first ever Sunday night Music Series. Hard to not be somewhat mindful of the difference between Friday (and the very odd Saturday) night mood/feel when it comes to picking songs. In perusing his music catalog tonight Johnny thought this one just sounded like it might work well on a drizzly Sunday night with the days now growing so short so quickly. 'Wonderwall' setting a mood tonight.

Sunday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE MARVELETTES!

How about the very first #1 song by a so-called girl group and the first #1 hit for a Motown act and since Johnny's company this weekend was from back in the Detroit area, it's 'Please Mr. Postman' in the second slot tonight.

Sunday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with HEART!

Already thinking about the upcoming workweek and all the daily travails coming your way bunky? Johnny and the staff here feel you. Mostly the staff. We normally say things on Friday night like this song we'll send you out into the night on but since it's a suboptimal Sunday night weather-wise and you're not going anywhere, just put the headphones on or snuggle under the blankets and enjoy the sisters Wilson and 'Heartless,' a very underrated song Johnny thinks.

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Late night open thread

The best Saturday Night Scoreboard Show in the land, unless your team lost

Michigan State 27
Pedd State 24
Mark Dantonio is the most underrated coach in America, James Franklin the most overrated

Oklahoma 62
Oklahoma St. 52
The Playstation Game of the Week. The Cowboys controller jammed at the end

Iowa 55
Ohio St. 24
Admit it, when you saw this score you started laughing. Urban gets more golf cart pizza, this time topped with corn and flop-sweat

Rutgers 31
Maryland 24
Rutgers has THREE wins in the B1G this year and four overall. If you saw that coming you're a big liarhead

Baylor 38
Kansas 9
There IS someone shittier than Baylor

Army 21
Air Force 0
Know the difference between Army and Air Force? 21 points, duh, we just told you

Florida State 27
Syracuse 24
The Seminoles won so probably no fistfight challenges between the FSU coaching staff and fans today

West Virginia 20
Iowa State 16
If you're not a Top 5 team the Cyclones just can't bother

Harvard 21
Columbia 14
Columbia scored 7 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. They still lost

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Lafayette 7
Georgetown 0
The next time someone is adamant in claiming college is better than pro football, anyone with a ticket stub from this game can punch them in the face. Nobody's looting anything this week. P-U

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday, November 3, 2017

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Ok roaring cats and kittens, listen up

Johnny has some dear friends from Michigan this weekend (no, dear friends, not deer friends from Michigan) so we're going to do something that has never been done before and may shake the earth more than that fracking; We're moving this week's Music Series to.......Sunday night. We've had it on Saturday when Johnny's gotten in waaaaay too late on a Friday but never has it been on a Sunday.

Of course we'll still find time to put up the Saturday Night Scoreboard Show as these friends are big college football fans and will no doubt have suggestions for the burns laid out on the losing teams.

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Late night open thread

Winter can't be too far off now, snow's back on Mt. Secaucus.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Read this article, read all of it before you vote for mayor

Seriously, this is what is done in our names every day Jersey City, THIS is how Steve Fulop operates as your mayor. He'll send in thugs and goons to try and intimidate others to see his will done, in this case Anthony Cruz, all-around jackass (Johnny's had email dealing w him) and now all-around muscle for Fulop.

Again, this goes on every day in Jersey City, those in power simply think government just runs this way. Your job on election day is to tell them different. Unless of course what you're about to read is OK with you.

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Late night open thread

"Do you think they have 'I told you so' cards in Braille?"
Dr. Sheldon Cooper The Big Bang Theory


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's at this point we start thinking either Grillo or Symes has been thinking to a runoff

Johnny has had a hunch, pretty much backed when both Nicholas Grillo and Rebecca Symes, both candidates for Ward E refused to address the question Johnny posed to them for over a week on Twitter if they would accept any money or other support from Steve Fulop  should they be involved in a runoff vs either James Solomon or Jake Hudnut. It's sad it's come to this but since neither would answer a yes or no question as both Hudnut and Solomon did (in the negative) we have to wonder if they've been thinking about it or perhaps even spoken with the Fulop administration about an endorsement.

How about it, Nicholas, Rebecca?