Tom Schecter's Sportswriter Profile

Tom Schecter

Generating profile stats...

2010 Yankees Season Preview...and Where I Was All Winter
April 4, 2010

14 reads
Yankees Postscript: How to Make a Dynasty
November 5, 2009

197 reads
At the Finish Line...Thoughts Before the Last Baseball Game(s) of 2009
November 4, 2009

117 reads
World Series Game Four: The "Phillies Take a Shift" Game
November 2, 2009

141 reads

Name's Tom. I've got a BFA from Tisch School of the Arts and I'm currently working on my first album as a singer/songwriter. And from time to time, I make a salient point or two about sports.

The story that got me hooked on New York sports is the story my grandfather tells about taking my dad to Yankee Stadium for his first game in the summer of 1962. Story goes, as the Yanks are at bat in the first inning Grandpa points Mantle out to my father and says, "See that guy? That's Mickey Mantle, and he's gonna hit a home run." Sure enough, first pitch comes in and Mick hits it out. So in the third inning, he gets up again and Grandpa turns back to my father and said, "Remember that guy Mantle? He's up again, and he's gonna hit another homer." Mick strikes out on three pitches. So Dad looks up at his father with a 'what the hell?' look on his face, and Grandpa shrugs and says, "Well, one out of two ain't bad..."

(Grandpa then proceeded to go 0-for-the rest of the decade, including the biggest blown call in my family's history - on June 4, 1968 when Bobby Kennedy was shot, Grandpa waved it off and said, "Don't worry about it. He'll pull through.")

I know baseball and I know football. When I'm done trying to make music I'll probably end up going to law school and working in sports management. I can see myself walking into Cashman's office in ten, twelve years looking for a job and saying to him, with an earnest look on my face, "Brian. Baby. Come on. Come onnnn!" How can he say no to that?

Since it's baseball season, here's a quick warning for Mets and Sox fans: if you're gonna step to me, you better have a real grasp on what you're talking about or I'll put a dunce-cap on your head and send you into the corner where you belong.

Favorite Athletes

Jeter, Pettitte, Rivera; Lawrence Taylor, Strahan, Kerry Collins, Eli, Simms; Jordan, Bird, Magic, CP3, Garnett, Duncan; Leetch, Zherdev, Lundqvist, Jagr, Kopitar
Favorite Sports Teams

The Yanks and the Giants (with a pained love for the Knicks and a new-found, growing love of the Rangers on the side)
Favorite Coaches

Joe Torre, Joe Girardi, Buck Showalter, Tom Coughlin, Mike Keenan, Jeff Van Gundy
All-Time Sports Moment

Game 6 of the 1996 World Series; Larry Johnson's 4-point play vs. Indy in 1999; Games 4 & 5 of the 2001 World Series; Aaron Effin Boone, Helmet Catch, A-Rod v. Nathan, A-Rod v. Fuentes, Damon's Double-Steal, Pedro's Last Stand...the list goes on. I'm spoiled.
Most Memorable Game Attended

I had tickets for David Wells' perfect game in 1998 but stayed home to write a term paper. Not bitter about that at all. No sir.... Also saw Game 2 of the 2004 ALCS from Section 39 with the Creatures, and saw Game 3 of the 2007 ALDS (the End of Clemens/the Beginning of Hughes) from the left field bleachers. Nothing like October baseball in the Bronx...
Most Unbreakable Sports Record

DiMaggio's 56.
Ruth or Mays?

Mays. Ruth couldn't run.
Unitas or Montana?

Montana over anyone, forever. (Especially Brady. 18-1!)
Jordan or Russell?

Toss-up. Russell's defense and rebounding makes this too close to call...
Gretzky or Orr?

Gretzky
Pele or Maradona?

Maradona (but my favorite was always Bati-Gol)
Federer or Sampras?

Agassi
Petty or Earnhardt?

Petty. It's great that the Heartbreakers can still play a good halftime show thirty years later...wait, what was the question?

Kevin H. MacLean posted 1293 days ago

For all of those out there who say baseball should have a salary cap, prepare to have some knowledge dropped on you.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/285772-bustin-the-cap-why-a-salary-cap-would-do-nothing-for-baseball
Matt Cullen posted 1296 days ago

You called it man. Not a great game from Pettitte but he battled and battled and clinched another series.

Enjoy it, I know I will be for a long time
Paul Swaney posted 1296 days ago

Hi Tom-
Please take a look when you have a chance. The complete rankings of each MLB stadium...

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/284289-stadium-journeys-best-baseball-stadium-2009?just_published=1
A. Version 2.0 posted 1310 days ago

Hey,

Like to know what you think about this topic.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/276116-yankees-have-another-tommy-holmes-story-in-juan-miranda?just_published=1

Mind checking it out and giving me your input.
Farooq Ahmed posted 1406 days ago

Hey, Who are the Top 5 NBA Teams Going Into The 2009/10 Season?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/219671-top-5-nba-teams-going-into-the-200910-season

Farooq.
NYC Media Screamers- Michael Nastri posted 1424 days ago

Hey man check out my article on ESPN's coverage of the Confederation's Cup Final

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/208665-espn-scores-in-us-national-teams-first-fifa-final
Shanan H. posted 1427 days ago

In celebration of Derek Jeter's birthday, I wrote this article:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/206938-happy-birthday-derek-jeter-top-ten-jeter-moments
Matthew Falkenbury posted 1430 days ago

Hey,

I just came up with the list of the best current Major Leaguers wearing the numbers One thru Ten. I hope you can take a look and voice your opinion on my list. Thanks in advance,

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/205039-best-current-baseball-players-by-uniform-number-1-10

- Matthew Falkenbury
Travis Rand posted 1433 days ago

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/203224-defensive-outlook-no-i-of-iii-the-fierce-defensive-line?just_published=1

Hey Tom, waited for a while til I had something important to write. Getting in season for Giants writing

Check it out, first article in a series. Hope all is well!