The Nets' new road unis for the 2009-10 season will say "Nets" across the chest, as opposed to "New Jersey." Makes sense, right? I mean, the team is planning to move to Brooklyn if and when their new arena ever gets built -- they aren't exactly committed to the Garden State.
For New Jersey lawmaker Kevin O'Toole, this change was the last straw... he's leading an effort to prohibit any state support of any professional sports franchise that doesn't "carry the New Jersey name."
Call this one a case of misplaced priorities. The Nets still have "New Jersey" in their name -- they're just changing uniforms. And they aren't particularly likely to be getting big money from the state any time soon, as they've got one foot out the Izod Arena exit door. So O'Toole's real targets are the NFL's Jets and Giants... who are in the process of building a massive new stadium and who draw tens of thousands of fans to the Meadowlands every week of the football season.
Lighten up, Senator. The Nets will stop tormenting you soon enough -- they'll move to shiny new digs in Brooklyn... or Seattle, or Kansas City, or Las Vegas... and that big ugly barn called the Izod Center will be dark for an extra 41 days. The New York Football Giants will never, ever rename themselves "the New York Football Giants of East Rutherford." Don't sweat it... you'll live longer.
Besides... doesn't New Jersey's state government have bigger fish to fry?
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