Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons

Some city gyms have all the bells and whistles, while others take the no-frills approach. Then there’s the whole continuum in between. You can find just about anything you can dream up in NYC, but ultimately what you want from a workout is a personal choice. Furthermore, what may seem thrilling at signup, can quickly devolve into more of a burden than a blessing when you just want a quick lunch hour workout. Below is a variety of hot NYC gyms from the over-the-top extravagant to the stripped-down, bare bones, in-and-out experience, all for a reasonably good deal for what they offer.

(by Alissa Fleck)

1. Ludlow Fitness ($49/mo, LES)

One major perk to Ludlow is it’s open 24/7 on weekdays, which cannot be said for many City gyms. The size is small, but the crowd (generally young) moves quickly, and a recent expansion makes for more open space. There’s lots of equipment, clean amenities and a variety of classes, which gym-goers describe as “intense,” but in a good way. Staff is reportedly very friendly and helpful. One major bonus according to a Ludlow reviewer: “non-pretenious yoga classes.”

2. Yoga Vida ($110/mo/unlimited yoga, Union Square)

We thought we should include an alternative type of gym on here, particularly because Yoga Vida is such a popular choice among local yogis. Yoga Vida continuously has great deals on classes for people looking for all sorts of yoga-related experiences. Deals on unlimited yoga are always changing, and Yoga Vida offers great startup packages for people just looking to get their toes wet first. A variety of classes target every skill level in a beautiful, relaxing setting.

3. The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers ($160/mo, Chelsea) 

Okay so this massive gym is on the expensive end, but we couldn’t pass it up with all the stellar reviews it’s garnered (it seems to have something of a cult following). The Sports Center is definitely for the “sportier types,” as it has just about everything you could possibly imagine in a gym. There are tons of classes, a boxing ring, an eight-lane swimming pool, a climbing wall, a food and juice lounge, a sundeck, etc. Most classes do not cost extra and the weight room reportedly does not get overly crowded. Sports Center members also report the “beautiful” gym is regularly kept very clean, and there are tons of complimentary amenities. “The only problem with Chelsea Piers is that it will ruin every other gym for you,” writes one reviewer on Yelp.

4. Blink ($20/mo, NoHo)

Blink is the ideal gym for the less hardcore crowd. Owned by Equinox, it’s the less roomy, cheaper offshoot, with fewer extravagances, but which gets the job done nonetheless. The amount of cardio equipment is reasonable for a large crowd, but weight availability may be more limited, particularly during peak workout hours. Locker rooms are small and do not offer the amenities available at larger, pricier gyms. Unfortunately it sounds like Blink’s offer is almost too good to be true, as members report it’s only getting more and more crowded (with possible new locations to open soon, unless that’s wishful thinking).

5. Mid-City Gym ($20/mo, 42nd St., 49th St.)

Mid-City Gym does not boast the amenities of many other gyms—there is no TV for instance—but customers report for price and location, the gym is a deal. It’s never too crowded, say gym-goers, and the facilities are clean. Weights, free and not, are plentiful. “No-frills whatsoever,” but everything you’d need in a gym, describe users. It’s also welcoming to everyone on the workout spectrum.

by Nick Gallinelli

There are many things about the Olympics that come and go. Many of the athletes are transient. They become popular for the month preceding the competition — answer Qs and As for profiles about sports most people know nothing about— are popular during the competition, and then live their legacy through Vitamin Water endorsements and stale Wheaties boxes. During the off-year between the Summer and Winter Olympics, nobody really misses them or even gives them a thought. Except for the prepping athletes, the rest of us are content with our MLB and NFL and NBA and get our athletic drama from the gripes of Dwight Howard and interceptions of Mark Sanchez.

But that said, there are always moments that people never forget. Even people who hate hockey (guilty) have heard about the Miracle on Ice, and people who hate the NBA still respect the Dream Team. Kerri Strugg still plasters opening Olympic montages and Michael Phelps really never disappeared.

There are moments bigger than others, more memorable than most. During the Olympics many of us are glued to our TVs to watch, live, our country match up against the rest of the world in a symbol of worldwide unification, NBC tape-delay notwithstanding. During the memorable moments we’re caught up in the drama and in the pride we vicariously feel for the athletes from our homeland. Even aside from the minor sense of patriotism we inevitably feel, the simple perseverance regularly observed is simply inspiring. We like to think of it as a reflection of us.

And it’s not just athletes winning things and shiny pendants, it’s a temporary cultural change. If you went on Twitter at any point during the Games, you were probably flooded with a stream commenting the media-driven storylines, the exhaustion of spending 6 hours per day staring at Bob Costas, and NBC’s terrible dismemberment of what used to be efficient and effective Olympic coverage. (Seriously, NBC, what the hell?)

For at least a month, we love everything about it.

And this year the Dream Team was rivaled, the first gold medal ever won by a black gymnast was won, and Michael Phelps stuck his stake in the “best Olympian ever” debate.

If you were even remotely attentive to this year’s London games, you’ll probably remember at least a few of these biggest moments. And if you didn’t see them, I’m sure your water cooler told you. And if Mr. Cooler didn’t, this list serves as an Olympics-for-dummies— an overview so you can sufficiently follow any imminent bar conversations. It’s also a list containing an annoying amount of links.

Here, along with a few odd observations from one fervent follower, are the best moments and stories from the 2012 London Olympics:

1 The sub-surface tension between swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte

Perhaps the biggest storyline leading up to the Olympics, Phelps’s success and Lochte’s tacit jealousy made for quite-the-epic aquatic scenario.

Since the 2004 Summer Olympics, Phelps had won 16 Olympic medals prior to the 2012 Games, which, even aside from Lochte, spurred an interesting-enough story to gain attention: Would Phelps pass Soviet gymnast Larisa Larynina to become the winning-est Olympian of all time? What would the most medals even mean?

All Phelps needed was three medals to catch the feat. If he swam any way like he did in 2008, he was golden (get it?). But then along came Ryan Lochte, fellow American. Lochte was the Olympic neophyte who posed the biggest threat to Phelps’s success. Lochte had actually beaten Phelps in the 2010 Pan Pacific Championship’s 200 metre individual medley, an event that excited and confused many swimming fans. And guess what? The two would race that same race in the Olympics.

The two were going to compete for medals (the mentioned 200 metre individual medley and 400 metre individual medley) but also for pride.

“Who is the best swimmer in the world right now?” ESPN asked Phelps before the Games began, spurring a debate between fans and sports analysts countrywide.

“Time will tell,” Phelps answered with a smirk.

“If I ask Ryan, what will he say?”

“I know what he’ll say. I’m not going to say it but I know what he’ll say. He’s not going to say me, that’s for sure.”

The two always spoke about a close but competitive relationship, but Phelps’s responses in his interview aren’t very convincing.

When asked if he believes he’d be Ryan’s friend if they weren’t swimming buddies, Phelps prevaricated, and never gave a straight answer.

Instead, he left it in the pool.

In the 2012 Olympics Phelps did indeed break the medal record. He settled at a final 22 total Olympic medals, shattering Larynina’s previous record of 18. Phelps won the 200 metre I.M., getting vengeance, but lost to 1st-place Lochte in the 400 metre while finishing fourth.

It’s tough to argue against Phelps as the best swimmer alive and best swimmer of all time, but Lochte will surely be all V for Vendetta in 2016 Rio.

2 The sweet moment for the Fab Five gymnasts

One of the best things about gymnastics in the Olympics is that it always seems to be on TV. There are just too many events. Vaults, Uneven Bars, Floor, Cool Streamer Waving Around Thing, it’s all awesome.

I never turn on the TV to watch gymnastics like I would the gold-medal basketball game, but never turn it off when I see it. This is what happened on Tuesday July 31.

While frivolously texting a girl I’ll probably never get, yet being happy with my success in avoiding all spoilers throughout the day, I turned on NBC for some Olympics action. What was on was the team competition in women’s gymnastics, and what was about to happen was almost tear-jerking.

After crushing the Beam and Vault, the U.S. girls were in the middle of the Floor, the last leg of the team competition that stood between them and gold. All Jordyn Wieber had to do was give an average Floor display and the U.S. girls were golden (did it again). A routine routine, and they’d all have gold medals.

What followed was history.

After her Floor display, Jordyn Wieber ran to her teammates, Gabby, McKayla, Kyla, and Alexandra with an uncontrollable smile and joyous tears (you could even see her smiling before she finished her routine). The five hugged and cried and stared at the scoreboard in anticipation of their official score, and when their winning score of 183.596 (which embarrassed second-place Russia) was posted they exploded. During interruptive NBC shots of the genuinely sad Russian gymnasts and a few glances to see if that girl had texted me back, the five laughed, smiled, jumped and kneeled in celebration of their victory. They had won gold together, which is always better than winning alone. I hadn’t even watched the whole event, but was already deeply invested in the fate of the U.S. girls. Unfortunately, they also won an agonizing interview with Bob Costas.

Despite my texts to said girl proving futile, this was my favorite night of the Olympics. The wild celebrations of the teenage girls will always tug your heart-strings a bit harder than Lebron James winning gold, smiling, and revealing this mouthpiece.

3 The Spice Girls at the closing ceremony

I don’t need an explanation here. And if you think I do, listen here. I’ll be waiting.

Back? I knew you’d listen to the whole thing.

4 New Dream Team?

Many will fulminate at my even bringing this up. I say to you: “I was four during your Dream Team and don’t remember it so this is my Dream Team so leave me alone!” and then burst into unconfident tears.

But it does pose an interesting question.

In 1992, the United States put together what many think is the best basketball team ever assembled. They had, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, and David Robinson. They were coached by Chuck Daly who was assisted by THE Coach K. That list of players and coaches alone is awesome.  And oh yeah, they also had Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

They’re the most storied basketball team ever. They make the 2012 Miami Heat look like an ice cube. But this year’s team deserves its own story, and perhaps a longer one. It was just as successful, and played against better competition.

Boasting Kobe Bryant, the best scorer of our generation, and Lebron James, who some think rivals MJ as the best player of all time, and Coach K as its head coach, this year’s team beat a Spain team that boasted five NBA stars: brothers Pau and Marc Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, Jose Calderon, and Serge Ibaka.

In 1992 the Dream Team beat a Croatian team that had two NBA players on its roster. There are five players from each team on the floor at a time— at any point, it could have been exclusively NBA players versus exclusively NBA players. I could write a whole new article about this, but NY Press probably wouldn’t like if I did.

Basketball’s become a worldwide sport, not just an American backyard hobby. I know that in ’92 basketball was stretching around the globe, but it’s undeniably bigger now. Does the increased quality of competition count for nothing?

4a Carmelo Anthony hustling on a basketball court

Because we never see it in New York.

5 Seeing Usain Bolt, the fastest human to ever walk the Earth

I know, I know. How can I realllllllllllly know if he’s the fastest human to ever walk the Earth? Was I alive forever? Have I seen every human in history run? Blah blah. I get it.

But I also don’t get it. Between modern science and increased competition, I think it’s safe to say that we’ve luckily been fortunate enough to see the fastest human being ever. Ever.

The dude is kinda, sorta, faster than gravity!

We’re the dominant species, and he’s the fastest of all of us. If we were all running from an Apocalyptic flood, he’d be the last man standing— unless Phelps rides the wave.

The first Olympics, held in sixth century B.C. to honor Zeus, had one event: foot racing. Bolt is the best of all time at the oldest Olympic event.

So unless Hermes existed, or the gods actually physically aided humans like in the Iliad, we’ve seen the fastest human being to ever walk the Earth.

He might even be the best athlete to ever live, just ask Usain.

6 NBC’s tape-delayed events

This one piqued quite a few people.

It’s pretty impressive when you think about the abundance of events occurring during the Olympics and the Olympic Committee enduring the painstakingly tough task of efficiently scheduling all events so they can fit into a somewhat-reasonable time schedule. I mean, it was even hard to explain it.

Also, if you didn’t know, London is in a different time zone. And if you knew London was in a different time zone, you also probably knew time zones can be quite a pain in the butt. (Don’t even get me started with daylight savings)

The annoying mixture of these two things posed quite the quagmire for ratings-hungry NBC. This probably happened in a conversation among NBC executives during the 2008 Olympics:

“I can’t wait for women’s pole vault this morning.”

“Me neither, what time is it at?

“Around 5 a.m.”

“LOLZ YEAH RIGHT”

“I’m serious.”

*sobs*

So how could NBC overcome the dearth of viewers available to watch big-time events during normal day hours? Well, they decided to instead tape all the big events and show them at night. Who would care anyway?

Certainly not me! I loved blacking myself out from the internet for entire days at a time and avoiding text messages and phone calls! All I had to do was bury myself in a pit, live off bugs, and hide until nightfall!

Besides! Sometimes watching something is better when you know what’s going to happen. I loved watching Phelps race while knowing he’d win! It made the race so much cooler!

7 Grantland’s Olympic Coverage

This one only applied to fanatical fans.

Bill Simmons, creator and editor-in-chief of Grantland, flew to London to first-handedly cover the 2012 Games and provided his readers with six lengthy, hilarious, and informative pieces about them.

He taught his readers about the odd sport of Handball, dissected the rivalry between gymnastics and swimming, and even honored Great Britain.

Every day I checked the site to see if Simmons had posted another piece of his Olympic journal, and had a terrible start to the day when he hadn’t— his coverage was great.

I’m not sure if NY Press likes this free press, but Grantland is simply awesome. If you spend way too much of your time (I mean way too much) watching sports, TV, and movies, I’d join the Grantland fan base. Simmons is a funny, well-versed database of a sportswriter, and should be read by all.

Just don’t forget NY Press!

(That should make them happy)

8 Alex Morgan

I’d go on a sycophantic rant, but will save that for the World Cup. Great things are looming and I could be in love.

9 The US of A cleaning house

Like I mentioned before: The Olympics are a minor, and for some, major, source of patriotism. They’re a test of which group of people, represented by the same government and working together, contains the most physically adept and athletic specimens. Even if patriotism is too extreme, it’s surely great to gain some bragging rights.

It’s only sports, but for people like me, it’s really not only sports. The English Premier League might be the best soccer league in the world —the league where all footballers aspire to play— but the U.S. has most of the other leagues where players of that sport aspire to play. The MLB, NFL, and NBA are best leagues in their respective sport.

To defend itself as the ‘athletic capital of the world’, the United States, by medal standards, won the Olympics.

We finished with 104 total medals— 46 gold, 29 silver, 29 bronze. We beat second-place China by 16 medals, and Great Britain by 39.

Go us.

The Olympics weren’t one big jumble of sports greatness. That’s impossible. It could have been better, maybe it should have been better. Maybe Ryan Lochte should have beaten Michael Phelps and run a victory lap around the pool, only to trip, fall, be out for the rest of his races, and Phelps replace him and add to his medal total. That would have made for some great Olympics and a huge ‘eff you’.

While perusing more Olympics coverage this morning, I learned that the United States didn’t even compete in table tennis, precluding the chance of Miracle on Table.

Practicing to change that is what I’ll be doing for the next four years.

See you in Rio.

It’s a bit of an odd thing to begin with— Jeremy Lin’s “Linsanity” legacy. How often does 25 games started, one insane week, and post-season injuries and irrelevance constitute one of the most-talked-about monikers in all of sports?

photo by DvYang

Doesn’t Derek Jeter have a legacy, too? One with five World Series rings, over 2500 games, and a captaincy over the most famous sports team on earth?

So how is it that both of them have what we call a “legacy”? How is it that right now, Jeremy Lin is on the cover of ESPN.com, while Jeter, who is actually in season, and cruising to yet another AL East title, is by the wayside?

This isn’t a comparison between the two, because that’d be Linsane. But it’s a realization that this Lin attention has an extremely odd quality to it. And that’s a good thing. But now it might be over. Is that a good thing?

During the most fervent moments of “Linsanity”, New Yorkers sipped on Lintinis and Lin & Tonics, while  the Nom Wah restaurant in the heart of Chinatown held viewing parties in the midst of Time Warner’s inability to strike a deal with MSG (leaving 2.5 million New Yorkers without him, according to the Huffington Post). It was almost pandemonium. Insane, if you will? But it wasn’t always like that. And with the rush of enthusiasm that hit New York so quickly, it can be a bit hard to remember the spunky reserve that sat, all-day-in-all-day-out, at the edge of the New York Knicks bench.

For years Jeremy Lin was unremarkable. A Harvard star, but without the NBA size (Lin is listed generously at 6’3, 200 pounds), Lin went undrafted in the 2010 draft and floated around the NBA’s D-League (Development League), eventually landing on the Golden State Warriors roster. There, according to basketball-reference.com, he played in 29 games, averaged a meager 9.8 minutes per game, an even more meager 1.6 assists per game, and an even more meager 2.6 points per game.

He eventually was cut, and was picked up perfunctorily by New York.

And then, it was practically instant.

When Lin hit major minutes in the Knicks’s lineup on February 4, it marked the beginning of an 7-game win streak that carried until the 14, and, with some help from the symbol he represented —”an Asian-American in the NBA?! and he’s good?!” were the thoughts of many— marked one of the quickest rises to fame in recent sports history. Quick enough to be quantified.

Honestly, the #Knicks franchise has spent money on Stephon Marbury, Eddy Curry, and Steve Francis.Give Lin a shot to grow. #NBA

— NBA Wired (@NBAWired) July 16, 2012

According to The Hollywood Reporter (who cited a social study by company General Sentiment), in the days between Feb. 6 and 14, Lin’s Twitter account, @JLin7, was the most-mentioned NBA player in social media. Based on the study, Lin was mentioned 2,610,684 times on Twitter in that timeframe— more than second-most Lebron James, whose regal handle @KingJames, has almost 5.5 million followers.

But it wasn’t just NBA-related. During the same time, Lin was mentioned more than an account whose following amasses near 18 million people. Said handle is that of our President, Barack Obama.

And it was more than just numbers on a relatively new social media sensation. Lin was a symbol for Asian-Americans across the globe. Lin stood brighter than usual because of his NBA-unique ethnicity.

Glancing quickly at a March Yahoo! blurb, Lin is the second-best Asian-American player to ever play in the NBA, and this without ever completing an entire NBA season.

According to the list, Lin is second behind Yao Ming, a similar sensation during much of the 2000s. The other two on the list? Yi Jianlian and Rex Walters. Who?

But the amount of  followers James has, despite Lin’s week of fame, outnumbers Lin’s by 4.5 million people, and symbolizes how Lin was possibly a bright flash in an otherwise disappointing Knicks frying pan.

Letting go of Jeremy Lin is one of the smartest things the Knicks have done in the last 10 years

— Joe Perrone (@Perrone27) July 16, 2012

If it wasn’t for the Knicks’s penchant for signing starpower rather than a full squad (i.e. overpaying Amar’e Stoudemire, whose knees (and defense) are so shaky that they were actually denied insurance and letting fan-favorite Landry Fields out of their grasp), maybe there wouldn’t be so much attention. Maybe the over-the-top contract, $25 million/3 years, from Houston, which would, after accounting for luxury tax, would cost the Knicks $30 million in the third year alone, would be recognized as a cost unpayable.

i’ll miss jeremy lin, but there’s no way they can pay $30 mil

— Chris Molicki (@chrismolicki) July 15, 2012

New York and its vast Asian-American culture birthed Lin’s story, but is now making it pretty tough for the Knicks avoid appearing loyalty-less.

But, like mentioned before, what’s the middleground between salary requirements and what makes so many New Yorkers so happy?

There are guys on the Knicks better than Lin. Carmelo Anthony is widely considered one of, if not the, best pure scorers in the NBA. Iman Shumpert is a quickly-developing shooting guard. Heck, you could even argue goggle-clad Stoudemire still has more in the tank than Lin.

But how much do stats and reps matter over a guy who only “Lin, Lin, Lins!” games?

According to a February WebProNews article, during Linsanity’s birth week, MSG (the host-channel for Knicks games) ratings increase an outrageous 87%.

Jeremy Lin is not worth 30million

— Harry Fraud (@Kick_Push) July 16, 2012

A whole lot of attention for a week’s worth of winning, but then when Lin got hurt in late March, and subsequently sat for the season’s duration (including the playoffs) Lin was a large part forgotten.

Is all the new hoopla just a result of the suffocating New York publicity? Is a guy who means so much to Asian-American communities worth the money to make the fans happy? What does he mean to Asian-American communities? Is he even actually good? Will he even stay healthy?

One New Yorker, and probably to the frustration of many New Yorkers, hasn’t fully bought into Linsanity, and thinks Marcus Camby, Ray Felton, and Jason Kidd, are a step in the right direction for a franchise whose volatile, multi-coached, multi-chaptered season was a mess.

And now we wait to see what the Knicks think.

by Nick Gallinelli

Community Board 7 wants Fashion Week to find a new home.

Residents have long complained about the noise, removal of greenery and lack of access to Damrosch Park because of the many concessionaires that occupy the space throughout the year, all issues addressed in the Board’s resolution. And as locals see it, Fashion Week is the biggest culprit.

“These are problems that need to be solved right under the windows of working people at the Amsterdam Houses and heard beyond that immediate area,” said Mark Diller, the chair of Community Board 7. “There’s almost nothing left of what the community can use of Damrosch Park.”

Fashion Week moved from Bryant Park to Damrosch Park, a small corner of Lincoln Center’s campus, in 2010. Residents near Bryant Park once complained about the noise and crowding that Fashion Week brings; today, Damrosch Park locals are crying foul.
“It’s just a shame,” said Claudette Ekberg, who has lived near Lincoln Center for 50 years. “I try to avoid it because of all the hoopla going on.”

Gail Missener, a resident of the nearby Amsterdam Houses, is mostly concerned about the noise emanating from the park.
“Why do they have to be so loud? You’d think they’re playing for the deaf,” Missener said.

Along with Fashion Week, the Big Apple Circus and other concessionaires keep Damrosch Park abuzz 10 months out of the year. The park is operated by the Department of Parks and Recreation; in July 2010, it began a 10-year license agreement with Lincoln Center, which allows the Center to contract with third-party concessionaires to hold private, commercial events in the park. In its resolution, the Board recommended that residents should be able to have year-round access to the park.

Community Board 7 is also concerned that neither the license agreement between the city and Lincoln Center nor the agreements between Lincoln Center and its concessionaires were submitted to the Board for approval.

“A very important part of the public outreach is that they had no say in the seizing of their park, and this resolution speaks to that,” said Geoffrey Croft, president of New York City Parks Advocates. “It remains to be seen, of course, if the administration is going to continue to ignore the wishes and desires of the community.”

Council Member Gale Brewer conditionally approved the twice-yearly event finishing out the five years at the park and has maintained her support for the jobs that Fashion Week provides. However, the noise complaints must be addressed, she said, and residents must be able to get around while Fashion Week is in session.

“There is also an issue of making sure that there is access to the street,” Brewer said, adding that local residents are also inconvenienced by the nearby Fordham University construction. “If these issues are dealt with, I will not object to the five years.”

Brewer sent a letter in April to Mark Page, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, asking about the law regarding revenue generated from staged events at the park and whether there is an exception that allows the money to go to Lincoln Center instead of the city’s general fund. Page’s response noted that the issue is the subject of potential litigation and that he had forwarded Brewer’s concerns to the law department.

Diller said he values the board’s relationship with the Parks Department and the mayor’s office and that the Parks Department has made some efforts to replace the greenery that was removed to accommodate the concessionaires, but he thinks more still needs to be done.
“We hope the resolution will give us a platform to work together,” Diller said. “We understand that there are competing interests for this space. The benefits of that ought to be shared by the whole community.”

Cycle Safely - photo courtesy of Flickr Commons

It was an unfortunate day for an unsuspecting cyclist on Sunday when he hit a car door while riding his bike in Queens. The cyclist, 39, whose name is undisclosed, ended up dying at the scene.

According to the New York Post, the cyclist’s jugular was punctured by his bike’s handlebars, and witnesses’ efforts to stave off his blood were futile.

Police are not viewing the situation as a crime.

The accident does make one wonder, though, the risk posed to cyclists inNew York City. From environmentalists to food deliverymen, people bike all over the city, and perhaps without knowing the risks of it. Fortunately, politicians and the NYPD are aware of the increase in bicycle traffic, and are releasing statistics and proposing laws in effort to increase safety and awareness and reduce accidents.

In 2010, 256,000 New Yorkers rode their bicycles daily, 51,000 more than the previous year, said Transportation Alternatives that year. The article also said that New York has more cyclists than any other US city. In addition to the diligence of Transportation Alternatives, Gothamist reported that the NYPD will also begin tracking cycling accidents.

According to The Brooklyn Paper, NYC Councilman Steve Levin recently proposed a bill requiring the NYPD to investigate all cycling accidents that result in serious physical injury to someone involved. Currently, the police are only required to investigate a situation where death seems likely.

Also, police have begun writing more tickets for illegal cycling. Just this past February, officers wrote at least 695 tickets to cyclists for various offenses. The February prior, police wrote over 200 fewer, The Brooklyn Paper reports. However, this increase in ticketing hasn’t been welcomed warmly, and ticketed bicyclists are complaining that the sudden explosion of summonses is just a way for the city to make money.

Perhaps we should stick to the smelly backseats of cabs, but if you don’t plan it, check out the NYPD’s guide to safe cycling.

–Nick Gallinelli

Euro 2012 host countries Poland and Ukraine find themselves under close scrutiny as racism accusations intensify. The Union of European Football Association (UEFA) has already opened several investigations as we approach the second week of the competition.

The controversy was sparked last month with BBC’s “Stadiums of Hate,” a documentary denouncing the presence of racist and neo-nazi groups among soccer fans in both Ukraine and Poland, the two countries chosen to host the prestigious Euro 2012. Among others, the documentary featured British soccer veteran Sol Campbell, saying the following about the competition: “Stay at home. Watch it on TV. Don’t even risk it because you could end up coming back in a coffin.”

Other black British players, such as Theo Walcott and Alex Chamberlain, have asked their families to follow Campbell’s advice and remain at home, while many began to question the two host countries’ ability to keep players and supporters safe. British authorities even called on supporters traveling to these countries to be careful, especially after Sky News reported that a group of Ukrainian hooligans had issued official threats to British fans.

Polish and Ukrainian officials have reacted strongly to the accusations, claiming that the media have largely exaggerated on the situation. “There is a problem with racism and anti-semitism in Poland,” acknowledged Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Marcin Bosacki, “but it is blown out of every single proportion in this material.”

UEFA President and ex-French soccer player Michel Platini was of the same opinion, stating that there isn’t “any more racism in Poland and Ukraine than in France or anywhere else.” He went on to add that racism was a problem rooted in social issues, and that sports should be seen as a part of the solution rather than a cause of the problem.

The BBC documentary has been heavily criticized on the grounds that it attempted to sensationalize the issue by blowing it out of proportion. While it is true that extreme-right ideologies are currently on the rise in Europe, racism in soccer is by no means confined to ex-Soviet countries. In fact, the British Premier League has recently had its own problems, as Liverpool forward Luis Suarez was found guilty of racist insults towards French Senegalese player Patrice Evra in October 2011, collecting an 8-match ban and a $60,000 fine. Chelsea’s John Terry is also currently undergoing trial for similar accusations.

Regardless of whether BBC’s “Stadiums of Hate” was simply pouring oil on the fire, Ukraine and Poland will certainly find themselves under close scrutiny until the end of the tournament. The UEFA has already begun investigating several cases pertaining to racist behavior in the stands, including Sunday’s incident during the Spain – Italy game, where about 200 Spanish fans allegedly directed monkey chants at black Italian player Mario Balotelli. Police had to intervene yesterday after a particularly bloody clash between Polish and Russian supporters in Warsaw, but the incident seemed more influenced by the tumultuous history of the two countries than by racist sentiments.

For Ukraine, the stakes seem higher than a simple game of football. Several European politicians have been pressuring the Ukrainian government to release former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, who was arrested last October on charges of abuse of power. The Euro Cup could be a chance for Ukraine to redeem itself in the eyes of Europe, if things go well. In the meantime, Ukrainian fans will certainly have enjoyed Monday’s 2-1 win against Sweden.

by Laurent Berstecher

By Mike Vidafar

A tweedster during a winter jaunt.

Ted Young-Ing was just an ordinary British cyclist in 2009, when he became the new owner of a pair of plus fours (pants that extend four inches beyond the knee). He had no idea that by the end of that year, he would have changed the landscape of “period cycling” faster than he managed to change into his new threads.

The recipe, Young-Ing discovered, was that he found a way to merge his two loves: turn-of-the-century British garments and bicycles. His brainchild is called Tweed Run, and the enthusiasm surrounding it is hard to deny. To onlookers, it’s the equivalent of a social time capsule, each event expelling a generation hardened (or lost) to two world wars onto a modern landscape for an afternoon reprieve.

While it does stand as tribute to England’s past, Tweed Run’s success is also a product of the personal atmosphere event organizer Jacqui Shannon has instituted in the three years since that inaugural circuit.

With a 500-person limit (any more would make tea-time impractical), Tweed Run maintains a measure of exclusivity traditionally reserved for a turn-of-the-century golf clubhouse. Events have the feel of a members-only gathering, with like-minded cyclists chosen at random via lottery. There’s also an understood adherence to the now-famous line first addressed to the original 2009 participants:

“Now look here: proper attire is expected, bowties, cravats, vintage race jerseys and plus fours!”

Supplementing their fashionable joyrides, Tweed Runners are catered to with afternoon tea and a soiree at the end of the circuit. Adding to the festivities are good-humored awards and enthusiastic onlookers.

As for their adventures across the pond, on Oct. 15, 2011, Young-Ing and Shannon gave New Yorkers their first opportunity to take a trip back in time. The tweedsters, who regularly garnish their passports and take to riding abroad, were met by hundreds of participants eager to take a refined ride through Lower Manhattan, with afternoon tea to be served in Foley Square. However, the inaugural NYC event (sponsored by Rugby Ralph Lauren) was forced to amend its cycling circuit, as circumstance had its way.

“It was a very unfortunate coincidence that the protests on Wall Street [Occupy Wall Street] were occurring and that the city had given us Foley Square for the tea stop. We really wanted to do the full ride, but with everything going on, we were advised not to,” said Shannon. “We ended up doing a shorter version…but we’d like the chance to come back and show New Yorkers how London does Tweed Run.”

With authentic British resolve, New Yorkers didn’t let the circumstantial abbreviation put a damper on their day. Instead, Tweed Run transformed into a day-long outdoor festival in the area surrounding the Ralph Lauren Rugby Store at 99 University Place in Noho. With featured events and prizes, (including awards for Best Dressed and Best Moustache) Young-Ing and Shannon managed to hold a strikingly memorable first go in the Big Apple.

“New York City has a strong bike scene and I’m lucky enough to know Brendt Barbur, the founder of The Bicycle Film Festival. [Barbur] and his team were super helpful at every step of our planning for New York,” said Shannon. Looking ahead, Young-Ing has revealed plans for another New York City Tweed Run, tentatively scheduled for spring 2013. As usual, they hope to rally nearly 500 participants to take to the streets, decked in tweed—just in time for the Big Apple’s annual ripening.

For now, Young-Ing and Shannon have returned to London. Their impending cruise, scheduled for May 6, 2012, continues to draw the attention of a wide cross-section; history buffs, vintage cycling enthusiasts and Britophiles all vie for a chance to ride.

And for Tweed Run, there’s no international bias—Americans are welcome to put their names in the hat in the hope of joining the tweedsters wherever they ride. Indeed, Shannon notes on Tweed Run’s website that lottery spots are chosen well in advance to give international participants ample time to plan ahead.

For the cycling community, it’s time to take notice: where there’s tea, vintage one-speeders and hundreds of cyclists who look like they’ve pedaled straight out of a Sherlock Holmes story, there cannot be any doubt as to who’s behind it. It’s Tweed Run—those dapper dames and proper gents who have perfected the art of cycling transposition.

For more information on Tweed Run, visit tweedrun.com or follow them on twitter
@tweedrun. 

By Angela Barbuti

Warner Wolf

For over 50 years, Warner Wolf has been eyewitness to the world’s greatest athletes and seen some sporting events that have gone down in the annals of human history. His line, “Let’s go to the videotape,” which began as a practical cue to roll a clip, is one of the most recognized catchphrases in sports history. Wolf still entertains and educates audiences on Imus in the Morning, one of the most popular daytime broadcasts in New York City.

When he’s not giving play-by-plays, he’s at home on the Upper West Side, watching highlights on ESPN.com or his game of choice, pro football.

Did you always want to work in sports?

I knew when I was 7 years old, believe it or not. There was no question in my mind. My father used to buy me Ring, a boxing magazine. There was no television, so we used to hear Friday night fights on the radio. I used to listen to every sporting event.

What qualities do you need to be a sportscaster?

This sound obvious, but you have to know sports. Not just the rules, but the history, so you can relate the importance of what has happened. Otherwise, you might think, “This is the greatest play of all time,” when it has been done five times before. You also have to be fair and can’t have an objective before you go in.

What was your big break?

In 1976, I got an offer from ABC to come to New York and do the local news, Wide World of Sports and Monday Night Baseball. That was huge. The funny thing is, my dad showed me an article that said it takes 15 years from wherever you’re working to get to New York. I always carried that around with me. I started April Fool’s Day 1961 in Pikeville, Ky. The amazing part is it was 1976 [when I got the offer], exactly 15 years later.

How did you make the transition from radio to television?

I had been on the radio eight years before I was ever on television. In 1965, I was hired by WTOP, a huge radio station in Washington, D.C. They also owned a TV station, and the TV guy left. The president of the station said—it’s going to sound funny now—“Do you think you could talk to people about sports?” At that time, I think we were the second station to do this, aside from one in New York.

What’s the most significant thing you ever reported on?

9/11. My wife and I lived in Tribeca and the World Trade Center was 10 blocks south of our bedroom window. I saw it all, so I called in to Imus to tell him what was happening and he kept me on the air.

What is one major change you’ve seen in the sports industry?

Before 1975, a player belonged to a team forever. Ninety-eight percent of players did not have multiyear guaranteed contracts, which they all have today, so the incentive to play well was huge. They had a good concept, better than today. But the owners took advantage of it and didn’t pay what they should have. Mickey Mantle, the highest-paid player, made $100,000 once. The minimum today is almost $500,000. Mantle would have been a $30 million-a-year ballplayer today.

Who do you consider the greatest athletes of all time? 

Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Jim Thorpe, Jim Brown. They were great because they played more than one sport well. I always thought the most domineering player in basketball was Wilt Chamberlain.

What was your most memorable interview with a player?

Joe DiMaggio. It was a real thrill, because I had grown up watching him play. He was a great interview. But just before it, he had a PR man come over to me and say, “If you talk about Marilyn Monroe, the interview is over.” I wasn’t going to talk about Marilyn Monroe.

Do you root for certain teams?

No, because I want to be able to report objectively. That’s why I think it’s advisable for young fellows to avoid strong friendships with ballplayers, because there comes a time when you have to say something unfavorable about them. If you hesitate, your listeners or viewers are going to realize it. You absolutely have to be honest with your audience, because they’ll know if you’re not.

What’s it like to work with Imus?

Oh, it’s fun. You never know what’s going to happen. Each day is different.

How did you come up with your catchphrase? 

I was working in Washington and videotape had just started out. Before that, we used film or still pictures. We had some videotape of a basketball game. I would give the director a normal cue. Like, “In the third quarter, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored,” and they’re supposed to roll the tape. He didn’t roll the tape. So I said it again, and he still didn’t. Then, right on the air, I finally said to the director, “Hey Ernie, let’s go to the videotape!” And the play came up. Later, he said to me, “Do that again tomorrow, because I’m very busy in the control room.”

Do you recite the phrase for your fans?

Sure I do. I’m glad they remember. You can’t say it on the radio.

Listen to Wolf on Imus in the Morning, Monday-Friday from 6-10 a.m. on 77WABC.  The show is simulcast on Fox Business Network.

Photos & Text by Veronica Hoglund

As the weather continues to get warmer, there is no question that most of us will be spending our free time outdoors soon. With that in mind, now might be the perfect time to invest in the bicycle you know you’ve been wanting. I decided to check out the wares at Recycle-A-Bike (75 Ave. C, betw. 5th & 6th Sts.), located in the East Village. The cycle technicians at the shop take old, worn bicycles and give them a facelift, providing you with a beautiful, fully functional refurbished bike while creating no new waste in the process—a process that takes only four hours to complete.

The bike first comes to the shop as a donation, usually bikes that have been sitting in basements or have been left behind by former building tenants. “The bikes just need a little love,” manager Patrick Tomeny told me. Recycle-A-Bike has been providing a vast variety of New Yorkers with recycled bicycles since 1994, in addition to facilitating youth programs in and around New York City.

From the moment you walk into the shop, it is clear how meticulous the process of refurbishing a bicycle can be. The tiny shop is packed with tools, parts and various pieces of equipment. As the Recycle-A-Bicycle team prepares to tackle their latest project, a vintage Schwinn World Tourist, they begin by taking apart the bicycle and wiping down the various parts. As staff member Brendon Brogan explains, the team does an “overhaul” of the bike, completely disassembling it to “guarantee the quality of the bike.” Bear in mind though, about 85 percent of the refurbishing process is simply cleaning, which mainly consists of wiping it down with a concentrate of water and Simple Green.

Though much more complicated than the guys make it appear, the bike is pulled apart piece by piece, screw by screw. In what seems like an instant, all that is remaining is the bicycle frame.

Once everything has been disassembled, it’s time to rebuild the bike. First, each part is given all the way from the bicycle chain to the handlebars—is given a good clean. When able, parts used are taken from the original bicycle and are replaced only when necessary. Then, the many parts are reassembled, using fresh grease to get the bicycle moving the way it should.

After a long four hours, a once-exhausted bike has been transformed into one ready for the streets. A set of refurbished Recycle-A-Bike wheels will set you back $250-$350 dollars, but considering the care and love put into these pieces, it is well worth the price.

By Mike Vidafar

A tweedster during a winter jaunt. Photo by Ben Broomfield

Ted Young-Ing was just an ordinary British cyclist in 2009, when he became the new owner of a pair of plus fours (pants that extend four inches beyond the knee). He had no idea that by the end of that year, he would have changed the landscape of “period cycling” faster than he managed to change into his new threads.

The recipe, Young-Ing discovered, was that he found a way to merge his two loves: turn-of-the-century British garments and bicycles. His brainchild is called Tweed Run, and the enthusiasm surrounding it is hard to deny. To onlookers, it’s the equivalent of a social time capsule, each event expelling a generation hardened (or lost) to two world wars onto a modern landscape for an afternoon reprieve.

While it does stand as tribute to England’s past, Tweed Run’s success is also a product of the personal atmosphere event organizer Jacqui Shannon has instituted in the three years since that inaugural circuit.

With a 500-person limit (any more would make tea-time impractical), Tweed Run maintains a measure of exclusivity traditionally reserved for a turn-of-the-century golf clubhouse. Events have the feel of a members-only gathering, with like-minded cyclists chosen at random via lottery. There’s also an understood adherence to the now-famous line first addressed to the original 2009 participants:

“Now look here: proper attire is expected, bowties, cravats, vintage race jerseys and plus fours!”

Supplementing their fashionable joyrides, Tweed Runners are catered to with afternoon tea and a soiree at the end of the circuit. Adding to the festivities are good-humored awards and enthusiastic onlookers.

As for their adventures across the pond, on Oct. 15, 2011, Young-Ing and Shannon gave New Yorkers their first opportunity to take a trip back in time. The tweedsters, who regularly garnish their passports and take to riding abroad, were met by hundreds of participants eager to take a refined ride through Lower Manhattan, with afternoon tea to be served in Foley Square. However, the inaugural NYC event (sponsored by Rugby Ralph Lauren) was forced to amend its cycling circuit, as circumstance had its way.

“It was a very unfortunate coincidence that the protests on Wall Street [Occupy Wall Street] were occurring and that the city had given us Foley Square for the tea stop. We really wanted to do the full ride, but with everything going on, we were advised not to,” said Shannon. “We ended up doing a shorter version…but we’d like the chance to come back and show New Yorkers how London does Tweed Run.”

With authentic British resolve, New Yorkers didn’t let the circumstantial abbreviation put a damper on their day. Instead, Tweed Run transformed into a day-long outdoor festival in the area surrounding the Ralph Lauren Rugby Store at 99 University Place in Noho. With featured events and prizes, (including awards for Best Dressed and Best Moustache) Young-Ing and Shannon managed to hold a strikingly memorable first go in the Big Apple.

“New York City has a strong bike scene and I’m lucky enough to know Brendt Barbur, the founder of The Bicycle Film Festival. [Barbur] and his team were super helpful at every step of our planning for New York,” said Shannon. Looking ahead, Young-Ing has revealed plans for another New York City Tweed Run, tentatively scheduled for spring 2013. As usual, they hope to rally nearly 500 participants to take to the streets, decked in tweed—just in time for the Big Apple’s annual ripening.

For now, Young-Ing and Shannon have returned to London. Their impending cruise, scheduled for May 6, 2012, continues to draw the attention of a wide cross-section; history buffs, vintage cycling enthusiasts and Britophiles all vie for a chance to ride.

And for Tweed Run, there’s no international bias—Americans are welcome to put their names in the hat in the hope of joining the tweedsters wherever they ride. Indeed, Shannon notes on Tweed Run’s website that lottery spots are chosen well in advance to give international participants ample time to plan ahead.

For the cycling community, it’s time to take notice: where there’s tea, vintage one-speeders and hundreds of cyclists who look like they’ve pedaled straight out of a Sherlock Holmes story, there cannot be any doubt as to who’s behind it. It’s Tweed Run—those dapper dames and proper gents who have perfected the art of cycling transposition.

For more information on Tweed Run, visit tweedrun.com or follow them on twitter
@tweedrun.