MSG's (10 year) swansong

"The Madison Square Garden Company's 50-year permit to operate the arena expired earlier this year, but it has been lobbying hard for a renewal in perpetuity, sending the likes of Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, and Spike Lee to argue the case for staying. But the city has granted only a 10-year permit, after which the Garden will be knocked down for the redevelopment of Penn Station."


I kinda get it.
Moving people in and out of Manhattan is definitely a priority.
Even in its "improved" state, Penn Station is pretty crappy by New York standards.
We surely do need a new arena because you can't possibly have 4 major pro sports teams play in Brooklyn. And yes we all know only 3 championships have been won at The Garden but there's a lot more to a place's  history than just championships.

At MSG I got to see Ewing, Starks and Oakley get rained on by Mr. Jordan.

I saw Leech, Messier and the Great One vs Brodeur.

I saw Luis Miguel become the first Latin artist to sell out the Garden.
Gloria Estefan come out of the dark.
Guns N Roses Use their illusions.
Marc Anthony "sheck"ing it out.
Alicia Keys play the hell out of that piano.
Sting summon ten tales.
The AMAZING Cirque De Soleil Michael Jackson Immortal
and Metallica bring down the house on two different tours.



 And lets not forget the many times we saw the circus. The Greatest Show on Earth!

Ok so maybe I'm talking about MY OWN history. Whatever! I'm sure all of you out there have at least one great memory of The Garden. I'm all for forward progress, increased efficiency, and positive changes but just like that kid in JHS or the Towers that once touched the sky, sometimes you just miss the things you grew up with.
Here is to the hope that we see both, a return of Penn Station to its former glory...

And a modernized, multifunctional and worthy of the New York skyline Madison Square Garden.

You've been bitten,
Da Wizard