The Rush: Knicks beat L.A. in Carmelo’s return, Jets have a QB Covid problem
Carmelo Anthony received a warm welcome from Knicks fans in his return to Madison Square Garden, and while the Lakers overcame a 25-point deficit to tie the game, they couldn’t get the win. In college hoops, No. 1 Gonzaga dismantled No. 2 UCLA in a Final Four rematch while Penn State football coach James Franklin signed a massive contract extension. Plus, between the Giants firing offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and the Jets losing two thirds of the rostered quarterbacks to COVID, professional football in New York is riding the struggle bus.
Video Transcript
- For Russell Westbrook, quickly on the fly at 3. Westbrook has the ball. Here goes Carmelo. What a feed.
JARED QUAY: Carmelo Anthony got a really warm welcome at Madison Square Garden last night when the Lakers played the Knicks.
- Then you hear the fans. Standing ovation. We talked about one of their favorite sons returning home in Carmelo Anthony.
JARED QUAY: But that warmth didn't bring the shorthanded Lakers the W. LA was without LeBron James, who's serving a one game suspension, and the Lakers ended up in a 25 point hole.
- From 3 and at the other end. Toppin was climbing.
JARED QUAY: To LA's credit though, they came back to tie the game, but never took the lead. Russell Westbrook messed around and dropped a triple double, and Melo scored 12 points off 3 of 14 shooting from the field.
- Just like the old days.
JARED QUAY: Unlike the old days though, the Knicks actually won the game. In men's college hoops, UCLA and Gonzaga faced off for the first time since--
- A floater. Short. Got it back. Ties it with 3. Gonzaga has time to do something. Suggs for the win. Oh. Oh yes. Unbelievable.
JARED QUAY: That shot sent Gonzaga to the National Championship only for the Bulldogs to get destroyed by Baylor.
- Yikes.
JARED QUAY: There was no championship on the line last night, just a win streak and bragging rights as number two UCLA faced off against number one Gonzaga.
- Defensively, he has been the man. Look at that move.
- Oh, oh. Come on, America. America Get the [INAUDIBLE] Chet Holmgren, are you serious?
JARED QUAY: The Bulldogs won the battle, but we'll see how things shake out come March. In other college sports news, if you need a loan, hit up Penn State's head football coach, James Franklin. He just signed a 10 year contract extension with the Nittany Lions for a whopping $7.5--
- Million dollars.
JARED QUAY: --per year. But the NCAA can't pay its players?
[SAD TROMBONE MUSIC]
You know what money can't buy, though? A good professional football team in New York. New York football is a disaster through and through. The 3 and 7 Giants just fired offensive coordinator Jason Garrett after New York's ugly loss to the Bucs on Monday Night Football. And it looks like Yahoo's Frank Schwab is a psychic in his post-game article because he figured it out. I wonder if they let Garrett ride the team plane back from Tampa.
[RECORD SCRATCH]
As embarrassing as the Giants are, at least they won a Super Bowl in the last 52 years, unlike the Jets. Rookie quarterback Zach Wilson has been cleared to play Sunday for the first time since spraining his MCL in week seven. Whew. And that's good timing since he's the only quarterback on the roster after Mike White and Joe Flacco were placed on the COVID-19 list. Who could have saw that coming?
- Yeah, I'm not vaccinated.
JARED QUAY: Well Joe, you managed to distract us, and not play in a football game. So good job.
