The New York Knickerbockers and New York Rangers will each host a “Garden of Dreams Night” to raise awareness for the Garden of Dreams Foundation. Garden of Dreams is a non-profit organization that works closely with all areas of Madison Square Garden, including the Knicks, Rangers, Liberty, MSG Media, MSG Entertainment, and Fuse, to “make dreams come true for kids in crisis.”

 

The week begins Sunday, March 22, as the Rangers host the Ottawa Senators. Children from Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Hudson Valley and Starlight Foundation will attend pregame warm-ups and watch the game from a catered suite. One child from Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley will sing the national anthem and another child, from Make-A-Wish Connecticut, will participate in a ceremonial puck drop prior to the game. A child from Make-A-Wish New Jersey will have the opportunity to accompany the game organist on guitar to “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. Children from Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley and Starlight Foundation will participate in a Rangers “high-five line” as players enter the ice for warm-ups.

Garden of Dreams week will continue on Wednesday, March 25 at the Knicks vs. Los Angeles Clippers game when children from Ronald McDonald House, Life Center and Children’s Village will attend pregame warm-ups and the game. One child from Ronald McDonald House will serve as an honorary Knicks City Dancer for the night. A second child from Make-A-Wish Foundation Metro will participate in a ceremonial ball tip prior to the game at Madison Square Garden and children from Ronald McDonald and Children’s Village will receive the chance of a lifetime when they participate in a Knicks “high-five line” during player introductions. The 7th Avenue Squad, the Garden’s newest entertainment team, will feature a special member from Children’s Village to help energize the arena. In addition, all Knicks players will wear Garden of Dreams t-shirts during pregame warm-ups.

 

WHO:               Children and Representatives from Garden of Dreams Partner Organizations       

John Starks, Knicks Legend and Alumni Relations Advisor

                        Cal Ramsey, Knicks Director, Special Projects and Community Relations

                        Rod Gilbert, Rangers Legend and Director, Special Projects and Community Relations Representative

Adam Graves, Rangers Legend and representative of Hockey and Business Operations

                                   

WHAT:              Garden of Dreams Awareness Week

                       

WHERE:           Madison Square Garden

 

WHEN:             Sunday, March 22, 2009 – 7:00 p.m. – New York Rangers vs. Ottawa Senators

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 – 7:30 p.m. – New York Knicks vs. Los Angeles Clippers

 

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The March Madness frenzy has gone hi-tech. Even the pros are doin’ it. Athletes like John Starks former NBA star for the New York Knicks, David Clowney of the Jets, Ryan Grant of the Green Bay Packers, and Lindsey Berg, Olympic Volleyballmedalist are all into the video chat game. Starks, renowned for playing shooting guard, claims Pittsburgh will be the team to take it all. Check out their 6-way recorded ooVoo video chat, to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth here: http://tinyurl.com/c4vsgv.

 

But ooVoo’s not just leaving it up to the pros – they are giving away 4 prizes each worth 1,000 bucks in cold hard cash for your best webcam March Madness moment. Even if your team doesn’t win, you can win on ooVoo.

 

To win, record an ooVoo video chat (it’s free) in one of the following “Final Four” categories and submit online herehttp://www.oovoo.com/contest .

 

• Best Slam Dunk Caught on Webcam
  (Prize: $1,000)
  Are you able to dunk? Throw it down? Crank it, slam it, flush it? Then this is the category for you. Even if you work in an office or any place that only has a trash bin, go ahead and roll up a ball of paper and do your best office-trash-bin-rolled-paper slam! You’re in, buddy.
• Best Recorded “Trash Talk” 
  (Prize: $1,000)
  Are you versed in the delicate art of “Talking Smack?” You know, conversing with fellow NCAA fans who favor a rival team? Well let’s see you “give them the business.” Submit a recorded video chat featuring rivals trash talking during the big game, at halftime, or any time. Don’t hold back. (You know your competition won’t.)
• Best Cheerleading Performance 
  (Prize: $1,000)
  True NCAA fans rarely have trouble expressing their enthusiasm. So submit a recorded video chat featuring your best team cheer. Guys, this means you too–go ahead and bring it. No mini-skirts required.  
• Best Sportscaster Impersonator 
  (Prize: $1,000)
  Are you a fast talker? Want to show off your best color commentary skills? Then show us your best sportscaster impersonation. Who knows, you might just be the next Dick Vitale.

 

To view a sample video and full rules visit ooVoo’s March Madness contest page or if you have a webcam and mic you can video chat with me with no download required by clicking here: http://webvideocall.oovoo.com/callme/alyssamiller/323

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Local and national media are invited to speak with New York Knickerbockers legends on Monday, March 23 at 5:00 pm at Madison Square Garden on the evening the franchise will honor six of the greatest players to have worn a Knicks uniform with the Knicks Legend Awards. Individuals will be recognized  for having made the most significant impact on the court in their respective decades. A seventh award, the Knickerbocker Legacy Award, will also be presented to the individual who exudes the qualities of what it means to be a Knickerbocker: Pride, Tradition and  Class.

 

The following Knicks players will be honored at halftime and expected to be available to media prior to the game:

                                    1940’s: Carl Braun (daughter Susan Braun will accept on his behalf)

                                    1950’s: Richie Guerin

                                    1960’s: Willis Reed

                                    1970’s: Walt Frazier

                                    1980’s: Bernard King

                                    1990’s: Patrick Ewing

                                    Legacy Award: Dick McGuire

 

When: Monday, March 23, 2009 from 5-5:30 pm

 

Where: Madison Square Garden Multipurpose Room

               Media should enter through 8 Penn Plaza (33rd street and Eighth Avenue)

 

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The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that center Cheikh Samb has been signed to a second consecutive 10-day contract.

 

Signed to his first 10-day contract on Mar. 2, Samb, 7-1, 245-pounds, has yet to appear in a game for New York.

The Knicks roster is currently at 14 players.

 

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The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball OperationsDonnie Walsh announced today that the team will be honoring six of the greatest players to have played for the franchise with the Knicks Legends Awards on March 23, when the team takes on the Orlando Magic. A seventh award, the Knickerbocker Legacy Award, will also be presented to the individual who exudes the qualities of what it means to be a Knickerbocker: Pride, Tradition & Class.

 

“Recognizing the strong tradition and important contributions of our Knicks alumni is essential in preserving the team’s rich history, something that is important to all of us as we proceed into a new era of Knicks basketball,” Walsh said. “These players – and their teams – represent a model for me as we move forward. There is no better way to honor these great men than to let our fans show their appreciation at the World’s Most Famous Arena.”

 

To celebrate the team’s proud history, the Knicks Alumni Relations Department created an 11-person committee that selected the individuals who had a significant impact on the court in their respective decade. At halftime on March 23, each of the winners will be presented with a special Legends Ring to commemorate the occasion. The current decade’s best will be honored in 2010.

 

The following are the winners, as voted by the committee:

                                                1940’s: Carl Braun

                                                1950’s: Richie Guerin

                                                1960’s: Willis Reed

                                                1970’s: Walt Frazier

                                                1980’s: Bernard King

                                                1990’s: Patrick Ewing

                                                Legacy Award: Dick McGuire

 

A media availability session for all winners is scheduled from 5:00-5:30 p.m. at MSG’s Expo Center for all credentialed media. (Please note that, unfortunately, Carl Braun will not be in attendance.)

 

 

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The New York Knicks will announce New York City’s top teen poet at the Knicks Poetry Slam Final Competition tomorrow night and distribute more than $250,000 in scholarships and prizes. This year’s show features 14 talented poets from across the tri-state area, Knicks players Nate Robinson, Chris Duhon and Jared Jeffries, along with music by celebrity DJ Cipha Sounds from radio station Hot 97.

 

In November, more than 1,300 people attended the Knicks Poetry Slam Open Audition and College Fair at Madison Square Garden, during which time students had the opportunity to enter two contests, in written and spoken word poetry. In the written contest category, three high school seniors will win full tuition four-year scholarships to college: two to the University of Wisconsin and one to Mercy College. In the spoken word competition, the top 150 entrants were selected from the Open Audition to participate in poetry workshops run by program partner Urban Word NYC, and 14 poets were selected to compete in the final competition. The first place winner will be awarded a $10,000 educational grant, $25,000 in Nike branded equipment donated to the winner’s school and a laptop computer. All finalists will receive prizes, including a customized pair of NIKEiD shoes.

 

Knicks Poetry Slam was created in 2003 to reach today’s high school youth by using the popularity of hip-hop and poetry as a vehicle to motivate and inspire expression through the written and spoken word. With the growth of the program, the Knicks and Urban Word NYC have provided greater opportunities for students to use their poetic skills and talents to pursue higher education.

 

WHO:                     Knicks Players Nate Robinson, Chris Duhon and Jared Jeffries

                                Knicks Alumni Earl Monroe, John Starks, Cal Ramsey, and Anthony Bonner

Hot 97 DJ Cipha Sounds

                                Blue Erro Soul recording artist Eric Roberson and Interscope recording artist Charles Hamilton

                                Hosted by Michael Ellison of HBO’s Def Poetry

 

WHAT:                   The NY Knicks, Urban Word NYC and Knicks Poetry Slam sponsors – Nike, Hot 97, Kiss FM, The Hymowitz Family Foundation and The Joan Goldstein Education Foundation – will be hosting the Knicks Poetry Slam Program’s Final Competition and award more than $250,000 in scholarships and prizes.

 

WHEN:                  Tuesday, March 3, 2009  

7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Doors Open at 6:00 p.m.)

 

WHERE:                The Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center

311 West 34th street – between Eighth and Ninth Avenues

CONTACTS: Sammy Steinlight (212) 465-6401 & Mandy Gutmann (212) 465-6394

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The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that free agent center Cheikh Samb has been signed to a 10-day contract.

 

Samb, 7-1, 245-pounds was selected in the second round (51st overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, before being traded to the Detroit Pistons on draft night. A native of Senegal, Samb has career averages of 1.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 5.4 minutes in 20 career games over two seasons with Detroit, Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers. On Nov. 3, he was traded from Detroit to Denver, and on Jan. 5 from Denver to the L.A. Clippers. In 16 games this season with the Nuggets and Clippers, Samb averaged 0.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.63 blocks over 4.7 minutes. He was waived by the Clippers on Feb. 16.

 

The Knicks roster now stands at 13 players.

 

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