Phil Mushnick long ago established himself as something of a Billy Joel enthusiast, so it must have been awkward for the New York Post sports media critic to find fault with this week’s announcement the Piano Man (above, right) would be playing MSG until, well, the end of time. Not as awkward as the inevitable/ upcoming column suggesting Paul Walker’s death deserved equal coverage from ESPN as Nelson Mandela’s, but still pretty uncomfortable.
All kidding aside, it’s not Billy Joel hogging the Garden stage that Phil objects to, not compared to New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo publicly cozying up to Cablevision villain James Dolan during MSG TV coverage of the Joel press conference, a marriage Mushnick calls, “creepy”.
As a sworn representative of the best interests of New Yorkers, does the current Governor not know that in the years The Garden has been run by the Dolan/Cablevision monopoly — a longer-time member of the Play Ball! Politicians’ Club — The Garden has become a mendacious “Mecca” for both employees and for those patrons still inclined and wealthy and/or foolish enough to pay to attend Rangers and Knicks games?
Does he not know during Jimmy Dolan’s Reign of Error, scores of consumer-responsive and Garden-devoted team, event, building and MSG Network employees, from the entrances to the execs at the top, were forced out, replaced with quislings and heel-clickers?
Given Dolan’s anti-competitive cable TV heritage, it stands to reason neither the Rangers nor Knicks, despite their geographical and financial advantages, have succeeded. After all, hoops and hockey presumably are refereed by the fair-minded.
If Gov. Cuomo doesn’t know about any of this, he should look into it. But, given that he’s Governor, perhaps Dolan waived The Garden’s $5 “Facility Fee,” the one all else must pay to enter The Garden after buying a ticket at the Garden box office to an event at The Garden.