Is Jay-Z "Hustling" for Nets?
by Net Income on Oct 25, 2011 5:54 PM EDT
in Brooklyn
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Referring to Jay-Z as someone who's made a "remarkable journey from a hustler slinging drugs to an international icon", Norman Oder of Atlantic Yards Report castigates the Nets' minority owner as "fronting for two other world-class hustlers" in his promotion of the Barclays Center.
Writing for Salon, Oder says Jay-Z is "a Teflon-coated superstar employed by his partners to distract attention from the hardball politics, sweetheart deals and private profits behind the arena and the rest of the 16-tower project."
Specifically, Oder accuses Jay-Z of exaggerating the number of jobs produced at the arena construction site. Oder is writing a book about Atlantic Yards, but has yet to announce a publisher.
- Jay-Z’s hip-hop of distraction - Norman Oder - Salon
- The Unfulfilled Promises of Atlantic Yards - Norman Oder - City Lights
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lol come on...
Everyone wants to make a buck off of this move to Brooklyn… Not that I can blame them. Keep hustle’in Norman!
Can anyone really dispute that characterization?
Ratner has used Jay as a diversion from the public scrutinizing his project. Why does anyone act like its any different? Frankly, I don’t buy all the arguments (like that the city will lose money on the arena when the neighborhood will soon be booming), but it’s no secret that Ratner has received a series of benefits from the City through his relationships with politicians and influential persons. In the end though, who cares? The arena looks great.
he is no different than any other developer in NYC
"It's as sweet as it ever was, I'll tell you. Now, hopefully, we started something and we can win some more championships, but we're going to enjoy this one right now. Have a little champagne." --Julius Erving, May 12, 1976, ABA champion Nets locker room.
Ok, but it's not a very honest business
And Jay is definitely lipstick on a pig. But Ratner has been playing this game a long time and it seems that he’s done a bang up job on the Barclays. Let’s see if he’s able to build those phase one towers and their quality before passing further judgement.
If Oder wants to write a book it’s probably because he’s done a meticulous job documenting Atlantic Yards and is genuinely invested in the topic. He’s has the right to publish his opinion, even if our little basketball cult over here enjoys taking cheap shots at his expense. I would think you of all people, Net Income, would respect that.
by BrooklynNets on Oct 25, 2011 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions
I like what I see so far
and I like the fact that his last three buildings, at least, have been done by first class architects: The Times Building by Renzo Piano; 8 Spruce by Frank Gehry and Barclays Center by Greg Pasquarelli. Also 80 DeKalb by Costas Kondylis and MetroTech by David Childs.
"It's as sweet as it ever was, I'll tell you. Now, hopefully, we started something and we can win some more championships, but we're going to enjoy this one right now. Have a little champagne." --Julius Erving, May 12, 1976, ABA champion Nets locker room.
Why do you "like" Metrotech?
Just seems like a pretty ordinary thing to like..
Metrotech was...
…one of the Brooklyn projects that Ratner was criticized for, the other being the Atlantic Center. Nonetheless I think Ratner has redeemed his name a bit with his more recent projects.
I like the Times Building, 80 DeKalb, and what I've seen as of yet from Barclays
Never liked 8 Spruce despite being a fan of Gehry.
The biggest problem with the Atlantic Yards is that they didn’t parcel the project out, and consequently the area will be a construction site for at least the next 15 years. Had FCRC been awarded only the land for phase one and three separate developers had been chosen (or at least 1-2 developers other than Forest City) the project would be years ahead of where it is now. Instead, sweetheart deals prevented a competitive bidding process and gave Ratner a sizable public subsidy. Of course, none of this is nothing new, but it is a pretty undemocratic move. I think Oder has the right to tell his story.
In the end Ratner’s legacy will always be as the man who brought pro sports back to Brooklyn. The complaints about how he went about doing so will continue to linger.
by BrooklynNets on Oct 26, 2011 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions
There are tons of other large scale developments in the city...
…that are slowed or delayed, its not just Atlantic Yards. Breaking it into parcels would mean no arena in the first place, because the financial benefits wouldn’t be there for Ratner to commit to.
Don’t forget that this is a railyard that has been sitting there, undeveloped, for a hundred years. Had developers wanted to build there, there were plenty of opportunities to do so.
Fact is that there are substantial upfront costs to even allow for the site to be developed, so its difficult to imagine that three developers would be willing to split the costs the way you are proposing.
Waiting for you know who to make a comment.....lol
"I love my Ducks (wait 'til you see my O)"
by bkeagle718 on Oct 25, 2011 7:12 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Voldemort has a NetsDaily account???
I think it's fine.
by NetsMets4Life on Oct 25, 2011 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Could have guessed that he would write a book.
$$$
I think it's fine.
by NetsMets4Life on Oct 25, 2011 7:16 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
JayZ is a has-been
Avery Johnson can go Outlaw himself.
Hey Avery: 我觉得你做得不是很好
NETS BASKETBALL…. JUST DEAL WITH IT!
better than a never was
"It's as sweet as it ever was, I'll tell you. Now, hopefully, we started something and we can win some more championships, but we're going to enjoy this one right now. Have a little champagne." --Julius Erving, May 12, 1976, ABA champion Nets locker room.
"never been"
is that like being a online virtual cheerleader for the Nets… spending all yo time writing online Nets blogs that 20 people read?
Avery Johnson can go Outlaw himself.
Hey Avery: 我觉得你做得不是很好
NETS BASKETBALL…. JUST DEAL WITH IT!
Oder is writing a book about Atlantic Yards, but has yet to announce a publisher.
in other words, a publisher has yet to return his calls or shoot him an e-mail
deron williams is better than kyrie irving
by William_H_HOLLA on Oct 25, 2011 10:13 PM EDT reply actions
At this point, it is painfully obvious that Oder persists only for his own financial gain.
There can no longer be honest interest in the opposition to the build when that opposition is no longer present. Well great, he gets to keep pointing fingers so that he can make a buck for himself.
I guess he saw Goldstein’s architecture-permit fiasco and wanted to get in on the “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” bandwagon himself.
Timeless - The 2001-2003 NJ Nets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nima3dmLrcw
Also, I resent the use of "teflon-coated"
Hasn’t he heard “Ether?”
Timeless - The 2001-2003 NJ Nets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nima3dmLrcw
Have you heard "Hit Em Up" and "Who Shot Ya"? lol
"Most people on this board are like a broken clock, Only right two times a day"
by Shameer1016 on Oct 26, 2011 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I couldn't stand Pac after that Mobb Deep AND Biggie?! HELL NO
Who was ‘Who Shot Ya’ about anyway? I thought it was ODB.
When you have to shoot, shoot don't talk.
They were both controversial songs
especially Biggie’s “Who Shot Ya” song because many felt it was directed at Pac, and others didn’t, but its kinda hard to say. Hit Em Up just went at the whole Junior Mafia team. I’m a fan or both of them, but I favor Pac>Biggie by a slight margin, like 51-49
"Most people on this board are like a broken clock, Only right two times a day"
It's obvious to me from the lyrics he's not talking about Pac
But when there’s beef all rationale goes out the window. "What’d he say about me!’
When you have to shoot, shoot don't talk.
I mean I thought so too
but who else would Biggie address that song to? It was a track directed at someone and thats for sure.
"Most people on this board are like a broken clock, Only right two times a day"
by Shameer1016 on Oct 26, 2011 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Thank you Norman!
We should all thank Oder for his writings on this very project. His work is highly credited, and I know many that will buy his book. I suggest that some of you get it, because he just might talk about Nets Daily in it. I have read both of Oder’s recent writing on both the Salon and on City Limits, and they both got great reviews. Oder deserves a round of applause fo what he did, which is telling the real story rather than just drinking the kool-aid that others did in their blind support for Ratner.
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