Most people think Newark emerged from the swamps as an instant suburb of New York City after the airport, seaport and Giants Stadium were completed. Newark was actually founded by the New Haven Colony in the 17th Century, well rather separatists led by Robert Treat that decided New Haven misinterpreted a single word in Paul's Letters to the Galatians...scarf vs. shawl. On 21 February, I came to Newark to watch the Seton Hall v. Georgetown basketball game.
Driving west past the PSEG plant that mirrors a Soviet iron foundry city or the set from Blade Runner, we watch the Xanadu Shopping Center in the Meadowlands sit in darkness on the shoulder of the turnpike. Great name for a financial debacle, like the Olivia Newton-John film and Citizen Kane's house...name a ship Titanic and it will sink. We take 280 through Harrison and wait for the drawbridge to let us enter the city and wander towards the Prudential Center, the Rock. It was rush hour and to my surprise there were people leaving jobs in Newark and commuting home to the New Jersey suburbs. My ignorance made the experience a great novelty, it rarely benefits me except now.
Seton Hall drew a good turnout of young and old fans to watch Joey Theodore, Pope, and Auda embarrass Georgetown. The Rock was a pleasant and modern venue with good beer selection, bars, and local fare. It is very Jersey, lots of Springsteen, the Devils, and Gandolfini look-a-like contest winners. Apparently Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond is the anthem of New Jersey not the Boston Red Sox 7th inning stretch, who knew I had another reason to hate the song. It was a good time with drunks shouting, the ladies dancing squad and Newark! Although the male nudity in the student section was unnervingly creepy.
Newark was not the giant slum city that my grandfather loathed traveling to back in the 50s and 60s, it was like Hartford only more important.
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