July 28, 2010 | 2:44 pm

Amare is JEWISH!!!

Posted by Jeremy Fine

Follow me on

Read this Article:

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/nba-star-amar-e-stoudemire-heads-to-israel-after-discovering-jewish-roots-1.304552?localLinksEnabled=false

Below are various posts from his Twitter account
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I’m the new Reggie White. (RIP) I’m going 2 Israel 2 study Hebrew. It’s time 2 get a better understanding on who we R. Follow me !! Shalom

On the flight to Israel. This is going to be a great trip. The holy land. Learn about it. This ze ha’halom sheli. Shalom.

Jerusalem is a beautiful city, I’m at a cafe eating a late lunch. I learning Hebrew by the min. Keep up !!

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For more on Amara check out WWW.THEGREATRABBINO.COM

July 27, 2010 | 10:07 am

Interview: Jake Cohen Takes Over For Stephen Curry

Posted by Jeremy Fine

Many people wonder what happens to a team or program when a legendary player leaves. Some programs continue to dominate. But others can struggle. For example,  Larry Bird left Indiana State and since it has not been to pretty. So when Stephen Curry left Davidson many wondered what would happen to their basketball program. Well never fear, they are in the hands of Jake Cohen. Cohen is the spark that Davidson needed once Curry took his game to the NBA. This summer Cohen took his game to Israel and Europe and has been showcasing his game on an international stage. Oh yeah, he was first team TGR All American as well. We caught up with Cohen during his busy schedule to talk basketball, replacing Curry, and Israel.

Interview:
1) Tell the TGR fans a little bit about yourself?
My name is Jake Cohen, born and raised in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. I attended Conestoga High School, and now Davidson College. I have one older brother, Josh, who played football at Dartmouth, and my father was also a basketball player at Haverford College (division 3).

2) What are you doing this summer to stay in shape?
This summer I’ve been playing with the under-20 Israeli National Team. I started out training in Tel Aviv on June 10th, then at the end of the month we scrimmaged against Romania and Bulgaria, in their respective countries, and then it was on to Austria in July for the European Championships. We finished 5th in the competition, out of 17 teams. I was the tournaments leading scorer and was named to the all-tournament team.

3) How has your Israel experience been?
It’s been a truly amazing experience for me. I got to see some of the world, I explored more of my Jewish heritage, experienced a high level of European basketball, and became great friends with my teammates. I had an amazing time, and mostly the people of the national team are to thank for that, for including me so well right away, and never making me feel like an outsider.

4) After Stephen Curry left Davidson, you stepped in as really the go-to-guy, have those been big shoes to fill?
Well to be honest I’m not sure anyone can fill Steph’s shoes, so I haven’t tried. I’ve just tried to help Davidson out as best I can, and get us as many wins as possible.

5) Have you ever played with Curry? What was that like?
Yes I’ve played with Steph a good amount, he was my host on my official visit to Davidson, and he comes and works out with us in the spring and summers. He is unbelievable to play against, and incredible to play with. But he brings a whole other level of play, and that will only make our team better.

6) What are some team goals for next year? How is the team looking?
I think one of our team goals this year is to win the Southern Conference and get back to the tournament. We need to get our confidence level up to where we expect to dominate every conference team, the way Davidson is used to playing.

7) After your college days, where do you see yourself?
It has always been my dream to play professional basketball in the NBA, and it still is my dream. So once I’ve graduated from College, hopefully I can make that dream come true.

8) Who is the best player you ever had to guard?
The best player I ever had to guard….I would have to say my older brother. Even though he decided to play football, he can flat out hoop. I’ve covered him a lot, and I mean a lot, and he has this nasty habit of making every shot he takes when I cover him. It must be a big brother thing, I don’t know.

9) Any other Jewish college players we should look out for?
My man Bryan Cohen and I played AAU ball together for Team Philly, and now he’s having himself a great career at Bucknell.

Thank you to Jake Cohen for answering our questions. Good luck and we will be keeping an eye on the Wildcats this season.
And Let Us Say…Amen.
-Jeremy Fine

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July 25, 2010 | 9:17 pm

Top 7 Jewish Sports Stories of the Decade

Posted by Jeremy Fine

How can we say enough about the story of 2009…Omri Casspi? The “King of Israel” is story #3 of the decade. So, first we were excited that Casspi got drafted into the NBA. But do you know how much nachas we feel because Casspi is good. Instead of just simply telling you about the fact that he has moved into the Kings starting lineup or how he is averaging in double figures or how he is going to clearly receive votes for Rookie of the Year we have decided to just include a bunch of articles and videos (below) about the new King in the NBA. I cannot tell you how many articles I receive about Casspi about how good he has been. Kings games are shown all over Israel (even the embarrassing come back against my Bulls). He also makes Sportscenter with Tyreke Evans on a weekly basis.  Casspi arriving in the NBA, simply put, has been Awesome.

Here are some Casspi stories throughout his first year in the league:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1164016/index.htm
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/basketball-two-months-in-omri-casspi-is-too-busy-to-reflect-on-success-1.1565
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/sports/basketball/19casspi.html?_r=1

And Videos:

And Let Us Say…Amen.
-Jeremy Fine
Check out more at WWW.THEGREATRABBINO.COM

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July 21, 2010 | 4:28 pm

Top 7 Jewish Sports Stories of the Decade

Posted by Jeremy Fine

For the USA the 2008 Olympics meant two things, the return to basketball dominance and the insane accomplishments of Michael Phelps. And as much as basketball swept the nation because of its popularity it was hard for anyone to not watch the pool. Phelps captivatity an entire country before, during, and even after the Olympics.

But the Jewish story was the success of his teammate Jason Lezak and female swimmer Dara Torres. Both were the oldest swimmers on their teams, but that didn’t stop them from coming home with medals. Lezak won gold in the 4X 100 freestyle relay and his team set a new world record. Lezak stood out is in the final leg he took the lead from the French. It was an amazing race. He was took home a bronze in the 100m freestyle.

Torres won three silver medals (50m freestyle, 4×100 medley relay, and 4×100 freestyle relay). She added these medals to her already large trophy case, having won 9 medals before the 2008 Olympics including four gold medals. 2008 was her 5th Olympic games dating back to 1984. She did not race in 1996 or in 2004.

Together they made quiet the splash into mainstream culture. Maybe on the same level as this story was the fact that Lezak missed 2009 World Aquatics Championships to compete in the 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel. Lezak was given the honor of lighting the Maccabiah torch at the Opening Ceremony. He came home with four gold medals.

These two truly brought Jewish Americans a lot of pride. They come in as story #4 of the decade.

And Let Us Say…Amen.
-Jeremy Fine
For more check out WWW.THEGREATRABBINO.COM

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July 18, 2010 | 12:45 pm

Jewish Minor League Baseball Update

Posted by Jeremy Fine

Below are minor league stats of some of the up and coming Jewish Baseball Players. The stats were taken from jewsinbaseball.blogspot.com (Great site. Check it out).

Dylan Axelrod (RHP, 24, White Sox, A+/AA):
4-2, 53 1/3 innings, 2.36 ERA, 1.069 WHIP, 8.1 H/9, 0.0 HR/9, 1.5 BB/9, 7.9 K/9, 5.22 K/BB

Nathan Freiman (1B, 23, Padres, A):
.304/.369/.452 (.822 OPS) through 379 PAs, 7 HRs, 29 doubles, 51 RBIs, 55 runs scored

Casey Haerther (1B, 22, Angels, A):
.314/.348/.416 (.765 OPS) through 315 PAs, 4 HRs, 14 doubles, 2 triples, 54 RBIs, 35 runs scored, 9 SBs

Jason Hirsh (RHP, 28, Yankees, AAA):
5-6, 84 2/3 innings, 4.15 ERA, 1.157 WHIP, 7.7 H/9, 1.2 HR/9, 2.8 BB/9, 6.4 K/9, 2.31 K/BB

Jason Kipnis (2B, 23, Indians, A+/AA):
.293/.380/.468 (.848 OPS) through 363 PAs, 10 HRs, 19 doubles, 3 triples, 42 RBIs, 54 runs scored

Ryan Lavarnway (C/DH, 22, Red Sox, A+):
.291/.390/.490 (.881 OPS) through 356 PAs, 14 HRs, 18 doubles, 63 RBIs, 65 runs scored

Daniel Rosenbaum (LHP, 22, Nationals, A):
1-5, 95 innings, 2.27 ERA, 1.221 WHIP, 8.5 H/9, 0.5 HR/9, 2.5 BB/9, 7.3 K/9, 2.96 K/BB

David Rubinstein (RF, 23, Pirates, A):
.310/.367/.424 (.791 OPS) through 284 PAs, 1 HR, 22 doubles, 2 triples, 32 RBIs, 29 runs scored, 13 SBs

Joshua Satin (2B, 25, Mets, A+/AA):
.315/.403/.446 (.849 OPS) through 366 PAs, 5 HRs, 24 doubles, 1 triple, 48 RBIs, 45 runs scored

Scott Schneider (RHP, 22, Cardinals, A/A+):
7-4, 2 saves, 88 2/3 innings, 3.15 ERA, 0.947 WHIP, 6.0 H/9, 0.4 HR/9, 2.5 BB/9, 7.9 K/9, 3.12 K/BB

Michael Schwimer (RHP, 24, Phillies, AA/AAA):
5-3, 11 saves, 42 innings, 3.43 ERA, 1.167 WHIP, 7.5 H/9, 1.1 HR/9, 3.0 BB/9, 12.6 K/9, 4.21 K/BB

Joshua Zeid (RHP, 23, Phillies, A):
5-3, 7 saves, 53 1/3 innings, 3.21 ERA, 1.181 WHIP, 7.9 H/9, 0.7 HR/9, 2.7 BB/9, 8.9 K/9, 3.31 K/BB

And Let Us Say…Amen.
-Jeremy Fine
For more check out WWW.THEGREATRABBINO.COM

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July 14, 2010 | 2:14 pm

Welcome to the Bigs Mr. Valencia

Posted by Jeremy Fine

He might not have a last name like Braun or Feldman, but Minnesota’s new rookie third baseman Danny Valencia is a member of the Tribe. On June 3rd the Twins brought up Valencia from their farm system where he was a 3 time all-star. Valencia is 25 years old and is from Boca Raton (that is one tell of his yiddishkite).

He began his college ball at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro. “After being named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, he transferred to the University of Miami, where he competed in the College World Series.” - jewishbaseballnews.co

He was selected in the 19th round. Valencia’s hit 14 home runs, 70 RBIs and a .466 slugging percentage in 2009. He went without a homer run in 185 at-bats with the AAA Rochester Red Wings this season.

Thus far with the Twins, in 58 ABs he is hitting .310, with 3 RBIs and 4 Runs. He also has 1 stolen base to his credit.

Keep an eye on the second Jewish Major League rookie this season. The Mets’ Ike Davis begin the other.

And Let Us Say…Amen.
-Jeremy Fine
For more on Jewish baseball check out WWW.THEGREATRABBINO.COM

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July 12, 2010 | 8:17 am

Lebron James Made the Right Choice

Posted by Jeremy Fine

I cannot tell you that I am not disappointed. I was all ready to go out and buy my #6 Bulls jersey. But the man who will probably be formerly known as “The King” decided to leave DRose, Noah, and Big Boozer to fend for themselves and form a super trio in South Beach. Forget about all the false reports, I felt in my gut he was coming to the Bulls. Every sports writer thought it was the smart play. The team is stacked and just missing that centerpiece that would’ve meant a dynasty. But James decided not to come to the Windy City. Maybe it was living in MJ’s shadow. Maybe it was because Chicago is and will always be a Bears town. Maybe it was because he never wanted to have to choose between Lou Malnatis or Barnaby’s pizza. I guess we may never know the real reason.

Since Thursday everyone has commented on “The Decision.” Sports bloggers, websites, and even non-sports writers have suggested every opinion possible. Most outside of Miami have been critical of James. And while I think people have the right to be disappointed, how can people be mad? Hundreds of players have left teams. Jordan played for the Wizards for heaven’s sake. People are just sitting there bashing James’s decision. They hated waiting for an answer, they ripped into “The Decision” on ESPN, and bashed his choice to join DWade and Bosh. I mean it is almost as if people are taking this personally, not just each city but individual people as well. Seriously, why would you burn his jersey? You do not know him. And even if you did the man is allowed to choose what he wants and for whatever reason he wants. Granted I am upset because I dreamed of DRose alleyoops to James for the next 5 years. But still what gives me the right to call him a jerk or decide what is best for a 25 year old basketball superstar?

For once the rabbi in me wants to give a Jewish thought on this topic. The Talmud teaches, “He is executed with strangulation, and then receives a portion in the world to come; however, one who shames his fellow in public has no portion in the world to come.” And the Rambam agrees stating, “better for one to hurl oneself into a fiery furnace rather than shame his fellow in public.” Embarrassing someone and speaking poorly about people you do not know are two things the Jewish text take issue with. Say what you will about his basketball decision, but Lebron James did not do anything to anyone personally. To Cleveland you might feel betrayed, but seriously it would have been a mistake for him to stay. He would not have won championship(s) there and it is a small market. He is not a bad guy. He is a man, just like any of us, who made the best decision for himself.

I firmly believe we are overlooking one aspect of his decision. James skipped college. He went straight into the spotlight, probably quicker and to a larger degree than any other athlete ever. He played in a smaller city. He probably missed the chance to be part of a fraternity like a college team. In 2008 he got a taste of that frat life with Team USA. James missed that feeling/experience. By joining DWade and Bosh in Miami, he gets to play with his friends. It does not seem to me it is just about winning for James, it is about being with the guys. It is about enjoying the game while he plays it. It is about the 21 hours a day he is not on the court. That is why I believe James chose South Beach, just so he can have the college experience he missed out on. I cannot fault him for that. I cannot be mad for him wanting what is best for him, even if that means he will be wearing a different black and red.

And Let Us Say…Amen.
-Jeremy Fine
For more in Jewish sports check out WWW.THEGREATRABBINO.COM

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July 8, 2010 | 6:54 am

The Greatest Jewish Basketball Player Who Ever Lived

Posted by Jeremy Fine

Today is our One Year Anniversary of The Great Rabbino. In our first year we have been picked up by Oy! Chicago and the Jewish Journal. We were published in Schmooze Magazine. And we had a feature article on the Chicago Jewish News. We have created Tshirts, sold advertising space, and had over 31,000 readers.

Maybe the best thing about being the creator of The Great Rabbino has been the opportunity to interview and speak with some amazing professional athletes and sport professionals. That list has included Yuri Foreman, Tal Brody, Colt Cabana, Craig Breslow, Sam Fuld, Bernie Fine, Paul Goldstein, Tamir Goodman Ron Blomberg, Steve Dubinsky, Nancy Lieberman, Brimestone, Chasyn Rance, Diamond Dallas Page (not actually Jewish I found out), Jason Horowitz, Dane Diliegro, Brett Harvey,  Yaniv Simpson, Maiya Chard-Yaron, Jason Bonder, Doron Kramer, Howard Megdal, Binnie Klein, Eliese Zukelman, Sean Wallis, Adam Carp, Tamar Katz, Tani Mintz, Drew Goldsmith, Steven Freeman, Josh Borenstein, Jeff Sugar, Jonathon Abramson, Dov Grumet-Morris, and Ari Lucas.

All of these sportsmen and women are great and have added to the Jewish sports world. But none of them are as great as today’s special guest interviewee. Today, on our one year anniversary, we bring to you a special exclusive interview with the greatest Jewish basketball player of all time….Dolph Schayes.

Truly, Dolph Schayes needs no introduction. Schayes is an NBA Hall of Famer. He was a part of the 50 Greatest NBA Players list. Schayes was drafted in 1948 by the Philadelphia 76ers. He played until 1964. During his career he was a 12 time all star. When he finished playing the game he was the NBA’s all time leading scorer (19,249) and had played in the most NBA games (1,059). He was also the 1966 NBA Coach of the Year.

Below is our interview with the greatest Jewish basketball player of all time. The one, the only, Dolph Schayes (yes…the father of Danny Schayes).

INTERVIEW:

1) Tell TGR a little bit about your playing days?
I loved the game in basketball. I played at NYU. He had good skills at it. Being tall definitely helped. I continued to develop. I got good and got some recognition. I received a scholarship to college. That was very helpful. I was the first in my family to go to college. And I made it into a professional career. My career lasted 15 years longer than I thought it would. And I coached a little bit.

2) What was it like seeing your son Danny play?
It was wonderful.  He played for a long time.  He played for 18 years which was two more than me. At the time it was more difficult position because he went up against Jabbar, Shaq, and Olajuwon. It was credit to his team and himself. He lasted for so long which proved he was valuable.

3) Who was the greatest player you ever played against?
Oscar Robertson was the best player I ever played against. But I played with some great players like West, Cousy, Pettit, Chamberlin, and Russell.

4) Who is the greatest player who ever lived?
You cannot really say who the best player who ever lived was. Oscar is on that short list. Jordan, Russell, Wilt, Kobe, and Lebron are probably on there too.

5) What was it like being named to the top 50 greatest players list?
It was a wonderful pick from my point of view. To be in the same group as Magic and Bird meant a lot. I enjoyed watching it. It was certainly a proud day. When you realize that that team covered 5-6 decades and the pickers recognize the players from all those eras. I was lucky enough to be in the early days. I will tell my grandkids and they can be proud of it.

6) What does Dolph Schayes do today?
I own some property in Syracuse. I also own some toilets. It keeps me busy managing and owning these things. I am an avid basketball fan. I like the college game. Basketball is the greatest game in world with best athletes in the world. I also have a wonderful family that I spend my time with.

Thank you to Dolph Schayes on the great interview.
1 year down in the books. Thank you to everyone for reading.

And Let Us Say…Amen.
-Jeremy Fine
For More Information Check Out WWW.THEGREATRABBINO.COM

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