New York Marathon likely, but NBA postpones Nets game after Sandy
A woman rides her bicycle through a flooded street in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn after Hurricane Sandy caused extensive damage in the area on October 30, 2012 in New York.
While the New York City Marathon appears likely, the NBA postponed Thursday night’s Knicks-Nets game as the eastern seaboard cleans up from Superstorm Sandy.
Running the marathon on Sunday, however, has raised the dander of at least one Staten Island official.
Borough President Jim Molinaro called the decision to hold the race foolish.
“I just assumed it was canceled,” Molinaro told Staten Island Live.
“My God. What we have here is terrible, a disaster. If they want to race, let them race with themselves. This is no time for a parade. A marathon is a parade. Now is the time to put your shoulder to the wheel. If they want to prepare for something, let them prepare for the election, not a marathon.”
Organizers said they would leave the final decision to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, but also suggested the race could stand as inspiration to New Yorkers.
Mary Wittenberg, president of the host New York Road Runners, told The Associated Press they would use private contractors to reduce stress on city services.
She added, however, that the decision is “entirely” the mayor’s, Reuters reported.
About 47,000 runners competed last year.
Bloomberg held a press conference today saying police have “other things to do” than get the city ready for a basketball game, the Washington Post reported.
Because of washed out public transit, getting to the arena would be nearly impossible.
The mayor asked the NBA to postpone, and it agreed to delay the first professional sports game in Brooklyn since 1957 when baseball’s Dodgers left for Los Angeles.
The Nets moved to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center from New Jersey in the off-season.
The marathon, however, appears to be a different story. Bloomberg said he hoped New York would be as close to normal as possible by Monday.
“Do you believe in crossing your fingers? I hope so,” he told the Post.
The Nets are to host their first game on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors.
More from GlobalPost: Full coverage of Hurricane Sandy