March 26, 2016
The bearded, booted case for Notre Dame, who shouldn't even be here
PHILADELPHIA — The beard? Sure. Why not? Give that a shot. Ride that out as long as you want. Notre Dame coach Mike Brey started this NCAA Tournament looking like...
'Little bit frustrating': Why Kevin Plawecki is a bit stressed out
PORT ST. LUCIE — Kevin Plawecki will have his answer within a week, but until then is trying to manage the stress. The Mets catcher remains on the bubble for...
In Liang case, Ken Thompson was neither 'shrewd' nor a 'victor'
The other day, we endorsed Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson’s call for ex-cop Peter Liang to do no prison time after his manslaughter conviction. We stand by that — but we’re...
Chris Mullin breaks down 1985 tourney -- the ride and heartbreak
St. John’s legend/coach Chris Mullin takes Post columnist Steve Serby on his magical ride from the Sweet 16 to the Final Four in 1985. Q: What do you recall about...
De Blasio's 'historic' housing hype
A blizzard of City Hall press releases last week gushed endlessly about Mayor de Blasio’s “historic housing reforms.” In fact, the plan’s a lot closer to a dead letter. Yes,...
With suffocating defense, Villanova rewrites haunting history
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jay Wright wanted the world to see what he always saw. The Villanova coach wanted the Final Four, but evern more, he wanted to watch his players...
Obama dances as the world reels from (more) terror attacks
As soon as the terror in Brussels ended, the post-terror rituals began. Photos and videos of the carnage emerged, victims were given names and faces and allies expressed their sorrow...
Clutterbuck's last gasp keeps Isles clinging to 1st wild card
RALEIGH, N.C. — Cal Clutterbuck came up big in the clutch once again for the Islanders. Clutterbuck scored a deflected goal with 13.8 seconds left in overtime, lifting the Islanders...
LeBron James' monstrous dunk sums up Knicks' sorry season
They live. Of course, you never would have known it most of the night, watching the Knicks get hammered, 107-93, by the Cavaliers and a LeBron James triple double at...
Spider-Man tangles with tourist for stiffing him on tip
Oh, what a tangled web you weave, Times Square Spider-Man. The misunderstood superhero was collared by cops Saturday afternoon following a confrontation with a tourist from Virginia -- a scuffle...
Dear John: Doctor must share patient’s history
Dear John: I wonder if you can help me. My nephew has been going to a psychiatrist for 40 years and has now been advised that the doctor is leaving...
Rangers blast Canadiens to enter Pens showdown on roll
MONTREAL — So the Rangers will go into their Sunday showdown against the Penguins in style, winners of three straight while beginning to hum in the areas that matter most...
New physical 'wallet' keeps your bitcoins safe and sound
The February Bangladeshi central bank heist that resulted in the theft of more than $100 million from its account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York could have been...
The struggles of Mark Teixeira: 'My timing has been off all spring'
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Mark Teixeira doesn’t put much stock in spring training numbers, but he did detect a reason for hitting a lot of balls on the ground lately. “My...
Remembering 'The White Shadow,' my first binge watch
One of the treasures of youth is that there are certain days whose details you never forget, despite the passage of years and the onslaught of decades. I remember every...
The uproar over Jacob deGrom's lacking radar gun is nonsense
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Don’t fret about Jacob deGrom. He is just fine. Too much is made of radar guns these days anyway — especially in spring training after...
Nets let someone else collapse late, upend another contender
The fourth quarter belongs to Brooklyn. It’s amazing what can happen when you play defense and have a star center. After spending most of this season treating late leads like...
American couple missing since Brussels attack confirmed dead
Tennessee native Justin Shults died in the attack at the Brussels airport, it was confirmed Saturday after his missing wife’s car was found there. “We found out today that cowards...
Early reviews for Yankees' new Adam Warren: 'nasty'
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Starlin Castro will be a major upgrade over Stephen Drew at second base when the season opens next Monday in The Bronx, but the Yankees paid a...
NYCFC still can't win at home, settle for draw vs. New England
Chris Tierney’s goal off a free kick in the 38th minute helped the short-handed New England Revolution play New York City FC to a 1-1 draw Saturday at Yankee Stadium....
Buddy Hield's must-see Oklahoma show is Final 4 bound
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Buddy Hield was scared before the game. Imagine that. He said he was “scared of failure.” After he poured in 37 points on No. 1 seed...
Fashion guru gets unexpected lift from bank's commercials
Peter Manning, fashion guru to short men, is enjoying an unexpected lift from his banker. M&T Bank recently began airing one-minute, prime-time TV commercials about its small business loans, featuring...
How UNC's failures provided unique, dominant roster makeup
PHILADELPHIA — North Carolina, the 1980s called. They want their team back. C’mon, you Tar Heels, you know you don’t belong here, in this day and age, devoid of any...
Yahoo's advisers fight over restaurant chain
Yahoo has many teams of advisers, but perhaps none is more critical at the moment than activism specialist Bill Anderson. The Evercore executive has created quite a niche for himself...
Ackman's Valeant horror mirrors his disaster with JCPenny
The Valeant Pharmaceuticals nightmare that is occurring for Bill Ackman probably feels like a flashback to his last foray into taking charge of a major public company. That didn’t turn...
In My Library: Daniel Hope
Growing up with giants — an anti-apartheid activist dad and the great violinist Yehudi Menuhin, a lifelong family friend — shaped Daniel Hope’s life. Now 42 and a world-renowned violinist...
Nationals have all the star power to match Mets' old enemies
PORT ST. LUCIE — Mets fans still are learning to hate the Nationals. When David Wright stops to consider the Mets’ previous big rivalry and the one in which his...
The Internet is freaking out over this Chris Christie photo
https://twitter.com/PeteBlackburn/status/713546359287230464 It's not surprising that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was caught double-fisting M&Ms at the Notre Dame-Wisconsin basketball game in Philadelphia Friday night. But why was the former Republican...
Wall Street begins to battle more regulation
The political establishment is marshaling forces for a smackdown of Wall Street corruption. The financial elite is fretting over an apocalyptic future of more regulation, more taxes, more fees (and...
Bernie Sanders wins Washington state caucuses
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Bernie Sanders won Washington's Democratic presidential caucuses Saturday after tens of thousands of people met at schools, libraries and community centers. Washington has 118 delegates at stake,...
Josh Hartnett freezes his butt off for Tucker Tooley's new flick
Former Relativity president Tucker Tooley is spending this Easter weekend on a mountain in Utah with actor Josh Hartnett. Tooley is filming his latest project, “6 Below,” about former Boston...
This 9-year-old girl can kick your ass
Don't let the tutu fool you -- Milla Bizzotto is one badass little girl. The 53-lb. 9-year-old from South Florida is making headlines as the youngest competitor to complete the...
Bernie Sanders wins Alaska caucuses
WASHINGTON — Bernie Sanders won Democratic presidential caucuses in Alaska on Saturday, a victory he hopes will stoke a spring comeback against the commanding front-runner, Hillary Clinton. The Vermont senator...
Royals are aiming for dynasty -- even if no one's paying attention
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Ninety feet. In the next 10 days, the Royals will raise a championship banner, be presented rings and begin their title defense at Kauffman Stadium against the...
Coach K creates laughable euphemism for lying in apology
ANAHEIM — Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski on Saturday issued an apology for how he mishandled the situation with Oregon star forward Dillon Brooks after the Ducks defeated the Blue Devils...
Trump says allies must start paying for 'American protection'
Donald Trump wants US allies to ante up if they want to continue under the “cloak of American protection,” according to his first detailed comments on his foreign-policy platform. “We’re...
Walking while texting could soon land you in jail
Watch out, ped-“text”rians — or at least tear your eyes away from your phone to look around for a cop every once in a while. Walking while texting in New...
'It's not my position': Lebron avoids addressing Carmelo's Knicks
Carmelo Anthony might be going through purgatory on Earth with the Knicks, but LeBron James has his own matters to deal with — namely getting the Cavaliers ready to win...
Florida clinics that provide abortions will no longer get funding
Florida Governor Rick Scott on Friday signed a law that cuts off state funding for preventive health services to clinics providing abortion and imposes abortion restrictions already being tested before...
FEMA extends emergency water assistance for Flint
Federal officials have extended an emergency declaration for Flint that has provided supplies of bottled water, filters and test kits to the Michigan city suffering from lead contamination in drinking...
These are the weirdest jobs on Broadway
When it comes to making theatrical magic, Broadway often relies on specialists, such as dialect coaches, fight directors — and even actual magicians. But a number of current shows require...
Belgian nuclear guard shot, prosecutor rules out militant link
A security guard at a Belgian nuclear site was shot to death two days after the Brussels terror attacks — but the slaying was unrelated to terrorism, prosecutors said Saturday....
Double amputee dad says he was forced to crawl to board plane
A budget airline is in damage control after allegedly telling a man who had both legs amputated to drag himself down two ramps, across the tarmac and onto the plane....
Thugs slash 19-year-old on Upper West Side
A band of thugs slashed a 19-year-old man multiple times on the Upper West Side early Saturday, police said. The teenager was walking on the pedestrian walkway outside of the...
Belgium charges three men with terrorism
An accused terrorist recruiter and self-proclaimed freelance journalist was arrested Saturday and fingered as the mysterious would-be suicide bomber who ran from the carnage at the Brussels airport, according to...
Dairy Queen owner installs anti-Hindu signs
The Hindu community is calling on a Muslim Dairy Queen franchise owner to take down signs from his Houston-area business that compare Hindus to monkeys. Mohammad Dar, a 65-year-old Muslim...
Two teens arrested for threatening Trump on social media
GREENVILLE, Ga. — Authorities have arrested a Georgia teenager accused of threatening the life of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump on social media. Meriwether County Sheriff Chuck Smith said Friday...
FTC accused of asking Amazon to lie in merger case
Federal Trade Commission boss Edith Ramirez has had better weeks in her three-plus years atop the regulator. First, the FTC effort to stop the $6.3 billion Staples-Office Depot combo stumbled...
The 19th-century brothel art you had no idea existed
We've all seen Edgar Degas’ dancers — but what about his laundresses, prostitutes and madams? A new side of the 19th-century artist is explored in MoMA’s “Edgar Degas: A Strange...
This artist's ideal date: Sketching with her boyfriend at the Met
Tel Aviv-born Maira Kalman has lived in New York City for 61 years. “So far, it’s OK,” the artist quips, “but I’m still checking it out.” Known for her 2001...
Top Morgan Stanley adviser's ugly fall from grace
Three years ago, Ami Forte was Morgan Stanley’s top woman adviser, managing more than $2 billion and was a high-flying member of the bank’s exclusive Chairman’s Club. Now, after losing...
Madonna reclaims crown as highest-grossing solo artist
The final numbers are in for Madonna’s “Rebel Heart Tour” — and they’re big enough for Madonna to reclaim the title of highest-grossing solo artist. The Material Girl closed her...
Even Mets execs can't believe how well tickets are selling
There’s nothing like a winner, the Mets are finding out. With less than two weeks to go before their home opener, the Mets have registered a season ticket sale increase...
Local startup wants to supply MLB with mouth guards
Mouth guards are standard equipment for football and hockey players, but a startup is persuading even baseball and soccer players to use its pricey mouthpieces. New York-based GuardLab, which uses...
One of Vice's biggest hires just quit
Richard “Mad Dog” Beckman is exiting Vice Media, less than a year after he joined the media company that focuses on a millennial audience. When Beckman, 55, joined Vice last...
The Hoff like you've never seen him before
The Hoff is back. David Hasselhoff returns to American television with “Hoff The Record,” a six-episode mockumentary series spoofing the “Baywatch”/“Knight Rider” star’s very public life and career. (There’s even...
NYC's beloved orphan lamb is now a dad on a beautiful farm
It's been a year since Smokey — an orphaned lamb who required daily bottle feedings, diapers and Woolite baths — hoofed his way into the hearts of New Yorkers. So...
Where to find city's most exotic (and delicious) Easter candy
The weeks leading up to Easter are a time of fasting and reflection. But that all ends Sunday, when everyone can feel free to gorge on chocolate bunnies, marshmallow Peeps...
Schools chancellor: Not every student should take state tests
Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said there are some instances where it might be appropriate for students to opt out of statewide tests, sources said. Fariña offered parents two such circumstances...
Oregon coach's blunt message for Coach K after postgame flap
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The postgame handshake was slightly protracted. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski held onto the hand of Oregon star sophomore Dillon Brooks for just a little bit longer than...
My boss harassed me for being Native American
An Upper West Side porter named Anthony Tomahawk says his swanky building’s super mocked him for being Native American — making cruel remarks like, “I bet it’s never been this...
Bet on Oklahoma -- and not just because of Buddy Hield
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — I guess it shouldn’t be all that surprising that the first pair of Elite Eight games feature the top two seeds from each region. Because lost in...
The block — and freshman — that will go down in Syracuse lore
CHICAGO — Tyler Lydon sat calmly on his seat in the Syracuse locker room and answered wave after wave of questions about The Block. The Block that gets Syracuse, a...
Wilmer Flores' 1st Lucas Duda fill-in: That was 'weird'
PORT ST. LUCIE — Lucas Duda’s stiff neck resulted in Wilmer Flores’ first start at first base in Friday’s game against the Cardinals, and while he looked fine, Flores admitted...
Wealthy developer eyes run against de Blasio next year
A wealthy Republican real-estate developer is exploring the possibility of challenging Mayor de Blasio in 2017. Paul Massey Jr., who recently sold the real-estate brokerage firm he founded for $100...
How pulling star recruit for vet transformed Kansas' season
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It was just another strong season at Kansas, just another solid Bill Self team that didn’t appear to be anything too special. The core was composed of...
Nets' rookie draws unlikely praise from LeBron James
Two games back, two wow moments and one impressed LeBron James. It’s safe to say Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s return has gone as well as could be expected. And that the Nets...
Human Rights Commission can't keep up with its record high fines
The city’s formerly toothless Human Rights Commission has been walloping offenders with record high fines — yet is on pace to close the fewest number of cases in nearly a...
Ducks, Sooners coaches have unusual post-Tournament plan
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Last fall, Oregon coach Dana Altman got a call from Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger, who asked him if he was in for an offseason golf trip to...
Board of Elections confuses city voters about primary dates
The city’s Board of Elections has sent out confusing notices that left voters scratching their heads. As required by state law, the board notified 60,000 new voters that local and...
Oklahoma's ringleader leads the best show in college hoops
ANAHEIM, Calif. — For the uninitiated, you’re in for a treat if you have not yet watched Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield in action. With each win that nudges the Sooners deeper...
NYCFC thinks this time many chances will equal goals
Four games into the season — and three into their home slate — New York City FC still are looking for their first win at Yankee Stadium. And after holding...
Beauty sues sugar daddy for $1.5M after he dumps her
A beautiful Manhattan blonde was traded in for a new model by her 86-year-old sugar daddy — and now she wants him to pay for it.
How Rangers' Antti Raanta bounced back from one brutal loss
Antti Raanta’s first season as the Rangers’ backup goalie is going to be defined by one emotional outpouring, which came after a devastating 5-4 overtime loss to the Kings at...
Why any Jeurys Familia blown save is so concerning for Mets
PORT ST. LUCIE — The last time we saw Jeurys Familia in games that mattered, the Mets closer blew three saves in their World Series loss to the Royals. Familia...
How Taj Gibson helped Brooklyn 'momma's boy' with college shot
CHICAGO — Everyone told Shakur Pinder he needed to return to school, that he had too much talent to let it go to waste. His mother, Adriane Washington, friends and...
North Carolina is a buzzsaw that looks invincible
PHILADELPHIA — North Carolina’s march this March has been inexorable, a stomping, soaring, bludgeoning display of domination steering clear of any sort of madness. Let others engage in buzzer-beaters and...
Brooklyn killer finally faces justice 25 years after slaying
A man who killed a Brooklyn stranger for mouthing off to him 25 years ago may finally be going up the river after being convicted Friday. Derrick Lloyd, now 55,...
Coast Guard, Navy intercept ship carrying $200M of cocaine to US
Customs agents teamed up with the Coast Guard and Navy to land a big fish — a submarine-like ship being used to smuggle more than five tons of cocaine worth...
Warner Bros. betting big on ‘Batman v Superman’
Forget “Batman v Superman.” The real battle in Hollywood is DC Comics vs. Marvel — and Disney’s Marvel right now has the upper hand. Which makes Warner Bros.’ mission to...
Daily Blotter
The Bronx Cops are looking for the suspect pictured above in the shooting of an 18-year-old man in broad daylight in Hunts Point. The hooded, gun-wielding man shot the teenager...
Syracuse roars back to stun Gonzaga in wild tourney run
CHICAGO — Remember when Syracuse didn’t belong in the NCAA Tournament? Such a notion seems foolish now, as the Orange moved to within one win of an improbable Final Four...