James Dolan

From the New York teams we root for to the Long Island news we live for, we owe a lot to the company James Dolan keeps. For one thing, when was the last time Knicks fans had a season with as much excitement and heartache as the one just passed? Oh, yeah, it was last year with “Linsanity.” But this year, thanks to an owner who “looks out” for him, Carmelo Anthony had a better cast of characters on the court when it counted, and they all got further in the playoffs than the Knicks have in many a moon. And let’s not forget the New York Rangers, who were so hot at MSG, the ice was on fire—and this came after a season-threatening league lockout. Sure, Big Jim Dolan has his prickly side, with or without his goatee, and he never suffers fools gladly—even if they are his paying customers—but we are the lucky ones because he’s got the blues down to his very soul.

Inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2013