JW Wharton

@SCSUPoliSci prof, @SCSUsociology chair and @insider_ct columnist.

[JW Wharton @PreppyProf]

I’ve often thought exactly this…
“…the city hasn’t experienced a collective sports viewership like this in a long time, because the Knicks just haven’t been this good in … forever. Another cause for the spike in crowds: The Knicks are bringing together disparate fandoms with otherwise split allegiances, a single point of commonality between Yankees/Mets, Giants/Jets, and Rangers/Islanders fans. (Sorry, the Nets were never New York’s team.)”

[New York Magazine @NYMag]

This Knicks playoff run has revealed how unprepared the city is for its growing fandom. The other week, the city banned watch parties outside Madison Square Garden because the crowds were getting too rowdy. (Then on Wednesday, the city reversed that rule.) Knicks watch parties are now being hosted in places where you’d never think to watch Jalen Brunson score midrange buckets: During the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks hosted one at Radio City Music Hall; Elsewhere, the Bushwick nightclub, hosted a Finals watch party with a DJ set; private cinemas like Metro are offering screening events for games.

But even with the expanded array of more spacious options, many New Yorkers are opting for the classic sports-bar experience. “We’re not comfortable, but it’s comfortable in the sense that we’re all doing it,” says Nick Dyette, who showed up with a few friends to Standings in the East Village for game one. “People are willing to spend their whole evening standing for this.”

Jeremy Rellosa reports on the messy, sweaty revelry of screaming at a small corner TV with your fellow Knicks fans: https://t.co/mFh9jHXYdO

[NYC DOT @NYC_DOT]

don’t make us take this down, bro

[Metro Forward @wmata]

Ride Metro with Pride! 🚇🌈 Catch our Pride wrapped train in the system today through June 30! You can track all our themed vehicles here under the “Special Edition” tab: https://t.co/csXnjAXQcU

[ABC News @ABC]

President Trump is floating the possibility of keeping the UFC arena on the White House South Lawn — built for a series of fights on his birthday and Flag Day — permanently.

Read more: https://t.co/PdI3ZarEYr

[DFA New Haven @DFANewHaven]

incredible historic plaque opportunity... #America250

[JW Wharton @PreppyProf]

West Haven’s going to be known for this?! 🤦🏾‍♂️

"I wasn’t on a private island smoking crack," Biden wrote of his drug use in West Haven. "Very different class of people, and with more integrity than any of those people."

[Connecticut Post @connpost]

Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden, was disbarred in Connecticut last December. https://t.co/iZmDWjf99W

[JW Wharton @PreppyProf]

@scott_wheeler12 @JPM_Mattai I don’t like either. Ugh. I miss the classic 90s German cars. Just not the same anymore.

[Only In Boston @OnlyInBOS]

Boston ranks among the toughest places in America for the rent-vs-buy math.

According to Zillow, the average homebuyer in Greater Boston needs to stay put for 13.9 years before buying becomes cheaper than renting.

[NEW YORK KNICKS @nyknicks]

good morning, your knicks have won 12 games in a row.

[New York Metro Weather @nymetrowx]

Go outside.

[JW Wharton @PreppyProf]

From CT Hearst editorial board…
“We are now a long way from ‘small ball.’ That was part of the reaction by Gov. Ned Lamont at the end of 2024, responding to an audit of spending habits by leaders of the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities system…”

https://t.co/m5myz1XZns

[JW Wharton @PreppyProf]

I’ve never gone by “Nathan” oddly. Jon, Jo-Jo, Juanito…even Jo Nathan 🤣

[mollie writes stuff @vuse_lover]

Met a guy recently named Jonathan who goes by Nathan. I didn’t even know you could do that

[Ryan Field @RyanFieldABC]

Less than 24 hours until tip off 🏀

[Sally Goldenberg @SallyGold]

The circle of life for anyone who went to Rutgers circa the late 90s/early 00s is complete.

[Joey Fox @joeymdfox]

A new statement from @CongressmanKean says he’ll be returning “within a matter of weeks” … 2 weeks after he said he’d return “in the next couple of weeks.”

Kean also says he’ll be “completely transparent” about his medical issue, but only once he’s back.
https://t.co/b6lJdetwe1

[Nicholas Fandos @npfandos]

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is fighting to expand democratic socialists’ ranks. Two Democratic congressmen are on the ropes. And then there’s the Kennedy scion hoping to revive Camelot.

Welcome to primary season in New York >>

https://t.co/AICSnvZWpk

[JW Wharton @PreppyProf]

My prof neighbor mentioned the vote of no confidence in university system leaders…
Her: my sister’s an alumna too and I said I thought you’d help push that
Me: our senate wasn’t first to pass it but we were first to draft it. But I was on their case
Also, me at senate meetings:

[JW Wharton @PreppyProf]

“Gallup’s 2025 poll on Party Affiliation revealed that 27% of Americans identify as Republican, 27% as Democrat, and a record 45% as independent. This was not an anomaly. Neither party has polled higher than the unallied in 20 years.

Even we Yankees are more purple than blue with 41.5% of active voters registered unaffiliated. That’s six points more than the mighty Democrats.”

[Hartford Courant Opinion @CourantOpinion]

Who is this plurality of partyless purple people? We are mostly independent-minded voters floundering through this political maelstrom. {og:title} {article:title} https://t.co/Tg7LN6ocaK

[Ryan Fazio for Governor @ryanfazio]

Where does the buck stop?

[Matt Friedman @MattFriedmanNJ]

The end of the county line has diminished the influences of NJ's Democratic bosses and led to a flourishing of candidacies. But it's increased the influence of unaccountable super PACs and non-profits. And their influence only counts more with so much less media attention.