9/11’s in his heart
Mets’ Figueroa proud to pitch on anniversary
On the eighth anniversary of 9/11 on Friday, Nelson Figueroa will be the Mets’ starting pitcher in Philadelphia. While he’s warming up in the bullpen, Figueroa’s thoughts naturally will flash back to that tragic morning in 2001.
“I was with the Phillies then and I was speaking with my wife when we heard the plane had hit the towers,” said the 33-year-old Brooklyn native. “I knew I had to do something. I just couldn’t sit back.”
Figueroa, who is an artist and designer when he’s not on the mound, sprung into action. He designed three T-shirts, one which read, “To all the heroes and victims, United We Stand.” In a manner of days, with the help of Braves pitcher Mike Remlinger, Figueroa had shirts printed for all 30 major league teams and raised close to $500,000 for the September 11th Fund.
“I’m really proud we were able to do something,” Figueroa said. “I hope people still understand that time really hasn’t healed the wounds from 9/11. There are so many thousands of kids without parents and we can’t let these people out of our thoughts.”
Figueroa has pitched in eight foreign countries to keep his major league dream alive. He has twice passed through waivers and spent most of this year in the minors.
“For me, I’ll be inspired pitching on the 11th,” Figueroa said. “Every time I look at the skyline and see missing towers, I feel such a tremendous sense of loss.”
And here’s to Yu
SNY has juiced up its “Geico SportsNite” program, the only nightly New York-focused sports news and highlight show in town. Credit for the show’s popularity goes to SNY president Steve Raab, who brought in producer Brad Como (“Around the Horn”) to develop and oversee the program lineup.
“There was a void in this market for in-depth, quality sports coverage on TV,” Como said, “and we knew that we could go deeper than any other station in the market to fill that void.”
The Rumble’s on-air favorite is Bronx-born Michelle Yu (left), who is covering the U.S. Open these days.
“I used to learn tennis there,” Yu told The Rumble. “I taught tennis to little kids there. I guess it’s kind of like going back to your childhood playground. It never gets old.”
Yu, who played fifth singles as a walk-on at Manhattan College, aspired to a career in tennis or sportscasting when she was 13. Her sports television appetite was whetted by Len Berman, Tom McDonald, Bonnie Bernstein and current SNY colleague Gary Apple.
“I think it’s great for minority women to be represented on ‘SportsNite,’ ” Yu said. “I think I’m the first Asian female sports anchor in New York City. I guess there’s a lot of pressure on me. I try not to think of it.”
Southpaw pals
CC Sabathia met David Price through former Indians teammate Jensen Lewis and has stayed in touch with the talented Rays lefty.
“They went to [Vanderbilt] together and when I met [Price] we started to talk,” said Sabathia, who texts Price after Price’s starts. “He is a pretty cool guy. He is together.”
Brush with greatness
Long Island’s own Adam Port will unveil his 35-inch-by-58-inch, hand-drawn painting of the five Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Friday night inductees — Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Jerry Sloan, John Stockton and C. Vivian Stringer — at Saturday night’s celebration dinner at Mohegan Sun.
Port, whose subjects have included Michael Vick, Dwyane Wade, Ray Lewis, Michael Strahan, David Tyree and Carmelo Anthony, was selected by the Hall of Fame to create the artwork.
Port tells The Rumble that there are two images of each new Hall of Famer on his latest masterpiece. Jordan’s images: dunking, and both hands on both knees, bending over.
“Michael Jordan is on top of my list of people that I would like to meet,” Port said. “Being able to present this artwork to him is a dream scenario.”
Check out Port’s work at adamport.com.
Marv doing it ‘Wright’
Marv Albert — along with Mike Fratello and Kenny Smith — will appear in “Just Wright,” the romantic comedy (due out next year) about a female physical therapist who falls in love with a basketball player while helping him recover from a career-threatening injury which we told you about in The Rumble recently.
The broadcasters play themselves.
“The Czar [Fratello] did all his own stunts,” Albert deadpanned, “to the amazement of the entire crew.”
El Marveloso’s seventh season teamed with Boomer Esiason on Westwood One, which is heard on WFAN, begins with Thursday night’s Titans-Steelers NFL opener.
Two-time Giants Super Bowl champion punter Sean Landeta will be co-hosting the Giants’ postgame show on Fox 5 with Duke Castiglione again this season. . . . American Legends in Scarsdale is hosting Jets rookie running back Shonn Greene and Giants rookie wide receiver Ramses Barden on Tuesday from 6-7 p.m, courtesy of the NFL Players Association. Autographs are free, one per person. . . . Jets running back Thomas Jones celebrated his 31st birthday with friends at Touch last Sunday night.
Shaq vs. Serena
Shaquille O’Neal recently visited Serena Williams for his “Shaq Vs.” — an ABC reality show that tests him against athletes in their own sports.
“How would I describe his tennis?” Serena asked this week. “Very much in need of practice. I don’t recall his serving. We worked on his grunt. I think that was his strongest point of his game, for sure.” . . . Luxury watchmaker Longines is teaming up with Steffi Graf for two events this week. First, on Wednesday night at Heast Tower, she will host the “Women Who Make a Difference” awards, where honorees will include Deloris Jordan, mother of Michael.
The next day at Grand Central Station, Mrs. Agassi and 2008 Olympic balance beam gold medalist Shawn Johnson will appear at “Center Court for Kids,” with proceeds benefiting Graf’s charity, Children For Tomorrow.
Higgins missed N.Y. pizza
Chris Higgins, Smithtown L.I. native freed by his trade from Montreal to the Rangers from Canada’s 15-percent national sales tax, is happy to be home for even a better reason: “The pizza up there was awful,” he told fans last week during a program for season-ticket holders. “I miss the bagels, too.” . . . Buddy Valastro, the “Cake Boss” at Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, baked and decorated a special Garden of Dreams Foundation cake with the Liberty’s Sidney Spencer and children from the foundation during a visit last week.