New York Today: The (Woeful) Year in Sports

Gus Ruelas/Associated Press

Greetings on this soon-to-be-bright Friday morning.

New York's teams and their fans will be glad to crumple up 2013 and throw it away.

Not that 2014 looks much brighter, but the future, at least, is a boston terrier christmas cards slate.

The past is not. With the help of our colleagues in the Sports department of The Times, here are a few of the year's more unforgettably forgettable moments:

* Jets: A communication lapse caused the center to hike the ball into the wide receiver's groin as he ran by. The opposing Ravens recovered it.

* Devils: Back in April, a 10-game losing streak tied a franchise record.

* Knicks: "I don't want to keep using 'embarrassment,' " Carmelo Anthony said in the wake of a 41-point loss, "but right now, the losing is just becoming unacceptable." Yet it continues.

* Mets: A 20-inning, six-and-a-half hour loss to one of the few teams in the league worse than them.

* Giants: On the very first play of the year, a running back ran the wrong way and a tackle pushed a defender right into the path of a pass from Eli Manning. The first of many interceptions.

* Yankees: A clergy group held a prayer vigil outside the offices of Major League Baseball to seek divine intervention for A-Rod in his bid to beat a steroid suspension.

* Islanders: How many hockey teams can say they were scored on by a kneeling man?

* Rangers: Having a 19-year-old opponent shoot between his legs for his fourth goal of the game is a real morale-builder.

* Nets: With his team trailing in the final seconds, coach Jason Kidd purposely spilled a soda on the court to stop the clock. They lost anyway, and he was fined $50,000.

Here's what else you need to know for Friday and the weekend.

WEATHER

Nice, in a low-key way. Mostly sunny with a high of 40.

Even nicer Saturday, with a high near 50.

Not nice on Sunday - rain, possibly quite a bit.

COMMUTE

Subways: No delays. Check latest status.

Rails: O.K. Check L.I.R.R., Metro-North or New Jersey Transit status.

Roads: No major delays. Check traffic mapor radio report on the 1s or the 8s.

Alternate-side parking is in effect.

Weekend Travel Hassles: Check subway disruptions or list of street closings.

DE BLASIO WATCH

* The mayor-elect made 1,000 inauguration tickets available to the general public yesterday.

* They were gone within 90 minutes, but some went to scalpers. One was charging $20. [ New York Post]

* Mr. de Blasio has appointed only three of the nearly 50 agency heads he will need, the least of any incoming mayor since John V. Lindsay. [ Newsday]

* Mr. de Blasio is said to be looking for a replacement for his spokeswoman Lis Smith, who has been romantically linked to Eliot Spitzer. [ New York Post]

COMING UP TODAY

* All those boats chugging up the West Side are on their way to the New York Boat Show, which will be at the Javits Center from Jan 1. to Jan. 5.

* More than 4,000 high school track-and-field athletes from around the East Coast compete in the Marine Corps Holiday Classic at the armory in Washington Heights. 9 a.m.

* A protest march from 125th Street in Harlem to the incoming police commissioner, William J. Bratton. 6 p.m. [This one was mistakenly listed yesterday. It really is today.]

* Turn Christmas cards into LED lanterns at a " Remake the Holidays " workshop at the New York Hall of Science in Queens. [$12]

* Make zawadi and otherwise learn about Kwanzaa at the Brooklyn Public Library. 3 p.m. [Free]

* The radio deejay Imhotep Gary Byrd hosts a Kwanzaa celebration at the Apollo Theater. 7:30 p.m. [$18]

* The acclaimed East Williamsburg restaurant Gwynnett St. reopens, two weeks after its owner's arrest on charges of receiving chemicals used to make Ecstasy. [ New York Times]

IN THE NEWS

* A 2001 interview with then-candidate Bloomberg was unearthed. He called himself "a big believer in term limits." [ New York Times]

* Though most city police officers are now members of minorities, the number of black recruits has declined. [ New York Times]

* You'll be able to pay the parking meter via smartphone starting in 2015. [ Daily News]

* Florida will soon be more populous than New York state. [ New York Times]

THE WEEKEND Saturday

* College football at Yankee Stadium: it's the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. 12:15 p.m. [$50 and up, but going fast]

* The Valentinos doo-wop at the Bronx Library Center. 2:30 p.m. [Free]

* Tour the decorated farmhouse at the Queens County Farm Museum. 12 p.m. [Free, with mulled cider]

* Last day to see Tosca's leap at the Met. 12:30. [$30 and up]

Sunday

* A seal watch is on at Orchard Beach in the Bronx. 2 p.m. [Free]

* Last day to see 48 haunting tintypes of contemporary soldiers and veterans at the Alice Austen House Museum on Staten Island. [$3 suggested donation]

* Last day to hear Satchmo read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' on a holiday tour of the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens. [$10]

* The Wizard of Oz screens in 3-D at Film Forum. 11 a.m. [$7]

* For more events, see The New York Times Arts & Entertainment guide.

Joseph Burgess, Michael M. Grynbaum, Andrew Keh, Naila-Jean Meyers, Bill Pennington and Ben Shpigel contributed reporting. New York Today is a morning roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till about noon. What would you like to see here to start your day? Post a comment, email us at nytoday@nytimes.com or reach us via Twitter using #NYToday. Find us on weekdays at nytoday.com.