Zooey Deschanel sang the "Star-Spangled Banner" at last night's game and it was just adorable, you guys. more ›

This week, former Governor David Paterson learned that he won't face prosecution for lying about accepting free Yankees World Series tickets two years ago. In a letter to Paterson obtained by the News, Albany County District Attorney David Soares says it was "reasonably likely" an offense was committed, but argued that they would not be able to satisfactorily reach a criminal conviction. more ›

Baseball fans with Cablevision couldn't see Cliff Lee get pummeled by the Giants during Game 1 of the World Series last night because News Corp. has yanked its Fox programming from the cable system since October 16. The two companies are arguing over transmission fees—and whether the other side is even attempting to negotiate—and Cablevision's 3 million-plus customers in NY, NJ and Pennsylvania are without their fixes of Glee, the World Series, NFL games, and Fox News. So yesterday, after another failed attempt to get News Corp. to settle and shortly before the Rangers-Giants game, Cablevision issued this statement: more ›

Perhaps, in order to keep baseball-loving customers appeased, Cablevision has issued this statement regarding its transmission fee talks with News Corp.: “In the interest of Cablevision’s 3 million households and our mutual viewers, today we have made a new offer to News Corp. Simply put: we agree to pay the rate Fox charges Time Warner Cable for carriage of WNYW-Fox 5 New York and WTXF-Fox 29 Philadelphia for a period of one year. This is higher than the rate we pay any other New York broadcast station. This solution is in the best interest of not only baseball fans but of all Cablevision customers and Fox viewers. We look forward to a positive response.” more ›

As Cablevision customers contemplate what bars to head to or which antenna to buy to watch the World Series tonight, Cablevision president and CEO (and Knicks owner) James Dolan sent a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski yesterday, saying that he could be in D.C. this morning for an FCC-run meeting with News Corp., because only with the FCC's involvement could good faith talks occur. However, News Corp., which served Cablevision a cease & desist letter (because the cable company's reps were allegedly telling customers how to illegally access Fox programming online) said that Dolan's letter was a "stunt." more ›

Cablevision and News Corp. are still feuding over transmission fees, a situation that has left millions of Cablevision customers in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania without Fox programming, like, oh, football games, the ALDS baseball games, Glee, House, The O'Reilly Factor and Good Day, New York since October 16. And given the current tenor of "negotiations," it seems that these lowly customers may miss the World Series. Well, unless they decide to (illegally) watch Fox programs online—the media company claims that when a Fox employee with Cablevision service called Cablevision, the Cablevision rep told them which websites streamed Fox shows! more ›

Damn Yankees—these might be the most expensive World Series tickets ever! Last fall, Governor Paterson and his aides allegedly solicited five free tickets to the Yankees World Series games. The tickets had a face value of $425 each, but now the state's Commission on Public Integrity suggests that the outgoing governor pay up a $93,000 fine! The CPI's special counsel said, "The governor is supposed to set the ethical standard by which all state employees conduct themselves. I submit that he has sadly and widely missed the mark in doing so." Ethics? In Albany? What's that? more ›

As part of its World Series Championship victory lap, the Yankees met President Obama yesterday at the White House. With players and Yankees management flanked behind him, the President said,"It's been nine years since your last title, which must have been an eternity for Yankees fans...I think other teams would be just fine with a spell like that. The Cubs, for example." more ›

Earlier this afternoon, the Yankees received their championship rings for winning the 2009 World Series. In a ceremony before their home opener against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the team celebrated its 27 World Championship. On hand to present the 14-carat rings to the Yankees were Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra. Also on hand to receive a ring was World Series MVP Hideki Matsui, now a member of the Angels, who was greeted by Yankee Stadium fans with chants of "MVP! MVP!" Matsui actually received his ring last, and all the Yankees swarmed to hug him in the middle of the field. Here's video: more ›

The investigation over Gov. Paterson's free World Series tickets is not over, and now the Yankees may face a $25,000 fine. According to the Daily News, Public Integrity Commission executive director Barry Ginsberg said they haven't yet ruled out sanctioning the team. Though they have not been charged yet, Ginsberg said, "We've said publicly ... this investigation is not over." more ›

Governor David Paterson's former right hand man, David Johnson, appeared yesterday before the Commission on Public Integrity to answer questions about allegations that Paterson illegally solicited free Yankees World Series tickets, then lied about it. The commission alleges that Paterson only paid for the tickets after the media started asking questions, and when he did so, the check was deceptively backdated. It also appears that Johnson amateurishly forged his boss's signature on a back-dated check to cover the tickets, worth $425 each. more ›

The "gorgeous tall buxom blonde" woman who was accused of trying to trade sex for World Series tickets was found not guilty of prostitution yesterday—but was found guilty of attempted prostitution. Susan Finkelstein, 44, was caught by cops last fall after posting a Craigslist ad trying to procure tickets to see her beloved Phillies lose to the Yankees in the baseball finale. Finkelstein denied offering to engage in a three-way with an undercover officer, but did admit to sending him nude pictures of herself. more ›

Governor Paterson's controversial right-hand man, David Johnson, appears to have amateurishly forged his boss's signature on a back-dated check for World Series Yankees tickets last year. Yesterday the Commission on Public Integrity accused Paterson of violating the "public officers law" when he personally solicited tickets to the game, and then lying about it under oath. State law prohibits officials in the executive branch from soliciting or accepting gifts of more than nominal value from any lobbyist if it could be intended to sway the official. (The Yankees were registered to lobby Paterson at the time.) Now prosecutors have been asked to determine if criminal charges should be brought against the governor. more ›

Speaking of other shoes dropping... As Governor Paterson concluded a rare meeting with at least 50 agency and department chiefs in the Capitol’s ornate Red Room today, he was served with a letter from the Commission on Public Integrity informing him that he violated the "public officers law" when he personally solicited tickets to the opening game of the World Series last year, which he attended at Yankee Stadium with his son and troublesome aide David Johnson. You may recall David Johnson, or "D.J." from such recent scandals as Domestic Violence Silence and DJing Bull. more ›

It was quite a year for sports in the New York City area. The Yankees won their 27th World Championship, two brand new baseball stadiums opened (a total cost of nearly $2.5 billion), and Martin Brodeur set the record for most wins in NHL history. There were some ugly moments too — Serena Williams' explosion at the US Open, the Mets (again), the Nets, the Giants, and of course that Tiger Woods thing that you can't escape no matter where you live. more ›

A 43-year-old married woman from West Philadelphia wasn't wearing underwear when she told an undercover cop, "I'm a whore. I love sex," in order to score World Series tickets, the officer testified yesterday. Susan Finkelstein of West Philadelphia, was arrested in late October and accused of offering various sex acts in exchange for tickets. Her troubles began after investigators noticed her Craigslist ad: "DESPERATE BLONDE NEEDS WS TIX. Diehard Phillies fan - gorgeous tall buxom blonde - in desperate need of two World Series Tickets. Price negotiable - I'm the creative type! Maybe we can help each other!" more ›

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter was in the Bronx on Friday, to settle his World Series bet with Mayor Bloomberg. The two mayors decided not to do a cheesesteak-cheesecake bet (Senators Schumer and Gillibrand did that with Senators Casey and Specter) and instead agreed "that the losing mayor would travel to the winning city to join the winning mayor in a volunteer service project, while wearing the winning team’s jersey." So Nutter wore a jersey with the number 55—for Hideki Matsui—while Bloomberg wore a #27 jersey (for the Yankees' 27th World Series win) while they painted the halls of J.H.S. 131, the Albert Einstein School. more ›

The prospect of seeing the World Series Champion Yankees float by during yesterday's ticker tape parade. But how did millions of people manage to take off from work or school? White lies, of course! more ›

The crisp and clear weather was perfect for a Yankees 27th World Series Championship ticker tape parade—so perfect that the streets along the Canyon of Heroes were teeming with excited people celebrating the Bronx Bombers victory. In fact, check out the Gothamist Newsmap and see the incidents of "large crowd," "unruly crowd," and "airmail" (things larger than confetti/streamers being thrown) in the area. more ›

The Yankees are on their floats up the Canyon of Heroes for the ticker tape parade. Not only are there members of the Yankees organization—MVP Hideki Matsui is modestly waving to the crowd—but former mayor Rudy Giuliani, Michael Kay and super fan Freddy Sez are in various cars! Oh, and Mayor Bloomberg and manager Joe Girardi are on the first float, with the trophy—and Jay-Z is on the street, waiting to get on his float. more ›

Last night, a few of the Yankees paid a visit to David Letterman to discuss their World Series win. Captain Derek Jeter, pitcher Andy Pettitte and catcher Jorge Posada (the fourth member of the "Core Four," reliever Mariano Rivera, wasn't there) chatted with Letterman—and at the end of the segment, MVP Hideki Matsui came out with the World Series trophy. Letterman said they must be hungover and Jeter said, "Probably not as bad as you." more ›

Over a thousand pounds of confetti has been delivered to downtown buildings for tomorrow's ticker tape parade to celebrate the Yankees' 27th World Series win tomorrow. The shredded, recycled paper is being donated by Atlas Materials in Red Hook; Atlas' John Cioffi told NY1, "It will all be cleaned up by the sanitation department and recycled yet again. So this is going to be a green parade." more ›

Last night—and into this morning—the city celebrated the Yankees' 27th World Series win. Of course the win also meant that New York fans got to gloat over Phillies fans—check out the photographs above, taken by reader peterkreder, who witnessed various acts of fan superiority outside Yankee Stadium. more ›

Yankees 7, Phillies 3: For the first time since 2000 and the 27th time in franchise history, the New York Yankees are the World Champions of baseball. The Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies four games to two behind the bat of Hideki Matsui and the solid pitching of Andy Pettitte. Matsui was 3-4 in the game, including two two-RBI hits off Phillies starter Pedro Martinez and two more RBI against Phillies reliever Chad Durbin. more ›

Yesterday, the Post reported that Governor Paterson had attended Game 1 of the World Series with his son, his son's girlfriend, and two aides after "secretly solicit[ing]" the tickets. Now, the state's ethics committee is looking into the incident. more ›

With the precognitive skills of Miss Cleo, the Philadelphia Inquirer ran a three-quarter page Macy's ad in this morning's newspaper for a Phillies 2009 World Series Championship t-shirt. The Daily News reports, "in the ad world equivalent of the 'Dewey Defeats Truman' headline, the bungled banner in The Philadelphia Inquirer said 'Congratulations Phillies! Back-to-back Champs.'" Maybe Macy's just hired local amateur psychic Jimmy Rollins to write its copy! more ›

• Yankees 7, Phillies 4: Alex Rodriguez hit a go-ahead double in the top of the ninth to help the Yankees bounce back from a blown lead and take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven World Series. Joba Chamberlain had served up a two-strike, two-out homer to Pedro Feliz in the bottom of the eighth, and the first two Yankees in the top of the ninth had made out. But Johnny Damon hit an opposite-field single and stole second and third on the same pitch. Mark Teixeira was hit by a pitch, and that set the stage for Rodriguez's double. Jorge Posada singled in two more runs to give Mariano Rivera some breathing room.

• Yankees 8, Phillies 5: Things looked bleak when Andy Pettitte gave up three runs in the second inning. But Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the fourth that was originally ruled a double, but then reversed by the umpires with instant replay, and then the Yankees -- helped by an Andy Pettitte RBI single -- scored three in the fifth. They added a run each in the sixth, seventh and eighth and now own a two games to one lead in the World Series. Hideki Matsui and Nick Swisher also had homers, and Johnny Damon had a critical two-run double.

The Yankees face off with the Phillies tonight for Game 3 of the World Series. They headed to the city of Brotherly Love by way of a train from Penn Station—while fans cheered them in NY, there were Phillies fans ready to taunt them at the 30th Street Station. One Phanatic said, "This is a blue-collar town. We don't like people like A-Rod; guys like that who are on the covers of magazines. Our players put up the same numbers without all the glamour." more ›