The battle for New York isn’t an actual huge rivalry to anyone outside of the tri-state area, hate to burst peoples bubbles. Especially with the way both the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks have been playing, they haven’t been anything special so far this season. After the Nets defeated the Knicks, 98-93, in the teams are now a combined 11-24 on the season.
The rivalry got a little more interesting as last night a Nets fan favorite, Jeffrey Vanchiro aka Jeffrey Gambelero, was ejected from the game by Madison Square Garden security. Gamebelero gets his name due to the fact that he is a professional poker player as well as a graffiti artist during the day or when he’s not at Nets games. He’s a fan favorite due to the fact that despite only having one leg, he is often at Nets’ games dancing in bright neon clothes and always having fun at the games.
Only in NY will a fan remove his leg to stop security from kicking him out (it didn't stop them). #Knicks #MSG pic.twitter.com/dIZwVBmGJk
— Eric Soufer (@EricSoufer) December 3, 2014
Check out the full video below.
For there to be fans at MSG to be chanting ‘Let Him Stay’, that just might mean something. Most of the time if there is an unruly fan, the crowd around that fan will cheer loudly due to his ejection. Now there have been contradicting reports as to why ‘Gambelero’ was ejected from the garden.
The Knicks released this statement to ESPN.
“An unruly fan was ejected after MSG security received multiple complaints from fans sitting in that area,” the Knicks said via a team spokesperson. “The fan was warned multiple times before being removed. He will not be permitted back into Madison Square Garden.”
A fan though, disputes the claims by the Knicks and MSG as seen in his interaction with Kenny Ducey who is a Knicks Reporter, On-Air at NPR-affiliate for wfuvsports and a follower on Def Pen’s NBA twitter account, @NBACourtside_. Check out what the one fan had to say.
@KennyDucey I was a few rows behind him. No one near saw him swing his leg at anyone. He was just being loud.
— +1 (@plusonemusic) December 3, 2014
@KennyDucey the whole section was chanting “let him stay” & security patiently talked to him for a few minutes before carrying him out.
— +1 (@plusonemusic) December 3, 2014
No matter what’s true or not, one thing is for sure, this is the most interesting thing to happen at MSG this season to date.
