Nets Release Podcast On ’02 and ’03 Title Contenders

It was the year 2001.

While most of the world's attention -- rightly and understandably so -- were on more pressing stories in the days, weeks and months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, there was something special brewing a few miles away from Ground Zero at the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

Sure the Jets and Giants were good. The Giants had been to the Super Bowl the year prior, having lost to the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV, and the Jets were a seemingly annual playoff contender under Herm Edwards.

The Devils, of course were coming off a Stanley Cup title in 2000, and, were oh so close to repeating in 2001 were it not for Patrick Roy and the Colorado Avalanche.

But the other tenant at the then named Continental Airlines Arena was about to do something special.

The New Jersey Nets were perennial cellar dwellers, caught in the shadow of the New York Knicks.

The Knicks had Patrick Ewing. Latrell Sprewell. Allen Houston. Years earlier, Charles Oakley and John Starks, and, of course, Pat Reily, and later Jeff Van Gundy as head coach. The Knicks were gods in this area.

The Nets, well, the Nets -- like the Clippers out in Los Angeles -- were the ugly, and I mean ugly stepchild.

In the decade of the 90's the Nets made only four trips to the playoffs, losing in the first round each time. Other than that they were either last, or next to last in the Atlantic Division.

That changed during the 2001-02 season when Rod Thorn changed the Nets complexion. He traded for Jason Kidd. Drafted Richard Jefferson and Keynon Martin, and suddenly the Nets started rolling.

The Nets took over where the Knicks fell off, heading to the Finals back-to-back years in 2002 and 2003.

Ask me, and anyone who watched the Nets during those years, they could have beaten San Antonio if things had broken differently in the '03 Finals.

Coulda. Shoulda. Woulda.

I'll never forget a jam packed Continental Airlines Arena during the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals against Detroit. Dominic Chianese, who played Junior Soprano on The Sopranos brought the house down with one of the best renditions of the national anthem you will hear. Trust me.

The Nets dominated the Pistons.

The Nets owned North Jersey during those two years, and stayed relevant until they broke up the band so to speak in 2008.

This week the Nets released a retrospective of those fabled teams called "Something to Prove". It's worth a listen for any basketball fanatic.

You could also listen to my interview with Rick Laughland who wrote a book chronically the Nets nomadic journey from the boroughs of New York to the swamps of Jersey and back.

James Gandolfini died on June 19, 2013, at the age of 51. The Sopranos star passed away suddenly from a heart attack while on vacation in Rome, Italy with his family.

Gandolfini also known as Tony Soprano remains a household name due to his iconic jokes and incredible acting. Today, ten years later, his fans and co-stars, among others, paid tribute to the television icon on social media.

Aside from portraying an Italian-American mob boss for six seasons, he was so much more than a Soprano. Gandolfini was a loyal friend, loving father, and overall good person.

Michael Gandolfini, the son of the late actor posted a heartfelt message to Instagram on Sunday with the caption "Happy Father’s Day Dad. I love you. Today, tomorrow, and everyday. I miss you, I love you."

Gandolfini starred in countless films and was the winner of three Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe, and five Screen Actor Guild Awards.

The New Jersey native will never be forgotten and has only become more popular over the years. (I don't think there's one day that goes by that my father isn't watching The Sopranos.)

Scroll below to see just a few of our favorite memories of James Gandolfini as well as the tributes posted today in his honor.