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New York Liberty win WNBA title! Among the "public people" cheering are Comptroller Brad Lander and Attorney General Letitia James.

So the New York Liberty won their first WNBA title in an overtime thriller last night at the Barclays Center (see NetsDaily coverage here), prompting cheers from many New Yorkers and Brooklynites for the team's play and the owners' savvy in rebuilding the franchise.

They made the tabloids' front pages:
And, of course, the back pages: Public people

“There is nothing like professional sports to make public people nutty," the late Assemblymember Richard Brodsky said in Congressional testimony on Sept. 18, 2008, referring to the willingness of various government entities to subsidize what subsidy skeptic Bettina Damiana called privately-owned "sports entertainment corporations."

But sports brings people together and helps build community identity, right? Sure, it does. But that also makes "public people" forget things, especially when they're likely to seek citywide office.       

Given Lander's job, I'd hope he know the arena's sweet deal. Yes, other sports facilities get indefensible tax breaks, and I would have the same reaction if he'd cheered for a New York Knicks victory. 

A few others noticed.

Lander's a declared Mayoral candidate, while Attorney General Letitia James is a rumored one. 

James, who unlike Lander actually opposed the project (when she was 35th District Council Member), couldn't avoid the bandwagon: Council Member Crystal Hudson joined in, as well.

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