Dianne "Byrnne Baby Burn" Afflito- Co Captain- PG- Often compared to the Nets Jason Kidd, not only b/c she is the captain, or the go to captain (Mike Gibbone being the other), but her leadership skills and a knack for making the huge plays when they count, through fatigue and pain, are impossible to ignore. Afflito is THE leader and blond bombshell of the Manor East staff, and things would be very difficult without her presence. However, if she continues to dissapoint the millions by being a Mets fan, then newly aquired Lisa DeStefano could take Afflitos starting position.

 

Pam Sinkovich- SG- compared to the Knicks, Stephon Marbury, for her ability to go strong and for her hustle and clutch play, Sinkovich has become one of the most recognized veterans of the ME All Star team, let along the entire staff. She too, works and plays through pain. She is a workhorse and worthy of being named tri captain, and it just may happen, sometime soon.

 

Lisa Sinkovich- SF- Lisa earned her stripes the first day she started working. Her mom, Pam, obviously rubbed her work ethic off on Lisa, b/c she is just as hard a worker as her mom.  She also has the substance of Ray Allen. It's still great to work with Sinkovich, even though her schedule forces her to work at the ME less. When she does work, however, it's a sight to see.

And like every all star, improvement is made where it is needed, and Sinkovich is no exception. When she started her career, she was shy and timid, and now, she is as loquacious as anyone which has helped her step up to become a leader. She is a superstar on the rise.

 

Mike Gibbone- Co Captain- PF- Perhaps, the most underrated member on this list and maybe, the most intelligent as well. Frequently compared to Grant Hill, Gibbone plays it cool 100% of the time and has improved his leadership skills considerably since being named captain. He sticks to his strengths and doesn't settle down to his weaknesses, which makes him a very effective all star. Everything is kept together exceptionally well, when Mike Gibbone is the leader, and it will be sad if he does leave, one day.

 

Sal Chavez- C- The workhorse of no excuses. He comes into work, does all the dirty work and everything else you ask of him and then he does some more. This resembles Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons. And at the same time, he is funny as hell to work with. You can't ask for anyone better, as a backbone of your staff. In fact, there are times when HE IS the staff. He means that much to the Manor East.

 

 

 

Lauren Guastavino- SF- Every team needs an immediate spark off the bench to lift everyone back to their feet when it seems like nothing is going right. In 1999, the New York Knicks had Latrell Sprewell to perform this task, and in this case, Lauren Guastavino is just like Mr. Sprewell. When she enters the building, you can sense that the 3 Es are coming as well. The 3 Es, meaning ENERGY, EXCITEMENT and EMOTION. These are attributes found in less and less players as time passes, but it's guarunteed that Guastavino will let the 3 Es loose, each and everytime she comes to perform. In addition to all of this, she gets things done fast and does a terrific job. She is a necessity to the Manor East all star team.

 

Lisa DeStefano- PG- to the naked eye, she is a flashy neophyte with a boatload of potential, but what a lot of people don't know, is that she is a crafty veteran who probably already shook off her rust. She is only a bench player b/c she only had her flabberghasting return 3 weeks before the creation of this team. However, she is just as good a worker as anyone on this team, and if any of the starters decide to take days off from giving their 100%, Lisa is going to take their place. She is a serious worker, but also great to get to know and talk to. She looks a lot like Dwayne Wade, of the Miami Heat. Manor East is lucky to have her back.

 

Bob Danning- SG- With his calm and nonchalant game face, the first person that comes to mind is Allan Houston. Bob is a veteran leader and goes out there and does his own thing, which is effective for the whole staff. He does anything one may ask of him, and is a delight to talk to. He does everything very quietly, but when the game is on the line, Danning is capable of hitting that game winner and is willing to do it. He's smooth as jazz.

 

Daniella Pampalone- PF- Another one of the famous silent assasins of the bench, the canole queen has always played a game that favors substance over style. Who can complain about that? Emeka Okafor is a player who people think of, when Pampalone is brought up, b/c of her strong work ethic. Yet, in the end, the job gets done, when placed in her hands, and it's a fine job as well. It's hard to believe she has been around for more than 2 years, but she has established herself as one of the most cherished veterans on the Manor East squad. More workers like her are needed.

 

Scott Tomkins- PF/C- He is a work in progress, however, Scott Tompkins bring in a kind of toughness that is very difficult to replace. He once compared himself to Kurt Thomas of the Knicks, and most people agree. When he is working his hardest, it's very difficult to dispute that this kid is a sleeper pick. When he develops the consistency, he will be a serious contender for a starting lineup spot.

 

Jessica Shelters- PG/SG- Calm and cool has been mentioned numerously, when examining the all star bench, but Jessica Shelters provides different, but equally valuable characteristics. Her loquacious and vivacious personality brings color to the bench and the entire all star team and she reminds everyone of Sam Cassell. However, this is not the only things she brings to the table. At times, it seems like all she ever does is work hard and do what it takes to make a shift, especially the difficult ones, a smooth success. She is also a 2 year veteran, and if you had the pleasure to be around her for just 5 minutes, you would think she is a 5 year veteran. She is the one and only successful player recruited by Steven Shapiro.

 

Bernadette Didya- SF/SG- She is the candidate to most likely recieve the Manor East Rookie of the Year award but with her humbleness and yes, her cool demeanor, she plays like an established veteran. Her career is bright and quite promising and her frequent flashes of brilliance give Manor East something very positive to look foward to. She plays a lot like Peja Stojakavic, and she will probably compete for a starting spot, in the future. It's always fun working with "The Bodyguard."

 

 

I was almost going to automatically put Nichole on the starting lineup, only to learn about her retirement. This is a sad day for Manor East, but personally, it's sad for me too. However, at least I'll still be able to work with her at Friendly's. It's going to be impossible to replace Nichole Riamondi, for her tremendous work ethic and unselfish play, but hopefully, we will all do a little bit, to try and make up for a portion of it. Nichole Riamondi will be missed.