It's a Jersey thing. (My turn).

You from Jersey? What exit?"

Yeah, I wrote that. A long time ago. Ya gotta have a sense of humor. But let me tell you how I ready feel about my home state.

If you've got an attitude, if you show one ounce of insincerity or pretentiousness, don't even think about it. You won't mean a thing to citizens of the Garden State. We are not easily impressed. But if you're the real deal--a sincere person, whether you're New Jersey-born or you just moved down the Parkway--you are one of us, and we will die for you.

It's true when they say that if you want to find some terrorist punk in a far-off land, send two guys from Jersey in a Buick. Be over in two days.

It's also true that when a real Jersey Boy dies, his gravestone reads, "Whatta you lookin' at?"

As a matter of fact, if you're really lucky when you die, we'll put your name on a rest stop.

Vince Lombardi, Thomas Edison, Walt Whitman, Joyce Kilmer--they've all got rest stops. Someday, long after the Nets beat the Spurs in five games for the franchise's first NBA championship, the team will rest in peace knowing a piece of the New Jersey Turnpike lives on in their memory.