However, there will soon be the sound of basketballs bouncing and sneakers squeaking in “The World’s Most Famous Arena.”

As it has for every season since 1934, college basketball takes its turn on the grand stage.

“This is the Mecca for college basketball. There’s something magical when you walk in,” said Scott O’Neil, the president of Madison Square Garden Sports. “I don’t know if it’s the history of the 77 years, or the slate of games we have. … There’s not a place like this in the world.

“The Palestra is an amazing fieldhouse,” he said of Philadelphia’s fabled building, “but this is an arena, the best basketball arena in the world.”

This season’s schedule gets under way Tuesday night with the Champions Classic and that doubleheader will start with a chance at college basketball history.

No. 6 Duke plays Michigan State in the opener and Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski — barring a huge upset in the first two games — should be going for victory 903 which would move him past Bob Knight, his college coach, and into the top spot on the Division I wins list.

The second game that night has No. 2 Kentucky against No. 13 Kansas. Just another doubleheader New York fans have come to expect at the Garden in recent years.

The roster of college teams gets off to an impressive start every season because the Big East Conference plays its tournament there every March. But Duke, Pittsburgh, Gonzaga, Kentucky, Kansas and Texas have become, if not yearly, regular visitors to New York City.

“The Knicks and Rangers, their fans are fantastic, passionate and that certainly runs through the base of New York,” O’Neil said, “but there’s something different when it’s your alma mater and when you see the arena split with fans on each side. It’s different.”

And it’s not just those high-profile national programs that get a chance to go up and down the Garden court.

St. John’s plays a portion of its home schedule at Madison Square Garden, something it has done for more than eight decades. Other New York-area programs get their chance to play there as well. This season Iona, Long Island University, St. Francis, N.Y. and Siena will be part of doubleheaders with a St. John’s game.

“I just think it means a ton, it legitimizes a program like ours when you get a chance to play in the Garden,” said LIU coach Jim Ferry, whose Blackbirds are the preseason favorites in the Northeast Conference. “It’s a great opportunity for our school, our kids, for me. I grew up here but never played there.”

Iona coach Tim Cluess got to see his brothers play for St. John’s at the Garden and he took the court there himself when he played for the Redmen.

“Everybody is thrilled. It is the epitome. I’m going to feel like a kid again,” said Cluess, whose Gaels are the preseason favorite in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. “Just shooting around on that court is an amazing feeling. These guys are going to get something to keep with them for the rest of their lives.”

And it’s not just local players who are thrilled.

“It is the best gym in the world besides the Fieldhouse,” Kansas’ Elijah Johnson said, referring to the Jayhawks’ on-campus Allen Fieldhouse. “Last year was my only experience there, and it was a great experience. Growing up, I always thought that the Garden was the best gym in the world and the Fieldhouse was second. When I got here, I obviously had to rank the Fieldhouse over the Garden. I love playing in the Garden, who doesn’t want to play there?”

And the Garden, which will host 51 college games this season, is on the way to a new look that will take three years in all. The first offseason of the transformation finished with a revamped lower bowl that has suites down near the court and the locker rooms have been upgraded to where they are considered among the best in sports. The fans can now walk on expanded concourses and choose from concession stands and clubs bordering on elegant.

“This building is made up of memories and moments. This is the one that rolls around through the souls of New York and the big thing for this organization was how do you keep the magic of the building but yet evolve into world-class and first-class amenities,” O’Neil said. “I think in the first phase we have achieved that and we will next summer and the one after that.”

And it’s a safe bet both of those years will have another strong college basketball schedule that will also feature local programs.

“College basketball is a pretty important part of this building,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president of MSG Sports. “One of our goals with the transformation was to maintain the atmosphere, the intensity, the intimacy we believe no other arena in the world has.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

New York is a city big on sports, and when great things happen to our favorite teams, the entire city can feel its momentum. This isn’t just a recent occurrence; sports have been such an incredible local passion since the beginning of sports history. Every New York team has had its bad moments, but they have also had those special moments when they do something that stuns the whole city. These extraordinary moments are what the people of New York City live for. Here are some of those moments throughout history.

New York Knicks win 1970 NBA Championship

The NY Knicks have been a beloved basketball team to the residents of New York City, dating back to 1946 when the team was established. The Knicks began their ’69-’70 season winning 19 games out of their first 20. As they battled their way through the playoffs and eventually into the Finals, the Knicks were determined to win the Championship against the Lakers. When Willis Reed injured his leg, fans feared they wouldn’t make it without him. But when he limped back onto the court for Game 7, they conquered and finally won their first NBA Championship ever.

New York Mets win 1986 World Series

When the Boston Red Sox had a dramatic win in the ALCS, the fans expected the Red Sox to win the World Series. They expected this even more when the Mets lost the first two games in the World Series. They went on to win Game 3 and 4 to tie the series, but then lost again in the fifth game. They needed to win the sixth game in order to have a chance, but they were up against pitcher Roger Clemens, who had dominated the entire season. The Mets were losing in the beginning of Game 6, but when the ball went between Bill Buckner’s legs when he bent down to retrieve it, Ray Knight was able to score the winning run for the Mets. It would be their second World Championship in their history.

New York Rangers win 1994 Stanley Cup

When the New York Rangers began their ’93-’94 hockey season, they hadn’t won a Stanley Cup in 54 years. They fought hard throughout the entire season, and when they finally made it to the Finals, they knew they had to fight even harder. They were up against the Vancouver Canucks in a desperate battle to win the Stanley Cup. During the Finals, there was a lot of “back and forth” going on, making fans wonder who would be the ultimate winner. Finally, in Game 7, the Rangers were winning 3-2 with five minutes left in the game. As the clock ticked down from 1.6 seconds, the Rangers made one last goal to win the Stanley Cup, ending 54 years of frustration.

New York Yankees win Game 4 and 5 in 2001 World Series

Games 4 and 5 of the 2001 World Series were played in New York City, the home of the Yankees. Their fight for their next World Championship was against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and they desperately wanted the win. This was the World Series directly after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, a tragedy that hit so close to home for the residents of New York City. Although the Yankees did not win the World Series in 2001, these two walk-off wins of the series were a symbolic win for both the team players and their New York City fans.

“Resiliency is something you only see when the moment is right, and in 2001, the Yankees proved they are one of the best teams in sports,” said Richard Corredor, a resident of Queens during the 9/11 attacks.

New York Giants win Super Bowl XLII in 2007

Super Bowl XLII was very important for the New York Giants to win, especially since they hadn’t won a Super Bowl since 1990. The New England Patriots, the team the Giants were up against for the Super Bowl, had a perfect season thus far that year. They were desperate to be the second team in NFL history to have a perfect season. Up until this point, the 1972 Miami Dolphins were the only team to achieve this. However, with 39 seconds left on the clock, the Giants were winning 17-14. With the Patriots giving it their all, the Giants were able to hold on until the end and win the Super Bowl.

New York City sports fans breathe for moments like these. Watching these significant games unfold is a treasure they hold very dear to their hearts. It is all-consuming, a rush unlike any other as they watch their favorite players in anticipation and pride. These surprising moments in sports history are all events that will be remembered for a long time to come.

Tarah DeSantis is a local of Queens in New York City and is an avid sports reader, viewer, and writer. With her knowledge of NYC sports teams, she can provide insight on sports’ most important moments.

Updated Oct 24, 2011 11:32 AM ET

New York Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire has committed to play in the NBA World Tour, the New York Post reported Monday.

The planned junket is expected to become official with an announcement early this week.

Stoudemire’s teammate, Carmelo Anthony, said last week during a local appearance that he is on board for the six-game, four-continent exhibition, which could begin next weekend.

According to an ESPN report Sunday, players are signing contracts that could pay them between $100,000 and $1 million. It stated 14 players have committed contractually, but insurance issues make it a complicated process.

Cal Darden, an Atlanta businessman, is staging the tour that would include Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and NBA MVP Derrick Rose. The tour is scheduled to begin Oct. 30 in Puerto Rico. Also on tap are two games in London, one in Macau and two games in Australia.

Last night, Anthony and Stoudemire were in Oklahoma City, playing in a charity game organized by the Thunder’s Kevin Durant.

The planning of the world tour comes with the NBA labor negotiations at a stalemate. The latest round of talks broke up Thursday night with the owners and players unable to agree on how to split the league’s $4 billion in annual revenue.

The first two weeks of the regular season have already been canceled, and an announcement of more cancellations is expected this week since no further negotiating sessions are planned.

For as long as he’s been in the NBA, New York Knicks standout Amar’e Stoudemire(notes) has gone by the nickname “STAT,” an acronym for “Standing Tall And Talented.” The name is tattooed on his right arm and also happens to describe Amar’e pretty well. He’s proud, confident, and a positive role model. Not many professional athletes have enough of a sense of the world to get involved in the fashion industry and investigate family heritage in Israel.

In fact, Stoudemire has enough interests away from the court that he’s decided it’s time for a new nickname. He announced the change on Twitter this weekend:

I’ve been ordained the Renaissance Man. This is now my new nickname. Renaissance Man. You like it, I love it. Its not going to change @espn

So, did Amar’e just give himself a new nickname? Not quite, because chances are it came from Isiah Thomas. Here’s what Zeke told the New York Daily News at this last weekend’s FIU charity game (via PBT):

“I told (Stoudemire) the other day, the biggest thing he’s done for these kids down here is not spending two hours on the gym floor talking about jumpers and layups. He spent two hours in the classroom with them, then came back and spent another two hours in the classroom with them. He’s into learning more and being a true renaissance man.”

If you’re a Knicks fan, forget for a minute that Isiah is apparently chummy with one of the team’s marquee players. Instead, focus on how Stoudemire’s new nickname isn’t just a cute title, but a legitimate source of pride. In a league where most players are basketball obsessives, Amar’e's sense of the world is refreshing.

It’s also the kind of thing that might upset fans of the team he plays for. Both Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony(notes) seem to relish playing in New York for reasons not entirely related to basketball. (For instance, both are very into the fashion world.) Yet, as far as we’ve seen so far, they are both clearly committed to helping the Knicks work towards a championship, too. If they fail to reach that goal, it will likely have more to do with their deficiencies as basketball players (like playing defense) rather than a lack of focus.

Basketball weaknesses and disinterest sometimes look the same, depending on your point of view. But, for now, let’s celebrate Stoudemire instead of criticizing him for wanting to be a more complete person. Would we get mad at a tax attorney for learning to paint?

Related: Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, New York Knicks

The last time the New York Knicks were NBA champions, George Steinbrenner had just purchased the Yankees for $10 million, the World Trade Center towers opened in New York and Elvis Presley was doing a live concert from Hawaii. So it’s been a while.

But former GM and now team consultant — meaning they paid him to go away — Donnie Walsh thinks they’re close to another one. He says the core is there.

That is what he told Marc Berman of the New York Post.

“We have a core of players we can build around to build a [championship-contending] team,” Walsh said. “We’re not finished. There’s more pieces. But I think we got some really good players that can lead a team and form a core of that team. What we have are the most important things.”

They have some offensive firepower in Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, that is for sure. They have the star power. But do they really have a team that can defend well enough to put them in the title conversation? They need some quality role players for that, but Walsh said he thinks bringing in assistant coach Mike Woodson will help.

“I think Mike will be good for Mike D’Antoni,” Walsh said. “I’ve heard good things about [Woodson] as a coach and guy. It’ll help them. It’s always good to have a guy come in from a different perspective. I know his mentors, Bobby Knight and Larry Brown, and [Woodson] can offer them [defensive] systems that will be good for them. I also think they may have better defensive personnel. Let’s hope so.”

I’m not sure what personnel Walsh is referring to, but it’s not Carmelo.

How the Knicks build around that core, and what they decide to do with Chauncey Billups in the last year of his contract will be fascinating. Especially in the condensed free agency frenzy that will follow the lockout. They do have a core, but the bigger question becomes is there core as good as the one in Miami? Or Chicago?