Sportswriter/Diehard Vikings Fan Leslie Monteiro Loves Sports 24/7/365!

For almost two decades, Fort Lee, New Jersey's Leslie Monteiro has been writing about sports. It’s a true labor of love, and he’s covered every level, from high school to professional. Highly opinionated, Leslie doesn’t pull punches. You can find his work at his substack, which is below, or at thesportscol.com. Leslie took a few moments to discuss.

STADIUM JOURNEY: So, you're in Fort Lee, New Jersey, which is right next to the George Washington Bridge and is well-known for traffic jams. What else is it known for? And what are the bucket list spots to hit in Fort Lee and nearby?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: Fort Lee is the birthplace of the motion picture industry in America. There are plenty of great Korean BBQ restaurants on Main Street. Gopchang Story particularly stands out. You won't be disappointed.

STADIUM JOURNEY: How'd a Fort Lee guy become a Vikings fan? Are there a lot of Viking fans in the New York City area?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: I became a Vikings fan in '98 during Randy Moss' rookie season - what a season he had - and that team went 15-1, putting teams to oblivion. Of course, they would lose to the Falcons in the NFC Title Game. Of course, it had to end that way. Being a Vikings fan is nothing more than a miserable experience. Yes, there are plenty of Vikings fans in the metro area. In fact, we have a Vikings watch party at Jack Doyle's during football season in NYC.

STADIUM JOURNEY: What New York sports teams are most important to you? Why?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: The Mets. The Mets fans are smart fans who truly love their team. They eat, drink and breathe them 24/7/365. It's an overlooked fanbase in the country, This is a fanbase that deserves a championship. The Mets rally around the tri-state area like no other.

STADIUM JOURNEY: Are there any New York sports teams that you don't care about? 

LESLIE MONTEIRO: The Knicks, Giants and Yankees. Arrogant fanbases. Arrogant teams. The media in town cheerleads them like no other.

STADIUM JOURNEY: What's your take on the Jets this season? Did you see this fiasco coming? How do they fix this? How did you feel about how they handled the Aaron Rodgers situation?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: This is brutal. There's no doubt about it. Aaron Glenn is over his head as head coach. He thought this was going to be easy, but it turned out this is harder than he had thought. If he is going to consult former head coaches about what quarterback to play on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, then he's even worse than I ever thought. This should be a no-brainer. Either he is putting us on, or he really doesn't know. The scary part is I don't think he knows. I knew the Jets would struggle since they had no playmakers on offense. I did not think the offensive line would be this bad. They've allowed 31 sacks this season, including 15 in the last two games. They should have won at least three games by now. To be 0-7 is something no Jets fan had in mind in Aaron Glenn's first season. 0-17 is definitely not out of the question this year. They need to draft a quarterback, and they need a playmaker to play alongside Garrett Wilson. They’re probably going to need a new head coach who has an offensive mind that can work with a rookie quarterback. There's no way they can have a young quarterback working with a defensive-minded head coach. That has not worked here with the Jets. It's easy for any Jets fan, such as WFAN's Joe Benigno to play revisionist history now. I have no issues with how the Jets handled Aaron Rodgers. He had to go for Aaron Glenn to establish himself as a head coach. He provided bad vibes all of last season. He was supposed to lead through adversity. He never did. He wasn't exactly a favorite in the locker room. Even if Aaron got the Jets to 2 or 3 wins, would it be that much better when you think of the big picture? The team would stink with or without him.

STADIUM JOURNEY: Will the Knicks win it all this season?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: No. The Thunder are just too good. Their first two wins in double overtime against the Rockets and Pacers should tell you everything right there. The Knicks should be in the NBA Finals this year, with the Pacers not having Tyrese Haliburton and the Celtics not having Jayson Tatum. This is their best shot. If they can't get in the Finals this year, they never will.

STADIUM JOURNEY: What's your prediction for St. John's basketball and Rick Pitino? How far will they go this season?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: St. John's will be runner-up in the Big East to UConn. They will make the tournament, and be done on the first Sunday of the tournament. There will be no Sweet 16 for the Red Storm. They don't have a point guard.

STADIUM JOURNEY: What's happening with Seton Hall basketball? Do you have any inside insight on their NIL situation?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: Seton Hall built a new practice facility, so the school has that going, but their NIL situation is a mess. If the Hall can't figure it out, it's going to be hard for Shaheen Halloway to do well. It's about the players, and the school has to pay them. I am not even sure if the Hall has money.

STADIUM JOURNEY: Was Rutgers joining the Big Ten a smart move? Will they be able to make it work?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: It wasn't. The results speak for themselves. Rutgers is still in financial debt that it may never recover from. I don't think the school can make it work. It's been 11 years, and the program has not had success in college hoops and college football. Sure, the school has had success in other sports, but college hoops and college football bring in the revenue, and that's where Rutgers falls short.

STADIUM JOURNEY: St. Peter's recently made it the Elite Eight in March Madness, which you covered. How magical was that run? I think most take it for granted.

LESLIE MONTEIRO: It was fun writing about it. I enjoyed writing the stories that came with it. Just them finding a way to win made it fun. They never were intimidated. There's a day that doesn't go by that I don't forget, and people in Jersey City will remember that team forever. I wish I could enjoy the victories, but I was so focused on the story that I didn't really think about the moments to savor. It was just preparing for another story after another story. I will always appreciate the moxie of Darryl Banks III, Doug Edert and KC Ndefo and the brilliant coaching of Shaheen Halloway.

STADIUM JOURNEY: Describe the beauty of covering high school sports.

LESLIE MONTEIRO: Just seeing the community enjoy what the high school athletes do. At Ridgefield Park High School, it was fun seeing the village really embrace the boys basketball team. It was a home-court advantage. Not just the faculty and student body supporting the Scarlets basketball program, but the citizens who live in the Village along with Little Ferry. It felt like an event. I really enjoyed covering the players.

STADIUM JOURNEY:What's your favorite New York sports venue? Why?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: Citi Field. It's a beautiful, underrated place to watch a ballgame. You feel like you are in heaven as soon as you get off Willets Point when you take the 7 train or LIRR. Just so clean.

STADIUM JOURNEY: Where do you stand on hockey?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: I love it. It's exciting. Who would've thought Gary Bettman would be the best commissioner in sports? The league is in its best shape since 1993. Plenty of exciting players. Beautiful sparkling arenas, including one on Long Island, the four-year old UBS Arena. Small-market Canadian teams have a shot to do well. Expansion is coming. If we can only get rid of the shootout to determine wins, it would be perfect.

STADIUM JOURNEY: When did you start covering sports? Which sportswriters inspired you?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: I started covering sports in 2006 when I covered high school sports for Ridgefield Park High School in Bergen County, New Jersey. I never was interested in doing this, but my former boss, Maryann Sena, urged me to write. In fact, she campaigned for me to write about high school sports in her town's newspaper, so I just did it out of respect for her. I never thought I would enjoy it, but I have. I had a good time covering Ridgefield Park High when the boys basketball team won a state championship and the football team competed in the state playoffs, which was often. Former Minneapolis Star-Tribune columnist Dan Barreiro, who now hosts a successful drive-time show on KFAN, and the venerable, 80-years young Patrick Reusse inspired me to write about sports. They can bust a vein like no one. Reusse continues to do this three times a week for the Minnesota Star Tribune. Great reporters, too, if I can say.

STADIUM JOURNEY: Do ever have any days off from sports or is it sports 24/7, 365? If you have any time away, how do you spend it?

LESLIE MONTEIRO: Sports are 24/7/365 for me. It's my passion. It has always been ingrained in me as a kid growing up. I literally think about sports almost every minute when I get up. I go travel around the country if I am on vacation. I have gone to places such as Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston and Denver. I plan on going to Seattle next year to see the Seattle Mariners.

Jon Hart is @manversusball