While Springsteen and the band played the final show at Giants Stadium, it's Bon Jovi that gets the honor of opening up the new arena next spring. Naturally, Bruce fans are ticket. But let's break this one down scientifically: who most deserves the highest honor the Garden State can bestow?

Geography
Bon Jovi formed in Sayreville, just 35 miles from the Meadowlands. Springsteen grew up in Freehold, a cool 45 miles from East Rutherford. Close, but no cigar.
Advantage: Bon Jovi

Perceived Geography
I've lived in both Philadelphia and New York, and I can say that there's a clear divide between the two. South Jersey is Bon Jovi territory, while North Jersey is Springsteen country. I'd put the dividing line somewhere around Metuchen, putting the Meadowlands firmly in Bruce's fiefdom.
Advantage: Springsteen

Albums
Bruce named his debut album Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., a nostalgic nod to a fading shore town. Bon Jovi's 1988 release New Jersey, giving a shout-out to the entire state.
Advantage: Bon Jovi

Singles
In addition to "Atlantic City," Springsteen's "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" is thought to refer to a street in Belmar, N.J. — not incidentally, at the intersection with E Street. Bon Jovi have yet to refer to their home state in any of their hits, not even a wholly-appropriate ballad to the Cherry Hill Mall.
Advantage: Springsteen

NJ Attachment
Many of Bruce's songs are about escaping home to find a better life. In addition, Nebraska, The Rising and "Streets of Philadelphia" show a worrying proclivity to pay attention to things happening outside the state. Bon Jovi, on the other hand, show no inclination that they have any idea there's a world beyond the Hudson or Delaware rivers. Much like most of the state.
Advantage: Bon Jovi

Carl From Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Carl Brutananadilewski lists "Wanted Dead Or Alive" as one of his favorite songs. No Bruce to be seen.
Advantage: Bon Jovi

There you have it. Bruce put up a valiant fight, but the new Giants' and Jets' stadium will be rung in by Bon Jovi, as the lords and aldermen of Jersey have ordained. Springsteen will have to settle for playing the final shows at the Philly Spectrum, and for being an actual respectable musician.

Bon Jovi - Not The Boss - To Open New Stadium? [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Eventually, it did happen, but not before a painful last minute of indoor football that almost saw the Soul piss away a 17 point lead and the title. If they lose this right now, this way, I thought, this becomes a national story focused on Philadelphia's perennial loserdom. They didn't, but for 36 seconds it seemed entirely probable. Jon Bon Jovi, the Soul's owner and unabashed Giants fan, was hustled down to the field when victory seemed inevitable. For the most of the game, there were intermittent shots of his giant teeth (a cocky winner's smile, if there ever was one) as the Soul piled up points, but after the San Jose Sabercats scored quickly thanks to a successful onside kick and cut the lead to three with 17 seconds left (an interminable amount of time in Arena Football thanks to their goofy rule about the clock stopping if there's no forward progress) the millionaire Jersey hairband king had that look. It's that wide-eyed look of dread Philadelphia sports fans wear too often, the one right before Mitch Williams winds up and throws the high hanger to Joe Carter.

Miraculously, the Soul persevered and Bon Jovi got his pouty-lipped photo-op hoisting a silver punchbowl glued to a waste basket. Granted, on the city's prideful victory scale, this would rank somewhere between a Conshohocken girl getting crowned Miss America and a South Jersey Little League team winning the World Series in Williamsport. Actually, it might be below both of those.

But it's something. There will be parade on Thursday, which might not even require Broad Street to be closed or an increased police presence to control an unruly, joyful crowd, but it'll be good practice for the city, like a simulated terrorist attack. Regardless, today, a Philadelphia team is for once, pathetically, a champion. Yay.

Title for Philadelphia as the Soul survive [Inquirer]

Anyway, Jon Bon got a little testy at a game the other day and starting flipping off the referees. And it turns out, he was wrong and didn't understand a call correctly.

"I didn't understand the rule," Bon Jovi said. He was told later by ESPN2 announcer Mike Greenberg that all a receiver has to do is take two steps with the ball in his hands for it to be a catch - and replays showed that's about what Bergeron took before dropping the ball then recovering it at the back of the end zone. Oops.

"I apologize for the middle finger thing," Bon Jovi sang. "I didn't know the rule. Simple as that."

We're a little bewildered by the notion of Mike Greenberg explaining a football rule to Jon Bon Jovi, but, hey, we can't figure out why there's a team called "Soul" either.

Force Isn't With Soul, Bon Jovi In First Loss [DelcoTimes]

Best part: The interview with Bon Jovi, conducted by Mark Newman, MLB.com's Lester Bangs.

MLB.com: It's never really about 20, 15 or 10 years ago for Bon Jovi. It is always about right now, that connection you are making at that moment with a new audience in an arena or a new person downloading your music through MLB.com now. Isn't that how you are able to keep the magic alive in your music?

Jon Bon Jovi: Fortunately for us, that is true. It's always looking ahead at what memories there are there to make tomorrow.

"Keeping the magic alive" on MLB.com. Bon Jovi is so goddamned cool, and we're not even kidding.

Pre-Order "Have A Nice Day" [MLB.com]
Bon Jovi Interview [MLB.com]