And he said that he was busier than ever , citing a recent day 's schedule that began with a meeting with Mr. Corzine and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts , progressed through a full day of meetings with legislators , appearances at a fund-raiser for a political ally from Essex County and at the State of the City address of Mayor Sharpe James in Newark , and ended with one of his most durable engagements -- coaching his team of West Orange seventh graders in a basketball game against their rivals from Nutley .