As I was browsing around the New York Knicks website which I do at least 1 time daily, I came across this picture. First of all no homo, it is a male chest of some guy i don't know. It came from a photo album of die hard fans, who have submitted photos which embody their love for our Knickerbockers. Keep this in mind for later.
I have not been a Knick fan my entire life. When I was around 6 years old I started off as a bulls fan, simply because Michael Jordan and I had the same first name. My time as a Bulls fan would be short lived. I lived in California at the time, and my dad and I went to attend the annual Magic Johnson All-Star Game. My parents were friends with the VP of the United Negro College Fund at the time so we ended up with court side seats. After the game we were at a reception and I spotted Michael Jordan near the bar just relaxing by himself. I decided to stroll over accompanied by my dad to ask him for his autograph. He felt like being a jerk that day and said: "I only give autographs to kids I know," and walked away. The rest of the night I was devastated and although I ended up getting autographs and pictures from countless Stars that day, nothing could mend the disappointment that I felt. As soon as I got home i tore down all my MJ posters, stopped rocking all my MJ gear (except for the kicks...i mean c'mon). My family being from New York, I re-discovered my roots. My pops always knew I would, he saw my love for MJ as a phase and a fad that a lot of kids had at the time and I would grow out of it. I did and since that moment I have been a die-hard, orange and blue bleeding knick fan.
I started off in some good years. Ewing, Derek Harper, Starks, Oakley, Mason, Doc Rivers, are just a few of the names that I was ride or die for. Seeing P Ewing finally make it in 94' only to end up blowing it in Game 7 after Starks just somehow couldn't find the bucket. Being heartbroken by the man I learned to hate Michael Jordan, not like hate like Kobe hate: I'm talking personal experience hate. Watching Reggie Miller taunt Spike Lee, but being able to beat him enough through moments like LJ's 4-point play to live with it. The wars with the heat were some of the best years. The lockout year which I will always cherish...even though so many people belittle it. We played some real teams and beat them. Watching my favorite player Allan Houston knock down that shot on the road and then seeing him pump his fist like a hay maker across the entire front row of that arena. I lived it. My dad and I now living in Michigan watching that very game in silence. Leaning our bodies with the shot, then seeing it go in and yelling at the top of our lungs as I jumped into his arms like I was a baby again...Man I've LIVED IT. I was probably more emotionally tied to these players given the fact that I was a lil older at this time. Seeing the deterioration of one of the greatest centers of all time through injuries during that post season was also a tough pill to swallow. That loss to the Spurs would end any chance of Ewing winning a title. That era was coming to a close. It was time to see where the Knicks were going to go from here. This is where the Front office of the New York Knicks began their Glutton for Punishing their fans.
You can look up all the years if you want but i'm just gonna breifly deal with each of the following Era's or (errors depending on how technical u want to be). 2000-01 marked the franchise record 14th consecutive time the Knicks would make the playoffs. This time they got ousted by Toronto and Vince Carter and them. That offseason, they did the unthinkable. They traded the man who laid it all on the line for the name on the front of his chest. Patrick Ewing, gone just like that. That was the end of an Era and the beginning of a series of Errors. Van Gundy saw the culture changing and bolted. Allan Houston's knees didn't allow him to merit the 7 year max contract he received which led to a medical retirement. LJ had the same fate. Spreewell was traded. GM Scott Layden was on a mission to sign every player that he used to have in Utah. He overpaid for the likes of Howard Eisley, my cousin John Nixon II (Shandon Anderson), Clarence Weatherspoon, Terry Mills. He drafted men such as Nicolas Tskirinvithsvilli (yea something bad like that), Frederick Weis of Vince Carter jumped over him fame, and his final bow with the Macjei Lampe pick. Things got from bad to worse real soon.
Enter Isiah Thomas. We'll spare ourselves of all the details but i'll just run through the things he has done. He sign and traded for Eddy Curry (bust), Crawford (my dude), signed Jerome James (lol), Jared Jeffries, traded for the bad contracts of Stephon Marbury (Scapegoat), Anfernee Hardaway (paid for him to stay in his hometown of Memphis to rehab for a return that would never come), Brought in Moochie Norris early on...etc...man this is painful. He did draft some talented guys: Nate Robinson, David Lee, Wilson Chandler, Channing Frye (traded, falling off now), Trevor Ariza (Larry "the genius" Brown didn't like him and begged for Francis), brought in one of the most overrated guards ever in Steve Francis (wat a bum, if u like him, ur dumb), and a couple others. They proceeded to have 3 of the worst season in Franchise history. He placed himself in every possible position from President to GM to VP and finally coach...but it was clear that it had to end.
So now in closing i will deal with the so-called saviors of our franchise. Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni...this was supposed to be change we could believe in. They have made a series of moves to get rid of bad contracts and i commend them for that (although that led to the trade of cap crawford). They have proceeded to have two of the worst drafts (with good picks) in my recent memory. If Isiah didn't get someone the Knicks could use, he at the very least get cats that someone else wanted. Thats as far as i'll go with my defense of that clown, but lets be real here. Danilo Galinari? A 6'10" jump shooting forward on a roster full of forwards already. He looks like a stiff (even when healthy). Now Jordan Hill aka a glorified Renaldo Balkman. Your telling me he's a young Amare Stoudamire D'Antoni....and thats fine, but is your word really gold? I have eaten up the message from the various front office jokers for years...and i'm about done with that. So im predicting that we let David Lee walk or sign and trade for some bums. This is tragic because now in order for Jordan Hill to be considered an upgrade or serviceable replacement, he will have to get somewhere near Lee's league leading 55 double doubles. Your setting your rookie up for failure. And aren't we looking at Chris Bosh and Amare (the actual one) in 2010??? And how are we planning on drawing free agents to come here. Who are they playing with? and who am i rooting for? cause every time i start to like somebody, they are ripped away because u keep telling me to wait. Patience. 2010 will turn into 2014 which will turn into 2020. We will never be a right now team. I mean u sat on national TV and really tried to sell to me that Darko Milicic...one of the worst lottery/#2 picks of all time will be able to help this team. A proven bust? Right after drafting a probable one. So here is my message at the end of this post. You guys have been gluttons for punishing for too long. And i am no longer a glutton for that punishment. 2010 is ur last chance. Make something happen. Cause I'm not watching a press conference that off season when u try to justify signing an aging Steve Nash and Shaquille O'Neal to max contracts cause no one else wanted to come. That will be my last day of accepting what the NYK front office have been gluttons for: punishing me.
Posts
