Remember When...
Remember when the Knicks Vs. The Heat meant something?
I'm talking about the days of Zo Vs. Larry, Van Gundy Vs. Riley, Ewing, PJ Brown, Anthony Mason, Tim Hardaway, Derek Harper, and of course, Allan Houston's running jumper off the glass.
I'm talking about 9 Men, One Mission. Brawling and hard fought battles, from horn to horn. Every time they met, you knew it was going to be a good game. Throw in the fact that they would meet in the playoffs, and it meant great things for the NBA and it's fans.
Tonight I sit watching the Knicks Vs. The Heat on ESPN and it's nowhere near as great as it used to be. And I made a terrible mistake too. When I flipped past ESPN and saw that it was on, which is the only reason I knew it was on, which if you know me, speaks loudly of how much my interest in the Knicks has fallen, I got excited. That was a mistake.
It was a minute before half-time and the Knicks were in it. It was a 1 point game, and the fans were chanting 'Defense! Defense!' What's funny is, it's not even close to how loud that chant used to be. It's as if the Knicks fans have become wary of getting too into a game. It was a less than confident 'Defense' chant. How sad. But none the less, it was there, and it got my energy level up. I was excited. I settled in for the 2nd half hoping to see an exciting Knicks game again, and if they win, even better!
There is now 54.8 seconds left in the game and the score is 108-96 in favor of The Heat.
The Knicks had nothing in the 2nd half, it was all Heat. And what makes it worse is the fact that Shaq was in foul trouble the whole half, and still, the Knicks could not take advantage when he was out of the game for almost the entire 3rd quater. As the final seconds tick away, there aren't even that many 'Boos' to be heard. The Knicks fans don't even care enough anymore. And I don't blame them, I'm with them! Why expend the energy anymore? Why even try to create that electric atmosphere that used to resonate through the rafters of the Garden when the team that suits up in front of you, will give up. They quit. The Knicks players don't care.
Stephon Marbury this past week decided to proclaim the return of his alter-ego. The Hero that was supposed to come to NY, come home to NY, and lead the Knicks to glory once again. I write of course of 'Starbury', the man, the myth, the legend. Starbury, who is supposed to hail from the great otherworld of NBA lore, where the likes of Larry Legend, Wilt the Stilt, Shaq, MJ, and Magic were forged from the fires and liquid steel of NBA heart and soul. The place where champions are handed down to the surface of the earth to take a team, put them on their back, and win NBA Titles. Starbury apparantly was adversely affected by the heat and pressure of passing through earth's atmosphere. Maybe he melted a little, maybe he lost some chunks of heart and soul from his original mold by the NBA Gods above. Because Starbury, sucks. He hasn't won anything. And he can't lead the Knicks to anything better than the worst record in the league. What I saw tonight, was Starbury being outplayed by Dwayne Wade, who is most definately on his way to being known as another Legend. Not only that, but he was also outplayed by Jason Williams. Not quite a legend is he, but he played with more heart and more soul and more hussle than Starbury has shown in a long time.
Starbury. What a joke. The Knicks really are a mess, and there is no end in sight. Can KG come and be what Starbury should've been? I think he can. But he'll need a team around him that knows he's the man, and that everything goes through him. We'll see what this offseason brings. When I hear talk of James Dolan hinting at buying out a lot of these insane contracts that the Knicks are stuck with, I am happier than when Charles Smith was traded for JR Reid. If James Dolan buys out Steph, or Francis, or Crawford, or all of the above, he will win more points with me than ever I thought possible.
Remember when the Knicks Vs. The Heat meant something? Good lord I do, and I wish it was like that again. Too bad the Knicks have gone nowhere fast, and The Heat are on their way to having a good chance to win the NBA Title. That is, if Tim Duncan decides he doesn't need to win this year. Biotch.
I'm talking about the days of Zo Vs. Larry, Van Gundy Vs. Riley, Ewing, PJ Brown, Anthony Mason, Tim Hardaway, Derek Harper, and of course, Allan Houston's running jumper off the glass.
I'm talking about 9 Men, One Mission. Brawling and hard fought battles, from horn to horn. Every time they met, you knew it was going to be a good game. Throw in the fact that they would meet in the playoffs, and it meant great things for the NBA and it's fans.
Tonight I sit watching the Knicks Vs. The Heat on ESPN and it's nowhere near as great as it used to be. And I made a terrible mistake too. When I flipped past ESPN and saw that it was on, which is the only reason I knew it was on, which if you know me, speaks loudly of how much my interest in the Knicks has fallen, I got excited. That was a mistake.
It was a minute before half-time and the Knicks were in it. It was a 1 point game, and the fans were chanting 'Defense! Defense!' What's funny is, it's not even close to how loud that chant used to be. It's as if the Knicks fans have become wary of getting too into a game. It was a less than confident 'Defense' chant. How sad. But none the less, it was there, and it got my energy level up. I was excited. I settled in for the 2nd half hoping to see an exciting Knicks game again, and if they win, even better!
There is now 54.8 seconds left in the game and the score is 108-96 in favor of The Heat.
The Knicks had nothing in the 2nd half, it was all Heat. And what makes it worse is the fact that Shaq was in foul trouble the whole half, and still, the Knicks could not take advantage when he was out of the game for almost the entire 3rd quater. As the final seconds tick away, there aren't even that many 'Boos' to be heard. The Knicks fans don't even care enough anymore. And I don't blame them, I'm with them! Why expend the energy anymore? Why even try to create that electric atmosphere that used to resonate through the rafters of the Garden when the team that suits up in front of you, will give up. They quit. The Knicks players don't care.
Stephon Marbury this past week decided to proclaim the return of his alter-ego. The Hero that was supposed to come to NY, come home to NY, and lead the Knicks to glory once again. I write of course of 'Starbury', the man, the myth, the legend. Starbury, who is supposed to hail from the great otherworld of NBA lore, where the likes of Larry Legend, Wilt the Stilt, Shaq, MJ, and Magic were forged from the fires and liquid steel of NBA heart and soul. The place where champions are handed down to the surface of the earth to take a team, put them on their back, and win NBA Titles. Starbury apparantly was adversely affected by the heat and pressure of passing through earth's atmosphere. Maybe he melted a little, maybe he lost some chunks of heart and soul from his original mold by the NBA Gods above. Because Starbury, sucks. He hasn't won anything. And he can't lead the Knicks to anything better than the worst record in the league. What I saw tonight, was Starbury being outplayed by Dwayne Wade, who is most definately on his way to being known as another Legend. Not only that, but he was also outplayed by Jason Williams. Not quite a legend is he, but he played with more heart and more soul and more hussle than Starbury has shown in a long time.
Starbury. What a joke. The Knicks really are a mess, and there is no end in sight. Can KG come and be what Starbury should've been? I think he can. But he'll need a team around him that knows he's the man, and that everything goes through him. We'll see what this offseason brings. When I hear talk of James Dolan hinting at buying out a lot of these insane contracts that the Knicks are stuck with, I am happier than when Charles Smith was traded for JR Reid. If James Dolan buys out Steph, or Francis, or Crawford, or all of the above, he will win more points with me than ever I thought possible.
Remember when the Knicks Vs. The Heat meant something? Good lord I do, and I wish it was like that again. Too bad the Knicks have gone nowhere fast, and The Heat are on their way to having a good chance to win the NBA Title. That is, if Tim Duncan decides he doesn't need to win this year. Biotch.
posted by Philselway at 6:54 PM
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