Dear Coach Van Gundy,
I tried. Lord knows, I've tried. I tried to give Mike D'antoni the benefit-of-the-doubt. Numerous roster changes. Lockout shortened season. Poorly-timed injuries. I can't do it anymore.
I've been a Knicks fan since Michael Jordan's 1st retirement. I remember the Ewing finger roll against the Houston Rockets. I have Marv Albert's voice screaming "STARKS FOR 3 AAAANNNDDD...NO!" embedded in my brain. I remember Allan Houston's shot hitting the front of the rim...and then the backboard...and finally the net...the fist pump...defeating the Miami Heat. The LJ 4-point play. The image of Latrell Sprewell walking to the locker room, dragging his hand along the wall after losing to the San Antonio Spurs. The ups and the downs.
The Knicks have been a terrible team for years. So when we finally landed marquee players...superstars the caliber of Stat and Melo, I thought we were headed in the right direction. A legit Rookie of the Year candidate (Iman Shumpert) that we were lucky enough to grab as the 17th pick. The best big man we've had since Ewing (Tyson Chandler). Talented roll players. It should be better than this.
But it's not. And it's clear that D'antoni is the problem. On paper, this is 1 of the best Knickerbocker teams EVER. On the court, a different story is told. They look lost. There is no direction. No effective offensive schemes. No defense. At all. No passion.
Jeff, you did more with less. Houston and Sprewell both averaged just above 20 points a game. LJ had no strength left in his back. Ewing was out for the year. CHARLIE WARD was the starting point guard for God's sake. And we made it to the Finals. This current Knicks team will make the playoffs by default and then be eliminated in the 1st round. This can't be life. We need you back, Jeff. You had those boys believing they were a championship team. Imagine what you could do now.
2 comments:
Charlie and Chris were SOLID, and stepped up when needed. The old Knicks, and many other classic teams in history all share one thing that you can't coach - heart.
I knew when we traded for Stat we were changing our very identity, fabric and being. Stat is not a Knick. He doesn't bleed blue and orange like Patty, Starks, Latrell, Allan, and LJ used to.
Melo, as offensively skilled as he is, is no better fit here. I've always maintained, he is like a super Glenn Robinson, and, besides scoring, he doesn't bring the intangibles - the very things those same players with heart exhibit. I would have preferred to see Gerald Wallace, a much better fit in NY, than Melo.
And don't get me started on the coach. Why has NY got a run and gun coach? baffles me. It goes to show that Latrell was onto something when he let rip his first game back to the garden in a wolves uniform.
The guys in suits are killing this franchise.
I do agree that the suits have been beyond terrible. It's amazing that one of the worst run organizations is still as profitable and popular as it is, but I credit that more to New York City than the New York Knicks.
However, I think given the right coaching staff and the right system, this could be a great team that should be able to compete with the best night in and night out. And dominate the weaker teams.
I have to give credit where it's due, however. I do consider Stat to be a Knick because he took the 1st step of openly stating his desire to play here when the rest of the team was still unproven. He was the catalyst for change within the organization. And while I was disappointed to see Gallo, Wilson Chandler and Raymond Felton go, I do appreciate what Melo brings to the table.
They're just playing park ball instead of pro ball. No coach = no good.
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