Friday, January 6, 2012

The NEW New York Knicks?

     Remember how everyone was saying that the Knicks were going to be a different team this year?  How the addition of Mike Woodson as an assistant coach to teach defense was going to get the teams attention?  How the addition of Tyson Chandler, the big 7 footer than reshaped the weak Dallas Mavericks into NBA Champions, was going to do the same for the Knicks?  Do you remember hearing Carmelo Anthony and Amare' Stoudemire preaching a greater emphasis on defense?  How about the fans who were excited and telling everyone how the Knicks were gonna be unstoppable now that we have defense to go with our offense?  Uhhhhh, what happened?
     This looks even WORSE than the Knicks from last year.  I know that they are going to take time to get use to playing with each other, but they look like they aren't even TRYING at times.  the team acts as if they are going to win just because they have a talented team and then when are down in the fourth quarter try to mount a comeback against weaker teams that shouldn't be allowed in the same building when everyone is giving their all.
     We were promised a change in defense and instead we are getting embarrassed by 1-4 teams like the Bobcats who shot lights-out all over the court.  We were pumping our chests and dreaming about the 90's when people were scared to play against the Knicks and now we are having the same old nightmares.  We had fans of other teams and "experts" give us props and congratulations, because everyone felt that the Knicks had enough to atleast contend in the East.  We were all expecting to see a New York team different from what we have been given the last few years.  I feel cheated.
     Again it does take time, but it also takes effort.  We have only just begun, but the wind has already been taken out of my sails.  It's gonna take a storm to get the ship moving again.  How about Hurricane Amare' Finds His Long Lost Jumper, or Hurricane Melo, The NBA Scoring Champ Of 2011-2012 Season, or my personal favorite Hurricane Iman!  The Rookie seems to be the only one trying.  Who else do you see clapping their hands everytime its time to play defense?  Who else is driving to the rim and placing their bodies in harms way for a hard foul?  Who else is drenched with sweat from giving his all on both sides of the court?
     The other key in my opinion is Jared Jeffries.  Say what you want and boo him when he comes on the court, but he is the one Knick player that doesnt care anything at all for individual stats or achievemen.  Jeffries is a team first player and he shows it by the amount of screens, help defense, and charged he takes.  No other Knick tries as hard as Jeffries to make his teammates look good.  keep an eye out on how different the defense looks when he gets healthy and returns to the line up. 
     So we still have the same Knicks from recent years, but here is hoping that we get a storm to turn the NBA world upside down.  Go New York Go New York Go!!!

1 comment:

  1. Well written! I'm already looking forward to the next post! Thanks

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