The Great Depression: Life as a Knick Fan
I’m pushing 25-years old. The usual age where an individual begins to comprehend information is around 3 or 4 years old; For the sake of this article lets say four. So, 21 out of my 25 years I have been a fan of the New York Knicks. It’s something that has been embedded in me from my mother, uncle, cousins, place of origin etc. Consequently, I am no stranger to disappointment, frustration, the Isiah Thomas era (which I prefer to so eloquently refer to as “the great depression” for reasons easily understandable to anyone even slightly knowledgeable of professional basketball) and the current era of the franchise which I refer to as the “pump fake.”
For years I have been subjected to ridicule, laughter and the butt of many jokes (just like every other loyal Knicks fan; I believe only 10 of us exist) about being loyal to such a tumultuous franchise. All of that was cool but now more than ever it’s demoralizing. Why? I should be used to it by now right? Well this year was supposed to be different. That’s what every fan of a losing franchise tells themselves at the beginning of a new season. It’s a lie! We all know it’s a lie, but we say it ever so gingerly, grasping onto the small sense of hope that for some reason we actually believe the most foolish of things. I’m sure Redskins fans understand what I am trying to convey.
All unrealistic expectations aside this was supposed to be our year. Last season we acquired Carmelo Anthony, one of if not the most prolific scorer in the NBA to pair up with our building block (though extremely fragile) Amare Stoudemire in a trade that seemed to be pointing the franchise in the right direction. A winning direction! This off-season we acquired Tyson Chandler to be the defensive anchor for a team not known for anything close to playing defense on this side of the Hudson river. Easily we now have the most talented frontline in basketball. To everyone, both fans and analyst alike, this was a sign that things were going to change for the Knicks. No longer were we to be haunted by the ghost of Isiah Thomas’s horrible decisions that handicapped us for a decade. We are committed, focused, dedicated to winning. Along with these new acquisitions came raised expectations and rightfully so. The Knicks were talking championship. The Knicks opened this season by beating the Boston Celtics off of Carmelo Anthony’s heroics, and it looked like all these expectations could actually be somewhat attainable. We all thought it was a sign of things to come. {Insert pump fake here}
As the season progresses, guess what? WE SUCK!!!! This entire season has been nothing short of an abomination with a few sprinkles of promise. Linsanity… Promise, Carmelo’s complete domination throughout the month of April… Promise. Knicks even moved from 6 games under .500 to acquiring the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference (Not like a cookie goes out to being a bottom feeder in a horrible conference standing but still, we got to take pride in something right?) In reality, those glimpses of promise are nothing short of a pump fake {Again, insert pump fake here}. Knicks showing us the potential every one in the world knows they have just to let us down time and time again. At this point in time, the playoffs have started against the Miami Heat, and we are down 0-2. Doesn’t look promising at all, but its something we should be used to by now right? I mean, we haven’t won a playoff game in 11 years for crying out loud. No worries though, I will bask in the reality now but next season, I will fall for the pump fake again. It’s our duty as devoted Knicks fans. I’m sold we don’t know any better.
- Chris