Boston is the true season opener

Right off the bat, these aren't the same Knicks we've watched over the last 10 seasons. No way am I saying the team has finally arrived, but at least the guys have shown up to be counted. Who showed up??? Did the Knicks show any signs of identity??? Did they improve on any of the faults that have plagued the team and the fans for so long??? Is D'antoni ever going to admitt he's really Mr. Mcfeely from "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood"?



Alot of questions were finally answered in the "Season opener" against Tornoto. First question was "What the hell is the rotation going to be?". The pre-season was a train wreck of sorts, kinda just going through the motions. Guys were just out there trying out their new uniforms while getting a good sweat under the lights.

A little compare and contrast:

Jesus Shuttlesworth is not DeRozan - Let's face it...unless you like break away dunks, DeRozan is a bum. Dude can't dribble. He can't take his man off the dribble. He has a horrible first step and he can't pass or shoot. Ray Allen in his twilight years can still play this game and very well. The Knicks have Landry Fields starting at the shooting guard spot. Our boy Landry is no slouch. If you've caught his soundbites he's just playing basketball and doesn't care who is in front of him. His beady eyed focus on the court is evidence on of that. Like Clyde stresses, "see the ball and your man". Landry does this by instinct. Let's not forget, Landry has already met Ray Allen in pre-season. He stripped him rather savagely at center court then broke out for an uncontested dunk. The dude is definitely not afraid to go after it.

D-Bags vs. T-bagger - Yes the Celtics are a bunch of d-bags lead by super D-bag Kevin Garnett. He enjoys yelling expletives while his primary sub "Big Baby" foams as he screams hysterically after a made basket. The O'neal duo are old but still are big, strong and savy enough to cause a problem for their opponents...The T-Bagger is Reggie Evans for obvious reasons (google it!). Amar'e had his problems being harrassed by basically only Evans. What's gonna happen when the Celtics defense drop 3 of their goons in front of Amar'e and dares him to make a play? Who's gonna step up? Timofey Mozgov can help but he had trouble dealing with the retards they have in Toronto. He might foul out against those savy Celtics before D'antoni has a chance to take him out the game. Thank Donnie for Ronnie...Turiaf should help Amar'e if the game gets tough inside.

Gallo (giggity) vs. Pee Pee - I affectionately call Paul Pierce "Pee Pee", frankly because he is a dick. He's just not a likable character...kinda of a cornball by New Yorks standards. Regardless of that, he is a beast. Gallo is going head to head with him. We have two different mindsets. Gallo didn't have anyone worth mentioning in front of him and didn't even try to assert himself. Wilson Chandler on the other hand saw Raptor blood. Wilson showed a willingness to take it right to Toronto en route to a 22 pt night. He's had them before but nothing so assertive. Wilson has had his success facing up against the Celtics so it will be very telling if Wilson carries that aggression over to the next game. Diehards have been praying for it and this blogger has all but given up on him. I'm praying he proves me wrong and has a great game.

Coaching - Doc is a master at game plan and adjustments. The Knicks could be in for a long night if the Knicks aren't ready. Fans that have given up on the team years ago are expecting the Knicks to give up around the 2nd quarter and pack it in. The Knicks have guys that play with pride like Raymond Felton. Last year the lead guard was Chris Duhon...nuff said. You can't expect to rally the troops when the point guard needs a Red Bull at just about every time out. Should be interesting, but this game is the real test for the acquisitions the Knicks made this off-season. D'antoni's offense will get open shots that guys just have to make. The real game will be won once the bodies start hitting the floor.

Go Knicks!!!

Player Spotlight: Anthony Randolph

Before I start...I understand the kid sprained his ankle in practice the other day. I hate to kick a man when he is down but since the dude has some down time...I have to break his game down hopefully someone will link him to it. Knick or not...I want to see the kid succeed in these league they call the NBA...

I also don't want to speak about the past. It's been well documented when the trade was announced that the kid was in Don Nelson's dog house. As crazy as Don Nelson is, he may have had the right idea. The problem with the culture of the current NBA player is they think they already arrived. Truth be told they all have, but not everyone can step in and become Lebron James or Tim Duncan right off the bat. This is where Anthony Randolph is. He believes he is skilled enough to contribute, but along his journey through fantasy land, he never stopped to smell the roses. The kid simply doesn't know how to play the game of basketball. Let me explain...

Again let's not talk about the past. The dude barely played high school ball, and only had one year in college. He never won on either level. Never mind that. Like most fans of basketball, I fell in love with Anthony Randolph's highlights on youtube. He can be seen flying like a bat out of hell, blocking shots, rebounding and taking the ball full court and dunking it over 4-5 defenders. One highlight in particular that is overlooked is a one on one scrimage against Micheal Beasley(youtube Beasley Anthony Randolph and it should pop up). Beasley is not known for his work ethic but he can be seen abusing Randolph with not a single ounce of enthusiasm on his part. The body language is similiar to what we've seen this pre-season. He seems to want to coast. In my opinion, he might feel since it doesn't count he doesn't need to "go hard". The truth in the matter is you play how you practice. Practice is where you break habits and get yourself right for games. Amar'e is a prime example of supreame work ethic because he is like a run away train no matter if Shaq is down low or his mother.

I actually had the opportunity to attend the Knicks/Raptors game in Montreal. Me and my crew left at halftime because we simply had enough. The first strike was watching Randolph spectating 15 feet out with his hands at his side watching his smaller teamates fight for rebounds down low. That's his job. At 6'11" he needs to make his living attacking the painted area not lolly gagging on the perimeter. Which brings me to strike 2. Who told this kid that a step back jumper should be in his arsenal? I almost threw up on the ladies in front of me when he did that on one play. It wasn't even a hard jab. It was something that I do to my 7 year old kid when we are screwing around on the weekend. Dirk Norwitski doesn't even have a step back jumper. Who does Randolph think he is Paul Pierce? Strike 3 chimes in when he attempts layups in position near the basket. Best way I can describe it is a fade away hook shot. Charles Smith will be proud to know another player his size can not finish in traffic with authority. It's sad to see someone so big shy away from contact. The dude reminds me of Trevor Ariza, but if you are talking about your first bigman off the bench, this is definately not a complement.

Potential??? If you ask Anthony Randolph what his game is, he has a laundry list. He shouldn't be allowed to do his own laundry. You can't mix darks with your whites. I paint a perfect picture now, don't I? Let's start off with his focus. Why is he taking step back jumpers at 6'11" with his athetisism??? When he faces up, his focus needs to be attack the basket. If he has to settle for a jumper, let it be with the defense back pedaling trying not to foul. He's too busy doing the opposite, which is stepping back trying not to get fouled. All layups need to be two handed dunk attempts. None of this one handed, "referee please save" nonsense he's shown. Now what is his potential??? Lamar Odom...tired of hearing that comparrison? How about Larry Nance??? Larry was one of the first 6'11" dudes playing small fwd/power fwd making plays all over the court.

Who's at fault? Coaching?...how long can you say that? Eddy Curry has had that nonsense following him since he was in Chicago. Now the Knicks have Anthony Mason following Curry with a bed pan. I don't want Anthony Randolph to spend the next 5-6 years doing the same thing. It's not gaining weight because Kevin Garnett, Rodman, and a journey man like Mikki Moore have made careers while still being bean poles compared to their peers. Anthony Randolph needs to study this game. He needs to watch tape. Request footage on guys like Larry Nance and see how they were successful. Just because they have a three point line doesn't mean you should take them. They make mini skirts in "plus sizes", that doesn't mean fat chics should wear them to the club. I gotta million of them.

Take it in stride brother Randolph...I'm just a blogger. Don't put me in the hater bracket. You are a New York Knick now. I'm writing all this for your own good.

"Go Knicks"

Diehard Knicks Blog: 2010/11 season preview

It's been a long time I shouldn't of left you...without a strong blog to read through...

I'm back dudes and dudets...Without further delay lets welcome these Knicks back to the garden!!!



This has been the most anticipated season in franchise history, coming off possibly the greatest off-season in NBA history! The Knicks put their name and money out there hoping to reel in 2 superstars to revitalize the team/city/brand of basketball. Some fans that talk to me are still crying about Lebron's decision like Donnie did something wrong. They are also still complaining about trading/swapping those picks with Houston. Does anyone really care what Jordan Hill is doing right now? Well I'll tell you...he's sitting at the bottom of the bench behind Yao, Scola and other front court players in Houston. Time to let all that go. Amar'e is here!!! Did he come for the money? Did he come because he thought Lebron was coming? Those of you still on that debate clearly have not been paying attention to the Knicks coverage of the team all off-season. Let it go my brother's and sister's!!!

Breakdown!!!:

Amar'e Stoudamire - Everything starts and ends with Amar'e. He set the tone the day he was video taped walking down 8th avenue after catching a broadway play with his agent in July. He's here and he's not screwing around. He was in the city before day one...he's been filmed working out and every report that has been made involved Amar'e with his shirt off *pause*. Every player has to be aware of the words spoken out against them. Amar'e seems to be one step ahead of the haters and has done nothing but work tirelessly this off season. This is the face of the team now. It's not a matter of will he be able to carry this team, it's a matter of who is ready to follow this example and ride majestically into battle in spite of the bright lights, i.e. ESPN, Post, Daily News hater nation. During pre-season Amar'e has been scoring just about a point a minute. He doesn't wait for the double team to come and there is no front line that can stop him from scoring the basketball. He's been passing at the right times. He's also shown an ability to face up and put the ball on the floor and take what he wants. He's also shown confidence with the 3pt shot. The man is in the best shape of his life. He reminds me of Bernard King out there. Knicks are lucky to catch Amar'e at this stage of his career.

Gallo, Wilson, Randolph: I group these guys together because they are the "question marks" everyone talks about when they mention the Knicks this year. When will these players man up and just play basketball. "Deer in the headlights" can describe all three. Gallo coasts and settles on the offense to free his jumpshot. That's the easy way out because D'antoni's system frees up a jumpshot every possesion. Gallo has to realize that he is the #1 option out on the perimeter. The ball should not simply migrate to him. He has to take the initiative and instill his will on NBA defenses. He's done in europe and he's done it in practice. There is something about those lights with this kid that freezes him. Wilson is another sad case. He's playing out of position but he's still playing and playing alot. He kinda hop steps around the court looking for his teamates help and for the defense to bail him out. I'm not sure if he can truly be relied on to be a starter in this league. I believe he's more suited off the bench backing up both foward spots. Anthony Randolph simply said is a bum. This kid doesn't know how to play basketball. He's athletic and he can do alot of things. It means nothing if the kid has no clue what is going on in front of him. He shies away from contact prefering to attempt hook shot layups and step back jumpers. This kid wants to be Bosh and Kevin Garnett but doesn't know how to be Joe Schmo at your local YMCA. I will go as far as to say the kid doesn't deserve to be a rotation player...at least not right away. The Knicks have players that know the game sitting on the bench that have been clearly out playing him in pre-season.

Landry Fields, Shawne Williams, Toney Douglas: Another grouping...these players simply said...do not give a f***. They play basketball. Landry has that beady eyed look about him at all time. Like Clyde says, "You got to see your man and the ball". Landry is fully aware of this concept. It's something you can't teach. This kid is a ball player. He's shown a no fear aproach and doesn't get geeked by the "star" put in front of him. He's already embaraced Ray Allen with a strip in the middle of the court on way to a break away dunk, and gave Iggy from Philly a little run for his money with his scoring ability. The pre-season finale with Toronto probably solidified Landry's role in the rotation and could possibily start. Don't be suprised Knicks fans. Knicks might have the steal of the draft. Toney Douglas is defense and scoring think Bobby Jackson from his Sactown days with crack sprinkled on him. Shawne Williams is another player that can play this game. He's a Stephen Jackson clone. He barely played in pre-season but he's a live body that doesn't hesitate to make make a play whether its to move the ball immediately or take what the defense gives him. He's a strong rebounder, defender and jumpshooter. Don't be suprised if he plays on day one.

Billy and Roger: Billy can shoot...Roger (at least in pre-season) can not. Roger's defense is probably better on the perimeter but its a wash. I believe it's a matter of who proves they can hit that jumper consistantly...cuz the open shot will be there

Felton and Timo: The Knicks wanted a legit point guard and a center after making the Knicks fans watch Duhon and Jared break our spirits for 2 seasons. Mission accomplished!!! Felton annoyed everyone by being out of shape for basically the whole pre-season. He's ready to go now. He'll essentially will be what Duhon tried to be. Felton doesn't get tired and will not hit a wall because of "over use". That's still laughable to me that Duhon got a free pass from everyone for that. It's a damn shame because you're point guard needs to be your best conditioned player no matter what type of offense you are running. Whooo saaaaa!!! Timofey Mosgov....think Andrew Bogut. The kid is getting used to the puss referee calls and the language barrier. He's the perfect compliment to have next to Amar'e...drink and be merry my friends (the kool-aid that is!!!)

Melo: Say Whaaaaaaaaaat????...yes. Gallo, Wilson and Chandler all have a bullseye on their backs. They need to step up. The Knicks can afford to trade all three, insert Melo at the 3 and still have players like Landry, Shawne Williams and *tada* Azubuike to fill in their slots. Shoutout to Captain Caveman Ronnie Turiaf as well because he can fill the energy bigman role well off the bench if Randolph in fact is traded.

Let's go Knicks!!! No time to complain and look all sad in the face my brother's and sisters!!! This is our time...The possibilities are endless and the players...at least most of them, can actually play this game and play it very well!!!

"Knicks on 3...1,2,3...KNICKS!!!!" - Cap'n Stat!!!

Knicks season could mimic Liberty's

The Knicks aren't the only professional basketball team playing at the worlds most famous arena. The NY Liberty is a storied franchise thats been around for 13 years now. Its sad that not many NY basketball fans really follow the team. Don't get me wrong because the Liberty have a strong fan base that pack the Garden during the summer. I'm just saying you'll have a hard time hearing any drunk guys debating about them at the local pub. Regardless of that fact this team is currently 17-11. They have the 3rd best record in the WNBA and are in second place in the Eastern Conference. That's a little misleading because they Lady Libs are currently riding a 6 game winning streak, 8-2 in the last 10. About 15 games ago they were a losing team, as in below .500. These Libs have come along way. There's no fluke here because they have alot of talent. Most of the talent on the roster was aquired this off-season. This is where the Knicks similarities begin.

Just like the Knicks, the Liberty were only returning 5 players from a team last year that missed the playoffs. Janelle McCarville was the lone star. With a game similiar to David Lee, she was the fan favorite. Essense Carson and Leilani Mitchell also returned this year after coming off up and down years. Kia Vaughn and Sidney Spence also made the 2010 from last year. Neither player saw much minutes and didn't seem to be in the plans going forward. Liberty fans were praying for a miricle. With Carol Blazejowski as the Liberty GM the fans weren't expecting much of anything, especially since the GM traded away their 2010 pick for Sidney Spencer the season before. Yikes.



Well the Liberty fans prayers were answered and the chips began to fall. With the contraction of the Sacramento Monarchs franchise, the Liberty were able to pick up Nicole Powell in the dispersal draft. Nicole Powell was the Monarchs Leading scorer and one of the better players in the league. They were also able to sign super veteran Taj Mc Williams-Franklyn to anchor the center spot while drafting Kalana Greene who was an outstanding player for the national champions at UConn. What really suprised fans was the trade that brought in Cappie Pondexter to NY. The team traded away 2 fan favorites to get her, but the Liberty have the WNBA version of Dywayne Wade in return. All this talent and 15 games ago they were fighting not to fall too far below the timeline that they would not have a shot at making the playoffs.




Relating to the Knicks, they too are bringing in alot of talent that has never played together before. Alot of these players haven't even played key roles for their teams yet. There are tons of unknowns. With the unknown, many fans are extreamly optimistic about the upcoming season. Only time will tell and what's telling is there will be a learning curve. For example, Nicole Powell was amongst the lead leaders last season with 16pts per game. This year for the Liberty she's only averaged 8pts per. During their 6 game winning streak she drop a few 20 pt games so it took her roughly half a WNBA season to get her act together. I'm expecting the 2010/11 Knicks to struggle the first 20 something games trying to get used to their new teamates. I'd say around Christmas time, these Knicks should have shaken the cob webs and gotten the ball rolling. It's going to take patience. That's the difference between the Liberty Fans and Knicks fans. If the Knicks start the season 8-12 the newspapers are gonna cry bloody murder and the fans will be ready to jump ship.



You gotta walk before you can run...Knicks are gonna need us to do more than boo like spoiled brats...but eventually they will do just fine.

Dolan gets Stern Warning...Knick fans rejoice...for now

I was in a middle of a heated debate about Isiah Thomas, Dolan and the Knicks when I decided to refresh a website on my phone. Skimming for Knicks related news like anyone else I come across the tag: "Isiah Withdraws Acceptance Of Knicks Position". In the middle of a friend monologuing about how dumb Jim Dolan is, I break the news. All at the same time I hear exclamations of "YES! THANK YOU!!!", "FINALLY!!! SOMEBODY HEARD US!!!" and in true New York fashion, "GTFO!". Yes...I believe someone did hear us. The Knicks official fan page on Facebook has been bombarded with obscenity laces comments on everything posted there. Even a contest posting for free tickets to the home opener were filled with lines that I'd love to post here but I want to keep it PG-13 round these parts. I even posted a blog last night asking what we did as fans to deserve the drama in what was a very exciting time until the Isiah hiring.



I'm sure you've read all the lengthy quotes by David Stern and Isiah putting an end to this ordeal...For now. Best believe Isiah's name will resurface with regards to the Knicks management. Donnie Walsh hasn't named a GM as of yet. At one point it looked like Chris Mullin was gonna be brought in. There's still buzz that Mullin may be brought here in some capacity. Then there was the hiring of Allan Houston to be groomed by Donnie Walsh as a possible successor. It's funny how Donnie is now saying he's in no rush to hire anyone. Could Dolan have put a freeze on hiring to try and weasel Isiah Thomas back into the fold? Personally I'm shocked Isiah "turned down" the consultant job and not the college coaching job. He might feel he has an obligation to the players he recruited this summer to be there this fall. 2012 is coming approaching my friends and so is the end of Donnie Walsh's contract. D'antoni will be on notice as well. I hate to paint a dark picture but I'm sure we have not heard the last of this Dolan/Isiah man crush.

***



Can't leave this blog without a cool glass of Kool-Aid can we?

Newest Knick Roger Mason Jr. must of had a whole pitcher of Kool-Aid since he officially signed with the Knicks the other day. The dude is talking playoffs. Why not? This year is very different. You only have to take a look at the roster to see that. So get you a tall glass with ice and a pitcher of "ORANGE" or "BLUE" Kool-Aid and relax. Put on some Mary J. Blige "No more Drama" music and just ride it out. There are better days to come my babies. "OH YEAH!!!"

Dolan Days of Summer

Leave it to James Dolan to wait till the period of the summer where nothing usually goes on to drop the bomb on the entire Knick community. Seriously, what is really going on with this Dolan and Isiah man crush??? All of these reporters have been quoting sources this entire off-season but nobody has heard a peep as to why Isiah of all people is back in the fold? Make no mistakes, Isiah back as a "consultant" means a whole lot. I mean every team has guys that are granted access to the team just to give their two cents because someone admires them. Isiah took the pretardation status of the Scott Layden era and developed it into something you see on the Maury Povich show. Total embarrassment and shame. That's what Isiah managed to bring to the franchise. Now his moves weren't all bad but every single move he made, outside of drafting David Lee, all became a worst case scenerio. That was the issue. So why even entertain this man again? Why did it have to be announced and made official? What was the motivation? What is the damn point?



The Knicks off-season up until this point has been probably one of the best this franchise has seen. Donnie Walsh has built a beautiful roster of young and exciting players. The recent buzz amongst the fans was whether or not there will be a trade after the signing of Roger Mason Jr. That's all out the window now. Now there is speculation and the "sources" are talking about drama behind the scenes. Is this professional sport or a daytime soap opera? To quote the rapper Too $hort, "It was all good just a week ago!" This is what I can't understand. Why drop this burden onto the fans. Alot of fans are talking about dumping the team if Isiah becomes GM somewhere down the line. I've spoken to some that flat out jumped ship already after this consulting announcement was made. My question is: What did the Knicks fans do to deserve this? Can't we have a period in the Dolan era where there isn't some wacky event or freak accident that totally destroys any hope that dwells amongst the Knicks Purists?

I urge you diehards out there to let this announcement fall by the waist side. Ignore the propaganda in the papers about Donnie resigning, or other rumblings. Alot of these papers have agendas because they think the readers want to read slander. Remember when we used to bleed orange and blue? The only drama we read about back in the glory days of the Ewing era was drama on the court. Nobody cared about the Dave Checketts/Riley beef. Nobody cared about the Don Nelson mutiny. What fans cared about was the drama that appeared on the court. The Knicks were bringing that drama to opposing teams. This current roster Donnie Walsh has assembled seems to have an identity that will bring that competition back to the Garden. I know its all on paper now, but Miami is already the paper champion for the 2010/11 season. Why can't our fans have a little fun. It was like Chrismas morning last week. Now the feeling is more like the tuesday morning after memorial/labor day weekend. Back to the same old garbage.

Eddy Curry for Fishlips? Add Ariza/Wilson and we got a deal!

Marc Spears of Yahoo sports reports the Knicks are interested in re-acquiring Jared "Fishlips" Jefferies. Sounds like bullshit to me because Curry makes double what Jared makes...Knicks would have to take player's back...

Peep this complainers....

Eddy Curry and Wilson Chandler for Ariza and Jared...trade works salary wise.

Trevor Ariza was signed to a multi year deal last off season and played a lot of 2 guard....that was before they were able to get Kevin Martin. Keep in mind that kid from Arizona is also on their roster and can play backup shooting guard. They need a cheaper alternative for their rotation at small fwd and I believe Wilson Chandler fits that bill.

Ariza would then be the hands down alternative at shooting guard for the Knicks. His Starks like mentality on defense and his Sprewell attitude on the fast break would be welcome additions to the Knicks in 2010. His jumpshot has also improved from his Knicks days.

Put that in your blog and quote it.

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