Beautifully written, Jon. You are as reliable as the team we all love. I was lucky enough to be in the building and even at my advancing years, I think I could have skipped the train ride and walked home on adrenaline. I barely slept, and when I woke up I thought I had dreamt it.
Do your job, basketball gods. Because this team and fan base deserves a championship more than any other.
If I can get serious for a second, words cannot describe how happy I am for Josh that he doesn’t have to live with that hanging around his neck. His “lifetime of regret” quote made me tear up.
Tell your brother "Kat inbound fingertip" it's time for dinner. Also, your cousin "Alvarado Brunson Minutes" is coming over to watch the jersey retirement ceremony tomorrow.
I was thinking, to the people that want to retire Melo's number, are you sure? I love Melo but it's going to get crowded up there. We all can imagine that 11 is going to be retired, but after last night, IF they can get one more game, I'm reasonably sure 8 is going up there too.
Whether or not the Knicks win a chip, I do not feel that Melo ever did enough to cement him in Knicks history. (Spoiler alert: I'm not a Melo fan.) He scored lots of points. He detonated the team, multiple times, to get himself where he wanted and to get himself paid, then ran up counting stats while the team around him sucked (why, hello there, Andrea Bargnani, Enes Kanter, Emmanuel Mudiay, DSJr, etc., etc., etc.).
I'd make a stronger case for Bernard King, who at least won more than one playoff series and lifted his team. But to my mind, #33 is the only one who did enough to warrant jersey retirement without a ring.
How dumb does Wemby feel losing that game after all the obnoxious taunting especially that pointing gesture to his own head that they kept replaying. Nice to wipe that smirk
Wemby is not going to become the “face” of the league if he continues to be bush league. Bird, Magic, Jordan, LeBron, Curry, Brunson, never acted this way.
I mean, Larry Bird and Jordan could be total arrogant pricks. But they won championships first. And part of that championship mettle is that you make the big plays when it counts and *you* tear the heart out of the opposition.
It's Brunson and OG and the Knicks that are doing that, despite the best efforts of the marketing teams.
It used to be the faces of the league were guys that earned it. Now they just give it to you, based on your highlights and draft position and physical attributes.
But Leon knows. He collected guys that weren't in the running for "face of the league", and were therefore undervalued. But these guys knew, like Jordan, and Magic, and Bird, and Willis, and Reed, what has to be done to win a basketball game.
The whole "anointing the face of the league" thing really started post Jordan. And it's important to beat Wemby and the Spurs, to overcome the favoritism by the refs, in order to smack down this idiocy. Wemby's a good young player and he doesn't need it. He needs to learn from this experience and maybe he will.
It's just important that the young people in this country learn that fame does not correlate with greatness. That ubiquitous advertising does not mean a better product. That communication and dedication and ethical teamwork is what produces success and greatness.
That's why the Knicks have to get one last win. Especially now. The world forgets and needs to be reminded again. The 2004 Pistons did it. Now the Knicks must do it.
100% this. I hated Bird and Jordan with all the fire of my being for the ways that they delighted in torturing the Knicks. But there was no shortage of respect for either of them. They trash-talked, but they had the stones and the skills to back it up, pretty much every time.
You don't get to taunt a Knick that you're in his head in a series where your key end-of-game plays include throwing a pass to the back of Stephon Castle's head, shanking two free throws, and oh right, being the tall guy who vacuums up all the rebounds, but doesn't recover to prevent the game winner.
String bean Embiid is about right. I used to like this kid. Now F him.
Hate is a strong word for me. What I hate is the hype machine that already crowns this kid and gives him a superstar whistle. And I think maybe he believed too much of his own hype. He needs to be humbled. Next time, wait before you celebrate
I understand teams have strategized by trying to push him around, and he may need to grow and put time in the weight room for that to stop. But for the punk-ass throwdown of GTA, the clotheslining of Brunson, and the taunting of Mitch, I feel like hate might not be strong enough.
Maybe Wemby will grow and mature from the experience. But I don’t remember Jordan or Bird taking gratuitous cheap shots like that. That’s more of an Embiid level move.
The only difference is that he doesn't blame everybody and everything but his own personal failures when his team loses. But at this point, I wish nothing but the worst for both of them.
The pointing and also when he patted KAT on the ass after elbowing him in the face.
Sometimes ballplayers make stupid decisions and I say “you have to be smarter than that!” And sometimes they show more restraint than I could imagine.
If I was playing a pickup game and someone drew a foul on me and then pointed to his head and said “I’m in your head” like Wemby did to Mitchell Robinson, I’d probably deck that guy. The fact that Robinson didn’t IMMEDIATELY get in Wemby’s face and start screaming and start a fight is amazing to me.
I got upstairs to bed and did my best not to wake up my wife, who of course went to bed at halftime because why would any sane, intelligent person have stayed up to watch the rest of that game.
She woke up and said, “how much did they lose by?”
I said, “…they fucking won.”
She sat bolt upright. “You’re fucking with me.”
“They fucking won. They came all the way back. It was the greatest comeback in nba finals history. They fucking won.”
I have been to many wonderful sporting events in my life and at this point frankly those moments always stand out as the greatest. Last night surpassed them all. When contemplating at the end of the first half how wonderful this season was and how grateful I should be that we got to watch this Knick team , they pulled it out of their ass like nothing I've ever seen live or on TV.. I have never seen a collective fan electricity willing them on and them willing themselves on, in all my life. I don't have any more words on this one.LGK.
Holy Crap ! There are no words to truly express the range of emotions last night. Almost giving up, although I did watch the 3rd and 2/3 of the 4th in bed before returning to the big TV with my wife and son, who both stayed. My big loud mouth did in fact wake up my 8 year old daughter who ran right to daddy and blamed her brother for the noise 😀.
I didn’t watch it live. I’m in Rome with family. Taking a train to Florence today and needed to be up and functioning. And staying up for game 3 didn’t work out so swell. Reluctantly, went to bed before it started at 2:30am, and tossed and turned all night. Actually dreamt we lost by 20, not even kidding, and then woke up to this news and started sobbing. Now you got me crying all over again. What a time to be a Knicks fan. LFGK and LFGKFS.
Thank God for the newsletter. When I woke up I worried I dreamt the whole thing. I looked frantically for the forum when I woke up and there it was and there was confirmation.
Beautifully written, Jon. You are as reliable as the team we all love. I was lucky enough to be in the building and even at my advancing years, I think I could have skipped the train ride and walked home on adrenaline. I barely slept, and when I woke up I thought I had dreamt it.
Do your job, basketball gods. Because this team and fan base deserves a championship more than any other.
Thank you JG. And well said. We deserve it, and so do they.
“Dad, why is my sister’s name Rose?”
“Because your mother loves roses.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“No problem, OG Anunoby game-winning tip-in.”
If I can get serious for a second, words cannot describe how happy I am for Josh that he doesn’t have to live with that hanging around his neck. His “lifetime of regret” quote made me tear up.
One more.
Tell your brother "Kat inbound fingertip" it's time for dinner. Also, your cousin "Alvarado Brunson Minutes" is coming over to watch the jersey retirement ceremony tomorrow.
Just settle for naming the next kid "Eight" lol.
I was thinking, to the people that want to retire Melo's number, are you sure? I love Melo but it's going to get crowded up there. We all can imagine that 11 is going to be retired, but after last night, IF they can get one more game, I'm reasonably sure 8 is going up there too.
Melo does not belong up there with the other retired Knicks jerseys
Whether or not the Knicks win a chip, I do not feel that Melo ever did enough to cement him in Knicks history. (Spoiler alert: I'm not a Melo fan.) He scored lots of points. He detonated the team, multiple times, to get himself where he wanted and to get himself paid, then ran up counting stats while the team around him sucked (why, hello there, Andrea Bargnani, Enes Kanter, Emmanuel Mudiay, DSJr, etc., etc., etc.).
I'd make a stronger case for Bernard King, who at least won more than one playoff series and lifted his team. But to my mind, #33 is the only one who did enough to warrant jersey retirement without a ring.
LOL
Felt the same for Josh. He'll make up for his mistake tonight, I'm sure.
How dumb does Wemby feel losing that game after all the obnoxious taunting especially that pointing gesture to his own head that they kept replaying. Nice to wipe that smirk
off his face.
Wemby is not going to become the “face” of the league if he continues to be bush league. Bird, Magic, Jordan, LeBron, Curry, Brunson, never acted this way.
I mean, Larry Bird and Jordan could be total arrogant pricks. But they won championships first. And part of that championship mettle is that you make the big plays when it counts and *you* tear the heart out of the opposition.
It's Brunson and OG and the Knicks that are doing that, despite the best efforts of the marketing teams.
It used to be the faces of the league were guys that earned it. Now they just give it to you, based on your highlights and draft position and physical attributes.
But Leon knows. He collected guys that weren't in the running for "face of the league", and were therefore undervalued. But these guys knew, like Jordan, and Magic, and Bird, and Willis, and Reed, what has to be done to win a basketball game.
The whole "anointing the face of the league" thing really started post Jordan. And it's important to beat Wemby and the Spurs, to overcome the favoritism by the refs, in order to smack down this idiocy. Wemby's a good young player and he doesn't need it. He needs to learn from this experience and maybe he will.
It's just important that the young people in this country learn that fame does not correlate with greatness. That ubiquitous advertising does not mean a better product. That communication and dedication and ethical teamwork is what produces success and greatness.
That's why the Knicks have to get one last win. Especially now. The world forgets and needs to be reminded again. The 2004 Pistons did it. Now the Knicks must do it.
100% this. I hated Bird and Jordan with all the fire of my being for the ways that they delighted in torturing the Knicks. But there was no shortage of respect for either of them. They trash-talked, but they had the stones and the skills to back it up, pretty much every time.
You don't get to taunt a Knick that you're in his head in a series where your key end-of-game plays include throwing a pass to the back of Stephon Castle's head, shanking two free throws, and oh right, being the tall guy who vacuums up all the rebounds, but doesn't recover to prevent the game winner.
String bean Embiid is about right. I used to like this kid. Now F him.
Hate is a strong word for me. What I hate is the hype machine that already crowns this kid and gives him a superstar whistle. And I think maybe he believed too much of his own hype. He needs to be humbled. Next time, wait before you celebrate
I understand teams have strategized by trying to push him around, and he may need to grow and put time in the weight room for that to stop. But for the punk-ass throwdown of GTA, the clotheslining of Brunson, and the taunting of Mitch, I feel like hate might not be strong enough.
Maybe Wemby will grow and mature from the experience. But I don’t remember Jordan or Bird taking gratuitous cheap shots like that. That’s more of an Embiid level move.
+Naz Reid Elbow. That’s when I knew Wemby’s an Embiid-caliber punk.
Well said.
He’s string bean Embiid
They are both obviously dirty players, perhaps equally so. I think I’d give Wemby the edge in the arrogance column.
The only difference is that he doesn't blame everybody and everything but his own personal failures when his team loses. But at this point, I wish nothing but the worst for both of them.
Basketball Karma at it's best.
The pointing and also when he patted KAT on the ass after elbowing him in the face.
Sometimes ballplayers make stupid decisions and I say “you have to be smarter than that!” And sometimes they show more restraint than I could imagine.
If I was playing a pickup game and someone drew a foul on me and then pointed to his head and said “I’m in your head” like Wemby did to Mitchell Robinson, I’d probably deck that guy. The fact that Robinson didn’t IMMEDIATELY get in Wemby’s face and start screaming and start a fight is amazing to me.
What a night for New York. The greatest place on earth. Speechless
I got upstairs to bed and did my best not to wake up my wife, who of course went to bed at halftime because why would any sane, intelligent person have stayed up to watch the rest of that game.
She woke up and said, “how much did they lose by?”
I said, “…they fucking won.”
She sat bolt upright. “You’re fucking with me.”
“They fucking won. They came all the way back. It was the greatest comeback in nba finals history. They fucking won.”
"you're fucking with me"
I love her.
Still have to win one more. . . .nuff said.
I have heard rumors that Adam Silver will be reffing game 5. Last night he was heard to say “ if you want something done right, do it yourself.“
He's retroactively calling 2 flagrants on Brunson and OG
I couldn’t believe that the refs were doing it so blatantly again last night with the two fouls on Towns in the first minute of the game.
LOL
I have been to many wonderful sporting events in my life and at this point frankly those moments always stand out as the greatest. Last night surpassed them all. When contemplating at the end of the first half how wonderful this season was and how grateful I should be that we got to watch this Knick team , they pulled it out of their ass like nothing I've ever seen live or on TV.. I have never seen a collective fan electricity willing them on and them willing themselves on, in all my life. I don't have any more words on this one.LGK.
I have been a Knicks fan for 34 years. I have been to some of the most thrilling games - regular season, playoffs, Finals - in my lifetime.
My bro in law gifted us tickets to last night.
And last night wasn't just the greatest Knicks game I have ever been to.
It was the most out of body and religious experience I've ever had.
LFGK!!!!!
Amazing. I believe it.
Still floating.
Never been so happy for just the tip to go in.
Audibly chuckled.
I see what you did there.
OG OG OG - OMG
Thank you Knick’s, thank you never wavering fans, and thank you Jon!
I had no idea what day of the week it was walking out of MSG last night.
Credit to the deafeningly loud crowd in the 4th quarter that was a huge part of the comeback and helped Wemby miss two key FTs.
Let’s get W 16 in San Antonio Saturday night.
Go NY, Go NY, Go
🏀🏀🏀
I heard someone point out that it's a pretty special MSG attribute that the crowd can get super hyped by the team getting the lead down to 20.
Crying reading this last night. Greatest sports game of my life
Hopefully a few more tears to come
Holy Crap ! There are no words to truly express the range of emotions last night. Almost giving up, although I did watch the 3rd and 2/3 of the 4th in bed before returning to the big TV with my wife and son, who both stayed. My big loud mouth did in fact wake up my 8 year old daughter who ran right to daddy and blamed her brother for the noise 😀.
Let’s Fucking Go Knicks !!!
Let’s do this one more time !!!!
Ogugua? Ogodgua! I am collecting my thoughts, but much love to you and your family in this beautiful moment. Job’s not done though.
Thank you Peter. Let's get one more.
I didn’t watch it live. I’m in Rome with family. Taking a train to Florence today and needed to be up and functioning. And staying up for game 3 didn’t work out so swell. Reluctantly, went to bed before it started at 2:30am, and tossed and turned all night. Actually dreamt we lost by 20, not even kidding, and then woke up to this news and started sobbing. Now you got me crying all over again. What a time to be a Knicks fan. LFGK and LFGKFS.
Hope you're having a blast! Now I want a dish of gnocchi.
Thank God for the newsletter. When I woke up I worried I dreamt the whole thing. I looked frantically for the forum when I woke up and there it was and there was confirmation.
Ha...well you're very welcome. Let's get it done tonight.