The past few years have not been kind to Knicks fans. Shoot, the past few decades haven't been kind to them either -- odd considering New York is often seen as the best basketball city on the planet. The fact remains, the Knicks haven't won a title since the early '70s, and they haven't been relevant this millennium.
I grew up on the Knicks. I lived and died with every Jordan-impeded playoff run. I cried when John Starks played the worst game seven in sports history, and I'm still bitter as to why Pat Riley left Hubert Davis and Rolando Blackman on the bench. But most of all, I remember how it felt to be a Knicks fan in the '90s. The intensity of the Garden is something special, and since the Knicks' fall from grace due to executive incompetency, I've felt like a part of me was missing.
This past off-season may have marked a new low for the Knicks. The franchise was mired in scandal. The team's star point guard had apparently gone off the deep end. And the Knicks were coming off their sixth-straight sub-.500 season. But all hope was not lost.
Last season, the Knicks had begun to show flashes of what they could be. David Lee had developed into a crowd favorite and an all-around stud. Renaldo Balkman proved that for all Isiah Thomas's deficiencies, the man still knows how to draft. And Eddy Curry put up career numbers, at last justifying the exorbitant costs it took to bring him to New York. Still, one had to wonder if it would be enough. Then, the Knicks had their most important draft day in two decades.
Many critics questioned whether the acquisition of Zach Randolph would pay dividends for the Knicks, but those questions have already been answered. Despite concerns that Randolph and Curry couldn't coexist, Randolph has been downright dominant, opening the season with three straight double-doubles in points and rebounds, the first time a Knick has accomplished that feet since Patrick Ewing 15 years ago. Perhaps if people hadn't been distracted by the arrival of Kevin Garnett in Boston, they wouldn't have been so surprised by this development.
The East is measurably improved this season. In fact, the league is improved from top to bottom. Only a few teams truly came into the season with no hope.
The past few seasons, the Knicks had been in that boat, but not this year. And what a feeling it is to have hope again. It's been a long time since I've been excited about the Knicks' prospects, but I feel that they're finally on the right track. They're not the best team in the league, probably not even top 10. But they can play. They can be competitive, and the Garden has a chance to come alive again -- it's been a long time coming.
Now, you'll have to forgive me for being somewhat New York-centric this week -- did you honestly expect me to pass up the chance to talk Knicks when they're over .500? Didn't think so. But I also have something very important I need to talk about this week. Recently, I learned that DDS dropped the price of cereal at The Dining Location Formerly Known As The Blend. You might remember that I lamented this very problem weeks ago, and I don't know if I had anything to do with this price drop -- it was either that or the fact that nobody was paying more for a bowl of cereal than the supermarket charges for a box -- but this is certainly a welcome development. Sure, the price is still too high, but it's a start.
And now that I've recognized my power to defeat the system, I'm taking DDS to task once again: the plight of french fries on campus. First, why do we have different style fries at every location? Not only does this probably waste money, but why not stick with what's best. Hop fries, waffle fries and the occasional curly fries should be the only fries found on campus. Make this happen. Second, who decided they had the right to begin charging for fries at Home Plate? This is a crime. I will personally boycott paninis, which aren't that good to begin with, until this wrong is righted. I'd like to encourage you all to do the same.
Next week, I'll get off my New York soapbox and take DDS to task for alternating between biscuits and cornbread for fried chicken Mondays. I hope you all know where I'll be siding. Here's a hint, it's not with biscuits. Until next time, enjoy your 2007-2008 New York Knicks.
