Posted by nixluva:
Posted by BlueSeats:
To the guys who think there are people here who don't love the Knicks FRANCHISE, ask yourselves this question: Do you think there are people here who'd rather see the Knicks in the gutter over winning a championship?
If you do, those are the guys I might characterize as haters.
But for the rest of us, who are simply polarized around a state of perpetual mediocrity... man, if you can't deal with that (misterearl, nixluva) you worry far too much about what other people think, and that's why you find your own agendas repeatedly called into question.
BlueSeats, I don't know what some of the posters here really feel about this team. From their words it's clear they don't have much love for MANY of the players or Isiah. By their words it's clear they have no patience and lack the understanding that when you have young players they need time to develop. Things aren't always going to be perfect. SO many here say they want to rebuid. WELL if you rebuild it's gonna be ugly for a while, similar to what we see now. But many of the posters around here can't even enjoy the progress that these players are making. Sure we have flaws that are tough to deal with, but when some of you say you can't see anything worthwile about the roster we have and you want them gone, it's clear you just aren't watching very closely. Even pro analysts aren't that hard on the team anymore.
What's my agenda? Just that I want the Knicks to succeed? You can't touch me and my passion for the Knicks, with your negativity. In the early years before cable was even available in my area I used to listen to the Knicks on the radio religiously. You think my passion for this team and it's success can be questioned? I don't think so. Anyone that knows me knows how passionate I am about the Knicks.
It's OK to criticize the team and it's players but some of you take it too far. Now I do wonder about those that seem to find delight in mocking the team so viciously that it's right up there with non Knick fans bashing of the team. What does that say about that fan. I don't see how that can show that you really want the team to succeed.
'Luva, some fans want to love their team's players, some fans want their team to have players they can love. The latter requires something from the players, the former doesn't. That's a large part of it right there.
From those in the former camp I've heard such "love" for our players that they expected Lampe to be the next Dirk, Sweetney to be the next Elton Brand, Marbury to be a leader and the best PG in the league, Ariza to be the next Pippen, Frye to be the next Duncan, etc. They'd say "they're our players. I love our guys, so I love them. Is it so wrong for me to want our guys to be great?"
Their desires leads their expectations. That's fine, it makes them great fans... but often lousy analysts.
It works the other way too. Guys from the latter camp may have initially hated getting say LJ, with a bad back and a selfish reputation, until LJ did the things to EARN their love, then they embraced him wholeheartedly. Some may have hated trading warrior Oakley for brittle Camby, until Camby proved himself as an impact player, then they embraced him wholeheartedly.
Where those fans early negative judgments wrong? Perhaps, but so what, they wanted what was best for their team and were pleasantly surprised when it worked out. Why do you find that so much worse? Because sometimes they will be right, and these days, more often than not, they will be?
I think the real problem today comes from increased understanding of the business of the game. From message boards, sports shows, and the quantity of information available on internet, average fans are FAR better educated than ever about the CBA, the salary cap, the luxury tax, player's salaries, draft positioning, college prospects, GM's histories, etc.
Looking at a team's past, present and future is a whole different ball game than it used to be. Clyde always talks about the "evolution of the game" and he talks about the mobility/agility of bigmen. Well the evolution of the game for fans is teenagers who understand the intricacies of the collective bargaining agreement, player's contracts, the salary cap, the luxury tax threshold, gate proceeds and profitability, undermined coaches, sexual harassment suits, etc. Fans have a much bigger window through which to view their team than ever before. These days it's not so simple for some to just show up and cheer, like perhaps it once was.
I understand those who yearn for simpler days, but there's no turning back the hands of time. Some of you want some sort of credit for being able to tune all that information all out, to wear blinders and love your team, well...blindly. Fine, "kudos to you guys," if that's what you need to hear. But others have tasted tasted the forbidden fruit (knowledge) and don't want to pretend otherwise. They'll pick and chose what they do and don't love about how their team is run and how it performs.
I really think there is a contingent who want their message board to be, not a place where all things Knicks can be discussed, but a place they can come to get themselves pumped up about their team and to titillate each other into some state of delirium. Like an opium house or a religious revival meeting. They want their collective powers of enthusiasm and belief to cast out doubt and take them higher and higher; and anyone who interferes with the process is a real downer and doesn't belong.
I really hope there will someday be such a board for those who need that, but I also hope this wont be it.
2/24/2007 5:27 PM
