Posted by Bippity10:
Blueseats: I sat behind the bench for about 10 games during 2002/2003 and the fans down there were so relentlessly awful towards Allan that it was pathetic. Again this is what we did with Ewing. After the fact we all pretend that the bad treatment never happened. Forget it then, we treated Allan like gold.
I'll take your word for that. I was up in the blues, Sec 422 Row A, and we didn't get too personal up there, except to the opponents.
I would not condone booing Patrick or Allan, cause I never doubted their hearts were in the right place.
That said, even though I'm big on a traditional rebuild, when it was time for Patrick to go I supported the trade rather than letting the contract expire. Why? Precisely because the Garden was becoming brutal on him, and I wanted him to go out with dignity.
But Steph has not left his soul on the floor for us like Patrick; I don't think it's fair to compare them or fans relationship to them, other than to note that perhaps NY likes media savvy people. One of the reasons Isiah got off to such a fast start with the populace after Layden.
And regarding the fans mistreatment of Ewing, I think that began before 94. I think it began before my reign in 92. I don't know the details but supposedly it started on a Patrick Ewing poster night, when fans threw his image at him on the floor for a loss, possibly back in the 80s. Yes, very unfair indeed. But again, up where I sat there was none of that. Like many, Ewing wasn't my favorite Knick, Oakley was, but none of us in Sec 422 disrespected Pat, even at the end.
I have no problem with booing. I have no problem with fans being tough on players. I have no problem with NY being the toughest place on the planet to play. But at least boo when it's warranted. Right now Steph is taking a very undeserved beating. He is not any different today as a person than he was 2 years ago when we cheered him. He pouted then, and he pouts now. HE didn't lead then, and he doesn't lead now. Yet two years ago we cheered him as a savior, as the reason we went going from the doldrums to the playoffs. Now we are losing and people are magically inventing things, like how he is behaving on the bench and on the court etc. The same shiot we did to Patrick and Allan.
We cheered him differently in 03 because we thought he was a changed person. But since that time we learn he's still turning off his teammates, power-struggling with coaches, and still looking like he hates basketball, just like he did waaay back in New Jersey. Some of us thought he was a better PG than he is, some of us thought he was more ready for leadership than he is, some of us thought he was a better defender than he is, some of us thought he could do more for this team than he has. There were a lot of reasons for our faith in him at the time.
But for many of us there is so little of that faith left, and for that part of our disappointment that he is responsible for, like appearing unmotivated and detached, he hears complaints. I know you don't see it, but what I see is a guy who plays very nonchalant unless he's going for his own. I see a man who takes little joy in setting up his teammates or making an offense tick. I see a guy who shows little passion for defense or lose balls. I see a guy who needs to be told to act like a man. I see a guy who on arrival asks to be judged on wins, then complains how unfair it is to be judged on wins. I see a guy who last year only practiced by invitation. i see a guy who told a HOF coach (Wilkens) to 'stick it' with his coaching. I see a guy who buys friends with cars and suits but fosters little commraderie on-court. I see a guy who wears a towel like blinders when he's on the bench. I see a guy who rarely says "my bad" to take pressure off a teammate or to help them feel like they'll get 'em next time. I see a player who looks like he's dying to be on another team in another city, regardless of what city he's in.
Steph was booed because fans have come to expect a downward momentum shift when he re-enters a game because of energy and chemistry deficiencies. Because our mediocre alternative PGs both seem able to outplay him. Because of his apparent disinterest in his teammates when he's napping under his towel. Because Isiah gifted him with the best coach in the game and two of the best bigmen he could find and Steph hasn't shown a proclivity to embrace them. Because Steph looks like he's checking out and he needs a reality check from the fanbase.
This isn't a free ride, Steph needs to earn it every night. I don't care about the GM in his pocket or his sometimes impressive stat-lines, Steph looks like he's been mailing it in. That's not gonna cut it for anyone on this team. Last night was Steph's turn, but when Frye, Jamal, or whoever starts looking like they don't want to be here they're gonna get an earful too.
[Edited by - BlueSeats on 12-27-2005 9:29 PM]
12/28/2005 7:17 AM