Look, before last season I was no Randle fan. His game was turn-over prone and he (and his partner in fumble, Elf) did nothing to endear themselves to me.

Last year, Randle began to develop into a borderline All Star and shut up critics such as myself. He was rewarded with enough money to support himself and everyone he knows for life.

I don't criticize him because he's enriched himself. I criticize him because he's not even the player he was last year.
There's no other metric involved.

There are repulsive, A-hole fans everywhere. Its just part of the game.

But at the end of the day its a game that we choose to play. I want the Knicks to win - I want the players to want to win. The expectation is that they work as hard as an Amazon warehouse worker does, nothing more, nothing less. Randle cannot divorce himself from this kind of simple expectation - "Play like you mean it".

When players slack, fans lose respect. The only thing that restores a cycle of mutual respect and team-hood is playing hard.

Sympathy cards don't win games, no matter how sincere they are. Try sending one to one of your bosses sometime.

fwk00 wrote:I don't criticize him because he's enriched himself. I criticize him because he's not even the player he was last year.

I think you made an awesome post but I only wanted to quote the above.

Last year was a career year for Julius Randle and unfortunately, he may never have that type of season ever again. At least not on a consistent and yearly basis.

And why? Because not many NBA players ever has not ever could.

Last year he did something that no NBA player has ever done since dating back to Larry Birds MVP season of 1986 ala 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists and off of + .400% from 3PT too.

Larry Bird of 1986:
30 years old.
40.6 Minutes per game.
28.1 Points per game.
9.2 Rebounds per game.
7.6 Assists per game.
.400% from 3.

(3.2 Turnovers per game).

Julius Randle:
26 years old.
37.6 Minutes per game.
24.1 Points per game.
10.2 Rebounds per game.
6.0 Assists per game.
.411% from 3.

(3.4 Turnovers per game).

So unless Julius Randle is the player he was last year?

You're always going to criticize him?

That's not fair on Julius Randle himself; because not many NBA players could ever nor has ever put up his type of 2020-2021 season; at least not on a consistent basis/yearly basis they haven't.

So if you're going to criticize him for "not being the player he was last year"?

I guess you're just always going to continue criticizing him @ only 27 years old; instead of just appreciating how he's changed the losing culture of New York basketball (alongside of coach Thibs) into a competitive one.

We went 0-2 without Julius Randle. 0-2 with two atrocious loses without him. And if that's not a wake up call to just appreciate him as a basketball player well then I don't know what is because we probably wouldn't have not even 5 wins (without Julius Randle.

▪︎ You know what I appreciate the most about Julius Randle which none of his critics seem to want to talk about? Even during nights where he's fatigued or struggles shooting etc he's still the only player on our team where opposing coaches have to game plan for and opposing players have to double team. He's the only player on the Knicks who allows Obi Toppin to flourish off the bench instead of being exposed as an undeveloped 2nd year PF and he's also the only player on our team as a veteran leader who takes the NEW YORK PRESSURE off of his younger teammates (off of Kemba and Rose too) and puts all of that NY pressure on himself. Which is why kids like R.J. Barrett absolutely love playing with him; and it's something that fans who continue to criticize him refuse to acknowledge let alone talk about.

Julius Randle will always have 2020-2021's potential in his back pocket but to expect it on a nightly and yearly basis is extreme.

This thread and the Frank one is now more palpable when I hear it to these sweet sweet lyrics

We're no strangers to love
You know the rules and so do I
A full commitment's what I'm thinking of
You wouldn't get this from any other guy
I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling
Gotta make you understand

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

But ever since he's returned?

N.Y. has gone 2-0.

And Julius Randle himself has combined for 52 Points, 24 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 3 steals, 20/40 from the field along with only 3 Turnovers and a +/- of +26.

That's an average of 26 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.5 steals, FG% of .500%, only 1.5 turnovers per game and an average +/- of +13 per game.

Lets see what he does during game #3 since returning (from his much needed physical break) @ Boston tonight.

SergioNYK wrote:Fans have every right to boo. Especially when that player isn't playing to their potential and not playing with max effort. If a player doesn't like it or can't handle it, he should ask for a trade to somewhere like Sacramento or OKC where there are no expectations or pressure.

Fans do NOT have the right to make it personal. If anyone DM'ed Randle or his wife on social media or yelled and insulted them in person during a game, those 'fans' are scumbags.

It's pretty simple going forward for Randle. Either play harder and play better or ask for a trade to a small city. If he keeps playing lazy, he is going to get booed.

Agree. Going after a player’s family is a scumbag move

Allanfan20 wrote:He played like $hit tonight.

I bet you've waited so bad to say that for 3 games now. Since you couldn't say jack squat the previous two games.

Um. Congrats?

NYKMentality wrote:

Allanfan20 wrote:He played like $hit tonight.

I bet you've waited so bad to say that for 3 games now. Since you couldn't say jack squat the previous two games.

Um. Congrats?

Actually he didn’t play great yesterday either, but they won the game. 6/19 is atrocious but his FG% is 41% this season so it’s par for the course.

2. MVP MVP MVP! MIP. 40% 3pt%. Playoffs in many years. Bad Playoffs. 1st round exit…

3. Boo Boo Boo! Can’t build chemistry. Can’t lead team to consistent performance. No playoffs.

Welcome to NYC! The pressure is high here. We would boo Durant, Kyrie, Leonard, Harden…

So what’s this all about?

smackeddog wrote:My favorite is when booing fans justify it by saying if players play well theyll cheer, they just want players who bring it every night, its not about success its about effort and only certain players can handle New York- they then point to Melo and Ewing as the few examples, but in reality they drove them both out at the time and wanted them gone too!

Well said.

Booing your best players has never worked.

The Knicks not winning an NBA Championship dating back to 1972-1973 is evidence and proof. That it doesn't work.

Because if you think booing the likes of Jeter/Ewing/Melo/Julius helps a player become great? You're wrong. If anything it creates more stress on the player and causes more mental frustration.

Imo fans who go to games to boo our best player are not only disgusting but also grown ass men just looking to unleash their life frustrations out on kids who are just playing a game they've loved since childhood.

If you think that booing the likes of Derek Jeter/Patrick Ewing/Carmelo Anthony/Julius Randle is acceptable? That's your opinion. But in my opinion it means you're nothing more than a disgusting love you while you're up before kicking you while you're down type of NY fan.

I also believe it's disgusting for NY fans to BOO kids drafted into NY such as KP and so many others. Grown men 40-50 years old booing kids on draft night? What a way to welcome kids into New York City; it's disgusting.