From BMOC to Loser
It's been a tough road for the Knicks' three rookies
By Matthew Waxman

Before a recent Knicks game, SIOC caught up with rookies Nate Robinson, David Lee and Channing Frye in the stinky confines of the New York Rangers locker room in the bowels of the Madison Square Garden. The goofy trio held court on topics ranging from rookie initiation to the eternal debate about the relative merits of groupies and college girls.

SIOC: How does playing in the NBA differ from college?

Nate Robinson: It's actually more open in the NBA because night in and night out, different players come in with different games and use the court differently than anyone else. One night you have Allan Iverson, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash. They can make the court seem so much bigger than it is.

David Lee: The biggest thing is the experience factor. There's a big difference between being a senior in college versus a freshman, but to be a rookie playing against guys that have been in the league 10-12 years is enormous because those veteran guys really know the nuances of the game.

Channing Frye: I'd have to say the schedule. The amount of games you play in the NBA really takes a toll on your body.

SIOC: What was your "pinch yourself" moment this season?

NR: Covering Allen Iverson. He had 40 [points]. After the game though, he talked about me to the media, and said, "He's gonna be a hell of a player; he's gonna blossom."

DL: In preseason, guarding Dirk Nowitzki. Just watching those guys on TV so much growing up and getting a chance to step on the court and guard him. To be honest, a guy like that is very good but I didn't feel overwhelmed, so that was a good thing.

CF: Um...what was the question again? I'm sorry.

SIOC: The moment this season where you had to pinch yourself?

(At this point Malik Rose and Penny Hardaway cruise in and start horsing around with each other and a giant, green bouncy ball.)

CF: When I first played against Malik Rose. I always looked up to him when he played at Drexel.

SIOC: Any hazing yet? Drag queen outfit for plane rides? 'Kick me' signs?

DL: They hazed us one time at Johnny Rockets. There was Motown on, Aretha Franklin, and they made us get up and sing and dance.

CF: What? Hazing? Um...they make me go get sandwiches and newspapers and make wake up calls.

SIOC: What's the biggest misconception about playing in the NBA?

DL: The schedule is tough. Playing basketball day to day without classes, it becomes a job rather than a sport.

CF: There's a lot more behind the scenes other than playing basketball. There's so much more that you gotta handle, and it drains you.

NR: Yeah, people don't realize the mental toll it all takes.

SIOC: What do you miss most about college?

NR: The fans. The student section [at Washington] was big for me. They were there early, camping out, painting their faces, making signs, always being loud and always giving us energy. Tell the Dawg Pack, they rock.

DL: For me, the biggest difference is the weather [at Florida]. That and I miss falling asleep in class while reading Sports Illustrated on Campus.

CF: I miss the fans [at Arizona]. In college, you'd just walk around campus and see the fan base.

DL: Yeah, the support of an entire school is a different kind of support than from a city. Everybody affiliated with your school was just so excited. In New York, you've got several sports teams and there's so much going on.

SIOC: Yeah, in New York, you've got guys like Snoop Dogg walking around.

DL: Well, he was more West Coast, but it's true there's so much going on here as opposed to being in a college town like Gainesville.

SIOC: Who's hotter, college girls or NBA groupies?

NR: I've got a girl, so I'll defer to these guys.

DL: Definitely Southern girls get the nod.

CF: Ah...I wasn't listening. Sorry what was the question?

DL: College girls or NBA groupies?

CF: Oh, college girls by far. That's not even a question. Don't get me wrong, New York is nice, but at Arizona [shakes his head]...you could just walk outside the house...

SIOC: The moment this season where you had to pinch yourself?

CF: When I first played against Malik Rose. I always looked up to him when he played at Drexel.

LMAO

DL: For me, the biggest difference is the weather [at Florida]. That and I miss falling asleep in class while reading Sports Illustrated on Campus.

LOL... nice to see that scholarship money didn't go to waste.

He was prolly thinking of the college girls in Arizona, or maybe he was thinking of how he wants to come up with another suck up line. I love the guy to death, but I find the boy sucks up to the extreme.