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Daily News Reporter Breaks Ranks With Another Perspective on the Character of Knicks Players
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misterearl
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11/10/2007  10:45 PM
(truth be told... I sent this writer an email last week about in-season coverage of Knicks basketball. Did she read it? Who knows?)


Still, while the sample is too tiny to say for certain - four games, two wins, a 112-102 loss to the versatile, high-flying Magic last night - there is something likeable about this team, slight glimmers that suggest the season might not be as dreary as the months that preceded it.

"Just give us a chance and make a decision (based on) our record and the effort we give every game," Curry said the other night, after the Knicks won their home opener. "This is a likeable team, I really think you're going to see that. We have character. You won't see us quitting in the fourth quarter, I know that."

Balkman is a fair parable to the Knicks as a whole. Born in Staten Island and reared in Florida, he dreamed of playing college ball in the Northeast, preferably at St. John's or UConn or even Temple. There was one problem: he didn't care much for schoolwork as a child, and poor grades forced him to enroll in four high schools. By all accounts he wasn't a bad kid, just disinterested and lazy when it came to homework.

"I was always playing basketball," Balkman said before last night, as his toddler son kept trying to steal the ball from dad. "It wasn't the best choice but I learned from those mistakes and made it to a place where nobody thought I'd be."

Balkman isn't the fastest or the strongest, but he might just be the hungriest. He missed the entire preseason with an ankle injury, kept in shape by pretending he was Lance Armstrong on a stationary bike, and watching him bounce around the court like a kid on a sugar high makes you recall Curry's promise, and realize he's probably not wrong.

The Knicks have character. They're likeable. They might even be pretty good. They won't go undefeated at home, but we won't hold it against them

- Lisa Olson
once a knick always a knick
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bobs3304
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11/10/2007  10:47 PM
Girls can't play basketball.

DLee is the best thing to happen to NY in Isiah's 4 year tenure. And that alone, though a positive on the radar, is sad as hell.
4949
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11/10/2007  10:53 PM
Well, okay then. their likable.
I'll never trust this' team again.
nixluva
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11/11/2007  1:08 AM
I believe that if we're patient with this team in the end they'll give us a lot to cheer for. The thing is that too often people expect perfection from this team and they want it immediately. We all know the players are flawed and this isn't the most disciplined group of NBA players. Still there should be a lot of winnable games and I expect this team to win more of them this year than we have before. NOT ALL OF THEM, just more of them.

I'm glad that there's been just the hint of a change of heart from the media when it comes to this team. It's not a big wave of support yet, but here and there you read some who seem to believe this team is better. How much better we'll have to see.
mythfaze
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11/11/2007  1:15 AM
Posted by nixluva:

I believe that if we're patient with this team in the end they'll give us a lot to cheer for. The thing is that too often people expect perfection from this team and they want it immediately. We all know the players are flawed and this isn't the most disciplined group of NBA players. Still there should be a lot of winnable games and I expect this team to win more of them this year than we have before. NOT ALL OF THEM, just more of them.

I'm glad that there's been just the hint of a change of heart from the media when it comes to this team. It's not a big wave of support yet, but here and there you read some who seem to believe this team is better. How much better we'll have to see.

That's because the team looks a little different than it did last year. The media hasn't been that overly critical of the team. They start to show some promise, it gets noticed. It isn't a big wave of support yet because we haven't seen big changes yet. There have been flashes here and there of more maturity, greater effort, clutch play, and an offense that can effectively incorporate two big men who are similar in several regards. (Let me stress - flashes only.) We have to see if these develop and if trends start forming.

So far it is obvious the team has many of the same flaws they had last year. I wouldn't say they are worse in any of those areas, just that the problems are still there. And in some areas we are better (even if marginally, and even if based on a small sample size). Nothing worse, some things better... I'll be dammed, that sounds like improvement to me.

[Edited by - mythfaze on 11-11-2007 01:16 AM]
BasketballJones
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11/11/2007  1:15 AM
Daily News Smaily Mooz
https:// It's not so hard.
TMS
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11/11/2007  5:33 AM
Balkman is representin' Shaolin! i love that guy
After 7 years & 40K+ posts, banned by martin for calling Nalod a 'moron'. Awesome.
Nalod
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11/11/2007  1:00 PM
Ms olsen got in the truck.
BigC
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11/11/2007  1:25 PM
I really don't care about the character of these guys right now. Malik Rose is a nice guy but who the hell wants to see him on the court? Nice smiles do not equal good defense and points.
BigC's Knick blogs and Knicks highlights after every Knicks game http://fromthebaseline.com/
crzymdups
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11/11/2007  5:16 PM
Posted by misterearl:

(truth be told... I sent this writer an email last week about in-season coverage of Knicks basketball. Did she read it? Who knows?)

mr earl, do you work in the knicks pr office?
¿ △ ?
misterearl
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11/11/2007  8:03 PM
Posted by crzymdups:
Posted by misterearl:

(truth be told... I sent this writer an email last week about in-season coverage of Knicks basketball. Did she read it? Who knows?)

mr earl, do you work in the knicks pr office?

No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Select last night.

My kingdom for intelligent and creative sports writing

once a knick always a knick
nyk4ever
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11/11/2007  8:04 PM
Posted by misterearl:
Posted by crzymdups:
Posted by misterearl:

(truth be told... I sent this writer an email last week about in-season coverage of Knicks basketball. Did she read it? Who knows?)

mr earl, do you work in the knicks pr office?


My kingdom for intelligent and creative sports writing

Thats what you think...

"OMG - did we just go on a two-trade-wining-streak?" -SupremeCommander
misterearl
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11/12/2007  9:59 AM
Posted by nyk4ever:
Posted by misterearl:
Posted by crzymdups:
Posted by misterearl:

(truth be told... I sent this writer an email last week about in-season coverage of Knicks basketball. Did she read it? Who knows?)

mr earl, do you work in the knicks pr office?


My kingdom for intelligent and creative sports writing

Thats what you think...


nyk4ever - is there a problem with having an opinion that doesn't match the rest?
once a knick always a knick
nyk4ever
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11/12/2007  10:15 AM
Posted by misterearl:



nyk4ever - is there a problem with having an opinion that doesn't match the rest?

Geez Earl it was a joke, hence the smiley.
"OMG - did we just go on a two-trade-wining-streak?" -SupremeCommander
Masterplan
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11/12/2007  11:07 AM
Knicks seek Character, not Characters anymore
BasketballJones
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11/12/2007  11:13 AM
Doggone it, people like these Knicks.
https:// It's not so hard.
Daily News Reporter Breaks Ranks With Another Perspective on the Character of Knicks Players

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