Jimmy Sez

In my experience as a sports fan, I've learned that long championship droughts rarely end quietly. As a Yankee fan, I have a painful reminder of this. As a Knicks fan, I now know that cheering on your favorite team in the midst of it is the pinnacle of sports fandom. A playoff record win streak, a double-digit comeback in the 4th quarter seemingly every game, impossible last-second plays , overcoming unfair advantages , and an unparalleled celebration to put a bow on it. There's simply nothing like it. But part of what makes it so satisfying is the long, dark, dreary road that was navigated to get there. I wasn't alive for all of the 53 years between Knicks championships. However, I gained a deep appreciation for the Knicks' ineptitude in the time that I was around for. Among the rare near misses, there was a whole lot of frustration when it came to Knickerbocker basketball. I'd say I became a truly aware and articulate fan of the Knicks around 10 years old and ha...

It only took about 25 years or so, but the New York Knicks are finally a part of the daily basketball conversation in America again. As a die-hard Knicks fan and Villanova graduate , I couldn't be happier about how they got here. But before we get there, let's briefly review their recent history. Since an improbable run to the NBA Finals in 1999, the Knicks franchise has been various combinations of disappointing, sad, embarrassing, comical, and just plain pathetic. They traded their way from a decent roster to a mediocre one to a bad one, then even worse. They tried piloting those rosters with Hall of Fame coaches who were clearly looking for a big contract and little else (as evidenced by Larry Brown literally choosing his starting lineup based on whose hometown they were playing near). They handed the keys to the franchise over to Isaiah Thomas who hit a dubious trifecta by failing as a GM, head coach, and human being during his tenure. Knicks decision makers almost came to ...