The Making of a Die-Hard Knicks Fan

My husband, a loyal, die-hard Knicks fan, can tell you most every fact about the Knicks dating back to when he first became a fan back in the 1980’s.  I recently asked him what solidified him as a fan for life.  He said it was when the Knicks drafted Patrick Ewing in 1985.  He gets all nostalgic and goes on to tell me how, back then, defense was their game and for 12 years they made the playoffs.  He boldly states that if not for Michael Jordan, the Knicks would have had a chance at the championship title.  The drafting of Patrick Ewing made my husband a Knicks fan for life.

Now, some 25 years later, the next generation of Knicks fans in our family experienced a player acquisition that had the same effect, but quite a different outcome.  My oldest son has followed in his father’s footsteps and is a die-hard Knicks fan.  For several months he told me how the Knicks were going to win it all next year because the Knicks were going to acquire LeBron James.  Now, granted, we are a sports family so I knew who he was talking about but, even if you … Read more at FryingPanSports

Niblets for August 2010

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Best comment of the month:

From Tena

I’m not a baseball fan, but this whole episode stinks to the high heavens. WHY in God’s name is congress (A group of liars if there ever was one) WASTING their valuable time on a baseball player who allegedly lied about taking drugs that may even kill him someday. The country is in the grip of a horrible mess caused by the inattention of politicians for the last 30 years. That boil is getting ready to burst,and here we have Congress trying to “look busy”. It’s really disgusting. It’s impossible for Congress to hold anyone in contempt, because that is the feeling that the entire country has -against THEM!…..

You must also become a reader of fryingpanpolitics.blog.com because I made EXACTLY the same argument. Well done.

Updates on previous columns:

LeBron, Gilbert, Miami and Cleveland LeBron came back to Cleveland for a bike fund raiser. He was roundly booed and expressed disgust that the city wanted to be paid to provide police protection for the riders. LeBron, if you though that was a bad welcome, wait till the Beach Boys come to play.

The NFL, NFLPA, and an 18 game season. If you … Read more at FryingPanSports

Niblets for July 2010

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NOTE:  We will finish our question mark review for the NFC South and West Thursday.

Best comment of the month:

teeth whitening gets the comment of the month again. Comment on LeBron is LeGone to Miami I wonder if the incentives in the contracts for the beach boys are going to impose problems during their season? What if one of the players decides to pad their stats instead of playing team ball and set off the egos.

TW, I think we have a new name for the guys in South Beach–the Beach Boys. Well done and thanks for reading our site.

Updates on previous columns:

LeBron, Gilbert, Miami and Cleveland The Heat added F Juwan Howard, Joel Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jamaal Magloire and rookies Dexter Pittman and Patrick Beverley. Z is nearly useless and was at the end of the bench during the Cavs run in the playoffs last season. Howard is not what he used to be but will help. Magloire gives the heat some physical play inside at C.

The Cavs have done very little to add talent despite owner Gilbert’s statement. The fact is that if the team could not attract a top UFA with LeBron on … Read more at FryingPanSports

LeBron is LeGone to Miami

LeBron announced tonight that he is going to play for the Heat next season. It was a good decision for him but could be fatal to the Cavilers.

In Miami he will play with both Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh and a cast of rejects and no names.

In Cleveland, there is a hole the size of the Pacific Ocean right in the middle of the starting lineup.

Miami now has a total of 6 guys on the roster. PG Mario Chalmers and C Joel Anthony will join the Second 3 (the first big 3 was the Celtics) as starters with utility man Michael Beasley most likely to be traded for multiple vets. James is used to playing 35+ minutes a night and unless the team can find a few cheap vets, he will have to. The starters should be among the best in the league. But very often, championships require a decent if not strong bench. This team will be DEEP into luxury tax land and will have to find a bench willing to play at league minimum. They do have a couple of rookies they can sign.

The Cavs now have enough cap room to sign a top … Read more at FryingPanSports

Sports Buffet for 06/29/10

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NFL

Lions president Tom Lewand was recently charged with DUI. That got him a not so friendly visit with Comm. Goodell this week. While there is no decision yet on punishment for the charge or from the league, the players and NFLPA Ex. Dir. DeMaurice Smith will be watching this case very closely. They will want to see if management is held to the same standard as the players.

UFA RB Brian Westbrook was charged with DUI in February but has been found not guilty.

Bengal RB Cedric Benson is in trouble again. This time he was charged with assault with injury resulting from an altercation at a downtown Austin Texas bar. He reportedly punched a bar employee in the face. He paid his bond but the charge is a class A misdemeanor. It will get him a ticket to meet with Comm. Goodall sometime soon.

Steelers OT Willie Colon’s hurt his Achilles’ tendon and will miss the entire year. He had started 54 straight games. The team is searching for a replacement but the good ones are gone.

NBA

We are getting closer to knowing where the big name UFAs will be going. One thing that looks fairly certain … Read more at FryingPanSports

There will be more chairs than players for NBA max contracts in 2010 free agency

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Trying to grade the NFL draft right after it is an effort in futility. The NBA draft is even worse because we have so much less information about the players. I won’t try to do that. Instead let’s look at 2010 free agency because that is where the rubber of the NBA ball meets the court.

There are 3 premiere UFAs in the 2010 free agent class. Those are 1. LeBron James SF (26 years old), 2. Dwyane Wade, SG (28) and 3. 3. Chris Bosh, FC (26). That is it.

There are 3 blue chip UFAs including 4. Joe Johnson, SG (29 a late bloomer that has really come on in Atlanta) 5. Amare Stoudemire, FC (28 but injury prone and not much of a defender) 6. Dirk Nowitzki, PF (a very old 32).

Then there is the rest who are at best a “Pippen” that requires a Jordan to get you a championship.

There is no question that the first 3 deserve the max contract of about 16.6 mil over what ever length of time you can sign the guy for. In the second group Johnson deserves the max but I would not give the other 2 max … Read more at FryingPanSports