New York Knicks Fans, Let's Get Real!

OK, New York Knick hopefuls, let’s be real. You don’t really expect the 2010-2011 Larry O’Brien trophy and NBA Championship banner to be housed in Madison Square Garden? Do you? I hope not.

Before you walk, you must crawl.

Before you win, you must grow.

Before you grow, you must gel.

I understand that Knick-Mania is alive again, as the acquisitions of Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony has given the team new life and New York fans hope. Not since the days of Patrick Ewing and John Starks have we seen such support and felt such electricity in the Garden. But again, let’s be real.

Who, out of the group that includes Mike D’Antoni, has ever won anything on this level? In Phoenix, D’Antoni and Stoudemire fell short of reaching the NBA Finals a couple times. In Denver, Chauncey Billups (the only ring-bearer in a Knick uniform) and Anthony did well but failed to conquer the West. Now, former rivals become teammates.

Remember, before you walk, you must crawl.

The Knick product is much better now than what was being packaged and sold throughout the past decade. The world’s most famous arena was home to one of the NBA’s most agonizing franchises. I’m sure that a team of Billups, Stoudemire and Anthony sure beats a team of Eddy Curry, Darko Milicic and Chris Duhon.

To get the wins, you must grow as players and coaches...and as fans! Fans run the show and ticket sales are directly related to fan support. Without you, there is NO SHOW! Fans are the sixth man on the floor, "The Invisible Bully."

With that being said, fans must continue to show that they are behind the team in good and bad times. Every night won’t be a good night, but what should be consistent is the effort given. Players must understand that. Growing means not getting stupid fouls 30 feet from the hoop. Growing means adding something to the game and your team, even when you’re not shooting well. Growing means adjusting your strategy to include D-E-F-E-N-S-E as well as offense.

”I may-be, I may-be wrong, but I doubt it.”

To become an elite team and seriously challenge for the championship ring, the Knickerbockers will have to gel as a team...and it WILL take time. In the case of the Celtics’ amazing feat back in 2008, they infused the team with crafty veterans who understood the urgency.

No longer was it about "me" and "mine." It became "us" and "we." They came together at the beginning of the season, had a training camp together, bought into a defensive scheme together and won a championship…TOGETHER! The Knicks should adopt that philosophy. This year should be viewed as a learning curve, a work-in-progress and a success.

The Knicks have two primed superstars, a crafty veteran and a proven winner at the lead and bench players who have received valuable time in order to grow. Now, if you add a few pieces in the offseason (specifically a rebounder and post defender), become better defensively and play basketball for 48 minutes instead of 42 minutes, NYC could experience more than just the Thanksgiving Day parade down Madison Avenue.

I’m just being REAL!

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Ilee Coleman
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