The Knicks Fix

Congrats to the big fella!!! #33 forever

he'd still probably do better than big snacks(jj) at his old age....

Number 33 my most fav knick! I remember the first game i saw on tv when i was still living in Jamiaca Knicks Vs Cavs and #33 dominated. Seeing this clip brings back soo many memories and good times with the knicks, and also the heartbreakers and bad memeories. But those bad memeories make it all worth it when we win. I remember when Ewing led us to the finals in 94 i think i was sooo happy when we won the east, I was 15 i think i remember jumping around and running through the hall of my dorm at school. Ahh good times. The ceremony to retire his number was very touching, there will never be another player like pat. Big fella that plays D, can shoot, rebound,block shots. THANK YOU BIG FELLA!!!!!!!!!!!!.................... btw did u see how he was all over starks when he pushed reggie? Now thats a leader!

say what you want about ewing. at least you could see he played hard, hurt and with intensity on both ends of the court. you can't get an 1/8 of this intensity from the current knicks roster. on top of that, this dude is a HOF and going is as a knick. we should all be proud of his contribution to this team especially since we haven't had a winner since he left.

big up to all yard man rude bwoy!!!

congratulations pat #33

Yeah, it is great to be nostalgic but I remember the press (and New York fans) abusing him up and down from Georgetown until he got out-of-town and into those ugly Seattle Uni's.

It also reminds me of the last time we brought in an up-tempo coach who had little respect for half court defense.

Oh well.

Ewing has no chip because he was Robin. Batman was waiting for
him in a Knick uniform, sadly never to team up!
http://www.nba.com/inside_stuff/hoop_april2004_king.html

Ultimate Warrior.

The Knicks Franchise ate lunch out on Patrick from the moment the envelope opened. Revolving Door at GM, Revolving Door at Coach, Revolving Door at Point Guard. And every year he made it work. All the while suffering the back stabbing pygmy hordes of the New York media. Quick fix after quick fix, over the hill star after over the hill star (if only Rolondo had gotten burn in that game!!!!) always "better do something now, because Patrick's knees are gonna go." Mountains of ice, oceans of sweat, and he was still there, waiting for a Pippen, his ill-fated boon companion, Bernard King, never to be by his side. Had Bernard not fallen - who would have stood in their way?

Then more ruinous fate - Stu Jackson defends the honor of the league when PJ Brown tries to plant Charlie Ward headfirst and Patrick never gets to play out the string, and the Heat embarrass themselves against the Bulls. And then the year they go to the finals again, his achilles goes, and instead of Camby and Ewing against Duncan and Robinson, its LJ on a bum knee with Camby caddying the boards.

The True Warrior - the one who drawing his sword, throws the scabbard away, because there will be no other battle than this battle, the total commitment of self. He is the guarantor of his own word, winning and losing are already the same, because he will never, ever, give less than everything. No whining, no triangulation, no excuses - we will win - and he fought on carrying that whole organization on his back. That he didn't win doesn't make him a liar, doesn't make him less of a player, it is only that fate decided otherwise.

There is a reason Hector is lauded as a great hero - he took the field against the divine-born Achilles knowing he would not see the sun fall that day. There is a reason the story of 47 Ronin is still told, a story that begins AFTER the defeat of their Daimyo and their cause. Front running is easy, the other side takes more guts and heart, and truly tests the character of the man. I'm proud to have fallen with Patrick instead of winning with Michael - that was our fate, I wouldn't trade it for another.

ummmmm, a little over the top Willis , no??

It was not over the top, that piece sent chills down my spine willis.... are u secretly mike breen??????

@ Willis - bad @ss.

If only you also paid some homage to my namesake...after this was posted I went back and watched a couple You tubes on Knicks/Bulls when Oakley laid a beating on the entire Bulls team (even while Jordan scored 40 & 50 pts., on almost every play the Oak Man man handles some member of the Bulls on the offensive or defensive end.

Long way to get to...it paid in the old days to have an "enforcer". he let the Big Fella handle the scoring, while he handle "setting the tone".

Jim, absolutely.

Thanks Alan -

I have to say that I was one of those guys that often underappreciated Patrick. I always was looking for perfection from him but while doing so I failed to realize he was giving us every last ounce he had to give on the floor.

Watching that tribute I started thinking how many BIG shots has a guy like Eddy Curry knocked down for us and I can think of maybe one in a meaningless end of game moment against the Bucks 2 years ago.

Watching the videos of Pat I you realize that he took most of the big shots for us for over a decade. Win or lose - he got down in the block called for the ball and took the pressure shots that most big guys just aren't asked to take or knock down.

I often wished Patrick could have played smarter and improved certain aspects of his game. I also thought he focused too much on offense and would have preferred he had been more of a defensive presence like when he roamed the paing at Georgetown. Ultimately I'm grateful for the chance to have watched him compete and I believe he left it all out on the court when he was thru.

What else can a fan ask for but a great player giving his best.

Thanks Patrick

If the Knicks win the title in 99' Ewing retires a Knick, Sprewell is lauded as the hero he should have been and given a starting role, and Houston doesn't get that huge K extension which started the Knicks era of financial irresponsiblity. Who knows maybe even James Dolan wises up and doesn't demand the trades of Spree and Camby forcing Van Gundy to quit.

Never saw Willis Reid or Frazier play so to me Ewing is the greatest Knick ever and the current Knicks roster is a disgrace to all of their memories.

@ WILLIS

beautifully put. the best damn post of the year, period!

maureen dowd's got nothing on you.

any truth to this?
(translate from dutch)
http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza.be/2.302/fietserke_zaalsporten/1.372700

Thanks sec - He was an inspiring player.

One of the things that stuck in my mind about Patrick occured before ever was a knick. We probably all know what he went through growing up in Boston, the racism, the taunting, but also that he wasn't a basketball player from the cradle. Coming from Jamaica, talking funny, having the huge growth spurt, and really getting beat up on the court for a long time until he could harness his body to the task. Anyway, after all those years of ridicule and nastiness in Boston, everybody expected him to got to Boston College and be their savior. Nothing but pressure, negative, then expectant pressure, and through it all the kid trying to keep his head up, find his way. So finally comes the press conference where he announces he's going to Georgetown. (I've seen it on some NBA films thingy.) I'll never forget how after he announced, the mask dropped and this wave of relief poured across his face and that huge smile appeared, almost sheepish, then bigger and bigger. Just a kid who finally felt free of some serious weight. I don't know, it was very touching, and kind of gave an insight into who the guy was (is). Never entitled, never aggrandizing, always trying his damnedest to be the best he could.

And Old school - don't get me started on the Oakman. My mom who barely watched, but got caught up in the Riley years a little bit, loved those two guys, but loved the Oakman the most.

Willis excellent post man !

@ Willis,

I don't know what you do for a living, but if you're not in a literary/creative writing field, you're not answering your calling, bruh....you're in the wrong line of work.

Reading those last two posts took me closer to the times you described than any sports reel dug out of the archives....

Great reading bruh....truly inspiring!! Looking forward to blogging with you and the fellas in the season ahead!

Does anyone know if the ceremony will be broadcast. When? what channel?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I tried to get tickets to go up but they were sold out very quick

Watching that video brings back some good memories. If only we had a homegrown (drafted) leader like that again.

Maybe one day. Congrats Pat, we miss ya!

B

WILLIS....i had forgotten about that press conference when patrick announced he would go to georgetown. what a great decision he made, to get out of the town that was the most violent opponent to integration of its public schools, and away from a culture that has always exhibited a double standard/fair weather attitude toward its black athletes: the superior jim rice scorned while the inferior fred lynn felt the love, jason varitek embraced for hitting 220, while manny had to produce in every at bat or hear the boos. the list goes on and on, kc, jojo, silas only footnotes to the "gods" mchale, cowens, heinson, ainge.

patrick got plenty of unfair criticism in ny for not winning a title, but he will always be beloved here for his effort and skills. in boston he would have been crucified.

the heart of a lion, the smile of a child. i will always remember and love him.

THIS IS WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN CUT ROBINSON, NOOOW, COLLINS NOOW AN BUY OUT R CUT JEROME JAMES,,,, TRADE ZACH FOR THE TWO THEY TALKING ABOUT .THEN SHIGN EWING JR AN IF HOUSTON SHOW HE CAN SHOT STILL AN GET UP AN DOWN THE COURT FOR SOME GOOD MIN SIGHN HIM

THE FOUR U WILL GIVE UP ONE OF HEM IS SOMETHING TOO THINK OF. ROBINSON R HOUSTON
JAMES R EWINGJR
AN SOMEONE PLEASE TILL ME WHAT IS PEOPLE SEEING IN COLLINS HE HAS NO TALENT PEOPLE PALYING STREET BALL IS BATTER THEN IS HE JUST NOW HOW TO PLAY ORGNIZE BALL U GET A PLAYER FROM AND1 AN SHOW HE TOO THE ORGNIZE WAY HE TAKE HI SPOT IF COLLINS WENT TOO PLAY WITH THEM HE WILL GET SCRAP