For The Love of LBJ, Should We Boo?

by Ben Kopelman on November 5th, 2009 at 12:28 pm

LeBron is coming! LeBron is coming! LeBron is coming!

I really am that giddy about Bron-Bron’s one and only trip to MSG this year.

Maybe it’s because he always puts on a show when he steps inside the building (three of his last four starts @MSG: 52/9/11, 50/8/10, 32/8/6 and 6 steals); maybe because Friday night is a chance to feel what the Garden could be like 41 times next year; maybe because it’s our only chance at being a “witness.”

Maybe because it’s the fans’ chance to turn all the 2010 talk into 2010 action, to show LeBron how much we want him.

But what does LeBron want?

I have never been a superstar-mega-celebrity athlete, so I can’t speak from personal experience (yet — come onnnn second growth spurt), but I see two sides to the situation.

I can see James basking in his NYC spotlight, soaking it all in as he always does.  Eating up the crowd’s cheers when he hits the layup line, when his name is announced, when he makes his first no-look pass, and when he — oh my — throws down his first “I Am All That Is Man” dunk.

Who wouldn’t be flattered and appreciative of being showered with such pure love and admiration?

But doesn’t a player want to play for a team that has die-hard fans? The type that ruthlessly boo every opposing player that steps foot on their home floor? Doesn’t every home crowd secretly hope to be feared by the visiting fans and players?  The best player in the world should be public enemy #1!

If you were James, wouldn’t you want to know that if you came to NY, every visiting team, coach, player and training staff member would be hissed at the way we used to hiss at Isiah?   Shouldn’t we send the message that the better the opposing player, the more viscous we will be?

“LeBron WHO? Never heard of ya! NEW YORK KNICKS BAYYYBEEEEE!!”

Come Friday night, how can Knicks fans support their LBJ-2010 cause best? With cheers of “we’ll love you no matter what” or with jeers of “we’ll love you when you’re one of us?”

As much as you might want to give the King his propers, LeBron may feel more comfortable with New York after a shower of “boos” than a shower of “boo-yas.”
  • jho

    The way the Knicks are currently constituted, it’s not going to matter one way or the other. If we keep sucking, there’s no way Lebron is coming.

  • Ben Kopelman

    agreed. i am more asking about the theory behind it…

  • dw

    We’ll cheer him this year to show our support, and then we’ll boo him next season when he decides to stay…

    But yeah, I don’t understand the logic.. Sure, Knicks fans want to show him the reception he’d get if he decides to come, but the lack of support for their home team shows a disloyalty, if you will, to the home team. Same goes for when Knicks fans cheer Kobe, who will never come here..

    Orange and Blue 4ever

  • Sergio

    I’m attending the game and will participate in chants that support LeBron James coming here next year. If we start chanting “We want James!” or “Come to New York!” I’ll be screaming like crazy. But I will not cheer for King James. I won’t chant “MVP” or scream after every basket he makes. He’s still a Cleveland Cav.

  • JRSlim

    If Reggie Miller, Michael Jordan or any other “Knick killers” ever came here, I’ll welcome them in open arms. But the fact remains that you’re the opponent, so I must defeat you. I can’t like you. Respect talent; hate opposition

  • Sergio

    Yeah, these people who root and cheer Kobe Bryant are not true Knicks fans.

  • Bob

    I WANT TO PUT CRAZY GLUE IN HIS ROSIN

  • Bob

    if you have to ask this question ……..your not a real KNICKS fan

  • danny

    cheer for him and make the franchise look even more pathetic. We are cheering you because our team sucks- that’s sure to impress. Always support the home team and boo the enemy. Cheering the enemy makes you look pathetic

  • gbaked

    cheer him like crazy when he is announced, do the we want LeBron chant then…

    but once the game is on, its all knicks.

    and I am so glad he is gonna be in town to see the parade for the Yankees. You know how they celebrate champions in Cleavland? No? No idea what they do? Because nobody cares about Cleavland.

  • HaS

    Where is Cleavland? They have a team? Cleveland probably has a good case against them if they do.

    No shots.

    LOL

  • HaS

    Listen, the Knick fans probably wouldn’t cheer for LeBron, Kobe or any other visiting player for that matter, IF the home team was competitive. If the Knicks were the 6th seed and the Cavs were the 3rd seed in the playoffs (for arguments sake) then the fans would definitely boo and give LeBron, Kobe and anyone not in home white, hell.