I am in Atlanta right now and was lucky enough to score some A+ seats (good looks JD) to tonight’s Knicks-Hawks game.
Aside form a quality win which had the Knicks climb out of an early hole to one of the East’s better squads, there was something that I simply couldn’t shake from the moment I walked in until the moment I walked out of Philips Arena tonight.
Plain and simple: this place has nothing on MSG. The fans were subdued, the energy was lacking, and the overall sense was not one of walking into the home of a first-place, high-flying, easy-to-root-for team. Sure this was one night in one arena, but I can’t help but assume that this is the same for 90% of the home-court’s across the league.
Granted the Knicks aren’t the leagues biggest road attraction for hometown fans, but Atlanta has not been on top of the NBA world for long enough to be jaded by a firstplace, 13-5 start to a season.
So when I walked into the place tonight, I was ready to fold my arms and pout “God I miss this” for at least the first quarter. But you know what? The feeling didn’t last more than the first 4 minutes and the Hawks opened up on a 11-0 run! I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the place was dead, but if things were flipped? If the Knicks were a first place team and a 4-win Hawks team came into the Garden on a FRIDAY NIGHT? I assure you the air would have been a lot less still…
So I guess what I’m trying to say is, even as we flounder through the first chunk of the season, even as we watch our team wallow in mediocrity most nights, we have something that other teams and other cities simply don’t have.
We have New York. We have MSG. And soon enough, we will have the team to go along with it. So until then, enjoy being the spoiler who other team’s can’t believe they lost to. Enjoy wearing the colors that other fans roll their eyes at. Enjoy being beaten by the media outlets as a team of mishaps.
Because when our time comes? There really will be no place like home…
I just saw 8 minutes of Lebron dancing on the side lines DURING the Bulls game — ESPN SportsCenter.
And we bitch about Nate doing a little jig in his seat before the game.
There’s a Huge Difference Between Lebron Dancing and N8 dancing. Lebron is a Superstar and a complete Player and Nx isn’t.
Sorry I meant “N8″ not Nx. But whereas Lebron gets 32, 8&8 and leads his team to a win and doesn’t shoot at the wrong basket, make bonehead fouls or take ridiculous shots. Nate does that’s what I’m tryen to say.
I disagree..anyone who doesnt act like a professional is just another azzhole.Dont get me wrong,i know lebron james is one of the great players in the NBA today,but he is still just an immature kid.all that stupid ROSIN DUST THROWING,THAT RIDICULOUS FAKE PHOTO SHOOT,HIM REFUSING TO SHAKE HANDS,AND NOW LAST NIGHT DANCING DURING THE GAME TO SHOW -UP THE BULLS,then this idiot says “iwas just having fun,i didnt mea to show-up the bulls or noah,i think he was just frustrated that he personally asnt able to play well enough to help his team win” WHAT A JERK THIS GUY IS! i dont care if hes the best player the world ever saw,hes a down-right asshole jerk,and he still has some growing up to do.but the higher ups in the NBA wont tell him this,cuz they think hes so great hes untouchable.its too late for lebron,because he is surrounded by YES MEN,but at least it isnt too late for NATE
I think Nate will land on his feet. He’s used to being the underdog. He may like to play around a lot, be extremely hyperactive and overly energetic, but he loves the game of basketball. He wants to be better hhe just hasn’t been around a winner to see how it’s done. Unfortunately once he gets around a winner and sees how to approach the game from a professional standpoint he will be a perfect 6th man and maybe even an unstoppable scoring point guard. It probably won’t be here though because there isn’t enough of a leadership present on this team, from the coach down to the last man on the bench. Then once again, Knicks fans will be saying “Why couldn’t he do that here?” The Knicks have a problem developing their own talent.
Bob, opinions are like a$$holes….everyone’s got one. LeBron is human. If he did not feel like shaking hands that does not mean he is a jerk.
that was a jerk move, it doesnt matter who you are
shake hands and congratulate the winner after a loss…its sportsmanship 101
come on
quick question bob,
assumming lebron never matures and continues to do those stupid things (that I hate as well), would you still want to give him a max contract this summer and tie up 20% of the teams salary cap on him? (i do)
now assume the same for nate, do you even want him for $5 million a year? (i don’t)…that’s the difference
I dont like it either, but that’s the way it is these days. I try my best to ignore it…it helps a little if the guy leads his team to wins consistantly
Unfortunately, the guys that don’t act like idiots out there are few and far between these days.
biggie, did you just compare nate robinson to lebron james?
Do you really want us to list all the reasons why lebron should have privileges like that and nate should not?
i compared one NBA players “antics” to anothers. Should there be a double standard?
If Nate were 6’8″ and 250 lbs. with the same exact abilities as he has now (freakishly athletic, he’s a good passer when he wants to be, a good shooter when he takes good shots, a nice handle and can get by his man anytime and Lebron didn’t play defense his first few years either) no one would be complaining about his maturity to the point where they would want him benched regardless of his ability to help the team.
my point is that lebron has earned the privilage to do things like that and nate has not.
yes there is a double standard
we have all watched sports for a long time, the stars that make their teammates better and WIN get more privilages than 6th man energy role player guys that come off the bench.
Nate is a star because of his performance in the slam dunk contest and for the crazy athletic plays he makes on the floor despite his size (trust me, i love those), but he does not make any of his teammates better and he does not lead his team to wins consistantly. The problem is that he is actlng like someone who does that…he hasn’t earned that right.
And you can’t compare possibly the best player in the NBA with a guy like nate just because they are both nba players.
I doubt lebron is dancing if the Cavs were 4-14
What do you think?
Cleveland won. Cleveland wins.
Knicks aren’t giving up, and the playoffs are not out the picture.
i have a picture,and i’m looking as hard as i can……..NOPE…i dont see any playoffs in this KNICKS picture
Reading your blog it took until the final paragraph to know what the heck you
were talking about..is the Atlanta Arena as a nice as MSG the fans?
Why did it have to take eight paragraphs to get to your point which I am not sure I understand? Having grown up in MSG, and visited many arenas around the country I don’t agree. Are you saying that Knick fans are the best or perhaps one of the few cities in the country with enough rich people to afford tickets to these arenas? Also consider that Atlanta fans might not want to shell out small fortunes to watch crap teams like the Knicks. Maybe they’re even smarter than us?
I also take exception to you exclamation…
“while we wallow in mediocrity”…we have not been wallowing in mediocrity
we have been wallowing in horror, in inadequacy, we have been out of our league, out of THE LEAGUE. The Knicks on the court have been the washington generals for years, only we are not joking and we drafted dreadfully when we draft.
You saw a freak event, a good win, in a weird place “atlanta”,
maybe you were homesick, but todays blog as my girlfriend would say
is COLD SOUP
Or you’re just not getting the point…
Well put Ben, well put.
Great Post Ben! I Couldn’t Agree More. We are all Knicks fans and when our team is playing well no place is louder than MSG! Even Now When we are Winning a Game the place has Emotion and is Loud. “Let’s Go Knicks”
As someone who now lives in Atlanta and therefore goes to Hawks games every once in a while, i have to agree. Phillips is a nice venue and the fans get loud and crazy after a dunk or during a short run, but overall the place is pretty lethargic. Half of the time the arena isn’t filled and there is a general low energy about the place. Having been to many Knicks games i can definitely say that we are lucky to have MSG and the energy that is always in the building.
Thanks for the Insight bgstunna. Now we heard it from you and Ben.
christ ,just watcing on T.V. you can hear the LAME P.A.anouncer yell something like”LETSS GO HAWKS” OR “DEE-FENCE” it sounds very artificial
Ben Kopelman,
we have MSG, we have NY & we have HERI.
dont ya forget that. LoL
can’t compare LeBron with N8.
thats asinine (like Heri.) ha ha ha
enjoy the win
who’s heri?
Heri is the blogga destroya. LoL
how many names has he used here so far?
contradict his posting and one of his aliases will attack you.
he wears many helmets. lol
nobody cares but you
Thall
I picture you as someone that enjoys going to Star War Conventions.
WITH HIS FAKE SPOCK EARS,waiting in line for a glimpse at SULU,an an autographed 8×10 glossy of DR.MCOY
Found a picture of Thall online…
http://andrearaimondi.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/trekkie.jpg
dude.. your credibility is fading fast with this Heri obsession.
get a grip.. you are acting like a troll.
The surreal thing is Heri isn’t denying any of it.
*People’s eyebrow*
LOL
I’m ignoring it. My stalker follows me to where ever he can find me and does the same thing. I come to talk Knicks, not act a fool. He won’t stop and over cyber space I can’t stop him. I don’t want to mess with the integrity of this blog by going at him with words. One flew over the coo coo’s nest.
I think it’s better that I continue to ignore the poor soul, he cries out for attention. I’ve told him, he could only do more harm to himself, than he can ever do to me or anyone else over the blog with what he writes. They say the pen is mightier than the sword, it gets you from the inside and not the outside. The cyber thug has lost it. Please, let me ignore it, he’s fu@ked either way.
I understand Biggie’s point to be that Nate, nor LeBron, nor Tiger, nor MJ are or will ever be perfect. The comparison isn’t between people, but between humans.
ARENT PEOPLE HUMANS?
Best point in the history of the blog…hahahaha
Actually humans are people.
Seriously Bob, you called Lebron a jerk and now say people are humans. Give the attacks, judgments and labels a break if u realize that people are humans. Sports is just entertainment.
I agree, but also understand that a game face ala Bernard “the King” can be demanded by the coach over a clown’s love for life under losing circumstances. I expect Nate to either get the message or be traded.
I also hope D doesn’t show his imperfection and allows Walsh to trade Nate without blowing his value ala Marbury.
The Knicks beat Pheonix, lost to Orlando and beat Atlanta. 2 out of 3 from top teams. The start was terrible, but only 3 games out of the playoffs with 62 games remaining. I don’t think anyone should be waving the white flag.
in my best jim mora voice “playoffs! are you talking playoffs!”
lol
And are not humans imperfect.
Hey man allow me to introduce myself, I’m HaS and this is my friend the “Reply to this comment” button.
Atlanta has never had a reputation as a great pro sports town. Watching the game last night, you could tell that there was a complete lack of energy in the arena. Lots of arenas do seem to have that problem too, it could be the way they are constructed. Like I don’t feel that Lakers game at Staples Center have a whole lot of intensity either. MSG is just unique like that. But in the case of Phillips Arena, I think that the Atlanta natives have been largely indifferent to the Hawks despite their recent success.
I’ve always took a great deal of pride in how Madison Square Garden manages to fill what seems like 16-17,000 seats every night even thought he seem has been in a decade-long funk and the seats are still incredibly expensive too. Of course there’s always a large contingent of fans for the away team, just the nature of this being New York City. But generally, speaking almost everyone in the crowd is rooting for the Knicks (with one disgusting exception being the Lakers game I went to last season with the outpouring of love for Kobe by the transplanted Lakers fans).
They say that there are some arenas that always are buzzing regardless of how poorly the team does, like Golden State, Sacramento and Utah. I like to believe that MSG exceeds any other arena in energy when the Knicks are good.
As far as Nate vs. LeBron….
I agree that LBJ has earned more of a sense of entitlement in this league…but at the same time these dancing shenanigans are totally unncessary. He looks like a buffoon, not like the best player on the planet when he does stuff like that. Kobe, Duncan or KG would never do that. I believe LeBron is the best player in the league (its obviously debatable though), and he should conduct himself as such.
Has Hahn kicked the scruffies off of his blog? Now this one is going down the toilet. Welcome to the Heri-Thall blog from hell, folks.
Tommy Dee, Andrew Smith, Myles A. Mills, Chris Alvino, Ben Kopelman: it would be nice if we could filter out the blog-wreakers.
Dave
yo the cats need to chill out man.
i don’t see anything wrong with HERI.
thall an a few other be wilding for no reason every blog
they always saying shit about HERI..
b
e
z
Thall uses different names to attack me and I ignore it.