6’8″ from Virginia Union

by Jason Steinthal on April 17th, 2010 at 12:17 am

Whats up Knicks Blog!

It’s an absolute pleasure and privilege to be one of the new additions to The Knicks Blog.  Many thanks going out to the main man Tommy Dee for giving me this opportunity to communicate and connect with the largest network of Knicks fans on the Web.  I’m hoping to bring you all great content with interesting insight and ideas while keeping things light at the same time.  So what better way to start things off than with my favorite Knicks anecdote about my phone call with Charles Oakley back in the Summer of 2007:

After graduating from college, I spent a year living at home in Westchester.  My mom was bugging me to go get the cars washed, so I took the old Honda first, to where else, Oakley’s Car Wash in Yonkers.  While waiting for my car, I had a nice conversation with the woman behind the counter just chatting about the Knicks and Oakley and how much I missed those teams.  The next day I brought in our other car to get washed and saw the same nice woman sitting behind the counter.  We chatted a little bit more and I walked outside to wait for the car.  A minute later, she was knocking on the glass, waving me back inside. I walked in and she held out the phone to me.  ”It’s Charles,” she told me.  I grabbed the phone from her and said hello.  To my surprise, a groggy sounding, 6’8″ from Virginia Union, Charles Oakley was on the other end.

“What’s up man, thanks for coming to the Car Wash,” he mumbled, almost inaudibly.  Was he hungover?  For the sake of the story, let’s say yes.

“No problem Charles, love your car wash” I said. “I’m a big fan, I loved the way you played the game.  I can’t believe the Knicks haven’t retired your number yet.  Now we have to watch Eddy Curry bringing shame to 34 every night,” I told him (Remember this was waaay back in 2007 when Eddy Curry actually played basketball).

“Man, that fat f*** is an embarrassment.  Just a total embarrassment.  He shouldn’t be allowed to wear my number.  It’s a f***in’ joke man.  It’s just terrible.”

Apparently, I struck a chord with the Oak Man.  The rest of the conversation is a blur.  Charles Oakley cursing at me over the phone was terrifying.  I now have a decent idea of how opposing forwards felt playing against him on the court.  Fear aside though, Charles Oakley had just made my day.  He was stating the obvious, but hearing it from a Knick legend made it that much more important.  More than anything though, it was great to know that Oakley, the pillar of those great 90′s teams, shared my frustration about the state of the Knicks.

So there you have my “Charles-Oakley-calling-Eddy-Curry-a-fat-f***” story.  Sorry TKB, but it’s all downhill from here.

Oh, and I don’t think LeBron is coming.  More on that to come.
  • fuhry

    I was lucky enough to see a Knick game from behind the Knick bench, back the season before they got Riley, after they fired Stu Jackson. Oakley was hurt that day, had a cast on his arm, well dressed of course.

    Anyway, after the game we were filing out and the Knicks were also walking in the same direction, so Oakley was walking just a few feet to my left and I remember being amazed at how huge he seemed.

    One day, when Dolan is gone, hopefully Oak will take his place in the broadcast booth. I would love to hear his particular brand of wisdom every day.

  • blackwood

    Welcome my fellow Knick fan!!

    BTW Durant is the future!! =D

  • harris

    I love the story about Oakley being ticked off about Curry wearing his number. You see, it does matter after all! That’s why I have complained previously about a D Leaguer getting Number 30.

    Welcome aboard.

  • Dave the Rave

    Welcome, Jason! This blog is the best!

    Oak was a real warrior and we miss him. He would have eaten pussies Lee and Curry for lunch and dinner. What a treat that the Knix have had 3 of the roughest, proudest warriors of all time: Oak, Willis and DeBussch.

    As for whether LBJ is coming or not, ask his girlfriend.

    DTR

  • http://www.youtube.com/tharealest62qb DaGawD_KnowLedge

    goodjob on that article an story dude.

    ever seen that video of charles oak picking on pippen
    i think pips was a rookie with the bulls…

    no spazzed out articles please
    thank u..

  • TrentMotherTucker

    No list of people to thank?

    I think you should thank Al Bianchi for trading Bill Cartwright for the aforementioned Charles Oakley.

    I think you should thank Charles Oakley for being awesome.

    I think you should thank the chick at Charles Oakley’s car wash for being awesome.

    I also think you should thank Jerry Jones for getting blitzed and talking smack about Parcells – the guy hasn’t won anything since 1990.

  • DVJ

    Welcome and good luck.

    By the way…Durant isn’t even in the same league as Lebron.

    Dwight Howard is the 2nd best player in the league.

    If I’m not mistaken..The Orlando Magic came 1 win from 60 this year.
    What’s the over / under on how many they would win if Howard wasn’t on that team?

  • TrentMotherTucker

    King James has an heir about him.

    I don’t see Howard winning a title anytime soon, not with SVG as coach.

    The problem with the VG boys is fairly simple… they don’t know how to work the refs.

  • dino of syracuse

    Let’s organize an Oak bbq!!!

  • D Harper Number One Fan

    Great to have you on board, Jason!

    You know, years ago, during the 94-95 season, when I was constantly yelling at my sisters that according to Oakley, the customer is king, everyone thought I was crazy. Well, who’s crazy now, Hannah?

  • Hydr0

    “By the way…Durant isn’t even in the same league as Lebron.”

    you’re right, Durant plays in a much better league than Lebron…the West

    sry man, but you’re setting me up for slam dunks here…you know, the ONLY type of shot that you count on dwight howard to make consistantly ;)

  • Eduardo15

    Hey Jason, loved your Oak’s story.. made me laugh out loud.

    Welcome!

  • k-hodge

    Welcome aboard Jason! Glad to see I’m not the only one that thinks Oak’s number should be retired. Oakley and Starks deserve their place up their with Ewing. They represent a great era for Knick fans.

    @ Dave – I’d add one more warrior to that list… Xavier McDaniel. We only had X for a year, but my god, if he would have just stuck around. Now that I think about it, this recent crop (or is it CRAP), of Knick big men is rather embarrassing and soft (Softer than baby sh*t if you ask me)..We’ve had the likes of Willis Reed, Oakley, Mase, Kurt Thomas, Larry Johnson, Marcus Camby, Buck Williams, and of course Patrick Ewing. Sometimes I look at this tissue paper lineup and it makes me puke. David Lee is decent player, but he’s soft. Eddy curry? well….nevermind…Forget him and the rest of the 2000′s bums that I choose not to remember

  • dino of syracuse

    Oak is 100% spot on… Here’s some more on that fat f***:

    http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/66028/20100417/curry_hopes_knicks_waive_him_wont_accept_buyout/

    It must be nice to hit the lottery…

  • Dave the Rave

    Glad u added Anthony Mason!

    I am still dreaming of the Knix getting Josh Smith.

    Dave

  • Hustle

    Wow, for some reason, I read Charles Oakley‘s words in Charles Barkley‘s voice. Made the exchange that much funnier.

    Welcome aboard Jason, great introduction, hope to see more good things from you

  • rocky

    Great Oak story, I used to see him at the carwash working HARD,
    just like we remember him doing in on D.

    I have been chirping for years that Oak should be hired as an assistant
    sort of the “minister or defense” to help set the tone on D and work with the big men on not being creampuffs. Curry is not a fat F** anymore but we could use Oak to toughen the kid up.

    Imagine if Oak was on the bench and the players had a lapse on D,
    it wouldn’t be so easy to return to the bench and have to face the Assistant Coach Oakley. Think about that Donnie!

  • Jeff C

    That’s why I hope there is truth in the Thibodeau rumors. He is to the Spurs and Celtics defensive schemes what Phil Jackson is to the triangle.

  • Mucha

    Haha nice story, welcome man.

  • gordons18

    great story!!

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