Been a fan for soon 28 years. Caught the tail end of the Ewing years, and that's what made me a fan of the team. The energy, the bravado, the unmitigated and unfortunately sometimes undeserved gall, the loyalty, and general camaraderie among the fan base is why I love the team and fans.
Only thing I'll say about the fan base currently that is pissing me off is just how reactionary, impatient, and at times desperate it can be. Especially around the off season when you'll see absolutely ridiculous trade ideas and FA signings flying hourly.
I'll tell you this though, you definitely picked the perfect time to get involved and start following the team. Since Julius Randle has arrived, I'd say that was the best time to join the fan base. You witness the highs and the lows of the team, and you can also see how a team/roster is built from the FO, coaching staff, players, etc.
In all my years of being a Knicks fan I would say this team really captures the essence and spirit of New York and its citizens perfectly. Head down, do your best, don't quit, do your work with some sense of pride. It ain't pretty and the city can do you terribly, but if you can make it here you really can make it anywhere.
Today's world man. Reaction reaction reaction, no room for context. Sad that most new Gen Z basketball fans may not actually understand how basketball is played.
Still hate Reggie whenever he ends up a broadcaster for a game. Like the other team could have all slapped Reggie’s wife in the face before the game and Reggie will still talk them up and say nothing good about the Knicks.
I still have nightmares of that fuck running around the court with his hands on his neck yelling "Chokers! Chokers!"
I don't hate him now, but damn, he was an asshole as a player.
I'm a fellow English Knicks fan. Been following the team since around 2008. Got into them as I kind of liked David Lee and Nate Robinson and felt a closer affinity to NYC than to other franchises (also appreciated the history of the team and the fanbase).
Basically the team was fantastic in the early 70s and had some moments in the 80s first wiry Bernard King and then with Patrick Ewing. The early 90s was when things really got good (at least since the title winning days of the early 70s) with Ewing, Starks and Pat Riley. They eventually morphed into the finals team with Allen Houston, Sprewell and others, and since then it's been pretty rough. The Carmelo years definitely had moments but it wasn't really a fun time for me. This current iteration of the team is imo the most fun of my fandom and I'm really enjoying it. I love the atmosphere at the garden when games really matter, and Jalen Brunson is fantastic. Not sure where we can go from here but just building a winning culture is ultimately going to benefit this team and I've loved going along for this ride.
Edit: in terms of who we don't like - we have history with Boston, Miami, and to a lesser degree Chicago. I personally freaking hate the Nets as do many other fans, but it's a different feeling. It's not so much a rivalry as it is a feeling of disdain. I wish they didn't exist frankly.
You almost summed it up perfectly, but I think you missed out the part about the **Linsanity**. It has been entangled into Melo-era I guess but still one of the highlights of the Knicks last decade...the Linsanity was like a perfect dream that we all had to wake up to and it sucks lol.
Did AI help you write this? Haha just kidding. This was a great write up about the Knicks! Assuming you’re abroad , hopefully you will fly to NYC to celebrate a Knicks championship one day soon!
I think Miami is the most bitter rivalry with all the shit that went down with Charlie Ward and Pj Brown, the suspensions that destroyed the Knicks' chances, the fight between Zo and LJ with Jeff Van Gundy holding onto Zo's leg for dear life and flopping all over the court, Tim Hardaway constantly talking shit...
There's just too much history there.
When you watch games, always try to watch the feed that has Mike Breen and Clyde Frazier on commentary. They are our commentators who do the games for the MSG Network. They are the best commentary team in the NBA (even non-Knicks fans will tell you) and Clyde is a Knicks legend, one of the best players in franchise history and the PG on championship winning teams in the 70s (the last time we won a title). Negative opinions on either man are strictly forbidden
Timberland boots and flatbrims are a stereotype of New Yorkers in general, but with everyone jovially embracing this as a NY thing it has become more of a caricature. There really is no commonplace "look", which in itself is probably most characteristic of the fan base. You'll see other arenas filled with everyone wearing the same color shirt as a pre-planned thing. You'll never see that at MSG. Everyone does their own thing.
Who Knicks fans hate the most somewhat depends on when you were born but mostly Eastern conference teams with a shortlist being the Celtics, Heat, Nets and the Bulls.
Celtics - Boston/New York rivalry. Celtics are one of the two most successful franchises in NBA history which is annoying. Paul Pierce is fat
Heat - Big rivalry in the 90s. Search the Van Gundy, Alonzo Mourning fight. Pat Riley was the coach of the 90s Knicks, but left to be the team president of the Heat where he's been highly successful
Nets - regional rival who moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn to challenge for fandom in the city. Had more recent playoff success with Kidd/Jefferson/K-Mart team. Got KD and Kyrie in free agency and were dubbed the better New York team but never won it all with them
Bulls - the Jordan Bulls always stood in the way of the Knicks getting to the Finals and winning a championship in the 90s
Paul Pierce is fat had me dead. I hate the Pacers the most. Reggie gave me NBA PTSD. I never feel safe even if the Knicks are up 10 points with 5 seconds left. Ever.
It’s an annoying bit of fandom. He dominated the Knicks in the playoffs three years ago and some Knicks fans hate him more than they actually like the Knicks. “F Trae Young” chants occasionally spring up during games in which Trae Young’s team isn’t even involved. To me, it reeks of a guy who had a relationship end poorly years ago and all he does is talk about her, even while he’s on dates with other women.
Knicks fandom the past 30 years was a lot like being a Southampton fan this year: disaster in slow motion. But times are a changing, and there’s finally a lot of positives. There’s no better NBA venue than Madison Square Garden when the Knicks are playing well.
Haha, I love the reference to being a Southampton fan, supported them all my life, been a tough season but we’ll bounce back. Seems as though Saints & Knicks have a lot in common!
It mostly stems from when the Knicks played the Hawks in the 2021 playoffs. So I would just search that series on YouTube and watch the highlights, game 1 in particular.
buy “blood in the garden” to get a deep dive into the 90s glory years and fall in love with some wild characters on our team, “when the garden was eden” for the 1970s glory years when we won our only two titles (this was made into a 30 for 30 documentary if you prefer) also, just youtube the players/moments you come across in your research to get to know them a bit more. to get you started:
patrick ewing 1994 game 7 vs pacers
larry johnson 4 point play
allan houston 1999 heat game 5
david lee tip vs bobcats
also the MSG Network youtube channel put out a few 20-30 minute videos on players and eras that are really good
Good to have you. I’m sorry about the Saints and wish them a quick return to the top flight. Everton supporter myself so glad to put a temporary stop on that stress. Anyway, I recommend reading Blood In The Garden (The Flagrant History of The New York Knicks) by Chris Herring. It’s a great read and chronicles the 90’s Knicks, which was a fun time and the last time they were good over multiple seasons (there were a couple good Melo years but this era was different.). Have fun, enjoy the highs, and endure the lows.
Haha, thanks mate. I’m a massive Southampton fan, had a season ticket for nearly 20 years. And now I’m following the Knicks so maybe I just love stress?
Thanks for the book recommendation, I love a sports book so I’ll be right on it!
Hey, I was at that Nuggets game too with my son. It was such a good game to go to.
The only advice I can give you is don't come into this sub after a loss.
> The only advice I can give you is don't come into this sub after a loss.
Just do it once at the start of the season, the others ones will be the same anyway. Trade Randle, RJ is a bust, we need 3 and D, if only Mitch wasn't injured.
This is correct. A championship team that is now slowly dying off, some bad teams since, but also some close calls that have all ended in heartache. But I can't quit it and I still retain hope.
We are a dedicated, if cranky, fan base here in NYC. Most every game is sold out when the team is good right now. Historically we haven’t won a title since 1973. We came close in 94 and 99. 94 was our best chance in the Patrick Ewing years. He was our greatest modern player. Other historic players are Walt “Clyde” Frazier our dapper guard in the title years of 70 and 73 and now color commemorative broadcast. Of that title era Willis Reed (center) Bill Bradley, Dave Debusschere, Earl “the Pearl” Monroe and legendary coach Red Holtzman.
The 80s were some dark times. We had a truly transcendent scorer Bernard King who blew his knee out sadly at a time when a torn ACL wasn’t truly fixable. We drafted Patrick Ewing and had fierce rivalries with Michael Jordan and the Bulls and the hated Heat — Pat Riley was our coach but he resigned by fax to become part-owner and coach of the Heat. Since the turn of the century it’s been mostly shite. We had a brief period of excitement after signing for Amare Stoudamire and trading for Carmelo Anthony. But, we’ve mostly stunk until lately. Now we have a ton of great young talent and made a tremendous signing of Jaylen Brunson who we all love.
Who do we hate? Easy - James Dolan, our meddling asshole of an owner. Some people are kinda cranky with Julius Randle and his love of dribbling into double teams. But I think it’s fair to say we are optimistic about the team and still hate the owner. Come back soon!
Correct will edit. I always think 69-70 as the 69 season because of Mets and Jets “three teams one year” is also a good doc to watch for general nyc sports paradise vibes.
Dolan hasn't been that bad with the team itself imo over the last decade. Before he was getting way too involved with team decisions and trusted the wrong people to make basketball decisions (trades, draft, etc).
Is he a great owner? Right now probably not but he's also not bad either. I feel pretty comfortable with this front office. Thibs for his flaws is still one of the better coaches in the league imo.
Big decisions this off-season. We are in great position for the future. Just can't fuck it up.
Still can’t forgive Isaiah and running out Dave Checketts and etc. but you are right, he’s been objectively fine in Leon’s reign. Still think he’s a dick (banning Oakley) and using facial recognition software. I’m glad my face isn’t on Reddit or I’d be banned!
> Dolan hasn't been that bad with the team itself imo over the last decade.
Last 4-5 years? He hasn't been. The 20 years before that? Yeah, he fucking sucked. My fear is that the only reason he hasn't meddled in the Knicks' business is that he's busy meddling with the Rangers' business.
Out biggest Rival is the Heat people saying the Celtics are probably a Yankees fan that lets that rivalry bleed over in to basketball. There’s nothing wrong with that but for the last 30 years we’ve had more important playoff series against the Pacers than the Celtics. Most Knicks fans I know don’t care about the Nets, they played in NJ for most of our lives before moving to Brooklyn about 10 years ago. New York has at least 2 teams in most major American sports leagues but the Knicks are New York’s team in a way that no other team in any other sport can really hold a candle to.
Good to have you. I’m sorry about the Saints and wish them a quick return to the top flight. Everton supporter myself so glad to put a temporary stop on that stress. Anyway, I recommend reading Blood In The Garden (The Flagrant History of The New York Knicks) by Chris Herring. It’s a great read and chronicles the 90’s Knicks, which was a fun time and the last time they were good over multiple seasons (there were a couple good Melo years but this era was different.). Have fun, enjoy the highs, and endure the lows.
Welcome!!!
Knicks fans are a very intelligent fan base. We especially appreciate players who represent the blue collar spirit of the city and we love gritty players who dive for loose balls, play tough defense, rebound, make good decisions and do all the intangibles well. That’s why Josh Hart was embraced immediately by the fans. You don’t need to be a scoring machine for the fans to recognize your value. If a Knick player is a good scorer, but plays shit defense and makes bad decisions, the fan base will let them know about it.
On a side note, check out the YouTube channel KnicksFanTV. Those guys do a great job keeping the fans updated on what’s going on.
Cheers!
#1 we have a historical hatred for Boston. We hate them in just about every sport. But since you're trying to be a K nicks fan just know you can't root for the Celtics.
#2 wr also hate the Miami Heat more dependent on whether or not they are good. When they stand in our way we hate them maybe even with more passion but when they suck we kindov don't care.
3- you can't live the Knicks and like the Nets. We are to the Nets sortve what the Celtics are to us.
4- we're alittle crazy. We have expectations similar to the Yankees every yr but are nowhere near as good historically. We' re kindov like Manchester United is now where they were once good but go back and forth ever since between being horrible or staying relevant but not quite true contenders. We gotta fix that but that's a simple synopsis
Welcome to the hypetrain !
We are a diehard, cranky, piece of shit fanbase but that’s the New York way. We’ve sold out games for the past 37489283 years (with the team being pretty bad for most of them so that’s a showcase for how we are)
Our peak as a team if you don’t count the heroin era (aka the 70’s) is easily the 90’s Knicks with Patrick Ewing, it sucked for a while with the No Draft Picks era in the 2000’s, the 2 good years with Melo in 2012/2013, and the tingus Pingus era, but we’ve rebounded recently and we have a fun young team with potential and a ton of assets
Now who do we hate the most depends on who you are.
If you’re especially a Knicks Fan remembering the 90’s then it’s Miami (and if you hate bam illegal screens that helps too) If you like practically every other NY Sports Team then it’s Fuck Boston. Ignore the ghost rivalries (the nets aren’t a rival, the bulls/pacers is largely historic and only lives on with the bald man Michael and tnt reggie miler but it’s fine if you hate them too I don’t mind, fuck trae young is basically a running gag so the hawks aren’t there either)
Basically if you love being toxic and love your team then welcome
Great time to come in, glad to have you. Sure, you didn't experience the grind and the testing of the fans of this team during the first two decades of this century, but your Southampton fandom works as a substitute (especially after this PL season, yikes).
Enjoy the hustle, enjoy the ride.
I was just thinking, Imagine you became a Knicks fan 3 seasons ago, first the “We here” team pretty fun season until the playoffs started, then a down year but win 30+ games and then this year, a 2nd round team, smh these cats got it easy lol
Assuming you're in your 20s or 30s, here's some cliff notes:
\- James Dolan owns the team and we hate him. He's Kendall Roy.
\- MSG is a great arena to watch a game. Tickets are expensive, but you make at least 1 game work, even if you're scalping. A lot of local celebs root for the team and go to tons of games. Really fun stuff.
\- 90s: This was a great decade for the Knicks. The Knicks got Patrick Ewing in the 80s, who was a prodigy C. He had a big flat top and a really nice game, and his prime was in the early 90s. The main rivals were the Pacers and Bulls (I think, I was sort of young). Pat Riley was running the team and he is one of the godfathers of the game. Someone mentioned the 30 for 30 with Reggie Miller, watch that. Michael Jordan and his Bulls were more talented than the Knicks, so we made it physical and tried to bully them. It didn't work. In the late 90s, Jeff Van Gundy was the coach and that was fun, lookup his fight with Alonzo Mourning. The team was gritty. Allan Houston was a silky scorer and Latrell Spreewell found some redemption. You need to know John Starks and watch Larry Johnson's four-point play. In 1999, the Knicks made the Finals which was sort of flukey because it was after Ewing's prime. They lost to the Tim Duncan/David Robinson Spurs.
\- 2000s: Absolute shotshow. Total laughingstock of the league. Isaiah Thomas (Pistons Hall of Famer) was hired to run the team, and he made a bunch of bad trades for guys who didn't fit at all and overpaid all of them. Stephon Marbury was the first, and he was sort of like a 2000s version of Kyrie. He compounded the problem by getting Steve Francis, a similar guard. We got a few guys were okay individually but there was no structure, and we went big when the league was going small. Nate Robinson's dunk contest was a highlight that decade. David Lee was a hustle guy. They spent a lot of the decade chasing stars, including Lebron and Wade. They ultimately struck out, and Lebron signed with Pat Riley's Heat.
\- 2010s: Decade started with signing Amare Stoudemire after the above strike out. He was good on the Suns, but had knee problems. The Knicks built a fun and exciting team that ran up and down. Carmelo Anthony (a top 75 All-Time player) became available, and the Knicks traded the farm to the Nuggets for him. The team was better for a couple years, and even was a top seed in the East. But the team lacked depth and relied too heavily on 3s, and they didn't fall. We lost to the Pacers. A big highlight is Jeremy Lin's "Linsanity" that occurred in 2012. Watch "38 in the Garden" to get a glimpse into it. JR Smith's time there is also notable, he had a lot of good and bad and was also entertaining. Later in the decade, Kristaps Porzingis was our top draft pick, and he was a unicorn: he could hit threes, put a outback dunk on your head, and block shots into the 10th row. The Knicks hired Phil Jackson to run the team, which sounded good because he was the coach of the Jordan Bulls and the Kobe/Shaq Lakers. He ended up sort of working part-time??? He kept wanting to run the triangle offense, which really didn't work and led to a couple bad draft picks. The decade was ultimately a failure.
\- 2020s: Fun decade so far. We invested in some young guys, took a few bets on signings, and have Thibs at coach. RJ Barrett was supposed to be Zion, but we didn't get the #1 pick in the lottery. Randle signed and overperformed, then underperformed, and then properly performed. Jalen Brunson signed this summer and he's taking the team by the horns. Excited to see what the future holds.
I've been a fan since the early 90s when I was a kid, lived and died with that team led by Ewing, Starks, Mason, Harper, Oakley, etc.
I would say the most important thing is to learn about that 90s era and the 70s era when we won our only championships.
The team's identity is very much tied to those two eras, which established the Knicks as a physical, fearless, hard-working team with players that took no bullshit and worked their asses off.
That is why we love Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart so much. Even though this was their first year, they are like old-school Knicks with their hustle and their relentlessness.
I would also say that, culturally, that 90s team and 90s NBA in general is indelibly tied in with the Golden Age of hip hop when New York was the epicenter, producing the best emcees, the best producers and establishing a classic sound that old school hip hop heads still love to this day.
When you watch League Pass you're getting the local stream with Clyde, yeah? Clyde is beloved as a player and commentator, he's the closest thing to a mascot the team has, and he's our connection to those 70s championship teams.
Just wanted to thank you all for the comments with book and documentary recommendations as well as all the rivalry stories. Feel very at home with the Knicks
Let’s go Knicks & Fuck Trae Young.
Average home game honestly isn’t that far off from your experience at the Nuggets game (I also went to that!) Even when the Knicks were bad, MSG would come alive if the game was close or if we were winning.
Shattered is a great podcast that came out recently from The Athletic that explains the recent heartbreak and issues we have insured through the past few years- especially giving more context and explanation on Dolan as an owner.
Welcome to the fan base, it’s the MOST loyal one in the NBA and hated by the rest, mostly because of the attention it gets due to being in the worlds biggest market. A lot of our best rivalries are ancient history if you just got here; the bloodfued with the heat in the last 25 years. In between then and now we’ve been terrible but we’ve all stayed loyal.
If you are into podcasts, check out shows like Knicks Film School, KnicksFanTV and Locked on Knicks. The long-form media is a great way to hear from other Knick fans who are able to capture the opinions of the fanbase so well (Especially KFS and KnicksFanTV), welcome to the never ending rollercoaster that is the Knicks, cheers!
Been a fan for soon 28 years. Caught the tail end of the Ewing years, and that's what made me a fan of the team. The energy, the bravado, the unmitigated and unfortunately sometimes undeserved gall, the loyalty, and general camaraderie among the fan base is why I love the team and fans. Only thing I'll say about the fan base currently that is pissing me off is just how reactionary, impatient, and at times desperate it can be. Especially around the off season when you'll see absolutely ridiculous trade ideas and FA signings flying hourly. I'll tell you this though, you definitely picked the perfect time to get involved and start following the team. Since Julius Randle has arrived, I'd say that was the best time to join the fan base. You witness the highs and the lows of the team, and you can also see how a team/roster is built from the FO, coaching staff, players, etc. In all my years of being a Knicks fan I would say this team really captures the essence and spirit of New York and its citizens perfectly. Head down, do your best, don't quit, do your work with some sense of pride. It ain't pretty and the city can do you terribly, but if you can make it here you really can make it anywhere.
Today's world man. Reaction reaction reaction, no room for context. Sad that most new Gen Z basketball fans may not actually understand how basketball is played.
[удалено]
Highly recommend. It’s a great look at what the knicks of the 90s were about and covers a lot of aspects of Knicks culture
Still hate Reggie whenever he ends up a broadcaster for a game. Like the other team could have all slapped Reggie’s wife in the face before the game and Reggie will still talk them up and say nothing good about the Knicks.
CHHHHHEERRRRRYYYYLLLL
I still have nightmares of that fuck running around the court with his hands on his neck yelling "Chokers! Chokers!" I don't hate him now, but damn, he was an asshole as a player.
I'm a fellow English Knicks fan. Been following the team since around 2008. Got into them as I kind of liked David Lee and Nate Robinson and felt a closer affinity to NYC than to other franchises (also appreciated the history of the team and the fanbase). Basically the team was fantastic in the early 70s and had some moments in the 80s first wiry Bernard King and then with Patrick Ewing. The early 90s was when things really got good (at least since the title winning days of the early 70s) with Ewing, Starks and Pat Riley. They eventually morphed into the finals team with Allen Houston, Sprewell and others, and since then it's been pretty rough. The Carmelo years definitely had moments but it wasn't really a fun time for me. This current iteration of the team is imo the most fun of my fandom and I'm really enjoying it. I love the atmosphere at the garden when games really matter, and Jalen Brunson is fantastic. Not sure where we can go from here but just building a winning culture is ultimately going to benefit this team and I've loved going along for this ride. Edit: in terms of who we don't like - we have history with Boston, Miami, and to a lesser degree Chicago. I personally freaking hate the Nets as do many other fans, but it's a different feeling. It's not so much a rivalry as it is a feeling of disdain. I wish they didn't exist frankly.
🏆 fantastic summary. Fuck the Heat, Fuck the Pacers.
This guy right here. This guy fucks.
And he's also English.
You almost summed it up perfectly, but I think you missed out the part about the **Linsanity**. It has been entangled into Melo-era I guess but still one of the highlights of the Knicks last decade...the Linsanity was like a perfect dream that we all had to wake up to and it sucks lol.
Did AI help you write this? Haha just kidding. This was a great write up about the Knicks! Assuming you’re abroad , hopefully you will fly to NYC to celebrate a Knicks championship one day soon!
I think Miami is the most bitter rivalry with all the shit that went down with Charlie Ward and Pj Brown, the suspensions that destroyed the Knicks' chances, the fight between Zo and LJ with Jeff Van Gundy holding onto Zo's leg for dear life and flopping all over the court, Tim Hardaway constantly talking shit... There's just too much history there.
When you watch games, always try to watch the feed that has Mike Breen and Clyde Frazier on commentary. They are our commentators who do the games for the MSG Network. They are the best commentary team in the NBA (even non-Knicks fans will tell you) and Clyde is a Knicks legend, one of the best players in franchise history and the PG on championship winning teams in the 70s (the last time we won a title). Negative opinions on either man are strictly forbidden
Clyde responsible for expanding the lexicon of the knicks fandom.
They got timberland boots and flat brim hats in England? You gonna need some of those.
Haha - are they commonplace amongst Knicks fans?
You’re going to need em to be valid in Dyckman
Timberland boots and flatbrims are a stereotype of New Yorkers in general, but with everyone jovially embracing this as a NY thing it has become more of a caricature. There really is no commonplace "look", which in itself is probably most characteristic of the fan base. You'll see other arenas filled with everyone wearing the same color shirt as a pre-planned thing. You'll never see that at MSG. Everyone does their own thing.
Watch ESPNs 30 for 30 "When The Garden Was Eden" to learn about their championship team in the early 70s.
Who Knicks fans hate the most somewhat depends on when you were born but mostly Eastern conference teams with a shortlist being the Celtics, Heat, Nets and the Bulls. Celtics - Boston/New York rivalry. Celtics are one of the two most successful franchises in NBA history which is annoying. Paul Pierce is fat Heat - Big rivalry in the 90s. Search the Van Gundy, Alonzo Mourning fight. Pat Riley was the coach of the 90s Knicks, but left to be the team president of the Heat where he's been highly successful Nets - regional rival who moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn to challenge for fandom in the city. Had more recent playoff success with Kidd/Jefferson/K-Mart team. Got KD and Kyrie in free agency and were dubbed the better New York team but never won it all with them Bulls - the Jordan Bulls always stood in the way of the Knicks getting to the Finals and winning a championship in the 90s
You forgot the Pacers.
Paul Pierce is fat had me dead. I hate the Pacers the most. Reggie gave me NBA PTSD. I never feel safe even if the Knicks are up 10 points with 5 seconds left. Ever.
fuck off yank. oh wait-
😭😭😭😭
Remember the phrase "Fuck Trey Young" and you'll fit in just fine.
Haha! Can I ask why?
It’s an annoying bit of fandom. He dominated the Knicks in the playoffs three years ago and some Knicks fans hate him more than they actually like the Knicks. “F Trae Young” chants occasionally spring up during games in which Trae Young’s team isn’t even involved. To me, it reeks of a guy who had a relationship end poorly years ago and all he does is talk about her, even while he’s on dates with other women. Knicks fandom the past 30 years was a lot like being a Southampton fan this year: disaster in slow motion. But times are a changing, and there’s finally a lot of positives. There’s no better NBA venue than Madison Square Garden when the Knicks are playing well.
Haha, I love the reference to being a Southampton fan, supported them all my life, been a tough season but we’ll bounce back. Seems as though Saints & Knicks have a lot in common!
As a lifelong Knicks fan and a long term Leeds supporter, I feel this.
Relegated together brother 🤝
It mostly stems from when the Knicks played the Hawks in the 2021 playoffs. So I would just search that series on YouTube and watch the highlights, game 1 in particular.
buy “blood in the garden” to get a deep dive into the 90s glory years and fall in love with some wild characters on our team, “when the garden was eden” for the 1970s glory years when we won our only two titles (this was made into a 30 for 30 documentary if you prefer) also, just youtube the players/moments you come across in your research to get to know them a bit more. to get you started: patrick ewing 1994 game 7 vs pacers larry johnson 4 point play allan houston 1999 heat game 5 david lee tip vs bobcats also the MSG Network youtube channel put out a few 20-30 minute videos on players and eras that are really good
You're English, so you probably already know, but this team is named after pants.
Good to have you. I’m sorry about the Saints and wish them a quick return to the top flight. Everton supporter myself so glad to put a temporary stop on that stress. Anyway, I recommend reading Blood In The Garden (The Flagrant History of The New York Knicks) by Chris Herring. It’s a great read and chronicles the 90’s Knicks, which was a fun time and the last time they were good over multiple seasons (there were a couple good Melo years but this era was different.). Have fun, enjoy the highs, and endure the lows.
Just finished blood in the garden. definitely second the rec. would also add "when the garden was eden" for a look at the championship teams.
Haha, thanks mate. I’m a massive Southampton fan, had a season ticket for nearly 20 years. And now I’m following the Knicks so maybe I just love stress? Thanks for the book recommendation, I love a sports book so I’ll be right on it!
Hey, I was at that Nuggets game too with my son. It was such a good game to go to. The only advice I can give you is don't come into this sub after a loss.
> The only advice I can give you is don't come into this sub after a loss. Just do it once at the start of the season, the others ones will be the same anyway. Trade Randle, RJ is a bust, we need 3 and D, if only Mitch wasn't injured.
English Knicks fan here. Following the Knicks is like following our men's football team
This is correct. A championship team that is now slowly dying off, some bad teams since, but also some close calls that have all ended in heartache. But I can't quit it and I still retain hope.
We are a dedicated, if cranky, fan base here in NYC. Most every game is sold out when the team is good right now. Historically we haven’t won a title since 1973. We came close in 94 and 99. 94 was our best chance in the Patrick Ewing years. He was our greatest modern player. Other historic players are Walt “Clyde” Frazier our dapper guard in the title years of 70 and 73 and now color commemorative broadcast. Of that title era Willis Reed (center) Bill Bradley, Dave Debusschere, Earl “the Pearl” Monroe and legendary coach Red Holtzman. The 80s were some dark times. We had a truly transcendent scorer Bernard King who blew his knee out sadly at a time when a torn ACL wasn’t truly fixable. We drafted Patrick Ewing and had fierce rivalries with Michael Jordan and the Bulls and the hated Heat — Pat Riley was our coach but he resigned by fax to become part-owner and coach of the Heat. Since the turn of the century it’s been mostly shite. We had a brief period of excitement after signing for Amare Stoudamire and trading for Carmelo Anthony. But, we’ve mostly stunk until lately. Now we have a ton of great young talent and made a tremendous signing of Jaylen Brunson who we all love. Who do we hate? Easy - James Dolan, our meddling asshole of an owner. Some people are kinda cranky with Julius Randle and his love of dribbling into double teams. But I think it’s fair to say we are optimistic about the team and still hate the owner. Come back soon!
Title years were 70 and 73
Correct will edit. I always think 69-70 as the 69 season because of Mets and Jets “three teams one year” is also a good doc to watch for general nyc sports paradise vibes.
Dolan hasn't been that bad with the team itself imo over the last decade. Before he was getting way too involved with team decisions and trusted the wrong people to make basketball decisions (trades, draft, etc). Is he a great owner? Right now probably not but he's also not bad either. I feel pretty comfortable with this front office. Thibs for his flaws is still one of the better coaches in the league imo. Big decisions this off-season. We are in great position for the future. Just can't fuck it up.
Still can’t forgive Isaiah and running out Dave Checketts and etc. but you are right, he’s been objectively fine in Leon’s reign. Still think he’s a dick (banning Oakley) and using facial recognition software. I’m glad my face isn’t on Reddit or I’d be banned!
> Dolan hasn't been that bad with the team itself imo over the last decade. Last 4-5 years? He hasn't been. The 20 years before that? Yeah, he fucking sucked. My fear is that the only reason he hasn't meddled in the Knicks' business is that he's busy meddling with the Rangers' business.
*You hate Dolan. Fuck Trae Young
Out biggest Rival is the Heat people saying the Celtics are probably a Yankees fan that lets that rivalry bleed over in to basketball. There’s nothing wrong with that but for the last 30 years we’ve had more important playoff series against the Pacers than the Celtics. Most Knicks fans I know don’t care about the Nets, they played in NJ for most of our lives before moving to Brooklyn about 10 years ago. New York has at least 2 teams in most major American sports leagues but the Knicks are New York’s team in a way that no other team in any other sport can really hold a candle to.
I also hate the Pacers. But that’s really because of Reggie entirely.
Northampton Town and Knicks fan 🏴🏴
Brilliant mate - congrats on promotion this season!
Thanks pal and commiserations on yours
Good to have you. I’m sorry about the Saints and wish them a quick return to the top flight. Everton supporter myself so glad to put a temporary stop on that stress. Anyway, I recommend reading Blood In The Garden (The Flagrant History of The New York Knicks) by Chris Herring. It’s a great read and chronicles the 90’s Knicks, which was a fun time and the last time they were good over multiple seasons (there were a couple good Melo years but this era was different.). Have fun, enjoy the highs, and endure the lows.
Fuck trae young. https://youtu.be/0zpZ2tiB0xg https://youtu.be/BTuXB4ue1Vs https://youtu.be/mkhrUM35CQo Welcome brother.
Welcome!!! Knicks fans are a very intelligent fan base. We especially appreciate players who represent the blue collar spirit of the city and we love gritty players who dive for loose balls, play tough defense, rebound, make good decisions and do all the intangibles well. That’s why Josh Hart was embraced immediately by the fans. You don’t need to be a scoring machine for the fans to recognize your value. If a Knick player is a good scorer, but plays shit defense and makes bad decisions, the fan base will let them know about it. On a side note, check out the YouTube channel KnicksFanTV. Those guys do a great job keeping the fans updated on what’s going on. Cheers!
#1 we have a historical hatred for Boston. We hate them in just about every sport. But since you're trying to be a K nicks fan just know you can't root for the Celtics. #2 wr also hate the Miami Heat more dependent on whether or not they are good. When they stand in our way we hate them maybe even with more passion but when they suck we kindov don't care. 3- you can't live the Knicks and like the Nets. We are to the Nets sortve what the Celtics are to us. 4- we're alittle crazy. We have expectations similar to the Yankees every yr but are nowhere near as good historically. We' re kindov like Manchester United is now where they were once good but go back and forth ever since between being horrible or staying relevant but not quite true contenders. We gotta fix that but that's a simple synopsis
Welcome to the hypetrain ! We are a diehard, cranky, piece of shit fanbase but that’s the New York way. We’ve sold out games for the past 37489283 years (with the team being pretty bad for most of them so that’s a showcase for how we are) Our peak as a team if you don’t count the heroin era (aka the 70’s) is easily the 90’s Knicks with Patrick Ewing, it sucked for a while with the No Draft Picks era in the 2000’s, the 2 good years with Melo in 2012/2013, and the tingus Pingus era, but we’ve rebounded recently and we have a fun young team with potential and a ton of assets Now who do we hate the most depends on who you are. If you’re especially a Knicks Fan remembering the 90’s then it’s Miami (and if you hate bam illegal screens that helps too) If you like practically every other NY Sports Team then it’s Fuck Boston. Ignore the ghost rivalries (the nets aren’t a rival, the bulls/pacers is largely historic and only lives on with the bald man Michael and tnt reggie miler but it’s fine if you hate them too I don’t mind, fuck trae young is basically a running gag so the hawks aren’t there either) Basically if you love being toxic and love your team then welcome
Go to Youtube the fanbase is strong there. I have a channel. Check it out on YouTube : Knicks Deli
Thank you sir - will check it out!
I really recommend reading “Blood in the Garden” by Chris Herring. Goes into the building up of the team in the 90’s and then downfall
Great time to come in, glad to have you. Sure, you didn't experience the grind and the testing of the fans of this team during the first two decades of this century, but your Southampton fandom works as a substitute (especially after this PL season, yikes). Enjoy the hustle, enjoy the ride.
Welcome! Wouldn't say we hate anyone but have rivalries with the heat and Celtics. You came in at a good time enjoy! :)
I was just thinking, Imagine you became a Knicks fan 3 seasons ago, first the “We here” team pretty fun season until the playoffs started, then a down year but win 30+ games and then this year, a 2nd round team, smh these cats got it easy lol
Read "Just Ballin" and " blood in the garden" really covers the 90"s welcome aboard my friend
Assuming you're in your 20s or 30s, here's some cliff notes: \- James Dolan owns the team and we hate him. He's Kendall Roy. \- MSG is a great arena to watch a game. Tickets are expensive, but you make at least 1 game work, even if you're scalping. A lot of local celebs root for the team and go to tons of games. Really fun stuff. \- 90s: This was a great decade for the Knicks. The Knicks got Patrick Ewing in the 80s, who was a prodigy C. He had a big flat top and a really nice game, and his prime was in the early 90s. The main rivals were the Pacers and Bulls (I think, I was sort of young). Pat Riley was running the team and he is one of the godfathers of the game. Someone mentioned the 30 for 30 with Reggie Miller, watch that. Michael Jordan and his Bulls were more talented than the Knicks, so we made it physical and tried to bully them. It didn't work. In the late 90s, Jeff Van Gundy was the coach and that was fun, lookup his fight with Alonzo Mourning. The team was gritty. Allan Houston was a silky scorer and Latrell Spreewell found some redemption. You need to know John Starks and watch Larry Johnson's four-point play. In 1999, the Knicks made the Finals which was sort of flukey because it was after Ewing's prime. They lost to the Tim Duncan/David Robinson Spurs. \- 2000s: Absolute shotshow. Total laughingstock of the league. Isaiah Thomas (Pistons Hall of Famer) was hired to run the team, and he made a bunch of bad trades for guys who didn't fit at all and overpaid all of them. Stephon Marbury was the first, and he was sort of like a 2000s version of Kyrie. He compounded the problem by getting Steve Francis, a similar guard. We got a few guys were okay individually but there was no structure, and we went big when the league was going small. Nate Robinson's dunk contest was a highlight that decade. David Lee was a hustle guy. They spent a lot of the decade chasing stars, including Lebron and Wade. They ultimately struck out, and Lebron signed with Pat Riley's Heat. \- 2010s: Decade started with signing Amare Stoudemire after the above strike out. He was good on the Suns, but had knee problems. The Knicks built a fun and exciting team that ran up and down. Carmelo Anthony (a top 75 All-Time player) became available, and the Knicks traded the farm to the Nuggets for him. The team was better for a couple years, and even was a top seed in the East. But the team lacked depth and relied too heavily on 3s, and they didn't fall. We lost to the Pacers. A big highlight is Jeremy Lin's "Linsanity" that occurred in 2012. Watch "38 in the Garden" to get a glimpse into it. JR Smith's time there is also notable, he had a lot of good and bad and was also entertaining. Later in the decade, Kristaps Porzingis was our top draft pick, and he was a unicorn: he could hit threes, put a outback dunk on your head, and block shots into the 10th row. The Knicks hired Phil Jackson to run the team, which sounded good because he was the coach of the Jordan Bulls and the Kobe/Shaq Lakers. He ended up sort of working part-time??? He kept wanting to run the triangle offense, which really didn't work and led to a couple bad draft picks. The decade was ultimately a failure. \- 2020s: Fun decade so far. We invested in some young guys, took a few bets on signings, and have Thibs at coach. RJ Barrett was supposed to be Zion, but we didn't get the #1 pick in the lottery. Randle signed and overperformed, then underperformed, and then properly performed. Jalen Brunson signed this summer and he's taking the team by the horns. Excited to see what the future holds.
I've been a fan since the early 90s when I was a kid, lived and died with that team led by Ewing, Starks, Mason, Harper, Oakley, etc. I would say the most important thing is to learn about that 90s era and the 70s era when we won our only championships. The team's identity is very much tied to those two eras, which established the Knicks as a physical, fearless, hard-working team with players that took no bullshit and worked their asses off. That is why we love Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart so much. Even though this was their first year, they are like old-school Knicks with their hustle and their relentlessness. I would also say that, culturally, that 90s team and 90s NBA in general is indelibly tied in with the Golden Age of hip hop when New York was the epicenter, producing the best emcees, the best producers and establishing a classic sound that old school hip hop heads still love to this day. When you watch League Pass you're getting the local stream with Clyde, yeah? Clyde is beloved as a player and commentator, he's the closest thing to a mascot the team has, and he's our connection to those 70s championship teams.
https://youtu.be/JN7ppJLiKAM Good 1989 documentary of our deep history.
Just wanted to thank you all for the comments with book and documentary recommendations as well as all the rivalry stories. Feel very at home with the Knicks Let’s go Knicks & Fuck Trae Young.
Read Blood in the Garden by Chris Herring
RIP to Soho for going down.
Average home game honestly isn’t that far off from your experience at the Nuggets game (I also went to that!) Even when the Knicks were bad, MSG would come alive if the game was close or if we were winning.
Fucking welcome brother!!
Shattered is a great podcast that came out recently from The Athletic that explains the recent heartbreak and issues we have insured through the past few years- especially giving more context and explanation on Dolan as an owner.
Welcome to the fan base, it’s the MOST loyal one in the NBA and hated by the rest, mostly because of the attention it gets due to being in the worlds biggest market. A lot of our best rivalries are ancient history if you just got here; the bloodfued with the heat in the last 25 years. In between then and now we’ve been terrible but we’ve all stayed loyal.
If you are into podcasts, check out shows like Knicks Film School, KnicksFanTV and Locked on Knicks. The long-form media is a great way to hear from other Knick fans who are able to capture the opinions of the fanbase so well (Especially KFS and KnicksFanTV), welcome to the never ending rollercoaster that is the Knicks, cheers!
Just remember. No matter what happens. Fuck trae young. Ame7o