Can the Knicks Be Saved?

I am by no means a huge basketball fan, particularly the NBA, but it's hard to see the New York Knicks in their current state. Being from New York, and growing up when the Knicks were once a proud and winning team, what has happened over the last few years has been appalling. From the days of GM Scott Layden acquiring extremely overpaid fringe players (Shandon Anderson?!) to the Larry Brown and Isiah Thomas fiasco's. For a team that had great success in the mid to late 90's, what has happened recently has hurt not only the Knicks organization, but also the NBA. The Knicks, who are in an important sports market, are no longer as big of a draw as they used to be, and are now more of a laughingstock because of their recent problems.

Isiah Thomas, who was a great player during his time, appears to be in way over his head with the Knicks as GM and head coach. He has not only made questionable basketball decisions, but his off court problems have given not only him, but the organization, a big black eye. Thomas was accused, and found guilty, of sexual harassment, which caused Madison Square Garden (and Thomas' boss) to pay a hefty amount of money in damages. While Thomas was not the only one at fault here, it hurts that the team's President and coach, their most recognizable figure at this point, was involved in an incident like this in the first place. Something like this, in addition to the team's recent poor performance (sneaking into the first round of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference isn't exactly success), has created a bad image for the team, and the NBA can't be happy that a team like the Knicks are struggling like they are.

Where to begin with Stephon Marbury? Marbury, with his big time contract, came to the Knicks with much excitement, as he is from Brooklyn and he was coming home to play for the hometown team. It has been all downhill since then. Not only has his performance been under par, but he has also created some more turmoil for the team, by not showing up for a game because he was not going to start, and then claiming he had "so much stuff" on Isiah Thomas. By this, he meant he was going to blackmail Thomas is he didn't start against the Phoenix Suns. How bad does this look for the organization? Although Thomas and Marbury are saying all the right things, it's pretty clear that this organization is in a lot of trouble if it keeps on its current path. Over the last several years, this organization has been one big, public nightmare, and it's going to need a huge restoration to bring back fans and respectability to this once proud team.

So what can save this team from further public relations problems? First, it appears that the organization needs to clean house and get rid of cancers like Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury. The team needs to return to good character players like they had in the 90's like Patrick Ewing and John Starks, and stay away from selfish players like Marbury. The Knicks need to rebound to restore this franchise because the fans in New York want to have a team they can actually cheer for. I'm sure the NBA wants the Knicks to bounce back so that they can benefit from a popular team in a big sports city. Leagues need major sports markets to have teams that people want to watch. In baseball, the Yankees not only draw great attendance at home but they also draw a lot of fans on the road. That is what big market teams that are successful can do for their respective leagues. This is what needs to happen again with the Knicks. Maybe the draft can be rigged (Scroll down to Apr. 19 article "Basketball Blog"), like it has been suggested that the 1985 NBA Draft was, in order for the Knicks to land Patrick Ewing to be the savior of one of the league's big market teams. But thats just wishful thinking. The Knicks have a long way to go to get back on good terms with the fans and the NBA, but it is something that needs to be done.

Shaq Is Not Getting Any Younger

At nearly 36 years of age, Shaquille O'Neal is continuing to struggle with his game on the court. With Dwayne Wade still out due to last season's injury, Shaq is expected to lead his team to victory, a responsibility he would rather not face alone. At 0-5 after a recent loss to Phoenix, the HEAT are in need of some help and they have not been getting it from the big guy. With his knee still proving to be a problem, it is obvious that his body is no longer in the shape it used to be and he is not putting up the same amount of points as in previous years. Yet fans still believe that he is capable of winning a few more championships. When is enough, enough? At what point should Shaq begin wrapping his career up to be able to save his body? When will fans be able to just say thanks and allow their star player to leave in peace?

From a marketing standpoint, it goes without saying that Shaquille O'Neal is a brand name himself. Everything he touches turns to gold. Whether it be Pepsi, Spalding, Reebok, Nestle or other big name brands, Shaq has done it all. He has even created his own vocabulary with words such as Shaqnificent, Shaq Attaq and his most recent Shaq Diesel. People all over the world associate the game of basketball with Shaquille O'Neal as he is one of sports most recognizable and influential players. For the NBA, having Shaq in their league has certainly contributed to its tremendous growth in popularity over the years. I mean come on, this is Shaq we are talking about. Everyone knows and loves him regardless of what team he is on. You could give this man anything and he will be able to sell it. So what happens if he decides it is time to go? Where will the league stand then?

Although I was born and raised a NY Knicks fan, I have all the respect in the world for Shaq. I think he has done wonders for the NBA organization. He has always displayed this larger than life persona and that's what makes him unique, other than his enormous size. As a 14-time All-Star, 2-time All-Star MVP, 4-time NBA Champion, 3-time NBA Finals MVP, and 2000 NBA MVP, he has certainly established himself as one of the NBA's greatest players of all time, minus his inability to shoot foul shots. Therefore, I don't think there would be anything wrong if he decided to make this season his last, with or without another championship ring. I think he owes it to himself and his body to simply walk away. For fans to continue to expect him to play the way he did when he was in his twenties is ludicrous. As far as pro athletes go, he is getting older now and his high scoring days are slowly coming to an end.

I think we all need to say farewell to our beloved superstar and allow him to enjoy the retired life of living on Star Island and driving around in expensive foreign cars. Let him pursue his music and acting career, or perhaps improve upon his golf game. However, I do believe that the NBA will take a direct hit in ratings and sales. Yet this is natural anytime a big name athlete calls it quits. Nevertheless, with its global expansion on the rise, whatever losses occur, I am sure it will not be for long. The NBA is moving in a positive direction and continuously growing in popularity each and every day. So now we must sit back, enjoy the rest of the season, and ultimately let Shaq know that we thank him for all of the memories.