CLEVELAND – As you might’ve guessed by now, I’m a fairly firm proponent of paying homage to the past.
However, if you’re going to make that commitment – jiggle the memory bank or analyze the alcove of a team’s archives to choose a representative from each decade the organization has been operational – and honor them, as the Knicks are doing March 23 when the Orlando Magic are in town, then be damn sure not to slight someone irrefutably more deserving.
An anonymous 11-person alumni committee, the Knicks’ Web site informs us, singled out Carl Braun to exemplify the 1940s, Richie Guerin the ’50s, Willis Reed the ’60s, Walt Frazier the ’70s, Bernard King the ’80s and Patrick Ewing the ’90s.
Dick McGuire will receive a well-warranted legacy award; hopefully the former Knicks player/coach and current scout won’t be as long-winded (“Thank you”) as the last time he stood at midcourt when his shared (Earl Monroe) No. 15 jersey was retired.
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No disrespect to Braun or Guerin, but Harry Gallatin’s omission is as glaring an oversight as can be made.
First of all, Gallatin is in the James Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame for what he accomplished as a Knick, and they’re not.
Secondly, in nine seasons as a Knick, Gallatin made the All-Star team seven times, one more than Guerin, two more than Braun.
Thirdly, Harry the Horse, 82 April 26 and living in St. Louis, averaged 13 points and 12.3 rebounds (the league did not tabulate board scores his first two years: 1948-49 and 1949-50) and led the league once in rebounds.
I’m not faintly suggesting the careers of Braun and Guerin are unworthy of being celebrated and saluted. It’s long overdue (credit Donnie Walsh for wanting to reconnect with franchise history), but not at Gallatin’s exclusion.
Or, for that matter, anybody else justifiably affronted by being ignored.
What’s the motive behind limiting selection to one player per decade? For no good reason I can grasp, much less embrace, the Knicks are offending numerous players, especially those critical to their two championships: Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Earl Monroe and Dick Barnett.
Even in the Knicks’ most hideous 10-year span (the 1980s) I suspect the 11-person committee could’ve wrung out a reputable five-man squad. Unless Camp Cablevision couldn’t spare the travelling overhead or extra tickets, why cheat the fans out of renewing acquaintances with a plethora of prized players versus merely a splendid seven?
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Tom Collins tells a revealing story about Bill Davidson and a phone call he received years ago from the Pistons owner who passed away Friday.
“Tom, you represent Jack McCloskey and I’m going to ask you a favor,” Collins said, recalling the conversation. “I want Jack to become our GM. Would you consider letting him represent himself? I need to see his negotiating skills on behalf of our team. I promise to be more than fair to Jack!”
Collins says Davidson was “one of the very few I would ever consider giving that option. He kept his word!”
An appreciative shout out to Myles “Mousey” Dorch from the multitudes he has mentored. The guys from the housing projects at Forest, Jackson, Millbrook, Melrose, Mitchell and Patterson wanted to thank him in this space for all the time, caring and love he has given them over the years.
The 16-51 Wizards may be mired in the Eastern Conference muck, but this season must be considered successful if it concludes without Gilbert Arenas needing another knee operation . . . and the team’s insurance company doesn’t go out of business.
Why would the 14-52 Kings release Drew Gooden, a certified asset whose contract expires at season’s end? The financially-struggling Maloof brothers, whose team is dead last in the West, clearly won’t be making any free agent investments for the foreseeable future, so why not give Gooden the opportunity to compete for a title with the Spurs.
Orlando’s Marcin Gortat will be the Mehmet Okur of this summer’s free agent class. Dwight Howard‘s raw backup isn’t going to come cheaply, but the team that collars him will have spent wisely on a guy guaranteed to average an easy double double.
Nate Robinson picked up another technical foul woofing at the refs against the Timberwolves. Mike D’Antoni told him, “When are you going to start thinking about the team instead of yourself?”
Ex-Knick Trent Tucker, who starred for the Gophers and lives in Minnesota, was interviewed during the game. Looks like Floyd Layne‘s older brother.
Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were a combined 6-16 from the field and had zero assists in Sunday’s loss at Milwaukee. That’ll teach ’em to pass to each other. Upon hearing the result, Dave Cowens vowed to renew his hack’s license.
Rick Pitino immediately downplayed Louisville’s No. 1 seed in the NCAA tourney. At yesterday’s practice he told his players, “Darrell Griffith, Rodney McCray and Wes Unseld are not walking through that door.”
The Syracuse-Connecticut game went on so long, by the time it was over, some of their players had become academically eligible.