A Visit to the Mecca

Saturday night I set out for a truly religious experience.  I went to a NY Knicks game at Madison Square Garden.  I mean this is the building  Elvis, Led Zeppelin, MJ, Gretzky, Kobe, Lebron, U2, and Numerous United States Presidents have performed in.  Oh and the Knicks call it home too. If the Category is Greats, which one of these does not fit?  If you answered Knicks you are right.  It is great to have celebreties courtside (Justin Tuck of the Giants was the celeb last night..Weak!), but not so great when they are a bigger story than the team.  Also, you ever notice some of the greatest moments always involve opposing players lighting up the Knicks? 

Ok enough of the cheap shots. I went to what many ballers (I'm so white) refer to as the Mecca. I have been to my fair share of different arenas during my seven years covering the NBA, but never MSG.  How is that possible?  Simple.. I only traveled during the Playoffs, understand now?  I mean the Knicks have been a punch line for the last decade.  The talk surrounding the franchise is rarely the play on the court, but instead what Superstar can we get to play here in the off-season.   

Monday Night they will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of their 1969-70 NBA Championship team.  Three years later they won another in the 1972-73 season.  You know how many Knicks Titles have been raised since? 0...zip, nada, none!  You know how many franchises have won titles since the Knicks last?  12 some multiple times like the Celtics, Lakers, Bulls, Pistons, Spurs, Rockets, and others one title like Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, Washington Bullets, Seattle Super Sonics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat.  For my DC friends we laugh at how long ago '78, yet it was 5 years more recent than the Mighty Knicks!  Yet there is not the man power wasted on what might be with those franchises because they don't have the historic building and #1 media market hyping them. 

I will admit if it boiled down to which building and fan base cares more the Knicks would be the Lakers or Celtics or the Yankees to put in New York terms.  The Hype around the Knicks is so enormous and it overshadows the mediocre results.  The last time I checked pro sports are about results right?  It is really ridiculous to think about all coverage wasted on such a mediocre product.  It got me to thinking, what if this happened in politics?  You know someone with style an no substance getting way too much airtime.  You know someone who is not even in the game?  Imagine what a joke that would be!