Goodbye Melo

I've wanted this for the Knicks, and today I got it.

Carmelo Anthony is no longer a New York Knick heading into the 17-18 NBA Season.

No, I don't dislike Melo. In fact, if you go through previous posts you'll know, I find Melo to be a very, very good player. However, I just thought it was time for the Knicks to move past this era, and truly - like, really - rebuild.

Most importantly, build around Kristaps Porzingis.

But, again, for me, I've always - ALWAYS - believed that Carmelo Anthony needed to be the #2 (or #3) guy on a team. Watching him night in and night out as a Knick, he just never seemed to be the type of guy who lifts those around him. Again, he's a tremendous player but the track record is there. I don't buy into the "he's never had much around him" argument.

Have you seen the Knicks roster in comparison to the rest of the Eastern Conference the last few years?

Ultimately, we've lost with Carmelo Anthony on the roster for years. Now, it's time to move on.

I do think Melo is slightly overrated by the national media, and in respect, many fans as well. I do think he'll be great along side Russell Westbrook (a legitimate superstar in the NBA) and Paul George. He'll be, dare I say - Olympic Carmelo. Just catch and shoot. Which is a super dangerous Melo. Are they good enough to defeat the Warriors? No. No one is.

However, if I'm being honest, Melo's stint here in New York was star-crossed. If I had to describe it in one word it would be - disappointing. It really was. The Melo-Knicks relationship, all along, felt like two individuals who liked the idea of one another, rather than loving one another. Melo's stay here just never felt real. It always felt fabricated, right from the beginning with the facetious "I'm coming home video" for his debut. Melo's a Baltimore kid. Let's finally just say it.

And while management didn't exactly help him - or at times completely derailed him (see: Phil Jackson), Melo also didn't help himself. He ran Coach Mike D'Antoni out of the organization - the same coach he was angling to play for once again. Also, the same coach who is currently the NBA Coach of the Year.

How can we forget the pettiness shown during the height of Linsanity, and towards ending it?

There were the countless moments every night where Melo either took a bad shot, or simply gave no effort on the defensive end.

Or, how about that season he didn't suit up all year because of an injury, but played in the all-Star Game before shutting it down once again?

Oh, and there is the ball movement, or lack thereof. I definitely won't miss watching Melo hold...and hold...and hold the ball some more before going one on three on the right end of the block.

But you know what? I won't forget the unbelievable scoring ability he displayed in the blue and orange. Nor that infamous overtime win on Easter Sunday against the Chicago Bulls. Or my favorite Knicks Melo memory, his record-setting 63-point performance against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Yes, there has been good and bad. What it has been, is a truly interesting ride. One that most Knicks fan still can't describe. Regardless, it needed to come to an end, and it finally did. We're ready to hand it all over to The Unicorn.

Thanks Melo for proudly wearing the blue and orange. And really, I wish you all the best in Oklahoma City. Go play some meaningful basketball - a stage you should be on.

Overall, this relationship needed to end.

Goodbye, Melo.

Recently Read Posts

Dope Sports Threads - WNBA Signature Shoes (Stewart & Della Donne)

Signature sneakers for WNBA athletes? Ummm, yes, please! This has been a long time coming. Since the debut of those signature Sheryl Swoopes from Nike , the market has not seen many women athletes given signature kicks, and more importantly, a platform for little girls and fans of the WNBA to emulate their favorite players and superstars - you know, the way we've always had it with our male athletes. I want to live in a world where yes, little girls too can get excited about rockin' their favorite female basketball player's shoes. Shoes that are in their size...made for their feet. Lately, we've seen a slow trend back into this space as the WNBA continues to gain popularity with a devoted following (like myself), but also as companies look to diversify their portfolio in a sports world that is ever-evolving. I feel like Candace Parker helped revitalize that with the "Exhibit" line under Adidas. The design was endorsed, but not necessarily a signature shoe

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 8/14/22

3 Up 1. Little League Kid Hit in Head - If you haven't seen the video of the kid who was hit in the head by a wild pitch, and proceeds to first base, then to the pitcher's mound to console the opposing pitcher to was distraught over the action, then please do. Easily my favorite thing this week. And a stark reminder that there is good in the world. 2. Women Athletes Retire - Serena is hanging it up after the US Open. I saw it coming, but it's just tough to fathom when it becomes real. We'll have time to give Williams her flowers, but let's do so for Sylvia Fowles and Sue Bird - both legends in women's basketball who finished up remarkable careers today. 3. NEW CDC Guidelines - Okay, so most probably don't care about the CDC going forward. Has the pandemic officially been called off yet? Regardless, if the CDC is saying that quarantine (ah yes, that noble concept that once again feels as foreign as it was when it was introduced) is no longer needed, then we

Impact Wrestling Emergence 2022 Review: "...Just Solid - So Freakin' Solid."

It probably won't come as a shock to anyone who follows this blog that I will say the following statement: Impact Wrestling may just be the most consistently entertaining and fresh - very important adjective here! - wrestling product that I've engaged with over the past two years. It's just always there, as solid as it can be. No real highs, or lows that push me away as a fan - just good, consistent, thorough, solid pro wrestling enjoyment. Now, make no mistake about it, over the past summer, I found myself a whopping thirteen weeks behind this solid product in favor of the still new (and intriguing) AEW product and my on-again-off-again hope in the WWE due to nostalgia. However, trusty-work-from-home days have allowed me to binge watch (and work, of course) and it certainly opened my eyes to a new experience when it came to wrestling. Removal from the episodic style habit, and the feel of episodes bridging together seamlessly. Also, remove from the internet culture of we

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 6/19/22

3 Up 1. Father's Day and Juneteenth - A combined weekend of all-sort of celebrations, reflections, and appreciation. Sending gratitude and good vibes to all fathers, substitute fathers, step-in fathers, mentors, and figures who have helped shape the lives of many. Also, take some time to reflect and think through the reflective day that is Juneteenth - new to so many - of the horrific start to our country's existence, and the freedom that came after a century of captivity. 2. Ashley Adirika - This is a dope story. It's the kind of story that is amazing and quite frankly, inspirational. Adirika, a Florida teen, graduates high school with offers from all Ivy schools and many more top institutions in the country. If that wasn't enough, Ashley also started her own non-profit organization to help mentorship for young women. Unbelievably amazing. 3. Steph Curry - My dude was cooking! Steph continues to be one of my favorite athletes, and such a joy to watch. I was there

Dome Pondering

Search This Blog