The downtime between the Knicks taking part in out the common season and their first-round playoff assembly with Cleveland, offers pontificators extra time to set expectation ranges whereas turning Donovan Mitchell into the Garden’s Public Enemy No. 1.
How precisely did that work out for the Knicks when followers, and Valley of the Stupid Gasbags, focused Atlanta’s Trae Young two years in the past within the playoffs, turning him into Knicks Kryptonite?
Cats, like Stephen A. Smith, who continues to be moaning over the Knicks’ incapability to deliver Mitchell to the Drecka final summer season, view the Cleveland collection as a referendum on the “wisdom” of not pulling off a cope with Utah, leaving the door open for the Cavs to finalize a blockbuster commerce to amass the star guard.
As if he wanted extra motivation to achieve the playoffs, media concentrate on Mitchell will solely serve to sharpen his edge. Yet, sadly, not like Knicks prez Leon Rose, there is no such thing as a place for Mitchell to cover.
Mitchell can be below the high-beam highlight for all to see. Rose can bunker beneath his personal acquisitions and the media going gaga over the Knicks making the playoffs. Quite an accomplishment, proper? Especially in a league the place it’s not all that troublesome to make the playoffs?
Unlike Mitchell, Rose gained’t must face the blowback.
His technique of conserving it on the down-low has succeeded. Rose’s media “opposition,” together with the retailers scribes work for, has provided minimal resistance. No matter how the Knicks fare, win or lose, Rose will all the time keep his proper to stay silent. Or agree to interact in a Twinkie Munch with MSG Network’s Mike Breen.
Rose additionally has a notion factor working for him. According to VOS bloviators, all it’ll take is profitable the Cleveland collection for the Knicks season to be declared profitable. This is named setting the bar low. It takes us again to the 1991-92 season, after the Knicks simply gained a primary spherical, best-of-five, collection towards Detroit 3-2.
On the WFAN radiocast, the late play-by-play voice Jim Karvellas was whooping it up whereas giving the Knicks main credit score for the collection win and advancing. The analyst, somebody named Walt (Clyde) Frazier, was not waving the pom-poms.
“They [the Knicks] have done nothing yet,” Frazier, a lot to the chagrin of Karvellas, mentioned. They nonetheless have one thing to show.” The two went forwards and backwards, with Karvellas attempting to persuade Frazier: “Walt give them some credit.” Frazier wouldn’t budge. The Knicks went on to lose to Michael Jordan and the Bulls 4-games-to-3 within the Eastern Conference semis.
The ethical of this story needs to be utilized to this version of the Knicks, and those that run their mouths the loudest: Winning one collection, even when it validates the commerce you didn’t make, is nothing to cheer about.
LA GRECA GETS MEAN
The afternoon-drive race for ESPN-98.7′s “The Michael Kay Show” to make up substantial floor on WFAN’s “Carton and Roberts” program has a minimum of one of many Gasbags appearing out of character.
That could be Don La Greca. While he’s identified for his rants, DLG, who in his position as one among MSG’s voices of the Rangers additionally represents that group, has by no means flashed a mean-spirited facet.
Until final week. DLG mentioned a caller who agitated/aggravated him “must have a metal plate in his head.” Sorry, however that characterization is just not one thing to only throw on the market. It might be somebody’s harsh actuality.
And it’s not humorous.
BAD HOOPS HYPE
The Bristol Clown Community College Faculty has motive to whoop it up.
Not solely did the Women’s Final Four produce big-time scores, however it additionally supplied loads of poor sportsmanship video (that includes marquee gamers like Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese), which, till additional discover, can be utilized in promos to hype the 2023-24 season.
Not an amazing message to ship.
NO TIME TO PANIC
Evan Roberts may need to replay audio of his WFAN feedback following the Mets’ 7-6 loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday afternoon.
Roberts (a minimum of thrice): “I’m not panicking!”
Sure might’ve fooled us.
BOOTH DRIVEL
Didn’t matter that the Mets, concerned in an in depth one Wednesday afternoon and had been on the verge of getting swept by Milwaukee. SNY nonetheless had time for a shot of Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez within the broadcast sales space.
There was a motive — form of — for the gratuitous image. The Free World should have stopped as a result of Hernandez bought a FaceTime name on his iPhone. It was from somebody within the manufacturing compound so it needed to be necessary, proper?
Just questioning if utilizing this time to air meaningless drivel resulted in lacking a play, would the SNY crew even been embarrassed?
AROUND THE DIAL
When it involves the video historical past of NFL Films THE standard-bearer is “Inside The NFL,” which began in 1977 on HBO. Now streaming service Paramount+ is dumping the present, which for a couple of years additionally aired on Showtime. While “ITNFL” could be gradual for the instances we dwell in, no high-speed substitute can match the artistry, ingenuity, and combination of personalities, particularly on HBO, that made “ITNFL” so nice for thus lengthy. Rumor has it there may be nonetheless time left on the Paramount+ contract with the NFL, which both means the NFL already has a brand new “ITNFL” community deal or is assured that it’s going to get one. …
This simply in: Michael Kay and David Cone had been chilly working Phillies-Yankees Wednesday on YES. We know this as a result of they talked about it quite a few instances. Pity Party? …
The WWE/UFC merger feels like an actual picture builder for each manufacturers, proper? …
Kay has discovered some new floor to cowl — studying betting traces throughout Yankees video games on YES. On SNY, the sales space voices let Steve Gelbs do the playing reads…
Christopher (Mad Dog) Russo should have a factor for Gene Steratore. Doggie can’t cease bashing the CBS guidelines analyst.
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DUDE OF THE WEEK: DANNY HURLEY
The UConn basketball coach deserves all of the accolades after profitable a title. He constructed his profession from the bottom up. No silver spoon handouts or copouts. It all paid off in a single shining second.
DWEEB OF THE WEEK: ANTHONY RENDON
When assessing his foolish altercation with a heckler, it turns into clear: This is what occurs if you watch truTV’s “Impractical Jokers” all day.
DOUBLE TALK
What Aaron Hicks mentioned: “Right now, I’m specializing in myself and attempting to get off to a sizzling begin and simply play baseball and have enjoyable.
What Aaron Hicks meant to say: “I’m used to getting booed at the Stadium.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com