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File photo of Knicks coach Pat Riley, left, and Patrick Ewing, during the media day on Oct. 10, 1991 by AP/Richard Harbus
The little children out there may have trouble remembering it, but the Knicks were once good. In fact, they even played in the NBA Finals in 1994. Patrick Ewing did all he could, but when John Starks went 2-for-18 in Game 7, he helped keep Ewing on the Dan Marino list of greatest sports stars to never win a ring.
Now Ewing is headed to the Hall of Fame. He and six others found out at an announcement in San Antonio, sight of the Final Four and Monday's national championship game. Hakeem Olajuwon, the Rockets center who helped defeat Ewing's Knicks in 1994, will be sharing the stage in Springfield, Mass. So will Pat Riley, who coached the Knicks during that 1994 run but did his best work with the Lakers in the 1980s.
For Ewing, a day that should be celebrating his career will instead force him to remember his team's greatest failure. The Knicks' other run to the NBA Finals, in 1999, came when Ewing was out with an Achilles tendon injury and helped create the now-famous Ewing Theory. The Knicks center has nothing to be ashamed of, however. He carried Georgetown to the 1984 national title and, without him, the Knicks couldn't have dreamed of the success they can only dream of now.
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I remember that 1994 championship series so well--and how OJ's white Bronco chase cut into the coverage. Anyway, thanks, Ewing deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I miss him and his bum knees.
I remember the Knicks. The knicks have and always will be GARBAGE! their only glory was beating Miami in 1999. I can't believe how much mileage The Dolans have gotten out of a team that constantly breaks your heart. Their goal is not a championship but mediocrity. People still talk about the Knicks and the Bulls like they were rivals or something. The Knicks were just like any other team in the NBA getting their asses kicked by the Bulls. the only thing that made them special was that they played on 34th and 8th ave. I remember countless days of Ewing backing up and then throwing his hands in the air as he got stripped cause he was so predictable. I remember how Ewing was a dick to all his fans and yet people remember him like he was a savior or something. I remember all the tears I shed when year after year these knicks teased you and let you down again and again. THe Knicks are the worst. Ewing was so bad they even had "the Ewing Theory" created for him.
BTW, you've still got a 404 on the link to comments for the next (earlier) post..
Walt Frazier, Dick Barnett, Phil Jackson, Earl Monroe, Dave DeBusschere, Willis Reed.
1969-70. Marv Albert's play-by-play.
Now there's a team.
I remember that series because the Rangers won the Stanley Cup.
I hate to say this, but I totally agree with babyhitter. The Knicks have been a constant source for heartburn then and now.
The knicks would have done better if it weren't for a certain team, from a certain town...DA BULLZ!
Patrick Ewing was arguably the greatest Knick ever and would have probably won at least one ring if he had any great players with him. Unfortuantely Ewing had the bad luck of being matched up against the Jordanaires year after year.
Tom -
This "bitter twist" of which you speak...
I'm not sure I buy this as Ewing not only worked for the Houston Rockets for three years as an assistant coach, but is also a friend of Olajuwon after many years of intertwined competition at the pro and college levels. Check the facts. He'll be happy just to be there on the stage with his friends.
Ewing has had a long time to come to grips with his inability to bring a championship to New York (or Orlando for that matter). He can always look to the fact that it was his body and not his will that ultimately failed him and that, yes, greats like Oscar Robertson and Charles Barkley also never won a championship. I'm sure he's past any real "bitterness" - though Knicks fans, including this one, may still have bad memories.
I agree with BellG.