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Tanking: What is it good for?

If you've been reading this site for the last few weeks (poor you), you've surely noticed that I am rapidly sinking into the miserable state of rooting against my own Knicks. Well, it's not quite that. I'm just not getting worked up anymore. When their deficits get into the double digits (like last night) I can pretty much shrug it off and walk away. If they're winning I get all surprised and sarcastic. Either way, I gave up on this season a long time ago. I've been checking up on these guys far more often than these guys, and am actively campaigning for the Knicks to give up and rebuild, starting with the '08 draft.

Some might think my growing indifference means I'm less of a fan, and I can understand that. To me, though, if you've been beaten about the head 20 times, what's one more time? After seeing the near 50-point drubbing in Boston or a loss to what was essentially the Kings' D-League affiliate, your typical loss just doesn't impress me.

I say tank away. I'm not asking Isiah to rest the starters or throw games or anything. Just keep doing what you're doing, Zeke. It's working. Get them draft picks.

But some of you guys still can't bear to see them lose, which I respect. I'd like to hear what all of you have to say in this regard. Have we given up on the season? Do losses still realy affect you? Have you commenced tanking mentality? Let us know what you think in the comments.

(Note: If you're on board, shirts like the one above are available at The Hype Guy's hilarious clothing store.)

0 recs | Comment 9 comments

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Fun story
Last night I watched the beginning of the game, then had to go pick something up, then ended up at a friend's house. We were watching football, but I asked for a change to MSG for just a sec. It was in commercial break, but the game quickly came back on. The score didn't come up for a while, but a graphic showed that Aaron Brooks had 15 points or some shit and the Knicks were coming out of a timeout. I said "random scrub having a career game? Knicks just called timeout but don't look completely morbid? They're down by 12."

Sure enough. My taste for loss is quite sharp these days.

Posting and Toasting: Unabashed Knicks fanaticism with the occasional poop joke.

by Seth on Jan 6, 2008 12:06 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

A similar story
I was also at a friend's house watching football, but a bunch of people there were Knicks fans, so I asked to change to MSG, but before changing we took bets on how much the Knicks were losing by, with guesses ranging from 40 to 5. I put down 14. It was 10, someone else had 11. We watched the whole fourth quarter.

As for tanking: Never tank.

by Barnesgasm on Jan 6, 2008 1:05 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

what you say makes sense for a
long run perspective of course. It does make the winter long though, football will be done soon. Pitchers and catchers aren't until late Feb and the real season isn't til April.

by DoctorK16 on Jan 6, 2008 1:29 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

i just cant get myself to do it
like im never gonna b able to root against the knicks ,yet now when they lose im not in a pissy mood like in the past years. im really dissapointed with this season its changed nearly everything, we can rattle off 5 straight wins and it really doesnt mean shit so theirs nothing 2 hope for. the knicks are what my life basically revolves around and the fact that this season was over b4 it started makes everyone feel cheated especially with the highest hopes we've had in years. Still tho as a fan until their mathmatically done i can't not root for them

by antnyk on Jan 6, 2008 2:36 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Hope lives in Secaucus
I came into this season as one of the few people left on earth willing to give Isiah's plan more time to develop. As many loudly cursed Zeke, I looked at the Knicks of mid last year (before Mal, Q & Lee went down) and thought adding Zbo to that unit would result in a .500 season and a lower seed playoff spot. I say this to show that I am by no means quick to abandon ship. However, early this season I finally have become convinced that this team as presently constructed is going nowhere. That its apparent collective upside is a mirage.

I can pinpoint the exact moment I stopped believing, it was the home and home sweep at the hands of the fucking 76ers. That no show confirmed for me that the Knicks are too mentally fragile to have any sustained period of success. That any time the team faced any sort of adversity, it would fold like a lawn chair. It would fold because it had no on court leadership.

We are in need of a serious infusion of talent and motivation. And since no NBA team is going to just give their superstar to the Knicks, the only way to obtain a transcendent player is through the draft. Enter my current boner for Derrick Rose. As I mentioned in another post, he projects to the NBA as a more athletic Deron Williams with a better jumper. He is a fierce defender and a player that lives to set up his teammates. With the low level basketball IQ that most of the Knicks have, imagine us with a heady Chris Paul type at the one...

As someone said earlier, I don't think the Knicks will be bad/lucky enough to get the first overall pick (Beasley). The number TWO is what I'm shooting for. We just had one and gave it to the Bulls for Lazy Curry, no reason we can't have another Larry Brown bad level season and be right back in the same position.

With 50 or so games left, how many are we gonna win? Honestly? Look at the team's projections at this link. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds We need to do what the Spurs did long ago to draft Tim Duncan. What the Celtics did just last year to have the pieces to trade for KG! I believe the children are the future, teach them now and let them lead the way...

by HUSTLE HARDER on Jan 6, 2008 2:46 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I can't support tanking...
I want as good a draft pick as possible, but I can't support tanking.  One, one draft pick rarely makes that much of a difference, unless it's one of those guys, you know: LeBron, Shaq, Duncan. Oden/Durant.  Those guys go #1, anyway, and has bad as the Knicks are, someone else is going to get the #1 most likely.

Also, as the Celtics found out last year, the NBA is rigged so to make tanking unappealing/unsuccesful.

So if you aren't getting the #1, is it that big a difference if you get #4 or #6?  

I believe it's better to build a culture of competitiveness, and winning.  Say what you want about the 76ers, but they worked hard last year (they didn't tank after Iverson left, when everyone penned them in for the #1, and in fact, they improved) and their team is still competiting this season, too.  Hey, if they ever add a piece or two, they might be real good.

That's what you hope happens with the Knicks....

by stopmikelupica on Jan 6, 2008 5:15 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

god dammit
who would have thought that b4 january even ended we would b talking about acting more like the 76ers. And it would b completely true. I hate my life

by antnyk on Jan 6, 2008 7:38 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Word..
Yeah I hate that we're trailing the Sixers too.

Getting a good lottery pick would be great. Personally i want Artest. I hate to harp on how much talent we got cause thats the first thing people say about the Knicks.  They came into the season with alot of controversy and Its pretty clear Isaiah has lost the team. I think Isaiah should just go back to just being a GM only IF he sticks around. Thomas should look for a new coach with a new direction for the team.  We got loads of talent but these guys either dont know how to play together, dont want it enough, dont trust each other or just dont care what happens.  Maybe all of the above.

I know Isaiah looked crazy with all the championship predictions but i think we all knew what he meant.  He feels the pieces are here like alot of us did earlier this season. That and the fact that he has trouble admitting when he's wrong and needs to count his loses and move on or try something different. I say let em'play it out. Il keep watchin em till my eyes bleed but root against them? Never

Oh.

Why do scrubs run a muck on the Knicks? cause we dont have an enforcer to knock em on their ass..we really need to get Artest.

by mightykingcrayon on Jan 7, 2008 9:01 PM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

That Denver game seems like a lifetime ago...
It surely must have been one of the shortest seasons in the history of professional sports...

I don't think there is any real point in actively trying to lose... nobody is gonna finish worse than Minnesota and there is no really franchise changing draft pick anyhow...

Sadly I think just keep plodding along, I kinda think this is gonna need to get worse before it can start getting better... I am pretty sure most people would accept a couple of really really bad years if it meant a turnaround and title challenge in 4/5 years...

In would rather be on a really big rollercoaster with proper high and low points than a piddly little tea cup ride now... wouldn't you?

Eight-hour flight - $600... cab from JFK - $50... hotel room - $100... having a Knicks season seat despite living in the UK - priceless...

by limey a river on Jan 8, 2008 8:19 AM EST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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