Why Phil Jackson Actually Saved the Knicks (Written in July 2017)

by Nick Isidori (July 13, 2017) - follow @nickisidori on Twitter

Let me start off by saying this: I was born a winner.  As a fan, I am a 2-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants. I am a 4-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees. In hockey, I am a Rangers fan and while I have not seen them lift the cup (1994 doesn't count I was still sucking my moms tits) I have seen them have years of deep playoff runs. I'm a yuge Duke Blue Devils fan in college basketball: I have seen them win three (3) National Championships. I am a Tiger Woods loyalist and have seen him dominate the sport of golf like Stone Cold Steve Austin dominated the WWF in the 90's, the golden age of wrestling. Speaking of Stone Cold, he was my favorite wrestler of all time, and he just so happens to be the GOAT of wrestling - I won't debate that, there is no argument - chalk it up as another W for this guy. I could continue, but I want to get to my point.

Although I'm already a sure fire first-ballot hall of famer, the one thing on my resume that tarnishes my legacy, is the New York Knicks. Yeah that's right, I'm a die hard New York Knicks fan. You were probably sitting there reading all of my championships and thinking "oh this kid's a front runner."

Wrong.

I'm not one of those fraud fans, who follows a stud player and claims "I'm a 'fan' of the team they're on". No mother fucker, I was bred to root for these teams (outside of Tiger, Stone Cold and Duke.) Between my father, my two grandfathers and my uncle, I didn't have a choice. No complaints here - until we get to the Knicks. The fucking Knicks. Sure they had some success in the 90's, but I was done sucking mommas tits and onto sucking my thumb. Too young to embrace it. While all my friends were dick riding Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets, I stood there and took all the blows of being a Knicks fan. I never wavered, I never tilted. I'm as loyal as Chewbacca was to Hahn Solo.

*disclaimer* I'm not mad he was fired, it had to be done 126%, but Phil Jackson Saved The Knicks.

Yeah that's right, SAVED the Knicks. Before he came to New York, Knicks fans were ready to protest outside of Madison Square Garden because the franchise was a fucking laughing stock (yeah, I know, it still is.)

First off, let's look at the good in Phil's tenure:

1. Got rid of cancers such as Tyson Chandler, JR smith, and Iman Shumpert.
2. Drafted Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez, some french fuck with untapped potential.
3. Did not trade a single first round pick. Hear that?! The Knicks have every first round pick from here on out. Remember the way Isiah Thomas threw away first round picks? 
4. Put the Knicks in absolutely fine salary cap position.

Those are just a few. So let's be fair, let's look at some cons:

1. Re-signed Carmelo Anthony.
2. Gave Joakim Noah a disgusting amount of money.

I've got nothing else in the cons department, but I know you guys do. So let me point out some "cons" the regular Joe would have and let me debunk them:

1. Again, the re-signing of Carmelo Anthony... This was not Phil, I am positive of that. This was all James Dolan. James Dolan treats Melo like a mother treats her new born baby. Phil never wanted Melo back but Dolan made sure he re-signed him and gave that chubby, non defensive, selfish, rotten fuck a no trade clause!!! Fuck James Dolan. 
2. Trading for Derrick Rose.  Well here's the thing on that: Rose had one more year on his contract, so who the hell cares? If he shined and played great you can justify re-signing him. If he didn't? He walks. No harm, no foul. What did he trade for Rose? Robin Lopez, a decent center whose hair absolutely repulses me. Jose Calderon, a washed up, trash point guard. Jerian Grant, a young wing player with decent potential. The risk was minimal for what could have been a high reward. 
3. Calling out LLLLLebron James and his "posse". LOL give me a fucking break. Is there a more mentally fragile superstar in the history of sports then LLLLLebron James? I'll write about that another day. 
4. Publicly criticizing Carmelo Anthony. This should be a fucking PRO not a CON! Melo sucks dick. Like I said, Phil never wanted Melo's fat ass on his team. Can you blame him? Why not publicly criticize him and hope he demands a trade? That would have been a PLUS. 
5. Two parts to this one; Publicly criticizing Kristaps Porzingis.  Let me ask you this - who the fuck does this 21-year old think he is? What has he proved in this league? That he can skip an exit meeting with his boss? I don't care how dysfunctional he thought the franchise was. Then, Phil gets bashed for looking to trade KP? Why? Porzingis no doubt has untapped potential and can be a star. But what has he shown us? He's shown us he is already injury prone. A 7'3 white boy with leg problems already? Call me crazy but that doesn't seem ideal.  The guy is in foul trouble just about every game. But he was UNTOUCHABLE? Blow me. If Boston would have unloaded picks and a player for him, you do it in a heart beat and don't blink an eye. Yes, I like KP and I do think he's going to be great, but let's not put him in the hall of fame just yet. 

Phil Jackson was brought in to turn this whole franchise around. He didn't. However, people sitting around saying the Knicks are in the worst shape they've ever been in is laughable. Good cap position, a bunch of young kids with great potential and ALL DRAFT PICKS safely in hand and stocked away for the future.

Phil is a fucking beast. I don't care what anyone says. This weed smoking old bastard came in, worked 1,200 days and made $60-million. That's a BOSS. He saved the Knicks. When all is said and done and the Knicks win that championship for me to solidify myself as the greatest walking sports fan in history, I'm giving Phil Big Dick Jackson all the credit. 

THANK YOU PHIL!!!!