Knicks Morning News (2023.03.22)

“On Macri’s podcast this morning, Ray Marcano tried to argue that Willis coming out of the tunnel is the single most iconic moment in NY sports history, and that it’s not close.”

There’s “iconic” and there’s “heroic.”

Personally, I’d put Willis Reed’s Game 7 feat as the single most heroic moment in team sports history. Having lived through it as a deeply obsessed 12 year old who stayed up late to watch the game on tape delay, and who had just watched the heavily favored Chamberlain-West-Baylor Lakers just destroy the Knicks in game 6 (Wilt had 45), I literally was praying for a miracle but thought there was absolutely no chance to win that game without The Captain.

That there was no word at all as to whether he would play (you only knew that it was some kind of very serious hip injury so again you were reduced to praying for a miracle) added to the suspense of the moment. I was in deep despair about the most likely outcome, which is that he wouldn’t play.

The Knicks owned NYC beyond what the Yankees, Giants, Dodgers or Mets ever could (same with the Giants and Jets) because they were the only basketball franchise in NYC and had the entire city behind them in a way that is hard to describe. Hockey did not have the fan base that basketball did in NYC…although the Rangers were pretty huge at that time, it was not the same.

And it was also the nature of the team. As great as Reed was, and in spite of the MVP, he was not considered the best player in the league, or even at his position. Same with every other member of the team. They were the consummate “There is no I in team” team. They played impeccably unselfishly on both ends of the floor, and HAD to play that way to win a championship.

And the iconic, heroic figure on that team was Willis Reed. Clyde, Dave, Dollar Bill, etc. were beloved, but Reed towered above them. He was essentially the Bill Russell of New York.

And you could see that in the reverence his teammates had for him. These were no ordinary sports figures. Bill Bradley would become a senator and presidential candidate. Clyde would become Clyde. Dick Barnett would get a PhD from Fordham. DeBusschere would become the Knicks’ POBO. Phil Jackson would become arguably the greatest coach in NBA history. And all of these guys were terrified by Willis, or more accurately, terrified of disappointing him by not giving their all or being selfish. And they knew that Willis had their back at all times because no one would dare fuck with him. And he did so with great kindness and humility that made him even more endearing, more deserving of reverence. He was everything you would want in a leader. There wasn’t a speck of asshole in him. You would run through a wall for him, because he would run through a wall for you first.

And that’s what he did on that iconic night in the spanking new MSG. He ran through a wall for his team, and for this great city, at a time of incredible societal upheaval. He not only took excruciatingly painful needles to numb the agony of a torn muscle, with the weight of our great City, the MSG crowd, but first and foremost his underdog team on his massive shoulders, he stuck that first jumper, and then another one. He dragged his useless leg up and down the court and laid his body on Wilt until he wasn’t needed any more. He inspire Clyde and Dave to have the greatest games in their respective careers.

With all due respect to the other iconic NY sports moments, I don’t think there was ever a more heroic scene in the history of NYC sports. The walk out of the tunnel. The two jumpers. Fifty three years later, it’s still etched into my soul more deeply that all of my other sports moments combined. It was truly a gift to be an obsessed fan of that team and that player.

Another great comparison with Clyde (and to an extent Willis) is Derek Jeter, who was never the best player in the league statistically but might have been the guy you would pick first when choosing sides.

I know older Yankees fans hold the Chris Chambliss HR in high regard….