Yeah, I didn’t have time to write a whole lot before, as I was trying to head out the door to get over to my girlfriend’s. So, yes, 1978. We moved to central Jersey in 1971, and my Dad (from the Bronx) always had the Knicks on during their championship run. I remember hearing about Clyde, Willis, and DeBusschere from him, but I was still too young at the time. I started reading Peter Vecsey’s morning column in the New York Post about the Knicks, and my Dad had already read it earlier that morning before anyone else was awake, as he had to get the bus on Route 9 for his commute up to New York City every day to work in an ad agency near Madison (yes, “Madmen” kind of evokes the feel of that office). In the evening, he would get home and we would discuss the Knicks, often quoting Vecsey’s column back and forth to each other as if his ideas were our own. We lived about 50 miles away from the city, so I wasn’t there that much, but a couple of times a year I would take the bus up with him and we would see a game at the Garden at the end of his workday.

We went to the All-Star Game in East Rutherford (I think that’s the year). I’m pretty sure that it was Bird, Magic, and Kareem, and Kareem only had two points because he had forgotten or broken his goggles, and astonishingly no one had an extra pair for him back in those days. At least that’s the way I remember it. I was also at the game on Christmas Day in 1984 at the Garden when Bernard King had 60 points but the Knicks lost to the Nets (I believe) by a score of 120-110. I see that game replayed on NBA-TV every so often. At that time, it was easy to go down to the floor prior to the game because of the lax security, and Bernard walked by me and briefly stepped on my foot. I remember being so glad that he didn’t sprain his ankle or something. I had a cast on my left wrist from injuring it during a pick-up game a few days earlier.

I interned in Bill Bradley’s Senate office in the fall of 1984 and worked on his re-election campaign that year (I think he won with 65 percent of the vote, little thanks to me). He was physically imposing, and his intelligence was also kind of imposing. He was always very nice to me, and we had a couple of good conversations. I used to run into Patrick Ewing in the 1993-1994 era because his bank was on the bottom floor of the office building I worked in in a quiet residential section of Bethesda off of Massachusetts Avenue near Goldsboro Road. He was almost shy and didn’t want any attention from anyone, and always politely declined autograph requests from anyone, but with a smile on his face that basically intimated that he was only there to do his banking.

My Dad turns 92 next month and still watches a lot of NBA basketball. He watches the Heat, too, because of where he lives, and he blames Jimmy Butler (as opposed to Pat Riley) for the whole mess surrounding himself. My Mom passed away last March after a long-ish bout with demention, three days shy of their 66th wedding anniversary. My Dad, who started sculpting in his retirement years, now lives a quiet existence of listening to jazz, playing on his iPad, and watching basketball.

I’ve been with the Knicks through all of their “dark years,” and am glad that they are finally viable again. My girlfriend (who had never watched a basketball game previously) became a fan during…….what was it?……. Game 5 of the playoffs against the Sixers (mad scramble with Hart, Hartenstein offensive rebound to DDV for the 3), and she was sad when DDV was traded as she attributes her fandom to him. But she also loves Jalen and his dog Kona, and we have a great time watching for Josh Hart’s scowls in every game. I finally purchased League Pass this season as my girlfriend doesn’t bother with basic cable, and we’ve watched probably 20 or so games together this year. We’ll be watching tomorrow night against the Kings.

Again, sorry I didn’t have a chance to write all of this yesterday afternoon. But, yes, I am truly a Knicks fan.

The brutalist is splendid. Absolutely worthy of the noms.

Good to hear, since the opposite seems to be true of Emilia

OK, now I’m starting to think you’re doing it on purpose…

LOL

There’s no specific rule that says you can’t fart at a cocktail party, but it definitely makes it a worse cocktail party

LOLOL! Comment of the day! 😀

At least I spelled it correctly….

while KAT’s is more like Uranus

OK, now I’m starting to think you’re doing it on purpose…