I Can't Quit You: The Story of a Knicks Fan

It was a cold Sunday night in the City and my New York Knicks just turned the ball over for the 15th last night. Pass broken and the ball was dished out across the midline and Collin Sexton slashed his way to the basket and scored for his 25th and 26th points (he finished with a career-high of 31). The bucket put the Cleveland Cavaliers up 68-42 halfway through the 3rd.

The Knicks brought the ball back up mid-court, called a time-out and were showered with boo-birds.

Nothing is working and I have no solutions.

I highly doubt anyone in the organization actually knows what they're doing.

Why would anyone subjugate their selves to this intentional pain and torment is beyond me.

If the day ever comes I have children, I don't know how I'd be able to look my child in the eye and say sorry to them because their father is an idiot who decided to be a Knicks fan.

Yet, I can't stop being a Knicks fan.

3 of the last 4 games have resulted in embarrassing losses of 20-plus-points. The one bright spot was going into Dallas and beating the snake-unicorn that Kristaps Prozingis is.

Now don't hit me with the "Knicks lol" That's lazy jokes and I'd respect your basketball opinion more if you came up with something creative. You're not funny because you said the Knicks suck, you'd be funny if you said every Sunday is a holiday for Mike Breen since he doesn't have to do the Knicks game. That's original and actually funny instead of the herb-unfunny "Lol Knicks'.

Sorry for that brief derailment but I just had to get that across for anyone reading thinking they're funny for making fun of the Knicks. You're beating a dead horse.

Anyways ...

This past summer, I finally bought into the hype-train. I legitimately thought we were going to get Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving (or one or the other). Once the Achille's of KD popped, I knew it was done and I just holding out blind hope. Someone on the Knicks let it slip they didn't want Kyrie without KD and Kyrie took that and made his way to Brooklyn.

KD was fully in charge of this move and once he got hurt, he lost the upper hand and Kyrie dictated where they were going based on his mood swings. KD being a spineless twig (What up Golden State!) followed Kyrie because he's scared of any tough situation (What up Golden State!).

Whatever Knicks brass like to call this plan, I was on-board with it. Bunch of short-term-deals (except Julius Randle) as opposed to giving Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris or DeMarcus Cousins max-deals. Plus we had a couple of young players that I and other Knicks feel very excited about. RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox, Iggy Brazdekis, Daymean Dotson, Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina for once ?!?!?!?!?!?!

It has not worked out so far.

If not a for massive Chicago Bulls choke job back two weeks ago, the win in Dallas would've been the first win of the season. There have been a couple of close calls in San Antonio, Brooklyn and Boston which all could've gone the other way and we'd feel a lot better about the season so far. It's not the spirited performances against good teams but the disappointments in between.

Losing by 20 points to a Detroit Pistons team without Blake Griffin and Reggie Jackson is embarrassing. Getting blown-out at home against the Sacramento Kings and Cavs, back-to-back Sundays is embarrassing. Having a let-down game against the Orlando Magic after their come from behind win of the season is embarrassing.

Yet, I'm still going to watch.

I'm still going to cheer.

I'm still going to cheer on the kids.

I'm still tuning as much as I can to see Clyde wear the greatest suits in mankind.

I love basketball and the Knicks are hurting that love. For the regular season, I am a Knicks fan, when the playoffs come around, I just like watching basketball.

However, you will never see me rocking gear for another team nor seeing gargling Lebron's or any other athlete's jockstrap. That's the easy road to take. Life isn't easy. Life is about challenges and overcoming the up-and-downs of everyday life. I remarked before that I can respect your opinion if you can make a unique and interesting Knicks joke.

I, however, will never respect your sports opinion on anything is you are a band-wagon fan or just root for individual players. Do you want to root for an individual? Go watch golf.

I can just dream, can't I? I don't have a lot of fond memories to look back on. Just take a look at my list high-points of my Knicks fandom:

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Linsantiy:

Trading for Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo dropping 62

Beating the Celtics in the first-round

The newly acquired Carmelo and Chauncey Billups teaming up with Amar'e to beat the Miami Heat

Carmelo dropping 50 against the heat

Trading for Tracy McGrady

Porzingis winning the skills competition and starting the season averaging 30 and 10.

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If the Knicks ever have a championship parade, the pure joy on my face and over 8 million faces, will be much more satisfying than you hopping to every new team Lebron is on (how do you not call yourself a clown for having a Lakers, Heat and Cavs in your closet).

The point is that whenever (more like if) the Knicks win the championship, that's where I put all those tears, temper tantrums, curses and heartbreak. Everyone in New York (stop trying to make Brooklyn happen, it's not going to) is waiting for this championship more than any other team. The New York Knicks championship parade will be the biggest championship parade in this city's history and quite possibly this country's biggest parade. I and the whole City of New York deserve at least an Eastern Conference Championship appearance.

This is why we still watch, we just want to win. This city is dying for a champion and we are already proud of our team despite a horrendous 20-year run, we just want the affirmation from everyone that the Knicks can be a more than just a joke and possibly be an exceptional franchise.