"Wait 'Til Next Year"...Again?

As a fan of New York sports, I'm getting sick and tired of hearing the phrase, "wait 'til next year".

Right now, Boston doesn't have that problem; their Celtics just swept the Indiana Pacers out of the Eastern Conference Finals. TD Garden will be rocking for another couple of weeks. Madison Square? The Rangers notwithstanding, not so much (1).  

That said, let's take a look at the recent history of the New York Knickerbockers. While other teams such as the Bulls have enough NBA titles to sink the Titanic, New York has a grand total of two of them, none coming in my lifetime (2).

Since 1973, the team has been in the Finals only twice; in 1994, and 1999. And the last time that the Knicks won a division championship? That would be 2013; eleven years ago.

It seems that a 2000 quote from professional wrestler Kurt Angle was correct: "if we wait for Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks to bring home an NBA title, we'll probably be waiting forever" (3).  

And the "Amazin's"? They haven't fared much better as of late.  

Four years ago, current owner Steven Cohen bought the Mets from previous ownership.  What has Mr. Cohen done to improve the team, you ask? The answer is this; a whole lot of nothing (4). 

Like James Dolan of the Knicks parent company (Madison Square Garden Sports), he cares more about money than winning titles.  

Where's Craig Counsell, the man who would be/could be the Mets' manager? Helming the second place Chicago Cubs. 

Where's Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Japanese wonder? Pitching for the first place Dodgers.

And where are the Mets in the NL East standings? Almost at the bottom of the barrel.  As of today, the only team trailing them is the Miami Marlins.  

You read that right, folks....THE MARLINS (5).  

Some might say that the Knicks had a good season, and that the Mets are "making progress".  I think I've heard just about enough of that.

You see, "a good season" isn't just getting to the conference semifinals; it's winning the title.  It's not enough to simply be in the conversation; "you play to win the game" (Herm Edwards) (6). 

Results matter; championships matter.  Get it done, or get gone.  

New York deserves no less than the absolute best.  

Sources:

1. Bontemps, Tim. “Celtics Come up Clutch Again; Into Finals After Sweeping Pacers.” ESPN.com, 28 May 2024, www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40231636/celtics-come-clutch-again-finals-sweeping-pacers. Accessed 28 May 2024.

2. “New York Knicks.” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Knicks. Accessed 28 May 2024.

3. WWE. “Full Match - Tazz Makes His WWE Debut Against Kurt Angle: Royal Rumble 2000.” YouTube, 26 Sept. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=blO5nQ012w8. Accessed 28 May 2024.

4. “Steve Cohen (Businessman).” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen_(businessman). Accessed 28 May 2024.

5. “MLB Standings - 2024 Season.” ESPN, www.espn.com/mlb/standings. Accessed 28 May 2024.

6. YouTube user "Aarondesmarais"; “Herm Edwards ‘You Play to Win the Game!’” YouTube, 14 Feb. 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=W42iiCcFbxE. Accessed 28 May 2024.