The New York Knickerbockers, one of the most prominent franchises in the history of sports, have represented the great state of New York for over 62 years. Their tremendous work ethic and determination has brought along fame and two championships, one in 1970 and the other in 1973, to our great city of big dreams (Wikipedia). Knick players are known to be some of the hardest working players in the NBA and it was this hard work that characterized not only the New York Knicks franchise and their players, but also the entire city. Every New Yorker can relate to the hard work and passion that was being displayed from team orange and blue. Everyday middle class New Yorkers and the rich, high-paid Knick players may not have a lot in common, but they do both possess that same work ethic, drive, glory, persistence, and ambition that always takes us to the top.
The Knicks, the shortened form of Knickerbockers, are one of only two teams of the original National Basketball Association still located in its original city (the other being the Boston Celtics). The Knicks’ first game was played on November 1, 1946 against the Toronto Huskies as the New York Knickerbockers at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens, where the Knickerbockers won 68-66. The Knickerbockers’ first head coach was Neil Cohalan. The Knickerbockers were consistent playoff contenders in their early years. During the first decade of the NBA’s existence, the Knickerbockers made the NBA Finals in three straight years (1951–53), and they were respected by basketball players and fans. For the remainder of the 1950s, the Knicks would field decent, if not spectacular teams, and made the playoffs in 1955, 1956 (where they lost a one-game playoff to the Syracuse Nationals), and 1959 (Wikipedia). The history of the New York Knicks is very rich and filled with exciting chapters of basketball. They are truly one of the best sports franchises in the world.
According to Wikipedia, work ethic is a set of values based on hard work and diligence. It’s also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character. The 26 year old David Lee, the Knicks current starting power forward, displays this ideal “New York” work ethic. According to Knicks assistant coach Herb Williams, “David Lee is a worker. He’s a guy you put in the game to be your blue collar worker. He’s gonna rebound the basketball, he’ll fight guys for you, he’s gonna battle. He’s a guy that you need on the team; you need those guys on the team who are going to fight every minute on the court.” David Lee truly possesses the work ethic that all New Yorkers possess. If we see something wrong with ourselves or our lives, we work at it and try to improve it. We as New Yorkers tend to receive a lot of criticism in our lives so we better ourselves daily, and David Lee is the epitome of this work ethic New Yorkers display as every day proceeds. New Yorkers are very logical and they know that if you work on a weakness, eventually it will improve because you’ve put in the time and hard work to better yourself through that weakness.
Drive is simply characterized by the ability to carry on or through energetically, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Arguably the most loved Knick player of all-time, Patrick Ewing, showed his drive to the basketball world every time he stepped onto a basketball court. From his championship-contending days in the 1990s to his late basketball years, Patrick Ewing has shown nothing but heart and drive to the New York fans across the world. “I think the people here in New York appreciated what I brought to the table, and they showed it when I retired by the way they came out and supported me, and it meant a lot to me. It made me feel like I am a part of this city, and I will remain a part of this city.” This drive is implanted into the hearts of New Yorkers as soon as they become a part of the popular New York culture. We keep our ears closed because when someone tells us we can’t do something, we go ahead and keep striving to accomplish it anyway, even if it means failure. New Yorkers are one of the few groups of people who have this “unique” kind of drive.
Glory – great honor, praise, or distinction extended by common consent (Merriam-Webster). A Knick player that jumps into my mind when I think of the word glory is none other than prominent Knick point-guard from 1967-1977 Walt “Clyde” Frazier. He was a man of honor and honesty, as well as distinction. He was the most unique and distinct basketball player of his time and received the nickname “Clyde” because of his unique style, where he wore a similar hat to Warren Beatty who played Clyde Barrow in the 1967 movie “Bonnie and Clyde.” New Yorkers are one of the most unique and distinct groups of people on the face of the earth. If you’re not a New Yorker, then you most likely won’t understand some of the things we do and the way we do them. When you think of New York and its inhabitants, you think of the rich history behind it and the glory that comes with it. When New York whispers, the whole world listens because we are the capital of the world and we make sure our voice is heard on an international scale. That’s what glory is all about, finding a place for you in history and making it known.
Persistence is the ability to maintain action regardless of your feelings. You press on even when you feel like quitting. A Knick player that pops up into my mind when I think persistence is none other than my favorite basketball player of all-time, Allan Houston. Allan Houston shows that perseverance is all you need to achieve anything you want to achieve in this world. Even after all of his knee injuries, he was able to play through them and play at a high level of basketball. “I’m not going to retire, I believe in my heart that I’m going to be back. It would be nice to play two more years here and get close to winning a championship.” Throughout his career, he has been criticized for his injuries and not playing up to his monstrous $100 contract but he still didn’t give up. He stayed persistent and proved to everyone that he was still able to play like a true franchise player. Even though the Knicks were a struggling team at the end of Houston’s career, he stayed with it and played through the tough times. Persistence and perseverance are two adjectives that can be used to describe Allan Houston for sure, but they can also be used to describe everyday New Yorkers like you and I. New Yorkers and Americans as well, are always on the move and trying to make the best out of their current situation, even in today’s economy. Even in one of the most tragic days of American history in September 11th, 2001, we were able to overcome it and find a way to persevere over it. And that’s what makes us so special and different compared to the rest of the world.
Last but certainly not least, ambition is another thing that describes Knick players and New Yorkers at the same time. Ambition can simply be defined as the desire to achieve something. The face of the current New York Knickerbockers, Nate Robinson, is the most ambitious player I have ever watched and known about. Standing at only 5 feet 10 inches, people constantly criticized and told him that he wouldn’t make it in basketball or in the NBA. However, he didn’t care, he knew what he wanted to do and he knew just how he was going to do it; through hard work and dedication. Nate Robinson spoke on his enthusiasm and dynamic style of play when he said: “I think I just carry it over being the person who I am. How God made me what I am, how my mom and dad raised me. I’ve always been a people person. I love to see people get involved in what I try to show out on the court, and that’s how I play hard. I play with passion, emotion and charisma, and I just want everybody to see and know what kind of talent God gave me.” Going by the nickname “Nate the Great,” he knew he wasn’t going to fail without at least trying, and his ambition helped him not only succeed his goal, but to exceed people’s opinions. As New Yorkers, we are one of the most ambitious people in the world and we aren’t afraid to show it. We don’t let anything stop us because we know that if we fail while trying the hardest we can, that right there is enough for us.
The New York Knicks possess the characteristics that make them so “New York.” Everyday New Yorkers possess these same characteristics and that’s what makes the Knickerbockers so special and important to the New York world. The work ethic, drive, glory, persistence, and ambition of the New York Knicks players are what make them “New York” kind of people. Knick players such as David Lee, Patrick Ewing, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Allan Houston, and Nate “The Great” Robinson have influenced the history of the New York Knicks, and by influencing the history of the New York Knicks, they have influenced the history of the great city of New York. These five components of a person’s makeup are the quintessential parts of a New Yorker’s personal makeup. A true New Yorker possesses these five qualities and has the ability to change themselves or the world by using these qualities for good. New York people are one of the greatest people of the world and the New York Knicks players illustrate that through themselves. This is why the New York Knicks players show us how New Yorkers, as well as the city of New York, is as a whole.