New York as of late has been pretty disappointing on the sports front. Between the abysmal NY Giants and Mets, to the heartbreaking Yankees and Jets as well as two hockey teams in the Islanders and Rangers that have left fans damn near praying for a win, New York has been craving for someone to cheer for. (yeah yeah the nets....yadda yadda yadday This is why it makes no sense to me that the media is so hard on Carmelo. One of the things I’ve always said to my friends and family is that when you work for a organization, never forget you’re just a number. You can be the CEO and fired because the numbers didn’t add up. So what if Carmelo made statements that touched on his future and his desire to become more successful and appreciated for his talent? He plays in a city that hoists its athletes on its shoulders and then tears them down when they mess up. Just ask Mark Sanchez about his first season and the articles comparing him to Joe Namath, only to then say he’s NOJOE when he had losing seasons. The difference is, Carmelo has been superb during his time here in New York. The Knicks got what they paid for. When he was in Denver he was a ball hog. When he was in Denver he scored buckets. When he was in Denver he was an elite player. Since coming to New York the same rings true. But, the media isn’t satisfied. It’s as if they expect a new set of skills from a 29 year old that’s played his game of basketball in the NBA successfully for over 10 years. Comparing him to Lebron and D. Rose as well as having expectations of him based on his salary is simply not fair. But hey, it makes good copy.
At end of the day guys like Stephen A. Smith, Michael Kay and Colin Cowherd simply make statements like they do because it’s essential for their ratings. It makes good copy to rant and complain about Melo not passing the ball. It makes good copy to get upset that Melo says he’s weighing his options. As if, they never weighed their options when it came to their employment statuses. It makes good copy to say Melo isn’t as good as this one or that one. It makes good copy to express opinions that get fans riled up clamoring to dial the show number and agree or complain or simply write blogs like this. Just like they know how to do their jobs and become successful at it, so does Melo. Step off the man and let him play. My suggestion for those guys and guys like them is to criticize his moves on the court within each game. Leave his thoughts about HIS future for the gossip shows. I know, I know they can’t….it doesn’t make good copy!