Like Father, Like Son

"I think, maybe, they celebrated too much last year," Hank Steinbrenner said earlier this week. "Some of the players, too busy building mansions and doing other things and not concentrating on winning." Hank frequently demonstrates that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

This subtle jab was clearly directed at Derek Jeter, who was building a multi-million dollar home in Tampa last year. In 2010, Jeter hit a modest .270, the lowest batting average of his Hall of Fame career. It was certainly a pedestrian season by his standards. Hank, in his own special way, let Derek know that he expects more from his highly-paid captain.

George Steinbrenner sadly passed away in July of 2010, but his boisterous personality rubbed off on his son. There will never be another George, but every now and then Hank does his best impression of his iconic father. During his reign as Yankee owner, George was a polarizing figure. At times, he was overbearing and highly critical. He was a demanding and impassioned man. George also possessed an unmatched desire to win, no matter the price. We know Hank can talk like his father. Hopefully he can win like him too. 

"The Knicks Are Back"

On Monday, February 21, the Knicks finalized a trade for superstar Carmelo Anthony. New York traded Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, and a 2014 first-round draft pick to the Nuggets. In exchange, the Knicks acquired Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter, and Ronaldo Balkman. The "Melo-drama" is over. Finally, a flicker of hope for New York basketball. "This team is headed in the right direction," Anthony said. "It's a dream come true for me, and I'm ready to rock."

I felt all along that Anthony would somehow wind up in a Knicks' uniform. I was, however, wary of paying a hefty price to a Denver team under tremendous pressure to finalize a trade involving a player who had already made it clear he wanted to come to New York. There is no denying that the Knicks unloaded some promising talent for him. Despite this, fans should be ecstatic and overjoyed. The acquisition of Carmelo is one of the greatest moments in the history of the New York Knicks.

Raymond who? Danilo who? I was done missing all the traded Knicks players the second I saw Melo in orange and blue last night. In his Madison Square Garden debut, he scored 27 points and added 10 rebounds in a win against the Milwaukee Bucks. The hope, optimism, relief, and exhilaration of Knicks fans were palpable in the electric Garden atmosphere last night. I was in attendance to witness the exuberant crowd treat Anthony's arrival like the second coming of Jesus. Their Messiah and savior was serenaded with spirited "Melo" chants throughout the game.

Tremendous credit should be given to Donnie Walsh. In 2008, he took over a Knick team that was desecrated by previous General Manager Isiah Thomas. Simply put, Walsh is a genius. He orchestrated the Carmelo trade and led this franchise to a complete 180 degree turn in less than three years. Prior to 2008, the Knicks were the laughingstock of the league. Their roster was filled with overpriced and underachieving players. The Knicks are finally back to respectability. They will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

The last decade was seemingly devoid of exciting moments for tortured Knick fans. Aside from the two Finals appearances in 1994 and 1999, this is the most encouraging moment since they drafted Patrick Ewing in 1985. The trade weakened their depth considerably but miracle-worker Donnie Walsh will mend that issue. With Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, New York now has two legitimate superstar players that they can build a team around. "The Knicks are back," said Stoudemire in response to the Anthony trade. It certainly seems like it.

No Deal

On Monday, February 14, the Nuggets reportedly offered the Knicks Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups for Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Eddy Curry and his expiring contract, a first-round draft pick, and another Knick starter. The other starter was not specified but it was most likely Wilson Chandler or Landry Fields.

I believe the Knicks can acquire Carmelo for significantly less. In a previous entry, I argued that the Knicks should stand their ground in trade discussions with Denver in order to negotiate the best deal possible. Thankfully Donnie Walsh, the President of Basketball Operations for the Knicks, reads my awesome blog because the deal was rejected.

D, D'Antoni

This may be difficult, but put aside the Carmelo Anthony drama for a moment. Another pressing issue the Knicks must address is whether Mike D'Antoni should be their long-term coach. Is he capable, with his over-reliance on offense, of coaching a team to a championship? He has proven he can have regular season success, twice winning 60 plus games with the Phoenix Suns. The playoffs, however, tell an entirely different story. He has been out-coached time and time again and his juggernaut offenses have been contained by staunch defenses.

As of February 16, the Knicks' record stands at a mediocre 27-26. They've allowed 106.1 points per game, which ranks 29th in the league. This team has substantial talent and is certainly capable of a more respectable record. They are not playing up to their potential and most of the blame should be placed on D'Antoni's shoulders.

The Miami Heat are going to be a superpower in the Eastern Conference for years to come. Even if the Knicks acquire Carmelo, they aren't going to have much success trying to out-offense Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. They would be better off with a coach who values gritty defense and physical play above scoring and finesse.

The Knicks are one dimensional under Mike D'Antoni. They have no backup plan on nights their offense is stuttering. In the playoffs, they wouldn't stand a chance against elite teams with a more balanced attack. Their speed, flare, and scoring prowess help to sell tickets and entertain crowds. Let's be honest, nobody minds watching a basketball game with Pee Wee level defense being played. Steals and blocks seldom make the SportsCenter Top Ten plays list.

But how far will this style take the Knicks? The long-term goal should be championships. Defense is the first step that should be taken when working towards this goal. Carmelo or no Carmelo, the Knicks have a long way to go in that respect.

Yanks In Trouble

On February 4, Andy Pettitte officially announced his retirement. The Yankees' second best starter behind CC Sabathia and most reliable playoff performer is done. Pettitte had a phenomenal career and will go down as a legendary Yankee. But, this also means the Yankees are in serious trouble.

More often than not, the Yankees are the favorites on paper going into a new season. Right now, they are not even the best team in the AL East. The Red Sox made a huge splash in free agency this off season by acquiring Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. Yankees countered that by losing the Cliff Lee sweepstakes to the Phillies, signing injury prone pitcher Mark Prior, and signing catcher Russell Martin, who hit a stirring .248 last season.

New York will not make much noise next year unless they make a move for another dependable starter. The Yankees' all star offense can potentially carry them into the playoffs, but pitching will ultimately decide how far they advance. In 2009, the Yankees won the title because their starters excelled in the playoffs. Last season, the champion Giants swooped in out of nowhere and surprised most of the baseball world by relying mainly on their dominant pitching staff. In the ALCS last year, the Yankees lost in six games because their suspect pitching was hammered by a potent Ranger offense. Newly retired Andy Pettitte was the only Yankee starting pitcher who performed well in the series.

CC Sabathia has proven he can be the ace of any pitching staff. After him, there is a severe drop off in the rotation. Phil Hughes, second in line behind CC, is entering just his second full season as a starter in the majors. A.J. Burnett may be the most erratic athlete in the history of sports. On any given night, he is capable of putting on a dazzling performance or being breathtakingly atrocious.

Last decade, the Yankees went through an eight year championship-less period. This was mainly due to management valuing high profile sluggers, like Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi, more than consistent and dependable pitching. Hopefully they learned from the past, or another long drought may be on its way.

Carmelo Anthony, the Future Knick

Carmelo Anthony has made it clear that he no longer wishes to play for the Denver Nuggets. He is an unrestricted free agent next year, so the Nuggets are attempting to work together a trade in order to acquire something valuable for him before he departs. The official NBA trade deadline is on February 24th, meaning time is running out for all teams involved. It would make absolutely no sense, however, for the Knicks to aggressively pursue Anthony. Unless they can acquire him cheaply, they should steer clear of the Denver Nuggets' high asking price. The best move would be to wait until the upcoming offseason to sign him in order to keep their team intact.

Supposedly, the Knicks recently offered a package that included Wilson Chandler, Landry Fields, and a first round draft pick. Somehow, this wasn't good enough for the Nuggets. Danilo Gallinari's name has also been tossed around the rumor mill. All three of these players are young, promising talents. They have yet to reach their prime and would be vital role players on a Knick team with Carmelo Anthony.

During this whole soap opera, it has become quite obvious that Carmelo has the itch to play under the bright lights of New York City in Madison Square Garden. "That's like the ultimate dream at the end of the day," Anthony said, referring to New York, in an interview with ESPN. "Who wouldn't want to go back home to play?” He was born in Brooklyn and won an NCAA championship at Syracuse University. He is destined to play here.

Carmelo is an elite player and most likely a future Hall of Famer. Adding him to an already strong Knicks core would make them an instant championship contender. It is a potentially disastrous risk to take. What if he is traded before the deadline and signs an extension with someone else? All signs are pointing to take this risk. Nuggets are asking for the world and more for their prized franchise player. Knicks need to call their bluff. Carmelo would bring a winning tradition back to the Garden. Knicks haven't won a championship in nearly 40 years, but Melo will soon have something to say about that.