Teaching Thursday

 

Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon

Days like this hit a little differently. 

In this slog -- this grind -- to write a post per day there are going to be times where the juggling is necessary.

I'm teaching tonight at CSB, meaning I likely won't walk in the door before 11 p.m. I'll be tired and, honestly, the last thing I'll want to do is author words about whatever is on my mind.

So, thirteen hours earlier, I've at least begun a shell of a post that I can build on.

For the first time in weeks, I'll be on "Doubleheader" today and there's so much to catch up on.

Sure, there are sports -- Aaron Rodgers, the Knicks, the Rangers, and the NFL Draft. Plus two middling baseball teams as well as the high school and prep sports.

Oh, and there's what Giannis said last night after the Bucks were eliminated. He says there is no failure in sports. I mean, I love Giannis but come on.

But I can't let today go by and not pause to discuss our own Mary Anne from WGCH. I've been simply overwhelmed by the response to the post of a few days ago, including from members of her family. 

Then I will conjure up some lessons for a group of students.

And there is no game to call. I'll get back to that tomorrow when Trinity-Pawling visits Brunswick.

Ah, but the Knicks! Go, New York, go, New York, GO!

Oh, it's great and I'm all in. I love seeing the city excited for the current cast. Finally, I'm hearing less moaning about the Garden and the blue and orange.

No, I have no intention of tempering anyone's excitement. It's been a long time and fans should be pumped up for winning this round. Now, do it again, and beat the Heat.

I have my own doubts that the Knickerbockers are going to the NBA Finals but this certainly does remind me of those crazy days of the 90s. Let's dig out the Zubaz!

You think about the spring of 1994. The Rangers were scuffling through the playoffs after winning the President's Trophy. They'd have a dogfight with the Devils in the conference finals.

Huh. Rangers/Devils. Sounds familiar.

But we know how that film ends. Mark Messier gleefully raised in the Cup in the Garden and 54 years of frustration was over after a seven-game series of nailbiters. Come on -- Pavel Bure versus Mike Richter?

The Rangers won it all and, days later, following the chaos of OJ Simpson and the split screen, we thought we might see a second title at the Garden.

Well, I should say, the Garden's team would have to win it on the road.

Yet (don't read this part, loyal fans) the Knicks went to Houston and lost both games six and seven.

There was an unlikely run to the 1999 NBA Finals where the Spurs more or less ran the Knicks off the court.

Then the 21st century began and I'm guessing most Knicks fans are simply content to forget about it.

Until today.

It's a good day.

Somewhere, Patrick and Starks and Harper and Oakley and Smith and Mason and Anthony and Davis and Bonner and Williams are smiling. I'd like to think Pat Riley might have a grin at the Knicks and Heat meeting.

I don't see Riley as much as a villain anymore. I've moved on. Good grief, it was, what, 28 years ago?

It will be fun.

Maybe the Rangers can beat the Devils and the fun will only grow.

We can only hope.

* Anyway, "Doubleheader" didn't happen thanks to Connecticut traffic. So now I'll just be a bad teacher for the night.