FanPost

Carmelo the scapegoat in NY?

I'll admit that, like 100% of you followers of TNIAAM, I have a wee bit of preferential bias towards Mr. Carmelo Anthony. Yes, I know about G-Mac's big shot, and Hakim's big block, but we all know why we won the 2003 National Championship. Beyond that, Carmelo of course gave back to the school to the tune of something like $2 million to help build the Melo Center, which in turn helped us land guys like Dion and Rak and Coleman, etc. And I know all about the DUI, and the "snitches get stitches" cameo and the convenience store dust-up and all the other BS. I don't pretend that Carmelo Anthony is a saint. I do think he's overall a decent guy, and one of the best basketball players to ever play the game.

And now he is seen as the reason the Knicks suck. I know how tough it is for ball players in NY. That town will turn on you so fast. I know Melo is a volume shooter and a ball stopper. I also know that he is a perennial All-Star and a future Hall of Famer. What I don't know is how it is Carmelo's fault the Knicks suck. How is it Melo's fault that Jeremy Lin, an undrafted Ivy Leaguer from the NBDL simply CAN NOT go to his left and is a turnover machine? How is it Melo's fault that D'Antoni's style of offense is, "Ok, any one who is open feel free to jack up whatever lazy ass shot you want, especially early in the possession." How is it Melo's fault that this kind of mentality means that the true stars of the team (Melo and Amare' - and their $185 million in salary) can't seem to get the ball in their hands?

I won't pretend that Melo is a great defender or an all around great player, but there is no question he is one of the best scorers in history. Give him the ball once in a while Lin and get the hell out of the way and let him do his thing.

Maybe under a new coach the team will work something like how it should, with Melo and Amare' able to work together and the supporting cast, you know, supporting. It can't be any worse. I just hope that Melo is able to ride out the negativity and not let it get in his head.