Wednesday, January 29, 2014

"An Appreciation of Nate Robinson" by CBoh


     The Knicks have gone through one of the worst stretches in NBA history. And my life as a Knicks fan has been filled with losing seasons, botched lottery picks, terrible ownership, and Isaiah Thomas, way too much Isaiah Thomas. To get through this streak that's been mediocre at best and downright pathetic at worst, Knicks fans have had to find enjoyment in the small things. One of these small things that brought so much joy to the depressed Knicks fans was Nate Robinson – actually, literally small. 
     Listed at 5’ 9” but actually probably closer to 5’ 7”, Nate Robinson is pound for pound the most exciting player in the NBA. During one of the darkest eras in Knicks history, Nate Robinson gave the fan a reason to tune in. According to new analytical stats, Nate Robinson’s style may not be considered super effective or conducive to winning, but hey, the Knicks from 2005-2010 didn’t exactly embody those traits either. Nate’s size (tiny), personality (huge), and ability to heat up at a moments notice (breathtaking) made the Knicks bearable to watch, hoping to see Nate put on a show. 
     Nothing in that time period was more exciting than seeing Nate hit his first shot, then his second, then a crazy, irrational, running three pointer 5 seconds into the shot clock, and you knew he was on, he was zoned in and it was going to be the Nate show. You began to text every other depressed Knicks fan that “Nate’s going off” and you would forget Isaiah was the coach, Dolan was the owner, and Eddy Curry was being paid millions of dollars, and just get to enjoy a man four inches shorter than me dominate a game of giants. 
     His stats from that era do not even come close to painting a picture of the enjoyment he brought to the fans during a time that lacked much to be excited about.  In an era of Dolan/Thomas darkness, Nate was the small glimmer of light that as a Knicks fan I will be eternally grateful for. 
     Nate has bounced around the league, winning the affection of every fan base of every team he has played for, including on the national stage during the last playoffs for the Rose-less Bulls. But for a New York fan Nate will always be a Knick. In one of Gotham’s darkest moments he may not have been the hero we deserved but the hero we needed. He was our kyptoNATE. And that is why he will always be my favorite Knick ever. 

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