The Crawford Files

My only comment is that I am getting tired of people making cracks about my Knicks logo on my license plate! :-) I'm looking forward to seeing my favorite team compete each and every night. Every season we lose I along with other die hard fans come back enthused about the future. So here I am! Show me what the team can do!

Jamal, Thanks for doing the blog. I'm psyched that your talking about stepping up on D. This team needs a leader to play hard D and you've shown that you can lock guys down at times. Hearing that you're that dedicated for this season gets me really psyched to see you and Duhon applying some pressure and making the other team's backcourt work harder.

When you get a chance will you explain to Nate what defense is, I don't think he's ever heard of it. You might want to start by telling him you don't get better at it by practicing halfcourt shots all day...

hey jamal,

welcome to the blogoshophere! glad to see we'll be getting updates from you. it'll be really nice for fans to feel a part of the process.

i think you're going to have a great year. your attitude is incredibly positive, and always has been. that's why i'm a firm believer in you. i also think you'll do really well for d'antoni. you've got the skills, you've got the attitude.... the next step is up to you. looking forward to it!

long time fan.

Hey Jamal,

I think it's great that you are maintaining a blog. I will definitely be checking frequently. I am a die-hard fan, and I think you have a very important place on this team. Thanks for being so candid with us fans, we do appreciate it.

Hi Jamal,
Always been a fan of yours, even when you are in UMich. I am glad to find your blogs, and that you are so honest about everything. Keep it up. I think it will be a much better year this year. I do believe that there are some players that are going to thrive in Mike D system (you being one), and some are going to suffer. So hang in there and do what you et out to do (as you have blogged), and you will be golden.
JO

This is awesome. Keep it up J.

Jamal.

Yep, I am one of those who [quietly] felt those were your weaknesses, tho I never let it affect how I felt about you as a Knick.

You never were the problem in any of the Knicks disasters the last 3 1/2 years.

And hey, LB liked you.

lets get to 500!
:)

whatever dude, talk about you and some of those knicks have a problem with my dude and NY's Dude Marbury? You think your game is anywhere near Marbury's? whats this idea that we need you or you are gonna have a big season under D'antoni? You're gonna chuck more and more, and still won't play any defense. How come Marbury had to Guard Vince and Kobe, etc.? Whats with bums like you and Q come to NY and cant uphold the tradition we've had here before you arrived? Real Brooklyn Cats don't fall for your sweet talk, don't blame me, I just play, ACT! You've been a waste of time. And you and Isiah tried to derail my dudes Career stats. You're not a reliable shooter, and kill assist totals. What pg would enjoy having your herky jerky bouncin garbage as their 2 guard? You never go the bucket strong, always up and under or leaners, You weak, homie, sorry. Nothing you can say is gonna change your frail soft ball you play in this hardened city. You, Nate, Q, and Curry have some thing against my dude, and its all good, he's the only allstar on your team, the only defender, the only shooter, the only PG, the only player with heart, the only one who speaks his mind. You're a cornball, softie, not what NYers like Me, can support. You're weak.

JC,

Keep working hard and being honest like you are and it will pay off in the end. NY wants you to be great. Best of luck this season.

Fantastic blog entry. If the blog is always like this it'll be one of the best of any pro bball player. It actually has real thoughts, instead of just shoutouts.

Hey cool blog Jamal. I'm confident that you'll accomplish some of the things you want to accomplish. Keep workin' hard and I'll see you at the Garden.

Side question: How do you rate the Garden compared to other basketball arenas you have played in?

Good to see you got a blog i"ll be at most of the games and i also look forward to seein u in phoenix at the all star game.also you are one of the most under rated players and ive heard other super stars say the same.

Hey Jamal- you might be the only knick player that i really want the knicks not to trade (maybe along with Wilson Chandler and Nate Robinson). I am really hoping that this year would be a break out season for you!! i cant wait to see you take the responsibility on your shoulder and call shots. I know EXACTLY what you mean by "thinking u can make every shot you take." that's like the mind set a shooter should have. once u doubt yourself, you're never gonna hit that shot. gotta stay confident. I really hope you make the All Stars this year. Know that I am gonna be voting for you!! take care.

Nup
PS- i am from michigan (St Joseph), where Wilson is from. Tell him i said Hi and i would come and see you guys play either the Bulls or the Pistons this year!

Jamal Please read this!!

Im your biggest fan, and im dissapointed in this blog. You have gave in to the haters. Ive never believed you to be a loser, and don't think your shot selection is a problem.

You have worked on your game to the point where you have the best dribble pull ups I have ever seen. You can do 3 dribble moves and jack a shot which make look like a terrible shot to the average player, but that is your game and its a basic jump shot for you.

Jamal, realize one thing, you play for New York. Remember what they said about Eli Manning, Tom Coughlin and the G-men? They tried to run them out of the city and now look what happened. Never, ever listen to the haters from New York.

Please don't change your shot selection!!! Thats what makes you the best!

Jamal, I can't front....for you to start a blog with Newsday is great. As much as we talk bad about you here, I give you respect for doing what your doing here on the blog.
Now let's talk about your game. I know how you play on the court in the league and I also know how you play in the gym because I use to see you all the time at the NYSC in White Plains. You Curry and Nate. As a scorer you are incredible. It doesn't matter that you take bad shots...Kobe takes the worse shots in the NBA but he just seems to make them. When you are a scorer like yourself...your going to take shots that may not be ok with certain people however, your shots are not that bad...it's just sometimes you make them and sometimes you don't.
I don't think you should be a PG unless your heart is really set on setting people up for shots. Since your a natural scorer, that's not the right position for you.
Your defense is what it is....only a handful of players play D in this league. The ones that can play D, still need help from their team mates guarding certain players...so that "Jamal can't play D" nonsense is over rated.
The one thing you really need to focus on is getting to the free throw line. You can get to the lane anytime you want....so why don't you drive the ball more. You know how to improvise on the court so you should use that to your advantage.
I don't like your game in the half court....I think you would be much more effective in the open court and we will see that when you play for Dantoni this year.
I also think you should use the pull up jump shot (free throw line range) more often as well.
You and Curry have great chemistry together, I hope that continues. With Dantoni running the show...hopefully you guys can work the chemistry the way Nash and Amare use to. I know that will be difficult because they got most of their points from the pick and roll and Curry really can't shoot jumpers.
I do think Zach should be used in the pick and pops more often as well. I won't talk bad about Marbs because he's probably your friend so we'll let that slide.
Good luck this year man...we'll be cheering for you.

Jamal,

You say the same things every summer that you've been a Knick:

I'm working to improve my shot selection.

I'm working to improve my defense.

I'm exciting about playing for this head coach.

And every year nothing changes and you fail to make the playoffs. Sorry if this falls of deaf ears. You seem to be a decent guy but as always you're a company man. The last 2 years you kept telling us how great things were with Isiah but now even you admit how messed up that situation was. So why exactly should we believe you now?

Are you ever going to have anything real to say or are you going to continue to be a Company Man?

It certainly didn't take long for Newsday to become the home paper of the New York Knicks.

JCraw,

Welcome.

Has EA Sports contacted you about mo-capping that dip-de-do move you have in your bag o' tricks?

Thanks for bringing the flash back to the Garden. Good luck on the blogosphere!

JCraw,

Welcome.

Has EA Sports contacted you about mo-capping that dip-de-do move you have in your bag o' tricks?

Thanks for bringing the flash back to the Garden. Good luck on the blogosphere!

nice Jamal- luck and play hard.
@ gee the steph fan - this is a joke right?? Cause if not, the term "jackass" comes to mind- dunno why

Jamal,

Please opt out of your contract next summer and leave New York immediately and take the Nutty Professor Eddy Curry with you . You are not a 'Knick' and will never be one. You do seem like a nice guy, unlike that piece of garbage Stephon Marbury, but as a diehard Knicks fan, I'm sick and tired of this garbage. And like or not, you are a face of this losing era.

And no, Mike D'Antoni will not and cannot change it. The Knicks will start winning again when Crackbury, Curry, Zach Randolph and yourself are gone and far away.

@ haters.... jamal has improved EVERY season he has been a knick... i can hardly say that about anyone else except maybe david lee.

if you're simply throwing hate here, it's clear you don't have the basketball knowledge to get involved (especially gee the steph fan who has clearly lost his mind... that man's post was so sorry that even starberman wouldn't dig it). new york has always said they've got the best fans because we're knowledgeable... start showing it and quit bringing the hate. i'd sooner trade half these hater fans than trade a stand up guy like jamal.

Mr. Crawford, do everyone a favor and opt out of your contract next summer and leave.

Thank you.

Hats off to you JC. Your honesty is really refreshing, no excuses, no hiding from criticism, no false modesty and the will to improve. Good luck with that, I'll be rooting for it. Let's go Knicks!

You have guts.That's a good place to start.God gave you ability, but that's a given.Now you have to get a lot smarter, and real soon.Time waits for no man!The reason is simple.As you get older your physical ability will start to slowly be impacted, but older players should get smarter or they will definitely get gone.If you think the game, particularly defensively, with your long reach, athleticism and superior quickness, you can always be an asset on the floor.There's always something you can do to help the team.You mentioned Bruce Bowen who has made himself into an offensive force from being exclusively a good defensive player.You need to take the opposite road, the one less traveled.If you think the game and practice and prepare then your weaknesses can become your strengths.It's up to you to handle what talents God has given you.Don't take your opportunities lightly.This is it!You are living our dream.And I'd like to also add that you have always represented yourself as a gentleman.That's very important to a lot of us with families, and in that vein many kudos to your family for doing an excellent job.Good luck with this year .PS. Tell your friend Eddie to get in better shape.He's blowing the opportunity of a lifetime.The fate of the Apple is in his hands.Again, good luck and LGK!

jamal, best of luck under mike d'antoni. i could see you doing really well for him. i think the biggest thing this team needs is for you to set an example as a leader.

i hope this is the year you get to the playoffs. for all our sakes. it's been a long time.

jamal, best of luck under mike d'antoni. i could see you doing really well for him. i think the biggest thing this team needs is for you to set an example as a leader - which i think you have started to do in recent years. you just need to keep doing it.

i hope this is the year you get to the playoffs. for all our sakes. it's been a long time.

Hey Jamal, it's Anthony from all the games,

I love the new Blog man. You know thru thick and think myself and Knick fans are always there. You know I'm there EVERY home game, even some away. See ya soon my man, hope your summer went well.

'Anthony

Hey Jamal, I have a few questions. However, if you choose not to answer them, I can understand since you may have some personal feelings you may want to keep personal.

Can Steph still play on the Knicks? This will be your 5th season with him. I always envisioned you two as one hell of duo at the guard spots. You two have never had a season together where you both play 80-82 games and start together every game. Both of you have the all-around skills needed to compliment each other. When it comes to Steph, what the fans know about him is what they read in the papers, see with him on the basketball court, or watch when he speaks through the media, The fans are really mixed on opinions on Steph. Some fans still stand by him and want to see him do well with the team, others think it's time for him to move on. You are probably one of the few people that can speak about Steph on a personal level. Is there anything at all you could share on Steph or would you really rather keep it behind closed doors?

Also, is there any way at all to make it work with Zach and Eddy in the front court? I know the easy answer to that question is "it's up to D'Antoni to find a way to make it work", but I think the fans would prefer a player's perspective on how it could work and why it may not have worked last season.

I just want to know if this roster as it stands can get along together and win some games, or if there have to be changes to the roster. Are there certain guys on the team that must leave from this team? I also know the easy answer to this question is, "It's up to Walsh who stays and who goes". However, Marbury and Randolph are the two players that most Knicks fans on the online forums and message boards feel are the two that should be off the team the most.

Even if things didn't work last season, I see no reason why D'Antoni's offense can't work with you, Marbury, Randolph, and Curry as the primary scorers.

Jamal, all the best this year and for the rest of your career. Keep your head up and don't stop enjoying this game. Your hard work will payoff and I believe you can become an elite player. Don't worry about the few haters out.....because they live to hate, just focus on becoming a better player.

I am the original NYKnicks fan 4 life.............

Jamal

no matter how the team performs, always keep up with the blogging. Use the haters as a catalyst for motivating the team. Make them eat their own crud.

The TEAM is in need of a SPARK, badly. Hopefully the change in the front office will get the ball rollin' again.

Like you said in your blog, you win or lose as a TEAM, but the LEADERS should give more.

Or show the younglings a thing or two so the Knicks can be a force in the EAST.

Nice post, Mr Crawford. One thing that I found particularly telling was your identification of your most recent "best chance" - and you referred to the injuries to you, Q and DLee as the major stumbling blocks to achievement. If I remember correctly, Steph was playing phenomenal ball during the early part of that spring, and suffered a shoulder injury that knocked him out for a while, and certainly changed his game even after he came back. Folks forget that even LB was lionizing Marbury at that point. Now I'm not a Marbury defender any more than I am a hater, but I do find it curious that his injury went unmentioned and appeared to be unrelated, in your mind at least, to the overall performance of the team. Any thoughts on/around that?

If you want to hear what this NBA fans thinks about you Jamal then here goes...

You appear to be a nice guy, but you are everything that is wrong with the current NBA. You are a career 40% shooter. Forget about yout defense. You are a TERRIBLE SCORER. The problem is that you don't see this. You are TERRIBLE at scoring and yet you continue to shoot and shoot and shoot. At the end of the game you see 20 points besides your name and think you helped the cause of the team because you held up your end of the scoring.

That fact of the matter is that you should not be in the NBA any longer. You are a poison and you make me feel absolutely sick when I watch basketball games.

You don't do anything above average except take a TON of shots, not make many of them, and not do anything else besides hold a solid AST:TO ratio.

Have you improved? Yes. Are you an average NBA player? No. Will you ever be? No.

in your first couple years here, you took it to the hole, strong....i remember when you threw it off the backboard and dunked it twice in a year, and you took it strong in other instances.....last year and the year before you tended to pull up for more floaters......at 6'6 you could do the same things that marbury does in the hole

I like how people are kissing your behind just because you wrote a blog. You say the same exact thing every year and nothing happens. You still take terrible shots and shoot for low percentages and your basketball IQ is terrible.

You are not a bad person. You are probably the most down to Earth of all the egomaniacs, psychos, and losers patrolling the Knicks locker room. But you are an Isiah Thomas player. You were brought in by Isiah and you are a loser just like your boy Isiah was here in New York.

I don't care what Isiah did in Detroit. As a GM, his reign here in NY will go down as the worst management era in sports. He is a disgrace of a basketball official and a disgrace of a human being(illegitimate son, sexual harassment, racial insults, etc).

Again, you are not a bad guy but you need to go. Please leave the team and take Eddy Curry, Zach Randolph, Stephon Marbury, Jerome James, Jared Jeffries, Quentin Richardson, and Mardy Collins with you. I cannot stand watching most of this team play and that's sad. I'm a die-hard fan of the Knicks and I hate my own players. It's pathetic. Please do the right thing and opt out or ask for a trade and advise everyone else to do the same.

You guys are not made for New York. Leave and never com back.

Jamal,

All Knicks fans want to see is a winning team. I've got friends who are already looking to jump ship to Lebron James and the "Brooklyn Nets", totally severing their ties w/ the Knicks because of the product that has been on the court the past 5 years.

Just win, and everything will fix itself. How about you study tapes of John Starks/Patrick Ewing/Charles Oakley? Playing in the Mecca of Basketball should get the team hyped up everynight. These last few years have been a disgrace.

Jamal, don't listen to the hate.

My thoughts - step up as *the* leader this team needs, and get the rest to play hard. Then, the Garden will be happy. It's pretty simple.

We were raised as Knicks fans on hustle. It's what got us hooked. It's what's got us still checking out Hahn's blog every day, itching to find out the latest on a 23-win team.

You might see some negativity, but we're here. We're impatient because of what's happened the past 7 years, but we're still here.

Turn it around this year. I, for one, think you could do it.

Jamal, welcome to the blogosphere.

Your appearance is certainly evidence of great courage and I am sure most of us appreciate your entry into our basketball/blogging experience.

Many of us had heard through the grapevine that you and a couple of other guys have been paying attention to the blogs. As you know, the blogging fans are no joke. They love there knicks, even though some of them act like haters. Thank you for the confirmation of your presence.

First, I would recommend getting rid of the "crawful to crawsome" moniker. It is true that your Knickname has become "Crawful" -- I can't recall who thought that one up -- sounds like Steady or Cooley or Statesman (actually it could be any of the bloggers who write with fervor and fire). But, I would personally not accept their definition of who I am on my blog for the entire season. "Crawful to Crawesome" is a good title for a post -- but you could probably do a bit better --

Bloggers help a brother out and give him a better title for his blog. New York bloggers fight but we look out for each other.

Second, will have to wait until later, my daughter wants an ice pop and so do I.

Thanks. And by the way this is a really special event when Ewing Curse the Knicks comes out of stealth mode.

This may be an interesting blogging year for the Knicks afterall.

Congrats on the new blog Mr. Crawford, much respect to you for doing this.

I've watched every single game you've played in Orange and Blue and I'd say your two best years thus far were your first season in New York and the year you spend with Larry Brown as the head coach. That's not to say this upcoming year won't be an upgrade on either of those season performances.

No disrespect to the career high numbers you averaged, but last year was not a good year for any player on your squad. Last season was the worst season I have ever experienced as a Knicks fan of decades. I think that tons of it was Isiah Thomas' fault, no disrespect to your jersey number choice, but like you said, you win as a team, you lose as a team.

By the way, did you guys ever run any plays in 2007-2008?

I wish you the best and hope you flourish half as much under D'Antoni as Alan Hahn proclaims you will.

I'm putting up a link to your blog and look forward to reading it throughout the year. Hope you update it more than Nate updated his.

Cheers and good luck!

Knicksdefense.com

Funny when Jamal Crawford uses injuries as the excuse for coming up short 2 years ago. Even with David Lee, Quentin Richardson and Crawford all healthy, that team was still 5 games UNDER .500!!

And Jamal, EVERY team in the East had injuries that year. You guys wouldn't have made the Playoffs with your schedule in April that year. If I remember correctly, you had to play in Jersey twice, Detroit and Toronto.

So Crawford, you were NEVER a Playoff contender. You are still a 30 win team at best.

I'm a Fixer so I won't be here too much but I will say I'm really happy you decided to do this blog. Real basketball minds will appreciate being able to discuss the inter-workings of the team with you.

I'm on record as saying I'm a big fan of your game and I'm glad to see that you are working on the weaknesses in your game. My only problem is that with the way that the team is structured (i.e. no defensive persence inside, no PG, inconsistent 3 pt shooting) I don't see it winning many games and attracting a FA.

I'm concerned with a starting rotation of you, Duhon, and Q-Rich or Chandler. First, I don't think Duhon can be an effective starting PG in the NBA, and you haven't been able to play it consistently. With no defense inside I think there is going to be alot of pressure on you to keep your man i/f/o you and that will take up your energy on offense where it looks like you are going to have to carry the team more than ever (since it looks like Steph is gone) and you looked fatigued near the end last year. D'Antoni's offense in PHX was also predicated on 3 pt shooting, pick and rolls and ball movement, that doesn't seem like the strenght of our projected starting lineup.

Don't take the loser stuff personally. Knick fans want to win, and with the money we shell out, deserve a winning product. Only one way to turn around a negative image. Win. You help bring a NBA title to NY for the first time in my lifetime and you'll be a legend.

@ Sergio: at least you're consistent but wouldn't constructive criticism be more helpful to . . .you know . .. the team you support.

Hey J,

I give you props for being the only Knick to actually care to acknowledge the fans even as it look at times that you really have no comment after a loss and give that reporter a stare of "how many ways can I say this". I know it's frustrating. Winning is all about wanting it more than the other team and at times it looked as if the Knicks before even you came here throw in the towel in games and the season just waiting for the end of the season.

Like the great coach at UCLA once said "Winners are not afraid to lose". At this point that fear is gone because you have seen rock bottom. All the fans want is not just effort but a sense of Knick pride back at the Garden. You come the closet to a killer they have but the team can't follow along. If its one thing I hope the Knicks give is a big unwelcome to whoever steps into the Garden. Be it Physical, Mental, or straight balling we need to show NY is on the map again and will be a force in the NBA again.

Lets Go Knicks !!!

Jamal,

I'd like to thank you for playing hard every night last year despite all the turmoil and the team's poor performance.

I agree with your self evaluation entirely, but I think shot selection is far and away the easiest thing for you to fix. The thing is, points per game doesn't mean a thing if your FG% is weak. And to be quite honest, yours is very weak. I'd much rather you score 15 PPG and hit 50% of your shots than over 20 PPG with a 40% FG%.

It should be fairly easy for you to either get some stats from management or simply know from experience what your FG% is from various spots on the court and with various amounts of defensive pressure. You simply have to STOP SHOOTING the low percentage ones UNLESS there is very little time on the clock and you have to take it. It really is that simple. Whether you "think" you can make it or not is 100% irrelevant. Stats don't lie. Take the high percentage shots and pass when you are in a low percentage situation.

If you follow that extremely simple plan, naturally your PPG will go down, but sophisticated fans and players will notice the much higher FG% and the team will benefit because the extra pass will typically lead to a higher percentage shot by someone else.

Good luck this year.

Jamal:

Thanks for creating this blog, we true Knick fans appreciate it and are excited to have this 2-way dialogue with our guys.

Ignore the haters Jamal. You are a good player that will thrive in a D'Antoni offense.

Show your leadership skills and lead this team Jamal!! Thats what this team needs most and it's not going to come from a self-aggrandizing guy like Marbury....

Finally, TAKE IT STRONG to the hole baby! Forget the dipsy-doodle and finish like a man Jamal, you can beat anyone off the dribble!

Best of luck this Season and keep posting...

For as long as I can remember baseball was my first love. I lived it as a child and played little league and all that stuff but I still remember the day I saw my very first basketball game. It was 1987. Up until that point I knew very little about the game and what I did know was basically that Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Patrick Ewing were good. Then I turned on my first Knicks game. It was Knicks vs Rockets and I instantly fell in love with the game. The speed, the agility, the dunks, the shooting...it all appealed to me. I then starting following the Knicks and the rest is history. As much as I loved baseball I loved basketball just as much. So I started playing. My friends and I would play every day after school...and unbeknownst to me...I could play this game a little. Baseball I stunk at but I could shoot the hell out of a basketball. Now the good Lord possessed me with many wonderful gifts such as great eye sight, speed, and intelligence but what he did not bless me with was height. I tried out for my high school basketball team and was denied mainly because at my tallest I am 5'6". Regardless I loved the game and 1994 was a great year. My Knicks were in the finals. They were good. John Starks was my favorite athlete on the planet, Ewing, Rivers, Harper, Mason...man they beat up on people. It was ugly brutal basketball but I loved it. Then OJ and that bad omen cost us our shot. Through all the losing that has followed I have been a fan. But like many fans I became disillusioned with the goings on here. The Garden has been dead. I still get shivers down my spine seeing the reaction to LJ making that 3 and getting fouled in 1999. It exploded...the ground shook. It was amazing. I miss that...I miss those days. Isiah and Layden set this franchise back 10 years. I can accept losing as long as the team is improving and I know cap relief is on the way. This part is for you Jamal. I love your game, I love the way your shot has such beautiful touch and arch. I love your 1 on 1 skill set. You are by far my favorite Knick and this blog you wrote took time and effort. We as fans appreciate it and owe you and this team our support. You may not win um all but with Coach D'Antoni the games will be exciting. Just battle and show us what your made of and we will support this team. Oh and do me a flav....drop 50 on Houston or San Antonio...both those teams owe us one. Have a great year and lets see JC...(my initials by the way) in the All-Star Game.

Definitely not a big fan of your all around Jamal but you are a stand up guy. You may not make the smartest decisions on the court but you do play hard and figure out how to make clutch buckets when you have the ball in your hands at the end of the game. I just hope the Knicks play hard this season and hopefully Marbury, Randolph, Jerome and Jeffries are no where to be seen on the team. Please tell Malik stop shooting 15 footers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5kyzvyM6KU This is the LJ play...I want the Garden like this again...Some day soon I hope. ; )

J.C.
As a Knicks fan of 30+ yrs, I love the opportunity to get the point of view of a player.I appreciate your honesty, and look forward to your entries. I was at the game when you dropped 52 on the Heat; that was one of the most exciting games I've ever seen.
I am optimistic that Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni will assemble a winning team over time.

I live near Skidmore College, and was very disappointed that there will not be any opportunities to watch a practice.
For restaurants in Saratoga, Prime at the Saratoga National Golf Course, is very good, as are Siro's, Dine, Hattie's, One Caroline Bistro, Chez Sophie, and P.J.'s BBQ. Enjoy.

JC - just take the ball to the hoop man...you got the skills to blow by your man with ease. High percentage shot and possibly an AND1...that's a good way to increase your FG % - instead of just pulling up for a J.

Hey Jamal!

Thrilled to say "hi" to you and wishing you a great season!

I can see you are a winner just needing a solid stable team. Have a great year, light us up a few times with 50+ games, and hopefully the magic will be back.

- Dave from NJ, now living in northern Calif., Knick fan since I was a kid in the late '60s and was spoiled rotten by the '69-'73 glory days

Hey Jamal! thanks for doing the blog i will be checking in alot, but i hope this wont affect ur game! (lol) I have a question for u, why do insist on taking alot of jumpshots instead of driving to the lane and get maybe an easy bucket or a foul? Is it just too much wear and tear to keep driving to the basket and get knocked around? I know you said you feel like you can make all your shots but you dont, so isnt it beeter to drive in and take the hit and have a better chance of scoring? I was a huge advocate when Mr Thomas did a sign and trade for you. I like you as a player and im sure if i knew you personally i would like you ( in a non gay way lol). You have taken more three poointers than free throws in alomost all your years in the league except for the year coach Brown was in town! PLease just consider driving to the lane a little bit more. I will be watching all the games next season as i always do (except for last season i decided to boycott b/c of the off court issues). A gain thank you for doing the blog.....PS I know u wont do this but could you let Mr. Dolan know that i aqctually like the Donnie Walsh hiring and I LOVE the D'Antoni hiring. Let try to get to 500 this year!!! Good LUCK!

WOW. That took guts JC.

My knicks family is at http://www.nykfanpage.com/. Of all the boards out there, this is where people have genuine discussions instead of flame wars. We all loved hearing that you read fan comments, and you pretty well summed up most of what people have said. Some on the fanpage love you. Others not so much, but we all respect how you are honest and alway try hard.

I've got no business giving you advice when you have a great coach, but here it goes. What I notice is that when you get square and elevate straight up, you hit at a high %, whether its off the dribble or a set shot. When you move laterally in the air, not so good. It looks to me like the problem is less about shot selection than it is about shot mechanics.

Coach D is the master at getting guys the ball in a position where they can square up and elevate straight up, so I'm really looking forward to watching you this season. Good luck.

Oh, and BTW - If you every gave us a shout at the fanpage, we'd all freak. You'd get a ton of love for showing up.

Looking back when LJ hit that shot he looked like he tried to draw contact and did. I know at the end of games the NBA now won't give in like they use to to draw the foul. But drawing contact is a lost art. Walt Frazier could probably still do that better than any one else i ever saw and one.

It was those small plays that made the difference. I still would like to see less turn overs with next years Knicks. A lot of Coach D's system is predicated on ball movement and smart decision making. And any one has a green light to shoot when open (lets hope it goes down). But the one element we don't have is a forward like Amare Stodemire. Galanari is going to join you Jamal as a 2 guard in my opinion. We still need a power forward that can defend and make the lane less hospitable. Center wise I don't see Curry as a number one option unless Eddie commits to fitness and understanding that defense wins games and not ally oops. Although, there entertaining to watch. I like Duhon because I know he has more to prove much like you Jamal. Duhon can be the future orchestrator to this revamped team.

I just got home, read the "Knicks Fanatic Blog" ( you should too)
and I find myself linked with the same format of Alan Hahn's Fix?
I'm sure that you know some call you "J-Chuck." This year prove to us more zone moments like two years ago against the Champs Miami. have at least ten 50+ games! You can do it!
Tell us the truth, you wanted Bayless this year, Right?
Please be honest.

Ewings curse Lives.....where have you been homey?
Stop in @ the Fanatics!

jamal you're the man!!! this blog is awesome. you've been the best on this team for years. looking forward to reading more stuff!

That was real.

I have criticized you before Jamal, mostly for Shot Selection. But it's good to hear your side of it cuz we never do.

I know someone close to the team and they once told me, unlike ZACH when you get yelled at for taking a bad shot you actually realize it is a bad shot, feel bad about it.. and try to correct it.

So thats a good and a bad thing, at least you care... But if your gunna shoot you have to believe right?

I would like to hear your take on why playing for Larry Brown worked so well for you individually and if you think you can get back to that style of play that you adapted under him. (Sure the Knicks sucked but you had a great year individually)

I always liked you Jamal.

JC - thanks for stepping up and doing this blog. I've been wondering if the curtain of silence would be lifted now that Zeke is all but gone. NYC has plenty of haters, including me - I used to write the Knicks Clicks blog over at nj.com, and was the first in the area to use the word "Crawful." On the other hand, I also mentioned your "Crawfordable" contract, so I was equal opportunity with the bad puns (is that a pun?)

Marbury's all but gone. Keep up the status quo, and you're next. If you can't get it done under D'Antoni, then you can't get it done anywhere.

But if you move the ball, commit to defense, and for the L of G take it to the hole, you'll have the haters eating out of the palm of your hand.

It's up to you, do us proud!

JC:
Good post. Very on point and honest. However I'm just saying if you want to do it big like Gilbert you can't be too nice and too careful on these blogs. Good Luck on the year.

Jamal this is going to be a fun season with all the changes and the fast pace game.I cant wait to see you and Stephon tear it up in the backcourt.
And to all the people who read this yeah i said Stephon not Duhon, he sucks!!!

yo crawford
i'm a slim dude to son
so taking it to the rim all the time an gettin hit can wear u out
i understand that
i think u got the full skill set offensively
but add knowledge to that an u would be fine

take it to the hoop more crawford an u will be fine
take dudes of the dribble get to the paint an dish it out
thatz what i would be doin

u can easily average 25-40 a night all u gotta do it take it to the hoop an get that contact/that's why i luv iverson he my height an almost my weight..thatz my best advise

now that u got ya own blog i can write to u

do me a favor an tell marbury to get his head straight an play that ball he played in n.j

stay tune for more KnowLedge

yo jamal,
just do it on tha court this year & u will shut all tha big mouths on tha board up...i'm pissed off as hell at tha knicks tha last couple years too ....we all are & frustrations are mounting cuz we keep hearing the same thing yr after yr along w/ changes that don't amoung to ANYTHING. hopefully we FINALLY make some serious noise this yr (which im not so sure of due to our lack of legit SIZE to play DEFENSE) otherwise im gonna feel sorry for you on this blog all year long bruh. you might want to reconsider ever doin' this....ya man prowler got ya back...but i don't know for how long son!!

Hey Jamal, nice to see that you're starting a blog, great idea :) I just wanted to let you know that I was the one that created your facebook fan page so feel free to contact me if you want to use it yourself or if you want me to send specific updates to your facebook fans ;)
Hope you have a great season,
GO KNICKS !!