Ad Disclosure
Knicks Fans are Celebrating With a Sad, Pathetic Impression of Philly Fans
By Matt Schultz
Published:
As Knicks fan celebration videos flood the internet in the wake of New York sweeping Cleveland to advance to the NBA Finals, I can’t help but feel bad for Knicks fans. I understand that this must sound strange. “How could you pity them,” you may ask, “when the Knicks have succeeded? When they’re the happiest they’ve ever been, now that their cursed franchise has finally made the Finals?”
The answer is simple: While watching these videos, I’m realizing that Knicks fans do not have a culture of their own. Even the way they celebrate is an egregious, pathetic knock-off impression of Philly fans:
Pitiful… Not that any of this is all that new. We all know that New Yorkers have long had an ultra-sensitive chip on their shoulder – they’re the kings of the proverbial little man syndrome, permanently loud and obnoxious in a failed attempt to hide the insecurities that come with living in a wildly expensive, rat-infested, overcrowded city with no real culture because it’s entirely owned by Abu Dhabi princes who view New Yorkers’ homes as assets in their portfolio. But still, to see New Yorkers in this light, as their city’s favorite team (a designation they gave to the Knicks over the last week or so; I’ve never, ever heard the Knicks described this way before in my life) reaches the Finals, reduced to doing cosplay of a real fanbase with a real culture – Philadelphia fans, I’m saying – after watching us celebrate for the last decade really is pretty sad.
They’re even climbing poles…
Even their own fanbase sees their celebrations as a rip-off…
Just heartbreaking stuff… Don’t be surprised to see videos of Knicks fans eating horse shit…
Enjoy your moment, Knicks fans, but remember: Our culture is not your costume. Get your own thing going.
Matt Schultz is a comedy and sports writer from Philadelphia. He’s written extensively for ClickHole, The Onion, and Conan O’Brien’s Team Coco. His work has been featured in Vulture, Deadspin, The A.V. Club, Paste Magazine, and other publications. Much of his sports journalism can be found on college basketball websites that don’t exist anymore (PhilaHoops Heads rise up…)