McNamara Comes Through in the Clutch
Hey, I’m sorry Gerry. I’m sorry Jimmy. That’s all I can say for maybe the dumbest thing that I have ever wrote.
A couple of weeks ago when I came out with my Big East awards, I was one of the idiots who rated Gerry McNamara as the most overrated player in the conference. Hey, I can admit I was wrong.
What McNamara did in back-to-back tournament games was hit two of the most clutch shots in Big East history. The little guy from Scranton, Pennsylvania, trying to lengthen his college career a few more shots, a few more games, showed tremendous guts and that the amount of ice water in his veins is still the same as it was during his freshman year when he, along with Carmelo Anthony, led the Orangeman to the NCAA championship.
How quickly we forget. I am ashamed of myself. I was a player and once wondered how some writers, who never played or coached the game, could have such opinionated views on the game. Sometimes, I had come to despise writers as they often too quickly judged a player after a few bad games or a couple of losses.
Poor Gerry McNamara. After winning an NCAA championship he had set a standard for himself. His explosive run in the NCAA tournament during his freshman year had set him up for failure because without cutting down the nets again, the feat could not be topped. He could not surpass his own greatest achievement, but did that not mean he was not great? How could I have succumbed to such foolishness, such stupidity?
I understand why you went off Mr. Boeheim. I understand why you would wonder aloud how we could be such fools. I can understand why you use bad words to describe idiotic statements like “Gerry McNamara is overrated.” You are right. Without him you probably don’t win 10 games. Without him you probably don’t have your first national championship. Without him you don’t beat the Connecticut, the No. 1 team in the country. Without him you don’t make the NCAA tournament this year. Gerry McNamara punched the Orangemen’s ticket with 18 points and 13 assists today.
No, Gerry I will never show my face in Scranton, PA. I should never be allowed there. I talked about the greatest player ever out of Scranton. I talked about one of the greats in Syracuse University basketball history. I talked about someone who has more championships than Derrick Coleman, Rony Seikly, Louis Orr, Sherman Douglas, and Billy Owens combined.
I hope I never meet you Gerry. I am ashamed. I played in the Big East tournament. I played against the best. I should know that the best always show up in March. Forgive me Gerry for I have sinned.
