Tommy Dee, theKnicksBlog.com

Close your eyes for a second and think back to where you were July 8,2010. Think about the scenarios Lebron James faced before sitting down with Jimmy Roberts Jim Gray. By that time we all knew Miami was the decision and some of us felt badly for the Knicks and some may have even felt for the city of Cleveland as well. But, more importantly, what I felt was a shift in balance that the NBA was going to have to deal with for the next 6 seasons. My first reaction was that the Knicks were in a good position to bring in Carmelo Anthony and from a talent perspective they could at least compete with the heat. In the end, though, that feeling you had in your stomach when you heard heard, “I’m taking my talents…” was the fear of knowing that you weren’t going to be seeing a championship.

Fast forward and now the heat are firing on all cylinders in the exact way you thought they would. And it’s not going away any time soon. Dwyane Wade’s knee is healthy, James is playing at an All-Time clip and Chris Bosh stopped crying.

The heat are unbeatable.

So when Carmelo lips out of the line up I have to say I get upset at the media types who are quick to attack. The fact is Carmelo has delivered this year to this point.  With a healthy Melo, the Knicks continue to be above .500 in a stratosphere that some Knicks fans have never seen.They are back atop their division and are in the top 4 of the Eastern Conference. They were poised to host a playoff series and take flight at the Eastern Conference Finals and have a crack as the underdog in a series against James and company. A series, by the way, that no one would ever expect them to win.

So how does Melo win? His knee is cranky and he has to get himself back in MVP-esque form.He has to allow for his body to say, “OK, I’m ready for the final leg of the marathon.”

But does it matter? Did it ever? Do Knicks fans and NBA fans point to Melo’s weaknesses because he’s a flawed player or because they know his odds of being a legendary figure are so small that they’d rather be right than be happy?

People drool over the ease and “all-around game” that Lebron has over Melo and that’s fine, except it’s still pretty unacceptable and cowardly how he ended up in Miami to begin with.Why can’t Melo earn more credit for having the guts to take on the challenge of BIG BAD New York and the media? Why does Lebron continually get a pass that he did a deal to get ESPN and their writers in his pocket safely away harsh criticism?

If the basketball gods are real then I hope they recognize this and allow Melo to regain health and make a passionate push for legendary status here. I hope Melo has his day here and captures the hearts of the city.

Why? Because I’m a NY basketball fan, and I sure as hell respect the fact that he signed up for an incredibly hard and uphill challenge when others blatantly passed on the opportunity.