Carmelo Anthony: The Time is Now for Melo to Win in New York?

New York, New York, ah the city that never sleeps. Where the lights are brighter than any other city’s and the pressure to succeed is inevitable. It is where the business of the majority of the world thrives, where fashion trends are set, celebrities and the most powerful people in the world call home.

What else does New York City entail? A demand for its’ teams and best athlete’s to give them a championship parade.

I have been a die-hard Yankees fan for my whole life. It has been the only team I have been rooting for since I can comprehend sports. I don’t want to say I was spoiled, but I got that glorious taste of ultimate victory by witnessing the Yankees dynasty as soon as I started getting into sports.

Derek Jeter can do no wrong in my book. He was everything you wanted in your star player. He was the face of not only the franchise but the whole sport. Jeter produced on the field, was the captain of the team, a good-looking guy, never got caught up in the media or any scandal, dates the world’s best-looking women…ok I’ll stop now. But really Derek Jeter and the Yankees set the bar in my book on how it should be done in New York, and they weren’t the first ones to do it.

New York has a long list of athletes that never have to buy a drink in this great city ever again. From the early days of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio who passed the torch to Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson, Willie Mays, and Tom Seaver. When other New York teams started to taste the champagne, the list added the likes of Joe Namath, Willis Reed, Clyde Frazier, Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, and Mark Messier.

The list evolved into today’s stars such as Jeter, Andy Pettitte, David Cone, Bernie Williams, Mariano Rivera, Eli Manning, Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, and Osi Omenyiora. I don’t think I have to say this, but it’s pretty obvious what all these players have in common and that’s the fat ring on their fingers, most of them with more than one.

Hey Carmelo Anthony, wouldn’t it be great to join that list? Well the stage is yours my friend.

The Knicks are more than ever in a win-now mode. Carmelo along with Tyson Chandler are entering their prime with Amar’e Stoudemire having a big chip on his shoulder. Adding veterans Jason Kidd and Marcus Camby give this team a small window to win a championship now, maybe even as small as only next year.

Look at the 2011 Dallas Mavericks. They had a squad of veterans that only lasted one year, but it paid off drastically. This day’s NBA is as tough as ever with the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder being the league’s top dogs, along with the like of Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and San Antonio Spurs always being major contenders.

If the Knicks ever want to contend with those teams, Carmelo Anthony needs to take them there. He needs to lead this city back where it deserves, the center of the basketball world. I don’t buy into the whole “The Mecca Is Back.” Having a record of 1-8 the past two postseasons does not signify that. It is back when you get to Finals or at least Conference Finals. When you beat the Heat, Bulls, or Celtics that is when you can say that.

Melo has all the talent in the world to make it on that legendary list. He has the clutch gene and the swag of a champion, now he needs to win. Straight out. He will be considered a failure if he does not. I know that, you know that, and I really hope he knows that. Derek Jeter isn’t my favorite athlete because he made All-Star games, he’s my favorite because his fist full of rings.