The security protocols at Madison Square Garden also came for Charles Oakley, Spike Lee, and now the great Patrick Ewing.
The day after Ewing, when he was preparing to coach Georgetown in the Big East tournament, “exited” on Thursday in view of safety, Lee’s disrespect against the Knicks legend after going to ESPN’s “First Take” Argued.
“I’m not blaming it [James] Dolan, “Lee said. “Something must be wrong at Madison Square Garden. Can any of you imagine Derek Jeter being prevented from entering Yankee Stadium? Magic Johnson being prevented from entering the Staples Center? Michael Jordan – Goat – preventing entry into the United Center? WTF! “
Although a few-hour staffer was likely to just follow orders at the increased security time at Arenas, Lee, the film’s director and Knicks superfan, are warmed up, as this is a repetitive issue. Lee said that Ewing was “hot” when they were talking on Thursday.
A year ago, just before the NBA season closed due to COVID-19, Lee had a run-in with MSG security as he tried to use the employee’s entrance, which he said he had been in for 28 years. Were passing through Security told him to use the other door. He said he was “done” with the Knicks at that point and said on Friday that his position “came from above.”
Ewing’s name and number hang in MSG’s rafters, and his 15-year game with the team ended after the 1999–2000 season.
“Rudeness, disrespect, even though I am a young child who was born years after Patrick’s demise, he is 7-foot-2!” Lee said. “And you tell me there’s no one in the vicinity because Patrick is going to say to the metal detector, ‘Yo, you, Patrick. Walk through that.’ How does that happen? I don’t understand it. It’s like that at Yankee Stadium.” Is not going to happen. There must be some common sense. “
Ewing’s former Knicks teammate, Charles Oakley, was arrested following an altercation when he was forcibly removed from MSG in 2017.
“My mindset is the stuff that happened before, I’m peace and love, trying to move forward,” Lee said. “The last thing I wanted to do was join Dolan again. It was not my fault and now the whole thing has happened again. I felt that this story would die between me and Dolan. “
Ewing returns for MSG as coach at Georgetown in the Big East semifinal against Seton Hall at 6pm on Friday night.
Leave a Reply