The last few years have been somewhat of a rollercoaster for Knicks fans. Actor Adam Pally has been along for the ride, with his loyalty never wavering despite the chaos. He has fond memories of being at MSG when Larry Johnson converted the four point play and watching Allan Houston drop 54 points on the Bucks.
“I’m from New York. I think when you grew up here in the 80’s and 90’s, you always took on the mentality of your team. When the Knicks had Patrick Ewing, they were always one star away,” he reminisced when speaking to KnicksJournal.com. “They had to fight and struggle a little. It was almost as if they pulled guys like Anthony Mason and John Starks off the street.”
Like many Knicks fans, Pally is enjoying this new look group with the strong potential of Kristaps Porzingis and Frank Ntilikina leading the way. Whereas some people have been quick to disown Phil Jackson for his recently ended tenure, the actor known for his roles on popular sitcoms like Happy Endings and The Mindy Project understands the former Knicks’ President is partially responsible for the promise that has followed.
“I’m torn. He put us in a pretty decent place. There are questions about some of his moves, but that’s not different than any GM the Knicks have had in the past. On some level, I’m kind of thankful for Phil. He allowed us to tear everything down and restart in an organic way,” he said. “But in other ways, thinking about the triangle, I’m like, Jesus Christ! Phil Jackson making our players run the triangle is like visiting your grandparents and them forcing you to eat apple sauce. There are better foods out there!
“Phil wanted to do the job from Montana and they should have let him. But the ironic truth is that Kristaps Porzingis has been so good, that Phil would probably want to coach him now.”
Pally knows a thing or two about presidential figures. He serves as executive producer and is one of the stars of The President Show on Comedy Central, which most recently aired its holiday special, I Came Up With Christmas.
“The President Show is a labor of love that we do from New York. The premise is, what would happen if President Trump had a talk show? We take a deep dive and look at how corrupt, inept, and hurtful this administration is being,” he explained. “But we try and do it through a lens of comedy because it’s better to make you laugh than preach at you.”
Having such a vehicle and respective platform during this political climate is something the comedic actor takes a lot of pride in. “It’s so important. Comedy Central has been amazing. It’s one of the few times that you believe that you’re doing something. Comedy can be a great weapon.”
Though he’s been taking a step back as of late, Pally noted that another platform for engagement he enjoys is Twitter. He keeps a pulse on what the Knicks fans are feeling and reads blogs and appreciates writers like Tommy Beer. “It’s such a cesspool because it can get so dark and damaging. But for talking sports, [Twitter] is one of the great places. I love Tommy Beer. I’m no Michael Rapaport, but I like mixing it up with fans,” he said.
Pally’s love for sports has always been strong and it’s recently crossed over into his work. He participates in The 5th Quarter, a “mockumentary” series that teases the dramatic fashion in which fans and analysts alike regard and live through the biggest moments in sports.
“I think I’ve seen every 30 for 30. The Reggie Miller one is my favorite because I’m sort of a masochist,” Pally explained. “Those things are ridiculous because so many people treat these moments like life and death, so it’s a great thing to make fun of.”
Around this time last year, Pally collaborated on a sweatshirt with the popular sports vintage shop, “Mr. Throwback.” The shop features classic hoops apparel, kicks, and more. The store is frequented by Knicks guard Jarrett Jack and many other basketball stars and celebrities. The lifelong Knicks fan says he hopes to do something again in the future. “I love Mr. Throwback so much, he’s like my family. [The sweatshirt] was so fun.”
For now, Pally is still finding ways to stay connected to his New York City roots. He’ll next be seen in a play entitled Cardinal, an eleven week production that begins in January.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
