"Carry On Tradition, Part I - Decade of Excellence" Long before James L. Dolan began stripping the pride out of the hardwood at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks were a model franchise. From Red Holzman's arrival to Jeff Van Gundy's departure, the Knicks were a team loved by fans and feared by opponents. For those who wax nostalgic over better days, thoughts of a time when 19,763 fans cheered in unison on a nightly basis seem long ago.

Before the marketing department was forced to peddle $99 fan packs, there was a time when The Garden was sold out for 433 consecutive home games from 1993 to 2002. For a team that has only gone to the playoffs once in the past six seasons, a streak of 14 straight trips to the postseason is but a distant memory.

Reconstructing the Knicks into a winner is clearly a monumental task. Isiah Thomas & his predecessor Scott Layden have failed miserably in their efforts to return the franchise to elite status. In order to return the team to prominence, the brain trust at 2 Penn Plaza need only examine the blueprint left by former Garden executives Bob Gutkowski & Dave Checketts. Only 35 at the time of his arrival in March 1991, Checketts began his tenure with the Knicks as team president. His decision to hire Pat Riley prior to the 1991-92 season sparked a run of success that spanned a decade.

Known for directing the Showtime Lakers offense, Riley adjusted his approach and instilled a rugged defensive philosophy that become the team's signature style. Riley inherited a squad built around Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley & Mark Jackson. He would go on to add a series of key players including John Starks & Anthony Mason as unheralded free agents and acquire a high-scoring, volatile small forward in Xavier McDaniel through a trade with Phoenix for Trent Tucker. McDaniel would become the catalyst for Riley's new approach.

As legend tells it, a fight broke out between the former All-Star McDaniel & Mason in practice and Riley refused to break it up in a effort to drill home a message. The Knicks new physical approach led to a 51-31 season (following a 39-43 campaign under John McLeod that ended in a 0-3 playoff loss to the Chicago Bulls) and a trip to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they would take Michael Jordan's Bulls to a decisive game 7. Riley's team would go on to lose the series, but the Knicks had become a force to be reckoned with. Moreover, Xavier McDaniel's arrival helped transform Ewing from a supremely talented big man into the warrior he is fondly remembered as.

With former Knick player Ernie Grunfeld as General Manager, the Knicks continued to win despite their head coach's impromptu departure to Miami. Don Nelson was brought in shortly thereafter to replace Riley. Nelson's style was ill-suited for the team and he was quickly replaced by longtime assistant Jeff Van Gundy. In a series of moves to follow, Grunfeld signed prized free agent shooter Allan Houston & veteran guard Chris Childs while trading Charles Oakley for Marcus Camby, John Starks for Latrell Sprewell & Anthony Mason for Larry Johnson. Reaction to the trades was harsh at first, but each new addition would play a significant role as the team continued its success. Larry Johnson became Van Gundy's version of Xavier McDaniel and the new cast of characters quickly adapted to the defensive philosophy. Van Gundy continued to use Riley's playbook and the pupil would go on to defeat the teacher in 3 of 4 memorable playoff battles with the Miami Heat.

Both Riley & Van Gundy would to lead their teams to the NBA Finals. Although the cast of characters changed during the decade, the commitment to defense remained the same. Knicks fans were equally excited to watch Charlie Ward draw a charge as they were to witness John Starks drill a three-pointer. When Van Gundy announced his sudden resignation, assistant coach & defensive guru Tom Thibodeau was seen as a natural successor. Instead, Dolan & Layden opted for fellow assistant Don Chaney as the team's new head coach. Under Chaney, the team fell from 48-34 in the 2000-01 season to 30-52 the next year and have yet to post a winning season since.

If Jim Dolan, Isiah Thomas & Steve Mills have any interest in rebuilding this once proud franchise, a look back at the past will provide direction for the future. When Dave Checketts began a search for a head coach in 1991, he turned his attention to a former coach turned television broadcaster in Riley. As Rick Carlisle sits in a ESPN studio, one can only hope he gets a call from an MSG executive. Carlisle – a former Knick player – is a defensive specialist who took over the Indiana Pacers after Isiah Thomas was fired following the 2002-03 season and led them to a 61-21 record the following year.

The 90's Knicks turned hard work and dedication into unquestionable success. Isiah's Knicks have turned guaranteed contracts and a lack of focus into sub .500 play. What the current roster needs is a player like Xavier McDaniel or Charles Oakley to push Eddy Curry. Furthermore, they could use the passion that hungry players bring to a roster. Thomas need only look at the division rival Toronto Raptors decision to import the likes of Jamario Moon & Anthony Parker to surround their young star Chris Bosh. Both players followed the same road that John Starks & Anthony Mason took to the NBA and are paying similar dividends.

Although the 90's Knicks were never as young & athletic as the current cast, the memories they left still resonate with scores of fans. Despite the mounting losses and soap opera-like headlines, the Knicks are only a few shrewd moves away from carrying on a winning tradition. If the Boston Celtics & Portland Trailblazers can radically alter the direction of their franchises in only one year, surely the Knicks can follow suit.

-Greg Hutchins