We are used to seeing Taylor Swift at Kansas City Chiefs football games, but when I saw a lot of camera action catching her dancing and celebrating as the Knicks erased a 29-point deficit to beat the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Championship Finals at Madison Square Gardens in New York City I wondered why Tay Tay appeared to be such a passionate Knicks fan?
Tay Tay’s visible support of the Knicks the other night is real and stems from several sources. She has made New York City her long-term home as an adult and she has occasionally been seated on the first row courtside with friends at Knicks’ games.
Also, as a child, Tay Tay appreciated MSG because she performed in a children’s talent competition at the venue and that caused her to have an emotional bond with the arena.
And finally, Taylor Swift has had an on-going personal relationship with former Knicks star Amar’e Stoudemire. A bond was created between Swift and Stoudemire and his wife after she ran into the couple several times at the Met Gala in New York. She referred to them as the “most normal people” at the event. It was their friendship that led to Tay becoming a Knicks fan.
We know how superstitious sports fans can be. President Trump attended Game 3 in MSG Monday night and the Knicks lost. The president was also greeted with a lot of boos when he was shown on the video screen during the National Anthem. Social media was filled with comments blaming President Trump’s presence at the game for the teams’ loss.
With Tay Tay in attendance for the unbelievable comeback from 29-points down in Game 4 Wednesday night and President Trump being absent - many Knicks fans are promoting the idea that she broke the Trump curse on the Knicks.
Now, we all know that a celebrity attending a sporting event has no bearing on the outcome of that event, Knicks fans, especially those who do not support Trump, are loving the idea that Tay Tay did break a curse President Trump put on the Knicks.
Now, who wins Game 5, which puts the Spurs on their home court in San Antonio Saturday night? The Knicks have a 3 - 1 lead in the NBA Championship Series and a win by the Knicks Saturday night in San Antonio make them the NBA Champs for the first time since 1973, when the Knicks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 4 - 1. If the Knicks beat the Spurs Saturday night - they would win the series by the same margin 4 - 1.
My relationship with the Spurs goes back to the time I was doing a talk show on KTSA in San Antonio. I went to every game and was in the locker room with the team after every game. I developed a media-relationship with two players - David Robinson and Dennis Rodman. In fact, I was the ONLY person in the media Dennis would talk to and I had local media people asked me how I managed to develop that relationship with Dennis. Of course, I was not about to share a professional secret like that. I was determined to get to Dennis in a way no one else could and I did. Dennis often worked out a little after a game and I was alone in the room with him during those workouts. I also planned to meet Dennis when he arrived at the arena and I would walk with him to the dressing room. That was usually caught on video and put on the screens in the arena. People saw me walking with Dennis Rodman and that was an awesome image-builder. After one of the controversial moments with Dennis - a female listener called into my show and directly blamed ME for Rodman’s behavior. You can’t buy that kind of publicity.
After moving back to New Orleans to do a show, I attended a playoff game in Houston against the Rockets. After the game I was at the Hard Rock in Houston, where an area was sectioned off for Dennis and his entourage. Dennis spotted me and called me over to join him at his table. Those were great days!
So who wins Saturday night in San Antonio? If you believe big sporting events are fixed - the Spurs win and send the series back to New York with the Knicks leading the series 3 - 2. Then the Knicks probably win the next game to win the series.
I don’t believe sports are fixed. In the way the Knicks bounced back after being embarrassed by the Spurs Monday night at home - I can see the Spurs doing the same thing and bouncing back Saturday night to beat the Knicks and then go back to New York 3 - 2 and win there and tie the series 3 - 3 with the final game being in San Antonio. I think it may be destiny - but I think the stars are aligned for the Knicks to win and become the NBA Champs for 2026. BUT - I can also see the Spurs bouncing back from a pathetic 2nd half performance the other night in New York to beat the Knicks and go back to MSG with the Knicks having a 3 - 2 lead and like the Spurs did Monday night in New York and in the last game against OKC to win the series against OKC on foreign territory.
The Spurs - Knicks Championship Series is exciting and it’s great for the NBA and fans are lovin’ it.
