Issue #034: Bing Bong
The New York Knicks are fun
When I hear the phrase “bing bong,” I immediately think of Riley’s imaginary friend from the Pixar instant classic Inside Out. If you aren’t familiar with Bing Bong, he’s made of cotton candy and is part dolphin, part elephant, and part cat. He cries candy and even has his own song.
Now, I also think about the New York Knicks. On opening night, the Knicks beat the Celtics in double OT. The fans went nuts. I mean, they lost it. It was as if they won the title, Dolan was forced to sell the team to Spike Lee, and Boston was erased from existence all in one night.
My favorite part of that video is the second guy they show and how his voice is cracking. I’m sure it’s because he’s losing his voice, but it also sounds like a kid going through the peak of puberty. Followed by a dude holding a blunt and a guy bashing de Blasio and Cuomo. Actually, the first 27 seconds are so entertaining and hilarious. What director would ever think to put those scenes back to back to back? Scorsese would never. I’m also 1000% convinced that KD regrets not going to the Kniiiiicks.
A few things stood out to me when I saw that video, not including what I already mentioned. 1) I badly want to see what happens in NY if the Knicks win a title, 2) they still really hate Trae Young and Boston, and 3) why did a guy pop in and say the name of a random, animated Pixar character? The only time I heard that phrase previously was whenever I watched that movie or when my best friend would say it after he (or any of us) did something stupid.
What did this guy mean when he said bing bong? I still have no clue. I’m not even sure he knows. The way he describes the origin of the phrase has absolutely nothing to do with basketball.
“The phrase is derived from the subway doors closing: ‘Stand clear of the closing doors please; bing-bong.’” - Jordie Bloom
That didn’t help at all. If we wanted to dig deep, I guess you could interpret it to mean the game is over, take the subway home, and get out of here. Watch out for the closing doors, bing-bong. I’m not a New Yorker, so I didn’t even know the subway doors message made a sound that sounded like “bing-bong.” In true New York fashion, I’m not cool enough to fully understand it. Has me feeling like Andy Dwyer, pretending to know what everyone is talking about.
That’s also not the point. It’s not for me, or any non-Knicks people. It’s for them.
That simple quote has become the rallying cry for the Knicks this season. And it seems to be working for them. They are now 5-2, currently 3rd, and playing extremely well. But mostly, it’s made for a fun moment, especially for Knicks fans. As a non-Knicks fan, I have to admit, I’m jealous I don’t get to participate in their fandom. They are having a blast, enjoying the early success of this season, building on the surprise of last season’s run to the playoffs.
The team itself has fully embraced it and the rest of the basketball community is joining in too. Announcer Mike Breen, famous for his “bang!” (or double “bang!”) calls, even used it after Julius Randle made a shot. I must not be the only one that has FOMO. It also helps that bing bong is ambiguous and can be used in just about any context. The team has used it after wins. It’s been used to celebrate a big play in a game or after a great individual performance. The only thing missing is a full arena chant at MSG, which I’m sure will happen soon enough.
I’m happy for Knicks fans. They haven’t had much to cheer about for a while, I don’t blame them for getting worked up with each successive victory. In fact, I want to encourage this sort of reaction after every win. The celebrations you saw in the video above? I want that after they beat the Thunder in February on a random Tuesday night. I want fan bases of all teams that have been down on their luck recently to adopt this mindset. You don’t get to win that often, go crazy when it happens. Rub it in their faces that you were better than them for one night.
I also want to normalize interviews with fans after games. Let’s have it replace post-game athlete interviews entirely. They would provide about the same level of valuable information, but would be infinitely more entertaining. I mean that video is 50 seconds of pure gold content. Give it a Webby yesterday.
The last time we saw this type of energy around the Knicks was probably in the 90’s. The fans deserve this and are making the most of it. Basketball fans are talking about the Knicks without cracking the usual jokes. People actually want to watch them play. It’s kind of strange. It’s probably why that fan video, with all of its antics, resonated and was embraced by their community. They haven’t been able to have fun and enjoy basketball in quite some time. They are letting all of their pent up fandom out at once. It’s chaotic and amazing to watch. I can’t wait to see what they do the next time they win.
Knicks fans know pain. They are very familiar with the feeling. As of late, they are getting to experience a lot more joy after watching their team play and win more. It may not last or be enough to bring home a title this season, but it sure feels like this feeling may stick around for a while. At this point, nothing would surprise me. One thing’s for sure, it’s certainly not imaginary. Bing bong!
See you next week!