Reading this article just makes me so sad...

I am hoping that Hakeem has a change of heart and retires after this season. My reasons aren't selfishly motivated(i.e. More cap space, etc). I just want to be able to preserve all the positive memories of Hakeem in my mind. Here's hoping that Hakeem puts his pride before his wallet and eats that 15 million dollar final year.

http://www.nypost.com/sports/26234.htm

A TALE OF TWO CENTERS

By PAUL SCHWARTZ


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THE LATER it got, the worse it grew, until the mismatch climaxed with a resounding knockout victory for Patrick Ewing. But, of course, Ewing gets no medals, as he beat up on an old man.
The old man, Hakeem Olajuwon, is five months younger than Ewing.

In a telling confrontation, the two 37-year old centers last night rekindled a rivalry that is now dead. The unofficial conclusion came as Ewing, scoffing at his senior-citizen status, continued to defy the calendar, while Olajuwon, showing his age, neared the end of the line. The final result is that at the moment, Patrick Ewing is a better player than Hakeem Olajuwon, as the two future Hall of Famers continue to bid adieu to the NBA in vastly different ways.

In a stunning reversal of the past, it was Ewing who dominated his counterpart, as Olajuwon struggled through one of the worst performances of his magnificent run. He missed all nine of his shots and ended with a mere four points, helpless as Ewing's 16 points and surge down the stretch saved the Knicks in a 91-85 victory over the Rockets.

Afterward, ice wrapped around his left ankle, right wrist and both knees, Ewing refused to dance on Olajuwon's demise. "I know he's got things left," Ewing said, when asked if he in a way felt sorry for his one-time nemesis. "You all say the same thing about me. I'm not going to fall for that."

Of course not. That is not Ewing's way, to abuse a respected adversary. He did, however, abuse Olajuwon down the stretch, scoring six consecutive Knicks points, the final four on those familiar baseline turnarounds. Olajuwon tried to counter, but missed a pair of jump-hooks. It was actually quite sad to see, this Bad Dream.

"I'm used to the Dream Shake, and I didn't see it," John Wallace said. "I'm used to seeing all those crazy fakes and shots out of him, but not this time."

Olajuwon arrived at the Garden only able to dream about his days as The Dream, fading fast on a dead-end Rockets team filled with a cast of youngsters. Ewing, still chugging uphill on his unyielding championship quest, is standing taller. Surrounded by the most talented teammates of his 15-year career, he's performing at a far higher level than Olajuwon, doing considerably more than his legion of critics ever expected.

Who would have thought Ewing's staying power would be greater than Olajuwon's? Or that Olajuwon would willingly be looking ahead to retirement after next season, admitting, "You have to realize there's a new generation, and you know when it's your time."

Watching Olajuwon nowadays is like seeing a faded picture that once was brilliant but has frayed around the edges. He's battled this season through hernia surgery and a respiratory condition, averaging 10.9 points and 6.5 rebounds, his greatness a memory.

Watching Ewing makes one start to believe in his staunch insistence that "thirty-seven, that's young." In his comeback season, Ewing's averages of 14.7 points and 10.2 rebounds do not begin to measure his impact, as he's on the rise. In his last four games prior to last night (21 points, 14.3 rebounds) he's been the Ewing of old.

Those who regularly seek to bury Ewing have endured a long and fruitless wait for his demise.

"Dream has had flashes of his old self," acknowledged Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "Patrick, in the games that I watch, has been phenomenal."

Through the Rockets' decline, Olajuwon has come away unscathed. He's been allowed to approach his basketball mortality with grace and an acceptance that his once-fearsome skills have eroded. The glory days are gone in Houston, and yet Olajuwon is not viewed as an anchor, but rather as the last remaining vestige of the title years.

Meanwhile, Ewing continues to fight off the advances of time, while his flaws fill newspaper columns and airwaves. His physical breakdowns garnered more scorn than sympathy, as if a shattered right wrist or chronic tendinitis in his left Achilles were somehow his burden to bear for falling short of championship aspirations. In his absence, the Knicks grew faster and more dangerous in the open court, with the likes of Latrell Sprewell and Marcus Camby filling the lanes. More fun? Perhaps. But the Knicks were never serious title contenders without Ewing in the middle.

"It's amazing to see where we are now," Olajuwon said. "He still can make an impact on the game. I never have a doubt he could come back and make an impact."

Ewing talks of contract extensions, not of retirement. Olajuwon sees the end, embraces it. "You have to realize there's a new generation and you know when it's time," he said.

Ewing has no ring. The next generation can wait.



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