The roof didn’t come off for Billy “Eugene” Faison during one of his four deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, or at any other point during his 17 years (and counting) in the army. No, Billy’s lid popped on a cold December day in Indiana, as he watched the Knicks get absolutely decimated by a shorthanded Celtics team.
That 41-point beatdown came on December 8, 2013, one year ago today. The game was a rout from the start, arguably the worst showing in a season full of lackluster efforts for the Knicks. Nearly all Knicks fans were upset… but very few got as angry as Billy, whose tirade (which you can watch below, although be advised of the NSFW language) quickly went viral.
“I was just ranting like I always do,” Billy The Angry Knicks Fan told me when I reached out to him on the anniversary of his rant, “My homie who was behind me is actually a Boston fan. And truth be told, I had no idea I was being filmed til a few moments into the video.”
“They know I’m like this all the time, so Chanci always said he was gonna sneak one on me, so he did.”
Chanci, Billy’s friend and the man who filmed the video, provides a priceless, calm, running commentary which serves as the backup vocals to Billy’s rage.
As for the Knicks gear he buried in the snow (GIF above), Billy has yet to have a change of heart:
“Haven’t worn the shirt, hat or shoes since…I don’t know where the shirt and hat are, shoes are in the closet. Haven’t worn Knicks apparel since.”
The Knicks started turning things around about a month after Billy’s outburst, and salvaged a scrap of dignity with a strong second half, although they fell just short of the playoffs. But the Knicks are off to their worst start in franchise history this season, and Billy is as angry as ever:
“As a fan it looks like we are going through the motions, and this team on a nightly basis doesn’t believe they can win any game.”
“Basically it looks like the Knicks just go out there collecting a check,” said Billy, who cited JR Smith, Tim Hardaway Junior, and General Manager Steve Mills as the most frequent inducers of his wrath, while sparing the universally-admired Pablo Prigioni.
So here we are on December 8, 2014. Billy wasn’t a one-hit wonder. He still posts his angry thoughts on his Youtube channel, Facebook page, and Twitter. While many view his work as pure comedy, he raises many fair points, and as we celebrate the one year anniversary of his explosion, it’s frustrating to see that the Knicks, at least in the standings, are in an even worse place than they were a year ago.
-Tommy Rothman