Spike Lee criticized Madison Square Garden security for harassing Patrick Ewing, the Georgetown basketball coach who was involved in an accident earlier this week.
Ewing, a Knicks legend whose jersey hangs from the girders of the world’s most famous arena, said he was “accosted” by security Thursday as he prepared to coach Georgetown in the Big East Tournament.
Lee has experienced similar issues with MSG’s security previously, and vented on ESPN’s First Take that annoying Ewing at Garden was inexcusable. Lee’s incident occurred when he was asked to use another entrance to the arena instead of the employee entrance that he claimed to have used for 28 years.
“I don’t blame James Dolan,” Lee said of the owner of the Knicks and Madison Square Garden Sports and Madison Square Garden Entertainment and executive president of MSG Networks. “There must be something wrong with Madison Square Garden. Can any of you imagine that Derek Jeter is being prevented from entering Yankee Stadium? Is Magic Johnson barred from entering the Staples Center? Michael Jordan – the GOAT – is barred from entering the United Center? WTF! “
Lee added: “The humiliation, the disrespect, even though I’m a kid born after Patrick was in the glory years of the Knicks, he’s 7 meters tall!” Lee said. “And you tell me that there is no one nearby as Patrick is examining the metal detector to say, ‘Hey, you, that’s Patrick. Let it pass. How does it happen? I do not understand. It won’t happen at Yankee Stadium. There has to be some common sense. “