‘Pick a side coward’: even-handed Elmo enrages New York Knicks fans

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Elmo's refusal to pick a side in the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs has ignited anger among Knicks fans desperate for their team's first championship since 1999. The Sesame Street character's attempt at even-handedness, a departure from the show's New York City roots, has drawn accusations of cowardice from supporters of the basketball team. The Finals matchup itself has already stirred controversy over Spurs fans wearing colorful T-shirts to Fiesta festival tradition, but Elmo's neutrality has become an unexpected flashpoint in the competition's broader cultural drama.