But he wasn’t optimistic.
Bierman came to the Myrtle Beach area in the mid-2010s after retiring from the computer business. He and his wife were empty nesters, and they wanted to be closer to her family.
During his fleeting fame, he savored his 15 minutes, laughing when some local doctor realized he was the guy who had emailed Dolan. He also saved the clippings from the New York papers.
But the news cycle churned on. So did the Biermans. They moved to North Carolina for a few years before returning to the Grand Strand.
They now live in Carolina Forest, a suburb so popular with transplants some locals jokingly call it “Yankee Stadium.” The county councilman who represents most of the area is originally from New York and is also a Knicks fan.
‘He really lucked out’
Irving Bierman admits he never expected the Knicks to win a title under Dolan, a man he still describes in anatomical terms.
But like many longsuffering fans, he was elated.
“It was awesome,” he said. “You gotta be kidding me. … The Knicks demonstrated real team basketball. (Jalen) Brunson was absolutely incredible.”
During the playoffs, Irving Bierman typically watched the first quarter of games, but he had to go to bed because, as he said, he’s no longer in his 70s.
Most mornings of the run provided their own pleasant surprises, ending in Knicks-in-5 glory.
“There were 12 people who thought they could win a title,” Irving Bierman said. “And they all had Knickerbockers jerseys. They really believed.”
As her husband sat in his living room flipping through copies of the papers from 11 years ago, Joan Bierman asked him if he ever stuck his tongue out at Dolan when the camera found the owner during the NBA Finals coverage.
He did not, but he was clear: He’s a fan of the Knicks, not Dolan.
“He really lucked out, in my opinion,” he said.
The Post and Courier emailed the Knicks but did not receive a reply.