Knickerdebacles

I figured Id weigh in on the current New York Knicks debacle. You see I have been a Knicks fan all my life. That was until Isiah Thomas took over as GM. Ill explain more of that later. Isiah was one of the greatest guards to play the game, just an all out tough as nails competitor. As a business man, thats a whole nother story. Everything the guy has touched has turned to mush, whether it was the Toronto Raptors, the CBA, and now the Knicks. Defenders will point to the success he had with Indiana (yet no rings), to which I will respond that those Pacer teams were built by the two Larrys...Brown (ironically?) and Bird. On the court he was a champion, but off the court he has been nothing but a loser.

Now back to the reason I have abandoned (or was it the other way around) the Knicks. As I get older sports (besides baseball, football, tennis, golf, lacrosse, cycling, softball, and competitive beer pong) take up less and less of my time and devotion. Im just far too busy (contrary to my incessant blogging) but the true reason I no longer consider myself a Knicks fan is not the bone headed drafts or trades they have made or even the constant losing (Im a Mets fan afterall) Its because under Isiah Thomas' leadership they have become a classless organization.

Let me explain. One of my good friends is the son of a former NBA coach. This coach was an assistant in Detroit when Isiah become a champion. He was rewarded for this friendship by being named the first head coach of Toronto when they got a team after Isiah was named GM. Long story short the coach was fired after "philosophical differences" with Isiah i.e. the coach wanted to win games and put the best team on the court not showcase draft picks. Thats the business of the game and the coach rebounded like the class act that he is (and good ol' Queens donkey) and ended up working for the Knicks (courtside with Spike for me while it lasted...I was the handsome honky front row with a beer in my hand) again after a stint with the Pacers and a prior stint with the Knicks under Van Gundy (I sat next to the Back-Biter...YES!!! and Johnny Hoops those years)

Heres where it gets ugly. During one of the worst ice storms to hit NYC in years (Jan '04) it was business as usual for the Knicks and all team members and coaches were expected to show up that off day even though The Daily News reported there were coaching changes afoot (although they got it wrong and claimed Fratello was the replacement and it turned out to be Lenny Wilkins) Speaking for myself if Im gonna get fired, dont make me drive in a blizzard to do it, and especially dont make me work that day and then fire me...be a man and get it over with and let me move on. Well Ill let you guess what Isiah did.

Heres where it gets worse. Driving home in the ice storm that night the coach's family got into a pretty serious car accident (luckily noone was hurt too bad, but everybody got kind of banged up) Every single member of the Knicks team called the hospital with their well wishes, even the boy blunder Dolan called...damn near the entire Knicks organization. Everyone that is besides Isiah Thomas, who had professed his love and lifelong friendship of coach in the press conference just a few short hours prior whilst announcing the firings. The guy is a scumbag plain and simple and that is why until the day he no longer wears the blue and orange and calls MSG home no more, I will not watch root or support the New York Knicks. And now an old irish proverb for The Knicks...

May your teams

be lottery bound

but your first round

picks be traded for shite

let the Garden be empty

while you lose by thirty

every single night