Game Day!! Bad Boys 2.0 vs. The Big Three

Today is the day guys. We get to see a number of things tonight that will intrigue the average basketball fan.

1) The E-Z Pass...Curry and Zach will premier on the floor together for the first time. This is going to be interesting because they both say they can play with each other. Anybody that plays or has played ball knows....a center that is dominant on the blocks along with a PF that is also dominant on the block but can also hit the 15-18 footer consistently is VERY, VERY, VERY RARE!!!!!! This combo will be unstoppable this year. Why it hasn't been reported in the media is beyond me.

2) The Big Three...KG, Pierce and Allen will premier together for the first time in front of the home fans. You can bet they will be pumped up as will the fans. I'm very interested in seeing how much chemistry they have. It's funny how we have to work on our chemistry but no other team does. So far in the preseason Boston is just like us...2-0. One of these unbeaten teams is going to fall tonight.

3) Allan Houston A.K.A. H20 makes his Knicks return tonight for the first time in almost 2 years. I'm pulling for Allan to make the team because he is one of the best at what we desperately need.....JUMP SHOOTING!!! It'll be interesting to see how Isiah plays off the big men with Houston, Crawford and Q or Steph.

Lee, Nate and Mardy coming off the bench. I don't think Boston has a bench.

This has all the signs of a blowout.

Game time is 7:30 but it's not on MSG or MSG2...it's on the local New England channel.

If you have Direct TV...it's channel 620, which is one channel down from MSG.

More updates throughout the day as I get them.

In the meantime...for some good conversation on the Knicks...head on over to knicksdefense.com

Peace everybody!!

The E-Z Pass: What Can We Really Expect From Eddy and Zach?

It's kind of funny to me how this combination of C / PF has flown under the radar so far. Not too many people seem to be talking about the Curry and Randolph combination. I know at times I can be bias though I try to keep it 100% realistic on both sides. I truly do not see any other big man combo in the league that can match up with ours. Together they average 44 points and 18 rebounds a night. For the teams that have to defend us, I see nothing ahead but headaches. This may be one of those rare combos where even studying the video tape won't help (Akeem & Sampson).
If we give Curry the ball on the low block....is the other team still going to come with the double? If they do double, will they be quick enough to rotate back? Especially with all the shooters we intend to have on the floor, it'll be difficult for opponents to defend us. I can see a lot of zone being played against us this year.

Isiah should be envied by the other coaches in the league. He has such depth in both the front court and back court. The unit where he uses Nate, Mardy and Jones on the perimeter is incredible on the defensive end. Imagine when you throw Balkman in that mix. We are going to cause so much havoc for other teams. Nate is going to be pressing the PG full court and we'll have Fred Jones, Mardy Collins and Balkman roaming around making things happen. I also think this kid Chandler has some good defensive potential as well. He's tall and athletic with incredible jumping ability. Watch out for him...he's going to be a sleeper.

My main sleeper of the year for us like I've said before will be Fred Jones. All due to his defense. He allows us to take Q off the other teams best scorer so we can utilize Q more on the offensive end. In the long run, this will have a positive effect on our wins and losses.

I give it a minimum of 3 weeks before we start making a BIG bleep on the leagues radar as a team to watch out for in the playoffs. Once they see how Curry and Zach play together, that's when we'll start to slowly but surely see the positive articles coming out of the local NY papers as well as other media outlets.

I guarantee you when Inside The NBA premiers and they do their eastern conference preview, Chuck and Kenny Smith will say they see the Knicks going far. People that don't know any better say the Knicks suck because the media tells them they suck. All that will change once the Knicks start piling up those wins and start distancing themselves from the rest of the Atlantic Division.

It may sound like I'm losing my mind but please people trust me.....I'm not.

Like I said before, I would take as much spare money and even more and place it on the Knicks to win the East. The odds are 50 - 1. Who couldn't use an extra $5000?

The game against Boston Wednesday is not televised but the game on Thursday against the Nets will be on channel YES.

Top 5 Reason Why Allan Houston Should Make The Team......& More On The Black Mamba !!!

So by now, we all know Allan Houston was at practice Friday. Reports said he looked healthy. There was a noticeable limp for a while but it was also stated it's from him not playing for so long. Thank God it wasn't for health reasons.

Today we're going to take a look at why Houston should make the team. A lot of people think he shouldn't make it. People are actually still mad because of the money his boss gave him. Is that really Houston's fault. I'm sure everybody else would tell their boss that their not worth that money.

GTFOH !!!

Houston was arguably the best shooter in the league when he played. The only person that could maybe out shoot him was Reggie Miller. I don't want to hear about Ray Allen or Peja or Redd. There was nobody in the league, I repeat nobody in the league that could shoot like Houston.

Let's take a look at the top 5 reasons Allan Houston should make the 2007 - 2008 Knicks roster.

1) With Eddy and Zach down low we need perimeter shooting. If we had Houston, he would be the best outside shooter on our team INSTANTLY !!! Houston on one side and Crawford on the other side. Zach and Curry on the blocks. You can even have Houston and Q on the wings with Jamal running the point. That would give you 3 LEGITIMATE outside threats with the best PF / C combo in the league down low.
Don't you think Isiah knows this already?

2) If we add Houston we can graciously cut Malik Rose allowing him to go back to his Spurs. Houston would replace Rose as the veteran leader and somebody the younger players can learn from. As I've said before, he would be especially important to Crawford. Take a look at some of the shots Jamal takes and think back to when Houston was playing. Can you see Houston attempting some of those fade away 3 pointers with a hand in his face and 15 seconds left on the shot clock? I didn't think so. Houston will be the veteran voice replacing Rose. What other reason do we have Rose now? Don't get me wrong, he is a work horse and it's been a pleasure to have him on our team but what we need right now is outside shooting & perimeter defense.
Don't you think Isiah knows this already?

3) If the Knicks are going to go far this year in the playoffs they are going to need CLUTCH SHOOTING!! If the Knicks were to sign Houston he would be their best clutch shooter. Crawford would be second because he is actually one of those players that wants the ball in their hands at the end of the game. Houston has hit numerous clutch shots for the Knicks...whether it was in the playoffs or regular season. In the final seconds of the game...you run the play with Jamal at the top of the key. When he starts to make his move, the other team is going to have to choose whether or not they want to double on Crawford. If you double Crawford, your going to leave either Houston or Q open for the 3. It's called pick your poison.
Don't you think Isiah knows this already?

4) This might not mean something to a lot of people out there but it means a lot to our wins and losses columns. FREE THROW SHOOTING!! If you recall, Houston was top 3 free throw shooters in the league. When he would penetrate the lane he would always either get the lay up, pull up jumper or he would get to the free throw line. Let's not forget when Houston played with big men that could actually score (Ewing, LJ) how far did the Knicks get? Only to the Finals !!! It's very rare you have a duo down low (Curry and Zach) that both average 20 points or more each game. You put 2 deadly shooters like Houston and Crawford on the perimeter and it's game over.
Don't you think Isiah knows this already?

5) This is going to sound crazy but the last reason why Houston should and probably will make the team is because Dolan says so. Do you really think Dolan would've let that case go to trial? Isiah told him he was innocent and that he wanted to take this thing to trial. Dolan probably asked him are you sure and Isiah wanted to look like a good employee in front of his boss and said yes. Now that Isiah and Dolans names have been dragged through mud, not to mention that are now known as sexual harassers.....Isiah has no choice but to put Houston down with the team. Houston and Dolan are much, much, much closer than Dolan and Isiah. Houston was here before Isiah and Houston will be here (in the front office) well after Isiah is gone. Isiah not only owes it Dolan but he also owes it to NY.
Don't you think Isiah knows this already?

Now all we need to do is find a way to land Artest and we're champions.

OK, now that we have that out of the way, let's take a look at the real topic for the day.

THE BLACK MAMBA !!!

The owner said he would listen to trade offers.

The only teams Kobe would play for are NY, CHI, PHX and DAL.

We all know he's not going to a western team so we can eliminate PHX and DAL.

Leaving CHI and NY...

In case you didn't read my 2 previous posts..Chicago does have the talent to get him, they just don't have enough depth to make the team competitive once they land Kobe. Kobe would see this and he would veto the trade. Since he is the only player in the league that has this in his contract. KG had it but ever since he got traded....he doesn't obviously.

Seems like Isiah is being tight lipped about the whole Kobe thing.

Here is the latest....

Isiah Quiet Despite Bryant's Recent 'Availability'
October 13, 2007 - 9:48 am
Newsday -
Lakers owner Jerry Buss may be open to taking trade offers for Kobe Bryant, but Knicks coach Isiah Thomas isn't giving any hints about the Knicks' position on the matter.

"We don't talk about other teams' players," he said.

In May, when Bryant went public with his trade demands, Thomas admitted he entertained thoughts of acquiring Bryant. "I think every GM in the league had a scenario on how to get him," Thomas said at the time.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

I don't want to talk about what if we get Kobe. I want to talk about how we're going to get him. As people are already aware...I am probably the biggest Kobe fan in NY and it would be a dream come true to have him playing for my favorite sports franchise ever.

The Black Mamba In The Big Apple.

If you missed my video below with Kobe in Harlem playing ball.....you really need to check it out in my previous post.

The Black Mamba @ Rucker Park

For all you non believers out there...check this video out of Kobe Bryant in Harlem.

They said he had the bridge at a stand still watching him play ball....

Notice how he shows up at Rucker Park AFTER he won his 3rd Chip....

Enjoy it and let's hope to see him in NY soon...

I know Isiah is working the phones something crazy trying to get this guy.

KB24, The Black Mamba, Lord Of The Rings, 3 Rings....That's Right, Lakers Owner Buss Confirms Kobe Is Not Untradeable!!

OK, so we've all heard the news by now that Kobe Bryant is available if the right deal comes along. All summer long we've been talking about how Isiah has a roster that is one of the deepest in the league. I guess the question would be do we have enough talent to land the best player in the world?

I think we do. In my eyes, everybody on the Knicks are available with the exception of Zach and maybe Curry. I have a strong feeling that Zach and Eddy can dominate the NBA for the next 5-8 years if the get better and better.

With that being said...let's take a look at what I think the only trade we should make with the Lakers is.
Trade 1
Trade ID #4235099

Crawford, Jeffries, Collins, Balkman, Nichols and first round picks in 2008 and 2009 (top 3 protected) for Kobe straight up. I checked and it works.

This is a great trade for both sides. LA can not go to Chicago and get the same kind of trade because Kobe would be going to a gutted Chicago team. As I've said before he would be better off staying in LA than going to a gutted Chicago team.

Now if we were to make the trade above for Kobe...He would be coming to a starting 5 of:
Marbury
Kobe
Q
Zach
Curry

Our bench would be.....
Lee
Houston
Nate
Chandler
Morris
Jones

That's all we need....

Lord forbid if we get Artest next year as a free agent..

Can you imagine a starting 5 of
Marbury
Kobe
Artest
Zach
Curry

We might win 70 games with that team....I'm not even joking LOL...

There is just so much going on with the Knicks nowadays it's kind of hard to keep up. This is a story that will go on and on for a # of reasons..

1) Magic is a Co-owner of the Lakers and is also best friends with Isiah.
2) Magic is somebody Kobe looks up to and calls him regularly to talk about nothing.
3) Dr. Buss the majority owner for the Lakers is very, very close with Isiah also. He even took him in his house and let him stay with him for a period of time when Isiah first got into the league.
4) Kobe would love to play for a players coach. If Kobe had a problem listening to Phil Jax sometimes....do you really think he will stand for Skiles and Paxson? Yeah right...
5) NY is the biggest market in the world and Kobe is the best basketball player in the world. The one city that is currently bigger and more marketable than LA is NOT Chicago.....it's New York.
6) He would make million upon millions more $$$ in endorsements if he were to choose NY over Chicago.
7) He would have a chance to instantly go deep into the playoffs with the Knicks and the roster we would still have. Like I said before, Chicago would be gutted and done. They would have to trade Deng, Gordan, Thomas and probably Nocionis along with a couple first round picks...That would give them a starting 5 of
Heinrich
Kobe
???
???
Wallace

LA might even ask for Wallace LOL..

I think you all see where I'm going here with this post.

If Kobe wants to win and win now...he should come to NY...

NY has already embraced him when he made his appearances at the Rucker Park and I think he knows what it is also.

Look for Kobe's next uniform to be a Knick one..not a Bulls one.

Here's the story for all you that didn't read it...pretty interesting. More posts coming in a little!!!

Buss: Kobe Isn't Untouchable
October 11, 2007 - 8:20 am
Los Angeles Times -
Lakers' owner Jerry Buss, who has presided over eight championships and five other NBA Finals appearances in his 28 previous years of ownership, acknowledged considering offers for Kobe Bryant over the summer -- none of them deemed remotely good enough to act upon -- and also conceded that the gaping hole in Bryant's contract could make the nine-time All-Star an ex-Laker by 2009.

Buss, 74, also said Bryant was not necessarily off the table now that the new season had started. Offers will inevitably continue to trickle in, particularly if the Lakers struggle before the February trade deadline.

"I would certainly listen," Buss said. "At any time, I think you have to do that with anybody. It's just part of the game, to listen to somebody who has a dissatisfied player that you think is going to fit. You can't keep too many loyalties. You've got to look at it as a business. He looks at it the same way I look at it."

About.com: Knicks Preview

1. What can the Knicks learn from the 2006-07 season to help them improve their 2007-08 campaign?

Sexual harassment and liberal use of the "b" word that ends with the word synonymous with scratch in and around MSG offices: Bad. Truck fling by starting point guard with mildly attractive intern, who will then turn around and testify in your favor because she got a promotion shortly after said truck fling: Good. Very good.

2. What was New York's best and/or worst move during the offseason, either by free agency, trade, or draft?

Best move: The acquisition of Zach Randolph was met with much fanfare and enthusiasm in the New York area.


In fact, Stephon Marbury was so overjoyed by the news, that he temporarily forgot how to speak, and proceeded to announce that Isiah Thomas had made the Knicks a "youthier team" by signing the talented 26-year old southpaw power forward.

Worst move: Allowing the Anucha Browne Sanders situation to get as far as it did. The organization (and Isiah Thomas) should have done everything in its power to settle the matter; instead they went to court and have incredibly managed to make themselves look even more foolish and doomed than before.

3. Who is the Most Important Player on the Knicks? The MIP is not necessarily the most talented, but the one that makes the biggest difference in his TEAM doing well each game.

The Knicks' MIP is Eddy Curry. If the guards get him going early and often, then it opens up the floor for everyone else. Suddenly, the defense is collapsing on him and everyone else starts getting clear looks at the basket. If he can stay healthy and produce on a consistent basis, we can surely find it in our hearts to forgive the fact that he's deathly allergic to rebounding.

4. What needs to go right for the Knicks to succeed this coming season?

1. Defense.

Plain and simple, the opposition has an easier time putting the ball in the hoop while playing against the Knicks than it does the layup line prior to the game. This, obviously, needs to change.

Defense.

See point #1.

Zach Randolph

If he can somehow find a way to avoid being the black hole that he is, the Knicks have a shot at making the playoffs in the improving Eastern Conference. With Zach and Eddy patrolling the lane, New York has two of the more talented bigs in the League; now we just gotta find a way for them to share one basketball.



http://probasketball.about.com/od/newyorkknicks/a/0708NYKpreview.htm

MSG Announces Knicks TV Schedule

MSG announced today the official New York Knicks 2007-08 NBA television schedule. In total, 81 of 82 regular season games are scheduled to be televised on MSG including the season-opener on Friday, November 2nd against LeBron James and the defending Eastern Conference Champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the home-opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, November 4th.

In addition, MSG will televise three preseason and one exhibition game for the Knicks, all taking place at the Garden. The preseason will begin on October 11th with an exhibition game against Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv; additional preseason match-ups for the Knicks include games against the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets. Prior to the game against Boston on October 22nd MSG will air the half-hour special "NY Knicks Season Preview '07-08"starting at 6:30 p.m. (Complete schedule included below)

Mike Breen, one of the leagues leading play-by-play announcers, will return to the TV booth alongside Knicks color analyst and Hall of Fame player Walt "Clyde" Frazier. Al Trautwig will resume his duties as pre-game and halftime host.

All Knicks home contests on MSG will be available in HD this season, as well as an assortment of road games, with coverage of most games beginning with "Knicks Game Night" thirty minutes prior to the telecast.

New York Knicks basketball on MSG is directed by Howie Singer and produced by Spencer Julian. Laurie Orlando is the executive producer.

Knicks Start The Preseason Off Strong With Win Over Philly !!

In case you haven't noticed, I didn't write anything on the Eddy Curry situation because I didn't think it was that serious. Well it turns out I was right. Curry will be out of the line up for 2 weeks. Which means he will be in the starting line up come Nov 2nd against the Eastern Conference Champion Cavs. He even said he would try to make it back for the end of preseason.

OK, Knick fans can look at this 2 ways. They can say "Thank God he won't miss much time"....or they can say "Hey wait a minute, they said that last year about David Lee and we never saw him again". Even though this is a completely different injury....we still have reason to be skeptical. I'm really worried about Balkmans injury but we'll just have to wait and see what happens. They still say he's about 3-4 weeks from even seeing a basketball court so we have some time. I think he'll be fine...besides, we have the best Doctors money can buy right?

We started the preseason against Philly. Curry was out as was Balkman.

Bottom line...we won. I can't tell you guys anything that you haven't read or heard already. They didn't televise the game which is crazy to me but hey....who am I?

I'm happy we won the game but I'm more happy that we looked healthy. I'm happy Steph came to camp in shape...as did Curry.

They say Zach looked good in the game against Philly and in camp.

Lee looks healthy and he led us in points.

Crawford had a bad shooting game but what's new right? Maybe he can have bad shooting games the entire preseason and then break out in Ohio on Nov. 2

So it looks like we will be keeping Jerome James.

From what we've all heard...it looks like the roster will be

1)Marbury
2)Crawford
3)Q
4)Zach
5)Curry
6)Lee
7)Balkman
8)Collins
9)James
10)Chandler
11)Nate
12)Jones
13)Morris
14)Jeffries
15)Houston

Their saying Jordan will go over seas and Nichols will be cut and picked up by another team. I hate to see him go to Boston but it looks like that's what will happen. Unless there is some way Isiah can make it where he can release him and restrict him from signing with certain teams. It's a big debate about whether we should cut Nichols for Houston. I'm not sure what decision I would make but I do know this....

If Houston is at least 90%-95% of the player he was when he was healthy.....I would also cut Nichols.

Let's not forget....everybody that went to see him workout said he looks better than good...they said they were blown away buy his workout.

Is it safe to say Nichols will never be as good as Houston? If he won't then why not take Houston. I'd rather have Houston just because of what he can show Jamal. He can show Jamal how to PICK HIS SHOTS!!!

He can also, hopefully give Jamal some tips on how to develop a post up game. Let's not forget how deadly Allan's post up game was. All this crap I hear about him not playing defense.....who does play defense? If you want to have a serious playoff push this year...deep into the playoffs.....why would you not want Houston? What happens if Jamal gets hurt again? Would you want Nichols or Houston coming in? Just a little something to think about.

Word is Doug Christie wants to play for us now..
Man...we are getting more and more popular each day...

Christie brings great defense to the table (along with a demanding wife) but who knows what he really has left. I think he's like 37 or 38 years old. If Isiah can still make a 3 or possibly 4 for 1 trade...then maybe it'll happen. As of right now...I just don't see how he helps the team as it stands with 17 players.

We're trying to cut players not add players....

Interesting quotes:

"He's got to get right," Randolph said of Curry. "That's the most important thing. He's not going to be out for no month. We definitely want to get chemistry ... but it's preseason."

"I know he's a good player," said Cheeks, who claims he never had an off-the-court problem with Randolph. "Putting Eddy on one block, Zach on the other, it's going to be tough coverage. We'll have our work cut out."

"They've played basketball before, so I don't think that I'm introducing that new of a technique or scheme to them," Thomas said. "They're used to operating in that area. I'm sure they'll find their way."

"I felt real good," said Randolph, who had five boards in 25 minutes. "I've been doing it in Portland, but a lot of people don't see it because it's West Coast."

In case you didn't read it...here is a good article to breeze through real quick...

Isiah Tells Sharpton The Tape Is Doctored..

Sorry about the commenting format guys...I fixed it and it's ready to go.

Hey Starburyfan....great blog bro !!!

It was ill seeing the practice pics from last year. I will miss Frye..even though everybody knows how much I use to bash him after his soft games last year.

My sleeper for the year is Fred Jones. Isiah is going to use him to stick the superstars....this way we won't have to worry about Q draining his energy before the 4th quarter.

Ignorant NY Media @ It Again...Plus Why We Need Artest !!

OK, let's start with the media section of this post. As I do everyday, I grab my coffee and BE&C. I sit down, turn my computer on and go directly to the Knicks stories in the papers. My first stop today was the Post.

I was happy to see Vescey came from under the rock he was sitting under and decided to weigh in on what's going on. As usual he was doing what he does best....being a hidden racist and showing his bias towards a man (black man) with the most power he's ever seen at the Garden. He just can't get over the fact Isiah is here to stay.....

Let's take a look at some of his work from today October 5, 2007.
The name of his article is
"EASY TO DOUBT THOMAS"

He called Isiah's statement on the court house steps
"Classic crock on any frequency!"
"How many times can a man deny wrongdoing before his credibility is irretrievably impounded?"
"Has Thomas ever accepted responsibility for anything that blew up or went askew?"
"Thomas can declare his incorruptibility with every outraged breath; intimates know better. The Anucha Browne Sanders sexual harassment jury served to confirm that"
"The problem is, how often can innocence be proclaimed - no matter how brazenly and loud - before a stunt actor is required to handle sworn testimony?"

Vescey is the #1 hater in this town when it comes to the Knicks...or he might be a close second to Lupica. This is what us Knick fans wake up and read everyday. We read nonsense like this written by bias reporters who are upset at the power Isiah has.

You know people say winning will cure everything....

I don't know about that. I strongly feel when the Knicks have a great season this year and make it to the Eastern Conference Finals......these silly ass reporters still won't be able to write something positive about Isiah. That's when they will start praising David Lee and they'll somehow manage to give "The Hall Of Fame Coach" Larry Brown a few compliments along the way. All this while not even mentioning Isiah's name. Remember I said this because I'm going to show you it's the truth with this blog. As the season goes on, you will see how I go back to things I previously posted from months prior.

Now let's chit chat a little about why we need Artest.

Now when I say we need Artest....I don't mean by any costs.

My untouchables when it comes to Artest are Marbury, Crawford, Q, Zach, Curry, Balkman, Lee, Morris, Chandler, Jordan and Nate.

Everybody else is fair game...James, Jeffries, Rose, Jones, Nichols and even first round picks.

Now lets take a look at what our starting 5 would look like....shall we?

Marbury
Q
Artest
Zach
Curry
____________________________________________________________________________________

Off the pine we got:
Crawford
Lee
Balkman
Collins
Nate
Morris
Chandler
Jordan
Hopefully Jeffries & Houston

That's the 15 man roster we need to win a championship THIS YEAR...

I feel if we can just sign Houston we'll have the above team next year when Ron signs his new deal with us. Everybody knows he's going to sign with us...it's just a matter of when.

Ron brings an edge no other player can bring. Not to mention he guards Kobe, T-Mac, Pierce or Allan, Prince, Lebron, Wade, Carmello, Lewis and whoever else we play...see what I'm saying?

Usually we have Q defending those players....we get Ron and now Q can focus more on his offense and rebounding. Ron is the final piece of our championship puzzle.

The NY media won't admit it.....but I will.

Isiah....I think I speak for all of the Knick fans....Bring Ron Home....

The Book Of Isiah By Modi....Here's Why Isiah May Just Be The Best GM In The League !!!

Before we get into that, let's get into some recent observations from the last 24 hours. As we all know, Isiah is back with the team in SC and practice has resumed as normal.

1)Curry and Zach have been speaking since Zach was traded to us....

2)Crawford has put on 15 pounds in the upper body....

3)Lee looks 100 percent....

4)So far Q is looking good....

5)Jerome James is injured again and should be bought out soon....

6)According to the reporters down there...D-Nichols isn't sticking out at all....

7)Marbury is a new man as he has found God...this could be a great thing for us....

8)Isiah will not be losing his job due to the trial results....

9)Everybody showed up in good shape except Jerome James

As more information becomes available I will post it...

Today let's take a look at a great article about Isiah Thomas and the Knicks team he inherited.

What he has been able to do with this team is remarkable but the media never see's it that way. Why can't the media give credit to this man where it's due.

I'm not even going to say anymore about it...I'm just going to post the article and let you see for yourself.

I got this article from a good blog friend (BARF = Be A Real Fan) over on Alan Hahns Newsday blog.

They all know I am the copy and paste king so here it goes...

If you are a Knicks fan or even an Isiah hater...this article is for you...

Enjoy



Intro: The Book of Isiah: Unraveling The Biggest Myth in Sports
Chapter 1

The Roster: Worst in Sports History?

Media Backlash: No backlash here, mostly deafening silence which speaks volumes. Context matters. The media’s reluctance to bring up the HISTORICALLY pathetic roster that Isiah Thomas inherited while lambasting him is the classic “lie by omission”. Hey Media – Do Your Homework!: The answer is D. Go ahead, comb through every single NBA roster from December 2003 and compare it to the Knicks one assembled by previous GM Scott Layden. The results are astonishing:

· NINE of those players are OUT OF THE LEAGUE
· NOT ONE SINGLE STARTER plays in the NBA today while virtually every other 2003 NBA team still has a minimum of three starters still in the league[1].
· Only ONE player averaged more than 5 points per game in 2006-2007.

To paraphrase Charles Barkley, superb San Antonio GM R.C. Buford had Tim Duncan to build around, two-time GM of the year Bryan Collangelo had Chris Bosh and a #1 draft pick to build around… Isiah had Michael Doleac to build around. Thomas was left with no young budding talent, no major trade chips, and the most expensive roster in the NBA which ruled out any thought of rebuilding through free agency. By any fair assessment, the Knicks were, at MINIMUM, a 5 year turnaround project. By acting quickly and decisively dumping players before their trade stock completely plummeted Thomas has given Knicks fans a hopeful future within his first three years.





“Inherit the Windstorm” - Sizing up The Knicks 2003 Roster:


Roster Review: Their only great player (Allan Houston) had a bad contract and worse knee which soon forced his retirement. In 2003, young players like Frank Williams, Maceij Lampe, and Mike Sweetney were all thought to have significant future potential, but Isiah quickly traded them all before the secret became public knowledge. Williams and Lampe are now out of the league, and Sweetney may join them any day now. Their only trade chips of any value were aging Kurt Thomas and Antonio McDyess, not exactly Kobe-enticers. The rest of the roster was a collection of overpaid and over-the-hill Howard Eisleys, Charlie Wards, and Shandon Andersons.

Worse than an Expansion Franchise?: Yes. Much worse. Before the 2004 expansion Charlotte Bobcats ever played a single game, they had a far superior roster that included Emeka Okafor, Gerald Wallace, Jason Kapono, Brevin Knight, and Matt Carroll. Most were young budding talent acquired through the expansion draft. The Bobcats also had the lowest payroll, no expectations to win right away, and the freedom to lose big and stockpile draft picks without criticism.

Worse than the 1999 Bulls?: No. About the same.Yes, you would have to go back to the year after Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman left the Bulls to find an equally horrific roster in the NBA. This team, led by Toni Kukoc in 1999, averaged under 20 victories for the next SIX seasons. Read that again please. Those years of misery enabled the Bulls to compile nine top 7 draft picks. It would be 7 seasons before the Bulls would taste the playoffs and 10 seasons before they could be considered title contenders (this coming year). After 3.5 years Isiah has already built an exciting young team that was on target to make the playoffs last year before their team was hit by injuries to three of its top five players. And while Bulls GM John Paxson has received plenty of journalistic praise, one also has to salivate at the thought of what Isiah Thomas would do with nine top 7 draft picks.

Worst Roster in All of Sports?: Even though the COSELLOUT crack staff hasn’t put in the work, the guess here is a resounding YES! Go back to every basketball, baseball, football, and hockey team in 2003 and see if you can find a roster that has 60% of its team out-of-the league and not a single starter. Lets us know if we are wrong or even close to wrong.

Final Analysis: Early in his tenure Thomas remarked: “No team has ever had to rebuild from this altitude where we started”. While crystal clear to Thomas, this concept was never understood by those who were paid to write about him. Thomas has delivered a young promising team in three years – about half the time that would be expected.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] There are debatably one or two exceptions to the three starter rule (see Celtics with Paul Pierce, Mark Bount, and Mike James). Even in these debatable instances, there is a bona-fide all-star on that team as trade-bait.


Chapter 2

The Past: Rewriting Isiah’s Resume

Pop Quiz: Which previous management experience has Isiah NOT excelled?


A) General Manager of the Toronto Raptors
B) Head Coach of the Indiana Pacers
C) Owner: Continental Basketball Association
D) ALL OF THE ABOVE



Hey Media – Do Your Homework!: The answer is C, and NOT D. Not all, but too many sports blowhards have remarked “how Isiah has failed everywhere he has been” as an executive. By all accounts Thomas seems to have failed as owner of the CBA, but who really cares? Donald Trump has had many business failures. It’s Thomas’ past experience as Raptors GM and then coach of the Pacers that best inform his choice as the perfect candidate for GM and then coach for the Knicks.

The Buildup and Breakdown of the Raptors: As the first-ever GM of the expansion Raptors, Thomas drafted Rookie of the Year Damon Stoudamire, shot-blocking and rebounding big man Marcus Camby, and Tracy McGrady successive seasons. He then added defensive stopper Doug Christie to create a strong foundation to put the Raptors into title contention for years to come. However, stemming from a failed bid to acquire team ownership, Thomas resigned after three years. Unfortunately, the post-Isiah Raptors abandoned his vision and embarked on a short-sighted strategy where all of his young prized acquisitions were let go or traded in exchange for “win-now” veterans such as Antonio Davis, Kevin Willis, and Charles Oakley. These trades (and the drafting of Vince Carter) were enough to get Toronto a short-lived taste of the playoffs, but came at the cost of building any real long-term future. What appeared to be a 5-year plan for title contention under Thomas ultimately became a 12 year plan for the Raptors.

The Raptors Record – The Young Talent Finder: Isiah’s stint with the Raptors showed his great eye for young talent. Within a couple of years after Isiah’s departure all of his Toronto acquisitions blossomed for other teams. McGrady achieved superstar status while Stoudamire, Camby, and Christie all went on to play critical roles for title contending teams. Camby helped bring the Knicks to the NBA finals, and Stoudamire and Christie teams both came within a Game 7 whisker of upending the dynasty Lakers. By foolishly abandoning Thomas’s vision, Raptor’s fans were left to wonder what might have been.

The Pacers Performance – The Young Talent Developer: Thomas’ stint as coach with the Indiana Pacers from 2000 – 2003 revealed another special attribute: DEVELOPING young talent. Many critics cite that Thomas underachieved because this Pacer team that made the NBA finals the previous season, but they conveniently forget that playoff tested vets like Rik Smits, Dale Davis, and Mark Jackson retired or were traded. Despite taking over the youngest team in the NBA, they made the playoffs in his three years and increased their win total in each year. And just as importantly, the development of Jermaine O’Neal, Al Harrington, Brad Miller, and Ron Artest, all flourished under his tutelage. Unfortunately, the “3-Year Cut-Off” was in effect again as Larry Bird became the Pacers GM and dismissed Thomas in 2003 in favor of long-time friend Rick Carlisle. While Carlisle is a fine coach who had achieved playoff success the following year, the team has since regressed and Carlisle was fired this past year.

Knicks Next: Thomas’ past success at finding, and then developing makes him the perfect candidate to be the General Manager, and subsequently, coach for New York Knicks. He has already overhauled a geriatric roster into one with young talent, and, in his first year as coach, has already developed talent (see Curry, Lee, Crawford, Balkman) that was reminiscent of his Pacer days. Only multiple injuries have prevented a Knicks playoff berth in 2007.


“Three-and-Out”: Had James Dolan acquiesced to intense media and fan pressure to fire Thomas at that familiar 3-year marker, history would have surely repeated itself. The team’s roster would have been “blown up” by “smarter people”, and the media would mislabel his stint in New York as yet another failure. But with the justice that is his contract extension, Thomas will finally have the opportunity to write his own ending to the script instead of having the media revise his resume once again.


Perhaps the “three and out” that Isiah has experienced throughout his career is the most troubling aspect of all. At each step his “work” as either coach or GM was taken into a different direction after he left. His Raptors roster was blown up, and the development of his players in Indiana did not progress. Like virtually the entire media did last summer with the Knicks, those with higher power than Isiah simply believed that they knew more than him. The Raptors were set back another 8 years after Thomas, and this year, Indiana will be one of the worst teams in all of basketball (write it down). Larry Bird, a good coach, whose record as General Manager for the Pacers has been simply awful, has received a small fraction of the national criticism as Thomas. Unlike many other GMs Doubting Thomas turned into a national media obsession. In Chapter 10, "A Summary of Biases", we will explore the many reasons why.




Chapter 3

The Salary Cap Myth: Pure Media Madness


Pop Quiz: In the past 10 years, 47 NBA all-stars were drafted and 43 all-stars were obtained via trade.

How many all-stars were acquired via free-agency as a result of clearing salary cap space? [1]


A) 49
B) 45
C) 41
D) 9


Bonus Question: Why did the Boston Red Sox pay $51 million just for the rights just to TALK to Japanese Pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, and why did the Yankees pay Roger Clemens about 1 million PER START?


Hey Media – Do Your Homework!: The answer is D. (Bonus Answer: “Because they can.”). Yes, on average, less than ONE great player changes teams each year because another team got under the cap. A team is 10 times more likely to obtain an all-star through the draft and trades and 5 times more likely to land a prize via a trade alone. Unless there exists an under-the-table agreement with Lebron James for 2010, Isiah should continue to ignore his legion of media critics who contend that the best long-term plan for the Knicks is to “get under the salary cap”. The hard truth is that Isiah took the correct, and ONLY proper approach to rebuilding the Knicks disaster of a roster. Here’s why:

Hey Media – It’s Not Your Money!: Whether the Knicks are $1 or $100 million over the cap makes little difference. On behalf of Cablevision, James Dolan signs those checks. It’s his problem, not Mike Lupica’s. Most teams try to stay under the cap because their owners either can’t afford to, or choose not to go over the cap. However, Forbes magazine rates the Knicks as the NBA’s most valuable franchise. If the Knicks have one single privilege over most NBA teams, it is the luxury to afford the luxury tax. When he took over as GM, Isiah immediately and wisely seized upon this advantage and absorbed more expensive contracts to help acquire young players and draft picks who would never have been available by dangling the names “Othella Harrington” or “Michael Doleac” as trade bait.

Fool’s Gold: Why Free Agents Ain’t Always Free: This off-season’s big free agent prize was Rashard Lewis going from Seattle to Orlando while the Celtics nabbed Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Allen Iverson all moved via trades. Last year the one-per-year lotto prize was the Bulls signing of Ben Wallace. The Bulls then traded Tyson Chandler to the Hornets for the primary purpose of freeing up future salary space to help absorb Wallace’s contract. Last year Chandler outperformed Wallace, is improving as Wallace is declining, and will be a top defensive big man long after Wallace has retired. In retrospect, Wallace was no prize at all, but, most likely, a long-term mistake. Bottom line: Clearing salary space to land or keep a free-agent often operates more like a trade. And sometimes a very bad trade at that. This is one reason why only about 5 of 30 teams are significantly under the cap in any given year.

Putting a Cap on the “Lotto Strategy”!: Many media critics love to point to past free agent lotto prizes like the acquisitions of Shaquille O’Neal (Lakers) or Steve Nash (Suns) as shining examples of the get-under-the-cap strategy. Yes, and smoking cigars is healthy because George Burns lived to be 100. And consider this: both Shaq and Nash were ALSO acquired through trades by the Heat and Mavericks. Other all-star free agent signings like Tracy McGrady (Magic), Dikembe Mutombo (Hawks), and Vlade Divac (Kings) were also acquired via trades by The Rockets, 76ers, and Hornets. In 10 years prior to this summer, only FOUR all-stars (Allan Houston, Gilbert Arenas, Carlos Boozer, & Mehmet Okur[2]) were acquired through available cap space, but unavailable through a trade. That’s it [3]. No, seriously, that’s it. During, that same span 38 all-stars were obtained by trade.


Great Players Resign with Their Own Teams! Basketball ain’t baseball. If it was tThis summer Dwight Howard signed a contract extension. Last off-season Lebron, Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh all did the same instead of testing the free agent market. The year before that Kobe resigned with the Lakers leaving the Clippers, Bulls and all their salary cap room out in the cold. Amare Stoudemire? Dirk Nowitzki? Tim Duncan? Kevin Garnett before the big trade? All resigned with their teams. Why? Because resigning with your own team will almost always pay the most. In contrast, the Atlanta Hawks have been 10-14 million under the cap for the last 5 years. Last summer they signed Speedy Claxton.


E. CAP RECAP! (Data from last 10 years [4])

Odds of obtaining an All-Star through Draft & Trades: 90%
Odds of obtaining an All-Star Through Free Agency: 9%
Odds of taking a blackjack hit on 19 and not busting: 15%

Number of All-Stars Obtained through trade ONLY: 38
Number of All-Stars Obtained through Free Agency ONLY: 4




F. Forget the Cap… Forever!: Like every other team the Knicks can use their mid-level exception to land a solid free agent role player. As for the Knicks unique situation, striving hard to get under the cap to land a franchise player would actually be a BAD policy (unless a prearranged commitment exists). It would mean letting too many “birds in the hand” get away in order to get under (see Bulls-Tyson Chandler example). And even worse, it would mean giving up the Knicks only singular advantage of being able to acquire superior talent by overpaying for it.


Final Verse: To ask that Thomas not aggressively wield the one trump card that the Knicks have (James Dolan’s pocketbook) in favor of a “lotto strategy” borders on lunacy. While sports journalists, even many smart ones, all across the land were telling Thomas and the public how stupid he was, Isiah knew that taking on big contracts as a package deal for amassing greater talent and additional draft picks (see David Lee; Renaldo Balkman; Mardy Collins) was the obvious and correct strategy to turn around the Knicks. If there was ever a case that proves that sports journalists would make awful General Managers for the New York Knicks, it is this one.

Chapter 4

The “Mistakes”: Mountains from Mole Hills

Pop Quiz: Which has been Thomas’ ONLY major mistake?

A) The Draft
B) The Trades
C) Free Agents
D) Coach Hires


While there was a widely held rumor that the August 2005 signing of Jerome James may have very well sparked Hurricane Katrina the following month, the answer is D. Thomas’ drafting has been stellar (see Chapter 5), his trades have rejuvenated a geriatric roster (see chapter 6), and his free agent signings, the only area that can be legitimately criticized, cost the Knicks nothing in return.


A. Hiring Larry Brown: This was, by far and away, Thomas’s biggest error as General Manager. While virtually all media members (and this author) enthusiastically agreed with the signing at the time, Thomas is paid to be smarter than the rest of us – which he usually is. In hindsight, it is easy to see that Brown, who is at his best coaching veterans, was the wrong coach, in the wrong city, at the wrong time for this youthful Knicks team. Besides 59 games, much more was lost. Brown’s NBA record 42 line-ups, lack of steady rotations, and penchant disparaging his players through the press, stunted valuable opportunities to build team chemistry, personal player development (see Eddy Curry), and individual/team confidence. Residual effects of the 23 win season included the lowering of the draft pick received by Bulls in Eddy Curry trade, the lowering trade value of Knicks players, and Thomas’s worst GM decisions often came in attempts to please Brown (which is still 100% Thomas’ fault). Verdict: Major Mistake.

B. Salary Cap: See "The NBA Salary Cap: The Most Misreported Story in Sports"

C. Steve Francis Trade: See "Turning Weatherspoons into Wine: The Truth about the Thomas Trades"

D. Not “Lottery Protecting” Draft Picks in Eddy Curry Trade: As it stands the Curry trade will probably turn out to be a win-win for both teams in its worst case scenario. However, had Thomas insisted on “lottery-protecting” the picks, this trade would have turned out to be a steal of mammoth proportions. Surely, Thomas expected the Knicks to make the playoffs in 2006 and 2007 which would have resulted in mid-late round picks. But even so, Thomas also knows that injuries are part of the game and can affect draft standing which is exactly what happened in 2007. However, two years later Bulls GM John Paxson still insisted that he would not have made the Curry trade unless the draft picks were not lottery protected. So, if this is indeed the case, should Isiah have made the trade anyway? Yes, considering how rare mobile 7-footers like Eddy Curry come along. Verdict: Only a mistake if Paxson was bluffing. If not, no mistake at all.

E. Jared Jeffries Free Agent Signing: Signed as a defensive specialist in 2006 with the mid-level exception, many media have already pronounced it another Thomas free agent bust. Not so fast. The Knicks gave up no player to obtain him, and most teams DO NOT EVEN USE THEIR FULL MIID-LEVEL EXCEPTION. Unlike other teams, a free agent for the Knicks is basically FREE. Overpaid? Yes… and the Knicks can afford it. Since the Knicks will probably be seeing Lebron James and Chris Bosh in the playoffs for the next 10 years (and now Garnett for the next 5), Jeffries defensive specialties may become more valuable than we all realize. In the playoffs, matchups are everything and he could be dusted off the bench the way the Suns did with Kurt Thomas on Tim Duncan. Stay tuned. Verdict: Minor mistake at worst, playoff difference-maker at best.

F. The Last Word on Jerome James: In sports, there are two rare breeds of players who routinely get away with highway robbery: In baseball, it’s left-handed pitchers with a heartbeat, and in basketball it is 7-footers who can walk and chew gum at the same time. The latter is most often a losing gamble that many franchises keep taking, because well …size matters. Even a 10% chance that the big man prospers, may be worth the signing considering the potential payoff. Even if not, one extra big body on a Shaq or a Dwight Howard in a key playoff series may very well end up being a difference maker. So at a time when no player was taller than 6-9” on the Knicks roster, Isiah gambled on Jerome James, and he seems to have lost that bet. But besides James Dolan’s money and some terrible PR, what exactly did the Knicks really lose? James was NOT acquired through a trade. Nothing given up, but a roster spot. Bad signing? Yes. Falling sky? Not so much. The previous summer, the respected and revered Jerry West signed current Memphis Grizzlies bench warmer Brian Cardinal (a non-center!) at about the same cost as James. Unless you are a hoops junkie, chances are that you never heard of the Cardinal signing. And you owe it to yourself to explore why that is. Verdict: Minor mistake.


Final Verse: The great irony of 99% of media criticism that Thomas receives is that he barely gets blasted for the one REAL mistake that he made: the hiring of Larry Brown! And he doesn’t get blasted because most media members would have done the same thing, and so many members are personal friends with Larry Brown (see Mike Lupica). Of course, Thomas deserves considerable credit for convincing Dolan to rectify this error after one year against intense media pressure.

Has there been any executive in ANY sport who has been nitpicked and criticized so much about “mistakes” that amount to so little?; who has ever taken over a worse roster?; who is one of the best drafter’s in NBA history?; and who has traded so many dead bodies for young players with potential? If there is another GM out there in ANY sport that is comparable, please let me know who that person is, and we can evaluate fact-for-fact instead of media-report for media report. In the final analysis, the making of Thomas as incompetent GM is one of the greatest media magic tricks of all-time. Had he been fired this magic trick would have become his permanent reality and legacy. Now, it is this author’s prediction that the Knicks are 2-3 years away from being title contenders and Isiah will be able to finish his own script.

Chapter 5
The Drafting Genius: Isiah the Prophet

Pop Quiz: Which Knick’s drafting era has yielded the higher sum total quality of draft picks?

A) 14 Years Prior to Isiah (1990-2003) OR

B) 3 Years into the Isiah Era (2004 - 2006)


Media Backlash?: Okay, in fairness, even some of his harshest media critics begrudgingly concede that Thomas is a “good drafter”. But it is time to “tell it like it is”. Thomas is not merely “good”, he is simply the best in the business. Hey Media – Do Your Homework!: The answer is B. He has been able to: pluck superstars from notoriously thin draft crops, find steals very late in the draft, and have the courage to select highly unpopular picks over media and fan favorites. He has yet to have even one single 1st round “bust pick” in his entire drafting career. Any thorough review of his drafting record will show that Thomas, with all due respect to Toronto GM Bryan Collangelo, has an unparalleled eye for young talent.

“End of an Error” — Thomas Takes Over: In his first three years (too early to include 2007 draft) Thomas drafted more talent than the Knicks had selected in the previous 14 years whose drafting incompetence netted only two starters and no star players from 1990 to 2004. Consider that since 1990 the Knicks 1st round draft picks were: Jerrod Mustaf, Greg Anthony, Hubert Davis, Charlie Ward, Monty Williams, John Wallace, Walter McCarty, Dontae Jones, John Thomas, Frederic Weis (one pick ahead of Ron Artest), Nene Hilario (traded on draft day; 2 picks ahead of Amare Stoudemire;), and Michael Sweetney. Now all Knicks fans should follow these directions: 1) Please read that list again… 2) Rinse and repeat; 3) Send Isiah a thank you note.

McGrady in a Haystack: Isiah’s selection of perennial all-star Tracy McGrady with the 9th overall pick in 1997 draft should go down as one of the greatest selections in NBA draft history. Sure, your grandmother could have selected Tim Duncan with the 1st pick, but what about after that? The #2-#8 picks were: Keith Van Horn, Chauncy Billups, Antonio Daniels, Tony Battie, Ron Mercer, Tim Thomas, and Adonal Foyle. Insert McGrady here. The next three picks were: Danny Fortson, Tariq Abdul-Wahad, and Austin Croshere. Besides Billups, these 10 surrounding picks spend most of their time at the end of an NBA bench or watching games from their couch at home.

Late-Pick Heists: With the 43rd pick in the second round of the 2004 draft, Thomas Trevor Ariza his first-ever Knick draft choice. Basketball isn’t football and draft picks after #40 aren’t even supposed to make NBA rosters. Unfortunately, his emerging talent is developing in an Orlando Magic uniform. The very next year Thomas nabbed rebounding extraordinaire David Lee with the final pick in the 1st round. Lee is already drawing comparisons to previous power forward Knick greats Charles Oakley and Dave DeBuscherre. If Mardy Collins, last year’s 29th pick, is able to add a jump shot in the next couple of years to his solid all-around game, he will add to Thomas’ resume of draft larceny. If not, the selection will still be a solid one.

The Guts Picks: Considering the intense media and fan pressure to pick more popular individuals (see Marcus Williams and Ed O’Bannon), the selections of Renaldo Balkman in 2006 and Damon Stoudamire in 1995 may very well be Thomas’ most impressive draft feats. Had Thomas been wrong in either case, he would have been the subject of endless draft ridicule that would have defined his legacy. Thus far, Balkman has outplayed the 10 selections before him, and Stoudamire became Rookie of the Year as the first ever pick for the expansion Toronto Raptors. With the previous pick in that same draft the expansion Grizzlies also made their first ever draft selection: …Bryant “Big Country” Reeves. Oh yes, and O’Bannon was out of the NBA after three seasons. Considering the media ridicule, if there ever was a NBA drafting upset equivalent to Ali-Foreman a generation after Ali-Liston over all of the so-called "experts", Balkman and Stoudamire were it.

Quality in Any Draft: With the 2nd pick in 1996 Thomas chose Marcus Camby who has become a rare defensive, rebounding, and shot-blocking (leading league 3 times) force along the lines of Dikembe Mutombo. Only yearly injuries have robbed Camby of perennial all-star caliber status. Channing Frye and Nate Robinson, selected #8 and #21 in 2005, have been solid contributors that are in line with their draft slots. However, Frye has since been traded as his full range of skills (read: post-up) cannot be maximized in an offense centered around Eddy Curry who was acquired shortly after Frye’s selection.

Not One “Bust Pick”: Thomas has done the near drafting impossible in being “flop-free” across all his 1st round picks. This fact where Thomas distinguishes himself from nearly every other GM who also possesses a stellar drafting record. Peers such as Bryan Collangelo (see Zarko Cabarkapa), Jerry West (see Troy Bell & Dahntay Jones), and Geoff Petrie (see Tariq Abdul-Wahad), all had at least one “bust pick” while high quality players were selected shortly after those selections.

Final Verse: Thomas is not a just a “good drafter”, but might even contend for the best in NBA history this side of Red Auerbach. He is a drafting GENIUS, and the media should start using this word to describe his drafting acumen and break the silent media code of only applying the "genius" tag to white managers and executives (see Tony Larussa, Bill Belichick, Jerry West, Charlie Weis, etc.), often an undeserving tag at that.

CHAPTER 6

The Trades: Turning Weatherspoon into Wine

Pop Quiz: Which currently RETIRED player should Isiah NOT have traded for young talent?


A) Antonio Davis
B) Keith Van Vorn
C) Frank Williams
D) None of Above


Media Backlash: The Eddy Curry trade has been called “the worst trade in the history of sports”; the Steve Francis backlash makes folks believe that Trevor Ariza is Kobe Bryant; and the media endlessly reports on Jalen Rose’s salary instead of the trade’s draft pick that turned into Renaldo Balkman.

Hey Media – Do Your Homework!: The answer is D. While, Isiah is not mistake-free (show me one GM who isn’t), his trading record is overwhelmingly positive when freed from the biased lens of those who write about him. He has taken a pile of aging Clarence Weatherspoons, and turned them into a young talented nucleus capable of title contention within a couple of years. Finally, when judging Knicks trades, the value of new players will only judged against the value of the players given up. Salary will not be evaluated as a factor since we have already addressed the myth of "getting under the salary cap" as a preferred rebuilding strategy.


A. The Mistake: Steve Francis for Trevor Ariza (and Penny Hardaway)
Analysis: Let’s get this out of the way. While overhauling an entire roster in three years Thomas made at least one bad trade of any significance. Forget salary. This is simply a bad trade because Trevor Ariza was more valuable to the Knicks than Francis, who were already loaded at the shooting guard position. Ariza is emerging as a defensive specialist with a solid all-around game. Francis, and his declining knee, is just not the same athlete from a couple of years ago. In summary, Thomas made one bad trade. Any media critic who obsesses too long over this mistake should consider that another GM probably would not have stolen Trevor Ariza in the draft’s 2nd round in the first place, and be soothed that he was able to parlay Francis and Channing Frye into Zach Randolph. Final translation: 8th pick (Frye) and 43rd pick (Ariza) for Zach Randolph.



B. Weatherspoons into Wine (with great help from James Dolan’s Checkbook)


1) Keith Van Horn becomes David Lee and Mardy Collins (via draft picks obtained in interim Nazi Mohammed trade)
2) Dikembe Mutombo, O. Harrington, & F. Williams become Jamaal Crawford
3) Kurt Thomas becomes Quentin Richardson & Nate Robinson (via draft pick)
4) Antonio Davis becomes Renaldo Balkman (via draft pick acquired with Jalen Rose)




Analysis: Each trade that you see listed above received criticism from the short-sighted media during its time. These trades boil down to the Knicks trading Kurt Thomas (now 34), and a bunch of AARP members for a cadre of young promising players ages 22 -27 that form the nucleus of a Knicks youth movement for the next 10 years. While the media was loudly portraying Thomas as a dunce for absorbing expensive contracts (see Malik and Jalen Rose), Thomas was quietly collecting first round draft picks as part of these deals. And when it comes to drafting quality, Thomas is the best in the business. The media was too busy perpetuating the myth of the salary cap to notice that the Thomas strategy was turning old into young, retirees into rookies, and hopelessness into hope.

Media Hypocrisy: Let’s set the record sraight. Isiah’s media critics will now often give high praise to Thomas’ DRAFTING of David Lee, Renaldo Balkman, and Mardy Collins. But to this very day Thomas will rarely receives any credit for TRADING for those draft picks that landed these players. In fact, Thomas is STILL often RIPPED for making both the Malik Rose and Jalen Rose trades that landed those picks. The media simply cannot have it both ways. This bears repeating for those slow on the uptake: Thomas traded Nazi Mohammed and Antonio Davis for David Lee, Renaldo Balkman, and Mardy Collins! Because it is hard to conceive that so many media members are THAT dumb, like the salary cap issue, one can only conclude that there is personal anti-Isiah bias at work in their reporting.



C. The Signature Trades

1) Stephon Marbury (and Penny Hardaway) for Antonio Mcdyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Maceij Lampe, Kirk Snyder (via draft pick) & #1 pick in 2010.


Updated Translation: Marbury was obtained for McDyess and a 1st round pick in 2010.


Marbury Trade Analysis: Depending on his performance the next two years, the Marbury trade looks like either a very good one or an average one. Marbury has emerged as floor leader that his critics previously doubted he could. Unfortunately, this trade could probably never be fully evaluated because Thomas gave up two #1 picks. Two #1 picks in Isiah’s hand have much more value than when being held by another GM. Still a good trade?: Most likely. Great trade?: Only, if Marbury leads the Knicks into title contention in the next few years. No complete assessment can be made prior to the 2010 draft pick.





2) Eddy Curry, Antonio Davis, and Wilson Chandler (via swapped 2007 draft pick) for Tim Thomas, Mike Sweetney, Ty Thomas (via draft pick), Joakim Noah (via swapped 2007 draft pick) and #right to swap #1 picks in 2008.


Updated Translation: Eddy Curry, Renaldo Balkman (acquired via Antonio Davis), and Wilson Chandler, for Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah.


Curry Trade Analysis: At best this will be a great trade for the Knicks or more likely a win-win for both the Knicks and the Bulls since Ty Thomas and Joakim Noah have great potential. Ultimately, this trade will be decided on whether Isiah is right about Curry’s recently emerging development as “the tip of the iceberg”. At this point, there is little reason to doubt Thomas here. Finally, any fair discussion of the Curry trade must also include the Knicks addition of Balkman who would not have been acquired without the pick-up of Antonio Davis’ expiring contract. After the media has ignored this fact for over a year, credit is given to the New York Post’s Marc Berman for finally bringing this up after being urged by his bloggers.




3) Zach Randolph for Steve Francis and Channing Frye


Updated Translation: Zach Randolph for Channing Frye


Randolph Trade Analysis: Channing Frye, whose post-up game would never develop in an Eddy Curry centered offense should work better in Portland. Randolph’s brings rebounds and a midrange game that might complement Curry well and will always leave the Knicks with a post-up force on the floor. Critics who are concerned about interior defense, as am I, need to remind themselves that Channing Frye wasn’t reminding anyone of Patrick Ewing on D. In the worst case scenario where the post isn’t big enough for Curry and Randolph, one can always obtain value in a trade. In the final analysis, this trade is a straight-up steal.





4) Roster Depth and Versatility



The Knicks have incredible roster depth and versatility, in fact, maybe too much depth. This “problem”, which includes many young players, may open up possibilities for at least one more significant trade. Their versatility of different players may also make them a difficult playoff opponent where match-ups can be manipulated and adjusted across a 7 game series. Stay tuned.


Final Verse: Media critics will argue that the Knicks haven’t made the playoffs yet, but ignore the bigger picture and the stable of young talent he has amassed. They will argue that millions have been spent and we have argued that it is not their money to worry about. Nitpicking critics will also argue about deficiencies on court “chemistry”, but those critics never had Othella Harrington as trade bait. While one can point to many quality young players that Thomas exchanged for warm bodies on the shuffle-board circuit, there is not ONE-SINGLE EXCHANGE that in its final translation that can be definitively described as a bad trade. (His one clear mistake was also rectified as Steve Francis’ contract helped net Zach Randolph). The fact of the matter is that Thomas and Dolan’s dollars have done the impossible to the Knick’s bench: Turn Spike Lee into David Lee. While impatient and biased journalists were looking at the house "as-is", Thomas, like any smart business person was looking at "what the house could become". As stated elsewhere the Knicks will likely become title contenders in 2 - 3 years.

THE END

How do you like them apples?

Do you think you'll ever see an ariticle like that in any of the NY papers?
Probably not...but it's out there.

I predict with the win total we'll have this year...he has to be heavily considered for GM and coach of the year.

Till later today.....DaVonn Jefferson

Racist NY Media Looking To Hang Thomas !!!!

Want to know the headline in the NY Post this morning concerning the Knicks?

"WELCOME TO MADISON ERR GARDEN"
"AMATEUR OPERATION HAD THIS COMING"

This came from a nobody reporter by the name of Mike Vacarro. We're going to try to dissect his article if possible.

Let's start shall we? We're just going to look at a few of his statements and move on. I'm only here to show the bias these guys have.

"after a jury properly condemned Thomas for what he is and for what he has always been - a one-man wrecking crew whose staggering levels of arrogance and incompetence have drowned yet another operation with his fingerprints, literally, all over it - there was nothing left for the petulant perp to do except jump up and down and try to scream over another professional shipwreck"

"They saw Thomas as the snarky con man he is. They saw the operation he has run into the ground. They saw the empty suit, Steve Mills, he ostensibly works for. And they saw the clownish, buffoonish man they all answer to, DNA Dolan. Saw all of them for the amateur act they are."

"Dolan was the one who was hoodwinked the worst here, who refused to look at Thomas' wretched track record and see just what kind of snake he was inviting into his corporate suites."

"He was the one who organized the All-Star Game freeze-out of a young Michael Jordan years ago, and that was the first time his megalomania came back to haunt him because it ultimately cost him a slot on the 1992 Olympic Dream Team. He wore out his welcome in Detroit, where owner Bill Davidson once treated him as a son. He wore out his welcome in Toronto. He ran the CBA into the ground, ruining dozens of careers and lives along the way. He did some TV once, and it was like watching 48-minute-long hostage tapes. He was overmatched as coach of the Pacers. On and on and on and on."

Hey Mike, DaVonn here....what about Isiah drafting T-Mac, Damon Stoudamire and Marcus Camby in Toronto?

Or what about In Indiana where he developed Jermaine O'neal, Tinsley, Al Harrington and Jeff Foster. Why is it all the players that ever played for him love him? You also didn't mention how when Thomas coached the Pacers...they made the playoffs both years he was there and lost in the first round to the eventual Eastern Conference Champions....the Sixers and Nets.

I could've also swore that he coached the East All Star team in his last year with the Pacers and they went on to a 48-34 record. Then Bird comes in and takes the talent Isiah developed and led them to the NBA finals in 2000.

Why didn't you talk about how Bird lied to Jermaine O'neal and told him he would bring Isiah back. When Jermaine signed, they fired Isiah.....

If you don't want to report some of the stuff above, you can at least say he is the best in the NBA at spotting talent. Talk about David Lee or Renaldo Balkman....not to mention all the players I mentioned above from Toronto.

What are you going to write about when the Knicks start winning? You may be out of a job fat boy !!! LMAO

It's really incredible how the reporters in this town don't report what should be reported.

Let's take a look at Mike Lupica's article from the Daily News today. He finally came out of hiding and decided to say something.

The headline for his article is:
MADISON SLEAZE GARDEN IS A DISGRACE

So we already know where this is going to go....

"But it was about to become official now, the worst day the Garden has ever had because of the worst people to ever be in charge of it."

What about Layden Lupica? Did you forget about him? He is the real reason why the Knicks are in such a financial hole but let's move on shall we?

"The jury was supposed to go weak at the knees because Isiah Thomas was brought up poor on the west side of Chicago."

"Isiah Thomas and James Dolan - a coach who harasses women and an owner who allows it - wanted you to believe that Browne Sanders made it all up."

"Defendant Thomas made one last speech on the courthouse steps proclaiming his innocence, still thinking he could win anybody over. Then his bodyguards got him into a limousine that should have been taking him out of town for good."

I think I'll stop there because I'm sure there will be plenty more from Lupica in the coming days.

What are my thoughts on this case?

I think we have to wait until the appeal process plays out. People are saying the evidence was so one sided in favor of the Garden. We will see how this plays out. One thing I love about Dolan is the fact that he has the money to do what he wants. I love the way he treats the media with a fuck you attitude.

I wonder if we'll see any apology notes from Lupica, Berman and Lawrence when the appeals court over turns the ruling.

Considering the type of people they are....probably not !!

By the way, Isiah was back at practice last night. We now have everybody ready to go except Balkman. He's a quick healer and he'll be back in time.

Season is almost here and now that we have that distraction out of the way....let's get it on!!!

Oh yeah....Zach Randolph who had to leave camp to be with his ailing grandmother is back already!! Alot of people were worried about him leaving but he made sure there were no problems.

Biased New York Reporters Enjoy Seeing Isiah Lose In Court Of Law & On Basketball Court !!

It's a sad day here in NY.....

I wake up this morning ready to follow the Knicks first day of practice down in South Carolina. I check out the New York Daily News and the first thing I see is 3 stories all trying to throw salt on Isiah's wounds. Now the reporters can easily say "we're just reporting the facts" but when you see little comments that show bias, it's very hard for me not to say something.

The reporters we are going to cover today October 2nd 2007 are Frank Isola, Mitch Lawrence, Thomas Zambito, Tamer El-Ghobashy and Dave Goldiner. The last 3 are pretty much no names in the sports reporting world (even though they make think they are).....so we may not even need to cover them....

Let's start shall we?

First we'll take a look at Frank Isola's Article. In his article he states:
"Dolan has been unwavering in his support for Thomas, starting with Dolan's decision to fire Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown two years ago."

Why wouldn't Isola talk about why Dolan fired Brown and kept Isiah? Is it because Larry Brown tried to back stab Isiah for his job? Is it because Larry Brown did nothing he was told to do by his BOSS!!

Listen to this statement by Frank.....
"Last season, Dolan demonstrated his commitment to Thomas by giving him a contract extension in March even though the Knicks were on their way to a 33-win season."

Why wouldn't Isola talk about why we won 33 games? Could it be because we were the most injured team in the league? Of course he wouldn't make that point because he doesn't like the Knicks...but he is a beat writer for the Knicks on one of the biggest papers in the country. This is the type of negativity the New York public has to read everyday about the team we love.

Now let's take a look at Mitch Lawrence's Article.
"But Thomas has had this coming."
"Frankly, it's amazing that Allan Houston is even considering stepping into this cesspool."
"He has Dolan hoodwinked, until further notice. He also has his players believing that a collection of high-priced castoffs can get the Knicks back to the postseason."
"Many people would be surprised if Randolph and his entourage can stay out of trouble in his inaugural season in New York."
"Morris added one when he ran afoul of the law back home in Lexington, Ky., after too much partying."

He could've said Morris got caught going 10 mph over the limit and was not considered over the legal limit while he was driving.

I can go on and on but I think I'll stop there. This guy clearly has a bias against Isiah and the Knicks. I don't know where it stems from but as you can see....it clearly comes across when he writes.

Oh don't worry Knick Fans...once we start winning, I want you to see how they change their attitude toward the team.

If your a Knick Fan....these type of articles are the last thing you want to read. The media will try to influence you and change your opinion.

Marc Berman of the NY Post called the Knicks a freak show.

We still haven't even heard from Lupica yet on the verdict and he's the ring leader of this biased organization that's parallel to the KKK.

It's a long season and I'm sure there will be plenty of evidence for me to use against the NY media.

Here is a nice little video somebody did for the Knicks.





As the season goes on, we will take a deeper look into the reporters in NY.