www.KnicksDefense.com

Hey guys. Back for a minute. I won’t stay long, but I’ll probably be back on the blogwagon when the ball goes up for real.

Nice cocoon.

Sure looks warm and safe in here. No one to disagree with you or challenge your opinions. Lots of preaching to the choir. Nothing wrong with that. I guess.

I just have to say though, (particularly to “the Real Anonymous”, African and Anti), you can’t verbally bitch-slap the media and/or the haters from a neutral corner.

Frank Isola was never the reason Knicks Knation was a good or bad place to blog on the Knicks. You were wrong about that Star, and your posts were missed. Plenty of regulars never even read Frank’s headers. What made it great was a community of knowledgeable fans who kept each other and “outsiders” in check for the most part not with rhetoric but with logic, common sense, articulation, intelect, humor and a common love for the New York Knicks. As I recall, Frank was almost never taken seriously, and that wasn’t a problem because everyone knew the real substance was the commentary, not the blog owner. Knicks Knation was credible, fun, and informative IN SPITE OF Frank Isola, not because of him. Frank was on equal footing with Ed most of the time as the class clown. You need that kind of conflict and tension to create interesting debate and conversation in my opinion.

I got more Knicks news from DaVonn than I ever did from Frank. When I wanted to know the X’s and O’s of the next team on the Knick’s schedule, I would turn to LiNJLNY’s pre-game not Frank’s or God forbid Mitch’s. When it came to true sight and wisdom, how could you go wrong with Tman, Vlad, Kevin Harewood or Ewings Curse Lives? Peaceman and Barf are arguably just as witty as Vecsey without having to resort to his acidic sarcasm (even when I didn’t agree with them). Guys like Bumrush, Old School Oakley, Post-Up Prince, PC, Bronxboy in Md, Trane, PaulNoize, statesman, rico, rastaman, Darren (yes even Mak) and others all came from the heart. Even my buddy rush gave some fresh (if somewhat twisted) perspective.
As for keeping the media in check (and in their own house mind you), Anti-NYSportsNews, African, Kandiman, and of course “the Real Anonymous”, Starburyfan took the fight to the enemy throughout the grind of the season. By the midpoint of last season, KK no longer belonged to Frank Isola. It belonged to us.

So I ask you; when the hell did Frank Isola’s or any reporter’s bias become the basis of what makes a blog worth visiting? And when did this group collectively decide that taking your ball and going home (and chucking a few rocks on the way out of the schoolyard) was preferrable to going toe to toe with haters or outright FUCKRY?

That being said, I think you guys fell into a trap at Newsday. AH probably seemed like the opposite of Isola or Berman. Guess what? He’s just another reporter. No worse, maybe a little better solely for his lack of mind-numbing spirit sapping years of seniority at his job.

The NY media is biased against the Knicks and specifically Isiah and current Garden management. We all know this.

I guess my point is that I would rather confront the haters than run from them. I would rather stand in their yard and call them out than chuck rocks over the fence. It doesn’t matter what site your at, you make it what it is.

No offense to you or your site, Star. I like what your doing, and if I’m going to blog at a fan site, it would have to be yours or DVJ’s (I’ve read good things about MODI’s cosellout site also). I just think boycotting or fleeing a blog because of the blog owner’s opinions is self-defeating.
I realize that the last people I need to tell this to are most of you guys but you can’t win a war without being willing to step across enemy lines. In broad daylight Peaceman, although your semi-incognito covert ops over this summer were pretty funny.

I’m going to be leaning a lot more on you guys this year. I moved to Orlando this summer, so I’m going to need you guys for the real scoop. Don’t let me down.
LGK

(proof read at least twice)

bullshit.

By bokonon on Oct 13, 2007 at 3:08 am

Google Alert - new york knicks Sat 10/13/2007 1:11 AM

Knicks Run Past Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv, 112-85

Game Notes: Maccabi Tel Aviv at New York Knicks

Knicks Beat Israelis, Crowd Unhappy

Houston practises with Knicks for first time in comeback attempt at age 36

Israel Youth Village Migdal Ohr Sponsors Hoops And Dreams Week

New York Knicks 112-85 Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv

By Syd on Oct 13, 2007 at 4:22 am

Sup bokonon

Thanks for visiting knicks defense old friend.

Depending on the individual, perception can be reality. you can try to call us out for “escaping” the other blogs, but the real truth is we chose to leave. For whatever reason, if people come here to blog about the knicks, I’m not going to turn them away, especially when I know them and mostly agree with what they’re saying.

For a while now, I’ve been writing on Knicksdefense.com AND posting on Alan’s blog. You can tell that by the fact the “wacky” fallout from Knicks Fix was days ago, but Knicks Defense has a history of three months. I figured Knicks Defense is a good way to keep all my thoughts in one place instead of all over the internet. I even have an older Knicks blog I’m less proud of that precedes anything I’ve ever written on Frank’s Knicks Knation, it is called chainbreaker and there is a link to it on the blogroll atop this page. One of the first entries I did on that blog was the victory over the sixers where nate hit the baseline three point shot on iverson, I was at that game. There is far more cursing on that blog as I was not happy with the way the Knicks season ended last year with teams like Orlando and Philly finishing with better records than the knicks.

This post you are responding to was a concern I had because I’ve just read too much that leads me to believe Isiah is going to get “bumrushed” if he doesn’t come out the gate winning this year, that’s just how I see it because of the ABS trial. It may not be nothing “new” but I do believe the stakes are higher this year because David Stern and Charles Dolan may get involved this time around if the fit hits the shan.

As for Frank Isola’s blog, I got tired of the spam from dross and Mark, that has as much to do with me leaving as Frank’s hatred of the Knicks. First Vlad left, then it turned into debates about racism, when all I want to talk about is how the knicks can/will succeed. That blog became heavily spammed and poisonous; why continue there if you’re no longer having fun with the discussion? You’ll get ill doing that. What’s the point, to change Isola’s mind about Stephon? I’d rather watch paint dry to be honest with you.

Like many others, I really enjoyed posting on Knicks Fix but have chosen not done so since the “wacky” fallout that seems to drag on. Alan seemed cool and less biased than the other news sources so when I heard about the site I gave it a try and enjoyed posting there everyday because it was many of the same people I knew and respected from Knicks Knation.

For me personally, it was not only the “wacky” comment from Knicks Fix but other issues that resulted in focusing more on this site instead of that one. Basically Alan asked me not to post Knicks content from rival news sources. I respected his wishes and have not done that since. That is why I take such value in having a personal Knicks blog, I can post what I want. There was another incident this summer where Alan brought up an issue which caused a firestorm (Michael Vick ring a bell anyone?), then he asked us to stop blogging about it because it wasn’t basketball, which seemed kind of restrictive to me at the time, if not insulting because he broke the story to us. I still played by his rules and continued to blog there some more.

This is why I think it would be cool to have a network of Knicks fans, many with their own blog. The rules part can get in the way. Orange and Blue, BARF and myself along with many other Defenders often like to post links to other sources of information from all over the world wide web. It was getting to the point were I could not do that anymore on Knicks Fix because it was a conflict of interest. You just don’t have that on Knicks Defense. I’ll post articles here from Berman, Isola, Alan Hahn, anything Knick related.

The only rule I wish for this blog is that we treat each other with respect–when arguments arise to agree to disagree. That’s not even a rule, that’s just basic respect.

I welcome everyone to blog with me here about the knicks. In America, everyone has the right to blog, not just sports writers or wanna be sports writers from the New York Press. Anti has a blog, MODI has a blog, DVJ has a blog, it’s called freedom.

By the way, have fun in Orlando, I lived there for many years. I wore my knicks colors every time the Knicks came to town–I wasn’t the only one. I even got Gerald Wilkins’ autograph, though I was waiting for Ewing to come out to the Orlando Arena parking lot–he never did. Let me know if you need help finding a good place to watch a Knicks game in those parts.

By Starburyfan on Oct 13, 2007 at 5:00 am

bokonon
I think most of the Vets here Love (no homo) and respect the hell out of you and your
insight. But for the point you very well made, is the reason for the Mass exodus from Isola’s
and Hahn’s blog. It’s our commentary that we realize is what made each blog. Both those blogs are now heavy censored so
How do you Bitch-Slap the Media when they handcuff you? I do not miss personal email from Isola telling me
I should be thankful that he provides such a place to post when he didn’t like one of my posts! Hahn went from
humble to Hollywood on us overnight, Got his whole blog changed, was busted on about his picture and like a Cheesebuger
in front of Jerome James, poof….his picture was changed. He could of did the same with his “wacky” depridation of
our Knicks, but instead fooled himself into thinking HE WAS BIGGER THAN THE BLOG ITSELF! HAHN DID THE BIGGEST IMATATION
OF LARRY BROWN THAT I’VE SEEN SINCE BROWN’S DEPARTURE! What we also realize is if their posting to themself, THAT’S THE BIGGEST BITCH SLAP OF ALL!
STARBURYFAN won’t play the blog POLICE and you’ll see many epic disagreements on this blog, without being censored! You’ll still
have to come strong on this blog or get your feelings hurt! LIKE MODI said, it’s strickley Business. The Blog Host is just the cup,
WE ARE THE COFFEE! YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN BOK, THATS WHY I NOW FEEL EVEN STRONGER ABOUT BEING ” A DEFENDER.”

By Peaceman on Oct 13, 2007 at 5:47 am

Bokonon,
I am not piling on here as Starburyfan and Peaceman have given you ample rationale and LOGIC as to the evolution of the (as African puts it) EXODUS from that other blog. Just bloggin’. However, I’m sensing some inconsistencies or maybe even some disingenuousness in your “minute” mini. The “cocoon” is about to crack open as I sense you may be cloaked with the veil of hypocrates. In other words, “you done started some, so now there WILL be some”.

First, the Defenders are not in a “cocoon”. We respect ourselves, our passions, and our team. We cheer or boo for the ones that play on or involved with the team. We are defending our team as fans (i.e., Be A Real Fan (BARF), David Loves Those Knicks and Orange & Blue, Nixluva are here), and we’re defending them against the media (especially NY’s) that spews venemous hyperboles and incite the local residents to detract against our favorite side. You may or may not post here but trust if you come with anything that challenges our passion or smacks of disrespect on any level, someone (the village, the offended…someone) will respond. The “cocoon” will rock unless you insert “just bloggin’” in the post.

Finally, and most troubling, in a previous entry here, I posted the timeline on how the whole debacle evolved at the other place where the host displayed the ultimate disrespect to me causing me to leave and not be in his company. In that post, I credited YOU bokonon for having first remarked that the word “wacky” was in the header and reflected poorly on us as fans bloggin’ there and the team in general. I subsequently followed your post by bloggin’ in and saying that I would not post there until the host showed me some respect and remove the word “wacky”. To that request from Steady and several other bloggers, the host replied “get over it” or (as translated here by African, FUCK YOU). There were a few other inconsitencies that revealed the fugazy that is Hahn and the disingenuousness of his character. In the past, I defended for that guy, holding hope that he was different based on the lyrics and prose he chose and the story about his father (work ethic, values, nostalgic…blah, blah). So the response was clearly unacceptable to me and I displayed my freedom and strength of my character.

Now I do agree with you that we posted on KK DESPITE (and at times to spite) the KK host–he just provided a different stream under which we could express our fanaticism. It was a do-it-yourself blog as you correctly noted. The fact that Hahn played b-ball and was coming in with the “new guy” piss-in-his-vinegar made him an interesting alternative over the summer and until the unacceptable dis. WE MADE THAT BLOG HUM!!! And the Peaceman tactics you slyly derided were effective and OK then to get people to Hahn’s site. So WTF is the argument now? Do you think that someone not recognizing the arrogance and insult expressed by that host and his company will wander away to a place like this where adults function within a “community of fans defending their passion”? What is your female dog about? Are you just bloggin’ cause I for one could care less what you think about my choice not to be in the company of the likes of the known idiots at KK and a disrespectly host at that last place. Plus, you get the best of all worlds because you’re expressing your freedom to lean in here. You know bokonon, there’s a saying about NY transplants in Florida. If you stay there long enough, someone may reveal it to you.

KF(D)L–the D is for Defender.

By Steady on Oct 13, 2007 at 8:01 am

LIVES: NOTES TO A MANIFESTO, Part I of II parts

Dear Gentle Defenders,

I want to respond to Bok, Steady and Starburyfan, although I am still thinking this entire “wacky” situation through. I have a couple of thoughts I would like to share and to have you mull over.

But first, I must congratulate Starburyfan, DaVonn and Modi and others for taking the initiative to start Blogs to post and share their views with the rest of us. As all of you know, writing and expressing ones self can be a very powerful personal and communal exercise. Starburyfan, like many others, created a personal therapy that is much cheaper than the psychiatrist and psychologist. We are fortunate to have this venue as an option for fellowship and Starburyfan is very gracious to accept us with open arms as he faces the challenge, not alone however, of keeping this blog moving and updated.

I congratulate you and express my pride for two reasons. First, developing a blog is such a labor of love that requires hard work and true dedication. It is a task beyond my desires at this point, but I greatly appreciate the effort.

Second, over the summer I have been spending time studying the blogosphere and the New York Knick content which included an evaluation of over 40 New York Knick blog and basketball related websites. (www.Knickdefense.com was included before the revolt). My original intent was to create a guide for dedicated sports fans who want the internet to be part of their fanatical experience. Believe me when I tell you that while blogging is a personal pleasure, it is becoming really big business as reflected by Newsdays decision to change the design of its blog. I intend to complete the guide and either publish it free in excerpts around the blogosphere or submit it to a couple of publishers and tell them how they can make some money publishing it.

So I also congratulate you and express my pride because this entire blogging phenomenon in sports is getting larger by the minute and each of you gentlemen here have done a great deal to impact the blogosphere whether you know it or not. You are truly pioneers and it will show as your efforts continue to grow.

By Lives In New Jersey, Loves New York on Oct 13, 2007 at 9:25 am

Hey I respect your right to post wherever you want. Starburyfan’s got a nice blog and I’m not saying any different. Like I said, it’s the community that makes the blog and Star writing the headers is a bonus, and if this is where most of my favorite reads are, you can bet I will be visiting regularly.

Steady, that’s what I was talking about. If someone brings some bull, someone will respond. That’s what I expect.

By the way, I haven’t posted anywhere in a while so that wacky comment wasn’t mine. I posted twice at Hahn’ blog. The first time I got censored and the second time was to ask what caused the censorship.

By bokonon on Oct 13, 2007 at 9:40 am

Bokonon: I am pleased that you found us–stay awhile and provide
your insights now and then.

I am concerned that the N.Y. media attacks against Isiah and Dolan
will influence fans at MSG to become the “boobirds” that the press
is trying to hype up in order to force David Stern or Charles Dolan to take down James D and Isiah T. Defenders should consider writing a letter to the sports editor of the 3 dailys: News, Post or Newsday to offset the negativity. Of course, winning early and often will keep the crowd at least neutral if not positive. Even if the dailys
refuse to print your comments, you can repost your letters on this
blog. Keep alerting other bloc readers, who visit the KNation,
Knick Fix and Berman’s site, to the existence and excellence of this site. If we build up the attendance, perhaps advertisers will follow.
KFL

By Post-up Prince on Oct 13, 2007 at 9:52 am

PART II, expanded to III PARTS

Bok and other Defenders,

Please accept these ruminations for what they are, just my initial thoughts which require more pondering by me. I share them now because of their timeliness not their absolute correctness.

Defenders have no need to defend their position. While many of us have reasons for leaving blogs that are as varied as our reasons for blogging, we agree at the very core about our reason for leaving Newsday in unison. We can all agree that Newsdays decision to change the blog and to offer a dismissive response was unprofessional and unacceptable. We are smart enough to realize that not only are we fans and advocates, we are also consumers who expect respect from our vendors. Newsdays reaction was an ultimate form of disrespect and the failure to remove the word “wacky” is clearly their message that the response we received was the one we deserved.

With that said, Bokonon hits the nail on the head in so many ways. However, his response is indicative of the fact that posting is a very, very personal exercise. The one objective most posters have in common is to increase their enjoyment of the Knicks. Most of us could not bear the entire environment that made being a Knick fan just an emotional twister. Not only was the team bad, but it was exacerbated by pre-game and post-game reportage that was clearly unfair, unintelligent and not a reflection of our basketball knowledge and love of our team. Bad team, worse press. A double whammy. Posting for many of us was a personal fight to reduce the impact of that whammy.

Then we found each other over time on commercial blogs run by the very press that was demonizing our team for profit without an one iota of true basketball intel. We found each other. Some who posted just to talk about the Knicks; others posted to try to challenge the press to raise the quality and standards of their reportage; and still others who wanted to let the haters know that there were strong advocates for not only the Knicks but also advocates for fairness in reporting.

My personal reasons for posting are several and varied including all of the above. I recall how much I did not want to discuss issues of race, despite the call by AntiNYSN to recognize and discuss the issue. I first started just to keep a vigilant eye and counterbalance to FI’s material and to let the world know that FI did not speak for all of the fans out here. Then I was very pleased to learn that there were many fans who did not drink the Isola Koolaid. In fact they were very smart which challenged me to contribute the best way I knew how. It became fun. However, the fun was not without its trials and tribulations as I learned about the Drossman’s, Darrens and Marks of the blogosphere. I quickly learned that their personal reasons for posting were not the same as mine and that I would not waste energy debating unredeemable individuals who made no contribution to a posting experience which had become very addictive like my 6:00 am games at the YMCA.

In brief, I post for all the reasons BOKONON stated. So, I am very displeased that the commercial site has responded with such disrespect. For me, it is not personal regarding Alan. He is the best reporter out there regarding the Knicks. He was very gracious in responding to our concerns and becoming part of our community. I greatly appreciated that. But he is a reporter in the New York market. And the media in NY has determined that the best way to make money is to create demons and make gossip the priority in their decisions on how to angle stories or to promote what is News. They even try to create News like their failing campaign to boo Isiah.
Alan is a part of that and any thought that he is not and would not be similar to them was foolish. It is a business and those are his colleagues.

By Lives In New Jersey, Loves New York on Oct 13, 2007 at 10:09 am

“When one eats at his enemy’s house, he should expect to get poisioned.” boomann

I just made that up, unless someone else did and I just claimed it. But why go to web sites that despise and hate the team when you can go to a place where the team is respected. I have no doubts about what the NY media is up to, it’s been proven to me without a shadow of a doubt. I watched as they did a story on one juror who might have agreed with Isiah, the article was all about how the dude was sleeping in court and nodding his head when Isiah’s lawyers spoke. They wanted the man to be found guilty and were waiting like vultures when he was. It was a sick display of journalism and the only time I want to post on their boards is to throw random insults.

By boomann on Oct 13, 2007 at 10:28 am

Conclusion

As you know, in any business, the competition must distinguish itself and Alan has taken the opportunity to do that. Clearly his upbringing and the development of the blog has taught him a few things about how to treat people and he is not tainted by being a old timer. But, like most professionals, he has a lot to learn about customer service. Most doctors have terrible bedside manners. So do most lawyers and journalists among others. They are not trained to be good business people. Alan Hahn showed that he was not different in this regard. He should not have even shared the “get over it” line. What is even wackier is that he did not nip a very easy problem to solve in the bud which basically wiped out a summer of work that only would have boosted his career and his fan base. His bad, his problem whether he sees it or not.

Still, writers like Alan Hahn need to be challenged and encouraged to continue to improve not only his coverage but his service to the community to which he belongs. Creating a new community like those who tried to escape the oppression of Great Britain to start colonies, is one thing. But the truth is that that is only the beginning of the revolution that must come with challenging power.

Put another way, those who are not satisfied with the press coverage and who want it to change, are those who must take responsibility to force it to change. While I will not post at Newsday’s blog until my customer service concerns are addressed, Newsday has not heard the end of me yet. I will not allow Mitch Lawrence and Frank Isola’s of the world to roam free to spread hatred and to diminish my enjoyment of my team. Bok was right. I did not post at KK for Frank. As I said before I posted because of you.

Other than the above, I have not exactly decided what I will do. Yes, I will be here with you. But I am also compelled to fight for what’s right. I absolutely respect everyone else’s personal choices and I look forward to a great season with you.

(I apologize for the quick ramble, but I’ve got some other priorities today not allowing me to spend any time re-reading my posts. I pray that it made a little sense).

BTW, the line-up is shaping up to be awesome.

Steady, Jazz, Peaceman, BronxboyinMD, HarlemBoyinMD, Boomann, DaVonnJ, DNM, Lives, JohnQ, African, Syd, BARF, St.-George, Starburyfan, Statesman, Cooleyhigh, StopMikeLupica, Bumrush40, DLT Knicks, Modi, Follymacher, Orange and Blue . . . .

By Lives In New Jersey, Loves New York on Oct 13, 2007 at 10:33 am

Hey there Defenders,

Alan had a mailbag recently and I asked this question………

Posted by JohnQ | October 11, 2007 22:48
Hey Alan,
I have a media question. Why is it that we have 3 different papers, 6 beat writers and it seems that there are 2 of the same stories that run in each paper ? Why does it seem these stories share the same insights and observations with just a touch of the particular writers flair ? Don’t think I’m calling you out Alan, you’ve been great this whole summer. Is it the limited time granted to team access? Do you guys sit too close to each other ? What is it ?

A: That’s a good question, JohnQ, because for those of you who have the time to read all of the papers – not everyone does – you tend to notice that. It happens in all sports and it’s more noticeable in New York because there are so many newspapers. Some days the story is just the obvious story, the news. Isiah and Al Sharpton. Eddy Curry’s injury. Allan Houston’s comeback. You are obligated to write the news of the day first. You aren’t supposed to assume everyone is reading all of the coverage. I can’t think, ‘Well, they’ll read this in the Times, so I’ll write something else.’ You have to assume they’re only reading your paper.
When there is no real news, I try to avoid the “pack mentality” that can exist. Everyone kind of follows the story of the day. Some days you can’t help it, but most of the time we all hate writing the same stories. It’s something we talk about as a beat. But, again, sometimes you can’t avoid it. The pack mentality also works against individuality because, for example, you always have to be aware if a few writers are talking to Stephon Marbury and you’re chatting with someone else. You worry that Marbury might say something crazy – wouldn’t shock you at this point – and you’re the only paper that won’t have it. You will eventually have it happen to you, perhaps more than once, and eventually you learn to get over it.
Of course we talk about the team when we’re together. We spend a lot of time together on the road, at airports, waiting for practice to end, etc. It’s impossible not to talk about the team. We don’t share secrets and certainly don’t talk about what one should write and the other should write. We do tease each other about certain things we may write or predictions gone bad, etc. That’s part of the fun and the only way to get through the long grind of the season.
My goal is to always offer the best insight I possible can with the resources we are given, which are: Isiah on a daily basis and the players as they walk off the court or are in the locker room. I also try to draw from my basketball background to offer insight on things others might not see or notice. There are veterans on the beat who have experience to reference things from the past. But no matter who asks the question, everyone can hear it and hears the answer from Isiah. So even though you had the insight to ask the question, everyone else gets the answer in its context. See what I mean?
Hope this explained it.

I didn’t think he’d answer and since the header on this latest blog report was about media I figured this would be of interest.

By JohnQ on Oct 13, 2007 at 10:38 am

Starburyfan, 78 posts from me fellow Knicks defenders—-this site is startina revolution. For real. It’s a good time to be a Knicks fan—believe that.
I see the Knicks in the finals. i really do. Call me delusional. But this team can go far. Offensively they can’t be and shouldn’t be stopped. No, thier potentially inept defense can delay those Final reaching dreams—so I will take a wait and see the first week to see how they stand.

SEVENTY EIGHT POST and not me one by—-that’s crazy. Props to Starburyfan and fellow Defenders. WriteOn 100xs!!! I’m still catching up to reading your posts—-too much, but I’m will done like sometime day.

Is it just me or are any other Defender feeling that Alicia Keys song, No One?

By Anti-NYSportsNews on Oct 13, 2007 at 11:59 am

Re: Starburyfan, comment#3: Just beautiful. Well written, well explained.

Alan Hahn is a good beatwriter (meaning he’s not jaded like the others), but he also has a problem - he’s stuck in that old mentality box. He thinks other blogs (like Modi’s) shouldn’t be acknowledged, because “they are the competition” (that’s his response to a question from me from an early mailbag this summer). He treats commenters in the same manner - answer their questions, but not their criticism. It’s a shame - you think most new beatwriters with blogs would look at the success of someone like Dan Steinberg in Washington (his DC Sports Bog is one of the most successful on the web), and emulate his internet-friendly style (link to other team sites when they have good info, while writing about what’s going on in the locker room and behind the scenes - he’s the man who has made Gilbert Arenas as popular as he is, for revealing all his quirks).

Now, here’s my question… this entry got me thinking… the media hates Isiah and the Knicks. I’ve often assumed it was blowback from the Larry Brown firing… LB had lots of support in the NYC media (Lupica is his bitch, for example), and used them to try to get Isiah fired and take his job. The plan failed, but the anger lingers. It’s also obvious, especially when you read that NY Press article that you linked to, that the media hates James Dolan and the Garden. In fact, I now believe that the media’s hatred of Dolan fuels their hatred of the Knicks.

Is it because of his strict media policy? Or is it perhaps blowback from his politiking… the NY Press seems unlikely to have an agenda simply because of the beefs of beatwriters in other papers. I’m starting to think that Dolan pissed off a lot of people in the press… perhaps it was his opposition to the Jets Stadium (the centerpiece of the 2012 Olympic proposal), in which he spent alot of money fighting the stadium in his backyard… perhaps that’s what makes him (and therefore the Knicks) such a target? Could it be something else? Cablevision is a big media outlet… could this just be the print media hating on a rival? I’m just curious about what people think is the root cause for the outlandish hatred directed at the Garden and Knicks (no other sports team gets this much negative coverage).

By stopmikelupica on Oct 13, 2007 at 12:25 pm

Comment by Lives In New Jersey, Loves New York — October 13, 2007 @ 10:09 am

Very well said LINJLNY. You’ve captured the essence of my emotion regarding the Knicks and our team. I loved the Knicks when I was young because of Clyde, he was a cool rebel, then my interest and loyalty was re-ignited when Patrick was drafted. Then there was Clyde again in the broadcast booth that kept things lively then there was the maturation of Gus in the booth. Now its Isiah and the new team. I used to read Isola,berman, lupica during the pre Isiah years and their coverage was alright just like any town/team’s sports beat writers. Now there is so much venom it has become sickening and I for one am sensitive and maybe overly so to it. Sports writers and the press do not have the RIGHT to have owners of teams fired. If the press have that power it would be most helpful to the citizens of the US if they should start with the folks in the White House and the surrounding environs.

One more thing, I remember distinctly when IT was hired he said he would make the team longer and more athletic. He’s done that. He also said it would take around 5 years to build a championship caliber team in the NBA…He’s doing that. So explain to me, why the hate? The man is doing what he said.

This site and others like it are in defiance of the NY press core (including the 2 idiots on the FAN. Tell me what kind of parent of wife would OK a handle on national radio called the MAD DOG…SHYIIIIIT)who feel they can influence the people of NY like clothes on a clothes line. I think Not.

By St_George on Oct 13, 2007 at 12:33 pm

Ya’ll got me amped up here. I’m doing Karate moves in the air I’m so pumped up.

I can’t even add to all the great sh*t you all are saying. Bokonon, you bring great spirit in your posts, like peaceman said, respect to you. All the guys you mentioned in your first post, I hope they all come here because just like you point out, that’s why we were at Knicks Knation and then Knicks Fix to begin with. you are welcome to post your unyielding writing here anytime you want, as are you Lives in Jersey, Post-up Prince (good idea homie), Boomann, Syd, my man Steady, John Q and all the defenders who have posted here. Just incredible stuff guys. It’s an honor to blog with you.

Imagine when the season starts and we have regular season games to blog about. It’s going to be sick. This is a big year to be a knicks fan indeed.

Boomann, you are a defender, you seem to know exactly whats goin’ on.

Lives, really great stuff man. Also, that’s a great lineup of defenders. Some from KK, some from KF, me I’m from KFC. (jk)

JohnQ thanks for posting that response. I always pictured them traveling together, convening together like that–maybe even talking about some of the screen names that post on their blogs.

Anti–I hope we keep this sh*t going strong. The finals? that makes you and DVJ with such lofty and glorious expectations! Hey, hope it happens, from all those season preview they’re saying we’re going to come in fourth in the atlantic and miss the playoffs. NOW that CNNSI’s mannix saw ZBO play for the knicks the other night, he saws “the growing consensus is that this is a low tier playoff team.” BS! they said last week they’d be in the lottery, didn’t they? As far as a. keys, haven’t heard that one yet. I’ll try to DL it.

Bookmark the site Defenders! The evolution will not be televised!

By Starburyfan on Oct 13, 2007 at 12:46 pm

Stop Mike Lupica,

You got it exactly right, their beef is with James Dolan, and their using the ABS trial to try to get Charles Dolan and David Stern to uproot him. Why? All signs lead to James Dolan being tyrannical, or as Isola called both Dolan and Marbury, “a bully.” Dolan moves the press seats farther away from the game at the Garden, and actually sold a press box to regular season ticket holders as well. Dolan’s media policy leaves the beat writers with little to go with, they can’t watch the practices and have to wait in a room, according to what alan hahn told us on his blog. they only get to see the team shoot free-throws and half-court shots. other teams may have more open policies about practices and media access. But other teams aren’t the knicks, other teams have had the advantage of beat writers being genuinely sweeter to their team, New York is different city as you know. Bottom line, it was probably all of the reasons you mentioned that they are so against Dolan. If there is a consensus about anything it is that dolan has hurt these teams during his rule.

But you can bet if James Dolan goes (by the power of David Stern and Charles Dolan) this year whoever comes in is expected to clean house at Madison Square Garden and remove Mills, Isiah and just start gutting teams under the MSG umbrella.

That’s why it’s win now to silence the critics. May the best 15 make the cut. If we can get Kobe or Artest, even better. Time to win.

By Starburyfan on Oct 13, 2007 at 1:05 pm

“I used to read Isola,berman, lupica during the pre Isiah years and their coverage was alright just like any town/team’s sports beat writers. Now there is so much venom it has become sickening” word up St_George. I also like the line about voting out some of these press guys, if that were true, I’d start with Mitch “the grill” Lawrence!

By Starburyfan on Oct 13, 2007 at 1:07 pm

Bokonon, yo, I love your posts—always have and look forward to reading your stuff—you speak your mind,and that Drossman imitation was the best ever, so far as us Defender bloggers’ fan fave. So you have much love around here.

Let me let you know that I’m not half-stepping and hiding from my responsilbilties as Anti-NYSportsNews. With that said I’m cracking my knuckles, rolling up my sleeves and about to go to work on these dogs posing as NY Knicks sports writers. You just know they were licking thier lips in anticipation for Isiah and Dolan to lose that sex-harass by A-dookie Brown Sanders so they could pounce on Isiah like the ravenous dogs they most truly are. Mitch Lawrence and Mike “woof woof” Lupica vying for the leader of the pack. Believe me they are marked dogs, they will be getting thrown in the gutter area of my Dog House as a lifelong residence.

This Starburyfan site is becoming a haven for us fellow real Knicks fan. It’s refreshing here!

By Anti-NYSportsNews on Oct 13, 2007 at 1:23 pm

The Allan Houston comeback is turning into an underdog story. For his Knick loyalty, it is hard for me to root against him.

AH7 a Longshot to make the Knicks

Maybe Phoenix or Miami would take him if he got cut? I know the whole point of trying out for the Knicks was the proximity to his family, but if he can still play, why not play where they need bodies? Boston? I wonder how much control Dolan has in Houston making the cut.

By Starburyfan on Oct 13, 2007 at 1:46 pm

Hey fellow defenders:

I just wanted to put the latest news in the Kobe Bryant trade story. Just check out the link below, it seems to indicate teh Kobe would still prefer to end up with the Bulls and that Dallas would be his 2nd option. Fook him if he joins the bulls the Knicks will just run his depleted chicago squad out of the gym in that instance.

http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1192250009216030.xml&coll=1

I’ll post again later, and I’ve got to catch up on today’s reading.

Latez!!!!!!

By Orange and Blue on Oct 13, 2007 at 1:48 pm

Starbury,

It’s also hard for me to root for us to pass up on D-Nice on old legs with a sweek stroke reflecting found memories that might not suffice to get us to the show!

By Orange and Blue on Oct 13, 2007 at 1:49 pm

thanks for the hookup O&B

” But remember, this is Kobe Bryant. There is almost no comparable talent, unless you’re talking about LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony or a legit package of players — not just a bunch of guys who couldn’t get a team to .500 (are you listening, Knicks fans?)

There are well-founded rumblings that Kobe has his sights on Chicago or Dallas. So, would a package revolving around Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, Tyrus Thomas and/or Andres Nocioni work? Could the Mavericks put together a workable deal around Josh Howard? “

If I recall correctly, we gave Dallas a run for their money with most of our guys hurt. Stephon took over and we ALMOST won the game. Once we lost that game it broke our spirits and we were basically done for the season.

You know, the chicago thing is kind of a BS statement to make, because I don’t see different talent levels between New York and Chicago. Yeah, they’ve been making it to the playoffs and getting to the second round and all that, but when you look at Noah, Wallace, Deng, Gordon, Garbage–I mean, Hinrich, Ty Thomas and Nocioni, that to me isn’t WORLDS better than what we have. You know our guys so I don’t have to list them here. we have as many potential all-stars as they do. we have role players that can’t shoot like they do. can’t wait to play the bulls. them an the nets, those are the two I want to kick their teeth in. Boston will be fun, but it is personal for me with the bulls and the nets.

By Starburyfan on Oct 13, 2007 at 1:58 pm

*note, I was calling Hinrich’s game garbage, not Mt Vernon’s Ben Gordon. I wouldn’t do that to Ben. Hinrich showed me little on the FIBA American team this summer. That was all Jason Kidd in my opinion.

By Starburyfan on Oct 13, 2007 at 2:05 pm

**note, hinrich is not garbage, I just don’t like him. can’t for the knicks to play the bulls.

By Starburyfan on Oct 13, 2007 at 2:30 pm

no vacancy for houston

There is also an update on Eddy:

”
Eddy Curry practiced without contact, shot jumpers and dunked, all without a twinge in his right shoulder. “I don’t feel any pain,” said Curry, who injured his labrum in practice last Saturday. “I feel like it never happened.”
“

By Starburyfan on Oct 13, 2007 at 2:37 pm

They’re reading into the daily news article I posted earlier, saying AH7 could end up replacing Isiah down the road.

By Starburyfan on Oct 13, 2007 at 2:40 pm

The skinny on Zach
With his skills, Randolph in good shape to help Knicks

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/chris_mannix/10/12/randolph.knicks/index.html

By Poppin Scoski on Oct 13, 2007 at 2:51 pm

LOL@
“There are well-founded rumblings that Kobe has his sights on Chicago or Dallas. So, would a package revolving around Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, Tyrus Thomas and/or Andres Nocioni work? Could the Mavericks put together a workable deal around Josh Howard?“

So wait….if the Bulls trade all those players. Who will be their starting 5?
1. ?
2. Kobe
3. ?
4. Noah
5. Wallace

Let’s not even talk about the bench.

If the Mavericks want Kobe…you don’t start the offers with Josh Howard as the centerpiece. You start the conversations with Dirk.

Are you kidding me?

Where do people get this shit from? LOL

The Lakers are not going to get equal return for Kobe…..ANY TRADE THEY MAKE WILL NOT GET THEM EQUAL RETURN!!!

Kobe belongs in NY.

By DaVonn J on Oct 13, 2007 at 2:52 pm

Check this from the Hahn mailbag….

Posted by Charlie O’s | October 11, 2007 20:26
Looking at the east, the Atlantic in particular, where do you think this year’s Knicks rank? Toronto is tough, but Bosh may be hurt, and the Nets just have the Knicks number. That said do you say 2 or 3 in the atlantic? Also where does that place the Knicks in the field of 8?

A: The more I watch this year’s team, the more I’m convinced they have enough to be a playoff team. Where they rank is impossible to say because I haven’t seen the other teams in the East that improved. Toronto is always a tough matchup for the Knicks and they’re loaded with shooters. Can they defend the Knicks, however? The Nets are getting older and they’re not 100 percent healthy. They’ll have a tough time defending both Eddy and Zach and the Knicks guards just have to do a better job defending. Again, Stephon has to keep Kidd in front of him. Maybe this is a job for Nate this year, to pester Kidd up the floor. Nate is strong enough to hold off Kidd on a post-up and quick enough to jump to defend his fade-away jumper. Boston is a very curious team. Gotta see them before you even try to predict. But, like I said, if the Knicks can finally stay healthy, they should be among the playoff contenders.

Sounds like Hahn might be on the money with that answer….

By DaVonn J on Oct 13, 2007 at 3:00 pm

is that contending to make the playoffs or contending in the playoffs?

By Starburyfan on Oct 13, 2007 at 3:09 pm

Knicks Redemption 2007 will continue this Thursday when Your New York Knicks take on the paper champion Boston Celtics. Our record since past season ended is an indication on how seriously this team is taking things. They don’t want to lose a game and so far the games haven’t been close except that Golden State Warrior game during summer league which the guys came out as if they were in the strip club the night prior too. Which could of been the case because Renaldo’s birthday was the day of that game. I am quietly anticipating this next game so I can see what Boston is going to do when the Knicks bench starts to destroy their reserves. I excpect Ray, Paul and Kevin to do what they going to do but as a collective but I don’t see them standing a chance especially if Eddy the Monster suits up. I’ve visited Alan’s blog latley because honestly he does the best updates compared to Marc German and Frank Asshola and all I could hear over there was the sound of crickets. “If a man dosen’t stand for something he’ll fall for anything.” Malcolm X said and I’m proud to be associated with a group who won’t take a slight on any front without a proper response. I’ll do what I can to represent the Defenders or Fixers when and where ever I can. The Redemption continues Oct 17.

By boomann on Oct 13, 2007 at 4:48 pm

Bok:
Love your post. I basically agree with you in many areas. I remember not posting on Hahn for a period, because everyone agreed. I thought the atmosphere was just too “kissy kissy.” I love me some adversaries.
With that said, I still feel good about the move from Alan’s place.
The fact that you’ve got to take on the haters face to face is solid advice, but I’ve long felt that Isola didn’t deserve the quality bloggers he had. True, the site rolled in spite of Isola, but in doing so, you give visibility where it’s not due. You wouldn’t believe some of the stuff coming from Isola when we spoke.(He sent me his cell number)
Alan on the other hand should be recognized for his updates and his inteaction with the bloggers, but he’s very disingenious. There’s too much of a shift in content from the stories he writes for the papers to what he writes for the blog. That tells me he’s part of the problem, but he’s being a hypocrite to get the visibility he needs. Not cool with me.
I read a reply from his mailbag posted here, and made me even more certain that the “Get over it” line came from him and not the techies.
If he can’t see a good thing when he sees it, then that’s his loss. We’ll build this community into recognition.
Debating Mark Darren and Dross is like a dog chasing it’s tail. Fruitless.
I wish you could re-post that Dross impression. Pricess!
Lives:
Great post as usual. You’re the one that inspired me to begin the exodus, because at first I wasn’t even aware of the “wacky” line. I figured once you were so offended, there was merit to it. You’re a leader of men.
Starbury:
You should allow Lives and maybe others interested to do the lead post at times. I tried having Isola do that to no avail. That was a very well thought our lead today by the way. Much respect.

By African on Oct 13, 2007 at 4:55 pm

Yo Peaceman: I saw Mitch”the Grill”Lawrence on the Sportsnet page in a video with 3 other idiot scums and I thought #1- I thought my flatscreen monitor was going to shatter from his UGLINESS!!! #2- He was running his mouth on how “bad” a team the Knicks are with those 3 other dumb scums!!!! I wanted to throw a super right hand to his ugly grill to hopefully SHATTER IT while he was running his faggot mouth!!!! Really pissed me off!!!!!!!!! I really,really hope we’re deep enough which I think we are to be able to win 50 games and shut these fags up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By George M. on Oct 13, 2007 at 5:19 pm

GeorgeM yes sir. Yes, u here—i was going to email —but u found the Defender cave anyway. Welcome—the original Defender over there’s on Doggy Berman at the post.

Yo, you had that inane clown Mark shooked—he couldn’t write anything without cracking on you. He knew what’s up!

By Anti-NYSN on Oct 13, 2007 at 6:39 pm

I can’t jive with this fixation about blogs being “too kissy-kissy” or need to have adversaries. If someone posts sh!t and disrespects, as I’ve said, I trust that someone will respond (and maybe not in a kissy fashion). There’s a modicum of respect that comes with disagreement by mature folks. It’s never personal unless someone tries to make it that way. People can post from perches in blogs or cloaked with the veil of hypocrisy. If the regular blogger can’t see a veiled hypocrit, just look at the local NY papers and sports journalists.

On the media hatred for NYK…Just bloggin’ here but I need your sense here Peacman. Could the Dolans be using the NY media to help them drive down the value of the NYK stock prior to the vote for buyout (from publicly traded to privately-owned). This plan of course would appear to have backfired since the stock value has not budged one iota. I posted on this matter on MODI chapters in the Book of I… I also support as viable the formulation here about the media hatred being attributed to the Dolan policy about media access. They want full and open because MSG is (currently) a public asset. They figure if they could run them out as owners then they could have the run of the organization–a $592 million franchise. Dolans and ya’ll know what’s good. That ain’t gonna happen.

KFL

By Steady on Oct 13, 2007 at 7:01 pm

Steady,
I believe Tman,Harewood or Bok could better answer your question about Dolan
possibly using the NY media to effect the outcome of stock value. One of them
posted a similar senario on KK! All I know is after the fireing of Larry Brown,
Dolan tried to appease the NY Media with a years time table on Zeke making a
significant improvement!Dolan was just giving the NY media who were cut bad and bleeding
over Brown a very small bandaid, to stop a very deep wound that required many stiches!
The NY media knew he was basically telling them to FUCK OFF and publicly make it seem like
like he was ruleing with an Iron fist, when in fact Dolan was just acting and never intended to
fire Zeke! Thats when the SUPER HATE came out of NY’S media for Thomas and Dolan. Then for 24 hours the Knicks were in sole possession of the
8th seed and Not only did Dolan extend Zeke,(telling them to super Fuck off) but all remember Isola’s post as follows..
” Who said this? Could I be crazy to think that the Knicks may be the third best team in the East? Frank Isola.”
The on slaught of bitch slaps by all of us to him on his Bandwagon jumping Ass was more than he could bare! I believe this post
was right after Francis hit a 3 to beat the Wizards! Some of you computer experts should pull that post over here, so we
could review the meltdown of a coward, and have a good laugh as the promise of a great year awaits us all!

By Peaceman on Oct 13, 2007 at 9:29 pm

George M,
Good to have you back! Don’t leave us hanging too long again!
We thought you might of been captured trying to rescue ANTI out
of Mark’s basement! lol Good to have both of you as Defenders!

By Peaceman on Oct 13, 2007 at 9:34 pm

We have to wait until Wednesday for another game?…..what? Should be good to see KG vs Zach.

By D L T Knicks on Oct 13, 2007 at 9:34 pm

Legend has a great comment on the other blog…check it out….

Why will Kobe be a knick…In order to make an intelligent prognosis of this trade possibility one should use the process of illimination.

Process #1-Illiminate the west coast , this means, in spite of popular opinions , Dallas is not a destination because the last thing a prideful organization like the Lakers would want is this trade to come back and haunt them in the playoffs every year. That is why Iverson is in the west, Rsheed Wallace is in the east, Shaq goes from east to west then back to east via trades, Sir Charlse goes to Pheonix …(I know he was traded to houston but at that point he was no longer a threat to pheonix because his skills had deminished)

So , now that we’ve established the pattern of great players being traded to a “non threat zone ” let’s go to process # 2.

Process #2 -Swapping great player for great player.
Now this one is interesting because you just never know the thinking of some organizations but I feel like Lebron and D-wade are the only players in the east who give you equal value for Kobe but these guys are younger than Kobe and it’s just not logical to trade them before they reach their prime.

Process #3 -Multi-team trade.- This one isn’t possible either because no one wants to be the team that helped another franchise acquire Kobe. So this illiminates a team like let’s say the Hawks and the Pistons working together so the Pistons can get Kobe and the Hawks remain the hawks.

Process #4 Youth and expiring contracts. -Now we’re getting somewhere…The youngest Teams.this list includes:
HAWKS
76ers
Bulls
Knicks
PACERS
Bobcats
Raptors
O.K , from the above list you illiminate all teams except the markets that Kobe prefers and also Markets the nba prefers him to play in. We are left with…
Bulls
Knicks
76ers
Process #5- What does each team have to offer. You must match this with what the team needs after losing kobe…-A scorer and star quality , someone that puts fans in the seats and wows them occasinally , a true personality and hope for the furture.
Keeping in mind this trade will take more than 1 or even more than 2 players.

This illiminates the 76ers because they don’t have the extra pieces to make it happen. The lakers would love Iguadola but thats all, they need more for their franchise.

Now with 2 left it gets tricky. The anti knick sentiment promos a Bulls and Dallas scenerio but as we’ve seen , the way this league operates is to trade to an opposite coast ala K.G in boston.(SO NO DALLAS)

Simply , the Bulls have the youth but not the personality and flair that is needed in Hollywood and giving up mutiple pieces would leave them without the depth to compete, a situation similar to Boston and Kobe already knows the difficulty of winning on an unbalanced team plus at least Boston has 3 scorers the bulls would only have Kobe because it would take Deng ,Gordon and Heinrihc to make the trade happen.

and now it is one…The Knicks have 20 contracts because they’ve been preparing for this trade since the interview that STEPHON MARBURY had with KOBE on STARS ON STARS , MARBURY’S TV SHOW. The 2 players shared a deep interview and Kobe expressed “This is by far the best show I’ve done”….Wink!

Marbury went on to remind Kobe how much love New York and his hood Coney Island has for him. Kobe was visibly moved.

So forget about Steph being in this trade scenerio.
Say goodbye to David Lee, Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson and Demetris Nichols.

Kobe…Welcome home. Allow me to introduce myself…

I am legend.The life.

Posted by: Legend | October 13, 2007 10:00 AM

Sorry I forgot to include Zach in the trade.

Posted by: Legend | October 13, 2007 11:51 AM

I don’t know if he’s right about the players we give up but I don’t see the Bulls offering something better and more sensible than Crawford, Zach and Lee. If you take Deng, Gordon, Heinrich and Thomas off the Bulls…they are finished.

By DaVonn J on Oct 13, 2007 at 10:05 pm

George M., good to read you. I know you know that it doesn’t matter how many games the Knicks win as far as the haters are concerned. It really isn’t about the wins; it’s about the hate and finding ways on and off the court to try to justify it or camouflage it for public consumption. You are now beginning to see everyone jump on the bandwagon and feigning surprise at traits we saw last year in this team. The reporters will eventually take credit for recgnizing how good this team will be and they will continue to point out how the Knicks overcame a disastrous summer in which according to them Marbury was crazy, Zeke was proven to be a predator and Dolan a wacky fool.

******************************************

I think we give the New York too much credit when we try to analyze the basis of their hatred. In the many, many years that I have been following the press, the thing that has impressed me, not in a positive way, is how stupid and lazy some reporters are. Their motivations are generally not that deep. Basically, they are trying to do a job and move up the career ladder by developing relationships that will help them provide content that their employers believe will sell papers. They are working stiffs who believe they can still hide behind the first amendment to print almost anything with an alleged source attached to it.

The reporter’s hatred is very basic, I believe. I generalize here, but in general I am not incorrect. First, most reporters work in print because they love to write, but they don’t understand, in depth, the business aspects of journalism and the vagaries of the marketplace. They still must work their way up the ladder and they depend on their sources. They face competition that continues to erode their popularity and power. The choices for content are constantly cutting down their audience. Blogs, websites, cable, gossip rags, magazines on top of magazines place great pressure on them to develop salable content. They come to these jobs loving to write, but they learn to hate what they must do to write.

Barry Bonds, James Dolan and the like make their jobs harder because they don’t curry the media’s favor by developing off-the-record relationships so they can do their jobs. Roberto Clemente was treated the same way because he dared to challenge how the press treated him and refused to cowtow to their power. It’s about relationships.

Also generally, reporters are not original, largely, because the system does not reward originality. If you want to be orignial become a novelist, they are told. Most novelist can’t feed a family of one without supplemental income because the publishing industry is controlled by major corporations interested in quick hits and unwilling to invest marketing dollars into new material. Like the movie industry, they can make their money back in weeks before they concentrate on their next money making project.

So generally, beat reporters are not the happiest lot because the job is not what they thought it would be. Especially for sports reporters who must work to develop relationships with untrusting athletes who they eventually must burn in order to get the content they need to impress the boss who wants to impress the audience.

Finally, sports beat reporters really don’t like the athletes as a general population. Not only do they control their ability to make a living, the athletes enjoy advantages and blessings because of their physical talent that betrays what the journalists who were writers in high school and college were told about the need to be smart to succeed in life. Athletes don’t seem to work as hard as the journalist to make so much money and to have so much fame and to enjoy what they are doing. The star factor quickly wears off for journalist and the relationship quickly becomes adversarial. The reporters must ask themselves, “How can someone not nearly as intelligent as me, have so much.” The disdain is palpable and readable in every quote chosen and source unnamed.

This disdain, dislike, disconnect or hatred is compounded in many ways by racial dynamics. Too many ways for me to explore in a couple of paragraphs. Yet, it is a reflection of society. Despite increased numbers of people of color in mainstream media, most of the sportswriters are not just “white” but they lived segregated social lives for most of their lives and don’t have a clue about the lives of many of these black athletes. While I don’t know Frank Isola’s social upbringing, I do know that he has a great disdain for Isiah’s constant reference to his foundation as a person of growing up in West Side of Chicago. It is those struggles and victories that inform Isiahs’ very being, but some reporters, mostly white, have no concept of what that means to Isiah and how that relates to his ability to have his players love him which surprises them.

Race further exacerbates the situation, because America has a great love for products involving people of color. I cannot explain it, but golf sells because of Tiger Woods; women’s tennis trumps mens tennis because of the Williams sisters; baseball is pumped because of McQuire and Sosa, then Bonds, and now Big Papi and Manny; Michael Jordan’s covers were the greatest money maker on sports illustrated. In sports, black people sell. In sports black people sell when they are winning. In New York black people sell when they are demonized. Isiah is only on the cover of newspapers because he can galvanize a purchasing community interested in the story. Bloomberg’s sexual discrimination trials do not sell. Guliani barely sells. Alex Rodriguez sells. His stories can make careers for journalists and columnists. In New York, nastiness, or so it is believed sells. Add nastiness plus race and what do you get. A cut of the money made by sports teams and the athletes.

Surely the analysis can be made more complicated, but I don’t think it is that complicated. It is about money and relationships. Journalists are not a happy lot. I will find the satisfaction poll that tells you that. They are also barely more respected than lawyers in this country. Gallup has polls that illustrate that point.

*******************************

Anyone notice how quietly the people in the know are starting to jump on the bandwagon. You saw that Doug Christy and his wife have expressed their support of Zeke and Christy wishes he could play with the Knicks now that they are formidable. Listen to AH7. He knows the Knicks are ready too.

********************************

I guarantee that the Eastern Conference coaches and executives are having fits. They are hopeful that the Z-Bo-Randolph matchup does not work, but they know that no team in the Conference will be able to defend them successfully. It is the most versatile and deepest team in the Conference. Less than a handful of teams can play multiple styles like the Knicks. They are asking themselves “How do stop Eddie Curry and Randolph? Which big man do we put on Eddie? Which big man do we put on Curry. How do we stop Marbury and Jamal on the drive? How, How, How?”

Yes they know that the notion that Eddie and Z-Bo play the game the same way and that both are low post players is bullshit. The world will see soon that Z-Bo can play from the outside and they won’t be able to stop him, which will leave Curry one on one in a conference with nobody to stop him. Who will stop him? Dwight Howard? Hell no. They will try to keep MuscleMan away from him so he doesn’t foul out? Shaq? Not for long stretches. Bosh? HAHAHAHA. Kristic, Maglore? PLEEEEZE.

******************************

Final note. I may not be posting for a few days, but I am ready to be on FIRE. I have a line-up of material that is spicier than Red Hot Sauce. I will take the next few days to pull together my writing and posting strategy for the season. I am enjoying the work from you guys and I will make every effort to reflect that joy in what I share — of course, that does not mean we will agree, but it means we will have a basis for some hot exchanges.

I am on FIRE and some Mutherfubber is about to burn.

By Lives In New Jersey, Loves New York on Oct 13, 2007 at 11:14 pm

Defenders,

Good morning. Loving the karma in the room. Principle is why we abandoned Hahn and his staff’s arrogance. Knicks Knation got out of control. Too much venom spewed. Berman’s was and is comical. That being said, welcome Bokonon. I also feel we can offer the Lakers more than Chicago or any other team and still have enough left to win a championship now. The Knicks as they are now constructed, are 2 years away from being a powerhouse. This is why the media wants Thomas out. Like our man Star says, it is imperative that the Bockers hit the floor running and winning early. If you watched he 2 games, we can play fast or half court and be successful. The 2nd unit will give the opposition fits. Reminds me of the Pitino teams led by Action Jackson and Patrick. The difference is this group is more skilled and athletic and deeper. Keep this in mind Defenders, Zeke and Magic are very close. Dr. Buss and Kupchak will not pull the trigger on any trade involving The Mamba without consulting Magic. It would be nice to have him but I am good what with we have, except “Big Snacks”.

By bumrush40 on Oct 14, 2007 at 2:40 am

Freedom!
What a beautiful thing! Goodmorning Defenders! Anyone want more proof
that the “Grill” is indeed the infamous “MARK?” Listen up.
Mark tounge rims Isola’s Asshole! lol
Wanna bet he won’t respond? If he does, Starburyfan will have his IP adresss! lol
No more section quotes from the NY State Penal system! Gotta love it and love
that we are about to kick ass this season! Lives in Jerseys on the money about the team this year!
How can Boobirds be heard when we are Kicking ass! ZACH and E-city, every teams nightmare!
Crawford, able to beat you by himself if he’s in a ZONE! Nate, maybe the best overall player
on the Knicks, especially if he steps up his defense. He can frustrate Nash and Kidd along with
Jones, will this year! We as Knick fans finally have a BLOWUP season awaiting us!
I said this before and will Dross it! ZEKE WILL BE THE EASTERN CONFERENCE ALLSTAR COACH!

By Peaceman on Oct 14, 2007 at 6:32 am

Google Alerts Google Alert - new york knicks Sun 10/14/2007 6:25 AM

The Big Push - New York Knicks Fan Site

All-Star guard Houston is back with the Knicks

NBA - sad state of Knicks II

Basketball: Knicks make easy work of Maccabi Tel Aviv

Could Allan Houston Replace Isiah Thomas As New York Knicks’ GM?

By Syd on Oct 14, 2007 at 8:11 am

In my opinion, Isiaih’s plan from the start was “catastrophically flawed, unrealistically optimistic,” and the administration has not provided the resources necessary for victory, “After more than four years of ineptness, MSG continues its desperate struggle without any concerted effort to devise a strategy that will achieve victory,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez pointed to what he said was “neglect and incompetence at the MSG Knicks Executive level” which has put the Knicks into “an intractable situation” in NY.
Chuck Dolan, he said, has failed its job of oversight.
“Who will demand accountability for the failure of Isiaih’s leadership involved in the management of this team” he said. “They have unquestionably been derelict in the performance of their duty. In my profession, these types of leaders would be immediately relieved or court-martialed.”
Sanchez was pessimistic about the chances of victory in MSG unless there is a major change in commitment.
“Continued manipulations and adjustments to our strategy will not achieve victory,” he said. “The best we can do with this flawed approach is stave off defeat.”
“There is no question New York is living a nightmare with no end in sight,” he said.
The nightmare will not end, he said, until Isiaih’s lust for sex, money, and power in NY ends.
“League efforts to date have been corrupted by partisan politics that have prevented us from devising an effective, executable and supportable strategies,” he said. “Without Chuck Dolan and David Stern’s intervention, Knicks are doomed to fail. There is nothing going on today in New York that would give us hope.”

Retired Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez

By KnickPride on Oct 14, 2007 at 8:47 am