Back In Action

Finally! Well, since I missed Monday and Tuesday, and most of you have had a chance to digest football from the weekend (and I'm holding on to my other football article until tomorrow) we're going to check in on some of the other leagues (yes, football is included):

Word on the street is that Stephon Marbury may have seen his last days as a New York Knickerbocker. What, waiving the best point guard in the league? Maybe it was the chess games in the car with interns. The word claims that there will be a buyout of Starbury's $21.9 million contract, which would put the Knicks well at the top of the list of the NBA's best/worst buyouts of all time. In case you're not familiar with how this works, buyouts occur when a team discovers that no other team will pay what they are paying for a particular player, making a trade not possible, but the team still wants to clear roster space to bring in someone other than the overpaid player. So the team literally pays the bought-out player not to play. (I know, I'm trying to figure out a way to make this happen at my job.) Who better than the Knicks to be involved when explaining buyouts?

But the word from new President (since Zeke departed the post) Donnie Walsh doused the flames on all that with some crazy talk. He says that the Knicks expect Marbury to come to camp . . . and they're expecting Allan Houston to come back, too. That was unexpected. So here's what I think happened: Houston's returned reminded them of the last time they paid someone $20 million not to play. Then the Knicks thought to themselves "Ya know, it's not worth another $20 million to be a good team in the best sports market in the country. It's not. If we keep adding players that other teams don't want and our draft picks get booed every year, we'll have a championship in no time." And then they struck the part about winning a championship and inserted just a question mark.

No fear, Knicks fans, you're likely to still have your same old (read: terrible) team to kick around, whether Marbury's there or not. If they let him go, who do they have to replace him? Sure, they've signed a guard - Anthony Roberson. . . 'nuf said. They can't really afford (not just monetarily) to buy out Marbury's contract and still pick up a solid, established player who would want to come into that situation. This last part is the key. The Knicks organization reminds me of another poorly run outfit in another city that has also become the laughing stock of the entire league. But the Knicks are even more special because they ensure that talented players don't shine there under any circumstances. Here's hoping Marbury is in the great shape they say he is and that former Phoenix Suns/new Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni can bring some of his winning ways - or at least mentality - out east . . .


I'm checking out these WNBA Finals. I'm currently watching the L.A. Sparks vs. the Seattle . . . wait, let me look that up . . . Storm. It's the elimination game, as they're calling it, with the winner going to the Western Conference Finals. The Storm actually has Sue Bird, although she didn't have a great first half. The Sparks, on the other hand, has Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker - the top two jersey sellers in the league - who, not coincidentally, are also the top scorers in this game. I'm no Nostradamus but I have a really, really good feeling that the Sparks are going to win this one. Let's just say I saw some highlights from the Detroit Shock game in which the only fans in the arena were seated in the lower third rows. I think they'll pick up more than just the diehard fan if/when the Sparks make it. I just saw a Storm player try to drive on Leslie and Parker . . . and come away with a blocked shot and some alone time with the hardwood. And mic'd up coaches - which mics occasionally catch a raucous fan seated nearby. And (female) commentators who aren't afraid to call like they see it. Fun to watch.

This brings me to another point. I just watched the Storm's coach talk to the ladies in the locker room. How come men can coach women's sports but women can't coach men's? When will we break through this, one of the last remaining glass ceilings? I may have to do a write up on this soon . . .

Quarterback Swap is on again. This week's victim is past MVP Pro Bowler Marc Bulger of the ailing St. Louis Rams. At least they're making some changes . . . . There's not much further down to fall than 0-3 after three weeks. . . but 0-4 after four weeks is a sure sign that the end is imminent. The man starting in Bulger's place is none other than Trent "walking endorsement for the anti-concussion helmet" Green. (I briefly considered posting a picture of him on a stretcher but I'm just not that cruel. Instead, I went with a picture of Bulger in a pose that may become more familiar to him over the next few weeks.) Last season, when Green was a Miami Dolphin, I suggested in my post that he ought to be nicer to the O-line if he wants to avoid having his block knocked off. Well, at least if he gets rocked (and I sincerely hope he does not - this article says it all), he will know that it's not because they don't want to protect him, they just . . . can't.

It looks like Bulger may have pine-riding company in Cleveland Browns QB Derek Anderson . . .


Turning to a place I don't turn too often: golf. (No, really. My brand new clubs are still sitting here untouched). The U.S. team actually won the Ryder Cup (that U.S. vs. Europe golf competition) for the first time in nine years, without the help of Tiger Woods. I don't think this is such a fluke or coincidental at all, and though the Brits apparently are blaming Nick Faldo for their loss, I think there is a far less complex explanation: no Tiger. It's hard to focus on your game when you're more concerned with matching up with your teammate than you are with beating the other team. Unfortunately, the "Tiger-effect" falls to other players too, effectively rendering anyone who doesn't win a major or compete with Tiger on the final day of an event virtually anonymous. This was confirmed when I failed to recognize most of the younger guys on the U.S. roster. But maybe this is just what they needed to get themselves on the map. Until Tiger returns, anyway.



Rutgers University QB Mike Teel threw an interception and then a punch at his teammate, Glen Lee, just during a game Rutgers eventually lost to Navy last Saturday. Rutgers' coach Greg Schiano has decided not to punish the QB, saying the situation "was over and done with." Does it help that this teammate was a reserve defensive back who was trying to tell Teel to keep his head up? Look, I know he was frustrated, but if the situation had been reversed, I wouldn't be surprised if Lee had been kicked off the team. Lee supported the move not to punish Teel, calling it a "family" matter (over and over again). In all the key players' own words:



I should have counted how many times they all used the word "family" in this video. It has to be on par with Allen Iverson's love for "practice." One of them blamed it on being "competitive." I'm competitive, but I've never attempted to punch a teammate in the mouth, and neither do most people (even though we all may have wanted to more than a few times). Lee sounds like a battered spouse. I don't know what happened behind closed doors, or why Lee appears literally to be taking the punch, but I get the sneaking suspicion that it's directly proportional to his perceived importance to the team. Yuck. I know Schiano doesn't want to go 0-4 and miss that bowl game they're used to attending, but your QB's out of control, buddy. This one gets a thumbs way down.



But I'd like to end this post on a thumbs up, which goes out to Ball State University football wide received Dante Love. Love had been having a stellar season thus far, picking up where he left off as an All-Mid-American first team standout. On Saturday, Love was injured during Ball State's win over Indiana University when he collided with an Indiana cornerback. I've read that his head dipped at the last moment, which is almost always followed by injury. Unfortunately, they're saying that Love's injury will end his career, but that he will be able to live a normal life - meaning he likely won't be paralyzed (and if he's able to move now, then that's probably the case). The one consolation I can offer Love is that "they" have been wrong many times before. While I certainly wouldn't encourage him to come back before he is ready, it doesn't necessarily have to be over just because they say it is. I really hate to see anyone's hopes and dreams dashed in an instant - especially at his age and in his situation. But even if he never plays again, I believe things happen sometimes to teach you a lesson that you wouldn't have learned otherwise or to push you in a direction that you may not have otherwise considered. Hopefully, in time, it will all make sense to him. Two thumbs WAY up for a speedy recovery.

You Read That Right: Yes, New York, There Is A Knicks Team*

New feature I just devise: Any sports story that's completely out of the ordinary is going to be tagged "You Read That Right."

For the inaugural post, to the surprise of everyone, including the team and their fans, the New York Knicks are on a three-game winning streak. A team that hadn't won ten games prior to this streak now winning three in a row is a bit extraordinary. That's with Stephon Marbury going down with bone spurs in his ankle, which he says will require surgery. It's almost sad, because the Knicks had become the running joke in town. What will New Yorkers complain about now?

And the Knicks finally winning has brought attention to another disaster called the Miami Heat, which as of a Wednesday night 30-point blowout to the Chicago Bulls has now lost its 11th game in a row. That's with Shaq and D Wade both scoring 24 points apiece, but virtually no bench scoring compared to the Bulls. Another team that needs to make moves, and soon, or they might need to change their name to the Miami Ice.

* Play on the the New York Sun's response to Virginia's question as to whehter Santa Claus existed.

Perfect Shooting and Mulligans

Interesting past few days in the NBA.

First, the New Orleans Hornets' star Chris Paul shot perfectly from the field in the Hornets game against the Miami Heat on Friday night. Like, really, perfect, as in did not miss a shot. 7 for 7. And it was not just him, his teammates Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo were perfect, too, going 9 for 9 and and 4 for from the field, respectively. Jackson is not being promoted as a star like Paul, so that's why his 9 for 9 gets second-billing, although Jackson's performance was more impressive to me (7 for 7 from behind the 3 point line). And not one of them even attempted a free throw. Of course, this is minus Shaq, but even without him, only two starters had two fouls, while the rest of the team had about one foul apiece. That's great defense, Heat. If you don't believe me, check out the caption on ESPN for the above photo: "Looking on is Miami Heat guard Jason Williams."

This was in striking contrast to the Detroit Pistons shooting against the New York Knicks on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. Who won this game? If you said the league-terrible Knicks, then you would be correct. The Pistons shot about as awfully as they could have. How awful? Second worst scoring performance in the history of the franchise. That bad.

But, the Miami Heat can take solace in receiving the rarest of the rare kind of gift from the NBA. No, not a good team. No, they received the chance to re-play part of a game that they lost.

In a December 19 game against the Atlanta Hawks, the official scorers incorrectly reported that Shaq had fouled out of the game with 51.9 seconds remaining, when in fact he only had 5 fouls. Alas, Shaq "fouled out" and the Hawks won the game, 117-111.

The Heat protested the game's outcome because of the foul discrepancy, and Commissioner David Stern has decided they were right. So on March 8, the team will re-play the game with 51.9 seconds on the clock, when the Hawks were leading 114-111. From Stern's comments, the closeness of the game is the reason for the re-play. And the Heat lost an "L" in the loss column - although I don't think it would make much of a difference.

Not only that, but Stern fined the Hawks $50,000 for their "grossly negligent" conduct. Yes, Stern is still an attorney at heart.

If that sounds unusual, it's because it is. I can't recall ever hearing of anything even remotely like that. That's because nothing like this has happened since 1982, when the San Antonio Spurs benefited from a do-over against the Los Angeles Lakers (ironically, involving the same scores involved here, 117-114). I'm intrigued as to how this will be handled logistically. It appears that the end of this game will take place prior to the beginning of a regularly scheduled meeting between the two teams, so that the fans will get something of a doubleheader. I would be mad if I had tickets to the last outing, though, and couldn't witness the history in the making. I will be tuning in for this one, for sure . . . hmm, maybe that is the whole point? Stern is no dummy, folks.

Rundown from the Run-Down . . . Again

The Vick piece took a lot more time than I anticipated, which means other stuff gets short shrift. So here's my rundown of events I would have covered had I had 28 hours in a day (aka RFTR):

• Floyd Mayweather did not disappoint on December 8, on pay-per-view (I learned this from his Dancing with the Stars stint). Just when it looked like this was going 12 rounds, Mayweather came through with a vengeance, knocking out Great Britain's Ricky Hatton in the 10th. Now Pretty Boy, uh, I mean Money Mayweather is bored with boxing. That can only mean one thing: rapping! Say it ain't so, Money.
  

• The Eastern conference said the heck with all those who said they're weak. Monday night, two teams who have basically been written off took it to their Western conference opponents as the Miami Heat beat the Phoenix Suns, and even more shockingly, the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Houston Rockets. Even the New York Knicks took it to the Dallas Mavericks but came up a little short. Keeping it interesting. I'm all for it.

• Speaking of the Knicks, they settled their case brought by Anucha Browne Sanders for $11.5 million, which is what the jury had ordered up in the way of punitive damages. This means the Knicks and coach Isiah Thomas aren't going to fight the verdict anymore, particularly since they faced the possibility of paying even more in compensatory damages and paying Browne Sanders costs and fees. Said ESPN.com:

By settling, the Knicks avoided paying her legal fees, while Brown[e] Sanders gets her money faster and avoids the possibility of having her award reduced on appeal.

. . . And everybody's happy. Or at least less pissed off.

• Again, speaking of the Knicks, Knicks owner James Dolan has said Thomas' job is safe. In between maintaining his own innocence, Thomas said:

"It's a city and a place unlike anyplace else in the NBA," he told reporters. "It's the most difficult place to win and the most challenging. Every game is the season, and that's the unique passion New York brings. The people here are thirsty, they want it, and it really brings out the best in you. You have to bring it every day, whether you're a coach, a player or a guy trying to get on the subway.["]

Oh really, Zeke? You're bringing it to guys on the subway, too? Well, after they read your comments, you might want to start riding in a car before those guys start bringing it back to you.

Rundown From the Run-down (aka RFTR)

I need sleep. So that means one thing . . . RFTR Time!

• How come I'm just hearing the name "Portland Jailblazers" for the first time when Doug Collins said it during the Miami/Portland game Thursday night? Must have been when i tuned out the NBA while I was in law school. The name is just wrong, but gets points for creativity. The Blazers infamously passed on Michael Jordan and instead drafted Sam Bowie. That's got to be as jail-worthy as anything the players did. Seeing Greg Oden watch the game from a floor seat makes me think they might need to be sentenced again in the near future.
  

• Speaking of sentencing, Barry Bonds makes his first court appearance on Friday. Monday is Michael Vick's sentencing. Barry should be sending Vick a thank you note right about now for the distraction.
  

• "Sources" are reporting that Jason Kidd sat out the New Jersey Nets' game against the New York Knicks to express his displeasure over contract negotiations, not a migraine as he said. Kidd says hogwash. "I would never abuse the game of basketball." Avoiding very obvious (and inappropriate, if you're in the Kidd family) jokes here, all I will say is that I'm glad to hear that.
  

• The Knicks are the most valuable NBA franchise, according to Forbes. This is the 3rd straight year that they have topped the list. And you wonder why James Dolan would rather build a team of good names instead of a team that's really good. They also have the most 1st round draft picks on their roster with 12. No comment. It's too easy.

• The Washington Redskins beat the Chicago Bears last night, in a game they needed if they want any chance of going to the playoffs. After attending their teammate Sean Taylor's funeral on Monday, I can't think of a better way to honor his memory than to come up with a win when it really counts.

• The Dallas Mavericks lost pretty badly to the Denver Nuggets last night. Allen Iverson didn't have 51 like in their loss the night before to the L.A. Lakers, but he did drop in 35. Way to be a team player, AI. And way to provide further proof that the Mavs are going to make the playoffs and that's about it.
  

Happy Friday!!

Barkley: Thomas is "As Safe As Me In A Room Full of Cookies"

Isiah Thomas will probably be out of a job by the weekend. Tonight on TNT's broadcast of the New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics, Ernie Johnson asked Charles Barkley whether he thought Thomas' job was safe. After some hemming and hawing, Barkley finally answered:

"He's about as safe as me in a roomful of cookies."

In other words, not safe at all. (If you are looking for a great sound byte on a topic, Barkley never fails to disappoint.)

Forget the rumors and conjecture. I watched their "game" - if you can call it that - Thursday night against the Boston Celtics. Granted, I caught the second half, but I saw more than I needed to come to the conclusion that this team with Zeke is hopeless.

At halftime, they were down by 23, but they managed to score 28 points in the entire second half - that's for the entire team, not one player. In fact, only one player - Nate Robinson - scored in double digits (more on that later). The field goals made vs. missed for the starters looked more like dates at the beginning of the year: 1-10, 2-4, 2-11, 3-12, 4-8. Not going to get too far with that one.

By the start of the 4th quarter, the score was 41 to 82, after the Knicks scored a whopping 10 points in the 3rd quarter. Bostons starters sat out almost the entire second half. In the waning seconds of the 4th quarter, the Knicks somehow managed to get up to 56 in mostly garbage time since they were down 40 throughout the quarter, and were on track to set a record for the least amount of points in Knicks history (58). Then, with two seconds left on the clock, Robinson launched a shot from just inside half court that sank at the buzzer, giving them their final total of 59 points. And this was the shot that made him the only double digits scorer for the Knicks and saved the team from an otherwise record-setting loss - a record no one wants to have.

No doubt, though, that the game was still historic because it was probably one of the saddest displays of basketball that I have ever seen in the NBA. This looked like the early non-conference college basketball games between a Division I powerhouse and a Division II weakling. But as well as the Celtics played (they destroyed them in the lane, on both ends of the floor), the Knicks didn't even look like they were trying. They literally just quit playing. If you saw the game, then you know what I'm talking about. You could see it in their faces. Some guys were shaking their heads on the bench at the spectacle, but most of them just seemed to be saying "who cares?"

Not surprisingly, Zeke's face was actually the saddest throughout the game. He looked completely lost in thought with his eyes glazed over, alternately smirking or smiling, watching his team (and thus his position with the Knicks) go up in flames. His players seemed more smug because they feel certain that they aren't going anywhere, knowing their coach will likely take the fall for this one.

After the game, when Zeke was asked whether he was embarrassed, he responded "we're all embarrassed." Marbury and They may all be embarrassed, but only one of them is likely going anywhere.

When Kevin Garnett was asked after the game what he thought of the Knicks effort, he said that he had played with Stephon Marbury and this did not look like the same Marbury that he knew then. When asked if he thought they had quit, he suggested that guys don't just quit, something has to make them quit.

Hmm. Now what kind of "something" could he be talking about? The end result is that the team just up and quits on Zeke, which, if it continues in their game tomorrow, will in essence force the owners to fire him. In the process, the team embarrassed themselves and their city by putting forth no effort, and making Zeke look like a fool.

The truth is that this team without Zeke may be just as bad as they were with him. If whoever comes in next is able to right this ship, I will be shocked. Larry Brown couldn't do it, Zeke couldn't do it. Maybe the solution calls for something more drastic . . .

like disbanding the Knicks and sending their players to other teams. Just a thought.

Not So Fast, Says Zeke

Don't look now but the New York Knicks are on a two-game winning streak after a win tonight over the Utah Jazz, which is a good win for any team much less the Knicks.

I even saw Isiah Thomas smiling on the sideline during the game. Smiling? Methinks someone was given an ultimatum and is happy he's living up to his end of the bargain - so far.

Last Chapter of Isiah

It looks like all those "Fire Isiah" chants worked.

Word on the street is that Isiah Thomas is done as the President and head coach of the New York Knicks. No word on exactly when, but the unofficial line is sooner rather than later.

The Knicks have been underwhelming for long enough. I figured this was coming, but I thought they'd at least keep him through Christmas. I guess they want a new start in the new year with a new coach, and I can't say that I blame them. BUT if the next coach doesn't perform well, either, then they may need to look at other scapegoats for the mess that is the Knicks . . . but they may not be able to fire him . . .

I'll post more details as they become available.

Zeke Was Just Kidding But the Joke's On Him

New York Knickerbockers coach Isiah Thomas decided that a week of good behavior warrants returning to the starting line up. That, or, Stephon Marbury has enough blackmail on Zeke that he had to do it.

Whatever the reason, Marbury started in the Knicks game Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors.

Starbury didn't play half bad but the Knicks are terrible, and they were no match for Baron Davis and the Warriors.

Even better, the fans were booing the team for almost 3/4 of the game, and called for Isiah's head. Ok, at least calling for him to be fired.

Even with Zach Randolph, they couldn't find their rhythm.

At this rate, I say Zeke's on the chopping block by the All-Star game.

Starbury Could Have Sent Two Kids To College

What a hoax!

The best point guard ever, as he will forever be referred to here, Stephon Marbury, aka Starbury, was fined more than $195,000 for skipping the Knicks game against the Phoenix Suns. For all that, he could have showed up and given the money to two kids to attend a good college or university. I figured I'd title this post to make Starbury look like a real bad guy. I saw an article entitled "Marbury Steals Candy from Babies and Kicks Old Ladies" earlier today, and thought to myself, "I could do better."

My guess was that the money was his proportionate to his salary for that game, and a little off the top as a fine, and - what do ya know - that is just what it turned out to be. Approximately $180,000, or 1/110th of his yearly salary, for missing a game without a reasonable excuse, per the league's collective bargaining agreement, and a $20,000 fine for skipping.

I guess "pissed off" doesn't qualify as a reasonable excuse. He is apparently appealing the fine. I swear new information comes out every half hour on this story.

THEN came reports that Isiah "Zeke" Thomas and Starbury had words on the team plane. Even possibly came to fisticuffs, but they're denying this. Now that's a fight I would pay to see. I know Zeke grew up on the rough streets of Chicago, but I don't know if he still has his jab.

What are these? Brass knuckles?

Starbury was heard in the back of the plane saying:

"Isiah has to start me," Marbury fumed, according to the source. "I've got so much (stuff) on Isiah and he knows it. He thinks he can (get) me. But I'll (get) him first. You have no idea what I know."

Ooh-ooh-ooh, threatening the coach. Who says that out loud? He has clearly been watching too much The Young & The Restless. He should be watching more One Life To Live and stop causing trouble in his.

And then had the nerve to show up for the Knicks game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Yup, much ado about nothing. The game just finished as I type, and he played 33 minutes (on the low end of the starters minutes) and had 13 points (4-12) and 4 assists. (Note: ESPN gets confused with the stats when the game ends - weren't they keeping them as the game went on?)

I guess he couldn't bear losing a half million(!) for two nights of work.

Another surprise (OK, not really), Steve Francis did something similar when he skipped the team plane to attend the Super Bowl . . . um. Not surprisingly, Stevie "Franchise" also played for the Knicks at one point in time (he is now a Houston Rocket - again).

But the bottom line is that Starbury tricked everyone and now he's back with the Knicks. Let's see how long this lasts . . . Any bets?

Screw You Guys. I'm Going Home.

It seems that the best point guard ever has decided that his days might be numbered with the New York Knicks.

Stephon Marbury better known as Starbury (or Another Overpaid Player on the Knicks Roster - AOPKR), was apparently told that he wasn't starting, which he took as a sign that it was time for him to go. Yes, instead of staying in Phoenix to play with the team, AOPKR Starbury decided to take the first plane back to BK (He's from there but even with gentrification, I doubt he still lives there), and perhaps bought his ticket off the Knicks team.

Now, this is not your typical day at the office. The boss tells you that you're not his go to guy or gal, you can't just go home. Plenty of people are getting benched every day. Imagine if they just decided to go home instead of staying at work.

Even better, imagine that you sent a text message to the New York Post saying, "The boss said I could go." He apparently has no plans of going to L.A. to play the Clippers, either.

And there you have Starbury's Tuesday afternoon. Knicks coach (if you don't know whose name is next, you must be new here, and if so, welcome - and click here to get caught up!) Isiah Thomas skirted the issue, and issued his own statement that said, in not so many words (read: Zeke speak), "Get your behind on this bench next to me, or else." If this isn't the end of his stay with Knicks, it really should be.

And "his" could refer to either of the two men mentioned here. Sure, Starbury's not the easiest guy to deal with, but it might just be time to make that change in the Big Apple. Starbury is owed another $42 million(!) over the next two seasons, so no team is going to want to trade for him unless they have some equally atrocious contract on their roster or just really (like really) need a change. That means that the Knicks could end up buying out his contract, which would likely make them the proud owners - again - of the highest paid player not playing the game.

One thing is for certain: If the Knicks underperform again this year, you better get your tickets now because this will be Isiah's last year coaching the Knicks.

Tragedy Averted

So Al Sharpton was all set to protest at the New York Knicks' home opener because he believed Isiah Thomas had said that it was OK for a black man to call a black woman a b*tch, but not OK for a white man to do the same. A news conference was held on Saturday in which Zeke, his wife Lynn, and Sharpton all showed up.

Lynn Thomas produced the full length tape for Mr. Sharpton (and Tamika Mallory from the Decency Initiative).

Mrs. Thomas also added:

"I know my husband never said those things," she said. "If he spoke like that I would not be with him."

Per Saturday's news conference, Sharpton is apparently satisfied now that Zeke knows it's wrong for a black or a white man to say to anyone. That means no protest against Zeke and the Knicks.

And now the Knicks can get back to what they do best . . . when you figure out what that is, let me know.

Could It Be Something I (Allegedly) Said?

Instead of the warm welcome that he may have been expecting, NY Knicks' coach Isiah Thomas received a chorus of boos from the Knicks fans. It's unclear if they are just warming up for the rest of the season, or whether they heard that Isiah told his co-worker, Anucha Browne Sanders, "B----, I don't give a f--- about these white people," in reference to the season ticket holders.

The Knicks eventually beat the Boston Celtics, who have been on a roll this preseason, but we'll see when the real games start October 30.

Man, I can't wait for basketball season to start up again! If you try to do something else on a Sunday besides watch football, you've pretty much missed all the fun for the whole week. The return of Tuesdays with Chucky* (Barkley, and Ernie, and Kenny) couldn't come fast enough.

NBA Action . . . It's Faaaaaaaaaaantastic. I'll take my shiny nickel for the advertising now, thanks.



* - Horrid play on Tuesdays with Morrie, a great little book by sportswriter Mitch Albom**



** -- Make that 10 cents for pushing that book.

Now You Want To Focus On Defense?

So Zeke alleviated our fears that he would not be able to focus on the going-to-be-awesome New York Knicks after the train wreck that was his trial. Zeke is back on the court after being in one for the past few weeks. I bet he has never been so happy to hear grown men whine and complain in his life. Said the NY Times of his training camp practice in South Carolina:

[Isiah] forced a chuckle now and then, and suppressed a sigh when asked about the “too familiar” sight of [Knicks' player Jerome] James, a $30 million investment, watching from the sideline.

“Is it too familiar or very familiar?” Thomas said. It was noted that very familiar was an observation of fact, whereas too familiar was more of an editorial comment.

“Well, let’s stick with the facts,” Thomas said with a laugh, echoing the words he used to defend himself against the harassment charges.

Wow Zeke. Nothing says "I'm a winner" like making a joke about a sexual harassment trial that you lost prior to having your appeal heard. The Times article continues:

His expressions and words were more constrained when it came to specific questions about the trial, and its effects. Asked about potential distractions, he said: “We won’t be distracted. No.” Asked if he was worried about his job, he answered simply, “No.” Asked if the case had any effect on the team, Thomas said, “None at all.” He referred a question about the possibility of a backlash from fans to a Knicks public-relations person, standing to his right.

I don't know how he knows if the trial had any effect on the team. I mean, at the least, they just might stop calling people names when they can't get tickets for their friends and family. More:

Thomas said he chose not to discuss his ordeal with the team, preferring to focus on the work at hand. That has been a difficult task because Thomas spent much of the summer preparing for the trial.

He huddled with lawyers during the day, but said he “worked a lot of nights” to prepare for the season and came to camp “extremely focused.”

“Honestly, my head never left basketball,” Thomas said. “This is what I’ve done and this is what I do. And this is what I think about the majority of the time.”

Thomas spoke earnestly of “trying to make some noise in the N.B.A.” and of putting the Knicks, who have not won a playoff game since 2001, in position to compete for a championship.

Because that's what his lawyers want to hear, that all he thought about was basketball. Maybe that explains his opinions on the word b*tch, and his lack of awareness of how the jury would perceive him. And good luck trying to make some noise in the NBA, Zeke. This could mean a) the Knicks will be a good team this year, or b) that NBA Commissioner David Stern is going to fine you and/or the Knicks for harassing your employees. Neither scenario is likely, but the former is darn near an impossibility. From the last lines of the article:

But what was Thomas’s main focus as he returned to the court?

“Defense,” [Knicks center Eddie] Curry said. “Defense.”

Well, if you can't succeed in one court, try another! On the bright side, there really is nowhere to go but up from here.

And the Weiner Is . . .

The hot topic, given much more air time than the entire trial, of the day is that Isiah "Zeke" Thomas and the New York Knicks were found liable for sexually harassing Anucha Browne Sanders. (Check this post for a link to my previous trial coverage.) Interestingly, the jury decided that only the Knicks, and owner James Dolan, have to fork over the $11.6 million that they awarded her.

Here is the breakdown:

The Garden owes $6 million for condoning a hostile work environment and $2.6 million for retaliation. Dolan owes $3 million [personally].

That's right, Zeke doesn't have to pay a penny. And that is even more than the $10 million that she requested.

Hmm. Well, I can't say I'm completely shocked, despite what I wrote below, because like I said, you just never know what a jury sees and processes as truth. Plus, we did not have the benefit of seeing this trial for ourselves like we did with O.J. And let's face it: Had you not seen the entire O.J. trial, you probably wouldn't have seen any way that they could have found him not guilty, either.

Having not watched the trial, I underestimated the effect that a-holes bad witnesses can have on a case. If the jury feels that a witness is being flippant, cold, uncaring, or is just flat out lying, then s/he could be talking about how their pet rabbit got decapitated (true story) and the jury wouldn't believe it.

I think that's what happened here. Zeke and Jimmy Boy, aka Dolan, most likely tried to come out smelling like roses, but when you have really bad facts (i.e., that you think it's not so bad to call a woman a b*tch), if you get on the stand acting like the perfect person, most juries are going to call BS. I'm not familiar with Dolan, but if the jury felt that only he and Knicks should be responsible, that tells me that they thought Dolan was the mastermind who sanctioned the inappropriate behavior, and Zeke was just the "jerk" (the jury's thoughts, not mine) he hired who fit his management style.

And take heart, Knicks fans (all three of you), $11.6 million is nothing compared to the $20 million they paid Allan Houston to sleep and pick his teeth.

Even though Isiah doesn't have to pay anything right now, you better believe that a club will think three times about hiring him with this highlight on his resume. Especially if they don't have the cash to throw around like the Knicks. And Isiah thought he had a tough time getting hired before this case.

I'm interested to see how the NBA will handle this. Bash a ref, you get a fine. Leave the bench to break up a fight, you also get a fine. Wear baggy jeans and a fitted, you're getting fined, too. But sexually harass your employees? Then the NBA says police yourself. If you really, truly care about the NBA's image, David Stern, then as the NBA commissioner, I think you just might want to address this one. Or not. (Law)suit yourself.

Isiah: Trouble of Biblical Proportions

Zeke is in a little bit of trouble. Well, he's being sued, and maybe he won't be found liable so then he wouldn't be in trouble. But the fact that he's being sued in the first place is trouble in my book, and the fact that this case made it past all the legal mumbo jumbo to trial means there's some evidence that he's been a "badboy." HA. Ok, I won't crack anymore jokes because he's being sued for $10 million and there's nothing funny about that.

Perhaps I should explain the lawsuit. First, let me remind you that the trial is taking place in New York. That means that all the gossip rags will have outrageous headlines like this one:

Plaintiff: Isiah Thomas cursed white fans

followed by even more wild stories about the proceedings, but providing us with plenty of fodder to sling around the blog. Anyway, here's what's going on:

Zeke, aka Isiah Lord Thomas, III, Indiana University standout, one of the Top 50 NBA players of all time, winner of two back-t0-back NBA Championships, and Hall of Famer, cheeky friend of Magic Johnson, is the head coach (former President) of the long-suffering, talent-bloated New York Knicks.

Anucha Browne Sanders, a married mother of three, was a basketball star in her own right, having played for Northwestern University and earned the distinction of the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in Big Ten Conference history. After working as a marketing executive for the Knicks, she was promoted to the position of senior vice president of marketing and business operations by the franchise. According to reports, she was apparently fired by the team in January of 2006, four years into her stint as SVP.

Just a few days after she was terminated, Ms. Browne Sanders filed a lawsuit against Zeke and Madison Square Garden (which owns the Knicks, among other franchises). In her suit she claims that Zeke sexually harassed from the moment she started until the day she was fired, and she claims that she was fired because she complained about the harassment. Since the suit was filed, Browne Sanders has added Knicks owner James Dolan as a defendant. The NY press has a penchant for tearing into Dolan, who famously made the decision to give Allan Houston $100 million ($25 million more than the next closest offer), making him the highest paid player in the league even though he was retired. Yeah, he probably still wakes up sweating about that one. Expect to see some Arthur Blank-like reporting on him here.

Yesterday, jury selection began in this suit that promises to be a doozy. This article says that they had no trouble finding unbiased jurors because nobody in the jury pool is a Knicks fan. So Zeke can get a "fair" trial because his team sucks. See, I told you every story has a positive side. But then people like this make the jury, despite Zeke's attorneys' (all females, I might add) objections:

“I can speak freely?” Tommy Vasquez, 37, a Bronx maintenance man, said when asked about Thomas. “He’s a pretty good talent evaluator, but he’s not so good a G.M.”

And people like this are in the jury pool:

Other[ jurors] said they might have a hard time complying with [Judge Gerard] Lynch's request that they ignore the sports pages, at least until the trial is over.

"I'm a Yankee fan," said Dr. Philip Lief, 67, a vice chairman of the department of medicine at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. "I would do what I had to do."

It is nice to know that people are taking their civic duties seriously, but not more seriously than they take their Yankees.

All I can say is that he's in for an interesting few weeks. Luckily, this is a civil suit so he (and/or MSG) only stands to lose dollars, not freedom.

Today, Browne Sanders testified first on her own behalf. She stated that Zeke sweet talked her by frequently starting conversations by calling her "B*tch" and/or "Ho." She alleged that after a rousing game of HORSE during the Christmas party, Zeke professed his love for her and requested to go "off-site" with her, and that he continued to do so despite her requests for him to work with her in a professional manner. She claimed that she reported his behavior to a MSG executive, who told her that she didn't have to go off-site with him. I find this testimony the most interesting though:

Thomas said it was just like ``Love & Basketball,'' a movie in which two players argue before realizing they're in love with each other, Browne Sanders testified.

Hmm. Doesn't sound like the Zeke I know, but perhaps a man in love is prone to corniness every now and then.

On the other side, the defense had this to say in their opening statements, prior to Browne Sanders' testimony:

Ronald Green, who is a lawyer for Dolan and the Garden, described [Browne Sanders] as an incompetent executive who resented Thomas for limiting her access to the Knicks’ basketball side. He said she concocted her harassment allegations because she feared for her job starting early in Thomas’s regime.

He said she compromised her job by not adapting to Thomas’s management style, and by alienating Stephon Marbury, the Knicks’ star guard, shortly after he joined the team.

Most importantly, Green said, she never complained to Mills about abusive treatment by Thomas and also angered Dolan during budget meetings.

“ ‘You don’t know the difference between an expense and a capital expenditure,’ ” Green said Dolan told Browne Sanders at a July 2005 meeting. He said that Dolan was advised to fire her but instead “saved her,” albeit temporarily, by suggesting that she receive extra training .

Green also said that Browne Sanders had a financial motivation to lie; that if she quit, she would not get severance, that she had a $650,000 mortgage on her New Jersey house and a husband with a modest income.

One of Zeke's female attorney team members also added her two cents during opening arguments:

Kathleen Bogas, Thomas’s lawyer, referred frequently to Browne Sanders as a powerful woman, a former ball player and executive; a tall and imposing figure who “with heels on, is taller than Isiah Thomas.”

She said that Browne Sanders resented Thomas, calling him a “thug.” Bogas denied that Thomas had ever been abusive to Browne Sanders and that witnesses will testify “ad nauseum” about Thomas hugging and kissing people — “men, women, black, white, adults, children, in front of his wife and children.”

I knew I was on to something.

I will offer the disclaimer that sexual harassment lawsuits have some of the craziest facts you've ever heard. You won't meet a man who stick bananas in his pants and wave it through his fly at his co-workers until you've been a part of a sexual harassment case. And this one is no different. He said-she said is hard to prove. She better have more than just her words, because if the defense finds any reason whatsoever why this woman has a reason to lie, it's coming out. I hope she never did anything she's ashamed of ever in life . . . because that's coming out, too. Either in court or in the court of public opinion. That's a guarantee.

I'm sure David Stern is wishing that the NBA could rest in peace following the referee nightmare, but unfortunately he's going to have to sweat a little bit more before the season starts. I'm just glad this trial won't interfere with the NBA season, because the Knicks need all the help they can get.