The Knicks were once one of the best teams in the league every year, and now thanks to Isiah Thomas and James Dolan they are the laughing stock of not only the NBA, but professional sports. Dolan is deaf and blind to chants of thousands of Knicks fans that want Thomas fired, and the team to start from scratch and quit getting players that are over payed and under perform. The Knicks were my first favorite team in sports, and now they are unwatchable and a joke. As Thomas's 4 year anniversary with the team approaches, here is a long list in chronological order of the Knicks downfall.
1956- James Dolan, Chairman of the Board of Cablevision- Parent company of Madison Square Garden and the New York Knicks, is born.
4/30/61- Isiah Thomas, one of the best point guards to ever play in the NBA, is born in Chicago, IL.8/3/99- Isiah Thomas purchases the Continental Basketball Association, a "minor league" for the NBA, but not owned by the NBA.
2/24/01- A year and a half after Thomas purchases the CBA, they declare bankruptcy, and the first of his many horrible decisions is felt in the basketball world.
12/22/03- A day that almost every Knicks fan can tell you, the day Isiah Thomas was hired as President of Basketball Operations for the New York Knicks, the 2nd best Eastern Conference team of the 90's.
12/30/03- A mere 8 days into his reign, Isiah makes his first trade, Clarence Weatherspoon to Houston for Moochie Norris and the now openly homosexual John Amechi who never plays a game for them. A small trade in terms of players, but an early sign of ineptitude as the Knicks now have 4 Point Guards on their roster.
1/5/04- The blockbuster trade of the Thomas era came only 2 weeks into his reign of terror, Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, 2 other players, 2 1st Round Draft Picks, and cash are traded to Phoenix for Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway, and another player. Penny had three years left on a deal that paid him $13.5 million that season, $14.625 million in 2004-05 and $15.75 million in 2005-06. He barley left the bench for the Knicks, and the Suns saved nearly $25 million that season and the next, and now make perennial runs at the Finals. More on Starbury to come.
1/15/04- Isiah hires the all-time wins leader, Lenny Wilkens to coach the Knicks. Stay tuned to see how that works out.
2/16/04- Knicks trade Keith Van Horn, Michael Doleac, and a 2nd Round Pick for Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed. Both Thomas and Mohammed are making or have made contributions to Championship caliber teams.
3/10/04- Kurt Thomas receives a 4 year $30 million extension. The heart of a team that has traded away 6 of its players, and plays great defense and unselfish basketball, deserved this deal, and it looked like the Knicks were doing the right thing, then....
3/13/04- Vin Baker signs with the Knicks. A few months after failing out of his AA class, Isiah picks up the 32 year old even though Baker was quoted as saying that not listening to alcohol counselors led to his relapse, and it kind of "snuck up on me." Awesome.
5/04- After revamping half of the roster, the Knicks finish 39-43 and get swept by the New Jersey Nets in the first round of the playoffs, their last time in the playoffs to date.
8/4/04- Beginning where he left off last season, Isiah trades Othella Harrington, Frank Williams, Dikembe Mutumbo, and another player to Chicago for Jamal Crawford and Jerome Williams. This move leaves Kurt Thomas, the always injured Allan Houston, the most out of shape player in the league for now Mike Sweetney, and the soon to be gone Shandon Anderson as the only players remaining from when Thomas took over the team.
8/19/04- "NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Knicks on Wednesday re-signed forward Vin Baker despite his history of alcohol-related problems." I have no words for this.
11/11/04- The Knicks buyout Shandon Anderson's contract for $20 million, meaning the Knicks are paying Anderson $20 million to not play for them.
1/25/05- As the Knicks continue to suck, Lenny Wilkens can't put up with it anymore and he quits.
2/25/05- Knicks get Maurice Taylor and Malik Rose in two separate deals. Two guys that will end up on the Knicks Buyout All-Stars.
6/29/05- Knicks trade Kurt Thomas and their draft pick to Phoenix for Quinten Richardson and Nate Robinson. Richardson has chronic back problems, and no one wanted him, and Robinson had chronic sucking at basketball problems and is 5 feet 7 inches, and the Knicks just gave Thomas, their only great defensive player, a great extension. Sound like a good move?7/29/05- Larry Brown is signed as Knicks Head Coach, and he is soon to be coaching the Knicks Buyout All-Stars.
8/3/05- Isiah Thomas trades Mike Sweetney, Tim Thomas, another player, a 2006 1st round draft pick, and the right to switch 1st round picks in 2007 to Chicago for Eddy Curry and Antonio Davis. Thomas mortgaged the teams future in the most overweight player in the league who refused to take a DNA test because he had a heart issue.
8/3/05- In an unrelated move, the Knicks sign Jerome James to a 5 year $30 million deal, no joke. James earned 1 cent of his money, and his chronic foot problems leave him on the injured list.
8/16/05- The Knicks waive Jerome Williams under the "Allan Houston Rule" that a team doesn't need to pay luxury tax on 1 player they waive. Ironically the Knicks had Allan Houston, who the rule was invented for because he was injured and not playing even though he was still owed $40 million for 2 years. Houston retired later in the month, and the Knicks paid Houston to not play, leaving no players remaining on the roster Isiah took over 20 months before.
1/06-2/06- Lots of happenings in this 2 month period; Jerome James suspended indefinably from the team for being out of shape, but not out of money. Knicks get Jalen Rose and Steve Francis in separate trades adding just under $60 million to the Knicks team salary for players no one else wanted, and were without an actual position.
1/25/06- Isiah Thomas and MSG are named in a sexual harassment suit filed by former team executive Anucha Browne Sanders, more later.
6/23/06- After a 23-59 season, the Knicks fire Larry Brown, and Isiah hires himself to coach the team. The Knicks pay Brown a little under $40 million for 4 years to not coach the team.
8/06-9/06- Knicks sign Jared Jeffries for 5 years $30 million, Knicks buyout Maurice Taylor and Jalen Rose's contracts.
12/16/06- Thomas talks 'crap' to Carmelo Anthony of the Nuggets, and orders his team to bully the Nuggets, starting a huge fight that leaves 10 players ejected, and 7 suspended.
3/12/07- Isiah Thomas is given a contract extension by James Dolan, citing Thomas and the Knicks have shown, "evident progress." What Dolan didn't and still might not know is that since the deal the Knicks are 11-32.
9/07- Isiah and Dolan go on the stand to defend themselves in the Browne Sanders sexual harassment case. Browne Sanders claims Isiah called her a bitch and ho, came onto her during a H-O-R-S-E game, dismissed her efforts to get more players to show up for corporate events by yelling things at her like, "Bitch, I don't give a f--- about the sponsors. I don't give a f--- about ticket sales," and "We're not going to do any more of these f------ community events. I'm here to win f------ basketball games." And I'm here to make money writing blogs on the Internet.
11/14/07- Stephon Marbury leaves the team after flying to the West Coast and learning that he was being benched. Marbury claims to have yelled afterwards that he has "so much stuff on Isiah." In regards to the sexual harassment claim. Marbury is fined the league maximum by the team, and the Knicks players vote for him to not return to the starting lineup, which Isiah ignores and Marbury plays the next game.
12/10/07- Knicks and MSG pay $11.6 million to Anucha Browne Sanders to settle the lawsuit, as Isiah still claims he did nothing wrong.
12/11/07- Isiah Thomas says that even though the Knicks have a horrendous record, and the crowds continue to chant 'Fire Isiah', he will "Fight 'til I die- It's win or die, and I literally mean death. I don't mean walk away, I mean death." We could only be so lucky.
The Knicks now have the highest salary in the league at almost $90 million and over $90 next year, and as of today they are tied for the worst record in the Eastern Conference. All in all the Knicks bought out the contracts of; Shandon Anderson, Maurice Taylor, Jalen Rose, Jerome Williams, and coach Larry Brown. They have given up 1st round draft picks to 2 teams, and continue to show no change in their play or their stance in keeping Isiah. I would literally rather have the kid in the picture to the right coaching the team. Go Knicks!
1 comment:
Whats up Tim, I'm enjoying the blog. Only comment I wanted to make was that Dolan is not deaf and blind to the thousands of fans that want Isiah on a stick headed west. He in some sick way relishes telling the paying customers to shove it, and as long as the fans pay to fill the seats, he could care less whether they are cheering, booing, or harrassing Knicks female employees. Being a Knicks fan, it pains me to watch this disaster, and I feel the only way Isiah will ever be fired is if Spike Lee is the only one attending the home games. The fans need to smarten up, and stop paying for this crap!
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