Amidst the latest New York Knick run toward a playoff spot, recently made more difficult by a somehow surging Milwaukee Buck team but assisted by a fading Philadelphia 76er squad, there was some frightful news out of Florida.
Isiah Thomas
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Many heard the announcement that the college basketball powerhouse Florida International University decided that Hall-of-Fame NBA legend Isiah Thomas had set their program back far enough and released him. It was indicated by Thomas he needed more than the time FIU allotted him to build a winner. Nobody ever accused Thomas of coming up short in the area of excuses.
The significance of this event is Madison Square Garden Chairman James Dolan's fascination and friendship with Isiah Thomas. Dolan famously turned the New York Knicks over to Thomas years ago and the results were so disastrous the league needed to step in and recommend Donnie Walsh for the General Manager's position. This, of course, occurred after Thomas was accused of sexual harassment. So thorough was his destructive tenure.
Some have claimed the public backlash would prevent Dolan from rehiring Thomas in some capacity.
Hogwash.
With Thomas' tenure still fresh in everyone's mind, Dolan was all set to announce Isiah's hiring as a consultant a couple of years ago before David Stern, probably aghast at the potential of a Thomas redux, stopped it because of a conflict of interest…that darn coaching job at FIU. Well, now the job is history and Dolan is once again free to insult the intelligence of every Knick fan, and further ruin a franchise he's desperately tried to disassemble since inheriting it from his father. He did a nice enough job himself, but he'd be so much more dangerous with a wing man as devastating as Thomas by his side.
As for Isiah himself, he's a well-documented snake oil salesman…a man with a tooth-filled smile who's just as likely to pick your pocket as shake your hand…a man with a reputation as a corrupt and deplorable dirtbag with none of the expertise he claims to have.
It's no surprise Dolan gets along so beautifully with him. Unfortunately for Knick fans, Bonnie and Clyde will be teaming up again shortly.
Glenn Vallach has been a basketball fan, player, and coach during his lifetime and, as such, an ardent follower of the NBA even with all its warts. He have also been a New York Knick fan since the days of Howie Komives and Walt Bellamy, when he regularly boarded the IRT Subway at 180th Street in the Bronx for a trip to the Garden to see his heroes.
Sources:
- · Yahoo! Sports New York Knicks page
- · Yahoo! Sports Milwaukee Bucks page
- · Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press, Thomas 'deeply disappointed' over FIU firing
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