The Knicks Fix

Hold up, lemme spray some of that Hi-Karate to precede my entrance. You should know me better...I'm a Brut - by Faberge - man, just like my Daddy.

(Honestly, that stuff smells like dirty socks, does it not? Used to make me want to puke when Dad got in the car to go to church and he splashed himself silly with the little green bottle).

I'm taking a long weekend. Thought I'd blog now and leave the keys for whomever plans to hang this weekend.

I see there's a conversation about to Zone or not to Zone.

Here's my take on defense and some other things:

You have to zone the drive-and-kick teams, such as Toronto, but the Knicks last season were so poor at the zone, Isiah often had to call it off. When I chatted with Nate last week, I asked him about his on-ball defense. I told him he should be a better on-ball defender, especially with his quickness and strength. He should exhaust ballhandlers who would often cross-over and drive into the heart of the Knick zone, draw a slow-to-react Eddy Curry and the as the defense slides down to help, kick it out for a three.

TJ Ford did it. Mo Williams did it. Kidd and Nash did it...etc.

It's a sequence of events that made the Knicks a bad zone team at times. You can see Eddy hesitates a lot when he's in the paint. Defense is a challenge for him when he doesn't have one man to guard. There are a lot of read-and-reacts. Some fake-and-retreating that have to be done to keep the offense honest. It's a timing thing and yet also a skill acquired with experience.

Perhaps the Knicks should put more emphasis on guard movement in the zone -- Freddy Jones' role? Nate and Mardy are in this equation, too -- and keep the bigs from wandering. Isiah Thomas vowed that the Knicks would be better at perimeter defense this season (he was mainly referring to giving up so many threes because of ducking under screens instead of fighting through them). The point he should make is the Knicks are a big man-oriented offense and a guard-oriented defense.

Curry would find himself 15 to 20 feet from the basket against Toronto, when Rasto Nesterovic would drift out. Chris Bosh is more the Raps' post-up player, so Curry could try to guard him. But Bosh is more athletic and could get Curry into foul trouble if he squares up on him. With Zach Randolph in the picture, what do you do? Have Zach out on Nesterovic? That's going to be a tough matchup for the Knicks in a man-to-man.

What has to happen more often with the Knick zone is rotation. Exchanges can get confusing and messy, but sometimes to keep your big from having to be 15-to-20 feet from the basket, you have to do it.

Marbury showed later in the season he can be a very stingy on-ball defender. Jamal Crawford's defense used to be something that infuriated me, but through the season (before his injury), Jamal showed more effort. Both are quick enough to keep up with guys and smart enough to know how to recover when you are beat.

I have one simple rule of thumb for guards who get crossed-over: once your big man commits, get to the man he left! Even if he's 7-feet, you have to get up on him. Does you no good to chase at that point. Let's say Eddy leaves Nesterovic on the right block to stop the penetration of Ford, the guard has to bust it to Nesterovic to pick off any possible dish by Ford. If Ford tries a lob, that's Eddy's ball to swat.

Too often I noticed a guard would merely recover to the man who beat him and with the big man committing to help, you have two on the ball and no one on the guy who has an open layup. You can't rely on a wing player to swoop down to cover Eddy's man because that allows Ford to kick it outside for a killer 3.

I know it sounds elementary, but what I watched this past season did not resemble what I just described.

The zone only works when you can recover quickly and efficiently.

For Eddy, defense is a frustrating thing mainly because of some habits he has developed as a player. Simple things like having his hands low all the time instead of keeping them up. With your hands low, referees are more often than not going to whistle you for phantom reach-ins and those annoying cheap hip-check fouls that guards know how to draw. Eddy also missed several rebounds last season -- some went right over his head -- because his hands were at his sides.

I know why players prefer keeping their hands down - it's easier to jump. Try it. Stand in place with your hands up and jump. Then jump starting with your hands down and reach up. I guarantee you can touch a higher spot when you start with your hands down. So Eddy has mentally trained himself to be positioned that way in order to leap to block a shot (which he rarely does) or get a rebound.

But watch David Lee, who is a smart rebounder and loose-ball, um, getter. David's hands are generally above his waist and sometimes over his shoulders. He's a quicker jumper than Eddy, so it doesn't hamper him as much. For David, it's not about how high he can get up but how quick he can. I've always said Eddy's problem with rebounding and blocking shots isn't his vertical. If you've ever seen him sky for oops, EC definitely has ups. But his ups are like NASA launches. It takes a countdown to liftoff.

It's going to take me some time to analyze Zach Randolph. His numbers as a rebounder are astounding. I've only seen him play live once -- in Portland -- and what I noticed there was he's great at getting himself position (strong base) and definitely has good timing and hands. In that case, he's a great compliment to Curry.

But on defense...like I said, I have to see it first.

--

Some news:

Stephon Marbury will be on Long Island this weekend on another goodwill tour in the Hempstead area . . . It was reported that Allan Houston is going to work out for the Cleveland Cavaliers. You have to believe if the Knicks even had remote interest, he'd already have a training camp invite. But if you add Houston, then what? Now you need to move three players and the future of Demetris Nichols (a sweet shooter like Allan) is even more in question . . . Orlando PG Jameer Nelson's father went missing along the Delaware River in Chester, Pa. Floyd Nelson worked at a tugboat repair shop and was having lunch near his usual spot by the water when he was last seen. No update yet today after the search on Thursday was stopped because of darkness.

--

Few corrections and clarifications from the mailbag (I was bleary-eyed, but no excuses):

* - I meant Freddy Jones, obviously. Freddy Brown just sticks in my head - Downtown Freddy Brown. Like Rolando Blackman/Renaldo Balkman. Took me a while to get the fingers to type it correctly.

* - The Knicks' closed-practice policy goes back to the 1970s, as I blogged during the past season (again, back when this was all just tumbleweed and crickets). Red never wanted the media watching practice and the rule apparently stuck. Pat Riley was big on it, too. He didn't even let you in the damn building, let alone in the gym. Isiah prefers it too, though I'm going to ask him why when I see him next.
Most NBA teams have closed practices, but there are some -- Denver and LAL -- that don't close their doors. I'd love to watch practice, even if it means having to be at the gym for a longer time. It makes you a smarter reporter and, as a result, your stories have more of a foundation.

* - Cameron Diaz once bragged in an Esquire interview about her flatulence. Chloe tries to hide it but the horse, let's just say the horse's reaction was enough evidence that she wasn't good at hiding it.

I've already said too much.

Enjoy the last weekend of summer. The season is right around the corner.

Six pages of questions I've collected since the Mail Call was made. I won't waste your time (or mine) with any fancy anecdote or cute lyrics.

Let's get at it....

Darren
Alan, After watching the Knicks intently the past couple seasons, I am not convinced that this year's team will be able to fix some awful habits. Specifically, the "go down by 25 in the 1st half, only to rally in the 3rd/4th quarter and lose in the end."
I supported the Z-Bo acquisition and the rooks look promising, but why should I think this season will be any different, albeit with more offensive prowess? And were James Posey or Desmond Mason even on our radar this offseason?

The awful habits of which you speak, Darren, I believe could be attributed to poor focus, which, of course, is attributed to the leadership on the team. Those down by 25/too little, too late comeback nights were often fool's gold, in my opinion. The Knicks knew they were good enough to make a run on teams. You make an excellent observation in wondering if they can get over those bad starts. All about focus. I point to team leaders...guys who have to be ready at the tip and get on those who aren't. Look no further than Eddy Curry. It's time he stopped being the nice guy in the locker room and started demanding more out of his teammates. At least more than we've seen from him. Q-Rich is a loud and respected voice in the room. Jamal as well. Malik Rose, if his role increases enough to be considered a regular, would also be a very strong voice.
This team will continue to be strong offensively, especially with the addition of Randolph. Defense is a question but to me the bigger question is health. Can guys like Richardson and Stephon Marbury stay healthy enough to be effective? I don't mean healthy enough to play, but as close to 100 percent as possible? After a while, you're tired of hearing that so-and-so is dealing with nagging injuries. Too easy to make excuses when a guy says he's playing hurt. Enough of that. Get to camp in shape and do what you have to do to stay in shape through the winter. Everyone gets banged up, but enough with the sore-this and injured-that as the reason why a guy can't keep Mo Williams in front of him or get to that loose ball.
I'm sure Isiah considered Posey and/or Mason, but not with a great deal of interest.

David
Alan, why do you think that there are so many in the new york media who have such an aggressive and nasty way of writing about/covering the Knicks? What has caused them to cover the team with such a negative and angry tone?
I realize that this is a politically tough question to answer and if you are not comfortable, then my other question would be whether you think that Isiah Thomas will come to the realization that being tied to the hip with Stephen Marbury is not really good for Thomas' career or future?

Hey David. Loaded question. But I won't duck it. I don't think you're correct when you say "so many in the new york media" are tough on the Knicks when I believe there are also some who are notably gentle.
Many of you seem frustrated by the heavy hand that comes down on your team from us writers and I have tried to explain it before. The bottom line is, we are the one entity where the standard is maintained (or should be). To me, the Knicks franchise should be held to the highest of standards and when that standard is not met, it should be said so. For instance, I've told many people who have asked me how my first season covering the Knicks went that I've never seen a more heralded 33-win team in my life. I remember this team when 50 wins was the expectation. I believe the media should not allow the standard to drop to the point where we're cheering the fact that for a few days in March the Knicks held the eighth playoff spot in the East. That's why there was so much skepticism when James Dolan immediately announced Isiah Thomas' contract extension at that point in the season. It's not that any of us felt Thomas didn't deserve it or he wouldn't get it (most of us felt it was a given anyway). It's just that the timing was poor. I blogged about it back then (we had tumbleweeds and crickets in this blog back in those days!) and I still believe it. Dolan basically called off the dogs before the race was won. Bad move.
As for your other question, I think Isiah knows how to handle the Stephon situation. He didn't get enough credit for leashing Steph to the bench early in the year and basically doing what Larry Brown wanted to do, but couldn't: get Steph to play a more controlled, traditional PG style. Once Marbury bought in (as he admitted to doing), his game went to another level.

Lefty
Hi Alan.
Love your blog. My questions are related. What the hell really happened with DLee's injury (should I worry this will effect his future) and will the knicks make any changes regarding medical staff given "Misdiags" of Dlee, JJeffries and Crawford (any idea if other teams have these kind of problems?).

Thanks Lefty. David is recovering well after a long and frustrating bout with this lower leg muscle strain. I know exactly what if feels like because I had it in my senior year of high school. It drives you crazy because you can run but stopping hurts. It doesn't hurt to jump but it kills when you land. Your leg simply feels dead. No bounce. David gave it the rest it needed and got himself going in July and then practiced on the development squad for USA basketball in Vegas. He'll be ready for camp.
I've smoked the medical staff several times about the rash of problems over the past season. No heads rolled, so I guess Dolan and Isiah are satisfied that it was merely one of those unlucky injury years. Most of us would beg to differ.

Bronxboy in MD
Alan,
As a spin-off of Lefty's question, what do you think about the Knicks medical staff? DLee's ankle/leg? Crawford's ankle (just after he scored the winning bucket the night before..I wanted to cry like Marbury when I got the news....)
That staff outta be evaluated for competency. They cost us the season, in my humble opinion.
You got the best b-ball blog in the world Alan, with the most knowledgeable fans in the world posting!!

Thanks Bronxboy. You remember a dude from the Bronx named "Terminator"? That guy could ball. You are on point with your concerns about the medical staff. I think it's more of a higher-up thing, too, because I know the trainers on the bench work their tails off. I don't personally know Dr. Lisa Callahan, who is considered the head of the medical team. It should be noted, however, that she isn't exactly the "team doctor" like we've known teams to have in the past. She oversees a staff that has specialists such as orthopedic and others. So it's a group effort. Like the Titanic. They blamed Edward John Smith for running into the iceberg, but he had a crew that could have taken him to task for his decisions, such as sending the iceberg back into a game with a broken wrist that never got X-rayed even though the Garden owns an X-ray machine that is on premesis.
What? I'm just speaking hypothetical.

Peaceman
Ok Alan,
My question will be an easy one. Why do you have a picture of Doug Collins with a tool belt on in your biog picture? lol

Dude, Doug Collins can't rock a toolbelt like Tim Allen. Or me.

Jwambera
How do you assess Isiah's performance as a coach? As a GM?

I think I answered this in the last mailbag. Not much has changed because Isiah hasn't done much of either job since then. Good move to get Zach and trade basically unusable parts for him. It's a risk, but considering his age and potential, worth it. I think Isiah the GM is hoping Isiah the Coach can reach Zach Randolph. I'm wondering how Isiah the Coach will cut down the roster that was created by Isiah the GM. That oughta be interesting. You want to believe that Isiah the Coach will be the one who makes that decision, because Isiah the GM has too much of a personal stake in some of those bad contracts.

Kevin Harewood
In what is now an improved Eastern Conference (Boston, Charlotte should be better than last year. New Jersey, Orlando, Washington may be as good as they were last year) is it playoffs or bust for Zeke's regime?

What do you mean by "playoffs or bust"? Do you mean if the Knicks fail to get in, Isiah loses his job? Break up the team? It's hard to say because we saw last season that the Knicks and Dolan will always lean on excuses for failures rather than lay blame. This year, despite the improvements of Boston and Orlando, I don't think the Knicks are allowed a pass. This will be the third season this group has been together -- regardless of the Larry Brown error -- so it's put-up or shut-up time, I'd say, for everyone involved. Don't expect the media to give anyone a pass. At least not me. Fans should demand more of this team than just an improvement on 33 wins. Anything under .500 is failure. That goes back to what I was saying about standards. Raise the bar and make them reach it.
The good news is, I think the players - most of them - feel the same way this season. I'm very interested in seeing which players show up at camp with that kind of focus. No more rhetoric, no more excuses. Like Yoda said, there is no try, it's do or do not!

Yo, now I'm quoting freakin Yoda ova here.
Movin on...

Flybanjo
Why would Isiah cut Dickau now? Why not hang on to that contract as long as possible? Does Isiah have the freedom to overspend on guys like he has in the past, or has Dolan cut him off? Do you think Kirilenko is available? Would Dolan OK spending $13M per year for four years for a role player (although he's a pretty darn good role player)?
I know that's five questions, but they're all related so I'm hoping you'll forgive my exuberance.

Exuberance is always forgiven, Fly, but bad scoops aren't. You're reading the wrong newspaper, baby! Danny D is still a Knick as of Aug. 30 at 12:26 a.m. (when the keys get tossed to DVJ and the Graveyard crew). I don't believe there is a "freedom to overspend" anymore, unless the player they overspend on is named Kobe Bryant. Plus, the roster is already bloated at 17 players (16 plus Demetris Nichols). I can't see Isiah adding another body before he knows he can move at least two. AK47 is a good two-way player (hockey term), but with Jared Jeffries and Renaldo Balkman on the roster, I don't see Isiah making a move for that type of player, especially not if it adds a contract to the future salary cap number. Remember, the goal is to get under the cap or darn close to it when some of those big names start slipping into the free agent pool.

Willis
Alan,
Enjoyed the piece on Nate, as you say - we will see if his talk will be borne out on the court. I can't think of a better player for him to pattern his game after than Nash - I hope he continues with the film work.
My question is - are there any two for one trade scenarios out there? We've been handicapping Artest possibilities, but the fact remains we have too many guys and I'm in agreement with everyone here that Nichols should be on the roster. A Plains Dealer piece about Bibby drops Knicks and Mavs as two teams with extra men with which the Cavs might deal - is this just surmising, or has there been any talk with Cleveland? Even just wishing, I have a hard time coming up with any player the Knicks should bring in (not named Artest) who would even crack the rotation, with what we're willing to offer. And I can't think we are willing to give up players valuable enough to warrant getting an expiring contract in return, so what's the move?

Clearly Isiah has to be working phones trying to see if he can unload a few unwanted players in a 2-for-1 or, best-case, 3-for-1. Problem is, Geoff Petrie won't take Jared, Malik and Nate for Ron-Ron. I just don't know of anything lying in the weeds right now, but you have to understand that it's the offseason and there's very little access right now. Some franchises have lighter media policies so reporters can get a GM or an assistant GM on the phone. Here, where there are seven newspapers covering the team, the GM just doesn't give that kind of access.
I think the Knick roster should be set right now. No more moves. Wait until the trade deadline, see where Sactown is and see if Petrie is a little more desperate to make a move with Ronnie's opt-out only months away.
Stay the course is something I've been preaching since June. I'll accept the Z-Bo trade because of the kid's age and potential. But for now, stay the course. Keep your kids and let those assets grow. Mitch Kupchak will be watching.

Jon
Why is it that James Dolan was so pre-occupied with the Jets Stadium in Manhattan and not with the Brooklyn Arena when the latter is gonig to pose a bigger threat to Madison Square Garden then the former? How do you see the Brooklyn-Knicks rivalry playing out when they first move?

I think you and I have had this conversation before, Jon. I hear you and have wondered the same exact thing. Part of me thinks he is laying low about the Brooklyn deal because he - and many others - don't believe it's really ever going to happen.

GodSaveTheKnicks
Is it possible for me to place a bet anywhere in the world that Jerome James will show up overweight and average less than 3 in all categories except DNP-CDs?

The same place you can bet that Will Ferrell does partial nudity in his next movie.

Don
Hi Alan,
Even with a cut or two, how does Isiah find minutes for everyone? It seems that minutes will be tight for Collins and/or N8, and possibly up front for Lee and Balkman if Q is healthy, and getting time at the 3. Is there any way the rookies get any court time?
Is Jerome James a Big Mac away from the waiver wire?

Whoa, Big Jerome is taking a few shots. He definitely needs to show something if he wants to play. Emphasis on wants. His contract is guaranteed, so he can either sit on the bench and collect or be waived and collect it at home. Minutes will be tough to come by and I think Isiah will handle it on a game-by-game basis. Most of his bench rotation will be situational. He'll use more athletic players against the run-and-gun teams and go with beef when he needs to play half-court. He did this last season. Tough to get into a rhythm if you're a reserve, but that's the life. I can't imagine either Chandler or Nichols will get much burn early in the go. But if injuries mount....

Steady
Say Alan, what's good with the summer workout plan for our NYK ballers? What was the workout regimen/assignment given to the players at the post-season exit interviews? We already saw Jeffries, N8, and EC. What about the other fellas?

I'm not privvy to the exact instructions of each player as they come out of exit interviews, but what I know from asking some of the trainers and strength coaches is that each player is given a specific workout regimen to follow during the offseason. The trainers visit each player to check on their progress and adjust as necessary. I'll have more on this soon because I checked in with someone who spent some time working out with some of the players this summer. He didn't call me back in time for the mailbag, so I owe ya Steady.

Cooleyhigh
If Posey, Eddie House, and Pollard, are a a part of the 8 or 10 man rotation for the Celtics, they are in big, big trouble...They are definiely assembling the All Geritol Team---Ole gizers and world renowned losers...Their biggest concern is if Rando can't paly the point, who will?

KG and Ray Allen are still in their primes. Paul Pierce is, too. I think they'll need help to support Rondo. Talk about Geritol, the word is Gary Payton could be that guy.

Starburyfan
Alan,
We're all happy you're blog has taken off the way it has. thanks for hosting it.
my question is about the knicks organization. when i met fred kerber of the post (nets beat writer) earlier this year, he confirmed this, but I want your feedback on this.
many of us on this blog came here from another blog where the host always seemed to be b*tching and moaning about how badly the knicks organization treated him as a reporter. considering some of the personal attacks he and his cohorts published through their newspaper, it can perceived as a which came first, chicken or the egg situation, because unlike Iraq, we don't know who started that war. as knicks fans, the last thing we want to hear is about how some reporter is complaining because he no longer gets to sit courtside next to chloey sevigny but rather closer to us "common folk". Yes he did say that in so many words.
can you attest to this unjust treatment of the media by the powers that be at the garden? that is, have they ever been less than professional with you or Ken Berger? Incidentally, I'm not a big fan of Dolan, don't think the boy's done his homework when it comes to the subject of basketball, or the knicks, but with the franchise so safely in his pocket, I guess it doesn't matter if I like him or not.

I just have to say this: until you've sat next to Chloe Sevigny, you just have no idea how sweet it is to sit next to Chloe Sevigny. I remember two things from our evening together: Chanel No. 5 and goosebumps. And man that girl can rip them. The horse that pulled our carriage around Central Park nodded back at her with much respect. Cameron Diaz and her world-famous flatulence can't hold a candle to Chloe's. And if she did, we'd have a mushroom cloud over Manhattan, yo.
You're right about Dolan, makes no difference what you think of him. The man owns the title so it's his car to drive how he wants to drive it (even if it means right off a cliff).
As for the media stuff, I've only experienced one full season at this point. My opinion is the Knicks main PR people do their jobs under a strict media policy handed down from the King's throne. It's sort of like Fight Club. The first rule about the Knicks media policy is no one talks about the Knicks media policy. They have some crazy and restrictive rules that frustrate me, such as the no-access practices. We literally sit in the media room and wait to be called in to view the final few minutes of practice, which usually involves foul shots. Awesome. Let's see Jared break another backboard. Oh good, just in time to catch Nate practicing his half-court shot.
There is a general mood of discomfort when the media mingles with the players. Assistant coaches, usually the best source for X-and-O stuff and scouting reports (and, admittedly, some good gossip) are almost off-limits. It's kind of sad that there is such a solid divide created and maintained between the traveling beat writers and the Knicks team. I came from hockey and what was essentially a one-paper beat (most of the time we were the only paper to travel with the Islanders). I loved the interaction. It was fun to chat with equipment guys and trainers about life, not just the job. You get to know people you see every day. You develop a personal connection, which I think is important when you are establishing a positive atmosphere.
The Knicks media policy - again, which is something I believe is a Dolan order - suggests fear. Suggests a lack of confidence in their people and also suggests an overall disdain for the media. Players shake their heads at it. Writers mock it. Writers from other NBA teams find it pathetically funny. As I said before, most writers in any sport have a pipeline to the GM. A cell phone number or email. You need something off the record, some background or a question answered, the GM will do it for you. Or, at the very least, the coach. With the Knicks, that does not exist.
I don't care where I sit to be honest. Let me rephrase that: I don't care where I sit as long as it is somewhere courtside. I still have one of the best seats in the house. Baseline next to the visitor's bench. Right in the action. In earshot. Reading expressions. Seeing the play develop. Awesome. In some arenas - Cleveland, for instance - the media is shoved up in the middle bowl, well away from the court. Might as well stay at the hotel and watch it on TV. You guys have to understand it's not about having to sit with the "common folk"...it's that we're not there for entertainment. We're there to cover the game. Give the reader who likely watched the game and perhaps even went to the game a closer perspective. Sure, we get the locker room postgame (it's a total mosh pit in there, quite frankly), but insight into the game and how the team won or lost is much keener from the front lines. So this is why you hear writers complain about seat location. Hope that is a lucid explanation.
I could go on for 50,000 words about this topic. I'll spare you.

Director
Assuming a healthy Q and back to his old self, anyone of the starting five can make the all star team. Who do you think will represent the Knicks at the break this year? And who do you think will be the Most valuable Knick for the 07-08 season. Last but not least, are you brave enough to post a prediction of how many games the Knicks win and which seed do they finish in the Eastern Conference?
Thanks for a great Blog and good luck with the sink!!!!

The sink is awaiting a plumber to run new lines to the new location. So the remodel has stalled at that point. But if you ignore the exposed studs, hanging wires and torn up floor, the kitchen is looking awesome.
You're looking for predictions that are tough to make without even a training camp yet. But I'll play along...I pencil Eddy Curry as the all-star and MVP. As for wins, let's put them at 42. Yes, one over .500. Rome wasn't built in a day and any city that was certainly didn't stay built for long. As for seed...I'll refer you to the next question....

Evan
Hey Alan,
How does your playoff bound 8 look in the Eastern Conference? The EC is much improved over last year...even with the Knicks improvements ...I still feel as if they are a bubble playoff team? Thoughts?
Thanks
Usually Very Optimistic Knicks Fan

My late August, baseless and useless prediction of the Eastern Conference: 1. Miami. 2. Detroit. 3. Celtics. 4. Chicago. 5. Toronto. 6. Cleveland. 7. Nets. 8. Orlando.
Yes, I have the Knicks on the outside. But like you said, Evan, they are a bubble-team. I need to see them play before I can just toss them into the group ahead of others. The same goes for Boston, even though I put them at No. 3. I'm doing that based on the KG thing. It would be easy for me to put the Knicks at No. 8 instead of Orlando, but I can't. Not yet.

D L T Knicks
Alan
Good Blog...love bloggin'with true Knicks fan...some crazy ones too!
My Question: What do you think is our weakest position(pg,sg,sf,pf,or center) Why?.. and how/or who would improve it?(leave out Kobe).......Really is ONE question.

SF. Q is a question mark only because he is coming off back surgery. You have to see how he responds after that kind of an offseason. Jared had a bad year but how much better of an offensive player is he, really? Balkman is not a 30-minute player yet. Chandler is a kid. My second choice would be PG because you don't know how many miles Stephon has left on his body. He breaks down late in the year. And what do you have at the backup between Nate and Mardy? We really don't know who the heir apparent is.
One way to improve SF obviously is by getting Artest, but your deficiency there isn't enough to make you weaken an area of strength (i.e.: the bench) just to get him.

ItzallgudHey Alan,
Here is my mailbag question for you. I think my general question is about how much Isiah cares about this roster he has assembled via draft and trades. But I have a side question that goes along with it. We have known since the draft that Dickau and Jones couldn't be moved until the end of August. I found it peculiar that a week before, its written(Berman I think) that Dickau will be released. Do you think there is a chance that this was floated to maybe make Sacramento nervous and entice them to make a deal that was on the table for Artest? Otherwise, whats the point in letting that out?

I know it's all a business at the end of the day, but just listening to Nate and Q and Marbury and Lee and Jeffries this summer, it just feels like everyone is invested in the team and in making themselves better to succeed under Isiah. They all sound hungry in other words. I would think that would make Isiah feel good and want to keep the roster as it is right now, minus Dickau and preferably a bought out Jerome James. Thanks for your time and keep up the good work.

No one needed to "let it out" about Dickau and Jones being eligible for trade or waiver. It's a well-known rule (that I screwed up earlier this summer...rookie mistake) that a player can not be moved from your roster within two months of you acquiring that player. It just protects a guy from being tossed around. So the report you are referring to merely was one guy going out on his usual limb in an attempt to be "first" instead of being entirely accurate. Notice there was no timeframe given. Just that it was expected Dickau would be released. Being vague is one way of protecting yourself from being 100 percent wrong. It's like me saying we'll be getting rain soon. Then when it does rain I can say, See? Told you it would rain. If we have a few straight days of sun I can say, Well, I didn't say it was going to rain today!
I think you are right about the tone the players have set during the offseason. There is this feeling that the group has something to prove and wants to prove it. If Isiah senses this and has reason to believe it, then he'd be wise to leave this group alone. Remove the unecessary pieces as you stated and roll the balls out. See what you have by midseason and re-assess if need be.

Roy Tarpley
Alan:
If you believe in "second chances" and that Michael Vick should be given one, would you knowingly hire a convicted felon to work on your house or a law-abiding citizen?

If I didn't know the convicted felon but knew he was a convicted felon, I have to admit I lwould go with the law-abiding citizen 10 times out of 10. We're talking about my house, my family. A man has a protective instinct to follow and that is my first responsibility in life, not the convicted felon.
Now if you asked me if I would hire a convicted felon to work for me at my place of business, I'd need to know the man's background. That's a loaded question, Roy, with too many loopholes to discuss.
Somehow I think Mike Vick won't have trouble finding a job when he is released from prison. And he'll find plenty of people ready to give him a second chance. Fame is more valuable than money sometimes.

Kenneth
Alan, who do u think will get the most playing time as a back up guard this year if we assume stef and jamal are the starters.

I have to believe Nate Robinson will continue to move between the PG and SG spots, depending on matchups, foul situations and injuries. Nate's weakness was at the point, which is why his performance at the summer league was important. He made himself more valuable off the bench. Mardy Collins didn't get to play in the summer league because of his minor knee surgery. He brings a different element (defense, distribution) than Nate and also can play both spots. The X-factor when it comes to minutes in the backcourt is Freddy Brown. I want to see how Isiah plans to use him and how it impacts the others. Ask me again at the end of the preseason.

Trane
Wow – not sure there’s a lot left to ask. I’ll lob you an easy one but for all I know, somebody’s already asked it.
Assuming the current roster, I’d like to see your starting unit and some guidelines for positions coming off the bench? (I know we’re not allowed to ask about Artest, but let me only point out that one of the many reasons I think it’s a good idea is that it solves other line-up, substitution problems because I would start Q and Steph in the backcourt and bring Jamaal off the bench.)
Anyway, thanks Alan . . . I hope the powers that be at Newsday are aware of the revolution this summer among Knicks blogs. You deserve it. (167 posts can’t be all wrong . . . )

Whatsup Trane? Thanks for the easy one. I'm already over two and a half hours into answering these things!
My starting five: PG Steph, SG Jamal, SF Q, PF Zach, C Jerome (kidding...Eddy).
Coming off the bench (depending on matchups): David gives Eddy a blow and moves Zach to Center. Balkman comes in for Q to create more of a transition game, maybe pressure D. Jared comes in for Zach and Nate, Mardy or Freddy in for Steph for a much different look. Very athletic, but Jamal is now the focal point of the offense. Got to score on transition because halfcourt will be ugly. Malik comes in with David to go up against bigger teams (San Antonio, Miami, Boston, NJ) and Jared plays more of a 3-spot role in those situations. So many variables, Trane.

LNJ,LNY
Alan,
I've go one question, 33 sub-questions and one post. LOL.
During the next season what do you intend to do as a Knicks Beat reporter to continue to improve your coverage of the Knicks, to distinquish yourself from the other beat writers and to turn this opportunity into a telee commentary gig?
In your answer (sounds like a test question, huh?) can you give us the scoop on what relationships (that aren't going to be anonymous sources) you would look to develop on the team to get the best feel for what happens during the year; can you tell us whether Isiah Thomas gives you any special consideration, and if not, will you change his attitude towards you..

Lots of curiosity about the media biz I see.
Without giving away all of the secrets - ha - I plan on just doing what I've been doing. I like to talk the game with as many people as I can (or who are allowed to under the Dolan media restrictions) and write what I see. I don't know what else there is to do. I'm not big into making up rumors or promoting some agent's causes or trading my credibility for access to a certain player. I am what I am and I do what I do. Telee commentary gig? I think that market's been cornered by a far more experienced guy than me. Plus, I have a face for radio and a voice for closed captioning.
Answering the second part of your question, I plan on getting cozy with Dolan so I can find out just why he loves putting his team in those ugly green jerseys on St. Patty's Day. I hope to develop a great relationship with Malik Rose's tailor because we wear the same size (I ain't to proud for a natty hand-me-down Ralph Lauren Black Label) and I hope Q-Rich takes a liking to me so I can get in his Air Jordan Brand circle. Dude apparently hooks people up with all the gear he gets from Nike.
In all seriousness, you want to develop relationships with every player, even the ones who hate you for just standing there and especially the ones you hate standing there with. I think it's important that a player knows who you are, especially if you're calling him out for shooting half-court heaves and stuffing 20 McNuggets into his mouth before games. You spank and you hug.
I'm still new to the group, so Isiah doesn't know me well. We've had a few one-on-one chats, but that stuff takes time. I don't expect "special consideration" nor do I believe I should get it over anyone else. I think when that starts to happen, you can quickly get yourself into a compromising position. Then what? What good is having a pipeline to the GM that no one else has if you're being used to promote the rhetoric? I tread carefully as my mentors taught me to do. My attitude toward Isiah doesn't change from a professional level whether he smiles at me or not. When we're in the scrum, it's all business. Not personal.

Tigerkid6
Alan,
My question is this, if YOU were Isiah Thomas, what moves would you make at this point to be competitive THIS year with the elite teams in the improved atlantic division? I know you're tired about hearing names in trade talks such as "Tru Warrior", but with the current roster I can't really see the knicks being competitive with the best teams in the atlantic division, let alone the rest of eastern conference...

Hate to disappoint you, but I wouldn't do a thing. I disagree with your assessment that the Knicks won't be competitive with the best teams in the Atlantic. I think they're good enough to compete with the Nets, Raptors and Celtics. I don't know if they have enough to win the division, but they should - should - be competitive. It's all about the key players staying healthy and the Curry/Randolph thing working on the posts.

Erik Font
whats good alan,

also nate is fun and all but he is a burden. as much as i hate to say it dickau would probably be better. nate just isn't reliable. we have enough nasty flashness on the knicks and a point guard just needs to win games. i think at this point ny would be happy if we were as boring as duncan and the spurs if it meant winning.

Erik: first of all, I didn't write the Buggin Out quote, Spike did. I just love the scene. The Bird jersey on the guy pushing his bike...it's like could Spike have made him any more cliche?

Buggin Out: Not only did ya knock me down, you stepped on my brand-new white Air Jordan's I just bought, and that's all you can say is "excuse me"?

Clifton: What, are you serious?

Priceless stuff!!

I laugh at that scene and the ice cube scene Spike does with Rosie.Perez. Thank God for ice cubes.

Here I go with your 10-part question:
1. Jordan. If you had Ed Tapscott in that list, I'd say him. I still can't get over Fredric Weiss. Set the franchise back almost 10 years.
2. Ewing. I think they could have won it in '99 if he was healthy. But he was so out of shape that year, who knows. You want to believe he could have given them something against the Spurs, though.
3. Ward. Defense, defense, defense.
4. Jamal. Icewater in his veins.
5. Trevor has ridiculous upside. All the kid needs is a consistent J. But that's like saying all I need is a better command of the English language to be a great writer.
6. Dudley ruled.
7. Van Horn. Talk about cliche white guys. I mean, the high socks was one thing, but the Opie haircut and the chin fuzz? I think it ruined his game. I really do.
8. Greg Logan for Alan Hahn
9. Oakley because Patrick is a lover, not a fighter.
10. Let's see the Knicks play "team basketball" first.

DVJ
Um Alan….I don’t know if you’ve been reading YOUR blog, but in case you haven’t noticed….There has been news coming out about Artest and Josh Smith….
CAN YOU HELP US OUT A LITTLE?!?!?!?

There's no "news" as far as I know...it seems to be a lot of conversation. I haven't seen an actual report about Josh Smith, nor have I heard anything about it. Dude is a human highlight film (hey, that's a cool nickname, I should copyright it), but I'm not a fan of his basketball IQ. Again, I think Isiah would be best to leave this team alone for now. He's got a core, he's got a bench. He's got depth. He has two spots to cut that he can do at the end of camp. Certainly he would prefer not to cut a contract he'd still have to pay, but that's a small price to pay for team chemistry.

Officially, this took me almost three full hours to complete. Going to bed now. Tossing the keys to DVJ and the night shift.

Amid the incessant, knee-jerk sanctimony of my profession's over-coverage of Michael Vick, Barry Bonds, Tim Donaghy and, now, Rafer Alston (I blame TV...what else is a print guy to do?), comes something positive that involves prominent professional athletes using their money and fame to make a real difference...in other words, a story that doesn't ever see the back pages:

Check out Macollvie Jean-Francois' story in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Cliffs Notes version is this: Alonzo Mourning and former Miami Dolphin Nat Moore have joined in a quest to find the killer of a Broward sheriff's deputy named Chris Reyka, 51, who was gunned down in a Walgreen's parking lot while he was checking license plates for stolen cars on Aug. 10. Mourning's foundation pledged $10,000 toward the reward money, which has ballooned from $106,000 to $267,000, according to the Sun-Sentinel, as a result of people in the community, including sports figures, stepping up.

"The community will find you," Mourning is quoted. "We're doing all that we can. If it takes money creating a reward system for somebody to step up to the plate, then so be it."

Waiting for Shaq to pull on his uniform and join the search, too. But it's an uplifting story.

Many athletes donate to charitable causes and most of the time it's motivated by caring about helping others and a civic duty to give back. But let's be honest, a lot of the time the tax benefits and image-building are as much in play here as the smiles on the children's faces.

This is one case where Zo is merely joining in a community effort to bring someone to justice. Good on ya, Zo.

Whoa! Y'all take a chill. You got to cool that --- off! And that's the double-truth, Ruth.

I gave "guidelines" for questions. Not rules. Just asking for some consideration with the questions. So far, we're cool. I appreciate some of you for wanting to look out for the blog host, but people we need to channel our passion in the right direction!

Focus. We have just over a month to go before training camp opens.

Continue posting your questions on the previous blog. I just felt like I had to jump in here and break up a needless quarrel.

As Rod Tidwell said: "You're militant, but I love you!"

By the way, I know I often quote Jerry Maguire, but Do The Right Thing (quoted at the top of this blog) is also one of my all-time favorite movies.

Buggin' Out: Who told you to step on my sneakers, who told you to walk on my side of the block, who told you to be in my neighborhood?

Clifton: I own this brownstone.

Group: Ohhh!

Buggin' Out: Who told you to buy a brownstone on my block, in my neighborhood, on my side of the street? Yo, what you wanna live in a Black neighborhood for, anyway? Man, --------- gentrification!

Hilariously poignant.

* *

I can't blog without tossing in a little something for my Fixers to chew on:

Got word from Ken Berger that he's hearing the Knicks aren't expected to do anything with Dan Dickau in the immediate future. This is only an issue because Dickau is eligible after tomorrow to be traded or waived after waiting the moratorium since he was acquired from Portland in the Zach Randolph deal.

Sounds like Danny-D could be in training camp on Oct. 2 and Isiah will ride it out until he is forced to make his roster decisions on the eve of the season opener.

Interesting....man I wish we were allowed to watch practice!

As I promised...last week of August is here. I moved a french door. Gutted my kitchen. My second floor, attic and roof are framed out and wrapped in Tyvek.

.My house looks like a demilitarized zone and I'm howling like Tim "The Toolman" Taylor.

Ar-ar-ar-ar!

I know enough to be dangerous - to myself. Good thing there's a liscenced contractor and his crew on the site to save me from myself when I'm getting overzealous with the demo.

So while I'm reconfiguring cabinets, moving my sink and stove and blowing my budget like a Knicks GM, shout me your questions about the Knicks as we approach one month to go before training camp.

A few guidelines - not for control, but just to keep things from getting out of hand:

- One question per customer. OK, one post per customer. Gotta make them pertinent because if I get more question than I did the last time we did this, I'll be up for three days straight trying to answer them! Have some love for the answer man (and his risk for carpal tunnel).

- Please don't ask me what I think the chances of the Knicks getting Kobe or Artest is at this point. I'll save you the trouble: both are maybe-to-probably-not at this point. That's the best I can do. Want percentages? Artest: 40 percent. Kobe: 10. Ask me again when training camp ends.

- The deadline is Wednesday night at 10 p.m. Give me to the end of the week to sift through them and come up with answers. I'll probably post the mailbag by the weekend. As things happen, I'll blog in between.

Now back to the hammer and crobar.

Ar-ar-ar-ar!

As I said earlier this week, I caught up with Nate Robinson at his basketball camp up in Mt. Kisco. We've got a story running in the Sunday edition with the good stuff (be sure to check it out). But here I'll share with you what fell onto the cutting room floor....

On his MVP at the Las Vegas Summer League: “Summer league, it was my team. I was the point guard. It was different.”

On being the next starting PG of the Knicks, once Marbury does his Italian Beckham thing: “I just want to play. Period. Regardless if I’m going to be out there playing point guard or the two . . . Whoever’s out there, I just want to play. I want to be part of the team that is going to make the playoffs and send New York on a wonderful ride.”

On hearing his name come up in trade rumors: “I couldn’t imagine seeing me in another uniform. I love the Knicks. I love the colors, they’re my high school colors – orange and blue – I don’t know what else to say. I couldn’t see myself on another team.”

On playing at the Garden: "I can never imagine playing anywhere else."

On how a long offseason feels: “When you go home early, you have too much time on your hands. Watching all these teams playing, you think ‘We should be playing right now.’ It hurts inside knowing that our team, on paper, is ridiculous.”

On the Knick players getting together over the past few weeks at the MSG Training Center to work out: “My rookie year, guys didn’t come in. To be real, guys didn’t come in. My sophomore year, guys didn’t come in . . . Now, it’s like, guys are serious. Everybody that came in and worked out and played and been here. And that’s a good thing.”

The print edition story obviously goes much deeper. I was pretty up front with him about how I felt about his game. I told him I was one of his toughest critics (he nodded, nice to know he's reading!), but I explained why: You've got so much ability. God-given ability. Million dollar tools in a 10-cent toolbox.

Ya 5-foot nuthin. A-hundred an' nuthin . . .

Nate took it all in and gave good replies.

I can't get too excited, however. Training camp is still 5 weeks away. I need to see it to believe it. Sorry, my Daddy made me that way.

You know the class-clown is still there inside him, probably always will be. And he's good at running his game with the media. He knows what answers you are looking for. He plays the role. But if some of the things we talked about, things he's doing this offseason, are all legit, then Nate might have finally started growing up.

Might. Not having Steve Francis around will help things. Francis was known to mock the role as a bench player and get Nate to lose his focus on the bench, which always seemed to land him in Isiah's doghouse. I'll never forget Francis and Nate goofing off on the bench in Toronto when Isiah called Nate's number and Nate didn't hear him.

He heard him the second time, though.

"Nate! Stop f---ing around!"

There were those awful pregame practices, such as scoffing down greasy fast food, messing around on the court and focus-less catch-and-shoot routines that, for all intents and purposes, were nothing more than throwing balls into the air. I wrote about it during the season. Sure, the guy loves to have fun. I appreciate his ability to enjoy the moment and his love for interacting with kids.

But when it's time to get down to business and you don't take yourself seriously, who else is going to?

One Knick player approached me after the story ran and said, "Damn, you were rough on little Nate."

I replied, "But was it accurate?"

The player smiled. "I'm just saying you were a little rough. But you were also dead-on."

With all this still fresh in my memory, I closed the conversation with Nate this way:

"So you still shooting those half-court shots?"

"Always," he said without hesitation.

"C'mon, why?"

"I end my workouts that way," he said. "Gotta leave on a make. You can't walk off the court with a miss."

* *

- Once more about Allan Houston: what I've been told is the Knicks have little interest. Jim Dolan allows him to work out up at the MSG Training Center, but he's no longer their property and likely won't be. Maybe if the Celtics don't wind up signing Reggie Miller they'll consider Allan Houston. Orlando would be a good fit, in my opinion, but then again, I haven't seen him play since his recovery from microfracture surgery. I have no idea what he can and can't do.

- Thanks for the positive feedback about the VBK blog. I'm not one to bore anyone with stories of my past and unheralded, mostly uninteresting "career," but I felt like sharing that particular story. I was a little concerned about how it would be received, but my Fixers go deeper than Jamal Crawford with the clock winding down. I appreciate that.

- Today was my mom's birthday. She's over 30. That's all she'll admit. Or is it remember? We'd probably have put her in a home by now, but we need her to sign the checks for all the construction we're doing at the house. We tell her it's money for her prescriptions. She asked why there were men building a new roof on my house and we told her that she was looking at the neighbor's house. We then put on a TiVo'd episode of Golden Girls and handed her back her sewing needle. The kids need school clothes.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Sitting here I'm thinkin back to a time when I was young
My memories are clear as day
I'm listening to the dishes clink you were downstairs you would sing songs of praise
and all the time we laughing with you and all the time that you stay true to us and I will say

Always, always and forever. - Good Charlotte

Have a good weekend.

Saw the obituary for Butch van Breda Kolff in our paper today, written by one of my mentors in this business, Steve Marcus.

VBK was a former Knick (1946-50) and an NBA coach (he also coached Bill Bradley at Princeton). Everyone knows the story about him and Wilt at the NBA Finals. Most also know he and Pistol Pete didn't get along in New Orleans. I can't tell you much about that man you haven't already read in obituaries or books.

If you don't mind, I wanted to use the blog today to tell the story of my short connection with Coach and share a little about my background in this game we all love deeply enough to get into passionate wars of words and stay up all night thinking about (that's at you, DaVonn J!) and follow religiously.

* *

I met van Breda Kolff when I was a senior in high school and he coached at Hofstra. He paid me a recruiting visit -- I'll never forget the shocked look on my varsity coach's face as he came to get me out of class -- one afternoon and asked me if I'd be interested in playing for him. This was in the fall, before the basketball season, right after I had a pretty solid minicamp for high school seniors. A lot of college coaches were there, including Hofstra.

Coach sat with me in an empty classroom and told me about Hofstra and his program. My high school coach sat there, quiet with a noticable stunned look on his face.

You? Division I?

Coach loved lefties. If he had his way, his entire team would be left-handed. He knew he had a lot of work to do at Hofstra, a program that was nothing like it is today (Jay Wright and Tom Pecora have done a great job over there). I just saw Division I and the chance to play near home. I wasn't getting much attention from the D-I's, other than Bucknell, Brown and a few kind hey-howya-doin letters from an assitant coach I got to know at Providence named Jeff (who later went on to coach the Knicks...you might remember him).

After the conversation concluded, the bell rang to change classes and Coach van Breda Kolff and I were suddenly among a hallway packed with hustling teenagers. He said to me, "Did you ever watch 'Get Smart'?"

Um, yeah.

"Now this is chaos!" he said, chuckling.

Coach invited me to Hofstra to check out practice and I went and watched. He came over to me at one point with a frown. "Not very impressive," he grumbled as he looked at his team.

I was extremely motivated. I had been working out all summer and fall, preparing for my senior year. I felt a strong senior year would mean bigger things. I thought I was ready and felt awesome as our varsity practices began. Calls and letters started coming in from Division II and III programs up and down the Atlantic coast, but my eyes were on the prize. I wanted to go D-I.

My teammates shook their heads.

You? Division I?

I was in need of a reality check. And it came in a painful way.

All the working out in the world means nothing if you still don't understand the game and your role (now you understand my frustration with Nate) on your team and the critical importance of loyalty to your teammates. I was basketball dumb and despite a modest growth in athleticism and strength, I was nowhere near the level of a Division I player (which I learned during a very lopsided and embarrassing scrimmage with Christ the King). I won't even get into the lack of maturty I displayed. The season started poorly. I missed dunks that should have been layups. I once took two steps without a dribble just to make a dunk and after I argued the traveling call -- idiot -- my high school coach yanked me out of the game.

Then at a Christmas tournament at Union College, I landed on someone's foot coming down after attempting a shot block. I felt like the outside of my lower leg was hit with a sledgehammer. I couldn't walk without limping, but it didn't hurt to put pressure on my foot. I couldn't run, but I could jump with no problem.

However landing hurt like hell (sound familiar, David Lee?).

I'd had ankle sprains before. This didn't feel like an ankle sprain. It didn't really swell up all that much. It just hurt.

No one could explain it. The physical therapist I went to acknowledged that it wasn't really an ankle sprain. They called it a muscle strain.

Ice it and stretch it. And give it plenty of rest.

Rest? This was January of my senior season. Hofstra was looking at me. I can't rest it!

So I tried to play. Take a guy who really didn't understand the game yet (I started playing in ninth grade) and sap all of his athletic ability and what do you have?

I'll tell you what you don't have: a Division I basketball player.

I called Coach one night after one of many awful games, when my father told me I had to sit it out and let it rest. I was fighting back tears of frustration when I left a message at Coach's office. I then wrote a letter (no email back then, kids) and poured out my heart. Told him I was prepared to sign right then and there. That I would work hard to prove him right. That my parents could not afford to send me to college any other way (this was absolutely true) and I could not let them down. I promised him I would work every day to earn my place on his team.

So much drama, I know.

Coach called me later in the week. He first spoke to my father, who had a great deal of respect for Coach. He liked how straightforward Coach was (it's how my Dad was, too) when he spoke. He didn't mince words. He told you how he felt, no apologies.

This night, however, Coach had an apology. You son just isn't on our list of recruits anymore.

My Dad handed me the phone. Coach asked me how I was feeling and as I tried again to convince him that I will be 100 percent ready for my freshman year, he cut me off.

"I may wind up regretting this," he said, "but we just can't give you a scholarship."

He offered me the chance to walk-on. I knew my parents couldn't come close to affording Hofstra. I also knew Coach had his eyes on Steve Kiernan, a kid from Holy Trinity who wound up being the CHSAA MVP. Well-deserved, too. Steve was 10 times the player I ever thought I could be. I knew I didn't belong, but when you're 17 reality takes a while to sink in.

"I wish I had more players with your attitude," Coach then said. "Keep playing."

We said good-bye and that was the last time I ever spoke with the man.

Later my parents told me Coach suggested they consider sending me to prep school. The lost senior year and need for some maturity and another year of basketball made it an obvious choice. But, again, the cost was too high. And not many prep schools are looking to give a free ride to a white kid from a Catholic high school in the Long Island burbs.

So it goes. A few years later, it seemed obvious Coach was in his final season at Hofstra. His team had a bad record. But they went into the conference tournament and won the whole damn thing. I felt good for the man. He went out with a W.

Rest in Peace, Coach.

This is probably all over the internet by now but I just got to my computer at 8 p.m. after a day of working on my kitchen remodel (while the entire house is remodeled). Stephon Marbury sent out a statement through the Knicks public relations staff regarding his comments on the Michael Vick situation.

This is the exact statement as it appeared in my email:

STEPHON MARBURY RESPONDS TO RECENT CRITICISM

“It is not uncommon for my comments to be misconstrued in the media but I feel compelled to put my recent comments in the right context. What Michael Vick did was wrong and he has admitted his guilt. He should be punished. However, he should be given a second chance as others have received for more serious crimes. There is no list for which animals should be killed and which shouldn't. As a spiritual being, I respect GOD's divine order. We're all created by GOD and animals are GOD's creatures as well. I love animals and none of them should be harmed. However, we don't react the same when other animals are being killed for sport or the sake of human pleasure. Should we as a society stop wearing fur coats and eating meat or hold those accountable who are responsible for the demise of those animals? In order to receive forgiveness we must all forgive in order for healing to take place. As an athlete and celebrity, I realize we are convenient targets for scrutiny, often unfairly. When I received a DUI, I learned from the mistake and vowed never to do it again. I came out a better person as a result. I'm sure he will learn from this mistake and become a better man. My family's thoughts and prayers go out to him and all of those impacted by this unfortunate situation.”

It's gonna be a fun season. I can just feel it. 38 days until point guards and centers.

Something to consider: Demetris Nichols on the Celtics.

It could happen if the Knicks can't find a place for him on the roster at the end of training camp. Nichols and his new agent have made it clear to the Knicks that Nichols has no interest in playing in Europe this season and will be an NBA player this season either in New York or elsewhere.

That elsewhere could be Boston, where they still need more bodies on the bench.

Nichols' immediate future remains with the Knicks. His situation will work like this: in the coming week or two, D-Nick will sign a one-year deal with the Knicks at a very affordable second-round scale. He'll go into training camp to compete for a spot.

Let's say the report is accurate and Dan Dickau's expiring contract is about to get waived in a few days, the Knicks are still one player over the roster limit. Isiah Thomas will have to make a decision: cut a vet and eat a bad contract or let Nichols and his sweet stroke go free to be picked up on waivers by any other NBA team. Watch him join the Boston Three Party.

Rarely is this much of a fuss made over a second-round pick, but Nichols is not your average second-rounder. He has size (6-8) and an excellent shot with range and led the Big East in scoring. He's a four-year player, so he's got maturity (he'll be 23 when camp opens). He was arguably the Knicks' third-best player at the Vegas summer league (Nate Robinson and Renaldo Balkman both stood out as well).

He's not a complete player by any means. He showed in the summer league a penchant for forcing shots and he has tunnel vision to the rim. Nichols will learn quickly how difficult it is to create shots for yourself without using your teammates. I didn't get to see enough of Nichols on defense, but I did notice him going under screens, which will get you nothing but splinters in the NBA. He has the right personality and attitude (I remember him telling me in Vegas that he was ticked about dropping into the middle of the second round and had something to prove). Very coachable.

This will be an interesting scenario. I might have to sneak around the gym at C of C to find a knothole to peek through and look into those practices that are closed to the media.

* *

A revisit to my previous comments regarding "parameters." African, LNJ,LNY, you both were on point to call me out. It's absolutely correct that I initiated the discussion by posting Steph's comments. I tossed it out there as Knick-related news, which belongs on this blog.

This morning, I was trying to steer us back to basketball. I guess the blog needed to air it out for a little longer. My bad.

As for comments that don't make it through (someone named bok had trouble), once again, I'm telling you I have no control over what makes it and what doesn't. If you are told that the "host" isn't allowing the comment through, that isn't me. That's whomever oversees the site that holds all of the Newsday blogs.

Oh and mailbag time is coming next week. Save your questions until I start the clock!

I am an arms dealer.
Fitting you with weapons in the form of words
And I don't really care, which side wins
As long as the room keeps singing
That's just the business I'm in...yeah
This ain't a scene it's a . . .

Over the past couple of weeks, the Knick players have reunited up at the MSG Training Center for some workouts. Nate Robinson has been there pretty much all summer -- he's gone back to his home in Washington twice and also took a family vacation to Puerto Rico with Eddy Curry's tribe -- and seems determined to show his critics (which, I think you guys know by now, include me) that he is taking his career more serious now.

Zach Randolph apparently hasn't included himself in these runs. In fact, Z-Bo hasn't made his way to New York since he was introduced to the media at his press conference after the draft. Well, we were expecting to hook up with him a few weeks ago at a Knicks camp in Manhattan, but he, you see, he..um..his flight, you know, he either missed it or it was cancelled or something.

Wonderful start.

But I'm hearing Curry has showed off a new dimension to his game: an outside J. Nate says that Eddy is doing so comfortably within a scrimmage. A little catch-and-shoot. A pop-out. A little Patrick Ewing-style.

We know Eddy has a nice touch. He's not the quickest guy, but he moves well for a big man. Despite his three-point bomb that beat Milwaukee late in the season (Still waiting for someone to tell me why the Bucks had players defending the empty paint on that play), clearly this is a part of his game Curry needed to develop and he said he would. Of course I haven't been present to see it, so I'm just relaying what I've heard. But it's encouraging news. For Curry and Randolph to work, Eddy needs to be able to go high-post and hit a few 15-footers.

Just as long as he doesn't start falling in love with it.

At these workouts, just about all of the regulars have been present at one time or another: Curry, Robinson, Marbury, Crawford, Richardson, Lee, Balkman, Collins, Chandler, etc. Word is sometimes Isiah has even jumped into the fray.

Isiah has also been out to Vegas to keep tabs on David Lee at the USA basketball practices, where he is playing on a development squad that scrimmages against the varsity.

* *

The Demetris Nichols situation is interesting, to say the least. The kid has no interest in Europe, that's obvious. What you wonder now is what do the Knicks do with him? Clearly there is a log-jam in the backcourt and Nichols would be the lowest man on the totem pole behind Marbury, Jamal, Nate, Collins and Fred Jones. So then what? Do you eat a roster spot and put him in the D-League for a while? Do you trade him?

If you're asking me, I'd keep the kid. Put him in training camp and let him compete. You can never have too many shooters. Nichols has a lot to learn when it comes to taking good shots and not forcing (as we saw in the summer league), but he does have a stroke. I think it's worth having a rookie with a J on the bench than an out-of-shape veteran. It's worth one spot on your roster to invest in the future. I still believe the better move is to have open comp in training camp and dump a veteran who doesn't show up in shape and ready to play and contribute.

Now if Geoff Petrie takes a liking to the kid...

* *

Some thoughts on the Marbury/Vick stuff:

I want to keep the parameters of this blog set within the basketball boundaries. Nothing political, nothing racial. We're here to talk ball and the Knicks. I think most of you agree there are other places in the blogsphere for debating all of the socialogical issues that exist in our world. If you want to opine on Michael Vick, check out Bob Glauber's blog What About Bob? and have it out there.

But I will address a different issue than dog-fighting and the more heinous crime of how the dogs were tortured and discuss something I at least have an educated opinion on: the media asking Stephon Marbury about Vick.

It's a Catch-22 for a reporter when it comes to Marbury now, especially after some of the bizzarre things he's done and said this summer. Part of you wants to avoid him because you don't want him to say something stupid and turn it into a senseless frenzy, but really part of your job is to be there in case he does say something stupid (aka "makes news"), because if you're the only one who doesn't have it, you're in trouble with your boss.

I understand the thought that some of you have offered: why ask Marbury about Michael Vick? They are not teammates. I don't even know if they know each other. They play two different sports not even in the same city. There is no relevance other than the fact that they are both professional athletes.

It's obviously a bait question...the dangerous tool in our toolbox. Ask him about something controversial and see what he says. If you watch the clip, the guy holding the mic is nodding along with what Stephon is saying. That suggests he's agreeing, even though later he likely acted appalled by it, especially as he was explaining it to his editor. They knew they had a story.

What's even worse than just standing there nodding as Marbury said what he said, no one took on Stephon or asked him to clarify. That's something every one of us among the Knicks beat - well, almost all of us - would do instinctively. Without question, you can't let him walk away after saying what he said. You can't follow up with, "So about your new sneaker line..." or "How would you feel about playing with Kobe?"

At this point in his life, Stephon Marbury is not going to listen to someone in PR or a "publicist" to tell him not to comment on controversial issues or politics. It's true, why not also ask him what he thinks about global warming or Iraq? No matter what he says, it's just one man's opinion. We as people put too much stock into what famous people say, whether they are celebrities, rock stars or pro athletes, as if they have some sort of authority in intelligence because of their public status.

We are not biographers or publicists. We are not here to make friends or cut deals. One of the many important reasons for media is to use our inside access to educate. Not necessarily to teach what is right or wrong, but to offer the differences that exist in our world and the reasons behind it. Not everything is explainable. But through reading, you get a better understanding. You can decide from that whether or not you, for instance, admire or appreciate the person we have interviewed or you can form your own opinion about an issue that is being covered.

You know, important stuff like should David Lee be traded for Ron Artest.

The worst kind of reporting is when you're left wondering why the story was even written, such as why Marbury was asked about Michael Vick in the first place. I'm not at all trying to shield Stephon from the ignorance he portrayed in his comments. I'm only acknowledging that there is also guilt in the questioner. But the questioner is looking for a sound-byte because you, the reader, is looking for something juicy to read and to talk about. The cycle. And Stephon has showed us this summer that he can be suckered into playing into the cycle.

It's his responsiblity to put a stop to it if he so desires by simply declining to answer the question (he often does it with us). To solely blame the media is not accurate. As they say, don't hate the player, hate the game.

But to make Mark and his friends feel more comfortable, I'll offer this quote that takes that point a step further:

"The men with the muck-rake are often indispensable to the well-being of society," Theodore Roosevelt once said, "but only if they know when to stop raking the muck."

That's the fine line we walk in this business.

I know most of you might have seen this by now. But if not...
Capital 9 News in Albany posted it four hours ago. It was an interview with Stephon Marbury, who was up that way on Monday as part of his Starbury sneaker tour, and offered this thoughts on Michael Vick. (There's a brief horse racing promo at the start of the clip.)

If you're having trouble with the link (my bad), here's the transcript:

“We don’t say anything about people shooting deers and shooting other animals. You know what I mean? From what I hear, dog-fighting is a sport. It’s just behind closed doors and I think it’s tough that we build Michael Vick up and then we break him down. I think he’s one of the superb athletes and he’s a good human being. I think he fell into a bad situation.”

You have to believe the Knicks - and James Dolan - can not be pleased with these misguided sentiments.

* *

Suddenly busy day for the Knicks. Demetris Nichols fired his agent, Bill Duffy, and hired Bill Neff. RealGM.com is saying Neff claims Duffy was talking with the Knicks about sending Nichols to Europe this season. D-Nick clearly wants none of that and I don't blame him.

I also caught up with Nate Robinson today. More on Nate and D-Nick stuff later...promise.

Welcome to Gary and Mark. Get comfortable, get a feel for the place and if you don't like what you see, you're free to go. I don't mind you making fun of my pathetically goofy whebonics. At least you didn't call me K-Fed or, worse, sing "Ice, Ice, Baby" while I was on the foul line (which is what they did once when I played at Kingsborough!).

I don't mind good-natured teasing, yo. Only if you get personal - or racial or political - do you get iggy'd.

To my Fixers out there who have my back...^5. Got some good stuff for ya later. You'll like-a da juice.

Maybe it's me. I have like the opposite of the Midas touch when it comes to sports teams. You should all have groaned when you heard I was coming to the Knicks beat last year. Wherever I go, teams lose. Bad things happen.

Bad things man.

On Thursday, when I was doing the fill-in Giants thing, Mike Jennings was a happy kid with a grill that shined like a 14 karat Escalade. While he smiled and talked about his golden - no pun intended...ok, it was - opportunity to get playing time while Plaxico Burress nursed an ankle, I kept hearing one of my all-time old school favorites, Slick Rick...

The compliment showed she had a mind in her
And when I smiled (PING!) I almost blinded her
She said, "Great Scott! Are you a thief?
Seems like you have a mouth full of gold teeth"
Ha-ha, hah! Had to find that funny
So I said, "No child, I work hard for the money
And calling me a thief? Please! Don't even try it
Sit down eat your slice of pizza, and be quiet"

Jennings then ruptured his Achilles on Sunday.

So I'm taking on the blame right now. It's not Isiah. It's not the Knicks medical staff, which sent Jared Jeffries back into a preseason game without checking a wrist he hurt (that turned out to be fractured)...or struggled to diagnose David Lee's injury late in the season (can you believe the final conclusion was labeled a "sore leg"? Sore leg?)...

You want this jacket? I don't need it. Because I'm cloaked in failure!

Moving on...

* *

Yeoman work by my regulars here at the Fix to carry the blog through the weekend while I made my return from Albany -- Don, I was told of a great sushi place, but never ventured so it's my bad -- and put my Knicks cap back on. My house used to be a two-story colonial. It's now a one-story trailer. Looks like one of those flat Frank Lloyd Wright designs, but with a big blue tarp on it. I kept calling the contractor all weekend to make sure he was, indeed, coming back on Monday to start rebuilding.

Right now as of 7 a.m., there's not much happening in the World of Knicks. I plan to venture out this week and catch up with another Knicks player, so hopefully I'll have some fresh stuff later in the week. It's slow, yo. This part of August has everyone still in hiding, other than Stephon who - as fate would have it - is in Albany today.

No. I'm not going back!

I was catching up on some of the comments. A few thoughts .. . .

- Miami's interest in Ron Artest is valid, but I think giving up Udonis Haslem (three years and a relatively cheap $19.6 left on his contract) is a bad move in my humble opinion. As you all know, Ronnie can opt-out after next season. Yes, Artest has better range and can defend the perimeter as well as the low block, but for the money, the risk and the team-chemistry considerations, Haslem is a better option. The kid's game is improving and I like the intangibles he brings (not to mention how quietly he does it). Riles' reason for making Haslem attainable has to be because he has confidence in Wayne Simien.

Now you can use that argument to say that's why Isiah should deal David Lee to Sac-town for Artest, because you have Renaldo Balkman and a fit-and-furry Jared Jeffries. But I see David as an invaluable intangibles guy. Too valuable to trade for someone who could - not saying he would, but no guarantees here - pull an X-man on you.

Now here's a question: What if you make the trade pending an agreement to sign Artest to an extension? If you can't come to an agreeable number with the Artest camp, then the trade is off. Sacramento gives you say 24 hours to get an extension signed. Perhaps then it's worth giving a long, hard look at tossing Lee into the deal.

But I still would rather stick with the homegrown talent, especially one that has so much upside.

I'm not saying the Knicks shouldn't be in win-now mode. But they don't need t