A good workout at the hotel fitness center can often result in lucid thinking. Perhaps its the endorphins and adrenaline. Or the fact that the Knicks were all over the ESPN monster in the fitness center. Can't get away from it.
And it made me reconsider my previous blog, where I suggested you as fans have no voice with this team because James Dolan doesn't need your money, therefore he doesn't have the pressure to please the fanbase or else suffer the financial losses of ticket sales (which have done very well, I'm told. Perhaps a residual effect of the Broadway blackout?).
The Garden revenue makes up three percent of Cablevision revenue, Dolan said last year. Three percent. Don't expect shareholders to even notice.
Don't expect Dolan to cave just because you aren't packing the place anymore.
That's why you should use your voice. What you did at the Garden on Tuesday night is exactly what you need to keep doing, voice your displeasure with the condition of your franchise. Don't stop coming to games. Don't stop caring. Be loud and be heard. Make Dolan rub his ears and wipe his face and slump deeper into that courtside seat of his until he has heard enough.
Empty seats don't make the most noise in this case. Fill that place and re-claim it.
Let him hear you until he can't take it anymore.
Comments (26)
pound the ball to eddy tonight, he should be able to dominate nazr. should.
I don't think it matters regardless. Boo, don't show up, whatever......if Dolan were a man of reason and actually gave a damn about anything, the Knicks wouldn't even be in the situation they're in and the people holding positions of power with all three of his teams wouldn't be employed. The Knicks aren't the problem.......Madison Square Garden is a culture of failure.
Alan, I was surprised by your first blog because although MSG might only be 3 percent of Cablevision's revenue, it is probably the highest profile part of the company. And if that piece is a huge failure/embarrassment to the company, it could affect business in other divisions.
More importantly, the Dolan name is being trashed regularly now on television, radio and on the internet, that also means something.
So I encourage the fans to continue to boo at the games (if they go, empty seats are good too), call MSG to complain, write emails to MSG, write to blogs and make sure its clear that we've had enough and won't take it anymore.
right on alan. you are right, the only way to effect change is to raise your voice. like the giant fan who flew the banner over the stadium, or the saints fans with bags over their heads, we must claim what is ours. without us the knicks don't exist. i did my part at the garden last night, i verbally tortured star-jerk and isiah-bitch and jim-boy all night long, to the point that i have no voice left today.
my question for you, given the fascist jim-boy state you are forced to operate in, aren't you in danger of losing your credentials for exhorting us to turn against the owner/coach/star?
Don ADO (from last string) – I think you’re right about Isiah making decisions based on grudges from his playing days. Ewing to coach Curry is a no-brainer. Exactly what the kid needs. How could Isiah NOT make that move? I also wonder if grudges and ego in general have played a part in other decisions. Why did he cut Nichols rather than Jones or James? I think because he would have to admit they were mistakes. Even if you can justify Jones because of inexperience in the backcourt . . . you can’t justify a worthless, overweight big man who was already out for the entire season. How many years left on his contract IF he can rehab this year? WHY would Isiah keep him in street clothes on the bench and let a hot prospect go? It makes no sense.
But these are really deck chairs on the Titanic, aren’t they? Of course there are other savvy GMs and other good coaches out there. The problem is, who is going to clue Dolan in? Remember: He’s still listening to Isiah, who’s probably not a good source for potential replacement GMs and coaches.
Good luck, Alan – hope you make it hope in time for Turkey.
Trane - I think between Zeke and Dolan, ego and grudges unfortunately seem to dictate the majority of the decisions made in the name of the team. Big Snacks is a prime example - in your words, buying him out and keeping Nichols on the roster should have been a no-brainer. But I still believe Nichols' refusal to go to Europe for a year ticked Thomas off, and waiving him was the action of a vindictive man.
And back to the point of my other post on the last blog - it burns me up that people like Oak, who could impart so much knowledge to the young Knicks, are being shut out for no other reason than Oak may have bumped Isiah too hard in the Madhouse on Madison one night long ago.
And let me join in wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to our host. You're doing yeoman's work here Alan - your blog stands head and shoulders above the other dead-tree Knicks blogs in this town. Stay dry and get home safe to your family.
Oak admitted he doesn’t watch the team anymore and was only there because he got free tixx. Even only watching the team for one night, he made some obvious observations.
1. the team has no leader ( Me-bury’s pregame comments affirmed that he will never be that guy )
2. the team isn’t serious. There is too much laughing and joking instead of getting pissed at a loss. That's a lack of heart and unexcusable.
3. Steph doesn’t care about the team. ( another obvious statement confirmed by Marbury reffering to his absence in Phoenix as a “personal” matter )
They didn’t even put him up on the jumbotron ! There is no wonder why of course. Why would they want to show the fans the last link to real D while showing such a mediocre effort by the current squad ? I felt it was still a slap in the face for one of the great Knicks of the past.
If I was Oak, I would have walked out in the 3rd quarter and make sure everyone saw it instead of suffering through the rest of the game. That statement alone would have spoken volumes.
At the end of the article IT is quoted as saying that Q’s injury is hampering his production. TY CAPTAIN OBVIOUS !!!!
If that’s the case WHY THE HELL WOULD HE HAVE THE GREEN LIGHT TO PUT UP 9 SHOTS ????? We have plenty of offense. We needed his D, not his shot.
The question of the day is…………..How do you teach effort ?
Alan – a Freudian slip if there ever were one. Meant to type: I hope you make it HOME in time for turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving, guys . . .
We're gonna lose by at least 20 against the Pistons, no doubt about it.
When is enough enough, Dolan?!?
How do you teach effort ?
I'm sorry, JohnQ, but seeing Oakley last night has really got me pining for a team with pride.
I don't know if you teach effort so much as you instill the idea that anything less than 100% is slacking. That if you're getting blown out by 20+ in your own building, you don't sit joking on the bench. That you don't blithely write off the boos of your home team, but you use it to work harder next time.
I think if the Knicks were actually trying last night and still got blown out, it wouldn't be bothering me as badly as the fact that they lay down like dogs in their own house, and the message the fans send via booing a crappy effort is looked at in the abstract instead of being looked at as motivation to at least try to defend their home court.
While it may be behind the scenes, I think David Stern has the ability to exert pressure on Dolan. The Knicks, being in the biggest media market, are creating a lot of bad press for the NBA. Stern, being as media conscious as he is, doesn't seem like the type to tolerate this repeatedly. It's not a Ted Stepien situation (There's too much money available to keep the team afloat.), but it is pretty embarassing.
@ VIP
Eddy should be able to dominate most centers; he has the offensive skills. The question is does he want to?
I am thankful for the information Alan shares, and the passion for which we follow our team, through thick and thin.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Newsday has come a long long way. I read the LI Newsday sports pages back in the 70's
The writer makes the right call on this I one I think
Boooooo!!!
Yeah that's great!
Help your team inprove by turning home games into road games.
At least that way ownership will poll the fans before they make a move.
Pathetic
so what do you suggest emac, cheer this mess on? i get the sense you don't have too much invested in tickets, if you did you might want to voice your displeasure with management first hand, given the opportunity.
voters (theoretically) hold politicians responsible by giving or withholding their vote. vocal opposition to the management is the way for fans to express their "vote". it you don't want to boo this garbage that's fine, but to call people who wish to express their displeasure "pathetic" is a bit fascistic i think. sort of reminds me of what the republican party tried to do to opponenents of the war, paint them unpatriotic. funny thing is, it was the people spoke up and opposed the war that turned out to be right, and the people who called them unpatriotic turned out to be a bunch of thieving liars. so who's side are you on, dolan's?
Will continue to boo and chant at every Knicks game until Isiah is gone.
Happy Birthday Earl the Pearl.
Hey – we won the 4th quarter. That’s probably what Isiah is telling Dolan right about now. See, he’s saying, the kids are getting better.
Don’t worry, Jimmy – and don’t listen to that nasty New York mass media. They’re out to get us. Who’s your pal, Jimmy? That’s right. I’m your pal. Me - the great Isiah Thomas is YOUR pal. How cool is THAT? Think the kids from high school are pretty jealous? You KNOW they are. Read the blogs. Those cats know the media is out to get us. They know it’s a conspiracy. Whatever you do . . . don’t give in to it. Stand strong, Jimmy. And remember . . . I’ve got your back.
wow, these duded not only pretty much suck, but they are playing beneath their capabilities too...always a deadly combination.
let's see; they don't shoot well (from anywhere, the arc, the line, in the paint), they don't handle the rock well, they have no hops in the starting five, they have no penetrating forwards, they don't defend up top at all, they don't rotate for weak-side defense, they have no stop defender at any position, they don't rotate the ball to the open man (for that matter, they can't even play a basic in-out game), and to top it off, they don't hustle,
AND......is this the worst coaching scheme AT BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR anyone has ever seen? how the hell did isiah get this job? he has absolutely no clue how to coach.
aaauuuuurrrrrggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALAN - You have the best blog in the NBA!!! Dolan could learn a little something about reality from you.
THE KNICKS NEED TO:
1) Remove Dolan
2) Fire Isiah
3) Bench Q
4) Stop running the offense through Curry!!!!!!!
5) Get a coach who knows how to maximize his players talents
6) Bench Marbury. THEN TRADE HIM NEXT SEASON.
7) Put the brakes on Jeffries. HE REALLY NEEDS TO STOP SHOOTING THE BASKETBALL!!!
8) Let Wilson Chandler play.
9) Buy out Jerome James
10) Have a talk with Zach about too many top of the key jumpers and pulling up in traffic while being tripled and doubled teamed
11) Stop practicing. Review game film of the1990's Knicks and have a serious talk about heart and passion for the game. They should also watch game footage of Isiah and The Bad Boy Pistons. Someone should give them a written test on basketbal fundamentals. Those who don't pass the test, Don't PLAY!!!
12) Fire the entire coaching staff (Herb deserves a shot with another team and should cuss at Dolan before he leaves)
13) Bring back Ewing,Oakley and Starks as assistant coaches.
14) Oh yeah, Get RON ARTEST!!!!!!!
This team is lacking a leader and heart. In the past KNICK TEAMS WOULD GET FRUSTRATED AT LOSING AND AT LEAST SHOW ATTITUDE, HUSTLE AND GIVE HARD FOULS!!!
Alan,
Although Dolan stated MSG represents 3% of total revenue, I can speak for all investors that MSG represents cablevision stock moreso than anything else...I know of a major hedge fund company who can pull assets in the market to sway mr. dolan's equity holding into shambles...and being that person is a knick fan, i am sure he/she has contemplated such a move...trust me!
although all executives are paid in stock options---it will come to point where the shareholders will start to see that the knicks, with jim at the helm, is the catalyst behind the percipitous stock decline...get a new face at the garden and you'll see a new stock high in less time than one can hope for...
Charles Dolan, where are you?---your son needs to be punished for destroying a sport so natural to NY-ers....do something or your shareholders will have a field day with you and your family...
short sale all cablevision stock friday morning and buy put options at the same time
I think that the knicks are also getting unfair treatment from the league officials,, alot of the calls are going against the knicks that are not going both ways...like the other game where there calling crawford for carries and travels ( now every game)...and then u have jason williams who obviously carries the ball alot but is not getting called for it...It doesn't look like it's going both ways. Then we're getting called for alot of pitty pat fouls that doesn't alow for tougher defense...not saying that the knicks are going all out on defense anyway there definately slacking but i'm just saying it makes it that much harder cause players are getting the benefit of the doubt when they play the knicks....at least it seems that way, maybe it's just me.
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