I would love it if, after a string of lousy columns that exhibit no grit, thirst, will, heart, or effort, my incompetence would be noticed to such a degree that readers would rally outside the Newsday office in Melville with a giant pink slip bearing my name.
Probably not going to happen. Why not? Well, first, I’d like to think that at the very least I put in the effort – more effort than the Knicks often do. But second, nobody would waste their time attending such an event because there would be no media outlets there to cover it.
Not even my own.
Sigh.
Gotta love this anti-Isiah culture, which has morphed into a contest to see how many fans can siphon 15 minutes of fame out of a giant trough of misery. And given that there are often more reporters than regular citizens at fan protests like the one held outside MSG on Wednesday, in this case I will assign the requisite blame for the people who created such phenomena.
The media.
To an extent, it’s our fault. We feed the beast, and then the beast demands to be shown on the 11 o’clock news and in the newspapers. The TV networks make a star out of that guy in Boston who threw his Knicks jersey during the infamous 45-point loss to the Celtics, and then one of the local newspapers gives him just what he wanted – more attention.
Jason Silverstein gets his little Styrofoam sign taken away, and instead of the coverage reflecting the true importance of such an incident – the Garden’s paranoia and apparent violation of free speech rights – the media turns the fan into a celebrity.
Do me a favor: No more emails from fans or P.R. agencies promoting fans who intend to protest, rally, shout, or otherwise express themselves about the Knicks. Get your 15 minutes from somebody else.
Honestly, do you think it might be a sign that we’ve all gone off the rails when one of the dominant papers in the city publishes a “Fire Isiah” poster and instructs fans to hold it up at games? Shameless self-promotion knows no boundaries, and all of us connected to this ugly situation play a part in it.
I’m not tooting Newsday’s horn here, but I like how Alan covers the team. He gives you insight about who’s moving the ball, who’s setting honest screens, who’s digging in and doing the dirty work – and who isn’t. If I were in your shoes, that’s what I’d want to read about – not attention-starved people out to make a name for themselves.
I don’t think the result Wednesday night says anything in the big picture other than this: 1) the Knicks managed to do what their coach said for once, and 2) they ran into an abysmal one-man team that played with less heart than the Knicks have lately.
We need to see more of this, consistent effort and commitment, before we can come close to saying that there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. If you are playing for your coach, you have to do it more than once for it to mean something.
If you are really a fan of this team, you should be rooting for more of what happened Wednesday night. You should be hoping for consistent effort and desire to flow from players who have given much too little of it for much of this awful season.
If that happens, the opportunity will re-emerge for Isiah to make a trade before the deadline that will improve the team and address its most glaring areas of weakness – a defensive-minded post player and either a ball-moving point guard or dangerous perimeter shooter.
If anyone wants to print up a big petition asking for those things, I might actually sign it.
Comments (9)
Wow, you and the Bergan Record guy must have had some bad MSG hot dogs at teh game last night (do they ever serve good hot dogs?). As I told him... You write about sports for a living. Yes, you draw a paycheck going to basketball games and reporting on them. What right do you have to bash a bunch of fans holding some silly protests? One of the great ironies in life is when a membor of the media (Lupica, Wilbon, Mariotti) tells an athlete or group of fans to shut up, then makes sure his made-for-radio face is plastered on the Sports Reporters yelling about something.
Sorry Ken, I love reading your stuff but had to rant a little here. Let the fans have some fun. The current Knicks situation is comicle and the fans are treating as such. In the words of Mark Jackson, "You're better then that!"
At least you didn't mount your pedestal and compare the Knicks "protests" to the Iraq/Bush protests. You kept it basketball. Good work
If you read Ken's blog, he's not angry with the fans -- he's angry with the media outlets who flood their newspapers and TV coverage with fan stories when they should be writing about the games themselves.
That said, the Fire Isiah thing has struck a vein with everyone from the hardcore fan to the casual basketball observer such as myself.
While I certainly don't condone the idiots at certain publications publishing anti-Isiah signs (try to have SOME semblence of objectivity!), I understand why the media is covering the issue. The publishers and big shots at all the papers only hear one thing about the Knicks: 1) They suck and the coach should be fired. So that's all anyone wants to write or talk about.
I agree with Ken that Alan deserves props for sticking to the subject at hand. The bottom line is that when Isiah's gone, the players will still be there, and Alan's coverage is preparing everyone for that day a lot better than the stories about Joe Schmo from Freeport who just likes seeing his name in the paper.
I would think that real basketball fans would understand the difference.
right on the money, joe s. thanks for commenting.
Ken,
Great article! I don't trust Hahn because he's an Isola
under study. But I like your tude about the fan protest!
Considering the results of the last game, I would love it
if the same people do it every game! It seems to help the
Knicks play better! Someone put it in proper perpective, if
you go to your favorite place to dine, and you don't like the
cook, does that give you the right to hold up a sign saying
"the cook sucks" or "fire the cook?" No, and I'm sure the owner
would show you the door!
That aside, some of us from the defenders blog plan
our own gathering in support of the Knicks, since it's not a protest
you may want to cover it!
Just in case you didn't know or a disgruntled Knicks hasn't told you yet.
FIRE ISIAH! KNICKS PROTEST & WALK OUT FUNDRAISER
Sunday December 30th 2007
11:00 AM (Noon Game)
Protest in front of MSG to OUST ISIAH.
The time has come to raise our voices.
Knicks vs. Bulls (Sure to be another pitiful loss!)
email: joeyvworks@yahoo.com
Official Protest Blog: knicksprotest.wordpress.com
Step up and push to get Isiah removed!
It's mostly those SNY wannabees who work for food stamps and would just like to have 1/3 an MSG salary.
Did you see the pathetic turnout, and the sorrier followup on the SNY show sponsored by a newspaper the same shape as Newsday [and my puppy's wee-wee box] ...
It's funny, and obvious - the Jets [and the Mets a few months ago] are hitting rock bottom ... and I never saw a second of video of the Gate D shenanigans at the Meadowlands on SNY.
Hmmm ...
Ken, you deserve much respect and courage in writing this article. The first poster Jon didn't understand that you were discussing media integrity. Many of us in the voiceless minority have been furious at the coverage that Isiah has received by both the Daily News and The Post. It is one thing to want his dismissal but the circus that has been created is ridiculous. Here is more on exactly this subject:
http://www.cosellout.com/?p=194
Kenny:
Good point on the sorry state of sportsnews coverage.
While I can't vouch for Alan Hahn since I haven't read his work in quite some time.
I will say that your impartial writing on the tumultous season the Knicks are having is truly needed at this point for the sake of levity.
Write on!