Conspicuously out of condition from being unable to work out (doctor's orders), he joined the Knicks at their Charleston, S.C., training camp several sessions late and played catch-up the whole season. Accordingly, his immobility guaranteed him early foul trouble (two reaches and a charge) and extensive time on the bench game after game . . . and he still managed to average 13.6 points, six boards and shoot 56.3 percent from the field. From what I'm told, Curry busted his butt this summer. We're about to find out if that info is accurate or, as many observers contend, he's the second coming of Kevin Duckworth. As always, I choose to look at the bright side. Curry is not yet (Dec. 5) 24. I sense a go-to-guy on the verge of busting loose from his embryonic droopiness.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10012006/sports/knicks/larry_ngitis_cure_knicks_peter_vecsey.htm

Why not post the article?

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LARRY-NGITIS CURE
CURRY WILL KEEP POST-BROWN KNICKS OUT OF LOTTERY
By PETER VECSEY

EDDY OR NOT: As long as Eddy Curry shows up in shape, stays healthy and establishes himself in the post, it will be disgraceful if the Knicks don't make the playoffs in the first year after the messy departure of Larry Brown.
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October 1, 2006 -- HOOP DU JOUR
I KNOW what you're thinking; you assume I couldn't wait to switch from my summer job of mucking stalls to NBA muckraker.

Fact is, I can't wait for the upcoming season to end so I can return to what I do best.

At the same time, I'm man enough to admit the Knicks' ongoing lawsuits and commissioner David Stern's new sideline as league Liability Assessor really turn me on.

Still, I find it terribly upsetting to think Larry Brown is being denied the opportunity to better last year's NBA-record 42 starting lineups.

By my unofficial count, there are at least a few other people with looser affections and connections to the Knicks than James Dolan, Steve Mills and Isiah Thomas, who are relieved Little Boy Blue was relieved of his coaching duties before he could do any further damage.

On second thought, that would've been virtually impossible. Team historians - taking into account the team's bottomless $130 million payroll, deep talent pool (though inharmonious and redundant) and the arrival of Brown's Hall of Fame aura - have branded the 23-win harvest the franchise's all-time blot. Bob Hill, Eddie Lee Wilkens, Kenny Bannister and Ron Cavenall never experienced such shame.

That's what a team gets when the guy in charge of the sideline cares more about losing his way than winning any other way. Early into the Knicks' first extended road trip, it became transparent Brown, first and foremost, was intent on domesticating the untamable Stephon Marbury, the theory being Thomas' many other unadoptable pets would then fall into line.

Compared to the repeated messages Brown sent to his unresponsive, distrustful assembly through the media, the scoreboard had little if any importance. So what that his harping on warts reflected defectively on the roster's architect! Minutes radically fluctuated game to game. Players who produced one night were mysteriously depreciated or outright deactivated the very next. Pessimism permeated every pore.

Blowouts at home became the norm as verdicts were often reached by halftime. Subversion and sedition were everywhere. The Knicks became the hottest ticket in sports; fans preferred to burn them rather than enter the Garden.

By the All-Star break even Knicks fans boasting bloated blind spots came to grips with the realization Brown - having done his darndest to secure the vocal majority's disrespect- was no Gene Hackman; "Hoosiers II" wasn't happening here.

So much for sticking to primitive principles. Brown went out of his way to help mutilate a stacked deck marked by Marbury and sanctioned by Thomas - in a league that customarily gives its uranium entitled and enriched young tacit approval to consume leaders.

Even a friend of mine, a legendary Knicks extremist who admittedly had tears of joy in his eyes when Brown was hired, recognized the value of his deletion 60 games into the abysses, remaining $40 million guarantee notwithstanding.

Larry's liquidation couldn't have been messier. Nevertheless, management's conclusion was incontestable. Now what? Where does that leave the Knicks? How much must their won-lost record (especially at the Garden), defensive resistance and body language improve to signify success in the objective view of us armchair warriors, not just in Dolan's humble opinion?

That's easy. Above all, the Knicks must distance themselves from any reasonable chance of permitting the Bulls to inherit another of their super deluxe lottery picks. Last June, as a result of Thomas' sign-and-trade for Eddy Curry, it was Tyrus Thomas. This June it could be centerpiece Greg Oden, a mouthwatering Ohio State freshman, already the projected pick of next June's litter. That's the most revolting scenario imaginable.

No way that nightmare is realized, it says here. Allow me to rephrase. As long as Curry shows up in shape, stays moderately healthy and establishes his manhood in the rebounding department and at his low-post battle station, it'll be disgraceful if the Knicks don't make the playoffs. As long as Curry develops an actual work habit and sincerely aspires to be great.

Not that there isn't plenty of help (for instance, finally there's dependable defense at small forward in the form of Jared Jeffries to make Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, etc., sweat for their 30 points), but the Knicks are only going as far as Curry carries them. Hopefully that's a concept Marbury wisely and willingly embraces, and not because Thomas demands he downgrade himself to the second (or third) best Knick on the floor.

In any event, Curry has proved he can put on weight. You can't convince me he's incapable of taking the weight as well. That's how much respect I have for his open-ended promise. Precious few big men flaunt his quickness, dexterity and offensive repertoire. After five pro seasons, he's on the periphery of ruling the occupied area, yet for obvious explanations, only has demonstrated hot flashes of dominance.

Unfortunately, so far Curry is doing a superior job of stopping himself from unswervingly presiding over the paint. His lack of discipline at the trough and lackluster internal drive are constant concerns. Then, of course, there'll always be trepidation regarding his fluttering heart after suffering through some scary months at the end of his Bulls tour.

Curry never completely overcame all of the above.

Conspicuously out of condition from being unable to work out (doctor's orders), he joined the Knicks at their Charleston, S.C., training camp several sessions late and played catch-up the whole season. Accordingly, his immobility guaranteed him early foul trouble (two reaches and a charge) and extensive time on the bench game after game . . . and he still managed to average 13.6 points, six boards and shoot 56.3 percent from the field. From what I'm told, Curry busted his butt this summer. We're about to find out if that info is accurate or, as many observers contend, he's the second coming of Kevin Duckworth. As always, I choose to look at the bright side. Curry is not yet (Dec. 5) 24. I sense a go-to-guy on the verge of busting loose from his embryonic droopiness.

If I'm wrong, Thomas better have pictures of Dolan doing something inappropriate . . . like hiring him in the first place!

***

oohah

I didnt know the copyright rules of the board in regards to posting the whole article. Some allow it. Some dont

Posted by SugarRayRichardson:

I didnt know the copyright rules of the board in regards to posting the whole article. Some allow it. Some dont

Anything goes 'round these parts.

oohah

Posted by oohah:

I've been saying this since last december:

That's what a team gets when the guy in charge of the sideline cares more about losing his way than winning any other way. Early into the Knicks' first extended road trip, it became transparent Brown, first and foremost, was intent on domesticating the untamable Stephon Marbury, the theory being Thomas' many other unadoptable pets would then fall into line.

It was a good article all around.

These are some of the things I was saying from the get-go:

That's what a team gets when the guy in charge of the sideline cares more about losing his way than winning any other way. Early into the Knicks' first extended road trip, it became transparent Brown, first and foremost, was intent on domesticating the untamable Stephon Marbury, the theory being Thomas' many other unadoptable pets would then fall into line...

So much for sticking to primitive principles. Brown went out of his way to help mutilate a stacked deck marked by Marbury and sanctioned by Thomas - in a league that customarily gives its uranium entitled and enriched young tacit approval to consume leaders.

One can argue he went about it in the wrong way, but I back him fully in the endeavor. And if Marbury, with Thomas' backing, hadn't been so recalcitrant and inflexible things would have fallen in line. He would have been the first order of business here for a lot of coaches. Brown wasn't the first who staked his future with a team upon getting marbury off the team, at best, or in line at worst.

You don't try to make apple pie until you've cut the worms out of the apples first.

You don't try to make apple pie until you've cut the worms out of the apples first.

Half the team was worms? Why did he ask for more worms (Rose and Francis.)?

oohah

Posted by oohah:

You don't try to make apple pie until you've cut the worms out of the apples first.

Half the team was worms? Why did he ask for more worms (Rose and Francis.)?

can you just bookmark our arguments? we've been over this sooo many times.

Posted by NYKniCksFan87:

a positive article and only 6 replies, um where are all the people that constantly rip the knicks.

its all talk until the players finally prove themselves

Wow, that may be the best Peter Vescey article I have ever read. Not only does it accurately depict the realities of the enigma that is the Knicks, but in a clear, and quite funny way.

This quote really had my laughing, though:

The Knicks became the hottest ticket in sports; fans preferred to burn them rather than enter the Garden.

HAHA!!

Anyway, I dunno if I have ever been in such agreement with the likes of Vescey, one of the kings of snide, before today.

Peter Vecsey is so awesome. It's all editorial and opinion, so whatever, but I still can't believe anyone could see what Brown did and think he could possibly stay or that he had possibly tried winning anything here other than power.