here's my 2 cents:

IT should get the rest of the season to make his case with this team. he should be judged on wins and losses. playoffs would be a nice bonus, but given how the East and Atlantic are this year, our record needs much more weight. we need to *improve on where we are now*. we're playing around .500 ball. cool. but IT needs to show that this team is a legit core, i.e., that it will keep improving over the next few months and years. bumps are OK, but we should be pretty damn close to .500 (38+ wins) for me to admit evident progress.

i think i can live with IT at the reins- under certain conditions. if i'm Dolan and my team finishes like i said, i bring IT into my office, pat him on the back and say nice work, but before i put anything in writing, i ask, "what now?" i want a damn good answer what the next 3-5 years look like in his vision. are we looking to trade for a star? build around this core with the draft? cut salary? no more "acquiring assets" unless you tell me what they'll be useful for. if i don't like what i hear- if IT doesn't have a clear, acceptable concept of what he wants- he's gone no matter how this season went.

basically, if IT pulls this off, he doesn't earn anything but the right to keep doing his job. he still has a lot to prove.

Posted by TMS:

Posted by TrueBlue:

Typical extreme translation of what was posted. I'm talking about show the consistency in developing any facet of those skills. Not becoming those players. Like I said no frontcourt player on this team has a legit go to move or skill set.

hey, you're the one who was naming all these HOF calibre players on that list to make your point, not me.

Yeah but it wasn't to infer, become those players and accomplish their statistical feats. I'm isolating what those players did well that stood out. I guess I did think of something one of the Knick frontcourt player does well and it's David Lee. He leaps off the floor quickly and has a knack for zeroing in where the ball we be off a missed shot. Which is all David's doing and nothing this coaching staff has instilled in him. But overall the frontcourt players lack any dominant skill-set.


[Edited by - TrueBlue on 01-19-2007 09:52 AM]

Posted by bettalaylow:

Isola clearly has no credibility when he makes statements such as this:

Am I crazy to think that the Knicks could be the third best team in the East? I watch as many games as I can with the NBA League Pass and I’m not impressed by Orlando or Cleveland, which just lost back-to-back games to Seattle and Portland.

When healthy, Miami and Detroit are clearly the class of the conference. Maybe you have to put Chicago third. But assuming the Knicks make the playoffs, as long as they avoid playing the Pistons or the Heat in the first round, they will have a great opportunity to advance to the second round. As long as Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry stay injury-free.

I guess he forgot about Indiana, Washington, possibly Milwaukee(when healthy), NJ and Toronto who are playing some pretty good ball right now.

These teams are head and shoulders above the knicks?

Now Toronto may flame out but NJ is still going to be fighting for that Atlantic title and if they stay healthy I think anyone else would have a hard time challenging them for the Atlantic title.

who will they be "fighting for the atlantic" against? You say the Raptors will flame out, so that leaves the knicks (which means they are still in the same company as them?)

Frank Isola should also keep in mind that if the Knicks were playing in any other division they would be 2nd to last or flat out in last place.
And well lets just say the Knicks should be thanking their lucky Stars that there not in the Western Confernece.

As should the Nets, Raptors, Bucks, Pacers and Wizards.

38 games can make playoffs and the sad part is Isola mentioned a contract extension for Isiah if he makes it in. I mean, Dolan has no idea what he is doing. He enjoys being stuck in sub-.500 mediocrity and rewards the people who get him there.

Listen, I'll be just as excited as anyone else if we make the playoffs but the realistic part is we aren't going far even if we do make it and for Isiah to have the 4th worst record in franchise history as GM and for him to still have a job is a disgrace. We as fans deserve better and I do not look at sneaking into the playoffs in the pathetic Eastern Conference with a below .500 team as a significant improvement because believe it or not, I'm not judging last season. Forget last season, go ahead and blame it all on Larry(I'm not, not entirely).

What has Zeke done here that stands out? He drafted a few good players but the draft is also about being lucky with a kid. From early looks, Mardy was ont one of the lucky ones. Point is, he is good at one thing: drafting. Have him become a scout and relieve him of his GM and coach duties because all he is doing is hindering the franchise. But this will never happen. Why? Dolan. James Dolan. 007.