The funny thing about all this lover/hater bullshyt is the amazing lack of consistency, especially in the self-proclaimed (Did somebody say UK Mafia?) Hater camp.
During "The Season of LB", 95% of the so-called "Haters" were 100% percent on the other side of the logic they use to destroy Isiah daily: "It all about wins, Isiah hasn't posted a winning record".
Back during LB it was: "You can't judge him by wins, LB's breaking them down to build them back up, because he has a long range plan, it's more important to develop the youth than to win now". They took this theory to amazing lengths including imagining improvement for both the team and certain players (Crawford).
As I recall, when LB got his walking papers quite a few of UK Mafia stated in no uncertain terms that they were no longer rooting for the Knicks, they stated that they wanted them to lose now that LB was gone. Someone even started a thread about defecting to the Nets.
My biggest beef with LB was not the horrible record, but that he was not trying to win in any way, shape, or form. He was trying to wrest control of the team away from his employers and tanking when there was nothing to tank for. And because of that we are one year behind in development and true evaluation of the team and for that matter IT's GM'ing.
The strangest thing about that is the guys who apologized for LB's record all throughout that season and after, will hang that season on Isiah as one of the reasons he should be fired.
So you see, for many, it mainly is about who they like and not so much "The Knicks".
I don't care about Dolan, Isiah, or a single player on the Knicks when it comes down to it. My favorite player was traded when I was young, I've watched so many players coaches, GM's and Owners come and go I understand now that they aren't "The Team". The team
is New York and I will root for them even if Dick Cheney takes over as GM.
I am not one who believes NYC is owed a great or even a good team. We would love to have one, but it isn't written anywhere that franchise A should be good and Franchise B should be bad.
What we are owed is the Knicks and its personnel trying their best to win. And that is why I do not kill Isiah. While I prefer good guys, his ego, attitude, or character are ultimately of no importance to me. We don't really know him or or the content of another person's character even if they look great in the media. Kobe Bryant was the golden boy for many years before his image downfall. Bill Russell is known for being quite the jerk as were Jordan, Isiah as a player, Bird, you name it.
And I believe that Isiah wants to win above all else. That is what drives him.
The way I see it there really are no lover or haters. If you hate your team and you want them to lose, then it really isn't your team. At the moment you route against your team at the opening tap, or you celebrate game-losing missed free-throws by the Knicks, or you are overjoyed about another team beating the Knicks at the last second, or try to cut down last second victories by the Knicks, at that moment, you really are no longer a Knicks fan.
I guess some might want to debate that, but I think that is silly.
***
In reference to the thread title, it's not that there are so many "Haters", it's just that they are given far greater latitude to insult and denigrate those who choose to simply root for their team, regardless of the circumstance. This is really just the latest incarnation of Brown-Nose Posse, Uk Mafia etc. You have to admire their dedication....I guess.

oohah
[Edited by - oohah on 05-10-2007 11:28 PM]