Posted by BlueSeats:
Walsh's relationship with Isiah, and this concept of letting him down gently is nonsense, as proven by the fact that was not how he conducted business in Indy.
I don't even buy the theory that Dolan really likes Isiah and wants him around in some capacity. Dolan hardly attended games or met with Isiah this year, and his presence will be drastically reduced from that, so even if Dolan and Isiah choose to remain friends they'd probably see just as much of each other even after being released.
The only theory I subscribe to is that Dolan is hoping Isiah will want to take employment elsewhere, and will quit or negotiate a buyout, saving Dolan a few mil. And Walsh is humoring Dolan by saying "sure, that could happen."
But why should it happen? Isiah wont get close to 18M over the next 3 years anywhere else. And whatever money would be saved in a buyout would pale in comparison the embarrassment Isiah's continued presence garners the organization.
My disappointment is that Walsh was presumably brought in to elevate the frat house environment at MSG and provide sane counsel to Dolan, who seemingly can't find it elsewhere.
Reportedly Walsh was given the authority to do what he thought best with Isiah, and it's just saddening that he'd rather indulge Dolan's inanity than do the right thing and clean up the mess. It just makes one wonder, what is the point in bringing in someone with credibility and respect if he's going to surrender better judgment to the moronic owner?
A Knicks rebirth may take a lot longer than any of us hope if Walsh is such a gentleman that he'll bow down to Dolan's ignorance.
Blue, I think you are taking the whole Walsh thing a bit too far as it has to do with Isiah.
Walsh has come in and said he has full authority and will do things his way. Perhaps Dolan has asked Walsh to get as big a discount on Isiah's departure as he can and maybe Walsh is humoring the fuddy-dud. He did order Isiah to NOT have contact with players and Knicks staff, right?
Walsh has also said that he wants the Knicks organization to exercise fiscal responsibility with the cap... That can't extend to how he is managing the Knicks baskball organization as a whole? $18M is nothing to sneeze about especially if you can get an up to %50 discount on it and then redirect those funds into Euro scouting or something.
Isiah and his team - Glen and the fat man (jabba the hut dude) - are presumably knee deep into the draft assessment. Those 2 guys are also Isiah's close buddies. Don't you think it would be unwise to just rip Isiah away from those 2, and possibly others, at this juncture? That would leave Walsh on a very lonely island over the next month or so. Donnie has GOT to have time to access the landscape and THEN decide what to do; you never know how deep and long Isiah's tentacle have stretched to.
I mean, if you were tabbed as head of an organization that was floundering and were also new to every employee in it, would you start letting people go without taking the time to go through the whole org staff?
4/22/2008 11:02 PM
Why would anyone want to discuss the Knicks too seriously?