Here's for all you Artest lovers who still think IT has a conspiracy to get Ron:

December 16, 2005 -- BEFORE commencing with today's communiqué, excuse me while I laugh in the faces of pretenders whose "sources" claim Isiah Thomas and Ron Artest had a solid relationship in Indiana . . . heckle the hoodwinked who fail to grasp the Knicks' president's phone call to Pacer CEO Donnie Walsh regarding his screwy swingman was nothing more than a pantomime performance to sidetrack a full-court press and appease fans . . . and mock the oblivious advocating the acquisition of the splattered meteor, period, forget about at any cost.
I can't decide which is more offensive to my senses: Artest's recent stream of unconsciousness or the fountains of misinformation spewing from squawking heads and media mannequins whose line of reasoning on all of the above is decorated in early emptiness.

Yeah, right, let's connect Larry Brown's and Ron Artest's dots. Who among the even moderately sound of mind honestly believes that "Love Connection" would have any chance of lasting longer than the first episode of "The Honeymooners"?

May I remind the promoters of that relationship this is the same Larry Brown who branded David Robinson a "coach killer" in his Spurs' infancy; the same Larry Brown who accused Dan Issel of having no heart; traded Bobby Jones for George McInnis; and wanted to trade Reggie Miller when success curdled in Indiana. And those were his most coachable players.

If Next Town Brown had problems with the exceptional, what makes any lucid philosopher conceptualize a misfit like Artest will be an exception? If Brown couldn't endure the flaws of the easiest guys to control, imagine how fast Artest's idiosyncrasies would have him scurrying like a toad to his next dream job.

On second thought, Artest is so Joe Don Looney he could turn Brown sane.

Fact is, we've never been distantly in danger of stirring that discovery process, much less studied it to see whether it's humanely possible. Their mixed marriage was never anything but a dead issue, though they do share at least one common denominator: Artest regularly takes leave of his senses, whereas Brown regularly takes leave.

Still, as repeatedly as Isiah Thomas starts afresh or breaks bread with those who've tormented, tortured or turned on him, the notion of reuniting with Artest is so unappealing he wouldn't give up Frederic Weis straight up.

I make this statement emphatically knowing what I know about their year-and-a-half Pacers association. Thomas found Artest so unmanageable, so disorderly, so inclined to do the opposite of what the situation called for, he seriously considered excluding him (and Ron Mercer) from the playoff roster in '02-03. A late season superior recital at the Garden forced him to change his mind, but not his opinion or a scheme to get rid of him.

Thomas and Jermaine O'Neal were very tight. As far as I know, they still are. Thomas always told his franchise player everything he wanted to hear and saved the negative evaluations for the ears of others. He also manipulated him to do his dirty work.

That summer O'Neal became a free agent. Before he re-signed, I wrote a column that charged him with trying to use his leverage (in conjunction with his distaste for Artest's irresponsibility, disruptive behavior and aloofness) to pressure management to trade Artest, Mercer and Jamaal Tinsley. It was clear who put him to it; Jermaine is too nice a person to pull such a Machiavellian stunt.

O'Neal was furious the story got out and denied its accuracy. Meanwhile, I got a frantic call from Thomas. He implored me to call O'Neal and convince him that he wasn't the source, which is true. I had no problem with that. I called the number Thomas gave me but O'Neal never called back.

I know I'm naive; but it seems to me anybody who'd go to that extreme to deport Artest and two others (Thomas' mistreatment of Tinsley is a sordid story for another day) from Indiana has no intention of importing him to New York,

Don't get me wrong! I absolutely concur with Thomas' position for all the obvious reasons. A day or so after Artest's starring role in the Malice at the Palace, I called Thomas to get his take. "That's what I'm talking about," he said. "You could see this coming. It was just a matter of when."

That's why half the NBA is petrified to add Artest to their mix despite a relatively inexpensive outlay. The Pacers know they can't get equal value, thus they're willing to accept a young talent or two vs. an established veteran in hopes of getting a deal done swiftly. Nobody's blaming Thomas for not wanting Artest. I just wish he'd come out and tell us what's really on his mind instead of making a grandstand call to Walsh, then have one of his flacks leak it to the press.

Thomas not only admitted reaching out to the Pacers, but talked about his untouchables. This doesn't strike people as unusual, an executive publicly discussing the particulars of a trade? That's how much grief Thomas must be getting throughout the city's corners and cubbyholes as a result of the Knicks' 6-15 eyesore of a record.

Again, it would've been infinitely more meaningful and manly had Thomas simply announced he wanted nothing to do with the compulsive-repulsive-impulsive Artest. Instead he made believe he tried to get someone habitually undependable.

"I know you had to make the call," said Walsh, the guy who hired him and didn't object when Larry Bird fired him three years later.

"I'm not prepared to trade any of my young players for Artest," Thomas remarked.

"Well, I don't want any of your other players," Walsh replied. "What else do you want to talk about?"

This was the extent of the enthused trade conversation between Thomas and Walsh.

if Vescey said it it must be true

Lets be real, Isiah coached this young man.

IN the few "im on record" comments, and before fight night at the balace, I long have been against Ron Ron coming here as he is one big nut job!

He also changes his mind quite frequently. Over the summer he was gushing what a great place Indy has been for him and his family. Now he claims not enough touches on the offense? Two items not related, but the team chemistry is not right and his me-first attidude is showing itself. Uncontrolable anger is a mentally soft and selfish attitude that excludes your teamates so you can have an on court hissy fit. He did that elbow thing two years ago and messed the Pacers up.

Paul Pierce did it last year. Its very selfish to indulge your own emotions at the teams and the fans expense.

Ron is a big time talent, but one must really think long and hard about this kid. I know we ain't exactly lighting it up on the court right now, but this is not the path we need to take.

Lakers would be crazy to put him next to Kobe.

haha, Vecsey burns another bridge. I bet he won't be having too many future phone conversations with him...

I believe that Isiah doesn't trust Ron. It's obviously a huge gamble. The guy is Rodman-esque in his weirdness. Rodman only played well when he had a dominant personality making him focus like Isiah or Jordan. When he went to play with David Robinson, a nice guy who Rodman didn't respect, Rod was out of control. The Knicks have no dominant personalities, it could get ugly with Artest being the dominant personality here.

The guy tries to write like he is so street. Give me a break. He is a backstabbing conniver from the word go. That said, it is obvious that Zeke doesn't want Ron. He wants Harrington. That will happen by the trade deadline.

Harrington, who will soon be an FA, talks about how much he likes Isiah, in this article. This might be what rojasmas had in mind. The Knicks don't have to make the salaries match in a trade because Atlanta is under the cap. They could do a trade of any two of Nate, Lee, Butler, and Ariza for Al Harrington if they thought they were going to lose him for nothing in few months.

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051218/SPORTS01/512180339/1108/SPORTS01


[Edited by - Bonn1997 on 12-18-2005 10:32 AM]