For everyone who contended that minutes were determined by size of paycheck, the Marbury episode (which is all it is - an episode) is evidence of something else at work. Knicks players are held accountable for their performance. That includes everyone.

I'm cool with that.

The frustrating Miami loss was the final straw that broke the proverbial point guard's back, and paved his way to fewer minutes. This is a calculated move that Isiah understands as he clearly understands the ego of his neighbor. Zeke also knows, as a former player, how any player would take a demotion.

Dolan and Isiah knew the backlash potential and probably were prepared for Stephon's AWOL reaction. It was discussed and the move was a mutual decision. The Spaldingl is squarely in Marbury's court as the Knicks will just play on, and wait for him to finally show, probably after announcing some type of penalty for missing game(s). Either he shows or the fines pile up to some breaking point.

Meanwhile, the headlines are flying off the shelves.

The show must go on. Best five play.

by everything expected do you mean a sub .500 record, in team fighting, chemistry issues and off the court distractions???

Oh wait.. you said everything people *wanted*

my bad.

Continue your regularly scheduled pep talk

I was one of the few who was upset that isiah traded for marbury and pushed frank williams to the curb. I'm happy now


Also I wanted curry put on the 2nd unit to dominate the ball there and isiah finally is listening to me.

I hope zach is playing tonight.

My starting 5 now Mardy, jamal,chandler Lee and Z-BO

I can see steph getting some white chalk and seperating his home property between him and his neighbor isiah thomas in westchester

Posted by misterearl:


If you read carefully, your will see my point relates specifically to the EXACT point of playing the best five of which Marbury has fallen out of favor.

It happens all the time. Guys get benched. Whether they are labelled scapegoats or not, perhaps you would prefer no one was held
accountable for a game which the Knicks had in their control if not for some poor decision-making.

somebody had to pay.

Great. So when does Isiah get held accountable for his poor decision making?

I agree Earl, Isiah did the right thing in benching Marbury, but why go public with the AWOL business and not tell the press he went home for family or personal reasons? Why are they exposing the one they used to protect?

Posted by misterearl:

Posted by fishmike:

by everything expected do you mean a sub .500 record, in team fighting, chemistry issues and off the court distractions???

Oh wait.. you said everything people *wanted*

my bad.

Continue your regularly scheduled pep talk

fishmike - your reading skills are lacking. where in my header post did I write "everything"? I'll help you out since you seem bent on transposing your own meaning - (read my lips) Nowhere!

If you read carefully, your will see my point relates specifically to the EXACT point of playing the best five of which Marbury has fallen out of favor.

It happens all the time. Guys get benched. Whether they are labelled scapegoats or not, perhaps you would prefer no one was held
accountable for a game which the Knicks had in their control if not for some poor decision-making.

somebody had to pay.

Please return to your Cliff Notes to the front of the class

So, you meant, what's the problem with this specific embarassing episode rather than what's the problem with Isiah's embarassing run as Knicks President? Thanks for clarifying. But the answer is the same both times - Isiah is the problem. The specific problem here is that it's yet another embarassing episode and if he told Steph he had permission to leave the team and then told the media it was an unexcused absence, he's made his embarassing inability to control his players even worse and made the team even more of a laughing stock than they already were. And if you want to just talk basketball, how do you go from trusting a guy with the ball in crunch time to benching him in one game? Consistency breeds excellence. Isiah breeds contempt. The team went from a promising win to shambles in exactly a week. How is any of this good?

crzymdups - this thread was not started to rehash the entire Isiah Thomas regime for the 50-eleventh time. If Head Coach Isiah Thomas is the problem for demanding higher standards of execution in clutch situations from all the players, including his so-called "pet", then I really don't see what the problem is.

It's kinda curious how words are bent and meaning attached. Was Isiah benching Marbury for an entire Suns game or taking him out of the starting lineup?

I would submit the Dolan-Thomas sit-down after the Heat game was where it was decided. I don't have a problem with trying to make a change to better the team. It was a tough call to make but a decision nonetheless.

The collateral hypebole and war dance over Steph going AWOL is another issue.

we don't know exactly what happened behind the scenes...but this is just more of the same under isiah's regime. time to end this nonsense and turn the page.

In a continued effort to save his own skin, Isiah now is throwing Marbury under the bus. Whether it is an attempt to scapegoat Marbury for the Annucha situation or just admitting that he cannot do what two hall of fame coaches could not do, coach Marbury and win with the roster he has assembled, Isiah is the one that needs to be held accountable for Marbury. He acquired him and he let him rule the roost. He either allowed or fostered an atmosphere of unprofessionalism.

The Knicks will be better without Marbury. They will learn to win as a team.