Fan Behavior 101 By Professor Thomas
Written by Mike Silva
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
Isiah Finds New Stakeholder in Knicks Misery



Yes we have a new rock bottom at the Garden. It took only 48 hours since I wrote When Will the Knicks Hit Rock Bottom? The answer seems to be that they will set new lows every night! Michael Ray would be proud of how limitless this franchise can stoop. It now has gone full cycle with the Isiah/Dolan “blame game”. First, it was the players and specifically the lack of leadership from Stephan Marbury. Next, the media was at fault for having an agenda against the franchise and owner. Now the fans lack of support is causing the team to play poorly on a nightly basis. I heard the flat beer and cold pizza on the 33rd street and 7th avenue side of the rotunda is next on the hit list.

Does Isiah Thomas really think he is going to get away with lecturing the fans? Marc Berman of the NY Post outlines this story in his column Garden of Hate . Apparently Isiah spent much of the second half lecturing the fans behind press row. He seems to believe that the team's poor play is due to the fans lack of support. He even demanded that Garden fans start acting like Indiana and North Carolina faithful. Hold on, let me put on my straw hat and park my tractor. Are you kidding me Isiah? You have spoke about the caldron of New York and how intelligent and passionate the fans can be. Now when things go bad you point the finger. You even gave the fans a condescending wave and smile when you were booed pre-game.

I applaud fans like Mara Altschuler, who gave the press a heads up on this stupidity. I bet Isiah thought this lecture would never get out to the media since it occurred to the lowly fans. It didn't stop the Garden Spin Machine to work overtime last night. They claim Isiah was simply informing the fans that cheering and supporting the team leads to good basketball. As if they should be happy with a run that cut Dallas lead to only seven points. This is what it has come to at MSG. The fans need to sit back and accept what Jim Dolan and Isiah Thomas will give them. Don't forget Eddy Curry is sensitive and might not like being booed.

To hell with you Isiah. Get a life Dolan. The only one displaying common sense yesterday was Commissioner David Stern. He told you to smarten up and pay off your embarrassing lawsuit. Too bad he doesn't have the power to make the both of you go away. Again my friends I sound like a broken record. If you keep showing up to the Garden this is what you will get: scowls from Dolan in the front row, lectures from Isiah, and sloppy, passionless play on the court. I don't have season tickets, nor will I till this mess is cleaned up. I am not one to tell you how to spend, or in this case, waste your money. You need to stop showing up. You need to show them you care by not caring. If you really need a lecture I am sure you can audit a course at a local college. At least that's free.

Overtime: Seems like Chris Mullin is leaning towards stay far away from the MSG mess. If you read this article you will see how difficult it will be to attract top executive to MSG. Also a note to Mark Cuban: shut up. New Yorkers already have Isiah and Dolan lecturing them, we don't need you. If you missed our latest Gotham Hoops Live from this Sunday click here.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 11 December 2007 )



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[Edited by - cosmic on 12-11-2007 12:50 PM]

If you get the time also read that Garden of Hate article: Isiah said a LOT MORE to the fans.

The fans were so ticked off they even found time to boo some NY Mets that were at the game.

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THE GARDEN OF HATE
ISIAH FEUDS WITH FANS AS KNICKS FLOP AGAIN
By MARC BERMAN


December 11, 2007 -- Hours after Madison Square Garden settled the sexual-harassment suit against Isiah Thomas, losing $11.5 million, the Knicks coach/president allegedly lost his patience and cool by taking on the hostile fans during the second half of last night's 99-89 loss to the Mavericks.

Following the boo-infested defeat, which dropped the Knicks (6-14) a season-low eight games below .500, Mara Altschuler, who said she is a longtime season-ticket holder, rushed to the press table to complain that Thomas had lectured the fans behind the bench for not being more supportive.

According to Altschuler, Thomas said, "We're missing layups because you're booing." Altschuler, who worked 16 years for CBS News, said Thomas turned to make his stream of remarks in the third and fourth quarters, directing it to the first couple of rows.

According to Altschuler, Thomas invoked the phrase "Sixth Man," explaining what a crowd should be. Thomas mentioned Indiana and North Carolina as crowds that the Garden should emulate, she said.

She said Thomas blamed a Quentin Richardson airball on the boos. Thomas could be seen by reporters in the third quarter exchanging words with fans, and did not deny it later.

"I was just trying to make sure we kept the team together and we stayed focused on what we were doing and trying to win the basketball game," Thomas said. "Our fans are great. They show up and support us."

The fans booed loud and often and chanted "Fi-re Is-iah" periodically during the second half.

At the 20-game mark, the Knicks are on pace for a 25-win season after three straight seasons of pathetic results (33-49, 23-59, 33-49). No wonder Thomas was in a bad mood.

Thomas also may have become frustrated because the fans turned on his supposed franchise center, slumping Eddy Curry, like never before. Curry has a fragile psyche and Thomas could be concerned his confidence will deteriorate even more than it has.

A Knick official disputed the tone of Thomas' talk with the fans, saying he heard a fourth-quarter exchange when the Knicks were making their run to cut a 23-point deficit to eight with 6:40 left. The official said Thomas told the fans, "See, this is what happens when you cheer."

Altschuler told The Post: "We found it humorous that's the reason the Knicks are losing - the fans. Not their defense. Not missing easy layups."

This is not the first time Thomas has been accused of ripping Knick fans. During the sexual-harassment trial, he was said to have made a disparaging remark about the "white season-ticket holders."

There were fewer boos for Thomas than for Curry - who had another brutal evening: six points on 3-of-13 shooting, three rebounds, lethargic on defense. Curry suffered a cut lip from Josh Howard that prevented him after the game from explaining his massive slump, his scoring average dipping to 15.2 points.

Thomas' day began badly enough when he learned the Garden dropped its appeal and settled his suit. Owner James Dolan was not at the game, but if Thomas is trying to get himself fired, he's doing a swell job.

Zach Randolph also took a shot at the fans.

"We need the fans," Randolph. "We need support when we were down. It's a very negative effect."

The Garden was at its surly worst - even booing Met pitchers Oliver Perez and John Maine when they were shown on the videoboard.

Dirk Nowitzki's season-high 36 points for Dallas probably had more to do with the loss than the boos. Nowitzki effortlessly hit 30 midway through the third quarter, scorching any Knicks defender.

The first "Fi-re Is-iah" chant occurred with 8:55 left in the third and Nowitzki at the foul line.

The Knicks got within 84-76 with 6:40 left, but Dallas held them off, Howard (22 points) sealing the win with an open 3-pointer for a 97-83 Mavericks lead as eccentric owner Mark Cuban rose from his seat behind the bench, raising his arms in triumph.

The Knicks were without Stephon Marbury, back on bereavement leave to mourn his father after trying to play two games. Thomas noted Marbury was an "emotional wreck" before Saturday night's game. And now the Knicks are just a train wreck.

The thing is, I'm sure the booing IS negatively reinforcing their performance.
However, the people are booing for a reason. And they didn't always boo. They boo because the team sucks and continually lets them down in spite of the big money they pay for tickets.

When they were a winning team, they raised ticket prices every season.
Guess what? time to cut prices.

if you want to say the fans are the reason, then why have some teams won DESPITE them? (yankees, giants, rangers, mets have all played for a championship within the past 15 years)

yes, it's the fans. the knicks should not sell any tickets, put up cardboard cutouts, and pipe in cheers through the sound system. that's what this team needs to do.

And the NETS hardly had any one in the arena en route to their 2 finals apperances.