http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/01/02/bc.bkn.knicks.thomas.ap/index.html

FROM THE S.I. ARTICLE:

"....Isiah Thomas is still talking about winning championships -- with many of the same players that currently comprise one of the worst teams in the NBA....And the same coach...."

This part is not said by Isiah; but is written about him...nevertheless, I don't see that happening here. Especially with "many" of the same players. Too many of these players are set in their game playing ways and it's too late for just about all of them to learn the other aspect of the game...which is defense....plus Isiah is not the one capable of elevating these players game; when he himself clearly shows to be someone who has to "learn" the game from a coaching standpoint. ......especially when you match him up to the coaching talents of his peers in the NBA...even the one's recently let go (such as Scott Skiles).

ISIAH QUOTED:

"....I know people will laugh even more at me, but I'm hell bent on getting this accomplished and making sure that we get it done...and I'm not leaving until we get it done...."

I liked Isiah as a player in his days, and even tried to respect his energy in trying to accomplish something when he tried to get into management positions; but I believe it's past the point where people would be laughing at him...but more so that it's getting to the point that people are outright frustrated with him. As far as him not planning on leaving until he "gets it done"...that just seems to be a bit delusional seeing that it would take a MAJOR miracle to work with what you already have, and on top of that depend on your own skills (which are lacking as a coach), to teach and get them there.

THE ARTICLE STATES:

"....The Knicks fell to 8-22, last in the Atlantic Division and ahead of only Miami in the Eastern Conference....Still, Thomas, also the team president, said he doesn't expect the Knicks to be active before the Feb. 21 trade deadline -- apparently because he doesn't think they need to be...."

ISIAH IS QUOTED:

"....I believe in (the team) and I believe that this is also the time that you can make serious mistakes with your roster that could set you back another three, four years," Thomas said. "We have good talent, we have good players, we have young players...."

If that were actually the case (or how he felt); then why would Thomas himself had made so many moves back in the years since he's been here...with some cases setting the franchise "back" additional years? Too much back tracking from Isiah to believe (at least for me..) that he really knows what's going on. It just appears he's trying to find the "right" things to say to bye himself more time in hopes that he stumbles upon some type of "luck" that will come along and bail him out of this mess. Simular to Danny Ainge's dysmal fall prior to the C's Big 3; but now Ainge is out of the dog house.

I do agree with him that we do have some good players on the team; but they're mostly one-dimensional players who excell more in one-on-one talent of finding their way to the basket...but as far as learning to play as a team or play defense...it excapes this group that was assembled. We can have talented and or young players; but it means nothing if you don't know how to stir the soup. Watching games this year I've heard opposing team's announcers say we had talented players and it was mind boggling how this group wasn't doing better than they could...that falls on the coaching staff.
Even with a "talented" and knowledgable coach; this group of players aren't going to make any big splashes; because the part about defensive play and help escapes them.

ISIAH ALSO IS QUOTED:

"....We have a good nucleus and we just (need) them to play well together. It's not about breaking them up or tearing them down, it's about getting them to play better as a team...."

In today's NBA I can't see none of that happening when you have to compete with more talented and well rounded teams; or teams that have more talented or rounded coaches; because the Knicks are a team that have players that have to "learn" things at the same time the coach has to "learn" things. By the time everyone's "learned" all the things Thomas is talking about; the rest of the NBA has changed and the Knicks are still in the cellar. You have to have "experience" somewhere in your arsenal.

The experience of someone who's been there and has a plan of getting there. ...please..not to be confused with any Larry Brown either..because in my opinion Brown is a good coach who knows how to turn programs around; but his Championship accomplishment had more to do with him falling in the right place at the right time....taking over a talented team that didn't need any rebuilding; but just an added piece (Rasheed Wallace). IMHO Brown doesn't know how to build a champion; just improve a doormat....which still in itself is not bad; but he blew his shot when he was here by being too outspoken and devious in his ways.

ISIAH IS QUOTED AS SAYING RECENTLY IN THE ARTICLE:

"....I believe that one day we will win a championship here,...and I believe a couple of these guys will be a part of that....and I believe I'll be a part of that..."

That would've been just fine had he made these commenst when he first got here; because we all want to believe that someone can come in and have the desire to win and take us to the next level; but when you look at this team and how they are murderous for underachieving, and outright quitting when faced with the adversity of scoring runs other teams put on them; there's no way anyone can believe the Knicks will ever be close to smelling a championship; much less make a real push at contending to be an eight seed playoff entrant.

Basically (IMHO); a statement like that should be comming from a new coach taking over a team; not one who's been a major part of the problem with this experiment. This staement just tells me we need to part ways with Thomas, and the sooner the better it will lead to moving in a direction that will take us upwards.

ISIAH IS QUOTED:

"....This is a dark time for us,.....But I know that there's a light at the end of this tunnel and I'm going to keep digging, and I'm going to keep pushing, and I'm not going to quit. I'm going to do it here...."

That's scary; because enough is enough. I didn't bash Isiah like some chose to do. Doesn't make me a better fan than anyone else because of that; but I'm here to say that it's time to move on from Mr. Thomas. There's not that much digging in the world. I have to put myself out there and say that IF Thomas did stay long enough to turn it around and win a championship (uhhh...yeah right!), then I would have to eat my words...but hey..I'm not worried about that at all. Nothing last forever in the physical world, and Isiah will "not" be doing it here.
A new program with a new leader needs to be set in place and order; because it is dark, and Isiah is digging in the wrong direction of that tunnel he's talking about.

THE ARTICLE STATES:

"....Fans routinely chant for Thomas to be fired during Knicks games, and last month a group held a giant pink slip during a rally to express those wishes....But Thomas said he wants to be remembered in New York as he is in Detroit, where he led the Pistons to two NBA championships during a Hall of Fame playing career...."

ISIAH IS QUOTED:

"....I don't necessarily just want to win a championship. I want to leave something that's going to stand for a long time. I want to leave a legacy, I want to leave tradition," Thomas said. "I want to leave an imprint, a blueprint in terms of how people play, and how they coach and how they respond when they put on the Knick uniform...."

This to me is VERY delusional; because that is something we had before he got here. A tradition, a legacy, and a blueprint. What players do we now posess that Isiah sees helping him to build this legacy and leave a blueprint?? Who in their right mind would want to go through all the uncertaincees and embarrasing moments for a blueprint on turning all that around??? It's not going to happen...we don't need a politician for a coach, nor do we need one as a GM...it's time to move on. Isiah will never reach a legacy like a Red Holtzman, nor leave any "blueprint" like the teams of the 70's and 90's did. Sure every team has it's fallen period and then a period where they rise up; but that doesn't happen by holding on to the same individuals that were responsible for putting you into that deep fall.

ISIAH WAS ALSO QUOTED:

"....And I want to leave what I left in Detroit. Every person that walks through that door as a Piston, when they put on that uniform, there's a certain pride that they carry. And I want to put that here and I want to leave that here in New York. I want to leave a championship legacy...."

I'm sorry but you can't leave what you left behind someplace as a player, and expect to be able to leave that same or simular type of impression as a management figure in another place. I admire Isiah's heart as a player back in the day; but his heart as a player doesn't translate into any success as a coach at this level. If he were going to "leave" any championship legacy here in NY, then we should not be scrubbing the basement at this point and time with the same players he says will be a part of that legacy. I have to go Mike Tyson on this one and say that's pure ludicris...

Thoughts.....

Translation: I know i suck but hey, i can't come out and say it. So here is a load of some child psychology. Other than that i am gonna get fired this year prolly. But hey everything is gonna be alright and if i don't - the championship is least likely for this team than any other team in the NBA. Thats my translation