It's not on 'us' to 'treat' anyone in anyway.

Players, while seemingly influenced by the fans and all that stuff, don't really care as much as you think they do.

Sure, some might care more about the newspapers than others. But when it comes down to it, they go in, collect their check, go back to their mansion, party on off nights, and keep living their life.

There is nothing to this whole 'we treat them bad' thing. We're no different than any other sports fans in the world.

I think it could be true that players don't want to come here. I think there are a few possible reasons. In general, I think players know that the Knicks have been a badly run franchise for many years, where there has been no hope of even making the playoffs. That's on management. I also think that the Knicks franchise has a history of not treating players/coaches well, especially when they are on the way out. Finally, I think New York City offers unique challenges, with the media and the fans. It's a pressure cooker. Maybe they just don't make players tough enough to actually want to come here anymore.

You keep hearing rumors? You call the bs regular people say as rumors? Come on already, the players took a better position on a team that can compete, while we are a question mark. And the way to make sound business is the way Donnie has been dealing. You don't just give the player what he wants like you depend on him, especially to borderline talent like our restricted F/As. If they feel disrespected its BS because this is business.

In the end, if NY sticks to its plan, they will land the players they want because their goal is that flexibility. If you have solid talent and cap to sign players, you will make business.

We are really getting desperate here with the lack of news. This topic shows it. Papabear, its your decision to have your hopes up or not. No one here is clairvoyant so the most we can say and discuss over and over again is that Donnie is doing sound business and if he stays in course we will have a better product soon. Is that 2010 or 2011? Who knows, gotta keep waiting.

Posted by nyk4ever:

Patrick swing jr was mistreated? Lol you really are out there

Yea, he was mistreated...by GOD, BECAUSE HE SUCKS.

Posted by ramtour420:

It could have more to do with the fact that just about every FA , it seems like, threatens his team to sign with us to get more $ out of them.

Of course, that is also a big problem.

It is this fan, journalist, and management mentality of 'superior destination' that in effect dooms our chances at being a superior destination.

There is a stigma, you see, and so far this stigma has been large enough to induce leverage-works, but not strong enough to push potentials over the edge-- that is, to actually consider signing with the Knicks.

The best course of action, I believe, to remedy this situation is to build a home-grown team that can challenge, at least for a birth, and after that try to lure a big name or two.

This won't be a 2 or 3 year thing-- we're talking 5, 7, 8 years.

Now, the good news is that we have a solid young core of home-growns-- Gallo, Ill Will. The bad news is that everyone and their moms is going to want a big signing in '10. And when it doesn't come, it's crashdom.

Posted by arkrud:

Why you will want primadonnas who feel themselves "mistreated"?
I want players who fill themselves the best.
All this softies can go FTS..

It's the nature of pro sports in America; most of the top-tier talent is filled with primadonnas.

There is a reason that stars such as Dirk or Tim Duncan or Garnet stay with one team for so long. They care about the game. This is also the same reason that players such as Joe Johnson or Carlos Boozer bolt for the bucks. Sad part is, the Dirks and Duncans can't be signed-- only drafted. I think we have one of these in Gallo.

I am also a Seahawk fan and root as hard for them as I do for the Knicks. I'm involved in their message boards(yes I cheat on UltimateKnicks with other messageboards) and am fairly in tune with the "average Seahawk fan". Trust me, Knick fans are nothing like fans around the country. All fans are passionate and all go up and down with the success of the team, but the level of impatience, pessimism during bad times and optimism during good times is unmatched.

Basketball is cyclical. Teams win and lose. When you lose nobody wants to play for you. When you win everyone wants to play for you. In New York each end of the spectrum is multiplied. I think some of you guys still don't grasp how low we sank. We were such an embarrassment that even Seahawk fans say "at least we aren't the Knicks". Of course nobody wants to play for us. It takes a while to change that stigma. That's why rebuilding is not going to be an overnight thing here. I know this is tough to accept, but it is reality. Now when NY turns it around and guys like John Starks are being called one of the best SG's in the league, not because he is, but because he plays in NY, then big time free agents will see this. They will want this. And when we show promise, sure there will be players that are afraid to play here. There will be players that don't want this spotlight. But trust me, we will have no problem getting free-agents.

Now stop whining and hope that guys like Gallo and Wilson improve their games.

Posted by Marv:

**** the seahawks.

**** you!

Posted by Marv:

Posted by Bippity10:

Posted by Marv:

**** the seahawks.

**** you!

See friends you simply canNOT find this kind of sports analysis and informed debate anywhere else on the net.

Agreed