So if you havent read by now, Don claims to be 'hurt' and says the Fire Chaney chants 'feel like a dagger'. I got to thinking about it, and as much as I want him gone I start feeling bad for the guy. Lets be honest, he fell into this situation brought on by Van Gundy's swift departure. It wasnt like he interviewed for the job and promised to turn the Knicks around, he simply was thrown into this mess by Layden and unfortunately hasnt proved capable of making it better. I met Don this summer and I think hes a kind, humble man. Unfortunately, these life qualities rarely translate to success in the pro sports.

Like many of you, I have been screaming the 'Fire-Chaney' chant for weeks now. He needs to understand.... "Isiah-Please-Releave-Don-of-His-Duties" just isnt as catchy of a chant. But honestly, I dont think many of us actually hate the guy. I mean, baring someone losing a couple grand on a game, I doubt any of us would tell him off or pick a fight with him on the street. We just want what we deserve...a better coach.

So hopefully Don realizes that none of this is personal. Unfortunately he is one of the few remainees of the Layden regime, and that automatically makes him scapegoat #1. Personally, I would love to see Don coach elsewhere and do great (maybe an assistant position, college, etc). I would wish him the best in any endevour he chooses. Just not as the coach of one of the most storied franchises in all of sports.

Vangundy knew exactly what he was doing by dropping chaney in our laps without (chaney) desiring to be head coach ANYWHERE else and to make matters worst the "STUPID NY FANS" cheered that "trick" when they came to town and Houston blew us off the court.

I will sorry for him, and the millions he is getting paid that he doesn't deserve, on the day he is fired. Until then, NOPE.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/14/sports/basketball/14KNIC.html

January 14, 2004
Chaney Feels Heat but Won't Step Down
By LIZ ROBBINS

GREENBURGH, N.Y., Jan. 13 — Don Chaney sounded as if he were a man backed against a wall Tuesday. He is trying not to see the handwriting behind him, but is dismayed by what lies ahead.

Chaney, the Knicks' head coach, admitted to feeling the stifling pressures of losing games and losing a grip on his job as he waits for Isiah Thomas, the team's president, to make a decision on his future.

"Horrible working conditions, definitely," Chaney said.

The atmosphere at the Knicks' training facility is growing increasingly tense. Players are weary of talking about Chaney's status, yet feeling the pressure to win for him. Having lost five of their last six games, and lagging at 15-24, some of the Knicks are wondering about their own job security and if they will soon have another coach.

Chaney proclaimed that he would not march into his boss's office — as the former Giants coach Jim Fassel did last month — and demand to know his job status. Chaney, 57, said he would not ask to resign to remove the distraction.

"I'm not a quitter," said Chaney, who signed a contract extension last April that is guaranteed through the 2005-6 season. In three seasons with the Knicks, he is 72-112. "I've never quit anything in my entire life. I believe in them and I want them to believe in me," he said of his players. "I'm going to hang in there. It doesn't matter what the obstacles are. It doesn't matter how tough it is."

It is growing tougher because it is becoming personal.

On two occasions during Monday's overtime loss to Dallas, the fans began chants of "Fire Chaney," as they did in a blowout loss to Houston last week. Chaney admitted to making a mistake at the end of overtime Monday, waiting 11 seconds to signal for Allan Houston to foul, a decision that drew the loudest chants.

"It's like a dagger," said Chaney, who added that he had never been booed before. "It hurt; it was deep."

Even worse, Chaney said, it distressed his wife, Jackie, so much that she had to leave her seat at Madison Square Garden.

On Monday, Thomas said that he would not give Chaney any assurances, furthering speculation about his job security. Thomas, who appeared on "Late Show With David Letterman" on Tuesday, declined to comment on Chaney's statements.

Stephon Marbury and Houston, the Knicks' captain, said it would help them to know Chaney's status.

"I definitely think it would be easier on Don and the players if we knew," Houston said. "Everybody can do their job better if people are confident in you, people believe in you and you're more at peace about the situation."

While trying to survive to the next day, Chaney seems to be operating with tunnel vision. According to several people with intimate knowledge of the team, when Thomas took over, Chaney became increasingly circumspect about players' roles or minutes, making the rotation even more unsettled than it had been.

Chaney had explained his use of his guards — Frank Williams, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, then Moochie Norris — as "whoever is playing best at the time."

On Monday night, Chaney, wanting to stay with the group that had led the 20-point comeback, used a six-man rotation in the second half and in overtime. He played Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Houston for all 29 minutes. Keith Van Horn was out with a hyperextended knee (he is questionable for Wednesday's home game against Orlando), limiting Chaney's options.

Although Shandon Anderson is the fastest player after Marbury, and one who can run with him on the fast break, Anderson was on the bench for all but one minute of the second half and overtime.

"Coach's decision," he said with a shrug. The Knicks, seemingly exhausted, scored just 6 points in overtime. Marbury, who scored 38 points in 52 minutes but only 2 in overtime, said he understood Chaney's priorities.

"The N.B.A. is, everything is now; there is no such thing as later," he said. He added, "He's doing what it takes to win."

Since Thomas ripped up the roster and made two trades, the second one a blockbuster, the Knicks have gone 2-5. "It's just not realistic to say you add a couple great players, now we're going to go 20-0," Houston said. "We've played four, five games. You can't overreact in four games."

The unsettled situation is nothing new for Marbury. A day after he was traded to New Jersey, the Nets fired John Calipari. "And they say I got him fired, that was crazy," Marbury said. "It's a business."

He said when the Suns were about to fire Frank Johnson this season, the team could sense it coming.

Thomas has brought in two coaches who were with him on the Indiana Pacers' sideline, Mark Aguirre and George Glymph. On Monday, Thomas was instructing the guards after a shoot-around. Chaney, cleary disturbed, would not comment.

Chaney, sensing he may be down to his final days, said he did not want his players winning just for him.

"I want them to win as a team," he said. "Some things you just can't control. If it's inevitable and they see the writing on the wall, I expect for them to still play."

He asked them to follow his lead. "We're down right now, but you can't succumb to that," he said. "You've got to come through and crawl out of it. I'm doing it and I expect them to do it."

Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company

Isiah was just on with "Letterman," and was non-committal about Chaney. btw, Can anyone imagine Layden on "Letterman?"

if i sucked balls at my job i would get fired too, but i dont make millions. dont worry about chaney he deserves to get canned.

Yeah - Nobody is important enough to 'hate', but I will welcome the change when it comes. And I'll welcome a center as well. Anyone? Stanley?

all the Fire Chaney stuff could've been avoided had he been let go sooner

Exactly! Day one. Thomas gave Chaney every chance to mess up and not get critisized for firing him as Larry did him. For the good of the organization and for good guy Chaney, he should have done it.

But TV personality Isiah would not look good.

I think he does not look good with how he handled it. HE said he was here to help, not hurt. Sounded nice? But he undermined him every step of the way, and when it became intolerable, then Thomas looked merciful.

Most everyone here knew Chaney is not a good coach, and I am sure Isiah did also. But he was more concerned with being hypocritical after he got canned quick at Indy. In the off season never the less.

Larry was going to can Isiah before he got the job, and by doing it quickly he helped the organization. He hurt Jermaine, but he got over it.