yellowboy90 wrote:Stephen A. Smith played for his father and wrote an article about how he needs to retire due to health reasons.

On playing for Clarence “Big House” Gaines at Winston-Salem State and writing a story about him for the school newspaper that called for him to retire:

Coach Gaines wasn’t just a coach to me. He was a father figure. We were incredibly close. Everybody talks about how I played for him — I tried to play. I came here with tendonitis in my left knee, and he always used this line on me at least once a month: “I’m from Kentucky, boy. Do you know what we do in Kentucky with horses that limp? We shoot ‘em!” That’s what he would always tell me, to let me know that I can’t even mention (the injury). My attitude was on one leg, I was still better than most people on campus, and that’s why I had a scholarship and they didn’t.

One of the biggest misnomers that are out there, and it’s real sad, because he knew better, was this article that I wrote about him. I was writing for the school newspaper and I wrote about him and how he needed to retire — while I was playing for him. Everybody’s like “Stephen A.’s crazy,” but they don’t realize what was going on. When Coach Gaines was on the sideline, it was obviously in latter part of his career, his health was not good. We had a very, very close relationship, and most, if not all of the guys on the team knew that his health wasn’t the greatest. In fact, there were a few occasions where he had a mild stroke and he would wear a patch over one of his eyes, and I said to him, “You need to retire. I understand how much you love this game, but you don’t need to be out here where you’re going to end up dropping dead on the sideline because you know you don’t take care of your health nearly as much as you should.” He would curse me out, because that was his definition of love. If he had nothing to say to you, that’s when you were nothing. I finally said to him, “I’m an aspiring reporter, and I have to call it like I see it. I’m telling you right now — it’s not like I’m divulging any secret — everybody knows that your health isn’t the greatest. You’re over 70 years of age. You need to step away from this, and if you don’t, I’m going to write about it.” He said, “F you man. Go ahead and do it,” and I did it. And then you had the chancellor of the school, he wanted me expelled, and then you had a bunch of people there that was like, “How could you do this to him?” and nobody picked up on the biggest part of the story — Coach Gaines was the one that stepped up and said, “Leave that boy alone. I told him it was OK for him to write.” And I didn’t get to tell them, because my attitude was if you don’t know how close he and I were and how much I love that man, then you don’t know me at all and it’s not even worth the time of day and I’m not even going to try to explain it.

Phil Jackson, Steve Mills and Clarence Gaines Jr. have developed a vision for the New York Knicks. While temptation and intrigue wait around every corner, that trio has remained true to form throughout their brief tenure

Had never seen Gaines' name being mentioned so prominently before.

This was from last year when Jackson first came on- :

Beyond that? Expect Jackson to hire his own scouts, his own strength coaches and his own support staff. Clarence Gaines Jr., a former Chicago Bulls scout and longtime friend of Jackson's, has been quietly working in the Knicks' offices for weeks, compiling personnel reports. The team made no announcement yet, but Gaines is expected to assume a major front-office role, possibly as vice president of basketball operations.

Gaines was Jerry Krause’s right-hand man as a Bulls scout when Jackson coached there. Gaines has been hanging around the team for several days and with the front-office staff, including Mark Warkentien, Mark Hughes and Allan Houston. “Phil’s not comfortable with a lot of people but he’s very comfortable with him,' the source said of Gaines. “There’s some good people in the front office and I don’t think he’s intending to clean house.

Hopefully he continues to be successful in evaluating talent. I expect someone good at this is almost worth their weight in gold in the NBA.

CrushAlot wrote:Isola used the news that Gaines had called drafting Kristaps a once in a lifetime opportunity to go at Phil again. He said Phil was spreading the blame if Kristaps didn't workout. He also said that Phil neglected to give Knicks European scout Kevin Wilson credit.

Saw Wilson mentioned in a article about Porzingis, but not sure he was being noted by Phil.

Have not read the Isola article.

Wilson is the guy who initially sees the player, I assume, and probably sends some kind of report to the Knicks...maybe it even goes to Gaines?
Porzingis was well known, though, since he had been on the radar last year, too.

Since Phil did not go to see him, he'd want someone he trusts to do the legwork. Wilson has been our guy overseas for a few years, I think- and he seems pretty good, but I'm not sure things happen as they did if Gaines does not go to Spain and actually watch him play in some games. I guess this is where the trust built up through years of friendship becomes important.

As good as Wilson is, Jackson had to have the confirmation from Gaines.

nixluva wrote:I've been mentioning Gaines as part of the braintrust of this regime along with Warkentien for a long time. Every time we've had this bashing of Phil and his staff i've brought up these names. I've even created threads about this. The Knicks actually have a very good staff some of which was already here before Phil. He decided to keep Warkentien who originally thought he was going to be fired. Phil convinced him to stay. Overall this staff has a very high quality of basketball men with years of experience. I've mentioned how Warkentien is an Exec of the year award winner. The main problem has been the interference of Dolan. With Dolan less involved the skills of the staff will begin to shine through.

The press has probably spent so much time taking pokes at him that, for the most part, they have not done their job and noticed a solid core of good people who were kept over and brought in.

holfresh wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Isola used the news that Gaines had called drafting Kristaps a once in a lifetime opportunity to go at Phil again. He said Phil was spreading the blame if Kristaps didn't workout. He also said that Phil neglected to give Knicks European scout Kevin Wilson credit.

Phil putting a lot of pressure on this kid to save the franchise..

save the franchise from what? the melo era?

fishmike wrote:

holfresh wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Isola used the news that Gaines had called drafting Kristaps a once in a lifetime opportunity to go at Phil again. He said Phil was spreading the blame if Kristaps didn't workout. He also said that Phil neglected to give Knicks European scout Kevin Wilson credit.

Phil putting a lot of pressure on this kid to save the franchise..

here's the game your playing... what negativity can I find from this.

Phil's giving credit? Well that can be used to deflect blame.
Melo goes on social media? Must be damage control.

Hey Holfresh Isola ... where did Phil say this kid saving the franchise? Where? Or would it fair to say that's a sentence with 2% truth your going to be regurgitating over and over again and in play fashion "a lot of people are saying this kid is a franchise savior... lots of pressure."

Easy to see how this works.

Boy... I can see your really rooting hard for things to go right (that's sarcasm)

Come on dude..How long have we engaged is these types of discussions..You don't have to decipher my true meaning, just ask..Have I ever shy away from not expressing exactly what's on my mind??...Calling the kid a "once in a lifetime player" doesn't do exactly that???

And now you claim to know that I'm rooting for the Knicks to fail?????

CrushAlot wrote:

holfresh wrote:

fishmike wrote:

holfresh wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Isola used the news that Gaines had called drafting Kristaps a once in a lifetime opportunity to go at Phil again. He said Phil was spreading the blame if Kristaps didn't workout. He also said that Phil neglected to give Knicks European scout Kevin Wilson credit.

Phil putting a lot of pressure on this kid to save the franchise..

here's the game your playing... what negativity can I find from this.

Phil's giving credit? Well that can be used to deflect blame.
Melo goes on social media? Must be damage control.

Hey Holfresh Isola ... where did Phil say this kid saving the franchise? Where? Or would it fair to say that's a sentence with 2% truth your going to be regurgitating over and over again and in play fashion "a lot of people are saying this kid is a franchise savior... lots of pressure."

Easy to see how this works.

Boy... I can see your really rooting hard for things to go right (that's sarcasm)

Come on dude..How long have we engaged is these types of discussions..You don't have to decipher my true meaning, just ask..Have I ever shy away from not expressing exactly what's on my mind??...Calling the kid a "once in a lifetime player" doesn't do exactly that???

And now you claim to know that I'm rooting for the Knicks to fail?????

"When someone says to me [that] this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I have to be alert," Jackson said of what Knicks basketball adviser Clarence Gaines Jr. told him and how Porzingis eventually became a Knick. "And [I have to] consider that after he's been in this business for as long as he has, I think he has as good of an eye as he has on talent."

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2015/story/_/id/13154674/phil-jackson-defends-new-york-knicks-first-round-selection-kristaps-porzingis
That was what was said but it was defending the pick not putting pressure on Kristaps.

OK..Then let's watch the media over the next few years rehash this comment from Phil...You think the media cares about context when labels like that are spit out...Phil said he did a great job getting rid of salaries..What did the media hear???

FistOfOakley wrote:i would say gaines is pretty much in charge of the whole draft process... and i absolutely do not trust him...

What the hell are you basing this on? Doesn't sound like it was about one guy to me. The Knicks seemed to send the entire staff to workouts and a contingent to Europe too. Phil made it sound like everyone made a case for who they wanted and that they came to a consensus on the players they had in their top 3.

holfresh wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

holfresh wrote:

fishmike wrote:

holfresh wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Isola used the news that Gaines had called drafting Kristaps a once in a lifetime opportunity to go at Phil again. He said Phil was spreading the blame if Kristaps didn't workout. He also said that Phil neglected to give Knicks European scout Kevin Wilson credit.

Phil putting a lot of pressure on this kid to save the franchise..

here's the game your playing... what negativity can I find from this.

Phil's giving credit? Well that can be used to deflect blame.
Melo goes on social media? Must be damage control.

Hey Holfresh Isola ... where did Phil say this kid saving the franchise? Where? Or would it fair to say that's a sentence with 2% truth your going to be regurgitating over and over again and in play fashion "a lot of people are saying this kid is a franchise savior... lots of pressure."

Easy to see how this works.

Boy... I can see your really rooting hard for things to go right (that's sarcasm)

Come on dude..How long have we engaged is these types of discussions..You don't have to decipher my true meaning, just ask..Have I ever shy away from not expressing exactly what's on my mind??...Calling the kid a "once in a lifetime player" doesn't do exactly that???

And now you claim to know that I'm rooting for the Knicks to fail?????

"When someone says to me [that] this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I have to be alert," Jackson said of what Knicks basketball adviser Clarence Gaines Jr. told him and how Porzingis eventually became a Knick. "And [I have to] consider that after he's been in this business for as long as he has, I think he has as good of an eye as he has on talent."

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2015/story/_/id/13154674/phil-jackson-defends-new-york-knicks-first-round-selection-kristaps-porzingis
That was what was said but it was defending the pick not putting pressure on Kristaps.

OK..Then let's watch the media over the next few years rehash this comment from Phil...You think the media cares about context when labels like that are spit out...Phil said he did a great job getting rid of salaries..What did the media hear???

Are you accountable for anything that YOU say on these boards? For instance comparing KP to Shawn Bradley. Much like you derive a hidden negative connotation & meaning behind everything that Phil says.....one could conclude based on your comments that you are biased and prejudiced against this kid solely because he is a tall white euro.

holfresh wrote:Phil slipped and said we will see in five years then said one year later in the interview..I see Shawn Bradley..Too skinny to man the middle..