Rich
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http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/story/238759p-204870c.html
Tim to Kenyon: Get in the ring! Hatred for Martin ages like fine whine BY FRANK ISOLA DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Apparently, there is nothing "fugazy" about Tim Thomas' hatred of Kenyon Martin. Thomas still wants a piece of Martin, whom he called a fugazy - or fake - tough guy during the Knicks' first-round playoff series last year against the Nets. Nearly six months after the two volatile forwards exchanged insults, Thomas yesterday renewed his "any time, any place" challenge to Martin.
"I already told him, if he wants to see me, let's do it in a ring so everybody can see it," Thomas said. "Enough talk, enough talk. I put that out there clearly. I'm not looking forward to fighting Kenyon on the court, where you throw one punch and the rest of your teammates are around. I'm not looking forward to that.
"I'm looking forward to somebody promoting it in a square ring with some gloves on so everybody can see what happens."
When asked if he was being serious about squaring off against Martin, Thomas replied: "Why wouldn't I be? I said it last year. I ain't got no reason to hold my tongue about that."
Martin has moved on in one sense, going to the Nuggets in July. Thomas spent the first part of his offseason recovering from the injuries he sustained in Game1 against the Nets, when he was knocked out of the series courtesy of a Jason Collins flagrant foul. Thomas suffered a sore back and sore left hip.
At the time, Thomas felt that Collins' actions were premeditated. He also criticized his teammates for not retaliating and then went after Martin, the All-Star power forward who dominated the Knicks' front line in the series.
Thomas and Martin crossed paths several times over the summer, including at a charity function in Martin's hometown of Dallas.
"I saw him in Dallas three straight days and absolutely nothing happened," Thomas said during the Knicks' annual media day. "I talked to him. It wasn't very nice. It wasn't pleasant."
Thomas claims that Martin never offered a response, saying, "He'd better not say nothing. What he said was for the papers."
Thomas' bravado notwithstanding, his run-in with Collins did speak to a larger issue about the Knicks' overall toughness. While Thomas was writhing in pain on the Meadowlands floor in Game1, not a single teammate responded with either verbal or physical threats. The passive response was telling, especially when you consider that in the '90s the Knicks ruled by intimidation.
If Patrick Ewing were knocked senseless, Charles Oakley or Anthony Mason would see to it that there would be retribution. But the Knicks have lost a lot of their toughness in recent years by trading Latrell Sprewell and Charlie Ward. Both Kurt Thomas and Shandon Anderson play a physical brand of basketball, but Kurt Thomas is a prime candidate to be traded while Anderson could have his contract bought out.
"You have to look at sports like you're going to war," Tim Thomas said. "That's always the case in football. Guys stand up for one another."
The Knicks were a relatively new team last season with all the changes Isiah Thomas made to the roster and coaching staff after being named general manager in December. Tim Thomas would like to believe that after taking having taken their lumps - quite literally - in last year's playoffs, the Knicks will be a tougher and more cohesive unit this season.
"I would hope so," he said. "I think from day one we will trust one another as a unit. That's why I'm so excited we're getting a full opportunity, a full camp to get to learn one another, to get to jell with one another, on and off the court. I think that's going to be very, very important."
Originally published on October 5, 2004
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