Every time you pry yourself away a safe distance from any discussion involving James Dolan and his toxic ownership of the New York Knicks, something odorous seeps back in to disrupt hope.
There's no logical reason to believe the absence of news concerning Dolan translates to optimism. You have to know he's out there, lurking in a way professional criminals might, waiting for just the right opportunity to strike and make things miserable. Isn't it reasonable to believe that, since he owns the team, his fingerprints would be impressionable on a daily basis? It is, of course, yet we hope. We hope he becomes involved in some other issue not related to the Knicks - some passion that overrides the basketball operation and compels him to leave it in other hands.
Unfortunately for Knick fans, it continues to appear that, even in the unlikely event the above scenario would come to fruition, the hands would belong to one of the great franchise villains of all time - Isiah Thomas.
There it was, right there in black and white in the New York Daily News on Sunday, September 9. James Dolan has offered Thomas a position with the organization. Thankfully, so far, it seems Isiah is fearful of the backlash that would certainly ensue. It's probably just spin, "positioning" in the public relations world, to determine if the reaction would be severe. It also casts a glow of responsibility about Thomas, part of the reconstruction of his image that will naturally be necessary before he starts poisoning Knick basketball again.
A logical person might inquire why Dolan hasn't considered that backlash. Is it possible he's so out of touch with the people he considers customers? They are the very same people he's fond of scamming out of thousands of dollars in increased ticket prices for the benefit of strolling by shops and restaurants they can't afford in the new Madison Square Garden.
It's a crying shame we are shackled by this person seemingly determined to undermine whatever possibilities this team might have moving forward. Unfortunately, he has minimized so much of that potential already himself.
Glenn Vallach has been a basketball fan, player, and coach during his lifetime and, as such, an ardent follower of the NBA even with all its warts. He have also been a New York Knick fan since the days of Howie Komives and Walt Bellamy, when he regularly boarded the IRT Subway at 180th Street in the Bronx for a trip to the Garden to see his heroes.
S ources:
· Yahoo! Sports New York Knicks page
· The Sports Xchange, The SportsXchange, Report: Knicks' Dolan trying to rehire Thomas
· Frank Isola, New York Daily News, Source: Isiah Thomas hesitant to take job with NY Knicks after conversations with James Dolan
