From the start, Phil Jackson made it clear he understood the New York climate of demanding media and harsh critique. The story about riding with Red from LaGuardia, only to have his windshield cracked by an arbitrary rock from an overpass on the Van Wyck, was a beautiful analogy.
Phil knows that rocks will be thrown. From the headlines, the game of second-guess has already started. What he politely requested was the opportunity to rescue a sinking ship whose socially-incompetent captain finally ready to give up the wheel. Dolan, in his clumsy remarks, revealed exactly why the MSG media policy is so restrictive.
Dolan understood he had to do something dramatic. Thankfully, the days of giving Chris Smith a game jersey are finally gone. The curse is lifted.
Let my people hit the open man.
This must be what people who join a cult feel like- I'm delighted! I feel blindly optimistic about the Knicks for the first time in many many years- heard everything I wanted to hear in the various interviews, hope this is the start of something good.
Haven't been this excited since Riley was hired.
Im just glad Dolan is finally keeping his nose out of basketball affairs. I wish he would ahve done that years ago
misterearl wrote:From the start, Phil Jackson made it clear he understood the New York climate of demanding media and harsh critique. The story about riding with Red from LaGuardia, only to have his windshield cracked by an arbitrary rock from an overpass on the Van Wyck, was a beautiful analogy. Phil knows that rocks will be thrown. From the headlines, the game of second-guess has already started. What he politely requested was the opportunity to rescue a sinking ship whose socially-incompetent captain finally ready to give up the wheel. Dolan, in his clumsy remarks, revealed exactly why the MSG media policy is so restrictive.
Dolan understood he had to do something dramatic. Thankfully, the days of giving Chris Smith a game jersey are finally gone. The curse is lifted.
Let my people hit the open man.
I have always said we need a guy who originated in and understands NY to guide this ship...I think we need a coach that understands NY as well and who emphasis is on defense...JVG said this in an interview yesterday, Knicks need players who want to play here in NY...Fans takes these things for granted...
“We’re going to have an open relationship and a good one,” Jackson said to all the reporters present.Maybe he, as no one before him, really has the juice to make Dolan — “I think I’m a little out of my element when it comes to the team” — a man of his word. Maybe the Knicks will lurch forward now that they have reached deep into their storied past.
Time will tell, but in an email, Bill Bradley raved, “Phil’s arrival as president of the Knicks is potentially the biggest thing for Knicks fans since the DeBusschere trade.”
Acquired in the 1968-69 season, Dave DeBusschere was widely viewed as the final piece to a championship puzzle. Depending on what happens with Anthony or what one thinks of him as a foundational star, Jackson can only be considered the first or second.
But he is big, as reflected by his salutation and his salary. And in the Knicks’ hierarchy, there is no triangle of power, just Dolan and the man of whom he said, “This is someone who knows about winning.”
- Harvey Araton
Pat Ewing as number 1 pick was pretty big...I'll temper my enthusiasm because in the NBA, it's about the horses dragging the carriage...Phil is a big plus coaching, I won't go too crazy with him as a GM...I'll wait and see but certainly glad he is here...
holfresh - the 2016 NYK triangle will be Bargnani, Noah and Melo.
You heard it here first.
Whatever the criteria, one thins is a stone cold lock.
martin - from this moment forward, Knicks players will be more intelligent, and better stewards of the orange and blue banner.
StarksEwing1 wrote:Im just glad Dolan is finally keeping his nose out of basketball affairs. I wish he would ahve done that years ago
He did. They are now ignominiously referred to as "The Isiah Years"!
But yeah, I hopeful this time he's chosen a better person to latch onto...
"But yeah, I hopeful this time he's chosen a better person to latch onto..."
H1AND1 - a better person? For you to question Phil's role with the Knicks as a player... and then make a lame comparison between Isiah and Uncle Phil only reveals you have little appreciation for the most productive (and positive) years of the NYK franchise.
What you miss H1AND1 is that the Knicks of that era were more than champions, they were outstanding people.
Read up on how Bill Bradley dealt with the derisive treatment of black ballplayers in the Knicks locker room. Think of the context of that era and the significance of having a Rhodes Scholar rooming with Jackson.
Know history.
My take is Dolan tried this before with Isiah and made the knicks awful! IT would be hard to be trusting again and Donnies "Patience" might not have been fully evolved or digested by DOlan.
Dolan had to have a huge personality to trust. PHil got uber cred.
With Nets winning the arms race and Dolan seemingly reluctant to join it given his adventure with Isiah I can see a scenario where we go on a flat out spree run by Phil.
Bottom line is not just a championship but that PHil moves this franchise in a postitive direction not just in his tenure but that a process and culture persists after his time. Isiah builtone and it had to be burnt down. Sure I want a championship but if its not to be lets not have a house of cards left standing.
Under Phil a successor grows and can continue. Time to bring in Steve Kerr to coach for a few years and when he's fried kick him upstairs.
As I mentioned early on that Steve Mills is the numbers guy and he'd figure heavy in the mix.
misterearl wrote:"But yeah, I hopeful this time he's chosen a better person to latch onto..."H1AND1 - a better person? For you to question Phil's role with the Knicks as a player... and then make a lame comparison between Isiah and Uncle Phil only reveals you have little appreciation for the most productive (and positive) years of the NYK franchise.
What you miss H1AND1 is that the Knicks of that era were more than champions, they were outstanding people.
Read up on how Bill Bradley dealt with the derisive treatment of black ballplayers in the Knicks locker room. Think of the context of that era and the significance of having a Rhodes Scholar rooming with Jackson.
Know history.
And realize Clyde's one-time roomate taught him all the rhymes he now abuses. 
Uncle Phil/Sci...Happy Happy Happy.
We now bring you the era of Chop Wood and Carry Water:
"It's back to the basics, gentlemen. Move those feet. I catch you in person or on tape standing still watching Melo, and I will dock you $50K. No questions asked."
Delivered in that charming, flat Montana Monotone.
misterearl wrote:Whatever the criteria, one thins is a stone cold lock.martin - from this moment forward, Knicks players will be more intelligent, and better stewards of the orange and blue banner.
I agree, and this time its different. Why? Because they HAVE to be
Having Phil Jackson as the final word removes Dolan from the basketball operation.
That is like removing Ray Charles as senior flight instructor at Delta Air Lines.
