Knicks · Hornacek just earned my respect - stands up for Melo, calls Phil a "distraction" (page 1)

http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball...

Amen.

After another disheartening loss in another disheartening season, Carmelo Anthony stood in front of his locker Wednesday night and answered questions about another odd and seemingly negative statement about him courtesy of Knicks team president Phil Jackson.

Jackson’s method of delivery this time was a tweet in which he wrote that a Bleacher Report article criticizing Anthony “almost rings the bell” and compared Anthony to NBA flameout Michael Graham. “I learned you don’t change the spot on a leopard with Michael Graham in my CBA daze,” Jackson wrote.

It’s at least the third time this season Jackson has taken a shot at Anthony. It’s unclear what Jackson’s motives are, but one thought is he is trying to goad Anthony into agreeing to waive his no-trade clause before the Feb. 23 deadline. Or it could be to motivate Anthony.

“I told you I’m done asking why,” Anthony said. Later, he added, “I’m self-motivated. I can get myself motivated.”

As much as he is tired of losing, Anthony is tired of having to talk about why Jackson keeps taking shots at him.

“I think anybody would get tired,” Anthony said. “If you went to work every day and had these spats about you eventually you would get tired. Unless you’re as strong as I am and can deal with it and move on from it. I think anybody — any human being — at some point in time would start feeling that way about it. But you can’t cry over spoiled milk.”

As proof of his lack of concern over the substance of Jackson’s latest salvo, Anthony said of Michael Graham: “I definitely wasn’t looking at it and Googling who Michael Graham was. No disrespect to Michael Graham. I didn’t look at it that deeply.”

Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek facetiously opened his pregame news conference with a “No comment” — trying to bring levity to an unhealthy situation. But even occasional quips delivered in that easygoing Midwestern drawl couldn’t hide the fact that the increasingly tense relationship between Jackson and Anthony is threatening to unravel a team that doesn’t need extra help in that department.

“It’s a distraction,” Hornacek said. “Everything that gets out there — OK, whatever. Hopefully, it’s not a distraction for our guys. Stuff that comes out with Phil and Carmelo, Carmelo handles it great. He’s handled it great the whole year. . . . He’s got the no-trade. He can do whatever he wants. We would love to have him here. I think he’s a great player.”

Hornacek was asked about the level of dysfunction surrounding the team and if it was “worse” than he expected.

“I was warned,” he said. “But it was expected that there was going to be something all the time. It’s lived up to the billing.”

Of Jackson, he said: “Whatever he wrote, you might want to ask him. I can’t interpret what he says. I didn’t understand what he was trying to get at.”

At various points this season, Jackson has implied that Anthony is a selfish player who holds the ball too long and clogs up the Knicks’ attempts at a triangle offense. The most consistent knock is that Anthony is not a winner.

Jackson has not spoken to the Knicks media since Sept. 23. He did make an appearance Wednesday night — as a peacemaker after the Charles Oakley incident in which the former Knicks star was ejected from the Garden during the first quarter following a courtside altercation and later was arrested. Jackson was seen trying to calm Oakley.

fuck it must drive him up the wall when phil does this shit. i liked how clyde had melos back too he said melo needs support not this constant distraction its actually outrageous when you think about it. who else does this crap from that position? weak, passive aggressive and just dumb. no matter what phil does or as done , at the end of the day you just gotta point to noahs contract like-seriously?

Ohh, of course it would be impossible for anyone on the planet not to get tired of this. Except: drumroll: Enter Melo, the only human being blessed with the gift of not giving two craps about it. Why should he? Who cares about some Michael Graham dude? We are talking Melo here! Hello! All star and 3 time Olympic gold medalist. What some old fart with 11 rings is gonna take him out of his comfort zone? No Sir! SuperMelo don't play that game.

The only reason Melo is still here is because he and his family enjoy living in NY. This is absolutely horrible for fans because it's a clear indication that melo is content with mediocrity in his career so long as he is comfortable. I mean who cares about winning right? The fans don't come to the game to see the knicks win no, of course not! It's A-OK to go another another half decade or so playing non-competitive basketball. It's all fine, because melo and his family are comfortable, and that is all that should matter to us fans right?

At the end of the day it all comes down to the NTC, the disaster 3 years in the making that Phil should never have agreed to. He thought he could marginalize the value of the NTC by forcing melo's hand. Looks like he may have thought wrong, and the franchise will continue to suffer for it.

Hornacek always defends melo and melo repays him by just playing the way he always has and ignoring Hornacek s plays and refuses to play any defense

smackeddog wrote:Hornacek always defends melo and melo repays him by just playing the way he always has and ignoring Hornacek s plays and refuses to play any defense

+1 let me add if I might, he also refuses to pass, to move without the ball, to fill up lanes in transition, and to own up to his shortcomings as a player. On the other hand tho he is really into his brand, fashion etc.

Hornacek is working hard on getting fired. It must be the culture of the Dolan-led organization, which takes composed and successful people and makes them look like whiny moronic losers. Would anyone maybe plonk four billion bucks to buy MSG out? Too bad it's been losing money in the last 12 months.

On the other hand, the Rangers have been managed well over the years, under the same Mr. Dolan, so ho figure.

Coach is doing what he should which is keep his team together.
As long as Melo is on his roster and his best player he has to do what he can to win games.
Im sure the phil haters think his quote was out of defiance and thats all cool, but its just a matter of professionalism that a coach should do.
Nalod is baffled by Jax last tweet, but seems Melo is not all that bothered by it and media tends to fuel the outrage.
I don't think its as big a deal as most would like to see it. Phil is being Phil and Melo is centric to his own agenda.
Nothing new here folks.

It's not just the tweet, it's how Phil conducts himself. Even when he first got her, he never said more that 2 words to woodson until he fired him. He never say anything to the players as they were pushing hard to make the playoffs.

Phil knows that anything he tweets is going to be headline news, you had reporters asking the coach and players about his break up with his fiance. You never see this kind of stuff in the NBA. The fact that he is even making a coach run his system is crazy. There's not one single president in the NBA.

Phil hangs around team, then media says he is meddling. His not, they say he is absent.
He is under a microscope and we base all our opinions on a few media outlets that define him.
I may seem sympathetic based on what I read, and Knicks1248 is anything but. Neither of us are experts on the daily Phil.

Media loves to create "Hero or villain" mentality and we do the blame game.

Regardless of who is at fault, Phil is responsible for all of this. event he good ratings and attendance the team gets!!!
The product on the floor was good last nite and its too bad Oak didn't get tossed until halftime.
Fans love a defiant hero, especially one that relates to the working class.

"Free Oak" sounds good!!!!

Soon: "Oak died for your sins!!"

Nalod wrote:Phil hangs around team, then media says he is meddling. His not, they say he is absent.
He is under a microscope and we base all our opinions on a few media outlets that define him.
I may seem sympathetic based on what I read, and Knicks1248 is anything but. Neither of us are experts on the daily Phil.

Media loves to create "Hero or villain" mentality and we do the blame game.

Regardless of who is at fault, Phil is responsible for all of this. event he good ratings and attendance the team gets!!!
The product on the floor was good last nite and its too bad Oak didn't get tossed until halftime.
Fans love a defiant hero, especially one that relates to the working class.

"Free Oak" sounds good!!!!

Soon: "Oak died for your sins!!"

ESOMKnicks wrote:Hornacek is working hard on getting fired. It must be the culture of the Dolan-led organization, which takes composed and successful people and makes them look like whiny moronic losers. Would anyone maybe plonk four billion bucks to buy MSG out? Too bad it's been losing money in the last 12 months.

On the other hand, the Rangers have been managed well over the years, under the same Mr. Dolan, so ho figure.

I think Hornacek can outlast Phil. I don't see Phil opting out after this year, but i also don't see Phil resigning here after 5 years. He will be, what, 74 years old? And will likely hand the team off to Mills with Allan Houston as GM.

Nalod wrote:Phil hangs around team, then media says he is meddling. His not, they say he is absent.
He is under a microscope and we base all our opinions on a few media outlets that define him.
I may seem sympathetic based on what I read, and Knicks1248 is anything but. Neither of us are experts on the daily Phil.

Media loves to create "Hero or villain" mentality and we do the blame game.

Regardless of who is at fault, Phil is responsible for all of this. event he good ratings and attendance the team gets!!!
The product on the floor was good last nite and its too bad Oak didn't get tossed until halftime.
Fans love a defiant hero, especially one that relates to the working class.

"Free Oak" sounds good!!!!

Soon: "Oak died for your sins!!"

Sympathetic?????

Were a laughing stock, drama filled, dysfunctional franchise, and phil is just a weird guy who adds fuel to it all. I can't see how anyone can think this is normal.

ESOMKnicks wrote:Hornacek is working hard on getting fired. It must be the culture of the Dolan-led organization, which takes composed and successful people and makes them look like whiny moronic losers. Would anyone maybe plonk four billion bucks to buy MSG out? Too bad it's been losing money in the last 12 months.

On the other hand, the Rangers have been managed well over the years, under the same Mr. Dolan, so ho figure.

Rangers blow it out completely and did 5 years rebuild from 0.
They hire development coach and drafted very well.
Then they hire disciplinarian coach and established the culture of winning.
Now after 10 years they hire winning coach and are perennial contenders.
Knicks if they want to do same are not even at starting point.
They did get development coach and now Phil trying to speed up the blow up.
But it looks like we still have 2 more season to go before this happened... if we will stay the course.
Hopefully Mills and Huston will stick with the plan and Dolan will stay out of bbal moving forward.

arkrud wrote:

ESOMKnicks wrote:Hornacek is working hard on getting fired. It must be the culture of the Dolan-led organization, which takes composed and successful people and makes them look like whiny moronic losers. Would anyone maybe plonk four billion bucks to buy MSG out? Too bad it's been losing money in the last 12 months.

On the other hand, the Rangers have been managed well over the years, under the same Mr. Dolan, so ho figure.

Rangers blow it out completely and did 5 years rebuild from 0.
They hire development coach and drafted very well.
Then they hire disciplinarian coach and established the culture of winning.
Now after 10 years they hire winning coach and are perennial contenders.
Knicks if they want to do same are not even at starting point.
They did get development coach and now Phil trying to speed up the blow up.
But it looks like we still have 2 more season to go before this happened... if we will stay the course.
Hopefully Mills and Huston will stick with the plan and Dolan will stay out of bbal moving forward.

I think your giving Phil too much credit. Phil has an ego as big an anybody. He will not be here for the rebuild. Probably just looking for info to pain Melo as the sole reason this didn't work in his new book after we get done giving him all this money and he walks away.

ramtour420 wrote:

smackeddog wrote:Hornacek always defends melo and melo repays him by just playing the way he always has and ignoring Hornacek s plays and refuses to play any defense

+1 let me add if I might, he also refuses to pass, to move without the ball, to fill up lanes in transition, and to own up to his shortcomings as a player. On the other hand tho he is really into his brand, fashion etc.

They Knicks have Rose and KP who are absolutely horrible defensive players. They are certainly bigger causes for the defense being bad then Melo. We can't possibly blame one guy for everything. Also the switch everything defensive philosophy is horrible and ineffective. I can't even think of a game where I was like wow...we wouldn't have given up 120 pts if Melo was a better weak side defender. That def cost us 35pts tonight. What a wild assertion.

SwishAndDish13 wrote:

ramtour420 wrote:

smackeddog wrote:Hornacek always defends melo and melo repays him by just playing the way he always has and ignoring Hornacek s plays and refuses to play any defense

+1 let me add if I might, he also refuses to pass, to move without the ball, to fill up lanes in transition, and to own up to his shortcomings as a player. On the other hand tho he is really into his brand, fashion etc.

They Knicks have Rose and KP who are absolutely horrible defensive players. They are certainly bigger causes for the defense being bad then Melo. We can't possibly blame one guy for everything. Also the switch everything defensive philosophy is horrible and ineffective. I can't even think of a game where I was like wow...we wouldn't have given up 120 pts if Melo was a better weak side defender. That def cost us 35pts tonight. What a wild assertion.

I will never understand this rep about KP. He's number 2 in the league at defensive FG% at the rim. That's the second best in the league. No ELITE rim protector is a bad defensive player. He is asked to defend perimeter players at 7'3, and not sure if that makes him a bad defender. Chris Paul isn't a bad defensive player because he can't defend post players. That's just me.

SwishAndDish13 wrote:

arkrud wrote:

ESOMKnicks wrote:Hornacek is working hard on getting fired. It must be the culture of the Dolan-led organization, which takes composed and successful people and makes them look like whiny moronic losers. Would anyone maybe plonk four billion bucks to buy MSG out? Too bad it's been losing money in the last 12 months.

On the other hand, the Rangers have been managed well over the years, under the same Mr. Dolan, so ho figure.

Rangers blow it out completely and did 5 years rebuild from 0.
They hire development coach and drafted very well.
Then they hire disciplinarian coach and established the culture of winning.
Now after 10 years they hire winning coach and are perennial contenders.
Knicks if they want to do same are not even at starting point.
They did get development coach and now Phil trying to speed up the blow up.
But it looks like we still have 2 more season to go before this happened... if we will stay the course.
Hopefully Mills and Huston will stick with the plan and Dolan will stay out of bbal moving forward.

I think your giving Phil too much credit. Phil has an ego as big an anybody. He will not be here for the rebuild. Probably just looking for info to pain Melo as the sole reason this didn't work in his new book after we get done giving him all this money and he walks away.

I do not think Phil is relevant too much.
Knicks have to rebuild this way or another or they will continue to suck infinitely.
Phil is the end of the road... When he and Melo will be gone there will be nothing left.
So rebuild is inevitable.

arkrud wrote:

SwishAndDish13 wrote:

arkrud wrote:

ESOMKnicks wrote:Hornacek is working hard on getting fired. It must be the culture of the Dolan-led organization, which takes composed and successful people and makes them look like whiny moronic losers. Would anyone maybe plonk four billion bucks to buy MSG out? Too bad it's been losing money in the last 12 months.

On the other hand, the Rangers have been managed well over the years, under the same Mr. Dolan, so ho figure.

Rangers blow it out completely and did 5 years rebuild from 0.
They hire development coach and drafted very well.
Then they hire disciplinarian coach and established the culture of winning.
Now after 10 years they hire winning coach and are perennial contenders.
Knicks if they want to do same are not even at starting point.
They did get development coach and now Phil trying to speed up the blow up.
But it looks like we still have 2 more season to go before this happened... if we will stay the course.
Hopefully Mills and Huston will stick with the plan and Dolan will stay out of bbal moving forward.

I think your giving Phil too much credit. Phil has an ego as big an anybody. He will not be here for the rebuild. Probably just looking for info to pain Melo as the sole reason this didn't work in his new book after we get done giving him all this money and he walks away.

I do not think Phil is relevant too much.
Knicks have to rebuild this way or another or they will continue to suck infinitely.
Phil is the end of the road... When he and Melo will be gone there will be nothing left.
So rebuild is inevitable.

I agree with that. This is going nowhere fast with the two of them.

Knixkik wrote:

SwishAndDish13 wrote:

ramtour420 wrote:

smackeddog wrote:Hornacek always defends melo and melo repays him by just playing the way he always has and ignoring Hornacek s plays and refuses to play any defense

+1 let me add if I might, he also refuses to pass, to move without the ball, to fill up lanes in transition, and to own up to his shortcomings as a player. On the other hand tho he is really into his brand, fashion etc.

They Knicks have Rose and KP who are absolutely horrible defensive players. They are certainly bigger causes for the defense being bad then Melo. We can't possibly blame one guy for everything. Also the switch everything defensive philosophy is horrible and ineffective. I can't even think of a game where I was like wow...we wouldn't have given up 120 pts if Melo was a better weak side defender. That def cost us 35pts tonight. What a wild assertion.

I will never understand this rep about KP. He's number 2 in the league at defensive FG% at the rim. That's the second best in the league. No ELITE rim protector is a bad defensive player. He is asked to defend perimeter players at 7'3, and not sure if that makes him a bad defender. Chris Paul isn't a bad defensive player because he can't defend post players. That's just me.

Listen, I agree that he defends well by the rim, but the reality is, he is playing the 4 and almost all the 4s (many 5s as well) in the league can stretch the floor, and he is getting absolutely torched on the perimeter. While he is good by the rim, much of the game is played on the perimeter now. The game is officiated to be played on the perimeter. A change in defensive philosophy and him working on it can help to mitigate it but we need to acknowledge what is happening on the floor.