Note to those parts of the kingdom still in rebellion: Isiah Thomas's control is now absolute. Resistance is futile as the exalted Dolans will cast out any dissenters with nothing more than a swift kick in the ass. Any mention of the one known as Brown is henceforth treasonous and punishable by washing Eddy Curry's jockstraps.
The Knicks fired Larry Brown today. And they are going to try and get away with paying exactly none of the $40 million remaining on Brown's contract.
The Knicks, contending that Brown violated several provisions of his contract, fired him "for cause," and thus do not intend to pay him the balance of his contract, in excess of $40 million.
That dog just ain't gonna hunt. Chris Sheridan of ESPN is reporting that Dolan went into this morning's meeting with the intention of keeping Brown on board but the Cablevision czar "did not receive the assurances he wanted from Brown that he would change his ways in the upcoming season." That's just not believeable. And Sheridan goes on to say that those assurances regarded his relationships with players and not to, I dunno, win more games. So basically, don't be mean to Stephon Marbury or as he is sure to be known after today's announcement Starbury of Stephon Marbury and His Starburies.
The new coach, as you probably ascertained above is Isiah and that's, you know, horrible news. It's bad news because next year the Knicks will win more than 23 games because they have more talent, however poorly constructed as a unit, than a 23-win club. That will satisfy Dolan who will point to that fact and say that backing Isiah was right all along and that Brown's attitude was what cost the Knicks. And it will lead to a litany of columns in the media saying that Isiah's a better coach than Larry, especially if the Knicks win 38 games and make the playoffs for a first-round cameo appearance. That will further the stranglehold Isiah's got on Dolan's love and affection. Therefore the Knicks will continue to be the dumping ground for the old and infirm or young and passionless players that make a mockery of the notion of a salary cap meant to avoid inflated payrolls.
The saddest thing about all of this? I was looking for a t-shirt to wear this morning and chose my orange Knicks Basketball shirt that was given out during the 2000 run to the finals with Sprewell, Houston and the Big Fella. It's emblazoned with the slogan, "WE BELIEVE" in attractive blue script below a NYK logo that looks a bit like a token. I wore it, so I told myself, because of the U.S. game but I've worn it other times and mostly it's just nice to remember when being a Knick fan meant trying to beat Isiah Thomas than suffer under the yoke of his brutal rule.
Anyway, I think today's when I stop believing.