Garnett a Celtic?

Mike Dougherty is reporting a Garnett to Boston deal is in the works. He speculates:

Just for kicks, let’s put Garnett in Boston and debate the standings.

How will the upcoming season play out if nobody answers Danny Ainge with another marqee name?

1. Celtics? 2. Raptors? 3. Knicks? 4. Nets? 5. Sixers?

I don’t see a lot of separation between the Raptors, Knicks and Nets right now. This might be a good thing for a league that needs to draw attention far away from the scandal that is playing out. Renewed interest from the fans in Boston and New York would help a great deal.

Also, do the Knicks have to get Ron Artest now or do you like the depth on hand right now? The price goes up if Garnett comes East.

MUMA MIA!

The Usual Suspects - Stay the Coarse

News that a mule had given birth last week is rocking the Washington political establishment. Bush, Cheney, and Lieberman all of whom have been heartily pounding the Democrats for over a decade have no comment on the startling revelation.

Likewise, Washington religious lobbyists are being tight-lipped about the affair. The mule, a well-known trans-gender activist, had appeared in a number of nativity plays with high-ranking evangelists all of whom are refusing comment but expressing concern that this latest evidence of evolution is the work of the devil.

On Capital Hill, Barack Obama says he is willing to meet with the mule. Hillary Clinton thinks it is too soon after the birth to traumatize the mother, Chris Dodd can't afford to meet with the mule. Joe Biden wants to care for the mule there so that the global mule population isn't encouraged to start having offspring here. Edwards pledged support for the poor mule. Mike Gravel claims to have prevented such an incident during the Nixon administration when Washington Republicans "had that same crazy glint in their eye". Bill Richardson says mules in New Mexico are covered by state law. And Dennis Kucinich reminded the press that he is no longer single but pledges full support for single moms.

Meanwhile, Michael Moore is offering to pay for the mule and her offspring to be flown to Cuba so that he can film a sequel to Sicko.

At Friday's Washington correspondent's press conference, Tony Snow speaking for the White House, insisted that "the media is just trying to make an ass out of Bush and Cheney" to which Helen Thomas replied, "Quit your braying and speak English."

The House of Representatives is insisting the administration provide DNA samples as evidence in a coming probe.

Washington madams are considering suing the mule for unfair business practices.

The mother of the foal is crying foal at the suggestion that her baby be used as the poster child for the Bush administration just because she is considering naming the child 'Baby Dubya'.

Missing the Point

A lot of publicity about referee corruption misses the big picture. Although it is bad enough that a game or two of your team's schedule might have been affected, one must question taken as a whole, how the season might have been altered in the win-loss column.

When the difference for a team between making the playoffs and missing them is but a game or two difference here and there, the effect is dramatic. Draft pecking orders, coach firings, playoff match-ups all come into question. And the question is non-trivial. Team trajectories are forever altered.

The effect is much more far-reaching than the myopic media coverage may have you believe.

The End of Times Select!

What next? The New York Times Forums? I stopped reading the Times completely months ago and have no idea who their columnists are these days.

Sounds like they realize giving it away is way more profitable than being marginalized by their own stupidity.

Post-punk Influentials

The Boston Phoenix has a nice Web 2.0 article on the most-influential (in theitr opinion) albums.

I'm guessing Mr. Stern has something to say about this.

Right-sizing the Knicks

A lot of the early summer speculation revolves around the numbers game the Knicks find themselves in in terms of personnel. An NBA team can only carry 15 players, not the seventeen the Knicks currently have.

Further complicating the mix is the fact that the two so-called throw-ins in the Randolph deal have some real value as pine brothers and complementary players on this Knicks team. Here's Hollinger's take;

Thomas could also buy out Jones and/or Dickau. Both players only have one guaranteed year left on their deals, and dumping them would only involve swallowing around $6 million — chump change by the Knicks' recent standards.

Alas, Thomas appears to have a liking for both throw-ins from the Randolph deal, and not without reason. Jones was one of his pupils when he coached the Pacers and would be one of the rare Knicks who is as useful on defense as he is on offense. Dickau, meanwhile, is another Knick rarity — a long-range shooter who doesn't need the ball in his hands in order to be effective.

If both stick, then that makes the situation muddier. One supposes they could cut Nichols, the second-round pick, but if the Knicks end up doing so you have to question what Thomas was thinking by not trading the pick. He already knew by that point that he'd have 17 players if he used the selection; any trade would have been better than just flushing a draft pick down the toilet. (If he'd really been thinking, actually, he would have drafted a European player at that spot and let him cool his heels overseas for a year, but expecting that kind of foresight from the Knicks is asking a bit much).

So if the Knicks can't trade their way out of it, and don't wish to cut Rose, Jones, Dickau, or Nichols, then this situation will provide one of the toughest tests of the Thomas administration — facing up to his worst blunders.

Because at that point, Thomas would be all but forced to cut at least one and perhaps both of his worst mistakes — Jerome James and Jared Jeffries.

I happen to subscribe to the just-in-time theory of management. The summer is long and shit will happen. Unexpected injuries on this squad or someone else's may force a hand.

While waiting for injuries are not a pro-active approach to cutting a roster, waiting is very much a just-in-time management process. Why cut or buy-out players who might return draft picks from a team suddenly in need?

Another option is that Zeke might trade for an unsigned Euro pick that someone can offer. Leave the player over there for a year or two and cash them in when needed.

As I said a week or two ago as well, the Artest trade gambit being played out by Geoff Petrie is not going well. Artest's suspension does nothing for Sacramento's team image and Knicks fans, after watching summer league, are losing their appetite for Artest. Hanging onto an asset whose value is dropping with each and every day is not smart business.

Having many weapons is a far better problem to have than having too few.

For rival general managers, the player who was most disappointing last year for the Knicks, Jared Jeffries is no lemon. This is a kid who will recover with many more good years some where else because there's no room here. My guess is that the GM who trades for Jeffries will not regret the transaction.

Oh, Get Off His Case

Stephon Marbury made an appearance on the Mike'd Up show recently and made a bit of a spectacle of himself by having some fun with the host of the show.

Of course, Marbury, speaking euphemistically and metaphorically is being hounded by a self-righteous brigade of fools who are twisting his every word literally and unforgivingly.

Marbury is a generous soul who speaks a street dialect that plays right into the hands of the literalists. Marbury said "the Knicks could steal the trophy meaning of course that they aren't expected to win it and could sneak through the playoffs to snatch the prize. In the New York media they're playing it like an Ocean's Eleven heist.

During the interview his phone rang and and he said, "it's my other ho... it's my wife" which sounds to me like "it's my other home.. it's my wife." but again, the media is acting as though Marbury is doing Imus impressions.

He's a not ready for media spotlight baller - BFD. Yes he intentionally exagerates how much he'll get the ball into Randolph and Curry, so what?

Give the guy a break.

Ouch!

Charley Rosen on Patrick Ewing's coaching;

Educational experience
One of Stan Van Gundy's first moves in Orlando was to bring in Patrick Ewing as assistant coach in charge of Dwight Howard's education. Based on his playing career, and after doing little to improve Yao Ming, Ewing certainly has plenty to teach young Howard:

# How to avoid passing.
# How not to play defense.
# Why it's more advisable to take fadeaway jumpers than to attack the basket.
# The theory and practice of the Georgetown Gallop.
# The art of missing clutch shots, especially from the foul line.

You Know the Sportwriters were Partying when...

When they made up the Artest to Orlando rumor, the writers must have been pretty drunk and sloppy. And they had to be laughing their asses off as well. Imagine the conversation;

Writer1: Let's see who might be interested in Artest?

Writer2: (Laughing so hard his eyes are watering) How about a young team needing a court mentor?

Writer1: (Holding his stomach to keep from falling over laughing) OH YEAH. A young team trying to build for the future, that's the ticket!

Writer2: Wait, wait, wait... let's send Ron-Ron to Disneyland!

Writer1: (barely able to take it anymore) Stop. Stop. Stop. You're hurting me. Orlando. Ha, ha, ha. Oh, yeah... let's say he's going to Orlando... (slapping the table)

Writer2: And, and, and... it'll be for... Turkoglu...

Writer 1: Geezus, I can't take it...

Writer2: Oh. I can't type, I'm laughing so hard. Can you imagine the coach's face.... (falls off his chair)

The Next Stanley Kubrick?

A few weeks ago, my wife and I rented Little Children, a film by director Todd Field. And it turns out to be the best and strangest picture we have watched in years - absolutely riveting.

So when I take the video back to the video place, I mention this to the fellow at the counter, a film geek, and he recommends the first film Todd Field directed called, In the Bedroom. The title is a metaphor for lobster traps.

Again, the film though almost painful to unfold is intense, raw, and takes dozens of surprising turns. But here's the catch. Almost none of the critics who reviewed the film discuss the very final seconds of the film.

Can anyone tell me if they think the room the man is sleeping in will consume him in fire?

Todd Field is a guy with two straight multiple Oscar-nominated films to his credit and his work is outrageously good along the lines of the work Kubrick graced us with for so many years. Anybody else think so?

Sad, Sad, Sad...

The NBA has long used the Knicks as a boogieman for all of their inflated egos. Indiana and the Jermaine O'Neal tease is the latest example. Jermaine O'Neal suddenly is devaluing faster than "Support Our President" bumper stickers. The reason? Because the Knicks no longer are interested.

For years the very threat that a player could be traded to the -gasp, BIG CITY - Knicks added millions to their value, prestige, and ego. Today, with the Knicks no longer begging for deals, the worm has turned.

Indian has few trading options and all of them suck. Kwame Brown, anybody? And does anyone really believe Indiana is ecstatic about hanging on to O'Neal? Who will pay to watch that tired act play out itself, ...ONE MORE TIME?

The emergence of the Knicks as a once more talented team is an eerie phenomenon for the NBA whose owners long dumped injured expensive contracts here to protect their own profit sheets. Today the Knicks own the NY sports pages in summer! The buzz is back and the eastern conference teams will soon understand why.

The Maloofs should take notice. Isiah may be offering them their last, best chance to trade Artest before he loses all trade value. Truthfully, the Knicks don't need Artest as much as Sacto needs a trading partner.

The Knicks are becoming the most talked about, intriguing, and suspenseful acts in all of sports precisely because Isiah has assembled the potentially most lethal and volatile cast New York has seen in years. Sports fans are fixated because this is the kind of thing that adds real excitement to the game.

Years ago, in a different spoart, fans wondered whether Steinbrenner, Billy Martin, and Reggie Jackson could co-exist, so will they wonder if Dolan, Isiah, Marbury, Randolph, Curry, and unnamed others will win it all or self-destruct along the way in spectacular fashion. The electricity is the same.

Players faint of heart will sign in Atlanta, or Orlando, or Memphis. Right now, New York is the inferno and Artest and Fisher want in. Those players escaping to the safer havens of sleepy America may one day regret not joining what may become a legendary team.

Shows like this don't come along often. Grab a front-row seat while it's available.

I'm Not Working Too Hard

I just got an email reminding me that the entire former New York Times Knicks forum was over at a site called Escape From Elba that I link to.

Truthfully, I had grown bored with the pettiness of the Knicks forum and had dropped out except to publish an occasional post that received no more attention than these here do. Given my druthers I plan to stay here.

Elba, rather than emphasizing the very best of the NYTimes forum too often degenerates into precisely the back-biting rhetoric that ruined it. With KnicksMecca, I plan on keeping this a better version of the NYTimes Knicks forum. I welcome intelligent voices always but have no problem flushing inappropriate content. I can live with myself.

This site includes all the reference materials a Knicks fan can need including supplementary brain food (something that myopic fans whined about endlessly on the NYTimes forum - too bad). The place is a bit of a museum in that I perpetuate a number of the time-honored mythemes of the original group; the vomitorium, "I miss" posts, and so on and have started a few new ones as you can see.

Any Knicks fan desiring to author posts on this site can drop me a line to get added to the author's list. I welcome good, solid material. Should you post anything wholly inappropriate, you're gone faster than the Bush administration committing another crime.

As to the question of whether I am working hard, I am not. This blog self-perpetuates and is automatically updated with the latest in news, rumors, arts, film, and more - every time you come in.

Am I wasting my time (working smart)? I used to spend hours going from bookmark to bookmark finding stuff. Today it is all here in one cool place. The answer is obvious.

Three-way

Could happen, no?

Turkoglu and Battie to Sacto.

Artest to NY.

Shareef to Orlando.

JJames, N8, and Chandler to Orlando.

What about Billups?

Detroit's recent failures in the playoffs have got to have their management concerned. It is an aging team that boasts but a few players who are just passing their prime.

It is not inconceivable that Detroit might try to revitalize their team by trading for a handful of youth to complement their existing roster. If the Billups pricetag gets too pricey, Isiah may be able to swing an unexpected deal that truly solidifies the starting five.

Billups wouldn't come cheap but...

Ron-Ron Rumors, Our-Test

Despite what the New York Post believes, there is no way David Lee gets dealt for Artest. Quite frankly, Isiah has already assembled the beast in the East and Ron-Ron would simply fortify that fact.

However, Isiah is not a fool. David Lee is the best sixth man in the league and hardly qualified to be trade bait. He will get plenty of minutes keeping Randolph and Curry fresh for the playoffs.

More likely might be a package of Jeffries, Nate, and Chandler. Jeffries never got untracked here and may come back strong in a different environment. With the maturation of Collins, Nate needs minutes he won't get here, and Chandler is a nice first-rounder who could make the trade very, very attractive on Sacramento's side of the house. The by-product for the Knicks is that the player glut gets resolved and for Sacto - instead of signing more expensive free agents, they staff the team with some relatively cost-effective players.

Nor do I agree that Artest would be a disruptive influence here. For some reason NY beat writers hold NY athletes to higher moral and ethical standards than they do the parade of sleazy NY politicians making the rounds every day.

Knicks fans aren't looking for religious camp counselors. We're looking for a few good men who will restore some glory to the damned franchise. It is ok to like Randolph and Artest for what they are; gifted athletes.

If the Knicks want to rehabilitate the reputation of these fellows then use Marbury as an example. Find a needy city charity, hire a full-time counselor and advocate assigned to Randolph and Artest to point them in the right direction - working to improve the community. In other words, lose the thug hanger-ons and surround these guys with some decent voices.

Derek Fisher - pick up the courtesy phone.