Bob Raissman is right
Perhaps Bob Raissman is a Fixer. Or he just writes with common sense and no fear of repercussion.
Raissman's column today in the Daily News echoed the sentiments of many of you in the comments area, some louder than others. And like you, Raissman called out some of us in the media.
And he is damn right.
The delicate handling Jackson has receieved by the local press is quite curious. Aside from a few columns (Newsday's Shaun Powell was one who immediately disagreed with the idea of hiring the inexperienced Jackson ahead of an experienced candidate), most of the coverage has focused on when Jackson met with Donnie Walsh, what assistant coaches he will hire and getting people such as Rick Pitino and Lou Carnasecca to endorse him.
But as Raissman wrote today:
Jackson's popularity with the media has led to mostly fawning coverage. It has left no room to reminisce about his helicopter days and rabbit ears. As a young man, Jackson did have a rather unique attitude. In 1989, after the Knicks lost the first game in a playoff series with Chicago, Jackson said Knicks fans were "just like rats. They're the first ones to jump off the ship when it's sinking."
I know I read about the "rats" line before from one of you in Fixer Nation.
We here have tried not to have such tunnel vision when it comes to Jackson. Is there a fear that -- with the prevailing belief it's Jackson's job if he wants it -- he will know who was critical of him and who was not and treat those who were not as favorable differently?
Hell, I hope not. Because that would make him a phony. And we already had one of those.
I think we've been pretty consistent here at the Fix: we're not saying Jackson would not be a good coach, we just think you have to strongly consider someone with experience on an NBA bench. Can this franchise really afford to gamble at this point in history?
It doesn't matter to me who becomes the coach. I still have a job no matter who they hire. So it does me no good to, say, tell one of the lead candidates something like, "I really want you to get the job." Quite frankly, I really want me to keep my job. So I'll do mine. If you do yours well, we'll get along fine.
With that, you should know we had a story today about Patrick Ewing's comments to John Thompson during the TNT broadcast yesterday. Patrick is making it known he is not happy that the Knicks have yet to reach out to him about the head coaching vacancy. I think there is also some blame to put on the New York media (myself included) for not including Ewing among the names we asked Donnie about regarding the search.
I don't believe Walsh is purposely slighting Ewing as, perhaps, Isiah did last summer when Ewing was looking for an assistant coach position. I believe Walsh is used to doing things his way and that includes not interrupting teams in the midst of a playoff series. Magic GM Otis Smith said permission is not required to speak with his assistants and I'm sure Walsh has made note of this.
But I also thought it was interesting back in one of Walsh's earlier interviews when he was asked about bringing back Knick players to be part of the organization and Walsh said he was always open to having an actively involved alumni with the Pacers. But to a point.
"Now, you know, I don’t want every Tom, Dick and Harry...," he said with a laugh, "but yeah, I want it to be a place that they understand we value what they did here, the guys that played here. And they’re not just forgotten when they stop playing. That doesn’t mean I can hire everybody, that doesn’t mean a lot of things. But they should be welcome here."
Speaking of inexperience, the Daily News today reported that TNT analyst Kenny Smith will interview with Walsh this week about a front office job. Smith is yet another guy with zero experience, but a front office job under Walsh is often more like an internship. I wouldn't look at it the same as the head coach position.
But keep in mind there is a lot of interest in this job, which, right now, Glen Grunwald still has. There will be some very experienced people angling for a front office position under Walsh if he decides to open up a search for a general manager.
Enjoy your Sunday.
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Comments (39)
Anyone else having trouble opening up links in this post? Alan what is a .mht file?
nevermind figured it out. It is an archived web file (courtesy of Microsoft) can only view with IE (I use Firefox). All good...
alan's html hyperlinks usually don't open up for me, and I only use firefox.
I don't think it's "Tunnel Vision" about Jackson!
He was suspended by 2 different Knick coaches and 2 different
Knick GM'S during his days as a player! One of those Coaches
lost his Job because of Mark Jackson- Stu Jackson! Stu is Human like evreyone one here....so he may of forgiven Jackson,
but now that he is Stern's right hand and is in a postion of power,
I'm sure that he has not forgot about Mark Jackson and the disrespect Mark Jackson showed Stu as a Coach!
Stu Jackson, the Knicks' coach, said that a report yesterday that he and Mark Jackson were involved in a shouting match after Thursday night's loss to the Timberwolves in Minnesota, was ''exaggerated and blown out of proportion.''
March 21, 1990
It was a fact that Mark Jackson Cussed out Coach Stu and got suspended! How is that Overblown?
The worst "Team player ever ...before Marbury? YES:In fact, Jackson began to dig a hole for himself in New York with fancy passes that were unnecessary, and spinning his finger or flapping his arms in exultation as though, as someone said, he was a high school showoff. He made a silly bet earlier this season with Charles Barkley of the 76ers as to who would hit the winning shot of a game between the teams, and Jackson, with his teammate Charles Oakley clear under the basket, took a long shot that missed and the Knicks lost.
How will he expect Players to stay in shape during the off season? He wasn't the lead by example type:
Last season, the Knicks extended Jackson's contract to $7.5 million over five years. Then he reported to training camp out of shape, with obvious love handles on his hips. He struggled in the early part of the season, competing for his job with Strickland.
Suspensions? His disrespect for his Knick Coaches and Gm's
Make Him Head Coach material?
By CLIFTON BROWN,
If last season did not change Mark Jackson's desire to remain with the Knicks, perhaps nothing ever will. He was benched and he was booed. He was mentioned in numerous trade rumors. He was suspended from the Knicks for four days after an argument with Al Bianchi, then the general manager, and Coach John MacLeod.
Tunnel Vision? Just the TRUTH! Knick Media Amnesia!
Why is Walsh trying to hire or interview all of these ex-players with no coaching experience. I don't understand it there are a lot of experienced coaches on the market. Does he think if he brings in an ex Knicks player its going to be good for public relations or something. I think if you want an ex-player in here you hire them as an assistant coach not a head coach
A lot of noise is being made about Patrick Ewing as head coach. Besides his limited creative thinking, I just can't imaging him dealing with seven beat writers three times a day. He barely talked to them when he was here.
That said, I would love to have him as an assistant coach. His work ethic and mental toughness has always set him apart from others, and was the single most effective factor in our playoff runs.
As for Jackson? People who didn't argue with Al Bianchi are the ones who should be punished. His antics? He was young and brash.
The only thing that matters now is if he has a plan, can he handle the young millionaires, can he handle the media, can he learn as he goes, and can he put the plan into action (Jackson).
Alan, Just a little curious but do you do any real reporting or have an actual opinion. It seems like all you do is read what is written in every other paper and every other blog and comment on it.
It takes balls to make a comment that may not be correct or not popular. Get a pair you may want to use them one day.
@Curious
actually alan did make his preference known...
he wanted the knicks to hire jeff van gundy...
and he said it several times even after a few of us(namely me) disagreed with his choice for the knicks new coach.
so if you going to criticize allan you should get your facts right..
i think the reason he was not endorsed or ridiculed the idea of jax as coach is because he in the middle...not against jax and not totally for him either.
i have not seen you before on this blog but before you criticize someone you might want to read his other articles first.
Ewing showed little enough understanding of the game, insisting on always being the focus of the offense even well into his decline, that I don't think any amount of experience as an assistant coach will make him a good head coach.
Alan – “rats” is a non-issue. You pull 10 fans aside at MSG, I doubt 1 will remember it. They’ll remember some of the other transgressions you cite more readily. Yet I’m not sure any of those are the strongest argument against anointing Jackson head coach. Experience should be the key issue, as well as a thorough search of available candidates. What bothered me most about the rush to choose Jackson was simply that it made no sense to rush after someone (who isn’t being pursued elsewhere) with no experience when there are clearly very experienced candidates available.
It was, indeed, curious why Jackson appeared out of nowhere as the frontrunner. With any luck, that fever has passed. And Walsh has settled into a thorough search of the available candidates. That’s his job. I hope he’s doing it.
kenny smith just confirmed on TNT that he's going to interview with walsh soon for the knicks gm vacancy.
does that mean that ol' glen grunwald, mastermind of the zbo trade, is in, or out, of this next knicks regime?
I'm hoping for out.
NYC – It seems to me somebody was trashing Alan a day or two ago for being too aggressive, and trying too hard to get a story from Walsh about his thinking on a new coach. Now “Curious” comes along and goes the opposite route. (It's probably just Mark, hence, irrelevant in the extreme.) But, of course, it's also absurd, especially just a day or two after Alan’s call to Walsh on the can. That may be the best Knicks story of the year. When the mini-series gets made, that scene is a keeper. Welcome to New York, Donnie.
So comments made in 1989 should be taken into consideration? Geez, thank god my current company didn't thing like Raissman and interview my middle-school english teacher.
"Patrick is making it known he is not happy that the Knicks have yet to reach out to him about the head coaching vacancy."
Ewing should pick up the freaking phone, call Walsh and tell him directly that he wants to interview for the job. If Ewing is gonna act like a prima-donna and wait for the job to be handed to him to him on a silver platter then he is freaking out of his mind. If he wants it, he should go for it.
Mark Jax is not the right guy for this job. How many freaking times do we have to post that?
Big MAK
Jeepers, the Knicks beat writers have their collective heads up the butts of various Garden brass and Stephon Marbury.
Hmmmmm, where have I read that before?
I wonder? Could it be Marc Berman's 2007 summertime romance with Marbury?
Or maybe it was the Home Depot hockey writer's endless fawning over his 40-42 (sic) eighth playoff seed (very sick) Knicks this entire season up to, and including, the Home Depot hockey writer's praise for Jamal Crawford, whom he called a one-dimensional player....that lacks just one skill, defense (sic).
Nah, couldn't be. Peaceman and the Possette Nation wouldn't allow it.
DFTT.
The Knicks should add Mark Jackson as an assistant. But I'm not sure who the head guy should be.
STFU Alan.
How about Peter Vecsey as Knick coach or GM? He should qualify since he also has no previous experiance!
While were at it, lets hire a pre-med student as their team doctor!
And if anyone needs knee or open heart surgery at MSG -- perhaps we can find a veterinary intern!
At MSG incompetence rules and the established rules for success is shunned.
James "Baby" Dolan for president of the USA so we can have an even weaker dollar, even higher inflation and $40 a gallon gas prices!
Is Ewing smart enough to be a head coach. Magic is th greatest Laker and a nice guy, but wasn't really quick enough mentally to keep up as head coach. I love Ewing as a player., but being an athlete doesn't make you smart. I don't think I've ever read a well thought out smart stement by Ewing ever. Jackson always was well thought out. Ego and athleticism are enough to be an assistant and teach center, but to coach a whole team you need mental skills also. Am I wrong? I hope I am.
All you guys use these stupid acronyms. like STFU and DFTT. I never know what the heck your talking about. 10-1 one says only 20-1 know what the heck those letters stand for.
How many aside from Trane and Isiah Thomas can tell me what these silly letters stand for? Probably no one but 15 year olds.
When I read the press or fans comments the possible coaching names they come up with are mostly people with no coaching experience, such as sports announcers, strict disciplinarions that players hate to play for and/or names familiar to Knicks fans. The sole exception is probably Tom Thibideau. But the Knicks actually need an experienced coach who can develop young talent.
@ T - DFTT - Don't Feed the Trolls!!
This would include Anonymous, "Mark", "Isiah Thomas" or any other dopey persona he decides to spew his trash from that day.
Engaging him is pointless, as his surroundings (parents' basement? Insane asylum? In-law apartment below/above a restaurant?) make him bitter and repetitive.
The less he's engaged the less he repeats the same boring crap over and OVER again...simple.
DFTT!
Unfortunately, I think the NY market is going to dictate a "name" head coach. That is why I fear someone like Tom Thibideau doesn't have a chance.
Honestly, Herb probably has a better shot than Thibs. Those of us who follow b-ball know who Thibs is (and would be excited if her came), but ultimately they need to please the masses to sell tix and gain back season ticket holders.
Don't forget, the only thing Doh!-lan really cares about is his money, and especially if he's losing it.
Kenny Smith as an NBA GM????
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't mind Kenny Smith as a GM especially since Donnie will be calling the shots and mentoring him. Kenny is a very smart basketball guy with a great reputation around the league. Remember Kenny as a player, very astute similar to Danny Ainge, Steve Kerr, Danny Ferry, and other guys who weren't the most athletic but made the best out of what they had. I don't care about NY roots as much as the rest of you do, so the fact that he is from NY is irrelevant to me but I do think as a media guy he will be able to handle the media well here in NY which after IT is one of the prerequisites for this job.
MJ is the wrong choice for GM and not just because of what Peaceman said (very good quotes by the way). He was out of shape, played no defense, and once called Dick Pavata, "Knick" Pavata when MJ was on the Pacers during a playoff series. Do you really want this guy as our HC? Our problem now is out of shape, no defense playing, Knick players who play with no heart or pride. They are going to listen to MJ? Bring in Carlisle and Ewing as an AC. I'll settle for Thib but who knows if he is HC material; remember the disaster in Memphis now with that AC who was destined for NBA greatness.
As a side note as a fellow Jamaican I love Patrick Ewing and it broke my heart when he came to the US from JA and was treated with such racial animosity and called a monkey etc. He is and always will be one of my favorite all-time Knicks, basketball players, and people. He played with heart, pride, sweat and everything that these Knicks do not. As a coach he has been phenominal, with the evidence being the development of both Yao and Dwight Howard. With that being said however, I don't think Ewing is HC material in NY. I don't think he will handle the media well enough, they crucified him as a player, can you imagine what Vescey, Berman, and maybe even you Alan will do to him as a HC. He also was unwilling to accept a lesser role later in his career, and retired well after it was apparant to everyone that he was done. It took Doc Rivers (my current favorite HC even though I despise Boston) to call him out in the media to get him to retire.
My point: his decision making has not been the best throughout his career and in NY you have to be able to articulate to the media why you are making the decisions you are making. Just ask Willie Randolph how tough it is to be a good coach who makes decisions that appear baffling (like hitting Delgado 5th: I know wrong blog . . .)
Knicks4Life:
Having villified for many years in NY, Ewing's big plus is he knows exactly what he'll be getting himself into dealing with the vultures in NY. That would be the least of my concern.
I would rather see T. Thibodeau get a shot rather than Jax or Ewing.
Irie man,
Respek,
Big MAK
Irie man.
Respek
@NYC - Thanks for having my back so quickly, dude. Curious curiously omitted his email address, so anonymity has it's obvious safety barriers. Ignorance is never tolerated, but I always appreciate the hit to the site. I leave the policing to you Fixers.
@Peaceman - You may have misunderstood my usage of "tunnel vision." My point was that some reporting is being done with "tunnel vision," meaning, not looking on the periphery at more qualified candidates or the concerns about Jackson as an inexperienced coach.
@Fixers - I didn't realize the links were causing an issue with Firefox users. I use IE and therefore I upload the links via IE.
Whether or not you think Ewing has the smarts or skills to get the job done, he needs to at least get a call. Walsh will look like just as much of a joke as Isiah if he ignores #33, too.
I'd personally rather see Ewing as an assistant and I think whoever is the next coach, bringing Ewing in would be a huge boost to fan morale.
Raissman actually wrote something newsworthy?
Must be because he's been eating Best's dust for the past few months.
If he ever wrote a column without silly names and shtick about the same old tired subjects, it may save him.
@Alan - Don't sweat the links, have work arounds...just keep up the good work. Thx...
I think we can just about throw in the hot dog man at MSG on the list of candidates. We need to find a head coach quick so we can start to determine a draft / rebuild strategy. I don't think this process should take weeks. Getting a recently fired coach is not what I think is a good fit right now for the fragile Knicks state. If Mark is the lead candidate then Walsh needs to reaffirm he has narrowed his search down and give a date for the announcement.
Posted by Alan | April 28, 2008 10:33
@NYC - Thanks for having my back so quickly, dude. Curious curiously omitted his email address, so anonymity has it's obvious safety barriers. Ignorance is never tolerated, but I always appreciate the hit to the site. I leave the policing to you Fixers.
Hahn hides behind his gang of street thugs yet again. You ought to see some of the policing Hahn has tried to convince his street thugs to do on "his" behalf.
When in doubt, Hahn will always go to his street thugs. They are his reader base.
No Reds. No Blues. No Hahn.
I am sure Ewing should be part of the staff, just not head coach, but he has to be cool with that
FYI, I have not read any of the comments after "Curious"
@Curious,
Alan can speak for himself, but speaking as a reporter, Alan's reporting and coverage of the team in the paper and online is exactly what it should be. A blog is a much different format than a news story. A blog is meant for opinions and chatter, or just random thoughts and observations.
A good reporter seldom gives his/her own opinions unless it is in a column or a blog.
Now, whether or not Alan chooses to give his opinion in the blog or not is up to him, obviously. But I know when I am writing a blog, I've been trained as a reporter, and it's a hard habit to break (not giving your personal opinion).
Now, for the rest of the response:
I've said from the beginning that Jax is too "green" to start his coaching time here. Frankly, I think the Knicks need to bring in an experienced coach to mentor Jackson (hard to find that).
I'm not up on Ewing's skill as a coach. People say he's a good coach, but I can't comment on it as I haven't seen him like some reporters and basketball people have.
All I know, it'd be nice to have the big fella home. And I know I'm not alone in Knicks fandom in wishing that.
Alan.. I'll get your back any day.
You A**
@ alan - brush tha haters off your shoulders dawg. they're nothing but fleas & lint to a man when he's big pimpin'...
mark jack would be a great GM to learn tha ropes from under d.walsh for a few yrs. as one fixer previously mentioned. he is a winner and knows talent, the x's and o's of the game and if he learns the ins and outs of the salary cap he will be a steal of a find i believe in 3 yrs. he has tha prowler's endorsement....
I think Walsh will be best served by waiting it out for the 1st round firings... If Mark is the right guy he will still be after others are interviewed... Tom Thib we also be available for an interview at that time... Dont wanna make a hasty move with this one...
You gotta figure the Bucks, Bobcats, and Bulls will all be better teams next year with their coaching changes...