Watchdog

LeBron James called Charles Barkley "stupid" after the TNT analyst criticized the current Cavalier and future Knick for playing footsie with the rest of the NBA while committed to the Cavs through the end of the 2009-10 season.

Call me stupid, LBJ, but I'm sorta with Chuck on this one.

Next time someone asks you about July 1, 2010, just say "no comment."

No worries, Knicks fans.

Only 23 more months to go!

OK, this is weird: Tuesday's Cavs-Knicks game was selected by fans on NBA.com to appear on NBA TV over four other games as part of the network's "Fan Night" promotion.

America is catching Knicks fever! Or maybe it had something to do with LeBron. Whatever.

Here is a list of the loudest basketball arenas I ever have been in, in three categories.

Why? Because I've run out of other ideas for procrastinating before doing my real job.

WatchDog kudos to first person who can say what this picture has to do with anything.

High school: Molloy 54, Shenendehowa 49, state semifinal, March 27, 1987, Glens Falls Civic Center

College: Rutgers 91, UNLV 85, in OT, Dec. 7, 1991, Louis Brown Athletic Center

Pros: Bulls 105, Knicks 95, Eastern Conference finals Game 4, May 31, 1993, Chicago Stadium

Oh, my goodness gracious. If you had Day One in the pool for Mike D'Antoni's first New York media moment, you win!

Even with competition from the World Series mini-game, the Knicks' opener attracted an average of 1.45 percent of New York-area homes, which surpassed last season's home opener against Minnesota by 101 percent and the overall average for Knicks games last season by 48 percent.

Speaking of Wednesday's game, I did some further inquiring about the unusual spectacle of Al (Franklin Square) Trautwig interviewing Jamal Crawford at halftime.

It turns out the Knicks have given permission to MSG to talk to a player on his way to the locker room at halftime . . . as long as the team is leading.

Hmm. What about a tie score? I was told that counts. We'll see.

MSG also now is allowed to speak to inactive players during the game. Hence the interview with Jarred Jeffries.

It's a bright, shiny new day!

The Lakers and Celtics met in the most recent NBA Finals, so their fans probably are OK with them ranking first and third in the new Team Marketing Report standings for "fan cost index."

Less easy to swallow is that Our Knicks are second, at an estimated $420.04 for "four average-priced tickets, two small draft beers, four small soft drinks, four regular-size hot dogs, parking for one car, two game programs and two least-expensive, adult-size adjustable caps."

Hmm. Well, things are more expensive in New York, in fairness. And I never in my life have driven a car to a Knicks game, or bought an adjustable cap at one. So maybe that figure is a tad higher than it needs to be.

I don't know. I'm just randomly throwing stuff out there now because I have been told with 36 hours left, WatchDog is tantalizingly close to its first overall Newsday.com monthly page views championship.

Whatever you do, DO NOT read the TV Zone blog again until 12:01 a.m. Saturday. If you must discuss the season premiere of "30 Rock," feel free to do it here.

Just kidding, obviously. Read TV Zone early and often.

Read WatchDog more, though. Thanks.

What was up with that halftime interview of Jamal Crawford by Al Trautwig on MSG Wednesday?

An interview with an NBA player during intermission?! What is this, the NHL?

Anyway, it was a promising sign of the improved media vibe around Our Knicks. MSG even showed footage of Mike D'Antoni's pregame locker room talk.

It's new! It's fresh!

It's the Knicks, undefeated! Thanks, Donnie. On to Game 2.

I won't be able to blog much if at all this Wednesday, so I will leave you with a link to my fellow Newsday blogger Jamal Crawford.

Mr. Crawford does not post quite as often as I do, perhaps because he is tired from all that running hither and yon mandated by the new coach. But Baumbach suggested I take a look at Jamal's entry from last Thursday, which provides yet another example of the fascinatingly twisted state of modern media.

It's a prominent local professional athlete using his blog in one newspaper to dispute a report about him in a competing paper. Cool! I think.

Gotta go. Enjoy the World Series.

Philadelphia is hosting a film festival this week. I will not be attending, because the locals will be even more worked up than usual during the World Series and it could get dangerous.

But I have seen several of the movies on the schedule, and can particularly recommend "Kassim the Dream," showing Saturday night.

The festival kicks off Thursday with "First Basket," a film about Jews in basketball, including the the first Knicks team of 1946-47, which was full of New York Jews.

I could have been a Knick, but I was born 40 years too late. In addition, I am awful basketball player, and always have been.

The film has its New York debut Oct. 29.

MSG announced its 2008-09 Knicks schedule today. Conveniently, the national networks aren't interested in the squad, so every game is slated for MSG.

I posted the entire schedule for those inclined to click below, but I didn't know how to format it neatly so it's a complete mess.

Continue reading "Undaunted, Knicks still plan to play in 2008-09 season" »