Just when things seemed as if they were dying down, and everyone is caught up in Manning/Yankees fever, the Knicks are back on the radar.  I wanted to mention this not only because I am a colossal NBA fan, but because the Isiah  Thomas tenure has been one of the most catastrophically disastrous in the history of pro sports.  Folks, if y’all didn’t know, Thomas almost bankrupted the entire CBA when he took it over a few years ago – the writing (which actually reads “I spend money like a drunken sailor on shore leave”) was on the wall.  So, that being said.  Three musings:  One – first pre-season practice for the Knicks is today.  I don’t have enough time/words/probabililty matrixes to pen the potential stories/events/episodes that will certainly stream out of this camp.  I will simply say, watch, and enjoy.   It won’t be dull.  As my man redhookraider (diehard Knicks fan) said so, so succinctly, it’s like this watching the Knicks: they are like your best friend/dude/cat/bro, who is dating a girl that everyone knows is wrong for him, but he is too close to it, and too stupid and in love to notice it.  Invariably this ends in disaster, but the guy has to find this out for himself.   Well said. 

Second, Isiah gets his day in court!  The sexual harassment claim filed against Zeke and the Knicks by the former female employee, is about to take Center Stage.  This is bound to be entertaining.  Let’s watch Isiah try that coy little smile and soft-spoken cadence here.  Here’s the punchline, with deference to this past year’s All-Star weekend and Bill Simmons observation:  Isiah will settle for 5 years, and $50m.  Dolan’s check-writing hand getting sore right about now.  Ha.

Last, that old crotchety bastard Larry Brown gets his day in court as well.  I can say this because I live in Philly, and put up with him for years.  Suing for $62+m in salary owed, plus attorney’s fees, plus golf lessons, plus Viagra e.  His high-priced attorneys warring with those of the Knicks.  In most instances, one would expect such an event to be huge.  However, see aforementioned comments about Knicks spending habits, plus, as an added bonus, Dandy David Stern, the Hebrew Hammer, is presiding over this complaint.  I think that whatever the outcome, he and the NBA will somehow get 12%.  So, assuming the Knicks agree to pay him $50m over 5 years, plus some sort of termination bonus, the League stands to make, oh, say, $6+m.  That’s what Stern does so well, create money (and a lot of it) for everyone.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09302006/sports/knicks/ot_for_knicks_knicks_marc_berman.htm

Two more quick rants: 
Luda is back!  Mouf of the South on the set again.  So far, isht sounds tight.  But here’s the real story: 

Before

After

Wonder is the new cut is for the ladies.  Miss the blowout already.

Finally, as the NBA’s young Charlotte Bobcats open camp, one can’t help but think of the immortal Michael Jordan, now back in the front office.  Checking out the
Jordan website, and then clicking through to the sneaker collection link “Air Jordans”

 http://www.nike.com/jumpman23/home/index.jsp

I found this posted statement peculiar:

“We all dream of flight.  Releasing ourselves from the Shackles of Gravity to Soar up intot he blue.  A dream that is embodied by Michael Jordan – not only through his transcendent fame, but he rarest of abilities to rise up above all challenges in life.  And so his namesake Air Jordans become more than ust shoes, but an ongoing legacy to the Potential that lies within all of us to fly”

That said, let’s see of Be Like Mike torpedoes the Bobcats just like he did the Wizards….