While there’s more news out that the Knicks organization is in shambles (not to mention their most recent loss - 8-20 people, wooo! Absolutely no reason to boo!), I can take some solace in knowing that it’s not just the basketball team in MSG that is the problem, it’s anything housed in that building. Apparently, there are sexual harrassment charges coming from the Rangers side of things, too. So basically the whole thing is just a giant Mesopotamia. The Rangers, however, have a 37-18-15 record currently good enough for sixth in the East while the Knicks are battling for the worst record IN THE LEAGUE.

Uch.

After the Knicks beat the Cavs rather soundly on Wednesday, some people thought this might be the sign of a turn around, and I really just can’t take this seriously. While the Cavs do have LeBron James and have resigned Varajao and all that stuff so maybe they’ll get back to the form they were in last season when they went to the Finals, but they’re 11-15. Their starting point guard is a man who’s mother calls him “Boobie” and who had 1 assist in the game. Ira Newbie (IRA NEWBIE!!!) played 17 minutes for them.

But here’s the thing, it’s not just that the Cavs didn’t play all that well, there were some signs that the Knicks weren’t playing that great either. The Knicks just happened to shoot a ridiculously high 56.2% from the field. But look at the rest of it 17 assists (on 41 field goals I might add) and 15 TOs. Malik Rose had 3 turnovers by himself (to match a stellar 12 minutes and 2 points). So who looked good? David Lee (who we all like), Jamal Crawford (who strangely seems to be our best point guard), and Randolph and Richardson looked decent as well. These are all players I am fairly found of and this gets me closer to my overall point. If the team is going to lose, I would rather it lose with lovable characters. I mean, after the whole sex trial, we learned more about Marbury than I’d like to know. I’ve already chronicled my feelings about Curry (don’t get me started on his line from Wednesday). Malik Rose is a waste of space. Jared Jefferies…well…I don’t know what I can say about Jared Jefferies. And don’t get me started on Jerome James.

Just take a gander at the Knicks depth chart and tell me you wouldn’t want to basically see that team sans say Jared Jefferies, Jerome James, Malik Rose, Eddy Curry, and Stephon Marbury. You keep Randolph because occasionally he just becomes a beast and can rebound MUCH better than Curry. Now I realize you’re short on players but how ’bout we keep Dan Dickau and Demetrius Nichols from the summer team. You’ve got 12 players right there. You definitely would need to pick up some sort of big man, a Joel Przybilla type (basically a rebounder and shot blocker who doesn’t need shots really), to patrol the paint (though Randolph Morris could be an incredible shot blocker for all we know). Then the starting lineup could look like some variation of the one from Wednesday with either Morris or Lee put in place of Curry. Now I’m not saying we would win any more games than we do now, but it would be a more likable team (on paper at least - it would seem like they’d hustle more) and it gives the team a chance to play and develop younger guys for the future.

I know there’s a win now mentality in New York, but right now I’d settle for a team that just looks like they actually want to play the game, that they want to work at it, a group of guys that don’t seem like complete asses, and a chance that two-three years down the line we could have some nice, young pieces. With our present cap situation and players, I just don’t get that feeling.

By now, Stephon Marbury has rejoined the Knicks and came off the bunch last night in the Knicks losing effort against the Clippers (Where’s that 2-1 start now?!?!), but before that there was all sorts of speculation going on about what was happening and people were already putting together trade scenarios (I liked the Marbury trade to bring him here - I honestly did - but now with the team we’ve got I’m not sure where he fits, we need more of a disher than a swisher to use Clyde Fraiser’s dictionary). Now, it seems that the fences are mended and the cows are all in place (for now - is Marbury going to stay on the bench?), and it also seems that Marbury may have had a pretty good reason for bolting from the team. I think people were quick to jump on Marbury because of a lot of the insanity that went on during the off-season with his non-sensical interviews, his finding of Christ (that happened or did i dream it?) and of course his testimony, but this absence seems fairly legitimate. 195K worth of legitimate, it seems.

Bad news for the NYPD. Another accidental killing of a young kid who was holding nothing but a non-lethal weapon - in this case a hairbrush. There are some complications, as there always are, in this situation and some indication that firing on the kid may have been warranted, but warranted or not there is such a thing as a warning shot or a non-lethal shot, and from what I can tell, there was no need for 20 (read it, TWENTY) rounds fired. Fire one. Fire one at his knee. Fire two at his knee. I just don’t see the need for 20 shots, 13 which hit him. Again, as I said, its not cut and dry that they shouldn’t have fired, but 20 times? It seems that the rules of engagement are a little off.

Oh, and not to make light, but one of the witnesses’ names is “Precious Blood.” Yes.

Okay, now this is just weird and somewhat insulting. The NASDAQ Times Square clock has not been set back for day light savings. I can understand it running a minute or two fast because as I’ve said before, New York City is just ahead of the rest of the world, but this is just throwing dirt in the face of the time honored tradition of daily light savings.

Funny thing is, I personally don’t see why we do it. Basically this means that we get more sun in the morning, but when we leave work its dark. I mean besides the oddity of setting clocks forward and backward, it seems to me that I’d rather have a little light to come home from work in than have the sun shine through my window.

But hey, if this gets you down, at least the surgery on that girl wit height limbs went okay. 8 limbs?? COOL!

I’ve been a Knicks fan since I’ve liked basketball. Thankfully that began in the early nineties when the Knicks were actually relevant in the NBA. The past 10-12 years has seen a steady decline in the Knicks record and overall quality of their play. I found this link via Deadspin that chronicles the demise of the once great franchise.

But here’s the great thing about being a sports fan, last year doesn’t matter. Every year (besides one or two in there), I thought to myself: this is the year we make some progress. I’m realistic. I don’t think the team is going to the championship much less winning it. All I ask for is improvement. Playoffs. .500? Maybe? And yes, this year is one of those years despite all markers to the contrary that I am excited for Knicks basketball (Note: I think this has to do with my general regained excitement for sport in general but that’s another story). The problem is that the Knicks seem determined to undermine any possibility for hope. They make poor decision after poor decision. I thought maybe we’d gotten over that with the Randolph trade (I liked it, especially after watching Frye play some in the Portland-San Antonio game last night), but then the whole Anucha Browne-Saunders (ANUUUUUUUUUCHA will be the new chant in MSG) thing came up and we all know that debacle. Then the Curry injury so that the most important 1-2 part of the time (Curry-Randolph) has gotten no time to really play together. See their dynamic is at the center of the team. How do they work in the high-low together. Is this going to be Duncan-Robinson all over again? (NO, NO, and NO)
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And I don’t mean that in a vulgar way what so ever. I am, instead, talking about Wynton Marsalis who I had the pleasure of see at Jazz at Lincoln Center (which is in fact at the Time Warner Center). Watching Marsalis play and speak, it made me realize that every breathe this man took, every exhalation was meant to be put through a trumpet. The sheer joy he took from playing music, from being around music and musicians was so evident. You got the feeling that even if he wasn’t able to play in front of audiences in elaborate (and I’ll admit pretty beautiful) concert halls, he would still want to blow on that horn. There was so much passion in what he was doing, and it was interesting watching him amidst the rest of the orchestra. All of the orchestra (group?) were obviously talented musicians or they wouldn’t be there and they all obviously loved music, otherwise, again, they wouldn’t be there, but still it seemed like there was something different about Marsalis. Maybe it was simply that along with playing he was MCing the event, but when he came to the front of the stage to play, it was like the room changed. His playing literally gave me goosebumps at one point.

Now, admittedly, as an artist, this type of passion and commitment to your art and the history of your art and everything is somewhat daunting. Given Marsalis has over 24 years on me, but still, I was awed by his knowledge of jazz and then again, his passion for it. I love writing. I really do love it. But I got the feeling that if I took Marsalis trumpet away he’d be sweating like a junky in no time, and that’s intimidating for someone like me who has, perhaps, not yet found that fire. I know I want to write. I know I can write. And I know that there’s times when I’m writing and I’m on a roll and its the greatest feeling in the world. My heart will be racing, my legs will be twitching, and it takes all my energy just to keep me in my chair and to keep me pounding on the keys. But there’s so much more going on in life, and I suppose that’s where Marsalis and I seem to diverge. It truly seemed to me that he lived, ate, drank, and breathed Jazz and always had. (more…)

Or some such thing. Torre’s gone. So that answers one question about New York Beisbol. Now there’s this whole A-Rod thing and contemplating a replacement manager. I still say bring on Giradi though I can understand how that might seem to slight Mattingly and cause of drama for the baby mama and all that junk. Definitely not a dull summer in Yankee-Land. But good for Joe I say. The man looks like he could use some sleep and some time out from under the glare of those lights and the New York Press flash blubs.

With the news today that Steinbrenner is passing control of the Yankees down his sons, I felt that I should pass judgment on everyone involved. First, I suppose I should note as has been said around the various sports outlets, Steinbrenner had already ceded a lot of control to various other beings, more with it, alive beings (The Boss is unfortunately going the way of Al Davis it seems). This succession of power is evident in the young players kept in the system (Joba, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Cano, Melky, etc). In the days of yore (a couple of years ago), Steinbrenner was wont - love that word - to ship prospects that showed promise for more seasoned, more experienced, more expensive veterans (often ones in the twilight of their careers). It was a win-it-all-now approach to management. A approach expected and almost required in New York City (we see it with the Knicks also). This often backfired, just look at the last few years where acquisitions like Randy Johnson, Kevin Brown, and even Roger Clemens a bit this year backfired.

So, all told, I say this is a good thing. I have no idea what type of baseball people his sons are but if they had any part in keeping Joba and Hughes, then I’m on their side. Additionally, any of the power they can transfer to Brian Cashman is helpful too. Despite what others may say, I think he’s a good GM who has had the difficult task of working with Steinbrenner and thus botched some roster moves (at least that’s how I see it, honestly I have little to no idea how the Yankees power structure works). I think they should keep Torre and if not Torre, I would say Joe Giradi over Mattingly right now (I just like what Giradi did with the Marlins). If A-Rod really wants 300 mill over ten years, I say no. I would try to work out some sort of contract where he makes a shit load of money (10-15 mill per), but has tons of playoff incentives - something like a certain average or RBIs or home runs gets him lots more money. This would never happen (especially with Scott Boras), but it would be interesting and a boy can dream, no?

I’m unsure if I’ve linked to this site before, but if I haven’t (and I’m pretty sure I haven’t) then you should all (three people? four?) check it out. Just a fun site to scroll through when you’re bored. Also, plenty of interesting writing exercises you can do with it.