LMAO!!!! Fans give Knicks coach Thomas a giant pink slip

BillCosby · 12-19-2007, 04:59 PM

y VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Writer
December 19, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) -- New York Knicks fans angry over the team's losing streak rallied outside Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, holding aloft a giant pink slip and calling on management to fire coach Isiah Thomas.

Chanting "Fire Isiah! He's got to go! Good-bye!" two dozen irate fans signed the 8-by-4-foot pink placard urging Garden chief executive James Dolan to dump the coach, whose team is 7-17 going into Wednesday night's game with Cleveland.

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Among the protesters was noted civil rights lawyer and longtime Knicks fan Norman Siegel, who criticized Knicks management for ordering a fan with a "Fire Isiah" sign to leave his seat at a game Monday night.

"The Knicks are trampling on what New York is all about -- we're outspoken and we're zany at times," said Siegel. "But principles and values of free speech should be adopted. The Garden should rethink its policy."

Thomas has been hounded by bad publicity and calls from fans to quit since October, when fired team executive Anucha Browne Sanders won a sexual harassment lawsuit against the coach and the Garden. Just before the case was to return to court to decide compensatory damages, the lawsuit was settled for $11.5 million.

More calls for Thomas to step down were expected at Wednesday's game, with unhappy fans getting some help from one of the city's tabloids. The Daily News printed a large block letter sign in Wednesday's editions reading "FIRE ISIAH," saying it was meant to be held up during the "next Knicks blowout."

Toward the end of Monday's 119-92 loss to the Indiana Pacers, a disgruntled fan raised a "Fire Isiah" sign and was ordered to leave his seat by a Garden security guard. After the images were captured by news photographers and published in Tuesday's papers, the fan, Jason Silverstein, came forward to identify himself.

"The guy is killing our team," the 23-year-old Manhattan real estate agent told The New York Times. "How many 25-point beatings can we take?"

At Wednesday's rally, signs read "Dump Isiah" and "Restore Knicks Pride."

Thomas "is completely inept, he's a disaster," said protester Scott Francies. "He picked the players. And now, he's blaming them and destroying them. ... What kind of a person is this to represent this glorious city?"

The team has endured a barrage of bad publicity since October, when a jury ruled in favor of Browne Sanders in her sexual harassment lawsuit.

The three-week trial was rife with accounts of crude language and sexual escapades behind the scenes of a storied franchise.

The verdict spared Thomas himself from paying any damages, but amounted to another blemish on the resume of a two-time NBA champion whose post-playing career has been marked by one failure after another.

The Knicks haven't won a playoff game since Thomas joined the team in 2003, and the franchise has wasted millions of dollars this decade on a series of free-agent busts.

chrisbb · 12-19-2007, 07:06 PM

it's a great idea. we should do that to get the Oilers coach and GM fired

VKMHVM2 · 12-19-2007, 08:50 PM

New Yorkers are not as savvy as they like to think they are. If they really wanted to change things, they would stop going to the games.

BillCosby · 12-20-2007, 06:23 AM

It is embarrassing how many times the fans in NYC have BoooOOOeed & screamed over the last few years............

But the bottom line is what counts & you are right...... As long as those seats are filled who cares..... Hell some ppl are going to games just to BBbbooOOOO.... ~shrug~ the seats paid for that is all that mattered......

chrisbb · 12-20-2007, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VKMHVM2

New Yorkers are not as savvy as they like to think they are. If they really wanted to change things, they would stop going to the games.

that's true. hard to quit though. i always tell myself i will stop watching the Oilers and going to games, although that is like once or twice a year. but i always find myself going back.

12-19-2007, 04:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
BillCosby The party of the pissed!! Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,502 My Mood: Thanks: 183 Thanked 117 Times in 91 Posts	LMAO!!!! Fans give Knicks coach Thomas a giant pink slip y VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Writer December 19, 2007 NEW YORK (AP) -- New York Knicks fans angry over the team's losing streak rallied outside Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, holding aloft a giant pink slip and calling on management to fire coach Isiah Thomas. Chanting "Fire Isiah! He's got to go! Good-bye!" two dozen irate fans signed the 8-by-4-foot pink placard urging Garden chief executive James Dolan to dump the coach, whose team is 7-17 going into Wednesday night's game with Cleveland. ADVERTISEMENT Among the protesters was noted civil rights lawyer and longtime Knicks fan Norman Siegel, who criticized Knicks management for ordering a fan with a "Fire Isiah" sign to leave his seat at a game Monday night. "The Knicks are trampling on what New York is all about -- we're outspoken and we're zany at times," said Siegel. "But principles and values of free speech should be adopted. The Garden should rethink its policy." Thomas has been hounded by bad publicity and calls from fans to quit since October, when fired team executive Anucha Browne Sanders won a sexual harassment lawsuit against the coach and the Garden. Just before the case was to return to court to decide compensatory damages, the lawsuit was settled for $11.5 million. More calls for Thomas to step down were expected at Wednesday's game, with unhappy fans getting some help from one of the city's tabloids. The Daily News printed a large block letter sign in Wednesday's editions reading "FIRE ISIAH," saying it was meant to be held up during the "next Knicks blowout." Toward the end of Monday's 119-92 loss to the Indiana Pacers, a disgruntled fan raised a "Fire Isiah" sign and was ordered to leave his seat by a Garden security guard. After the images were captured by news photographers and published in Tuesday's papers, the fan, Jason Silverstein, came forward to identify himself. "The guy is killing our team," the 23-year-old Manhattan real estate agent told The New York Times. "How many 25-point beatings can we take?" At Wednesday's rally, signs read "Dump Isiah" and "Restore Knicks Pride." Thomas "is completely inept, he's a disaster," said protester Scott Francies. "He picked the players. And now, he's blaming them and destroying them. ... What kind of a person is this to represent this glorious city?" The team has endured a barrage of bad publicity since October, when a jury ruled in favor of Browne Sanders in her sexual harassment lawsuit. The three-week trial was rife with accounts of crude language and sexual escapades behind the scenes of a storied franchise. The verdict spared Thomas himself from paying any damages, but amounted to another blemish on the resume of a two-time NBA champion whose post-playing career has been marked by one failure after another. The Knicks haven't won a playoff game since Thomas joined the team in 2003, and the franchise has wasted millions of dollars this decade on a series of free-agent busts. __________________ Preventive war is not war!!!!Counter-terror is not terror
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12-19-2007, 07:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
chrisbb Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,441 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 61 Thanked 39 Times in 29 Posts	it's a great idea. we should do that to get the Oilers coach and GM fired __________________ Spongebob Squarepants-The Final Sponge Down
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12-19-2007, 08:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
VKMHVM2 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 2,606 My Mood: Thanks: 57 Thanked 47 Times in 36 Posts	New Yorkers are not as savvy as they like to think they are. If they really wanted to change things, they would stop going to the games. __________________ It's All Here! Dr. Albert Pastore: An Independent Investigation of 9-11 and the War on Terrorism
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12-20-2007, 06:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
BillCosby The party of the pissed!! Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,502 My Mood: Thanks: 183 Thanked 117 Times in 91 Posts	It is embarrassing how many times the fans in NYC have BoooOOOeed & screamed over the last few years............ But the bottom line is what counts & you are right...... As long as those seats are filled who cares..... Hell some ppl are going to games just to BBbbooOOOO.... ~shrug~ the seats paid for that is all that mattered...... __________________ Preventive war is not war!!!!Counter-terror is not terror
	Top

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