Not On the Firing Line
“Thomas is not expected to be fired by Dolan, whose obstinacy and disdain for public opinion are legendary.”
Mark Heisler, The Los Angeles Times
No Material Event Here
“This is not SEC-related. Believe me, I’m not trying to belittle this in any way, shape or form. I’m trying to position how it affects the company, Cablevision, and I think it would be very minor unless over time it diminishes Dolan’s image.”
Bruce Leichtman, Leichtman Group analysthttp://www.accountability-central.com
Beginning of the End
“You could blame it on the coddled world of professional athletes or the legendary sexual exploits of NBA players but that would be unfair. This is Isiah Thomas’s problem and also that of the Knicks front office. I suspect the pressure from David Stern, the NBA commissioner, will be unrelenting to move Thomas out of the coaching job. Other teams like the luxury tax that James Dolan’s Knicks shell out and Dolan doesn’t seem likely to dump Thomas easily. But I bet he’s not coaching the Knicks in a year.”
Matt Cooper, Condé Nast Portfolio http://www.portfolio.com
It’s a League Matter Now
“NBA commissioner David Stern now has to take control of this once-proud franchise that has been run into the ground by owner James Dolan. It’s one thing to lose games but to lose your integrity, that’s never good.”
Erik Dobratz, WHNH-TV, New Haven, Conn.http://wtnh.tv/
Hang Your Heads, Boys
“It won’t happen at the sinkhole that Dolan’s Garden has become, but in a perfect world, they would all get fired or slink away in shame now. — Knicks owner James Dolan, chief operating officer Steve Mills, team president and coach Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury, the potty-mouthed guard the Knicks keep hitching their destiny to, against all reason.”
Johnette Howard, Long Island (N.Y.) Newsday
Will Dad Get a Stern Warning?
“How low can the Garden go? There is only one man who can stop this race to the bottom. Papa, can you hear me? Only Charles Dolan has the power to take away the Garden club from his son before one more person gets hurt. But will he? Commissioner David Stern has offered a public silence over yesterday’s verdict in the civil case between Browne Sanders and the Garden, but NBA team officials privately believe he will seek a discussion with Charles Dolan in an effort to diminish Jim’s power at the top.”
Selena Roberts, The New York Times
