Normalcy, in this case, being both a made-up word (damn you, Harding) and a state of complete shittiness.
From Viv Bernstein's lede in The New York Times today:
"The fourth anniversary of the arrival of Isiah Thomas as president of the Knicks comes Saturday without fanfare or celebration. Instead there is only more misery for the Knicks."
What a surprise. Did anyone really believe that a fluke victory over the Cavaliers on Wednesday meant anything? Apparently, yes.
"Thomas, who had questioned the team's heart before that game, seemed to believe the Knicks had turned the season around with that win. But Friday's game was another step back. 'It's extremely disappointing and puzzling,' Thomas said."
What, exactly, is so goddamn puzzling, Isiah? You're an incompetent idiot, and the team has sucked for four years. David Lee (bless his heart) catching fire for one game doesn't mean an epiphany has suddenly gripped the minds of Eddy Curry, Zach Randolph, Quentin Richardson, Jared Jeffries and Jamal Crawford.
The 105-95 loss to the Bobcats had blowout potential early on, with Charlotte leading by double digits early in the second quarter. The hosts went up 71-44 early in the third, before Isiah pulled Q and Curry. After that, the bench players lead a bit of a comeback, rescuing Zeke from another 20+ point loss.
The Bobcats, of course, are 10-14 and fourth in the Southeast. But hey, that's good enough to beat on the hapless Knickerbockers (8-18 now).
My favorite part of Bernstein's article was the appended notes section that most newspapers attach to the end of gamers - the Times calls them "Rebounds":
"Isiah Thomas did not get completely away from the jeers and calls for his dismissal that come nightly at Madison Square Garden. One fan held a sign during Friday's game that read, 'Hey Isiah, Santa's got your pink slip.' There were a handful of chants of 'Fire Thomas.'"
I'm just absolutely delighted by this news. There are several possibilities here: The Knicks have fans down in Charlotte willing to go the extra mile to show Isiah just how completely he is reviled; hatred of Thomas has become a nationwide fad, a pursuit for the truly committed; Bobcats fans have seen how the Garden crowd gets its groove on every night and decided they needed to have some fun too. Good times all around. Plus, bonus points for the "Fire Thomas." It's good to shake things up occasionally from the somewhat staid "Fire Isiah." Let's get creative, people.
One final point. Where exactly was Howard Beck? Has the Times' beat guy just gotten so miserable watching the same putrefaction night after night that he just couldn't take it anymore?
Next up: Lakers at Knicks on Sunday at noon. Best possibility - David Lee smacks Curry upside the head instead of high-fiving during a substitution. Worst possibility - The Knicks win by 20, Kobe tells the media he's dying to play for the Knicks and Dolan announces his engagement to Isiah.
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