It is a military tactic in use since before the reign of Pontius Pilate. The Scythians used it before their territory was overrun by the Persians. The Armenians used it before their lands were taken by the Greeks. In the American Civil War the troops of the Confederacy were ordered to implement this same action as General Sherman and his Union soldiers marched towards them. (Of course, Sherman was going to do the same when he arrived anyway, but that is neither here nor there.) Throughout all recorded time those who have been certain to lose their lands and possessions in battle have destroyed them rather than abandon them to the uses of the approaching enemy. It is called scorched earth and it is nothing new. It is as old as war itself.
It is another way of saying that if "I can't have it than nobody can." And, it is exactly what Isiah Thomas has been trying to do to the Knicks draft pick ever since Donnie Walsh was hired. With the writing on the wall that his reign over the court at the Garden is over. With the hoof beats of Walsh's horses quaking the ground several floors beneath the hardwood, Isiah has inexplicably started coaching again in what can only be construed as an attempt to squander the one silver-lining in this cloudy season: the team's draft pick. By winning three of their last four games the Knicks have given up the inside track on one of the top three picks. They have potentially forsook that which could redeem this lost season.
The Daily News reported that Thomas even had the audacity to hold the longest practice that the team has had in weeks on Sunday. It was not too long ago that he was barely asking his players to shoot-around before tip-off. And, now he wants them to practice? Why? So that he can get a better look at Randolph Morris? Nope. So that they can squeak out a win over Charlotte? Or a playoff bound Pistons team that is resting its starters?
Actually, yes. That is exactly why. In his own retreat from his soon to be conquered territory Isiah is for-once heeding the lessons of history. He is not ignoring those wiser leaders who came before him. He is listening to them and he is setting fire to the most precious assets that he has so that those who usurp his lands cannot make use of them.
Isiah Thomas is coaching again just to ruin our chance at Derrick Rose. He does not want to help his erstwhile enemies (Donnie Walsh, the players themselves and the fans are included in this number) succeed in the place where he failed so famously. In doing so he is taking away the only good thing that he could have brought forth from the wretched incubator of his tenure on the bench.
He is setting fire to our draft lottery ping pong balls just as those Scythians set fire to their fields and slaughtered all the livestock which they could not carry with them as they fled their conquerors.
2 comments:
As a Philly native and longtime loather of New York sports, I must say I have taken some genuine, macabre satisfaction in the complete and total destruction of the Knicks. However, it has gotten to the point where my joy has morphed into actual sympathy. The New York Knicks, quite simply, are the Hurricane Katrina of professional sports. Seeing "highlights" of the Knicks on sportscenter turns my stomach the way accidentally stumbling on granny porn does (it said "MILF" not GILF!)
Donny Walsh may not be the savior you all hope, but as I recently told a Knicks fan, Gary the Retard would be a significant upgrade from the loathesome Isiah.
However-----only half of the problem goes away with Isiah. The arrogant, bratty, delusional Jim Dolan still owns the team, and there's not much you can do about that.
Make no mistake, I hate the Knicks. Passionately. I just want to hate them fairly again.
Thanks for checking in from Philly. I couldn't agree more about the difference between hating a quality nemesis and rooting against whatever it is the Knicks are today. There is nothing quite as engaging as hating a good team. And, nothing I used to like better than watching the Knicks play against rivals who were good (and too often better than we were). It makes your dislike relevant rather than petty. And, that's always good for the psyche.
And, it's true that Walsh might not be the final answer. He might not be the one to get us to the promised land. But he will stop the bleeding, bandage the wounds and, at the very least, put us in a position where the next regime can start on solid ground. As you said, no matter what anyone thinks about Walsh they can't say that he isn't a step up from Thomas.
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