Isiah Thomas is out as president of the New York Knicks, and former Indiana Pacers executive Donnie Walsh is in. Not only does it read like an NBA In and Out fashion list, but it gives new life to the Knicks’ annual Fall collection of misguided and overpaid talent.
Walk with me into the happy past of Metropolis basketball. The year was 2003. A prodigal point guard blew into the city with the Sound and Fury everyone knew would signify nothing. Mt. Mutombo had been reduced to a towel-waving bench fixture, the rebirth of Penny Hardaway got stuck somewhere on Canal St., Kurt Thomas had not proven to be the antidote to the Anthony Mason blues, and Keith Van Horn was just discovering the Italian Job that is life as a versatile white player in the NBA.
The New York Knicks made the playoffs that year, earning a seventh seed in the Eastern Conference with a 39-43 record under head coach Lenny Wilkens and new team president Isiah Thomas. That was the last somewhat golden year for one of professional sports’ golden franchises, but it doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good year outside of MSG. Here’s a look back at lighter, happier moments of 2003.
Maurice Clarett saves the day for Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Who would’ve thought Ken Dorsey would’ve had a longer NFL career than Maurice Clarett?
Tampa Bay wins the Super Bowl, making Tony Dungy the first black head coach to win the big game.
The San Antonio Spurs defeat the New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals, convincing Teri Hatcher to look the other way on that Kenyon Martin kick she had going.
The Florida Marlins defeat the New York Yankees in the World Series, proving to be an effective laxative to the bowels of Hell.
That’s pretty much the important stuff. Everything else had to do with Yellow Cake, missions being accomplished somewhere in the ocean, a Michael Jackson mugshot, and foxholes.
Looking back to the future, you realize that the Knicks have come a long way, baby. Five years of horrible basketball is an eternity in success-driven New York City. The burden now belongs to Walsh, and Isiah becomes the Jack Bauer of the NBA. All is not well, but just maybe they aren’t that far off from the sterling mediocrity that was the 03-04 season.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Didn’t Walsh panic and give away Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington for Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy and Ike Diogu?
Yea, yea….Dunleavy is having a career year and Diogu “might” pan out….but Golden State was able to turn into a playoff contender with Indy’s “junk”.
I understand that Walsh was in crisis mode after the brawl (along with other image issues), but it seems like he could’ve kept a promising Pacer team from completely imploding.
Not he’s expected to dig the Knicks out a grave? Good luck.
Um, I don’t think Dungy won a ring with the Bucs, Gruden did. Think you screwed up there.
I assume the Tony Dungy comment is in jest and not in ignorance? Y’know? Jon Gruden?
Tony Dungy did not coach the Bucs that, John Gruden did
Dungy WAS the first black head coach to win the game, but didn’t take it down until he beat Lovie Smith and the Bears with the Colts.
I’m pretty sure Jon Gruden was the coach of the Bucs when they won the Super Bowl.
Umm, Tony Dungy was not the coach of the Bucs at that time. That was John Gruden. Don’t you remember all the hoopla when the Colts played the Bears and how the man who won would be the first African-American to win the Superbowl?
Wow, 6 responses about the Dungy thing. That’s pretty impressive. All of this in a span of 6 minutes.
Well, I must say that the dig at Jon Gruden didn’t go over too well. The joke was that it was the team and concept Dungy put together that won the Super Bowl, folks.
I’ll try and get my comedic timing up for the next one.
you lost all credibility you had by thinking dungy coached that tampa bay team.