The People’s Court
There’s likely just one day of testimony left in the explosive sexual harassment trial pitting Knicks president and coach Isiah Thomas against former MSG executive Anucha Browne Sanders. We’ve all seen the headlines, along with every sordid detail that followed. Closing statements will likely take place tomorrow, and then it’s up to the jury.
Really, the outcome of this whole mess will be decided in the court of public opinion. The fans will determine whether this public display of incompetence further damaged a franchise desperate to regain favor in New York after six consecutive losing seasons.
Guilty or not guilty.
Will a playoff berth make it all go away?
I suspect this case will mostly be forgotten if the Knicks contend this season. Most of the incurable faithful really only care about what goes on in between the lines. They learned to love Anthony Mason. They stood and cheered Latrell Sprewell. Both of them played on winning teams.
What happens if the Knicks continue to struggle? Thomas will undoubtedly be reminded of this mistake like all of the others. Will it matter, though? It’s all up to MSG boss James Dolan, who handed Thomas a contract extension last season for spending a grand total of 24 hours in the postseason chase.
So what are you thinking out there?
Nobody sits on the sideline. I want to see a long and intelligent thread on this one. None of us were in the courtroom every day, so let’s avoid guilty or not guilty.
Doe’s any of this really matter once training camp opens next week?
Remember, this story went coast to coast. It’s been leading off the local news for a week. When people who don’t follow the game see it getting that much play, they form quick opinions.
So, were you upset to hear Thomas’ alleged indifference to the ticket-buying corporate set?
Did you at least do a double take when he noted in a deposition there was a perceived difference between a white man and a black man using the same deragatory term in reference to a black woman?
Were you thankful somebody came into MSG with a win-at-all-costs mentality and kicked aside the barriers allegedly presented by Sanders?
Do you feel the revelation of Stephon Marbury’s marital indescretion reflects poorly on him or the Knicks?
It’s a civil trial, but should Thomas and MSG be found guilty, should he face punitive action from the organization or the league?Â
Will you watch fewer games or buy fewer tickets because of the details that came out during the trial?
Get in the game. Start typing. Play fair.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Mike,
Guilty or not guilty are only applicable in a criminal trial. This is a civil case, so Isiah (and Dolan) will be found liable or not liable.
I would keep Isiah as coach and hire Jerry West to be president/gm, but I would have done that anyway.
IMO, the evidence is in equipoise; it’s as likely that he didn’t harass her as it is that he did. Most of Sanders evidence, even viewing it in the light most favorable to her case, only demonstrates that there was a laissez-faire atmosphere at MSG, not that Isiah personally harassed her. Consequently, I don’t think that Sanders proved her case by a preponderance of the evidence.
So no matter how the case is decided, I would not sanction Isiah.
As for his differential standard for white and black men using the “b” word, I think it’s absurd, but as I white person, I’m not offended. It’s his problem, not mine. I don’t call any women “b’s” unless I know them really well and we can joke around with each other (admittedly, I don’t know any black women that well at present).
That said, I think Marbury has been shown to be a rather odious figure, and I would make him the scapegoat in this situation, by buying out his contract.
One last point: What if Isiah is found not liable, but Dolan is found liable?
September 26th, 2007 at 11:58 am
I think the NY media has already shaped public opinion. In listening to the deposition of IT he said (paraphrase) he does not condone calling a woman a b but to him it is more offensive if a white person does it than if a black person. That is an honest answer I believe based on his upbringing and the history of Jim Crowism especially on the lower east side of Chicago. It seems like the plaintiff may have attempted to make a case out of one that wasn’t there. In NY there have been many instances of sexual harrassment brought into the limelight the most recent were the ones in the investment houses but to be fair though there were enough evidence to support the charges, these companies did not receive the biased reporting that the folks in the garden are getting.
September 26th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Mike,
The only one of the above question that bothers me is the difference between a white man and a black man using the same derogatory term in reference to a black woman.
Obviously neither should use the term to describe a woman, but we do. Under our breath, when we’re upset, let’s be honest. Just like women curse us also, under the breath, when they’re upset with us.
What bother me is did we need a small forward more than we needed a power forward. We had David Lee there already, was he going to give David Lee a chance to shine this year or not as much.
Do we have as many scouts in Europe looking for good, already polish players or not as much as we have looking for one dimensional role players in the States.
Will Dickua (who from what little I saw of him is not a bad player) get a shot to make the team or not as much as Nate. Who is constantly doing something stupid.
Does he give white guys an equal opportunity as the black guys or not as much?
I didn’t need to hear that. If that’s what he thinks that’s a problem.
It may be time to make a change.
September 26th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
First of all I read the knick pages of the newspapers everyday,mainly out of habit BUT the media annoys me so much the way they(you’ll)form your personal opinions and spoon feed it to the readers without never having FACTS to back up you’ll claims. Isaih has done wonders with this knick team and I for one am excited about this year and am eager for the season to start. I don’t know Anucha and don’t know what she endured during her stay at the garden BUT I can tell you this she has not proven harrassment by any stretch of the word. She has aired out dirty laundry about the garden and has dragged co workers into her web and used confidential information told to her to embarrass that intern. But the media don’t like Isaih or Dolan so they try to hang them every chance they get but isaih is a warrior and Dolan is not easily influenced which is the reason yall hate Dolan.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
I have a problem with Isiah if he is a racist.
I have a problem with Dolan for making and allowing bad decisions to continue to be made.
As a former season ticket holder (I continue to go to several a year, but for these guys, a season costs too much), I would take offense if Isiah’s comments are true.
My biggest problem with Isiah is the Knicks not winning. Let’s not forget – it was Lenny Wilkins who last coached a Knicks playoff game – not Isiah, not Larry Brown.
However, if the Knicks win – all of this will probably go away. When they had the worst year ever with Larry Brown – everything bad was reported on at MSG. You never heard these stories when they were winning.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
As a point of clarification, what I meant to say is that:
I have a problem with Isiah if he is a racist, and he allows his racism to affect his personnel decisions.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Henry,
This talk of Isiah viewing his players in race colored glasses is simply absurd.
Why would Isiah hate on David Lee because he is white ?
He didn’t mind drafting him, did he ?
Let me remind you that he picked him up after every other team in the league passed on him.
He has given every oppurtunity to shine !
You might bring up the fact that David Lee doesnt start.
But he still gets starters minutes and finishes games.
That is what matters.
The only people who care who start are teeny boppers playing NBA Live.
Also, wregarding Dan Dickau, what makes you think he is that great of a player ?
I hope it is not based on the color of his skin and the position he plays.
FYI, Dan has bounced around the league since he got into it. And i love how people automatically call Dan a younger Steve Nash. Why ?
Because he is white ?
Dan is a scorer, he looks for his own shot first.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Also, when Isiah was talking about the season ticket holders.
I believe it was during a discussion where Anucha wanted the knicks to use up tme that was supposed to be spent in practice in order to meet and greet the bigwigs on the floor.
You know, the not diehard knick fans. The Knick fans who get their tickets through their company. The people who are there because they have too much money and want to make a statement.
You gotta take everythign in its context.
September 26th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Great point Sunil !!!
September 27th, 2007 at 6:27 am
The perception around the country is of afranchise in absolute disarray but to be honest I have this weird faith in Isiah and that he does fundamentally know what he’s doing. Maybe it’s the 14 year old kid in me but he does seem to have some kind of a “grand plan”.
As for the questions of race and fidelity, obviously they reflect poorly on the individuals concerned and in an ideal world our beloved Knicks and everyone that has anything to do with them would be perfect role models but this is the real world which is rapidly going to hell in a hand basket. As for Steph, he really is the ultimate double edged sword.
Let’s go for broke, move Thomas upstairs and get Kobe and Phil in here and start winning again.
September 27th, 2007 at 7:39 am
I believe that Thomas is trying to do the right thing, regard to basketball issues. I don’t know if he harrased or not Anucha. If he did, the cour will decide, and only God will really judge.
But he tried to make a good basketball team here. He made mistakes. Of course. Larry Brown was a huge one. If he was the coach in larry brown year, last year we sould had made playoffs.
This year we have Zach. He is a Beast and, as Zeke said, our problem in defense was not inside. It was our perimeter that was bad. Because we have to play JC too much. He’s not a good defender.
The fact is, inspite all media glitter, in the end, for us, knicks fans, what really make us happy is a winning team. I think we’re not too far from that.
September 27th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
I have been a serious Knick fan since Pat Ewing was drafted. I have seen a lot of good and bad days with this team. This sexual harassment trial stands out as the low point of my following the Knicks. No decent sports team would have allowed this to go to court. I have no idea who is telling the truth but I know who the losers are. Dolan, Thomas, and Marbury. They are buffoons. Laughingstocks.
Please someone put adults back in charge of the Knicks.
As for the lasting effects of this humiliation, I suppose all will be forgotten if they would just return to winning form. Win a playoff series or two. Unfortunately, I think that will not happen until Dolan and Isiah get new jobs.