I am a Pissed Off Knicks Fan, and This is My OP-ED: Enough is Enough, James Dolan Should be Banished From the NBA

via Deadspin’s report from this morning-–

"New York Knicks and Cablevision CEO James Dolan lashed out at a lifelong fan over email, suggesting the fan was an alcoholic who should start rooting for the Nets “because the Knicks don’t want you.”"

Here’s the email that was sent to Dolan, via Deadspin:

"“Subject: I have been a knicks fan since 1952 At one stage I thought that you did a wonderful thing when you acquired EVERYTHING from your dad. However, since then it has been ALL DOWN HILL. Your working with Isaiah Thomas & everything else regarding the Knicks. Bringing on Phil Jackson was a positive beginning, but lowballing Steve Kerr was a DISGRACE to the knicks. The bottom line is that you merely continued to interfere with the franchise. As a knicks fan for in excess of 60 years, I am utterly embarrassed by your dealings with the Knicks. Sell them so their fans can at least look forward to growing them in a positive direction Obviously, money IS NOT THE ONLY THING. You have done a lot of utterly STUPID business things with the franchise. Please NO MORE. Respectfully, [Aaron Bierman’s dad]"

Dolan’s reply, via Deadspin:

"Mr Bierman You are a sad person. Why would anybody write such a hateful letter. I am.just guessing but ill bet your life is a mess and you are a hateful mess. What have you done that anyone would consider positive or nice. I am betting nothing. In fact ill bet you are negative force in everyone who comes in contact with you. You most likely have made your family miserable. Alcoholic maybe. I just celebrated my 21 year anniversary of sobriety. You should try it. Maybe it will help you become a person that folks would like to have around. In the mean while start rooting for the Nets because the Knicks don’t want you. Respectfully James Dolan"

I mean, are you kidding me?

“Why would anybody write such a hateful letter?”

Thank God Dolan doesn’t have a history of overreacting to upset fan’s opinions or anything. (We’ll get to this in a bit).

“You most likely have made your family miserable. Alcoholic maybe.”

This is the billionaire overlord of MSG/Cablevision (who tens of THOUSANDS of people rely on for employment) writing these words. Don’t worry, I’m sure the things you say won’t have any repercussions on people OTHER than yourself.

I’ve been at some low points during my career as a New York Knicks fan. Whether it was J.R. Smith’s off-court antics during the friggin’ PLAYOFFS, Andrea Bargnani’s hilarious failed dunk, or the 500 times the Knicks blew a win late in the 4th quarter the past couple of seasons… there’s no denying that they are the laughingstock of the NBA right now. Some will tell me: this is what you signed up for… and you know what, I’m not going to argue that. I am the poster boy of “Knicks Stockholm Syndrome”, and as much as I swear them off — I am a degenerate/going to be emotionally-vested, once again, as soon as they show signs of rising from the ashes.

I can deal with pretty much all of the Knicks’ fallacies. To be honest, it’s kinda what attracts me to them. All it does is make me want success more.

However, there’s one thing I cannot tolerate — and it starts at the top.

AND HE DID IT AGAIN FOUR DAYS AGO.

Ever since James Dolan assumed control of the New York Knicks, the franchise’s fans have been subject to his “My way or the Long Island Expressway” mentality, manipulation of the NY media (KINDA HELPS THAT HE OWNS A TV NETWORK), and ruthless punishments of employees who so much as step two inches out-of-line in re: to “Never speaking negatively about the regime”.

Spring 2012: “Linsanity” is in full bloom, and the Knicks are headed to the playoffs. You know what that means, right? Yup, you guessed it — season ticket renewals! With the Knicks locked in to face the heavyweight Miami Heat in the first round, James Dolan blatantly lies to the world about Jeremy Lin’s health. Lin (who had recently been sidelined with an apparent leg injury) had an MRI that showed he had a torn meniscus in his left knee — two days before the March 28 deadline for season-ticket holders to buy playoff tickets — was featured in an e-mail to non-renewed season-ticket holders, with a picture of Lin leaping in celebration. Once the news got out about Lin’s diagnosis and his probable absence from the entire 2012 postseason, the ‘NY Daily News’ absolutely annihilated Dolan and his failed marketing/manipulation attempt to get season ticket holders to commit to a non-refundable renewal.

The secret’s out, Dolan will just admit to his plan and we’ll pretend like this never happened — like usual — right?

NOPE.

The Madison Square Garden Co., on behalf of James Dolan, issued this statement:

"“Today’s Daily News story is completely inaccurate, and serves only as another example of fabricated reporting by (the Daily News). The suggestion that the timing of Jeremy Lin’s injury report is in any way connected to a longstanding Knicks’ playoff ticket deadline is a malicious attack on The Madison Square Garden Company. Jeremy Lin decided on Saturday to have surgery now in hopes that he would be able to return in time for, or at least during, the playoffs. The Knicks have sold out 61 games in a row, including last season’s playoffs, and as standard practice we provided season ticket holders a first opportunity benefit to reserve playoff tickets before going on sale to the general public.”"

Do I even need to elaborate on this “statement”? You guys see what I’m getting at here? This is what the Knicks do. They shit the bed, and not only blame it on the dog — but threaten to sue/fire/attack anyone who takes the dog’s side.

As for the Dolan email released today…

Now that you’re up to date with the Knicks and the way they do business, we can move on to the issues at hand — James Dolan getting Anthony Rotondi fired from his job for saying “Carmelo, YOU STINK!” at a home game, and today’s venom-spewing email that he sent to a displeased fan.

Let’s address the “James Dolan ejected a fan for voicing his opinion” first, because this is back in the news recently with Rotondi suing MSG re: losing his job…

Do I think Rotondi was completely innocent in all of this? No.

Do I think Rotondi was cooperative with security/MSG officials, when asked to leave the premises? No.

Do I think Rotondi should have been arrested, charged, and convicted of “TAMPERING WITH A SPORTING EVENT” and “CRIMINAL TRESPASSING”? NO.

If Knicks fans are getting ARRESTED for saying “Carmelo, you STINK!” — it’s an absolute miracle that I, and about 15,000 other fans in attendance at every game, have not gotten a god damn “25 to life” sentence yet.

Also, you’re absolutely kidding yourself if you think Dolan stopped pursuing Rotondi after he was ejected.

This is the guy who hired an entire PR staff whose ONLY JOBS ARE TO MAKE SURE CERTAIN REPORTERS DON’T GET ACCESS TO THE KNICKS LOCKER ROOM, AND DON’T GET SELECTED TO ASK QUESTIONS AT THE POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCES.

This is the guy who RELEASED A SONG ABOUT TRAYVON MARTIN, with lyrics:

– “THERE IS NO GOOD UNDER THAT HOOD”

– “WHO’S THAT WALKING, A SHADOW IN THE STREET — LOOKS LIKE TROUBLE FROM MY JUDGMENT SEAT”

HOW DOES HE KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS? The NBA is okay terminating ownership of a senile, 80-year-old bigot who probably doesn’t even know what year it is — yet they continue to let Dolan slide, who is committing all of Sterling’s wrongdoings (and some) deliberately?

The entire point of this post is to bring light to these issues. While the Knicks fan who wrote the email to Dolan shouldn’t be exempt from a defensive response, he doesn’t deserve to be verbally assaulted with accusations/slander that he (most likely) doesn’t deserve. Anthony Rotondi probably deserved some sort of punishment for obnoxiously yelling at Carmelo Anthony, but, he does NOT deserve to have his ENTIRE LIFE RUINED because he was sitting two rows behind the emperor — and complained to Chef Dolan how overcooked the steak is.

Anthony Rotondi/Aaron Bierman’s dad … if you’re reading this — you, sirs, are martyrs. No, you are OUR martyrs. We, the demoralized Knicks fans of America, will never forget your stories.

“Respectfully”,

~Rob Perez