BAN ON CRITICISM
Knick success takes eyes off sensitive Jim
There is no doubt Tom Thibodeau and his (so far) resilient, resurgent Knickerbockers are providing heavy-duty media cover for the owner, James (Guitar Jimmy)
Proof positive came recently after a fan got booted from the Garden Tuesday night for wearing a “Ban Dolan” shirt. According to a video, the fan (Twitter handle @djnessnyc) is confronted by a Garden security operative who politely explains why freedom of speech doesn’t exist in this particular private venue, aka, the Gulag. The security man tells the fan that inside MSG the words “Ban Dolan” is “offensive information” and “offensive information” is not allowed in the Garden, according to its code of conduct.
The fan is given the choice of keeping the “Ban Dolan” shirt on and leaving the arena, or using a free T-shirt, provided by MSG — or his coat — to cover the “Ban Dolan” jersey and remain in the building to watch the Knicks and Wizards play. Mr. @djnessnyc decided to keep the shirt on and exit stage left on to 7th Avenue.
In normal times, like over the past two-plus decades when the product Dolan put on the court was the NBA’s version of “offensive information” not suitable for family viewing, an incident like this, or some fan getting booted for chanting that Dolan should “sell” the Knicks, would trigger sincere outrage from multiple media precincts and the Valley of the Stupid. Remember all the media blowback Dolan got after Spike Lee didn’t follow Garden rules when he tried entering the building through the “wrong” entrance?
Yet now, for the “Ban Dolan” fan, there’s hardly a whimper of support.
As long as things are righteous on the hardwood, it’s cool for Dolan to define what constitutes freedom of speech in his world.
With Tunnel Vision Tom transforming the Knicks into a never-quit bunch going the full 48 or longer, led by Julius Randle, the media — just like fans — are so starved for a winning Knicks team the focus is on the games and waving pom-poms. Those once wielding the big stick are willing to either look the other way or soft pedal another example of a thin-skinned Dolan (who do you think authored these rules, Leon Rose?) taking his own insecurities out on a fan who likely paid through the nose to be a part of
the COVID-limited crowd.
On the basketball court the Knicks have changed. In the corporate suite, Dolan has not.
Yet instead of backing the fan, some media members decided to wonder if Dolan was actually in the building Tuesday night?
Or if the security operative acted on his own?
Craig Carton, on WFAN, gave Dolan a pass too, while assuming the “Ban Dolan” fan “didn’t have a job” and had a motive for wearing the shirt:
“He wants to be a social media star,” Carton said. “He wanted to be noticed.”
Noticed? Compared to others (Lee, Oakley, Ewing) who crossed Dolan, the “Ban Dolan” fan got bupkis. And Dolan must be loving that even he can’t cop a skinny ray of spotlight when its solely focused on Thibodeau and his Knicks.
DEBATING DARNOLD
In a phone-to-phone Monday matchup where no heavy blows were struck, ESPN-98.7s Don La Greca cleverly out-pointed former Jets GM (and current ESPN mouth) Mike Tannenbaum.
The debate was set following DLG verbally dunk-tanking Mr. T
after he said he would take Zach Wilson over Sam Darnold as Jets quarterback.
La Greca had a problem with the double-talk Tannenbaum used (DLG called it “gobbledygook”) to explain why he would select the BYU QB over the Jets three-season starter.
Tannenbaum explained how some coaches he worked with base their analysis on a quarterback they fear defending. DLG, who favors Darnold, said he would simply take the most skilled QB available.
Ironically, both men attributed their analysis to Bill Parcells. So, maybe it was The Tuna who was engaging in “gobbledygook.”
Anyway, DLG gets his hand raised for clarity of analysis. Tannenbaum made his case well, but La Greca was more believable. The spot made for compelling radio. And credit “The Michael Kay Show” crew for setting up the showdown. Normally, Gasbags rip away and their “victims” don’t get a chance to fire back on the air. Nice stuff.
AMAZON BOMBERS
Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network cable system affiliates like Comcast and
Spectrum can’t be thrilled over Amazon Prime Video streaming 21 Bombers games this season as part of a simulcast with WPIX-TV.
Nonetheless, the cable guys have no real beef.
In November 2019 at the owners meeting, the Lords of Baseball voted unanimously to give rights of games, not slated to be broadcast on regional sports networks, back to the 30 clubs. The Lords gave the teams the right to sell them to the streaming service of their choice.
Since the 21 games were already scheduled to air on “free TV” PIX, not YES, the Yankees were able to sell them to APV in a one-year deal.
APV will stream PIX’s simulcast (there will be an original APV pregame show) in an area including New York state, Connecticut, northeast Pennsylvania, and north and central New Jersey.
By the way, Amazon already owns 15% of YES. Must be a very cozy relationship.
STUDIO CHEMISTRY
Circumstances, happenstance can lead to unpredictable success.
COVID-19 protocols forced Turner/CBS to use their inhouse crews, rather than mixing and matching each network’s talent to work the NCAA hoops studio shows. The serendipity has produced excellent results, showing the feeling, flow, familiarity and comfort level these crews have working together.
The Turner team in Atlanta features long-time NBA antagonists Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and the new addition of info man Andy Katz, who has delivered the right mix of info while playing the human pin cushion for the rest of the crew. In CBS’ Manhattan studio, it’s Greg Gumbel, Clark Kellogg, Seth Davis and Wally Szczerbiak. The eye-popping stars here are Gumbel and Kellogg, who bring what we all need — laughter — to the proceedings. Their ability to go after each other so spontaneously provides evidence that the two veterans still have much electricity to sell.
Who knows where the 2022 version of these shows is headed? Still, the suits might want to revisit the video and see how these “same network” teams performed. They should realize they have a good thing going.