New York Media Will Not Let Go of Isiah Thomas Willingly

Has the statute of limitations run on making a Brokeback Mountain, "I wish I knew how to quit you," reference? That phrase comes to mind with regards to the New York City media and Isiah Thomas. He was such a wonderful villain for them. So hated by everyone in the area. An easy punchline to jokes. Everyone understood the reference.

Stuck for an insult towards a sports franchises front office? Compare them to Zeke. Company going in the tank because of bad management? Reference the Knicks under Isiah.

Then he was gone. Off to the Florida International and the Sun Belt Conference down in Miami. The media just was not prepared for this. They had not said their goodbyes. There was still a bond. That's means, the New York media is essentially covering the activities of the FIU Panthers.

Thomas signed a bunch of junior college players in the present signing period. Then Thomas did what new coaches do everywhere: kick aside recruits from the previous regime. So, the New York Post in its usual restrained manner ran the story:


Thomas failed to directly contact the kids to tell them that he really did not think they would fit with what he wanted to do (yes, I know there's another joke there, but I'll pass on it or this post will never get finished).

The former Knicks president/coach is being accused of tactless behavior in failing to personally phone three FIU recruits to inform them they were no longer wanted despite scholarship offers from the past regime.

Wolfson High coach Greg Rosebrock threatened to close the door for Thomas to recruit at his Jacksonville school because of how his player, Chris Rozier, was treated.

"From Jacksonville, to Orlando to Pensacola, there's a lot of coaches in Florida not happy with him right now," Rosebrock told The Post. "He's not making friends here. I understand not wanting him but place a phone call and do it in a professional way."

Horror of horrors, instead it was an assistant coach that made the call rather than Thomas himself. Now a high school coach in Florida is flipping out, making empty threats and hyperbolic statements of the damage Isiah Thomas is already wreaking in the entire state of Florida.

Thomas, apparently, was under the impression that he was not yet permitted to directly talk to unsigned high school recruits -- signed or unsigned -- because he had not yet received the results of his NCAA compliance test. That was why he did not call, and was buried in the story.

Of course, why let an actually rational excuse get in the way of a chance to take another shot at Thomas and re-confirm all that is known to be true and evil of Isiah Thomas? (I cannot believe I find myself actually defending Isiah Thomas on anything.)

Who cares if this is hardly atypical behavior after a coaching change? It's a chance to blast Isiah Thomas one more time.That must not be allowed to pass without comment.

Given the emotional involvement that the New York media has had with Isiah Thomas, there's a good chance that FIU/Isiah stories will appear more frequently than St. John's.