In the future, I might have to start reading the Letters To The Editor section of all major NYC papers, just to make sure Charles Dolan (above) hasn’t rushed to the defense of his son. From last Monday’s NY Times.
To the Sports Editor:
Selena Roberts asks (“A Bad Seed Is to Blame for the Mess at the Garden,” June 23): “Does Charles F. Dolan lie awake at night counting his black sheep son?” The answer is I really sleep very well.
After all, why shouldn’t I?
We are fortunate to have three sons and three daughters. We are very proud of them, none more than Jim.
Jim began with Cablevision more than 30 years ago loading freight on a dock. After college, he undertook one after the other of the most difficult and challenging tasks involved in our growth. He came to know our business the only way you can: by experiencing firsthand all of its operations.
I don’t know of anyone with broader or more rigorous training or who has worked harder and accomplished more for the company. As chief executive for the past 10 years, he has led the company to a strategic focus on the New York area while offering the nation’s best-selling cable, phone and Internet services. Thus, he has created an organization that is widely recognized as one of the most competitive in the telecom industry, rewarding both its customers and its owners.
Jim has five devoted sons. As Ms. Roberts pointed out, he has overcome addiction. However, she did not mention that he now gives unsparingly of his time helping others with similar difficulties. Jim is unafraid in facing unpopular problems whether investing unhesitatingly in support of the Knicks, sitting in the front row for nearly every game or revising some of his father’s favorite business plans.
What does startle me, I’ll admit, is reading in The New York Times, of all places, such a rancorous column about the dynamics of a family-owned media company.
Charles F. Dolan
New York
The writer is chairman of Cablevision Systems.
Surprisingly, Daddy Dearest made no mention of J.D. & The Straight Shot. Must be the generation gap.
On a related note, I’m surprised that amidst all of the major coverage afforded to last week’s Bonnaroo Music Festival, there’s been nary a mention of the Staight Shot’s performance. What an honor it must’ve been for the likes of Radiohead, Stephen Malkmus, Sonic Youth, Cat Power, Beck, Elvis Costello, Dungen, etc. to share a stage with a musical pioneer like Jimmy “Shoot That Dog” Dolan. Surely some kind of all-star jam must’ve taken place after hours that the trade papers and rock critics were unaware of — perhaps a guitar tutorial, of sorts, in which Jonny Greenwood, SM, Lee Ranaldo, Mike Campbell, Bill Frissell, Jay Farrar and others, learned at the feet of a true master? Again, I’m sure this will pop up on You Tube before long.