Yammering via the OnStar Hotline (do I get paid for mentioning that firm?), ESPN’s Ric Bucher claimed today that Portland’s 31st overall pick, Joel Freeland (of the Spanish 4th Division’s Gran Canaria) lent a festive touch to last night draft by giving David Stern an England soccer jersey (and I didn’t know Umbro made them in that size).
“I’ve never seen a player give the commissioner a gift on draft night!” declared Bucher, perhaps forgetting that LaMarcus Aldridge had placed a Texas Longhorns cap atop his Sterness’ skull just a few hours earlier.
True Hoop’s Henry Abbott — whom it must be said, had a totally career day yesterday (now we know what Norman Mailer saw in him, and I’m not just saying that because I don’t want to be stabbed) — surveys the Kings’ selection of Quincy Douby (above) and surmises that Bonzi Wells is very much On The Block.
Preceeding today’s news that Larry Brown has filed a grievance with the NBA to recover his $40 million from the Knicks, the New York Post’s Todd Venezia and Ben Weinberg checked out the anti-Dolan protests taking place in and around MSG yesterday.
With shouts of “Fire Isiah!” – and the more suggestive “Duck Folan!” in reference to team owner James Dolan – the crowd of some two dozen roundball radicals made their displeasure known to all who would listen on the sidewalks of Times Square and Seventh Avenue.
“I’m angry – I’m gonna rip my shirt,” declared disgruntled fan Bobby Rahni, 20, who brandished a florescent pink sign reading “Sell the Knicks!”
The marchers, organized by the Web site selltheknicks.com, gathered at the Mercury Bar in Hell’s Kitchen to, ahem, prepare for the march and were led by a mystery man who goes only by the nom de guerre “Mr. Orange.”
Dolan was brutalized by the crowd as everything from a no-brain rich kid ruining his daddy’s company to a lousy guitar player.
“Dolan’s a baby,” said marcher Dave Sorani, 23. “When the baby gets nervous he makes rash decisions and wets his bed.”
The march began at Ninth Avenue and 46th Street – but the crowd of young men was not large enough to stop traffic and was forced to patiently wait until the light changed before heading off through Restaurant Row.
Some of the protesters admitted that, as social outrages go, the performance of the Knicks really isn’t that important.
“It’s not for world peace, which I guess would be better,” admitted protester Dave Hornung, 20, who came all the way from Riverhead, LI. “But it’s all for the cause of making the team better.”