04-15-2008, 12:33 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Dave Checketts Rips, Zeke, Curry, Dolan, Media Policy, etc.
Quote:
Ex-Madison Square Garden President Dave Checketts talked to 1050ESPN.com last night as he attended the Knicks home finale. It was the first time that Checketts, who owns season tickets, has been at the Garden for an NBA game since Larry Brown was the coach.
Here is the entire Q&A.
What do you think of Donnie Walsh?
"Donnie, first of all, is experienced," Checketts said. "It is very hard to bring a guy who has never coached or been a GM into New York. This is a job that requires someone who knows what they are doing. This is a job that requires someone with a history of success. Isiah doesn't fit in either of those categories, but Donnie certainly does." Has this organization taken a good turn?
"Not yet," Checketts said. "The hiring of Donnie is a very good turn, yes. As I think I was quoted, Donnie would let a subway train run over him before he would trade two lottery picks for a backup center. That's the kind of thing that has happened here that has taken a great franchise and has really taken it down."
What has been the biggest problem?
"They have just made a lot of mistakes," Checketts said. "There is no environment that demands winning. You can watch it on the bench and you see Zach Randolph shoot an airball from three, come out of the game and get congratulated by everybody. I think Jeff Van Gundy would have spit on him. That's too dramatic, but there is not an environment that demands winning, that expects winning and the kind of character guys that want to win. I look down at the Celtics' bench and you see Doc Rivers and what comes to mind is that game in Indian '93 when he made three-straight threes within a minute to put the series away. Those type of athletes were the kind of players that we brought in in the '90s. I think that made all the difference."
Will Donnie be able to institute the media policy?
"I certainly hope so because the whole media policy that has been instituted in the past is a train wreck, a disaster," Checketts said. "It creates an environment of mistrust and when people are put in that environment, they don't tell the truth because they feel like they are being controlled. It just doesn't work. It simply doesn't work."
What is your confidence in him implementing what he wants to implement?
"I hope that ownership is smart enough to take a step back and let him do what he is capable of doing," Checketts said. "He'll make much better player judgments. He'll have a much better relationship with the key members of the media and maybe that will start to change the whole environment. I certainly hope so because I love the franchise. The franchise is the flagship franchise of the league."
What is your opinion of Isiah?
"I always had the same philosophy when I was here," Checketts said. "You have to evaluate people based on results not how they dress, not how they talk to the press, not whether they do community appearances. You have to ask yourself one question: What did he do with what we gave him? The bottom line is that with the highest payroll in the history of the game for years and years, he doesn't have a playoff win to show for it. That's how you make that evaluation."
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Dave Checketts Rips, Zeke, Curry, Dolan, Media Policy, etc.
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