The Knicks Fix

MSG chairman Jim Dolan was given the opportunity to show fans some appreciation by taking a moment after Monday's Garden finale to use the print media to thank the Knicks fans for their incredible show of loyalty to a team that hasn't had a winning season in six years. The crowds at MSG this season blew me away by their numbers and their passion. They sold out 9 of the final 10 games at the Garden. The Knicks lost 9 of their last 10 home games.

Yet even as the Nets were going through the motions en route to Monday's win over the Knicks, the Garden faithful were still cheering, roaring and chanting.

But when a few of us beat writers approached Dolan after the game, he had nothing to say.

"No boys," he said. "I've got nothing for you."

I guess he's saving it for his WFAN appearance this afternoon with Mike and the Mad Dog.

Still, his unwillingness to even offer a heartfelt comment -- especially a spontaneous one -- makes you recall the One Percent comment from earlier in the season, when Dolan revealed that the revenue for his two Garden teams only make up one percent of the Cablevision revenue. So, you see, the overwhelming loyalty is apparently lost on the owner because he doesn't feel it in his pockets, even though you feel it in yours.

But at 32-49, it was worth it, right?

* * *
Coming off the infamous "Big Mac Controversy" in Chicago, I was told a story by a former NBA executive whom I have known a while and for whom I have a great respect (even if he is a lawyer). He told me about a similar promotion in New Orleans, where the Atlanta Hawks used to play some games. The promotion was free fries if Dominique Wilkins had three dunks in the game.

So one game 'Nique has two dunks, but the Hawks are up big. So coach Mike Fratello takes him out of the game, which draws loud boos from the fans, who clearly wanted those free fries. Fratello decides to put Wilkins back in the game and he gets free for a dunk. The crowd rises in anticipation.

But he's fouled before he can get to the rim. No dunk. No fries.

More boos.

* * *

The Knicks Garden finale didn't have a celebrity row, it was Murderer's Row, I mean drop-dead gorgeous. Imagine this awesome foursome: Kimora Lee Simmons, Tyra Banks, Jessica White and Beyonce. Throw in Jessica Simpson and that's my T-Mobile Fav Five. My girl Daisy Duke can sing, we know Beyonce can dance and Ms White, Ms Simmons and Ms Banks? Just stand there and lemme just lookatcha...

...81 down, one to go. Rakim knows where I'm coming from:

I chill as they filled the jacuzzi
I said, Im tight from a real long flight, could you soothe me
Support my thoughts, cause I got a lot of writing to do
They said, cool, and just enjoyed the view
It aint hard cause its miles from the sidewalk
Im overlookin every borough in new york
The entire, empire, state to concentrate
For every rhyme I make
So at exactly noon they played my favorite tune
And just before they all cleared the room
They said, were glad youre home from tour, now we feel secure
We wish you didnt have to leave no more