New New York
Quiet Storm
Al Trautwig interviewing Isiah the day after he's fired
Al:Thanks for making Isiah, I know the last twenty four hours have been trying for you
Isiah: Well growing up on the Westside of Chicago, winning an NCAA championship, as well as an NBA Title has prepared me for anything.
Al: so do you agree with the decision made by Knick owner James Dolan?
Isiah: (after long pause) I think Jim himself really belived in me but there were outside influences that ultimatley led to his choice to move forward without me
Al: Who do you think some of those outside influences were?
Isiah: (thinking David Stern, Isiah thinks about the remote chance he still has of working in the NBA) The Fans. I think the fans really only see wins and losses, there is more to the game then just wins and losses, I learned that in my days at Detroit
Al: But those Piston teams were always competitive in the East even as you built up to a championship contender?
Isiah: Well that was the added bonus, we had a great coach (laughs)
Al: (not laughing along, and looking a bit confused by the response) How did you think you fared as GM of this franchise?
Isiah:Well you gotta look at the frachise when I inherited it, I was forced to be creative in my deals to make this a better team. The talent level was no where near the level it is at now. I was able to bring in some players who have the potential to be good players in this league, even though they havent shown it in the six seven years since being drafted
Al: Lets talk about some of those acqusitions, Steve Francis and Jerome James are two players that it is safe to say didnt work out in NY, if put in that situation again would you have made moves for either of those players
Isiah: What you have to remember is that when you're a GM your job is to surround a coach that he feels he can win with. Those were two players that the coach whom I was working with felt would take us to the next level
Al: I assume the coach that you are speaking of is Larry Brown
Isiah: Yeah (again giving the Zeke smile)
Al: But Jerome was acquired weeks before Larry Brown was hired
Isiah: (long, long pause) so he was......
Al: (WTF look on his face)
Isiah: (Doing the Zeke Smile again)
Stay Tuned for part two of the interview, when Isiah discusses Anucha, his fallout with Steph, a new NBA rule that will allow player like Eddy Curry to charge and not get called for it, The Nuggets brawl and ofcourse the West Side of Chicago!
Al:Thanks for making Isiah, I know the last twenty four hours have been trying for you
Isiah: Well growing up on the Westside of Chicago, winning an NCAA championship, as well as an NBA Title has prepared me for anything.
Al: so do you agree with the decision made by Knick owner James Dolan?
Isiah: (after long pause) I think Jim himself really belived in me but there were outside influences that ultimatley led to his choice to move forward without me
Al: Who do you think some of those outside influences were?
Isiah: (thinking David Stern, Isiah thinks about the remote chance he still has of working in the NBA) The Fans. I think the fans really only see wins and losses, there is more to the game then just wins and losses, I learned that in my days at Detroit
Al: But those Piston teams were always competitive in the East even as you built up to a championship contender?
Isiah: Well that was the added bonus, we had a great coach (laughs)
Al: (not laughing along, and looking a bit confused by the response) How did you think you fared as GM of this franchise?
Isiah:Well you gotta look at the frachise when I inherited it, I was forced to be creative in my deals to make this a better team. The talent level was no where near the level it is at now. I was able to bring in some players who have the potential to be good players in this league, even though they havent shown it in the six seven years since being drafted
Al: Lets talk about some of those acqusitions, Steve Francis and Jerome James are two players that it is safe to say didnt work out in NY, if put in that situation again would you have made moves for either of those players
Isiah: What you have to remember is that when you're a GM your job is to surround a coach that he feels he can win with. Those were two players that the coach whom I was working with felt would take us to the next level
Al: I assume the coach that you are speaking of is Larry Brown
Isiah: Yeah (again giving the Zeke smile)
Al: But Jerome was acquired weeks before Larry Brown was hired
Isiah: (long, long pause) so he was......
Al: (WTF look on his face)
Isiah: (Doing the Zeke Smile again)
Stay Tuned for part two of the interview, when Isiah discusses Anucha, his fallout with Steph, a new NBA rule that will allow player like Eddy Curry to charge and not get called for it, The Nuggets brawl and ofcourse the West Side of Chicago!
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