James Dolan live Interview with Michael Kay Show

Playa2

Benchwarmer
Re-Airs at 6pm on YES Network, cant wait to hear the Fiasco the other night with Charles Oakley.Cain't wait to hear what Dolan has to say about it
 
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Playa2

Benchwarmer
Spencer Checketts (Dave Checketts son): Imagine if Dolan went back to the tunnel, grabbed Oak, and offered him a seat next to him for the 2nd half. Story becomes what a hero JD is.
 

tiger0330

Legend
TRANSCRIPT OF DOLAN INTERVIEW PART ONE

We reported that Oakley cannot come into the Garden anymore. What's behind that?

I saw lifetime ban but not necessarily a lifetime ban. Most important thing is we need to keep the Garden comfortable & safe for everyone who goes there. Anyone who comes to the Garden, whether they've been drinking too much, looking for a fight, abusive, disrespectful to staff & fans, they'll be ejected & banned. Everyone has a right to come to those games & enjoy them. No one has the right to take that away. That did happen. We'll put the ban in place, hopefully not forever.

This is Charles Oakley, a popular former Knick. Worried about public opinion coming down against you?

Charles is a great Knick. Let's get that off the table. I loved watching him play basketball for the New York Knicks. Fans remember how he played. He was tough & gritty. Always 110% energy. But am I concerned? Yes but at the same time, the number one concern is the safety & comfort of fans. Whether it's Charles Oakley or Charles Dolan, you do those things & behave that way, you will be banned & ejected. That is the right thing to do. I understand he was a big star & a Knick. That doesn't excuse people from that behavior.

What happened on Tuesday?

We've sent you some material starting to get out now. It was clear he came to the Garden with an agenda, a mission in mind. The moment he stepped into the Garden, the first set of doors, he began with this behavior. Disrespectful, stuff you don't want to say on the radio. It accelerated all the way down to his seats & ultimately a confrontation with security, leading to his ejection & arrest.

Agenda to get to you?

I don't know for sure. He did say a bunch of things along the way, headed in my direction. I didn't hear them myself. We heard from employees he was using my name a lot. This is n't because I'm nervous. You can't do what he did & stay.

You mentioned the second he stepped foot in.

We weren't perfect here. He never should have made it to his seats. That's on us. We're doing things to remedy that to make sure it doesn't happen again to anyone. We've heard from police & security he appeared to be impaired. Was staff intimidated & that's why they didn't do anything? I don't know. Never should have made it to his seats.

You parted ways with VP of security of the Garden.

Person didn't work out & this was the last straw. We are looking at everything we did here along the way.

Afraid for your safety when he's around?

No. I don't think so. He's been quoted saying things like he'd poison my food. I don't think he's serious about that stuff. When anyone famous comes to the Garden, there is heightened security around that person. ... We're always mindful of anyone who is famous that comes to the games.

You were right there. Were you cringing? This was on national television.

I didn't realize it was on national TV. I wasn't aware of all the stuff that happened before hand. It wasn't until it was pointed out to me he was behind us. Security came up and said there's a problem behind you, it's Charles Oakley. I said could you wait in between quarters rather than during the game. They said yes. It got worse & said do what you gotta do.

He's said he's done nothing wrong.

It's unbelievable. I can't explain why. We have video tape, statements. I'm sure everything we've given the press is accurate. I don't know how to explain it. Maybe he doesn't remember it? Charles has a problem. I've said it before. He's his own worse problem. He has a problem. People need to understand that. He has a problem with anger. Physically & verbally abusive. May have a problem with alcohol. Being P&V abusive are personality problem.

Release at the end said he needs help

We were trying to be kind. It didn't come off that way. I do think he does Charles need help. He's had many physical altercations, arrested, he's been in trouble. It stems from his anger. He's somewhat in denial.

What about players speaking out? You're trying to attract free agents.

First thing is about the fans. Always about the Garden being safe & comfortable. We're not willing to move from that. Other players being supportive is understandable. From being an active player to retired player is difficult. Every single one of them, look at the Rangers & Knicks alumni, we have great relationships. This is an anomaly. You won't find 10 guys saying the Knicks didn't treat me well. There might be one, maybe two during my tenure who are unhappy out of hundreds. Go ask any of them how they feel, how they've been treated. You'll hear nothing but positive stuff.

Fans don't like you. They blame you. You're the evil one. You hire the wrong people. How can you be the one telling the truth. Thoughts on Knicks fan base not liking you?

You'd be hard press to find a living NY team owner that the fans like.

Maybe John Mara.

Maybe, but only in a championship year. You know when you come into it you won't be the most loved individual. You hear it from some fans. I hear that we take the investment to the max, the game experience is as great as it can be, we spend a billion renovating MSG. I don't believe it's everyone. There is a malcontent group that is vocal & they'll always be there.

Can you & Oakley get together & patch this up?

Nothing would make me happier than to see Charles Oakley be at center court being honored & shaking his hand. All we need that to happen is for Charles to address these behaviors. I don't recall anything at an all-star game. He was a great Knick & we'd love to have him. He should be at center court, recognized. Fans love him. But this behavior doesn't work with that. Until he can address it & get it under control, then we won't be able to do it.
 
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tiger0330

Legend
PART TWO


Direction of your franchise?

3 years ago, I signed a contract with Phil Jackson, who has more championship rings than anyone else. We thought he was the best guy to run the NY Knicks. I made an agreement with him. I turned over the entire basketball operations to Phil & Steve. Whether I like the results or not, I'll honor that agreement all the way until the end. It's not over yet. My hope is the team will become much, much better & Phil will be successful. I recognize some 3+ years ago, running basketball OPs is not my skill set. I tried to find the best guy & many agreed. Everyone said I was going to meddle. Everyone sees I have stayed away & let Phil run the franchise & I will for the length of the agreement. How can I get anyone to come work for us if I don't honor the agreement.

He's done a terrible job. He's killing Carmelo on twitter.

At this point, I'm hearing from people you have to step in. No. It doesn't work that way.

Still believe in him?

I'm gonna honor my agreement. That's what you do. He's got a little more than 2 years left. He can continue on for the full agreement. I am not going to exercise any opt out. I will honor the agreement for the full agreement.

What player will want to come play here if the president is bashing the players?

Phil has total control. He'll have to address it. I will not weigh in on those things I said I wouldn't weigh in on.

Want Carmelo traded?

I'm not gonna go there. That's meddling with Phil. I'm not gonna do it.

You don't do these interviews often.

It's not my thing.

Phil doesn't do interviews. OK with the tweets?

Part of his agreement is he controls is own PR. It's within his control.

You gave him a lot of control.

Everyone was calling for it. To get a guy with 11 rings to do the job, he was right to say I need full control. We wouldn't have been able to get him. I'm not gonna bite on the bait.

Some things out there: When Carmelo re-signed, you told him he had to re-sign him & when he wanted Rambis as coach, you said no.

Not true. Carmelo thing not true either. It was totally up to Phil what to do. I had no idea what he was going to do. I made a point of staying away & not weighing in.

Does he tell you?

He submits a budget. He's stayed on target.

Why now with this to not get involved?

3 years ago, if you look at where we were before, where I tried to do my best, we weren't doing well & fans were upset. Fans want a winning team. I recognized I don't have those skills. Smart thing to do as an exec. is to hire someone who's good at it, the best you can.

Any concern on your part that he's the greatest coach in the history of sports but never did this job.

I don't recall there being a concern. We were concerned whether he would come or not. Phil is a great basketball mind and hard for you to argue otherwise with the success he's had.

Will he opt out?

No indication he'll do anything but stay through the length of the contract.

Does it eat at you that you haven't won since you bought the team?

I'd like to win. Everyone who works with me, we want to win. Phil wants to win. Carmelo wants to win. Jeff Hornacek wants to win. They're putting all their effort & energy into it. We haven't been winning but I got the best people on it I could find. Not much more else I could do.

Has he done a good job?

I won't comment. From the position I'm in, Phil doesn't need to hear from me, especially through the radio. It's a five year deal. At the end of the deal, we'll see. While in his deal, I'm staying out.

Oakley, If he comes to the game, he's not getting in tonight?

No.

Would the Knicks get him help?

Absolutely. When you have issues, the first step is to ask for help. He has lots of people around him who would help him but we would too if he'd seriously address the issues.

Has John Starks or Allan Houston said anything about Tuesday? They like him.

They do like him but I haven't had any direct conversations. We've had a relationship with Charles since he retired & left the Knicks. Every time we've tried to patch things up with him. Every time, it ends up the same way. Abusive, disrespectful, we gave up & stopped trying to reach out for him. Now this. It's not just about me. There were security people abused, service people abused, the same people who will help fans find seats, get them food, they were abused. ... How do you bring your kids to a game if you think that's gonna happen? You don't. There was a time way back when before we took over the Garden where the Garden was a place it'd not be uncommon to see fights & rowdy behavior. We put an end to that. We aren't going back to that ever. You can bring your kids, your family, you're gonna be safe. No one will treat you like that.

Bother you fans at the Rangers game chanting Charles Oakley?

I noticed it. I understand it. He was a great Knick. I'd like to be chanting Charles Oakley. I do think those fans, like tonight, we'll probably hear chants but those same people should look around, look at the people working at MSG and understand the person they're chanting for was a great Knick but terribly abusive to those there to help them. When they do that, in some way, they're saying as good as you are to me, it doesn't matter to me. Take them into account, please.

Those who paint you as a villain...

Ask Phil.

Fake news, people who chanted Charles Oakley thrown out of the Rangers game?

(Laughing) No. There were a lot of them. No. That's not abusive. Nothing wrong with that.

Going to the game tonight.

I am.

Afraid of what you might hear?

Fully expect it to happen. I'll interpret it's the love of Oakley's basketball game.

Level of involvement with the Rangers same with the Knicks?

Glen & I & Jeff talk quite often. Glen does have the final say on all matters Rangers.

Last couple days embarrassing for everyone?

Charles should be embarrassed. Should we be? We're sad, not embarrassed. This is an abusive situation. The staff, the workers at MSG were abused here. If you're being abused, don't be embarrassed. Refused to be abused.
 
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Playa2

Benchwarmer
Comments around the altercation from NYT :
At the start of the game, Oakley was sitting with several friends, and they were not far from Dolan’s usual seat, which is in the front row in the corner of the court. Accounts of Oakley’s behavior at that point vary widely, with some fans saying they didn’t hear or see Oakley saying or doing anything inappropriate, or trying to provoke Dolan, and others suggesting he seemed somewhat combative.
In any case, when security guards approached Oakley, he clearly became angry, unleashing a string of profanities and becoming physical with at least two of them. As he was then removed from the arena, the crowd chanted his name, a moment that may come to symbolize an increasingly disastrous season.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/09/...edCoverage&region=EndOfArticle&pgtype=article
 
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pat

Starter
"3 years ago, I signed a contract with Phil Jackson, who has more championship rings than anyone else. We thought he was the best guy to run the NY Knicks. I made an agreement with him. I turned over the entire basketball operations to Phil & Steve. Whether I like the results or not, I'll honor that agreement all the way until the end. It's not over yet. My hope is the team will become much, much better & Phil will be successful. I recognize some 3+ years ago, running basketball OPs is not my skill set. I tried to find the best guy & many agreed. Everyone said I was going to meddle. Everyone sees I have stayed away & let Phil run the franchise & I will for the length of the agreement. How can I get anyone to come work for us if I don't honor the agreement.

He's done a terrible job. He's killing Carmelo on twitter.

At this point, I'm hearing from people you have to step in. No. It doesn't work that way.

Still believe in him?

I'm gonna honor my agreement. That's what you do. He's got a little more than 2 years left. He can continue on for the full agreement. I am not going to exercise any opt out. I will honor the agreement for the full agreement."

By saying that he does the complete opposite. What a tool!
 

paris401

Starter
as a fan we were killing dolan prior to phil's arrival as a know nothing meddler... if u believe him, n I do, he goes out n gets a guy with 11rings, n the team still sucks, n he's getting bashed again... looks like he cant win...
 

tiger0330

Legend
as a fan we were killing dolan prior to phil's arrival as a know nothing meddler... if u believe him, n I do, he goes out n gets a guy with 11rings, n the team still sucks, n he's getting bashed again... looks like he cant win...
I think you said it. 11 rings as a coach doesn't mean you'll be a good GM. The guy had zero cred or experience as a GM. Why hire him esp for 60M.

Talking about no experience. I hope it works out better for the American people with King Donald than it has with PJ but I don't like how he's started out his first month in office.
 

Broadway

All Star
as a fan we were killing dolan prior to phil's arrival as a know nothing meddler... if u believe him, n I do, he goes out n gets a guy with 11rings, n the team still sucks, n he's getting bashed again... looks like he cant win...

I debated with Mafra on this matter last yr and told him Dolan is about as far removed from all this disaster(Basketball, non-Oakley related) as one owner could be. His interview validates everything I've been thinking. These results are primarily all Phil's doing, the scary thing...Phil and Melo's broken relationship can continue to play out another 2yrs. If neither moves on we are absolutely assured of another disastrous 2yrs. Never thought him to be a good hire!
 
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paris401

Starter
I think you said it. 11 rings as a coach doesn't mean you'll be a good GM. The guy had zero cred or experience as a GM. Why hire him esp for 60M. .

AGREE 100%... I have said many time that a great coach does not make a great GM, as a great player (MJ), does not make a great owner... it aint that easy...
we mite be f'd... phil doesn't leave , Me-Lo stays, and we all know dolan aint going anywhere... boy r we screwed....
 
Every now and again I wonder what would have happened if PJ had gotten his man and Steve Kerr had been our head coach from day one.
 

paris401

Starter
Every now and again I wonder what would have happened if PJ had gotten his man and Steve Kerr had been our head coach from day one.

same players equal same outcome... kerr has good players, hence his success... our coaches had/have retreads/not winners... hence our record... phils record is within percentage points of IT's record over the same amount of games... something like a 350 winning percentage.... 350 is good if u are a baseball player, not so good for a team...
 

tiger0330

Legend
Not sure how Spoelstra managed winning 13 in a row but I'll give him credit because after losing Bosh and DWade they should have had a 13 game losing streak.

A coach can make a difference not like the success Kerr had with the Warriors but I think Kerr could have taken this team futher than Hornacek. He would have someone like Ron Adams running the D instead of Rambis for one and he goes ape**** on the Warriors when they don't play D, when has Horn ever done that in a game. He was pretty upset with the Knicks in his post game though.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Saw this in an article on dailyknicks talking about PJ and that Dolan interview, how many believe these 4 constitute a bright future?

"Jackson has given New York a bright future with the likes of Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez, Kyle O?Quinn, and Mindaugas Kuzminskas."
 

and1

Rotation player
Saw this in an article on dailyknicks talking about PJ and that Dolan interview, how many believe these 4 constitute a bright future?

"Jackson has given New York a bright future with the likes of Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez, Kyle O’Quinn, and Mindaugas Kuzminskas."

i might not use 'bright', but i think it's at least hopeful. but then again, i still believe there's just something rotten about the organization as a whole in general and it wouldn't really matter who was on our roster anyway.
 

Playa2

Benchwarmer
Every now and again I wonder what would have happened if PJ had gotten his man and Steve Kerr had been our head coach from day one.

Mark Jackson was the one who set the Warriors up to begin winning. That's who the Knicks should have hired .
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Every now and again I wonder what would have happened if PJ had gotten his man and Steve Kerr had been our head coach from day one.

Steve Kerr inherited a 2nd round discipline playoff team that already had its first seven-players into the game performing well under the Mark Jackson offense/defense System.
Plus GM Steve Kerr hired his ex-Suns head-coach Alvin Gentry as top assist-head coach to coach the Warriors roster the SSOL system their first two seasons.

Steve Kerr is a great GM who has his head in the game of knowing how to pick a great coaching-staff .. Steve Kerr as a head-coach couldn't do much of anything to help Melo become a team winning player .. Phil Jackson hasn't had the tools to help Melo become a team winning player .. the wisest move Steve Kerr ever made were as the Suns GM by getting rid of Marbury expensive 5 yr contract in a trade to the Knicks, to sign Steve Nash in the offseason. Do u really think Steve Kerr wanted to be a part of Dolan crazy Knicks organization? Where head-coaches are fired after 2 seasons.
ISO-Melo ego has risen above coach Karl and GM Kiki in Denver .. in New York ISO-Melo ego has risen above franchise star status by having 3 different GM, 5 different head coaches, plus 80 different teammates in the on going Melo era as a Knicks.
Today the Knicks are 10 games under .500 having a 23-33 record .. how many more position changes will take place if Melo stay a Knicks for the next two seasons???
 

mafra

Legend
Theknicksblog.com

Former New York Knick Charles Oakley and team owner James Dolan are working to end their feud, and the two sides have "some momentum toward a resolution," according to ESPN's Ian Begley.

Dolan banned Oakley from Madison Square Garden after the two were involved in an altercation during last Wednesday's game. Oakley was ejected and later arrested after he became physical with security.

Previous reports

NBA legend Michael Jordan and commissioner Adam Silver may step in to try and resolve the feud between former-Knick Charles Oakley and team owner James Dolan, reports Stefan Bondy of the NY Daily News.

The mediation may take place either Monday or Tuesday, likely via a conference call, a source told Bondy.

Jordan and Oakley played together with the Bulls and Wizards.

Oakley was banned from the Garden, though not necessarily for life, after a physical altercation with security during Wednesday's game that led to his ejection and arrest.

Dolan later suggested Oakley had a drinking problem, which Oakley denied.

Knicks legend Willis Reed weighed in on the situation on Monday, saying he's still a big Oakley fan and that the situation saddens him.

"All the circumstances, I do not know," Reed said, according the the NY Daily News. "All I know, it's a bad situation that saddens me as a former player, and as a fan of the Knicks and Mr. Dolan and Charles, too."

Meanwhile, Civil rights activist Al Sharpton plans to help organize a picket outside Madison Square Garden -- since the policy "has not been reinforced with other players" -- if Oakley's ban isn't lifted.
 
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