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MavKikiNYC · 01-26-2006, 10:52 AM

EVEN IF INNOCENT, ISIAH COULD FACE AX By GEORGE WILLIS

NONE of us really knows what actually transpired between Isiah Thomas and Anucha Browne Sanders, a female senior vice president at the Garden, who has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the Knicks president after being fired from her job.

Perhaps the details will become clear in court if the case isn't settled or dropped beforehand. I'd bet on one of the latter scenarios. You can be sure the last thing the Garden wants is for its dirty laundry to be aired in the newspapers, allowing us inside a corporate culture that surely has its share of skeletons.

Nonetheless, it's an embarrassing stain on Thomas' tenure with the Knicks and comes at a time when his leadership is being scrutinized. Never has his authority and job security seemed so vulnerable.

Whether or not Thomas is guilty of any inappropriate contact with Sanders, this development only adds to the perception the franchise is becoming dysfunctional and that may prompt owner Jim Dolan to end another clash of personalities within his building, the seemingly shaky alliance between Thomas and his coach Larry Brown.

There has been no real indication Dolan is unhappy with Thomas' job performance over the last two years even though the Knicks have yet to show they're on the path to becoming an elite team anytime soon.
Exactly how much time Thomas has here will ultimately depend on his relationship with Brown and whether a power-struggle develops. Clearly, there is the potential for discord if this season continues to unravel.

We could point to early in the season when Brown, soon after accepting his $10 million per salary, criticized the roster, saying there was too few point guards on the squad. That was a direct reflection on Thomas who has spent the last two years retooling the Knicks from an overpriced, aging team into one that is younger, more athletic and more expensive.

Recently, Thomas and Brown were on opposite sides concerning the suspension of Antonio Davis. When nearly everyone in the Knicks organization, including Brown, said the five-game suspension Davis received for going into the stands in Chicago to protect his wife was excessive, Thomas stood alone in calling the suspension just.

While Thomas is entitled to his opinion, his siding with the league on Davis' suspension raised eyebrows, especially when his coach was adamant Davis had been wronged.

It was another sign the two are independent, headstrong thinkers, which has helped each become successful, but could ultimately work to the detriment of their partnership.

Now comes the public revelation of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Thomas and the Garden. The action, of course, comes at a time when neither Thomas nor the Knicks need the bad press.

Despite the return of Stephon Marbury, the Knicks lost their sixth straight game last night, dropping a 106-102 decision to Sacramento in overtime. Gone is all the good vibe generated from their recent six-game winning streak.

For now, the Garden is supporting Thomas in his this legal battle against Sanders. Garden president Steve Mills, who was mentioned in the lawsuit, was at Thomas' side yesterday during a press conference in Manhattan where Thomas professed his innocence.

But the nature of corporate America is to isolate those accused of wrongdoing to protect the rest of the company, meaning this ultimately could be Thomas' battle to fight alone.

He is innocent until proven guilty, but none of this is good for the NBA legend. The team is underachieving; he has been accused of sexual harassment; and he and his coach don't always see things the same.

In the end, Dolan may use this lawsuit to deliver a verdict long before any jury does.

01-26-2006, 10:52 AM	#40
MavKikiNYC Diamond Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 8,509	EVEN IF INNOCENT, ISIAH COULD FACE AX By GEORGE WILLIS NONE of us really knows what actually transpired between Isiah Thomas and Anucha Browne Sanders, a female senior vice president at the Garden, who has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the Knicks president after being fired from her job. Perhaps the details will become clear in court if the case isn't settled or dropped beforehand. I'd bet on one of the latter scenarios. You can be sure the last thing the Garden wants is for its dirty laundry to be aired in the newspapers, allowing us inside a corporate culture that surely has its share of skeletons. Nonetheless, it's an embarrassing stain on Thomas' tenure with the Knicks and comes at a time when his leadership is being scrutinized. Never has his authority and job security seemed so vulnerable. Whether or not Thomas is guilty of any inappropriate contact with Sanders, this development only adds to the perception the franchise is becoming dysfunctional and that may prompt owner Jim Dolan to end another clash of personalities within his building, the seemingly shaky alliance between Thomas and his coach Larry Brown. There has been no real indication Dolan is unhappy with Thomas' job performance over the last two years even though the Knicks have yet to show they're on the path to becoming an elite team anytime soon. Exactly how much time Thomas has here will ultimately depend on his relationship with Brown and whether a power-struggle develops. Clearly, there is the potential for discord if this season continues to unravel. We could point to early in the season when Brown, soon after accepting his $10 million per salary, criticized the roster, saying there was too few point guards on the squad. That was a direct reflection on Thomas who has spent the last two years retooling the Knicks from an overpriced, aging team into one that is younger, more athletic and more expensive. Recently, Thomas and Brown were on opposite sides concerning the suspension of Antonio Davis. When nearly everyone in the Knicks organization, including Brown, said the five-game suspension Davis received for going into the stands in Chicago to protect his wife was excessive, Thomas stood alone in calling the suspension just. While Thomas is entitled to his opinion, his siding with the league on Davis' suspension raised eyebrows, especially when his coach was adamant Davis had been wronged. It was another sign the two are independent, headstrong thinkers, which has helped each become successful, but could ultimately work to the detriment of their partnership. Now comes the public revelation of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Thomas and the Garden. The action, of course, comes at a time when neither Thomas nor the Knicks need the bad press. Despite the return of Stephon Marbury, the Knicks lost their sixth straight game last night, dropping a 106-102 decision to Sacramento in overtime. Gone is all the good vibe generated from their recent six-game winning streak. For now, the Garden is supporting Thomas in his this legal battle against Sanders. Garden president Steve Mills, who was mentioned in the lawsuit, was at Thomas' side yesterday during a press conference in Manhattan where Thomas professed his innocence. But the nature of corporate America is to isolate those accused of wrongdoing to protect the rest of the company, meaning this ultimately could be Thomas' battle to fight alone. He is innocent until proven guilty, but none of this is good for the NBA legend. The team is underachieving; he has been accused of sexual harassment; and he and his coach don't always see things the same. In the end, Dolan may use this lawsuit to deliver a verdict long before any jury does.