Aye Aye, Captain
Phil Jackson is a name synonymous with winning. Whether it was his playing time with the Celtics, or his coaching experience with the Bulls and Lakers, he carries his rings in a shoe box. Some would argue he’s been fortunate enough to end up with amazing talent that virtually anyone could coach successfully. By some, do I mean me? Eh, who the fuck knows? Either way you cut it, he’s a guy who has garnered respect, and has certainly been viewed as a premier basketball mind. Knicks fans should’ve been excited about this, they envisioned some of that successful pedigree rubbing off on their team. However each day, it seems like he continues to taint his legacy. He’s consistently publicly shit-talked the team’s star, Carmelo Anthony. You can say whatever you want about Melo, but Jackson did him dirty. There has been such a mishandling of everything since he took over basketball operations for the Knicks. Whether it’s been odd free agent signings, or not commenting on the Charles Oakley situation, I find myself wondering what it is that Phil Jackson gets paid to do. I understand the Knicks weren’t exactly on fire before him, but he was supposed to signify progressive change. He’s the “Zen Master”, but all he’s done is create chaos.
Carmelo Anthony hasn’t been exactly what the Knicks organization would have hoped he’d be, and by that I mean he hasn’t won enough. Forget rings, he’s gotten to the second round once since he’s been in New York. I know that’s not solely on Anthony. He’s been an all star every season with the team, an All-NBA scoring force. So, I’m not calling him a scrub by any means. I’m just saying the criticism of him doesn’t fall on deaf ears. Carmelo has done his best with an organization that’s been in perpetual flux ever since he slipped on an orange headband. Today, Phil Jackson said he reached out to Melo about his personal problems in regards to his break-up. I imagine the text read something like “Hey, in comparison to your failed marriage, our relationship ain’t half bad, am I right?..Too soon?..Melo?”
What bothers me the most, is the level of indifference in which Phil Jackson operates under. He’s out there at the Garden falling asleep in the third quarter, like my grandpa watching Jeopardy. How are you gonna be catching naps at home games, and then turning around talking about “The team is headed in the right direction.” To be fair, maybe he was dreaming about a more successful organization. In this reality, he’s simply not doing his job. He fails to take responsibility for the mess he’s directed. He’s considered a great leader, yet when asked about Porzingis’ future it’s, “No comment.” Aye Aye, Captain.
