1 00:00:16,399 --> 00:00:21,760 What is krack alackin Hardwar Knocks listeners, I am damn for Valley coming at 2 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,800 you with yet another episode this week. I didn't think I was gonna go 3 00:00:24,879 --> 00:00:28,800 daily. I swore I was gonna give myself at least Thursday or Friday off, 4 00:00:28,839 --> 00:00:31,440 and as of right now, I have planned to do a podcast on 5 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:36,079 Friday. This is coming out on Thursday. I felt not inspired or even 6 00:00:36,119 --> 00:00:42,079 obligated, but I guess compelled to do a podcast on redacted for clicks. 7 00:00:42,399 --> 00:00:44,920 But before we get started, I just want to remind everyone, please, 8 00:00:45,079 --> 00:00:48,600 that's your first time checking out the podcast, throw us that permanent subscription. 9 00:00:48,679 --> 00:00:51,119 We have a lot of fun around a lot of fun around here. We 10 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,600 do not take ourselves too seriously at Hardwood Knox. We try to thoroughly cover 11 00:00:54,679 --> 00:00:58,560 the entire league, but we also try and have just loads and loads upon 12 00:00:58,679 --> 00:01:03,560 loads of joined our discord. It is in the podcast description. Subscribe to 13 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:07,640 our YouTube channel, follow us on all the socials, TikTok, Instagram, 14 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,560 what else am I forgetting? TikTok, Instagram? Oh, Twitter? All 15 00:01:11,599 --> 00:01:15,799 those handles are in the podcast description or YouTube description. If you stumble across 16 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:19,799 there, call this a podcast exclusive because I'm not going to post it on 17 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:23,000 YouTube. I'm hoping it's going to be a short one because I guess it's 18 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,760 a rant. But like I said, I just felt compelled to talk about 19 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:32,280 the Knicks. There was hashtag discourse about their decision not to allow external media 20 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:37,599 at Jalen Brunson's press conference. Quick note the shoes, the color ways, 21 00:01:37,599 --> 00:01:38,560 they were Nikes. I don't know what type of shoes they were, but 22 00:01:38,599 --> 00:01:42,519 that Jalen Brunson was wearing when he took photos in his uniform, those were 23 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,840 fucking clean. And so if if that's maybe the nicest thing I'm gonna say 24 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:48,719 about the Nicks in this podcast, I just want to get that out of 25 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:53,680 the way, that those shoes looked pretty freaking cool. I there are a 26 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:59,280 lot of people that were outraged that the Knicks did not allow external media to 27 00:01:59,319 --> 00:02:01,239 go to jail brun Since press conference, including many people on the Knicks beat. 28 00:02:01,439 --> 00:02:06,959 Molika Andrews said something on ESPN. Kendrick Perkins said it wasn't that a 29 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,639 Knick thing? And then there was outrage at the outrage from Again, I'm 30 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:14,960 not trying to paint any subset of people with a broad brush here, but 31 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:16,599 there was outrage from a bunch of Knicks fans, a lot of Knicks fans. 32 00:02:16,599 --> 00:02:20,400 I won't say all of them, I won't say the majority. I 33 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,560 don't know how many it was, but they were outraged at the outrage. 34 00:02:23,599 --> 00:02:28,199 They believe that the Knicks are unfairly covered in the national media. They think 35 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,840 that the beat stinks when you look at the coverage. There's also they did 36 00:02:31,879 --> 00:02:37,759 also though to their credit, they did call out your great, great coverage 37 00:02:37,759 --> 00:02:40,759 like Knicks Film School. Jonathan mcray and Andrew Claudio do a fantastic job over 38 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:44,560 there. They've both been on the podcast before. You should go check them 39 00:02:44,599 --> 00:02:46,159 out. There were shouts to Chris Herring, who used to be on the 40 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,360 Knicks beat and still will sometimes write about them, but he covers a league 41 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,439 at a national level. He's one of the most informed writers period. Then 42 00:02:53,479 --> 00:02:57,560 Ian Begley, of course of SNY does a great job over there. But 43 00:02:57,599 --> 00:03:00,000 there's critiques being thrown at Stephan Bondi of The New York News, Burman of 44 00:03:00,039 --> 00:03:07,599 The Post. There's you can find it all on Twitter, and I waited 45 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:12,240 into it because look a couple of things here very quickly is a disclaimer. 46 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,639 I'm not viewing this as a moral high ground or soapbox by me, it's 47 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:21,280 just something I'm compelled to talk about. One also want to say that my 48 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,400 job is not contingent upon having access, and so this is not coming from 49 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,879 that place. I consider myself the national media. I am not that, 50 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:32,919 I guess to some extent which I'll get into. Everyone's jobs are dependent on 51 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:38,199 the people who do have access, because they do provide material even if you're 52 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,479 not acknowledging it for us to cover. But when I did on site stuff, 53 00:03:42,479 --> 00:03:45,639 it took me a while. I had to grow up and just admit 54 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:51,759 to myself that my anxiety, my insecurities just manifested in just this very toxic 55 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:57,879 way that was taking a toll on me mentally, physically, psychologically, emotionally, 56 00:03:57,919 --> 00:04:00,240 whatever. And when I had the opportunity to kind of move away from 57 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:05,520 that and focus more on the coverage where I'm giving opinions. Yes, there's 58 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:10,240 a lot of lists involved on podcasting more as well seized it and I don't. 59 00:04:10,319 --> 00:04:12,680 I don't regret it. My mental health is better for it. My 60 00:04:12,759 --> 00:04:15,719 point there is not for sympathy to play well is me. It's just that 61 00:04:15,759 --> 00:04:18,560 I found out very early on reporting is not for me. I can't do 62 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:24,079 the scrums. My anxiety gets gets on tilt and goes to like a twenty 63 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:28,279 seven out of ten on that I'm not built to do the side amble, 64 00:04:28,319 --> 00:04:31,040 as Howard Beck calls it, because I feel like an intrusion upon everyone's lives. 65 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:35,680 I'm going to be I'm not afraid to write certain things. And when 66 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:41,240 I was around not the Knicks, but other teams and wrote things, there 67 00:04:41,439 --> 00:04:45,439 was criticism from organizations that never bothered me. There was praise some organizations that 68 00:04:45,519 --> 00:04:48,720 also made me feel a little cringey because it felt like I was doing them 69 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,439 a favor when that's not necessarily what I was supposed to be doing. I 70 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,000 just didn't like the dynamic of it all, and so I get that this 71 00:04:55,079 --> 00:05:00,079 is complicated. And the final thing I'll say is that while people were dismissing 72 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,480 me on Twitter by I don't want to say, I don't even want to 73 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,680 say implying I was being condescending, but one of the phrases uses that I'm 74 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:12,399 punching at Knicks fans, and someone else had said, I'm not considering how 75 00:05:12,439 --> 00:05:15,639 fed up Knicks fans are with the coverage. I am a Knicks fan. 76 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:19,720 I might be deadly disenchanted at points, but I am a Knicks fan, 77 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,680 and so I don't know that that gives my opinion more weight here. But 78 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:28,160 I don't think it's fair to dismiss me as someone else who's ten thousand feet 79 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,839 away from the situation, even though I do cover the league at large and 80 00:05:30,959 --> 00:05:35,160 just say, like, oh, Knicks for Clicks. So that's trying to 81 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:40,160 set the table there where this is coming from the fact that Knicks did not 82 00:05:40,399 --> 00:05:45,519 allow access to this jail and Brunson intro pressor it is a problem. It's 83 00:05:45,639 --> 00:05:49,160 at best not ideal, and it's even worse. I don't look the fan 84 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:55,160 reaction I get, and we'll go more into that, but to see actual 85 00:05:55,879 --> 00:06:00,839 media members or quote unquote media members kind of come to their defense and say 86 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:04,560 that this is not a Nick thing, that it's fine, that this doesn't 87 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:11,639 matter anyway, that was really alarming to me. And again, separate thing 88 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:15,680 with the fans. I don't understand if you're a part of the media, 89 00:06:15,759 --> 00:06:17,639 why you would feel that way at all, Unless you're a Knicks fan and 90 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,079 you feel like you've been jilted by the media even though you're part of the 91 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:25,639 media. This is a Nick thing, like they have always been among the 92 00:06:25,639 --> 00:06:30,279 worst organizations when it comes to access and newsflash, it's not only the Knicks. 93 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:32,319 You talk to people in NBA circles you deal with certain teams, there 94 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,519 are more of them. Another team in New York has absolutely sucked with that, 95 00:06:35,959 --> 00:06:41,399 in the Brooklyn Nets. Maybe they've gotten better recently, but they've blown 96 00:06:41,519 --> 00:06:45,279 with that as well. Oklahoma Steve Thunder have always been notoriously difficult. It 97 00:06:45,319 --> 00:06:47,800 hasn't been talked about as much since Russell Westbrook left him. You've moved into 98 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:51,600 that era. The Spurs have always been incredibly tight lipped, where if you 99 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:55,720 want to try and speak with members of the team, it's like, well 100 00:06:55,759 --> 00:06:59,639 you can contact their agents and like you know how that while run around works. 101 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:03,240 So it's not only the Knicks who are restrictive. They play in a 102 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:08,240 bigger market, so they probably get more critiques. They've had less success over 103 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:11,560 the past I don't know, two decades or whatever, then the Thunder and 104 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,439 the Spurs, so they're going to be under probably a tougher microscope. But 105 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:19,000 they're not the only team that's restricts access. And that's a problem to me 106 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:25,040 because whether you appreciate it or not. I think some of the criticisms and 107 00:07:25,079 --> 00:07:27,759 look, this is fair. There will be people who attend these things. 108 00:07:27,959 --> 00:07:30,480 And by the way, this is not the first time the Knicks have done 109 00:07:30,519 --> 00:07:32,639 this, and I think the most recent example of I don't I don't want 110 00:07:32,639 --> 00:07:35,040 to say that this for sure, I don't remember them having like any draft 111 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:40,560 night press conference, and then they did the basically exit interview with Leon Rose 112 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,279 through think I think it was Mike Breen. And to have that type of 113 00:07:44,319 --> 00:07:47,399 policing of your media policy, it's just lame and it's not you know, 114 00:07:47,439 --> 00:07:53,560 it's probably in accordance within the rules of the NBA's overall media policy, but 115 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:58,199 it's definitely just not jiving with the essence of it where it should be more 116 00:07:58,639 --> 00:08:01,199 open ended. There are outlets that probably even if there is a ton of 117 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:05,160 access, I would still argue that there are certain podcasters or smaller outlets, 118 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:09,759 independent writers who deserve act says that they're not going to get anyway. This 119 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:13,240 is not perfect, So I'm not trying to say that it's perfect, but 120 00:08:13,879 --> 00:08:18,439 to continue along this pattern, I'm talking about the Knicks specifically. Yes, 121 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,519 the fair critiques would be well, there will just be people that ask questions 122 00:08:22,519 --> 00:08:24,680 that are meant to be leading that really aren't fair to the player and team. 123 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:26,959 There will be people that sit there and don't ask questions at all. 124 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,319 I'll raise my hand there. I used to do that all the time unless 125 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:33,720 I could get one on one time with a player or a coach or whatever. 126 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:37,600 Not the Knicks specifically, because I was just I was too much of 127 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:39,320 a coward whatever you want to call it. Yes, that will happen. 128 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:43,559 There'll also be the softball questions that don't mean anything. You're also not going 129 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:48,879 to remember who asked certain questions that led to these really dynamic, awesome answers 130 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:54,000 when it comes from a scrum or a media availability, introductory pressor availability, 131 00:08:54,039 --> 00:08:56,480 whatever it is. That's also part of the point is that if you know 132 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,919 your act to a team is contingent upon the type of things that you were 133 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:07,840 saying, that's going to ruin I don't want to say ruined. That's going 134 00:09:07,879 --> 00:09:11,639 to adversely impact the overall coverage of the team. And it can work one 135 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:15,320 of two ways. Either you get outlets that will still be granted access and 136 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:18,279 they're not going to ask the tougher questions, or have the harsher analysis, 137 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:24,679 or you're going to have people come over the top hyperbole on steroids and talk 138 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:30,159 about how shitty this organization is and maybe say things that are absolutely unfair. 139 00:09:30,639 --> 00:09:37,240 That's why I think the media and team relationship it's mutually beneficial. It's exposure, 140 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:41,480 it's insight. It does draw up interest. You want to look at 141 00:09:41,519 --> 00:09:46,360 the genesis of trade rumors, transaction rumors that make the world go round, 142 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:50,519 some of the team beefs that make the news cycle go around. If you 143 00:09:50,519 --> 00:09:52,600 don't like that stuff, fine, but there are people that are enamored by 144 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:56,120 it, especially when it's not happening to their team. A lot of that 145 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,480 is born from their just being access in general. When you look at some 146 00:09:58,519 --> 00:10:03,679 of the best sourcing or even the best profiles, or even just the best 147 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:09,679 writers, where would they be writers, reporters, where would they be if 148 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:13,000 they didn't have the opportunity to be on site and then develop the relationships behind 149 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,840 the scenes that you're not getting the people that they're talking to outside of that 150 00:10:16,919 --> 00:10:22,080 introductory press or after it's over, before it happens. That stuff really does 151 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:26,480 matter. And I'm not trying to paint what's happening in the NBA is some 152 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:30,879 gross misjustice because there are bigger things, greater things, more important things to 153 00:10:30,919 --> 00:10:35,799 actually worry about. But that is why restricting access to this point, being 154 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:39,720 so limited is damaging. It adversely impacts the coverage, I think from both 155 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:45,120 ways. And the other thing here is I'm not of the mind that the 156 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:52,720 Knicks can't engage the outlets or the specific media members that they deem unfair that 157 00:10:52,759 --> 00:10:58,120 they consider to be providing incorrect coverage, damaging coverage. Why can't you know 158 00:10:58,159 --> 00:11:01,120 how many conversations do we know that the Knicks on the record are off the 159 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,960 record that they're going to have with Berman of the Post, who's also, 160 00:11:05,039 --> 00:11:07,600 by the way, been used along with other reporters, as a mouthpiece at 161 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:11,279 times for the team. And so you can say you don't care about that 162 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:16,039 type of coverage, but there is like a there is a rhyme and reason 163 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:20,519 to why the access exists. And even think back to some of the your 164 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:24,080 favorite quotes from a Knicks player this season or at any point, do you 165 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:28,840 remember who asked that it's not always going to be the internal media who gets 166 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,080 first dab at it. And there are even people that work for the team 167 00:11:33,159 --> 00:11:37,080 or the you know the like the MSG network. Now that I've been critical 168 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:39,720 in the past. I remember when I think it was Alan Hahn when he 169 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,240 was with Newsday and I read him all the time. He was fairly critical 170 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:48,799 of the organization's media policy. It's not just this instance. And the reaction 171 00:11:48,879 --> 00:11:52,080 that I got from fans when I said, and this is what I honestly 172 00:11:52,120 --> 00:12:01,279 just couldn't understand. Seeing fans heroicize what the Knicks were doing by restricting assets 173 00:12:01,519 --> 00:12:05,759 was ultra cringey, And the overwhelming sentiment I got back was, well, 174 00:12:05,759 --> 00:12:09,279 you're fucking idiot. You just want them to ask questions about Donovan Mitchell and 175 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:11,440 fake accountability. That's not what this is only about. One. Yeah, 176 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:16,279 they should be allowed to ask questions about Donovan Mitchell because there've been leaks coming 177 00:12:16,279 --> 00:12:20,120 out of both sides of those talks. It is topical. It's worth talking 178 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,600 about the Knicks. It's they're progative not to answer it, but they should 179 00:12:24,159 --> 00:12:26,960 have to face Leon Rose specifically. Those questions part of Jalen Brunston coming to 180 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:31,679 New York. This isn't ruining his intro to the team to the city. 181 00:12:31,919 --> 00:12:35,720 It's asking him about maybe who he wants to play with and that also was 182 00:12:35,759 --> 00:12:39,639 not the only point I'm making here. There should be you should be able 183 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:43,519 to ask other questions about the mode of operations for the organization, the thought 184 00:12:43,519 --> 00:12:48,159 process behind certain moves, what they were thinking by pickloading, how they felt 185 00:12:48,159 --> 00:12:50,639 about the immediate reaction to what they did on draft night, which was Yeah, 186 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:54,120 that was another over the top instance. You go back and sort of 187 00:12:54,159 --> 00:12:56,240 dig through it. They kind of deserve credit for what they did. I 188 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,360 don't. I don't think it was damaging again, and anyone to listen to 189 00:13:00,399 --> 00:13:01,639 this podcast though, was I'm not a huge fan. I'm a huge fan 190 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:05,039 of Jalen Brunson. I think the contract in a different context is fine. 191 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:11,679 I just don't like what this necessarily shows about the trajectory that the Knicks are 192 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:15,960 trying to operate on. Again, they didn't do anything as of now that 193 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:20,240 really hamstrung them downline like at all. I don't. I feel like some 194 00:13:20,279 --> 00:13:24,519 people also over celebrated what they did. We should look at I saw someone 195 00:13:24,519 --> 00:13:26,200 tweating about, well, you know, we should talk about how how lucky 196 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,600 they were, how depth it was for them to get off some of those 197 00:13:28,639 --> 00:13:31,360 bad contracts. I don't really know if any of them were bad in a 198 00:13:31,399 --> 00:13:35,720 nutshell, but they were undoing moves that they already did. I don't know 199 00:13:35,879 --> 00:13:39,960 I can respect them making that decision to cut their losses. And again it 200 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:43,399 wasn't this substantial opportunity cost unless you care about second round picks, which you 201 00:13:43,399 --> 00:13:46,679 know when you're giving up six of them. I kind of do. But 202 00:13:46,799 --> 00:13:50,039 in the aggregate it was fine. But we don't also need to slobber and 203 00:13:50,279 --> 00:13:54,440 rule all over it like we can. There's more, there's more nuanced out 204 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:58,720 to where we can understand both angles, and if there is dis jauous coverage 205 00:13:58,759 --> 00:14:03,080 of something, you can call it out. That's fine, but that's also 206 00:14:03,279 --> 00:14:07,600 to restrict access based on that. It's going to hurt or restrict access to 207 00:14:07,639 --> 00:14:13,759 people that deserve it and just to use like Ian Begley or Frank Kats to 208 00:14:13,799 --> 00:14:16,799 the athletic who does a great job. I'm also I'm not an advocate of 209 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:20,440 well usually just allowed certain outlets who coverage you deem acceptable to get in there. 210 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:24,240 There's already enough game keeping when it comes to NBA access, and whether 211 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:28,919 you think this is the organization's end goal or not doing so to that extent 212 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,960 is borderline pr like that's what you're after, and I do think it's why 213 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:39,360 the independent outlets are so important. But when they are fan driven, there's 214 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:43,720 always going to be a level of loyalty to the organization there that you're not 215 00:14:43,759 --> 00:14:48,120 going to get from more detached media, whether it's national or localized, And 216 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:50,279 I think that's important even if you don't agree with their coverage. So I 217 00:14:50,279 --> 00:14:54,279 think that media members should be trolling fan bases specifically. No, It's why 218 00:14:54,279 --> 00:14:58,399 when I troll the Kings, I feel like I've developed a good rapport with 219 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:03,159 Sacramento Kings fans because as my critiques and my jokes have been aimed firmly at 220 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:05,759 the organization, I think Knicks fans deserve better than the fucking shit show that 221 00:15:05,799 --> 00:15:09,559 they've gotten over the past couple of decades. I also think that in the 222 00:15:11,159 --> 00:15:16,480 in totality, this regime under Leon Rose, while it's still very incestual, 223 00:15:16,399 --> 00:15:22,000 relationship driven and not something I'm completely sold on, it's been better than a 224 00:15:22,039 --> 00:15:28,840 lot of the other regimes that the Knicks have had. And this also, 225 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:33,320 I think, you know what we're not talking enough about is this is so 226 00:15:33,519 --> 00:15:39,399 ingrained into the Knicks culture. It doesn't matter who the beat writers are either, 227 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,360 and so we could talk about the writers that you don't think should be 228 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:46,120 there. Do you think that if we were only talking about John macray and 229 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:50,960 Fred Katz and Chris Herring was still there, if Zach Lowe was on the 230 00:15:50,039 --> 00:15:54,720 Knicks beat, if we're just talking about those names, do you really think 231 00:15:54,840 --> 00:16:00,720 that this James Dolan control of the organization was would open things up. No, 232 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:03,440 they wouldn't because they haven't the closest I feel like the Knicks have come 233 00:16:03,879 --> 00:16:07,120 You can correct me if I'm misremembering. When Donnie Walsh was kind of there, 234 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:11,559 it felt like there was this level of transparency when they were going after 235 00:16:11,679 --> 00:16:14,120 Lebron and you saw the moves they were making, and he was a little 236 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:17,399 bit more welcoming with the media. It felt like that didn't also that that 237 00:16:17,559 --> 00:16:19,960 also was kind of a fleeting tenure, but like that was the last time 238 00:16:21,399 --> 00:16:25,519 you really felt like you had any insight into what the organization was doing. 239 00:16:25,919 --> 00:16:29,039 Is it the Knicks responsibility to come out publicly and say their exact moves. 240 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,039 No, no organization is doing that. And they can refuse to answer any 241 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,039 question they want. They can answer it with non answers, with empty, 242 00:16:34,279 --> 00:16:42,200 hollow platitudes that we learn nothing. That's still just part of the experience of 243 00:16:42,639 --> 00:16:45,840 rooting for a team, watching the NBA, and then every so often, 244 00:16:45,879 --> 00:16:51,679 even if you're getting insightful answers, one out of twenty five times those insiphul 245 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:56,639 answers matter. And that's why I do think there is the mutually beneficial relationship 246 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,639 too allowing more access. There are also if you're allowing it you're a more 247 00:17:00,679 --> 00:17:06,240 welcoming organization where your relationship with the media, and it's not just now, 248 00:17:06,319 --> 00:17:08,880 I want to make that clear. This is like predating Enzolo was on the 249 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:15,279 Knicks beat. It is ingrained into the Knicks that this is a combative relationship 250 00:17:15,279 --> 00:17:18,000 with the media, or that this is a combative market. It's why people 251 00:17:18,039 --> 00:17:21,680 talk. And I think it's lazy analysis that player X can't handle the spotlight 252 00:17:21,839 --> 00:17:25,079 in New York Like, No, it's not. It doesn't have to be 253 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,000 that way. And if you are a little bit more welcoming, I'd argue 254 00:17:27,039 --> 00:17:32,039 that the coverage would probably tilt towards an improvement of quality. I think it's 255 00:17:32,039 --> 00:17:33,759 fine if you have an issue with the quality of coverage. I don't think 256 00:17:33,799 --> 00:17:41,000 the answer is then restricting coverage specifically only internal media, but then really just 257 00:17:41,039 --> 00:17:47,599 getting even more selective than an already selective and I would argue exclusitory process can 258 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:52,839 be that is like the media elements me why I think it's still important. 259 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,480 I don't think it's the media's job to tout the Knicks for acting like a 260 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:00,319 normal organization either, even though there's value in that, because Knicks fans have 261 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:04,039 lived through a bunch of shit, including myself, so to see any sort 262 00:18:04,079 --> 00:18:08,519 of coherent plan, which I am skeptical is necessarily still in place, but 263 00:18:08,599 --> 00:18:12,960 to see evidence of that is encouraging, and yet nothing should be miscontextualized. 264 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:17,400 My other thing there, though, is if you have a problem with certain 265 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:18,839 types of coverage, we live in an age where there are so many options 266 00:18:18,839 --> 00:18:22,200 that you can curate your timeline to how you see fit. If you don't 267 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,000 like what ESPN is doing, a few things, I would caution it's different 268 00:18:26,079 --> 00:18:30,359 when you're covering one team versus the entire league, or in the case of 269 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:33,400 a Stephen A. Smith, every single sport and having a comment on everything. 270 00:18:33,599 --> 00:18:37,480 That's just impossible. He's not going to provide the same level of nuance 271 00:18:37,839 --> 00:18:41,799 as someone who covers the entire league. At large, and someone who covers 272 00:18:41,839 --> 00:18:45,240 the entire league at large is not going to provide the same granular analysis that 273 00:18:45,319 --> 00:18:51,519 a Jonathan mcrey can at Nick's Film School. When he's that's he's specifically following 274 00:18:51,559 --> 00:18:53,319 the team, and that's not an insult to anyone at any level. And 275 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:57,519 there are people who do a good job under those expansive umbrellas. I've had 276 00:18:57,519 --> 00:19:03,079 conversations with Macary and Claudio about other teams and players that are outside the Knicks. 277 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:06,039 You could tell they've they're they're really insightfuled. They don't need my approval, 278 00:19:06,079 --> 00:19:07,559 by the way, I'm just using them as an example for sort of 279 00:19:07,559 --> 00:19:11,000 the standard bearer for what great Knicks coverage looks like at this point. Zach 280 00:19:11,039 --> 00:19:15,000 Low having such a great hold on the entire league. Even look at Kaitlyn 281 00:19:15,079 --> 00:19:18,160 Cooper Vindy Cornrows and the draft breakdowns that she was able to do and then 282 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:22,119 contextualizing fits for players on other teams, and she's talked about the NBA at 283 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:27,359 large for numerous podcasts and written about teams other than the Pacers. So there's 284 00:19:27,799 --> 00:19:30,920 there's talent all around, and there's a level of nuance where people are really 285 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:34,880 going to stand out but you can't expect the same amount of coverage from a 286 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:40,640 steven A that you're going to get from a Kaitlyn Cooper or from a Jonathan 287 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:42,799 Macary, Like, you can't expect that. That's unreasonable. And I'm not 288 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:49,559 defending everything that ESPN or steven A or other sites outlets networks have done, 289 00:19:49,759 --> 00:19:52,759 like I'm not trying to do that, but it's important part of the context. 290 00:19:52,799 --> 00:19:56,400 I will dunk on it on Twitter as a joke, but it's also 291 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,640 not going to ruin my day even if they're trolling Knicks fans, because I 292 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:03,720 have other avenues with which to explore, and the people that know the team 293 00:20:03,759 --> 00:20:07,240 most intimately or care most about following the team, they're going to understand where 294 00:20:07,279 --> 00:20:12,640 the more nuanced coverage will be. And I, like, I think that's 295 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,279 fine. The other thing I will say, and I have more intimate knowledge 296 00:20:15,279 --> 00:20:18,599 of this, a lot of the coverage on a national level, on a 297 00:20:18,599 --> 00:20:23,720 local level is data driven when you're for the most part, not doing it 298 00:20:23,799 --> 00:20:26,799 independently, like it's going to be based on oh, well, this is 299 00:20:26,839 --> 00:20:32,480 what drew the most popular reaction or that's where the Knicks for Clicks comes in, 300 00:20:32,519 --> 00:20:36,640 but the most views the most clicks. The entire name of the game 301 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:40,480 right now is to incite some sort of a response. Now, if you 302 00:20:40,519 --> 00:20:44,119 have a problem with that, it speaks to a larger issue, the overarching 303 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,200 coverage. The Knicks are not the only team with a fan base that feels 304 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:52,079 there unfairly covered. And this is where I accidentally waded into the ship. 305 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,240 And I didn't. I wasn't trying to be an asshole. I tried multiple 306 00:20:55,279 --> 00:20:57,400 times to give clarifiers. I'm not even trying to say I'm one hundred percent 307 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:00,519 right on this matter. I'm just here, I have the mic. I'm 308 00:21:00,519 --> 00:21:04,839 a schmuck communicating my opinion. But I tweeted I'm actually stunned at how many, 309 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:10,000 but not all, fans believe the Knicks are the NBA's most unfairly covered 310 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:14,240 team. And I also wrote emphasis on not all, tell that two fans 311 00:21:14,279 --> 00:21:19,039 of Milwaukee in parentheticals Giannis Okacsha Giler, just Alexander New Orleans with Zion, 312 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:26,480 etc. Who've endured rival teams and media and network slobbering over the thought of 313 00:21:26,519 --> 00:21:32,680 their current stars in other markets in other jerseys. Look at Donovan Mitchell's a 314 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:34,720 perfect example, and someone I didn't put this in there because I didn't want 315 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:40,960 to engender even more of a reaction. I'm not mister engagement on Twitter following 316 00:21:41,039 --> 00:21:42,839 is super small. I don't even know many followers I have at this point 317 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:47,240 that I have like ten point five k, and I've probably been stuck between 318 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:49,480 ten and eleven for like three years at this point. So I didn't think 319 00:21:49,519 --> 00:21:52,920 it was going to get supertraction. But I didn't want to use this as 320 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:56,640 an example. Donovan Mitchell to New York that's been in the ether for years. 321 00:21:56,839 --> 00:21:59,880 Jazz fans have had to stomach it, and there are probably real issues 322 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,240 at Mitchell has with the organization that are valid, that's fair, but those 323 00:22:03,279 --> 00:22:07,279 fans have still had to sit there and see Donovan Mitchell photoshop the Knicks jerseys. 324 00:22:07,319 --> 00:22:11,359 We saw it with Zion photoshop the Knicks jerseys. Every single player who 325 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,759 doesn't play for the Lakers who's good gets photoshopped into a Lakers jersey, and 326 00:22:14,799 --> 00:22:17,640 so these fit. Look what just happened. I had to rant the podcast 327 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:22,920 the other day where the conversation somehow, after Josh Kiddy had a great summer, 328 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:27,000 league shifted to again, not everywhere, but nationally, it did shift 329 00:22:27,319 --> 00:22:33,279 in some in some ways too well. Would they consider trading Shay Gilder Alexander 330 00:22:33,279 --> 00:22:37,240 and selling high like the Spurs did with the Jeante Murray. SG has not 331 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:41,240 even played out the first season of a five year extension that the Thunder gave 332 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:45,839 him that he signed. He said that he wanted to be with the organization. 333 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:51,319 At exit interviews, he talked about his relationship with Sam Presty and look, 334 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:55,279 hey, speaking of that exit interview, look at how valuable that stuff 335 00:22:55,319 --> 00:22:57,920 can be. That's probably a really cookie cutter response, but you know that 336 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:03,359 SGA is taught with Sam Presti and to have that level of communication says how 337 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:07,119 much respect the Thunder have for him, how engaged he is with the organization, 338 00:23:07,319 --> 00:23:08,880 what the team thinks he can be as a player, and how important 339 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:11,519 they are. I'm not saying they'll never trade him, but it sure doesn't 340 00:23:11,519 --> 00:23:15,319 seem like they are actively shopping him. We don't need to treat smaller markets. 341 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:18,720 I said this on the other pod, like farm systems for teams in 342 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:22,359 you know, more glamorous cities or just teams that are going to be talked 343 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:26,960 about more, and then they're going to be teams. I see Knicks fans 344 00:23:26,039 --> 00:23:30,079 up again, some not all, and they you have a fair point. 345 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:33,160 They're probably overexposed to Knicks coverage and they think it's shitty Knicks coverage. That 346 00:23:33,319 --> 00:23:37,440 it's the word would probably be I'm trying to think of what the word would 347 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:41,640 be here, That it's performative, that it's mocking the fans, and not 348 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:44,319 only just the team, but the fans. Again, I don't think it 349 00:23:44,319 --> 00:23:48,839 should be the job to mock fans. When we speak about fan bases, 350 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:52,359 we need to be careful that there are these qualifiers where we're not generalizing everything 351 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:59,039 and painting with such a broad brush. So I understand that, but there 352 00:23:59,079 --> 00:24:03,640 are teams that are annoyed they're not getting more coverage outside of you know, 353 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:07,880 when we're talking about Team X trading for their star who might want out because 354 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:12,559 they are in you know, Memphis, or they're in Oklahoma City or New 355 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:18,559 Orleans as opposed to New York or Laure's. There are teams that are undercovered 356 00:24:18,559 --> 00:24:22,079 in that regard. Do you think that enough people honestly, on a national 357 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:25,680 level, we know the people that follow the team and cover the team are 358 00:24:25,799 --> 00:24:29,880 going to watch, but when we're talking the NBA is so it's I guess 359 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:33,000 it's not unique. But when you're talking about when you have diehard fans of 360 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:36,720 a team, like really die hard fans, you are going to have a 361 00:24:36,759 --> 00:24:38,519 pulse on the league, or at least an interest in the rest of the 362 00:24:38,559 --> 00:24:42,599 league to some regard. How many people do you think we're watching Thunder games, 363 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:48,119 Rockets games last year, especially towards the end of the season, Pistons 364 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:52,119 games? How many? Honestly? And I'm not accusing people of just not 365 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:53,759 watching, but I'm saying that's where it's sort of the some of the ire 366 00:24:53,839 --> 00:24:57,240 fan base is born from that their teams don't receive enough attention, or people 367 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:03,000 are commenting on those teams without actually watching them or properly contextualizing their moves. 368 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:06,720 I'm sure I've done it here. I try to watch every single team as 369 00:25:06,799 --> 00:25:08,759 much as possible, but I also understand that I need to defer, and 370 00:25:08,799 --> 00:25:11,799 I need to read, and I need to listen to podcasts, and I 371 00:25:11,839 --> 00:25:15,200 need to hat tip and credit other people where their analysis is coming in. 372 00:25:15,559 --> 00:25:18,119 That helps me a ton in doing what I do. And they are probably 373 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:22,680 national medium members that don't, I would argue, respect localized covers enough. 374 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:27,279 That could be another sort of thing here is the rivalry between like national media 375 00:25:27,319 --> 00:25:34,359 members and then then more localized coverage. I just even fandom when you are 376 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:37,680 given a license to in a good way, and I mean this in a 377 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:41,319 good way, to be irrational, to overreact, because when you really think 378 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:47,759 about it, you are so attached, your emotions are so tied to what's 379 00:25:47,759 --> 00:25:52,359 happening in a game played by grown adults. The whole thing is kind of 380 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:56,839 hysterical. I get that it's escapism and it's important, but like the idea 381 00:25:56,839 --> 00:26:00,440 of fandom in itself, the concept is irrational. That's great, it's fine. 382 00:26:00,599 --> 00:26:06,400 Every fan is going to think maybe their team is undercovered, covered or 383 00:26:06,519 --> 00:26:11,960 underrated relative to relative to other teams, or that they're unfairly covered. Like 384 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:15,240 there's always going to be that element in there. But we also have to 385 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:18,119 recognize it's not a well, this is the worst, just flat out no 386 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:22,200 team has it worse than us. You think Kings fans think that they get 387 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:26,319 a fair deal. There was an argument I saw on Twitter the other day. 388 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:30,079 There was a writer who covers the Pistons that talked about how much he 389 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:33,119 disliked Sacramento in relation to Detroit. I think and that sparked this whole war 390 00:26:33,799 --> 00:26:37,519 of words, So like, this is happening all over the place. The 391 00:26:37,599 --> 00:26:40,839 Knicks are not unique. If you have a coverage problem with the way the 392 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:44,519 national media is doing or the local media, get in line. And I'm 393 00:26:44,519 --> 00:26:48,680 not saying that you should take it on the chin and just move on, 394 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:55,160 but you have to understand if you have if you're not in a like, 395 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:57,720 this isn't anomalous to the Knicks, and I think it's important to understand that. 396 00:26:57,799 --> 00:27:00,880 And I don't think the solution to it. Yeah, if you want 397 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:04,200 to have a conversation about how broken the coverage of the NBA is at large, 398 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,640 if that's what you believe, I'm absolutely here for it and we'll have 399 00:27:07,759 --> 00:27:12,440 it. But I don't think I always am going to argue that open dialogue 400 00:27:12,599 --> 00:27:18,960 is better unless it's detrimental to where people are being condescending. And yeah, 401 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:22,960 I didn't dunk on who knows if I even won. But I went a 402 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:26,119 little bit towards the heated end of the spectrum on Twitter where someone accused me 403 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:30,559 of not caring about the Miles Bridges domestic violence case because I was talking about 404 00:27:30,559 --> 00:27:34,400 the Knicks, Like where are my tweets on that that like that stuff is 405 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:37,960 damaging, but open dialogue in general, like I should be allowed to convey 406 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:44,680 this opinion and have it back and forth without feeling shamed for having said dissenting 407 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:48,240 opinion or stop punching at Knicks fans. And I could be over sensitive to 408 00:27:48,319 --> 00:27:52,160 just the phrasing there as well, But I go out of my way to 409 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:53,319 make it. I try to go out of them away, or I think 410 00:27:53,319 --> 00:27:56,039 I go out of my way to say I'm not painting this fan base with 411 00:27:56,039 --> 00:27:59,920 a broad brush or saying they can't feel this way or telling them how to. 412 00:28:00,039 --> 00:28:02,480 And if I don't get it back, then yeah, there's going to 413 00:28:02,519 --> 00:28:06,359 be times where I might go over the top or just be dismissive and stop 414 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:11,279 answering because it's not worth it. I just I don't understand why we can't 415 00:28:11,279 --> 00:28:14,960 even acknowledge that much. And I think even some of the sentiment was, 416 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:17,599 well, yeah, it's probably not ideal that the Knicks are so inaccessible, 417 00:28:17,839 --> 00:28:21,160 but we're just so fed up with the coverage in general. That's like, 418 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:26,559 that's actually fine to admit, and I think it shows like a really productive 419 00:28:26,599 --> 00:28:34,519 self awareness. But I don't think being frustrated with the coverage warrants being so 420 00:28:34,519 --> 00:28:40,680 so starkly on one side of the spectrum to where you're just fine with their 421 00:28:40,759 --> 00:28:45,519 being such limited access. That's impacting again outlets or media members who do a 422 00:28:45,519 --> 00:28:51,720 good job covering the team and will adversely impact the product again on both sides 423 00:28:52,079 --> 00:28:56,720 of this equation. That's sort of where I land at that, and it's 424 00:28:56,799 --> 00:29:03,680 just weird, how okay. A lot of fans seemed with what the Knicks 425 00:29:03,759 --> 00:29:07,599 did, even though it's become and maybe it is because it's become the norm, 426 00:29:07,839 --> 00:29:11,440 or they don't see the value in media. That's a lot of people 427 00:29:11,559 --> 00:29:15,359 told me. I don't think at least, I wasn't asking you to be 428 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:18,240 mad on the media's behalf. I wasn't asking anyone to feel anything. My 429 00:29:18,279 --> 00:29:22,119 opinion was just that this is not the best way to run an organization. 430 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:27,160 And I think that there are these larger implications extending beyond the Knicks where it 431 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:32,599 gets damaging and we could see the coverage slip or skew too far in one 432 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:37,079 direction or just too far outside of reality if this keeps up already, just 433 00:29:37,119 --> 00:29:41,119 the super prohibitive access when it comes to locker rooms now post COVID, I 434 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:42,920 understand that. I think some teams have taken advantage of the way that they've 435 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:51,119 conducted interviews since then. I don't. I don't think any medium member needs 436 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:53,319 to be self righteous necessarily about this. But if that's your job, and 437 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:57,559 your job is to some extent pride and on accents access as it is for 438 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:02,680 the coverage of of beat writers specifically, yeah, you really should be pissed 439 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:07,640 off that the Knicks, especially when you're working for these sort of legacy publications 440 00:30:07,559 --> 00:30:11,559 and there if the Knicks have an issue and I'll just reiterate this, if 441 00:30:11,559 --> 00:30:15,559 the Knicks specifically have an issue with how their team is being covered in a 442 00:30:15,599 --> 00:30:18,759 way that they think is unfair, criticism does not count as being unfair, 443 00:30:18,839 --> 00:30:22,599 by the way, saying the Knicks should be more welcoming of not just legacy 444 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:26,480 publications but also independent publications. And I know they've sort of opened up the 445 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:30,799 door a little bit to some, But as much as I love the fan 446 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:36,599 driven publications like you also need people who are a little bit more removed from 447 00:30:36,599 --> 00:30:38,960 the situation. In my opinion, and I say that as an actual Knicks 448 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:45,160 fan too, but the Knicks can speak like nothing is stopping them from having 449 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:47,519 a dialogue, whether it's off the record, on the record, and yeah, 450 00:30:47,559 --> 00:30:49,160 on the record can settle things. You don't have to be petty about 451 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:52,759 it because you're gonna get dunked on if you start being super contentious in press 452 00:30:52,799 --> 00:30:57,400 conferences. And the other thing asked the players how they feel about Burman of 453 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:00,640 the Post and see if he actually really them off. See the answer is 454 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:03,839 probably Mitchell Robinson tweeted like Burman, you need to chill or whatever it was 455 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,400 on Twitter when Burman of the Post point out that the Knicks didn't let people 456 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:14,480 external media into the Jaalen Brunton presser, that's like, it didn't seem like 457 00:31:14,559 --> 00:31:18,160 he was angry. It just seemed like he was making a joke. And 458 00:31:18,519 --> 00:31:25,039 so I don't think just from what I understand that the players, at least 459 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:27,480 in the in the macro, I'll use that word again, like, yeah, 460 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:32,839 on certain Knights you're probably pissed off, But in the aggregate, I 461 00:31:32,839 --> 00:31:37,640 don't think that they despise the Knicks media as much as the fans despised the 462 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:44,680 Knicks media. And do I think that the genesis of that view among many 463 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:48,359 Knicks fans is warranted. If you again, if media outlets, or if 464 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:52,119 you feel like they are actually trolling you or they're being dismissive of your thoughts 465 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:56,519 and opinions. That's absolutely a fair stance to take, because we forget that 466 00:31:56,559 --> 00:32:00,880 the fans as and I'm saying this is someone who does the league at large. 467 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:02,799 Sometimes we can forget like that's who we're covering the league for. That's 468 00:32:02,799 --> 00:32:06,079 who we're trying to have a discussion with. I don't want to be yelled 469 00:32:06,079 --> 00:32:08,119 at. I don't want people thinking I have an agenda to where I'm purposely 470 00:32:09,119 --> 00:32:15,519 ranking their favorite team lower on the competitive spectrum just because I want to incite 471 00:32:15,599 --> 00:32:17,200 rage. I also don't want them to think that I'm just, you know, 472 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:21,480 being one sided and saying their team should trade all their good players or 473 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:25,039 shitty players. That's something the Orlando not the sum Orlando Magic fans have said 474 00:32:25,039 --> 00:32:29,680 about me on stuff I've written and about this podcast. That's not what I'm 475 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:34,599 trying to do. So I'm I don't think this is a matter of Oh, 476 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:37,079 the media is being too self righteous and wants us to feel bad for 477 00:32:37,119 --> 00:32:42,960 them. It's that they're complaining about their jobs getting harder, their jobs being 478 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,640 adversely impacted, and their jobs being dismissed quite frankly, and I do think 479 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:50,440 that's a fair stance to tank take. I don't think you need the empathy 480 00:32:50,799 --> 00:32:55,839 of the fan base, but I don't really appreciate the sentiment among any any 481 00:32:55,880 --> 00:33:00,200 fans, however large of a portion it is that the media doesn't matter, 482 00:33:00,279 --> 00:33:01,960 or that the Knicks are totally right to do what they did. And this 483 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:05,720 goes so far beyond you know, oh, they just wanted to keep it 484 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:08,279 about Jien Brunson. No fuck off with that take. Honestly, that's as 485 00:33:08,279 --> 00:33:13,200 condescending as I'll be. This isn't just about Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson. 486 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:16,319 And if you have a problem with negative coverage, your tough questions like, 487 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:21,359 that's just sort of the nature of this business. I'm not resigned to coverage 488 00:33:21,359 --> 00:33:23,440 staying the same. I want to make that clear. I have adapted the 489 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:25,880 way that I cover the league. There are people that should do a better 490 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:29,599 job of adapting the way they cover a league cover the league. I should 491 00:33:29,599 --> 00:33:31,680 do a better job of adapting the way that I cover the league. But 492 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:37,079 we can't pretend that as Knicks fans. You can't pretend that this is only 493 00:33:37,119 --> 00:33:40,839 happening to you. No, every team has a problem. Every team's fans 494 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:45,079 or a subset of other fans has an issue with the way their team is 495 00:33:45,079 --> 00:33:47,000 covered. And I think a lot of those points, including some of the 496 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:52,720 ones that Knicks fans made, are fair. I just don't understand why we 497 00:33:52,799 --> 00:33:55,960 can't compartmentalize this better. I think that I that's where I sort of wind 498 00:33:57,039 --> 00:34:00,319 up. I don't begrudge any fan base for having real issues with Ridge, 499 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:06,720 but I'm also not a fan of extremism and absolutes when they're being conveyed with 500 00:34:06,759 --> 00:34:08,840 sincerity. Like if you're being over the top as a joke and people can't 501 00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:13,039 detect that, that's kind of on them. If people don't understand that Twitter 502 00:34:13,039 --> 00:34:15,840 isn't always the place for nuance, that's going to be on them too. 503 00:34:15,079 --> 00:34:20,400 I'm not a fan of the sentiments that verge on we have it the worst, 504 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:23,239 or you disagree, so you're attacking us, and this is Look, 505 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,519 this is not I wrote to some sort I'm not trying to be as serial 506 00:34:25,559 --> 00:34:30,119 well actually ast here. Every form of coverage is going to exist for a 507 00:34:30,199 --> 00:34:36,239 reason, negative, positive, over the top, incandescence, straws, eyeballs, 508 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:39,639 favorable reporting helps access, but there are also enough different forms of coverage 509 00:34:39,639 --> 00:34:45,159 that you can curate the ones you're consuming and enjoy the most. And I 510 00:34:45,199 --> 00:34:47,519 also look, I think it's unreasonable to have a uniform idea of good coverage. 511 00:34:47,559 --> 00:34:50,920 Some people really want the xs and os, the nitty gritty of the 512 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:54,480 rotation. Other people want to know about player stories and profiles and the work 513 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:58,519 ethic they're putting behind the scene, or why they might be struggling about something. 514 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:00,960 Some people just want a more gener realized overview. They want the gamers, 515 00:35:01,199 --> 00:35:06,199 They want the interviews or the postgame pressers to get a sense of the 516 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,599 team. They want to talk about trades and transactions and free agency and cap 517 00:35:09,639 --> 00:35:14,480 space. They want to talk about the hilarious stuff or the off court drama 518 00:35:14,559 --> 00:35:19,239 or what Mitchell Robinson is posting on his ig stories. Everything, so long 519 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:23,760 as it's not actively detrimental or mean is I think that's fine. And if 520 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:30,599 you think that Stephen A is a Knicks fan plan at ESPN and that they're 521 00:35:30,679 --> 00:35:35,519 capitalizing on that by means of demeaning Knicks fans, I will listen to it. 522 00:35:35,639 --> 00:35:39,039 I think that you're probably assigning too much forethoughts of what goes into that 523 00:35:39,079 --> 00:35:43,639 process. If you're thinking, there's a reason that network, the ESPN, 524 00:35:44,119 --> 00:35:49,719 that other networks, that's Fox Sports, that all these all these websites that 525 00:35:49,719 --> 00:35:52,239 these articles come out where they're really focusing on the Knicks, the Lakers, 526 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:55,679 the bigger markets, that's what's going to draw the most eyeballs. And yeah, 527 00:35:55,719 --> 00:36:00,400 that that does kind of suck that we're so behold and to those metrics. 528 00:36:01,559 --> 00:36:06,800 That doesn't mean that what's happening to your team is criminal. It also 529 00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:09,880 doesn't need to be personal to where I think that when media members actually are 530 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:15,719 criticizing the organization, and granted I did criticize some I criticized part of the 531 00:36:15,719 --> 00:36:17,960 fan basis reaction. I thought it was cringey how they left to the Knicks' 532 00:36:19,119 --> 00:36:22,840 organization's defense. But when the criticism is aimed at the organization itself, it 533 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:28,199 doesn't it's not also aimed at the fans unless they said fuck the Knicks organization 534 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:30,519 and fans. If we're criticizing the Knicks for their media policy, it's not 535 00:36:30,679 --> 00:36:34,440 something that fans are obligated to come and defend. I get that will be 536 00:36:34,519 --> 00:36:37,840 a part of fandom. When you're talking about moves and transactions, but this 537 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:40,000 is veered too far off the rails in general, and again it's not just 538 00:36:40,079 --> 00:36:46,599 the Knicks. It's a lot of MBA coverage can feel that way sometimes. 539 00:36:46,599 --> 00:36:51,400 I think Lakers fans feel that they're probably unfairly covered at this point. So 540 00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:52,840 that's where I landed on the Knicks stuff. I know I was sort of 541 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:55,239 rambling, but I wanted to get those thoughts in a podcast form. I 542 00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:59,719 don't even know if I'm going to promote this podcast, because in so far 543 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:01,519 as people will listen to it, I don't know that I necessarily want to 544 00:37:01,519 --> 00:37:07,320 deal with the backlash. I'm just I'm not a fan of carrying so much 545 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:10,840 water for an organization that frankly has not earned it. If it's more about 546 00:37:10,920 --> 00:37:15,960 how you feel about the coverage of the fan base itself rather than the organization, 547 00:37:16,599 --> 00:37:20,199 I get it, but I think we still need to be able to 548 00:37:20,239 --> 00:37:24,920 admit that a fan or a national media member, but even a Knicks fan 549 00:37:25,039 --> 00:37:30,400 like myself having a dissenting opinion being treated as like a borderline trader, or 550 00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:32,599 people just assuming you're not a fan or that you have an agenda, or 551 00:37:32,599 --> 00:37:36,880 being condescending. I don't think that's fair either. It's not always me thing, 552 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:38,360 that's just my thoughts on it, and I'm not trying to come off 553 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:42,440 as pious here. As the final thing, I'll say thank you for anyone 554 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:45,679 who made it through all of this. If this is your first time checking 555 00:37:45,719 --> 00:37:49,039 us out, consider following us on social media. All the handles and whatnot 556 00:37:49,039 --> 00:37:52,159 are in the podcast description. Join our discord where we have a bunch of 557 00:37:52,199 --> 00:37:58,079 respectful and instructive and informative and thought provoking conversations. The link to that is 558 00:37:58,119 --> 00:38:02,400 in the podcast description as well. You can also, as I mentioned, 559 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:07,000 throw us that permanent subscription and come return to talk with me. I'm on 560 00:38:07,119 --> 00:38:09,039 to a dance valley as well. Until next time, and as always, 561 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:14,519 employ do I miss when all of us Knicks fans could have come rallied together 562 00:38:14,599 --> 00:38:22,000 around the injustice that was his inconsistent role in playing time the legend Frank Heal