(08-09-2010 02:44 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(08-09-2010 02:27 PM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(08-09-2010 01:36 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(08-09-2010 11:39 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(08-06-2010 09:08 PM)zeebart21 Wrote:  Best thing to happen to FIU. This guy is trash. Only the foolish cant see this.
Dont make me rehash his history...

Oh you mean this history:
1.) Lead Indiana to National Championship and was Tournament MVP (1981)
or
2.) Made the All-Rookie team and started (as a rookie) for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team (1982).
or
3.) 12 Straight All-Star game appearences (1982 - 1993; All Star game MVP 1984 & 1986)
or
4.) Lead Pistons to Back to Back Championships in 1989 - 1990 (Finals MVP 1990).
or
5.) Voted one of the 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History.
or
6.) Elected NBA Hall of Fame - 2000
or
7.) Number Retired - Detriot Pistons #11
Now you see that the only thing that is 'trash' is your comment Zee'.

He was coaching during this time?
There is a difference in being a great player and a great coach. Some of the best coaches weren't great players and some of the greatest players made terrible coaches. Thomas' coaching record is below .500. I'll let you make your own opinion there:
NBA 187-223 (.456)
FIU 7-25 (.219)
Total coaching career: 194-248 (.439)

Skully, why don't you try READING a bit more closely. This is what he said "This guy is trash....Don't make me rehash his history".
I don't see any of the qualifiers you seem to be trying to read into Zee's comments.

FIUFan, I took it in context to the original post quoted, talking about how he can have 5 top 50 players and not know what to do with them. The subsequent post alluded to his sexual assault history, and your post talked about his history as a player. Perhaps if you read more closely you would have defended his sexual assault history since Zee's was the post that you quoted. I was simply taking your post as an answer to both posts.

Well, the context of my post referred to his personal attack on a man that I'm sure he has never met.
That being said, this is the first year that he will have most of the highly regarded recruits on the team and even then they may need time to gel. As far as the assault case, suffice it to say that his legal team was confident enough in the case to take it to a jury and not 'settle' out of court. So they must have thought they had a very strong case against this person. Not sure if he was going to get a very fair trial in that venue anyway. In hindsight, probably a mistake to go to trial.

The NBA has rules against an NBA team's staff talking to high school and college athletes. I don't see this sticking.

FIU needs to be very careful. No ones sure if Isaiah is farmilliar with every NCAA rule and if this goes wrong there could be several NCAA violations following...

last thing FIU needs is for Isaiah to leave and then to get in NCAA trouble

Last two comments are fair and well taken. I don't know how this is going to shake out, the NCAA has no problem with it; if the NBA does, I'm sure they'll let us know.

Maybe they'll even name the new rule after him.

(08-09-2010 11:39 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(08-06-2010 09:08 PM)zeebart21 Wrote:  

(08-06-2010 07:06 PM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  Was a complete joke when he was hired at FIU and even more of a joke now.....He could bring in 5 players from the top 50 rankings and not have a clue what to do or how to win a game...

Best thing to happen to FIU. This guy is trash. Only the foolish cant see this.
Dont make me rehash his history...

Oh you mean this history:

1.) Lead Indiana to National Championship and was Tournament MVP (1981)
or
2.) Made the All-Rookie team and started (as a rookie) for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team (1982).
or
3.) 12 Straight All-Star game appearences (1982 - 1993; All Star game MVP 1984 & 1986)
or
4.) Lead Pistons to Back to Back Championships in 1989 - 1990 (Finals MVP 1990).
or
5.) Voted one of the 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History.
or
6.) Elected NBA Hall of Fame - 2000
or
7.) Number Retired - Detriot Pistons #11

Now you see that the only thing that is 'trash' is your comment Zee'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isiah_Thomas

read the whole thing, stud. IT is trash in every sense of the word...

Your comments are trash Zee, but hey, that's probably to be expected.

(08-10-2010 08:52 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  Your comments are trash Zee, but hey, that's probably to be expected.

explain?

(08-10-2010 07:55 PM)zeebart21 Wrote:  

(08-10-2010 08:52 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  Your comments are trash Zee, but hey, that's probably to be expected.

explain?

Look at your first comment, 'the guy is trash'. That is such an immature comment, which means your probably some undergrad student who basically spits out, verbatim, what he reads in the media. You probably have very little life experience and you have yet to understand the nuances of complex situations. To call any man trash based on the oversimplifications one reads in the media is ignorant.

Unless you know the man and his circumstances personally, you have no right to attempt to assassinate his character. And that's why I said that your comments are trash and 'it was to be expected'....it's because you give no thought to what you say, i.e. worthless comment or trash.

Article in USA Today quotes Ronnie Arrow about this:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/...titialskip

South Alabama coach on Isiah Thomas' job with Knicks: 'It’s opening up a can of worms'

When Isiah Thomas, the head basketball coach at Florida International, was hired last week as a consultant with the New York Knicks, many questioned the move and how the NCAA would allow it.

Count South Alabama coach Ronnie Arrow among that group.

In an interview Tuesday with Katie Thomas of the New York Times, Arrow, whose team is in the same conference as Thomas' Panthers, says he's surprised the NCAA would allow such a move, which he thinks will help in recruiting.

"I just can't believe that the N.C.A.A. would okay him to be able to have dual roles, or dual positions, that I think would help one in recruiting," Arrow said.

Arrow explained the recruiting edge further:

"He can get in to just about any player and be able to talk to him," Arrow said.

However, Thomas can now "go into a home and say, by the way, I'm also connected with the Knicks and I can guarantee you that you'll be able to be looked at by the Knicks."

Arrow also told the Times that with this, other coaches might be swayed to make a similar move.

"Any big name coach, whether it be Coach Pitino or Coach Calipari, that now wants to go on and be a consultant for the N.B.A.," Arrow said. "I just think it's opening up a can of worms."

-- Tim Gardner

I'm sure everyone that's commenting is just incredibly concerned about the well being of the FIU basketball program, especially the fau fans (sarcasm intended). However, I'm pretty certain that if our President, AD (you know, the people who are paid to make beneficial decisions for FIU and their careers) and the NCAA are fine with this arrangement, then I think we'll be ok. By the way, the 2011 verbals look pretty good to improve our inside game and we might have a new member to our 2010 class.

Walter Pitchford, a 6-9 or 6-10/210 Center/Power Forward originally from Michigan, was just finally given his release from DePaul after a messy situation (similar to the Freddy Asprilla case), with whom he had signed earlier on, and this report From the Chicago Tribune states that he is leaning towards FIU. Some reports indicate that he had turned down scholarship offers from Michigan, Minnesota, and George Washington, in order to sign with the former head coach of DePaul.

Pitchford was ranked by ESPN with a grade of 89 (#67 overall PF), while rivals had him only with 2 stars, and scout. Reportedly, while his offensive game outside of 12 feet is still raw, he possesses outstanding athletic ability. Also, not coincidentally, he played for the Team Detroit AAU team which included current FIU players Dominique Ferguson and Richaud Pack.

So, lets see our administration, the kids being recruited and the NCAA are not concerned, but you guys are. Well, thanks for that, but you might want to save the concern for your own team on the basketball court when they go up against FIU.

Hypothetical....

IT is scheduled to meet with Joe Recruit and talk about FIU. The recruit is making his decision the next day.

On the same day the NY Kincks need him to talk to Joe Free Agent. This is a last ditch effort to get Joe Free agent to the Knicks and they need IT's experience and charm to get it done.

Neither can be rescheduled and its impossible to see both in the same day.

What does IT do?

(08-11-2010 10:08 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  Article in USA Today quotes Ronnie Arrow about this:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/...titialskip

South Alabama coach on Isiah Thomas' job with Knicks: 'It’s opening up a can of worms'

When Isiah Thomas, the head basketball coach at Florida International, was hired last week as a consultant with the New York Knicks, many questioned the move and how the NCAA would allow it.

Count South Alabama coach Ronnie Arrow among that group.

In an interview Tuesday with Katie Thomas of the New York Times, Arrow, whose team is in the same conference as Thomas' Panthers, says he's surprised the NCAA would allow such a move, which he thinks will help in recruiting.

"I just can't believe that the N.C.A.A. would okay him to be able to have dual roles, or dual positions, that I think would help one in recruiting," Arrow said.

Arrow explained the recruiting edge further:

"He can get in to just about any player and be able to talk to him," Arrow said.

However, Thomas can now "go into a home and say, by the way, I'm also connected with the Knicks and I can guarantee you that you'll be able to be looked at by the Knicks."

Arrow also told the Times that with this, other coaches might be swayed to make a similar move.

"Any big name coach, whether it be Coach Pitino or Coach Calipari, that now wants to go on and be a consultant for the N.B.A.," Arrow said. "I just think it's opening up a can of worms."

-- Tim Gardner

Valid point. And WHEN the fecal matter finally hits the rotor, the NCAA will leave the Louisville's of the NCAA world alone and make an example out of FIU.

Book it.

(08-11-2010 12:26 PM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Hypothetical....
IT is scheduled to meet with Joe Recruit and talk about FIU. The recruit is making his decision the next day.
On the same day the NY Kincks need him to talk to Joe Free Agent. This is a last ditch effort to get Joe Free agent to the Knicks and they need IT's experience and charm to get it done.
Neither can be rescheduled and its impossible to see both in the same day.
What does IT do?

Yep, that's a scenario which could happen. But more likely, given that both recruiment processes are lengthy, is that IT will continue to work his High School/AAU contacts for FIU and his NBA contacts for the recruitment of free agents. Also, once both seasons are up and running, there's not a lot of free agency activity to be concerned about; most of the work is done in the off-season.

I'm sure, if allowed to stand, the NBA will make sure their are clear lines as to what can be discussed in either arena.

But what will he do in my scenario?

I dont doubt its unlikely but here is a case of the conflict in interest.

He will perform his primary responsibility, which has been acknowledged by both the NYK and FIU. If you need to find out what his primary responsibility is, please go back to the original article.

(08-11-2010 12:59 PM)OwlFamily Wrote:  But what will he do in my scenario [IT is scheduled to meet with Joe Recruit and talk about FIU. The recruit is making his decision the next day. On the same day the NY Kincks need him to talk to Joe Free Agent.]

I don't know, maybe cell phone, air plane, e-mail, twitter, facebook, web-cam, tele-conference....there's a lot of ways to be in contact with someone at a moments notice.

However, these are huge decisions for the individuals involved. They're not going to be made on the spur of the moment. How long did it take for LBJ and Chris Bosh to finalize their deals? What about recruits with scores of big school offers and the associated visits. The more you think about it, the more remote your scenario appears.

Most people know where they want to go, they just need to be offered.

(08-11-2010 12:32 PM)AstroCajun Wrote:  

(08-11-2010 10:08 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  Article in USA Today quotes Ronnie Arrow about this:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/...titialskip

South Alabama coach on Isiah Thomas' job with Knicks: 'It’s opening up a can of worms'



-- Tim Gardner

Valid point. And WHEN the fecal matter finally hits the rotor, the NCAA will leave the Louisville's of the NCAA world alone and make an example out of FIU.

Book it.

Wishful thinking does not equate facts. The NCAA has ALREADY approved the arrangement, therefore it won't bring, reportedly, any infractions. . The NBA is the one that will invalidate this arrangement, if they so believe and reach that conclusion.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/13731...rible-idea

wow...harsh words for such a stellar individual....

IT rescinded his contract.

NBA was going to nix it, so he backed out.

(08-11-2010 06:18 PM)zeebart21 Wrote:  http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/13731...rible-idea

wow...harsh words for such a stellar individual....

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/sports...WS&ei=5099

Some excerpts:

At a time when he was being cast as the scourge of the Knicks, Thomas received his greatest endorsement, from the parent of a potential recruit. Doris Ward’s son is Josiah Turner, a guard from Sacramento rated among the top high school players in the Class of 2011.

A year ago, when Turner was generally being ignored, Thomas told anyone who would listen that Turner was a potential pro. Going into his senior year, Turner is being recruited by most of the nation’s top programs.

“Isiah saw Josiah before the rest of them jumped on board this year,” Ward said Sunday during a phone interview. “He never strayed either way. Whether Josiah played great or he had an off-day, he’s always said he’s going to be a great player.”

She added: “He saw stuff in Josiah that now everyone else sees it a year later, but he saw it a year earlier. I have to respect him for that because he’s never wavered.”

Ward played high school basketball at Sacramento High and grew up watching Thomas. Until she met him last year, most of what she knew was what she read and it wasn’t pretty. “Of course you read the Internet and you read the different things on him and you kind of think, ‘Wow, you see him go from great player to G.M. to coach.’ You see all the different aspects, and then it seems like he was going to hit rock bottom.

“But then when you meet him and you get to know him as a person, you understand that for him, it’s bigger than basketball. He and my son talked about more than basketball. They talked about developing as a man, as a person. He’s an easy person to talk to, there’s not a bunch of stuff filtered in.”

Ward said that in many ways, the sum of Thomas’s résumé — the missteps to giant steps and the foibles — made him a great mentor. “Coach Thomas doesn’t need money, he doesn’t have to coach F.I.U., he doesn’t have to do what he does,” she said. “He doesn’t have to come see my son practice. Just the trials and tribulations he’s lived through, as a player and as a man, you can’t help but respect this guy.”


Wow...such great words from someone that actually HAS MET Isiah, for such a "trash" and terrible man....