Hostage Crisis Continues In Manhattan

It began on December 22, 2003, though only a handful suspected it at the time. On that day, we welcomed Isiah as the next savior of the Knickerbockers franchise. A little over four years later, the Knicks are 9-26 with the 3rd worst record in the NBA. Their excessive team payroll is among the worst in the NBA as well. Isiah Thomas remains team President and Coach. He's still preaching though about the good times ahead. Ownership seems unlikely to make an obvious change anytime soon. Let’s be honest. There’s no reason or hope to expect the imminent release of diehard Knick fans trapped inside the torture cell known as "Madison Square Garden."

To someone who began following the Knicks in the late 1960’s when the team had Reed, DeBusschere, Bradley, Frazier and Barnett, this year’s group is hardly worth mentioning in the same sentence. To be fair, perhaps it’s not the players' fault. After all, they were brought here by the team’s savior ... the one who’s turned out to be nothing more than another false prophet. Marv Albert screamed “YESSSSSSS!” in his old broadcast days. Does anyone doubt when he watches a Knicks’ "boredcast" now he's shouting, “NOOOOOOO!” at the television? Luckily for him, he’s no longer a prisoner in the Garden. He’s free of the routine pain and suffering. Too bad we all can't be freed.

For my last shot at the buzzer, I loosely translate the line of a "Sonny and Cher" song to now read ... “And the beatings go on.” That new song line should be played loudly after each new loss. Maybe someday, they'll hear it in the owner's box.

The Price Of NYC Politics May Be Going Up

According to several reports and depending on which story you believe, Mayor Mike Bloomberg is 1)considering, 2)not considering, a run for the White House in 2008. If he decides to become a presidential candidate ... and wins the election, New York’s famous bargain hunters will have a real dilemma on their hands. Where will they ever find a new mayor to accept Mike’s $1.00 annual salary?

New York City Has Become A Winter Wonder-Where-Is-It-Land

Remember when November’s and December’s here were filled with snow that seemed to be on the ground until February? Remember when winter’s here were really cold? If you do, you must have a very long memory. Reminisce about those days and you show your age ... maybe you're displaying some “snow on the roof” too. New York City hasn’t had many cold, snowy winters for a long, long time. Those who joined the NYC Department of Sanitation thirty years ago to collect great overtime by plowing and shoveling our snowy streets never got rich off their paychecks.

Perhaps global warming is to blame. Perhaps not. Let scientists and meteorologists debate the issue. The temperature is expected to hit 50 degrees today in Central Park. That’s 50 degrees … not 5 degrees. I'm glad. I’m older now with some “snow on the roof.” I don’t miss the cold or snow like I would were I still a kid. My apologies to the polar bears in the local zoos and our sanitation workers but, “Hooray for global warming!”