1:00 PM ET, November 21, 2009
IZOD Center
East Rutherford, NJ
Who says the NBA can't have bowl games?
Today at the New Jersey Nets' own arena, the franchise reached an incredible milestone. This accomplishment has gone beyond mediocrity and the depths of NBA lottery hell.
Today, the Nets faced their Atlantic division rivals, the New York Knicks.
The game featured extremely sloppy plays and just plain bad basketball between the worst the NBA has to offer. Now I have never lied about this, but I'll say it again. As a guy that grew up 20 minutes away from New York City, I do have a soft spot for the teams in the area.
That being said, I'm very unbiased and when a team is just plain bad, I say it. Saturday afternoon featured two teams that are atrocious. I can't describe it any other way.
The Knicks should have beaten New Jersey by more than seven, as the final score was 98-91 . After all, the majority of their team is healthy, yet still 3-9 after Saturday. As for the Nets, now 0-13 , they are running out of excuses.
All-Star guard Devin Harris did come back from a groin injury, but only off the bench, with 26 minutes played—good enough for 12 points and seven assists. Trenton Hassell (yes, he's still in the league) played 36 minutes.
Yes, they gave Trenton Hassell 36 minutes.
I can't hold my tongue any longer. As nice as the Nets organization has been to my friends and I in the past with great prices and phenomenal courtesy, I find it sickening to watch another game this season—unless it's to see a big star on the opposing team (LeBron James, Steve Nash, etc.).
Okay, so the Nets will have around 24 million in cap room, if not, much more come the Summer of 2010. Great. Luckily, I'm not a season ticket holder.
But tell me something Kiki Vandeweghe and Rod Thorn....
What the hell do you tell your season ticket holders?
Bad breaks happen, I understand. Injuries happen, I get it. But 0-13? The franchise is only four games back from the record of 0-17 to start a season. They could even break the record and be the all-time worst.
I think Devin Harris is a fine player, but try telling your All-Star to make things happen with Yi Jianlian, Sean "PacMan Jones' bastard son" Williams, and Trenton freakin' Hassell.
Oh, don't forget an underachieving Rafer Alston, who magically stinks up the joint after having impressive seasons with Houston and Orlando. Either that guy has lost his touch or he just doesn't blend in.
AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
Is there a better way to sum up the Nets' season?
Like I've previously said, I believe Chris Douglas-Roberts, Devin Harris, and Brook Lopez will be the remaining Nets next year. Courtney Lee and Terrence Williams aren't locks, but they are good young players that can develop.
As for the Knicks, they are bad with or without Allen Iverson. If there's one thing I'll applaud the franchise for, it's not signing A.I., who while great, is incredibly selfish and not what that franchise needs after the Stephon Marbury-Isiah Thomas era.
As far as everything else goes, the team and organization altogether puts a terrible product on the court and if they don't deliver on their big surprise next year, then hello NBA lottery hell for another five years.
And my condolences to Knicks season ticket holders that have to spend even more money than Nets fans do to watch a team that has talent, but no chemistry, direction, resourcefulness, or hope (for now). My thoughts and prayers are with your bank accounts.
Whoops! Where was I?
Oh yeah, New York beat New Jersey 98-91 in The Toilet Bowl, brought to you by Bed, Bath, & Beyond. This game proves that two teams that are "straight up trash, homey" can be LEGALLY scheduled by David Stern for an audience's viewing anguish. And more proof that the NBA can have bowl games.
Craig Sager : Congratulations, Donnie Walsh! Your team just won The Toilet Bowl. What are you gonna do now? Go to Disney World?!
Donnie Walsh : No, Craig. I'm going to thank God for Jerome James no longer being on my roster and pray that Mikhail Prokhorov (future Nets owner) doesn't haunt me in my nightmares.
Fred "The F-Bomb" Richani is a columnist for The Sports Courier , 411Mania.com , and everythingyntk.com . Richani founded The Sports Courier in 2009. His work has been featured on CBS Sportsline , Pro Wrestling Torch , GOOGLE News , and USAToday.com . He has also interviewed Platinum-selling bands Blue October and OneRepublic . Richani currently resides in Freehold, N.J., just an hour from New York City and Philadelphia.
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