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NEW YORK - Donnie Walsh is in. Kendall Wright Jersey . Now he needs a little
time before deciding if Isiah Thomas is out. Walsh was hired Wednesday as the
New York Knicks president of basketball operations, taking one of Thomass jobs.
Sometime soon, he will decide if Thomas keeps the other one as coach. That wont
happen yet, though. Thomas was in Memphis, where the Knicks continued a
five-game road trip with a 130-114 loss, and Walsh wont determine the coachs
future until they have met in person. “I need to sit down with Isiah and have a
meaningful basketball conversation,” Walsh said. Thomas was asked if he felt he
would need to save his job when they do meet. “If thats necessary, you know I
think with any new boss you have to sell your program,” Thomas said. “Thered be
some things that hopefully hell like and Im sure there will be some things he
wants to change.” Walsh hired Thomas to coach the Indiana Pacers in 2000, and
both say they enjoy a good relationship. Walsh said they spoke Tuesday, adding
that Thomas has a “great basketball mind” and believes he can still help the
organization in some way. “Whatever I can do to make the Knicks better, thats
what Ill do,” Thomas said. Walsh will have complete power to decide. Madison
Square Garden chairman James Dolan gave the longtime Pacers executive full
autonomy to shape everything from the teams roster to the organizations media
policy. “His mandate is clear – do whatever is necessary to turn this team
around,” Dolan said. There is so much to fix. The Knicks (20-55) are finishing
their seventh straight losing season and are just as dysfunctional off the
court. Thomas and Dolan were found to have sexually harassed a former team
executive, Thomas has feuded with some players this season, and fans at Madison
Square Garden frequently chant for him to be fired. But Walsh, a New York
native, said he is not returning home to be a saviour. “Im not the great new
hope. Im just a guy whos going to come in and try to create a team.” Walsh said.
“And its not going to happen overnight, so I dont want any illusions. But I
think it has to get better right away. “I think the people in this city that are
paying money to go to games, theyve got to see a competitive team. Theyve got to
see a team and I think they have to see a team that makes sense that they can
say, OK, this could get better. There has to be a direction, which I think is
difficult to do.” Still, there are high hopes that Walsh can turn around a
franchise that hasnt won a playoff game since 2001. He isnt sure if he will
bring in someone to serve as his general manager. “In Donnie, the Knicks have
secured the services of a seasoned basketball professional who is held in high
regard throughout the league and to whom I have often turned for input on
basketball matters over the years,” commissioner David Stern said in a
statement. “Donnie, in turn, is joining one of our storied franchises, whose
team and arena are rich in NBA tradition, and he gets to return to his hometown
and a metropolitan area that many of his family members call home.” Walsh will
report directly to Dolan – Thomas reported to MSG Sports president Steve Mills –
and has been assured there will be no interference from above. Dolan remains
loyal to Thomas, but Walsh said that wont be influence his decision concerning a
coach. “Hes more or less left this up to me,” Walsh said of Dolan. The
67-year-old Walsh recently announced he was leaving the Pacers after 24 years
with the organization. He joined the Pacers front office as general manager in
1986, became team president in 1988 and CEO in 2003. He helped the franchise
rise from NBA laughingstock to title contender. “One of the highest things on my
list is Donnies happiness,” Pacers co-owner Herb Simon said. “If that is what he
wants, Im very happy for him. He has given us 24 years of incredible service. I
think hell do a great job.” Walsh also said he needed to talk to players like
Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry before deciding their future with the team. Like
many people throughout the league, Walsh said the Knicks have talented
individuals on their roster and believes the problem could be “the mix of
players.” “Beginning of the season, if you just looked at the roster, youd say
these guys could be pretty good,” Walsh said. “And I really thought that.” Dolan
will even allow Walsh to dictate his media policy. The Knicks dont allow
individual interviews with players or staff unless a public relations official
is present, and Walsh is known to be friendly with the media. “I think access is
a big part of most franchises,” Walsh said. The Knicks and Pacers once had a
fierce rivalry, meeting in the Eastern Conference finals in 1994, 1999 and 2000.
Walsh remembers what Madison Square Garden was like back then, and wants it to
be that way again. “Thats it. That was it. That is it. Thats where I want to go
to, get that back,” he said. “Thats what Id like.” Warren Moon Jersey .Peterson won her first
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28-year-old Peterson. Steve McNair Jersey . To that end, the
Raptors had the ball in the hands of the right guy against the Grizzlies—they
just didnt get the result they wanted. Calderon missed the potential game-tying
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the nine goals for would help some players get more confident with the offensive
side of the game. Saturday night in Tampa may have been the Jets best game of
the season. Earl Campbell Jersey . Simmons hurt his
finger on a head-first slide in Sundays game at Philadelphia. The Braves on
Monday said Simmons hand will be in a cast for four weeks.NEW YORK —Sensing
for the first time in years that stadium issues are solvable in Los Angeles, NFL
Commissioner Roger Goodell has established guidelines for a franchises potential
move to the area. In a memo sent by the commissioner Friday and obtained by The
Associated Press, Goodell said no single team has any “presumptive right” to
play in Los Angeles and that only the league as a whole can make a decision on
relocation. The league is satisfied with its current 32-team setup, although
expanding to include one—or two—teams in LA is still possible. Any
franchise interested in relocating there for the 2013 season must apply between
Jan. 1 and Feb. 15 of that year, and prove it has exhausted all attempts to
remain in its current location. No plans are yet in place if no teams apply for
2013. If a team applies to relocate, it should not expect a league-wide vote on
the application before the NFLs annual meetings in late March. Goodell
emphasized that any new stadium must be capable of hosting two franchises. Two
groups currently are competing to develop a stadium complex, one downtown and
one in City of Industry. “Given that simultaneous league-wide investment in two
stadiums in the same community is unlikely,” Goodell wrote, “we believe that the
best approach will be a single site where an iconic facility could credibly both
host two teams and provide ancillary entertainment and development
opportunities. Kenny Britt Youth Jersey. ” Los Angeles has
not had an NFL team since the Rams moved to St. Louis and the Raiders went back
to Oakland in 1995. The Los Angeles Times first reported details of the memo.
Any new stadium in the LA area would be attractive to franchises that struggle
at the gate, are located in a smaller metropolitan area or are saddled with a
bad lease in an outdated stadium. Among the teams mentioned as potentially
moving have been the Jacksonville Jaguars, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills,
St. Louis Rams and the Raiders. The NFL itself would love a showcase stadium
where it could regularly hold Super Bowls. Goodell even mentioned in the memo a
Hall of Fame, studios for NFL Network and youth football facilities accompanying
a stadium. Any team seeking to move to LA must show it “has secured a long-term
stadium solution that is financeable and preserves the leagues option for use as
a two-team facility.” That team also must have a viable interim stadium plan
while the new building is being built; a marketing plan with respect to personal
seat licenses, premium seating, and naming rights; and must give certain
financial guarantees to the league. ’ ’ ’