Matthew

Back to disk 5 today -- very groovy sessions on the disk

What does Thomas have to hold over Dolan that he thinks the person who created the mess is the one to get the Knicks out of it? Salary cap problems thanks to Thomas; over-priced players thanks to Thomas; everyone watching their backs thanks to Thomas. I'll ask this question again: How does this guy keep finding a job?

Well, it will be interesting in New York next season, to say the least. The New York Knicks fired coach Larry Brown on Thursday, replacing him as coach with president and general manager Isiah Thomas. Larry Brown timeline Years Team Record 72-74 Carolina Cougars 104-64 74-79 Denver Nuggets 251-134 79-81 UCLA Bruins 42-17 81-83 New Jersey Nets 91-67 83-88 Kansas Jayhawks 135-44 88-91 San Antonio Spurs 153-131 91-93 Los Angeles Clippers 64-53 93-97 Indiana Pacers 190-138 97-03 Philadelphia 76ers 255-205 03-05 Detroit Pistons 108-56 05-06 New York Knicks 23-59 Brown's future had been in question since reports surfaced last month that owner James Dolan wanted to buy out his contract. The Knicks finished 23-59, tying the franchise record for losses, in Brown's first season. On Thursday, Dolan made the switch official. "Larry has had a long and storied career. We hired him last summer with the expectation that he would be with the Knicks for a long time. Sometimes decisions work and sometimes they don't," Dolan said. "After careful consideration, despite the best intentions from everyone involved, this current structure did not work for us last season and I did not think it was going to improve next season." Thomas, who joined the Knicks as president and general manager on Dec. 22, 2003, previously served as a head coach with the Indiana Pacers for three seasons from 2000-01 through 2002-03. His Pacers teams were 131-115 record, making the playoffs in each of his three seasons. "No one in our organization is happy with last season and we all accept responsibility for our performance," Thomas said. "This has been a difficult time for the entire organization and our fans. Today begins the 2006-07 season for the Knicks, and I strongly believe we are on the right track to take major steps in our rebuilding process to achieve our goal of being one of the premier teams in the NBA." Brown's worst seasons as NBA coach Team Record Season w/team Next season with team '88-89 Spurs 21-61 First 56-26* '05-06 Knicks 23-59 First Fired '97-98 76ers 31-51 First 28-22* *Made playoffs Buying out Brown, who signed a deal with the Knicks amid much hoopla last July, taking over what he then called a "dream job," could cost the team as much as $40 million. Brown wanted the team to overhaul the roster that Thomas had assembled and feuded openly with star Stephon Marbury. The coach perplexed his players and eventually lost their support by constantly switching lineups and rotations, never quite settling on any set combination over the course of the 82-game season. His penchant for making thinly veiled criticisms of his players through the media irked his players nearly as much as it bothered the team's corporate owners at Cablevision. Despite the players' and management's strangely rosy pronouncements on the day after the season ended, all was certainly not well inside the franchise. One of Brown's final moves that left several key people scratching their heads was his use (or non-use) of Steve Francis and Jalen Rose after they were acquired at midseason. Brown received a $7 million buyout with the Pistons in July 2005 after Detroit owner Bill Davidson also came to the realization that he'd be better off with a different coach. The divorce of the Pistons and Brown also turned into a bitter breakup. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Well, I guess I would be one of the 700 to buy this if it came out, I happen to dig TF very much -- especially his work on the JJ Mosaic is very cool. Sorry, at this point, I've lost all interest in Hill.

Charles Lloyd Quartet: Of Course Of Course. Sorry, it's doesn't a thing for me; one of those cds that musically, just sits there.

Oh yeah! Bags' Groove is so cool -- especially dig Nat Adderley's solo with Tootie Heath doing those rim-shots underneath. Oh HECK YEAH!

J.J. Johnson Mosaic: Disk 5. I know that Bobby Jaspar is getting a lot of love for his playing on this set, but for me, Tommy Flannagan is wonderfull, and is working his way into my heart. What a touch!

Gee Hans, that was a quick exit. I've been wondering where you've been lately?

J.J.Johnson:J.J.!

From the Onion, of course Mad Lit Professor Puts Finishing Touches On Bloomsday Device June 14, 2006 DUBLIN—Professor Hanlon O'Faolin, once called "mad" at the Royal Irish Academy for attempting to reanimate the traditional body of Celtic folktales with the power of elcectic multilingual puns, is readying his apoplectic Bloomsday Device for activation on June 16. "Yes! Yes, they laughed at me yes but now yes I will make them pay and yes!" O'Faolin wrote in a letters to the Irish Times, promising the destruction of Dublin on the same day portrayed in Joyce's Ulysses. "When the sun first strikes the Martello Tower, the first notes of 'The Rose of Castille' shall ring out, the streets shall run with rashers, kidneys, and sausages, and I shall forge in the smithy of Dublin's soul the uncreated conscience of my race!" Dublin police say they are working around the clock from profiles to create a portrait of the professor as a crazy man.

Well, the temption was too great when I went to Best Buy to get me a carrying case for my laptop last night. I saw Sgt. Bilko for $31.00 and went ahead and bought it, and I'm enjoying it immensely -- outstanding transfer, never seen the episodes look so clear. The humor still holds up well after all these years, and I enjoy the slower camera work on these old-time sitcoms. Haven't looked at the extras yet, I'm not big on extras since I rarely watch them, once and done for me. If you like 50's tv, this is a must buy. It'll hold you over until the full season sets come out.

Has there ever been a worse release from a major band that The Shit Hits the Fan? It was a cassette only release, I bought it and it was nothing but the 'Mats being drunk, playing covers timing in at one minute!

Thanks for the imput Dave. Looks like the '75 Series and Sgt. Bilko for my vacation.

Kind of makes sense that DeJohnette would be on for this one -- I mean, any drummer wanting to pay tribute to Williams is going be sky-high and intense. DeJ & Goldings are really hooked up to each other on this one.

This is an excellent album. "Dark Matter" is probably my favorite PTree tune: Dark matter flowing out on to a tape Is only as loud as the silence it breaks Most things decay in a matter of days The product is sold the memory fades Crushed like a rose In the river flow I am I know Guy WOW!! Dark Matter is a mother of a song!!!

I have to agree with everyone: This is a great cd; a lot of fire and outstanding music thoughtout the two cds. DeJohnette gets my vote as the outstanding player in the trio, he's seems to be on fire on every song, and is the driving force for the trio. Goldings is, as always the B-3 master. Scofield is also very good, though to my ears, he gets a little to coy in his playing at times eg. As One/Allah Be Praised/Saudades section strikes me as meandering. But, putting that aside, a smoking cd that is well worth the money spent.

I've been thinking of getting the Sgt. Bilko DVD, but I'm afraid that I buy it, then the full season DVDs come out. BTW CBS should be releasing the full-seasons for this classic sitcom. Anyone have the just released one? Is it worth getting?

Whew! In the past I've always done my order at once, but as the '75 World Series is coming out on DVD tomorrow (hey c'mon, I really need it. ) I went ahead and ordered a couple of discs a few days ago. Glad to hear the other codes will do the trick! I didn't know that the '75 Series was coming out I'll have to get a copy for when I go on vacation. The only downside of that Series was astroturf and how ugly Riverside Stadium looked.

Stopped in at Tower's tonight and told myself: "Matthew, you're here just to look so traffic can thin out." Walked out with: Porcupine Tree - Signify & Jack DeJohnette/Larry Goldings/John Scofield: Saudades (on sale $20). *sigh*

I had been wondering what price most retailers were selling this set at. Is $98 fairly average? Most retailers with the set seem to sell in the $75-80 range. Tower currently lists it online for $77.99 ($4 off list!). Some unfortunate soul paid $239 on ebay a couple years ago. To make the price official: I was at Tower tonight and the price is $81.99.

Given all of the yourmusic folks here we could probably start an Entertainment Weekly Corner. I must admit, I *almost* look forward to it's arrival (not waiting by the mailbox mind you), and I don't even have cable tv. I just tipped Physical Graffiti over the top. I admit it, Entertainment Weekly was my Yourmusic choice.

Just for the heck of it, and because when I thought about, Kim Gordon is right! Taken from Entertainment Weekly (I know, but ). Led Zeppelin IV: "A real palate cleanser. Very California. Joni Mitchell influences all over the place on the guitar playing."

Stephen Ambrose's D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II. It's a very interesting read. I never realized how complex the invasion was (kinda thought, a couple of boats and there they were!), also a lot of sadness involved in reading the book -- the soldiers were so young, it's heartbreaking to read an excerpt from some GI's letter home, then read the footnote that he died in action . I know someone who was a GI and was part of the D-Day invasion (received a Purple Heart), I'm going to see if he cares to talk about it or not.

That is sooooo cooooool I 70's & 80's baseball.

Just curious: How's this going, are you getting money? Wondering because I've made a couple of CDU orders lately.