Spike Lee will be on First Take this morning to discuss incident last night

[cgmw]

Hmmm let’s see...

• Petty
• Classless
• Rash
• Inflammatory
• Poor timing
• Tawdry
• Superficial
• Overshadowing players
• Overshadowing Leon on his first day

Quintessential Dolan. Celebrities don’t come to the Garden any more, and the mystique is dying.

Clearly because the Knicks are a lotto team....

If Leon puts together a winning product, everything changes.

On the bright side, opposing players aren’t getting as hyped as they used to. I’ve been going to games since 1985, and there’s something about the mystique that’s just kind of gone. And at this point, it’s not just gone. It’s long gone.

[G_K_F]

People love to point out the effect while conveniently ignoring the cause. Dolan is the CEO. His job and the job of whoever is head of Corporate Communications is to avoid situations like this. Let’s get to the root of the problem. It was a miscommunication that could have been avoided with a most notable customer. Who spends a ton of money there. Send him an email beforehand. No issue!

Dolan is someone who has never had to work for anything in his life. He’s also a narcissist with a giant ego, a volatile temper and extremely thin skinned. Not a great combo of things to be when you have a big responsibility - just look at our President.

So him wanting to things his way instead of the conventional way is another ‘my way or the highway’ Dolan/Trump mentality that usually falls flat on its face.

[JXL]

That's because Dolan doesn't go to their hockey games. That says it all.

I don’t think people realize the love affair dolan has for basketball. It’s never going to be analogous to his care for the rangers. he’s a showbiz guy and basketball is a glamour sport.

That's the thing, i'm not even sure if he likes the sport itself. He just likes the idea of owning the knicks. That said, if i was him i would've sold years ago. Where's the appeal of being hated by just about everyone who roots for your team? I’m sure he has access to celebrities with his other entertainment ventures. This stuff will never end as long as he’s owner. It’s absurd.

It's the money factor. NBA owners make a ton of it. Dolan makes double that with the Knicks cause its NY and the Garden still holds huge value. He doesn't care if he's the most hated owner, as long as he's rolling in that green.

[Jay10]

The only takeaway I got here is...Leon Rose is not allowing any one except employees to use the employee entrance at MSG. Spike didn't get the memo because it was decided that morning. This is what happens when there is no communications from the FO. This hasn't changed in all these years...I dare say yet because I know better...

Dolan clearly states in the statement Spike was told repeatedly to not use the employee entrance, but instead use the VIP entrance.

[Knicksfan1992]

Considering the amount of money he spends and his status as damn near Knicks ambassador and in-game mascot. The change in policy should have been communicated to him ahead of time. If anything, to avoid this current embarrassing situation.

Ask yourself this. Could you see this happening to Jack Nicholson at the Staples Arena? To Drake at ScotiaBank up north? They would have been taken care of. The policy would have been privately communicated to them to avoid this.

We probably wouldn't hear about it on First Take the next day from those 2 either

So you’re annoyed by someone exercising their right to free speech? You’re annoyed by First Take exercising their right to freedom of press? You ruffled cuz this messes up your feel good win and Leon Rose’s first day?

How many times has Dolan exhibited horrible timing that has embarrassed the Knicks. He is the person who should be drawing everyone’s ire here. This could have been avoided with a simple Corporate Communications generated email.

I'm annoyed that someone exercised their freedom of speech to provide a distraction for my favorite team that didn't need to be made because it was filled with clearly a slanted point of view that has been proven false.

Instead of both sides cleaning their hands of this small inconvenience we now have a national pr mess because one party made themselves look dumber running to the press.

Hiding behind freedom of speech doesn't apply here when that speech was littered with BS.

[HerSports85]

I just can’t ... both of these idiots are making LaVar look sane, today, Over Dolan and Spike at this point. Both can go paint their faces together. Freaking clowns

[Clyde Frazier]

I don’t think people realize the love affair dolan has for basketball. It’s never going to be analogous to his care for the rangers. he’s a showbiz guy and basketball is a glamour sport.

That's the thing, i'm not even sure if he likes the sport itself. He just likes the idea of owning the knicks. That said, if i was him i would've sold years ago. Where's the appeal of being hated by just about everyone who roots for your team? I’m sure he has access to celebrities with his other entertainment ventures. This stuff will never end as long as he’s owner. It’s absurd.

When you’re that rich you can afford to live in your own bubble. Between his media gag orders and yes men, dolan has created a billion dollar empire of delusion. You can’t view anything he does in rationale terms. This is an unhinged, petty, sad excuse for a human being.

I know someone who worked for McKinsey when they were working with the knicks. He said interacting with dolan was very awkward and it was like talking to a 60 year old child. Sounds about right.

[mpharris36]

Told y'all Dolan wasn't going to let Spike slide about him not shaking Dolan's hand.

Read on Twitter

they screenshoted a poor quality picture...

[newyorker4ever]

Read on Twitter

Already being received very well by the star players in the league.

But the James Dolan coalition are going to come and say, oh Donovan Mitchell is a chucker anyways we dont want him. SMH!

They don't understand that this bad publicity will reach the potential free agents. They don't want to deal with this nonsense ,man.

Yep and thank you Spike Lee for hurting the Knicks chances at getting free agents even more then it already was just because you feel like since you buy court side tickets for the last 30 years means you can do anything you want at MSG. Thanks for taking it to ESPN when something so simple could of been fixed behind closed doors. You and your brother Oakley can have something to talk about now. He just hurt the Knicks even more with this crap. Dolan tried to talk to him like men do and he wouldn't even talk about it with him but the next day you're on First Take with the 2 biggest Dolan/Knicks haters there are. SMDH

[PORZINGAAAWDD]

The CYCLE CONTINUES WUUUU TANG WUUU TANGGG

[G_K_F]

A successful company needs to have good leadership that employees believe in.

Knicks employees walk around on egg shells and try to basically work around Dolan’s incompetence, hoping that they can pull off a miracle. Unfortunately you need to have a good leader and be on the same page as an organization top to bottom. We don’t have that and never will with James L Dolan as majority owner.

[KnicksFan7]

This whole thing is a non-story. Everyone is getting all worked up over nothing. The guy went through an employee entrance that he wasn't supposed to go into - for this game. He wasn't banned. He still saw the game.

This is just typical NY, and national, media drumming up garbage. Anytime we have something good happen, something small turns into a fiasco. MSG could have shut down a single urinal in the bathroom last night and the headlines would have read, "PeeGate -Dolan Refuses To Let Fans Use Restrooms."

Quite frankly, he sounded ridiculous this morning. Max and Stephen A. saw it and ran with it. Trash reporting.

[G_K_F]

That's the thing, i'm not even sure if he likes the sport itself. He just likes the idea of owning the knicks. That said, if i was him i would've sold years ago. Where's the appeal of being hated by just about everyone who roots for your team? I’m sure he has access to celebrities with his other entertainment ventures. This stuff will never end as long as he’s owner. It’s absurd.

When you’re that rich you can afford to live in your own bubble. Between his media gag orders and yes men, dolan has created a billion dollar empire of delusion. You can’t view anything he does in rationale terms. This is an unhinged, petty, sad excuse for a human being.

I know someone who worked for McKinsey when they were working with the knicks. He said interacting with dolan was very awkward and it was like talking to a 60 year old child. Sounds about right.

Yes. I also spoke with someone who worked for McKinsey and they told me he literally ignored all the advice they gave him and hired Steve Mills in 2014.

[2010]

We probably wouldn't hear about it on First Take the next day from those 2 either

So you’re annoyed by someone exercising their right to free speech? You’re annoyed by First Take exercising their right to freedom of press? You ruffled cuz this messes up your feel good win and Leon Rose’s first day?

How many times has Dolan exhibited horrible timing that has embarrassed the Knicks. He is the person who should be drawing everyone’s ire here. This could have been avoided with a simple Corporate Communications generated email.

I'm annoyed that someone exercised their freedom of speech to provide a distraction for my favorite team that didn't need to be made because it was filled with clearly a slanted point of view that has been proven false.

Instead of both sides cleaning their hands of this small inconvenience we now have a national pr mess because one party made themselves look dumber running to the press.

Hiding behind freedom of speech doesn't apply here when that speech was littered with BS.

Stop ignoring the cause here. Get to the root of the issue. It could have been avoided if the Knicks were ran like a competent and functional organization. A simple email to a notable customer to inform him of an incoming change in policy ensures this never happens.

You are just being childish and angry your tea party got interrupted. So you are mad at Spike, instead of being mad at the guy who’s job it is to prevent things like this from happening.

You are refusing to be upset with the guy who has a track record for horrible timing, continual dysfunction, and perpetual poor execution.

What you are doing is shooting the messenger. That’s childish.

[HerSports85]

Read on Twitter

[PORZINGAAAWDD]

Don’t worry guys we will still land Free agents despite this. We got the secret weapon to landing Kevin Durant on our roster still. ALONZO MOTHAFUGGIN TRIER BABY. Haha this org is a joke

[Tron Carter]

When you’re that rich you can afford to live in your own bubble. Between his media gag orders and yes men, dolan has created a billion dollar empire of delusion. You can’t view anything he does in rationale terms. This is an unhinged, petty, sad excuse for a human being.

I know someone who worked for McKinsey when they were working with the knicks. He said interacting with dolan was very awkward and it was like talking to a 60 year old child. Sounds about right.

Yes. I also spoke with someone who worked for McKinsey and they told me he literally ignored all the advice they gave him and hired Steve Mills in 2014.

Remember Dave Hopla?

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-mckinsey-consultants-james-dolan-dave-hopla-20190802-jphstd2a4rh4zg3vencujic24u-story.html

I think Macri from the KFS pod gives the best perspective of the toxic environment that infests the garden. It’s of note because it comes from the perspective of a true fan of the team with media credentials rather then the (sometimes) agenda-driven ny media. The culture issue is real and palpable no matter how anybody wants to spin it.

[KnicksFan7]

So you’re annoyed by someone exercising their right to free speech? You’re annoyed by First Take exercising their right to freedom of press? You ruffled cuz this messes up your feel good win and Leon Rose’s first day?

How many times has Dolan exhibited horrible timing that has embarrassed the Knicks. He is the person who should be drawing everyone’s ire here. This could have been avoided with a simple Corporate Communications generated email.

I'm annoyed that someone exercised their freedom of speech to provide a distraction for my favorite team that didn't need to be made because it was filled with clearly a slanted point of view that has been proven false.

Instead of both sides cleaning their hands of this small inconvenience we now have a national pr mess because one party made themselves look dumber running to the press.

Hiding behind freedom of speech doesn't apply here when that speech was littered with BS.

Stop ignoring the cause here. Get to the root of the issue. It could have been avoided if the Knicks were ran like a competent and functional organization. A simple email to a notable customer to inform him of a coming change in policy makes this never happen.

You are just being childish and angry your tea party got interrupted. So you are mad at Spike, instead of being mad at the guy who’s job it is to make sure things like this don’t happen.

You are refusing to be upset with the guy who has a track record for horrible timing, continual dysfunction, and perpetual poor execution.

What you are doing is shooting the messenger. That’s childish.

I work for a very large sports organization. I can tell you right now, no celebrity comes in through the employee entrance. They get escorted through VIP by security.

As much as we might "idolize" these people as special, they are nothing but season ticket holder #19390. To think they're anything more is foolish on our part and their part.

[HerSports85]

It’s this simple. Anyway done with this. I’m extremely annoyed

Read on Twitter

[Chanel Bomber]

Read on Twitter

Dolan might be right about the facts but this is so unprofessional. It reminds me of Dan Gilberts Comic Sans letter. It’s impulsive and immature. I don’t think Dolan is a child. Dolan is a teenager. Or he’s forever chasing his teenage years. It’s embarrassing. I knew he would clap back instead of diffusing the situation.