A Historic Collapse: The Mets held a seven-game lead with 17 to play and were caught looking ahead to the playoffs. What followed was among the worst collapses in history and one that revealed the weaknesses of the players, the manager and the general manager. Jose Reyes and his questionable -- and downright poor -- play summed up the the performance on the field. Manager Willie Randolph's mismanagement of the bullpen came to light more down the stretch. So did Omar Minaya's complete neglect of the roster's periphery. The Mets trotted out inexperienced and ineffective pitchers down the stretch, and the bullpen that Randolph had to deal with wasn't that good to begin with thanks to some questionable trades. What this means for the 2008 season remains to be seen, but it cost the Mets fans Lastings Milledge, another symbol of the collapse. He was dumped dealt to the Nationals for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider. more ›

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a water condition at Surf Ave. and West 8th St. in Brooklyn, a car vs. building at 49th St. and 5th Ave. in Manhattan, and a fatality with a person under a subway train at Sutter and Snediker Aves. in Brooklyn.
• The editors at The New York Times apologize for asserting that Presidential candidate Ron Paul was allied with white supremacists and the American Nazi Party.
• Racked notes that the much-anticipated Uniqlo sample sale was a total bust because everything had already been sold in a pre-sale to PR types and members of the press.

That’s right Knicks fans, it was four years ago today that Isiah Thomas came to town and boldly stated, "My only goal is to win the N.B.A. championship. In my mind, everything else is failure." more ›

The New York Knicks are the most entertaining team in the NBA. Not because of the team's play on the court, but because of the soap-opera-like drama that takes place off the court. During Knicks practice yesterday, Isiah Thomas said that he's not walking away from the team he created. "If there's one thing that I hope all of you know about me, or will learn about me, I fight 'til I die. It's not... more ›

It’s your fault. You may have thought that forking over a huge amount of money for a ticket gave you the right to boo the Knicks, but the coach disagrees. In a season that takes one bizarre turn after another, the latest tops them all, Isiah told the fans that the Knicks are losing because they boo. "We're missing layups because you're booing,” Isiah told some fans during last night’s loss. Right! Perhaps fans are... more ›

More trouble for the Knicks: Captain Stephon Marbury was missing from the morning shootaround in Phoenix, where the Knicks are set to play the Suns tonight. Marbury's apparent absence comes after coach Isiah Thomas may have told him he wouldn't be starting tonight and a Daily News article suggesting that the Knicks were thinking about a Starbury-less team in the future. Coming off a bad loss in Miami where Marbury threw the ball away in... more ›

As the city and state start to get to work on West Side redevelopment, the Mayor said that one entity won't be getting tax breaks if it moves. Mayor Bloomberg was asked if Madison Square Garden would continue to get $10.9 million in tax breaks if it moves West to the Farley Post Office building (that's what a map in the draft Environmental Impact Statement notes). Bloomberg decisively said, "Not if I'm mayor they won't. Madison Square Garden isn't going to move, and there's no reason to justify that." more ›

Reverend Al Sharpton is calling for a boycott of the Knicks unless coach and General Manager Isiah Thomas issues a formal apology for testifying that it was alright for black men to refer to black women as bitches. Thomas' distinction became public last month after a deposition was released in the sexual harassment suit of Anucha Browne Sanders. The female executive was suing the Knicks organization after she was fired while accusing the team, and Thomas, of sexually harassing her. Thomas testified that it was okay for black men to refer to black women as bitches, while he considered it less acceptable for white men to do so. Sharpton objected:

"We are calling on him to apologize because of what came out during the deposition . . . when he said it was all right for black men to call black women 'bitches.'"

Anucha Browne Sanders gets the cover treatment from the Post and Daily News after a jury believed that Knicks coach and president Isiah Thomas and that Madison Square Garden (the owner of the Knicks) were liable for sexual harassment. amNY, though, chose to put Isiah Thomas on its cover, with an inset of Knicks owner James Dolan, next to the headline "Rotten to the Court" - oh snap! more ›

Once again people will wonder about the decision-making of the folks in the Knicks organization: A jury has found Knicks president and coach Isiah Thomas and Madison Square Garden liable on six counts of sexual harassment. The charges were brought against Thomas and MSG by former marketing vice-president Anucha Browne Sanders, who alleged that Thomas acted inappropriately (swearing, making advances) and that management dismissed her complaints before firing her because of her complaints. The Thomas and the Knicks organization denied the hostile environment and said that Browne Sanders was fired because she was not competent. more ›

With the jury for the sexual harassment trial of Knicks president and coach Isiah Thomas and the rest of the Knicks organization continuing its deliberations for a third day, an interesting workplace question has been raised. Is swearing at the office okay? more ›

When you care enough to send the very best: Yesterday, it was revealed that former Knicks marketing intern Kathleen Decker sent a Hallmark card saying that having sex with NY Knick Stephon Marbury in his car was a terrible mistake. Decker testified on behalf of Madison Square Garden, who, along with Knicks president and coach Isiah Thomas, is being sued by Decker's former boss, Anucha Browne Sanders. more ›

The sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former Knicks executive finally offered up some soundbites from Knicks president and coach Isiah Thomas. And they weren't too good for the Knicks! more ›

Today, the defense cross-examined the former Knicks executive who is suing Knicks coach and president Isiah Thomas as well as Madison Square Garden management, claiming that she was sexual harassed. We'll have more about it tomorrow, but today, the judge presiding over the trial, U.S. District Judge Gerard Lynch urged lawyers to pick up the pace, saying, "I saw one juror nodding off this morning." more ›

Sports are always a big story in NYC, but yesterday's NY Post cover had three sports stories: The Yankees-Red Sox game, the Jets-Pats spying controversy, and the former Knicks executive's lawsuit from accusing coach Isiah Thomas and Madison Square Garden of sexual harassment. But the Knicks-MSG lawsuit was the only story with a photograph, and it was of Kathleen Decker, the former Knicks marketing intern who had sex with Stephon Marbury in 2005. more ›

Stephon Marbury turned in a typical performance during and after his testimony at the sexual harassment trial that pits former Knicks marketing executive Anucha Browne Sanders against Knicks president and coach Isiah Thomas. And by typical, we mean that he testified that when he first found out about the lawsuit, he "laughed" - "I meant it was more of a joke than anything" - and treated reporters to some singing when they questioned him. more ›

Certainly, it's her word against his word, but if former Knicks marketing vice-president Anucha Browne Sanders is telling the truth, the disorganized management of the Knicks suddenly makes sense! Browne Sanders, who had filed a sexual harassment suit against Knicks President and coach Isiah Thomas after being fired last year, testified in Manhattan federal court yesterday. She made a number of spectacular claims: That Thomas frequently called her a "bitch" and a "ho," that he didn't care about his sponsors or fans, and even said that he was in love with her. more ›

After Anucha Browne Sanders' lawsuit against Isiah Thomas and MSG came about last week, Courtney Prince, a former Ranger City Skater has stepped forward to tell her tale. Prince's lawsuit against the The Garden, filed in October 2004, claimed that she was sexually harassed and then fired after alerting others about her treatment. more ›

It didn’t look like a foul and Stephon Marbury certainly got the worst of it getting cut as a result of it, but it was called a foul and that made all the difference. Marbury was whistled for a blocking foul with 1.3 second remaining in the game and the Knicks leading by one. Brad Miller missed the first free throw, but the second went in and the game went into overtime where Sacramento prevailed 106-102. more ›

Apparently the Knicks have decided to embarrass themselves off the court for a change. GM Isiah Thomas has been accused of sexually harassing a female marketing executive who is no longer with the team. Anuche Browne Sanders claims that Thomas referred to her in a derogatory manner and made unwanted sexual advances on her. When she sought help from MSG President, Steve Mills, she was warned that Isiah would spread rumors about her. more ›