Well if you need a definition for the phrase “Clutching at Straws”, this story will certainly clear it up for you.
As we know, Phil Jackson can’t breathe without drawing some sort of criticism. Whether it’s his “One foot out of the door” aura or his inability to detach from the Triangle, Jackson is getting his fair share of criticism and then some.
But Jackson’s confidant Charley Rosen has a source for all the criticism. Jeff Van Gundy.
Last week in “Today’s Fastbreak,” Jax’s long-time confidante/PR operative Charley Rosen writes: “Ah, but there’s another reason why so many among the New York media are always ready and willing to dump on Jackson: Their foolish loyalty to another Knicks coach. That would be the long departed, power playing Jeff Van Gundy.”
He said none of the critics have “the slightest idea” of how the triangle works. “And (they) couldn’t differentiate between a screen/roll and a kaiser roll.”
Reading Rosen’s “assault” on the media raised another issue. If his buddy had to go on an offensive against the media, what must Jackson think of the job the Knicks PR department is doing when it comes to defending him? With all the operatives the MSG PR machine has at its disposal, why does Jax even need Rosen to serve as his attack dog?
Bob Raissman, who wrote this report, pretty much found it all laughable and so do I.
How did he get to JVG as the source? I’m trying to imagine Van Gundy going to several people in the NY media asking them to take shots at Phil Jackson, it doesn’t make sense. The American sports media is a swarm, if one person goes to one story then the national media follow, JVG doesn’t point at Jackson and shouts “Attack!”. It doesn’t make sense.
