Knicks Fans Love Affair With Mike D'Antoni Lasts Three Quarters

After what seemed like four decades of frustration with managerial incompetence, New York Knicks fans were finally liberated from the shackles of the Isiah Thomas Era and were rewarded with the free-wheeling Mike D'Antoni, a guy with actual playoff wins on his resume. Everything is going to be fine! They even won their first game! Too bad they couldn't make it through the entire thing without half the crowd turning on him and the coach responding by calling them all assholes. Only 81 more games to go! As you might imagine, the root of the problem lies with Stephon Marbury who (along with Isiah's other "prime" acquisition Eddy Curry) did not play in the home opener. And not because he didn't want to. D'Antoni wants to do what's "best for the future" and that maybe means benching his aging, overpriced, and disgruntled point guard. That didn't sit well with Starbury fans who began chanting his name with the Knicks ahead in the second half.

With some in the Garden crowd surprisingly chanting "We Want Steph" with 11:10 remaining in the fourth (others booed the chant), a stewing D'Antoni was caught on MSG Network cameras Wednesday in a tirade, mouthing: "You've got to be (bleeping) kidding me. You've got to be (bleeping) kidding me. What a bunch of (bleep) holes."

Bleeping! That's bad, right? D'Antoni apologized, of course, and offered a reasonable explanation for the outburst—fans are dumb:

"Sometimes I don't think the fans quite get it," D'Antoni said. "It's like who you draft. They're going to boo. When you make a big decision, someone's going to like it, someone's not. You'll hear from the people who don't. "Did I look exasperated?" D'Antoni added. "I was into the game. You get so much adrenaline at that point and you react. I'm into the game, into the moment. Sometimes I can be better than that. I'll make mistakes. I'll do better."

Well, that should make the notoriously patient and forgiving New York fans rest easy. He'll get better! They probably can't even imagine a situation in which it would get worse, right? • Mike And Mike Need To Keep It Together [Deuce of Davenport] • Lip Readers and Idle Star Put D’Antoni on Hot Seat [NY Times]