Charles Oakley admitted to drinking before Wednesday’s incident at Madison Square Garden, and Knicks owner James Dolan’s said he believes the former Knicks star has a drinking problem.
Advertisement
Some blame the fact that NY is a big media market as a reason why the team has struggled.
Oakley said the Knicks have yet to reach out to him, and while he isn’t sure what it will take to get on good terms with owner James Dolan and the front office, he still considers himself a part of the Knicks family.
“You hear the chants, ‘We want Oakley, ‘ you feel so much support behind Charles and this T-shirt campaign is the flawless opportunity and best way for fans to show their support, ” Hazan told The Post.
Charles Oakley was not a scoring or stat machine when he played for the Knicks but he was the inspirational leader and toughness of the team.
The night Oakley got into a shoving match with security at MSG and was ejected and then arrested, the Knicks issued a statement saying they thought his behavior was inappropriate and they “hope he gets help”.
Oakley once again asserted that he never said anything to Dolan before being escorted out of the arena. 10 years Oak gave everything he had for this organization and the image everyone will be left with won’t be this picture. “My thing is, I feel sorry for the fans because those fans like me, and they appreciate me and I appreciate them”.
SI’s legal expert, Michael McCann, wrote an article following up and tried to answer whether or not Oakley could actually sue Dolan for defamation, libel, or slander.
Oakley has lobbied for years to be a goodwill ambassador for the team, like other Knicks greats such as John Starks and Allan Houston, but has been rebuffed, sources said. “I don’t know if this ire is partly about this season but respecting the Knicks’ past”. “Oakley’s frustration is what Knicks fans have been feeling since 1999”. “But right now, while he’s still in the middle of the deal and he’s doing that job, I’m staying out”. For the Knicks, this is just another sad episode for a team that can’t get out of its own way. “I am not going to weigh in on those things that I said I wouldn’t weigh in on”. Dolan told Kay that he wishes his relationship with Oakley was not contentious and that he could honor Oakley for his years as a Knick. Dolan said he ceded complete control of basketball operations to Jackson when he signed him.
Advertisement
They chanted “We want Oakley”, “Free Oakley” and they screamed “Fire Dolan” all through the loss.
