New York Knicks owner and Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan recently accused a disappointed fan of being an alcoholic and the bane of his family after the fan accused Mr. Dolan of making poor business decisions with the franchise.
In an email exchange first reported by Deadspin, Irving Bierman criticized Mr. Dolan over decisions made during his tenure as owner of the Knicks, which began in 1999.
“At one stage I thought that you did a wonderful thing when you acquired EVERYTHING from you dad. However, since then it has been ALL DOWN HILL,” the fan wrote Mr. Dolan. “As a knicks fan for in excess of 60 years, I am utterly embarased by your dealings with the Knicks. Sell them so their fans can at least look forward to growing them in a positive direction Obviously, money IS NOT THE ONLY THING. You have done a lot of utterly STUPID business things with the franchise. Please NO MORE.”
In his emailed response, Mr. Dolan suggested Mr. Bierman start rooting for the Brooklyn Nets, the Knicks’ crosstown rival.
“Why would anybody write such a hateful letter. I am.just guessing but ill bet your life is a mess and you are a hateful mess,” he wrote. “What have you done that anyone would consider positive or nice. I am betting nothing. In fact ill bet you are negative force in everyone who comes in contact with you. You most likely have made your family miserable. Alcoholic maybe. I just celebrated my 21 year anniversary of sobriety. You should try it. Maybe it will help you become a person that folks would like to have around. In the mean while start rooting for the Nets because the Knicks dont want you. Respectfully James Dolan.”
A Madison Square Garden representative confirmed to ESPN that the emailed response was written by Mr. Dolan.
Mr. Bierman, 73, said he has no intention of ever rooting for the Nets.
“We thought maybe [Mr. Dolan] would admit he made some mistakes,” Mr. Bierman’s son, Aaron, said in a phone interview with ESPN. “Instead, he confirmed some of the worst things that fans think of him.”
The Knicks, which have won just one playoff series in the past 14 years, is 10-41 this season under rookie head coach Derek Fisher.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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