Here we go again.

Consider this the first Knicks-griping post of the 2002-03 season. Said season hasn’t even started yet, of course, and we’ve already lost Sprewell for six weeks. Bleah. Update: And it’s already getting worse. Apparently Kurt Thomas has been arrested for hitting his wife. Bleah Bleah.

So long, Ew.

After seventeen years in the league, longtime Knicks center Patrick Ewing calls it quits. So long, big fella. You earned a break, despite what all the haters have to say. (I still think if Riley had benched Starks in Game 7, the no title albatross wouldn’t be a factor, but ah well.)

Turn and face the strain.

I’ve definitely been in a work hole, ’cause I’m just now finding out that Jerry Stackhouse got traded to the Wizards yesterday. I dunno…I personally think Whackhouse is suspect with regards to shot selection, and without Ben Wallace to clean up the boards, that means a lot of turnovers. In more serious news, ‘Zo’s kidney condition has worsened, and it looks like he’s on the verge of missing another season.

Waking Up from the Dream Team.

For those who dismissed the international presence in the 2002 NBA Draft, are you listening now? America loses to Yugoslavia 81-78, and now will not medal in the World Championships. That’s just pathetic. I didn’t happen to catch this game, but from what I’ve heard it was more of the same – a lot of hastily jacked threes and a complete lack of team D.

Don’t Cry for them, Argentina

As I’m writing this, the US basketball team is down 9 to Argentina with 10 seconds to go, meaning they’re about to lose their first international game since the 1992 Dream Team…Yep, 87-80, it’s over. Wow. Guess we shoulda seen this coming when they made George “the choke artist” Karl head coach.

Yao’s Trial By Fire.

#1 pick Yao Ming looks decent in yesterday’s US-China matchup, going for 13 and 11 in a 30 point loss. More to the point, he didn’t let Antonio Davis dunk on him, which should bolster his ego a bit coming into his first NBA season.

Trade Winds Blowing.

Many NBA trades went down in my absence, including Miller to the Clips, Big Dog to the Hawks, and – the biggest – Mutombo to NJ for Van Horn. While that’s a great pickup for Jersey (and losing Van Horn is addition by subtraction), I’m actually kinda glad the Knicks-Mutombo trade fell through. Much as I’d love to see Travis Knight off the roster, I gotta think Kurt Thomas has more upside than Mutombo these days. I’d say Mutombo’s probably a season or a slight injury away from looking Ewing-tired. We’ve already been down that road with Glen Rice and Mark Jackson.

Gotham Makeover.

ESPN tries to reinvent the Knicks. Houston for Van Horn sounds better than any of the Sprewell trades I’ve been hearing.

Gentle Giant or Ivan Drago?

The NBA and the Houston Rockets try to figure out how to market Yao Ming. Looks like Agassi’s just psyched Yao doesn’t play tennis.

Vinsanity.

In the first big NBA deal since draft day, the Celtics trade underachieving head case PG Kenny Anderson for underachieving head case F Vin Baker. I dunno…but I’ll wager it was a terrible call for the Celts. I would have stuck with Rodney Rodgers, but perhaps Baker can turn it on in the East. At any rate, thank goodness the Knicks didn’t end up with him.