10 Questions with Brandon Tierney

by Tommy Dee on June 3rd, 2009 at 9:21 am

BT was kind enough to allow me some time to ask him some questions about Lebron, the impact that Bill Cartwright had on his childhood, the Johnnies, his college baseball career and if he were a Mark Jackson or Derek Harper dude.

You can listen to Brandon every day on 1050 as well as peep The WheelHouse on SNY weekdays at 5:30.

Also, I’m pleased to announced that Anthony “Rice Balls” Donahue has joined the staff of TKB to host “TKB Radio.” You’ve heard me on his show out on Long Island in the past.  The first show will be this Friday night at 9 pm and we’ve secured BT as our first guest. Be prepared for some SERIOUS guests, and great Knick talk. Along with TKB.tv, we’re bringing you the Knicks from a multi-media standpoint like no other blog.
Tommy Dee: Your interview with Amar’e Stoudemire last week made some serious national noise and it appears that he may be shopped this off season.Rumors are swirling that Washington may be offering a package. Do you think Donnie Walsh can pull off a deal for Stoudemire?

Brandon Tierney: I think they will upgrade the roster this summer, yes…I think once Chris Bosh is dealt, things can happen fast, and the Knicks will be in a position to do something. I think Amare could be in play, and I also think Steve Nash could find a new address. Again, it’s early, and things change fast in the league, but I’d be very surprised if something of significance does not occur.

TD: Regardless of whether he lands Amar’e or not, it appears that Walsh is preparing for an active off season. How good should Knick fans feel that they have Walsh driving the bus?

BT: The organization’s in good hands, no question. Firstly, people trust Donnie, he has a lot of friends around the league for a reason: he’s good at what he does and he’s ethical. I like Donnie a lot, it just feels different, it feels right. Still, even with his resume, he’s never built a championship. Appreciable upgrade, sure, but he needs Gallo’s back to hold up, otherwise that’s a BIG swing and a miss, especially with no first round pick next season.

TD: On to Lebron. I’m on record saying that I feel he’ll be here in 2010. I think there is a distinguished branding quality that comes with Madison Avenue and it would be a sign of Lebron “growing up.” But we know it’s about championships too. What are your thoughts on the next 13 months as far as Lebron is concerned?

BT: I do not think he’ll be a Knick, never really have. That hometown pull is more powerful than most people realize; besides, he can always leave in 2013. Either way, even if they don’t land him, the organization is finally in a position to pursue other elite players. Either way, win/win. And no, I don’t think D  Wade’s coming either.

TD: My moles tell me you waved some glove at first base while at Marist. True or false?

BT: Yes, but unfortunately I also waved and flailed away at way too many breaking balls and change-ups in the dirt along the way.

TD: Your favorite Knicks moment:

BT: 1986-87 season: at the game with my Dad, and during halftime, like always, I raced to the tunnel to shake the players hands as they left the floor. Bill Cartwright, who was suffering thru another injury-plagued season, was getting crushed by the fans, and for some reason, it felt worse than normal, and he looked miserable as he trudged off the court. I kept yelling, “Bill, hey Bill, keep your head up, don’t listen to the fans, go get ‘em” over and over and over. Finally, after a few minutes, a cop strolls over, and as they often did, I expected to be told to clear the area and get back to my seat. Instead, I heard, “Hey kid, this is from Bill Cartwright.” As he said it, a white towel flies in my direction, and upon immediate inspection, I saw the following blue letters stamped on the side: NYK. It was Bill’s game towel. He actually heard me, and you better believe, every time I left the court during my CYO games that season (I was 13), that towel was draped over my shoulders. I’ll never forget that. <

TD: I saw on The Wheelhouse where you said Knick fans should consider Bernard King one of the greatest Knicks of all time. How good would King have been if he didn’t drop to the floor in Kansas City?

BT: Greatest offensive player in the history of the franchise; better than Patrick and Clyde and Willis. Offensively, the best. Ask yourself this: down two, clock ticking, and you need a bucket or a trip to the line, who’s your guy? Give me B King. I think it’s a shame he wasn’t in the NBA’s Top 50. Truly one of the great scorers in the history of the game, and that includes the ABA.

TD: I know you’re a big fan of golf and this is a question I’ve often asked. Who’s in your dream foursome?

BT: Well, I definitely need one of my buddies there, this way we can trace back and reminisce for years; give me Tiger and Phil. I’ll pair up with Lefty, my buddy takes Tiger, and we’ll play a Nassau, with me and Phil as teammates. It would be my only chance to beat Tiger Woods and enjoy his greatness simultaneously.

TD: You called play-by-play for St. John’s. Your thoughts on Lance Stephenson, yet another NYC All-American, spurning Queens.

BT: I think St. John’s straddled the very necessary line of attempting to land an elite talent with a ton of off-the-court baggage, but did so without selling their soul in the process; in the long run, they’re probably better off without him. Very strange saga, someone that good, still without a school. That’s a red flag to me. Still, he’s one of us, I grew up 5 miles from Coney Island, so I’m rooting for the kid.

TD: Back to the Knicks. Were you a Derek Harper or Mark Jackson guy?

BT: Respected the heck out of Harper: fierce, consistent, no-nonsense, fit that team well. Actually, if they beat the Rockets in ’94, he’s the Finals MVP, not Patrick. Still, Mark was a player I emulated in my backyard and during practice. Watching him grow up was a nice treat for a big-time SJU/Knicks fan from Brooklyn. He’s one of my Top 5-6 players of all time. For a guy who “couldn’t do a lot of things” boy, he sure did accomplish a lot.

TD: Okay, finally let’s talk draft. There are plenty of different scenarios that could present themselves, but if you’re Walsh who are you hoping is there for you at 8?

BT: I actually think the Knicks move up and jump off the 8 spot, and I really think Thabeet’s in play…
  • http://www.knickscity.com/forums/ny-knicks-news-articles/7836-q-bt-tkb.html#post79722 Q&a: Bt & tkb – New York Knicks City Forums

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  • impereal

    THABEET THABEET THABEET

    That’s my new intro line for EVERYONE out there that thinks THABEET would be a terrible pick for the knicks….the more I hear about donnie walsh being associated with drafting THABEET the better. As I have been repeating over and over and over again….CENTER is our biggest need. Someone who can defend the rim….BLOCK SHOTS or change some….THEN if we are able to buy a pick between 15-25 we pick up one of the 13 PG’s projected in this year’s draft.

  • Sergio

    I haven’t listened to Brandon Tierney since he defended Stephon Marbury, Jamal Crawford and Eddy Curry.

    He’s terrible.

  • Jeff Cykiert

    Just because we need someone to block shots doesn’t mean we should go out and draft a guy simply because he is great at blocking shots. ‘Shotblocker’ is not a position. I’d rather draft Jordan Hill, who is a big PF that succeeds on both defense and offense, and has shown the ability to block shots, than Thabeet, who is the most one-dimensional player in the lottery… This team strives on having multi-faceted players.

    Plus, we need our PG of the future and this looks like a good draft to snag one. Defense and blocked shots will come in time as we tweak the roster and add veterans, but there’s no reason to waist a top-ten pick on a complete gamble of a big-man who has pretty much no skills or outstanding athleticism… He just has the potential to be a big body to throw at someone, ESPECIALLY for the first few years. Knickerblogger has a poll asking whether he will average 10 points over his career! Think of Theo Ratliff and Sammy D… Not the kind of player we should be using our top-10 pick to develop.

    Some teams might want a project like that, but not these knicks.

  • Jack D

    So what if we need a Center. We need everything!! Draft best player available and thats the end of that.

  • Jeff Cykiert

    This draft is shallow for big men; we should stick with the guards.

    If we don’t draft a PG (Rubio, Curry or Holiday?…) than i hope we give a long look to DeRozan. He is one of those SG’s who is very big and strong for his position, with absolutely ridiculous athleticism. It’s hard to tell where he projects talent-wise, but those are the kinds of players that, if we mold them to the system and they improve their fundamentals, will turn our team into a nightmare (for other teams). Imagine 6-8 Chandler, 6-9 Harrington, 6-7 DeRozan, all over sized wing men who strive on the perimeter and create mismatch problems for every team we play. The only problem is DeRozan seems to not have much range, but that seems to be a common flaw among the super-athletic guards who get drafted. Jordan couldn’t shoot a 3 when he was young.

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