To: Isiah Thomas

From: Andrew Marchand

Re: MSG Censorship

CC: Greg Anthony

Dear Isiah:

Don’t further tarnish MSG Network’s credibility.

First, you sounded ridiculous saying that ESPN’s Greg Anthony shouldn’t criticize the Knicks because he once played for the team. Then you added that you would make sure Anthony never worked at MSG. Please!

All this does is further cement the image that MSG controls the comments of its announcers. While it is somewhat true, why emphasize it when MSG is trying to reinvent itself as a sports/entertainment hybrid?

While The Memo is not confident the new hodgepodge will work, MSG’s debut of “The 50 Greatest Moments at MSG” series was well produced, even if barely anyone saw its debut Tuesday.

It is ESPN’s SportsCentury meets VH1’s Behind the Music.

Unintentional or not, why disparage the people who work at MSG? Many are good at what they do and can’t stand James Dolan’s thought-control policies but are bounded by a paycheck. Isiah, you didn’t help the “new MSG” by emphasizing the oldest problem in the Dolan TV playbook.