The New York Knicks are in the final stages of contract negotiations with Mike Woodson and are expected to make him their coach in the coming days, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told ESPNNewYork.com.

The deal could be announced as soon as the end of this week, according to the source.

“They’re just waiting on paperwork,” the source said.

“The job’s his,” a second source familiar with negotiations said. “It’s just a matter of time.” (Ian Begley – ESPN New York)

Personally, I’m happy about the move. The team responded to Woodson and his style which is evident by their 18-6 record after he took over. If the team is happy with a coach then why try to bring in someone else because of his history.

Yes, it’s Phil Jackson arguably the best coach in history but is that the kind of distraction that the Knicks needed? Who knows if the team would have responded to him, specifically Carmelo Anthony. You know the guy who really runs the Knicks.

“I’m hopeful he’s back,” Anthony said earlier this month. “There’s no need to try to change it up now. I’m a big believer in sticking with what you have.”

We’ll see how it plays out but I’m content. Woodson has had success his entire career, making the playoffs four out of his six and a half seasons of coaching. So let’s see what he can do with the Knicks especially if he can get some pieces that fit his system.

One of the biggest questions in my mind was about his resignation. With the Knicks being 18-24 at the time of his departure and all the internal turmoil you had to wonder if it was a resignation or a forced resignation.

SI.com: It was pretty consistently reported that you quit and were not fired. But there is still some doubt because what you did was unusual. “Quitting” almost always means “fired.” So which is it?

M.D.: I absolutely resigned. I was in my car driving to shootaround and it just came to me. That’s it. It’s inevitable. I have to resign. We’re not going anywhere. I made the decision then and there. I called Glen [Grunwald, the Knicks' general manager] and told him that I was coming in to do it. Then I called Laurel [his wife] to tell her. Glen called in Mr. Dolan [Knicks owner James Dolan] and I met them after shootaround and told them that I was resigning. (SI.com)

In early March we all knew it was D’Antoni or Carmelo Anthony would have to go. It had gotten so bad that Mike went to management to try and get them to trade the face of the franchise. Unfortunately for him he was coaching in New York that that got out and blown up much more then it should be.

SI.com: Was the experience of coaching in New York more difficult than you thought?

M.D.: I’m not going to do any woe-is-me. There’s a lot of pressure but that’s why they pay you. It’s still a great job, and I think Woody [Woodson] will do a great job. It got to the point where we had problems, we could not solve them, and an obstacle had to be removed.(SI.com)

There’s more about the actual relationship with Carmelo.

SI.com: The widest-held theory is that you couldn’t get along with Carmelo Anthony, that any schism on the team, the report that you had “lost the team,” came from …

M.D.: I’m just not going to get into specifics. It came to the point that I had to resign, that’s all. It was time. We weren’t going anywhere and I was the coach.

SI.com: All right, a theoretical question. You’re a coach who likes an open floor, an active point guard, quick shots, pick-and-rolls, “dribble-ats,” lots of movement. Carmelo is a post-up player who needs the ball and demands the ball. He’s great but he kills the clock. Can that ever work? Was it doomed from the beginning?

M.D.: Look, I’ve coached players who post up. Heck, Amar’e [Stoudemire, a Knicks forward] has been a post-up player. We used to post up Boris Diaw a lot in Phoenix. There are always things that can be done by mixing it up. Now, was it the best situation for my coaching philosophy? No. But there’s never one answer for why things don’t work out.(SI.com)

Some think D’Antoni will head down to Orlando and take over now that Stan Van Gundy has been fired. Mike said he hasn’t been contacted by the Magic and isn’t even sure if he’s going to coach next season. If he does coach though I’d assume he tries to get Jeremy Lin to follow.

I’ve said all along Lin is a system point guard and Mike’s system him made him a star. Mike’s brother Dan pretty much backed that point up.

SI.com: When you decided to go to Jeremy Lin as your point guard, did you ever think he could be that good? And as it was happening, did you guys whisper among yourselves, “Man, this can’t go on forever”?

M.D.: Anyone who claims they saw this in Jeremy is kidding himself. But we liked him. We thought he could be good. And, then, when he started to be real good … of course it was surprising … but it somehow made sense. The things he does — he can get into the lane, he can shoot, he’s tough, he’s athletic, his confidence was growing and growing. It became almost logical that he was that good during that time.

D.D.: It comes down to this: Jeremy ran what Mike teaches really, really well.
(SI.com)

There’s a lot of other good stuff in there so I’d go check the piece out at Sports Illustrated. The biggest thing I took out of it is that D’Antoni wasn’t forced out he just couldn’t take the pressures of New York anymore and had to walk away.

“We’ll gauge it today and tomorrow, but I’m not counting on Jeremy Lin to play,” Woodson said on a conference call Monday. “So we’ve just got to continue where we’ve been in terms of guys in uniform. But I’m not counting on him to play. … That’s how it’s been here in the last month and a half and that’s how I’m preparing.” (ESPN New York)

I will give my fellow Knicks fans some hope though. Woodson has said “that’s how its been here in the last month and a half and that’s how I’m preparing”.

What I’m thinking is this. Even if Woodson knows that Jeremy Lin will play he’s not going to let the Miami Heat know it. Why give them a chance to prepare when his team is trying to climb out of a 3-1 hole?

Could this be the Knicks modern day Willis Reed moment? I know, I know it’s only the first round but could it be?

Have you noticed her last name is Mara? Yep, that’s right she’s part of the Mara family that owns the New York Football Giants. She’s the great-granddaughter of Giants founder Tim Mara. Wait though, I’m not done. Her mother is part of the Rooney family. So her great-grandfather on her mother’s side is Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney, Sr.

Here’s your sports links and then enjoy all the photos of this beauty.

Outside the Boxscore – Asian variety show contestant dresses up like Jeremy Lin (Video)
Ball Junkie – No Faith: Broncos Were Quietly Trying To Trade Tim Tebow Back In February
Camel Clutch Blog – WrestleMania XXVII – A Portrait in Wrestling History
Rant Sports – Video: Al Trautwig Reports Amare Stoudemire Is Out With Bulging Dick

Unathletic Mag – Cowboy Cheerleaders Model New Outfits for Dance
Complex Mag – John Grant, Jr. Scores What Could Be The Lacrosse Goal of the Year (Video)
Gunaxin – Batman Doesn’t Let Police Stop Him From Visiting Children in Hospital
No Guts, No Glory – Meanwhile in Brazil, police dogs are biting soccer players who argue with the referee

Black Sports Online – ESPN Reverses Course..Allows Employees To Speak on Trayvon Martin Tragedy
Guyism – 10 comic book superheroes who need their own movie
The Nosebleeds – The Bruins will star in a 1980s-themed sitcom entitled “The Bear & the Gang”
Sharapova’s Thigh – Video of the Marlins’ home run sculpture in action (WARNING: DO NOT WATCH ON SHROOMS)

The Knicks star guard, who’s been famously crashing on his big brother’s couch on the Lower East Side, is moving up in the world to the 20th floor of posh Trump Tower in downtown White Plains.

“Yes, he’s staying there,” a source within the building told The Post.

Lin is subletting from his former teammate on the Golden State Warriors, ex-Knick David Lee. The terms of the sub-lease have not been disclosed. (NY Post)

This could be just a short term stop for Lin as the Post reports that he’s still looking for his own place in the city, although he hasn’t ruled out his own place at the Tower.

Mike D’Antoni is not planning on having point guard Baron Davis before the All-Star break. The veteran point guard suffered a setback in his rehab from a herniated disc, the Knicks coach confirmed Monday morning.

“I think we had a little bit of a setback, safe to say, but I don’t know how bad,” D‘Antoni said. “”They (want him to rest) for three or four days to let it calm back down and if it calms down, we’ll pick up where he left off and go through the process of practicing.

“We’re still a week to ten days out when the process start, hopefully that’s tomorrow, but I don’t know.” (Knicks Knation – NY Daily News)

I’m kind of indifferent on this. Would I like to see Baron Davis on the court helping the Knicks get better? Of course. Do I think he’ll make enough of a difference to make this team a contender? Not a chance in hell.

So basically if he’s on the court that’s cool, if not whatever it’s no big deal.

There had been some “reports” that the Sixers had inquired about New York Knick star Amare Stoudemire’s availability. When contacted yesterday, Sixers president of basketball operations Rod Thorn said: “Nothing going on at this time. I don’t know where that stuff came from.” (Bob Cooney – Philly.com)

So it was all just pure selection but I tell you what. I’m pretty sure the contacted the Knicks to see what they’ve got going on. Thorn would only be doing his job to call each team and see what players could be available.

On the play, his man Tayshaun Prince got caught up in a pick at the three point line which freed Anthony along the baseline. Greg Monroe tried to come over on help defense but it was already to late as Melo was in the air on route to slamming one home.