A New York federal court jury just found that Knicks general manager and head coach Isiah Thomas sexually harassed a former team vice president, and that his Madison Square Garden superiors allowed it to go on and then fired the V.P. after she complained to them about it. (A pre-emptive warning: pretty much every link herein has language and content unsuitable to many.)

The headline above is a major understatement. Training camp starts this week, as with all NBA teams, and the Knicks are in the toilet.

It's hard to think of another pro sports organization that's come off looking worse than this trial made the Knicks look. And that's saying a lot, with all the franchises tainted by steroid allegations and failed drug tests and defensive coach signal-stealing. Treating women who work for the team, from cheerleaders to interns to executives, like dirt, makes all of that pale in comparison. According to reports of the testimony in the trial, that's exactly what went on constantly, and the offenders extend from players like Stephon Marbury, to Thomas, right to the very top, chairman James Dolan. Check the tons of coverage from the various New York papers: Newsday, the Times, the Daily News, the Post.

And as a bonus, Thomas did a video deposition that not only hurt his defense, but did severe damage to the perpetually-damaged reputation and image of black men all over America. A personal note to Isiah, a Hall of Fame player, an engaging personality and informative interview and probably target of slightly-exaggerated criticism over his coaching and GM work over the years: Speak for yourself. You don't speak for me, or the millions of other men who don't regularly refer to our women as "b-----s'' under any circumstances. By the way, Don Imus is sending you a case of champagne. I guess you know why.

I mean, dammit, we have to answer questions about Michael Vick all year, and now this?

I probably wouldn't care that much more about this than about any of the other sordid incidents taking place all year long, except that the Knicks were my first favorite team when I was a kid, the Frazier-Reed-Bradley-Red Holzman Knicks. Even after becoming a Bullets fan, I wasn't going to let go of the Knicks. And, of course, full disclosure, I covered them in the mid-90s when Riley, Ewing, Starks and Mase played. If this sort of culture was going on back then, I don't know of anyone who was aware of it. Then again, Dolan and his cronies hadn't taken over yet. Ewing may have been dogging it up at the Gold club in years past, but as far as anyone knew this wasn't going on in-house, with stars and interns.

Thus, the Knicks take a late lead as the most repulsive pro sports franchise in the land. But it's only October.