These are dark times, with very little hope going around to lift our spirits. But there might be a tiny sliver of good news on the horizon. According to Marc Berman of The Post, bitter rivals James Dolan and Charles Oakley are being ordered into mediation by federal appeals court.
“The mediation is scheduled to take place via telephone on March 31, and both Dolan and Oakley must participate,” per Berman.
So it’ll be over the phone, eh? That makes sense. Oakley once famously slapped Charles Barkley during a Players Association meeting. If I were on his bad side, I’d want to avoid face-to-face meetings as well.
This is will be a legal mediation rather than a real burying of the hatchet, and feelings are still raw on both sides. Dolan once implied that Oakley had an alcohol problem, and Oakley referred to MSG as “a plantation” after Dolan feuded with Oakley’s buddy, Spike Lee.
If I were Dolan, though, I’d use this as an opportunity to calm Oakley down and move past this feud. Even if you see Dolan as the wronged party, it’s plain to see that most NBA people side with Oakley, and the whole thing has been a PR nightmare for the Dolan and the Knicks.
Let’s end this feud, guys. We could all use a little positive vibes right about now.