Thomas loses debut in FIU exhibition game

MIAMI (AP)—Isiah Thomas lost his coaching debut at Florida International on Wednesday night when Northwood, an NAIA school coached By Rollie Massimino, beat the Panthers 71-61 in an exhibition game.

Thomas, the Basketball Hall of Famer and most recently coach of the New York Knicks, faced Massimino, who coached Villanova to the 1985 NCAA title and is entering his fourth season at the West Palm Beach, Fla. school.

Lester Hunte scored 18 points for Northwood, while Patrick Horstmann had 13. Jay Duncan scored seven of his 10 points in the final minutes as Northwood pulled away.

Marvin Roberts and Phil Gary Jr. both scored 15 points for FIU, which opens the regular season Monday at No. 6 North Carolina, the defending NCAA champions.

40 Comments

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  1. give me a break
    40. Posted by give me a break Mon Nov 9 7:13pm EST

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    I really think that people should give him a cance before they write about him. Everybody has a few ghosts in their closet. Sometime you see them and sometimes you don't. Give the guy a break. Do you or anyone else know what happened in NY? Untill you have all the facts just keep your mouth shut.
  2. CHillyDoggy
    39. Posted by CHillyDoggy Mon Nov 9 3:45pm EST

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    What a clown this guy is! Hope we don't beat him so bad that he miscounts his sleeping pills again. EAT IT ZEKE, you are getting yours tonight and unfortunately, your kids will have to pay the price for you being a weasel.
  3. Coach  "B"
    38. Posted by Coach "B" Sat Nov 7 1:05am EST

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    Mr. Thomas will do good!!!
    For all that do not believe oh get over it!!!!!
    GO MR. THOMAS!!!!!
  4. Randy M
    37. Posted by Randy M Fri Nov 6 8:41pm EST

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    He's a loser,little man,punk?What's with all this hated?How can you call someone over 6 feet a little man?A multi-millionaire a losers?Let's look look over Isiah Thomas bio.Indiana Hoosiers NCAA National Championship,MOP Most Outstanding Player,NBA Career PPG 19.2 Playoff 20.4,MVP Final,Hall of Fame 2000,One of the 50 Greatest Player In NBA History,NBA All RookieTeam,12x All Star,US Olympian,Back to Back NBA Champion.Opps,I forgot the Detroit Piston took the time and expense to retire his #11 and hang his jersey in the Palace with all the other great players who play for the Detroit Piston to show their appreciation and recognition that Isiah Thomas rightly deserve.Well I guess you right NEAL and STEVE.A loser and a little short man.Heaven help us!
  5. <i>ckelly1st</i>
    36. Posted by ckelly1st Fri Nov 6 6:55pm EST

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    The day that little whiner called out Larry Bird is the day I lost allrespect for that little racist. The CBA ws around for 40 years until that lttle punk put them out of business in one year. Every single job he has had in the NBA he has screwed up. And lets not forget his sexual harassment problems and when he attempted suicide and told the media it was his daughter. This little @#$% threw his own daughter under the bus. He is a horrible little man. He will destroy that program in Florida like he has everything else he touches. Nobody in the league respects that chump. Douchebag loser.
  6. william
    35. Posted by william Fri Nov 6 2:50pm EST

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    Isiah is not as bad as everyone makes him out to be. Knick fans and the media were over the top and he has a bad rep for it. What can you do, no one really questions information they get and everyone thinks in a sheep like herd mentality.

    The fact is Isiah drafted some really good players and remade the roster. He also was able for a short while to get Stephon Marbury to play defense which was a miracle in and of itself.

    His mistakes were his poor trades that he made as a GM, where he gave away 2 draft picks for Eddie Curry. Although Eddie Curry became a strong offensive force under Thomas. He also made a lot of questionable deals and signings, overpaying for a lot of players.

    But to be fair to Isiah Thomas, the Knicks were a much worse team before he came on board and he made them more interesting after he got on. Had he been a little bit more careful when he was trading and signing, things might've been better. The fans though were acting really irresponsible, but that is true of NY fans in general.
  7. Michael B
    34. Posted by Michael B Fri Nov 6 8:55am EST

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    I hate Zeke, he's a moron and can't coach a game of wallball, but it's just a fact that he's one of the greatest players of all time. People love revisionist history...
  8. Robert
    33. Posted by Robert Thu Nov 5 6:19pm EST

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    post# 19 neal,you my friend are a retard zeke is one of if not the best pure point guards to ever play b-ball, won at all levels,hs,college,twice in the pros's,and stats speak for themselves,and post# 32 dookie heres a name for ya lenny wilkins in the hall of fame as a coach and player!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  9. DookieSince1973
    32. Posted by DookieSince1973 Thu Nov 5 12:29pm EST

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    This is actually a serious question.

    Does anyone know of a person who was widely considered to be a great player in the NBA ever becoming a successful college coach???

    Heck, any person who was widely considered to be a great player in COLLEGE BBall ever becoming a successful college coach???

    I'm sure there MUST be, but I'm honestly drawing a blank.
  10. Edward
    31. Posted by Edward Thu Nov 5 12:14pm EST

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    Thomas has NO business coaching or leading anything! HE never did squat! Indiana won because they were a great team coached by a great coach. The Pistons won because they again, had a great team and a great coach. His record as a leader/coach/manager after his playing days speaks for itself. HE SUCKS! His teams will never have a winning record there. NEVER! He only has the job because of his past! My guess, 2 years and done...if that!
  11. jordan l
    30. Posted by jordan l Thu Nov 5 12:00pm EST

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    Isaiah will turn things around. When he played in the NBA the guy was good and sometimes great. He won in collge, NBA and will win in college again. GO Zeke.
  12. Johnson
    29. Posted by Johnson Thu Nov 5 10:35am EST

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    Anyone who says Isiah was a average player knows nothing about basketball
  13. Smitty 3
    28. Posted by Smitty 3 Thu Nov 5 9:54am EST

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    The last thing the guy will ever win, he won in Detroit. Still, it's not a bad deal for the kids at FIU to have an NBA All-Star and World Champion as their coach. Not many kids do.
  14. Steve S
    27. Posted by Steve S Thu Nov 5 9:37am EST

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    He's a loser. End of story.
  15. <i>marriott.neville</i>
    26. Posted by marriott.neville Thu Nov 5 9:31am EST

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    That guy Neal is a hater. Isiah Thomas was an excellent player. Regradless of his recent problems, he was a top 5 point 10 point guard of all time
  16. <i>marriott.neville</i>
    25. Posted by marriott.neville Thu Nov 5 9:31am EST

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    That guy Neal is a hater. Isiah Thomas was an excellent player. Regradless of his recent problems, he was a top 5 point 10 point guard of all time
  17. Shminky
    24. Posted by Shminky Thu Nov 5 9:19am EST

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    Give him time to get his guys in place, hell be ok!! FIU is not the same as walking into a Kentucky or UNC! I am sure the expectations are higher at FIU, but give the guy a break!!!
  18. Shminky
    23. Posted by Shminky Thu Nov 5 9:16am EST

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    Two different Northwoods. The team that beat FIU is an NAIA team, the other is a DII team from Northeast Michigan.
  19. K-MAN
    22. Posted by K-MAN Thu Nov 5 9:09am EST

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    the little punk probably bet against the other teal. isiah is a no good bum
  20. <i>ejrepulski</i>
    20. Posted by ejrepulski Thu Nov 5 8:28am EST

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    Hey, Northwood lost by 31 points this week to Michigan State University. MSU, already ranked #2 in the national polls, played without three starters. Oh well, MSU beating liitle boys dosen't count for much!
  21. Neal H
    19. Posted by Neal H Thu Nov 5 8:10am EST

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    Who cares, he was a good player not great. I can name 10 players who had better stats that aren't in the hall of fame. He definitely wasn't a team player like Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan. So where does he fit in.....just above average. But hall of fame caliber no way!
  22. Don Chonkolerro
    17. Posted by Don Chonkolerro Thu Nov 5 4:55am EST

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    The *I* and the *T* in I-D-I-O-T (repeat, IDIOT) must standeth for Isiah Thomas, ahhh!
  23. Robert
    16. Posted by Robert Thu Nov 5 2:57am EST

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    why the hate for zeke, probably one of the best points to ever play the game,and as a coach he did as good as alot of good players that tried there hand at coaching, zeke as a coach 187 wins 223 losses made the playoffs three out of the five years, elgin baylor 86-135 no playoffs, reggie theus 44-62 none, kevin mchale 39-55 none, bob cousy 141-209 none, terry porter 99-116 none, byron scott 350-352 only made the playoffs three out of ten years, and magic coached 16 games lost 11, pure garbage as a coach, so let up on my boy zeke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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