Perhaps the jury detected a hint that Thomas was at fault when he put his foot in his mouth in a videotaped deposition played to the jury when he said that if a white man called a black woman a bitch he would find that “highly offensive” and “that would have violated my code of conduct.” But he said if a black man called a black woman a bitch, it would bother him “not as much. I’m sorry to say, I do make a distinction.”

I bet the guys at MSG are sorry he said it, too.

They all seem like such a swell bunch, by the way. Stephon Marbury, one of Thomas’ star players, testified that he once lured one of Sanders’ subordinates, a drunken intern, into his car outside a strip club. Although there was no admission in court that sex took place, it seemed obvious that more transpired than just a demonstration of the GPS.

Now that’s what I call a character witness.

And what does it say about the MSG boys club when the jury finds that sexual harassment took place, but decides that the Garden itself should have to play punitive damages, not Thomas.

It says to me that, after all that testimony, the jury came to the conclusion that Thomas wasn’t the biggest boor in the building.

It’s not easy to say “Fire Isiah Thomas” over this. You can say it about his tenure as a basketball executive and coach, because the Knicks are pathetic, with little hope on the horizon of getting better . In 2006-07 the Knicks finished fourth in the Atlantic Division, ahead of only the Boston Celtics. Now that the Celtics are improved with the additions of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, that clears the way for a full plummet.

Yes, one can always make the case that Thomas deserves a pink slip for basketball reasons. But how do you fire him now and keep all the rest of those bozos around? If the jury assessed punitive damages to MSG, then Dolan and Mills deserve to go, too. This is indeed a ship of fools, and as Micheal Ray Richardson once famously remarked, “The ship be sinkin’.”

Slideshow   Week in Sports Pictures A boxing champ celebrates, a kicker regrets, fans mourn a hero, and much more. more photos

Sanders had asked in her lawsuit for reinstatement to her $260,000-per-year job as an MSG executive. There was no immediate word about if that will happen. But if she did return to work, she might have to again deal with Thomas, who she testified in the trial had said to her, “Bitch, I don’t give a f--- about the sponsors,” and “Bitch I don’t give a f--- about these white people.”

Her presence might make the Knicks’ organization a tense, paranoid, dysfunctional and rapidly declining corporate entity.

You know. Back to normal.

MORE FROM NBA

NBA Section Front

Hornets snap Hawks’ 7-game winning streak LeBron, Cavs put 76ers in lockdown late Nets drop to 0-13 with loss to Knicks   Vote: Will Nets set mark for worst start to season? Jennings scores 26, leads Bucks to 3rd straight win Marv Albert denies altercation with 50 Cent Clips’ broadcasters booted after Iran comments Winderman: With one strong class, the point guard is back Opinion: So far, Nowitzki is the league’s MVP Fan ranker: Who will be MVP of the NBA? NBA Section Front   Add NBA headlines to your news reader: