Isiah Thomas is just one of a long line of New York sports characters who have fallen on both sides of the hero/villain divide. George Steinbrenner, Walter O’Malley, Patrick Ewing, and Roger Clemens inspire many a heated debate on the back page of the paper or at the end of the bar.

Narrated by Vincent Pastore (’Big Pussy’ from The Sopranos!), this great episode of New York Voices (aired June 2003) delved into the paragons and pariahs of New York sports.