Sucking Chest Wounds
"The only thing I can think of is maybe bringing a doctor in to surgically put some heart into them." - Byron Scott, when asked what he could do to change things, January 29, 2001

"This is the worst loss I've ever been associated with since I've been here." - Keith Van Horn, January 29, 2001

"What is there to say? It was a total collapse. The guys just don't know how to win. That's the bottom line." - Byron Scott after the Nets blew a 23-point lead in a 97-86 loss to Vancouver, January 29, 2001

"We were passive, stagnant, careless. It seemed like guys were scared to make a play. And if you play scared, you're going to lose games...Watching this makes me doubt if we have guys with enough heart to come out and play hard every night. That's what this does for me. I still have no doubt we can come out and win games. I have doubts (about) the kind of heart and the kind of courage we have in that locker room." - Byron Scott after a 101 to 87 loss to the Orlando Magic, January 11, 2001

"I'm not trying to be negative about women, but it's almost like women's basketball against the men. Guys hit them and they squirm and everything and kind of shy away. And that's what our guys are doing." - Byron Scott on his Nets, following loss to Sixers, January 19, 2001

"Right now this was our best win of the season. We need to build on this. We need to get addicted to this feeling of winning." - Keith Van Horn on Nets' win over Philly, February 4, 2001

"Two seasons ago, it looked like a 60 percent victory rate and a spot in the playoffs. Oops. Last year, it looked like .500 or so and a spot in the playoffs. Double oops. So this year, especially with the uncertainty caused by the injuries at the start, and you know someone else will break something because they’re the Nets, for crying out loud, figure 36-46 and another review of how lottery ping pong balls work." - Fred Kerber, NY Post, October 29, 2000

"If I had to point out one major weakness," said veteran Kendall Gill, who is back at his preferred two-guard spot, "I'd say we're injury-prone." - Kendall Gill, October 29, 2000

"The memories are still too fresh. The nerves still exposed and too raw. To this day, the names of Yinka Dare and Ed O'Bannon cause some Nets fans to curl up into a fetal position and weep uncontrollably. Whoever said time heals all wounds never had the decency to check with Nets fans first. Dare and O'Bannon, for those blissfully unaware, were two of the worst players ever taken in the first round of any NBA draft. That the Nets managed to snag both within a year of each other only adds to this franchise's legend of mediocrity." - Don Burke, The Star Ledger, October 31, 2000

"It's disturbing that we have a guy who was obviously the best player in college basketball last year, and you have to give him a kick to get him jump-started for most games. It's not what I expected. It's strictly an effort thing" - Coach Byron Scott, on Kenyon Martin

"They Hall of Famed us," - Kendall Gill on Nets' beat-down by the Jazz, Nov. 24, 2000

"It's a team that nobody knows really how good it could have been with Williams and Van Horn and Kittles and Feick hurt. They've done some great things the last couple of years and they've made a big-time commitment in signing guys to contracts and they've had serious injury problems. It sort of dampens the spirit of that franchise." - Pat Riley, on the Nets' woes, Jan. 4th, 2001

"Did Keith Van Horn have a heart attack? Did he have a triple bypass or something? Jesus!" - Charles Barkley on Keith's long absence from the game, adding, "It's just a broken leg!" Jan. 4, 2001

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CNN/SI Basketball
Pretty amazing, entertaining site. Power rankings, NBA Week at a Glance, and great sort 'em yourself stat section.

NJ Online Nets Section
Nets news from Jersey papers. Where Joe and Champagne go to read Don Burke of the Newark Star Ledger, their favorite beat writer.

NYPost Sports Section
Freddy Kerber is a close second to Burke for our favorite beat reporter, and you have to read Peter Vecsey Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Nobody is more "inside" than Vecsey.

NBA.com
For obvious reasons. Links to every team site, plus a standings page that gives teams' conference rankings helps you chart Nets early drop from playoff picture.

Nets Salaries
Want to know why the Nets can't improve? Check this chart, along with all other team salaries, courtesy of USA Today. Their NBA section sometimes informative too.

Nets/NBA page, Bergen Record
Steve Adamek, Nets beat

NY Daily News Basketball page
Michael James, Nets beat

NY Times Basketball page
Liz Robbins, Nets beat

Sporting News NBA Section
We like Dave D'Alessandro, who also writes for the Newark Star Ledger.