At the Izod Center, an "End Ratner’s Reign of Error!” sign is squelched

From columnist Steve Politi of the Newark Star-Ledger, reporting on the game in which the Nets set a record for season-starting futility:

The sign was a simple protest, scrawled on a white poster board in black Magic Marker. It did not contain any naughty words. It was, as these things go at sporting events, rather tame.

“End Ratner’s Reign of Error!” the sign read, and 14-year-old Evan Juliano held it up twice from his seats a few rows behind the Nets bench.

He held it up because he and his father, Dave, are season-ticket holders for what is fast becoming the worst team in NBA history, an 0-18 train wreck that didn’t even bother to show up for its date with infamy Wednesday night.

But somewhere in the second quarter, as the Mavericks impossibly scored on 22 of 24 possessions en route to a 117-101 victory, the Julianos were told to put their sign down. They were told it was derogatory.

...“I told him, it’s not derogatory to me — it’s the truth,” Dave Juliano said, pointing to the mess on the court. “We’re season-ticket holders. We have the right to express ourselves.”

Not here, apparently. The Nets and Bruce Ratner deserve every iota of criticism they get for putting this steaming carcass of a basketball team on the floor, but apparently, they’re not willing to take it.

Click through for the rest, and the video in which Politi discusses the episode with colleague Dave D'Alessandro.

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, however, thinks the Brooklyn move is a reason for long-term hope.