New York Knicks owner James Dolan is not known for his warm demeanor when it comes to underlings at Madison Square Garden and he took that to another level recently as he fired and snapped at a security guard for not recognizing him at in a special VIP area.
According to the New York Post, Dolan was trying to enter the Delta Sky 360 Club that is reserved at Madison Square Garden for season-ticket holders and VIP guests when he was denied by a security guard. The report says that Dolan was not wearing the required identification card and that the guard did not recognize the man who is his actually boss and pays her salary.
Dolan flipped out on the guard, named Fiordaliza Hernandez, and fired her on the spot for keeping him out the box, which features premium food and an area to watch players near the locker rooms. The report says that the guard asked for his ID, which are the rules for the box area and since Dolan did not have it, she refused to allow him in, according to sources.
The two had an exchange after that moment:
Instead of laughing it off, Dolan snapped, "Do you know who I am?"
The startled security guard admitted she didn't.
Then Dolan demanded, "How long have you worked here?"
"Three years," the guard said.
"I'm your boss! I pay your salary!" Dolan shot back.
But rules are rules - and Dolan didn't show his ID, so Hernandez refused to let him in, sources said.
That's when Dolan became so angry he yelled: "Give me your ID! You're fired!"
The report says that the guard was sent home and Dolan said afterwards: "I have to get new security in this building! I have idiots working here!"
The report also says that later he changed his mind and that she was at a different post in the arena for the next night.
"What? Was he insulted she didn't recognize him?" an incredulous source said. "If she let someone in without a ticket or Garden ID, she would have gotten fired for that!"
Making the situation more interesting is that the report says that other ticket holders went into the Knicks locker room last week past security without being stopped and nobody was fired for that, making Dolan look foolish.
