IF THIBODEAU WAS JUST FIRED, WHY CAN'T WE FIRE BOONE?

 The message has been the same in New York since the invention of ticker tape: If you don’t win championships, you don’t keep your job. That’s it. Simple. That’s the deal when you coach or manage in this city. And yet, somehow, some way, Aaron Boone is still sitting in the dugout.

On the other side of town, the Knicks just fired Tom Thibodeau. According to ESPN, Thibodeau is out after the Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Let’s be clear: This was the Knicks' first trip to the conference finals in 25 years. A legitimately strong playoff run. New Yorkers liked Thibs. They respected him. But he didn’t bring home the trophy, so the team pulled the plug.

Knicks President Leon Rose spelled it out plainly:

“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans.”

That’s the sentence that should be tattooed on the forehead of every Yankees executive. Singularly focused on winning a championship for the fans.

FOR THE FANS!

Now take a look at the Yankees. Aaron Boone hasn’t even sniffed a World Series ring. In fact, under his "leadership" the Yankees are 14-17 in the postseason. That’s a losing record in the only games that actually matter in the Bronx. Last year? We were embarrassed in the World Series against the Dodgers. Boone looked lost, outmanaged, and completely out of his depth. He’s the kind of guy who would bring a fork to a soup kitchen.

And this isn’t personal — it’s professional. Boone makes bad in-game decisions. He mismanages his bullpen. He’s got a weird obsession with certain players, boy toys like Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells even when they clearly don’t belong in the lineup. He’s allergic to fundamentals. He couldn’t manage his way out of a paper bag in a five-game series.

And yet… still here. Still calling the shots. Still giving those glazed-over postgame interviews like we’re the fools.

Meanwhile, look around Major League Baseball. In 2025 alone, three managers have already been fired before June: Derek Shelton (Pirates), Bud Black (Rockies), and Brandon Hyde (Orioles). Hyde was cut loose on May 17 — the third firing before June, something we haven’t seen since 2002. Why? Because the standard is winning. Period.

So, let’s ask the obvious: Why is Aaron Boone still managing the Yankees? Tom Thibodeau got fired after a deep playoff run. Boone hasn’t even won an AL pennant. What’s the argument? He’s a nice guy? He’s good with the media? He nods politely when the front office hands him the lineup card? That’s not leadership — that’s puppetry.

We’ve been screaming this for years: Leaders are judged by championships. Boone has been the Yankees manager since 2018. Since he's been here, he’s brought exactly zero titles to New York. The math doesn’t lie. The record doesn’t lie. And fans aren’t blind.

So yes, the Thibodeau firing sends a loud message. And it’s one the Yankees brass should hear loud and clear: If a respected, successful coach like Thibs can get fired for not winning a title… what exactly is Boone still doing here?

In New York, the bar is higher. The standard is titles. And if Boone isn’t the guy to get it done — and spoiler alert, he’s not — then it’s time to stop pretending otherwise.

Championships matter. The Knicks know it. The fans demand it. The Yankees? It’s about time they remembered it.