Isiah Thomas, the Knicks' general manager, reached out to Phil Jackson, the ex-Laker head coach, with a letter containing a "white substance" that a suspicious Jackson "immediately snorted," sources close to Jackson say.

"Phil was dubious," an associate attested. "After all, this came from Isiah. Phil felt the only responsible thing to do was to personally test the stuff."

The letter was the first of what are expected to be many contacts between the two egomaniacs that will amount, in the final analysis, to nothing more than a publicity stunt for both sides.

Jackson is recovering, meanwhile, in Los Angeles Memorial Hospital, from anthrax poisoning. He is the first human on record to have snorted the toxin, medical historians assert.

"All I can say is, I wrote the letter," Thomas explained, smiling. "If somebody slipped something in the envelope, that wasn't on my watch."

Thomas planned to visit Jackson in the hospital, but Jackson reportedly panicked and had an "order of protection" drawn-up, prohibiting Thomas to come within three states of him.

Thomas said he was confident that negotations would resume as soon as Jackson was well. "He's a great coach. We're gonna go after him. Just wait and see."

Jackson reportedly fainted on hearing this.