Knicks fan Jason Silverstein, sitting very close behind the New York Knicks bench in Madison Square Garden, held up a "Fire Isiah" sign and was removed from his seat by arena security.

InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner spoke with Silverstein at 3:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday and here's what he said: "I feel like I'm in the movie 'Eddie'... I want Isiah's job... This is not about 15 minutes of fame. The Knicks are my passion; the Knicks are New York's passion. I just want them to win."

Here are some Dec. 19 morning quotes from local newspapers:

The Associated Press reports: The Knicks last loss — 119-92 to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night — was accompanied by drama in the stands. Late in the game, a fan raised a "Fire Isiah" sign — scribbled on a food tray, with an arrow pointing toward the Knicks' bench where Thomas was sitting. A Garden security guard grabbed the fan's arm and ordered him from his seat, but allowed him to stay inside the arena. On Tuesday, the fan identified himself as 23-year-old Jason Silverstein, a Manhattan real estate developer and die-hard Knicks fan.

The New York Times (Joe Lapointe) reports: Last week, during a Knicks loss to Seattle, a man a few rows behind Thomas said he was handed a printed warning from a security guard because he was heckling Thomas, although he was not using profanity. The fan ordered from his seat Monday for wielding the “Fire Isiah” sign identified himself Tuesday as Jason Silverstein, a real estate developer who lives in Manhattan and said he goes to every home game and sits near the court, but not always in the same seat. Silverstein, 23, said he played high school basketball in New Jersey and sponsors a summer basketball team at Rucker Park in Harlem.

The NY Times continued: “The guy is killing our team,” Silverstein said of Thomas. “How many 25-point beatings can we take?” Silverstein said he carried some blank posterboard into the Garden on Monday night, intending to make a sign with a dark marker. Security guards confiscated it at halftime, even though nothing was written on it, he said. Near the end of the game, Silverstein said, he made an impromptu sign by writing on a disposable food tray. After he held it up for about 45 seconds, he said, security guards said: “Get up. You’re going. You’re out.” Silverstein said he cooperated because, “I didn’t want to cause a ruckus.”

New York Newsday (Alan Hahn) reports: Jason Silverstein, who got the choice tickets from "a friend," says there was a fan seated next to him with a "We Love Marbury" sign, which was allowed. He initially arrived at the game with a piece of blank oak tag and the Sharpie, with the intention, he says, of writing a "Fire Isiah" sign. Garden security confiscated the oak tag at halftime, which was considered his warning. Silverstein decided to get creative with one of the white Styrofoam trays used to serve food to the lower-bowl seats. "I knew I'd have like 30 seconds," he said.