Hi all, I actually posted this in it’s entirety yesterday but it mysteriously disappeared. Luckily (for some, angrily for others), I saved a draft! So this time I’m breaking the post up into two parts. Here is Part I. I’ll post Part II sometime later today or tomorrow. Enjoy getting angry! (Whichever side you’re on.) Part II is here.
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One of the best sites to ever pass through the blogosphere was FireJoeMorgan.com. The day it went dark was a sad, sad day. Today is equally sad, as ESPN decided to give Stephon Marbury a platform to spew his deluded nonsense. In honor of both tragedies, knicksfan.net is proud to bring you this FJM-style chat breakdown:
Stephon Marbury: (4:32 PM ET ) I am happy to explain to all my fans the situation going on with the Knicks. To all you Knicks fans, I still have a lot of love for you. I appreciate all the support you give me playing ball and with Starbury. With Starbury we are trying to do something for the community and make a product that everyone can afford. As far as the situation with the team, it is nothing personal.
Well this is a nice start. He has love for us. That’s a sweet sentiment. “And now that that’s out of the way, did I mention I sell products!? And they’re cheap! Anyone can buy them! No no, don’t look at that hand fondling the intern. Look at this on this one holding up the sneaker! Oh, and as for running the Knicks into the ground the past 4 years, that wasn’t personal.” Good to know.
Jimbo (Boston): Simple question: You comin to Boston?
Stephon Marbury: (4:32 PM ET ) If I can get out the deal, it is one of the teams I will be looking at.
Steph’s just exploring his options, running the Hollywood Hills, checking out Laker games. Ahhh Kobe! Drink – it – in!!
Chris (Mebane, North Carolina): With the relaunch of your shoes and clothing wear, will your products still be available at a local retail store and for the same price?
Stephon Marbury: (4:34 PM ET ) Yes we still have the same price at $14.92 and we have other three lines, with the signature lines costing no more than $24.98 or less. We also have e-commerce, so anyone can access the line from all over the world. We are national and international. I am still working on going with Brick and Mortar and working with other retailers as we speak.
Ok, cool. Bow Wow’s planted question. Finally another chance to push some product! Let’s get some knowledge out there! “Did you know I sell cheap products?! How cheap?! Cheap! Where can you buy them?! So glad you asked…”
Eddie (Montreal): Hey Steph, what’s it been like playing for the Knicks these past few years? Was it as much of a circus as it seemed to outsiders?
Stephon Marbury: (4:35 PM ET ) It was a difficult situation the last few years, playing under all the media hype. Playing basketball at MSG is a lot of fun when you are winning, but when you are not, it’s not fun.
Too true Steph. How’d you find out it was fun to win? Did you ask Ewing or Clyde? (Hat tip: Dan).
Joe (CT): Why have the Knicks’ struggled so much the past few years? Is it management, ownership, the players?
Stephon Marbury: (4:37 PM ET ) I think collectively we never got on the same page. When you look at organizations that work, everyone is on the same page as far as what they are doing. For Knicks fans I hope they get on track and become the best team they can be.
I think I have to disagree with Steph here. The organization struggled so much because everyone got on his page. Seriously, they hired his cousin to be Vice President in charge of sex in Steph’s truck. It was all there for you Stephon. It’s good to be the King…usually.
Peter: What was it like playing for Larry Brown?
Stephon Marbury: (4:38 PM ET ) It was tough because he demanded a lot. He is very hard on his PGs. Sometimes dealing with him off the court, with him speaking to the media about players, was difficult. But as I got older I learned he did not mean any harm and now I can accept it more than I did back then.
Hey Saaaaatttaaaaan!! Look at me I’m changin’!!! He’s growing right before our eyes!
Alvaro (chile): Stephon, would you consider going overseas with a big contract even if Boston wants you, but for less money?
Stephon Marbury: (4:39 PM ET ) I want to play in the NBA, so overseas will have to wait. When I spoke about playing overseas I meant going over there when I was finished in the NBA.
Ohhh, he never wanted to play in Greece. I thought it was just that Olympiakos picked Jannero Pargo over him. Right…that’s ridiculous. This is Starbury we’re talking about.
Berk (NYC, NY): Steph, Why won’t you consider taking a buyout and leave about 25% of your remaining contract on the table (as most players negotiating a buyout do)? Shouldn’t you have to take a cut in pay so you can sign with the team you want to play for? And don’t you think you are hurting your value in the free agent market?
Stephon Marbury: (4:41 PM ET ) I cannot say about my free agent value, but I think other teams know what I can do. The reason I am not taking 25% less is because I signed a contract. I did not come here saying I wanted to part ways with the team. They chose to do this. I do not feel like I should give my money back to them. They are the ones who want to go in another direction.
Good point. But you really don’t get the other side of that whole contract thing? You know, where you agreed to be part of the Knicks’ organization in exchange for them paying you? So if you don’t want to give up any money like everyone else does, you can see how the Knicks might not be in such a rush to release you. No? Weird.
Mikey NYC: What was up with your trip out to LA in December to watch the Knicks play the Lakers? Were you trying to send a message to the team? And if so what was the message?
Stephon Marbury: (4:42 PM ET ) I just wanted to see the game and enjoy it. I am still a Knicks fan at heart.
“Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe…I looooove Kobe!”
John – Lowell, MA: Hey stephon, if you came to Boston, seeing that the numbers 3 and 33 are retired (DJ and Bird) what would you want to wear?
Stephon Marbury: (4:42 PM ET ) I have to find out what numbers are available.
Notice he doesn’t say “I’d have to find out…” like, you know, he’s answering the question in theory. He said “I have to find out…” like he’s already all moved in. Hope somebody’s mentioned it to Danny Ainge.
Jason (Philly): What was the general attitude in the locker room towards Isaih?
Stephon Marbury: (4:43 PM ET ) I guess guys saved face.
Not sure what this one means. Does he mean guys saved face by playing in all the games, as opposed to leaving the team and flying home because you’ve been told your not starting? Or did guys from last year save face this year by playing so well before Zach and Jamal got dealt? Cryptic. Steph’s deep.
Derek (Tucson, Az): If you were asked today to return to knicks and play for them. Would you play?
Stephon Marbury: (4:44 PM ET ) They chose their direction and I am trying to move on and end the relationship, becasue D’Antoni wanted the relationship ended from the start of the year.
“Trying to move on from the relationship with all my money. I just want to take all my money and move on. Why won’t they just let me…”
Randy (NY): Is Miami and option if Boston doesn’t work out?
Stephon Marbury: Miami is an option, yes.
I don’t really have much to say about this one. As an aside though, have you ever noticed the difference between when Steph writes versus when he speaks? He struggles to verbalize but when he puts pen-to-paper…man! Remember his blog at the post? So lucid!
JB ( Raleigh, Nc): What is the proudest moment in your basketball career?
Stephon Marbury: I have two: 1) My high school championship and 2) Getting drafted.
I think Steph’s response here pretty much says it all, but there’s more so we’ll keep going…
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You know what jon this probably pissed me off more than anything else. You are doing what everyone else is and can’t see how biased u r. First I am not defending stephon the player. I am defending stephon the business man for creating affordable sneaker and clothes line so that people can afford it. But no to you they are just CHEAP. I’m sorry some people are not as shallow and rich as you and lebron and can afford 200 sneakers and when they save for months to get them 2 days later they aree killed for them.. it may be CHEAP to you but I find it commendable that he even thought enough about people to want to do that. What has the ny savior lebron done but come out wit a fad of the week for ny suckas and charge 200 or more. Hate him for basketball but give the man credit for tryn to make a statement for underprivliged. How much has he done for the city of ny and no not the basketball team. The city…. “did I mention I sell cheap clothes” that sent me through the roof. I’m sorry 2 vent but you like so many people want to swear he has never done anything but damage everything he touches. I put his community service against anyone in the nba right now. Who you got. As I said no free passes on basjetball issues but to demean his ideas about affordable clothing and sneakers pisses me off
So if I’d said “affordable” instead of “cheap” it’d be all good? I’m still making the same point, Virgil. I think it’s great that there’s an affordable option for athletic wear out there. I think it’s really important. But all I’m saying is Steph uses it to deflect and apologize everything else he does in his life.
And while I think it’s great that he’s selling inexpensive shoes that regular people can afford (I’ve never bought a $200 pair of kicks in my life), don’t get it twisted that Starbury’s just a business Virgil. He’s not Mother Theresa and selling shoes isn’t “community service”. It’s just money in Steph’s pocket. He had a great business idea and he’s profiting off of it big-time.
Don’t blame LeBron or credit Steph because there is a market for $200 shoes. All mommy and daddy have to say is “No Junior, you can’t have $200 shoes.” All Junior has to say to himself is “Why am I placing such a ludicrously high value on shoes?”
Steph identified a market for *inexpensive* shoes that he could market successfully by attaching his persona to them much like he attached his corporate logo to his head. On his ESPN interview he didn’t miss the opportunity to mention how you can buy them on Amazon and his own website.
He definitely does good, charitable things but the shoes also benefit him immensely. It’s a corporation and corporations have 1 goal: maximize profits.
I love how there isn’t a professional moment that Steph thinks tops being drafted. What he’s admitting is that it was all downhill from there.
How much does it still bother him that he wasn’t the first pick in the draft.
Hey, at least he was picked over Kobe.
Don’t confuse Stephon’s unquestioned ambition to be a succesful businessman with Stephon trying to be altruistic. The truth of the matter is Stephon could not get a big sneaker deal. Steve & Barry’s ( the retail store that used to exclusively carry the shoe) approached Stephon with the Starbury idea.
For those of you who don’t know, Steve & Barry’s was the “kmart” of athletic wear stores. They sold cheap athletic gear and brought Stephon in because he was the only player in new york with street cred who they could sign to a deal. Do you think Martha Stewart sold sheets at kmart out of the goodness of her heart? No she made a business decision and so did steph. I give credit to Steph for attempting to make starburys a success – I dont think anybody has ever criticized steph for being lazy. Just stop pretending he is doing this out of the goodness of his heart.
By the way Steve & Barry filed for chapter 11 after the release of Starburys. Stephon is like the anti-midas.
They also had a deal with Sarah Jessica Parker, but nobody blames her for some reason.
What I see is that Marbury gets all the blame for the Knicks miserable losing ways. What the Knicks need to do is stop giving away all their power to Marbury. You can’t change Marbury, or anyone else. Why didn’t you trade Marbury in the off season? You can only change yourself. So the Knicks need to take their power back by reflecting on what the knuckle heads in upper mgmt for the Knicks did wrong to have been in such losing misery. The answer isn’t Marbury because you can’t change Marbury, you could had only traded him and you didn’t. The answers to the wrong doings are within the organization and not a single player. Isiah was a terrible coach because Dolan forced him to coach, big mistake; Marbury’s not to blame. The Knicks were losing before Marbury arrived. When the Knicks were winning it was with Ewing, but no chip resulted and it was Ewing’s fault. He was traded and left in an unhappy ending. Never was hired again and also took the blame. When does the Knuckle muscle head really running the show take credit for not giving Ewing the proper superstar to play with? If Marbury is cancer why the hell wasn’t he traded asap? Stop blaming the pass failures on players and concentrate on what mgmt can do better.
if you knew your knicks youd know that dolan never ran the show when ewing was around
I know Dolan wasn’t around, but neither was Marbury. I tell you this, Dolan has been the one constant over Marbury or anyone else in the recent losing.
When a basketball organization has to put so much blame on one player due all the losing, it’s not right. It’s a team sport comprised of the players mgmt/ownership decide to play. If losing spreads ain’t no one player any worst than mgmt/ownership. Mgmt/ownership has the first and last word. Period. Knicks need to take in some responsibility in the tango and end it like mgmt/ownership should do and does on winning organizations.
Seriously…Krause was such a great owner until Jordan retired. Krause won the Bulls those rings. No question.
Krause was the GM. Reinsdorf was, and still is, the owner. But Dan’s point remains the same.
I knew that…
I know.
Then when the Bulls couldn’t buy a win, he was an awful owner…since then he’s settled into mediocre territory.
Ok so Stephon hired Isiah, then traded for himself, and then traded and extended curry, and then traded for Zach and stevie francis. He then hired and fired all the other coaches and drafted the players and then just when it couldn’t get any better he decided to give himself a clean slate and then bench himself and go in a different direction. I am glad you guys got me clear on this..
And here I wanted to think that Dolan and management had some hand in some of this but I am now on board with you guys.
Stephon is the ONLY person who did wrong.
steph had 0 to do with the coaching revolving door?
no, its ALL the coaches that couldnt get along with HIM
not the other way around? right? is that it?
i agree that the owner and management are responsible
but they’ve taken responsibility by cleaning house
when will steph ever take responsibility for anything
it’s not about who’s to blame for the knicks troubles
its just about not giving steph a free pass that he asks for with his victim act. take it back to the truck and take your cousin gonsalves with you. wherever you go, they better have a job for him or you’ll get the coach fired. maybe you’ll do that anyway.
the knicks are in playoff contention
thats cus they cleaned house and went with winners
No no he did have a hand in Brown, Isiah and possibly Wilkins although I don’t think as much as the others. Chaney and Wilkins were more an Isiah thing, but I do not understand why you guys think that Knicks management and ownership is completely and totally innocent in the years since Ewing left. 10 Years or more we have been on a downward spiral and all I keep hearing is its ALL stephs fault.
Did he have a part in this YES. Did anyone else play a part in this, I say YES but it appears as though only Heri and I think so
If they really wanted to clean house, HE should have been gone once the coach was hired. Period. He should be gone now asap, let him go somewhere else so we can stop having this debate. There are so many other debates to have like
Trade NAte Now
Trade Lee now
Don’t make the playoffs
Trade Chandler now
What he did was hire experienced, strong, winners and step away from day to day operations.
Virgil, No one is giving the Knicks a free pass for the last 7 years. But they *did* something about their situation. You may not agree with how they handled Stephon but, in every respect the organization is MILES ahead of where they were last season. Dolan cleaned house and everyone is being made accountable, including Steph. The thing is, Steph just never wants to be accountable for anything. And that’s what yesterday’s nonsense PR tour through the Worldwide Leader was all about.
And don’t blame us for talking about this again. Steph’s the one who made himself headline news with yesterday’s charade.
Um, excuse me people, if I can interrupt. If you cleaned house, why the BS over Marbury? Why is he still here. Clean house? You forgot to be rid of the skeletons in the closet.
Not only is he still here, but he was completely mis handled. Jon writes, “you may not agree with how they handled Marbury.” Well, you have to admit; no sane fan likes the saga.
It’s a mistake for him to be here and it’s a mistake how he was handled being here. But, it’s all Marbury’s fault. Mgmt/ownership cleaned house and walk on water, god forbid any fault.
Management does have some blame and the worst thing they ever did, worse than drafting Frederic Wies, was trading for Marbury, who was the leader of one of the worst basketball teams to ever set foot on the hallowed Garden floor. DISGRACE!
Heri, in truth I actually could care less that Marbury is sitting at home. In fact, I barely noticed it until yesterday’s pathetic sympathy grab. It hasn’t affected the season one iota. Best Knicks season in years. And I enjoy the schadenfreude aspect as well.
“Um, excuse me people, if I can interrupt. If you cleaned house, why the BS over Marbury? Why is he still here. Clean house? You forgot to be rid of the skeletons in the closet.”
Yes the knicks cleaned house heri. most of the stuff not too many people wanted so we had yard sale. stef is disgusting old mattress we had to stick in the garage for a few months just in case somebody is stupid enough to want to buy it.
Eureka, Dan has landed!
Now, let me tell you something. The team Isiah took over is completely out of the NBA. That’s how bad Isiah had it to start. Dolan blew it forcing Isiah to coach. Dolan’s in heaven with what Isiah left behind and 2010. Marbury is being treated unfair in the eyes of many, including the players.
I believe the Knicks are mingling and something might be breaking.
That may be the stupidest thing I’ve ever read in my life. So stupid, it might be true….
In fact, lets give Isiah a post-humous GM of the decade award.
He gave us this GIFT!!!! He hamstrung our cap for 7 YEARS so that in 2010, 2 years from now MAYBE we’d have a shot at LeBron!!!
In the meantime, we got Steph and Curry and Zach and Francis and Jeffries and Jamal and Q and Jerome and a sexual harassment trial and 23-38 wins per season and lost a bunch of first round draft picks, with some still to lose!
We should be kissing the ground Isiah walked on!!! What have we been thinking!!!
Further, if I read you correctly, what you are saying is that management was bad throughout the last ten years, but not when Isiah was management…so just the end of the Checketts years, the Layden years, and the 9 month reign of Walsh have been bad?
Further still, thanking Isiah for putting us into good position for 2010 (which, by the way is incorrect…without Walsh making moves, we’d be in good position for free agents around 2012), is like thanking George Bush for Obama being in position to pull us out of Iraq.
Don’t you see that Heri?
Thank God George Bush was an awful President who precipitated an economic collapse, because now Obama can pull us out of it. Obama should be grateful!
Jon, Jon, Jon, Jon; what on heavens earth are we to do with you? The fan who enjoys the saga. “It hasn’t affected the season one iota,” Jon writes. As if the seven man rotation didn’t wear out the players at the end of close games, resulting in loses. In an eight or nine man rotation the team plays better till the end of the battle. Here alone the saga affected the record. Our need of a back up point guard was affected by the saga as Marbury would had been a very good back up. If it wasn’t for the saga Marbury would had been show cased with good play for a trade. He would had been much easier to trade and may have been traded by now. The saga is a bad knicks image in not only the mind of many a fan, but also the mind of some pending free agents. The saga is a no win situation for all involved. This is what makes you happy?
[...] Star-Chat Re-cap, Part II Jan 28th, 2009 by Dan L. This is the second installment of our Stephon Marbury chat recap paying tribute to FireJoeMorgan.com and ridiculing Marbury’s deplorable PR/sympathy tour over at the Worldwide Leader. Part I can be found here. [...]
Dan, that’s what you are saying. What I’m saying is this.
1. Isiah took over a team that’s completely out of the NBA. That’s how bad the team he took over was.
2. Dolan blew it when he forced Isiah to coach. Isiah is a very bad coach. Big mistake.
3. Isiah has an eye for talent and the mess he inherited was much better when he left. But as the worst of the worst of coaches he mis led it as a coach. His eye for talent was good enough that the knicks kept him in a talent search role. This speaks for itself.
4. Considering the junk he inherited, what he left behind was Lee, Chandler, Nate and a six pick(Gallo). Wonderful young corner stones.
He also left behind two great young vets in Zack and Crawford. This is six deep! Q is a decent vet and Jeffries a great defender. This is an eight deep team that came out of the ugly mess Isiah inherited. Not bad at all. It’s why we are winning now.
5. We are competitive now due to what Isiah left behind because Walsh hasn’t done much. Crawford was averaging 20 points a game and Walsh traded Crawford for the other teams headache in Harrington. Walsh also traded Zack, a 20&10 for a retiring heart case and old bench vet in his final years.
6. In starting out with such an ugly team Isiah threw big money around to try changing it asap, Without a doubt. Walsh doesn’t have this problem because Walsh started out with a great four deep corner stones plus two great young vets he traded. Curry nor Marbury worked out, but Marbury could had been history and instead was mis handled. Let’s see what happens with Curry.
This is what I said, not all that other mambo jumbo BS, but if you like to kiss the floor; go ahead and be my guest. Kiss more than just the floor if it knocks you out.
Oh, and by the way; the sexual harassment was terrible. Like I said Isiah was the worst of the worst of coaches, meaning leader. Terrible, simply terrible. Thank muscle head for forcing Isiah as the coach.
ez, what are you talking about? You stick old disgusting mattress in your garage? Just in case some one is stupid enough to buy it? Look in the mirror buddy, the closes client you will find is the one that actually likes keeping old disgusting things in their garage.
You guys make this arguing fun. I feel like we re all in a room together. Thanks
Oh no, part two of Marbury and twisting what he said in the name of covering mgmts wrong doings. I won’t be reading part II, part I was enough BS.
Marbury and Berman faults is not what the Knicks are about to me. It’s more a sport than personal to me. It’s more a business than personal to me too.
You really think Jeffries is $6+ million worth of good defender?
By the way, drafting was the 1 thing Isiah did half ok. I’d give him a B-.
a few more in the negative column for isiah.
1. isiah trades for washed up jalen rose. waves rose months later to save 4 million when he could have traded rose’s expiring contract
2. signs alcoholic vin baker to midlevel exemption
3. traded 2 lottery picks for eddie curry
4. isiah trades 4 expiring contracts for 81 million dollars worth of jamal crawford and jerome williams. the bulls got 18 million in cap relief
5.trades yet another expiring contract (penny) for steve francis
6. jerome james
7. jarred jeffries