“YOU DON’T KNOW STEPHON MARBURY”
December 3, 2008
”THE QUINTESSENTIAL SELFISH ATHLETE”
You want to talk about Stephon Marbury’s exile from the Knicks… after not jumping at the opportunity for playing time offered by Mike D’Antoni. Yeah, you want to talk about ”he said-he said”, Marbury’s “unprofessionalism”, that he is — as one ESPN pundit said this week — “the quintessential selfish athlete”. That’s right. You want to talk about his selfishness — not his selflessness. Fine, soon enough. But to truly understand Stephon-the-player, we must first understand Marbury-the-man. Simply put:
Stephon Marbury is an American hero and sports’ greatest humanitarian [1]. And only in America — and its cartoonized world of sports coverage — can he become a villain.
I know, I know. You want to talk about the millions of dollars Marbury is making… how he is a “rich”, “spoiled”, “ungrateful”, “diva”, “me-first” athlete. Yeah, you want to talk about the millions he makes – but not the millions he has given away. That’s right. I want to talk about the $500K that Marbury pledged to Katrina victims, or the $4 million dollars he pledged to New York City police, firefighters, EMS, and teachers. He said:
“…if it saves more lives, I’m down for that. As far as making a difference in that manner, I feel compelled to do that… After 9-11, and all the families that have lost loved ones, it was a big hit to the city and to the world… This is basically about giving back…
if you don’t know what he has given, then you don’t know Stephon Marbury.
You want to talk about the day Marbury went AWOL from the Knicks after former coach Isiah Thomas benched him. Yeah, you want to talk about that day — but not that night. That’s right, I want to talk about that night when Marbury could be found “crying like a baby”. Self-pity? Not quite. Marbury was mourning the death of long-time community mentor Robert Williams — more commonly known as Mr. Lou. Marbury — who once bought Mr. Lou a Cadillac — offered to pay for all of the funeral expenses. All this happened during Marbury’s alleged most selfish hour.
But if you don’t understand what Mr. Lou was all about, then you don’t know Stephon Marbury.
You want to talk about the truck where Marbury famously requested and received consensual sex from a Knick employee. Yeah, you want to talk about “the truck” Mr. Adande — but not “the 18-wheelers”. That’s right, I want to talk about the two 18-wheelers that Marbury rolled into his hometown Coney Island with 75,000 items of free merchandise during “Starbury GiveBack Day”. …Or how Marbury visits youth on the first day of school… or how youth must read three books to play in his charity tournament, or how Marbury’s youth outreach efforts were in full effect both as a member of the Phoenix Suns and the New Jersey Nets before that. After paying an inspiring hospital visit to a 17-year old who just came out of a coma, Stephon said:
“This is where I’m supposed to be… And this is what I’m supposed to do”
But if you don’t know about his unwavering commitment to youth, then you don’t know Stephon Marbury.
Yeah, you just want to talk about the game – but not “the shoes”. But I want to talk about “Starbury One”, the revolutionary $15 sneaker that Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, called “the biggest business story of the year.” Despite business growing pains [2], Marbury sowed the seeds of a movement that soon included basketball player Ben Wallace, tennis star Venus Williams, actress Sarah Jessica Parker, and others. All of a sudden newer NBA stars wanted to follow suit. Marbury said:
“The big picture is not having a $200 pair of sneakers when your mother’s income is $15,000. When you walk into a store, you are not being held hostage any more.”
If billionaire corporations like Nike have their way, then you won’t know Stephon Marbury.
December 3, 2008
”THE QUINTESSENTIAL SELFISH ATHLETE”
You want to talk about Stephon Marbury’s exile from the Knicks… after not jumping at the opportunity for playing time offered by Mike D’Antoni. Yeah, you want to talk about ”he said-he said”, Marbury’s “unprofessionalism”, that he is — as one ESPN pundit said this week — “the quintessential selfish athlete”. That’s right. You want to talk about his selfishness — not his selflessness. Fine, soon enough. But to truly understand Stephon-the-player, we must first understand Marbury-the-man. Simply put:
Stephon Marbury is an American hero and sports’ greatest humanitarian [1]. And only in America — and its cartoonized world of sports coverage — can he become a villain.
I know, I know. You want to talk about the millions of dollars Marbury is making… how he is a “rich”, “spoiled”, “ungrateful”, “diva”, “me-first” athlete. Yeah, you want to talk about the millions he makes – but not the millions he has given away. That’s right. I want to talk about the $500K that Marbury pledged to Katrina victims, or the $4 million dollars he pledged to New York City police, firefighters, EMS, and teachers. He said:
“…if it saves more lives, I’m down for that. As far as making a difference in that manner, I feel compelled to do that… After 9-11, and all the families that have lost loved ones, it was a big hit to the city and to the world… This is basically about giving back…
if you don’t know what he has given, then you don’t know Stephon Marbury.
You want to talk about the day Marbury went AWOL from the Knicks after former coach Isiah Thomas benched him. Yeah, you want to talk about that day — but not that night. That’s right, I want to talk about that night when Marbury could be found “crying like a baby”. Self-pity? Not quite. Marbury was mourning the death of long-time community mentor Robert Williams — more commonly known as Mr. Lou. Marbury — who once bought Mr. Lou a Cadillac — offered to pay for all of the funeral expenses. All this happened during Marbury’s alleged most selfish hour.
But if you don’t understand what Mr. Lou was all about, then you don’t know Stephon Marbury.
You want to talk about the truck where Marbury famously requested and received consensual sex from a Knick employee. Yeah, you want to talk about “the truck” Mr. Adande — but not “the 18-wheelers”. That’s right, I want to talk about the two 18-wheelers that Marbury rolled into his hometown Coney Island with 75,000 items of free merchandise during “Starbury GiveBack Day”. …Or how Marbury visits youth on the first day of school… or how youth must read three books to play in his charity tournament, or how Marbury’s youth outreach efforts were in full effect both as a member of the Phoenix Suns and the New Jersey Nets before that. After paying an inspiring hospital visit to a 17-year old who just came out of a coma, Stephon said:
“This is where I’m supposed to be… And this is what I’m supposed to do”
But if you don’t know about his unwavering commitment to youth, then you don’t know Stephon Marbury.
Yeah, you just want to talk about the game – but not “the shoes”. But I want to talk about “Starbury One”, the revolutionary $15 sneaker that Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, called “the biggest business story of the year.” Despite business growing pains [2], Marbury sowed the seeds of a movement that soon included basketball player Ben Wallace, tennis star Venus Williams, actress Sarah Jessica Parker, and others. All of a sudden newer NBA stars wanted to follow suit. Marbury said:
“The big picture is not having a $200 pair of sneakers when your mother’s income is $15,000. When you walk into a store, you are not being held hostage any more.”
If billionaire corporations like Nike have their way, then you won’t know Stephon Marbury.
