Stephon Marbury doesn’t like LeBron
Posted July 21st, 2007 by Brian Windhorst
Stephon Marbury watched LeBron James host the ESPYs last weekend and apparently was amused. While guest hosting a blog for the New York Post on Friday, Marbury ripped James several different ways, seeming to call him both a bad person and a clown. Here is the quote:
“You want to make me the clown…I’m not the dude on the ESPYs, getting carried on a throne. I’m not him. I’m the good guy, not the bad guy. I don’t want to be carried on the throne…I just want to walk among the people.”
I believe this goes back to the spring when Marbury got upset at some things LeBron told the New York media before a game with the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. In brief, when asked whether he would ever have discount shoes like Marbury’s year old $15 Starbury line, James pretty much said he and Nike have a higher standard. I remember the interview, I didn’t think LeBron was doing it with malice. However, it did come off like he was a taking a cheap shot at what Marbury is trying to do and sounding like a Nike elitist. Which, by the way, he is.
From a public relations standpoint, the Starburys have been a hit. He was just in Cleveland promoting them this week. He says he isn’t doing it for the money, although he is surely making some, in addition to his $17 million a year salary.
I do not know Marbury personally. I do know a couple of years ago, he proclaimed himself the best point guard in the NBA. I know he has a reputation around the league of sometimes being selfish. He famously has never been on a good team. Being from New York and playing for his hometown team like James, perhaps he wishes he was more well liked around the league. Perhaps he wished he got them to The Finals. Perhaps he wishes he was on Team USA. Perhaps he wishes it was him hosting the ESPYs and hosting Saturday Night Live. He does like the spotlight of television, he hosts his own show in New York.
Then again, perhaps LeBron did look a bit silly with that ESPY stuff. Marbury made two appearances at Cleveland malls this week, two more promo appearances than LeBron will probably make anywhere in Northeast Ohio this summer. So he is “walking with the people” more. And, obviously, he’s not afraid to point that out.
July 21st, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Marbury is the suck.
July 21st, 2007 at 3:17 pm
I used to live in NY and had many chances to see Starbury play, and discuss his antics. You say, “He famously has never been on a good team.” It may be more appropriate to say, “Teams are better before he joins (the Knicks) or after he departs (the Suns).”
July 21st, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Lebron james is not a bad person he was making fun of himself and he didnt even give himself the name of king james it was his greatness that earned it as for the shoe, i havent even heard of starbury and i have a pair of lebrons an i love em.
July 21st, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Marbury’s blog post was one of the most enjoyable reads I’ve had in awhile.
Of course some of his Starbury line is self-serving, in much the same way that most philanthropists out there are self-serving. No, he didn’t sign an endorsement deal, but he does get a commission, which I’m sure will add up to nothing even remotely close to James’ $90/$100 million deal, plus that fat New York escalator clause.
I think what Marbury is doing is terrific. Both business-wise and culture-wise. It’s ingenious, really. If James sincerely wants to do something for the neighborhoods, then his PR people should think of doing something along the lines of what Marbury is doing, and cut the charade with that once-a-year bike ride. Sorry, LeBron, pedaling a Huffy isn’t fooling anybody.
July 21st, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Actually, the bike ride has been cancelled this year. Too many time constraints with SNL and Team USA. Global Icon indeed.
July 21st, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Are they seriously using “time constraints” as the reason for cancellation of a bike ride!!!??? The guy was scheduled to ride a bike, not build a pyramid. The least his people could do was think up something creative. For example, he’ll be overseas managing the grand opening of the new Nike store in Darfur, and nobody else there knows how to work the cash register.
July 21st, 2007 at 6:27 pm
It’s true. In his great business and socially conscious mind, LeBron bought a stake in a bicycle company and then canceled an event that would’ve taken him one afternoon to promote it. Not to mention do great charity work with kids and “be among the people.”
July 21st, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Marburry is jealous. He is also a classic underachiever. No one cares what he says. In fact, he announced this week that he will play in Italy after his contract is up in two years. The Knicks didn’t even care. They are probably hoping they can dump his contract on anybody right now - even an Italian team. Lebron - by the way - was not dissing Marbury’s shoes. I saw the quotes from several news sources. LeBron was stating the fact that Nike makes more expensive shoes and he is signed with Nike. I know thee has to be a news story about the Cavs even if there is nothing to report, so that’s what we’ll get: Other NBAers talking about LeBron and sportwriters giving reviews of entertainment shows like the ESPY’s. Get ready for two weeks of critiques of LeBron’s upcoming performance on SNL. Will be better when there is a game or two to talk about.
July 21st, 2007 at 10:25 pm
He wasn’t dissing Marbury’s shoes? Assuming this published quote is accurate, in which he responds to if he’d endorse a shoe like the Starbury, what do you think this is other than a diss? “No, I don’t think so.”…”Me being with Nike, we hold our standards high.”
I won’t even get into how an Indonesian sweatshop isn’t exactly “high standards, ” but he clearly was implying that the Starbury’s quality is every bit as cheap as its price. But according to tests performed by Consumer Reports and HBO’s “Real Sports,” the only thing found to be dirt cheap is his excuse for cancelling the charity bike ride.
One thing I respected about Michael Jordan is he never pretended to give a damn about anybody but himself. It would have been good if he used his image and his time to promote some serious charitable causes, but he didn’t, and he never apologized for it. James, on the other hand, likes to have it both ways. He’s only 22, so I suppose there’s plenty of time to change his ways, but it doesn’t appear he’ll ever have any inclination. He’s so gung-ho with this global icon thing, the only thing he really seems to give a damn about is conquering the world.
James is going to be in China next summer, right? No doubt he’ll bring along his own camera crew, grab 30 peasants, head out to the nearest rice paddy, and have a rickshaw ride for charity. Whatta guy.
July 22nd, 2007 at 9:41 am
did you hear about lebron donating to a boy whos mother died in akron? why are you guys expecting him to do these things? nobody cares if kobe bryant doesnt do anything?! Michael jord his airness, used to gamble. by becoming a global icon, lebron means to become somebody like muhammed ali, like when u think of boxing u think muhhamed ali(i do anyway) when u think tennis u think roger federer he wants to be the best. its not his fault he has goals to be one of the richest guys in the world. he is a pro basketball player like him for what he does great. get out of his personal life.
July 22nd, 2007 at 10:09 am
And I am sure if Alan T. was in LeBron’s place he would be donating all his money to charity.
Why are you so critical to LeBron. His charity work is more than most of these professional athletes. He does one charity event and you expect more from him. You respected Michael Jordan because he didn’t do any but you can’t respect LeBron because he doesn’t do enough?
July 22nd, 2007 at 10:56 am
I agree with Alan. Marketing a $15 shoe that is affordable for all is a cool move. If it nets Marbury a profit, I have no issue with that. Most basketball sneakers (especially the endorsed ones) are appallingly expensive.
I don’t like Marbury, and I don’t give a rip if he and LeBron exchange words, but I’ll buy a pair of Starbury’s on principle alone.
July 22nd, 2007 at 11:22 am
I didnt know “STARBURY” was drinking the hateraid…Sounds like hes just a bit jealous of “THE KING”…and WHO would pay more than 15$ for a pair of Starburys anyway…Accually who has a pair of Starburys???anyone??
July 22nd, 2007 at 11:48 am
Does anyone believe Marbury would have made such a move five years ago when his star was actually shining? I can’t believe I’m even putting Lebron and Stephon in the same sentence. Lebron better start endorsing a motorcycle race rather than a bike ride if he wants to keep up with his business ventures.
July 22nd, 2007 at 11:52 am
People find reasons to complain about LeBron James. Fans that complain are jealous that he isn’t on their team. Players like Marbury, who are not worth much more than the local bag-boy, they get jealous because LeBron garners so much attention.
When LeBron hosted the ESPYs, he was performing a parody on the “King James” nick-name. Anyone who couldn’t see that is obviously short on intelligence…including Marbury.
As for LeBron’s comments concerning Marbury’s sneakers… I can’t assume to know what he was thinking. I can say that it “Sounded” derogatory; whether it was meant that way, I have no Idea.
All these so-called “fans” of the game that continuously find things to complain about LeBron James make one thing apparent: If he was on their favorite team, then he would be able to do no wrong. So their problem(s) with him and/or what he may or may not do, is motivated purely by malice and jealousy. Perhaps those people should take a long look at theirselves before judging others! IE: You seem to think it’s wrong that LeBron “may have” said something bad about Marbury’s shoes…. but it’s alright for “you” to say things bad about him?
People seem to think that since they aren’t in the spot-light, that it’s okay to be an a**h***. But the thing is…no matter whether you are a basketball player or some laborer who blogs about basketball…. a**h***s are the same no-matter their occupation.
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:31 pm
[quote]
I won’t even get into how an Indonesian sweatshop isn’t exactly “high standards, ” but he clearly was implying that the Starbury’s quality is every bit as cheap as its price. But according to tests performed by Consumer Reports and HBO’s “Real Sports,” the only thing found to be dirt cheap is his excuse for cancelling the charity bike ride.
[/quote]
on the contrary, the consumer reports findings were that the starbury, a basketball shoe, was not that great for playing basketball in. also, the starburys are made in china. let’s be honest with ourselves here, most sneakers are made in a foreign country, for very little money. the materials they are made from have been ridiculed for being of poor quality. so how is that helping a poor kid out. you are selling him a flashy looking piece of sh_t? if anything, you are wasting his money, because the shoes are uncomfortable and last long. and if anything, the very idea that selling a shoe to someone will be a kind of charity, or a way to help someone, belies the real spirit of the enterprise. starbury is marketing only.
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:41 pm
‘J”, that’s a totally bogus argument. What do I have to do with James? That’s like the clowns that attack BW or any sportswriter with “well, why don’t YOU play and see if YOU can you do any better!” if that writer happens to criticize a player’s play.
James doesn’t have to donate a penny. He can keep it all. All he needs to “donate” is a tiny bit of his time. Even though that guy is so money-hungry that he had the gall to invest in a bicycle company so he could sell his own wares at a his own charity biking event, it’s progressed to the point that he will not even take a few hours of one afternoon if he can’t reap maximum personal gain from it. Obviously he feels he’ll reap more personal benefit from promoting himself elsewhere as opposed to promoting his bicycle company investment and promoting himself at his own charity biking event.
It was called The Lebron James Charity Bikeathon. One afternoon. George Bush has the most responsibility on the planet, and his people still find time in his daily schedule to get him to peddle a bike. So when a rich guy is promoting his $15 shoes, and the other richer guy promoting his equivalent-in-quality $15,000 shoes says he’s too far too classy to promote $15 shoes, and don’t buy $15 shoes because then you won’t be classy either, the average plebian just might think the off-the-court James is really starting to stink.
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Rastafarian, the vast majority of kids don’t wear sneakers to play basketball. It’s a status symbol, nothing more. If you’re going to play full-court basketball for six hours a day, seven days a week, then yeah, it may be prudent to shop around and find a pair of shoes with ultra-thick padding, or something. I’ve never read of an instance where Darnell and Tyrone said, “Hey, let’s shoot Leroy in the head and then steal his shoes, then we’ll be able to dunk from the foul line!”
July 22nd, 2007 at 1:50 pm
I’m glad I’m not such a bitter person that I have better things to do with my life than read stories about players and teams that I hate and write assinine comments about them. I mean, seriously, this time Alan T has completely lost any claim of impartiality. Your true colors have been shown over and over again and your insane reflections and commentary have grown cumbersome and tired.
My advice to you, in order to enjoy life more, is to step away from your computer, walk upstairs out of your parents’ basement, and go outside and get some fresh air. You have become so hateful and vile that your reactions to these stories have lost any and all impact anymore. Everytime we read a post by BW, we read the comments and the one thing we can count on is seeing one of your bland diatribes ripping whatever it is BW has chosen to talk about.
And I know what your retort will probably be….something along the lines of “well, at least I don’t agree with and hang on every single word that BW or any member of the cavs organization feeds us” blah blah blah blah. It’s one thing to be impartial and to look at things with a critical eye. But when you play devil’s advocate with EVERY freaking story on here, then you have become just as predictable and pidgeon-holed as the people you claim to be “against”.
July 22nd, 2007 at 2:01 pm
I’m sorry, reknut, but I started to become very confused, and no doubt everybody else became very confused, after your first word “I’m.” What the hell does whatever you just said have to do with LeBron James or Stephon Marbury?
July 22nd, 2007 at 3:47 pm
I’m all for inexpensive shoes for kids who don’t have a lot of money, and I think it’s great when athletes promote them so that impressionable kids can have more confidence with them around their peers. It’s hardly a new idea - I know Patrick Ewing did it, and I want to say Hakeem Olajuwon did it too. But the truth is the quality of these shoes is not the same as a $100 pair of LeBrons. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t playable. It’s fair for LeBron to say the product he endorses has a higher standard - they do - but he probably could have shown a little more tact or just kept his mouth shut, because it came out more like he was attacking a charity to defend his brand, and I don’t even think that’s what he was trying to do.
I’m disappointed James isn’t doing his bike ride this year, it seems like something the community has latched onto. But it’s not like LeBron hasn’t given back to his community - didn’t he pay for new courts at Perkins Park a couple years ago? It does seem like he’s going to be stretched a little thin this summer with the FIBA qualifying and the ESPYs.
And hey, cut him some slack. He seems like a decent enough guy (he held the door for my friend and his girlfriend at Chapel Hill Mall a couple years ago - it’s still hard for me to imagine him shopping there!). And the reality is, no one in our lifetimes is likely to provide as much exposure for Akron as LeBron. I can see why the national media goes up and down with LeBron (and just about every other athlete with star power), but locals that hate on LeBron are really just hating on themselves, which is counterproductive to happiness just and kind of sad.
July 22nd, 2007 at 4:25 pm
tucker, thanks for the comic relief. your threat against me which simply oozed machismo gave me a hearty laugh. anytime i think you couldn’t come across any more pathetic, you prove me wrong. but are your panties so tight that they twisted your testicles? I mean why get so angry when I simply point out a statistic that is true (look at the national institute of health website if you like). Just because I’m not one of your lackeys like TPH or Doc, and will call you out on a ludicrous excuse?
In addition, I find your support of your heroes to be quite amusing. I mean you tout this Simmons idiot, and he knows less about basketball than the Cavs’ Moondog mascot. This was the same writer who claimed that Mike Brown was being so badly outcoached by Flip Saunders during the Pistons-Cavs playoffs series this year, and besides you, everyone knows how that series turned out. Then you sing the praises of Marbury…this is the guy who says he wants to play in Italy. While most players aspire to get out of Europe to come to the NBA, this moron wants his career path to go in the reverse direction. Simply brilliant! Hell, even Ferry played in Italy and then in the NBA, surely Marbury should be smarter than “boatshoes?” And who could ignore the other gems in Marbury’s post:
“I drink life’s happy water which is bottled at the divine source.
It goes down much smoother than “haterade.”. How does “haterade” really taste?”
This statement will really make people re-evaluate their perceptions of NBA players–because they are true geniuses with profound thoughts!
“I’m coming out with a children’s book where the ball has a personality, which is the best way I can explain how this will work next season. ”
I don’t care how cheap he tries to sell this book, it’s going into bargain warehouses right next to Terrell Owens’ wonderful children’s book. He’ll have to give it away with his Starbury’s, which will only lead to a decline in the sale of those wonderfully crafted shoes.
Anyhow, I’m off to tend to a friend with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
July 22nd, 2007 at 5:11 pm
again, if you sell a kid a crappy shoe for 15 dollars are you really doing him a favor?! marbury claims this whole marketing gimmick as some kind of positive thing he is doing for the community. and honestly, I find that completely idiotic reasoning. he isn’t giving away shoes, he is selling them. and they are crappy, uncomfortable, poorly made shoes, that don’t last as long as better made, more expensive shoes. it is completely stupid to laud him for this. it’s a product he is endorsing. and he sold you, by playing the part of the star that cares. you sir, are a moron, enjoy your sh_tty fifteen dollar shoes. gfys.
July 22nd, 2007 at 5:26 pm
No one in our lifetimes is likely to provide as much exposure for Akron as LeBron? What does that even mean?
James opened the door for massive criticism, or, more to the point, his marketing people opened the door, when he tried to create an image of “keeping it real.” Doing it for the locals and the kids while simultaneously aspiring to becoming a global icon. Well, this being the case, you don’t cancel an “annual” charity event, which is only in its third year, because you’ve decided to make your move and take your icon-ness to the next level. It’s tasteless enough he invested in a bicycle company so his afternoon wouldn’t be a complete waste. But then to cancel it, well, considering the fact he spent the first few years of his marketing career trying to portray an image of being bourgeoisie, proletariat and plebian all rolled into one, he’s pretty much left the last two behind forever.
With respect to the shoes, the tests showed no substantive difference in quality. Yeah, Marbury is doing it partly for his image, but so what. Kids in the ‘hood don’t buy sneakers because they can shoot a better jump shot. James isn’t really doing anything for the locals anymore, so you’re wrong, the local folks hating on James is not a form of self-hatred. Everything that guy does now reeks of elititism, from his $150 shoes to that perverted 35,000 square-foot castle to his world-domination mantra of 08/08/08.
All that God-like power, and yet he still refuses to make a free throw.
July 22nd, 2007 at 5:52 pm
You guys who write novels here, just realize no one is taking the time to read them.
LeBron has done alot for Akron area youth basketball courts, etc. He had a baby & playoffs & world games this summer…so no bike ride. Big whoop.
Ignore these idiots, LeBron. Those who know you appreciate the work you’ve done and know your heart is in Akron. Posters on this site tend to be extreme haters, mostly of their own lives, I’d presume.
July 22nd, 2007 at 6:00 pm
How do you know they’re “crappy” and “uncomfortable” and “poorly made?” Kids wear sneakers to be seen, not to run the Boston Marathon. You can buy seven pairs for the same price of a mid-level Nike! That in itself says everything there is to say. I’ve gotten so curious what all the fuss is about, I’m going to buy a pair to walk around in, I’ll see if you’re right. Fifteen bucks, who cares, it’s less than the price of two tickets to see “The Simpsons” movie.
July 22nd, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Stephon Marbury is useless, and this whole shoe thing is a PR move to stay RELEVANT. Once the media starts to ignore you because you’re a no-talent loser with a ridiculous contract that dwarfs your talent in terms of light-years, the only way to regain some of your limelight is to start a boring TV show on a channel that 5 people on the planet watch, and pull a publicity stunt in which you sell a sneaker for $15, pretend it’s to help the “little people”, and pocket half the profits, despite said elephant turd of a contract.
Yeah, I think that basically sums it up…and you people will criticize Lebron because you’re a bunch of bitter wastes of oxygen, and then watch him win titles, here or elsewhere, and become one of the top 5 in his profession….ever. Either recognize his game, respect it, and keep your traps shut, or be labeled jealous haters. Pretty simple really.
July 22nd, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Marbury is pocketing half the profits? Marbury is likely making peanuts in commission, and how much margin is there in a $15 shoe, anyway? Odds are the Starbury shoe and merchandise line will be very relevant for a long time to come. Some of LeBron’s people are probably kicking themselves for not thinking of it first.
LeBron’s heart is in Akron? Very true, it’s probably packed in ice in a Thermos container in the Beacon Journal’s cafeteria, like in that TNT show “Heartland.” Where’s the rest of his body? Probably selecting the fabric for his SNL cue cards.
July 22nd, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Good retort Alan. About what I expected. My comment had nothing to do with LeBron and Starbury, you’re right. It’s about you and your childish spite. I’m asking how you can claim to be an impartial observer. I’m not the only one who noticed how you conveniently disappeared when the Cavs ran off 4 straight against the Pistons, only to come back with both guns blazing the second they lost in the Finals. If you think you’re such an elite crticial thinker who is unbiased, the least you could have done was faced your criticism as the Cavs were beating the Pistons. THEN perhaps more people around here would have respect for what you have to say.
July 22nd, 2007 at 8:37 pm
We’re talking about the use of the shoes to play basketball in. I can speak from experience that the LeBrons kick ass. In comparison, cheap basketball shoes suck to play in. And LeBron’s shoes aren’t really elitist, since anybody middle class can afford them. I could.
I think my comment about exposure is pretty straight forward. I don’t live in Ohio anymore, and no one outside of Ohio, Western PA, & southeast Michigan knows where the hell Akron is, but they have heard of LeBron and that he is from there. And i’s the only thing they have ever heard about Akron. Every time I go back, I can tell he is a growing source of civic pride, except for the random cranks who always seem to have a problem with the star athelete.
July 22nd, 2007 at 9:44 pm
I already said why I hadn’t been posting, JoeHoops. It was nobody’s business but my own, but since a few 12″ strap-ons, including yourself, repeatedly pestered me about it, I answered. I wasn’t posting after they lost the first two games to the Pistons, either, nor did I post until around four, five days after the Finals had already ended. Again, why you’re wasting bandwidth with your vile crap, or what this has to do with Marbury’s clash with Icon, I have no idea.
Chuck, before you pass judgment on the Starbury, why don’t you buy a pair? I am. And your post completely misses the mark. We’re NOT talking about a shoe to play basketball in, nor are we talking about the white suburban middle class. No matter if Marbury is totally sincere about his motives, or otherwise has some ulterior motive to soften his image, everything Marbury is promoting beats anything James’ marketing team has ever put together, hands-down. And even though I personally thought it was funny when LeBron slam-dunked a baby, he may want to cool it a bit.
July 23rd, 2007 at 1:46 am
Boy, Marlbury is about the only person in the universe that didn’t “get” LeBron coming in on a throne at the ESPY’s…plus nobody thinks Marbury’s a clown, they think he’s an IDIOT for leaving Garnett in Minnesota when they could have made some noise in the playoffs a few years ago…now he an over-the-hill dude with a huge contract that make him practically impossible to move to another team that maybe could use him…Marbury “made his own bed” but seems like he doesn’t want to “sleep in it” and what he said about LeBron strikes me as sour grapes on his part….
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:34 am
Who cares how much Marbury makes playing for the Knicks? I just saw him on YouTube. He was so caffeinated and excited after the Zach Randolph trade, that he actually referred to Randolph as a “younger, youthier player.” Any professional athlete that can mangle the English language that badly is A-O.K. by me. Instead of buying one pair of Starburys, now I think I’m going to buy 10.
July 23rd, 2007 at 7:08 am
I could care less what Marbury or LeBron have to say about their shoes or Nike. I could also care less about what people think about Lebron’s appearance hosting the ESPY’s. As long as LeBron is playing for the CAVS and bringing national attention to Cleveland I’m fine with it. LeBron hosting SNL will again bring attention to Cleveland and the CAVS-it’s all good.
We just can’t stand the spotlight here in Cleveland.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:01 am
Alan, I’m not trying to be mean, and I frankly don’t want to turn this into a blog devoted to Alan Tucker’s posting habits. Still, you’d call me on this if I said it.
You write above “I wasn’t posting after they lost the first two games to the Pistons, either, nor did I post until around four, five days after the Finals had already ended.”
That’s not actually true. May 22nd blog — 10 posts; May 23rd (Cavs down 0-1) — 6 posts; May 25th (Cavs down 0-2) — 7 posts; May 27th (Cavs win, trail 1-2) — 1 POST.
Of note, here’s what you posted AFTER the Cavs Game Three win: “Don’t be fooled ladies. The Cavs are playing way over their heads and will come back down to earth over the next few games.”
The next six blog entries, dating to the Cavs dropping to 0-3 — no posts.
Finally, in the blog entry that chronicled the Cavs elimination (June 14th) — 6 posts, beginning on June 15th (LESS THAN ONE FULL DAY after elimination) and with a bunch more on the 16th.
So you stopped posting soon AFTER the Cavs started winning, and you started posting again NEARLY THE MINUTE after they were eliminated.
I’m sorry your friend was ill, and I admire that you took the time to be with him/her. I believe you.
However, if another person exhibited the exact same patterns of posts and then offered the same excuse, I’m not sure Alan Tucker would believe that poster.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:52 am
Why is everybody hating on me? Im just a poor black kid from the ghetto, who’s mom use to be a crack addict. Why are people worry about what I do with my….My, money, why is people so concern about me marrying the mother of my kids. Listen, there is a list of millionair white sports figure that I do not hear people asking, what are they doing with there money and are they going to marry there girlfriend…..GET A LIFE PEOPLE…. Im human just like you. GET OUT OF MY BUSINESS AND GET YOUR OWN……so let it be written, so let it be done.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:56 am
Why is people all up in my business… worrying about if Im going to marry my children mother, and what i do with my money. there is a whole list of white sports figure who has a lot of money and are not married to there girlfriends but i do not here people talking about them…. Listen people get a life.
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:01 am
Leebron can go dunk a baby on Starburys bald head. They are
both overpaid egomaniacs.
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:48 am
Marbury has always been jealous of other players getting attention. This is nothing new!
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:53 am
If St. Marbury can sell shoes to poor peoplefor $15.00, how much does he pay people to make the shoes?
Marbury is a pathetic individual. He’s so desperate to be loved that he has try to tear other people down so that he can attempt to build up his fragile little ego. It’s funny and sad that marbury has to invoke someone else’s name to grab the headlines.
Envy is such an ugly emotion. Alan T and others of his ilk are just pissed off that Lebron can live a life that they only can wish for. Alan T criticizes his house because Alan prolly can’t afford one a third of the size. Others criticize what he doesn’t do for the community or poor people. That just begs the question, How do they know? Are they privy to his bank account? Stop being blaming Lebron James for your common and uneventful lives, it’s not his fault
July 23rd, 2007 at 12:19 pm
I checked out the Marburys the other day and I have to admit, they are worth fifteen bucks. I was hesitant to buy them though because I started thinking of all the other things I could buy with my fifteen…half a tank of gas, a sleeve of golfballs, a case of beer, bleacher seats at the Jake. Who in their right mind would spend this money on the shoes? I ended up selling my ten year old Jordans with the worn tread and faded leather to a kid for thirty. Two cases of beer in the fridge. Hey Tuck, I’ve got a pair of 95′ Shaq reeboks I’ll sell ya for ten.
July 23rd, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Hey everyone! Look, its me!! I’m Alan T. Show me some attention!!! I need it to make my life worthwhile!!! Hey its me again!!! Boo this…Boo that…Everything sucks!!! Hey, its me!! I need attention!! Anyone? Hello!! Its me!!
Mr. Tucker, I am worried for you. After posting quite often and into the wee hours over the last blog entries, you practically disappeared until this new blog showed up. And just when you and I were starting to have good constructive dialogue too at the end of the last blog. I do not wish to start all that up again in every blog entry from here on out so I will just say this. I am truly truly sorry for the awful, unhappy life you have led upto this point but taking it out on the Cavs, Lebron, Ferry and Windhorst EVERY SINGLE TIME something happens (and many times when nothing is happening - it is the offseason after all) is really focusing your anger and hostilities at the wrong target. Focus that negative energy inward and perhaps you will discover something about yourself that may help you and spare the rest of us from your ramblings. Win win.
Please consider this option. The pure hatred you spew is not good for the mind or soul. Please go get the help you need. Or better yet, just go. We won’t hold it against you but feel free to come up with another coma emergency if that isn’t as embarrassing as saying you were getting professional help. Getting psychiatric treatment for suppressed memories and feelings is not a sign of weakness. But continually berating everyone and everything around you without hope for a SINGLE positive thought will surely make things worse than they already are. Do the right thing Alan before its too late. If not for yourself or for readers of this blog, do it for coma victims everywhere. Carpe Diem.
And by the way, praising Stephon Marbury for being excited for having Randolph as a teammate now and for his poor English skills?? Are you kidding? We all know if all that was going on with the Cavs instead, you wouldn’t be able to post fast enough to criticize everything you currently praise Marbury for. You have zero credibility.
Everyone, lets all just agree to ignore this whacko. Let him spout off about whatever but responding to him just feeds his negativity. There’s no use dealing with a personality malfunction such as he has. Good god, a practically harmless little tidbit about 2 rich people getting richer and the posts in here are as if WW3 has broken out. Ignore the idiot and the idiot will be less visible is all I can say.
July 23rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Kevin, really? I’ll take your word for it. It’s irrelevant, but I’ll take your word for it. I don’t remember. I wasn’t concerning myself with the playoffs, I wasn’t home for almost a month, I didn’t even see many of the games until the Finals were already over, I put them on my DVR. I think it’s part scary, part funny that some people are tracking my movements like they’ve secretly inserted a GPS probe into my rear end, but hey, I guess some people need something to do between classes. Track away.
Eric, Marbury’s not paying anybody to make shoes. LeBron isn’t whipping eight-year-old boys into shape when they screw up the holes for the laces, either. The two of them just endorse the crap. James is making a ton, Marbury is making a tiny drop in the bucket, what Marbury is doing has a real societal benefit, even if the main reason he’s really doing it is for his image.
And it has nothing to do with “envy,” any more than people envied Britney Spears when she exposed her drooping vagina. These people repeatedly say and do such stupid things on a public stage, they almost beg to be targets. With the exception of his pissed off neighbors, people couldn’t care less if James builds a perverted 35,000 square foot-house or a perverted 350,000 square-foot house. But when you invest in a bicycle company specifically to reap profits from your own three-hour charity event, and then you don’t even bother to show up for your charity event, LeBron proudly exposed his own drooping Nike vagina.
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:23 pm
I think everyone is being a little hard on Stephon, yes he may have been drinking haterade but we all have at one time or another. I am a big B-Ball fan and support the Cav’s because they are my homeboys. I am also guilty of having a soft space in my heart for Lebron. With that said I still think Lebron is big-headed and egotistical. I have not heard one nice thing about him from anyone who has had any direct contact with him that I know. The comment about the shoes was especially rude and mean spirited in my opinion. Lebron did you forget (SpringHills)? I congradulate Stepon for marketing a reasonably priced shoe. How many mothers worry because they can not afford to provide $150.00 shoes for their sons because they have to provide food and shelter. To say He and Nike have higher standards was mean spirited. Everyone loves him now because he is a winner, brought hope to an entire city but mess up once like Kobe and watch Nike turn it’s back on you faster than you can blink an eye. I use to think the world of this young man who had beat all the odds and succeeded, but now I am rethinking my position on that. Lebron is no better than the next guy although he thinks so. Favor is not fair and he is a testimony to that. I just hope he will get off of that self-rightous soap box and get real again. He is on the top now but a torn ACL could be the end to him and he should ask himself one question “Will they love me then”. Heck no. I just hope he checks the reality and deflates that big head of his. Gloria probably coould not put $150.00 shoes on his feet when he was a kid so when did you rise your standards Lebron after the draft? You are such a fake but you can sure play ball so I guess in your world it all evens out. Good Luck and God bless because with your cocky attitude you are going to need it .
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Of course Marbury doesn’t like Lebron. Lebron is everything “Starbury” isn’t. Unselfish, liked by others, and winning games with far less talent around him. Didn’t Lebron average more assists that Steph? Lebron walks among the people on the court. Marbury doesn’t. If Steph wanted some attention he should have just said so.
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Marbury donated $4 million in profits to the NYPD, FDNY, NYC Teachers Union among other NYC based organizations. So yes, he made some money off the Starbury line, but he is giving a lot back.
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Please leave LeBron’s personal life out of your lame discussions. He’s a wonderful father, provider, and lover. Nothing else matters; not marriage or any such worthless paperwork. We love each other and our sons-and we continue to grow with each other.
Shame on you all, and shame on you who cheat on your spouses and would judge our relationship. Don’t you wish you had the means to do for your kids what we do for ours?
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Marbury is an idiot. PERIOD. He doesn’t have half the talent LeBron does.
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:34 pm
A dude with a couple semesters cutting classes at Georgia Tech versus a dude that drove a Hummer around his high school parking lot. A modern-day Aristotle vs. Plato. Hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYY338_JgvI
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Alan T, You are borderline stupid. Correct me if I’m wrong, but from what I’ve read on this very site, the bike event was CANCELLED because it was LOSING money. The whole point of the event was to RAISE money.
Alan T not only are you borderline stupid, but you’re a special kind of fool. Marbury can reap the benefits from his “charity” and you claim it’s a benefit to society, James wanted to sell bikes and that makes him a fraud? Like I said before, Lebron’s access to the things in life that you can barely dream about, has your feeble mind aching from envy.
July 23rd, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Josh said:
Either recognize [LeBron's] game, respect it, and keep your traps shut, or be labeled jealous haters. Pretty simple really.
Yes, Josh. Pretty simple. In fact, if you don’t mind reducing your thinking down to illogical, oversimplified drivel, then it’s perfectly simple.
Someone also compared Muhummad Ali and LeBron. I find this ridiculous. LeBron is Jordan, not Ali. Lebron is “Republicans by sneakers, too” and is definitely not–at this point in his young life–a conscientious objector. See his statment about the Darfur petition. I hope, at some point, he follows in the footsteps of Jim Brown–who was quite an activist after his career.
I’m not denying LeBron any possible identity, but to this point, we must at least provide accurate comparisons of what we do know. He could surprise us all.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Steph didn’t just talk to hear himself speak (this time at least) - he was ripped in the media for some odd, colorful remarks the week before and as the comments above demonstrate, he’s one of those guys that can’t catch a break. Some guys get away with stuff like dunking babies as a joke or what have you. Didn’t Garnett sucker punch a teammate or two? How exactly does a scoring pg fit with a guy dominating the ball and the paint? Didn’t Starbury lead to the Suns to a near upset of the Spurs just before he came to the Knicks? And for real though, Dolan and the Knicks have had serious problems for a while now. Larry undermined a season and the havoc carried over. Thomas isn’t exactly turning things around either. And while Steph hasn’t exactly helped the situation, he certainly didn’t cause it. But people love to hate him though. When did basketball stop being about the game?
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:43 pm
If “Starbury” was really doing it to help kids who couldn’t afford them he’d give them away for free. He’s a MILLIONAIRE 20 times over for christ sake!!! This was nothing more then a publicity stunt. If have no problem with these players and what they do with their paychecks. It’s not like half of YOU are giving to any charities. You got idiots on here p*ssed off because they’re working a day to day job and they’re stuck so they want to bring everyone else down with them. Cry us all a d@mn river!!! Look people, this is the society we’ve helped build. A society that tells the younger generation that you should get what you can at the cost of everyone by exploitation with these commercials that teach them that if they want to be somebody that need to have this or that and live like this and that. You can’t complain about issues in a society that you helped build and that you’re not out here trying to change. You have to blame yourselves to an extent because it is the CONSUMER!, who pays for tickets, refreshments, jersey’s, and shoes all which aren’t neccessities but privilages.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:59 pm
O.K., Eric, since you expressly requested it, I’ll correct you if you’re wrong. Going back into a search engine, James’ publicist announced the charity bike ride would have to be cancelled because of his purported “scheduling conflicts.” The publicist announced it in April. Yes, as far back as April, they announced James would have a scheduling conflict the entire summer. Booked solid.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Shaq and Olajuwon both offered discount sneakers to kids years ago. Marbury’s not doing anything new or groundbreaking.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:04 pm
bkooregon, a baby was not dunked, it was a doll you moron! When did basketball stop being about the game? Oh I’d say right aroung the time the ghetto trashMarbury) came bubbling up from their sewers whinning about not getting enough attention and when Einsteins like you think someone has “gotten away” with the crime of dunking a doll.
Matt, why does Lebron need to be an activist? Are you an activist? You are also one those fools who puts waaay to much stock in celebrities. Why should Lebron sign the Darfur petition? What will happen if Lebron puts his name on some meaningless piece of paper? Do you really think the Chinese are going are going to stop buying oil from Darfur, suppling weapons, and slow their economy because some basketball player says genocide is wrong? Here’s an idea, if you are so troubled by Darfur, you should boycott wal -mart. And Jim Brown is garbage. He hasn’t down anything but symbolic yapping.
Bronzebeauty, please stop pretending that the only shoes available for poor mothers to buy for their children are $150.00 or $15.00 shoes. And if any mother is “worried” about not being able to provide $150.00, that explains why she and her kids are poor. Those types of parents have their priorities screwed up. And Bronzebeauty did you forget about Springhill? What have you done ? Lebron has absolutely no responsibilty what so ever to remove poor people from poverty. That’s exactly what’s wrong with poor people, always looking for a handout. And people like you and Alan T are always demanding that someone give away their wealth so that you can feel better about not having any at all.
Stop hating on Lebron because he’s wealthy and you are not. Envy will destroy you.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:56 pm
I now realize that Marbury’s jealousy is nothing compared to AT’s. I hate the Steelers, Pistons, Yankees and U of Michigan. But I don’t spend my time dissing them on their blogs. And for the record, despite AT’s selective partial quotes that he claims infers LeBon was dissing Marbury’s shoes, I saw the FULL quotes. LeBron was stating the FACT that Nike - who has James under contract - would not sell $15 shoes. Period.
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Again Alan T, you are showing why you are such an idiot. I would imagine that Lebron unlike you can’t wait until the last minute to put his schedule togther. And if this bike a thon is so important to you, organize your own. You be the change in the world you want to see. I would suggest that once more go back into the search engine and read the entire article or maybe you should try the archives on this site. The event was loosing money.
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Just for the record, I own two pairs of Starburys, and they’re very nice shoes. I make it a point never to pay more than fifty dollars for shoes, but I wore a pair of my brother’s Iversons for a few games, and honestly, they don’t match up to the Starburys.
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Alan t. you rule, thanks for dropping knowledge on the Lebron sheep.
I own a pair of the Starbury’s and they’re more comfortable than I expected a pair of $15 sneakers to be. No I’m not dunking on anyone’s head, but I couldn’t do that with my Air Force One’s either!
Starbury and the Icon are both retarded in their own ways but the sheep are much more sickening.
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Hey Alan,
I’m just curious — what DID you think of the Cavs-Pistons series? I mean, I know you had personal reasons, but you ought to grace us all with your expert analysis of why the Cavs were able to get past Detroit.
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:25 pm
I hate the knicks but Starburys are a great concept that I will support. It’s a joke the shoes are so expensive and the ones who pay for them are the true suckers.
Wasn’t Keving Durant recently touting his desire to do something like Marbury? I guess now he is with Nike there’s no chance for that to happen.
Damn, I loved my circa 86 Georgetown Hoya colored canvas Nikes. They were some nice shoes. Costed about $35. Then Nike went all bulky and full on leather raised all the prices to near $100, and I left them.
Last time I hooped in them, I got Nike-itis — messed up big toes.
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:55 pm
I think Marbury’s kinda cute myself. And, he wears one large pair of Starbury’s! (:
July 23rd, 2007 at 6:58 pm
You want my “expert” opinion of the Cavs-Pistons series, Mike? Well, I’m not much of an expert, but it seems to me the Pistons are a much better team than the Cavaliers, James is a much better player than any of the Pistons. When James puts forth the effort and is on his game, he can beat any team by himself. I, like most people, didn’t think he could win an entire series against Detroit, and I was wrong. He’s that good. Even with all the Harold Miners and Paul Mokeskis and Chucky Browns and Don Fords and Eric Snows and David Wesleys that were wearing Cavs uniforms, if he’d been on his game, he could have taken a game or even two away from San Antonio or Dallas or Phoenix or whatever vastly superior team the West had put against Cleveland. As long as James is on the Cavaliers, they’ll always stand a fighting chance no matter what embarrassingly average and below-average talent that Ferry surrounds him with. That is my non-expert opinion, Mike. Hope you liked it.
July 23rd, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Joe, nobody has offered anything remotely close to $15 sneakers. The list on the Hakeem shoes was $35, Shaq’s $40. I don’t think anybody gets shot over $35 sneakers, but it’s groundbreaking to sell new sneakers for only $15. And it’s all pretty much word of mouth and Marbury. No advertising budget to speak of. I think that’s pretty impressive.
July 23rd, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Alan T.-wanna have my baby?
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:02 pm
As a player, I never liked Starbury. He is the exact opposite of what I (and old Larry) think a PG should be. Arrogant to a fault and full of himself.
He is hard not to hate.
But this $15 shoe thing…I take everything back I said about him as a person.
Still dont like the player but I have great respect for what he has done.
As a man, I put him higher up than the corporate whores like MJ and LeBron.
Its not even a contest.
And again, Im not a Starbury fan, just the opposite.
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:58 pm
hey, guess what? LeBron plays for MY team…BE JEALOUS!
July 24th, 2007 at 12:20 am
haha Alan T. you are an idiot.. how many times have you heard that on here? probably a lot because it sounds like you know nothing about basketball.. Cavs not better than the pistons? how arent they. Last i checked the Cavs are the ones that won the series, not the pistons. You say Lebron is the only reason they won? The cavs 3 front court starters rank in like the top 3 in scoring. We were the top rebounding team. And I dont know if you watched game 6 but i remember seeing Gibson single handedly win that game for the Cavs.
July 24th, 2007 at 12:48 am
Used to like LeBron.
Gets too many cheap calls (his 3 1/2 step last second playoff shot last year… etc.)
And it seems like he’s way to into himself and money nowadays. He was supposed to be all humble and such coming out of high school and maybe he was… but not anymore.
July 24th, 2007 at 2:13 am
Jono, are you going to tell me you think the cavs, as a team, are a better team than the Pistons? The Pistons are the best team basketball playing team in the NBA, without question. If you replaced LeBron with any other player in the league for that series, the Pistons take it in five.
Yes, when he wants to be LeBron is that good.
July 24th, 2007 at 3:14 am
The Starbury’s are a fantastic idea. They help on the PR front, yeah, but more importantly they’re the perfect way to tap into an untapped market–which is exactly what he’s doing. I don’t know the statistics, but it isn’t hard to imagine that the number of people who want nice shoes (or want to provide nice shoes for their kids) but can’t afford a $150 pair of kicks is greater than the number of people who can. I bet the numbers are big enough (and I’m sure Marbury’s people looked into this) that it is very much worth their while. Nike is definitely kicking themselves for not thinking of this first (or having done so but not pursuing it), but with the newly signed Durant with an eye out for the quality affordable shoe market, I wouldn’t be suprised to see a $25 Nike Zoom Air (green and gold Durant edition) Starbury Killer.
As far as Lebron James is concerned, I don’t see any problem with his capitalistic ways–this is America. Look at Bill Gates, good friend of Warren Buffet–business Lebron’s role model: first he made the money, then he used it to help people. Let’s cut the guy some slack now and hope he does the world right–whatever that means–later. Then again, I guess that’d be boring for the rest of us, normal folk, who would rather talk about what we would do if we had the money than go out and make it.
But let’s get back to the subject. Marbury wanted free publicity and got it, James came off as an elitist though it doesn’t really matter, and the game some of you thought we forgot about is the same as always: the favorite versus the underdog–the have’s versus the have not’s.
July 24th, 2007 at 9:25 am
LeBron couldn’t even beat the Blue Team. Once again he wastes time dribbling around and then settles for a weak outside shot.
July 24th, 2007 at 9:57 am
“LeBron couldn’t even beat the Blue Team.” Didnt realize he was playing them by himself. Too much blazin for you Joe. However, you are correct about that last play! Yikes. The guy has GOT to get it through his head to “SQUARE THE SHOULDERS”. Hopefully, one day soon.
As far as you jealous fools go..who the f*ck cares what you think. Whore yourself out Lebron. Do what you want. You’re not hurting anyone, except these envious pansies, and I can damn sure guarantee that your helping more than any of these jealous jackasses will ever know. F’ing judgemental wankers.
July 24th, 2007 at 10:01 am
STARBURY’S — not sure of the plural form here. But to all those who doubt the quality, I ask “Have you actually worn them?”
My figures may be off, but a when Phil Knight (CEO NIKE) was under tremendous scrutiny in the late 1990s, one of the issues was the egregious price increase. Basically, a pair of Nike’s cost somewhere in the range of $1.30 - $1.90 US. Assuming this is true, Marbury could produce the same shoe and sell it at the the $15 price point.
Once you factor in advertising — word of mouth and press releases for Marbury vs. the LeBron’s, the Second Coming, etc. for Nike. you can see the where Nike is spending SOME of the difference in money. Also, the Nike shoes may cost $2.00 to manufacture and the Starbury’s may cost $1.00 to manufacture, and I will go as far as saying that the LeBron’s may have a quality standard that doubles that of the Starbury’s, BUT the question exists — why in the HELL are the LeBron’s 10 times as expensive???
I think Marbury, the person, should be applauded for offering shoes at this price. I am not saying that LeBron should be crucified for not doing the same, but we should seek out those individuals engaged in positive activities and recognize them for their efforts.
LeBron’s comments probably did not contain malice, but one of the problems celebrities deal with is the fact that their world is summed up in soundbites. So if you are not sure how something will sound, you are better off only giving glossy remarks. The proper response to any Starbury shoe question should have been: “I have heard about the shoes and I wish Stephon the best of luck in his endeavors.” And if the line of questioning on why LeBron does have 15 dollar shoes continued, his response should have been something to the effect of: “I have not yet looked into the possibility of having similar shoes, however I actively explore and I am open to all options to help the community.”
July 24th, 2007 at 10:04 am
I would imagine Nike has thought about making a low standard shoe before. But here’s the thing, there is absolutely no demand from people of any economic background for Marbury’s type of shoe. Poor people are the most susceptable to status symbols, that is why you can go to any ghetto in America and see almost any kind of luxury item. Poor peopl are not buying expensive things because they have no choice, they buy them because they want them. Unless a law is going to be passed to stop their behavior, the Starbury’s will fail.
Once again Alan T is dazzeling us with his intellect by going all the way back to eighties and trying to make a point by mentioning the overblown problem of the ghetto dwellers killing each other for Air Jordans. SIGH! News flash Alan T, the folks in the ghetto’s will rob,and kill over anything,such as card games, basketball and football games, someone “dissing”them, video games, tv’s, ipods, and so on and so forth. You see, the problem is NOT that these people don’t have access to cheaper or inexpensive goods, the problem a whole lot of folks in the “hood” suffer from is the very same problem that Alan T and others on this blog suffer from. ENVY! You hate the fact that others have what you want but may never be able to get. Alan T responds to this fact by whimpering and whining and trying to pass himself as some sort of humanitarian(who does no humanitarian work other than raising awareness of how someone else spends THEIR money),where as the po’folks simply choose to slaughter each other in order to deal with the same fact.
Terry Lechecul, come on dude get real. The only reason Marbury is no longer a “corporate whore” and selling his own shoes is because he didn’t get the deal from Nike that he wanted when he tried to renegotiate his contract. As a person he is a fraud . His whole look at me I’m so humble and caring that I’m going bless the poor because Lebron won’t act, reeks of desperation and low self-esteem. Yeah he’s a man alright…. A typical ghetto man.
July 24th, 2007 at 10:11 am
Marbury’s response to Lebron “I’d rather own than be owned”, was by far the line of the year.
July 24th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Also, when arguing sneaker prices, R&D costs never seemed to be mentioned. Nike puts out some amazing shoe technologies, and the costs associated with this should not be discounted. It’s analogous to arguments around drugs, while manufacturing costs are fairly low, the cost to develop, test, etc have to be factored into the price. That being said, Nike still charges much too much for shoes, but as long as we continue to buy them, they will continue to do it.
July 24th, 2007 at 10:18 am
I don’t care what kind of sneakers you wear as long as you can fill a shoe.
July 24th, 2007 at 10:54 am
lebrons comments were out of line…. Marbury is doing something good for the people.
“i’d rather own than be owned” was suuuuch a good line…
as much as i like lebron. He didn’t need to dig at marbury for doing something good!
July 24th, 2007 at 11:35 am
Marbury: Whine, whine, cry, cry.
LeBron: What’s wrong?
Marbury: I’m not as good as you, and no one likes me.
LeBron: Ya, that’s true. But you sell cheap sneakers.
Marbury: I hate your soul.
July 24th, 2007 at 11:35 am
“I’d rather own than be owned” is like saying “I’d rather have a 100 thousand than 100 million” Pretty stupid. Lebron does’nt have any say on the price of his kicks, nor does he care to. I’m willing to bet if Nike offered him 100 mil to endorse a $15 shoe he would sign up. Nike is not going to go with a $15 Lebron shoe because they’ve cut him a $100,000,000 check. Let me retype that for ya so you can check out the zeros. $100,000,000. One more time. $100,000,000. Now people, who owns who here?
July 24th, 2007 at 11:37 am
lebron james is a coddled asshole..he is in las vegas practicing for team usa when his girlfriend/ho is taking care of their 2 bastard children which includes one newborn! i remember chauncey billups missing out last year because he felt a duty to his wife who was having their 3rd daughter! last year he didnt even play all that well and they made him captain even though everyone knows that carmelo was the best player on the team. they didnt have to guts to hurt the ego of the league’s biggest coddled baby!
July 24th, 2007 at 11:43 am
Eric, congratulations, your last post has been nominated by Mark Cuban’s blog as Most Ill-Informed Business and Socioeconomic Argument of the Year. I can’t speak for Mr. Cuban, but if you’d added a sentence that Tim Donaghy should replace Bruce Drennan on “All Bets are Off” and Michael Vick should be the new host of “The Price is Right,” I reckon it would have been a post for the ages.
July 24th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
DBO, the reason Nike is not going to sell a $15 shoe has absolutely nothing to do with LeBron’s check. The reason has everything to do with the fact that it’s Nike. Nike isn’t going to list a pair of shoes for $14.98 for the same reason than Prada will never list a purse for a $1.99. Nike portrays itself as “high-end” and “upscale.” So, yeah, when Marbury strongly implies that James is an upscale whore, he’s correct.
July 24th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
The funny thing is all these people sticking up for Lebron are probaly children who dont pay for there own shoes to begin with. Paying $100+ for a shoe is just wrong and what Marbury is doing is the true “right thing.” Yes, he may not be the best NBA player, but all he is trying to do is give the average person a chance to afford a good quality basketball shoe. I see no harm in that at all, which is alot more than I can say for Lebron and any other big name NBA player today.
July 24th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Lebron James and Stephon Marbury are different, Steph is a point guard and Lebron is a power forward , steph is a veteran and Lebron is not, Now i enjoy watching Stephon Marbury and Lebron James perform , but just two days ago Lebron was on NBA Television talking about he always verbally stated that Jason Kidd is the best point guard in the league, This was just after the Basketball USA appearance in Las Vegas Now, and he is Entitiled to his say, But Lebron, thats your stance in the situation, My say is that Stephon Marbury has style, Mad game, and has been in the league a long time playing great Basketball , and what ever that going on between you and steph cut it out and come together cause it is not that serious, I interested in seeing great Basketball and do not get it twisted, I understand that everything is not perfect and its not ever going to be. play ball. Love and Understanding. Lisa Newman Philadelphia, Pa YOU TO STEPHON Life is to Short.
July 24th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Kate, , obviosly you must upset that Lebron hasn’t added you to his stable of whores, but here’s a question for you, why isn’t Carmelo the great back in Denver taking care of his “bastard”? Or any of the other fathers at home taking care of their children? Kate you are simply white trash par excellence. I hope your single-wide is nice and comfy.
Alan, you are just amazing! Still crying over the fact that you are basically broke. Still whining that you are common and of course an still an idiot. Nike doesn’t have to list a pair of shoes for $14.98. The shoe could be branded under a different name, similar to what that bitter ghetto fraud is doing. Surely with your extensive knowlege of socioeconomic issues you have heard of companies doing that. Marbury,like you is just angry that he can no longer command top dollar for anything. Alan please stop blaming Lebron for your average life, it’s not his fault that you barely relevent enough to cast a shadow.
July 24th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
well alan,maybe the Cavs should try and sign Bush,he will be looking for work soon anyway.This whole argument is lame anyway,who cares if they dont like each other?they are at exact opposite points in their respective careers and who’s career will we remember?someone who sold 15 dollar sneakers or someone who has already made it to the finals within 4 seasons?how many finals games has “starbury”even played in?hmmm…lets concern ourselves with on-court accomplishments instead of philanthropotic efforts.
July 24th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Eric, your knowledge and understanding of the sneaker business rivals your knowledge of a really good recipe for breaded chitlins and sweet potato pie. Give it a rest.
July 24th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
marbury is just bein a little goof because he’s jealous of lebron. As for him stating that hes the best pg in the League, he’s completely full of himself
July 24th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Boys will be boys, which is why my Bronnie (LeBron) is free to roam. He knows where the frosting on the cake is at. Me and Gloria tend to the babies; I keep my stuff clean for my man and stay at the ready. What else can a gal want or need?
I mean, 75% in our community are born out of wedlock anyway, so we are actually well ahead of the curve cause’ we take care of our babies-I mean feed em and stuff. So there…….
July 24th, 2007 at 7:24 pm
Um, wow! Just when I thought this post couldnt get any more out of control… I have questions, mostly hypothetical.
-Whoever is impersonating Lebron’s girlfriend, and anyone who is attacking their parental prowess, almost has to be a jealous, hateful person, right? I mean, you would have to be the same people who give a crap about actors/actresses, musicians, and other famous people and what they do with their personal lives. Stay outta private matters, and yes, parenting is a private matter.
-Can anyone remember a single game in NBA history where one player had every point, rebound, assist, foul, turnover and minute played for his entire team? Apparently the rest of the Cavs, ie: Drew Gooden, Z, etc, were sitting courtside, eating popcorn and wearing street clothes while Lebron single-handedly defeated the “better team” that was the Pistons. My memory must be failing me.
-Who? Stephon Marbury is a nobody. He did not “lead” the Wolves, Suns, Nets, or Knicks to anything but losses, and has been an underachieving loser with a ridiculous contract his entire career. Dude up above is right, “Suckbury” and Lebron are DEFINITELY different, right down to success and ability. The “line of the year” would have been THIS, if Lebron werent to classy to say it: “Who in the world is Stephon Marbury? I’ve never heard of the guy.”
-Why did he do the $15 shoe thing? Because he is irrelevant. His career is a giant disappoinment, his popularity has never been lower, and no one wants him on their team, to the point where he’s threatening to play out his contract and move to Italy, for God’s sake!! IT’S A PUBLICITY STUNT, PEOPLE. That’s how people who need the spotlight like they need oxygen manage to squeeze extra days or weeks out of their fame. They release a shoe, or adopt an African baby, or get a divorce….
-And finally, Alan Tucker is a coward? Disappears when he’s wrong? Say it aint so, AT! Fact is, if he disappeared every time he was proven wrong, he’d be on vacation more often than G.W. Bush! (bada CHING)
…Make the world a better place, punch a Lebron hater in the face.
July 24th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Tucker is dominating this thread of comments, as usual. When is someone going to come forward and accurately say that LeBron didn’t play well in the playoffs this year. He was a no-show in the Wiz series, played average in the Nets series, had two awful games to dig them in a whole against Detroit, then did have a game for the ages, which is all people seem to remember. And of course, you saw how he got humiliated in the Spurs series (LeBron made less jumpers in the ENTIRE series than Snow, that is fact by the way…).
So who exactly carried who in the playoffs this season? The answer: Mike Brown.
July 24th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Alan T. is a moron and needs to shut his mouth. just because you suck doesn’t mean you have to dis Lebron
July 25th, 2007 at 12:29 am
Who the heck is Stephon Marbury, he must be an idiot if he’s dissing my man Lebron… I bet if you had a survey of who do u like better Lebron James or Stephon Marbury .. people would be like duh James… cause nobody knows who the heck Stephon Marbury is.. .. So Stephon can just sit back in the corner and watch Lebron and see how its done..
July 25th, 2007 at 7:52 am
Stephon Marbury is your classic modern NBA dunce. Despite his very INDIVIDUAL talent, he couldn’t even win alongside Kevin Garnett and has never made any team better.
I’ve also seen Marbury’s talk show. He interviewed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and it was like watching an 8-year old interview God. The intellectual divide was staggering. Marbury couldn’t even formulate intelligent questions for one of the greatest legends in professional sports history.
Sad. Marbury was styin’ in a nice suit, doh. DUH!
July 25th, 2007 at 9:12 am
[...] tremendous summer continues: he dislikes LeBron James. (Cleveland Cavaliers [...]
July 25th, 2007 at 9:19 am
OverratedLeBron wins hands down for dumbest post of this thread. And in this thread that is truly saying something. James didn’t play well in the playoffs this year? LOOK, something shiny. He didn’t shoot well, that’s for sure. But, you know there seems to me to be more than just shooting a basketball involved in basketball. Plus, when you are CONSTANTLY double and triple teamed, it’s hard to shoot well. The operative word there OL is CONSTANTLY. James was AS USUAL the single biggest reason they did as well as they did. And your answer? LOL…Dude, you just laid yourself down in a whole lot of stupid with that one! Brown is a good coach, but that comment is truly reeking in delusion.
July 25th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
The Cavs have run-of-the-mill chumps riding a guy’s coattails, LeBron James is fantastic, and Ferry will be calling Troy Hudson’s agent after Minnesota buys him out. It’s a slow blog summer.
July 25th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
I coulda had Bobby Cutts!
July 25th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Sabrina enter thee ARENA you hot little MACHINA.
July 25th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
The 90’s Bulls won CHAMPIONSHIPS with “run of the mill chumps” riding Jordan’s coattails. Hell, Jordan was so good, people were convinced that Scottie Pippen was a HOF’er too! My ass… what’d Scottie accomplish without Superman? A whole lotta jack squat. Lebron IS that good, he IS fantastic, and with run of the mill players, he’ll win a title, possibly next year.
Alan, drop your arms to your sides, one on each shoulder, now PULL. there ya go, head removed from upper colon. Well done.
July 25th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
marbury is not only an underachiever but he is a sh………….it,a big one too. evens the knick fans wish they had an unselfish,easy going SUPERSTAR like lebron not only on their team. i heard some of them a cancelling thisr season ticket for the next two years..antbody interested?……….t thought so
get over urself dude…ure a neva been u and ur cheap shoes…third world countries dont even want them
July 25th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
They don’t make a Starbury big enough to fit my man! (:
No matter how many babies Bronnie brings on I’m his first. He’s all man, all mine, and James! Who needs marriage?
July 25th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
I thought LeBron’s girlfriend’s name was Savahnna Brinson. Who in the hell is Sabrina James?
July 25th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Savahnna to you, Sabrina to Bronnie. Sorry Joe, you can’t have my babies.
July 25th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
I just commented to say that I enjoy alan t’s take on things.
July 26th, 2007 at 12:26 am
Josh, that’s just plain ridiculous. You’re comparing the 90’s Bulls to the Cavs??? Without Jordan, the Bulls won 47 games during the regular season, and would have advanced into the Finals if not for the infamous Hubert Davis phantom foul. If you’re asserting the Cavs would not be in deep, deep, deep, deep lottery do-do if James retired to become a monk in a Nike monastery in Outer Mongolia, then young man, it’s time for you to be joining Lindsay Lohan in rehab.
July 26th, 2007 at 9:14 am
I bet the Cavs could take an 8 seed in the East even without LeBron. They’re not THAT BAD.
July 26th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Gotta agree with alan t. here. The Scottie never doing anything after Michael thing is kind of bogus as evidenced by alan t.’s example. Also, when he left Chicago, he was old, slow and a shell of his former self. Make no mistake about it, even though he was a jackass (hitting girlfrind/fiancee/wife, refusing to go into a game because the last play wasn’t called for him), Scottie Pippen was a great player. There is NO ONE anywhere near his ability and skill on the Cavaliers (outside of James).
IMO, the Cavaliers, how they are presently constituted and without James, are a lottery team. James, himself, was good for at least 20 wins this season. So maybe you’d be looking at a 30-52 team without James. Maybe better.
July 26th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
The Cavs are 6-1 in games Lebron sits out. Explain…
Scottie Pippen is a slightly more athletic Drew Gooden. Anyone who doesnt see that obviously drinks the Alan cool-aid. How bout I join your mother in rehab, Alan? Obviously having a walking mistake like you to answer for would be enough to send anyone toward an 8-ball of coke.
The Bulls, outside of Jordan and his overrated Robin, were pretty awful. The comparisons are striking actually. Z = Luc Longley…. Andy = a cleaner, healthier, less kooky Dennis Rodman…. Drew could easily fill in as a Horace Grant type… Even Gibson reminds me of a young BJ Armstrong (with a better game).
I understand, guys. To an average simpleton who knows nothing about basketball, a mega-star like Lebron James can often be so good, his teammates look pale by comparison. It happens. People who actually follow the game and dont just read ESPN.com to get a spoon-fed opinion on everything know what kind of talent is on this roster, and that a move or 2 will be enough to contend for a title year in and year out. Some people get it, and some just dont.
July 26th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Explain? O.K., Josh. LeBron conveniently sits out games against the most atrocious teams, usually at home. Usually when that particular team also happens to be playing the 545th game of a 546 game road trip. A full 82 games of this squad without LeBron, and at least one of those games would yield the first shutout in NBA history. The Cavs’ PR flacks, being the marketing geniuses they are, would fire Moondog and cleverly replace him with Nolan Ryan.
Seriously, Josh, I’m all for rosey outlooks on life, but jeez, comparing those Bulls to these Cavs is WAY beyond comprehension. When it comes to perception of the home team, you’re starting to make Terry Pluto look like one of those crazy rabid man-eating pit bulls at Bad Newz Kennels.
July 26th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Be reasonable. The Cavs aren’t atrocious without LeBron. There was a stretch where LeBron was in a horrible slump (for him) and Sasha filled in nicely (before the All-Star break). True, they are no where near as good without him, but it was a defensive team effort all throughout the playoffs. The Cavs have quality players. Drew Gooden is a good player, Varajeo and Z are good players, and Boobie and Pavlovic are turning out to be a good players. The Bulls went to the Eastern Conference Finals without Jordan - Scottie Pippen is one of the best players to play in the NBA - he’s a real jerk as far as I can tell but he was athletic, played great defense, could shoot and drive, and was an incredible passer for his position. He MADE Jordan better.
July 26th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
didnt the bulls make the playoffs the year jordan retired/sat out
July 27th, 2007 at 12:11 am
quote from Alan tucker: “…I’m all for rosey outlooks on life…” Too too funny. If you’re an optimist, I can only imagine how dire the pessimists are. Actually they must have all committed suicide when faced with the prospect of having to get up the next day. Where’s the Genius by the way? And Josh, love reading your stuff.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:43 am
Scottie Pippen was a “slightly more athletic Drew Gooden.” That sentence alone earned that post a permanent spot in the Naismith Posting While On Acid Hall of Fame. That’s a classic. That was the equivalent of calling Tim Duncan “a slightly more athletic Keith Lee.”
July 27th, 2007 at 2:29 am
Actually, I think I got their record wrong…if memory serves, they won 55 games in their first season without Jordan, not 47. I think it was 47 the second season. Can’t remember. Anyway, without James, I think it would take the Cavs at least three seasons to equal 55. People who disparage that guy’s talent on the court are complete idiots. With that said, too bad he’s such a whore off the court. It’s only a matter of time before he cashes a check and dances in his underwear with Kevin Bacon.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:26 am
The Lakers had much less talent around Kobe this season than the Cavaliers had around LeBron. How in the world did Kobe get that atrocious team to the playoffs in the much more difficult western conference?
Also - Mike Brown did a 10-times better job of coaching than Phil Jackson did this season. At least Brown got the Cavs playing great defense, what in the heck did Mr. Jackson bring to the Lakers? He’s VERY fortunate to have had Kobe Bryant, or that Laker team wins negative-4 games.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:37 am
Alert: Many stats forthcoming. If you dislike stats, skip this post.
If I understand the argument, Alan et. al. are arguing that the current Cavs — essentially those teams from the last two years — are a very poor team without LBJ. Alan labels them a bad lottery team, and Corporate Whore labels them a 30-win team. Alan furthers that the team has built its exceptional non-LBJ record the last two years (6-1) by piling on against patsies who were playing on the road and without rest.
There is some truth to what he says. These are the teams against which LeBron has sat in the last two years: Knicks, Boston (twice), Atlanta, Golden State Philadelphia, Sacramento. Of those seven teams, only one (Golden State this year) was against an above-.500 team. Collectively, those teams won .376 of their games, or 31 games over a full season.
The Cavs did also play more (4) of those seven games at home than on the road, although it was hardly a huge differential.
And Alan is right and wrong about the amount of rest those teams had: Two of those opponents had two days off, two had one day off, and three played on no rest. However, the Cavs were actually “less” rested than their opponents, having played the same three games on no rest while having no games with two or more days rest.
So, how many games should a “deep lottery” team have won against that competition? I tried to project this, figuring each team’s home or road record in the season in which they played the Cavs (without LBJ), and by calculating how an average team (.500) should have done against the same record.
The results? An average (41-41) team should have gone about 4.6-2.4 against that array of teams. As you know, the Cavs actually won six of seven, so they did better than an average team would have been expected to do. (Seven games is a very limited sample, so that could reasonably be attributed to luck.)
Remember, though, Alan and Corporate Whore aren’t suggesting this team — sans LBJ — is average. They are saying that it is well below average. It is reasonable to suggest that a Corporate Whore-quality team (30-52) would have won one less game than an average team (against these seven teams in the same locales), and a “deep lottery” team might have won a half-game less than that. It’s still a small sample, but chalking up 2.5 or three wins in a seven-game span to luck — while possible — isn’t likely.
A couple other points:
The Cavs didn’t just win those games this year, they crushed their opponents. In four LBJ-less games this year, the Cavs outscored their opponents by a total of 57 points. Their lone loss was by a deuce. In the two years with this approximate cast of players, Cleveland has outscored its opponents by an average of nearly 10 points a game. The point differentials suggest they should have won six-plus of those games. In short, the Cavs really weren’t lucky to win those six games.
Lastly, LBJ is a wonderful player, arguably the best in the league. Basketball-Reference.com’s method of calculating his value places his contribution at 10-11 wins over .500 over the course of the season. That’s huge — the most of any NBA player — but it isn’t the 20-30 wins that people on this board are attributing.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:55 am
LOL…Josh calm down. I am betting, all your money, that if we were to ask NBA historians and people who know the game MUCH more than you or me, if Scottie Pippen is just a “slightly more athletic Drew Gooden”, they would disagree by about a 100% to 0% margin. Credibility for Josh’s opinions on player talent equals zero. But to top that off, you’re wrong about the Cavaliers record without James. 6-1 was the last two years, maybe? I believe it’s 9-3. Still pretty good, but anyone going with that as “proof” that the Cavaliers are a good team without James is fooling themselves. That record is over a span of 4 years, so that’s 3 games a year that the Cavaliers play without James. Let’s use last year as just one example. I think they were 3-1 without him. First, the opponent has gameplanned for James…surprise he doesn’t play, so a HUGE chunk of their gameplanning is out the window. Secondly and MUCH more importantly, the teams they beat? They sucked. Bottom line is this. If you REALLY think that the Cavaliers are a good team without James, you’re smoking some f’ed up shyt.
Scottie Pippen is just a more athletic Drew Gooden? LOL…This tells me that you never really saw Scottie Pippen play basketball.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Kevin Andress, nice post. To be honest, after I posted my 30-52 record comment, I thought it was too negative. Your breakdown is well done. I will admit, at times, I think too little of the “help”. My post was reactionary. A great catch of BasketballReference.com’s stat. I, unfortunately, can’t get there at work, but am very interested at seeing how they derive at that stat.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
I don’t know…it’s all fun and games to talk about, but without James, this is the same quality roster as the Ilgauskas-led 17-65 team. I figure by game 35, there would be some much bad karma and dissension in the locker room, that Hughes and Jones would have a knife fight in the shower. I really don’t know how anybody can argue differently without giggling. And this despite the fact that Drew Gooden is Scottie Pippen with a Hitler mustache on the back of his cantaloupe.
September 20th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
[...] King wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptStephon Marbury watched LeBron James host the ESPYs last weekend and apparently was amused. While guest hosting a blog for the New York Post on Friday, Marbury ripped James several different ways, seeming to call him both a bad person … [...]
September 25th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
I agree with the opinions of stephon marbury, lebron is easy to hate.
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December 24th, 2007 at 1:24 am
Lebron is soo amazing so I wish y’all would stop hatin on the brother on em like dat.
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