Marbury: 'It's personal now' posted: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 filed under: NBA, New York Knicks, Stephon Marbury The Larry Brown vs. Stephon Marbury feud escalated this morning at the Knicks' shootaround, the hate-hate relationship sinking to new depths of discord. First, Marbury stood before reporters, called Brown insecure and vowed he'd keep striking back at Brown whenever he feels he's been publicly criticized. Next, Brown castigated Marbury for having a selfish agenda and deflecting blame. "I think it's personal now," Marbury said. "I don't think it's about basketball anymore. Now it's to the point where he's putting his 30-year career against my 10-year career. You know, coach is a great coach is what everyone says. We're supposed to be better than what we are. Did it happen now? No." Brown was a portrait of disgust one day after asking people to compare his track record vs. his point guard's. Criticizing Marbury's "agenda," Brown also insinuated that Marbury hadn't accepted his share of the criticism for the Knicks having the NBA's worst record despite its highest payroll. "So, you're the best guard in the league and the team is 17-45, yeah, it's the coach's fault," Brown said. This was the fifth straight day of the two adversaries bickering at each other, and Wednesday's developments left the rest of the team staring in disbelief as first Marbury, then Brown, went through the ritual of airing their gripes through the team's beat writers. "You've got to wonder whether both these guys own newspaper stocks," quipped Howard Beck of the Times. A few more quotes from Marbury's diatribe and Brown's retort: From Marbury: "If coach is comparing his career to my career, he's got like a 20-year edge on me. To me that sounds like a lot of insecurity is going on. … He's speaking on things he's done, and I think people in New York want to know what he's going to do, you know, as far as us winning. What happened in the past is the past. I think New Yorkers can relate [to] what's going to happen now. We live more in the present." On whether Brown had crossed the line by comparing his own track record of improving the teams he has coached to Marbury's history of failing to make better any of the teams he's been traded to: "He always crosses the line. That's not nothing new. Certain coaches deal with certain things certain ways, and he handles his things through the media as opposed to sitting down and talking with people. And still, if you sit down and you talk with coach, it's liable to get back to everybody, so you're really not safe there either." On whether he wants to play for Brown: "I want to play basketball in New York. I love New York, and I believe New York loves me. … I'm at the point where I just want to win, and I want to play in New York more than anything in this world. But if that's not happening next year, I can't cry about it. I've been in this situation before and I understand, I know it's a business." On whether Isiah Thomas should step in and try to resolve the feud: "We don't have to have another grown man come and mediate two grown men. What's that about? He's the boss, but if there's a problem, come to me like a man. I don't have no problem. I'm comfortable with myself. I know who I am as a person." On their future: "I can coexist. I can't speak for another person. I'm cool. I'm fine. I can deal with it. But I'm no longer going to allow him to say things about me and I'm not going to say anything back. I mean that's just not going to happen. That's not going to happen. I allowed him to drag me the first three or four months in the paper, and I didn't say one word. I just sat back and just took it. But I'm not taking it no more. If something's going to be said, I'm going to defend myself. My mother taught me that: Somebody hits you, you hit them back." On what the solution might be: "I don't know. If I was a chemistry teacher, I'd probably have an answer, but I don't. … I don't need no new start. My start is right here in New York unless they say otherwise." A few snippets from Brown: Upon being informed that Marbury planned to continue answering perceived slights through the media: "That's great, that's great. Again, I'm the coach of a basketball team, and the only thing that matters to me is that we play the right way, share the ball, try to guard and care about our teammates. I'm going to focus on that. I'm not going to focus on things that have nothing to do with being a good teammate. I've been coaching the same way my whole life. Things that really matter, I've said over and over and over again. It's amazing to me. I've never had a problem getting people to understand that before, and it's mind boggling to me after we win two games that it becomes an issue. So I want to focus on guys that are trying to do the right things to help our team win, and that's what I'm going to do." Ever deal with anything like this before? "Never. Never." Does it raise doubts in Brown's mind about whether he and Marbury are a good pairing going forward? "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. No coach, no coach, would enjoy this situation. Because every coach that coaches this sport, it's about team. And when you hear players talk about team, you get real excited. When you don't hear players talk about team, it's not a lot of fun." Would he walk away in frustration? "No, no. No, no." Is the best solution to trade Marbury over the summer? "I'm not even thinking about that. I'm just trying to coach our team and make guys better. I want guys that care about the team that want to win games that understand what our problems are and try to correct them." Is Marbury one of those guys? "Well, we'll see. We're 17-45, and I'll take full responsibility for us winning 17 games and losing 45. So, you're the best guard in the league and the team is 17-45, yeah, it's the coach's fault. "I don't know why you play a team sport and not be concerned about making your teammates better and helping your team win games. That's the only thing that really matters, and if you're the best player, surely you're going to have some effect on the game's outcome. And I've said this from Day 1, I've never given anybody in my career more free rein. In my career. And I went to the conference finals with Haywoode Workman as the point guard. Eric Snow was the fourth-string point guard in Seattle, and we went to the NBA Finals [with Snow in Philadelphia]. "I've been around guys, and every good team, it's all about team, and that's what we're going to try and get. You want to come and join that? That's fine. That's the only message that needs to be sent. You want to be part of the team and make your teammates better, you want to care about the right things and playing the right way, this is a pretty good place to be. You don't have that on your agenda, then this is probably a bad place to be."
Wow, reading that made me realize I like Brown even less than Marbury. I thought I disliked only the Lakers more.
Marbury and Brown should just leave the game of basketball. Brown should just go to the Hamptons and Marbury should put out a rap record so he can bomb like his NBA career.
The biggest rub with Larry is he brings stuff to the public about what the players are doing wrong without establishing it with the players first. He does that intentionally to break them down and get them to a place where they will hear him because they don't want to be smeared in public. The problem is that Marbury ain't gonna take it. Marbury is the player that will force LB to adjust or he will force LB out the door early with the team in worse shape. Otherwise, they will have to move Marbury and get nothing back for him. I have never been able to stand Marbury because he is a childish prima donna. But, if I was busting my tail in practice and doing my best to win games, I'd have a very difficult time with LB calling me out in public. I'm not saying Marbury is doing those things. I don't think he is. Marbury's biggest problem is he is a super talented player who doesn't know how to get his teammates to even like him, much less get them to play better. He is NOT a leader. 10 years in this league and still playing like a little spoiled rotten baby. Larry's biggest problem is he has Van Gundy syndrome x 10. He has zero flexibility to his coaching style. That's why he grinds his way to the bottom of the bucket in every job he gets after 2 or 3 years. I still remember when Danny Manning played for LB at Kansas and they won a national championship back in the 80's. Manning stated it very plainly that he never wanted to play for LB again as soon as he was in the draft. That said it all about Larry as far as I'm concerned. He's the Billy Martin of basketball. While Stephon is Reggie Jackson.
Larry Brown won an NBA championship recently. Stephon Marbury is a me-first, And-One ballplayer who makes every team he joins worse, and teams get better when he leaves (Minnesota, NJ, Phx). I'm siding with Larry Brown even if he does come across as pompous and hypocritical.
Let 'em continue to bicker. 1) It's entertaining as hell. 2) We own the Knicks' 2nd round pick, and as we all know: chaos = less wins. 3) It's fun to watch large market teams with deep pockets implode.
It's the perfect storm for Francis. Attitude-wise, he looks like Chucky Freaking Brown next to those egomaniacs.
have you been missing most of the messages on this board??? That is the Flavor of the day around here Rocket River
i'm getting the distinct impression it would be more fun to commit ritualistic suicide than to play basketball for larry brown. not that marbury is anybody's idea of a coach's player, but damn. joe dumars had to go and be an amazing gm and make larry brown even more insufferable than he had already been by getting him a title.
Stephon Marbury is definitely in the top 10 of my sh*t list. Kobe has to me number one. Followed by about 6 or 8 guys on the Mavericks squad. Then Starbury. Oh, and Michael Finley is on there, too.
You know, Marbury's behavior is shameful, but somewhat to be expected from him. He's a 100 million dollar primadonna with an absolutely unfathomable ego. However, I think Larry Brown's behavior is even more embarrassing. How old is he?!?! He should be mature enough to be above this kind of childish behavior, but clearly, he isn't. There is still hope for Marbury. He could find himself humbled somehow and grow up in the process, but LB? That ship sailed a long time ago. This is obviously just who he is.
I agree and these two deserve each other. On the other hand, this could be like pro wrestling and all this public bickering is actually scripted to take attention away from their pathetic record. Marbury with a steel chair to LB! Ohhhh
