Starbury Could Have Sent Two Kids To College

What a hoax!

The best point guard ever, as he will forever be referred to here, Stephon Marbury, aka Starbury, was fined more than $195,000 for skipping the Knicks game against the Phoenix Suns. For all that, he could have showed up and given the money to two kids to attend a good college or university. I figured I'd title this post to make Starbury look like a real bad guy. I saw an article entitled "Marbury Steals Candy from Babies and Kicks Old Ladies" earlier today, and thought to myself, "I could do better."

My guess was that the money was his proportionate to his salary for that game, and a little off the top as a fine, and - what do ya know - that is just what it turned out to be. Approximately $180,000, or 1/110th of his yearly salary, for missing a game without a reasonable excuse, per the league's collective bargaining agreement, and a $20,000 fine for skipping.

I guess "pissed off" doesn't qualify as a reasonable excuse. He is apparently appealing the fine. I swear new information comes out every half hour on this story.

THEN came reports that Isiah "Zeke" Thomas and Starbury had words on the team plane. Even possibly came to fisticuffs, but they're denying this. Now that's a fight I would pay to see. I know Zeke grew up on the rough streets of Chicago, but I don't know if he still has his jab.

What are these? Brass knuckles?

Starbury was heard in the back of the plane saying:

"Isiah has to start me," Marbury fumed, according to the source. "I've got so much (stuff) on Isiah and he knows it. He thinks he can (get) me. But I'll (get) him first. You have no idea what I know."

Ooh-ooh-ooh, threatening the coach. Who says that out loud? He has clearly been watching too much The Young & The Restless. He should be watching more One Life To Live and stop causing trouble in his.

And then had the nerve to show up for the Knicks game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Yup, much ado about nothing. The game just finished as I type, and he played 33 minutes (on the low end of the starters minutes) and had 13 points (4-12) and 4 assists. (Note: ESPN gets confused with the stats when the game ends - weren't they keeping them as the game went on?)

I guess he couldn't bear losing a half million(!) for two nights of work.

Another surprise (OK, not really), Steve Francis did something similar when he skipped the team plane to attend the Super Bowl . . . um. Not surprisingly, Stevie "Franchise" also played for the Knicks at one point in time (he is now a Houston Rocket - again).

But the bottom line is that Starbury tricked everyone and now he's back with the Knicks. Let's see how long this lasts . . . Any bets?