April 17, 2006

Please tell me the quotes were not true. New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury came out with comments saying that he will play the way he wants and not worry about what his coach, Larry Brown thinks.

Then Marbury came out and changed his tune a bit, wanting to work with his coach on their relationship, hoping Brown would get healthy and the Knicks would improve next season.

I have been a big Stephon Marbury fan for years. I had many conversations with him when he was a star at Georgia Tech. He really has to learn about winning and there is no better guy to teach that than Larry Brown. I'm talking about the only coach ever to win both an NCAA and NBA championship.

Brown is a Hall of Famer and he has so much knowledge to impart to Marbury. The guard has to listen and he has to prove he can win. Let's face it, there is a reason why Marbury has bounced from team to team over the years. Please do not whine and cry any more.

The problem is, a lot of players will look at the zeroes in their paycheck, which they receive on the 1st and 15th of the month.

Mr. Marbury, it is time to step up in the city where you were a high school superstar. So wear that Knicks uniform with pride, my friend. Put in the energy and enthusiasm needed to turn around a messy situation at Madison Square Garden. Learn to be coachable, and reach out. You can be a role model for those kids in the city.

Take advantage of the opportunity to play for one of the sharpest minds in coaching.

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in 1979. Send a question for Vitale for possible use on ESPNEWS.