"But there were a lot of times he didn't practice the last couple years. In order to be a leader, man, you've got to be out there to participate with your teammates."
The above quote from Amare Stoudemire caught my eye. I've gone on record as saying that I have no problem with Amare resting his injured foot, but this sounds pretty hypocritical to me.
Joe
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/0131sunside0131.html
Suns expecting challenge
Ex-teammate doesn't provide easy matchup
Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 31, 2004 12:00 AM
WASHINGTON - If the Suns couldn't beat a team that now has a player who was their third-string point guard at the start of this season, how do they figure to fare against their former All-Star playmaker?
The Suns lost 105-100 Friday night to the injury-depleted Washington Wizards, who had Brevin Knight - whom the Suns traded for Jahidi White - in their starting backcourt.
Tonight, they face a significant upgrade: Stephon Marbury and the New York Knicks.
"I'm pretty sure he'll try to murder us," said Suns forward Shawn Marion, who a year ago was making plans to play in the All-Star Game with Marbury.
"We're going to try to keep that from happening. But there isn't no telling what's going through his mind."
It's a fair bet that one thing going through Marbury's mind was a remark by Phoenix forward Amare Stoudemire after Marbury was traded.
It was prompted by a report in New York that suggested Marion and Stoudemire didn't like the fact that Marbury rarely practiced while nursing his surgically repaired ankles.
Marbury responded to the report by saying: "My body ain't hurting or falling apart. In the end it will all shake out. People are going to have to judge for themselves what's real or what's B.S.
"Truthfully, I don't give a (expletive) what they're saying about me in Phoenix. All I care about is helping the Knicks become a championship team. This is the best situation I've been in my life, and I intend to enjoy it to the (expletive) max."
Stoudemire, asked about the validity of the report, said: "Nah, that had nothing to do with (the trade). I don't think so, but I can't call it.
"Steph is a pretty good friend of mine. He looked after me my rookie year, took me shopping, showed me a couple of stores. I've got no hard feelings for him.
"But there were a lot of times he didn't practice the last couple years. In order to be a leader, man, you've got to be out there to participate with your teammates."
That was a clip-and-save quote for Marbury.
But Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said he expects it to be a friendly reunion tonight. He has consistently dismissed reports of tension in the locker room between Marbury, Marion and Stoudemire.
"I'm sure Steph will come out and try to have a great game," D'Antoni said. "And he should. But I don't think there's any hard feelings there between the players. It wasn't a trade done for any internal problems. It was a trade based on economic reasons.
"It will be fun playing against him, as a matter of fact."
The above quote from Amare Stoudemire caught my eye. I've gone on record as saying that I have no problem with Amare resting his injured foot, but this sounds pretty hypocritical to me.
Joe
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/0131sunside0131.html
Suns expecting challenge
Ex-teammate doesn't provide easy matchup
Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 31, 2004 12:00 AM
WASHINGTON - If the Suns couldn't beat a team that now has a player who was their third-string point guard at the start of this season, how do they figure to fare against their former All-Star playmaker?
The Suns lost 105-100 Friday night to the injury-depleted Washington Wizards, who had Brevin Knight - whom the Suns traded for Jahidi White - in their starting backcourt.
Tonight, they face a significant upgrade: Stephon Marbury and the New York Knicks.
"I'm pretty sure he'll try to murder us," said Suns forward Shawn Marion, who a year ago was making plans to play in the All-Star Game with Marbury.
"We're going to try to keep that from happening. But there isn't no telling what's going through his mind."
It's a fair bet that one thing going through Marbury's mind was a remark by Phoenix forward Amare Stoudemire after Marbury was traded.
It was prompted by a report in New York that suggested Marion and Stoudemire didn't like the fact that Marbury rarely practiced while nursing his surgically repaired ankles.
Marbury responded to the report by saying: "My body ain't hurting or falling apart. In the end it will all shake out. People are going to have to judge for themselves what's real or what's B.S.
"Truthfully, I don't give a (expletive) what they're saying about me in Phoenix. All I care about is helping the Knicks become a championship team. This is the best situation I've been in my life, and I intend to enjoy it to the (expletive) max."
Stoudemire, asked about the validity of the report, said: "Nah, that had nothing to do with (the trade). I don't think so, but I can't call it.
"Steph is a pretty good friend of mine. He looked after me my rookie year, took me shopping, showed me a couple of stores. I've got no hard feelings for him.
"But there were a lot of times he didn't practice the last couple years. In order to be a leader, man, you've got to be out there to participate with your teammates."
That was a clip-and-save quote for Marbury.
But Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said he expects it to be a friendly reunion tonight. He has consistently dismissed reports of tension in the locker room between Marbury, Marion and Stoudemire.
"I'm sure Steph will come out and try to have a great game," D'Antoni said. "And he should. But I don't think there's any hard feelings there between the players. It wasn't a trade done for any internal problems. It was a trade based on economic reasons.
"It will be fun playing against him, as a matter of fact."
