to go play in Italy so that he can spread the "Starbury Movement" all over the world. Tomorrow's Post will have the "exclusive" with Mark Berman. This guy is completely Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.

Here's his blog:

THE STARBURY BLOGS: Italy
Stephon Marbury is guest-blogging this week for Knicks beat writer Marc Berman. Marbury will file dispatches from the road during his 37-city, cross-country bus tour to promote his discount Starbury sneaker/apparel line available at Steve & Barry's.

By STEPHON MARBURY

CLEVELAND - Once you put your mind to something, you create a vision for your life that comes out in your actions in the world.

If you let other people decide what is best for you, then you are allowing someone else to create YOUR life.


I've been playing basketball since I was 2 years old. Running in the
sand, selling sodas on the beach in Coney Island with my brothers, getting stronger with dreams and a vision of making it to the NBA.

Now I have a bigger vision for myself.

This will be my 12th season in the league. When my contract is up in two years, I want to go play overseas in Italy and retire over there. Berman has the story in today's Post, but I'd like to explain it further.

During the Olympics, David Stern told us about how big basketball was becoming around the world. He was right. Now I want to make it even bigger for the United States.

For my 14th pro season, I want to go when I can still go hard and give the people what they want. I'm looking at how David Beckham is getting love for coming here. He's 32. I'll be 32 at the end of my Knicks' contract. Imagine if someone told him not to follow his heart to play soccer in the U.S.

I want to do the same thing for basketball and spread the Starbury Movement so people all around the world can benefit. I want to make things affordable for everybody.

Don't get this twisted. I love playing in New York more than anything and I am playing to win a championship in these next two seasons and go out on the highest note.

The East is wide open in my mind. I feel like we are stronger with the moves we've made. adding the right pieces. Zach is a monster. People have even been asking how I feel about Ron Artest as a player and person.

Since Berman's trying to take vacation, I'll keep it real and let y'all know I wouldn't mind playing with Ron Artest. I think he would be a good fit here in New York. He's built for it.

Some fans might be surprised I'd want to leave the NBA after 13 seasons when I'm a free agent. But I fell in love with Italy like I love New York. The people are so chill there and laid back. My wife loves it too. We recently went to Italy and it changed my life.

We drove an hour and a half from Milan to Biella to see my cousin Jamel Thomas play. It's like playing at Duke's Cameron Indoor Arena. The fans go crazy. They have a lot of passion and energy like you've never seen.

We went to Luca and got exclusive cheap watches. I played with a 6-year-old kid who loved basketball but said nobody would play with him. So I played with him two straight hours. We also went to Puzza, Montejachina and Tuscany. Tuscany was fly. The architecture and designs were incredible. I call Florence the shoe capital.
Wifey and I did the 50-cent window shopper.

After that we went to Venice. We strolled with the "Gondola man'' singing and pushing the boat. They told me 400 people take classes to steer them and only 100 people pass. I fell in love with wifey all over again. We took the boat to the casino.

Everything is on water. You have to take taxi boats. It was set-up like the movie Casino Royale, one of my favorite flicks. We ended our trip to Rome. We went to Pentium and the Coloseum. The high note was our visit to the Sistine Chapel. It is incredible. You walk in one door and out the other and you become free in mind, body and spirit. That's when I knew I was free. I flew home a free man and my life got turned around.

That's why I want to go back to Italy after winning the championship with the Knicks.

When I interviewed Jim Brown for my TV show "Stars on Stars'', he had told me not to go out on anyone else's note but to go out on my own note.

My deal with Fox Sports Net ends this month and we're talking to some networks now to reach even more people. I can't wait till we do a Starbury reality TV for my journey overseas.

My whole life I have wanted to do what Michael Jordan has done on the basketball court. But just on the basketball court. I have not tried to be like him off the court. I have a different vision for who I want to be off the court and the life I want to create to help change the world.

Yes, basketball is just a game. People get the person confused with the personality. I can create on the court but I'd much rather play the game of life. It's more fun and I'm having more fun creating my life than I've ever had.

Posted by Stephon Marbury on July 18, 2007 01:03 AM

amazing stuff

All the more reason to have spent the past two off seasons looking at a PG that can grow with Eddie.

Im guessing that would make Trueblue a very happy person today. But it is about time that Steph goes.

[Edited by - CDB on 07-18-2007 07:30 AM]

This is some good news. I have been waiting years for this.

Posted by FrenchKnicks:

Best Knicks-related news in years, even though we all know this guy is crap and won't stand to his words.

Agreed 100%.

Steph, if you want to quit... quit! Do us all a favor, thanks.

Steph is more like Posh than Becks :)

Why wait?

This is a good reason why we should consider trying to keep Dan Dickau. For lack of a better option, we're currently in a situation where in two years, Mardy Collins and Dan Dickau are our two best options at PG if we can assume Steph won't be in the mix.

I don't think it's weird or strange for Marbury to plan to retire in two years or go to Italy. I might like to do the same thing, if I could.

I just think announcing it now is a bit weird.

Marbury's starting to sound like Artest.

[Edited by - basketballjones on 07-18-2007 08:45]

The back ground here is Steph took his wife to europe (italy) for the first time and she loved it.

Steph realizes he is losing interest in the game and perhaps with some serious bank not having a strong desire to keep up the physical demands to maintain an NBA body, and deal with rejection of not getting an extension.

Its also a way to run away which he seems to want to do from time to time.

Steph is freaking nuts in his manner these days.

That being said, If I had multigenerational coin and could apply my craft in Italy for 6-8 mos a year I'd would do it in a heartbeat! But I have only been there as a tourist and being of sound mind I understand there is a difference between vacation and relocating with children.

My favorite place on the planet, or at least top 5 of places I have been to is the Isle of Capri. Maybe a few weeks a year.

Steph is a bit erratic these days.

Its interesting the Steve and Barry thing was only a two year deal.

BizzarBury is making for good media these days. Should be an interesting season!

Im thinking buyout after this season. He ain't gonna make two years. He gonna crack.

[Edited by - nalod on 07-18-2007 08:51 AM]