Marbury vs. Jordan: The NY Knicks point guard is showing what a real social conscience looks like

[marmar]

from The Nation:


BLOG | Posted 07/19/2007 @ 1:36pm
Marbury vs. Jordan


New York Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury is in the midst of a 37-city tour to promote his Starbury line of shoes and clothing for Steve and Barry's. The sneakers cost just $14.95 a pair and are designed as an alternative to far higher priced kicks endorsed by celebrity athletes and made by Nike, Reebok, Adidas and other companies. (The concept is similar to recent fashion lines launched by actress Sarah Jessica Parker and renowned designer Isaac Mizrahi, who offer cheap-chic clothing for about $20.)

Marbury has said his venture is driven by memories of growing up in Brooklyn and not being able to afford the latest shoes. He says his motivation was also rooted in discussions he had with Knicks coach Isaiah Thomas about the civil rights movement and Marbury's eventual legacy.

Hoping that his discount sneaker idea will become popular, Marbury has gone as far to prove his point as playing in his own sneakers in all his NBA games last season. The idea of $15 quality shoes has been an idea of Marbury's for a long time according to the New York Knicks point guard. In fact he was the first one to approach Steve & Barry's with the idea. The company had previously been popular for university and college retailing. The shoes are manufactured in China but there is a third party involved to prevent sweatshop conditions.

Making huge profits off sweatshop labor has never been a concern for most of basketball's stars, especially its largest global icon, the now-retired Michael Jordan, who has rebuffed repeated efforts by activists to take a stand against unfair working conditions among the workers producing his branded products. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/actnow?bid=4&pid=215793

[Buzz Clik]

1. Inexpensive quality shoes -- good for Marbury. Invoking another player -- he's an asshole.

Why diminish a quality move by acting like an insecure prick? God knows.

[dionysus]

4. insecure prick, are you series?!?!1

i'd be more worried about the greedy prick selling $200 sneakers that were made in sweatshops.

[Buzz Clik]

5. If you can make that distinction, go for it.

Marbury's shoes are still made in China, and what distinguishes a sweatshop from a non-sweatshop is pretty arbitrary.

Regardless, to single out Jordan was ridiculous. I guess he was trying to stir up controversy to get some free publicity for his shoes.

[dionysus]

9. you can't see the difference?

$15 \ non-sweatshop vs. $200\sweatshop

personally I was they were american made shoes but the difference is pretty big

[Buzz Clik]

10. I'm guessing that the conditions in all Chinese shoe factories are horrible.

But I'm sure you have first hand evidence that I'm wrong.

Or not...

[classysassy]

13. Jordan

was a great basketball player but a lousy human being,&&&&&&&&&& is his god,he,.s just another over paid shill for the rich crooks that run(ruin) America.

[carolinablue]

6. Marbury was right to call Jordan out

Michael Jordan should be ashamed of himself for making the kind of money he does off of his shoes. Not only are they made in sweatshops, but they have become a "status symbol" for many poor African-American kids primarily due to Michael Jordan's star power. Kids have been killed over those stupid shoes. I say kudos to Marbury for not forgetting where he came from!!

[Buzz Clik]

11. Curious that Marbury called out Jordan. Why not Lebron James?

James has his own shoe and massive Nike endorsements. Jordan hasn't played the game in five years.

Anyway, I'm spoiling all your fun. You folks are somehow taking the word of Marbury that his Chinese sweatshop is better than Nike's sweatshop, and that it's cool for Marbury to crap all over someone else rather than just concentrate on his positive contribution.

Your hero. My asshole.

[villager]

2. Wow. What do they look like? I may need to buy a pair on general principles!

n/t

[harlinchi]

7. They look pretty good. They'll be my next sneaker.

Here's a link to his site... http://www.starbury.com/goods.php

Edit for atrocious spelling!

[dionysus]

3. good on him.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

8. I got a pair of these as I support the principle

And I like them very much.

However, I wish that he would have found a middle ground. It's great that kids aren't paying $200 for sneakers, but the poor Chinese sweatshop workers aren't making any additional money. I wish the shoes were American made and sold in the $40-50 range.

[leez34]

12. -

I support the idea as well. However, Stephon Marbury is an unspeakably terrible basketball player. So no thanks for me.