Garbage in the News

Imagine a National Hockey League game. The coach taps a player on the shoulder and tells him he'll go in the game on the the next shift. The player turns around and says to the coach "No, I don't think so."

Can you imagine that? Of course not. But try imagining it's a basketball game; somehow it's way more believable:

The New York Knicks have suspended guard Stephon Marbury one game, without pay, for refusing to play in Wednesday's game against Detroit.

"A player's central obligation is to provide his professional services when called upon," said Knicks president Donnie Walsh in making the announcement. "Because he refused the coach's request to play in the team's last game, we had no choice but to impose disciplinary action."

According to the New York Post, Wednesday was the second instance in which Marbury was asked to play and refused. The Knicks are on the hook for Marbury's $21.9 million salary this season. If the club waives him, Marbury will inevitably clear waivers in two days and become a free agent.

There is none too severe a way to declare Marbury a colossal loser.