The Starbury Rules

The Celtics are making it crystal clear to Marbury and everyone following the circus that will come to town this week.  Buy in or get out.

Johnny Ludden talks about the Celtics expectations:

So Doc Rivers will coach Marbury, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierceand Ray Allen will police him, and somewhere along these next six weeks the Celtics hope he buys into their belief that no one player is greater than the team.

“If you can’t do that,” Rivers said, “you’re not here long.”

Seems pretty straightforward to me.  Read the quotes in the papers this morning.  To a man they are preaching Ubuntu.  Sacrifice.  Team is greater than individuals.  The name on the front of the jersey is more important than the one on the back.  Pick your cliche.

And there's a not-so-subtle threat being communicated through the media as well.  If we get Starbury the circus clown, he'll be on the first train out of town.

When asked about the prospect of introducing such an incendiary personality into his locker room, Rivers spoke of the Celtics’ character and experience. “I think this team can absorb it,” he said. “If we can’t, we’ll find that out as well. We still have enough time to make changes.”

So once again, it sounds like there's an emergency backup plan in place to pick up Coach Sam if anything goes wrong (he was waived before March 1 so as long as we wait 30 days, we can pick him up before the end of the season and he'll be eligible for the playoffs).

Of course none of this would be necessary if he wasn't such a knucklehead for most of his career.  Then again, a talent like him wouldn't be available at this price if wasn't.  So you lay the groundrules, give him the chance to succeed and give yourself an out if he doesn't.  So far, so good.