Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner said yesterday that
he "did not order the firing of Nets coach John Calipari or
the trade for Stephon Marbury," though he said he would
have, according to Tim Brown of the Newark STAR-LEDGER.
Steinbrenner: "I have had nothing to do with what's been
going on with the Nets. I have talked to people in the
Nets, but have nothing to do with the Calipari movement,
whatever happened. [Nets co-Owner] Lewis Katz is ... doing
a great job of reshaping a very tough situation."
Steinbrenner, on Calipari: "The guy is 3-17! Three-and-17!
... Geez, they're fortunate I'm not involved."
Steinbrenner: "I'm not going to stick my nose in it because
it's not my decision. All we have is a letter of
understanding. (No money) has changed hands. I'm not an
owner of the Nets at this point" (STAR-LEDGER, 3/17). Fox's
Keith Olbermann: "Steinbrenner ... is apparently permitted
to refer to the Nets as 'we' and throw the kind of barbs at
the basketball team that he formerly reserved for the likes
of Dave Winfield, Ed Whitson, or Billy Martin. Obviously,
the Nets didn't read the fine print" ("FSN", 3/16).
