Stephon Marbury launches Starbury Line

Last week New York Knick Stephon Marbury launched his line of apparel and shoes called the Starbury Collection. What’s different about this line, that includes hoodies, t-shirts, jackets, jeans, athletic tops and shorts, is that every piece of clothing is under $10. The shoes are $14.98.

“Kids shouldn't have to feel the pressure to spend so much to feel good about the way they look,” Marbury said in a statement. “I'm blessed to be in a position to do something about it, to help change the world. I couldn't find a better partner to create the Starbury Collection with Steve & Barry's. For 20 years, their entire business has been about selling great quality clothes for much less than people expect they should cost."

Sold exclusively at Steve & Barry stores, the Starbury Collection doesn’t look like cheap K-Mart gear. Even though some might say the shoes are biting the styles of Nike’s Air Force One or the jackets look like Avirex knockoffs, most of the gear actually looks decent. Take a look for yourself at Starbury.com.

Steelers center Chukky Okobi raps for MySpace

We think that after winning a world championship, like the Super Bowl, that athletes feel like they can achieve anything. Their dreams have come true so why not pursue some of those other dreams? Seems like that’s what Pittsburgh Steelers center Chukky Okobi is trying to do.

At 6’1” and 318 pounds, we’re definitely not going to make fun of the guy, but Chuk Wun (Okobi’s hip-hop alter-ego) is taking a shot at the rap game. Whether it’s a hobby at this point or a serious career goal after football (or during?), Chuk Wun has a MySpace page where he’s posted four tracks about winning the Super Bowl (“Steeler’s ’06 Who’s…”), and your run-of-the-mill club tracks (“It’s Only Right”, “In the Strip”, “Simon Says”).

Also included on the page are party pics with Snoop Dogg, Michael Jordan, Andre 3000, Slick Rick and Okobi showing off his Super Bowl ring on his middle finger. He also disses Shaq’s skills on the mic in his bio and calls himself a true rap-lete. Again, we said we’re not going to make fun of him.

Rick Fox continues Hollywood career

Earlier this year retired NBAer Rick Fox was doing the acting thing in UPN’s Love Inc. Too bad the show was cancelled. But that didn’t stop Fox from pursuing the Hollywood lifestyle. Fox has signed up for a recurring role in the new FX series “Dirt” starring Courtney Cox

The hour-long drama follows the life and career of an editor-in-chief (Cox) running two of the nation’s hottest tabloids. Fox will play a star basketball player named Tyrese Prince, who’s having marital problems. We assume Cox’s tabloids may be getting in his business. The show recently started production and will premiere in early 2007.

Shaq Rides with Chinese sportswear

Nike, Adidas, Converse and whoever else is trying to muscle in on the Asian market just got a big hand in the face from Shaquille O' Neal who signed a shoe deal with Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning. Last week, Shaq-Diesel announced that Li-Ning will be adding his Shaq Dunkman line of clothes and shoes to its own sports line. The products will be marketed sold throughout China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau. Earlier this Cleveland Cavalier Damon Jones signed an endorsement deal with Li-Ning and has been sporting its gear, which impressed Shaq.

''When my friend Damon Jones became an endorser, I saw the shoes he was wearing were very unique and trendy,'' O'Neal said in a statement. ``It appealed to me and many other NBA fans.''

The deal was for five years and will have Shaq heading out East for a week to promote the products and Li-Ning. Shaq is apparently the fourth most popular athlete according to the NBA, ranking behind Yao Ming, Michael Jordan and soccer star David Beckham.

Ron Artest is for the Children

As part of his punishment for his contribution to the one of the craziest brawls in sports history, Ron Artest was sentenced to perform some community service. So last week, he talked to a bunch of kids at the Judge Mathis Community Center in Detroit, Michigan. He talked about his childhood, his life growing up in a divorced home and that fateful day in Detroit a couple of years ago.

"Someone started trouble and I ended it," Artest told about 50 children. "I would always encourage you to protect yourself but in certain situations, if you can avoid them, avoid them." There’s no word if Artest spit any rhymes for the kids, but we’re sure he let them know that his album, My World, drops on October 24.