So Long Marty, It Was a Blast! and Thanks

[CruzDude]

Marty McNeal was the first true media icon of the Kings and he will be missed especially by those of us who remember his first years in the late 1980's. After 19 years speaking his mind about all things Kings, he is leaving to unknown pastures (his input in the Bee today).

I like Marty and had the pleasure of sitting with him at a number of summer league games, both in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. But boy, did he have a presence on press row!! His "colorful" expressions of play he was watching was hysterical and right on, if not more than blunt. He was great. Easy to talk to and at times very self depreciating.

Once in Salt Lake City at a summer league game I ran into Marty talking to a coach and an agent. I introduced myself (an aspiring sports writer reincarnated) and jokingly said, "Marty, when I grow up I want to be just like you!". To which he responded, "You mean you want to be a short, fat, balding guy whose wife abuses him?" That was Marty.

Among his peers he was respected and easily communicated with them in the media as well as anyone else, when he was in a good mood at least. Another time, again in summer league in Salt Lake City in 1997 (Funderburke was a rookie that year), the Kings summer league team were all staying in the same hotel. Marty was going to be interviewing the players one day and in the truest sense was "holding court" in the a small room for the rookies and other summer league players. Seated at the only table in the room the rookies and FA's filed in like defendants in a court. In an instant one knew who was in charge of that room that day. That was Marty.

I'm gonna miss him and hope his new pastures come near us down here at the beach on the bay. Thanks Marty, for all the fun times, the blunt views of the Kings and seeing NBA basketball through your eyes for so many years. He was one of the best and Sacramento, and the rest of the Kings fans all over the world, will miss him.

Best to you,

CruzDude

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Hey Cruz, I'm glad you started this thread! Marty has been a favorite of mine since he got here in town. His knowledge of the game of basketball especially was a breath of fresh air, as was his opinions on all sports, and life in general. I'll never forget when I was the sports editor of my high school paper back in 1991, our editor said someone from the Bee sports dept. was going to be coming in, and in the back of my head I said 'Oh great...please let it not be R.E.!' lol But it ended up being Marty Mac! I was thrilled! He had just arrived on the scene about a year before, and I was already hooked on his writing style. Honest, educateed, pull no punches, and conpassionate...in other words, Marty was human, and didnt try to push any false agenda upon anyone. And he stayed true the entire 19 years in Sacramento, and that's all we as readers(and Kings fans)could ever ask for! Thanks for being an inspriational journalist, and incredible person over all these years...you will be missed!

 

[fnordius]

Thirteen months ago, I wrote Marty to question his statement, "Perhaps Sacramento fans would prefer the Kings trash their squad, go 19-63, get one of the first two or three picks and start from there. However, I don't think that's the case." I'm sorry that he won't be on the job next year, when we finally find out the answer.

Bye, Marty. It was fun.

 

[Warhawk]

Personally, I never cared much for his stuff - his writing style seemed very unprofessional and I never could get into his articles.

That being said, he seems like a nice guy from the interviews, etc., and I do wish him well - sucks to get laid off of a job you (apparently) like. Good luck Marty!

 

[swisshh]

I appreciate the unprofessional and liked Marty. Hope he does well.

 

[Packt]

I didn't follow Marty much, but I kind of liked what he was trying to do. The end result lacked the space to breathe, however. Bigger, longer, that should be the next format. Unless you're better than Shaq, don't twitter. I loved the no-nonsense approached he took when on air with Napier. The only guest where you can tell scared Grant Napier.

Good luck Marty. Maybe you can write about the current state of the Kings. It should be revered if you're as blunt and disconnected as usual.

 

[6th]

While I am not a fan of Marty's journalistic style, I have heard from some of you that he's a really great guy. So, in that vein...

GOOD LUCK TO YOU, MARTY!!

 

[Rug King]

I'm going to miss the little dude..

 

[Prophetess]

best of luck to you, Marty.

 

[JoMama]

Never a big fan of Marty's writing style either, but he did a good job on the Kings beat. Maybe the Kings have a position for him? Getting out of newspapers was a smart move, even if it wasn't voluntary. Good luck Marty!

 

[SacTownKid]

Always funny, especially on the round table show on CSN!

 

[Gary]

I had always wondered why Marty was such a bad voice interview yet he could write so well. I would listen to him on Grant's show and it sounded like he was drunk or something. He always had trouble putting together sentences.

He reminds me of Cleveland Brown (Family Guy) when he speaks.

 

[PurpleHaze]

I hope he lands a gig in Boston. Let him try just once to wear his ever constant NY Yankees ball cap on press row there.

 

[rainmaker]

Marty was great for the fans, and would tell it like it is. I didn't always agree with him, but always respected his opinion.

Question. Why did the Bee let Marty go and decide to retain the services of AV? They fired the wrong person, IMO.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Marty was great for the fans, and would tell it like it is. I didn't always agree with him, but always respected his opinion.

Question. Why did the Bee let Marty go and decide to retain the services of AV? They fired the wrong person, IMO.

Marty joins the many millions of people in the US that fell victim to a bad economy and downsizing.