ACC big on SI's money list

Sports Illustrated's list of the highest-paid athletes offers a light to anyone who has had their career path darkened by the economy recently.

Check out No. 17 on SI's "Fortunate 50" list: Stephon Marbury.

True, NBA gigs tend to be difficult to come by but Marbury, who hasn't been a viable NBA player in four years, was paid $18.6 million not to play basketball by the New York Knicks last season. (Note: the Knicks are the same franchise that once paid Larry Brown $18.5 million not to coach.)

The moral of Starbury's inspirational tale is not to work on your jumpshot but to do anything humanly possible to work for Isiah Thomas ... or the Knicks.

See, fellow former ACCer Stevie Francis checks in at No. 22. The ex-Terp made $17 million without playing a minute in the NBA last season. Guess who was responsible for that contract? Hint: rhymes with "mix."

Curiously, there are no ACC bloggers on the list but there are eight former ACC athletes, the most by any conference (you can keep your fancy football titles SEC!), followed by the Pac-10 with five.

UNC led all schools with three athletes and Georgia Tech, Arizona ($1 to the first person who can name those two without Google), Syracuse and Tennessee each had two. Of course, 20 people on the list never went to college, including half of the top 10.

The ACC's list:

14. Mark Teixeira (GT) MLB
16. Tim Duncan (Wake) NBA
17. Marbury (GT) NBA
22. Francis (Md) NBA
23. Vince Carter (UNC) NBA
33. Matt Schaub (UVa) NFL
36. Julius Peppers (UNC) NFL
48. Jason Brown (UNC) NFL

The affable Brown qualifies as the biggest surprise on the list, thanks to $20 million bonus he landed from the St. Louis Rams in free agency. Surely Philip Rivers' agent is salivating at Schaub's appearance, which is courtesy of a huge roster bonus.