Paul Murphy Shirley is a former Iowa State University and professional basketball player who last played for Unicaja Málaga in the Spanish ACB. He is also a writer; his first book, Can I Keep My Jersey?, was released in 2007. His second book, Stories I Tell On Dates, has an announced release date of October 17, 2017. Shirley is noted for briefly maintaining an online journal while playing for the Phoenix Suns in 2004–05. His first journal dealt with a several-day-long road trip, while the second chronicled the Suns' NBA Playoffs run. After their playoff elimination, the Suns did not re-sign him, as he rarely played in his twelfth man position. He was the author of a blog for ESPN.com entitled "My So-Called Career". Shirley was signed to a non-guaranteed contract by the Minnesota Timberwolves in early October, but was cut in training camp before the start of the 2006–07 season. On an ESPN.com chat on October 23, Shirley referenced the $10 million, 5-year contract of Mark Madsen as the reason why he was released.
Shirley's blogs at ESPN and elsewhere contained observations on players, teams, fans, cities, sports media, cheerleaders, the game of basketball, and topics outside the athletic sphere. He commented on topics such as the USA Patriot Act, which he condemned as " the US on a fast-track to an Orwellian destiny". His writing garnered attention from national sports media, as well as other outlets such as Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, and the British Broadcasting Corporation. Shirley's first book, entitled Can I Keep My Jersey?, was released on May 15, 2007 from Random House. A paperback version of the book was released on December 26, 2007. His second book, Stories I Tell On Dates, has an announced release date of October 17, 2017.
ESPN dismissal
Shirley's writings have sometimes been the cause of controversy. In a Slate.com piece with Neal Pollack, he compared rooting for the San Antonio Spurs to cheering for cancer. In a 2009 column for ESPN.com, he called the Beatles overrated, drawing the ire of fellow music critics. And in 2010, he published a blog questioning the potential efficacy of relief efforts for that year's earthquake in Haiti, writing in part, "Could you not resort to the creation of flimsy shanty- and shack-towns? And could some of you maybe use a condom once in a while?" Afterwards, he was dismissed by ESPN. The company's full statement read: "He was a part-time freelance contributor. The views he expressed on another site of course do not at all reflect our company's views on the Haiti relief efforts. He will no longer contribute to ESPN." Between 2008 and 2015 he wrote in the Spanish newspaper El País a monthly column entitled "Stories of a tall guy" on the current basketball and NBA.
