Three-Thousand

"I apologize if this message gets you down..."

Andre 3000 - Int'l Players Anthem

Within the wide spectrum of teams in all sports...there is one that stands alone.

Excellence

Earlier this week the Los Angeles Lakers reached new heights within their franchise. Last night they cleaned the Staples Center floor with the visiting Clippers 126-86, and on Wednesday with a late 4th quarter basket by Kobe, the Lake Show defeated Dallas 100-95, earning them victory number 3,000 in their illustrious timeline. (This was the Lakers’ 2,543rd victory since moving to Los Angeles)

I respect history, and when speaking with Sonny Hill a Philadelphia basketball legend in his own right, I asked him...if he could pick one person to represent the Lakers, who would it be? I was expecting him to immediately reflect about Wilt Chamberlain, however to my surprise he said without hesitation Elgin Baylor.

From there he began to school me on how Baylor revolutionized the game with his ball handling, and jumping ability. In fact he took the league in a new direction...playing above the rim like no other at his time.

There are other names that could make a claim for the best ever....as for now I'm going to trust the opinion of Sonny Hill. The team will make their yearly east coast trip soon, so I'll be sure to ask some of the current players and coaches their thoughts on the subject.

Stay tuned sports fans.

evolution

Poise

Maturity

“Caught a glimpse of myself in the Barney’s shop window…kinda see my father’s features creepin’ in a little…”

Nas – War

There is a debate within the NBA and various media outlets that asks the question of who is the better, or best NBA player, Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James. Most recently with Bryant netting 61 points, and 3 assists last Monday in Madison Square Garden, and James following that up with 52 points, and a near triple-double in the same building…the discussion has escalated to a fever pitch. Last week LeBron was on the cover of GQ, and Sports Illustrated, and Gentlemen’s Quarterly outright claimed King James as the best while SI alluded to the fact that both he and Kobe are the best.

Boys II Men

The Eastern and Western NBA Conference players of January are KB and the King, as they have helped their respective teams to the best records in the league, as the questions of supremacy linger on. Nevertheless, I believe that there is no argument, because LeBron James, is essentially a younger Kobe Bryant, in terms of basketball…they are one in the same.

By 1998, Bryant had come into his own, no longer the rookie, as he was ready to carve out his niche and take what he felt was rightfully his. The only person in his way was Michael Jordan, so the talks of Kobe being the next Jordan, or better than MJ started, when Bryant was merely part of the youth movement, just as Michael was in 1984.

As Michael Jordan grew in statue and name…becoming Air Jordan, the “so-called” experts figured that he was the next Julius Erving, however all the great players evolved from the players before them. The good Dr. played a similar game to the high flying and scoring Elgin Baylor, so you see the torch is passed down from generation to generation. The mainstream media will mislead you to believe that some athletes are “better” than or possess more basketball prowess than the “other”, when in reality they are very similar, bringing their own idiosyncrasies and desire to their team, and ultimately their game.

A few years ago LeBron was at that same crossroads as Bryant before him, being compared instead of people appreciating him for being his own man. Do Kobe and LeBron want to be the best and win championships…yes…do they want to be compared to one another, Michael Jordan, or Magic Johnson, in the process…no. They are competitive so when James played in New York 2-days after Kobe, you need to understand that winning the game, and setting the new Madison Square Garden scoring record was a high priority. I knew that from the confident look on Jay-Z’s face, when I he gave me dap leaving the game on Monday, and that my friends is the beauty of basketball.

I do not believe in words like Jordanesque, therefore I choose not to use it in my lexicon. I don’t feel that there is one player better than all the others that have played the game, rather each era has it’s dominant player or players, and while LeBron James is the future of the League, the heir to the throne…the chosen one, we must remember that Kobe Bryant was also chosen, and until he retires, the great debate will unfortunately continue.

Photo: LeBron James - Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

Forever Begins

Freshman year

Nike was the most known - unknown

Flight 23 prepares for takeoff

Jordan takes to the skies

Mars and Money changed the world

“I was staying in Chicago...I had my own apartment, I’d be doing like...just beats for like local acts, just to try to keep the lights on, or be able to go out and buy a...get a Pelle Pelle off lay-a-way, or get some Jordans or something...”

Kanye West – Last Call


This morning after my morning workout at the pool, I began having a conversation about sneakers with two friends. Since we all wear the same size, a question was posed about selling some of my prized possessions...I informed them that I actually had a customer today and that if he doesn’t follow through that I would gladly contact them. From there we shifted gears a little as they inquired about what I have and was willing to part with. The majority of my stock is Nike, Nike SB, Jordan, and Converse, with a few pairs of some other brands like Saucony, and adidas.

When I mentioned adidas, I told them that we would all be in the brand with the three stripes had Michael Jordan followed his heart, instead of his agent David Falk.

As a collegian Jordan wore Converse at the University of North Carolina, and upon his decision to turn pro after his junior year, the Chicago Bulls selected him with the 3rd pick of the 1984 NBA Draft. Being that he enjoyed a stellar career at UNC, and the fact that he won Olympic gold at the summer games in Los Angeles, Michael Jordan’s stock was high, and he wanted nothing more than to ride that wave of success to the NBA, and into a contract with his footwear of choice adidas.

With that mandate, Falk took initiative and began calling sneaker companies to pitch his client. At the time, Converse and adidas were the giants in the game, and Nike was the small time new kid on the block. As the relative basketball unknown Nike already had their sights set on MJ, and they made an offer of $250,000, a signature shoe line, as well as a percentage of the revenues (a first and at the time unheard of part of the deal). Michael wasn’t too fond of Nike, a shoe that he was very unfamiliar with, however his agent stayed diligent as he convinced both his client and Nike to change their stance. As history will tell you, MJ gave in to the small-time track sneaker company, and in turn they matched the offer of $500,000 by adidas.

The concept of “Air” Jordan was Falk’s idea, and the powers that be at Nike projected within the first 3 to 4 years, that the signature Jordan line would make approximately $3 million dollars. As legend has it, in 1985 alone, Nike would make $130 million...quite a turn around on a $500,000 investment.

Here are important factors as to why the sneaker did so well and continues to do so today.

• Following in the footsteps of Dr. J, Jordan had an excitement and flair that was unprecedented. He revolutionized the high flying act of such NBA greats like Elgin Baylor, David Thompson, and Dr. J. His ability to fly through NBA skies, and live up to the nickname “Air” gave him credibility that you couldn’t put a price on.
  


• The NBA had never seen a sneaker with dominant 3 colors, as the first Jordan was red, with black and white accents. That being the case, every time MJ laced up his new sneakers, he was fined $500 by the League office, which created a buzz, as EVERYONE wanted the sneaker BANNED by the NBA. Nike officials caught on very quickly, and paid all the fines for Michael, so all he had to do was wear his shoes, and play basketball.
  


• Combine the two facts above and you have a one of a kind basketball player, excelling in a never seen before technologically advanced sneaker year after year, after year.
  The Jordan XXIV is so ahead of its time, and I’ve only seen and tested an early sample, and it is going to shake up the world like Muhammad Ali did in 1964.
  


• Last but not least, in 1987 the impossible happened, as MJ teamed up with Spike Lee launching a historic ad campaign that changed marketing forever. The commercials showed the strength of the dollar in the black and Latino communities, and the shift in the advertising paradigm would by no means be the same again. Prior to this feat, NEVER was an African-American the face of a product in a positive light. The logic was that a black person couldn’t sell products to white consumers, so if you had a high profile athlete, then you would pair them with a white counterpart. Mean Joe Greene did that Coke-a-Cola commercial with the little white kid, “Have a Coke and a smile”. Muhammad Ali, sold roach spray, and Magic Johnson was teamed with Larry Bird. Nike’s advertising firm Weiden+Kennedy took a gamble, as they capitalized on authentic mass appeal of Mars and Money. This was made possible with equal parts timing, trust, and two guys from Brooklyn.

Imagine how differently your life would be had Michael Jordan signed with adidas?

Photos: Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated - University of North Carolina