The Talented Tenth

"Nine planets faithfully keepin' orbit...with a probable ten..."

Mos Def - Mathematics

The Nets have endured a season to remember...be it good or bad, this is one they will not soon forget.

Beginning to the End

Prior to this week many people wondered if the Nets would succumb to the pressures of failure, or make a decent run, and string together a few wins...well as of Monday, March 29th...the could of doubt would dissipate after a 90-84 win over the visiting Spurs.

The victory ensured that the franchise would finish the year with no less than 10 wins...one more than the lowly 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers historically had a 9-73 record.

The question being asked now is where do they go from here...and I've covered a few Nets games this year...as they have some legit pieces that will return them back to respectability.

Like I always say and firmly believe...it's not how you start...it's how you finish.

Photo: Jesse D. Garrabrant

Reminisce

The Kid

Teammates

"I guess Michael Jackson was right...you are not alone..."

Mos Def - Mathematics

Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez starred for the Seattle Mariners in what seems like a lifetime ago...however last night they rekindled some of their magic as opponents in the new Yankee Stadium.

Hall of Fame

I began watching baseball because of Junior, so when he hit career home run number 621 in the 6th inning off Andy Pettitte...I cheered. The Yankees won 4-2, for their 7th consecutive win, as this game turned out to be one for the history books.

Griffey and A-Rod entered the game with at least 550 home runs each as they both extended their totals by connecting on home runs. The last time a feat like this happened, it was Hank Aaron and Willie Mays on May 8, 1971.

Baseball entails thinking in various situations, but at the end of the day it's a numbers game, and its because of moments like this, that I revel in it.

'08 Year in Review

25-years in the making

Gold Standard

Rookie of the Year, MVP, and Olympic Gold

Superman

Pursuit of happiness

"Shine your light for the world to see..."

Mos Def - Umi Says

Today as I look back at the past year in sports...I eagerly anticipate what 2009 will bring. Penn State has returned to the Rose Bowl as they will battle against USC, the Lakers and Celtics are once again 2 of the better teams in the NBA, and the NFL doesn't have a clear cut favorite, making the playoffs more interesting than it's been in recent years. No matter the outcome from the various teams around the leagues this upcoming year, 2008 was one of the best 365 days of sport in a longtime.

Great in '08

The things that made last season one of the best ever was a combination of the underdog, and the allure and delivery of memorable moments from the summer games in China. I'll keep this post short, because everyone has their own opinion, however I feel that when a team like the New York Football Giants won the Super Bowl against the juggernaut favorite, New England Patriots, it shifted the paradigm in all of sports. To further the shift, the Philadelphia Phillies did the impossible by not only making it to the World Series, but to win it all and restore order in the City of Philadelphia...that may have been something only the Phillies saw coming. Last but not least...'08 was an impressive Olympic year...between Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, and the USA basketball teams, it made for some of the most magical summer memories, reminding me of the '88 and '92 games, with Flo Jo, and the Dream Team.

2009 could very well be the year of the championship teams everyone loves to hate. The University of North Carolina could win the NCAA basketball title, the New York Yankees may return to their winning ways, and the Los Angeles Lakers could win that elusive 4th ring for Kobe Bryant, making last season a distant memory.

The game isn't won on paper, or my computer screen for that matter, so we will all watch and wait, for what will be another interesting sports cycle.

By Any Means Necessary...

RG and AG courtside in Philly

Sports and sports culture are often a metaphor for our daily lives. You win some, you lose some…basketball, as the game pertains to me, and how I view things, are one in the same, as the game has provided joy, pain, wisdom, and life experiences far beyond my childhood dreams.

Along my journey, I have encountered my fair share of ups and downs, making decisions, right and wrong. The saying of, “you live and learn”, rings so true, and with new ventures on the horizon, I know that I have a lot more learning to do. Sometimes you figure things out later than you would like, nevertheless it is better to learn at any moment, than not at all. The point I would like to make revolves around something that is both black and proud.

“I’m dark like the side of the moon you don’t see…” – Mos Def, Astronomy (8th Light)

The Bold and the Beautiful

A few years ago, I received a gift that I didn’t quite comprehend and or appreciate. Right in front of me was something that I needed, and always longed for, however I believe that I didn’t understand what I had because it was given to me, and I didn’t work hard enough for it. Now that I have your attention I’m talking about my first pair of Nike ACG boots. A good friend had sent them in the mail at the beginning of the winter months, and instead of putting them on right out of the box, I waited until I was ready to wear a boot that Nike had made. Having grown up in Philadelphia, a Nike boot was one of the last things I was going to wear, let alone purchase.

One day on my way to work on a snowy, frigid day, I decided to adorn my feet with the boots I had cast aside like Robinson Crusoe. The first thing I noticed was how comfortable they felt, as if I was wearing a product from Nike Basketball. Once I stood up, I immediately noticed that I was taller, from there nothing was ever the same again, as I have met my match.

There is a region on the eastern seaboard, affectionately called the DMV (DC/Maryland/Virginia) by those who live there, and if style and swagger is what you are looking for, then you will not have to go far around these parts, because the DMV is home to everything from GO-GO music (Chuck Brown, UCB, Wale) to some of the best athletes in the world. (Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, Shawne Merriman)

A few miles north in between this area and my hometown of Philly rests Baltimore, home of Carmelo Anthony, Rudy Gay, and no doubt the Nike ACG Boot. I recently sat down with Rudy one day after a game to catch up on things.
Here is the score on our courtside conversation:

Can you shed some light on the Nike ACG Boots?
“Man I was in middle-school when I had my first pair of Nike boots! I wear them the same as I did then. Nike boots go with anything. I used to wear them to church, you can wear them to the club, wear them to school…and we wore uniforms. Nike boots can go with your uniform! I think that people are just learning about Nike boots outside of Maryland, but we never receive the credit. I remember the first time I wore them in college (UCONN) and everybody was asking me what are they? They look like space boots, and now everyone is trying to get a pair. I had the Goadome, and I just got another pair.”

How did you get into sneakers?
“Well I started late because growing up I always had the hand-me-downs, and stuff like that, and I think that is what gave me a love for sneakers. Growing up I had 2 pair of shoes…I had my play shoes, and my old good shoes. My play shoes were sometimes too small and everything, but that’s how it was. Having grown up that way, I appreciate things much more now.”

What is your favorite sneaker of all-time?
“Favorite shoe of all-time…I would say the Jordan XI, they’re crazy, white/black! Oh and how could I forget about the Nike Foamposite shoe, the Duncan’s, I would say those too.”

Talk about your relationship with Nike?
“My relationship is good. I went to their camp when I was younger. Actually they accepted me…I didn’t expect to be in any camps. I wasn’t on the radar at all. They gave me a chance and I took advantage of it, that’s how I see it. When no other camps were looking at me…I really thought I was going to a JUCO, (Junior College) but Nike gave me a chance and there were a lot of coaches out there watching and I made the best of it!”



I sometimes marvel at how things happen…one minute, I figured boots by Nike were irrelevant and now, they have been a staple in my wardrobe for quite a few years now. They are so good, that I’m crazy without them.

I’m so thankful for second chances…luckily for me, it was a matter of comfort, style, and height…and not anything more serious like lost relationships and love.

Peace.


AG.