How The Lebron/MJ Comparison Streches Beyond The Court

Many people love to cover the Lebron James vs Michael Jordan storyline from an on court perspective but this story goes far beyond the hardwood. When you are as great as those 2 are at the NBA level a lot of business opportunities are thrown your way and both of them their hands in a lot of endorsement deals. Jordan and James have endorsement deals with company's such as Nike, Mcdonalds, Hanes, Bubbalicious and more. So the comparison between them should never be just regulated to on the court statistics but incorporate off the court influence on the game of basketball and its culture.

Obviously no player in history has had a more cultural impact than MJ's Air Jordan brand of sneakers. Since Nike signed him in the late 80's the sneaker industry has been changed forever and America hasn't looked at shoes the same way since. Lebron came into the league out of high school and received an unprecedented 90 Million $ contract with Nike and success was looked at from a different perspective. Both have culturally impacted the basketball sneaker culture like nobody else but there can only be room for 1 and Lebron is along way from Jordan but as long as he wins champonships then the more iconic his brand becomes. Last year he racked in 300 Million $ for Nike which was the highest among all active players. The only person he trailed though was Jordan who sold over 2 Billion $ of shoes last year, so LBJ still has a long way to go.

This year the comparison between the 2 can even go as far as to comparing the 2 players installments of NBA 2K. Michael Jordan if you don't know was the cover boy and centerpiece of NBA 2K11. The game has sold over 5 Million copies and is the most successful game in 2K history as far as sales and quality game play. The premier basketball simulation featured a whole mode dedicated to Jordan where you can play as him in some of his greatest game such as “The Flue Game” and many others. It is widely regarded as the greatest sports video game of this generation. Jordans greatness was not only good enough to push the limits of the NBA but it pushed the limits of NBA Video gaming.

Lebron James is the cover boy for this years edition-NBA 2K14. Like the year Jordan graced the cover the franchise has had lapses in game play and want to take it back to the next level. So what better way to take it to the the next level then with LBJ on the cover. Lebron will have his own game mode this year in the game titled “Path To Greatness” where you can play as Lebron and forge the rest of his legacy threw the game mode. I think its a great concept and I'm interested to see what the response will be like for the 2K gaming community. If the game doesn’t live up to the standard 2K11 set then it could be used in as another argument for why Jordan is better But if somehow Lebron can surpass what 2K11 did then the debate becomes even more intriguing.

So as basketball fans across the globe wait to see how Lebron's career plays out on the court it won't hurt if he dominates Jordan off the court and what better opportunity then with this years edition of NBA 2K.  

Nike's Monopoly On Basketball Sneakers

That check mark aka Nike is a sneaker giant that seems to get bigger and bigger with each passing year. With a roster full of the NBA's biggest names its hard not to be the biggest brand in basketball today. Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Stephen Curry all are apart of Nike's basketball brand which means a lot because those guys I just mentioned are a bunch of peoples favorite players. Nike has a monopoly in the Basketball sneaker market with a 58% share of the Jordan brand and 91% of sales in the basketball sneaker market.

I want you to think about everywhere you go in your own personal daily lives now sit back and think about how many times a day you see someone on the street with Nike or Jordan basketball shoes on. Its a lot right? Well a lot goes into that and it starts with the roster of players they have. Nike along with the Jordan brand has sneaker contracts to pretty much everybody in basketball Carmelo, Lebron, Kobe, Chris Paul you name it they got it. Now the roster they own looks like an all-star game program and the fact that Nike owns half of Jordan makes it incredibly hard for anybody to compete with them in the market. They make great sneakers (for the most part), great players endorse their product so whats not to love. Jordan brand can drop the same sneaker 4 times and jack up the price 40$ and people will still buy them. Like I said I love a lot of their sneakers but I’m a person who loves variety and people need to realize that the power is in the consumers hands.

This past season the Jordan 28's came out and many Jordan sneaker heads began to say things like “Jordan's are falling off” or “Jordan hasn't made a good basketball sneaker since he left the league” but those same people will go out and buy 300$ and camp out for them. Personally the sneaker game like the competitiveness I see players in the NBA lack these days has fallen off. Everybody wants to join someone rather than be apart of something they themselves can build while blazing their own trail. Once people realize that the product of Jordan brand will not improve until they stop buying the same retro sneakers that have been re released on multiple occasions then nothing will change.

From a marketing standpoint Nike has always been ahead of its time from the “Bo Knows” campaign to the “We Are All Witness” campaign for Lebron. This year is no different they have so many things they can do from a marketing stand point such as Lebron's continued greatness, Kobe's return,Kyrie Irving's “Uncle Drew” commercials among many other things. I once heard someone say “ Company's like Nike as far as advertising goes don't offer much when it comes to marketing basketball-the game, its all just fluff and a way for them to get you to worship the next great player”. I heard that and it hit home with me Nike is a great brand but they don't sell the game of basketball as much as they are a false reality and for you to bow down to the Basketball's biggest names.

So we have established the Nike has its hands firmly on the sneaker community and the market at large so what can other company’s such as Reebok, Adidas and Under Armour do? I think its a combination of what they are currently doing and haven't done yet. For example Under Armour is up and coming they have a solid roster of nice young players such as Kemba Walker, Brandon Jennings and Deandre Jordan, they need to build upon that solid roster of players and for what they don't have in terms of star players make up for in quality basketball performance shoes. The thing I like about Under Armour from a Marketing standpoint is that they aren't selling you a dream but rather selling you commitment. The “Are You From Here” campaign featuring some of the brands athletes I thought was awesome because it felt authentic as the players spoke about their humble beginnings in the commercial. 

More so then what they do in any kind of commercial is what they do on basketball courts nationwide building relationships with fans through things like the Elite 24 basketball game which features the best high school basketball players in country. They take the guys who endorse the product and send them on tours playing basketball games in the same communities they grew up in while giving back. “We just trying to show our face in communities man, we hood guys”. As the brand continues to build upon its young roster so will 0.4% stronghold in the sneaker market.

Adidas is a lot like Nike as far as resources and marketing goes but they haven't had the on court player success which is why the brand has fell back in terms of percentage in the market they are at only about 5% sales in the market. The recent release of the “Quick Ain't Fair” shoe was a success because the commercial featuring John wall, Jrue Holiday and Damain Lillard and Rapper A$ap Rocky garnered them lots of attention and really left an impression on people. I have a pair of the shoes I use for basketball and its defiantly one of the best basketball sneakers from a performance stand point I have had ever. For Adidas its all about improving the roster to compete with Nike.

Another factor is if Derrick Rose can successfully come back from his injury and re establish himself as the best player in the NBA if that happens and he can lead the Bulls to a championship then the opportunities for increases revenue in a market like Chicago are endless for Adidas. Last season despite playing any games for the Bulls Rose made 25 Million$ for Adidas with no on court presence so imagine how much that will increase if he comes back and has a season like he did in 2011.

Reebok is surviving and thriving right now based strictly on retro releases such as the signature Allen Iverson “Questions” and Shaquille O'Neal's “Shaq Attacks” among others. They have no players on their roster to market because earlier in the year they would no longer be focusing their efforts on basketball performance sneakers and focus on retros. The last person who had a Reebok performance basketball shoe was John Wall and his sales only collected 5 Million$ which is equivalent to Dwight Howard. The brand has such a tremendous history that it can survive strictly off of retro releases but don't expect them to compete with Nike.

Another thing you have to factor in is Lebron James and the Success of his Lebron 10. Along with his on court success he past it at retailers selling 300 Million $ worth of shoes this past season which led the league. If you are into ratio's that’s 6-1 for the next closet shoe. The sales of this years signature shoe was 50% increase from 2011 and its the most overpriced basketball shoe in the world usually averaging about 270$ per pair. As long as he is winning championships expect Nikes stronghold on the market to strengthen.

So the opposing company’s have a long way to go in terms of competing with Nike/ Jordan Brand but one thing that could seriously help those company’s like Under Armour or Adidas would be landing the next big thing as far as sneakers go in basketball which would be Andrew Wiggins. He is Canadian,there is a serious buzz to his name and people love watching him play . So not only do people love watching him play but and he has crossover appeal to him. Sonny Vaccaro who is in the sneaker industry says that Wiggins may have 3 company's bidding on him to endorse product as well as commanding Lebron James money. Landing a guy like him could elevate under Armour and Adidas.

Lots of things in Nikes favor but all giants must fall at some point and it may be awhile before Nike ever does but lets remember that Nike didn't always have a stronghold on the basketball sneaker market. Lets also remind ourselves of great and innovative sneakers were when there was no monopoly.

Tru School Of Kicks: Air Jordan 1 "Highlight Film"

The the Nike Air Jordan 1 silhouette adds yet another classic colorway to its storied history with the throwback Atlanta Hawks colors of the 80’s and 90’s. Reminiscent of Spud Webb and Dominique Wilkins these shoes are for lack of a better term “fresh”. Color way is red, black, white and Yellow. The Air Jordan 1 is a timeless shoe and almost any color you throw on it works, this is a testament to that.

If you look closely at the black part of the shoe you will notice a highlight reel print on the sneaker. Great subtle move and tribute to “The Human Highlight Film” Dominique Wilkins. Shoe is set for a September 7^th release threw Jordan Brand and is currently available on Ebay. Price set at 140$.

Tru School Of Kicks: Adidas Crazy 97 "Slam Dunk Contest"

As a sneakerhead I have never been a fan of Kobe Bryant's series of Nike Shoes. Have no fear though sneaker powerhouse Packer Shoes saves the day once again teaming up with Adidas for the retro release of the Adidas Crazy 97 “Slam Dunk Contest”. Of all the shoes Kobe has came out with over the years his best shoe is actually an Adidas shoe. As you can see the base of the shoe is purple. As for the rest of the shoe it is done up in yellow, black and white accents which matches very well with the Lakers uniforms and warm up apparel.

The shoe along with being very stylish also holds historical value as Kobe Bryant won the 1997 dunk contest wearing those sneakers. So these sneakers were the ushering in of the NBA's next great star. If I'm a Laker fan who also happens to be a sneaker lover then this would be a top priority as far as sneaker purchases go.

Tru School Of Kicks: Adidas Mutombo's

In 1993 Adidas released 1^st signature sneaker for the future 4 time defensive player of the year and one of the greatest shot blockers in NBA history-Dikembe Mutombo. Like Mutombo's trademark finger wag his sneakers bring something to the sneaker game that’s different yet authentic to Mutombo. They tell a story through the design detailing his African culture and journey to the NBA. If you are one of those people who love sneakers but don't just wear Jordans and Nikes then look into the Mutombo's. It's a great retro shoe from the 90's and it just screams “Original. The shoe has already sold out on Adidas.com and will be hard to find. Adidas is set to launch the Mutombo's on august 24^th for a price of 105$.

Basketball Lifer Dre Baldwin Gets Selected To Play In Nike "Summer Is Serious" Basketball Game

They say good things come to those who wait well that statement could not ring any truer for basketball lifer Dre Baldwin. Before I get into the whole point of this post let me give you some background on Dre Baldwin.

• ·       Played Professional basketball overseas in Germany, Lithuania, Montenegro and Mexico.

• ·       Played college ball at division III PSU-Altoona

• ·       Has released over 3,000+ Basketball related Youtube Videos

                                                                                                                         

    Why is this info relevant you may ask, well I’ll tell you why. We all as humans have a strong inclination to make excuses or attribute our own personal failures to something else outside of ourselves. Dre Baldwin is a guy who himself wasn’t recruited out of high school to play college basketball. He will tell you himself that his game is very limited as far as god given talent and the rest was persistence and hard work putting hours in the gym.

Dre Baldwin has become an authority for young up and coming basketball players to gain insight into what it takes physically, mentally and beyond to play basketball at a high level. People like myself who are on the come up use a plethora of his YouTube videos by him to better ourselves on and off the court.

The best part about Dre Baldwin though is that you don’t need to be a basketball player or even like basketball to appreciate what it is that he's doing. On his Youtube channel he has a segment called “Weekly Motivation” where he basically covers a general idea that translates beyond the hardwood and into other arenas of life. To see what I’m talking about click on the video below.

So Dre established his own lane and thousands upon millions of people in the basketball world have grown to love him. So now the hardwork Baldwin has been putting in has come full circle as he was selected 2^nd overall to Kevin Durant’s team for the Nike “Summer Is Serious” basketball pick up game taking place in Brooklyn ,New York. The game features 2 teams both hand picked by NBA stars James Harden and Kevin Durant. Baldwin was the 2^nd player selected to Durant’s team.

With all of that said good luck to Dre Baldwin and good luck to him in Brooklyn on August 16^th. Make sure you check him out on Youtube and of course Dreallday.com

Tru School Of Kicks: Nike Air Jordan 1 "Sonics"

It seems that no matter what the color combination is that the Nike Air Jordan 1 model seems to stand the test of time. With the Sonics Colorway it is no different. For the Key Arena faithful who bleed green and yellow these should certainly allow them to take pride as they always do in Sonics Greats like Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Gus Williams and Jack Sikma. If you happen to be a Sonics fan and love sneakers then these are a must buy for you. If you want to proudly wear the pride of Seattle's colors on your feet then look no further then these coming out in July. By the way bring the Sonics back the NBA is just plain weird without them.

Ken Griffey Jr: Never Be Another One

Baseball is a great game but the current state of the MLB is far from great. Players in this day and age are under constant scrutiny as the league is trying to clean up its image from all the greats who did the game dirty in the past like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens. When you look at Major league baseball in this day and age there aren't to many elite all around talents who dominate at the level Ken Griffey Jr did on and off the field. On the field when in his Prime Griffey was talented enough to be an All-star, win MVP, win a gold glove, win a silver slugger award and lead the league in home runs all in the same year. Off the field he served as the guy who elevated the popularity as the spokesman for Nike and Nintendo. The enjoyability of watching him on the field and the marketability of him off the field combined all at the same time make Ken Griffey Jr a once in a life time player. When speaking about the future hall of famer I think the only thing we can say is that there will never be another one.

Lets knock the obvious out of the way, Griffey is a very great and well decorated ballplayer some of his accomplishments listed down below are proof of that. When speaking about his accomplishments this is just scratching the surface with Griffey.

• 13 time all-star
• 1992 all-star game MVP
• 1997 MVP
• 10 gold gloves
• 7 silver slugger awards
• 630 Home runs

It's what he did for baseball in terms of popularity that speaks volumes to his greatness though. Let me ask you this question and I want you to really think about it. Who was the last baseball player who was just as big by himself as the game of baseball? Think about it. Players in Griffeys day like Mark Mcgwire and Barry Bonds were tremendous players and popular in baseball circles but did any of them do anything to transcend baseball popularity and make it appeal to the casual fan? Look at it from this perspective someone who knows nothing about baseball won't know who Mark Mcgwire was (pre steroid era) because his popularity is only within the baseball/sports fan realms. Now lets look at Griffey he had his own sneaker with Nike and a video game with Nintendo. Stuff like that was monumental for the game of baseball's popularity because Griffey is getting exposed to many people who who normally wouldn't watch baseball and then people find out who he is along with baseball which could eventually lead to them becoming a fan of the game. Being someone who grew up in the Nintendo generation I can't tell you how many times I heard kids say “Griffey is the best” or “This guy makes me like baseball, this game is awesome”. Ken Griffey Jr is just the kind of guy who leaves an imprint on your mind but in a positive way.

Beyond all of mass endorsements and commercials Ken Griffey Jr actually lived up to the hype. During my younger days I saw a lot of great players come to Miami to play baseball at Pro Player Stadium like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and David Ortiz but none put on the effortless hitting display I saw Griffey take. It was every thing you saw at the home run derby hat tilted backwards, smile on his face and last but not least that sweet effortless swing that he used to deposit baseballs into those empty orange seats. I remember everyone in the stadium stopped what they where doing just to watch this guy swing a bat. Yeah it was just batting practice but Griffey was a performer.

I once heard someone say the following about Ken Griffey Jr. “He was the type of person kids can love and adults can respect”. I was lucky enough to actually Meet Griffey face to face, I use to go to Pro Player Stadium 5-6 hours before the Marlins play and wait for them and whoever they were playing and try to get autographs from my baseball heroes. I would get the roster for the opposing teams and my Marlins then gather up whatever baseball cards I had on those players the night before the game. There was one day where the Marlins were playing the Reds in the middle of the season and Ken Griffey Jr was sitting on 599 career home runs so I wanted to see him hit 600.

Before I met Griffey I had gotten Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce to sign some baseball cards but then the bus arrived. I didn't care about any other player not even the ones on the Marlins I just wanted a chance to meet Griffey. I saw him and ran straight up to him with my baseball card and sharpie in hand. Most players are stuck up and would have told me no or just walked away Griffey smiled and happily signed my card. He actually took 2-4 minutes and we talked baseball I picked his brain about playing center field because I played it for my little league team at the time and he gave me some tips and then said bye to me.....WOW!

People always say baseball is a kids game but few players actually take the time to help the kids when they are in the major leagues by just simply signing an autograph or just talking to them. They get caught up in the celebrity of being a ball player in the majors and forget where they came from and don't sign autographs for those little kids and ignore them. Griffey didn't do that and he is even greater because of that to me.

So he had all the stats, he helped grow the game like very few players, he is a humble person and most importantly he is the ONLY player in the 90's who didn't take steroids. Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmerio all these guys took steroids but the only one who did it clean was Griffey. The fact that he is part of that whole era but didn't par take in the actual activity of performance enhancing drugs makes his legacy even greater. He did it the right way and had he not been injured in Cincinnati his legacy would have been untouchable. He would have in all honesty broken the home run record set by Babe Ruth, have more gold gloves and everything statistically would be greater. Baseball right now needs another Ken Griffey Jr type star.

I think in terms of talent, personality, marketability when it comes to Ken Griffey Jr I can honestly say there will never be another one.

Tru School Of Kicks: Air Jordan 1 "Shadow"

The Nike Air Jordan 1 is for all intensive purposes a classic sneaker and revolutionized the shoe game. So Nike is always trying new colorways on this original Air Jordan model and to be quite honest it's seems to me that the more simplistic they get the nicer the shoe is. Take this one for example with the black and grey colorway, the “shadow” looks like the type of sneaker that evokes urban class. It looks like the type of shoe you could wear with the right suit but that’s just me. The Shadows are set to release next month on July 13^th for a cool, crisp, 140$

Video Blog:My Sneaker Collection (Jordan, Reebok, Nike Addidas, Converse)

Decided to take a break from talking about sports and show you guys my sneaker collection,enjoy the vid!