Yo!!! Things have been crazy hectic here at the office for the past few months. The crew has been going non-stop, resulting in a fast-paced, high-stress environment. Once in a while we get a comedic reprieve though, and today was one of them. Bal Sak showed up in the mail, and I was rolling. I mean come on . . . the logo, the name? As if that weren’t enough the tag line is, “Grab your Bal Sak and Go!” Check them out at www.bal-sak.com.

The weather is bad, and the gyms are open. What more could you ask for. Converse Open Gym is in full effect this weekend. If you are in Miami, Philly, or Chicago you should stop by and get your hoop on. The locations and age groups are below. Read More »

Pardon me for the random thought but I had to vent on this for a minute. This past weekend I was out in Chi on some business and caught the Louisville vs. Purdue game. The Cardinals were trailing almost the entire contest, and I was fading in and out of emails, until I noticed that Derrick Caracter had not touched the floor. Seconds after the thought crossed my mind the cameras panned to him on the bench in street clothes. The commentator announced that DC had been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules (missing curfew). Now, this might now seem like a big deal unless you look at the pattern of Caracter’s behavior dating back to high school. I don’t like to judge people, but it is frustrating to me to watch someone with so much talent waste it away. First off, the kid is not that good. He has consistently under delivered on his hype, and on top of that he stays in trouble. Last year he was suspended pretty much the entire first half of his freshmen campaign. Honestly I think it is selfish. When you decide to play on a team, you have a responsibility to the other 14 people in that locker room. I mean how many chances is this kid going to get before people realize he just doesn’t give a ish. I am surprised Pitino hasn’t kicked him off the squad. Hopefully he gets his life together, but judging from his decision to date that is highly unlikely. Louisville lost the game by the way.

Image: Chicago OG Session 1

If you live in Chicago and love to play, the Attack Center is the place to be. Converse is set to launch Open Gym on Sunday, December 16th. Plain and simple, OG gives players the opportunity to ball-out. Gyms are hard to come but during these winter months, and if you are in Chi they have a real treat for you. The Attack Center is owned by MJ’s famed personal trainer, Tim Grover, and is the off-season home to the stars.

Hopefully we will see you there. For more info or to register visit Converse.com. There are 5 sessions and each is limited to 80 players. Oh yeah, last night’s Mr. Triple Double Kirk Hinrich will be in the house.

Location: Attack Center 2641 W. Harrison St. Chicago, IL 60612

Sessions: Session 1 (12-14 yr old): 10:00am to 12:00pm Session 2 (12-14 yr old): 12:00pm to 2:00pm Session 3 (15-17 yr old): 2:00pm to 4:00pm Session 4 (18+yr old): 4:00pm to 6:00pm

The Jordan Brand and Levi’s announced a special project they have been working on. The companies are set to release co-branded apparel packages in March ‘08. The packs will include AJ1s made of Levi denim (printed with the Jordan elephant design), a t-shirt, and a crispy pair of 501s.

I am very curious to see how this turns out. Read More »

Huarache heat for your feet. The OG version, designed by Tinker, made famous by the Fab 5, revolutionized on court style. The new Huaraches are crazy. They drop this summer. Read More »

I have been reading mixed reviews about this upcoming release. One of my peoples who got a sneak peak said it was one of the freshest kicks he has seen in a minute. Traditionalists think it was straight up wrong to mess with a signature Jordan and AF1. Personally, I like it a lot. They are not trying to mash up a Jordan V with a Cortez. These are two of the most successful basketball shoes ever released and most importantly…the collabo just works. Visually, independent of each shoe itself, the Jordan V / AF1 Fusion is appealing. Keep an eye out for these in Spring ‘08. Get in line early!

I hit up Soho this morning for the ‘07-’08 Converse Basketball preview. The most historic footwear company in basketball has come a long way in the past few years. The new product looks great and there is real positive energy and enthusiasm driving the brand. Product previews are often in stale show rooms, and the people showing want to be there less than you do. But, on occasion, they are actually worth the time and the Converse crew did a great job pulling this one together. The space was dope, the OJ was fresh, and the kicks were on point. We finished off the morning with a mini history lesson viewing the last molds used to make Larry Bird and Dr.J’s shoes, the first Converse basketball shoe ever made (around 1915), as well as an actual shoe worn by the Harlem Rens (’30s). New products to keep an eye out for are the Wade 3 (On sale 11/3), the “What If” packs (March), and the Dumalis. Check out more pics… Read More »