Steve Nash & Baron Davis are Stepbrothers.

You have to see this to believe it...
And Steve Nash can dance?

Carmelo Anthony's favourite sneaker of all time.

Yes really.

When someone asks you what is your favourite anything of all time, you contemplate, ponder and take time to be sure. However, when it's something you're passionate and confident about the answer comes relatively quickly.

So when ABDB asked Carmelo, what were his favourite sneakers of all time, that weren't Melos, (pro athletes tend to forget their favourites in favour of their own), he thought for a moment... Then looked down at his feet, gave them a wiggle and said "These ones I have on now, the Jordan Olympia."

Not to hate on the Jordan Olympia, they're inspired by the Jordan X, pay tribute to past Jordan athletes who have competed in the Olympics, and are a pretty good looking shoe. I'm sure they're quite comfortable Melo, maybe even the most comfortable and best performance sneakers you have ever worn, but come on really?

This shoe trumps every other shoe on the planet?

Even those that you have a sentimental attachment to?

Not one edition of the Air Jordans 1-23 are as good as the Olympia?

Now who's to say that they're not his all time favourite, but most people would say, the Air Jordan III, or the Air Force 1, or the Dunk. The Olympia just seems like a quasi-political answer, and when it comes to favourites, people just want to know what you like... the individual preference from the person, not the pitch man.

An ode to Boom Dizzle.

Passion. The passion of sports fans is undeniable, (sometimes scary, yet undeniable). Not necessarily the ones that paint their face, or spell GO TEAM across their chest with their shirts off, but those fans that wear their heart on their sleeve like it's the latest fashion trend.

Michael Whang can go to bed every night knowing that he played a role in Baron Davis' return to the Los Angeles Clippers, by putting his words to song. "Baron, It's Time To Come Home" will likely go down as a Staple Center classic, they should have played this when he took the podium at his press conference.

My favourite line was his promise that "Tim Thomas will find his jump shot for you"... umm Michael, I wouldn't go that far.

to EAch his own.

There was a time when NBA Live was the pre-eminment basketball video game. You salivated and waited for it to come out, just as anxiously as you waited to get into a new NBA season. Yet with every peak, there's a valley and other developers got into the game, offering us new and exciting products.

For most gamers, the 2K series has supplanted NBA Live, but based on history, and technology you can't count out the Live franchise. EA has offered an early look at what 09 has to offer. Can they bring it back?

Why they put Tony Parker on the cover is beyond me, hope he doesn't have any of his rap songs on the soundtrack.

What If?

Because we're not going to stop talking about the Olympics until the end of August, we may as well embrace it.

I came across some international hoops lore, that I wasn't aware of. I had no idea that the year of my birth, was linked to USA Olympic basketball infamy. At the 1972 Olympics in Munich, the Men's USA Basketball team, sporting a 63-0 Olympic record, was dealt it's first ever loss in controversial fashion. Playing the Soviet Union in the gold medal match, Doug Collins, (yes that Doug Collins), put the U.S. up 50-49, knocking down two free throws with 3 seconds left. Although the Soviets failed to score as time expired, they were awarded two additional attempts to replay the time remaining. Scoring on the second opportunity, the Soviets won the gold medal 51-50.

Of course the U.S. squad protested the medal ceremony and the outcome, which was voted down, and they refused to accept their silver medals... even to this day. So as a statement to show that our good friends south of the border have no bitter feelings, Converse will be releasing the What If pack.

The What If pack includes the classic Pro Leather Hi, Converse 0100 and the OX, detailed with vintage suede leather, as well as gold on the heel and tongue. Now the team can get their gold, and anyone else in China for that matter, where they will be available surrounding the Olympics. They will also be available in limited locations in the U.S.

Brand Loyalty?

So Elton Brand opts out of his contract with the LA Clippers, in order to "give them more payroll flexibility to strengthen the team around him". In the first day of free agency the Clippers secure Baron Davis, a phenomenal move, as he's a top 5 NBA PG. Brand told ESPN on June 30th that his intention was to "stay with the Clippers". On July 8th, he verbally committed to the Philadelphia 76ers, so what happened?

Likely, a 5 year deal at $85 million, playing in a weaker conference, closer to home and on an improving team that's guaranteed to make the playoff this year. Justified, and at the end of the day, it's his decision, but if I'm the Clippers or Baron, I'm pissed. While I wasn't part of those discussions it seemed like he had basically given his word on coming back. Does that make him a bad guy, or is it just business?

The last time a Dukie gave his "word" in a free agent situation? Carlos Boozer with the Cavaliers and Jazz situation, and karma caught up with him in a bad way. He was injured and only played in 84 out of a possible 162 games in his first two season with Utah.

Selfishly, I just hate the fact that after the Raptors just got better in their front court, the Sixers land an all-star caliber player for us to have to worry about. It's going to be a busy off season.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

With that being said, coming across this photo album on Flickr of NBA players and random women, there are 8 million stories told in the club, this was a sampling of 151 of them.

What I really find interesting is how some of the least, how-shall-we-say photogenic players are even asked to pose, like Calvin Booth, Tyrone Hill, Sam Cassell and our main man Gheorge to the left. We'll refer to them as the "Sixth Man".

Then you have the "Starters", they're just there in the mix, not dominating, but just playing their part, like Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, and David Lee.

Of course there is the upper echelon, the "All-Star", players in the club who strive to be the best that they can be. Best exemplified by Luther Head, Randy Foye and Chris Duhon. Even the retired players like Kenny Smith, Glen Rice, Ron Harper and Gary Payton still get love, guaranteeing their entry into the club "Hall of Fame".

So get in where you fit in NBA-wannabees, and don't be led to the dark side, as evidenced by the awesome Nowitzki & Nash pics, that made their way around the interwebs some time ago.

Much respect to my purple and gold compatriots at Bynum Brigade for setting my club game straight.

Cover-ups and conspiracy theories.

We all remember this image. The gold medal "Dream Team" annihilating the competition in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Michael Jordan and teammates at the podium, basking in their glory. Now I'm not putting Jordan's patriotism into question, but it's widely known that the flag draped over him was to cover up a Reebok logo. As MJ is a Nike man through and through, he wasn't going to give shine to anyone else, especially with the world watching. No conspiracy here, just fact. Jordan is a businessman.

Fast forward to 2008, Nike is outfitting the Men's USA Basketball team now, and all but one of the players on the squad are Nike or Nike affiliated, (Dwight Howard). The best players who committed to the program are on the squad, so it can be chalked up to coincidence, but is this photo an accident?

First of all, I've never seen this set-up for a team photo before, maybe it was an avant garde photographer, but the standard team shot has the big men in the back row, where his shoes could have easily been covered up. To make matters worse, Coach K is sitting(?), quite conveniently blocking out Howard's Adidas sneaker.

Sorry folks, I call bullshit.

Theorists are also uniting at Bounce Magazine and AOL Fanhouse

Father knows best.

Toronto Raptors President & GM Bryan Colangelo comes from a fine pedigree, as the son of sports mogul Jerry Colangelo. Bryan earned his stripes under the shadow of his father as the General Manager of the Phoenix Suns for the past 11 years. Stepping out into his own in 2006, he single handedly made the Raptors into a legitimate NBA franchise, and won the NBA Executive of the Year in 2007 for his efforts.

Colangelo has raised the basketball, (and style), standard in the city of Toronto. However his dad is no slouch either as the former President, GM, snd part-owner of the Phoenix Suns, and current Director for U.S.A. Basketball, putting the best ballers America has to offer to bring home the gold in Beijing. So what does Papa Colangelo think about Bryan's work in the T-Dot?

"Bryan who?", (awkward silence, followed by uncontrollable laughter). "No seriously, I’m very proud of him, miss him back in Arizona and he’s done a great job." Jerry says. "When he was a kid, he was always telling me what to do. Commenting on what trades I was making, and now it’s my turn, and I can second guess him from time to time, hahaha. No, I’m very supportive of what he’s done."

With Bryan gaining his dad's approval, and the trust of the majority of Toronto fans, if he can just do something about that Bargnani draft pick, everything would be golden.

Coming Soon: USA Basketball going for the gold.

I was in New York last weekend talking to members of the U.S.A. Mens Basketball team and staff for Peace Magazine. If you weren't already aware, they've basically put together one of the best teams since, well you know...

Check back soon for the full scoop from all the players, their goals for the Beijing Olympics and witness Nike basketball's unwavering support for the squad.

Photo credit: Craig Boyko