Tim Tebow EA sports sports Nike Air Trainer 1.2

Nike and EA sports celebrates the launch of EA NCAA FOOTBALL 11, with a limited edition Tim Tebow PE. Will Tebow's star continue to shine in the NFL.

John Wall the new face of Reebok Basketball

by Tzvi Twersky

As of this past Thursday’s NBA Draft, the future of the Washington Wizards rests on the slender shoulders of John Wall. Ted Leonsis, Ernie Grunfeld, Flip Saunders and the Wizards aren’t the only ones counting on the rookie to resurrect a snakebitten franchise—as of last Wednesday, Reebok is, too.

Thirty-six hours before shaking David Stern’s hand, in a hastily arranged but well executed press conference in Times Square, Reebok officially announced that John Wall had agreed to a “multi-year, multimillion-dollar deal” with Reebok.

In addition to adding John Wall to a basketball roster that already includes Jamal Crawford, Jameer Nelson, Danilo Gallinari and Allen Iverson, Reebok also unveiled Wall’s first shoe, the ZigTech Slash.

“After a hugely successful launch of our ZigTech training footwear collection, we wanted to extend our technology into new categories,” said Reebok’s President Uli Becker.

While “recruiting” Wall, Reebok sat him down with Allen Iverson and others who could help the company woo him. Ultimately, though, it was his adolescent connection–for the better part of his teenage years, John Wall played Reebok grassroots ball— that truly helped the company land him.

“Reebok believed in me when no one else did,” said John Wall, referring to his high school days in Reebok camps. “Now, I believe in them and the new technology they have to offer me as a player.”

Reebok’s done very well over the past few business quarters, selling vast quantities of the revolutionary ZigTech running shoes and muscle-toning EasyTones. But since Allen Iverson’s NBA success has waned, Reebok’s effort—and success—pedaling basketball gear has waned, too.

Enter John Wall.

“John is a unique player,” said Todd Krinsky, Reebok’s head of sports and entertainment marketing. “He has a distinct swagger on the court and an inspirational style and flair off the court. John’s individualism and energy make him the perfect fit for the Reebok brand.

“I think he’s grounded,” Krinsky told SLAM. “Like, you’re not gonna see him doing silly thing. He doesn’t go get a tattoo cause the other guys get tattoos. He’s just his own dude. He wants to be his own man. He wants to make his own decisions. That’s why John Wall’s with Reebok.”

There’s a lot of pressure on John Wall—pressure to carry an NBA franchise, help carry a brand—but he’s still only 19, and has never played an NBA game.

“That’s why we’re gonna go slow,” says Krinsky when asked about the high expectations. “We feel like he’s gonna be an explosive player right out of the gate. But we also know that there are adjustments that take place when you go to the next level, and we are willing to grow with him.”

Reebok’s willing to expand their Wall offerings, adding off the court products, when he’s deemed ready. If the Wizards take the same slow and steady approach, John Wall may very well be plastered all over your wall for the next decade.

His first pair of Reebok shoes, the ZigTech Slash, drop on October 15th. His first public action with the Wizards, a summer league game in Vegas, takes place on July 11th against the Golden State Warriors.

Keep your eyes locked—on his game, and his kicks.

NIKE EYBL

The inaugural NIKE EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League) will he held over four different events during the spring and summer. Featuring NIKE’s forty-two (42) elite 17 & under travel team programs, the league will culminate with the EYBL Finals at the NIKE Peach Jam in North Augusta, SC from July 12-15, 2010.
The EYBL will tip-off at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, VA from April 9-11. The final two regular season events will be held at League America in Houston, TX on May 14-16 and in Los Angeles, CA over Memorial Day Weekend (May 29-31) at the Hangar Athletic Xchange.

The King has spoken

The Miami Heat has just become the pulse of the NBA. Miami is already the No. 1 party choice for most and now the Heat’s home games will be crammed with who’s who 41 times (plus playoff games) next season.

The Heat’s floor seats have just become the most valuable tickets in all of sports. I heard season-ticket sales were close to being sold out when Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh committed on Wednesday, but those prices on the street jumped like the stock market when LeBron James announced that he would be leaving Cleveland and joining forces in Miami with those two.

With all respect to Wade and Bosh, LeBron signing there takes the Heat organization to a place no team has experienced since the Chicago Bulls were led by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman.

I can imagine what a circus traveling with this team will be because I experienced it when I played with the Houston Rockets in 1997, when Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Clyde Drexler. And then again a few years later when Scottie Pippen stepped in for a retiring Drexler.

I foresee crowds of people at every hotel on road trips despite arriving at 2 am most times. All teams will be changing their season-tickets packages to highlight this road show.

I am sure the NBA would rather have all three players leading their own team, but this team will crossover thousands of fans that ordinarily would not be attending a game. This is still a huge boost for the league regardless.

I am not surprised by King James’ decision and I believe that these three stars can coexist. Mainly because I think LeBron is the most unselfish basketball star in the league along with Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Steve Nash. Points have never mattered to him and it’s all based on the belief that he can dominate a game without scoring a bunch of points.

I expect LeBron to mesh with Wade and Bosh just like Magic Johnson did with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy and like Larry Bird did with Kevin McHale and Robert Parish.

I firmly believe he will flirt with averaging a triple-double next season as well.

People, please think before you call him a traitor and selfish. Remember most athletes are maligned for chasing the money… He is leaving 30 million on the table and a city that he owned. This move seems all about him thinking a championship can be won in Miami and that is it. He can be wrong like Cavs owner Dan Gilbert said would occur in the end, but right now he made a career decision and in America that’s why we fought wars – so we can have freedom to make choices.

So now let’s look at past greats of the game.

Bill Russell had John Havlicek, Bob Cousy, Jo-Jo White and Sam Jones; Magic Johnson had Kareem, Worthy and Byron Scott; Larry Bird had Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and Dennis Johnson; Isiah Thomas had Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Vinnie Johnson and perennial All-Star Mark Aguirre; Michael Jordan had Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman; Tim Duncan had David Robinson, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker for multiple championships. Kobe Bryant now has Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum.

So I ask… What is LeBron is doing differently? I am sure Wade and Bosh would have seriously thought about going to Cleveland as a duo if they had the cap space for all three.

This is about joining forces to win championships and we have to applaud the sacrifice that these great players are trying to execute for the good of winning.

LeBron and Bosh have heard the negative comments about the lack of titles, so it’s fitting they make the sacrifice to join a player in Wade who has experienced winning a title.

Michael Jordan got ripped for being selfish and not living up to expectations his first seven years and I ask… Who are we constantly comparing LeBron to?

When James realized Cleveland would not be able to get him the kind of help past stars had, that made his decision easier. And, quite frankly, I think he made up his mind two years ago.

I thought Danny Ferry did a tremendous job, but he made a fatal mistake in not chasing down spot up shooters like Channing Frye, Eddie House, Kyle Korver, etcetera, to surround James. It forced James to score more than he would like when it was obvious from Day 1 he enjoyed passing the ball. The mistake was thinking he was the second coming of Jordan instead of Magic Johnson. When teams like Boston and Orlando locked in on him come playoff time, he didn’t have the Steve Kerrs, John Paxsons and Derek Fishers of the world to trust when he gave the ball up.

So off to South Beach he goes and I believe that is where he will win multiple championships. It will not be easy the first year and mainly because they will have zero money to pick up some good experienced role players, but the Celtics of 2008 got lucky and found Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis. So Pat Riley will have to search the bottom feeders in the league and come up with some diamonds or convince some veterans around the league to take the minimum salary to have a chance to win a title and reap the rewards of a contract down the line.

I also assume he would say, “Look, if you are going to make less money, why not do it and have fun in South Beach?”

Finally, I agree with most basketball people that Chicago was his best team choice in terms of roster, but the most important feeling is playing with players you are comfortable with on and off the court and so that is why he chose Wade and Bosh.

I personally wanted him to stay in Cleveland, but who am I to judge him on this decision? This is his career and he knows that if he didn’t win a title he would be labeled the biggest failure up to date in basketball history. So although I understand why Cleveland, New York, New Jersey, Clippers and Chicago might feel jilted from the results of last night, they still have to respect his decision because if Miami finds a few components this trio could win multiple championships starting next year.

We are all witnesses and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out in 2011.



Read more: http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/johnson/2010/07/09/the-king-has-spoken/#ixzz0tW6kVWN9

THREE KINGS

Wade back in Miami

MIAMI -- The word went out early Monday morning to Miami Heat fans. Show up at 8 a.m. and welcome Dwyane Wade back to South Florida, they were told. So they did, right time wrong location.

Wade arrived back in Miami, but instead of flying on a private jet into a charter facility -- as the Heat marketing department expected -- he took a commercial flight into one of the airport's main terminals.

So about 50 Heat fans, as well as a handful of team employees, left without a glimpse of Wade, who is expected to decide his playing future in the coming days.

"He'll hear that we were here," said 20-year-old fan David Figueroa. "That's enough, right?"

Sure enough, Wade's representatives confirmed that the six-time All-Star was aware of the gathering, albeit after he left Miami International Airport.

The Heat leaked his travel plans overnight, telling fans to greet Wade at the Signature Air terminal at the airport.

One of the triumvirate of marquee stars in this NBA free-agent megaclass, Wade could decide this week between the Heat, the New Jersey Nets, the New York Knicks and his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls. Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh began getting formally wooed on Thursday by several clubs.

The Heat turned to social media, both Facebook and Twitter, around 12:50 a.m. Monday to rally fans. Even at the late hour, buzz grew quickly, and some fans were in place -- the wrong place, unknowingly -- by 7 a.m. An employee at the Signature Air facility said staff is typically told when a high-profile person like Wade is arriving, and that transportation for him is usually arranged ahead of time.

That wasn't the case Monday.

"Bad information," Heat executive vice president and chief marketing officer Michael McCullough told the sign-waving, T-shirt-donning group.

Before arriving Monday -- Miami-Wade County, officially, until July 8 by order of the county's commissioners -- Wade had been in Chicago since the start of free-agent mania.

He took his meetings there, including formal sit-downs with three clubs, plus an informal chat with the Heat. Now back in Miami, Wade will meet with Heat president Pat Riley and owner Micky Arison this week.

Although Wade often has said he would like to remain in Miami, provided the team's roster is upgraded to his liking, tension is clearly high around 601 Biscayne Blvd., the Heat home address.

Forget June 20, 2006, the day Miami won its NBA title, as the defining day for the franchise.

No, July 8, 2010 -- the first day of this free-agent signing period -- could be the day that shapes the Heat for years to come.

"We love him," McCullough said. "We're not the only ones, and we hope that he comes back. ... It's time for him to make a decision, and we want to help him make that decision by showing him all the support he has from fans in South Florida and around the world."

Heat officials were asking fans to reach out to Wade on Facebook at 3:33 p.m. Monday, a nod to "3," his jersey number.

"Got to do what we can," Figueroa said. "I called in sick to work today for this. I guess I can just show up now."

Wade is scheduled to appear at a basketball camp about 30 minutes north of Miami on Tuesday, plus take questions with Alonzo Mourning about their charity weekend later this month. The Heat expect hundreds of well-wishers there, including dozens of children who are working on a "special" presentation for the 2006 NBA Finals MVP.

Plans have been in place for Wade to be at an amusement park with his sons in Orlando, Fla. on Thursday, the first day free agents can sign. Tentatively, Wade is scheduled to be back in Miami on Friday.


Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

LI-NING unveiled a new logo and slogan Wednesday in a relaunch of China's dominant domestic sporting goods apparel brand timed to coincide with its 20th anniversary.

Founder and former Chinese Olympic gymnist Li Ning appeared Wednesday to personally unveil the company's new logo and slogan at Li-Ning's Beijing headquarters. A large group will gather at the LI-NING Centre to celebrate the launch including LI-NING Company executives, investors, representatives from each of LI-NING's five gold medal-winning teams, and many other VIP guests.

The brand relauch follows three years of intense market resarch into the maturity cycle of the market, industry growth drivers, competition landscape analysis and positioning and consumption trends, the LI-NING brand proactively adopted a re-invention approach.
LI-NING's new slogan is "Make The Change." The new logo displays a modern interpretation of the iconic attributes of the original logo in a modern design language that spells out a global perspective. Not only has the new logo narrated the rich visual heritage of the classic "LN" symbol, it has also abstractly outlined the "Li Ning Cross" gymnastic posture invented by Li Ning.

The new logo also resembles the shape of the Chinese character "Ren," which means people, encouraging everybody to express and actualize himself through sports. It features a cleaner cutting to convey a tough, motion- and energy-rich silhouette. The new slogan "Make The Change" is adapted from a new brand manifesto that speaks out the evolution from "dare to think" to "dare to do," encouraging everybody to embrace changes and breakthroughs. It is a calling to a new breed of consumers, the "Generation 1 Creators."
"We believe the Generation 1 Creators have been born," said Mr. Zhang Zhiyong, CEO of the Group. "This is what initiated our urge for a change. These people have global visions. They love innovations. They demand high product quality. They are giving new meanings to sports. To gain their recognition, we need to become more sensitive, more refreshed, more energetic and have stronger personalities. The LI-NING brand and all young people are eager to express and actualize themselves. We are communicating with them in a new language. People will gradually notice that the LI-NING brand is gradually evolving into a young chap with light-hearted wit, who is true to life, curious and inventive!"

Li Ning advertising will now focus on the company's evolution since the 1990s. During that period the company systematically upgraded its sports events planning, geographic planning and product research, development and design.

On Wednesday, the company also unveiled new product collections that carry rich new features: the "Athletic Pro" collection of top-notch sports equipment for professional athletes, the multi-function "Urban Sports" collection for light urban sports, the all-orange-color "Brand Heritage" collection that illustrates the brand equity, and the "Crossover" collection that collaborates local and foreign design talents.
The original logo and the legacy "Anything is Possible" slogan of the LI-NING brand are not retiring. They will become part of the Group's brand assets and be appropriately deployed.

Michael Beasley focussed on getting better

What are your offseason plans?

Michael Beasley: Working out. Get better. I’m going to play the summer league. Pretty much don’t stop. I haven’t had any vacation. I just went straight to working out. I feel I can do a lot to improve my game to help the team and take us further to the playoffs.

Any special routine this summer?

MB: No, I’ll use the regular coaches, assistant coaches.

Did you see draft night?

MB: Not at all. I was flying to Europe. I missed the draft, the U.S. soccer game… I missed everything (laughs).

Do you like soccer?

MB: I don’t follow soccer a lot, but I’m definitely interested about what’s happening in the World Cup.

Right now there’s only two players with guaranteed contracts on the Heat roster: Mario Chalmers and you. Does it feel strange that it’s very possible that you’ll have almost a new entire team next season?

MB: It’s crazy when you think about it. But you won’t see too many seasons like this. Some players might stay at the end, but it’s true that we might have almost a new roster next season. We’ll start over.

How do you feel about Wade’s chances of staying in Miami?

MB: I definitely feel that he’ll stay. He’s accomplished a lot in Miami, he won a championship and a Finals MVP… He already has laid his foundation.

Among the big free agents, who would gell great with you and Dwyane?

MB: Anybody. You know Chris Bosh… Amare Stoudemire would be great. Of course LeBron James would fit in right away. But as of right now we must grow as a team, get better and things will just work out.

After two seasons, do you feel like you have become kind of a lightning rod for criticism during your career?

MB: I do. Honestly, I don’t see why. Everybody makes mistakes and I feel like sometimes mine have been magnified. I feel like I’m expected to act older than what I am. I’m not saying that’s a reason to do some of the things I’ve done. But you know, I’m like everybody else: I make mistakes, learn from them and move on with your life.

And after two seasons, your life has changed. You’re an NBA player. Do you still stick together with your old crew of friends?

MB: Yeah. I don’t have too many friends. Actually I have a crew of two people: me and a buddy from high school.

Ron Artest was often criticized during the season after signing with the Lakers, but after Game 7 of the Finals everybody was talking about how he had redeemed himself. Do you see that as an example or inspiration?

MB: I don’t. You know, everybody has his own past. I’m following my own path, trying to execute my plan as well as possible and grow, not only as a player but as a person. Like I said before, everybody commits mistakes, and that’s how you build your character… What do you do after mistakes.