We've Moved!

Please follow me over to www.allsportseverything.com.  The new site is waaaay better than this old thing.  Please check it out!  Much love and thanks for the continued support.

xo
S. Renee

New Site Coming Soon!

Sports Heads!

All Sports Everything is undergoing maintenance.  Expect a better, fresher, doper site when we relaunch...as soon as Monday!

Sorry to keep you waiting, but I promise it's worth it!

S. Renee

All Sports Everything is on a Break!

 
Hey Sports Heads!!

I'm heading out of the country which means All Sports Everything won't be making any noise while I'm away.

I admit, it's pretty poor planning on my part.  Missing the Final Four and the NCAA Championship is a rookie move and I know better.  Thank God for the March Madness iPad app!  I will definitely be putting it to use while vacationing. 

Also, as I mentioned before, be on the lookout for some dope changes to the site.  This will happen within the next couple of weeks.  As always, thanks for the support!

Enjoy the busy sports weeks ahead!

S. Renee

P.S. Let's Go UCONN, men AND women!!
P.P.S. Let's go Yankees!  MLB Opening Day is Thursday!   

HBO To Premiere Curt Flood Documentary on July 13

The 1960s was a period when racial tension in the United States boiled over.  American history books were forever rewritten as Civil Rights Leaders Malcolm X and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were assassinated in 1965 and 1968, respectively.  Sports legend Muhammad Ali stirred the pot when he refused to report for duty and fight in the Vietnam War upon being drafted; rationalizing that since Black Americans were denied civil rights he could not and would not fight to protect those without rights in another country, in 1967. And, Olympians John Carlos and Tommie Smith made headlines during the 1968 Olympic Games when they displayed their solidarity to the Civil Rights Movement, performing the "black power salute" standing tall atop the podium with Olympic medals hanging around their necks, wearing black socks and shoeless.

John Carlos and Tommie Smith

These, and many other, powerful stories have been recounted time and time again.  However, the contribution of notable athlete and history maker, former MLB player Curt Flood is lesser known by many; and perhaps overlooked by others.

In a move that's long overdue, HBO is stepping up to the plate to share Curt Flood's story in a documentary set to air July 13, one day after MLB's All-Star Game.  The documentary will chronicle details surrounding the famous Supreme Court case, Flood v. Kuhn.

Flood is widely credited with introducing the concept of Free Agency after refusing a trade and challenging the Reserve Clause which stated that upon the expiration of a contract, players did not have the right to enter into a new contract with another team. Instead, the team retained the player's rights and could either resign or release/trade the player without the player's consent.  Taking a stand for what he believed to be right, Flood sacrificed money and his career in exchange for freedom and the power to choose the outcome of his future.  In a letter to MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, Flood compared the reserve clause to slavery, stating, "I am not a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes." 

Despite the support of the MLB union, Flood ultimately lost the case.  However, the former St. Louis Cardinal center fielder's impact on the sports world continues to reverberate more than four decades later; as seen last summer with then free agent Lebron James and the media circus surrounding his "decision".

HBO's choice to tell this story at a time when the futures of the NFL and NBA are unknown, due to labor disputes, will allow the cable network to ride the wave of the current sports climate and tell a story within a story; spurring interesting commentary and generating high ratings.  HBO's solid reputation of delivering compelling and thoughtful content will also give viewers more than enough reasons to tune in.  But if you remain unconvinced that this story is necessary and important, I encourage you to watch because Curt Flood's sacrifices were an integral part of not only sports history or Black history, but most importantly, American history.

When Things Fall Apart: The NY Knicks

“I couldn't see nothing at that time. Blood was coming out of my eye, so I couldn't really see. I don't even know what was going on.”

-Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony on his collission with Rajon Rondo late in the loss to the Celtics.

Doh.

The NY Knicks' team and season continue to come apart at the seams.  Since Brooklyn native, Carmelo Anthony joined the Knicks, they are an umimpressive 7-9. A run that includes two three-game losing streaks, one three-game winning streak, losses to the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, and the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers (twice!!), and slipping to the 7th playoff seed.

NBA journalists are sounding off everywhere.  Here's what's being said:

PRESS PLAY: STEPHEN A. SMITH


PRESS PLAY: NBA TONIGHT

• NY Daily News:  Knicks star Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire see in Celtics sacrifice they must make to win

• NY Daily News:  Melo already part of Knicks history...bad history

• NY Daily News:  New York Knicks president Donnie Walsh reiterates Carmelo Anthony Deal was his decision, not Dolan's

• NY Post:  Melo bloodies, psyche bruised as Knicks slump reaches 6 out of 7

• NY Post:  Walsh:  I'll take blame for Knicks soon

• NY Post:  Doc's Rx:  A little bit of time

• Yahoo! Sports:  Melo wilting under burden to lift Knicks

• ESPN New York:  New York Knicks need much more from Melo

• ESPN New York:  Knicks Need to be Stoudemire's Team

• ESPN New York:  Knicks must find consistency at center

• Slam:  Carmelo: Knicks May Not Jell Until Next Year

• ESPN:  Knicks' Loss Stings Like Decade of Misery

• NBC:  Celtics Teach Knicks A Few Lessons

• FoxSports:  Melo:  Knicks Might Not Improve Soon

Photo Credit: Sipkin/News

CBS and Turner Sports Share in the (March) Madness!

In an unprecedented move, CBS will share its broadcasting duties and $10.8 billion cost of the rights to the new 68-team NCAA Tournament with Turner Sports and its affiliated networks which include TBS, TNT, and truTV. The new partnership will, for the first time, put the fan in control of programming and give us home access to every game throughout the tournament. Score!

Game analysis and commentary will be brought to you by CBS and Turner's familiar roster of broadcast talent: Greg Anthony, Charles Barkley, Seth Davis, Len Elmore, Greg Gumbel, Ernie Johnson, Gus Johnson, Clark Kellogg, Steve Kerr, Kenny Smith, Marty Snider, Matt Winer, and Tracy Wolfson.

This is certainly good news for the viewer. We can now assert our power and select which games we prefer to watch. In the past, I've always felt I was at the mercy of CBS to deliver the game(s) I was most interested in watching. This hit or miss approach has often left me disappointed, ruining my viewing experience.

Additionally, and most importantly, Gus Johnson fans are now guaranteed the opportunity to hear and revel in all of his calls. For me, this is the biggest win of them all! Gus will bless us with his awesomeness starting Wednesday night. Now, if CBS would wise up and assign him to the National Championship Game, my March Madness experience would be complete. If you agree, sign the official Put Gus Johnson on the National Championship Game Petition.

If you're left scratching your head wondering what the hell truTV is and most importantly, if it's included in your basic cable package, the answer is yes. As you breathe a sigh of relief, I'm sure you're now left wondering if it's available in HD. Well, the answer is yes and no. It depends on your cable provider and location. Unfortunately, New York City Time Warner Cable sufferers customers like myself do not receive truTVHD.

The madness starts tonight with truTV First Four at 6:30 PM/ET. Do yourself a favor, save yourself some time and locate the channel number in advance.

Living on a budget and no longer have cable? If you have the internet, you don't have to miss any of the action. All of the games will be available on the NCAA Tournament's website via March Madness on Demand.

OR, if you have an iPhone, iPod, or iPad, you can download a number of apps to manage your brackets and watch the games on-the-go. Read more at Technorati and Digital Trends.

Good luck with your brackets and finding truTV.

Let's go Big East!!

New York Knicks Season-Ticket Prices on the Rise!

Today the New York Post reported that the New York Knicks plan to significantly raise season ticket prices for the first time in six seasons.  While the Knicks ranked among the league's worst teams the past few seasons, their prices would suggest otherwise.  They currently charge the second highest price for season tickets at $88 per ticket.  The NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers hold the number one spot at $113 per ticket.

According to the New York Post,

The combination of the Knicks being on the verge of qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2003-04, the ongoing $700 million to $1 billion transformation of the Garden and the latest blockbuster addition of superstar Carmelo Anthony to play alongside Amar'e Stoudemire has prompted owner James Dolan to raise the roof on ticket prices.

Since the Anthony trade, according to SeatGeek.com, the prices for some Garden games on the secondary market rose as much as 113 percent from the season average. SeatGeek.com is a ticket search engine that allows fans to search the top secondary markets for the best prices.

Before the season, the Knicks sold out of season tickets and created a wait list for the first time since 2001-02. More than 4,000 new season tickets were purchased for the season.

Honestly, this is expected.  In fact, I'm surprised Dolan didn't raise prices when Amar'e Stoudemire agreed to sign with the Knicks.  But since the Knicks also acquired Carmelo Anthony, the question was not a matter of when tickets would increase, but how much.  I guess we'll find out in the coming weeks.  MSG sports president Scott O'Neil will meet with current season ticket-holders today to present new benefits associated with the higher prices.

The timing of O'Neil's presentation is less than ideal as the Knicks are coming off an abysmal 109-127 performance against the Dallas Mavericks.  The Knicks, who are in the playoff hunt for the first time in six years, are without a doubt a better team; but immediately increasing the prices for loyal season ticket-holders isn't the best way to show appreciation to fans that have supported the organization throughout the good and the bad.

While the NY Post didn't mention a price increase for individual tickets, I'm sure it's coming as Knicks' tickets are incredibly hard to come by these days.  I know because I've been trying to find two reasonably priced tickets all season, but every game's been sold out.  I finally caved and bought tickets to Knicks at Nets in New Jersey.  The Prudential Center is certainly no MSG, but it's better than nothing, right?
  
Read more on this at: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/dolan_set_to_raise_prices_on_knicks_aDDpSpzewd8S87P4Jh17BL#ixzz1GIokAE7W
 

In other ticket news, New York Yankees single-tickets go on sale today.  You can purchase tickets on yankees.com.  The home opener is March 31 against the Detroit Tigers.

Mets fans, you can get in on the action starting Monday.  Tickets will be available on nymets.com.  Their home opener is April 8 against the Washington Nationals.

The Fab 5: Attack of the Baldheads

As a young impressionable preteen in the early 1990s, my life's mosaic included hard hitting DJ Premier beats, choreographing dance routines to Slam by Onyx, memorizing M-E-T-H-O-D Man, watching Homey D. Clown, wearing baggy jeans w/ combat boots, falling in love with Omar Epps as Q in Juice and declaring the Fab Five my favorite college basketball players.  

And for this reason, I can't think of a greater sports moment worth reliving more than The Fab Five Era, despite the unfortunate ending.  The story of how hip hop bred, inner-city youth Juwan Howard, Ray Jackson, Jimmy King, Jalen Rose, and Chris Webber forever changed college basketball's culture will be chronicled during The Fab Five on ESPN, Sunday at 9PM/ET.

Jalen Rose spearheaded the project and recruited Juwan Howard, Ray Jackson and Jimmy King to join him.  Chris Webber, involved in a federal investigation for money laundering which eventually led to NCAA sanctions and the removal of Final Four banners, declined to participate in the production of the documentary with his friends and former teammates. 

However, Chris Webber's lack of involvement does not mean the documentary will overlook the role he played in the sudden rise and eventual fall of one of college basketball's most memorable recruiting classes.  Nor, should Webber's charges overshadow the significant impact the Fab Five made on an entire generation.

There's a reason their story is being told twenty years later.  Be sure to watch ESPN on Sunday at 9 PM/ET.

If you're like me, eagerly awaiting the premiere of The Fab Five documentary, wet your appetite with a little taste below.

PRESS PLAY: ESPN FIRST TAKE W/ JALEN ROSE, JIMMY KING, AND RAY JACKSON



PRESS PLAY:  THE FAB FIVE DOCUMENTARY TRAILER

Ooh Ladies First, Ladies First.

Some think that we can't flow (can't flow)
Stereotypes, they got to go (got to go)
I'm a mess around and flip the scene into reverse
(With what?) With a little touch of "Ladies First"

- Queen Latifah, Ladies First (1989)

Queen Latifah first spit this sentiment on her 1989 single Ladies First. More than two decades later, she maintains her word as her bond and continues to advance the women's movement and put ladies first.

Her latest project?

A partnership and production deal with AOL. Launching this spring, Queen Latifah and Arianna Huffington are overseeing a web series about entertainment, entrerpreneurism, and most importantly a sports-themed talk show for women. When questioned about her involvement, the mogul likened her role to that of Barbara Walters saying, "I’ll definitely float in and out.”

AOL's new "for women, by women" venture appears to follow in the footsteps of sports media giant ESPN, who launched espnW, a blog targeting female sports fans and athletes, in fall 2010. According to The New York Times, women account for a quarter of ESPN’s audience, but more specifically, women are 37 percent of NBA fans, 43 percent of NFL fans, 46 percent of MLB fans and 47 percent of MLS fans. With the numbers to support a women-specific sports initiative, such an endeavor appears logical, but begs the question is it necessary.

Almost 10 years have passed since Sports Illustrated and Conde Nast courageously tested these waters with Sports Illustrated for Women (2000-2002) and Conde Nast’s Women’s Sports and Fitness (1997-2000). However, they both folded quickly due to misreading the women's sports market, massive overhead, and a decline in ad sales.

So, with two failed attempts before them, why should AOL and ESPN feel confident with their decision to revisit this market?

The media landscape has evolved and reshaped consumer behavior and content consumption. Blogs and video content are more palatable, cost effective, and less risky ways to introduce new ideas and distribute content to consumers. Additionally, social media, gossip blogs and reality shows featuring athletes have contributed to the growing popularity and recognition of sports figures; creating a greater demand for sport-centric human interest stories and news in a 24/7 media cycle.

Having said that, the biggest factor in determining the success of these initiatives revolve around the receptiveness and open-mindedness of female sports fans. When espnW was announced, early reactions were all negative everything. Many female fans felt the idea of espnW was condescending, unnecessary, and left them wondering when separate, but equal was reinstated.

Admittedly, I shared this reaction. As a sports fan, I've always rejected the watered down, femmed up serving of sports. For me, it's no different than bedazzled pink and white Yankees caps. Save that for the posers. I don't need it. I don't want it. My comprehension of sports terms, plays, zone defenses, contracts, analyses, wins, and losses is just as thorough as the next man. No need to come at me any differently.

My decision to spend time reading an article or watching a video has less to do with whether or not it was created with women in mind, and more about the quality of content. If it's relevant, interesting, entertaining, informative, controversial, or thought-provoking, you have my attention and I'll return for more. It's as simple as that.

Since espnW launched last fall, I've visited the site a few times and have warmed up to the idea of the site. It's no different than ESPN New York, ESPN Chicago, or ESPN Rise. The intent is to supplement what's available on ESPN.com, not replace it. I can dig it.

I still prefer to get my daily dose of sports from ESPN, Yahoo!, blogs, and local sports sources, but an occasional helping of espnW or whatever Queen Latifah's new webseries will dish won't spoil my appetite.

All Sports Everything Turns 1!

Sports Heads!

Today is the one year anniversary for All Sports Everything!! Can you believe it?  Major thanks to all of you for making my inaugural year of blogging a great one!  I appreciate all of the support you've shown me over the past year.  I promise year two will be even better!

Be on the lookout for some changes.  Over the next month or so, All Sports Everything will undergo a makeover! I'm very excited about this.  Not only will the site look different, but you'll receive fresher, newer content on a more regular basis.  Time to take the training wheels off, we're growing up!  Stay tuned!!

S. Renee

P.S. Check out five of my favorite stories from the past year.

• Apple x Jordan:  You Can't Stick Jordan
• Stevie Williams:  Street Skateboarder Turned Mogul
• Tennessee Titans Chris Johnson:  The New Face of the NFL?
• Where Are They Now:  Stephon Marbury
• It's Bigger Than Hip-Hop

Photo Credit:  www.blogspot.pinkcakebox.com

Supra Footwear Goes Digital

Today Thrillist dropped a bomb that Supra Footwear launched an e-shop.  The motivation?  Crazy counterfeiters knocking off Supra kicks and defaming the popular SoCal skate brand's name.
 
I had a chance to visit Supra's booth at MAGIC a couple of weeks ago and trust me, they have some supra dupra dope kicks about to drop!  So dope that they seriously had me considering trading my red bottoms for rubber soles.  That's major.

Here's what's hot in the streets!

Skytop II Grey Suede $150

Society Black Suede $144

Bandit Navy Suede/White Canvas $74

Avenger Red Suede $84

Sneaker heads, time to put those tax refund checks to work and get fresh for Spring!

For more styles, hit up www.suprafootwear.com.  Also, be on the look out for the Stevie Williams joints coming out next year!

Meet Ronak & Keyur, Founders of This Is It Collection!

How many of you have had a brilliant idea and failed to execute it; only to see someone else breathe life to a similar idea and have a major come up? *Slowly raises hand.*  Well, thank goodness not everyone falls victim to procrastination.  Meet twenty-something Ohio natives, Ronak and Keyur, founders of This Is It Collection.  All Sports Everything recently had a chance to speak with these emerging t-shirt designers and learned how they smartly discovered a way to leverage social media, and slowly turn their passion and love of the Cincinnati Bengals into profit!  


All Sports Everything:  Introduce yourselves. Share how the two of you met, and how This is It was born. 
 
Ronak:  Keyur and I shared mutual friends and they introduced us in undergrad.  Keyur attended the University of Cincinnati and I attended Ohio State.  I eventually moved on to Grad School and received my Master’s Degree from the University of Dayton in June 2010.  My 9-5 job was becoming very mundane and I knew I wanted something a little more.  Once I completed grad school I knew that I had the security of education underneath me so I decided I wanted to start something of my own.  I’ve always been pretty passionate about apparel, I shop at thrift stores and try to keep up with trends, etc. so, it just kind of made sense.  At the time, Keyur was kind of in the same boat, so we linked up and started brainstorming different ideas.  You know apparel, a chai stand etc, so that’s kind of how it came about.

All Sports Everything:  That’s great.  Keyur, do you have anything you’d like to add?  Is this your full-time job now? 
 
Keyur:  I was a dreamer and thought it could be my full-time thing but I don’t think it’s there yet.  Initially, I took a leave of absence from my job to focus on this.  Like Ronak said, we linked up and were brainstorming and throwing out all of these different ideas.  We were trying to make money off of our hobbies and passions, basically.  Apparel...chai was another one and I’m a huge Bengals fan so we connected on this and kicked it off!  At the time, I was on a leave of absence from my job so I could fully commit time to This Is It, but at the end of October I had to make a decision about whether I wanted to return to my job and balance the two, or just focus on this.  But, this still wasn’t stable enough, so I’ve gone back to work. I do my 9-5 and focus on This Is It at night and on the weekends. 

ASE:  When did you guys officially launch This Is It?

K:  Mid-August.  It's been about six months.
 
ASE:  How did you come up with the name This Is It?  I immediately thought of Michael Jackson.  Was he the inspiration?

K:  Although we're huge fans of Michael Jackson, it really didn't have anything to do with him. One day we were racking our brains at Starbucks trying to come up with a bunch of ideas for designs and our company name.  And then we decided we needed to break for lunch, so we went to this Mexican joint and it just kind of came out of nowhere and I think Ronak just mentioned, This Is It.  And we both kind of looked at each other like This Is It! That’s It!! 
R:  It was kind of a moment for us.

ASE:  What made the t-shirt line rise to the top of the list of all the other ideas you brainstormed?

R:  I’ve also worked with photoshop and have always been interested in design.  I didn’t go to school because at the time my parents were like this is probably not the way to go. So, I always did it on the side.  I also DJ on the side so I was always making fliers and promotion materials in photoshop, indesign, and illustrator so I mentioned that to Keyur and he suggested we should do something in design so that’s how that idea came about.   
K:  For me it was a little different.  That’s why we make such a strong team because we both have different reasons for wanting to do this.  I’m a huge Bengals fan and we have a lot of fair weather fans and it was just idealistic in thinking.  I wanted to create some merchandise that our fans could get excited about, wear, and support our team, so I was into the t-shirt line for that reason.

ASE:  This Is It has received a lot of press with the T.O. and Ochocinco Batman and Robin themed t-shirts, in a short six months.  It was even featured on ESPN First Take.  How did all of this happen so quickly?  

T.O. meeting Ronak and Keyur for the first time.

 R:  It was around August when we finished the first t-shirt without anyone’s approval or knowledge. T.O. and Ochocinco didn't even know anything about it.  Once the design was finished, we posted it on our twitter page and we sent it over to T.O., not expecting him to respond because he has over 700,000 followers, but we sent it over to him and we received a tweet back from him saying, "Holy fresh t-shirts! Can you send me a couple of those to the Bengals facility and include one for Robin too?" So, we flipped out at that point and said oh man, this could be something!  We ended up going to Georgetown, Kentucky where they have training camp and we decided we were just going to go straight to the source and brought the t-shirts directly to T.O.  We arrived at the front gate, introduced ourselves and told them we were there to give T.O some t-shirts.  They looked at us like we were crazy.  But long story short, we ended up getting into the facility and the team's PR rep came out and asked why we were there.  We showed her the tweet and told her the same thing.  She said ok and told us he was busy but we could leave them with her.  We told her that we preferred to personally deliver them and she said we could hang around until practice was over and try to get his attention then.  We said ok and waited.  We were in the stands, front row.  There were like 400 people behind us.  Practice ended and T.O. came out.  Keyur lifted up the t-shirt and yelled, yo T.O. we got your shirts man!  T.O. turned around in the stands, looked up and asked if we had one for him.  We were like yeah dude, we have a bag full!  He told us to come down closer.  So, we jumped the fence, went down to the field, and left behind 400 jealous fans wondering how we were getting down there.  So we met him and he said the t-shirts were fresh.  And that was it.  He didn’t have too much time. That was like our 30 seconds with him, if that long.  We told him we had so many other designs and he said yeah, yeah, yeah, just tweet me, just tweet me!  That was the initial contact so throughout the next few months we kept trying to reach out to the right people. We finally got our package into his assistant's hands and we setup a meeting with her.

K:  Re: ESPN First Take, we thought our shirts would be a perfect fit for the show since it's a pretty comical show.  They have this one segment where they feature funny news headlines.  So, I tweeted the First Take team and suggested a funny headline to go along with a Skip Bayless t-shirt that showed him tied up with T.O. and Ochocinco saying, What Skip? Can't hear you!"  They loved it and contacted us to tell us that they'd include it on the show.  We sent them some t-shirts and they gave us a date and time to look out for the feature. Everyone on set had a good laugh about it.  It was pretty funny.  
 
ASE:  Two awesome stories!  And since then, Ochocinco’s also been supportive, right?

R:  Yeah, that one took a little more time because we had to go through Chad’s whole marketing company, but we finally got him on board about a month or so ago.

ASE:  Right.  I saw Chad tweet the Pepe t-shirt you designed for him.  Was that his idea or did you guys just decide to create that t-shirt and hope that he would respond well to it?  

R:  We follow Ochocinco's tweets on a daily basis just to see where he’s going with his brand and he's been referring to himself as Pepe a lot.  He also visited Spain not too long ago, so we thought it would be fun to create a Pepe t-shirt.  We designed it, sent it over to his marketing company and they immediately loved it.  They said it was cool, so we actually sent him a reco of what he should tweet about the t-shirt and he posted it!

ASE:  I know you guys also have a Lebron James t-shirt.  What’s the inspiration behind that design?

R:  I follow all of these athletes on twitter to see what they’re talking about, what their new nicknames are and to see if it could help our business.  I was a huge and still am a huge Cavs fan so it kind of hurt for me to do this design.  I’ve gotten a lot of heat from my friends in Ohio like dude are you seriously going to create this t-shirt?! But it comes down to our brand. So, I basically wanted to see what the Big 3 were calling themselves and Lebron referred to them as the Heatles.  From there, I thought it would be hilarious if we could incorporate the Beatles and Heatles together.  I designed the t-shirt and right now we're trying to get the attention of the players, city, and local media. 

ASE: Overall, it appears that your strategy is building upon an idea that originates with the athletes i.e. their alter egos, and developing a product that speaks to the athletes as well as their fan base.  Would you agree?  

K:  Yes.  That's essentially our business model.
 
ASE: OK, and how would you describe your marketing strategy?  It seems like twitter’s been huge but is there anything else beyond twitter and social media that you use to build awareness?

K:  Twitter is a component of our broader marketing strategy.  We have it broken up into several different channels. We do social media, google adwords, facebook ads, promotions through celebs, call outs on blogs, and we kind of got lucky with ESPN and the T Ocho show.  It’s a combo of the paid media, free social media, and grassroots.  At Bengals' home games,we just get out there during tailgating with our street team, sell our t-shirts, and take pics of fans wearing our t-shirts.  We tell them that we'll post their pic on our site and to visit the next day, so it drives traffic back to our site.  No matter what, we make sure we're everywhere the fans are!

ASE:  As entrepreneurs what has been the biggest challenge for you guys?

R:  For me personally, finances.  I actually will be starting a 9-5 so I’ll be moving to Cincinnati.  It’s tough explaining it to your parents.  You know saying hey mom, I have a Master’s Degree but I’m going to sell t-shirts now.  For me that was a huge thing.  They’re more supportive now...the ESPN feature helped, but it's still been tough financially.    
K:  For me, the key challenge has been being able to put all of the pieces together at the right time to maximize and capitalize off all of these opportunities.  For example, when we first received the RT from T.O., our site wasn't even up at the time.  So that was a huge lesson learned.  I'd say that's been the biggest challenge, but it's also been huge fun!

ASE:  What's next for This is It?  What other designs do you have in the works?

R:  The Heatles, and thinking very big, we’d love to do a Kobe shirt. We’re also trying to reach Christiano Ronaldo...
K:  Michael Vick, the Cincinnati Reds and eventually branching out into jerseys or anything else.

ASE: How can my readers get their hands on a t-shirt? 
R: They can go to our website, www.thisisitcollection.com, follow us on twitter @thisisitbrand or like us on facebook at facebook.com/thisisitcollection.

As a Knicks fan, I can't help but wonder what design they'd come up with to represent Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.  Maybe we'll soon find out! Keyur and Ronak, good luck with the line and thanks for speaking with All Sports Everything!

Exit Melodrama! Enter Melomania!

Exit Melodrama. Enter Melomania!

Honestly, I had no idea how I'd feel after hearing that Carmelo Anthony to the NY Knicks was finally approved.  The nonstop drama certainly tainted my judgment a bit.  I spoke with my Dad about the tentative deal early Monday afternoon, and he was convinced that it was only a matter of time.  Although I followed all of the back and forth, I detached myself a bit.  I refused to involve my heart in the Melodrama because as a Knicks fan, I know far too well what it feels like to be letdown.  I refused to set myself up for the fall...again. 

Fast forward a few hours.  I received a two-word text from my Dad saying, "It's done!"  I stood emotionless.  The trade was officially official and not in a "sources say the deal is 90% done we just need Carmelo to approve it kind of way."  I called my Dad so he could fill me in.  Although I was hesitant to celebrate, he didn't allow me to rain on his parade.  He was pumped.  So pumped that I convinced him to guest blog his reaction later this week.  Stay tuned for that!  But I digress.

Sensing my lack of enthusiasm, my Dad suggested I go home and listen to WFAN.  He convinced me that the energy from the fans calling into the station would be so infectious that I'd have no other choice but to get hype.  My funk would immediately wash away. After listening for a while and reading twitter, I was still unmoved.

But! A short while later, it hit me!! I finally started to get hype.  It didn't have anything to do with the callers on the radio, or tweets on my timeline, or ESPN commentary.  Instead, it had everything to do with me having flashbacks to Melo's Syracuse days in 2002-2003 and the previous success he'd had in New York.  My mind suddenly started racing with memories of how he used to light up MSG as a college freshman!!!  The last time New York had a reason to celebrate anything basketball related, was all due to Carmelo carrying Syracuse to an NCAA Championship.  I recalled watching Melo in the Big Dance and thinking he was virtually unstoppable.  I remembered how he went to work in the Final Four against Texas.  I remembered being pissed that Lebron James was the star of the 2003 NBA Draft based on a high school highlight reel.  At the time, I thought C. Melo should've been #1, no question. And I can't help but think that Melo's pairing with Amar'e Stoudemire presents one more hurdle for the Miami Heat to overcome if they want that rock. 

And not to overlook Melo's NBA career, but taking it way back to the days when I first admired his game is what has me most amp'd to see Melo in a Knicks uni.  He knows what it means to win in New York and this is more than I can say for anyone else within the Knicks organization, aside from Walt Clyde Frazier.  OK, maybe I'm reaching a bit with that statement, but let me get that.  No one is messing with my high right now.  Not even the fact that Mike D'antoni is still the coach or the rumors that Isiah Thomas' grubby little hands were all over this trade will prevent me from counting down the hours until Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony team up and light up MSG on Wednesday.  Well done, Knicks.  Well done.

So Long Andy Pettitte.

 

As whispers of Andy Pettitte's possible retirement grew louder, I selfishly hoped he'd return.  Despite last season's injuries, he left little doubt that if he returned to the mound this season, he'd have his A game with him.

But unfortunately, the 38-year-old, five-time World Series Champion closed that chapter of his life today and officially announced his retirement at Yankee Stadium.  Even the self-imposed pressure of feeling needed by the Yankees wasn't enough to bring him back because, quite frankly, the drive that's sustained him throughout his 16 year career was suddenly no where to be found.  At today's conference, Pettitte said, "My arm feels fine. My body feels fine. But my heart’s not where it needs to be.”

After hearing Pettitte's sincere words, there's no way one can argue with the left-handed pitcher's decision.  He has served the Yankees well for 13 seasons; producing better than any other pitcher in the postseason with 19 wins.

Despite his performance enhancing drug admission, Pettitte remained a favorite among Bronx Bomber fans.  With a career that has yielded a 240-138 record, there is no doubt that #46 has left his mark on the game.  Whether or not he's inducted to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown remains to be seen, but he'll certainly go down in Yankees history as one of the best.

What a bittersweet moment.

It's obvious no one's career lasts forever, but it's always sad to see one of your favorite's say goodbye.

It's also bittersweet because I'm now left wondering, what we gonna do now?!?! *Diddy Voice*

While pitchers and catchers report in ten days, I am extremely uncomfortable knowing that our starting pitching rotation includes one and a possible, CC Sabbathia and Phil Hughes.  My fellow spades players know that's a weak hand and winning is nearly impossible.

I'm eager to see how Brian Cashman intends to transform an anemic pitching rotation into a World Series Championship contender because so far he's batting .000.

Brian Cashman, if you haven't noticed, you are now on the clock. 

Related articles

• Pettitte calls it a career after 16 years, five rings (mlb.mlb.com)

Photo Credit:  Keivom/News

Apple x Jordan: You Can't Stick Jordan

 

So, this ridiculously sick sticker of Michael Jordan palming the Apple logo pretty much speaks for itself!  Seriously. 

Regardless of whether or not you're a Jordan fanatic, it's impossible to contain your lust for this image. Even if it is fleeting.

This is exactly what happened to me last night while on Twitter.  @shegotgame RTed @suga_shane and the rest is history.  Eventually, tweeps (mostly NBA heads) had a RT fest trying to find the mastermind behind this idea.  Minutes later, because that's how fast twitter works, the creator's identity was revealed.

All props to Jirobot of Jirobot.wordpress.com for this brilliant design.  After I checked out his site, I learned that this Michael Jordan design isn't new at all.  In fact, it's the second installment of his year old sticker collection.  

Who said never late is better? LOL.

Check out a few other designs from my new hero.

The Original MJ

The King of Pop

The Goonies:  Never Say Die!

Mr. Steve Jobs

To see more, head over to his site.

The Michael Jordan sticker costs $13 plus $5 shipping for US residents.  If you live outside of the States, shipping is $15.

The other stickers vary in price, but don't exceed $20.  

If you're interested in purchasing a sticker, leave him a comment on his website and he'll get back to you. Or email him here.

When I upgrade my computer in the near future, I'll definitely be hitting him up! That Michael Jackson sticker has my name all over it!

P.S. To all of you non-tweeters, this is a perfect example of why it's the ish.  Everyday a star is born!

Get involved and follow me:  @sdotrenee!

Did You Hear? Charles Barkley Launched a Site, Mike Fratello Blogs, and Stephen A. Smith Returned to ESPN!

Did you hear? Sir Charles Barkley, one of the NBA's most colorful personalities "quietly" launched a personal website this week.  Now he has his very own platform to speak his mind on anything he wants.  Brilliant!

Charlesbarkley.com, powered by Turner Sports, has five videos posted with Charles commenting on various topics ranging from Auburn's Top 5 Athletes to Ted Williams: Man with the Golden Voice to Charles' Oscar pick for Best Actor.  And in true Barkley fashion, he rants & raves about folks putting rims on their car.

As if that's not reason enough to check out the site, it also appears that Barkley will be regularly chatting with fans. According to the site, his first chat will take place tomorrow at 9:30pm/et. Tune in!

I just have one question.  What took Charles so long?!?!  I don't know why, but whenever he talks I listen.  No, I don't always share his point of view, but that doesn't interfere with me being thoroughly entertained by this man.  I expect great thought provoking, ridiculously over-the-top and timely rants from Sir Charles.

 

Another TNT favorite of mine is analyst Mike Fratello.  If you haven't checked out The Czar's blog, do yourself a favor and get on it! The YES Network and TNT vet does an incredible job of breaking down the X's and O's of games; while also dishing out fantasy basketball tips and choosing his top plays of the previous night.  Basically, Fratello delivers the goods basketball fans care about.

For example, today he polls fans asking who would win a 3-point shootout contest between Ray Allen and Reggie Miller.  My pick?  Jesus Shuttlesworth, but you can cast your vote here.

MikeFratello.com offers such great insight and coverage one can't help but wonder if he'll be making his return to the sidelines as a coach anytime soon.  Hmmm...

To keep up with The Czar, follow him on twitter and facebook.

In other news, ESPN's merry-go-round relationship with Stephen A. Smith continues.  After parting ways with the network two years ago, yesterday it was announced that Stephen A. is returning as a radio host and columnist. 

Spanning the two coasts, Smith will provide commentary on ESPN 1050 NY from 7-9 p.m. ET and ESPN 710 in LA from 6-8 p.m. PT.  Smith, another polarizing personality, is expected to focus on the Knicks and Lakers, but I guarantee that he'll discuss whatever the hell he wants, because that's what he does.  No censoring this guy. 

ESPN's Norby Williamson, EVP of Production welcomed Smith back to network by saying, "Stephen A. consistently offers strong opinions on a wide variety of topics.  He has a proven track record as an authoratative voice, which will lead to insightful conversation leading into Knicks and Lakers game coverage."

When Smith announced his Fox Sports Radio morning show was ending, months ago, I wondered where he'd land next.  Over the years, the outspoken Independent has become a popular and respected voice in the world of politics, but I'm glad he'll be back on the radio talking Knicks basketball.

It's unclear when Smith's radio show launches, but you can keep up with him on twitter and his site, www.stephena.com.

Is Subway Biting Off More Than They Can Chew?

It was recently announced that Subway added Olympian speedskater, Apolo Anton Ohno, to their roster of clients which include fellow Olympians Michael Phelps and Nastia Liukin. 

With the addition of Ohno, Subway has managed to secure the top athletes from the Summer and Winter Olympics guaranteeing they have the biggest sports windows covered.  What appears to be a great strategic move by Subway, could be a greater indication of what's to come in the next year and a half-- a headache for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and United States Olympic Committee (USOC).  Here's why.

The IOC prevents non-Olympic sponsors from running spots that feature competing Olympic athletes before and during the Olympic Games.  In layman's terms, if you don't pay for the rights to benefit from Olympic brand association, then you have not earned the right to run a Michael Phelps ad during the Summer Olympics, regardless of your partnership with him.  Although it's not the most ideal situation for an unofficial sponsor who has partnered with an Olympic athlete of Phelps' caliber, it's imperative that the IOC and USOC enforce this rule as an attempt to protect their official sponsors.

I say attempt because unofficial sponsors and brands like Subway continue to circumvent the system by resorting to the bold tactics of ambush marketing.  Although it's generally viewed as a negative practice, brands can't resist the positive buzz it generates among consumers; thus impacting their bottom-line.  For example, Nike is unashamedly guilty of repeatedly ambushing the Olympics and World Cup.  In fact, since they have such a reputation for doing so, the anticipation of their campaigns merely amplifies the energy surrounding their efforts.

And in Subway's case, they experimented with running a Michael Phelps ad during the 2010 Winter Olympics and were successful.  Winter Olympic athletes are exempt from the rule during the Summer Games, and vice versa.  If you recall, the spot showed Michael Phelps swimming through land, toward Vancouver aka "where the action was that winter."  This ad upset the IOC, USOC and McDonald's, the official restaurant sponsor, but was a major win for Subway.

PUSH PLAY:  Michael Phelps and Subway 2010 Winter Games


According to Sports Business Journal, it's unknown if Ohno's contract runs through 2012.  However, it's a safe bet that if it does, Ohno and Jared Foogle will be teaming up to represent the sandwich chain for the 2012 Games.

NY Jets: It Was All Good Just A Week Ago

Sigh.

One week you're up.  The next you're down.  One day you're mentally making Super Bowl plans.  The next you're avoiding all media outlets and seriously contemplating not even watching The Big Game.  Or maybe that's just me.

Typically after any of my teams suffer a brutal loss which results in an abrupt ending to a promising season, I'm unable to function for a week.  I avoid all sports everything and create massive distractions for myself...read, write, cook, work, watch TV One reruns, catch up on my DVRed programs...you get the picture.

However, the fact that I'm even attempting to write about last night's game is a huge first step towards recovery for me.  Here goes nothing!

On Friday I recognized an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I watched or read anything Jets related.  It wasn't because I didn't have confidence that the Jets could defeat the Steelers, it was more about me knowing that the game would have my emotions spiraling out of control and I was unsure if I'd be able to handle it.

For this reason, my game plan was to watch the Jets game ALONE! I'd throw on the same Jets t-shirt I've worn for almost every game of the season and spazz out as I pleased.

Well, similar to the Jets, my game plan went up in flames immediately.  Instead, while I was at brunch on Sunday afternoon, my mom called and texted me to say that my brother (also a Jets fan) and his girlfriend were heading out to the house to watch the game.

Panic ensued.

OMG. Do I stick to the script and move forward with watching the game alone?  Do I head out to LI and watch the game with the fam?  What about my t-shirt?  Does it make sense to trek back to Harlem, grab my t-shirt, and go back downtown to catch the Long Island Railroad?  Should I buy a "backup" t-shirt and wear that instead?  Yes!  That's what I'll do.  It's the most logical, right?  BUT! It's not the same t-shirt.  What if the mojo is thrown off?  Aaarrrggggghhh!!!!!  All of these thoughts and a million more had my brain working overtime.  I was driving myself insane.

Led by my head and not my heart, I decided to forget THE t-shirt, go to LI, and buy a "backup" t-shirt.  My brother thought I was nuts, but whatevs.  I had to do what I had to do. The Super Bowl was on the line!

Though, I was never quite comfortable with this decision.  I thought it was similar to having a "backup" player start the game with no prior experience.  The "backup" t-shirt wasn't broken in.  There was no history.  It was too fresh.  Too fragile.  This game was too major for that and I knew that the "backup" t-shirt couldn't handle the pressure. But I figured, if the first half was a disaster, I would remove my t-shirt for the second half and reverse the curse.

Well, you know what happened next.  The Jets couldn't get anything going.  Rashard Mendenhall ran all over our defense.  Missed tackle after missed tackle.  To borrow Bart Scott's line, they couldn't stop a nosebleed.  Mr. Can't Wait!  I couldn't wait for you to make a tackle!  How about that!?  Ugh.  The irony.

The offense was no better.  Brian Schottenheimer lived up to his name with shotty play calling.  I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but what was he thinking on that long drive in the 4th quarter?!?! The pass to Dustin Keller and Santonio Holmes on the next play were horrible calls!

I digress.  

I think, if my memory serves me correctly, we had 1 rushing yard in the first half of the AFC Championship Game.  You have got to be kidding me!  The Steelers totally dominated us on both sides of the ball.  Time of possession was more than 2:1 in favor of the Steelers.  Overall, Rex Ryan was completely out coached in the first half.

Oh, and not to mention our kicking game was really suspect.  Steve Weatherford, Nick Folk (just throwing him in because of past transgressions) -- get them out of here!  I'm hoping they've already been cut and I just don't know it because I've cut myself off from all media.

As halftime approached, my mom said that the Jets needed to make some second half adjustments.  You think?  Understatement. Of. The. Century. 

Down 24-3 at the half,  I knew Rex Ryan would let them have it because that's what he does.  As my brother pointed out, the Jets have been the Comeback Kids all season.  We're use to this position.   It's not the best position to be in, but it's ok.  We'll come back.  OK?  OK.  Agreed.

My confidence was building.  Not only because we would start the second half with the ball, but most importantly, because that cursed "backup" t-shirt came off with the quickness! Also, we forbade my mom, who's known to be a sports jinx at times, from watching the second half.  Now that normalcy had been restored, we knew the Cardiac Kids would wake up and get it done.

And just as I hoped, they came out ready. Their first drive resulted in a touchdown!  24-10.

OK, defense.  Your turn.  Time for you to show us that you received the same memo as the offense.

Although they shut out the Steelers in the second half, it still wasn't pretty.  Stupid penalties like roughing the kicker set us back as seconds ticked away on the clock.  Disastrous.

Plus, as I mentioned earlier, Schotty's play calling drove me crazy in the 4th quarter, especially since we made it all the way to the 1 yard line without scoring a TD.  That's never OK.

As frustrating as it was, I suddenly had deja vu and images of a safety followed by a touchdown on the next possession dancing in my head.  After all, Pittsburgh's center was out of the game with an injury and our defense was finally having success applying pressure to Big Ben and sacking him.

It happened!  Just as I imagined!  We were suddenly only down five points with about 3 minutes to go. 24-19.  I was ecstatic!  Running through the house flying like a jet!

There was enough time to get the ball back, IF, and that was a big IF, our defense handled business.  I believed if our offense took the field again, Sanchez would lead us to victory!!!

They couldn't get it done.  The defense gave up one first down too many and we were out of time outs.

The Jets lost.  Game over.  Season over.  God bless you.  Goodnight.

Sports Illustrated, Thanks for the Memories!

This week's issue of Sports Illustrated is on stands and its cover may be the greatest cover in the history of magazine covers.  Revel in it and take special notice of the fear in Tom Brady's baby blue eyes.  Priceless.  Definitely a collector's item for any hardcore Jets fan or true hater of the Patriots.  Cop it, frame it, and covet this moment forever.

For all of you local Jets fans, this week's rally is Thursday @ 5:30pm in Times Square.  Come out and support!

LeBron James is Launching a New Webseries: The LeBrons

Today the New York Times announced that LeBron James is launching an animated webseries called The LeBrons this spring.  It will debut on YouTube as well as lebronjames.com.  According to the New York Times,

 The series will revive the characters from a popular series of Nike commercials in which Mr. James played four versions of himself: the youthful and wide-eyed Kid LeBron; the physically adept Athlete LeBron; the smooth and savvy Business LeBron; and an ornery elder statesman called Wise LeBron."

“The LeBrons,” whose first season will consist of 10 episodes of five to six minutes each, will center on the world of 16-year-old Kid LeBron and his life in Akron, Ohio, using authentic locations from that city, where Mr. James was born and raised. 

Like a latter-day “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,” each episode will convey a message — the value of staying in school, staying off drugs or sticking by your family — while its character design and wry sensibility owe an inspirational debt to “The Boondocks,” the satirical comic strip and television series created by Aaron McGruder. 

Props to LeBron for continuing to diversify his portfolio by venturing into new territory.  Contrary to what his Q score reveals, LeBron still has a solid brand supported by a loyal following.  And the fact that Hewlett-Packard and Intel have already signed on as sponsors further proves this point.

And, despite the foul treatment LeBron has received from the good folks in Ohio, LeBron continues to show his fondness for his hometown of Akron, where The LeBrons is taking place.  I guess you can take LeBron out of Ohio, but you can't take Ohio out of LeBron.  

Although I applaud LeBron for this effort, I personally will not be watching this webseries because it doesn't interest me.  And quite frankly, I've seen enough of LeBron and his multiple personalities in the Nike ads.  I'm good on this.  But, if you'd like to learn more about the new webseries, read about here:  LeBron James and His Alter Egos Star in an Internet Animated Series.

ESPN Presents Content of Character in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.   In honor of this special day, ESPN is using its many platforms to celebrate Dr. King's life and legacy by producing special content aimed at examining the state of African Americans within the realm of sports. 

ESPN's weeklong initative, Content of Character, began on Tuesday and culminates Monday, January 17th, the day we honor Dr. King as a nation.  Content of Character is a multi-pronged and platform approach of profiling African Americans in sports, probing how Black athletes are perceived by society, as well as the progress that has been made by diversifying talent among the ranks of college and professional administration and executives, and in some cases, identifying continued areas of improvement.  All of this will be explored via vignettes aired during studio shows, Outside the Lines, SportsNation, ESPN.com, ESPN Radio and ESPN the Magazine.

However, I'm most interested in watching tomorrow's National Town Hall Meeting, which airs from 6-8p.m. ET on ESPN.  According to ESPN, here's what's in store. 

Hosted by Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts and Outside the Lines’  Bob Ley, this two-hour special discussion will focus on the topic of the current image of the black athlete.  Movie producer and noted sports fan Spike Lee will serve as executive producer and as one of the panelists, live from the New Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Dr. King’s spiritual home. The panel will consist of athletes, coaches and entertainers including ESPN commentator Michael Wilbon, Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari, current WNBA Tulsa Shock player and world champion track & field athlete Marion Jones and former University of Miami football coach Randy Shannon. John Legend's newly recorded cover of Harold Melvin's "Wake Up Everybody," with vocals by Melanie Fiona and Common, will be used as the theme music.

ESPN.com’s comprehensive coverage of the National Town Hall Meeting will be highlighted by reports in the Cover It Live chat room – blogging and answering fans questions, some as part of the televised event. Cover It Live participants include JA Adande, LZ Granderson, Jemele Hill, Amy Nelson, Rick Reilly and Gene Wojciechowski.

How deep will ESPN delve into this subject matter?  Will the town hall be a regurgitation of what's been covered about Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, and Lebron James for the past few years, or will they peel the layers back a little further and uncover something new for us to consider?  Will ESPN admit their role in shaping the images of many of these athletes or will they attempt to absolve themselves of any responsibility and remain unbiased? I guess we'll find out tomorrow at 6pm on ESPN.  Be sure to tune in.


Until then, check out the vignettes ESPN has produced featuring some of your favorite athletes and sports figures including Phil Jackson, Maya Moore, Mike Ditka, Cam Newton, Landon Donovan and many more,  sharing what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. means to them.