Shoe…errr…Family Loyalty

In the blue corner

and in the red corner


Recently, the University of Central Florida lost a $3 million contract for sneakers, uniforms, and equipment with Adidas because a basketball player named Jordan refused to wear Adidas sneakers. Not Michael, but his son Marcus.


Marcus Jordan stretching in Jordan Brand sneakers

Is Marcus really to blame?

The most common first thought would be, yes Marcus is to blame. He’s being a selfish player. He should wear the same sneakers as his teammates.

BUT…Before committing to UCF (an Adidas school), Marcus (Jordan Brand since before birth) made sure that he would be able to wear his fathers Jordan Brand sneakers instead of the school sponsored Adidas sneakers. Before signing his name on the dotted line, he thought this issue was taken care of. UCF promised there would be no issue and for weeks leading up to the first game Marcus laced up his Jordan 12 (Rising Sun) sneakers, wore UCF across his chest for the first time, and surely became the envy of his teammates (really, wouldn’t you rather play in Jordan’s instead of Adidas?), there has been speculation regarding his footwear. Would he wear Adidas, which he claimed from the beginning he would not, or would he wear Jordan Brand sneakers, the brand that will ensure that he and his future offsprings offspring will never have to work a day in their lives?

I haven’t ever seen Marcus Jordan play or really heard anything about his basketball ability and I’m quite sure he doesn’t live up to his father as a basketball player. So this really isn’t even about Marcus, Adidas was hoping to have a Jordan wear their sneakers instead of Jordan Brand or even Nikes. Do you know how big that would be? This is a competition between sneaker companies and Marcus is just doing his part for the family. UCF will surely be a Jordan sponsored university in the near future. The university and Jordan can both thank Marcus when this happens.

Marcus Jordan isn’t the villain, he is stubborn and a bit selfish but then again he is Michael Jordan’s son and he made his intentions clear before signing with the university. Could he have handled this differently, definitely. He could have just worn Adidas and been apart of the team, instead he lets everyone know who is father is. UCF and Adidas had more to lose and should have put their minds together and came up with a solution that worked for everyone involved. No one did this and now everyone involved is dissatisfied…well except Marcus.

I played in Adidas one year; those were some great sneakers if you look past the shoe falling apart before we even had our first game or the plastic on the shoe cutting my teammates. Not saying Adidas doesn’t make great sneakers, but my one season wearing them was an interesting one. I don’t know what the name of the shoe was or anything and I’m sure this was has a chance of happening to all sneakers. By the way, I have played in some pretty bad Nikes too. But that’s neither here nor there…

Whats wrong with the WNBA?

With the end of another WNBA season I realized something I have always known....the WNBA's advertising game is a joke. Not the good, funny type of joke but the embarrassing, you just laugh because you're trying to be nice kind of joke...

The WNBA has some of the most talented, visually appealing professional female athletes in the world and most of the country doesn't even realize this. The league is struggling and has been since its inception, but still hanging around.

The WNBA was developed under an umbrella of the NBA. Each team was created to partner with a NBA counterpart and was under the control of the NBA and the male teams sharing its city. As time passed teams folded, new teams formed, and teams became independent of their NBA brothers. Even 13 years after its birth, each season brings teams folding and being born.

Fans and players a like had a startling revaluation before this past season began; the Houston Comets, the winners of the first 4 WNBA titles, folded. Detroit, winners of 3 WNBA championships, recently announced their move to Tulsa. Seattle, also a past champion, each season has had the fear of being moved to another city. Indiana, Eastern Conference Champs this year, had the same threat of moving. So stability is not a word that could be used to describe the WNBA.

As each season begins, the WNBA promises exciting, attention grabbing advertising that promises to showcase the world's top female basketball players, promises family fun, and quality basketball. The last two promises are met year after year. The failure comes in showcasing. As the league began the advertising was entertaining and even stared the top players. Showcasing the leagues top players, giving a face the league, showing how personable the league is. And as each season ends, sadly, with fans wondering what happened to the advertising campaign promised, this year happened to be EXPECT GREAT.



Money is the biggest problem for the WNBA, but how do they solve this? Get more fans in the seats? The way I see things...with more fans comes more companies that will be willing to have their name associated with a struggling league. More fans at the games, more team merchandise bought, more money spent at the concession stands, more money spent in the WNBA cities. More team merchandise sold more money for the teams to advertise and pay players. With more people interested in the games, the more willing major networks like ABC, NBC, ESPN would be to show WNBA games instead of only have one or two games a week televised on one network or NBA TV. Who really has NBA TV, anyway?

Players should be more visible, in WNBA cities players faces should be everywhere. WNBA players are very approachable, very willing to get to know fans (often on a personal level). But why are there no commercials, few magazine features, no product endorsements?

The WNBA has failed to take advantage of its players popularity. Candace Parker is arguably the most famous and visible female athlete, not only in the country but possibly one of the most visible in the world. She has several product endorsements, a sneaker deal, many of the things female athletes dream of but still isn't very visible in markets outside of LA, and since I don't live in LA I don't know how visible she is there. With Parker being so popular, she should be everywhere along with other big name players that are responsible for bringing fans to arenas on their name alone. Use this. Grown men who never would admit to being WNBA fans are now fans because of Parker, imagine the possibilities.



This years All-Star game was pretty much M.I.A. I follow the WNBA, even have season-tickets, and I didn't even know when or where the All-Star game was. The game and activities simply were not advertised this year. Maybe because the game was held in Connecticut, the northern most WNBA city that advertising sucked or maybe it just sucked. With so many All-Stars playing college basketball at the University of Connecticut, more should have been done. Advertise the game as a home coming of sorts, play up the UCONN connection.

WNBA players have found playing overseas in the WNBA off-season more profitable than actually competing here in the States. Top players are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars and are actually being treated like superstar athletes in countries like Russia, Italy, and Spain. Before the WNBA, playing overseas was the only option for women who dreamt of playing professional basketball; the frustrating part is there are still and better options overseas. Parker was set to be the first professional women's basketball player to earn $1 Million as part of her team salary; unfortunately she was unable to play due to pregnancy. It's a shame that players earn more playing in another country, while having a professional league at home to participate in. If the league could generate more revenue, players would be more willing to spend their off-season at home with their families, working with college teams, and doing more for the WNBA.

There are many ways the WNBA could boost revenue and grow into a stable sports entity.

Increase the visibility of players in WNBA cities, as well as nation-wide. Spend advertising more to actually advertise and follow through with the advertising all year long. Create ways to build hype for upcoming games. WNBA players need to be a bigger presence in the communities. The WNBA has several great community activities, but for a league that is struggling, more needs to be done.

Male sports teams should play a bigger role in supporting the WNBA, really female sports in general. This past season, the Indianapolis Colts bought an ad in the local newspapers to show their support for the Indiana Fever during the WNBA finals. NBA players often attend WNBA games, but more players could attend. Does everything have to be a personal appearance for NBA players? How about bringing their sons or daughters to watch? I remember in high school and college, the sports teams would support each other by attending games. Are NBA players to special to support the WNBA? But I do give props to those NBA players who do support the league.

The WNBA needs to remember advertising is a year round, not just as the season opens or during the finals. Follow the advertising year round, let people know the WNBA is still around and is exciting. If one ad campaign doesn't work, don't wait until next season for the next campaign. Focus on top players, everyone knows Candace Parker-use this.

Major sports outlets should be ashamed at how little support the WNBA is shown. ESPN is the worst at this. During the WNBA season, how often are WNBA highlights, games, commercials shown? Women's College basketball gets so much more respect on ESPN than the WNBA gets. I am not saying College basketball doesn't deserve this but the pro's should get as much support. I mean the college players end up in the WNBA, so why not support them once they graduate too?

The WNBA has come a long way, but obviously has a long way to go. I will continue to support the WNBA, will you?

Where have all the Gentlemen gone?

Recently, I read an article on Patrick Patterson, a star basketball player at the University of Kentucky. Of the sports/star-athlete related articles I often read, I don't hear enough about this type of young man.



The article opens with the re-telling of a scene in Rupp Arena, where the University of Kentucky Wildcats play, the arena is empty except for Patterson and a handful of fans. He has stayed behind to sign autographs and take photos. As the arena is closing for the night, Patterson and his fans are told it is time to leave. Seeing disappointment in a young female fans face, Patterson went back to give her the autograph and picture she patiently had waited for.

Another example of Patterson's attributes was the story of helping a mother whose daughter was attending the U of K girls basketball camp. He followed the lady, a total stranger, home to make sure she made it safe. Then, Patterson spoke to the father and son, who happened to be big Wildcat fans. I don't know many people, famous or not, who would go out of their way to help a total stranger.

The biggest and most heart-felt example of the type of man Patrick Patterson is began with a message to his personal Facebook page. The request came from Heather Durham, a 14 year old Wildcat fan with cystic fibrosis. Not expecting anything to come of the message, she was ecstatic when she received a response. Over the next two months she and Patterson held conversations. As great as this is, the story gets even better.

Not long ago Patterson, with the help of a nurse from the hospital, made surprise visit to see Heather. This was not a publicity appearance for Patterson or the university. No one knew he was doing this. Patterson spent time with Heather, talking with her as if they had been long time friends. The two talked about everything from basketball to boys Heather liked.

I'm sure this happens often, these little acts of kindness on behalf of athletes, but not often enough and there is little mention. There are far too many news reports or articles written giving attention to the athletes who are selfish and do little to help of brighten someone else's lives.

Not only is Patrick Patterson a stand up guy, but he is a top basketball player who could have entered the NBA draft last season as a likely top-20 pick but chose to remain in college and earn his degree. He will graduate in only 3 years (personally I haven't heard of many men's basketball players doing this outside of players from Duke). He chose his education over the millions that will still be waiting for him in this years NBA draft.

Patterson is a different bred of star-athlete; he isn't alone but definitely is part of a small class of athletes who give their time selflessly, without personal promotion. He doesn't do these things to get recognition, though he deserves it, he does them because they are the right things to do. He does them because he is in a position to make a difference, to lead by example, to give back to the society that places him on a pedestal. He looks at life as not about getting what he thinks or as been told he deserves, which no doubt he will get, but as a chance to be kind and courteous to others.

Not just in the world of sports but in society young Black men often feel they are owed something and it is quite refreshing to see a talented young man giving back and receiving an education. I have become a fan of Patterson, not just because he is from my home state of West Virginia, but for his selfless nature.

Genetically Speaking...

Remember when we were little; playing games with our friends and on the rare occasion one of our friends happened to beat us (I say rare because we never were suppose to lose, right?)? What usually happened? We accused them of cheating….not playing fair and went home to cry, taking whatever toy we had brought with us.

Well imagine you are an 18-year old, South African female runner who just destroyed your competition by 2.45 seconds in the 800 meter race at the World Championships in Berlin. You have more masculine features…washboard abs any man would be jealous of, chiseled arms, masculine facial features, and a deep voice….but you are female. You have been female your whole 18 years, you just like playing with boys and hate wearing dresses so you wore pants to school. Everyone always thought you were a little boy instead of the little girl you were, even the principal of the school you attended your whole educational life. Because of all this, you have to undergo embarrassing gender testing to prove who and what you are. AND have the whole world know about it.

Gender testing for female athletes was normal prior to the 2000 Olympics. Mainly because European female athletes had manly features and competed at a higher rate than the women they were competing against. The issue there was using testosterone to become better athletes, not genetics. Also, the testing was necessary because the world could not believe females could compete at such high levels, so testing was used to confirm gender.

Welcome to the world of Caster Semenya…and many other female athletes that don’t fit the mold of what a female is suppose to look and act like…



She has always been faster, faster than the other little girls and even faster than the boys. Talent is responsible for some of this, along with hard work, and genetics. Sure she has higher testosterone levels than the average female, but so does any female athlete. Most female athletes have more masculine features or traits than the average female; it is part of being good at athletics that require more strength, endurance, hand eye coordination and so on. Sadly, those are all masculine traits. I have known quite a few female athletes that had more athletic bodies than even some males I knew.


Caster Semenya on the medal stand next to competitor

There are so many genetic anomalies that exist that could have caused her masculine features, just as some are genetically enable more feminine features in males. Do we question a males gender because they can decorate, or cook, or write poetry well? We question his sexuality. So what’s the difference?

Semenya was recently found to possess testes that never dropped as well as a vagina that is basically an empty pocket. In other words she is a intersexed. She was unaware of this, although I am sure she and her family knew there was some unique about her. Because of the testes she produces more testosterone than the average woman. This does give her an unfair advantage, almost like physically taking performance enhancing drugs to produce extra testosterone.


Caster Semenya and a new look

Due to the many variations of the female genetic make up, it is nearly impossible to disqualify a female because she genetically is not a typical female. But what happens to Semenya? I assume, she will no longer be permitted to compete against females but also cannot compete against males.

Does this outcome mean female athletes who excel will again be forced to undergo embarrassing gender testing to prove who and what they are? Since most female athletes are accused of being something other than what they are in the first place, it only makes sense.

Genetics, extra male hormones, medical mistake at birth…none of these are her fault or any female who just so happens to be better than her competitors and many males. Many children are born each year without a clear gender, should they be punished for that?

Why Do This...

Even though my playing days are long over, loooong over, I am an athlete. That was always the easy part, if you can count training, playing through pain, and dealing with loud mouth coaches as easy... Trying to make sense of what happens between the lines, as well as those that happen just outside of the world of sports, including the behavior of athletes, coaches, and the all-knowing governing organizations in control...now that's the hard part.

Following my natural curiosity to analyze almost any and everything and using my background in Sociology; I try to analyze, understand, and develop solutions to the many situations that athletes find themselves in, whether intentional or unintentional. Whether it is the role of coach, psychologist, sociologist, mentor, or mediator I try to be them all in understanding the how's, why's, and what for's.

Everyone has an opinion from local barbershops, to country clubs, to spas as to what the athlete did wrong, why they did it, who is at fault, and how to fix the situation...mostly misguided blame and solutions, if you ask me.

Race, gender, class, geographic region, educational institutions (yes, athletes receive an education...well sometimes.) and so much more play a huge role in how well prepared athletes will be for situations that are faced on the field of play and off. Athletes knowing how to handle themselves, their money, and their personal lives can often keep them on the Sports Page and off the Front Page. My goal is to dig deep into some of the pressing issues athletes are facing today, see why situations arise, how to solve them, and how to keep them from happening again.