In theory, after the Christmas shopping season is over, the last thing you would want to do is put out more money.

But if you didn’t spend every last dollar on gifts for your loved ones – or on Concords – the week after Christmas is actually a fantastic opportunity to find bargains as stores make room for new gear. This is especially true if you received gift cards or cash for the holidays and need a fresh pair for New Year’s, or just in general. After all, who knows better what you like than you do? Read More »

If you’re a sneakerhead, you’ve had tonight at midnight circled on your calendar for months. It’s not every year the Air Jordan XI “Concord” comes out – in fact, it’s pretty much not every decade. Though the Concords are not a limited release, they’ll sell out in mere minutes online, and however many pairs exist will probably sell out in most areas before Friday is over. Read More »

When former 11-year NBA player Lamond Murray began to help his son and daughter research colleges, he came across a company named NCSA that was dedicated to helping young athletes find the right colleges for them. Murray was so impressed, he didn’t just employ their services – he became a part of their organization.

Using his experience from becoming the No. 7 pick in the 1994 NBA Draft out of the University of California, Murray speaks to young athletes and their families about how NCSA can help navigate the tricky landscape of college recruiting, finding the best fit to set them up for success. Read More »

When baseball players went on strike back in 1994, suffice it to say I didn’t take it very well. I had just turned 15, baseball was my first sports love, and I couldn’t process that the two sides couldn’t come together to make absolutely sure there was a World Series that year. Heartbroken, I steadfastly vowed I would never go to another game.

In what shouldn’t be a surprise, I didn’t stick to that. I begrudgingly resumed attending Mets games four years later, and McGwire and Sosa’s laser show during the Summer of ’98 again got me watching baseball highlights every night. Read More »

After his postgame press conference on Tuesday night, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski walked down the hall, ducked behind a partition and found himself face-to-face with a visual representation of his success.

Duke’s 74-69 victory over Michigan State was Krzyzewski’s 903rd victory, allowing him to usurp Bob Knight as college basketball’s all-time winningest coach. To celebrate the occasion, dozens of his former players had come together at Madison Square Garden, and Coach K found himself surrounded by a veritable “who’s who” of Duke basketball over the past 30 years. Read More »

*College basketball is here (unlike the NBA), and this year might be one of the best in recent memory. The powerhouse is back, while the Cinderellas believe. That’s a deadly combination. We know some of y’all have been asking for some previews. We have you covered – we’ve previewed each of the top 16 teams in the country. Today is the final one. After we broke down contenders Ohio State and Kentucky yesterday, we’ll finish this off with the best team in the country, No. 1-ranked UNC (ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll).* Read More »

*College basketball is here (unlike the NBA), and this year might be one of the best in recent memory. The powerhouse is back, while the Cinderellas believe. That’s a deadly combination. We know some of y’all have been asking for some previews. We have you covered – the top 16 teams in the nation are being previewed individually here. After we broke down Ohio State earlier this morning, we’ll keep this going with No. 2-ranked Kentucky (ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll).* Read More »

Prayer For A Perfect Season, HBO’s excellent documentary about last year’s St. Patrick team, was a reminder that a highly successful basketball program doesn’t necessarily insure parochial schools against financial hardship – especially with the economy currently the way it is.

In North Jersey alone, Paterson Catholic shut its doors last year, while 2011 national champion St. Anthony is constantly on the bubble – even with the legendary Bob Hurley working on its behalf. St. Patrick, founded in 1863, is dealing with some of the same difficulties, while attempting to launch a whole new era after longtime coach Kevin Boyle took a new opportunity at Montverde Academy in Florida. Read More »

To say that Charles Oakley doesn’t mince words is a dramatic understatement, especially when you consider that he’s one of a very select few with the cache to bust Michael Jordan’s chops.

“We have a lot of heated conversations about the league,” said Oakley with a hint of mischief about his longtime friend and current boss with the Bobcats. “About how he was the only guy who could travel 95 percent of the time and get seven fouls every game.”

Oak made an appearance at K1X’s new flagship store in New York City on Saturday to celebrate the rollout of their Charles Oakley Collection, and before signing autographs for fans, he held court with the media on a variety of topics, pulling very few punches as usual. Read More »

When I saw an article in Forbes last week that detailed how Michael Jordan made $60 million over the past year, primarily from endorsements, I had to laugh. I was on my couch at the time, wearing Jordan basketball shorts. A pair of Air Jordan retros sat next to me where I had kicked them off, a framed poster of a Jordan ad campaign hung on my wall and an empty bottle of Gatorade sat on my coffee table.

My apartment itself is a testament to Michael Jordan’s earning power, which becomes more amazing when you consider how relevant his personal brand remains long after his playing career has ended. Read More »