BALL OR DIE! :: BASKETBALL WISDOM AND TRAINING

TOP TEAMS STUMBLE EARLY

R.C. Cola — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:09:51 +0000

For the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers, high hopes turned to disappointments pretty darned quickly. The new-look Cavs, sporting a newly acquired behemoth in Shaquille O’Neal, dropped their first two games. The Lakers, quietly shooting to exceed the Chicago Bulls’ 72-win season through in 1996, fell far off pace with a loss to the Dallas [...]

BOLD PREDICTIONS

R.C. Cola — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:30:35 +0000

We at Ball or Die can’t wait for the season to get started. There’s nothing like the beginning of a new season, which brings renewed hope for the teams and cities that were in the thick of things last season. For those on a rebuilding team, it’s time to test your general manager’s mettle and [...]

IVERSON’S FALL FROM GRACE

Andy Socrates — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:54 +0000

It’s been over 10 years since I’ve watched Allen Iverson enter the league. Here was a skinny 6 0 shooting guard who would take on the giant size men of the NBA with reckless abandon and dominate. It was awe inspiring to watch him play on the court dazzling us with his killer crossover and [...]

NBA ROUNDUP: 10/16

Andy Socrates — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:26:59 +0000

Kevin Durant has yet to prove himself as a bonified superstar but will take Henry Abbott’s comments as fuel to help improve his team record. Michael Jordan was once considered a selfish player, but winning championships helped to remove that stigma. Bottom line is that Durant needs to win or he will never escape criticism. [...]

OBSCURE, BUT ENTERTAINING, BALLER FLICKS

R.C. Cola — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:00:35 +0000

There are a ton of obvious selections to the pantheon of great basketball films. “Hoosiers” is a classic, while “Hoop Dreams” is a brilliant contemporary look at street life and the dream of going pro. This story isn’t a look at those kinds of films. Instead, I want to put a spotlight on those lesser known [...]

NIKE LOOPWHEELER AW77 HOODIE

Andy Socrates — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:00:19 +0000

With the cold weather kicking in, it’s time to warm up with a Nike Loopwheeler AW77 hoodie that is made for champions. Nike has paired up with Loopwheeler, a small Japanese manufacturer, to help create these bespoke hoodies. With the strict attention to detail only eight are made daily. Buy it here Related Posts Headhoods Michelangelo White Hoodie ADIDAS [...]

2009-2010 SEASON: WHAT TO LOOK FOR

R.C. Cola — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:00:53 +0000

The new season is almost upon us, and it’s ripe full of drama. We’ve already got crazy trades, a possible Russian buyout, a celebrity wedding, and can look forward to even more desperate moves ahead of the free agent summer of 2010. The questions are endless: will Kobe Bryant and his Los Angeles Lakers weather [...]

INTERVIEW: HOW TO LEAD YOUR SQUAD

R.C. Cola — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:42:40 +0000

The following is a chat with Holly Landau, chief executive and president of Landau Leadership, which provides training and management advice to companies and non-profit organizations. She takes her expertise on leadership in the boardroom, and applies them to the basketball court. First off, what do you do?I’m the CEO of a consulting firm that [...]

ROCKETS IN FLIGHT?

R.C. Cola — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:00:48 +0000

Watch out, the Houston Rockets may surprise some next season. There may not have been a less graceful way for the Rockets to end last season. After a tough battle in the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers, bad news piled on top of worse news. With once-superstar Tracy McGrady already out with microfracture [...]

NBA ROUNDUP: 7/25 - 7/31

Andy Socrates — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:00:51 +0000

The best news for the Los Angeles Lakers this week is that Lamar Odom will be back to help defend the championship. It was a long drawn out contract negotiation but now that things are finalized he will be a huge boon for the team. The Lakers are still the best team in the league [...]

NBA TWEETS OF THE WEEK: 7/30

Andy Socrates — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:04:31 +0000

Kevin Durant is a lock for the Olympic team as his play puts him far above the rest of the players trying to make the cut. It’ll be fun to watch a long dynamic scorer like Durant light it up in international play. Ron Artest is enjoying his summer in China and training for the upcoming [...]

CREATIVE RECREATION SILVER DICOCO SNEAKER

Andy Socrates — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:01:00 +0000

Bling out this summer with these sweet kicks by Creative Recreation. The Silver Dicoco Sneaker is perfect to wear casually after playing basketball and its metallic finish can be seen blocks away. Make a bold statement with your sneakers. Buy it here Related Posts CREATIVE RECREATION PURPLE DICOCO SNEAKERS

NBA ROUNDUP: 7/18 - 7/24

Andy Socrates — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:00:00 +0000

So LeBron James smokes marijuana. It’s a mistake he made back as a kid and he’s admitting to it. It’s not a big deal so let’s all move on and let him be King James again. LeBron Is A Pothead? The biggest news of the week is that LeBron James admits to using marijuana in high school. [...]

NBA TWEETS OF THE WEEK: 7/23

Andy Socrates — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:26:09 +0000

Blake Griffin gets Summer League MVP honors despite hurting his shoulder in the third game of the summer. He will be the savior for the Los Angeles Clippers, a team that is always under the shadow of the cross-town Lakers. Laker veterans know that Lamar Odom is a huge piece of the puzzle and it’s imperative [...]

CAPITAL G.O.A.T. T-SHIRT

Andy Socrates — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:59:29 +0000

Inspired by the Shepard Fairey posters of President Obama, this “Jordan Greatest of All Time” T-shirt by Capital is a must-have item for the summer. It’s Michael Jordan’s classic six rings pose and a timeless image that represents the best basketball player to have played the game. Get the shirt here Related Posts IVERSON’S FALL FROM GRACE [...]

IVERSON’S FINAL STOP?

R.C. Cola — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:10:41 +0000

Allen Iverson is nearing the twilight of his sometimes brilliant, sometimes temperamental, always entertaining, NBA career. His legacy is secure, having led the league in scoring and taking an undermanned Philadelphia 76ers squad to the NBA Finals. But Iverson has a chance to go out with class and maturity as a mentor, or end his time [...]

NBA ROUNDUP: 7/11-7/17

Andy Socrates — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:52:57 +0000

It’s a sad state of affairs when a defending champion cannot re-sign a crucial part of their team. The Los Angeles Lakers and Lamar Odom are at a standstill in their negotiation process. Odom needs to just take the $9 million and play for the team. Summer League Scoring Burst Anthony Morrow lit up the summer league [...]

NBA TWEETS OF THE WEEK: 7/15

Andy Socrates — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:25:06 +0000

Summer league has started with teams able to see their rookies in full action. Although summer league success doesn’t usually measure regular season productivity, rookie Blake Griffin does show he has the skill set to make an impact in the league immediately. The Los Angeles Lakers are this year’s best team. Derek Fisher: Getting ready [...]

PENNANT RACE CHAMPS COURTSIDE T-SHIRT

Andy Socrates — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +0000

It’s not too late to show your love for the 2009 NBA Champions. Get this 2009 Los Angeles Lakers champs T-shirt by Pennant Race showing No. 1 fan Jack Nicholson. It’s a limited edition print so get it now before it’s too late. Get the shirt here Related Posts PENNANT RACE STAPLES COURTSIDE T-SHIRT TOP TEAMS STUMBLE EARLY 2009-2010 SEASON: [...]

SUPERSTARS WHO MAY GET SHUT OUT

Andy Socrates — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:22:02 +0000

The ’90s were dominated by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. During Jordan’s reign of terror, countless future Hall of Famers had their chances to win a championship ring foiled. Only during Jordan’s brief retirement did Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets win two titles. Among the greats that had their hearts broken by Jordan [...]