By Konate Primus
40 Minutes is how long it takes from JFK in NY to Logan in Boston. Just enough time to close my eyes and think about turning my ipod on. 40 minutes, making that the shortest plane ride I’ve ever had. It took me longer to get my gate than my actual flight. JFK is stupid, the freaking security guy made me take off my shirt because it had a hood. luckily there was this cute Asian girl behind me and she was impressed, I could tell. Enough about me let’s get to the meat and potatoes.
Rbk steps it up something major this year. In recent years people have sort of forgotten about the new Reebok. We often revert back to its heyday when Shawn Kemp (kamikazes) was throwing down emphatic dunks and Dee Brown was dunking with his eyes closed. Allen Iverson has been holding it down with his on court kicks, but in today’s Sneaker world, off court is where the money is. Yao, not so much in the U.S but he’s big in China. I expressed these concerns to Reebok and they hit me with the answer about a week ago in Boston at the Reebok Family Reunion.
Some of you already know about the Voltron pack that’s going to be in stores in November. You might have heard about the Halloween pack featuring Chucky, Jason, and the scariest dude ever, Freddy Krueger (despite what Khalid says). It’s very possible you heard about the glow in the dark pack but I know you didn’t hear about the new age Omni Pumps with the dragon on the side made just for Yao (sold only in china). Basically folks it’s the old Omni Pump, the same ones Dee Brown wore in the dunk contest only with new hexalyte technology and a li’l bit of soy sauce on it just to give it a new flavor, just kidding about the that soy sauce folks. But seriously they’re kind of fresh, it looks like a great shoe to hoop in. It will definitely be the shoe at all star weekend that people will talk about.
Yao himself wasn’t at HQ, but the rest of the RBK all-stars came through for a li’l mingling, some decent BBQ, and a media vs. players softball game. Allen Iverson came just in time to receive his award for all of the great work and success he’s had with Reebok. Baron Davis, Gerald Green, Marvin Williams, and Shawn Livingston all took turns expressing their respect for A.I and what he’s meant to them and the rest of the league. To be honest I think A.I has to be the most loved player ever in the league, any player I’ve ever spoken to has so much love for that dude.
Each of the guys went around telling Iverson stories. Baron Davis said “I remember one time during my rookie year we were all playing a game, Steve (Francis) and I were in the back court. I come down the court and I pass it to Steve and Steve Goes at him hard! On the next trip down I have the ball now and I go at him hard cause you know this is A.I, he crossed Jordan, I’m trying to show him I can hoop. He was like ‘word it’s like that huh?’ Later that season he came to Charlotte and gave me 50. I was like, damn!”
Shawn Livingston also added that he is taking his time to recover because he doesn’t want to rush back just so he can guard A.I again, the man is too quick!
After all of the Allen praising, we took it to the field for the softball game, where the players laydith the smack down on the media. Allen was a great 4/4 at the plate. Gerald Green claims to have never played softball but dude was hitting the Sh*t out of the ball, it must have been the platinum grills in his mouth. Shawn Livingston was looking great, his brother ran the bases for him but if you have saw the way he was playing the field you would be impressed, I think he can come back and still do his thing. Baron, not so great at batting but he did his thing as pitcher, that guy really made the game fun and enjoyable with his non-stop talking about how they are so happy to whoop the media’s ass in something “see how it feels, lucky we not hooping!”
After losing the game 15-6, (going into the top of the last inning 15-1) I went on my way to the basketball court where I found Iverson working cats out. Dude wasn’t even trying, it was like, body faint left and goes right, easy! I watched him play 2 games and he didn’t crack a sweat. He must’ve missed about only 2 shots, those guys didn’t know what they were doing, playing Allen Iverson from 4 feet away? Wouldn’t you play him up and take the pain of getting crossed, I mean it’s Allen Iverson, he has one of the illest crossover ever there’s no embarrassment there. At least that what I would’ve down if I played him, but that’s just me.
