Remember all the flak LeBron took for w
earing a Yankees hat at Jacobs Field? Hordes of pundits, columnists, and fans gave themselves aneurysms over the sartorial slight, calling James a traitor and worrying that his choice of headwear meant he would flee to New York as soon as his contract allowed it.
Well prepare yourself for Round Two of the LeBron Loves the Yankees Saga. Nike has unveiled LeBron’s new Air Zoom V shoe design, and let’s just say that fans of the feather will not be pleased. ...
The kicks are a tribute to the Yankees, replete with pinstripes and the Bronx Bombers’ colors. See
all the requisite angles here, including a tag under the tongue that says, “LeBron James, clap clap clap clap." Whatever that means.
The shoe will only be available in New York, so don’t expect to see them around here. Not that you'd want to.
Like the hat incident, the shoe is sure to cause commotion among Cleveland fans who wish that LeBron was a champion for C-town sports, Indians, Browns, and Monsters alike. But that’s not the case. Gone are the days when kids rooted only teams from their hometowns; here are the days when young men's closets -- especially those with their iPods locked on hip-hop -- are a veritable rainbow of team logos. Whether it’s for fashion or a favorite player or both, the colors of your hometown team no longer monopolize young fans' wardrobes.
Also consider that LeBron, with every passing year, becomes more businessman than baller. Would I love him to pimp everything Cleveland, including the Indians? Absolutely. But I’m not going to knock him for rooting for his favorite baseball team, or for being the face of a gigantic corporation (Nike) whose goal is to sell a gazillion shoes in a huge market (New York).
Before you start munching
Munch's ear off about LeBron's new kicks, remember:
1. LeBron plays for the Cavs, not the Indians, and not the Red Sox.
2. He wants to be a billionare.
3. As long as he keeps doing what he’s been doing on the court -- namely, being the best player in the NBA -- he can pursue whatever interests he has off of it, including, for my money,
driving his Benz at 101 on an empty freeway.
4. The Cavs are a perpetual lottery team without him. Don’t piss him off.
5. Oh yeah, and he’s 23 years-old. Give the kid a break.
6. It’s a shoe. He doesn’t come to your house and yell at you for still wearing your stone-washed jeans from 1985 and knee-high white socks with sandals. Get over it. --
Vince Grzegorek
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