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The difference between Michael Jordan and Derrick Rose? You mean other than the six NBA titles that Jordan won with the Chicago Bulls?
Well, for one thing: It’s the shoes.
Jordan helped Nike soar to the top of the sneaker market. Rose is not following in MJ’s footsteps. The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player has signed a new deal with adidas. It reportedly is for 14 years and $250 million.
OK, it's not Derrick Rose, but it is his shoe.
“It’s a blessing, man,” Rose said Saturday (Feb. 25) in Orlando, Fla. before practice for the NBA all-star game. “Definitely a blessing. They’ve been with me, they stuck with me from the beginning and I’m happy that I’m a part of them for the rest of my life.
“It’s great, man. We’ve been trying to get it out of the way for a long time. I just remember them bringing it up to me and I couldn’t really think about the amount. I’m just blessed and feel grateful right now.”
Rose has been with adidas since he entered the league.
“They’ve been doing everything promotional-wise to make sure that they put me out there,” he said. “They’re marketing me great all over the world. And that’s all I need from them.”
“Fourteen years?” OKlahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, a Nike endorser, said. “Wow. I wish I could get a 14-year deal. D. Rose deserves everything he’s getting. He’s an unbelievable leader. So humble. Approaches the game every single day with a focus and plays hard. If you just looked out on the court and didn’t know who he was, you wouldn’t think he’s the MVP of the league, just how well he blends in with his teammates and how he puts himself always last. He always takes the blame for everything and as a player you like to see that in the best player on the team. So I’m very, very happy for him. He deserves everything he’s getting right now.”
Here is a recent adidas promo featuring Rose and what’s in his bag:
And as long as we’re talking basketball and shoes, you have to wonder how long before Nike comes out with a Jeremy Lin shoe for the New York Knicks surprisingly successful guard. Here is some video with Yao Ming talking about the Knicks point guard:
And then there was the celebrity all-star game with comedian Kevin Hart being named MVP — but only after he was ejected from the contest:
In that the Academy Awards are Sunday (Feb. 26), it seems only reasonable to have a sports-related Oscar list. Now, we could go with our favorite sports-themed movies (some of them being — alphabetically: “Breaking Away,” “Bull Durham,” “Caddyshack,” “Chariots of Fire,” “Field of Dreams,” “Hoosiers,” “A League of Their Own,” “The Natural,” “Raging Bull,” “Rocky,” etc.).
Rather than that, however, we will endeavor to come up with a top 10 Oscar list. So here is a definitive list of sports-related Oscars (which — like any other list, with the possible exception of grocery from your spouse and/or significant other or merely from yourself — is open to debate):
Madonna's role as a ballplayer was an interesting choice.
1. Oscar Robertson (basketball legend)
2. Oscar De La Hoya (boxer)
3. Oscar Charleston (Negro League star, baseball Hall of Famer)
4. Oscar Gutierrez (wrestling’s Rey Mysterio)
5. Oscar Schmidt (former Brazilian basketball star)
6. Oscar Gamble (baseball)
7. Oscar Bonavena (boxer)
8. Oscar Pistorius (South African double-amputee runner)
9. Oscar Zamora (baseball)
10. Oscar Madison (fictional character, a sportswriter, from Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple”)
Speaking of Oscars, the aforemention Oscar Robertson remains scheduled to be on “Sports & Torts” with David Spada and Elliott Harris. The date of his appearance on the program on talkzone.com is less certain. But he will be on the show. Perhaps not this week, however. Guess you will have to tune in Thursday to find out. Either that, or wait a few days before the “Sports & Torts” team finalizes guests for the show.
To become part of the “Sports & Torts” fun, you could become an advertiser. It’s a reasonably painless process. For information and rates for broadcast commercials and a Web site presence, contact David Spada by email at david@injuryinillinois.com.
With The Arnold Sports Festival scheduled for March 1-4 in Columbus, Ohio, the editorial staff at elliottharris.com thought it might be a good idea to provide a little refresher course in what a bikini contest can look like. So here is some footage from a NABBA event last fall in suburban Chicago:
If things go according to plan (and occasionally they actually do), there will be more bikini/figure/fitness videos later this week — from The Arnold.
Advertising opportunities are available on elliott harris.com. For information and rates, contact sales@elliottharris.com.