Another 90's Insert Set: '93 TSC Beam Team Set

There certainly were insert sets before 1993, but it really wasn't until that year that inserts really exploded. Many companies only had one or maybe two insert sets per product in the late 80's and early 90's like Fleer with its Stickers sets ('87 - '90) and Upper Deck with its Award Winner Holograms ('92). However, as the trading card industry took off in the early 90's, so did the size and scope of its products. Companies started producing smaller sets to insert into base product packs to entice the influx of new consumers that were flooding the hobby and market. Also known as the "Golden Age" of trading cards, the 90's helped spur-on creativity and design in the hobby. As far as the basketball trading card hobby was concerned, a perfect storm was created to coincide with the insert revolution.

Not only were trading cards being designed at a higher level to bring in the "Golden Age", but the NBA was in the midst of an upswing of its own. Collectors wanted cards of players like Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'neal. The sports card industry and NBA could not have been hotter, and one early 90's insert set captured the essence of all that excitement, new creativity in design and insert magic.

The '93 Topps Stadium Club product was a premium product that showcased superb photography and a high gloss surface. Sure laugh now, but take a look at a '91 Hoops card and you'll appreciate what Topps did with its '93 TSC release. To go along with its awesome 400 card base set, TSC also inserted a 21 card set into its series 2 boxes at a rate of 1:36. The TSC Beam Team insert set was truly a masterpiece of its time. The Beam Team set features the great photography found in the base set and combines it with the best stars from a hugely popular NBA and cool design. Some of the action shots Topps came up with for this set are really tremendous. Just look at the Dominique Wilkins card. Simply Awesome!

The list of players found in this set is really mind boggling. From Ewing, Robinson and Olajuwon to Barkley, Stockton and Rodman, this set has just about everyone in it. Unfortunately, two glaring omissions are that of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. I know neither played during the '93 NBA season, but they are in the TSC base set. Otherwise, a checklist for an early 90's set doesn't get much better than this.

Many collectors jumped on this set because of the "Shaq' Attack" craze of the mid 90's and Jordan found in the set. The Jordan Beam Team is considered to be one of his "must have" cards for Jordan collectors. I've seen varying prices for this set, so be cautious if you're looking to build this one. There currently are a number of Buy Now sets up on eBay with exorbitant prices from $199 to $350. That is way too much for this set that has a book value of $120. Yes, in 1993 the set did sell for well over $300, but the calendar reads 2012 today. I've seen this set sell for around $75 on the lower end and $150ish on the high end. I stole mine at $55.00. The set is a nice buy if you can grab it for $100 (click here) or under as the Jordan and O'neal typically sell for around $35 and $40 respectively. The Jordan really is a $25 - $30 card, but we all know those 90's Jordan inserts can get crazy. It's not uncommon to see one of these go over the $50 mark.

I myself built the set the easy way and bought it completed about three years ago. I know that's like cheating, but I saved a lot on shipping charges by not having to pay $2-$3 each to have all 21 cards shipped from different sellers. The Jordan, Clyde Drexler and Dominique Wilkins are certainly favorites of mine, but the Shaq' is where it's at for me. Easily one of my favorite cards in my collection from one of my favorite 90's sets.

What's Your White Whale?

1997 Upper Deck SPx ProMotion Michael Jordan

I should preface this post by saying that I really have like 10 white whales, but this 1997 Upper Deck SPx ProMotion Michael Jordan is a card that I've been after for about 4 years. Ever since I saw it I new I wanted to build the entire set. Luckily for me, the set is only five cards and I have four out of the five. The bad part, the Jordan sells for over $100.

This card and design got me so excited way back when that I'm also building the sets from the other sports too (click here). I love 90's inserts from all sports, but this '97 SPx ProMotion Jordan is easily one of the best looking inserts from the era. I hope one day to complete the set and make Captain Ahab happy. So that's my white whale, what's yours?

The Jordan Collection (Part 8): '91 Sports Illustrated Michael Jordan Sportsman Of The Year Hologram Proof

In this 8th installment of The Jordan Collection post series, I'm featuring this commemorative printer's proof of the Michael Jordan hologram featured on the 1991 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year cover. The proof is exact in every way to the hologram on the cover of the magazines, with the one exception of the proof being double sided. You can read an earlier post I did on the actual Sportsman of the Year Sports Illustrated magazine by clicking here to get a background on the item.

The printers proof hologram featured in this post is rare. How rare you might ask? I've only seen three of these on eBay in the three years I've been searching for one of these. So although I don't have an exact number to provide you, I'm assuming there aren't too many of these out there. That makes this approximately 5' x 3'' Jordan hologram a very unique item. I was lucky to grab this item several months ago.

The slide show above includes 18 images of the hologram in which I tried to capture as many of the images in the hologram as possible. Hopefully you can see the clarity, detail and vivid colors this awesome Jordan hologram possesses.

For those of you who read my blog regularly, you probably recognize this post from a few months ago. I am reposting some of my favorite posts from The Jordan Collection series prior to a new video post of a Jordan item that I am pretty excited about. I just got a new item in and I hope to have it posted this weekend.
Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

The Jordan Collection (Part 14): '98 EX-2001 Gravity Denied

'98 EX-2001 Gravity Denied Michael Jordan

I'm no physicist, but I don't think Mr. Jordan's gravity has ever been denied. Even still, this is a pretty cool 90's insert and affordable too. I don't remember how much I paid for this one, but it's safe to say I got a pretty good deal on it when I picked it up a couple years back. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bought it.

The card is plastic and actually also has a clear protective cover that slides on and off the image. The image itself is very vibrant. The red of the Bulls jersey just pops off the card. Certainly one of the cooler and more unique Jordan inserts of the 90's. It's especially different since it has a little punch out for your keychain or lanyard. Not that I've used it as a keychain, but it's cool. This 20 card set is very affordable to put together and features some great players. Here's a link to the Bay with a few cards from the set (here).

Happy Collecting and "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

VIdeo/Poll: You Rank The Top 10 Moves In NBA History

The Jordan Collection (Part 13): The Ultimate Jordan DVD Set

The Ultimate Jordan DVD Set (2001)

The Jordan Collection truly knows no bounds. Just checkout this 2-disc DVD set that highlights the greatest player of all-time. Also known as the GOAT. This DVD set features five of the best Jordan DVD's ever made. It also includes a highlight section, and who doesn't like watching Jordan highlights over and over?

The five DVD's include Come Fly With Me (1989), Michael Jordan's Playground (1991), Air Time (1993), Above and Beyond (1996), His Airness (1999), plus Michael's Great 8 highlight video. These are all classic sports videos and it's pretty incredible to find them all in one spot.

The video set was originally released back in 2001. There are a few variations that have been release since 2001 that include additional footage and features, but they can get pretty expensive. The 1st addition is actually very reasonable at around $20.00 and is certainly a must for any Michael Jordan aficionado. No matter how many times I watch these video's, they never get old.

Happy Collecting and.. "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

The Jordan Collection (Part 11): '92 SkyBox Salutes

'92 SkyBox Salutes Michael Jordan

All these years and tons of autographed or jersey cards later, and I'm blogging about a 1992 SkyBox Michael Jordan card. Some collectors might write this card off because it hold little monetary value, but this is one of the coolest looking cards I own. Actually, any early SkyBox card looks great. These were so simple and yet such fun. I hope you enjoyed this abbreviated Jordan Collection post and of course… "Every Bounce of the Ball".

The Jordan Collections (Part 10): '96 Jam Session Show Stoppers

'96 Jam Session Michael Jordan Show Stoppers

We all have our "White Whales", and I'm no exception. Sometimes I feel like there are 1,000 sports memorabilia items I'm chasing at the same time, but every now and then I add a piece to my collection that really gets my blood flowing. This week one of those items came in from a conquest on the Bay. This '96 Jam Session Show Stoppers Michael Jordan card is really a centerpiece in my collection. I'm currently trying to put this set together and of course, the Jordan is the toughest card in the set to acquire.

90's insert sets came in all shapes and sizes. Whether it was die cuts or holograms, card designers let their imaginations go wild. One prominent design feature was foiling. I was a big fan of foiled card surfaces back in the day and continue to be a fan to this day. Most cards that have foiling incorporated in the designs today are mainly used as an accent on boarders or around jersey pieces. That's fine by me as the foiling always looks great and really dresses a card up even if it's just used as an accent. However, some companies went all out with foiling during the 90's by creating entire card surfaces made up of the stuff.

The '94 Fleer Ultra Power in the Key set (click here) is a prime example of the use of foiling during the 90's. If that's not enough foiling for you though, checkout this '96 Jam Session Show Stoppers Michael Jordan insert. Not only is the entire surface foil, but it's a taller 2.5 x 4.75 inch as apposed to the traditional 2.5 x 3.5 inch card size. That means a whole lot more foiling. Which I like.

The scan really doesn't do this card justice. These Jam Session cards look a little better in hand. The entire set consists of nine cards and were inserted into hobby boxes at a ratio of 1:48. I only have the David Robinson and Jordan from the set, but I'd love to put this set together. Some of my favorite 90's players are featured in the set including Michael Jordan, Anfernee Hardaway, John Stockton and Grant Hill. Not too shabby of a player checklist.

It's always nice to get the Jordan out of the way when building a set. It's usually the toughest and most expensive card in a set. These Show Stoppers cards don't appear on the Bay that often, but they're also not the most known about cards either. hopefully I can grab a few more of these soon. So if anyone has any cards from this set, let me know. Here's a link to my trade album and want lists. I'm certainly open to trades for this… Yet Another 90's Insert Set.

Happy Collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

The Jordan Collection (Part 8): '92 Fleer Pro-Vision

'92 Michael Jordan Fleer Pro-Vision

I've posted some of the rarer items I have in these The Jordan Collection series posts, but this 1992 Fleer Pro-Vision card is as far from rare as they come. Actually, you can add this card to your collection for right around $.99. There are thousand of these Pro-Vision Jordan cards floating around. Yet, it's abundance and lack of book value don't take anything away from it one bit. It's a great example of how junk wax really isn't junk wax.

Alright, I'm sure some readers are saying, "What does this blogger know? He doesn't even have the right year in the caption under the card". Actually, the card is from the '92 Fleer set. I have absolutely no idea why it says Fleer '91 on the front of the card, but it does. The card is part of a six card insert set called "Pro Vision". It's a fun set that features the likes of Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson among others. The set has a modest $4.00 book value that certainly wont break the bank. If you are looking to put together a fun and inexpensive set, Fleer Pro Vision is a great candidate. Here is an eBay link to some current Pro Vision auctions (click here).

Happy Collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

The Jordan Collection (Part 8): '91 Sports Illustrated Michael Jordan Sportsman Of The Year Hologram Proof

In this 8th installment of The Jordan Collection post series, I'm featuring this commemorative printer's proof of the Michael Jordan hologram featured on the 1991 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year cover. The proof is exact in every way to the hologram on the cover of the magazines, with the one exception of the proof being double sided. You can read an earlier post I did on the actual Sportsman of the Year Sports Illustrated magazine by clicking here to get a background on the item.

The printers proof hologram featured in this post is rare. How rare you might ask? I've only seen three of these on eBay in the three years I've been searching for one of these. So although I don't have an exact number to provide you, I'm assuming there aren't too many of these out there. That makes this approximately 5' x 3'' Jordan hologram a very unique item.

The slide show above includes 18 images of the hologram in which I tried to capture as many of the images in the hologram as possible. Hopefully you can see the clarity, detail and vivid colors this awesome Jordan hologram possesses.

Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

Michael Jordan Collection (Part 7): LDDS World Com Promo Phone Card

LDDS World Com Michael Jordan Promo Phone Card

I fancy myself to be a bit of Jordan collector. Although I haven't added an '85 Star Co. XRC or an Upper Deck Authenticated piece to my collection yet, I was able to secure this ultra rare LDDS World Com phone card. LDDS World Com famously filed for bankruptcy in 2002, which was the largest bankruptcy protection filing in U.S. history up to that point, but enough of that boring background info.

As for the phone card. World Com needed a spokesmen for their new marketing program in the mid 90's. During the 90's, there really wasn't a better spokesman than Michael Jordan. He helped Nike get to the top of the sports apparel mountain and I'm sure World Com had hoped Jordan would bring World Com to the top of the telecommunications industry. To celebrate the new partnership with Jordan, World Com released a number of long distance phone cards. Here's a link to some of the phone cards World Com released (click here). These were prepaid cards you could pickup at most local gas stations, grocery stores and big box discount stores like Target and Walmart. The above phone card is a bit more rare.

Unfortunately, I don't know the exact print run of the promo World Com phone card featured in this post. I do know that I've only seen two of them in the past four years that I've been looking. One was a Buy Now auction on eBay that was too rich for my blood, but the other is above in this post. Aside from the pieces of dust on the scan, this item is perfect. It actually looks like glass because of the coating on the surface of the plastic card. I'd like to find more information on the item, but for now, keeping it on my home desk to admire will have to do.

Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

The Jordan Collection (Part 6): The '91 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Jordan Issue

Sports Illustrated: Dec. 23rd, 1991 Sportsman of the Year

One of the coolest looking Sports Illustrated issues and pieces of Michael Jordan memorabilia of all-time is the above December 23rd, 1991 “Sportsman of the year” issue featuring a hologram of Michael Jordan and a bright red background. Oddly enough, for as neat as this item looks, and the fact that "His Airness" himself is featured, it's not too pricey. Not too pricey relative to the original Jordan S.I. cover from 1984 that has sold for upwards of $175 in mint condition. I know because I once, and let me reiterate once, bid on one of those rare mint UNC 1984 S.I magazines (once is enough to realize the damage a click of a mouse could do to the old wallet).

Hologram technology was fairly new at the time this issue came out, and it was especially interesting for a magazine to utilize the holographic technology. This issue can be had for right around $6 to $15 (click here) depending on condition. Here's a current eBay auction with one day remaining (click here). The issue looks to be in nr-mint condition and for a fair price.

The early UNC 1984 Jordan S.I. issue is certainly a nice piece to add to any collection. However, considering the disparity in price and cool look of the hologram, the "Sportsman of the Year" issue is more than a great substitute. This is without question one of the best Michael Jordan pieces of memorabilia a collector can add to their collection.

Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

The Jordan Collection Part 5 (Slam Dunk Edition): 1985 Star Co. Slam Dunk Supers Group Photo/Checklist

1985 Star Co. Slam Dunk Supers Group Photo/Checklist

Tonight is one of my favorite nights in sports. The NBA's Dunk, 3-Pont and Skills contests are tonight on TNT. I'm really excited as it should be a fun night featuring some the NBA's best. Since this is All-Star Weekend, I thought I would highlight one of my favorite All-Star themed cards from way back.

This 1985 Star Co. Slam Dunk Supers Group Photo/Checklist card is a Star Co. card from Michael Jordan's rookie year. It also includes some of the best high flyers of the 80's including Clyde Drexler, Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins. Oh, and the card is also a giant 5 x 7 inch goliath. Total Awesomeness! Sure, the '85 Star Co. Jordan XRC would be nice, but who has $2,500 lying around to spend on a trading card? I certainly don't, so this Group Photo card from Jordan's rookie year is the next best thing.

The Star Co. cards are some of my personal favorites, just not my wallet's favorites. They feature bold colors and some pretty decent photography. The Slam Dunk Supers set has a total of nine single player cards of the participants from the '85 NBA Slam Dunk Contest plus this group photo for a total of ten cards. The set has a book value of $200. Much of that value is tied up in the Jordan single, but the group photo card has a respectable $40 book value. I've seen these group photo cards all over the price spectrum on the secondary markets like eBay, but here's a crazy Buy Now eBay auction of a complete set in it's original packaging (click here).

Hope you enjoyed this All-Star Weekend themed Jordan Collection post. Have fun watching all the festivities and of course… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

An All-Star Post For The NBA's All-Star Weekend: '93 Fleer All-Star Insert Set

1993 Fleer All-Star Michael Jordan

The NBA All-Star Weekend is almost upon us and I'm really excited. because of that excitement, I thought it only fitting to put up as many All-Star themed posts as possible. Some of these will be reposts from the past few months, but I'll mix in a number of new posts, videos and polls. Actually, I wrote a bunch of new posts last weekend that I have scheduled to be published periodically throughout the rest of this week. So stay tuned for all those posts and get ready for a fun weekend of basketball. With Blake Griffin in the Dunk Contest, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen squaring off in the 3-Point Contest and the game itself, it should be great!!!

One of the more popular basketball inserts of the early 90's was the '93 Fleer All-Stars set. This was a 24 card set that featured the Western and Eastern All-Stars from the '92 NBA All-Star Game. Hence, no Shaquille O'neal rookie all-star card unfortunately even though this is a set from his rookie year. However, the set is littered with tons of 90's stars and superstars like Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen and many more. The set featured a horizontal design with images of the players in their All-Star uniforms. There's a blue background that looks great, but is unfortunately susceptible to chipping. This is the biggest problem collectors need to worry about when attempting to put this set together and is very noticeable as you'll see the tail-tail white edges or chunks that indicate edge wear and chipping. Definitely look closely at any images if you are buying these cards on-line through the secondary markets or trading.

The set is not terribly difficult to put together. It only consists of 24 cards and they were inserted into series 1 pack at a modest rate of 1:9. It has a solid book value of $100, but you should be able to put the entire set together for well under that if you can save on shipping costs. Most of the cards sell as singles for around $2.00 to $5.00. The Jordan is the tough one, but can be had for right around $10.00-$40.00. Here's a BGS Graded 9 Jordan currently for sale on eBay as a Buy Now: (click here) and an ungraded Live eBay auction: (click here). Also, here's a complete set in a Buy Now eBay auction with a $60.00 reserve: (click here). I took the easy way out and bought the entire set all at once from a seller on eBay. I haggled the price down to $30.00 plus $5.00 shipping for the entire set. No question, good deals are out there if you are willing to be a patient collector.

Although this '93 Fleer All-Stars set is not my favorite insert set from the 90's, it's high on the list. Many of my favorite hoops stars are in this set and I love the overall design. Hope you enjoyed this All-Star themed post. Stay tuned for more NBA All-Star posts and remember to… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

The Jordan Collection Part 4: 1996 NBA Jam Session Die Cut

What's better than a tall Michael Jordan card? A die cut tall Jordan card of course. This die cut Jordan card is from the '96 NBA Jam Session product put out by the former Fleer/SkyBox trading card company. The die cut cards were inserted into packs at a rate of 1:1. So this isn't the rarest Jordan die cut ever, but purchasing a box of Jam Session doesn't necessarily guarantee the buyer one of these Jordan die cuts.

There are currently no Jam Session Jordan die cuts on eBay, and there was only one sold on eBay over the last two weeks (click here). If you clicked on the link, you'll notice the very modest $2.29 completed auction price. That's pretty inexpensive for a fun Jordan card like this one.

The Jam Session cards were a nice novelty during the mid 90's. They were very popular when they first were released, but fizzled quickly. I'm a huge fan of the Show Stoppers insert set from the '96 Jam Session product. However, this Jordan card is cool as well. I obviously like the jagged die cut pattern, but I also really appreciate the green outline used to highlight the uneven edges. Also, how can you go wrong with Jordan? You can't.

This is only the fourth post in The Jordan Collection series. I'll try to post these more frequently since Bloggers' stat feature indicates that many collectors are reading these posts. So stay tuned for more Jordan items from my collection and make sure to… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

The Jordan Collection Part 3: '97 Upper Deck SPx Force

'97 Upper Deck SPx Force (M. Jordan, J. Stackhouse, M. Richmond and L. Sprewell)

I have quite a few Michael Jordan cards in my collection, but none might be as cool looking as this 1997 Upper Deck SPx Force insert card. The hologram featuring four former NBA stars (Jordan, Richmond, Stackhouse and Sprewell) is impressive and the die cut is extreme. However, the burnt orange background is what really brings this card together.

Upper Deck's early SPx products of the mid 90's were all about innovation and creativity. SPx offered collectors something different that the tradition trading card. That forward thinking design mentality is alive and well today in the SPx line with the very cool hockey and football Shadow Box cards. Although Upper Deck has done a nice job with the SPx line, I don't think the tree would be flourishing like it has without it's early roots.

The '97 SPx Force cards are rare with an insertion rate of 1:360, and there are only five cards in the set. I have three of those cards, so I should just get the other two to complete the set. The book value is $50.00 on this Jordan one (there are two different Jordan cards in the set) and they usually sell pretty close that $50.00. There are also auto'd versions that obviously sell for quite a bit more.

As far as Jordan inserts go, this is one cool looking card that I'm excited to have in my Jordan Collection. Thanks for reading and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

Contest Update: Hoopography Top 25 PC Countdown #1

The PC Top 25 countdown contest for the Donruss Rated Rookies is over, but the Timeless Treasures giveaway is still going strong! So if you what some free Timeless Treasures auto'd and jersey cards, make sure to enter. Click here to view the rules of the Timeless Treasures giveaway and to enter.

'92 SkyBox Dream Team Plastic Card

I was a little worried that no one would be able to guess what my favorite card is in my PC. I know that was a tough task with all the different players, sports and sets I collect, but Offy over at Sports Syzygy put all the contest clues together. Offy, please make sure to email me your mailing address at Hoopography@yahoo.com, so I can send you the cards. Thanks to Panini and everyone who participated.

My favorite card in my PC is the 1992 SkyBox Plastic Dream Team card. Aside from the fact that the '92 Dream Team is my favorite team of all-time and features many of my favorite players in NBA history, this was one of the first plastic cards ever made. It was a precursor to the acetate technology that I love so much. It's a really great looking card with the red, white and blue of Team USA and was pretty hot back in the early 90's.

The card doesn't have crazy book value at $30.00, but the sentimental value attached to the card for me is invaluable. I added this card to a very early trading card collection on a family road trip to SeaWorld in Ohio during '92. I was just ten years old at the time. In a sense, this is not only the top card in my PC and the Countdown, but it was also the first. Because of the great family memories this card conjures up, the trading card technology used and the players/team featured, the '92 SkyBox Dream Team Plastic card takes the top spot on my countdown.

Thanks for checking out the countdown. It was a lot of fun putting it together over the past couple months. I'll do a post this week with cards I received while I was conducting the countdown that likely would've made the countdown. Congrats again to Offy for guessing my favorite card in my PC. Don't forget to checkout the Timeless Treasures giveaway and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

The Jordan Collection Part 2

1997 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Commemorative Collection ROY

I don't think you'll find too many 90's Jordan inserts that don't look really great and this '97 Upper Deck ROY Commemorative Collection Die Cut is no different. I've had this card in my collection for a few years now and thought it would be a great addition to The Jordan Collection post series.

Being a die-cut Jordan card is certainly cool enough, but the colors on this card really make it standout. I know it's tough these days for some companies to create solid designs without adding a sticker auto or jersey patch, so maybe they should look back at some of the designs of the past. Plus, those are the Nike Air Jordan XI's on His Airness' feet. Yes, the ones with the patten leather. The background colors, die cut feature and Jordan kicks are cool, but the cursive font ties this classy looking card all together.

Hope you enjoyed the second post in The Jordan Collection series. This is easily one of the best looking Jordan cards in my collection. Happy New Years and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

The Next Golden Age of the NBA. Is It Already Here?

For many sports fans, the "Golden Age" of the NBA started with Bird versus Magic and culminated with Jordan hitting a game winning shot over Byron Russell in the '98 NBA Finals. Without question, it's hard to argue that claim. Sure, the NBA's "Golden Age" was built by the likes of the above mentioned Bird, Magic and Jordan, but the Association was littered with exciting stars throughout the league. From Clyde "The Glyde" Drexler in the Great Northwest to Sir Patrick at MSG or "The Human Highlight Film" in A-Town and Shaq and "Penny" in the wonderful world of Disney, the NBA was working on all cylinders throughout the mid 80's and 90's. Even perennial cellar dwellers like the Dallas Mavericks had "The Triple J's" or the Golden State Worriers with "RUN T.M.C.". There's no denying the state of basketball and the Association during that time, but today's NBA is certainly on the cusp of rivalling that time. Just think about it. Even the L.A. Clippers are actually palatable now.

One issue that has plagued the NBA over the past decade has been the lack of true superstars throughout the NBA. This could be for a number of reasons, but I attribute much of this problem to the influx of high school players into the league. Simply put, the vast majority of prep stars are not ready both physically and mentally for the NBA. Sure, I'm not going to argue one bit that players like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett haven't achieved their full potential, but there have been far more that haven't. Say what you want about the one year removed from high school rule, but it's apparent that the vast majority of NBA prospects need a few semesters of higher learning to develop leadership, basketball IQ, fundamentals and physically. Not all, but many players need to go through a progression to develop both basketball and mental skills. It seems the influx of potential talent during the end of the 90's and the beginning of the last decade has hurt the development of that potential and thus, the NBA.

Fortunately for us fans, the state of the NBA game has been improved somewhat by young players who are forced to develop at a slightly slower rate than just being thrown into the fire that is professional basketball. I would argue that prep players should have to wait two full years before they can enter the NBA. I believe that would improve the NBA product even further. It's a matter of requirements/experience for a job posting, but this is really an issue for another post, the NBA CBA or at the very least, maybe Facebook.

The one to two years that prep stars are serving in the collegiate ranks seems to be paying off, but it's not the only change that is ushering in a new "Golden Age" in the NBA. Quite simply, LeBron has a huge affect on the state of the Association. Just like Jordan, Magic and Bird did in their day (Ok, not quiet like those greats, but close). Look, I'm not saying LeBron is better or even as good as either one of those three all-time greats. Although he should be, he simply doesn't have the same fire and competitiveness as many of the greats, but he does have mass appeal. We all tuned in to "The Decision" several months ago to not only see what the fate of the Cavaliers franchise was, but also the NBA. Lebron has brought emotion back to the NBA fan and casual sports fan. For example, I despise Team South Bitch and Prince James. However, the fact of the matter is whether you like him or not, LeBron matters.

Although many of the stars and superstars may not have the same mass appeal as Lebron, the placement of those stars is important. It's always a good thing when a league's biggest markets have stars and successful teams, and that's no different for the NBA. My Knickerbockers have a little swagger back at MSG with Amare Stoudemire and Raymond Felton in the "Big Apple". Although I'm not much of a fan of his intensity or a lack of winning attitude, D-Rose is putting up MVP like numbers in Chi-Town. Kobe is Kobe in the city of glitz and glamour. Dirk is holding court in "Big D", and "Durantuala" is bringing big time hoops to the Mid-west. The big cities are hoppin' with hoops.

My final point on the second coming of the NBA's "Golden Age" has to do with attendance. Since 2005, the NBA's average league wide attendance has steadily climbed to or hovered right around 17,500. Attendance during the '08-'09 season did fall by 2.0%, but remember, we are in a recession (You can see this years attendance numbers thus far by clicking here). I'm guessing the numbers are going to level off for a bit until we fully recover from the recession. Important to note, the fact that attendance numbers have not tanked since the recession hit back in late '08 is a testament to the resurgence of the product on NBA courts today.

Yes, the NBA is poised for a "Golden Age" out on those hardwood courts. New rivalries are being forged, there are plenty of current and future stars around the league and sports fans are getting excited (at least this fan is) about the product. So enjoy the NBA's new "Golden Age" and of course… "Every Bounce of the Ball".

KICKS: Nike Air Mag 2015, They Are Back… From The Future

Oh how sweet a hoverboard would be!

If Nike could sell millions of pairs of kicks because of the on-court exploits of Michael Jordan, just imagine how many pairs of Nike Air Mag 2015's the sporting apparel company could have sold because of the totally rad hoverboard skills of Marty Mcfly in Back to the Future II.

Like many other movie goers, I'm a huge fan of the Back to the Future film franchise. The movies were fun, imaginative and incorporated some really great 80's design. I also love all things kicks, so the Air Mag 2015's are really a perfect fit for me (cheesy play on words).

The look of the Air Mags are certainly cool,  and unique for the time. Actually, if you really look closely at them, it's certainly easy to see similarities of popular Nike kicks that came after these Back to the Future kicks. Did designers at Nike secretly incorporate design elements from the Air Mags as precursors to a potential future release of the iconic costume sneaker?

Nike Air Pump,                                           Nike Air Jordan XI's,                                          Nike Air Hyperdunk

That little theory might just be a little far fetched, but it does seem that Nike has some interest in the Air Mags. If you believe the rumors, and I always do when they suit me, Nike filed a patent for power laces. If you remember, Mcfly didn't even have to lace up his Nikes. They automatically lace themselves when the user slips their foot into the sneaker. Although the idea of automatic laces being placed on an Air Mag designed sneakers from the film is wishful thinking, it's not a far fetched assumption. This assumption is fairly valid since Nike used the Air Mag silhouette and basic design in the patent filings it sent to the World Intellectual Property Organization on November 5th, 2009 (click here!).

When could these futuristic kicks from the past show up on shelves? Since Marty Mcfly wore the Air Mags in 2015, I'm guessing Nike is working on getting these ready for that future date. One things for sure, I better not mess up the space time continuum. I don't want to have to go back to the future to get a pair of these kicks. That would be heavy!

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