Nothing Can Really Make Protective Goggles Not Goofy Looking

"These Are Protective I Swear"
OK, maybe DWade's goggles aren't this stupid looking, but they are unnecessarily stylish and I think this is becoming a trend in the league.
Dwyane Wade is the prime example of an NBA player that has done everything he can to transcend the role of athlete and influence social trends and fashion. First there was the armoresque spandex and undershirts, which I was willing to believe had some sort of actual in-game use that warranted the ridiculous iron-man look that it gave him. DWade was also at the forefront of the leggings movement that rose to popularity a couple of seasons ago, in which premier players began to wear spandex under their shorts that went all the way down to their socks, giving Kobe a Peter Pan look every time the Lakers wore purple.
But then, in the beginning of the end, Dwyane Wade was seen wearing a customized Band-Aid under his eye at the All-Star game. I might be out of touch with what’s “hot in the streets” but I know enough to realize that unnecessary bandages as accessory hasn’t been cool since Nelly’s “Must Be the Money” was number one. This brings me to the point of this article: Dwyane Wade’s new goggles are just another fashion statement masked as necessary athletic accessory. Let’s go over the facts.
In last night’s game Wade wore protective eye goggles, something players in the NBA have been doing for decades, but pseudo athlete/celebrity that he is, he felt the need to wear a tinted, “fashionable” version. The original design was banned, because defenses couldn’t see his eyes, but he still got away with wearing fairly trendy, sunglass goggles.
Ultimately, I don’t really have a problem with players taking an extra step to look stylish on the court, but when it trickles down and high school players unnecessarily wear full leggings and buy $50 nike shooting sleeves it seems as if players are trying a little too hard to stand out and seem fashionable, especially when their accessories don’t really help any aspect of their game.

I'm Back... Well, At Least For One Post

This Is Still the Bulls Comeback, Not the Wizards One

If anybody is still reading this, which would be a huge surprise considering my last post was over two years ago, I’ve got good news for you: my triumphant return to blogging has arrived. Now, a lot has happened in my absence, so let’s quickly review.
1) The Lakers won back-to-back championships. This represents my least favorite thing about the NBA and what I think is the main reason some are losing interest in it. The Lakers, Spurs, Celtics and Magic are among the perennial winners in the league and they are also (probably not coincidentally) the most boring teams to watch. It’s not that good basketball has to be boring, i.e. the current Thunder, but it almost seems like David Stern, TNT and ESPN are all conspiring together to give the dullest teams the most exposure. It’s unfortunate for most fans that this is the case, but it does give us all the opportunity to watch Adam Morrison ride the bench like a consummate professional each season.
2) Some big name players have changed teams and a few franchises have undergone some serious personnel and image changes (luckily Chris Paul is still on the Hornets so I won’t need to update my banner). The biggest move that comes to mind, and one that promises to go down as one of the biggest blockbusters in NBA history, is LeBron’s move to Miami. He was accompanied by Chris Bosh, but at this point in the season it’s becoming clear that in order to be considered a relevant All-Star Bosh would have to remain on a mediocre team. Until the playoffs arrive and we see how far the Heat are able to go, all discussions about LeBron’s arrogance, betrayal and legacy are pointless, but to me the true “move of the offseason” is the new face of the Knicks. Even though Amare will probably never be able to lead a team single-handedly deep into the playoffs, it is clear from the play of Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton and Danilo Gallinari that Stoudemire has brought with him an attitude that the Knicks desperately needed.
3) The dunk contest remains lame and will continue to be lame until Chase Budinger wins (see video at bottom). The NBA also needs to institute a rule banning stupid costumes and props.
In short, it seems the NBA has been able to continue business even in my absence, but with the rebirth of GRG a new golden age will undoubtedly begin in professional basketball.