SB Nation User Blog: back2back51s

Monta's AND1 Player Edition shoe

back2back51s — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:57:11 -0000

Finally.

This guy has been on the AND1 roster for 2 seasons, in which the only other recognizable player is a toss up between Rafer "Skip to my Lou" Alston & Carlos Arroyo. Monta is definitely big time compared to those two as of the 2007-2008 season, most def. Bernard Robinson doesn't even have a page filled out yet.

http://www.and1.com/athletes_nba.php

Also former warrior Speedy Claxton is on that list, but nowadays our boy Monta is the Speedy Warrior.

Two online shops with the shoe:

http://www.and1usa.com/NEW/footwear/smooth3.html

http://www.shoemall.com/catalog/product.jsp?style=619587SM&categoryId=564&subCategoryId=1705 &N=4294967278+24+4294965834

At $80 it won't hurt the wallet too much, but with AND1 seemingly more underground than ever, you can't really try on before you buy. For $80 it also doesn't look extremely cheap considering the $90 and up basketball shoes get the better tech or looks.

At $80 it still has AND1's version of the Nike Air(bubble) called Low 2 Ground. I've heard you need to break this one in a little more than Nike Air, but its still light years away from most smaller than OG (original-release-of that shoe), brick hard "Nike Retro" air bubbles.

The traction pattern looks okay, not great. Not much heel to toe pushoff/gradient for anyone to emulate Monta's speed as best they can - since the shoe is more of a flat sole. No idea on weight either since these sites don't list it like Eastbay or Footlocker, but for Monta, lets hope this is a lightweight shoe for quick cuts and leaking out for fast break speed.

Monta has worn the high end AND1 stuff this whole season, this I heard was considered his playoff shoe. It has the Warriors home team colors plus his #8 on the toe cap lip area there.

Props on this Monta article collection from last week, nice job:

http://www.goldenstateofmind.com/story/2008/2/27/11733/1727

At $80 it isn't bad to own a player edition of a GS Warrior. Hell, I don't even remember the last Player Edition-signature shoe of a Warrior. Jamison? Spreewell? I have Baron's 2003-ish "Reebok Boom Dizzle" but it wasn't made in real Warriors colors, sadly. He wore the white and blue ones with The City throwbacks though.

So any takers?

Poll

Would you buy this Monta shoe?

Yes

32 votes

Nope

10 votes

Only if it was cheaper

20 votes

Come up with a hotter design for Monta AND1 !!

42 votes

104 votes | Poll has closed

"Oh, no! They don't want us to make the playoffs!"

back2back51s — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 09:08:07 -0000

-shouted Stephen Jackson

Associated Press Article via Yahoo:
---->Here<----

A little long, a little repetitive since GSoM is up to date on all things "It Takes 5 Baby" but plenty of good quotes that show these guys are loose and confident in taking the last few steps necessary to get in the Playoffs. Nelson says "if we go down, we go down swinging" Baron saying "nobody cares about stats since if we make it, The City will love everyone on the team."

Jason Richardson with a first, being a fan like the rest of us:

But the Hornets pushed the Warriors into eighth place by beating the Clippers in overtime Tuesday night while Jason Richardson sweated out the result on his couch at home.

"That was the first time I ever watched a game and cheered for a team," said the swingman, a six-year veteran steeped in his only club's losing culture.

Playoffs Baby!

MORE WEBPINS: 3 for Monta, or Monta for 3?

back2back51s — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 23:49:31 -0000

Felt in the mood to put together even more webpins for everyone's favorite Warrior young'n, humble as always, but as fierce a competitor as anyone out there at times.

Monta, the AND One shoe contract holder. The hype man of their games likes to shout NO HOLDING! when someone grabs on D when they can't stop the man they're guarding, like the unlucky Bucks guard we see here tripping over his own feet.

Surprisingly found a lot of nice pics of Monta playing mad defense. All ball, pics say a thousand words and the NBA's superhero Flash is stopped by our boy Monta.

Self explanatory. Kobe or KB8 became KB24 this season and said it was something about the shot clock, hours in a day, etc. but Antoine Walker doesn't put together games at this point in his career that Mister Ellis can. The future of #8, not bad for a kid out of Jackson, Mississippi.

Monta Ellis, a flopper? (quick poll)

back2back51s — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 23:15:37 -0000

-> Yahoo NBA article <-

Funny that they have Rashard Lewis running over Monta Ellis as the photo accompanying the article, a guard being run over by a near 7 foot forward, thus Monta probably got there first, planted, and took a charge. Lewis' expression looks like he knew there was nothing he could do about it at that point.

I dunno about you guys but I don't think Vlade Divac, Monta Ellis in that order.

We really don't need to have any more technical fouls for the Warriors sake for Gilbert to get more egomaniacal over.

--
-
Also:

Would calling techs on supposed flops be all right with you guys? How do you think this is going to work out? Instant replay checks? A bad idea all around?

Poll

Does Monta flop?

Yes

18 votes

Nope

57 votes

75 votes | Poll has closed

JRich prank on POB

back2back51s — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 08:04:19 -0000

http://nba-boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/nbatv/patrick_obryant_popcorn_prank_061215.asx

It links to a NBA.com streaming video.
(Playable in Windows Media Player)

Jason filled POB's car with popcorn.

LLCOOLP
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
-Tosses popcorn in the air-

http://nba-boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/nbatv/patrick_obryant_popcorn_prank_061215.asx

It links to a NBA.com streaming video.
(Playable in Windows Media Player)

Jason filled POB's car with popcorn.

LLCOOLP
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
-Tosses popcorn in the air-

Warriors become the New Jersey Nets?

back2back51s — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 06:37:59 -0000

If Iverson comes to town.

Okay hold on a minute, everyone loves to talk about New York, no matter how bad they are.

Iverson and Baron = Starbury and Francis?

Why don't we take a look at New Jersey for a minute, bear with me here.

If Iverson comes to town.

Okay hold on a minute, everyone loves to talk about New York, no matter how bad they are.

Iverson and Baron = Starbury and Francis?

Why don't we take a look at New Jersey for a minute, bear with me here.

-Vince Carter: Takes the most shots, on the fence whether he is a superstar, capable of 30 point games, continues to shoot even on bad nights, okay passer.

-Richard Jefferson: Viable 2nd scoring option, nice atheletic ability which makes him an above average rebounder for a guard/SF.

-Jason Kidd: One of the best distributors in the league if not arguably the best(besides that MVP Nash guy), and a nightly triple double threat.

-Nenad Kristic: A serviceable center, shoots a high percentage, rebounds above average, scores when the other 3 don't.

Doesn't that sound like:
-Allen Iverson
-Jason Richardson
-Baron Davis
-Andris Biedrins ?

Too much ego on one team you say? Not enough balls to go around you say?

The Lakers went to the NBA Finals with Payton, Shaq, Kobe, and Malone a few years back (along with some 0.4 sec. miracle shot by Fish).

The Miami Heat won the whole thing last year with Wade, Shaq, Walker, Payton.

And both of those teams were thought of in the preseason as teams who would not have enough shots to go around, or too many egos.

Nellie himself took Dallas well into the playoffs with Nash, Dirk, and Nick (didn't want to come to Golden State after his hot shooting in the playoffs with Dallas) Van Exel.

New Jersey plays in a weak conference, weak division, where winning half their games is enough to make the playoffs, yes, and haven't done much damage once there since the early 2000's Finals runs. We wouldn't have Shaq either, but we would have 3 viable scoring options at any one time.

If we manage to swindle a deal for Iverson, we can have a lineup how they have in New Jersey albeit a few inches shorter, but with minimal difference in talent and abilities. Then if a PF we have left steps up alongside Biedrins' continued growth, even better.

Don Nelson wouldn't be shy about sitting Iverson if he isn't shooting well. But if Iverson doesn't want to be here if he comes over in a proposed trade, we get the Nick Van Exel fiasco all over again.

But if he wants to win and believes this can work, he can play hard every night and know that having a big ego won't get you wins, won't win you a championship, and he'll only have soo many chances over the next few years to even get to try for one.

Thanks for reading, leave some thoughts on any of this; Why it can or cannot work!

Chris Mullin Dream Team Jersey Away Blue/Red/White/Gold

back2back51s — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 15:44:06 -0000

Now at Eastbay.com/Footlocker/Champs, and hopefully a retailer near you and/or The Oracle Arena fan shops. $79.99 MSRP

(online you can find discounts up to 20% off at coupon distributing websites, most likely for Eastbay/Footlocker)

[Image from Eastbay.com online catalog listing]

The quality on these sound better than the Reebok screenprinted thin mesh versions and the tackle/Sewn on name and number "swingman" jerseys, from reports I've read of people who have gotten the Jordan and Pippen/etc. ones.

Its closer to an authentic jersey of today with the polyester thicker than most mesh jerseys.

The inside is lined with gold and the player's stats of the 1992 Olympic Dream Team undefeated run through the games.

For some reason ball boy Laettner has his jersey for sale also, and our man Mullin might not be the best GM in the last few years, but he was a damn fine player in his day and on the Dream Team that was overloaded with talent.

Its been 14 years for someone to finally capitalize on this event with good quality jerseys, and now Nike has the rights.

So GSoM...

HOT OR NOT?!

Small Video Piece on Pietrus

back2back51s — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 10:15:54 -0000

Some skateboarding kids got up close and personal with Warriors backup shooting guard Mickael Pietrus out on the piers of San Francisco.

A short clip with some black & white color editing using a "fish eye lens" and photo overlays of him in action:

Care of YouTube.com and the user BIGPAULYFILMS

I love him admitting he can't skateboard and sits on it to be pushed around like Doug E. Doug out of Cool Runnings or something. And also the Golden Gate Bridge in the background!

GSM EDIT: Thanks for the video link back2back51s! You can actually plug in the video in your post by putting a line break (see Posting Tips) and then copying and pasting the stuff in the "Embed" box. Here's the clip: