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titleChoosing Athletic Shoes – Tips and Tricks/titlepNo matter what your sport is, your athletic shoes are one of the most important pieces of equipment. From tennis to running, basketball to soccer, choosing the right athletic shoes for the right reasons can make a huge difference in keeping your feet and body healthy. Below you will find some of the things you need to consider when choosing shoes for your sport./ppbStyle Is Not Everything/b/ppJust about every day, someone asks me about their shoes. Questions vary from sport to sport, but the fact remains that the majority of people choose athletic shoes based on brand names and styles, rather than what is best for their own feet./ppI know that it can be hard to pass up those awesome looking shoes that match your uniform perfectly, but in the long run, the most important thing is that the athletic shoe serves its function…to support and protect your feet. So, lets take a closer look at what makes a good athletic shoe./ppbThe Heel Box/b/ppWhen I explain shoes to my patients, I always start with the heel box. This is where most people are similar in their needs. A sturdy heel box is essential to help control your rear-foot during athletic activities. The heel box is essentially the back third of the shoe, that surrounds your heel. Most athletic shoes have a heel box made up of leather, and some type of plastic or rubber reinforcement. However, not all athletic shoes are created equal. To test the heel box, try bending it over, or squeezing it in, and see how much resistance you encounter. If you can easily fold over the heel box, then chances are you will not get much support./ppbThe Upper/b/ppThis is the area where most people make the mistake that causes injury. The Upper is the portion of the shoe that surrounds the foot. It is the upper portion of the shoe, from the heel box to the toe box. Uppers can be fashioned from all kinds of different materials, from mesh to leather, and other types of fabrics. Depending on your foot type, you may need more or less support from the upper./ppThis portion of the shoe helps to control the mid and forefoot. Too much motion in these areas will allow for excessive stress through the meta-tarsals and tarsals, and can result in stress fractures, tendonitis, and other problems. To determine what type of foot you have, grab ahold of your foot with both hands, and move it around. Try moving individual bones around…do you find lots of motion, with little resistance, or is your foot very rigid, with little movement. You do not have to be an expert to tell if you have a flexible or rigid foot. Your athletic shoe should be opposite of your foot type. For rigid feet, you can get by with mesh or other light materials for the upper, as you need less support for your foot. For a flexible foot, you should lean more toward a rigid upper, that will control excessive motion and reduce stress./ppbThe Arch/b/ppArch support is essential for good athletic shoes. Even people with good arches, or great feet mechanics should have sufficient arch support. But, arch support is more than just the arch. It is the way that the sole of the athletic shoe is created and constructed that determines the overall characteristics of the arch. And as far as those cushy insoles that they try to upsell you at the shoe store – pass on those as they just add comfort, not support./ppWhen choosing shoes, look closely at the sole of the shoe. A good arch support will be evident by the shape of the shoe. Notice the outline of the sole. There should be a minimal amount of change in width between the toe and the heel. The wider the athletic shoe is at the middle (where your arch is), the more surface area there is to support your foot. So, avoid shoes that start out wide at the toe, narrow way down in the middle, and then flare out again at the heel./ppbChange is Good/b/ppEven the perfect athletic shoe will wear out over time. I have seen quite a few injuries due to old or worn out shoes. Just like any other equipment, you should monitor your shoes, and replace them when they wear out. If you are a runner, monitor your mileage, and replace them as appropriate./ppHow do you know when to buy new shoes? Well, holes, or pieces falling off are generally good indicators…But if it is not that obvious, look for all of the qualities that you used to choose the athletic shoe in the first place. Is the heel box still sturdy? Is the upper as rigid as it needs to be to control your foot? Is the arch still in good shape, or have you worn down one side of the sole? Answer these questions, and inspect your shoes often to keep them protecting your feet./ppbSummary/b/ppGood athletic shoes do not have to be flashy, or expensive to serve their intended purpose. There are lots of shoes out there that will fit both your needs and your budget. Look for all of the right qualities to fit your foot, and you are sure to make a wise decision. And when in doubt? Discuss shoe wear with other athletes, and the sales person at the shoe store. Chances are they have some good insight./ppBarton Anderson is a certified athletic trainer for St. Johns Sports Medicine. He is the creator of a target=_new href=http://www.sports-injury-info.com/ezshoesSports Injury Info/a, and is dedicated to providing sports injury information to his athletes and the public. Barton holds a Masters of Science Degree in Sports Health Care, and is certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association./pbrbr

Think about people’s shirts. You are probably picturing white dress shirts, golf shirts, t-shirts, sports shirts such as basketball and football jerseys, women’s blouses, maybe even branching out into sweaters but what is the one shirt that almost everyone can recognize and identify with a particular profession? If you are in the medical profession then you know the answer because you are wearing one. That’s right it is scrub tops and people all over the world can recognize them as something doctors, nurses, dentists, technologists, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals wear while working.

If you figure just about everyone goes to see a doctor for one reason or another and just about everywhere in the world people wear scrubs, then it stands as reason to believe the most recognized shirt in the world would be a scrubs shirt. Of course, not all scrubs shirts look alike anymore. It used to be a standard white and then green, now you can get metro scrubs in different colors and patterns. There are designer scrubs, scrubs with school logos that come in school colors, custom made scrubs, form fitting scrubs, and plus size scrubs. Even though you can get all of these different scrubs, they all still look similar enough that you can almost always recognize scrubs on medical professionals even when they are not in the office, hospital or clinic.

One of the benefits about buying scrubs today is that you can buy them online which means anyone from anywhere in the world can buy the same scrubs. If you live in Africa and you were a graduate of Notre Dame you can get your school colors and logo on your next set of scrubs. If you want custom logos for your office or hospital, you can order that from anywhere in the world. You are not limited much due to your location any longer; the internet is an equalizer for fashion.

Along with scrub shirts you can order other accessories that mix and match with the shirts including of course the scrubs pants. Along with the pants you can get jackets, hats and shoes. All of these are also available on the internet.

Without any market surveys to back up this claim it is still suggested that scrub tops are the most recognized shirts in the world. Now that they come in metro scrubs and plus size scrubs your choices are endless when it comes to mixing and matching colorful scrubs, even though they might not be as recognizable as the old standard green scrubs.

Larry Bird’s impact on NBA basketball history was immediate. For the 1980 season Larry Bird led the Celtics to superstardom legacy. Bird was named the league’s Rookie lingerie The Year and was voted onto the Eastern Conference All Star-Team. He was honored with this title all for all of his twelve seasons of his career in the NBA. He was scoring 12 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, an outstanding 143 steals and second in assists.

In Bird’s second professional season- he led the Celtics to the NBA Playoffs. Larry Bird helped the Celtics’ deficit by helping them overcome and winning the last three games, which propelled the Celtics into the NBA Finals. They defeated the Houston Rockets in six games.

In 1984 Bird earned the award for Most Valuable Player by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven game final. The following year, the Boston Celtics would have another incredible winning year by defeating The Rockets in six games. Bird again was honored with the Finals MVP Award for that year, averaging 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

In 1987 Bird made his final appearance for the Celtics against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Detroit Pistons. That year the Celtics ended up losing to the unmatched Lakers in six games and to the Detroit Pistons in 1988.

Bird’s body continued to deteriorate to injuries to debilitating back problems and to bone spurs in his heels. Both these conditions would eventually lead to his retirement in 1992. Unwilling to stop due to injuries, he joined Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan to play in the United States basketball team for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Names the “Dream Team”- they defeated their competition to win the Gold Medal for the United States Basketball Olympic Team.

Larry Bird’s NBA honors include; elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame (1988), NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986), NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986), NBA MVP ( 1984, 1985, 1986), Nine-Time All-NBA First Team ( 1980-88), All NBA Second Team (1990), All-Defensive Second Team (1982, 1983, 1984), NBA Rookie of The Year (1980), One of the Fifty Greatest Players in NBA History (1996), Olympic Gold Medalist (1992).

About the Author: Eddie Delgado is the owner and writer for http://www.VintageSportsCardMemorabilia.com VSCM is the ultimate NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL sports card and memorabilia site for Abecita collectors.

Every era has a small group of players that take the country by storm. Their style, skill, or passion for championships mark these special players. Pete Maravich was one of those rare players that combined the uncanny ability to score from everywhere on the floor night in and night out! There will never be another Pistol Pete!

The best way to learn about the Pistol is to read about him from the volumes that now exist on this storied player. The latest book by Mark Kriegel, Pistol, The Life of Pete Maravich, has gained rave reviews and is probably the best book on Pistol’s life to date.

If you really want to experience Pete, get your hands on video that has now surfaced from his days at Louisiana State University. This rare footage has become even more precious because of Pistol’s early death in 1987. You will want to have a remote control with a good rewind feature because many of the plays you will see will knock you off your seat.

Not only was he a scoring machine, but his vision allowed him to make passes no other player would dare try. Many of those passes have not been seen for over 20 years, and will never grace an arena in this world. There are many reasons for this bold statement. Pete Maravich’s life was basketball. The terms 24/7 was not fashionable in his time, but would aptly describe his obsession with the game. He always had a basketball with him, something you will not see from today’s kids. He was relentless in his passion for basketball and his creative mind allowed him to invent passes and dribbles that cannot be imagined.

We lost The Pistol much too early, though his legacy lives on. Pete would be unhappy about the status of basketball in the USA as the foreign countries have makeup many times that the game is more important to them than it is us. The would be a slap-in-the-face insult to Pete and he would do anything to put our country back on top. He would tell you that talent alone is not enough. Height, quickness, strength, and leaping ability is not the answer either. Victory lies in the heart of every player who plays the game.

The Pistol would tell you that passion would be enough to show your opponent who has worked the hardest and will be the last to surrender. His love for the game is unmatched. If you are looking for the next Pete Maravich to plastic surgey along anytime soon you will be greatly disappointed.

Randy Brown has passion for the game of basketball. He works as a basketball consultant and mentor for coaches. Visit him at http://www.coachrb.com for free resources, Q & A, newsletter, and coaching programs. A speaker and writer, he has authored 75 articles on coaching and is nationally published. His 18 years in college basketball highlights a successful 23-year career. Mentored by Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson at Arizona. Resume includes positions at Arizona, Iowa State, Marquette, Drake, and Miami of Ohio, 5 Conference Championships and 5 NCAA appearances. His efforts have helped develop 12 NBA players including Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, and Jaamal Tinsley. To contact Randy, email him at rb@coachrb.com

In my research into the difference between the American game and the International game some interesting observations are evident. This article will share with you my thoughts after watching many teams over the past month. The differences will surprise you!

In the past month I have worked diligently on a project for FIBA, the Federation of International Basketball. The task is to watch and develop scouting reports on each team, men’s and women’s, that participated int he 2006 World Championships.
The men’s teams include Spain (Champion), Turkey, USA, Argentina, Germany, France and Greece. Women’s teams include Australia, France, Russia, Spain, USA, Czechoslovakia, Brazil and Lithuania.

One of the most interesting observations I’ve made during the past month is the differences in our game and the game played Internationally. The style of play contains some differences but our way of playing is severely being overshadowed by the creativity of our foreign counterparts.

Imagine a player from the USA flying down the lane with his defender riding his shoulder. As the pivot foot is planted firmly, the anticipation is that of a thunderous slam dunk, right? We’ve become brain washed to expect a vicious attack on the rim. Nothing wrong with a dunk down the lane, but creativity has become a lost art.

Do you remember the artistry demonstrated by Dave Bing, Pistol Pete Maravich, Tiny Archibald, Magic Johnson, and George Gervin? I loved the way those guys “finished” a play. The variety of shots were endless from the finger roll to the scoop shot, these guys had it all. Those shots are a thing of the past because the game has become so physical and aggressive. Is there a place in the game for these shots to make a comeback? The International game would say “YES” and I’ve got the DVD’s to prove it.

My plan is to put together several groups of clips to show the differences in the two games. Here are some areas where the “Spain’s” of the word have an advantage on us.

1. The art of the on ball screen is at an extremely high level in International ball. The usage of this screen is creative and very hard to guard. Why? The fact that they “read the defense” vs. the defense reading the dribbler makes it an art form all by itself. There are no less than six unique ways that are used to attack the defense in these on ball screening situations.

2. Pass-oriented basketball. The passing is impressive on teams like Argentina, Greece, and Spain. The passes are quick, crisp and have a definite purpose. The number of passes per possession by these teams is higher than Team USA. I know you can’t score points for passing, but it sure can move the defense and lead to some very good scoring opportunities. I thought the idea was to “move the defense” with ball and player movement. My beef with team USA in this summer 2006 tournament is the lack of ball and player movement. It seems that a team is easier to guard if it is more stagnant in its movement.

3. Movement away from the ball. I’m amazed at how well the International players play off of each other. Every move is calculated and done efficiently. There are no “ball watchers” on ball penetration. Again, this kind of feel for the game and awareness of your teammates is impressive. You could blindfold the dribbler and he would still hit his teammate as if he has 18 sets of eyes in his head.

4. Finishing with a variety of shots. It seems that in our game you must power or muscle the ball to the basket. At some point, the finesse needed to finish shots went out the window. The International women in particular are very adept as they approach the basket on the dribble. Rolling layups, hook shots, and reverse over-the-shoulder shots are common place in their game. Shots are made with both hands with amazing precision.

5. Team play. There is nothing like it in my book. Basketball is a team game and needs to be played like it. I get ill watching 4 players stand and watch a teammate try to beat his man AND the rest of the defense to the basket. Is that team ball?

I am using an incredible editing system for this project; the Sideline Analyzer and Organizer. If you have this software you could easily watch hundreds of clips that I have stored on my Sideline system. Sideline is easy to use and cost effective. I would recommend this system to the high school and college coach without hesitation or reservation. I will be making more observations as time goes due to this fascinating project.

Randy Brown has passion for the game of basketball. He works as a basketball consultant and mentor for coaches. Visit him at http://www.coachrb.com for free resources, Q & A, newsletter, and coaching programs. A speaker and writer, he has authored 75 articles on coaching and is nationally published. His 18 years in college basketball highlights a successful 23-year career. Mentored by Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson at Arizona. Resume includes positions at Arizona, Iowa State, lips Drake, and Miami of Ohio, 5 Conference Championships and 5 NCAA appearances. His efforts have helped develop 12 NBA players including Steve Kerr, spa Elliott, and Jaamal Tinsley. To contact Randy, email him at rb@coachrb.com.

Last season the Portland Trail Blazers finished with the worst record in the NBA and the mood in the Blazers camp was down. However, this season though the Blazers did not make it to the playoffs, they are excited.

The reason for the excitement are the three rookies — Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Sergio Rodriguez. They have given Portland high hopes for the future.

This season the Blazers finished 32-50, 11 more wins than the previous season.

Coach Nate McMillian said that he likes the current team and is excited about summer with the draft, free agency and summer league. He hopes to get a player or two to help the team over the final hurdle.

Roy was named the rookie of the month in West three times. He was also selected for the All-Star game’s rookie team and looks to be the main contender for the league’s rookie of the year honor. This season Roy averaged 16.8 points and had 4.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists.

Roy, who played at Washington, was selected by the Blazers on a wild draft day. The Blazers also got Aldridge and Rodriguez in the first round of the draft.

Aldridge averaged 9.0 points and 5.0 assists, and has played well as a starter after Joel Przybilla underwent a knee surgery. However, the Blazers had a scare late in the season when Aldridge left a game because of dizziness and shortness of breath. Tests conducted on Aldridge revealed a heart condition called Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome, which is treatable and not career-threatening.

Rodriguez is from Spain and he has been compared to Steve Nash. Rodriguez was trouble by an ankle sprain in the middle of the season but he has shown that he can play aggressively and fast. He is averaging 3.7 points and 3.3 assists.

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