He's Heating Up!

If you were a normal kid and grew up playing NBA Jam for n64 and grew into an adult who has a passion for throwback NBA jerseys, then this post is for you.

A big part of being a bro, in which I take great pride, is attire. Typical bro gear can include any combination of the following: flat brimmed hats, lax pinneys, mid-calf black socks, boat shoes, turf dogs, brown flip flops, knockoff wayfarer sunglasses, croakies for the sunglasses, and of course throwback NBA jerseys. For the sake of blog space, and suspense, I will only touch on the NBA jerseys today and save the rest for later, or my new startup company brogear.com.

Here is my top 10 for the best NBA throwback jerseys to own if you're looking to spice up your wardrobe as the summer approaches:

10. "Thunder" Dan Marjele. #9 Phoenix Suns.



Thunder Dan should be included in the book Stuff White People Like, if he's not already in the expanded edition that should come out soon. Marjele's travel shown above has millions of YouTube hits, proving his popularity among 20something nerds like me. In 1993, Marjele was voted a starter in the NBA All-Star Game by the fans, the first time ever that a player was a starter for an All-Star team without even starting own his own team.

9. Jeff Hornacek. #14 Utah Jazz.
Hornacek's jersey is the epitome of the notion that it's cool to own jerseys of lesser known NBA players. You could argue that it would be cooler to have Hornacek's gruesome two-some mate, John Stockton, but everyone still remembers Stockton. Let's face it, these old Jazz jerseys are great. And you have to give props to Hornacek's contributions during the golden years of Jazz basketball.

8. Larry Bird. #33 Boston Celtics.
I know what your thinking..."this guy totally contradicts himself with this selection". And you're right. But this list would be incomplete without Bird. People literally think he was the reincarnation of Christ on the court calling him the Basketball Jesus. He is also widely respected in how he represented the Caucasian race and the East coast during his rivalry with Magic Johnson. Plus he has this awesome commercial with Johnson where he just clowns on him. That deserves a spot on this list.

7. Tom Gugliotta. #24 Minnesota Timberwolves.
Gugliotta is an authority in "NBA Jam". Like, seriously, it's almost impossible to beat him. Googs also starred under Jim Valvano at NC State so he certainly has been gifted with the inspirational words of Valvano throughout his career.

6. Cliff Robinson. #3 Portland Trailblazers.
No, this is not the same Cliff Robinson that played for the Nets. This Cliff Robinson was lucky enough to sport these sweet Blazers jerseys. Robinson was given the 1992-1993 NBA 6th Man award. I can really identify with him because I used to come off the bench myself and contribute valuable minutes (in the 5th quarter). He is also currently holding the #8 spot on the list of "longest NBA careers" in terms of games played...he really wanted to use that longevity to get on this list.

5. Bryant "Big Country" Reeves. #50 Vancouver Grizzlies.
First of all, it's incredibly cool to own jerseys of teams that don't even exist anymore (see also, later in this list). Second, much like Googs, Big Country is an absolute force in "NBA Jam". A word to anyone who might dust off their n64 after reading this post..if you go up against Reeves, don't even attempt layups or anything close to the rim because he'll swat you every time.

4. Dominique Wilkins. #21 Atlanta Hawks.
Ok, this was a real tossup. Between Wilkins, Mookie Blaylock, and Spudd Webb, I had to pick one to be on this list since these old Hawk jerseys are outrageous. What really won Wilkins the spot was that he competed in 5 dunk contests throughout his career, winning 2 (1 over Jordan). Who cares if he never won a league title, the guy was a show.

3. Larry "Grandmamma" Johnson. #2 Charlotte Hornets.
This falls under the "teams that don't exist anymore" category. And much like Wilkins, I had to include one of the 90's Hornets stars on here. Seriously, who didn't like the Hornets growing up? Find me that person so I can fight him/her.

2. Shawn Kemp. #40 Seattle Supersonics.
I was also a huge fan of the Sonics when I was a kid. I actually liked Gary Payton more than Kemp but there are reasons that Kemp made this list over Payton. Kemp has a long history of arrests relating to cocaine and weapons possession. He is also reportedly the father of AT LEAST 7 children. And he recently starred in an episode of Pros vs. Joes.

1. "Pistol" Pete Maravich. #7 Atlanta Hawks.
Go look up his stats. Enough said.


~ Geno.

In Defense of Neil Young, Cholos, and Paul Bunyan...

Winter is the season that everyone loves to hate, except for folks who think snow is magical (and, not so coincidentally, have never had to shovel the stuff).  The days are cold, short, and generally miserable.  However, the beauty of the season is this: it's not only acceptable to walk around the house or around town dressed like Neil Young, it's actually encouraged.  So, with that in mind, I'd like to highlight a few pieces that help make the best of an awful season.

Boots

As much as I love my boat shoes, they just don't provide the protection against the elements (that and my unwillingness to wear socks) that one needs in winter.  Boots provide an excellent cold-weather alternative for situations where casual, non-sneaker footwear is called for.  For those with a ton of disposable income ($300 worth), what better way to stomp around the neighborhood than in a pair of handsome Red Wing Gentleman Travelers?  They look great with a pair of jeans or courduroys, will last forever if properly cared for, and are rugged, yet urbane. 

The Gentleman Travelers

However, for those bros among us who haven't quite reached baller status quite yet (myself included), a pair of desert boots provide a great alternative at a fraction of the cost ($85 or so).  Clarks Desert Boots are like Wayfarers, Levi's, and low-top white sneakers -- classics that never go out of style.  Although they come in suede, I prefer the leather, as they're easier to clean and take care of and the beeswax sole is just too cool for school.  Desert Boots also go great with anything (jeans, khakis, cords) and, like certain people's mothers, look better with age.  

Yes, please.

Having covered more casual boots, it's time to talk about the pair that you'll need to wear when it's wet, no matter the season.  When you're trudging to class or shoveling snow, you place a premium on function over form.  However, there's another classic piece of footwear that provides both -- the Bean Boot.  Bean Boots (also known generically as "duck boots") have been around forever, and there's a good chance that you and/or your parents own a pair or have owned a pair at one time or another.  They're warm and comfortable, they look great on men and women (they also come in a variety of heights), and they last a long time, especially for an inexpensive shoe.  

Stuff white people like.

Flannel Shirts

They're not just for paper towel salesman, lumberjacks, cholos, or burnouts.  A flannel shirt's fit makes all the difference in the world.  There's nothing necessarily wrong with this, but something more tailored (as incidentally seen here) will keep your friends' Paul Bunyan jokes to a minimum.  Take it from Neil, flannel shirts are still as cool today as they were forty years ago.  Don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

Stephen Stills and Neil Young

-- J.J. Gittes