Signs that the economy must be picking up

Yes, only because I am willing to spend 13,000 Washingtons on a 6'8" bobble head. One championship "on his own" and they begin pushing this on people??? One question, does it come with an authentic game-worn jockstrap too? I don't even want to imagine what they'll start selling in his likeness if he wins another 3 chips...

In other interesting Kobe paraphernalia news, Nike recently released a special edition Zoom Kobe IV's to commemorate Kobe's entry into the league when he was drafted by the Hornets on June 26, 1996. The shoe comes in Hornet colours and even has the draft date stitched on the back. EXCEPT Nike messed up and put June 11, 1996 instead of the proper date, which is the 26th, not 11th (peep the second pic below). How Nike fudged the draft date of arguably its premier athlete/spokesman is beyond me (remember, this went all the way from the Nike headquarter drawing board to the sweatshop in China without anyone stopping its production). Maybe it's some conspiracy, with the numbers 6-11-96 having some sort of greater meaning. Or maybe someone at Nike has a really twisted sense of humour. Nike will begin putting out the "right date" IV's (see third pic below) once the "wrong date" stock has been sold out. I think the wrong dates are neat and, as in the past when there have been aesthetic mistakes on mass-produced kicks, these will probably become a collector's item and worth a gazillion dollars


(And for another $5,000 they will throw in a Vanessa Bryant blow-up doll)


(I got a feeling the Nike basketball department just got one job opening)