SNEAKERS

At least that's what we called them in the day. Maybe gym shoes.

I'm not sure what they call them now, but these athletic shoes worn by Shawn Marion (what a talent and 9th in the All-Star Voting at power forward) got me thinking about kicks or kickers as we sometimes called them, too.

I am the owner of two pairs. I wear them only sporadically because they call for socks. Coming from an age of loafers or boat shoes (Sperrys) without socks, I never outgrew that style. For some reason, I've been blessed (?) with very warm hands and feet. So socks just add to my warm. Coach Law is the only other human who had such a diversion to socks that I know of. Incidentally, we both wear golf sandals.

But back to my two pairs of tenny runners ( a term I never cared for). They're both Tommy Hilfiger--red/blue and white and orange/blue and white. I've had the first pair for about nine years and the second pair for about eight. They've seen lots of miles including jogging and walking. They've seen travel and overseas times, too. But except for an occasional airing outside and a little breakdown of the sole that comes up over the toe on one pair, they're still serviceable and I see no reason for change. Too much information? Ok.

Why I go into so much detail about my zapatos is that I read an article about the shoes of the Phoenix Suns. Some players get brand spanking new shoes after every game. Every single game. And those babies are not cheap by any means. Others change after 3 or 5 games. One player, Nash, I think about every 15 games. Only one Sun interviewed, Jimmy Jackson, I believe, got almost a season out of them.

Jack Buck often talked about affluence in our society when cubbie fans threw back a home run hit by the opposing team. He much preferred their keeping the ball and playing with it in the 'hood. He reflected on the days of his youth when baseballs, worn and blackened by grass stain, were held together with black tape. I share those times, too.

I looked at some Nikes the other day. But that's all I did. They looked too pinchy to me. Now where the heck's that black tape?