Best Stuff for Men » Sports

Kaskey Kids Football Guys and Other Sports Action Figures are Fun Toys That Encourage Your Kids to Play Imaginatively

ECJ — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:34:30 +0000

Click here to see the full line of Kaskey Kids sports figures, such as Hockey Guys

Imaginative play is important for your kids’ mental and emotional development. It helps improve their intelligence, fosters psychological resilience, and teaches them to handle diverse circumstances.

There aren’t too many high-quality, inexpensive toys that can help expand your kids’ ability to play imaginatively, while at the same time being fun over the long-term. But that’s exactly what the sports figures from Kaskey Kids are able to do.

Not only can these creative playthings encourage your children to put their imagination into play, they also teach kids the fundamentals of team sports and how to think strategically. As a result, the Kaskey Kids Football Guys, Soccer Guys, Baseball Guys, and more have won awards and become a notable success story in the toy marketplace.

=> Click here to check out the award-winning Kaskey Kids Football Guys, Hockey Guys, and other team sports action figures, along with their “Bop Bags” and Go! Go! Sports Dolls. And, since you’re going through my site, enter code “CJ10″ during checkout to get 10% off your order!

You remember the toy soldiers you played with as a kid? That was a perfect example of the imagination at play as you made up elaborate scenarios and stories for your army of action figures.

Well, Kaskey Kids is just like that, except instead of soldiers the figures are athletes — baseball players, hockey players, football players, and soccer players. See the video below for an in-depth look at the fun kids can have with Kaskey Kids sports action figures available at Kaskeykids.com:

For kids in the age-range of 3 – 10 years old, the Kaskey Kids sports action figures can provide hours of fun, unstructured play — as well as giving you the opportunity to teach your son or daughter about a particular sport, the rules of the game, how a team works together on the field, and so on. They make excellent instructional play sets for your budding soccer player, hockey player, football player, or baseball player.

In addition to free-form play, there are also several different structured games that the Kaskey Kids company has created that enable you (or their siblings or friends) to play with their football guys, soccer guys, and other action figures along with them in ways that encourage strategic thinking and planning (see the Kaskey Kids site for more details). For parents and for kids, Kaskey Kids sports guys are a win-win toy!

Click to see all the styles of Kaskey Kids Football Guys

Kaskey Kids are the brainchild of Christy Kaskey, a mother of three who in 2002 was trying to find action figures that her sports-loving kids could play with.

She couldn’t find anything on the market that fit the bill — action figures other than soldiers or superheroes that her kids could play with while also focusing on the sports they enjoyed — so she created sports figures herself. The Kaskey Kids company was born; the first production run of the Football Guys sold out in a matter of weeks, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Kaskey Kids Sports Figures are Award Winners

Since they became available, Kaskey Kids’ sports-figure toys have received many accolades from the toy industry, including the Gold Seal “Best Toy Award” from Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, the 2011 Brilliance Award from Brilliant Sky Toys & Books (in the imaginative play category), the 2007 Best Toy Award from Learning Express (for the Kaskey Kids Football Guys), a “Four Star Certified” rating from WTS Toy Review, a National Parenting Center “Seal of Approval” in 2011 for the Hockey Guys… and the list goes on.

Enthusiastic press reviews and articles have also appeared in national media — including, most recently, the Sports Illustrated for Kids 2011 “Gotta Get It Guide,” which is featured on the Kaskey Kids homepage. In the “Gotta Get It Guide,” the Kaskey Kids NHL Hockey Guys, Rangers Vs. Bruins, are recommended.

The Kaskey Kids Football Guys come in both “pro” football and college football versions (with teams such as Auburn, Michigan, Ohio State, and Texas). The Hockey Guys come in both generic (blue versus yellow) and NHL figures. The Baseball Guys are classic red vs. blue action figures. Each team of sports figures comes with a field (for the football guys and soccer guys — and there are also soccer girls), a rink (for the hockey guys), and a diamond (for the baseball guys), along with referee figures and other equipment that enable your kid(s) to play with their action figures on a surface that matches the sport. The “outdoor” fields are made of sturdy felt — much more durable and satisfying to play with than a plastic sheet.

The Kaskey Kids sports figures are made of sturdy molded plastic and are in compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. They will stand up to years of play and are large enough for toddlers’ hands to easily grasp.

Customer (Parents’) reviews of Kaskey Kids Sports Guys

But what’s the bottom line? What do parents have to say about how well their kids like the Kaskey Kids Football Guys, Baseball Guys, Hockey Guys, Soccer Guys and other toys? Well, “5-star” reviews significantly outnumber any other rating for Kaskey Kids sports figures. Here are excerpts from online customer reviews of Kaskey Kids creative playthings:

Kids of all ages can play with Kaskey Kids action figures in whatever ways they like (photo of an actual Kaskey Kids fan)

“So many toys advertise ‘hours of fun.’ This one should, because it is probably the most played-with toy my boys, ages 5 and 7, have. We have the soccer guys, football guys, and baseball guys. My boys play with them alone or together and have done so for several years. This is one of our staple toys…”

“My nephew loves this [toy]. However, that being said, even without the [hockey rink] boards, he loved playing with the ice surface and players. He would re-enact Bruins games and do the play by play. As he grew, he wanted to have the side boards again and would often build them with blocks. He plays with this toy so often that I wanted to give him a chance to have a new one now that he is older. I love the fact that it is not an electronic [toy] but rather one that encourages his imagination… He is now 7 and had the first one since he was 3 or 4 years old.”

“My boys use the field and baseball figures to track the the plays their ‘teams’ make on a baseball pinball game. When used this way it brings the pinball game to life and adds the excitement of wondering what will happen next.”

“We’ve got three little boys, ages 8, 5, & 3, who love the hockey, soccer, football, and baseball guys. For little ones who like ‘guys,’ these toys really encourage imaginative play. For us, preferred over video games and movies. Very fun to watch.”

“My 8-yr-old son has had the Baseball Guys for a couple of years, along with the Football Guys. Great toys! Very well designed and durable. We love that one of the baseball teams is red (like our beloved Red Sox) and one blue (we pretend they are the Yankees). The scoreboard that is included is so cute, you can adjust the score and it stands up. Lots of imaginative fun with this toy! Perfect for our little baseball fan.”

“My 5-year-old son absolutely loved [the Baseball Guys]. Although he received many other gifts for his birthday, many of which had pretty high ‘wow’ factor, this was far and away his favorite. It won over Transformers, Star Wars figures, and Legos. I’m still somewhat incredulous, but clearly he loves it. One week later and he’s still happily playing and making up games. In addition, it’s helped him understand some of the elements of the game that were beyond him. He can position players and is starting to mimic the announcers he sees playing. He’s even put #11 at short, since Jimmy Rollins is his favorite player.”

About the only critical comments reviewers made about the Kaskey Kids toys was that the carrying cases used to store the sets could be a little bigger — the size made it a bit hard for small kids (say, 3 years old) to put away. Also, the play surface “fields” would sometimes tend to wrinkle, making it harder to stand the action figures up. (However, those reviewers might not have followed the instructions from Kaskey Kids, which is to store the playing surfaces rolled up, and, when the new games are first opened and taken out of the box, let them sit flat for awhile to let the creases flatten out. You can even iron the felt fields.)

Of course, Kaskey Kids sports figures not only encourage pretend play on the part of your kids, they’re also great for kids who have already developed a love of sports or an interest in a particular sport, such as football, hockey, or baseball. Some kids — even 3-year-olds — take to such things early. Just ask Christy Kaskey. (Yes, 3-year-olds can understand the concept of a “body check.”)

Click to see the Kaskey Kids Baseball Guys and accessories -- including field and scoreboard

And throughout the cold, short days and long nights of the winter months, letting your kids put their imagination to work with Football Guys or Soccer Guys will go a long way toward occupying their time when it’s hard for them to get outdoors and be active.

Further information on the benefits of imaginative or “pretend” play

Many studies have been performed on how kids develop both physically and mentally through play, as well as analyses of the types of play that foster healthy development. With regard to pretend play specifically, much scholarly research is available and you can find this research summarized online, such as this article on pretend play entitled The Role of Pretend Play in Children’s Cognitive Development.

The bottom line, as summarized in the relatively brief article linked to above, is that high-quality pretend play fosters “cognitive competence” in kids. A growing body of research suggests that pretend play, or imaginative play, plays an important role in cognitive, social, and academic development, that it may facilitate higher-level thinking and creativity, and that there is a clear link between pretend play and social and linguistic competence.

Studies also suggest that children who lack opportunities to play imaginatively experience a diminished capacity for problem solving and social interaction, as well as a decline in the ability to handle academic subjects such as math, literacy, and science. Complex skills and multidimensional abilities are most likely to be fully developed and thrive in an environment where high-quality pretend play is encouraged.

Kaskey Kids has also posted an article on their site written by Kara Bowman, an educator associated with the Museum Tour Catalog, entitled The Joys of Open-Ended Play.

You know, there’s a reason kids like to actively imagine things as they play: it’s turning them into better all-around human beings.

Sports action figures are just a part of the creative, sports-oriented toys Kaskey Kids offers

As mentioned above, Kaskey Kids also has “Bop Bags,” which are 40-inch tall Tackle Buddies and Checking Buddies that your little guys can knock around and have bounce back for more. Kaskey also has Mini Packs of action sports figures in different colors, so you can add new players and teams to your collection of Baseball Guys, Hockey Guys, or whatever teams you have. And they also have the Sports Girls dolls, which are 14-inch plush, soft cotton dolls — girls doing various sports and other activities, such as Basketball Doll Taye, Dancer Doll M. C., and Tennis Doll Gracie — a collection of 9 Sport Girls dolls in all.

As with all the Kaskey Kids creative playthings, the Bop Bags and Sports Girls dolls are well-made and very reasonably priced.

There’s a big difference in how a kid is thinking, imagining, and interacting when he’s playing with something such as a Nintendo 3DS or with a truly 3-dimensional toy like the Kaskey Kids sports action guys.

Not that there’s anything wrong with a Nintendo 3DS… But your kid is not developing or expanding his imaginative powers in the same way when he’s pushing the controller of a video game as he is when he’s playing with a tactile, colorful, reality-based toy like the Kaskey Kids action figures — when he’s setting them up, imagining the plays the teams are running, doing the play-by-play like an announcer, and learning actual sports strategies. Plus he can play along with his siblings and/or friends and expand the scenarios and action even more.

Give Kaskey Kids Football Guys, Soccer Guys, Hockey Guys, and other creative toys strong consideration for your young athletes-to-be (or whatever they want to imagine themselves being). It’s hard to find a toy these days that offers so many positive benefits at such a reasonable price. Plus offers your kids fun and satisfaction over the long term.

Vasque Mindbender GTX Trail Running Shoes Are Like SUVs for Your Feet

ECJ — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:49:49 +0000

Click here to get top-rated Vasque Mindbender GTX Trail Running Shoes from Big Sky Country

The best trail running shoes are a combination of toughness, support, water-resistance, versatility, comfort, breathability, and traction. When it comes to all these criteria, the waterproof Mindbender GTX Trail Running Shoes from Vasque are superior.

These are shoes for serious trail runners. And when I say serious, I mean someone who runs trails consistently in all seasons (especially winter) and wants to have a good experience every time, rain or shine (especially rain… and snow… and mud).

If you’re running primarily in good weather on roads and groomed paths in your city park, you don’t need the Mindbender GTX. But if you’re running the Western States 100 — or you want to run it — then the Vasque Mindbender GTX shoes are some of the best friends your feet can have. Likewise for winter trail running.

=>Click here to see and purchase the Vasque Mindbender GTX Trail Running Shoe at Big Sky Country<=

When I say that the Vasque Mindbender GTX Trail Running Shoes are like sport utility vehicles for your feet, I mean that, like a sport utility vehicle, they are built to handle a wide variety of conditions and demands. By itself, running is challenging for the body — it stresses the feet, legs, joints, and the whole cardiovascular system. Running on trails adds the further challenge of dealing with rocks, roots, gravel, mud, slush, rain, thorny plants, ice, cold, wind, snow, heat, and even asphalt. In other words, trail running shoes must be built to adapt to it all, protect your feet, cushion your stride, help you keep your footing, and do it all over and over again. (It wouldn’t do to have a trail running shoe that was good for a couple hundred miles and then fell apart.)

Vasque knows how to make the best trail running shoes.

Click here to find Vasque Mindbender GTX Trail Running Shoes on sale right now for a good price at Backcountry.com. Don’t wait to take advantage of this sale because inventory is going fast.

When it comes to shoes and boots, we all learn from experience that there are brands of footwear that we can count on to perform reliably. For me, I’d say the two shoe brands I’ve found I can trust the most are Merrell and Vasque. No product — shoe or boot — that I have bought from these two companies has ever disappointed me. In fact, they’ve exceeded expectations.

So I am confident in recommending the Vasque Mindbender GTX Trail Running Shoes to you and figure that you’re 95 percent likely to be pleased with them. But don’t just take my word for it. Here are other reviews of this shoe…

Right now, click here to take advantage of Vasque Footwear (including Mindbender shoes) on sale at LeftLane Sports for up to 55% off (ends 1/23/12).

Reviews of the Vasque Mindbender GTX Trail Running Shoe

Click to get the Vasque Mindbender GTX at Moosejaw -- they have a good selection of sizes

The testers at Outside magazine winnowed all the trail running shoes on the market down to 4 models that they recommend for winter running. The Vasque Mindbender GTX is one of their top-rated shoes. Their thumbnail description of the shoe is: “A waterproof beast for technical trails.” (And by “technical,” they mean steep, gnarly, and rough.)

They said that the sturdy toe bumper and armored upper of the Mindbender GTX “brushed off softball-sized rocks.” They praised the Gore-Tex liner’s water-proofness and said that the lugged sole gripped better than expected on both gravel and mud. The only two caveats they offered were not to expect this shoe to perform like a fast trainer when running on easier surfaces, such as roads (and I will second that evaluation); it’s built to take punishment and protect your feet, so naturally it’s a bit heftier than your everyday training flat. And narrow-footed testers tended to find the fit a bit “sloshy,” so if you have narrow feet, you may have to tighten them a lot, or consider another model. (If you have narrow feet, take a look at the La Sportiva Crosslite 2.0 Trail Running Shoe, another top choice by Outside. Read the customer reviews at Zappos at the preceding text link.)

Outside also noted that the Mindbender GTX is “tough enough for long mountain hauls and hefty enough to double as your light-hiking shoe.” They are especially good for winter running.

Krissy Moehl, a professional ultrarunner who was chosen by Ultrarunning Magazine as the 3rd-ranked female Ultrarunner of the Year in 2009, has worn the Mindbender to race both the Western States 100 (where she placed 2nd) and the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (where she set the women’s course record).

Of the Vasque Mindbender, Krissy wrote:

“I love to be a tester for new products, and and love when everything works from the first time you slip them on. I knew when I ran a 15 mile road/trail run in these blue [Mindbender] beauties right out of the box that they would be my shoe for Western [States]. Start to finish in the crazy heat and through the river I never touched the laces till well after the finish. Eight weeks later, in a brand new pair, I toed the line for Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc and thankfully didn’t have to worry about my feet for the next 25 hours. Give them a try.”

The Vasque Mindbender GTX was also selected by the editors of Outside China magazine as their 2011 “Gear of the Year.”

The reviewers at Liberty Sports magazine stated: “Rarely are shoe manufacturers able to find the right balance of stiffness and protection, but Vasque has done it with the Mindbender GTX.”

Several reviewers of the Mindbender GTX noted that the shoe feels and performs like a lighter shoe when out on the trail.

Here’s a video review of the Vasque Mindbender GTX by Kevin Fonger of ActiveGearReview.com:

Spec’s and Design of the Vasque Mindbender GTX

Vasque builds the shoe on the “Perpetuum” last, which helps flat-footed runners due to its straight shape — the foot lies naturally in the footbed, thus minimizing pressure points and rubbing. The outsole, based on Vasque’s Blur model, combines a cushioned, supportive upper with lugs on the sole made of a slip-resistant compound for secure traction on rocky terrain and uneven surfaces. The Mindbender GTX has a broad toebox, which allows toes to spread as needed during forefoot impact and long periods of running. The shoe has an Extended Comfort Gore-Tex liner which provides waterproof, breathable protection for your feet. It keeps feet dry while allowing perspiration to escape.

My Evaluation of Vasque Trail Running Shoes

I have used an earlier incarnation of this Vasque trail-running shoe and been amazed by its durability and comfort. I have had the shoes for 4 years and use them to run on Colorado’s punishing mountain trails. I also use the shoe as a fall and winter running shoe in general. Many times I’ve gone out for a run in the snow or rain. The shoes have kept my feet warm and dry in all conditions, even when the rest of me ended up soaked and bedraggled. I have run with these shoes at 3 below zero and 95 degrees Fahrenheit and they handled both temperatures comfortably. I also use them to run on icy streets and sidewalks in the winter and have found them to be stable, with good traction (though you always have to watch your step on ice). (For trail running shoes with excellent grip on slippery surfaces, check the previously-mentioned La Sportiva Crosslite 2.0.)

In addition (and as Outside noted), I frequently use these shoes for day hiking and just everyday wear — working in the yard, running errands, etc. For the amount of use I have given them, the sole and uppers are still in excellent condition, with just the lugs of the sole wearing down at the heel — and this is after 4 years of hard use.

If you’re shopping for excellent trail-running shoes that can also double as light hiking and everyday shoes, you should seriously consider the Vasque Mindbender GTX. You will more than get your money’s worth. They really are SUVs for your feet.

Find Them at the Following Retailers…

You can find Vasque Mindbender GTX Trail Running Shoes at the following trustworthy retailers of outdoor gear online: Big Sky Country, Backcountry.com (on sale right now), Moosejaw, Paragon Sports (on sale), and DepartmentOfGoods (also for a good sale price, as this is written).

Who Will Be Left to Play the NBA Eastern Conference Finals After the Rapture Occurs?

ECJ — Sat, 21 May 2011 02:53:27 +0000

As a basketball fan, I’m concerned about how many players will be left behind to complete the NBA Eastern Conference Finals after the Rapture occurs tomorrow.

As many of you have heard, Harold Camping, founder of a Christian radio station and an engineer, has predicted that the Rapture will occur on May 21, 2011 — an event in which Christians who believe in Harold Camping and Family Radio and who are non-evil, humble, and God-fearing will be levitated into the clouds. These Raptured folks will never return. Since Harold Camping has a degree in civil engineering, we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he’s right about that. So what does that mean for the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls, their fans, and the outcome of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals?

After the Rapture, how many players will be left behind on earth to experience the tribulation and play the remaining 5 games*? And, more importantly, who is likely to win the Series? (It is currently tied 1-1.)

Well, as to that first question, I’m pretty sure there will be some players left. I don’t know who specifically of the players on the Heat or the Bulls believe in Harold Camping’s prediction, which makes predicting who will be around for Game 3 on Sunday tricky — about as hard as predicting the winner of this series — but, while not many NBA players can be considered totally non-evil, humble, and God-fearing, there must be at least some who are. Or who are at least self-professed Christians.

Will Lebron remain and Rose rise?

Lebron will definitely still be around. His religious affiliation appears to be Roman Catholic, so he should be left behind based on that criterion alone, according to Rapture experts (who take a dim view of Catholics). Additionally, he is not humble, since he speaks of himself in the third person. So that’s a relief, eh, Heat fans? And also a blessing for the Heat’s owner, Micky Arison, who is paying Lebron $110 million. (Micky will be also be at AmericanAirlines Arena on Sunday, too, so Lebron can count on a continuing paycheck.) Also, apparently Lebron James is a member of the Illuminati, so that lets him right out.

With Lebron available for Miami, one’s mind immediately jumps to the fate of Chicago’s Derrick Rose. Will the Bulls still have their lone superstar? It’s hard to tell what religion Derrick is. The youngest-ever MVP worships basketball, obviously. However, the first tattoo he ever got was a cross with the words “Only God Can Judge Me.” This may put him on shaky ground, Rapture-wise, because it would have been better for him if the tattoo stated, “Only Harold Camping Can Judge Me.” But I think the real deal-breaker, Rapture-wise, is his “Poohdini” tattoo, which shows an image of a wizard holding a staff and a basketball. We know from their many pronouncements on the subject that Christians think wizards are in league with the Devil — after all, Christians are the ones who tried to have Harry Potter books banned from school libraries. So, I think the wizard inked on the shoulder should disqualify Derrick Rose from being Raptured. Sorry, Derrick, no clouds for you. Whew… close one, Bulls fans!

Okay, so we’ve got at least two guys staying on earth. What about Dwyane Wade? We know he’s Christian. We know he wears number 3 because of the Holy Trinity. And he tithes 10% of his salary to his Chicago church. If that weren’t bad enough (from a basketball fan’s point of view), his mother is an ordained Baptist minister. So, Dwyane is gone. Dwyane might as well already be walking through the pearly gates. He will not be available to start on Sunday. Or ever again. In other words, he’ll be a first-round draft pick by God.

The remainder of Miami’s roster

What about Chris Bosh? Well, he’s an intelligent guy — good student, went to Georgia Tech — so we can infer from that that he’s not one of Harold Camping’s followers. On the other hand, he was dumb enough to get involved with his “Basketball Wife” ex-girlfriend, so maybe, you know, he could have some religious tendencies. But not enough, I’d guess. Bosh should be around.

So now we’ve got Lebron James and Chris Bosh against Derrick Rose. Will Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer still be on Rose’s team? Well, when he commented on religion for an interview once, Joakim said, “I believe in God, but I don’t have a particular God… I definitely want to learn about different religions. The more people know about religion and other people’s culture, the less ignorance and conflict there will be.” That pretty much excuses Noah from Rapture-hood. Christians do have a particular God and they do not want to learn about other peoples’ religions and they are not opposed to ignorance and conflict (I mean, look at Galileo, and the Crusades, and evolution, and that whole witch-burning episode, and the Inquisition), so yeah, the Bulls’ premier defensive stopper will be available for Game 3. And Carlos Boozer? He once commented that Mormons are “not bad at all.” That statement right there ensures that he’ll be missing the Rapture express. Sorry, Carlos. Plus, he has his own shoe with Nike, who, as we know, is a Greek goddess. That should put the kabosh on any remaining doubts about his post-Rapture status. In other words, Boozer will still be around to post up the non-righteous Chris Bosh.

Unfortunately, Mike Bibby won’t be shooting any more 3′s for Miami. He states that he’s a Christian on his MySpace page and he has said that he’s a religious person. And who are we to doubt Mike? MySpace is almost certainly good enough for God, so it’s floaty-uppy for Mike.

Miami center Joel Anthony will also not be around. He went to a Christian school. Plus, he’s Canadian, which almost automatically makes him humble. But Mario Chalmers should still be on Miami’s roster. It’s not clear what his religion is, but he lost a stare-down to Blake Griffin once, so there’s some evidence that he’s more intimidated by Blake Griffin than he is by God. Rapture is for the God-fearing, not the Blake-fearing. We’ll assume Mario will not be joining the faithful in the firmament. What about Erick Dampier and Zydrunas Ilgauskas? Will Miami have any height remaining at center? Doesn’t look good regarding Dampier. Erick attended church every Sunday as a kid and now he does things like work with the Boys and Girls Club of Mississippi every off-season. I’m pretty sure Erick will be hoovered up. Regarding Ilgauskas, prospects appear a little better. 79% of Lithuanians profess to be Roman Catholic and, according to many Christian Fundamentalists, Catholics just don’t make the grade with God. Moreover, in a 2005 poll, only 49% of Lithuanians believe there is a God (though that doesn’t quite square with the preceding stat on Roman Catholicism). In any event, if Zydrunas has a religion, it’s most likely Roman Catholic, and if he doesn’t, he probably doesn’t believe in God. Either way, it’s ixnay on the apture-Ray for ydrunas-Zay. Finally — and this is probably the most significant — Zydrunas Ilgauskas professes to enjoy reading books. So, though Ilgauskas hasn’t exactly been a force of biblical proportions in the playoffs up until now, he’ll at least look intimidating sitting on the bench. Jamaal Magloire? Another Canadian. He’ll be gone… He operates several charitable foundations and runs clinics for underprivileged children. If that isn’t enough, in high school he played for the Saints.

How about Udonis Haslem, who has made important contributions to the Heat since the Conference Finals began? I think he’ll be around. He wants to be the mayor of Miami when he’s done playing. No politician is genuinely humble, non-evil, and God-fearing. Juwan Howard? In the first two games, he’s 0-1. Who cares?

What remaining heathen will Chicago have?

Chicago-wise, we have to take a look at Luol Deng. He grew up in a Christian family in Sudan but, after moving to Egypt, he respectfully helped his Muslim friends celebrate Ramadan. Whoa, Bulls fans — you dodged a Rapture-bullet there, and should be able to count on some continued scoring punch from Deng, with his Muslim-respecting feet remaining firmly on the ground. Except, of course, when he’s dunking on Lebron.

Solid Chicago sub Taj Gibson is a bit more of an unsure thing. Though he attended Calvary Christian School in San Fernando, CA, where he received a “Christ-centered education,” he states that his favorite basketball players are Jamaal Tinsley and Lamar Odom. See, I’m pretty sure that’s the kind of humor God doesn’t appreciate. Even worse, Taj posterized Dwyane Wade with a dunk in Game 1 of the series. We already know how much God likes Dwyane Wade. I think heaven won’t be able to use Taj. Fortunately, Chicago will be able to use his defense and rebounding.

How about Kyle Korver? Kyle is like, what, -2 for 18 so far in this series? But soon his shooting slump will not matter, one way or another, because Kyle has been described as a “great young Christian man,” and his father is an evangelical pastor with his own church. Tomorrow, Kyle will be going to that big gym in the sky, along with his father and Harold Camping.

And what of the rest of the bench-sitters on both teams? Brian Scalabrine and Kurt Thomas for the Bulls? Eddie House and Dexter Pittman for the Heat? Well, let’s look at it statistically. According to Harold Camping, about 200 million people will be Raptured up on May 21. That’s 200 million out of a population of 6 billion. So that means that each of the remaining players has a 1 in 30 chance of being sucked into the sky. The thing is, each of those players has shown himself to be capable of beating the odds — first by becoming NBA players, which only a few hundred people get to be, and second by still being in the playoffs while 26 other NBA teams are sitting at home on their butts on their Elite home theater loungers. Just by those very facts, we must assume that these exceptional men will once again defy the odds and be taken into God’s bosom tomorrow, along with the other lucky 200 million humble, non-evil, God-fearing, Harold Camping-believing Christians.

Which is fine, because, even though they’re NBA scrubs, they’re still scrubs.

So where does that leave things with regard to the Eastern Conference Finals? It’ll be Lebron, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Ilgauskas, and Haslem versus Rose, Joakim Noah, Boozer, Deng, and Taj Gibson. A permanently elevated Wade will be too much of a liability for Miami to overcome. I pick Chicago in 6.

* If necessary

10 Days of T-Shirts: Day 7 – The Most Inexpensive T-Shirts You Can Get Online

ECJ — Mon, 16 May 2011 03:35:39 +0000

Sometimes you just want a basic T-shirt. Whether it’s to wear under a dress shirt, or to wear when you change the oil or mow the lawn, a T-shirt is one of the most functional, versatile, and cost-effective parts of your wardrobe. It doesn’t always have to be fashion-forward and attention-getting. Here I’ll list places to buy the most inexpensive T-shirts online.

First, some criteria… One is that, in keeping with the rest of this series of posts, these T-shirts are made of cotton. You might find cheaper T-shirts made of polyester, but who wants a substandard polyester T-shirt when you can enjoy cotton? Two is that they are well-made — you might be able to find 100% cotton T-shirts for less at the flea market, but they will probably fall apart after you wear and wash them a couple times (and they will not be comfortable or good-looking in the meantime). Three is that I’ve tried to find the cheapest, best-quality T-shirts available in a complete range of sizes. It won’t do you much good if a store is having a closeout on T-shirts and you’re a size Medium and they only have one shirt in Small or XXXL. The idea here is to provide a useful selection and consistent choice for all of you.

That said, there are a number of excellent deals you can find online for basic, inexpensive T-shirts from reliable retailers. These are places you can find tees that are useful for layering, for wearing to the gym (playing hoops, pumping iron), to walk your dog, or just to lounge around watching a game. And when they finally wear out, they’ll make great rags.

Cotton BVD T-Shirt from Freshpair - $13.99 for 4

So, how about a 4-pack of 100% cotton BVD T-shirts for $13.99? That comes out to just $3.50 per shirt. These are white, tagless, rib-neck T-shirts from BVD, which has been making underwear for men since 1876. You can’t get much more basic — or better — than that. When it comes to buying underwear, Freshpair offers the whole enchilada. They usually have these 4-packs of BVD T-shirts on sale for 30% off, and they also offer free shipping on all US orders. Get these T-shirts now, because, as I said in my first post, cotton clothing will be going up in price soon (though, if anyone can hold the line, it will be Freshpair, due to their high volume and huge inventory). Another handy thing is that Freshpair generally has a lot of customer reviews. These BVD Crew T-shirts average 4.5 out of 5 stars in reviews. About them, customers said:

“After a few washings they kept their shape around the collar. I use these for work and they are comfortable and keep my torso cool.”

“Great shirts. First time you wear them, [they're] on the big side; once you wash them, great fit. These are the only undershirts I will wear!”

But that’s not all the outstanding deals Freshpair offers when it comes to T-shirts. You can also get a 3-pack of Hanes Crew Neck T-shirts (white, pre-shrunk cotton) for $12.60 (average 4.5 stars), and a 3-pack of Fruit of the Loom White Crew Neck T-shirts for $15.39, and Fruit of the Loom White V-neck T-shirts for $15.39. Both the Fruit of the Loom Crew Neck and V-neck T-shirts average 4.5 stars in reviews.

Those are some of the best prices you can find at Freshpair — or online anywhere. Explore the rest of their inventory for men to see other good deals or to find high-quality options from many other companies. You won’t find a better underwear selection online. And remember, they provide free shipping on US orders.

Desert Wash Vivid-Dyed Football Jersey T-Shirt from Buy.com

This next deal might have been number one, but you do have to pay for shipping. Still, how about $2.47 per shirt, with a choice of 8 colors and 5 sizes? That’s what you’ll find at Buy.com: the Desert Wash Short-Sleeve Men’s Vivid-Dyed Football Jersey T-shirt. These are well-made, 5.2-ounce cotton T-shirts, with ribbed collars, double-needle stitching, and taped seams. The colors are unusual (as you might expect) and interesting. You can’t beat a T-shirt for under $2.50. Plus, when you shop at Buy.com, you earn Rakuten Super Points, which you can redeem for Buy.com merchandise. The shipping cost is reasonable and, since you’re buying online, you can usually avoid sales tax.

Urban Pipeline Basic Tee from Kohl's - $7.99

This next T-shirt is from Kohl’s: the Urban Pipeline Basic Tee, $7.99 each, on sale. Kohl’s is the new Gap. Remember in their early years how you could count on the Gap for attractively-designed, well-made, basic clothing for reasonable prices? That’s what Kohl’s is now. Unfortunately, the Gap no longer offers products that have the best value, but for shoppers who’ve discovered Kohl’s, that’s not a problem. Their in-store brands — such as Urban Pipeline, Sonoma, and Apt. 9 — are better quality than you might expect while still having good prices. For basic T-shirts, the Urban Pipeline Basic Tee comes in 7 colors (the color pictured at left is “Reindeer”) and 5 sizes. Buy several online — spend at last $75 — and you’ll get free shipping. Or browse more of their basic T-shirts. Of course, Kohl’s is a full-on department store, so they carry more clothing and other products than the Gap ever did. Nothing against the Gap — I shopped there a lot in the 90s — but things change. Fortunately, innovative companies, such as Kohl’s, step in to fill the gap. Click here to see all their men’s clothing.

Cotton Military T-Shirt in Olive Drab

If you read my very first post on T-shirts, then you know that they had their origin — as much of men’s clothing has — as a utilitarian garment worn by soldiers. So it’s only fitting that I include military-grade cotton T-shirts in this collection of inexpensive T-shirts: the 100% Cotton Military T-shirt in Olive Drab. $8.55 from the Army Navy Shop online. Since we live in more modern times than WWII, you can also get it in black and brown. And really, what man needs a T-shirt in any other color than olive drab, black, or brown? The description is “100% cotton tee” and that’s what you get. Hang something around your neck on a chain or leather thong when you wear this shirt. It also might help if you chomp a cigar. No shirt is more masculine. Except maybe one of those rough linen pirate shirts.

Cabela's Combed Cotton Short-Sleeve Tee - $7.99

Now for one of the highest-quality basic T-shirts you can get: the Cabela’s Combed Short-Sleeve Tee. This is a comfortable, 100% combed cotton T-shirt and it’s only $7.99, on sale. You can also get it in “Tall” sizes for $9.99. That is not much money, especially when you consider that you’re getting it from Cabela’s, which is known for the quality of their products. Not only that, they have some of the best customer service anywhere, and they back their products. This T-shirt comes in 6 useful colors and 8 (count ‘em, eight) different sizes. When you consider Cabela’s quality, this deal is hard to beat. Pick up several, because this price probably won’t last long.

Structure Men's Strech T-shirt from Sears - $7.90

Of course, as you might expect, Sears offers a pretty good basic T-shirt for a reasonable price: the Structure Men’s Stretch T-shirt. Unlike all the other T-shirts here, this tee contains a substance that is not cotton — it’s got 3% Spandex, which actually adds an extra measure of comfort and fit. It conforms well to your body, which is handy if you’re in good shape, and works well under other shirts. (And why not look good even when you’re wearing just a basic T-shirt?) It’s only $7.90. It comes in 4 colors. Customer reviews for these T-shirts are almost uniformly positive. Such as:

“In cold weather, I need an ‘athletic type’ t-shirt to wear under my judo gi. I’ve tried the all-nylon and all-polyester shirts. They’re OK but look too 21st-century. (Judo and Karate gi’s are nothing but ancient-design kimonos.) This shirt is not polar white, so it matches the slightly off-white color of the gi. It is about the same color of a regular t-shirt, but fits a lot neater. Occasionally, I’ve worn one with a dressier street shirt. If bought at sale price, an excellent value. Seems ‘fanatical’ to shop for an undershirt for a judo gi, I suppose. So be it! The shirts will shrink a little. If you have a long trunk, keep that in mind.”

“I wear these as an undershirt every day and have for nearly 2 years now. They are without doubt the best undershirt or stand alone t-shirt I’ve ever owned. Durable, keep their shape and very comfortable.”

“How can you beat this great price for a Structure shirt that wears well, fits great, and washes with ease.”

One handy option is to buy this shirt for the low online price and pick it up in a nearby Sears store. That way, you don’t have to pay for shipping. See the Sears site for details.

Celtek Bird T-Shirt from Dogfunk - $9.98

Finally, when it comes to low prices, you don’t have to consider only plain T-shirts. You can get a pretty hip graphic tee from Dogfunk that’s only $9.98, on sale: the Celtek Bird T-shirt. This is a 100% cotton T-shirt that has a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty. It comes in 2 primary colors — black and white — with 3 different “bird” design options. You can wear it solo, or it will work under a dress shirt. Double duty for one low price! Just another useful, cutting-edge product from Dogfunk. Again, take advantage of this price while it lasts.

Celtek Bird T-Shirt in black and orange

I mentioned that I wouldn’t be featuring T-shirts for low prices that only offered a few of one size. However, I don’t want you to miss out on deals like that. So I will recommend two online retailers where you can find a wide variety of good T-shirts at closeout prices. You’ll just have to check their inventory for your size. If they’ve got it, great. If not… well, just check the shirts and stores listed above; you’ll still be able to find inexpensive T-shirts there. The first online store I’ll mention is Sierra Trading Post. They have T-shirts clearance-priced for as low as $2.50. The other online retailer is Eastbay, a store that carries a huge selection of sports equipment, shoes, and apparel. They have a good selection of T-shirts (including graphic tees) for as low as $4.99. Both of these companies are known for good customer service and large selection. Plus they each have frequent sales. Both are good places to shop.

Get yourself some cheap, basic T-shirts. It’ll be satisfying to know you’ve got that wardrobe staple covered and you can reach in your drawer and pull out a good tee whenever you need one.

The Most Entertaining Potential Match-up for the 2011 NBA Finals

ECJ — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 00:01:16 +0000

The NBA playoffs begin tomorrow and there is at least one match-up in the first round in each conference (Boston versus New York in the east and Oklahoma City versus Denver in the west), that should not only be highly entertaining, but not too lopsided. After the lower seeds are winnowed out, the competition will only intensify in subsequent rounds as the best and hungriest players in the league scratch and claw their way to the 2011 NBA title. (Do you want to see at least one playoff game in person? Is your local ticket vendor sold out? You can still find NBA Playoff tickets here for reasonable prices.)

But which two teams would it be fascinating to see in the Finals? Who would be the ideal match-up?

How about the New York Knicks versus the Denver Nuggets?

Twists and Turns of the Regular Season

The 2010-11 NBA season has been interesting and dramatic in a number of ways. Remember the prediction that the Heat would win more than 72 games? (Here’s what I had to say about that in November.) There was the unexpected dominance of San Antonio (until late in the season, at least). There were Blake Griffin’s jaw-dropping highlights. There was the big trade between Orlando and Phoenix. There was Jerry Sloan’s shocking retirement. And how about Kevin Love schooling the league in how to rebound and put up double-doubles? (53 consecutive games? Who could have predicted that?) And there was the soap opera surrounding the fate of Carmelo Anthony. As soon as he refused to sign the contract extension that the Nuggets offered him, along with putting his Denver mansion up for sale, basketball fans in Denver could see the texting on the wall: “C ya.” Anthony played his usual brand of impressive one-on-one ball up until he was traded to the Knicks for, well, the entire Knicks team. Denver fans — some of the more knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and optimistic around the league — even refrained from booing him during home games until the bitter end (there were some boos as the trade deadline approached and it became clear that Anthony was going to spurn Colorado for the bright lights of the east coast). I suppose the folks in the stands hoped he might change his mind if they were nice to him.

At least we didn’t have to wait until the summer for him to have his own lame ESPN show about which team he’d go to.

But you know what was odd about it all? Almost before the ink on his new contract was dry, Anthony became a sort of distant memory in Denver. Nuggets fans immediately embraced the 10 or 15 new players (yeah, I’m exaggerating) who arrived in town. They were eagerly curious to see what sort of team they had on their hands. Sure, they missed home-town hero Chauncey Billups, who was an unfortunate casualty of the trade crossfire and had to reluctantly pack his bags for New York. But as for the general feeling, it was sort of like: Carmelo… Been-There-Done-That.

In New York, after getting a closer look at Melo in a few home games, it seems Knicks fans began to wonder: just what sort of player have we got here?

What New York got was an effective scorer who is never reluctant to single-handedly attack the basket, sometimes against double and triple teams. What they’ve also got is a player who will never make the All-NBA defensive team. What they’ve got is a superstar who has yet to figure out how to make his team better, how to elevate the strengths of his teammates. And if he hasn’t figured that out by now, after seven years in the league, he may never figure it out.

And what sort of team did Denver wind up with? Only a group of somewhat undersung guys that manged to go 18-7 after the trade, the highest-scoring team in the NBA (one place ahead of guess-who — New York). But in addition to scoring, the Nuggets had suddenly acquired a dimension of scrappy, turnover-producing defense and share-the-ball selflessness that hadn’t been consistently seen since Anthony’s advent in town. They even started boxing out on the boards (which the Knicks do not do, and Anthony won’t change that).

In basketball, teamwork is paramount. While it generally takes a superstar or two to win a championship, superstars only win if they meld their talents effectively with the rest of the team, if they synergistically leverage their ability by helping raise the level of everyone else. In addition, they’ve got to be a multi-dimensional superstar. They can’t just be good at one thing, like scoring. They’ve got to be great at scoring and defense, or rebounding and defense, or defense and passing. Jordan was great in at least 3 areas (scoring, defense, and passing). So was Bill Russell (defense, rebounding, and he became a good passer). Kobe is great at scoring and defense. Notice a trend here? Any superstar who intends to win a championship must play effective defense, or at least not make many defensive mistakes. Melo is a good scorer.

Click for NBA gear from FansEdge

After the trade, the Nuggets began to play better team basketball. They began figuring out how to blend their skills effectively. There could be a different star each night. In the absence of the eclipsing superstar gas-giant planet that was Melo, they began to blossom as a team and individually. And they began having more fun.

Ty Lawson, promoted to a starting role, almost immediately came into his own as a point guard (and added an element of quickness on defense that was lacking with Chauncey Billups). J. R. Smith began to wield his formidable talents more selflessly and intelligently. The players from the Knicks — former Tar Heel Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari — showed that they could play well both individually and in support of others. This team without a superstar began to play some pretty good ball. And as they had fun (sometimes 5 or more players scoring in double figures in a game), they made it entertaining to watch.

Now the “real season” begins…

There’s a lot of tension and excitement in the NBA playoffs, the so-called “real” season. But what would be more dramatic than a match-up in the NBA Finals between the Nuggets and the Knicks? You’d have solid team play and defense pitted against two scoring superstars in Anthony and Stoudemire, with the backdrop of the trade to sweeten the pot. There would be the sub-plot of student-versus-master with Ty Lawson and Chauncey Billups. You’d have the aspect of no coach in the league knowing better how to play against Carmelo than George Karl. Yet Mike D’Antoni would have intimate knowledge of his ex-Knicks’ strengths and weaknesses. You’d have Denver fans anxious to observe Anthony learning yet again that individual accomplishment alone is not what wins championships. And New York fans ambivalently watching their former, somewhat under-appreciated players kick their ass.

Click to see great NBA murals at Fathead

A fair amount of unlikely things would have to happen for that match-up to occur. First, the Knicks would have to beat the Celtics in the first round, which is unlikely. And they would be heavily favored to lose against any team they would subsequently face if they somehow got past Boston.

Second, the Nuggets would most likely have to beat both the Spurs and the Lakers to win the western conference. While they haven’t fared badly against those teams this season, it’s a different proposition in the playoffs. If the Lakers make it to the conference finals (as seems likely, since Kobe Bryant is still the one player in the league who wants to win a championship more than anyone else, including Lebron), the Nuggets would somehow have to prove that the Lakers don’t have their number. Maybe, just maybe, with what in essence is a brand new team, they could do that.

But first they have to get past the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. And, as of this moment, that also seems unlikely. Some of the most important Nuggets players (Arron Afflalo, Nene, Lawson) are banged up. And Oklahoma had begun to play some formidable ball as the regular season concluded. Kevin Durant is hitting on all cylinders, Westbrook and Harden are playing well, and the addition of Kendrick Perkins has really strengthened them inside. Even if all the Nuggets players were healthy, the Thunder would be a tough match-up for them.

But, we’ll see. That’s what they play the series for.

Of course, if you’re a Chicago or Orlando or New Orleans fan, you won’t prefer to see the Knicks versus the Nuggets. But if your team happens to lose, what match-up would be more entertaining for those who appreciate multiple dramatic threads in a playoff series?

In any event, if you’ve never been to an NBA playoff game, you should try to attend at least one. The electric atmosphere and intensity of the games are something to experience close up. And if you buy your playoff tickets through TicketNetwork (and it’s likely they will be your best bet, since many local venues have already sold out of their allotment), NBA playoff tickets are surprisingly affordable. For example, you can get tickets for as low as $24 to the game in Denver between the Thunder and the Nuggets on April 24. You can find tickets for around $30 to see the Heat against the Pacers in Miami on April 18. You can find tickets for as low as $13 to see the Grizzlies versus the Spurs on April 23 in Memphis. All of these and every other NBA playoff game are available now from TicketNetwork, an efficient, secure, guaranteed way to buy tickets online. Their website is informative and clear to use, plus they’re known for good customer service. (I wouldn’t recommend them if they weren’t one of the better ticket-brokers around.)

And, since you’re reading this post, you can even get a deal. TicketNetwork has provided me with a coupon code I can pass along to you. Right now, place an order over $350 at TicketNetwork.com and get $10 off using coupon code AFF$10. Let your friends know about it, too, via the sharing buttons below. (But don’t wait, because this deal ends April 30.)

It’s a great time of year to be a basketball fan. Catch a game! And, if you like, leave a comment about your take on the NBA playoffs below…

Alvaro Quiros Drives to the Lead in the 2011 Masters Using His Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver

ECJ — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 04:53:42 +0000

Alvaro Quiros is one of the longest drivers among pro golfers and his ability to blast tee shots to the 330-yard mark and beyond has now been coupled with one of the most advanced golf drivers ever created — the Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver.

The combination of the Callaway RAZR Hawk and Quiros’ talent propelled him to a share of the lead on the first day of the 2011 Masters Tournament.

This apparently is no fluke. After Callaway released the RAZR Hawk Driver to the world in February, Quiros promptly used it to capture the Dubai Desert Classic in, well, classic fashion, hitting a hole-in-one on the 11th hole (after triple-bogeying the eighth) to win by one stroke. (And the week before, also using the new Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver, fellow Callaway pro Thomas Bjorn out-dueled Quiros and won the Qatar Masters title.) After years of middling-to-good results on the European Tour, the 28-year-old Spaniard seems to have hit his stride at just the right time. As he mentions in a Callaway bio video, when he finally got clubs made for him (as a boy, he used his father’s heavy clubs), he found that his quick swing, long arms, and height allowed him to regularly hit golf drives which most mortals can only dream about. (An “average” golfer hits a drive around 200 yards.) On the first day of the 2011 Masters Tournament, he was hitting crazy-long, achieving the best distance out of a field of 99 players, and also putted effectively to card a 65 and share the top of the leader board with Rory McIlroy.

What does this have to do with you? Maybe you’ve been thinking about upgrading your golf equipment, and a great driver is one of the best things to start with…

The drive in golf is perhaps the most crucial shot on each hole (a view shared by Ben Hogan, among others), and the Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver is a precision instrument that still manages to do a great amount of violence to the ball. When it’s time to tee it up, if you can’t consistently drive it straight (or draw it around a corner or fade it away from water), almost no amount of skill with the irons will save you (unless you’re Phil Mickelson). And if you can’t drive it accurately and fairly long — whether as a pro, a low-handicap amateur, or an aspiring recreational golfer — you’ll never get to take full advantage of your ability to make a reasonable putt.

In other words, the drive is the foundation of the score on a given hole, and the Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver is a cutting-edge implement that will enable you to propel the ball down the fairway in impressive fashion and give yourself the best opportunity to birdie the hole.

Pro Reviews of the Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver

Here’s what some of the professional testers at PGA.com had to say about the RAZR Hawk Driver after they tested it along with a collection of other new drivers in March, 2011:

“Among the top-rated models in the test. RAZR Hawk packs a big punch.”
“Several testers hit the club longer than their current club — as much as 20 yards farther — with consistent results.”
“Heel or toe hits are quite playable.”
“Very stable, head-heavy feel; shots jump off the springy face…”
“Improved feel over previous Callaway composite drivers.”
“Testers hit all sorts of shots with ease; repeatable, hot flight.”

Repeatable hot flight — that sounds like what you need, doesn’t it? That’s what Alvaro Quiros is experiencing.

Click to see spec's of the Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver

You can tell from their product description of this golf club that Callaway is proud of it. The Forged Composite technology they used to build the club was developed in collaboration with Lamborghini; engineers from the two companies fabricated a material that uses millions of “turbostratic carbon fibers” to precisely control the thickness and shape of the head. The new material is one-third as dense as titanium yet features a greater load-carrying capacity per unit mass in bending. This translates to greater lightness in the head, which enables a longer club configuration for faster head speed, ball speed, and greater distance without sacrificing “forgiveness.”

Anyway, you’ve got to figure that any golf club developed in conjunction with Lamborghini has got to be cool.

Customer Reviews of the RAZR Hawk Driver

What does this translate to for, say, an intermediate player? Here’s a review of the Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver from a customer (who plays “every couple of months”) at Golfsmith:

“Yes, this Callaway driver is great! I’ve tested a lot of the drivers but the Callaway definitely tops it… This driver is much better than their Diablo and the feel is fantastic. I have the Callaway FT-9 Tour which is almost a mirror to the new RAZR. Give it a chance and rip it… you will not be disappointed.”

Here’s what a couple of customers had to say about the RAZR Hawk Driver on the Callaway site:

“I like the way it looks when at address. It is easier to hit than I thought it would be and gave me 20 yards more in my drives — it gave me 20 yards further distance in my swing and the comments from my fellow golfers were: ’Boy, did you hit the ball much farther than you did before’.”

“Head volume/size seems to be a little smaller, and really sets up ‘clean’ and square at address. Forgiveness appears to be excellent, especially mis-hits on the toe. Distance is excellent, and feel/playability performance is not compromised as a result of the improved distance. I’m really not into the adjustment features of a number of new clubs, so I really like the clean set-up of this club, and simplicity. The last thing I need is a wrench or some other tool to tote around with [sic]. Sometimes, great clubs should just be left alone.”

Get a Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver for yourself, and you’ll want to be left alone to hone your driving distance and accuracy. And, after all, isn’t golf ultimately about hitting the ball in a satisfying way? Lower scores…impressing your buddies…feeling confident in your game are all great, too, but when you come right down to it, a well-hit golf shot is its own reward. And you should seriously consider adding the Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver to your bag if you want to experience that feeling more often. You can get it from In the Hole Golf or Golfsmith right now — two outstanding places to shop for a huge selection of the best golf equipment online, with good prices (featuring frequent coupons and sales — see the various banners and links on this page for current deals) and excellent customer service. (The RAZR Hawk Driver comes in a Tour version and other models, too. Click here to see current Masters-related deals at Golfsmith and shop for the entire RAZR Hawk line, but note: some items from the Callaway brand and other brands are excluded from some deals.)

As for the fate of Alvaro Quiros in the current Masters Tournament, time will tell… Today he gave up a little ground, but he’s still in the thick of things. As the final two rounds loom, and he finds himself in contention on the weekend for the first time in his career at Augusta National, this is what he’ll be carrying in his bag:

Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver, 9.5°, with Grafalloy Blue X shaft
Callaway X Tour Fairway Woods (13°), X (15.5°), with Grafalloy Blue X shafts
Callaway RAZR X Muscleback Irons (which will be available to everyone on May 1, 2011). In the meantime, you can get his previous irons: Callaway X Prototype Irons (3 PW)
Callaway X-Forged Vintage Wedges (51° and 58°) with Rifle Lite 8.0 shafts
Odyssey Black Series i#1 Putter
Callaway Tour iz Balls (also used by Phil Mickelson)

If you want to emulate a player who’s starting to break into golf’s upper echelons, consider taking advantage of what the above excellent golf equipment can do for your game. You can get it all at Golfsmith (where you can also take advantage of their “Playability Guarantee”) or In the Hole Golf. It remains to be seen whether Quiros can prevail in a major* over veterans such as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, as well as young guns like Rory McIlroy, but with his ability to go long and the best equipment modern technology can offer, he’s given himself a fighting chance, and that’s all any tournament pro can ask for.

And when you want to see how long you’re driving the ball with your new club(s), use the Garmin Approach G5 Touchscreen golf GPS unit.

Speaking of asking for things, take advantage of the following coupons to stock up on golf gear now at Golfsmith and In the Hole Golf (note that certain items of some brands, including Callaway, are excluded from some deals):

Closeout Sale on FootJoy Shoes Starting at just $39.99 only at Golfsmith.com!

Get Free Shipping on any order over $75 at InTheHoleGolf.com. Expires 10/31/11

Save 10% Off your order with code GT7G3NFS only at Golfsmith.com! Offer ends 10/31/11

*Update 4/11/11: Quiros shot 75 on Saturday and 74 on Sunday to finish tied for 27th — the same position, incidentally, as Phil Mickelson.

Want to Help the Japanese Economy Recover? Shop at Rakuten

ECJ — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:22:28 +0000

You may be wondering how to help the people of Japan cope with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that occurred March 11. You can do it by buying goods from Japanese companies online. This post tells you the best way to shop Japan via the Internet.

One idea for economic recovery that I have not seen mentioned is to shop directly with Japanese businesses online. Americans and others around the world have donated millions of dollars through various relief organizations, such as the Red Cross, and many others have traveled to Japan to volunteer their services. But, while donations of money satisfy the immediate need to get supplies to the people in the towns of the tsunami-ravaged Tohoku region, dollars can be infused into the Japanese economy long-term by shopping via the Internet from anywhere in the world at Rakuten.

Click to explore Rakuten's huge online mall

Many people outside Japan have not heard of Rakuten. It is an online shopping company. It is Japan’s equivalent of Amazon. The Japanese name “Rakuten Ichiba” translates to “Rakuten Shopping Mall,” which is exactly what it is — an aggregation of 33,000 Japanese shops and businesses. This huge online shopping site offers 60 million products. Rakuten is the second most visited site in Japan, with over 50 million registered users. In fact, this Internet shopping giant is the reason Amazon has not been able to make much headway into the Japanese market. It is estimated that one-third of households in Japan shop at Rakuten. And that says something: Japanese consumers, particularly online, are known for being finicky and demanding. Rakuten has met their needs to the point that it is now one of the top ten Internet companies in the world, and has an international presence. In addition to products, it also has its own extensive travel services site, which anyone in the world can use.

Rakuten is now actively expanding its shopping services in other markets throughout the world, including Europe and the United States. Amazon may be the largest online shopping company, but sheer size is no guarantee of quality (Microsoft sells more operating systems than any other company but no one thinks their OS is the best, and General Motors became the largest automaker in the world selling cars inferior to a number of other makes), so I would not be surprised if, in a few years, Rakuten has noticeably eroded Amazon’s market share. You can think of Rakuten as the Honda of online retailing.

What does that mean with respect to helping the Japanese economy weather the aftermath of the earthquake?

We know that the world’s economic fortunes are subject to ripple effects that transcend national boundaries. Mortgage foreclosures in the American mid-west affect the value of the Euro. The price of labor in China impacts how much Walmart pays its US workers. The Russian wheat harvest affects the price of food in Delhi and Des Moines. With respect to the world economy, Japan is a titan, boasting the third largest economy after the US and China. So any financial woes that Japan experiences as a result of the triple whammy of the earthquake, tsunami, and radiation contamination from damaged nuclear power plants will affect not only the Japanese people but people in the United States and around the world. (Already, it is projected that demand for the Prius will not be able to be met, since there are parts suppliers for the car in the affected region. And US beef exports to Japan may be hampered by damaged port facilities.) In other words, the domino effect from an economic slowdown in Japan coupled with the need to re-build infrastructure could affect your personal financial situation. So it behooves you to help your neighbor.

Thus, if you shop for Japanese goods, you can help not only Japanese businesses and consumers as they recover and re-build, but your own economy as well. The easiest (and most enjoyable) way to shop in Japan from outside Japan is Rakuten. Spend a few bucks there, get yourself some interesting, well-made Japanese products, and you’ll be helping float everyone’s boat. After all, just imagine what it would have meant to a local hardware or stationery store in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina if they had had a steady influx of customers… If they had experienced damage or hardship from the hurricane, sure, packets of freeze-dried food and blankets would have met their immediate physical needs, but long-term, it’s customers buying from businesses that sustain an economy, whether in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi or Ofunato, Japan.

You can find just about any kind of product at Rakuten, from books to ice cream to motorcycle parts. But why not get something interesting or unusual? How about:

Sake
Momotaro Jeans (maybe the best jeans in the world)
Japanese Sandals
Tea Sets
Samurai Clothes and Accessories
Edible Seaweed from Ofunato (the northeast region)

You can also try using the search field on the Rakuten homepage to search for city names in the northeast region, such as Sendai, Kamaishi, Miyako, and Kuji, in order to find stores in those cities from which to buy. Keep in mind that operations at those stores might be curtailed or slowed for awhile — but they will still appreciate the business!

Rakuten currently ships to over 50 countries (and the list is expanding) and their site has pages optimized for a number of countries, including the USA, Canada, China, France, and the UK. If you’re outside Japan, when you place an order you’ll usually be put in touch via email with the shop that sells the item to arrange a shipping method and cost. (Note that some shops offer special free international shipping promotions, or $1 international shipping.) There is a weight restriction on items shipped to the US via certain carriers, but many shops can arrange a shipping method to the US that gets around this limit.

When you first explore the site, you may wonder where to go and how to approach it, but anyone familiar with online shopping can quickly figure it out. Explore. In addition, they have a handy instructional page here.

Think of it as an adventure, man. As well as a good deed.

Here’s a testimonial from a customer in the US posted on the Rakuten site:

“I recently found Rakuten via Facebook, and boy I couldn’t be happier. As a person interested in Japanese culture, this website is great. I’ve found many things I had been looking for as well as new items that have caught my eye. The website is well laid out and very intuitive to navigate. And the search feature is one of the better ones I’ve encountered for a merchant website. And this is all from a website that isn’t set up for business in the USA. If the USA website is half as good, then it’ll be better than most merchants that I’ve purchased from. by Nick M – NJ, USA”

Hey, if Nick can do it, you can, too. And remember, you’ll be helping the cause. It all adds up.

If you have found something interesting or useful here on Best Stuff for Men, please consider making a donation, so others can benefit, too. Thanks!

Best Cold-Weather Gloves to Handle Winter’s Worst

ECJ — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 23:49:25 +0000

Cold hands? Click here for solutions.

So, if you’ve read my post on the best winter boots, your feet should be thanking you now. But feet are only half the equation. Don’t forget your hands. That means you’ll want the best winter gloves, too.

When it comes to extremities (and we’ve got 5 of them or so), hands can be even more vulnerable than feet. Personally, when I’m doing something outdoors and it’s below zero, it’s usually my hands that start giving up the battle against the cold first. (Have your hands ever gotten so cold you couldn’t turn the key in your car’s door lock? Inconvenient, you know. And painful.) So it might be even more important to have the right stuff to wear on your hands to keep them warm. Warm hands = fun outdoors during the winter. Cold hands = excruciating bummertude.

And hey, just because you’re shoveling snow off your driveway or walking your dog in the sleet doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have the best cold-weather gloves (or mittens) you can get — gear designed for extreme cold weather comfort. Because you know that if they will work for, say, ski mountaineering or ice climbing, they will work in Buffalo in the dead of winter when you’re walking to the train. Following are the best gloves to protect your precious paws from winter’s frigid, damp days.

Arcteryx Alpha SV

I’ll start with the Cadillac of gloves: Arc’teryx Alpha SV Gloves (after all, this site is not called Pretty Good Stuff for Men). Let’s not beat around the bush — if your hands are cold and you want to keep them warm, this is what you put on. (I could have said they are the BMW or Lamborghini of gloves, too.) Yes, they’re rather expensive. But worth it for the quality, durability, design, and workmanship. Arc’teryx is known for making innovative, thoughtful, supremely functional outdoor gear. When the testers at Backpacker magazine got hold of the Arc’teryx Alpha SV Gloves and took a look at the price, they thought there would be no way they could endorse them. But then, as they would later write: “We tried it during a dismal day of crevasse rescue training with Rainier Mountaineering, Inc.” One of their testers described his experience with these gloves this way: “Working a wet rope in wet snow in a steady downpour in 35°F weather is the perfect recipe for wooden finger tips — if not full-on hypothermia. But my hands stayed dry and warm through 6 hours of mucking about.” Bottom line? Backpacker endorses them, price and all. Another of their testers said, “Has better dexterity than any glove this warm I’ve ever worn.”

The editors at Outside magazine were equally impressed. They stated, “The folks up in Vancouver [meaning Arc'teryx -- which, by the way, is an abbreviation of Archaeopteryx, the first bird ever] have created an Armani suit for your hands… Best full-gauntlet glove we’ve ever tested.” And National Geographic Adventure named them “Gear of the Year” for 2010.

The guys at Adventure-Journal chimed in, too: “May be the best gauntlet glove ever made.” (See the video below.)

Arcteryx Gloves from Steve Casimiro on Vimeo.

Those are some good reviews. Yes, the Alpha SV is pricier than most other gloves. But then, how often can you buy a Lamborghini for around $275? It’s the end of the winter retailing season, too, so you might find a discount (and there are all kinds of good deals being offered right now at the outfitters I mention in this post). If the sunset-copper color doesn’t do it for you, you can get them in black. Find Arc’teryx Alpha SV Gloves at: Backcountry.com, Moosejaw, and Altrec. Don’t wait, because inventory on these gloves is selling quickly.

Columbia Majik Wands

Columbia’s Omni-Heat® technology is really catching on in outdoor-equipment circles, and they’ve applied it in their Majik Wands Gloves. Omni-Heat thermal insulation incorporates a metallic layer that reflects heat back to you. In the Columbia Majik Wands, it’s combined with an Omni-Tech waterproof and breathable bladder and 100 grams of insulation. Testers have found that Omni-Heat can increase the insulating properties of a garment by 20 percent — just what you want when it’s 5 below zero and windy. As with most all their products, Columbia has included other thoughtful features, such as material on the thumb for wiping a drippy nose and shock-corded hem adjustment that can be operated one-handed. Outside‘s testers said of these gloves: “The Columbia Majik Wands are toastier than they look. Breathability is so-so. Great chairlift-riding gloves.” But in their review, Snowshoe Magazine stated: “I can confirm that the 50 percent recycled content Majik Wands is wicked warm in real-world use and doesn’t seem to get ‘too hot,’ as sometimes happens with backcountry gloves. It breathes well, too.” And, if cost is an object, you can get them for about a third of the cost (or less) of the Arc’teryx Alpha SV’s. There are 4 color combinations available. Find the Columbia Majik Wands Gloves — in many cases, for a discount right now – at: Rocky Mountain Trail, Backcountry.com, Sun & Ski Sports, and DepartmentOfGoods. See the descriptive video below…

Mountain Hardwear Minus One

As I mentioned earlier, if a glove is designed for ice climbing, it’ll probably handle most of your typical outdoor winter situations. This year, Outside singled out the Mountain Hardwear Minus One Gloves as a recommended choice for not only ice climbing but a variety of activities, from backcountry skiing to cold-weather mountain biking. Their editors state that Mountain Hardwear Minus One Gloves are “waterproof, light and supple, reinforced in all the right places, and surprisingly warm.” They also note that they tend to fit snugly, so consider ordering a size up. As you might expect from Mountain Hardwear, only the most up-to-date materials are incorporated in these gloves: goatskin leather palms with Pittard’s Oil Tac reinforcements for excellent grip, OutDry® Waterproof Technology, mesh tricot lining to wick moisture and sweat away from your hands, corded nylon material for the body. Dane, an alpine climber who blogs about equipment at Cold Thistle, put these gloves through their paces (both climbing and in everyday use) and found that they got the job done. They’re tough, light, waterproof, and sort of cool-looking. You can find Mountain Hardwear Minus One Gloves at: Moosejaw and Altrec.

Hestra Seth Morrison Pro Model

Now, maybe you’d enjoy a glove with a bit of attitude — something inspired by the edgier things a guy can do. Something that suggests aspects of shredding. But of course will still keep your digits toasty. Well, for that there’s Hestra: specifically, the Seth Morrison Pro Model Gloves. First of all, Hestra is a Swedish company. As you’re probably aware, it gets pretty cold in Sweden. Second, Hestra makes gloves for the Swedish Army. In fact, they’ve been making gloves since 1936, and have developed a reputation for producing some of the best gloves in the world. Case in point: in the 1980s, Hestra began working with Lars Fält to design gloves. Lars is an interesting guy. He spent 5 years as a member of the Swedish Army’s Special Forces, then became a paratrooper. In the 1970s, he created the first Swedish Armed Forces survival school. Then he trained with the Special Forces in the United States, England, and Canada. For fun, he adventured on the side. And, though he is now retired from the military, he still spends each winter at Lappeasuoando Wilderness Camp, where he teaches courses on how to survive in the wilderness in the winter. Lappeasuoando is one of those distinctive Swedish places where, in the winter, temperatures regularly dip to 40 below zero (a temperature at which pine trees will crack). The Lappeasuoando Wilderness Camp cannot be reached by road. It has no electricity or running water. Participants in the courses learn how to bivouac overnight in the snow and how to make soup from lichens. Fält likes to cite the camp’s motto: “The prepared will survive.”

Seth Morrison

That’s the kind of professional Hestra works with to design their high-performance gloves. But not the only kind. They worked with free-skier Seth Morrison to create a glove that would meet the needs of one of the most daring extreme skiers in the world. Even before he was being paid by Hestra, Morrison wore their gloves. Since 2005, he has been refining the Hestra Seth Morrison Pro Model. Drawing on that outdoor-survival-and-Swedish-military tradition, the gloves also incorporate design elements from motocross gloves. They are warm and tough. Each year he refines them a bit more. After spending part of a recent season skiing in the desolate mountains in Alaska’s Petersburg region, Morrison observed: “Almost no one had skied there before us. The hands were exposed to cold temperatures, as well as impacts. Such environments require the best gloves you can get.” The Seth Morrison Pro Model Gloves are made of Army Goat Leather and cowhide; Thermolite insulation; and an integrated windproof, waterproof, breathable CZone membrane. They have a side zip for quick on/off, protection on the knuckles and fingers, and a handy nose wipe. And some attitude. Get them at: Backcountry.com, DepartmentOfGoods, and Altrec.

POW Tanto

If you want a versatile cold-weather glove for not a lot of moolah (around $50, depending on discounts), check out the POW Tanto. POW, based in the Pacific northwest, makes a broad range of gloves for everything from snowboarding to bicycling to golf. The Tanto is one of their most popular models. It’s comfort-rated from minus 10 to 32°F and is suitable for activities from skiing to snowmobiling to gripping the steering wheel of your car when it’s 5 below zero and you’re peering through a little hole in the frost on your windshield as you commute to your job on icy streets. They incorporate goatskin leather, a waterproof/breathable Hipora insert (a 3-layer microporous coating structure), a microfleece lining, and Primaloft insulation, and offer style options from flamboyant to stealth.

The snowboarding gear review site The Good Ride said of the POW Tanto Gloves:

“The Tanto has a good all around feel and is one of the most comfortable gloves we have experienced… The inside is very comfortable and doesn’t have that grippy feel that many micro-fleece liners have. It’s ideal to get wet hands in and out without pulling the liner out. The Tanto is reasonably priced and offers one of the best glove experiences out there for the $100 and under price range. The Tanto doesn’t have Gore-Tex but it does have a 20,000 [mm] waterproof insert that is outstanding. Yeah, the Pow isn’t any more reliable than Dakine or Burton but we feel you get a better glove for a lower price. That being said, we were able to get a very long season out of this glove and it still has more left for next year.”

The Good Ride rates comfort, fit, and waterproofing for the Tanto as “Excellent,” and dexterity, warmth, and durability as “Good.” Customer reviews for the POW Tanto at the retailers I mention here also tend to be almost uniformly positive. Outdoor enthusiasts appreciate these gloves. Miles Clark, professional free-skier, guide for Rainier Mountaineering, Inc., and all-around adventurer, uses POW gloves and is a member of the POW ski team. Here’s a video of Miles Clark (and friends) showing some of the ways POW gloves can be used (his job might be a little more fun than yours):

POW is a company that stands behind their products (another criterion I look for in any product I recommend on Best Stuff for Men), and you can also find good customer support at all the online shops I mention here. Here’s a video of the POW guys introducing some of their 2010-2011 gloves at a recent SIA (Snow Sports Industries America) Snow Show in my neck of the woods, Denver:

You can find POW Tanto Gloves (mostly for good discounts right now) at: Dogfunk, Backcountry.com, DepartmentOfGoods, and Altrec.

As Maxx von Marbod said above, mittens (or mitts in the contemporary vernacular) are once again coming into vogue, but there are places where they’ve never been out of vogue: places where you have to keep warm. Since your fingers stay together all cozy-like, mittens are generally acknowledged as being warmer than gloves, and I would be remiss if I did not mention some of the best mittens available for those who are facing super-cold temps on a regular basis (say, telephone linemen in Minnesota). If you only occasionally need additional warmth to reinforce your gloves, you can simply wear something like a Gore-Tex mitten over them. But for the most challenging situations, dedicated mittens — i.e., a system – are best. Check the following mitts to keep your digits dry and toasty.

Marmot Expedition Mitt

Termed “a sleeping bag for your hands,” the Marmot Expedition Mitt is the warmest handwear Marmot makes (which means they’re pretty damn warm). They’re intended to complement Marmot’s 8000 Meter Suit. Priced around $100, you get Marmot MemBrain® waterproof/breathable fabric, a bunch of Primaloft insulation (which is basically synthetic down that’s waterproof), DriClime Bi-component wicking lining, a reinforced palm, a quickdraw gauntlet cinch cord, a safety leash, a wrist strap, and a nose wipe. The gents at UKClimbing did a bit of mountaineering in Alaska using the Marmot Expedition Mitts and were kind enough to write a review. (They liked them.) If these are good enough to take on Everest, they should be good enough to get you through your job as a newspaper deliverer in Caribou, Maine. You can also find the Marmot Expedition Mitt at Rocky Mountain Trail.

One of the customer reviewers of the Marmot Expedition Mitt wrote:

“I bought a pair of these 7 years ago. These were the first mitts that I found that I could be outside in sub-zero temps in Wisconsin and still have warm hands. I find above freezing I end up taking them off every 15 minutes or so to let my hand cool off. The best part is the wicking is so good, I never feel that I have sweaty hands.”

You can get your own pair of Marmot Expedition Mitts at: Massey’s Outfitters, Rocky Mountain Trail, and Moosejaw. Other retailers carry them, including Backcountry.com and Rock Creek, but they’re sold out of these mitts right now (click the text links and use their search function to check if they’re again in stock, or sign up to be emailed when they’re available).

An alternative to the Marmot Expedition Mitts would be the Mountain Hardwear Masherbrum Mitten – a technically-sophisticed mitt designed for high-altitude mountaineering. They’re similar in price and performance to the Marmot Expedition Mitts. Click here to see detailed specifications, customer reviews, and order from Backcountry.com. You can also find them at DepartmentOfGoods.

Finally, if you want an economical mitten that still gets the job done (though I don’t think I’d necessarily take it to Everest), check out Dakine’s Fillmore Mittens, a good-looking mitt for $40 or less. For that price you get good technical features and better-than-average performance from a mitten that Dakine guarantees for a lifetime. They’re non-bulky, tough enough for a variety of outdoor activities, and pretty stylish. And hey, you want to look good while keeping warm, right? You can find Dakine Fillmore Mittens in a variety of colors at better outdoor retailers, including: Altrec, Backcountry.com, Dogfunk, and DepartmentOfGoods. Click the links here, check customer reviews, buy them, and keep warm.

And wipe your nose.

Get Ready for Your Super Bowl Party, Part 2: Food

ECJ — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:54:44 +0000

Now that you’ve taken care of your party-ware, decorations, and equipment for your Super Bowl party (and if you haven’t, see my previous post on Super Bowl party supplies), it’s time to put the crowning touch on it: food.

The heart of any well-executed, successful gathering is the food. And though this is a party focused on a football game, the food you serve will be at least as memorable (if you do it right) as the big plays and the commercials.

Of course, this being a Super Bowl party and all, your main dish will probably be meat. What kind of meat is up to you, but you can’t go wrong by offering several options. The question then is: where to get it?

Now, it may seem a little odd that I’m recommending getting your Super Bowl party food online (after all, can’t you just go to the supermarket and pick up some ground beef?), especially if you’ve never ordered food online before, but it’s a sure path to scrumptiousness and the appreciation of your guests. Think about it. Most people are still not terribly accustomed to ordering food online. Therefore, the companies that have been successfully selling food online for awhile must be doing something very right. In other words, they have a superior product. That being the case, you can’t go wrong by patronizing the following online merchants.

Classic Steakburger from Kansas City Steak Company

First, the meat. Here your go-to source is Kansas City Steak Company. Since 1932, they’ve been supplying top-quality meat, raised in the mid-west (as you’d expect from a company established in Kansas), to discerning carnivores throughout the nation. They’ve embraced the most modern distribution channels over the decades, so it’s only fitting that they’ve established a successful presence on the Internet. Their steaks are second to none (for example, their Wagyu Kobe Filet Mignon), but since this is a Super Bowl party and not the celebration of your company being bought by Google, you’ll probably want to go with their specialty steakburgers and hot dogs. You don’t have to be completely traditional, though. Kansas City Steak Company also offers chicken and turkey, ribs, and seafood. And when you’re done eating all that, they even provide gourmet desserts. (See compliments for Kansas City Steak Company from the knowledgeable guys at Chowhound.)

A side of smoked salmon from Mackenzie Limited

But as I said, you will score even more points with your guests by going with several meat options. And to expand your fare, rely on Mackenzie Limited. Their claim to fame is smoked salmon. I mean, really good smoked salmon, including smoked salmon from Scotland. In business since 1984, Mackenzie Limited has expanded its catalog over the years to include 350 of the best gourmet products available online. (In fact, you might want to add to your bucket list: “Eat every kind of food that Mackenzie Limited sells at least once.”) They offer lamb, beef, pork, caviar, duck, turkey, and chicken — even vegetarian entrées (should for some reason you wish to go in that direction for a party celebrating football’s most intensive gladitorial mayhem). They even have hors d’oeuvres — and for starters, you should definitely consider offering your guests some warm lobster spread and artichoke gruyere dip. They have desserts, too. For example, their Whoopie Pies – shaped like X’s and O’s – are perfect for a gridiron get-together.

If you’re a particular fan of hot dogs, you also might want to expand your links options with sausages, frankfurters, and knockwurst from Gourmet Food Store, such as the duck and pork sausage with figs (pictured at left). They have a variety of sausages made in the old-world European style, including kielbasa and Spanish chorizo. Get some good hot dog buns, a few condiments (from Gourmet Food Store — or see below for further condiment sources) and you’ll be set. To purchase hot dog buns in quantity and save, you can go to Food Service Direct. They have, for example, Mountain Farm whole grain hot dog buns. And if you need additional kitchen implements or hard-to-find food items, Food Service Direct has about 50,000 high-quality products from which to choose. Or try the gluten-free tapioca hot dog buns from ENER-G (from Buy.com in bulk).

If you want to go in a more premium direction — think surf-and-turf — you can add lobster to your steakburgers (or steak) by going to Lobsters-Online, a company located on Cape Cod that for over 35 years has been shipping lobsters and other seafood throughout the USA. They have expanded their offerings to include free-range, grass-fed beef from Montana, so you can take advantage of their lobster-tail-and-meat combos or their surf-and-turf feasts. Click here to see all their delicious offerings and to order (and to find out how to handle your live lobsters after they’re delivered).

Pommery Meaux Grain Mustard from Fairway Marketplace

Getting back to hors d’oeuvres and other things to complement your meal, I wanted to mention that Sur La Table, well-known by cooking aficionados for their extensive inventory of high-quality kitchen tools and equipment, also has food — quite a large selection of good things to eat.

And in that regard, if you’re in any way a cheese lover — and, when you have some crackers around, who isn’t? — you should check out their collection. They particularly feature cheeses from the Di Bruno Brothers company of Philadelphia and Academia Barilla in Italy. If you want some unusual, excellent cheese for your party, try the Di Bruno American Cheese Sampler. And for sandwich condiments and meat marinades, check out Sur La Table’s condiments section — blue cheese dijon mustard, cranberry horseradish sauce, and smoky apple barbecue sauce, among others.

Plus, if you need a charcoal starter, an indoor grill (could be raining or snowing that day, you know), a meat thermometer, or a grill pan, they’ve got that covered, as well.

A second excellent place to get all sorts of unusual appetizers and exotic foods online is Fairway Marketplace, New York City’s legendary market, whose slogan is “Like No Other Market.” Foodies in New York are devoted to Fairway Market, so you know they must have something on the ball. Click the previous text link to check their selection of food, coffee, condiments, sauces, and more. Or just click on the picture of the Pommery Meaux Grain Mustard above to get some for your burgers and brats (trust me, this is great mustard).

Another online store known for their comprehensive supply of cooking equipment is Cooking.com but again, you might not be aware that they carry a lot of tasty food items, too, such as: a 2-pound sampler of favorite igourmet cheeses, Australian Watercrackers, Paula Deen Hot Sauce and Marsh Mud Cookies, etc. And if you’re looking for some appetizing recipes, they have over 8,000 to browse, including football party appetizers.

Carnitas from MexGrocer

Click for a serving basket from Mex Grocer

Nowadays it’s hard to find a party anywhere in America that doesn’t include at least a bit of Mexican fare. I mean, how did we get along, appetizer-wise, before tortilla chips and guacamole? Tacos and burritos have become almost as popular as hamburgers. Salsa can be found on top of almost anything, and then there are refried beans and carnitas… If you want interesting Mexican food to spice up your Super Bowl shindig, check out MexGrocer, the popular and highly-rated site for anything and everything having to do with Mexican cuisine. They offer, for example, complete kits for preparing your own tamales. They have more brands of salsa than you can shake a piñata at (I like Herdez myself), as well as habanero sauces, many kinds of dried and canned peppers, and chorizo. They have sections devoted to gourmet foods and Mexican recipes. And, of course, all the hardware you need to cook the stuff. Oh, and dozens of types of tortilla (and other) chips. The site is easily navigated and the prices and customer service are good.

And if you want to get even more exotic in the food department with your appetizers and main dishes, go to La Tienda – authentic food and kitchen items from Spain: paella, serrano ham, bread, wine, cheese, olives, and more. Their site repays repeated exploration — you can feel yourself absorbing more worldliness as you wander through it (not to mention getting hungry). Even if you choose another direction than Spanish food for your Super Bowl bash, you’ll want to come back to La Tienda for a future event or just to try something for yourself. Once you do, you’ll likely be a customer for life.

Now for a bit different kind of service: if you’re in Green Bay Packers land (i.e., most of Wisconsin), and environs, you can order groceries from Peapod – everything from brats to pizza to pickles to beer to soda. They deliver within certain areas on the east coast, too. Click here to take advantage of food and related items delivered to your door, including fully cooked meals. Why go out and shop at various stores when you can order everything you want online – from meat to fresh vegetables — and have it brought over for a nominal fee? You can use the time you save to make final adjustments to your fantasy football team. Or to get creative in the kitchen. Or for sleeping. Once you experience the convenience of Peapod’s service, it becomes habit-forming. You’ll wonder why you ever wasted all that time driving and shopping. Go to their site now to see if they’re available in your area (and, for a limited time, get $10 off your first order using code PPAFF10). If you’re in Manhattan, you can get $15 off your first order using code NYCJ15. If you’re in the Philadelphia area, you can save $20 off your first order at Peapod.com using code AFFL20.

Another extensive online shopping service is offered by Ozbo. And not only do they have hundreds of thousands of products, including popular brands of prepared foods and other groceries, they discount everything, sometimes quite impressively. People are finding they can use Ozbo to get many of their most useful and perishable household items (such as diapers, pet supplies, batteries, and paper towels), save money, and have everything delivered right to their door. Party-wise, they have popular brands of chips, condiments, snacks, olives, pickles, etc., not to mention balloons and decorative napkins. Additionally, customers tend to rave about Ozbo’s customer service (they’re a Shopwiki approved store, for one thing). There’s a reason Ozbo has experienced explosive growth since its founding over 30 years ago — they do things right, now offering over 1,000,000 products on the Web, and prompt shipping. Use the search box below to find what you want at Ozbo.

Chocolate-covered mini-pretzels from Chocolate.com

You know, thinking about snacks and appetizers, I want to make a suggestion here for something that would most likely be a hit at your party: chocolate-covered pretzels. What could be better than a combination of two of the most popular snack foods ever? If you go with them, your party will become legendary. You can serve them before kickoff, during halftime, and for dessert. Some of your guests will gorge themselves and beg for more. They will be grateful. You will be known as a party-hosting god. Find over 150 types of chocolate-covered pretzels at Chocolate.com. Offer different versions, and you will become a legend among your friends.

Cookies from Dancing Deer Baking Co.

Speaking of dessert, have you thought about that? You can’t have an outstanding feast without including something sweet at the end. There are impressive dessert options available at the companies listed above. However, I want to mention two more… First: Dancing Deer Baking Co.. In particular, their cookies are excellent, though they also carry brownies and cakes, too. Cookies are easy to serve and everybody likes them (particularly from Dancing Deer).

And second, if you want to go all out in a decadent direction, Savorique will supply the pièce de résistance your party deserves. They have just about any sweet thing you can imagine, but their cheesecakes are a special, gourmet dessert treat. (And this treat will help soothe the feelings of football fans if their team loses. Though it might require more than one piece.)

I know I haven’t mentioned much about beverages until now. Obviously, you’re gonna want something to drink. You’ll probably have some ideas about that (and maybe have your guests simply BYOB) and you don’t necessarily need to find your soda, beer, and whatnot online, but there is one thing that you can get online that might be better than what you’ll find at your local supermarket: wine.

If you’re doing a more elegant and sophisticated Super Bowl party, then you’ll probably want to offer some wine (for example, to go with your Ribeye Steaks or Spanish ham). And the place to go for wine recommendations and good prices on top-flight vintages is Personal Wine. They have high-quality wine for as little as $15 a bottle (and you can add a personalized label, which might be fun for the party) and, if you’re not sure what to try, browse the recommendations and reviews by their expert staff. For example, to go with steak: ’04 Wings Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.

After so much good food, some people will want coffee (particularly if it’s a cold day). The best choice here is Marley Coffee, a company run by Bob Marley’s son Rohan.

Though some might prefer tea. After all, it’s getting more popular and the health benefits are pretty significant. Who says a nice cup of green tea won’t complement the 12 ounces of beef you just consumed? It might add the crowning touch to your satiation. One of the best places to get tea, from Earl Gray to Rainforest Mate, is Mighty Leaf Tea.

On the other hand, maybe you just want to have a party focused almost exclusively on viewing the game — after all, that’s what everybody’s there for, right? Football. Some Super Bowl. You want to concentrate on watching two of the most successful NFL franchises in history knock each other’s heads off. Who has the bandwidth to eat much? But you’ll still want some nosh, if only to have something to do with your hands when you’re not throwing them up in the air at the bad calls. So: popcorn. That’s right, the snack that accompanies every quintessential American pastime. But not just any popcorn… you want popcorn made on your own popcorn machine from Stargate Cinema. Delicious and plentiful. Plus you can watch it pop. Your buddies will be impressed. Then, they’ll be even more impressed when it’s time to watch the game and you sit down on your Fortress Theater Seating chairs.

Popcorn, big overstuffed individual recliners, high-def TV, and the Super Bowl. What could possibly be better?

Now you’re ready for some football.

If you have found something interesting or useful here on Best Stuff for Men, please consider making a donation, so others can benefit, too. Thanks!

Get Ready for Your Super Bowl Party, Part 1: Party Supplies and Accessories

ECJ — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 18:54:52 +0000

Click here to get a Super Bowl XLVI pennant

The biggest football day of the year is coming up and you’re planning on having a Super Bowl party, aren’t you? You know — whether it’s just a couple of your buds, a bag of chips and some brews, or you invite a crowd that fills every room of your house — football goes better with a bunch of friends. Following are ideas and resources for football-themed party supplies, decorations, and other stuff to help you host a Super Bowl party that you and your guests will enjoy. (Even if the game itself doesn’t live up to the hype.)

There are some good places online to get supplies for football game parties or a Super Bowl party specifically. I’ve combed the Internet to find the best deals and prices, plus suggestions for fun items you might want to include, from football-shaped serving trays to NFL Team gear to the right TV on which to watch the game…

First, you need some basic football party supplies — cups for beverages, plates for brats, pretzels, and burgers, bowls for chili, utensils to spear and scoop things, and napkins to save your couch from greasy fingerprints. How elaborate you get after those basics (table cloth, balloons, inflatable cooler?) is up to you (and is probably somewhat determined by whether you share your abode with a female). Where can you get Super-Bowl-themed eating equipment like that? Why, from BuyCostumes, of course.

For example, Super Bowl XLV plastic cups:

And a football-shaped serving tray:

Football-shaped serving tray

BuyCostumes is a lot more than just a costume store. Think of them as your one-stop event shop. They have everything you need to focus your Super Bowl party, to give it fun authenticity. Plus make it convenient: plastic silverware, paper plates — everything that can be thrown away (or recycled) afterwards, which is the American way. Or simply order a football party kit that’s pre-made. This year, you especially might want kits for the Green Bay Packers or the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On the other hand, if you take environmental considerations into account, you can get biodegradable plates, utensils, and other stuff at BuyGreen (which is also the American way).

Galvanized Tub for drinks

Want another good place to shop for sports-themed and football-themed decorations and gear? Try Wayfair.

For example, get a Galvanized Drink Tub to fill up with ice and cold beverages:

And a personalized football bar sign with your name:

You can use Kaskey Kids football guys to decorate a cake...or whatever.

Another decoration option that you might not think of is to use the football guys action figures from Kaskey Kids to decorate a cake, or cupcakes, or just set them up for the kids to play with during the party, or put them out on your serving table. They’ll lend a fun, almost “throwback” atmosphere, however you use them — the nostalgia for when you were first learning about the game as a kid. And Kaskey Kids sports action figures are fun to play with the rest of the year, too. See my in-depth post on all the fun things you can do with Kaskey Kids sports action figures.

A place that has more party supplies than Charlie Sheen is Target. Go to their homepage, and search on “Super Bowl Party.” You’ll find a lot of essential stuff at good prices and often with free shipping.

And another cost-effective place to get your Super Bowl accouterments is Buy.com. For example, check their Super Bowl Tailgate Party Gift Basket and Green Bay Packers 60-oz. pitcher, among other things.

As you’re taking in the game, rooting for your favorite team, getting het up, fan gear helps. For example, wouldn’t it be supportive to have an Aaron Rodgers jersey?

Or a Pittsburgh Steelers hoodie?

Or any of a number of other pieces of gear? The place to get all this is FansEdge.com, the one-stop shop to get everything related to fandom.

Along, that is, with Fathead. How would you like to decorate you wall with a life-size graphic of Troy Polamalu? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Get that and many other exceptionally noticeable life-size sports guy emblems at Fathead.

The Right TV for Watching the Game

Of course, all the party supplies, delicious food, and fan gear will ultimately mean little if you don’t have a TV that lives up to the significance of the game. You can’t watch the game on a 19-inch cathode ray tube television. No, man, you need a good HDTV. And if you’re going to get one, you may as well get the best: the 54-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P54VT25 Plasma HDTV. On this, the Super Bowl will become a religious experience: Religious. Experience.

And here’s a heads-up: Only until February 5, 2011, Sears has all Samsung and Panasonic TVs on sale for up to $1,000 off, plus free shipping on TVs $749 and up.

Not this.

This

Play Football at Your Party with an Official NFL Game Ball

Official NFL Game Football -- what the pros use

And, too, before the party you’ll want to work up a bit of an appetite so, after you become terminally bored with the 7-hour pre-game show, you’ll feel like going out and throwing the ol’ pigskin around with the boys (or girls). For that, you’ll need a pigskin. Don’t skimp on this. Inspiration is not a factor to be trifled with. Get the official Wilson F1100 Leather NFL Game Football from Online Sports — the place to fulfill virtually any sports-related need you have.

NFL Tickets

When it comes to not skimping on things, you might be one of those guys who wants to skip the home Super Bowl party entirely. Instead, you’re the kind of guy who needs to be in the thick of things. You want to be there, at the venue, live. (Or even better, you want to throw your party in a luxury box at the stadium.) If that’s the kind of guy you are, you’ll need tickets. They’re still available. Get them from TicketNetwork, one of the premier places online to acquire great tickets to the best sports events, including Super Bowl XLV packages. If that’s the way you roll, check their website now.

And plan and book your trip to Dallas using Trip Advisor, probably the most trusted travel review and information site in the world. For good deals on flights and lodging, you can also check Easy Click Travel.

Are you ready for some football?

Not quite — you still have to get the food for your party.