mens basketball

ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game
$49.95
Well I'll just start off by saying that I don't agree with the program ratings at all! I expected my school, which shall remain nameless, to have been ranked higher (is it a non-bcs school thing? geographic thing? who knows). So I compared some of the tournament statistics they gave with other schools that were ranked above, and this only added to my confusion as to what criteria they used to rank the programs. With that said, given this is a review of the book, and not my personal opinion or disappointment with the rankings, I found this to be a great collection of facts and statistics. It even lists Top 25 rankings throughout each season. I've been a huge college baskeball fan since I was in my early teens so it was nice to flash back to the past. Overall, it's a pretty complete book and if you're a true fan of the game, you'll really enjoy this book.

2002 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship - Maryland vs. Indiana
$24.99
Great game, albeit from a somewhat biased Terps perspective. Without timeouts and commercials the game really flies.

Spalding NBA Official Game Ball Basketball
$100.00
After months and months of deliberation, I finally decided to purchase a Spalding NBA Official Game Basketball. While the basketball was on its way being delivered to my home, I google searched on ways to break-in the ball. I even called Spalding in the ATL to get advice. I was told by Splading, "that you just have to dribble and shoot with the ball. NBA teams usually take up to nine months to break-in a ball before it can be considered for a game." Well nine months I don't have. So this is what I did:

When I received my NBA basketball via UPS, it felt like a balloon ball and over inflated. I know the writing on the ball states to fill 7 - 9lbs of air pressure. Well when you first get the ball you can't do that or you will hate it.(i.e. other reviews of the balloon effect). So this is what I did.... I took air out of the ball. I took it down to about 4.5 - 5lbs of air pressure. Now granted the ball will dribble flat, BUT, because it is leather, the ball will shrink and form around its new air pressure. So as you shoot and dribble the ball, it reduces the balloon look and feel and shrinks and forms to a real basketball or "pill". Once the break-in period is done(and you'll know when) just add about 1lbs. of air pressure to where the leather will tighten and stretch just a little but not too much.........

And there you have it an NBA "pill"

ESPN (1-year)
$129.74
I bought this for my husband for his birthday, and we both love it! I am very happy with the purchase!