Former All-American Linebacker for the University of Georgia David Pollack joined today’s show. Pollak discussed the playoff committee’s decision to leave Alabama out and explained how he would fine-tune the playoffs moving forward.
Category: Feature 1
A sneak peek into cast of Happy Gilmore 2
Comedian Adam Sandler called into the show today. Sandler had some fun with DP regarding his cameo in Happy Gilmore 2 and shared what celebrity cameos we can expect in the new film.
Lomas Brown previews Lions/Packers
Detroit Lions radio color analyst Lomas Brown explained how he believed the Green Bay Packers would look to attack the defense of the Detroit Lions and broke down how Dan Campbell managed to change the culture in Detroit.
Who still has a shot at the CFP?
Sports Illustrated Senior writer Pat Forde discussed the end to the Michigan/Ohio State game and explained which teams currently on the outside looking in still have a shot at the playoff.
Andrew Luck makes his return to football
Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is back in football after taking the general manager position at Stanford. Luck discussed his role at the university and recapped how he plans to handle the age of college football.
The Best, Boldest and Wildest Ads Ever Published in SLAM
Let’s take it back to the 90s.
Back when FILA was a major player in the basketball space and Grant Hill was at the forefront of its marketing efforts, SLAM featured bold, wild and hella fun ads throughout the magazine. Over the past 30 years, we’ve had everything from a Jordan perfume ad to brands that marketed products that allegedly helped increase your vertical jump or even helped you grow taller.
In honor of all those timeless classics, we’re hyped to announce SLAM Presents OLD SLAM ADS.
In this exclusive special collector’s issue, you’ll get to peek behind the curtain and hear from those members of the brand partnerships team who were tasked with selling ad space at SLAM throughout the years, as they offer up some behind-the-scenes gems of how many of these ads ended up in the pages of the publication.
You’ll also find a couple of other features that dive deep into the phenomenon of the aforementioned jump higher/strength category of ads that ran in SLAM throughout the decades, as well as a look back at the legendary D-Band headband product of the early 2000s and more.
The post The Best, Boldest and Wildest Ads Ever Published in SLAM appeared first on SLAM.
Edwards calls for end of flag planting
Former NFL and College Football head coach Herm Edwards explained why he’s had enough of the flag-planting postgame and broke down how he would deal with Justin Tuckers’ kicking struggles if he were the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
Which team is ranked too high?
On3 Sports’ Andy Staples joined us this morning to react to the latest College Football Playoff rankings. He discussed why Clemson being ranked at 12 bothered him, explained which team is in now that won’t be there once the playoff start, and how conference championship games will change will affect the final rankings.
Breer: Daniel Jones should follow Sam Darnold path
Senior NFL reporter Albert Breer explained the best options for free agent quarterback Daniel Jones and explained why he believes we could see seven to 10 head coaching vacancies this off-season.
SLAM’s Reebok Question Collab Celebrates Allen Iverson’s Iconic “Soul On Ice” Cover
words, shoe photography & design // Nick DePaula
issue 32 portraits // Clay Patrick McBride
You already know this was a must.
As Allen Iverson writes in the foreword of the “30 YEARS OF SLAM” book:
“I AM SLAM.”
“I say I AM SLAM because together — with me living it and SLAM covering it — we made it OK to be you, to be authentic, in the NBA,” Iverson writes. “Shit, we made it OK for athletes to be themselves in all of sports. Now that might sound cocky, but it’s not. It’s just facts.”
The bond and timeline of the two have been linked ever since Iverson was first featured on the mag’s ninth cover in early 1996, while still in college. When Issue #32 dropped though, the impact reached beyond basketball.
It’s not just an iconic SLAM cover. It’s an image that kickstarted an entire throwback jersey era for the 2000s, and cemented AI as the most culturally impactful icon that the league has ever seen.
“In SLAM in the beginning, we would just cover the culture,” founder Dennis Page recently told Iverson. “But after ‘Soul On Ice,’ I like to think that we became part of the culture, because of that cover. Allen gave us the credibility.”
Throughout the detailed Russ Bengtson feature interview with The Answer, there’s a layout graphic featuring Iverson that’s centered around “The 3 of Diamonds.” As we all know, there isn’t much explanation needed to explain Allen’s affinity for ice.
The throwback “PHILA” jersey he’s wearing in early 1999 was custom made by a local nearby manufacturer named Mitchell & Ness, to highlight the history of the league in an “Old School Issue” as the NBA was dealing with a lockout that year. It was the chain, the tats, the bracelet, the watch and the earrings that let you know this was a modern icon of the next millennium.
“I fell in love with that magazine,” Iverson told Page. “Just the loyalty, and the way y’all had no problem with letting me be me. It was no situation to where I had to deal with being on the cover and my tattoos are airbrushed off. All authentic. It was, ‘You be you, and we’ll take care of the rest.’”
To celebrate the original cover and the magazine’s 30th anniversary this year, SLAM and Reebok teamed up on a limited edition pair of Iverson’s iconic first signature shoe.
Throughout Iverson’s career, diamonds were often incorporated into anniversary moments or celebratory launches, like the time Reebok put a $65,000 diamond-laced Question up for sale on Eastbay. When Iverson celebrated his 10th anniversary with the company, Reebok gifted him with a diamond-laced pair of Answers from his MVP season.
Inspired by “frosted” diamond watches, the midsole of the SLAM x Reebok Question Low features a metallic frosted texture that extends up into the shoe’s unmistakable toe cap.
The SLAM and Reebok logos alternate on the tongue and heel, while the lettering up the eyelets have been switched out to read Allen’s longtime nickname among his closest friends: “Bubba Chuck.”
“SLAM was everything to my career,” added Iverson. “Still today, I walk past a magazine stand and I see that magazine — I’m grabbing it.”
Along the insoles and the box, Iverson is featured in alternate portraits from the era where he left a mark on the game for good.
The “3 of Diamonds” logo from the original cover story layout can be found on both the heel of the shoe and through the clear outsole, bringing one of the most impactful covers in SLAM’s 30-year history full circle, celebrating once again that “Allen Iverson is Soul On Ice.”
“It was an honor for all of us to be able to embrace the cover, be in it and have our story told, the way that we wanted it to be told,” Iverson reflected. “It was so great for the culture, and so great for basketball. And it’s going to live on forever.”
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