Sneakers just might be the real game in town. As thrilling as it is, as much as its obsessed over, basketball just might be a means to an end that covers your toes.In a given year, Michael Jordan makes more in sneaker sales than what he garnered in NBA checks over the totality of his career. His is a unique case, as MJ is the pinnacle, but hes also the model, the industry prototype. To be a signature guy is to walk in Jordans shoes, to play at selling your fashion to the masses at a level that makes your celebrity endure.Jordans greatest moments might be indelible to those who lived through the 1980s and 90s, but its his shoes that walk a legacy beyond the normal bounds of time. Kids who never saw him play -- or even watched a YouTube highlight -- will wear Jordan 1s, a sneaker that came out in 1985. The staying power of the original Jordan 1 is especially impressive considering how the 1980s were considered something of an aesthetic wasteland. Todays NBA stars are shooting for that future. They wont get there, as there was a certain serendipity to Jordans invention of signature sports branding, but theyll try. The biggest sports stars are competitive enough to shoot for a legacy thats bigger than sports.LeBron James agreed to a lifetime contract with Nike, while his Cleveland Cavaliers had to hope he would continue to re-up on single-year deals. Stephen Currys Under Armour contract runs through 2024; the Golden State Warriors hope he takes the path of least resistance and re-signs with them in July. Curry is the face of UA, regardless of whether he maintains that status on the star-studded Warriors. James Hardens Adidas contract reportedly totals $200 million over 13 years. These commitments comprise basketball playing careers. These bonds are stronger than basketball team loyalties. The primary employer might be the symbol on the sneaker, not the name across the front of the jersey.Some people dont get it. Shoes are silly, trivial. Fashion might be something athletes do in their spare time to impress each other, but why should a fan care what his favorite player wears?The simplest answer might be that sneakers are cool, and theyre all the cooler for being inanimate Zeligs to the biggest basketball moments. Its fashion with a cameo in scenes like MJs Game 6 shot in Utah, LeBrons Game 7 block on Andre Iguodala, Stephon Marbury in Chinas -- OK, that one is a stretch. Eventually, these shoes become little time machines, nostalgia you can sink your feet into. If youre familiar with the Jordan XIIs, its hard not to look at them and think of anything other than Flu Game.Moreover, some of these sneakers are as close as you can get to objectively great style. Sure, theres a brainwashing aspect, the crazy lie that a super athletes imprimatur actually makes a shoe better. Sure, theres something arbitrary about how many people would yearn after a shoe with a swoosh symbol and scoff at that same exact model were it burnished with a dot, squiggle or myriad of other shapes. But its not all bull. Some of these sneakers are beautiful, and even if well never get everyone to agree on which ones are, everyone can find their own version of greatness.Syl Apps Jr. Jersey . - Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, J. Dave Schultz Jersey . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Wholesale Penguins Jerseys . Radwanska, making her debut in the Seoul tournament, hit eight aces in a match that lasted 1 hour, 4 minutes at Olympic Park tennis stadium. "It was definitely a very good match -- I was playing really good tennis," Radwanska said. Rob Brown Jersey . 8 Kansas to a 64-63 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday night. The freshman from Vaughan, Ont.BOSTON -- Hanley Ramirez told his Red Sox teammates in the dugout that he wasnt going to swing for the fences in his final at-bat.It doesnt work for him that way.I dont hit homers when I try to hit homers, he explained to reporters after Bostons 11-7 victory over the San Francisco Giants. They said, `It doesnt matter. Youve got three already.Ramirez homered three times to drive in a career-high six runs and also helped the Red Sox with some nifty fielding on Wednesday night as Boston moved into first place in the AL East. With a chance to tie the major league record of four homers in a game, he grounded out weakly to the pitcher in his last at-bat.Travis Shaw and Sandy Leon also homered for Boston, and Mookie Betts had three of the 15 Boston hits that made up for a poor outing from starter Drew Pomeranz. Acquired last week from San Diego for Bostons top pitching prospect, Pomeranz struggled to protect an eight-run lead and lasted just three innings in his Red Sox debut.Unfortunately it was an early night for him, manager John Farrell said. Hell be back out there in five days.Boston opened an 8-0 lead and held on to win for the eighth time in nine games and move a half-game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles, who lost 5-0 to the Yankees.And Ramirez was the biggest reason why.The converted first baseman made several fine fielding plays, diving to his left and his right and also starting a double play in the sixth with the bases loaded and nobody out after San Francisco had already cut Bostons 8-0 lead to 8-7.Everything went right today, he said.Ramirezs first career three-homer game gave him 11 for the season. He hit two-run shots in the second, third and sixth inning.Ramirez also reached base when he was hit by a pitch in the fourth, glowering at Giants reliever Albert Suarez before the umpire quickly warned both benches. The biggest crowd of the season -- 38,201 -- stood and chanted Ramirezs name for his final at-bat in the eighth.Sixteen times players have hit four homers in a game, most recently by Josh Hamilton for Texas in 2012.Matt Barnes (3-3) was awarded the victory as the first effective Red Sox pitcher, coming on with a one-run lead and the bases loaded in the sixth and pitching out of it, thanks to Ramirezs glove.Barnes added a scoreless seventh, getting Brandon Belt on a check-swing strikeout with two on to end it, and a perfect eighth.Pomeranz lasted just three innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks.Giants starter Matt Cain (1-6) gave up three homers and five runs in 2 1/3 innings.Trevor Brown had three hits for the Giants. Mac Williamson hit a three-run homer, and the San Francisco right fielder also went over the right-field bullpen wall in pursuit of one of Ramirezs homers.I think every kid growing up, playing in Fenway would like to hit a ball over the Green Monster, Williamson said. It was definitely a special feeling rounding the bases. Seeing a ball going out here is kind of a childhood dream.RARE VISITThe game wrapped up a two-game series that was the Giants first visit to Fenway Park since 2007 and just their second since the start of interleague play. They have never beaten the Red Sox at the century-old ballpark, with their last win at Fenway coming as the New York Giants against the Boston Braves in the 1912 World Series.The crowd was boosted by many in Giants orange -- matching the 1978-82 throwback jerseys worn by the team; Boston wore the tops from its 1975 World Series team. The visitors managed to out-shout the home fans often, including in the fourth inning, when San Francisco scored five runs, and the fifth, when they added two more to make it an 8-7 game.LEATHERRamirez dove to his right to stop a line drive in the first inning, and made a play to his right on a hard grounder from Grant Green. Then, with the bases loaded in the sixth, he gloved a sharp grounder, stepped on first and threw home.Leon spun and tagged Belt as he slid home. The umpire signaled out, and the call stood after Giants manager Bruce Bochy challenged it.San Francisco third baseman Ramiro Pena made a nice play of his own, going back to catch Travis Shaws popup in shallow left to end the left inning and save a run.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: Hunter Pence (surgery on right hamstring) isnt ready to resume rehab with Triple-A Sacramento. Bochy said hes got a chance to play on Thursday.Red Sox: Put RHP Koji Uehara on the 15-day disabled list with a strain of his pectoral muscle.UP NEXTGiants: Off Thursday before opening a three-gamme series in New York against the Yankees.ddddddddddddRed Sox: Open four-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway.Giants starter Matt Cain said he felt fine.The results certainly didnt look that way.Cain gave up three homers in just 2 1/3 innings -- two of them to Hanley Ramirez -- as the Boston Red Sox completed a two-game interleague sweep over San Francisco, 11-7 on Wednesday night.Making his first start after three rehab outings and missing 43 games with right hamstring injury, Cain retired the first three batters of the game before giving up three runs in the second and two more in the third.Ramirez chased him with his second two-run homer -- of three he had on the night -- in the third. Travis Shaw had a solo shot in the second.It felt like it was coming out (of my hand) fine, just had some errant ones, said Cain (1-6). I had a lot of positives. I had some breaking balls I threw pretty good and some fastballs I threw pretty good.But he said one thing was certain.I made two mistakes right down the middle to Hanley, Cain said.This week, the Giants made their first visit to Fenway Park since 2007 and just their second since the start of interleague play. They have never beaten the Red Sox at the century-old ballpark, with their last win at Fenway coming as the New York Giants against the Boston Braves in the 1912 World Series.He looked good the first inning, stuff looked good. Just couldnt keep the ball out of the middle of the plate, manager Bruce Bochy said of Cain. The long ball hurt us again tonight. We just cant seem to keep the ball in the ballpark.Ramirez drove in a career-high six runs and the Red Sox held on even though newly acquired starter Drew Pomeranz struggled to protect an eight-run lead.Boston won for the eighth time in nine games and moved into first place in the AL East, a half-game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles. The Red Sox had five homers in the game -- Sandy Leon added a solo shot -- after getting two in a 4-0 win Tuesday.Ramirez also reached base when he was hit by a pitch in the fourth, glowering at Giants reliever Albert Suarez before the umpire quickly warned both benches. With the crowd chanting Ramirezs name for his final at-bat in the eighth, he grounded out weakly to the pitcher.Ramirez began the day with eight homers this season before connecting for his first three-homer game.The major league record for home runs in a game is four. Its been done 16 times, most recently by Josh Hamilton for Texas in 2012.Matt Barnes (3-3) was awarded the victory as the first effective Red Sox pitcher, coming on with a one-run lead and the bases loaded in the sixth and pitching out of it.Pomeranz, who was acquired last week for top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza, lasted just three innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks.The crowd of 38,201 was a sellout and the highest of the season for the Red Sox. It was boosted by many in Giants orange, matching the 1978-82 throwback jerseys worn by the team; Boston wore the tops from its 1975 World Series team. The visitors managed to out-shout the home fans often, including in the fourth inning, when San Francisco scored five runs, and the fifth, when they added two more to make it an 8-7 game.SPECIAL FEELINGMac Williamson hit a three-run homer, over the Green Monster, and the San Francisco right fielder also went over the bullpen wall in pursuit of one of Ramirezs homers.Its kind of been a little dream of mine, he said. I think every kid growing up, playing in Fenway, would like to hit a ball over the Green Monster.LEATHERRamirez also made a few good plays in the field. He dove to his right to stop a line drive in the first inning, and made a play to his right on a hard grounder from Grant Green. Then, with the bases loaded in the sixth, he gloved a sharp grounder, stepped on first and threw home.Leon spun and tagged Belt as he slid home. The umpire signaled out, and the call stood after Bochy challenged it.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: Hunter Pence (surgery on right hamstring) isnt ready to resume rehab with Triple-A Sacramento. Bochy said hes got a chance to play on Thursday.Red Sox: Put RHP Koji Uehara on the 15-day disabled list with a strain of his pectoral muscle.UP NEXTGiants: Off Thursday before opening a three-game series in New York against the Yankees.Red Sox: Open four-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway. ' ' '