USC: Uncontrollable Situation in College (Sports)

I'm conflicted about what's been going on at USC over the last couple of weeks.

We all know the story right?

The NCAA, after a long 4 year investigation, found Reggie Bush in violation of NCAA rules for accepting gifts, cars, trips, and a home; Sanctions have been imposed by USC on their basketball program becasuse of O.J. Mayo accepting payments from his agent through then USC coach Tim Floyd.

The NCAA has since placed the football program on 4 years probation with a two year bowl exclusion...FUCK!!! Not to mention, they lost about 30 scholarships.

USC president elect, Max Nikias acted quickly and had Bush and Mayo's trophies returned to the Heisman board and plans to remove their murals and jerseys. DAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYUUUUMMMMMM!!!

So now that you're up to speed. Lets look into the past shall we?

This is USC's sixth suspension; it's second in the 2000's (they were on probation in 2001).

Florida's Maurkice Pouncey allegedly took $100K and now several SEC football players are under investigation.

Former Memphis Guard, and Chicago Bulls standout Derrick Rose was center stage of an SAT scandal that concluded with the Tigers forfeiting their '07 season.

My point? Even if the player, coach, agent, or booster is caught; even if the school loses money, recruits, or their season, it will happen again.

I honestly believe that there isn't a consensus in college athletics that cheating is...well, wrong. History tells us that NCAA repercussions won't deter anyone to not continue this vicious cycle.

It seems the only way college culprits are kicked out of sports is if they're in constant legal trouble like Lawrence Phillips or Maurice Clarett.

John Calipari has dated trouble wherever he has been; yet, he now has one of the most prestigous positions in sports, head basketball coach of the University of Kentucky (my favorite team and I love it).

Derrick Rose, who was coached by Calipari, was an All-Star this past season and Reggie Bush may have a tarnished collegiate image but I'm sure he'll polish his Super Bowl XLIV ring and feel better.

So, again, I'm conflicted...I don't want cheating in the NCAA and I want the cheaters to be exposed; however, I don't think it'll matter, they'll end up on a video game cover anyway.

D-Con

Getting In Front of The Price

Okay, we know how expensive sportswear can be so TripleOT Sports is here to show you how to locate deals. Below are 3 things to look for.

3. Be Proactive And a Little Less Predictable...

The problem we have when purchasing sports apparel is we look for it right when we need it (Birthday, Father's Day, Christmas), or when we see it on TV (while watching the game) and we don't care what the cost is. If A-Rod is wearing it, we need to wear it too (DAMMIT!).

Retailers know this and spend lots of time and money placing apparel in their windows to get the most out of you. So instead of going for the featured product, check out clearance racks in stores and on websites.

If you're an NBA guy, go to their online store (store.nba.com), check out your favorite team and see if they have anything on their clearance page. Even if you dig a certain team's colors, no matter the sport, follow the same steps and you'll be sure to find a jewel amongst the crap they're trying to give away.

2. Buy In The Off-Season

Just like The Gap or Old Navy, sports apparel retailers have to discount out of season items to make room for the upcoming season, so visit your local Champs, or Modell's at the end of Football season instead of right before.

New season means new prodcut; new product means new profit goals; new profit goals means new retail price and new retail price means NO discounts!

1. Get On The Mailing List

It's 2010 and this marketing technique has evolved over the last decade. When you go to your favorite retailer/brand's website, sign up for their email/newsletter to receive alerts, discounts and exclusives.

Here's the deal: SPAM has soured the way we look at email; however, these are messages YOU WANT to view. Maybe not all the time, but for the most part, you won't mind getting the scoop on a blowout sale at NikeTown.

Most brands such as New Era and Reebok have Facebook and Twitter pages too. Friend or follow them to get news on specials.

Another jewel: Find a "sports apparel" guy (like me...heh-heh), because retailers use customer ignorance against them. Contrary to popular belief, fans aren't subject matter experts on how apparel is supposed to look.

For example, when the Yankees won the World Series last year, New Era released two types of caps. One had the commemorative stadium patch on the back and the other had the MLB logo. Each cost the same amount of money; however, the MLB version was easier to produce once the series was over and was a deliberate attempt to make easy money off the fans...CAUSE THEY WOULDN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!!!

When it comes to sports apparel and your favorite teams, it's very convenient to just find it, and buy it; but it can be costly. Do a little research and practice a little patience and you'll save money and still look great on gameday.

The Wrong Era

In a world of high priced, yet attainable sportswear, the fake will have to share the same space as the authentic. It pays to know the difference. Since the Mitchell and Ness craze of 2004, and like Louis bags and Tiffany bags populate call centers, Nike and NFL knock-offs hide among the real in arenas, on street corners, and on college campuses. 

Nowadays, fake jerseys and Air Jordans are pretty easy to detect, so we'll take this time to show you how to identify a knock off New Era Fitted baseball cap.

 

Here are 5 things to consider:

5. Where The Hat Is Sold...

If you see a row of fitted caps in a Kiosk (booth in the mall), pretty good chance they're fake! New Era is a corporation same as Reebok, Nike, or Majestic; therefore, they have licensed distributors that move their product and resellers with contracted accounts. Resellers include Foot Locker, Lids, and Finish Line. Acquiring one of these accounts is extremely difficult for these Uber Retailers, so imagine how tough it would be for that guy at the mall. 

4. How Much Is It?

So, you have a fresh pair of kicks and need that certain fitted to go with it! So you run a search and see a great looking one listed for $15.99 (half what you would pay at the Foot Locker website), and you're like YES, I got a deal right now! 

Pump your brakes and look at a few things. Did you read their About Us page? What kind of payment methods do they accept? Are all their words spelled correctly?  

International counterfeiters use enticing pictures and pricing to move their product. They don't have access to legitimate credit card payment services so they use Western Union, Moneygram and Bank Transfers. Their grammar sucks so they spell words incorrectly and sound stuff out. And again, New Era wouldn't dare give them a reseller contract, so the product is probably made in some hole in the wall third world sweatshop. 

Distributors and resellers purchase product from New Era at a discounted rate, but not low enough to sell it at half of the suggested retail price. 

3. The Design Looks Too Hip Hop... 

Okay, Hilfiger, Timberland, and Polo have all crossed over into Hip Hop culture, so why should New Era be any different, right? Well, there are limits...If there are too many NY's on the fitted, if the colors are a little too bright, or if you've just never seen it before, chances are it's not real!!! Do some research before you purchase. Google the hat and see if a legitimized retailer sells it. Go to the New Era website and see if you see it there. If you don't get a hit on the hat, it's not authentic. 

2. What's It Made Out Of?

In the late 2000's, New Era decided to move it's MLB line away from the 100% wool formula it stood by for so many years and went with a high quality performance polyester. Because this is the official hat of Major League Baseball, the material is supposed to repel sweat from the wearer and optimize on field performance. So the black brims and bands are actually a wicking material and not a fashion statement. Bootleggers haven't exactly got the memo; heck most fitted connoisseurs don't even know...LOL!!!1. QUALITY!!!

At the end of the day, a good knock off is still a knock off; therefore, it won't be made with the same workmanship as an authentic New Era fitted baseball cap. Is the MLB logo accurate? Are the words on the brim sticker clear, and legible? Are the 59/FIFTY logos within the cap faded? Is the front logo protruded, and embroidered correctly? Even if the answer is yes, wear it a few times, then revisit the above questions. 

Look, it's your money and if you want to walk around with an unauthentic Yankee fitted on with your $200 Jordan's, so be it! Here's the deal, it'll melt in the rain eventually and you don't want to be that guy who gets called out while parkin lot pimpin'. 

Here are some trusted websites that sell official New Era Fitted Caps

www.neweracap.com

www.hatclub.com 

www.ecapcity.com

D-Con

We're Back!

Good People - We're back to explore the happenings in sports and to give you the secrets of the apparel industry. Why? Hey, why not???

Stay tuned and enjoy the ride. 

D-Con

www.tripleotsports.com