On this day in sports history...

On November 29, 1992, Jerry Rice caught his 100th NFL TD reception. As a die-hard 49ers fan in my youth, there was something truly magical about watching Montana (and later Steve Young) connect with #80. What he lacked in speed, he made up for in precision route-running and blocking. Not to mention a relentless work ethic that manifested itself in the form of grueling off-season conditioning program. While 22,895 receiving yards is the statistical legacy he leaves behind, Rice's humility & supreme sportsmanship make him one of the most amazing athletes to ever play professional football, let alone any sport. Sure, Randy Moss and T.O. put up big numbers and sell a lot of jerseys, but there will never be another Jerry Rice.

On another note, I used to get butterflies in my stomach every time I'd score a touchdown with #80 in Tecmo Bowl. What's even more remarkable is that to this day, I still remember the code to skip to a divisional playoff game as the 49ers. 1FOB9DAE. Don't believe me? Dust off your old gamepad and go win a championship. Unfortunately, it might be the only one for the Niners in a while...

Greg Oden & Mike Conley

I don't think we've ever seen a talent like G.O. He has the personality and skill set to forever change the game. Maybe in 20 years, after an extraordinary NBA career, Homage can pay tribute to this guy.

But you know, it isn't just G.O. His friend and long-time teammate, Mike Conley, is so silky smooth on the court. I can't wait for this guy to take his game to the next level.

Basketball talent aside, however, Oden & Conley, from all the their interactions with fans and the media, seem like two of the most enjoyable people to be around. I haven't been this excited about basketball since watching Air Jordan in the 90s.

If only these two would have stuck around for a few more seasons at Ohio State...

Some Soul For Your Ear Hole

A little present from your friends at homage- funk, soul, reggae, afro-beat, blues, latin and gospel from around the globe. We start with the Mustang's fabulous reggae-soul single "Time For Loving". The Mustangs came from Grand Bahama, one of the few places in the world that received radio signals from both Jamaica and New Orleans. Trading in his famous rock shuffle for a new soul-breakbeat sound, Bo Diddley's "A Good Thing" is a duet from his late 60s early 70s funk days. B.B. Seaton's "Brothers Beware" is a cooled out rocksteady meditation on the selfishness of mankind. Next we have a pair of international James Brown homages- from Senegal, we have Orchestre Du Baobab's "Kelen Ati Len" and from Brazil, Banda Uniao Black's "Black Rio." With some more Brazlian funk, we have Joao Donato's "Cala Boca Menino," which translates to "Shut the fuck up, girl". Archie Shepp and The Family of Percussion's "Here Comes the Family" is a proto hip-hop slab with a backbeat of marimbas, congas and flutes- the
liner notes describe the vocals as "Poetic recitation," but I call it rapping. Next is the Horace Family's "God Will Dry My Weeping Eyes," a gospel song so funky it makes me want to testify, and I'm Jewish. Bettye Crutcher's "So Lonely Without You" sounds like Zero 7 if they recorded in the 70s with a black vocalist and organs instead of sythesizers and a white girl. Floyd Dixon's "Please Don't Go" (Chess Records) is my favorite blues song, and one of the best lost-love
songs ever recorded. We end with Jose Feliciano's heartbreaking cover of "California Dreamin'" which strips down the Mamas and Papas oringinal and sprinkles in a little salsa: "Mira, yo quiero gozar en California."

Enjoy.

Rapidshare download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/69991396/Homage_Mix.m4a.html

The Arab Parrot

For lots of colorful commentary on hipsters, streetwear and troop jackets, check out this blog. I ran into the author, not once but TWICE in the same day in new york city. Be sure to browse through old posts to appreciate the late 80s/early 90s freshness that defines the Arab Parrot.

The Old School

So the other day I am poking around YouTube, trying to find good video footage of some old school NBA action. Sure, Lebron's moves are incredible. And his triple-double at age twenty even more remarkable. But there's a part of me that yearns for the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dr. J, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Daryl Dawkins, Moses Malone, etc. (I think I could come up with a list about a mile long...) While some have accused me of living in the past, I think my passion for yesteryear is the result of being inundated by today's sports media and its byproducts. My distaste, however, will be relegated to a completely different post.

As fans of the game, we owe it to ourselves to dig a little deeper into history. And with the arrival of sites like YouTube offering mind-boggling amounts of video content, our exploration becomes radically easier. Even with the profound amount of information available at our fingertips, however, I'm worried that today's 13 year old fan of the game might never see or hear about The Doctor's baseline move in the 1980 NBA finals, a move that Magic Johnson calls the, "greatest move I've ever seen in a basketball game, the all-time greatest."

Without further ado, here's a treat that brings together two of my favorites, Dr. J & Stevie Wonder. It's a clip that gives me goosebumps every time I see it.

new website & online ordering

as you can see from the looks of things, lots of exciting updates are going on here @ homage. not only nearing completion are the website and online store, but there also are a few surprises in the pipeline. stay tuned. here's a hint: fans of old school nba action will surely dig.