Lombardi Sports

Winter Recap and Springing Into Sprin

2011-03-09T12:32:00.000-08:00

So...it's been a while since anyone updated here. We've just been so busy shredding gnar and taking names. While this ski season suffered a bit of a dry spell towards the beginning, all snow reports indicate that this season appears to have something to show for itself.

But now, Spring pops its beautiful head around the corner and with it, comes aspirations of warm-weather outdoor activities. As a kickoff to Spring, we'll celebrate on our rooftop with our Fitness Fair March 26 and 27, where we'll feature fitness instructors of a variety of disciplines (Zumba, urban bootcamp, hip hop dance, yoga, and more) every hour on the hour on Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27. Guests of all fitness levels are encouraged to attend and this event is FREE to the public. We just want to offer our roof for some fun in the sun to celebrate Springtime's arrival!

If you'd like to attend, email RSVP@LombardiSports.com to secure your spot. We hope to see you all then!

All Hail the Sports Thief

2011-01-14T11:02:00.000-08:00

Sports to me, as a player, are about after-school conditioning, ice packs and shin splints, early Saturday morning tournaments, teammates and competitive coaches, post-game snacks and pre-game chants. It's about hours of practice and preparation and even fewer hours of actual game time. The athlete understands the final product of one's work is not the scoreboard. There will always be more games--more wins and more losses. For the athlete, the sport has no conclusion--rather, it is an ongoing symphony that ends only when the conductor sets down his magician's wand.

Today, however, the spirit of sports has been confiscated by headliners and show-time specialists. Drug dopers, league violaters, public offenders, big contracts, and dog killers. When so much focus is placed on controversy and fancy contracts, the sport is diminished. For every athlete that makes the Blog Beat and ESPN headline news, there are thousands more who are doing what they do day in and day out--training hard and cultivating their craft.

Perhaps it's time for ESPN and other similar beasts to go to rehab, to return sports to its rightful owners--the athletes.

Winter Savings at Lombardi Sports!

2010-12-13T15:20:00.000-08:00

Hey Lombardi Lovers,

Happy Holidays! We hope you've been enjoying the snow around here that should be picking up again this weekend.

Concerned about avalanches for the upcoming ski season? Join Richard Bothwell from the Outdoor Adventure Club in his Avalanche Awareness Class this Thursday, December 16 from 6-8pm. Black Diamond will also offer gear at 20% discount to all attendees. RSVP to Richard@OutdoorAdventureClub.com to reserve your spot before Thursday!

Interested in renting skis or snowboards to enjoy the fresh pack this weekend? Come to Lombardi's, where our new brand new ski and snowboard fleet are available for the cheapest prices in the city! We're also offering a special this week where you can rent on Wednesday, return the rented equipment Monday and pay just the weekend rate of $30! We also are featuring brand new K2 Comanche Skis with Marker bindings, Dalbello Boots, Moment skis, and brand new Burton snowboards, boots and bindings. Come in and see our new fleet for yourself this week to secure the first dibs and assure that you'll perform and look better than you ever have on the mountain.

That's it for this week's news, but stay tuned and enjoy the snow gnar-shredders!

Upcoming Events at Lombardi Sports

2010-11-23T17:28:00.000-08:00

Hey friends,

There are some big things happening at Lombardi Sports coming soon!

First off,on Friday, November 26, Lombardi Sports will offer 15% discount coupons to the first 100 customers who walk in the door. The difference here between our normal discounts? This applies to ANYTHING in the store, including all 2011 skis and snowboards, bikes, sale items, and anything else you can find. Moment and Volkl 2011 skis? Yep. Trek Madone bikes? You bet. Babolat tennis rackets? Sure. Arc'Teryx gear? Patagonia? Why not.

That's right. It's 15% off Lombardi's lowest price, even sale prices. Just make sure and be one of the first 100 customers to walk through the door at 10am Friday and one of these coupons can be yours. Happy Turkey Day and an even happier Black Friday to everyone!

Want to know what Lombardi's has that our competitors don't, and definitely don't at our prices? Here's a sample: Line Prophet and 100 Skis, Volkl Mantra skis, K2 obSETHed, Nike Lunar Glides, Vibram 5 Finger Shoes, Babolat and Wilson tennis equipment, Patagonia, Icebreaker, Spyder, Orage, 686, Holden, Burton, and Libtec snow gear. Can't believe we're selling this stuff for such a cheap price? Neither can we. Come in early Friday morning and see for yourself.

Next up, we're starting our 'Ski With Us' program here at Lombardi's, where a member of our Winter department will be at a local ski resort offering the opportunity to ski and snowboard with them for a day--this is a great way for skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels to get out on the mountain with a talented skier or snowboarder and ask them any questions you may have.

This week, Saroush will be leading a group at Squaw Valley between noon and 1pm before they hit the slopes. You can find Saroush in a black Lombardi's t-shirt in the lower level of the bar at the Gold Coast in Squaw Valley, at the top of the Funitel. Feel free to call him at (510)-621-3097 if you have any questions. Have fun Skiing With Us!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and we'll keep you posted on any new events we'll be having around the store soon!

AVALANCHE Fashion Show, Snowfest, and What's Ahead

2010-11-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

Hey Long, Lost Blogosphere Friends,

We hope you all have missed us as much as we've missed writing to you. We've been pretty busy with events recently, and...basically, it's not you, it's us. But we're sorry.

First, we unofficially kicked off our winter season with Snowfest, where we were the sole retailer at the massive two-day event. We sold a lot of our great products at 20-80% and literally had floodgates of people trying to get in. Next year, we'll certainly have a bigger venue to accommodate the massive volume of customers and products. If you missed it, Fort Mason was PACKED with snow gear, information about resorts, product demonstrations, and all other things snow related AS WELL AS wine and beer tasting. Who couldn't like all of those things? If you couldn't make it, you'll certainly have to make next year!

Next, we had a successful Winter Sale last weekend that was kicked off by our AVALANCHE Winter Fashion Show. We had all of the hottest winter gear on display from Orage, Burton, Spyder, Oakley, Smith, Homewood, Alpine Meadows, and featured food and beverage from La Boulange and Jug Shop. With the help of some hardworking AAU students, we put together a really impressive event to help kick off the winter season. Our three hilarious MCs really tied the night together and all in all, the show was a success. (More pictures to follow).

Next, we have FREE Zumba on our rooftop tomorrow night presented by Zeena 4 Zumba. Come check out a new and exciting way to exercise through Latin dancing that invigorates the body and spirit.

For now, we are in the process of coming up with fun and exciting ways to keep you all entertained, but we'll keep you posted on what is in store for the rest of November and December.

STAY TUNED!!!

UPCOMING EVENTS

2010-10-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

There's lots going on at Lombardi Sports in the coming weeks, and you, blog followers, are getting the inside scoop!

First, on November 3, Lombardi is working in partnership with TGR Films for the premiere of "Light the Wick", TGR's first 3D ski film. The premiere is at the Palace of Fine Arts and we are THE retailer where you can purchase tickets to this 3D & HD ski film experience. There are two showings in the evening—one at 6:30 (doors at 5:30) and one at 9:30 (doors at 8:30). Tickets are just $15. There will also be a raffle at the show with awesome gear, like skis, jackets, and more! For more information - http://www.tetongravity.com/light-the-wick/ or email ilanas@lombardisports.com .

Lombardi will also be participating in Snowbomb's San Francisco Ski + Snowboard Festival on November 6-7 at Fort Mason. Admission to the festival includes three FREE lift tickets—one each to Bear Valley, Dodge Ridge, and China Peak Resort. Admission also includes 2 for 1 deals. There will be blowout deals of up to 70% off skis, boards and more from Lombardi, as we are teaming up with Any Mountain to showcase over $1 million in ski and snowboard gear to all event attendees. And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the event will feature pro autographs and a Wine Fest on November 6 and Brewfest on November 7, featuring some of Northern California's best wineries and breweries with tastings and presentations. To purchase tickets, visit Lombardi Sports or http://www.sfskifest.com/Tickets.html .

Lombardi Sports and the SF Food Bank's AVALANCHE Winter Fashion Show is just 2.5 weeks away! With all proceeds going to the SF Food Bank on Thursday, November 11, right before Thanksgiving, your admission to the event of cans of food greatly helps the hungry and also allows you access to see some awesome upcoming winter fashion right before ski season. Not only that, the first 100 people to RSVP get SWAG bags featuring products from sponsors such as Spyder, Smith, Burton, Oakley, Orage, Alpine Meadows, and food from La Boulange! All attendees are eligible to participate in a raffle with great prizes from these sponsors too!

The Fashion Show kicks off Lombardi Sports' snow sale that goes on the following weekend, November 12-14 so make sure and get your first stab at all the savings before they're all gone.

There are limited spaces left to attend the event, so email RSVPs to MilanaL@LombardiSports.com for your chance to attend! Check it out on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=135917733127716 . See you then!

Stay tuned for more updates and photos following the events. Don't miss out on these great opportunities!

SAMPLE SALE

2010-10-13T11:36:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder that we're having our Sample Sale this weekend, the 16th and 17th, from 10-6pm Saturday and 11-5pm Sunday. We'll have brands like Quiksilver, Billabong, Levi's, Orage, IceBreaker, and more at HUGE discounts (like 40-80%). We're also having ski and snowboard demos on sale for as little as $59.99 and will have super cheap bike demos on sale too. We're getting excited...are you?

Olukai Fleet Week Rooftop Party Recap and Events Ahead!

2010-10-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, more than 400 people helped celebrate Olukai's Fleet Week Rooftop Party and watched the Blue Angels loop, swoop, and barrel roll overhead in clear blue skies to cap off a fun and exciting weekend on the rooftop of Lombardi Sports.

Those in attendance were treated to free food, beer, and wine while viewing iconic Hawaiian art and photography provided by Olukai as they perused the Fall 2010 sandal and shoe selection. Thanks to everyone at Olukai for making the event happen without a hitch and for allowing a view to their quality shoes and sandals!

This Saturday and Sunday, check out Lombardi's EPIC Sample Sale, featuring 40-80% off selected items from brands such as Quiksilver, Billabong, Levi's, Orage, Olukai, Burton, and more! Expect even more fun in the sun, with warm temperatures for our rooftop in the forecast, and plan on finding some of the best deals on the latest and greatest athletic apparel around!
UPDATE: Just announced, we'll be LIQUIDATING many demo ski and snowboard packages for children and adults as well as demo bikes this weekend only. We'll have ski and snowboard packages starting as low as $60 right before the season starts so make sure to get here the 16th and 17th for the best-priced equipment in town!

Keep updated on the Lombardi blog and make sure to follow us on Twitter @LombardiSports and become a fan of us on Facebook! We'll keep you updated on future sales and more fun events the one hosted by Olukai last weekend!

Upcoming Events at Lombardi Sports

2010-10-05T13:02:00.001-07:00

Wondering what to do during San Francisco's Indian summer? Check out some of Lombardi Sports' upcoming events:

Want the best view for Fleet Week's Air Show? Come watch on Lombardi's rooftop at the OLUKAI FLEET WEEK ROOFTOP BLOCK PARTY! Join us SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9 from 12 to 6p.m. and enjoy food, drinks, historical Hawaiian photography exhibit, great views of the Bay, and the first look at OluKai’s Fall 2010 Footwear Collection. All ages are welcome!

ICEBREAKER, creators of the world's cleanest merino wool clothing, will be at Lombardi on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14 from 6 to 8p.m. for a wine and cheese party. Come check out the scene and schmooze it up with the fantastic company reps!

LOMBARDI'S EPIC ROOFTOP SAMPLE SALE happens all day OCTOBER 16 AND 17! This is one of Lombardi's biggest sales of the year, so don't miss savings on high-end athletic gear. Save 40-70% on all your favorite brands like Nike, Levis, Icebreaker, Billabong, Arcteryx, Patagonia, and more! Come to the ROOFTOP and see just how big it is for yourself!

RUN CLUB meets EVERY SATURDAY at 9a.m. Led by Jose, a lifetime runner, the club is a great way for runners, joggers, and fitness enthusiasts of all types to get together and explore the city by foot. Runs go everywhere from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Exploratorium, and vary between 3 to 8 miles. Club members receive a store discount at the store and refreshments. Runners of all paces and fitness levels are welcome, but the primary goal of the run is to finish the course!

FREE YOGA classes happen EVERY SUNDAY from 11 to 12 on the Lombardi Sports rooftop. Participants receive store discounts and a healthier body and mind. B.Y.O.M.! (Bring Your Own Mat).

More events to come! Check the blog regularly for updates on upcoming events and remember to visit us at 1600 Jackson Street (Jackson and Polk) to participate in any of our fun, money-saving events!

The Challenge: Cutting the Strings

2010-09-16T10:16:00.000-07:00

I was in the fifth grade, sitting on the curb of the sidewalk just outside my grandmother's house, when I had a vision. I saw the world and everyone in it as puppets attached by the string to the control bar of the marionette.

...

I was on the train, passing a parking lot filled with cars whose sales tag had yet to be removed. There were thousands upon thousands of them, identical, just sitting in the lot. No driver. No movement. Just crafted pieces of metal awaiting a buyer.

...

She hated traffic. I-10 toward Santa Monica is always bad, but there she was at 4:05 pm, in the thick of it. It was worse than bumper to bumper--she could read the label sticking out of the guys shirt in the car before her. "Dry Clean Only" She guessed that she would be in the wasteland of cars and fumes for 3 hours, easily. Judging by the chain of cars that stretched the entire span of the concrete river, she'd be there for at least 4.

...

"But Mom! Everyone at school has a car! I'll be the only kid without one! Do you know how devastating that will be! They'll all say, there goes Julie, the girl without a car! And she's still wearing her bicycle helmet from the sixth grade. The sixth grade Mom!!!" Julie couldn't understand what the big deal was, it made perfect sense to her that she should have a car. As a sixteen year old girl in high school, it was a right of passage, wasn't it?

...

The Challenge: No Car for 30 Days

Day 2: Everything I do requires more time. Whether it is walking to the grocery store, or riding my bike to work, it requires more of my involvement. Funny to think of it that way, but it's true. With a car, all I have to do is press the pedal and steer. But when riding my bike up Polk St. I can actually feel my heart beat, I hear my breadth, I sweat. It's less about technology, and more about depending on my own will to get me up and going.

When Fear Conquers

2010-08-31T13:39:00.000-07:00

Snowboarding
When: 2009/ 2010 Winter season
Where: Homewood Resort, Lake Tahoe

The air was cold. In fact, I could taste its crisp emptiness. It was like breathing into a bag of ice chips. All around me the world was white--the trees, the slope, the cabins, the people, even the sky reflected a piercing white brightness. My excitement to finally be here, to be at the intimate Homewood Resort, was mixed with a feeling of stinging cold. I wasn’t the greatest boarder on the mountain, not by a long shot, but I was there ready to ride the white beast.

At first, I practiced my S curve. My toe side posed a huge challenge, so much so that I fell and fell again, sending up poofs of white speckled snowdust. I had been in first gear for a while, taking it easy until I was comfortable and confident. But I quickly grew impatient, and so shifted gears. The crave for speed was just too tempting to ignore. That and I felt like putting on a bit of a show for my boyfriend. You see, he’s an English bloke--fully equipped with many of those Briton stereotypes. And of course, as giddy as he was to have eased into the sport in the two short months since being introduced to snowboarding, I wanted to one up him. Bloody Englanders! I thought so perfectly smugly. I’ll show him how it’s done!
I kicked it into a higher gear. The sound of my board carving through the snow as I cruised down the mountain was exhilarating. The cold wind stung my face, but I pressed ahead in defiance. I was flying!
Then, quite suddenly I got iced. I felt the earth under me change; I had skidded over a patch of ice which sent me flying through the air. I fell flat on my butt, and the impact sent a crystallized explosion of pain piercing through my chest. I panicked, and tried to sit up but the pain just doubled over. Defeated by the pain, I laid down and cursed the air with my cries and screams. I was certain I had broken at least a few ribs--that was how it felt anyway.
Within moments, my boyfriend was by my side trying to determine what was wrong. His efforts to calm me down failed, and his instructions for me to relax flooded in my expletives. It fucking hurts! I cry out, as though it were his fault.
Finally, after what seemed like an indecent amount of time had passed, the medics arrived. Like mechanics tending to a broken engine, they went to work. One of them broke through my layers of clothing to determine if there was any punctures, which thankfully there were not. The other, held my head up, asking me questions to get me focused on something other than the bloody pain. He wore reflective blue sunglasses and sported a thick, scruffy beard, but had a warmth that I trusted instinctively. His crooked smile did all it could to give me a boost of confidence, that everything would be alright.
Next came the oxygen. Kind of ironic that they would try to feed me oxygen through a tube when I was surrounded by tall cedars in the middle of white winterland. Suffice to say, the medicinal oxygen and I did not make a friendly acquaintance. It tasted like plastic, inorganic, and only made my insides colder. Thankfully, the woolly-bearded medic could tell that it added further discomfort, and said he didn’t think I needed it anyway.
Lying there as helpless as a fish out of water and still unable to move, the men wrap me in tarp. I’m feeling more like a Mexican main course than a human being at this point. Once I’m secured, the skiier drags me along behind him to a plateau where a ski mobile is there waiting for us. I wonder what that’s for. I naively think. Next thing I know I’m being dragged behind the skiing medic who in turn is being pulled by the snow mobile.
The pain!
Every bump on the pain was a twelve inch dagger being plunged into my chest. My outbursts and pleas for the gentlemen to go slower were muffled by the snow mobile’s engine. I cried and if it were any colder my tear drops would have turned into ice crystals. After the longest 7 minutes of my life, we finally reached the bottom of the mountain where more medics were there waiting. They bombarded me with questions, trying to determine what was wrong. At last they put me on a gurney and inserted my lump of a helpless body into the ambulance. With the mountain, the red medics on skis, and my boyfriend all behind me, I found myself in the back of an ambulance with a friendly EMT. He gave me some heat packs to warm by body. What a blessing that was! I must have asked a dozen and a half times for them to turn of the heat in the ambulance as my body began to thaw.

“Do you need to go to the hospital” he asked.

Ok Becky. I tell myself. Man up! The pain is in your head. I just need to sleep it off. I’ll be fine. I try to psyche myself out, when another shot of pain rippled through my body.

“Yes! Take me to the hospital!” I reply.

En route, the EMT tells me he’s got some morphine to ease the pain. The terrible part about this is that he needed an IV to get it into my body, and for whatever reason, he could not find my vein. So after a few tries on each arm at playing pin the tail on the donkey, except that it was put the needle in my vein, he gives up. No pain killers, more pain.

I arrive at the hospital, more questions from the doctor. He moves his hands across my chest like he’s some kind of Renaissance sculptor. ZING! he finds it. He tells me that it’s probably a broken rib, and there is nothing to do but let time heal the wound. Fuckin ay, so much for the instant miracle of science and technology. The doctor gives me some vicodin and calls it a day.

By the time my boyfriend arrives, I had already gone through the whole process of playing back the incident in my head over and over again. We go back to the hotel where I quickly learn that going to the bathroom is a two-man job. The five or so vicodin I took starts to make me nauseous. I make for the bed and stay there the rest of the night.

Over the next four months, I’m bedridden. My body must remain straight at all times, bending only at the knees. Whenever I need to get out of bed, I need help. When I need the bathroom, I need help. When I need to get dressed, I need help. It took about three weeks before I could actually sit up, and that was with a considerable amount of help. By the end of the 4th week, I progressed to getting out of bed by myself, albeit it at the pace of a 90 year old woman.

With the 2010 snowboard season quickly approaching, and knowing how my close friends cherish the sport, my experience still haunts me. While I don’t want to miss out on the fun, memories of the pain hold me in terror. Though I did go snowboarding once after the incident, it was an abomination. I must have fallen a zillion times, probably as a subconscious mechanism to show myself that not every fall will be rib-shattering. Nonetheless, I am left wondering if I can ever overcome my fear. And to this day Lance Armstrong’s quote haunts me: “Pain is temporary. Failure lasts forever.”

The Art of Sport

2010-08-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

The ecstasy which ignites the body when a once impossible goal is achieved is what drives the athlete. Whether he wants to be the fattest man in the world, or the most graceful person on the balance beam, or the best basketball player to ever touch a ball--there is something within that makes him strive for greatness, that makes the impossible worth daring. That yearning of the body to dynamite into a billion different directions, that desire to defy mortal standards is the very essence of the athlete.

He pushes himself every day to be better, to be quicker, to be stronger. It isn't because he wants the gold, at least not initially. The true athlete, the one that is 5 years old and hates being beat in any sport by his older brother, that athlete does it because he's got something to prove. He sprints because the pace of a person walking insults him. He drives a car 200 mph because he never believed in stop lights. He blasts home runs because the architect built the fence too close to home.

The inner athlete does not distinguish between winning and losing. He cares not for titles or glory. The athlete's victory is lived in the moments of trial and error. In that moment of resurgence and of refusal to remain beaten. When the sweat is dripping out of every pore, when muscles are crying for relief, when his mind provides him with every excuse to quit--that moment when he chooses to continue. That is the athlete's victory.

Everything after that is just a matter of conclusion. But conclusion isn't the athlete's sport. Just ask Kobe Bryant, who just won his 5th NBA title, if he's done. Or Brett Favre, who will be turning 70 this year, if he's retiring. Or even Roger Federer, who holds the all-time record for majors, if he's ready to put down the racket.

To continue, to persist, to strive, to pursue--it is the single-most important thing the athlete can ever achieve.

Training Day: Nike Women's Marathon

2010-07-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

It's 5:00 am, ok 4:57 but I like nice round numbers. It rolls off the tongue a lot smoother. The air is crisp, the ocean fog is rolling in like a pack of hounds. It's the perfect time for a morning run, the only time, with my hectic schedule the way it is.

There is less than 3 months until the big day, the day I've been training for. I have mixed emotions about it, as it is my first time doing the race. I've been a runner all my life, but I've never tackled a marathon before. I can do it I tell myself. A little over 26 miles, no problem! I do that in my sleep! I do that in my car! I do that...yeah it's definitely a ways to go.

Training is the most important part. Building the discipline, both mental and physical. My body is rippling with muscle contractions, my feet are cursing at me, but I am determined. I was lucky enough to even get into the marathon. I heard 37,000 people tried to get in with only 20,000 spots available. Ha. Nice round numbers.

The road is empty except for an occasional pair of red tail lights staring at me through the fog. I start to build a steady rhythm; I like the sound of my feet hitting the pavement. It cements the fact that I'm here, that I have risen to the occasion, that I am dedicated to the task at hand. There is no ipod today. Just me, the open road, and the sound of my breadth growing quicker and quicker. I figure that as long as I can keep stride with each breadth, I should be alright.

I spot my Goliath, the mammoth of Lombard Street. My body is begging me to turn around, that I'm a fool for even considering the climb. But I insist, I persist. My thoughts flash to Prometheus, carrying that forsaken boulder up his hill and I grow courageous. There is no chip on my shoulder, only the determination to conquer. My muscles feel like exploding, I try hard to keep my focus, to focus on my breadth. One foot in front of the other. If I can conquer this, the marathon will be a piece of cake. The train starts to slow; I don't think I'm even running at this point. It's more of a rebellious crawl, a fight to move onward. Why am I even doing this? I can stop at any time and no one will know. The streets are empty, the marathon won't be this hard. I've made it halfway, that counts for something. No! Keep moving! Fight!

Alas! The top of the hill is mine! At least for this moment, I am king of this hill! I do a victory cha-cha in my head, of course I'm much too exhausted to actually do it. Gotta keep moving. This is just one hill. 15 more miles to go. The crookedest street in the world is empty right now, a rare site in this town. I opt to take the red-brick road instead of the stairs, to give my body a more relaxed pace. The tower looks ominous right now, like it is all that's left of an archaic castle that might have once overlooked the bay.

Race day is growing closer. I'm starting to believe I can actually finish. One breadth at a time, I remind myself. Because there is no finish line.

Toe-Volution

2010-07-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wished you could run as swift and light footed as a Shaolin ninja? Or to ballon as softly as a ballerina? But then you look down at your sluggish, bulky running shoes and sigh. Oh! How loathe those clunkers that weigh you down when certainly you could run a 7 minute mile barefoot. Instead, you’re clocking in at 11 minutes flat because you had to drag those chunks of rubber the last 800 meters. On the upside at least there isn’t a baggage fee for carrying those suckers along on your daily trek. If you’re one of those runners who can’t wait to kick off your shoes after a solid midday run, then listen closely, because I’ve got some delightful news to share with you.

It all begins on a windswept street in San Francisco. I am passing by the ballpark when my boyfriend points out something that doesn’t quite fit, something very bizarre.

“Hey look at those!” He says laughing at the runner’s shoes. “He’s got ninja-turtle toes!”

The description was just. The runner, who had stopped at the red light, was most definitely not wearing shoes but some sort of foot-mold. I could have counted every single one of his toes if hadn’t taken off running when the light changed.

That was my first run-in with the ninja-turtle shoes.

From that day onward, I start seeing pairs of these bizarre creatures here and there as though they were beckoning my attention. They’d pop up in grocery stores, on BART, on the trails. It was a Toe-volution! And I for one was intrigued.

The next day I went into work and asked if we sold what I came to know as the Vibram Five-Finger Shoe. Albeit, we did! I bought a pair right there and then and am officially a ninja-turtle shoe convert.

The first week I wore my ninja-turtle toe shoes, my calves ached as though it were my first time running—ever. Without all that rubber underfoot, I could actually run on the ball of my foot! My toes were actually gripping the ground as though I were running barefoot! I felt lighter, like a gazelle with wings. I was forced to be more aware because with shoes I had grown accustomed to being able to step on just about anything without so much as a second thought. But now I was weaving through scattered acorns, leaping across stones in the path, and increasing my own awareness. At first, I’d silently curse everytime I ran over a rock. I’d consider going back to my Asics. Instead, I paid closer attention to where my feet were being placed. Now, I take my ninja-turtle shoes on the trail. There might be a prickly here and there that pierces through the Vibram’s soft, single layer of fabric, but the benefits outweigh the irritations.

I took off the horseshoes and replaced them with a pair of butterfly wings.

And Then There Were Two

2010-07-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

As we approach the final stage of perhaps the largest, most watched athletic game in the world, we already have so much to be thankful for. Those who have been following the Cup have witnessed incredible competitive action, over-the-top on field actors, and miraculous acts of fate. Whether we were viewing the quick and highly-skilled Spanish team outplay the young and strong German team, or watch as a Netherlands player who sold one of the best flops of the Cup so that the Netherlands could go on to score and upset Brasil’s rhythm, or even witness a shoe-in penalty kick by a Ghana player bounce off the top of the goal to send the match into a shoot out---it has been a wild race to the ultimate goal.

Regardless of who wins or loses World Cup 2010, I will remember this Cup not only as the first time I’ve watched the Cup from beginning to end, but as a year of firsts. Thank you to all the competitors, to the host nation, to everything that went into producing this moment in time for giving us: the first time the host nation has failed to advance to the knockout round, the first time Spain has ever made it to the final, the first time a European team will have won on non-European soil, the first time a new element has increased the level of competition—the vuvuzela, the first time South Korea has advanced to the knock-out stage on foreign soil, the first time Ghana and Paraguay has reached the quarterfinals, and the first time a new world champion will be crowned in 12 years!

In the last 27 days, I’ve seen enough slide-tackles, yellow cards, incredible saves, downright blunders, absolute miracles, tears of joy and tears of heartbreak, face-painted fans, national flags, middle fingers, grass stains, free kicks, and vuvuzelas to fill my football appetite. The best part about all this is that there is still one game left, one goal that will make all the difference.

From one fan to another, see you on the field.

World Cup Fever

2010-06-28T21:06:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a loud Mexican man screaming "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL" at 7:30 in the morning. That is what the past few weeks have been like since the start of the world cup. Just about everyday since June 11, I have had a healthy diet of soccer for breakfast, soccer for lunch, and soccer highlights for dinner.
But the hype and the fanaticism is well deserved. There have truly been some incredible matches---some truly awful ones---but some amazing ones too. Quickly coming to mind is the Argentina vs. Mexico game. Though it was an ass-whooping through and through (even if the off-sides goal by Argentina wasn't counted) there have been some incredible actions shots. Most memorable is the line drive shot taken by the Argentinian player who carved through two Mexican players to get an open look. The guy, who looked as though he had been chewing on a couple GH tablets before the game, did some fancy footwork to get himself through the thick of the jungle and then launched a shot at the corner of the net. Somehow it went through. It was a beautiful thing.
The great thing about this World Cup fever is that for a month, something other than the usual drab discussion on politics and war takes the global stage. And that in itself is a major accomplishment. So thank you soccer fans, thank you athletes, and thank you Mexican broadcaster---it's been fun.

I'll see you at 7:30.

In Honor of the World Cup...Lombardi Sports Presents.......

2010-06-11T21:26:00.000-07:00

Breaking News!!

2010-05-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

KABOOM!!

2010-05-23T21:29:00.000-07:00

Candlestick Park is a stadium known throughout the world--whether it is as the site of The Beatles final concert, or as the home field of the 5-time Superbowl Champion San Francisco 49ers, or even as the location of the fateful Loma Prieta Earthquake that occurred just before Game 3 of the World Series--its legacy is secured.

But to San Franciscans, The Stick is most reputable for its windy, overcast, and downright gloomy weather. So when KFOG announced that its annual Kaboom! concert would move from the pier to The Stick, it wasn't altogether surprising that many loyal listeners and concert-goers were less than thrilled.

But now that the big day has finally arrived, it appears that the weather gods are in a festive mood. Other than a couple of lingering clouds that presumably stuck around for the show, the skies are clear and blue. And although it is windy, it isn't miserable.

So there we are, the Lombardi Sports team, ready and waiting for the anxious crowd in our castle-esque white tent. We check out the competition to the left and right of us--Snapple and Metro PCS--no problem. At 3:00, the gates open and the mob jolts through, eager to land the best seat for the concert. It is a sight to be seen--mother's dragging their children close behind, squeezing through the cracks of the crowd, as father's sprint with coolers and lawn chairs in hand. Meanwhile, back at the booth, the events team has their first visitors.

"Alright folks, the name of the game is Speed. I want you to take this ball and throw it as hard as you can. Aim for the middle of the Lombardi Sports triangle. And that radar gun will measure your speed," Becky explains before handing the baseball over to a giddy man wearing a Giants hat.

"What do I win?" asks the patron who is beside himself in excitement at the prospect of chucking the ball 100mph.

"What do you win?! What do you win he asks! Ha! Emerson tell the gentleman what he can win."

"Tell you what. Just for playing, Lombardi Sports will give you 20% off your entire purchase when you come into our store. But, if you bring the heat, if you throw over 50 mph, we'll give you a BPA-free water bottle," Emerson told the gent who was already winding up for the pitch.

"Sounds good to me!" The gentleman hands his beer to his wife, turns his baseball cap around, and throws the ball as hard as his 56-year old body will allow him.

"47!!" Becky exclaims.

"Ah come on! The first one is always a warm-up!" he cries.

"What do you think Emerson? Does this guy have it in him? Should we give him another shot?" Becky teases.

"I say he hits over 50." Emerson places his confidence and the ball in the gentleman's hand.

Like a little boy, the man is overjoyed and gives it another whirl.

"52!!! You got it!!"

The events team gives him a round of applause and his free water bottle. He leaves the Lombardi Sports booth three inches taller and forty years younger.

6pm. The sun is beginning to fall behind the hill just left of the spaceship-shaped stadium. The sky is colored like "cotton candy" as Becky describes it. John Butler, the lead singer and guitarist of the John Butler Trio is preparing for an acoustic guitar solo while his band mates rest up for the grand finale.

"It's beautiful out here isn't it San Francisco?" Butler asks the crowd who responds with cheers and screams. "You know, you might think this is strange, but every time I look to my left I see my silhouette and think, 'Damn John, that greaser haircut looks pretty damn bad right now.'" he laughs. "It makes me feel pretty self-conscious in front of you guys up here." The crowd laughs along with him. "But you know what, if that is the worst of me, then here is the best of me," Butler says.

The music man starts playing his song. The sound is indescribable and for that moment the crowd of 10,000 is tuned into the same frequency. A pinkish-orange sherbert sky provides the dreamlike backdrop. A member of the audience sways to the music, embodying the very wind that sweeps through the audience. There are no lyrics, no words, just the sound of the guitar piercing through space. The wind is crisp, but the energy of the crowd is enough to light a fire. The scent of pretzels and churros are not far off. A father holds his infant-daughter high in the air before smothering her with a shower of kisses. John Butler is relentless on the guitar and the audience is enthralled.

Back at the Lombardi Sports booth, a line has formed. Kids and adults alike are anxious to have a whiz at the game.

"Hey wait a minute! You went already!" Becky spots the familiar face.

"I just want to play. Just for fun. I won't take another water bottle if I win. Pleeeease." She pleads.

8:45pm. Melissa Etheridge is winding down her set and has a surprise for the enthused crowd. She starts strumming on her guitar, the tune sounds vaguely familiar.

"Come on! Come on! Come on! Come on! Didn't I make you feel like you were the only one." By then, everyone in the crowd has found the classical tune. Some fist-pump the air with excitement, others are jumping up and down, and everyone is singing along. "Take another piece of my heart now baaaby!!"

The crowd erupts when the song finishes, and the show is only getting started. After a brief intermission, the real fireworks launch. Timed to a medley of songs that include clips of the Beatles, Train, Coldplay, and more, brilliant flashing flights explode onto a black canvas.

Sparkling fireflies of purple and pink ignite the night sky. Electric, brightly colored confetti showers over the bay. Missiles of green and blue and red whiz upwards of a hundred feet into the sky. Pink and yellow fireballs dance along to the blaring music. It's like a box of glow-in-the-dark Nerds has spilled across the universe. Suffice to say, the fireworks are nothing short of spectacular.

To sum up the success of the event at its new Candlestick Park location, all I can say is "KAAABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!"