Our boy Kyle VBL Paris mixes it all together with his robotic style!

This kid is incredible to me. Aquille Carr The better prototype of Mugsy Bogues. The league needs more guys like this

This next guy Gabe York i think is a rude rude fellow for this! Audacity to the max. Watch this

9/11/2001.

 To the brave and the fallen. Your courage and your memories live on in our hearts. 

 -Never forget-

NYC holds over 75 tournaments every summer and has very special history to where everyone plays in the streets. We are planning a big game game for summer 2012 between West 4th Champs VS Venice All-Stars. Who will win?
 Here are some videos for your history class

BallinLA.com HoopinLA.com basketballinlosangeles.com basketballinLA

UCLA has had an amazing run every single summer for the last 10 years in the early afternoon where top college players to NBA stars take the court for some fast paste action. I remember going there as a high school kid and getting runs in after the pros. UCLA Men’s Gym is the spot to be.

If you missed The JBL, Drew League and Nike Real Run stay tuned because they are setting up numerous showcases like this one.

Chauncey Billups, Zach Randolph and John Wall are among the more than 40 players who will participate in the “Lockout League” in Las Vegas starting later this month, the New York Times reported Sunday.

Team A

Sebastian Telfair

James Anderson

Kawhi Leonard

Malcolm Lee

Larry Hughes

Marreese Speights

Melvin Ely

Team B

Derek Fisher

Armon Johnson

Josh Selby

Tony Allen

Xavier Silas

Coby Karl

Jeremy Evans

Al Harrington

Stephen Jackson

Gary Forbes

Derrick Caracter

Team C

Kyle Lowry

Jared Dudley

Courtney Lee

Alan Anderson

Hakim Warrick

Austin Daye

Channing Frye

Team D

Chauncey Billups

Iman Shumpert

Damon Jones

Roger Mason Jr.

Jamaal Tinsley

Shawne Williams

Jermaine O’Neal

According to the report, the league’s official name is the Impact Basketball Competitive Training Series. It will be held at the Impact Basketball gymnasium located about two miles from the Las Vegas strip and will feature as many as eight teams, the report said. Read more

Also The HAX hosts greats run and an amazing facility to work on your game.

D League Tryouts this Week HERE FOR INFO

Boost Mobile ® in conjunction with the NBA D-League, the official minor league of the National Basketball Association, will hold the Boost Mobile ® NBA D-League National Tryouts in Los Angeles* and Chicago*. This event will challenge NBA D-League hopefuls, via full-court games, to showcase their skills for NBA D-League player personnel executives, coaches and industry scouts with the hopes of gaining eligibility for the NBA D-League Draft in November.

Los Angeles *

HaxLA

1515 240th St

Harbor City, CA 90710

Haxla

Make sure to come and support and enjoy some free entertainment.

Ballin’ for Peace with Power 106!! Michael Bryant Free Haircut Day, BBQ, & Sik Wit It

Celebrity All Star Game Sunday 9/11/2011 FOR MORE INFO GO TO BALLIN FOR PEACE.

Make sure to come join the ladies as they battle it out on concrete in Venice Beach.

Starting at 1pm, we will have 2 Amazing Featured games with THE BATTLE OF THE OL’ SKOOL and a special featured game between:

VS

EXPECT A SHOW LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE ON THIS HOT SUMMER FEST

WITH VERY SPECIAL HALF TIME PERFORMANCE AND DUNK SHOWS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND !

Friday nights this summer are about to get a lot hotter! Join us as the Lingerie basketball league begins its inaugural season with a hot doubleheader tipoff … that features all four of our Los Angeles teams!

Single tickets are available for $20 for each game of the doubleheader, or buy a 2-game ticket and save $10. For those who want to get up close and personal, a limited number of floor seat, 2-game tickets are available for $40.

Beverages will be available for purchase at the game. Following the game, players will be available for photos and autograph signing.

Tickets will also be available at the door for each game. Cash only at the door.

There will be a 30 minute half-time intermission between games.

Lockout on the way…Interesting to see that the average player makes $5Million and they are complaining about their salary. I believe that no player should be making more than 1M and half of profits should go towards fighting world hunger and educating the youth. What a business it has become! What ever happened to the love of the game!

The National Basketball Association announced that it will commence a lockout of its players, effective at 12:01 am ET on July 1, until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached with the National Basketball Players Association.

“The expiring collective bargaining agreement created a broken system that produced huge financial losses for our teams,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver. “We need a sustainable business model that allows all 30 teams to be able to compete for a championship, fairly compensates our players, and provides teams, if well-managed, with an opportunity to be profitable.”

Words from the commissioner:
My name is Damon Glymph and I am the Executive Director of David Bing Academy of Finance HS, a new charter school in the city of Los Angeles.  I am trying to bring attention my school as well as community awareness to the importance of financial literacy.  David Bing Academy is a community based charter school that focuses on the importance of education in finance and community development.  On June 18, 2011 we will be holding our 1st Annual Celebrity Basketball Event at Santa Monica College at 4pm.  We would be honored and privileged if you, your friends and family would come and support our efforts in connecting with the community and raising awareness for David Bing Academy.  This event has confirmed celebrity guests Mike Epps, Mitch Richmond, Anthony Anderson, and Many NBA & NFL Athletes, Actors, & Entertainers will be in attendance.  We are a 501(c)3.  Please visit our website www.davebingacademy.org.  We appreciate your support.

Expect our All Star players to be there like Zig-Zag, K Money, Prime, Chidi, Yaya and more…

Saturday June 18th! First US qualifier

Clutch got it last year! Who will take it this time? Will it be VBL? Well we shall find out who is the best @ 1 on 1. Ziggy Zag said ” I do not see anybody that can guard me 1 on 1… yup”

What an amazing experience to play in Alcatraz with the best from all over the world. LA hoopers and VBL fans do not miss out on this opportunity of a lifetime $10,000

NYC Coach Earl “The Pearl” Monroe & LA Coach Lucius Allen Ready Their Squads

New York, NY & Los Angeles, CA, April XX, 2011 – The People’s Games (www.PeoplesGames.com) is a
new concept that provides the common man an opportunity to live out a dream of representing their
family, neighborhood and city in athletic competition against rival cities. The inaugural event is a best-
of-three basketball series, NYC vs. LA, which tips-off Sunday, May 8th in Los Angeles at the iconic courts
of Venice Beach, and continues May 10th in New York City at a famous location in Manhattan to be
announced soon, and May 11th (if necessary) at the City College of New York’s (CCNY) Holman Gym.

Hundreds of hopefuls from both cities participated in several rounds of tryouts throughout the month
of March, battling for twenty coveted spots on each city’s roster. The final teams feature an eclectic
and inspiring mix of players from all walks of life – a construction worker, spa owner, teacher, student,
lawyer, barista, stay-at-home dad, past division one college player, cancer survivor, former homeless
and others – including some who will fly in an airplane for the first time.

In addition to the glory of representing their hometowns, these players will also be coached by
basketball royalty. Team New York City is led by Knicks legend and basketball Hall of Famer Earl “The
Pearl” Monroe, while former UCLA and Lakers great Lucius Allen is the coach of Team Los Angeles.
Longtime friends off the court and now once again foes on it, Monroe and Allen are eager to showcase
their squads and determine which city gets ultimate basketball bragging rights.

“I’m thrilled to be part of The People’s Games and was drawn by the fact it gives regular guys a
chance to realize their dreams and get back to the roots of why we love the game,” said Monroe.
“We have a tremendous team who’s ready to prove that New York City is the center of the basketball
universe with a big win over LA.”

Allen responded, “I played and learned under legendary coach John Wooden and I’m bringing that same
focus on tenacity and defense to this group of talented athletes. We’re already a basketball family and
ready to bring the first People’s Games championship home to LA, where it belongs.”

The People’s Games was created by award-winning producer and Chairman of Beacon Pictures, Armyan
Bernstein and seven-time Emmy winner and producer of six Olympic Games, Terry Jastrow. The
tryouts, practices and Game #1 in Los Angeles are conducted in partnership with the LA Department of
Recreation and Parks.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa even got into
The People’s Games spirit, participating in friendly banter with their own predictions on which city will
experience the thrill of victory. “For my friend Mayor Bloomberg in New York City, I’d like to say I’m
sorry but you are about to finish second in a two city event,” said Mayor Villaraigosa in an on-camera
interview. Mayor Bloomberg responded via Twitter, saying, “I’ll take talent from Rucker Park or West
4th Street Cage over LA, any day of the week.”

The People’s Games are open to current residents of the city, who are 18 or older, and who have
never played professionally in the sport for which they are trying out. The following competitors where
selected through neighborhood tryouts held throughout the month of March, and team practices in
April.

TEAM NEW YORK CITY:

Muhammad Abdul, Brooklyn, Guard, 26 years old
Daniel Alotta, Queens, Guard, 35
Justin Bright, Brooklyn, Guard, 24
Kareem
Corprew, Brooklyn, Forward, 22
Ronald Grant, Bronx, Guard, 32
Richard Letren, Brooklyn, Center, 32
Evander Little, Brooklyn, Guard, 24
Evan Majzner, Manhattan, Guard, 28
Majestic Mapp, Bronx, Guard, 29
Emmanuel Martinez, Brooklyn, Forward, 29
Junior Mitchell, Brooklyn, Guard, 24
Irving Moses, Manhattan, Guard, 28
Eric Patterson, Bronx, Guard, 21
Roman Perez, Brooklyn, Guard, 24
Omari Phipps, Queens, Forward, 26
Nygel Roach, Manhattan, Guard, 26
Alanzo Robinson, Brooklyn, Guard, 23
Banri Takenouchi, Manhattan, Guard, 31
Herman Vanegas, Queens, Forward, 34
Samuel
Wallace Jr., Brooklyn, Center, 25
Durell Watson, Brooklyn, Guard, 26

TEAM LOS ANGELES:
Jason Anderson South Central, Guard, 24 years old,
Shane Chase, West LA, Forward, 26,
Rashaun Ellis, Wilshire, Forward, 33,
Julius English, Sun Valley, Guard, 39,
Matisse Gaillard, Brentwood, Guard, 21,
Nick Gaillard, Brentwood, Guard, 27,

CJ Johnson, Mid City, Guard, 25

Donald Lee, View Park/Winsor Hills, Forward/Center, 24
Imani Mackie, Crenshaw, Center, 25
Tim McGrath, Westchester, Guard, 24
Jason Pruitt, South Central, Guard, 21
Franklin Session, Watts, Guard, 22
Giyoh Shey, Westlake, Guard, 23
Mahershal Simonet, Westmont, Guard, 25
LaCurtis Sumlim III, Jefferson, Forward, 24
Darrel Tripp, Baldwin Hills, Forward, 23
Joe Udeoji, South Central, Forward, 24
Tarron Williams, South LA, Forward/Center, 33

Battle for Big City Sports Supremacy Starts Off With Basketball Competition Coached By Local Legends ‚”Earl the Pearl‚” Monroe and Lucius Allen.

New York, NY & Los Angeles, CA, March 2, 2011 – Those who have dreamed of representing their city in athletic competition now have a once in a lifetime chance at sports stardom. Organizers today announced The People’s Games, a new sports concept that offers athletes the opportunity to represent their cities in competition against other US cities in a battle to prove which city has the best athletes in various sports.  The program will launch with a basketball competition and will be played at local venues with local sports legends as team coaches.

The People’s Games will tip-off Sunday, March 13^th with basketball tryouts throughout New York City and Los Angeles, followed by a ‚”best of three‚” finals series in early May.  Home court advantage will be determined by a ceremonial coin-toss.  Participants can register for tryouts at www.PeoplesGames.com (or call 800-TPG-3098).  The public will also be able to help select their city’s team, participate in a variety of social events surrounding the games, and watch key action from the competition on this site.

New York Knicks legend ‚”Earl the Pearl‚” Monroe will coach New York’s team, and former UCLA great Lucius Allen, who played on John Wooden’s National Championship teams and later for the Lakers, will coach the L.A. team.

The People’s Games will be conducted in partnership with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks and in coordination with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.  A portion of the proceeds from The People’s Games will be donated to the local recreation and parks departments in participating cities.  In the future, The People’s Games intends to announce additional competitive platforms and participating cities.

Armyan Bernstein, award-winning producer and Chairman of Beacon Pictures, is the Founder and Chairman of The People’s Games.  Terry Jastrow, seven-time Emmy Award winner, who has produced and directed six Olympic Games, is the Commissioner and Executive Producer of The People’s Games.

‚”We believe there are great athletes out there who, for one reason or another, never got a chance to have their moment in the spotlight,‚” says Bernstein.  ‚”This is the opportunity for them to play for their families, communities and cities.  They are playing for the love of the game rather than personal glory and will come from every walk of life.  All that matters is that they got game!‚”

Terry Jastrow adds, ‚”What compels me most about The People’s Games is the human drama of athletic competition, the common man or woman in pursuit of their dreams.   As people learn more about the Games, we believe that there will be a groundswell of excitement to participate and cheer on their friends and neighbors. ‚”

Unlike professional sports where star players rarely come from the city they play for, participants in The People’s Games must be a resident of the city they are representing, 18 years of age or older, and have no professional experience. Competitors will be selected through neighborhood tryouts to create teams which reflect the heart and soul of the city.

Open tryouts will begin at various locations on Sunday, March 13.  New York City tryouts will take place in the following locations:

• Bronx: St. Mary’s Recreation Center, 450 St. Ann’s Avenue, Bronx, NY 10454
• Brooklyn: St. John’s Recreation Center, 1251 Prospect Place, Brooklyn, NY 11213
• Manhattan & Staten Island: Alfred E. Smith Recreation Center, 80 Catherine Street, New York, NY 10038
• Queens: Al Oerter Recreation Center, 131-40 Fowler Avenue, Flushing, NY 11355

Los Angeles City tryouts will take place in the following locations:

• Balboa Sports Complex: 17015 Burbank Blvd., Encino, CA 91316
• EXPO Center: 3980 S. Menlo Ave.,  Los Angeles, CA 90037
• Normandale Recreation Center: 22400 Halldale Ave., Torrance, CA 90501
• Pan Pacific Recreation Center: 7600 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
• Pecan Recreation Center: 145 S. Pecan St.,  Los Angeles, CA 90033
• Westwood Recreation Complex: 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025

For detailed explanation regarding the tryouts and team selection process, visit www.PeoplesGames.com.  Final team New York City and Los Angeles rosters will be announced at the end of March.

CHECK IT OUT

Our Final Games until playoffs:

# Earl “The Goat” Manigault
# James “Fly” Williams
# Joe “Destroyer” Hammond
# Pee Wee Kirkland
# Herman “Helicopter” Knowlings
# Lloyd “Sweat Pea” Daniels
# Ed “Booger” Smith
# Nate “Tiny” Archibald
#Connie Hawkins
#Julius “Dr. J” Erving
#Allen “The Answer” Iverson
# Arthur Sivels
# Billy “The Kid” Harris
# Dewayne “Legend” Rogers
# Allen “Skip” Wise
# Demetrius “Hook” Mitchell
# Antoine “The Judge” Joubert
# Earl “The Pearl” Monroe
# Lewis “Black Magic” Lloyd
# Hank Gathers
# Albert King
#”Pearl” Washington
# Ron “The Terminater” Matthias
# Anthony “Half Man Half Amazin” Heyward
# John Staggers
# Erron “E Money” Maxey
# Raymond Lewis
# Charlie Scott
# Freeman Williams
# Bryant “Sad Eyes” Watson
# Sam Worthen
# Delonte “Nut” Taylor
# Lyndon Debellot
# Michael Graham
# Curt “Trouble” Smith
# Stacy Robinson
# Andre Turner
# Eric “Sleepy” Floyd
# Greg “Killer Cross” Jones
# Eddie Hughes
# Larry “Bone Collector” Williams
# Andre “Silk” Poole
# Hugh “Baby Shaq” Jones
# Malloy “Future” Nesmith
# John “The Franchise” Strickland
# Aaron “AO” Owens
# Rafer “Skip To My Lou” Alston
#Taurian “The Air Up There/Mr. 720″ Fontenette
# Calvin Ramsey
# Walter “The Truth” Berry
# Ben Wilson
# Will Jones

I GUESS NOT >>. ITS GETTING INTERESTING

This is the moment everyone has been waiting for, NBA Playoffs, 16 teams lefts, one goal, NBA Trophy.

Will it be a 3 peat for The Lakers?

An other Boston rivalry Finals?

Or one of the other rival teams? Who Knows?

Maybe He does…

Anyways stay tuned for some really exciting basketball leading up to some very competitive summer games!

Go Hard or Go Home!

Commissioner Curt Pickering organized a showcase this past week end honoring black history month. Team Advantage had all its Star veterans with special appearances from “Clutch” and “Nsum”. Jamer Cramer aka “Woody-woo-Pecka” was on fire  and Kenny kept it going all games. The final game between Advantage and Breakers came to the wire with SB coming back from a 1opt deficit to win it 87-86. “Shakes” and “Assassin” had solid games proving they can hold their own in a professional league.  Stay tuned as the WCBL is organizing weekly showcase games until the league officially kicks off  April 10th on the Venice Beach courts.

Woody & International

Mr Fabulous

Coach Gil and Jamar telling us to go hard … we up by 30

Bad Ass Breakers

J.D. The Assassin always killin!..

And 1 Live feat Hollywizzle, Jonsey, Los, Werm…

K Money Lazy Bone & Bang & Nsum

DJ Clue Nsum & Sy

Bang Lee From Japan

-Thursday the 17th @ Venice Beach. 2pm: ESPN Radio presents VeniceBall All Stars take the court for a once in a lifetime showcase game featuring some of the greatest dunkers in the world. Featuring Andrew Bynum and legend Andrew Bynum.

-Thursday the 17th @ Cathedral High School 7pm: Macleem and J Boogie presents the launch of their first shoe ever: The game will feature some of the best players in the West!

-Friday the 18th@ Venice Beach 3pm: Ball Up takes on The E League celebrity team. You are already familiar with Bone Collector and Sick wit It…This event will have all the best players in streetball and some of this celebrities from the Entertainers league really have game.

-Friday the 18th @Miguel Contreras Learning Complex: Sweetwater charity celebrity game.

Also on Friday probably one of the most incredible dunk contest ever in the history… These guys are pushing the incredible!

-Saturday the 19th 3pm: And1 is Back in the US for a the All Star presentation at Fairfax High School.

There is a lot going on Sunday after Party’s and  the All Star Grand Finale. Basically get ready for no sleep and A LOT OF ACTION the whole week end.

A few words from the man itself… This is the truth guys!

Click Here!

Lakers’ Andrew Bynum will join the Mason & Ireland show and hold a meet & greet session with Laker fans between 2-6pm! Join us, along with big Drew, Corey Maggette, Jalen Rose, and Michael Cooper for prize giveaways and much more.

* 2-6pm – prize giveaways every 15 minutes
* 2-6pm – Pop-A-Shot Contest
* 2-6pm – VeniceBall Team Exhibition
* 2-6pm – Interviews/Autographs with Lakers center Andrew Bynum, ESPN NBA Anaylst Jalen Rose, Milwauke Bucks forward Corey Maggette, and USC women’s basketball coach and former Laker Michael Cooper! (Times TBD)
* 4-4:30pm – Drawing to play H.O.R.S.E. with Michael Cooper to win a pair of American Airlines tickets!

Appearances subject to change if necessary. Connect on Facebook for the latest info/updates on this event!

To each his own. Those are series of pics i found online

Love the Game always…

Birdman Claus and mini Idol

Kobe Claus… a classic lol

Who has the freshest sneakers ? The Christmas Lebron or Kobe Elf Special Xmas edition

It’s for the kids!

KD had the best performance for Christmas

Best move of the night

Thank you NBA superstars for keeping us entertained and inspired for Christmas and throughout the year!

Flyod Mayweather Celebrity game from VENICE BALL on Vimeo.

After my boy Donnie from HoopLove told me about the celeb game at Westchester High and the great success from our toy drive, K-Money and I had to go crash the event. When we pulled up in the hood an hour before the game the parking lot was full with brand new Escalades, Benz and Beamers all that “it’s a lot of ballers out here”! Here comes the special uninvited guests to come steal the show!

The Event was a great success a packed house with random celebrities like Dee Ray, MLB players, Olden Polenice (17 years in the league), Lil Al B,B lists actors, Robert Richard from “Coach Carter”, my boy D-Love… Money started warming up the crowd with a series of tricks, dropping kids to the ground and embarrassing a few boxers…

The kids and The sparks were there at first as they were playing on 3 feet hoops and mini basketballs.

Flynn Robinson NBA legend and Scott were here to witness!

The Champ is here and he was most likely the MVP scoring nearly 30pts and few steals running all over the place. Mayweather is a baller.

Battle of the Ol school VS New school dance contest!

And the kids WIN fresh crispy $100 bills for all of them!

They were raffling Xbox 360s and little puppies!

Fight for a cause!

Rasual Butler from the Clippers got all the girls

“7nSum Change” fresh out the club

2 of the best teams in Drew league

Grinch in The Mix

7 says “not in here”…

Boogy about to take over..

Hooptainers Repn Venice!

DJ Asoyolo keeping in crunck

Sunblock getting loose

The team that took us down.. They play good basketball. pg#33 is nice!

Aso took 3 stitches to the head.. No blood no foul

SPLA is definately one of the best courts in LA. With a NBA size court with plenty of grip and official NBA balls. The gym is open all day and the games start picking up anytime after 4 till 10pm.

Early mornings on week ends. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are for league which is fairly competitive.

Competition varies, disputes are minimized by someone keeping score and 20 min per game. Win 3 games and you are out.  Everyone gets a chance to play in this amazing gym!

If you wanna get a week free trial or get the best deal possible ask for ROB @ membership, He will hook you up!

1835 South Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles
(310) 473-1447

We have partnered with The Clippers this season which gives us special discounts on every game. Coming up is Lakers VS Clippers battle of LA.

Follow the link below and get up to 50% off discounts and support our kids program

https://oss.ticketmaster.com/html/go.htmI?l=EN&t=clippers&o=8230568&g=3439

pass code: Clippers

Back in the 80′s during Kenn Hicks and Ron Beals era we used to play 2,3,4,5 and 6 pointers in Venice Beach. It seems like they will incorporate a 4pt shot for the Globe Trotters game. We were thinking to bring back the 4pt shot behind the red line. What do you guys think?

The Globetrotters will debut the 4-pointer to a national audience on Sunday, December 5, at 7:30 p.m. EST, when ESPN2 telecasts the Globetrotters’ game against the Washington Generals from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

http://www.the4pointshot.com/

As many of you know President Obama got game and takes the sport really seriously… He balls hard and took an unfortunate hit, I’m sure he will be back in no time as he truly loves the game. No blood No foul!

President Barack Obama needed 12 stitches in his upper lip after taking an errant elbow during a pickup basketball game Friday morning with family and friends visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday, the White House said.

First word of the injury came in a statement from press secretary Robert Gibbs nearly three hours after the incident.

The White House did not initially name the person who caused the injury, but identified him later Friday as Rey Decerega, director of programs for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

Obama received the stitches under local anesthesia in the doctor’s office on the ground floor of the White House after returning home. Doctors used a smaller filament than typically used, which increases the number of stitches but makes a tighter stitch and leaves a smaller scar.

The president had gone to nearby Fort McNair to indulge in a game of basketball, one of his favorite athletic pursuits. It was a five-on-five contest involving family and friends. Among the players were Obama’s nephew, Avery Robinson, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Reggie Love, Obama’s personal assistant, who played at Duke University.

The White House said the injury happened during their fifth and final game when Decerega turned to take a shot and hit Obama, who was playing defense, in the mouth with his elbow.

A Brief History of Presidential Accidents

Obama emerged from the building after about 90 minutes of play, wearing a short-sleeve T-shirt and gym pants, and was seen dabbing at his mouth with what appeared to be a wad of gauze. A few hours later, reporters who had gathered on the White House driveway for the arrival of the Christmas tree saw the president in an upstairs window, pressing an ice pack against his mouth before he stood and walked away.

“After being inadvertently hit with an opposing player’s elbow in the lip while playing basketball with friends and family, the president received 12 stitches today administered by the White House Medical Unit,” Gibbs said.

Decerega issued a statement through the White House late Friday. He did not immediately respond to an e-mail request from The Associated Press for independent comment.

“I learned today the president is both a tough competitor and a good sport,” the statement said. “I enjoyed playing basketball with him this morning. I’m sure he’ll be back out on the court again soon.”

Obama’s motorcade obeyed all traffic stops, the custom for nonofficial trips, during the return to the White House.

In February, Obama, 49, was deemed to be in excellent health and fit for duty after his first medical checkup as president. Doctors reported then that Obama had yet to kick a smoking habit, takes anti-inflammatory medication to relieve chronic tendinitis in his left knee and should make dietary changes to reduce his cholesterol levels.

Obama was told to return for another physical exam in August 2011, after he turns 50. In addition to regular pickup basketball games, Obama is also an avid golfer.

Obama had no public events scheduled during the long holiday weekend.

His stitched lip, however, could make for some interesting small talk on Tuesday, when Obama is to meet with the congressional leadership. The session originally was announced for Nov. 18, but was delayed after Republicans, who will control the House and increase their numbers in the Senate come January, said they couldn’t accommodate the president.

Medical help is always nearby for U.S. presidents. A doctor or nurse is stationed at the White House around the clock and accompanies the president in his motorcade and aboard Air Force One.

Name: Venice Beach Courts
Location: 1800 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, Calif.
League info: The Venice Basketball League kicked off its third season June 20. The championship, all-star game and celebrity game are set for Sept. 4. In this pro-am league, it’s invite-only, but it’s free.
Court setup: There are three and a half courts along Ocean Front Walk — three by the boardwalk and one by the Venice Beach offices. One court does not have a rim or backboard on the north end. The court parallel to the boardwalk has the highest level of play and draws the biggest crowds.
Surface: Asphalt; the court closest to the offices has the best playing surface. The VBL plays its weekly games there. This court also hosts the 2010 Boost Mobile Elite 24.
Rim style: Single rims with nylon nets. The rims have some give, but jump shots are tough with the cool Venice breeze.
Lights (yes/no): No. You can get there as early as 8 a.m., and play lasts until sunset around 8 p.m.
Best time for a run: The best runs are on weekend afternoons, particularly Sunday. Be careful because sometimes SoCal beach temperature drop fast in the evening.
Level of competition (pickup, out of 10): 4-9, depending on the court. The level of comp decreases as you move further from the boardwalk.
Level of competition (summer league): 7
Style of play: 5-on-5 full-court pickup with streetball rules; half-court games are played on lower-level courts.
Unwritten rules: To get in a pick-up game on the main court, you better have patience. “You might be here all day for three games,” warned streetball player Eugene Wright. Arguing fouls or possession on close calls is a Venice Beach tradition. On busy weekends, the name of the person who’s got next is written on a list kept in the safe hands of Milt Berger, a regular there for two decades. Unless you’re a known player, you also can’t walk away and expect to keep your spot on the list. Winners choose which court they’ll play offense on (its usually the north end on the main court). In the VBL, if a player is fouled while shooting, his team is awarded points, not free throws. As you can imagine, cheap fouls are frowned upon in pick-up games.
Today’s top ballers: Air Dogg,“J-Boogie” Brantley, Sidney Faison, Eric “Spinmaster” Holmes, Erron “E Money” Maxey, Timothy “Prime” McGrath, Maurice “Mo” Spillers, Jude “Hollywood” Thomas, Terron “Beast” Williams, Eugene Wright.
NBA alumni: Gilbert Arenas, Ron “Tru Warrior” Artest, Kobe Bryant, Michael Cage, Chris Childs, Keith Closs, Baron Davis, Shaun Livingston, Tyronn Lue, Jannero Pargo, Paul Pierce.
Streetball legends: Ron Beals, Kenny “Bad Santa” Brunner, Eldridge “El Hud” Hudson, “Ironman”, Robin “Syk Wit It” Kennedy, Demetrius “Hook” Mitchell, John Staggers, Freeman Williams, Larry “Bone Collector” Williams.

Overtime: Streetball dates back to the late 1960s at Venice Beach when pros and street icons like James “Arkansas Red” Allen used to battle at Joe Weakley’s Run, Shoot and Dunk League at Denker Park in South Los Angeles. Arkansas Red, a native of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Raymond Lewis are L.A.’s original and most revered streetball icons.

It wasn’t until 1979 when native New Yorker Kenn Hicks founded the National Outdoor Basketball Championship, and ran it Labor Day weekends at Venice Beach, that streetball in Los Angeles went mainstream.

TO READ FULL ARTICLE AND OTHER MOST KNOW COURTS IN US CLICK HERE

EA SPORTS NBA JAM is a revival of one of the most popular and culturally influential arcade basketball games ever made. NBA JAM is an all time classic and they added lots of features. Such a fun game to play with friends. The best thing is that they have it on the Wii. Now this is what a video game is all about.

Players can take a trip down memory lane, or discover the thrill of over-the-top action for the first time! Play solo, VS, or cooperatively with a friend, using the greatest players from all 30 NBA teams. Unlock legends of the past, and other exciting characters! NBA JAM is classic arcade hoops at its best!

Download Form HERE VBL

We are raising money for our kids program and to be able to play at the staples center before the Clippers game that same day. If you buy $100+ worth of tickets, you and a guest will be invited to play 5on5 at The Staples Center center court at 1PM December 1st. This is going to be an amazing day of basketball… Please support and join THE FUN!

The Los Angeles Clippers and the Venice Basketball League are teaming up!  Come join us as we take on the San Antonio Spurs, Monday December 1, 2010.  If you’re looking for something fun to do with your families and friends, while raising money for the VBL & KVBL, this is it!
This special discounted offer is NOT AVAILABLE at the door, so get your tickets now!

Even if they had a poor start of a season The Clippers are one of the most exciting team in the NBA, highlights waiting to happen any minute, prepare for a big upset from the under estimated  underdogs.

To order tickets, click on this link https://oss.ticketmaster.com/html/go.htmI?l=EN&t=clippers&o=8230568&g=3134
Promo code: Clippers
Or, turn in below order form

DOWNLOADABLE FORM  HERE VBL

If You are in New York this Week End make sure to go out and see the history of streetball and it’s evolution… Shoutout to Bobbito for keeping the love and art of the game always going…

Image courtesy of Bobbito Garcia

Flubber: Apparently it is real! Yeah Right. That’s right, Flubber, the green goo from the Disney movie of the same name that allowed all the terrible basketball players to suddenly become slam dunking all stars. Don’t believe me, have a look at the pictures below.

Well now in 2010 this shoe is available to the public for  $300, the two inventors of the shoe are twins who walked on for USC basketball, and apparently there father was in the shoe industry. After a bunch of NBA players showed interest in the shoe during the summer (names can’t be revealed since they all have contracts with different shoe companies) the NBA finally said they wouldn’t allow the shoe to be wore on the basketball court.This shoe has created a huge buzz and i believe might still make its way to the NBA one day or another.

check it out

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT… PLEASE SOMEONE TRY THEM AND GIVE US FEEDBACK…

Skid row or skid road is a run-down or dilapidated urban area with a large, impoverished population. The term originally referred literally to a path along which workingmen skidded logs.  After the games we took a walk around to see and document the lifestyle people live down there. Thousands of people living in the streets within a 2 or 3 city block range with no where to go. The smell down there is spicy Austin” smells like my old frat house”.

Let’s make a change and help this community in need and the people that are really making a difference down there. Let’s show these kids and adults that there is HOPE for a greater future   http://skidrowstreetball2.webs.com/

Catch some good runs any day of the week at this great park. Good competition and fun group of guys. Do not get fooled by the area, the playground is well maintained and the guys will show you a warm welcome. Say VBL sent you for world class welcome

6th Street and Gladys Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles

Like its close neighbor San Julian Park, this is also a gated green area in the heart of Skid Row.

For this great cast Big Chiddy, Zig-Zag, Holliwyzzle, Ansom and Marques

Ryan came up with a great concept for a music video for Steriogram. The idea is to shoot the top athletes in every extreme sports wearing the band members masks. It was very tricky to see coming up for the dunk or handling the ball but a great time we had… Stay tuned to see the finished video in a few weeks…

Guess who?

As most of you know we have an obsession for hoops and streetball and always in search for inspiration through basketball. I really like the fact that outdoor courts everywhere you go depending on the time of day and moment in the season will differ. Here are a few pics i took along with some i found on the interweb…

FOR MORE CLICK HERE

Remember the Snoop VideO and Big Lebowski in the same house… Out of this world!

Let’s Get Blown from Robin Hood on Vimeo.

I got the call this morning about taking part of a photo shoot for my friend Salim. Today is going to be a good productive day i told myself ,… got the boys on the phone and said let’s do this thing…

I was told Eva Longoria will be star of the show this afternoon. So i picked up the phone and called my three favorite basketball people and asked if they would let me borrow their backyard for a basketball shoot. One was already rented, the second was fine by it as long as i would have a spot for him on my team this summer. So i was like great that’s done we will have a great time in his house. 10 am that was done, then i decided to call my buddy James Goldstein to get some inspiration for the summmer since he is only around the city when the lakers are playing at home. We spoke for a while and then told him about Eva and he said she was his friend and suggested we could have the shoot in his home. It was much more than i could ask for, the biggest fan of the NBA, also one of the most stylish person in the world invited us to make history on his home. As if our network was not strong enough, the fit model happened to be a friend of mine from Venice and the stylish had met my brother a week before in Berlin and recognized me right away… What a small world and what a team we pulled together in less than 24 hours…

I am not currently allowed to reveal the nature of the photo shoot but here is a glimpse of it behind the scene… Just know that it will be published in one of the top high fashion magazine. Stay tuned…

UNITED AS ONE

THE KING STETCHING OUT IN HIS CELL

GAME TIME

Shoot around session in the yard.. No one has played basketball here since the 60′s. We had to wake up the ghosts of Alcatraz.

CONGRATS AND LONG LIVE THE KING

A 30 minute television show of Red Bull King of the Rock will air on the following networks:
FOX Sports West – October 9th after the Kings vs. Canucks game
FOX Sports Arizona – October 10th at 10:00pm
Comcast SportsNet Bay Area – October 8th at 6:30pm, October 9th at 7:30pm, October 10th at 5:30pm & 10:00pm

After we found out Redbull was putting on such a great event, it was only right for us to spread the word and let our guys know that there was some serious money and recognition to be made. From our 15 players playing in the LA qualifier 7 made it to The Rock. Boogie tried his chances again in San Diego and will be joining us as well. Gil aka “Crackers And Cheese”  felt one game short in LA and San Diego so decided to go to Frisco and was rejected again. The day before the VBL finals he decided to drive up to Oakland with big Dave Vik and finally made his spot into Alcatraz. I am so impressed with the perseverance and dedication from this man, unfortunately his Team Advantage felt a few points short in VBL Finals. NEVER EVER GIVE UP.

In this game size and skills matter BUT its all about who wants it the most, who will hustle harder, who’s stronger and tougher at heart. Who will suck it up and play threw the fouls, who will last the distance, who has a passion and will to believe in his dreams. I LIVE THIS LIFE, I LOVE THIS GAME

Apparently Too Short is performing and the games will air on FOX Sports so you will be able to catch some of this intense matchups. I can’t wait for the finals in this Saturday and find out if one of us will be Crow King of The ROCK.

VBL TOP 10

1-Christian aka Dragon -United Nations-

2-Isiah aka Clutch -The Mean Ones-

3-Nick aka Tamere -United Nations-

4-Gary aka GP – Venice All Stars-

5-Al aka Ninja Warrior  -Skid row Ambassadors-

6-Matt aka Flip – Sunblock-

7-Jamar aka Woody wood Pecker – Team Advantage-

8-Ervin aka Boogie – Free Agents

9-Gil aka Crackers and Cheese  – Team Advantage-

10-Dave aka The White Shadow – Team Advantage-

FOR MORE INFO AND NEWS LOG ON HERE

Boogie one step forward from The Free Agents made it on his 2nd attempt after he got knocked out by Ansom in the first round in LA.

The World championship are happening right now in Istanbul and i got to watch a few games and some of these international team play great basketball. Istanbul is a beautiful city and you can find basketball courts everywhere behind a mosque or next to schools. Turkey is also are a great contender at winning the GOLD.

The team that impressed me the most so far was Argentina with Scola the UNSTOPPABLE going to work and making a serious buzz.

Luis Scola was a one man wrecking crew yesterday against Brazil. He finished with 37 points and scored six in the closing minutes for Argentina. He was so good, he got his general manager to tweet, “Scola goes into video game god mode to finish off Brazil. Wow.”

I think he is well on the way to be the MVP of the tournament.

Through the years, there’s been no rivalry in international basketball that matches the intense history between the United States and the USSR.

Even though the old Soviet Union is no longer, Thursday’s pending quarterfinals match between the USA and Russia brings plenty of classic games to mind.

And by an odd twist of fate, Thursday’s game will be exactly 38 years to the day of one of the most controversial games ever played in international basketball….that of couse being the 1972 Olympic gold medal game between the USA and USSR.

“When you think of international basketball you think of USA and Russia games, that (the 1972 Olympic gold medal game) being one of them, but that’s not the only one of them,” said USA mentor Mike Krzyzewski. “We’ve addressed the fact that game was played 38 years ago and that five of these guys are 21 so I don’t think they remember it as well.”

The 1972 Olympic Games gold medal showdown featured a pair of 8-0 teams. The USA-USSR final was as expected, a hotly contested ball game. The USSR took a 7-0 lead and by half was in possession of a 26-21 lead.

With 12:18 to play and the Soviets holding a 38-34 lead, the USA’s 6’8′ Dwight Jones, the USA’s top scorer and rebounder, and Soviet reserve Dvorni Edeshko were ejected from the game after a loose ball scuffle. On the ensuing jump ball, 6’9′ Jim Brewer suffered a concussion after being knocked to the floor.

The U.S. continued to lag behind in the second half, but narrowed the gap to one point, 49-48 on Jim Forbes’ jumper with 40 seconds remaining. The Soviet’s worked the clock down to 10 seconds but Tom McMillen blocked Aleksander Belov’s shot and Doug Collins intercepted his pass as he attempted to pass it back out to center court. Collins drove to the basket and was undercut as he attempted a layup with three seconds left. Awarded two free throws, a groggy Collins sank the frist free throw, then, despite the horn going off in the middle of his second attempt, made the second to put the USA ahead 50-49 with :03 left on the scoreboard clock.

to read full article… http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/usarussia_another_classic_on_2010_09_08.html

Exhibition Game: UNITED NATIONS vs. FREE AGENT ALL STARS – Players that didn’t make the playoffs were allowed to join the Free Agents today to give the U.N. a run for their money.  This game turned out to be a close competition, but UNITED NATIONS still came out on top. Don’t underestimate Handsome Ansom & his internationional crew.  Here’s a pic of both teams.

GAME 1: HOLLYWOOD HOOPS vs. TEAM ADVANTAGE - The #4 seat, Hollywood Hoops, didn’t stand a chance against the super undefeated #1 team.  This game was truly a blow out!  Which is too bad ’cause I really like Hollywizzle & his team.  But The White Shadow and his crew are very good at kicking butt and taking names. Congratulations to TEAM ADVANTAGE for making it to next week’s finals.

Game 2: VENICE ALL STARS vs. THE MEAN ONES - These are 2 of my favorite VBL teams.  And if anyone can take the crown from the All Stars (besides Team Advantage), it would be The Grinch and his goons.  Jon Nash promised his All Stars would beat all the remaining teams by 20 points, however The Mean Ones did not go down without a fight.  When it was all said and done, the VENICE ALL STARS won by only 4 points.  Kudos to the reigning champs.  See ya next year, Mean Ones.

Shots-out to LIVITY OUTERNATIONAL for sponsoring this episode & donating sustainable clothing for our free-throw contest. They gave me this groovy tanjareen hat too.

Thanks to SCRATCH ACADEMY for DJ-ing the games.

My sister Taj-Zsa and her friend Eboni enjoyed the games.

I want the po-pos to make a VBL team against the Fire Dept.

Guigui & his girls

mama Guigui & the girls

Sideline support

The ladies love me.  LOL at her shirt!

Like Diana Ross, “I want muscles!”

I found these girls for the fellas.

The folks at Venice Beach are hilarious!

WTH??  Does he know his goodies are hangin?

Today was a hoot! We’ll see ya next week.

Tanjareen – The VBL Queen
www.tanjareen.com