Is it the shoes?!

**Uncle Mxy** · 02-21-2010 05:42 PM

http://www.freep.com/article/2010022...t-be-the-shoes

When Spike Lee played Mars Blackmon in the Michael Jordan Nike commercials in the 1990s, he said it was the shoes that made Jordan great.

Apparently it was the shoes that made the Pistons' players ankles go lame.

Arnie Kander, the team's strength and conditioning coach for 18 seasons, has never seen as many ankle, knee and groin injuries as he has this season.

It started opening night when Richard Hamilton suffered a sprained ankle late at Memphis, and the problem just recently slowed down.

At one point it seemed as if every Pistons guard had an ankle sprain.

So Kander did some investigating and has banned the shoes that Hamilton, Ben Gordon and Will Bynum had been wearing early in the season.

"I'm not going to name the brand of shoe it was, but it has been banned from our locker room and the guys aren't allowed to wear it," Kander said. "These shoes had taken most of the support out of the sides and it was a lighter shoe. Most basketball shoes weigh between 1.4 and 1.7 pounds.

"These shoes were weighing 0.8 pounds, which was way too light as far as side support. Since we've banned the shoe, knock on wood, we haven't had any ankle sprains. Hopefully, the good Lord willing, we won't have any more and we can finish the season healthy and see what these guys can really do.

"We've had a couple of bumps and bruises, but nothing like we had the first part of the season."

Kander had proof that it was the shoes, because when he initially told Bynum, Hamilton and Gordon to stop wearing them, Bynum continued, until he suffered another sprained ankle.

"In fact he sprained both ankles," Kander said. "The second time he sprained his ankle he stopped wearing them and he has been better."

Among the top in his field, when Kander speaks, players listen.

Even former Pistons who return to the Palace solicit Kander's words of wisdom.

He probably took it personally when the players started suffering ankle injuries because he prides himself on having the players eat, drink and live healthy.

"For 2 1/2 months it was as bad as I've ever seen here," Kander said.

Now we have to figure out what's broke with CV...

**Tahoe** · 02-21-2010 05:46 PM

What kind of shoes were they?

**BubblesTheLion** · 02-21-2010 06:32 PM

bynum's shoes in early November can be seen in this video.
I have no idea what they are, but they sure seemed lighter ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7rL7ONw6a4