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LAKERS vs SUNS GM.4 (recap)
In a playoff series when a team owns home court advantage it simply means that if they win every game on their home court they will win the series. That is exactly what the Lakers have to do now that the series is tied 2-2. The story with the Lakers in game 4 is very similar to that of game 3: free throw discrepancy, little to no defense, and a lack of a sense of urgency. The Suns did exactly what was expected of them, they came out in their house and took care of business. They played the game exactly like we know they can play the game. There should be nothing shocking about the series score right now.
There are a few things that did shock me while watching game 4 though. First was the level of Read more
SLAM ONLINE X TFL#! GIVEAWAY
One more, and he’ll have an entire hand glistening. That’s all Kobe Bryant needs—just one more ring to round out an entire hand. He’s right now in hot pursuit of that fifth piece of jewelry, as his Lakers try to eliminate the Suns in the Western Conference Finals. Perfect timing, then, for this giveaway. Our friends over at The Read more
LAKERS vs SUNS GM.3 (recap)
When playing the highest scoring team in the NBA in a playoff series and one that plays as well as the Suns do at home it is illogical to think a sweep is going to be easy. Although with the way the Lakers started off this series it was not an impossible task. The Phoenix Suns are not a team with a wide range of game plans, they are fast, pass great, and love to shoot the three ball. These are a few aspects of the Suns game the Lakers were so successful at either stopping or out preforming them in over the last two games. It was not these areas that caused the fall of the Lakers in game three though, it was all of the success in the paint.
Over all the Lakers shot better from Read more
ONLY KINGS HAVE RINGS X DIMEMAG.com GIVEAWAY
In these harsh times free stuff can mean so much. That’s why we’ve teamed up with the good folks at DimeMag.com for a friendly contest of sorts. Here’s the plan. Visit their website, predict Kobe’s stat line for this afternoons game, post it in the comments (on their site) and if your right you win an “Only Kings Have Rings” tee on us. But you have to hurry. Time is limited. Gets your predictions in before the game starts. Holla back.
LAKERS vs SUNS GM.2 (recap)
After predicting that the Phoenix Suns would be the Lakers toughest competition of the post season I now see that one of two things is possible. Either I was completely dead wrong (which would not be the first time) or the Lakers are playing at a level that no other team in the payoffs is at. We all know that the Suns are the highest scoring team in the NBA but little can be said for their defense and that is exactly what we are seeing here.
The Lakers are completely dominating with their field goal percentages. We are shooting 10% better then the Suns in front of the 3-point line and 15% better from behind the line. Everything seems to be clicking for us in regards to our… Read more
LAKERS vs SUNS GM. 1 (recap)
BigLakerMike is back to give us the low down on the Western Conference Finals. “On paper the Phoenix Suns are our toughest match up thus far in the post season. They have height, power, speed, and an amazing bench. None of these things came into play Monday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe Bryant made it his job to not let the Suns get their momentum early in the game. Keeping the Suns from playing their usual run and gun game, we slowed them down and forced them to beat our defense (which they did not do). Read more
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN X LEBRON JAMES
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN – This Sex Pistols inspired commentary by @DonLaMonte speaks volumes. Might the Kings Queens subjects be prime for a revolt against the crown? Or are people starting to understand that the throne never rightfully belonged to her majesty in the first place?
ERIC WRIGHT REPS TFL#!
If you don’t know, Eric Wright (above left) plays cornerback for the Cleveland Browns. That’s right Cleveland. He’s also a kobe Bryant fan and wears #24 himself. We caught up with Eric while he was chillin’ with the boys from Tradition and LAX2JFK in downtown L.A. When we showed up it really came as no surprise that this former USC/UNLV alum was spotted wearing our Only Kings Have Rings tee. He even let all his fans in Cleveland know where he stands via a live uStream session.
More pics after the jump. Read more
LAKERS vs JAZZ GM.4 (recap)
When the local newspaper of your favorite team in a playoff series is refering to you in their headline “All Hope Is Lost” thats not a good sign. Then again going up against the Los Angeles Lakers in a playoff series when they hold home court advantage is not a good sign either. Both of these situations happened to be the story of the Utah Jazz. Read more
LAKERS vs JAZZ GM. 3 (recap)
Instead of writing a review of game 3 I wanted to just do a preview of the Lakers/Suns series but it was too entertaining a game to not write about so here we are. Over the last three years it has been the same story when the Lakers meet the Jazz in the playoffs. Lakers take the first two at home and the Jazz come right back taking their first at home. This year however the Lakers were able to hang in there just enough to take a 3-0 grip on the series. Read more
IRON MAN 2 | A CASH MONEY REVIEW
Jon Favreau proved with the first Iron Man that he was more than capable behind the lens of a comic book adaptation. In 2008 the whole world was forced to realize that comic book movies can be taken seriously due not only to the gargantuan Dark Knight, but also Marvel Comics’ equally-worthy Iron Man. The sequel promises even more action, comedy and acting credentials beyond what action films are known for. Mickey Rourke steps in as the nefarious Whiplash, Scarlett Johansson portrays… Read more
OK SKATE GRAND OPENING
Our friends from OK Skate invite you to the GRAND OPENING of their new store in Rancho Cucamonga tomorrow at 10 am. They’ll be FREE In-N-Out for everyone between 12-2 pm. Also, the first 100 people get a $50 Voucher to be used towards a $100 purchase and everyone will get a $50 Voucher to be used towards a $150 purchase! PLUS+ everyone gets a free OK T-Shirt with each purchase!
Visit OKSkate.com for a chance to win a new pair of shoes and skateboard deck every month for a year!
OK Skate is located at 9287 Charles Smith Ave. Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 and will be open daily from 10-6PM.
See You Tomorrow!!!
SOCO BURNS: IT MUST BE ME FREESTYLE
It Must Be Me (Freestyle) is the newest release by Soco Burns off the upcoming mix-tape release “Back 2 The Basics”. The video was produced by PaperFilms. Check it.
LAKERS vs JAZZ GM. 2 (recap)
For Laker fans watching game 2 of the Jazz/Lakers series was like watching a rerun of your favorite show. We saw many of the same things that were in game one, but with some small alterations here and there. This is not one of the most exciting series we have seen as Lakers fans when it comes to competitiveness, but is is nice to see the extra passes and great defense come together.
The Utah Jazz are a great team, don’t get me wrong. The only problem is that they do not match up against us at all. The Utah Jazz have five payers on their team that are over 6’8, one of which is a scoring threat. The Lakers have eight players over 6’8, which all can be just as deadly as the next (minus Adam Morrison). The key here is matching up defensively, when the Jazz are on offense we have a much taller team forcing them to TRY and push the ball which results in rushed shots. When they try to play slow our guys are so much taller it does not bode well for them hence the 13 blocked shots in game 2.
If we maintain this style of play we will be fine through out this series. The only problem that stands out for the NEXT series is our turnovers. So far we have had 34 turnovers in two games, this is not good. Each one of these games could be absolute blow outs if we decrease the amount of times we turn the ball over. This could be our downfall for at least one game while in Utah.
Expect the Utah Jazz to not go quietly over the next two games. They are going to drive the ball and try and get Pau Gasol in foul trouble. With the calls that are expected to come with home court advantage they are going to be driving hard. We need to keep our cool and not force anything or get too physical, especially with the condition of Andrew Bynum. It may be smart to limit his minutes a bit to rest his knee.
We have very little to worry about in this series, even though we are going to now be in enemy territory. I would love a sweep, but am hoping for at least one win so we can close this out at home.
10 more wins until another Laker Championship.
MATHEMATICAL SUPERIORITY | LAKERS VS JAZZ
Utah Jazz fans are somewhat delusional. My former roommate and top tier, pinnacle Lakers fan, Jeff Tibbitts is something of an intellectual. As you can see below Jeff eloquently put to rest the debate of which team is better with a simple mathematical representation of the Lakers superiority over the ever failing Utah Jazz. I feel a t-shirt coming on.
Photo Credit – Jason Maughan
LAKERS vs JAZZ GM. 1 (recap)
“It would not feel like the NBA Playoffs if we did not face the Utah Jazz. It seems inevitable this match up of teams who’s names are representations of past cities meet in the post season. The Jazz are a team that always give us the same amount of trouble each post season, they may steal a game or two but thats it! I contribute their lack of a major push against us to the inconsistency of Carlos Boozer. You would not know it by his stats because he has fairly good averages through out each post season, but in crunch time when his team really needs him he is no where to be found.
The Lakers came out of the gate at full steam yesterday and seemed to be in the driver seat through-out the game. Even when giving up the lead in fourth quarter it never appeared they had their backs against the wall. There are, however, definitely a few things the Lakers can refine and fine tune, those being our free throws and three pointers. In both of those categories the Jazz shot 10% better then us. We shot 10% better from the field giving us the over all advantage.
Utah is a place were it seems both amateur and pro players alike are bread to live and die by the three pointer. For this point it is understandable they shoot better from behind the arch. Free throws however are a different story, with the amount of times we go to the line we should be shooting a higher percentage. Another stat that we can do better on is our turn overs giving up 14 to Utah’s 11. All of these stats we can live with, obviously by gaining a win in game one, but if we want to close this team out fast we should focus on these areas.
Over all this was a fairly well balanced game for us. Everyone was very active on the boards and pitched in on the defensive side of the ball. We kept ourselves in the game and when the time came we put the ball in the hands of the best closer in the NBA. With our reputation of playing well in Utah and the last time we met in the regular season we spanked the Jazz without most of our starters, we should not have any major problems with this series (as long as we play Laker basketball).
11 more wins to another Laker Championship.”
JAZZ IS PLAYED OUT | SportsEnemy
The SportsEnemy crew just shot over their newest t-shirt in celebration of the Los Angeles Lakers advancing to the second round of the NBA
Playoffs. This anti-Utah Jazz shirt is dope, the Round 1 TKO shirts were a hit, and even The Jazz Has No Rhythm shirt is pretty cool. Let’s see what else they got in store as Kobe and The Lakers continue to advance their way towards the NBA Finals.
Originally posted on WeAllScheme.com
LAKERS vs THUNDER GM. 6 (recap)
On the heels of today’s second round, game 1 match-up between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz BigLakerMike takes a look back on the Lakers game 6 win against the Thunder in OKC to close out round 1. “With the first round of the playoffs now done and gone I think it is very important to take a look back at what we have seen. We saw a team in the Oklahoma City Thunder that we have not seen in a long time.
We have not seen an 8th seed with a record as good as theirs since 1983!!! They pushed us as well as any 8th seeded team could have. Kevin Durant preformed on and off the court as a true professional. Starting with the comments of the Zen Master saying that Kevin Durant goes to the line more than any other star in the NBA. Kevin easily could have lashed out with comments on the amount of time Kobe goes to the line or the star treatment Kobe receives. He did not. He led all players on both teams in dropping 150 points showing that HIS actions speak louder than words.
Russell Westbrook used this series (as if he needed it) to truly make a name for him self. He was outstanding scoring 123 points throughout the series, only being outscored by Durant and Bryant. He also led both teams throughout the entire series with 36 assists and only missed 6 free throws as well. He was always a threat and in the end deemed the attention of being guarded by Kobe.
There is not another team in the Western Conference that could have better prepared us for the road ahead. A young team that had something to prove (and did prove it) with a fan base that could shake any team in the NBA with their cheering and support. Two super stars that undoubtably opened the eyes of certain free agents (mainly Bosh) showing that with the right piece they could honestly make a run for a ring.
Congratulations to the Thunder for all they achieved and accomplished. Thank you for helpings us, by showing us there is no easy series no matter how young the team. The best of luck to you next year.
Until we meet again…
12 more wins until a Lakers championship…
TFL#! GOES TO STAPLES CENTER
On such an occasion as the Lakers return from a humiliating defeat in game 4 against the OKC Thunder it only seemed natural that we, as fans, stepped up our level of support as the Lakers headed into a pivotal game 5 in Los Angeles to regain the series lead. So we gathered together the TFL#! crew, draped on some Only Kings Have Rings tees and went to cheer on our defending champs.
While spending the afternoon at Staples Center we gave away some shirts, did an interview/photo shoot with the OC Register, met some fans, somehow ended up on the club level and watched as the Lakers destroyed the Thunder.
Below are some shots of what the day looked like. Enjoy.
Enroute to Staples Center there was still time to stop and smell the street art.
Troy, Garrett and Josh
Troy, Matt and Josh
Tory approaches
Garrett and Josh hang outside Staples
Garrett gets some face time with Chick Hearn
Chick would definitely recognize, “Only Kings Have Rings”
Josh, Garrett and Troy pose with the winners from our twitter tee giveaway
BTW – did we mention that Lakers demolished and demoralized the Thunder this night? But, you already knew that, didn’t you? And how did I know you knew that? Because Im Batman!
LAKERS vs THUNDER GM. 5 (recap)
At some point between Saturday night and Monday evening each player of the Los Angeles Lakers received a phone call. The transcripts of those phone calls were not recorded but it is safe to say they all went something like this: Player: Hello? Caller: Hello, can I please speak to Mr. Gasol? Player: This is him. Caller: Hi, Mr. Gasol this is your wake-up call, its time to get to work.
The Lakers showed everyone why we are the NBA Champions. Laker land was in despair yesterday before tip off and half way through the first quarter all of those feelings were gone. Oh what a difference six minutes can make.
Game 5 was a great display of Laker basketball, the extra passing, the help defense, and the power down low. Everyone did their part to achieve this victory, even if that meant switching a few things around. Kobe did a great job with his new assignment of guarding Russell Westbrook keeping him to 15 points. Even though Kobe himself only had 13 points he did have 7 assists and 3 rebounds which added to the win very quietly.
The main difference was the involvement of our BIG men Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. Combining for 46 points and 22 rebounds they have given the Oklahoma coaching staff something to think about and maybe a few more hours of work trying to come up with a new game plan as to how they are going to stop them in game six. Lets not forget Ron Artest pitching in his 14 points 5 assists and 2 rebounds plus his best haircut of the season, in my opinion.
Oklahoma will make a big push in game 6 with their home crowd behind them, but with the Lakers playing as intense as they are I think this is going to be a very close game. I can not wait.
13 more wins until another Laker Championship…
GET A FREE “ONLY KINGS HAVE RINGS” TEE
We know you want a FREE shirt! Stay tuned through-out the day via our Facebook and Twitter pages. Follow the hints and clues and you may find yourself the owner of a brand spanking new “ONLY KINGS HAVE RINGS” tee compliments of TheForestLab#!
HINT: The whole TFL#! crew will be at Staples Center tomorrow night for the game. I’m just sayin’!
LAKERS vs THUNDER GM. 4 (recap)
BigLakerMike lends us some advice on what the Lakers need to do to win game 4 and how to show the Thunder who’s boss. “After watching game four of the Lakers/Thunder series I was so upset I just wanted to re-post the review from game three and leave it at that. The same problems carried over to game four. No Odom, no Artest, no calls, no WIN, its as simple as that.
It is easy for the Laker fans to see the world as Chicken Little and think that when we are put in a position like this that the sky is falling. Shortly after the horrible loss I received a text message from a good friend that supports another team. The text message said, “Don’t the Thunder realize that all they are doing is pissing Kobe off.”
It is not uncommon for the Lakers to play in cities like Oklahoma City where the fans are incredible and noise from the crowd can literally alter the momentum of the game. We have seen this before in places like Sacramento, Phoenix, Utah, etc. It is for this reason that we worked so hard through out the year to obtain home court advantage. It is important that we NOW implement the style of basketball we know can beat the Thunder.
The main thing that stands out in my mind that can put us back in the driver seat is our free throws, getting to the line and making them. Oklahoma is drastically getting more free throws then us but they also are making them. They made 42-48 free throws in game four. With the Thunder shooting 85% from the line and the Lakers shooting 69% this needs to change.
The energy of being at home needs to be shown on the court as well. In games three and four we have not come close to matching the energy level of the Thunder. Why haven’t we gotten excited about dunks, big shots, or great passes. We have certainly had them, we need to show this young Thunder team why home court in a series is so important.
Welcome home Lakers now lets go to work. 14 more wins until another Laker Championship…”
HERE’S RONNIE
Artist Matt Cory is at it again. In his most recent time-lapse video we see Matt remix Jack Nicholson’s character from the horror classic “The Shining” by replacing Jack with NBA terrorist Ron Artest. Since 1999 Ronald has been recking havoc on the NBA and it’s fans (too soon?) with his explosive personality and defensive swagger.
Here’s the good news – “Here’s Ronnie” is on sale NOW! You can find it right here on TheForestLab.com or in person at fine retail stores such as Tradition (Westlake Village or Ventura) or LAX2JFK (South Bay).
THE GAME – SLANGIN’ GAME (PROD. SCOOPDEVILLE)
We had Scoop come through [Tradition] the other day, and here’s the new Game track with him on the production. The beat is dope. Be sure to come check him at our party, May 8th. Click here to download.
originally posted on ShopTradition.com
LAKERS vs THUNDER GM. 3 (recap)
“With the Lakers dropping game three to the Thunder 96-101 it is important that we do not panic. There are a few things that we need to keep in mind when looking at the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The first is that these guys are not a scrub team that somehow landed in the eighth seed in the West. The Thunder are a 50 win team, and had they been in the Eastern Conference they would possibly have landed in the 3rd seed! Only seven games separated them from us, where as twenty games separated the 1st and 8th seed in the East. I think it is a lot more concerning for the Cavaliers loosing to a team that is twenty games behind them, they have a much longer trip with the quality of basketball drastically getting better from series to series in the East. In the West however we have a gradual change that will require us to play with a bit more intensity each round.
The Thunder also have Kevin Durant the NBA scoring Champion averaging an amazing 30.1 points per game. With the Thunder’s first home game we saw exactly what we expected, a fired up crowd excited for their first home game. The crowd was hitting levels of sound few arenas will ever reach. I saw that crowd and could not stop thinking that it was so good for the NBA to have an organization in a city with such enthusiasm and love for their team. But as we know all good things must come to an end.
The road for a victorious Thunder series has to come through L.A. and we have not seen a few things that are inevitable for the Lakers to see. The first is Kobe’s typical foul line game, he has not spent as much time as he normally does at the line. The refs so far have not been calling the fouls he normally gets, this will change. Lamar Odom has not had a stellar game either, he is bound to go crazy in a game and as long as we play our usual basketball adding Odom will all but seal another victory. Artest is playing excellent he is doing all that we can expect of him going up against a scoring champion. I would rather him play against a scoring champion first and maintain that level of defense against up coming teams then have to increase his defensive intensity for a later series.
This was a very close game and with Phil Jackson making the alterations and changes that exposed us last game we have an excellent shot at stealing a win in Oklahoma. Saturday night we go to battle again so put on your lucky shirt, sit in your favorite seat, and lets get ready for war.
Also, if you do not have a lucky shirt might I recommend “Only Kings Have Rings”.
Still 14 more wins until another Laker Championship…”
LAKERS vs THUNDER GM. 2 (recap)
Again we turn to BigLakerMike for a brief re-cap of the Lakers’ slim victory over the OKC Thunder in game 2 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
“If you get to the Staples Center an hour before the game you will get to see players from both teams shooting around getting ready for the battle that is about to ensue. Fans show up to see Odom, Gasol, Farmar, and others, but their main goal is to see Mr. Bryant go through his wram-ups. The only problem is Kobe isn’t shooting, he is on his way back into the locker room to get taped up and stretched because he has already been shooting for two to three hours.
Before the game Tuesday night however Kobe took NO pregame shots. This is an chance not to many players are willing to make, however for Kobe Bryant it really does not matter. Kobe finished the game with 39 points, 14 of which came in the fourth quarter when it really mattered. Gasol pitched in with 25 and there were no other Laker players that broke double digits. The Thunder how ever had four players that were in double digits showing the Lakers that there maybe something to worry about come Thursday night when they will be at home.
The officiating in this game seemed to be all over the place. It seemed as though the refs were constantly playing catch up. That however did not excuse the lack of energy of the Lakers. Sports writer Ric Bucher said it best last night when he described the Lakers as playing Prius basketball: Playing with just enough energy to get the job done. I think that the most important part of this team that we are not seeing is Ron Artests offense. He is playing amazing defense and if he can add a consistent jump shot we are going to be next to impossible to beat. All in all both teams shot better then in game one and now it is important for the Lakers to put the choke hold on the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
14 more wins until another Laker championship…”
LAKERS vs THUNDER GM. 1 (recap)
By now you’ve noticed were huge Lakers Fans. As such, we keep common company. Our good friend BigLakerMike has stepped up to give us and you his take on Game 1 of the Lakers/Thunder series.
“On Sunday the 18th the Los Angeles Lakers took a page from Lincoln Hawk’s book in Over the Top and turned their hats around. Most people in the sports world wondered if the Lakers had the ability to “flip the switch” when it came time to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in game one of the playoffs.
It seems as though Kobe Bryant and the rest of the team sent two messages in their 87-79 win Sunday, the first was to the Thunder letting them know they appreciate the “warm up” games they will be providing to help them prepare for the second round. The second lesson was to us, the fans, telling us that there is nothing to worry about, right now.
The Thunder have a few things going for them as they enter their first playoff series. Their speed, energy, and their forward Kevin Durant. With these three things they can make this series entertaining and fun for Oklahoma fans. For Laker fans however it gives us the chance to remind ourselves why we obtained Ron Artest. With this being his chance to prove to us that it is the playoffs that provide the stage for him to display the defensive expertise that will give us the best chance at defending our championship. He did this perfectly, even though Durant did have 24 points he went 7 for 24 from the field. Artest prevented Durant from getting into a groove and showing why he won the scoring title.
Andrew Bynum played very well for being out for the previous 13 games. When Bynum, Gasol, and Odom play together on the floor it makes it very difficult for guards to drive to the basket. Combine this with the already mentioned work of Ron Artest and the Thunder stand little chance of winning this series. I did not even mention the fact that after the Thunder face all of these obstacles they then have Kobe Bryant to deal with. Both teams shot poorly so expect closer games but also expect the same outcome.
It is not fair to say that the Thunder have no chance to advance in the playoffs but with Phil Jackson winning the first game in playoff series he is 44-0. I’m sorry Oklahoma but those are not good odds. So please let me give you guys a few things you may want to check out here in Los Angeles before your short stay is over: Disneyland, Pinks Hotdogs, the Hollywood sign, the Getty museum, or you can catch a taping of American Idol.
Game two is on Tuesday at 7:30…”
HOP ON PROPS
We wanted to take a moment to show some respect to the shops and individuals who we’ve become friends with recently.
TRADITION in Westlake Village & Ventura picked up our “Only Kings Have Rings” shirt. If you’re in the area and wanna see it in person ask for Jason and tell him Batman sent you.
KILOS AND GRAMS gave us a shout-out on their blog and we thought that was tight. We think you should check it out.
Chuy and Nacho from LAX2JFK are making things happen. If you were smart you’d keep them on your radar and check in with them often.
Finally, the good people over at VAPORS MAGAZINE help spread the word about “Only Kings Have Rings“. Ironically, they have info about a lot of other great stuff.
TFL#! STREET TEAM
The corner of Figueroa St. and Chick Hern Ct. has been in an uproar of excitement and anticipation recently. For the last three Lakers games at Staples Center The Forest Lab Street Team has been doin’ their thing. They’ve handed out over 4,000 flyers promoting TFL#!’s new “Only Kings Have Rings” tee drawn by artist Matt Cory.
While on the streets of downtown Los Angeles the Street Team found Lakers (and even some Clippers’) fans eager to share in the excitement of the Lakers play-off berth and witnessing that, indeed, Kobe is King. We’ve also meet some great supporters recently that share our enthusiasm for the Lakers and Kobe. We’ll talk more about them tomorrow. For now, we’d like to thank the thousands of Lakers fans who have helped make our street time outside Staples Center enjoyable, exciting and memorable. Also, a big shout-out to everyone on the Street Team (WRD, Kimmy Ann, Joshy, Ashley D, Joe, Sara, Will-Yum, Garrett & Josh) for the help!
ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE GO…
We’ve extended this special edition t-shirt’s pre-sale price of only $25.00 until Friday night. So, if you haven’t gotten one already you better get it while the gettin’s good! On Saturday you’ll have to pay full price of $29.99 + shipping.
Only Kings Have Rings – Pt. 2
This time-lapse video shows how artist Matt Cory brought Kobe Bryant to life for The Forest Lab. The original concept for ”Only Kings Have Rings” was a design collaboration between Matt Cory and TFL#! owner, Garrett Campbell. The idea called for a graphite pencil drawing of Kobe wearing a crown similar to the famous crowned Biggie Smalls picture. But, Matt felt that using Lakers colors in a cross sketch/hand drawn style would be more effective. As you can see, Matt was right. The final drawing makes a provocative and unmistakable statement about Kobe’s elite status as the rightful King of the NBA.
Drawn with color pencils, the final product took about 6 hours to complete. You can see a full detail of the back and the front of the shirt at mattcory.wordpress.com.
“Only Kings Have Rings” is available to buy NOW during an exclusive pre-order only through TheForestLab.com. All pre-orders will be shipped by April 15th – just in time for NBA play-offs that begin April 18th.
Get ‘em while they’re hot.
ONLY KINGS HAVE RINGS – Pt. 1
On any given night you can dial up your local sports news pundit (on T.V., radio, or the interwebs) and get the latest about the ongoing and seemingly endless debate about who the best player in the NBA is. The opinions you’ll find will vary quite a bit. Recently, some jock turned analyst wrote that Kevin Durant has entered the conversation of the NBA’s creme-de-la-creme. Durant might be good… but is he the best? Then there is the guy reverently referred to as the “King”. Sometimes Im appalled at how quickly grown men will lose their panties when talking about LeBron’s God-like powers on the court.
From our point of view, however, the picture is very clear. If you want to be the best at something you’ve got to give me a measurement by which I can account your estate. In other words – show me the guys whose nightly performance elevates them above most and then let me count how many rings they wear on their fingers. The guy with the most wins!
Right now, that guy is Kobe Bean Bryant.
A member of the fabled Los Angeles Lakers (the greatest sports franchise in the history of sports, period.), #24 has proven time and time again that HE is the man who can get the job done. Sure, he looks pretty doing what he does on the court but when the basketball stop bouncing there are few who can hold their finger high in the air and declare themselves number one – even if that finger is broken and bandaged!
We are here today to tell you that Kobe Bryant rules and reigns over the NBA because “Only Kings Have Rings“.
Kobe Slide
GENUIS: MacBook CASE DECALS
There are some things that when invented or built they hit me with a certain sense of relief. Not really in the sense of a fantastic life altering revelation but more of a subtle but sincere sense of comfortability and security. In short, certain things are simply meant to be and they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. However, in the same breathe there are instances where this new “thing”, upon it’s inception, seems so retardedly obvious that I am genuinely stunned that it hadn’t been thought of before. It’s during these moments that, for a lack of self control, I could kick myself in the head (Wee-man style) for not thinking of it first.
Such is the case with the Snow White, Ironman & Steve Jobs MacBook case decals below. I’m literally so upset that I didn’t think of these MacBook case decals that I’ve lost sleep over it. How much more obvious and/or simple could it have been (especially the Steve Jobs decal). Come on!
But let’s be honest. Im mad because I know whatever joker thought of it is probably going to sell thousands of them for an over inflated price and because of the exposure get other gigs/collaborations, etc. and be famous/rich, blah, blah, whatever. I think like that because Im looking to make a substantial amount of money on one good idea and retire to a remote island. But that’s just me.
Good thing there are people out there, like the good folks I work with here at The Forest Lab or the guys who came up with these MacBook case decals who care about the art and culture and quality products who keep the world moving positively forward. God bless them for what they do.
Sincerely though – mad props to the dudes who came up with these MacBook decals. They’re freaking sweet. I cant wait to see what they come up with next. I just hope it’s not for a few days. I need some sleep.
You can find the original posts about these decals where I found them by clicking on the links below:
Snow White
Ironman
Steve Jobs
Happy Christmas
Everyone at The Forest Lab would like to wish you a very happy Christmas!
TYLER KILLINGSWORTH
I first met Tyler Killingsworth through a mutual friend, who is also sponsored by slingshot wakeboards, in the summer of ‘09 during a nice winch session at a friends pond. Tyler also became my co-worker a few months back, and I knew I needed to get him on TheForestLab.com. Some discussion took place, we finalized everything over 20 some odd yards of vinyl, a cutter buzzing in the background, standing in his garage while making a fresh run of TFL#! stickers.
As you’re about to find out, Tyler Killingsworth is a down to earth, easy going, likeable kind of guy. Big things are in store this upcoming summer season in the wakeboard world from this 23 year old riverside native reppin’ TFL#! tees with a unique riding style a swag that only a Killingsworth can dish out.
The Forest Lab: How did you first start wake’n?
Tyler Killingsworth: When I was 15 my dad rented a wakeboard and a houseboat on Lake Mohave and it took me 12 tries to get up. Ha, but I was the most determined out of 5 brothers and haven’t stopped since.
TFL: What pros did you look up to as a kid?
TK: I have always looked up to and respected Ricky Gonzalez and Randall Harris… The two westside OG’s, you know.. haha.
TFL: How old were you at your first competition?
TK: I was 15 yrs old in Lake Arrowhead. Old schoool
TFL: How have you kept an edge on other riders in the industry?
TK: Haha, I just try and keep to myself and have my own style. I am heavily influenced by snowboarding and skateboarding. I love that $hit
TFL: Where is your favorite place to wake?
TK: I like to ride in canyon lake but the dopest lake I’ve ever ridden on was in Minnesota. Can’t tell you what lake though, haha… It’s a secret
TFL: Who are your sponsers?
TK: I ride for Slingshot Wakeboards, Fresh-Tip Designs out of Minnesota and now y’all.. The Forest Lab!
TFL: What’s the toughest trick you’ve thrown down?
TK: Next, haha
TFL: If you could call another pro rider your best friend, who would it be?
TK: Ricky G has brought me up since I was 17 yrs old so he has been a big help and has taught me a lot. On the water and with the ladies. Haha, but nobody gets more chicks than that homie right there. He’s engaged with a kid now but trust, back in the day… Haha, I’ll stop right there.
TFL: Where would you like to see wakeboarding go?
TK: I would like for it to be more accessible to people that can’t afford a boat. Like the cable parks, or the winch. Those two have helped the sport grow to places the boating industry can’t even touch. We need a cable park in Cali. It would be over, haha!
TFL: How has the sport changed since you’ve started?
TK: Well the economy hasn’t helped at all, but what’s new. Wakeboarding is just an expensive sport, so it’s tough for people to get into. It’s not like a skateboard where you can just go in the street and be satisfied, it takes a lot. Everyone used to have boats and you could just ride whenever you wanted. Now days you have to take what you can get, whether it’s a small wake or a windy a$$ lake. Beggars can’t be choosers.
Written By: Josh Mezin
Firehouse Subs
There are no doubt many activities to occupy your time while visiting Las Vegas. I’m not gonna get into the details but you know what Im talking about. For some, food isn’t one of those activities that makes it high on the priority/to-do list. But hypothetically speaking, if you were to block off some time during your next soiree in Sin City for food let me make a suggestion.
A few miles east of the strip off the 215 is a little sandwich shop called Firehouse Subs. This place takes your average gourmet sub sandwich and sets it on fire (lame pun, I know)! Seriously though, without hypin’ it up too much I’d say it’s well worth the 15-20 minute drive from Planet Hollywood’s Pleasure Pit. Hell, just bring the girls with you. And, when you get there be sure to try the Smokehouse Beef & Cheddar Brisket with plenty of firehouse sauce (it’s spicy).
Im just rollin’ into Vegas as I type this and you can be sure that come tomorrow afternoon a Firehouse Sub will be hittin’ the spot.
Oh yeah, and if you post a picture of yourself at Firehouse Subs mid-bite on our Facebook page there might be something in it for you. Im just sayin’ – we do own and operate a clothing company after all.
Also, follow Firehouse Subs on twitter or become a fan on Facebook. You’ll be glad you did.
TFL#! out.
STAR WARS + ADIDAS
In June the good people over at LucasFilm announced a partnership with adidas Originals to produce a line Star Wars inspired/branded shoes and street wear. This news, while epic, was just a bit unfair. As you found out a few weeks ago, we are HUGE quasi-nerdy Star Wars fans. And, coincidently, I am also a huge adidas fan (I wear them exclusively). So while the announcement was nice and all what I really wanted to see was pictures. Adidas has a somewhat sketchy history of taking good ideas and making them less than stellar so I was initially kinda worried that these two great things would somehow suck when combined and subsequently ruining my childhood memories. But, all we could do was wait and see.
Then, finally, in the last few weeks pictures started to pop up around the internet of what these things look like. I must say, so far, I like what I see. Below are pictures I stole from other websites.
The Star Wars inspired adidas Originals line in due to hit shelves in January.
Photo credits belong to: Star Wars, adidas, hypebeast.com & highsnobiety.com
Fall/Winter Line-up & MORE!
We like you. We really do! And, just to prove to you how much we like you there’s a few things we wanted to let you in on. First and foremost is the release of the Fall/Winter Line-up of new TFL#! shirts. The new stuff features the same hand drawn quality art as our original line but it’s NEW, and we think you’ll dig it. The four brand new shirts include Charlie Chaplin, Outer Space, Edward Scissorhands & Wendy (pictured below). Ironically, the new designs are available to purchase NOW – just in time for the holidays.
ABOUT SHIPPING
Speaking of the holidays, it might be the Christmas spirit thats’s getting to us but we’ve lowered the price of shipping. Now you can order all you want and pay the low price of $3.99 to get it delivered right to your house. How convenient. Additionally, when you spend $35 or more you can get FREE SHIPPING when you use the code: “SHIP“ before checking out.
ABOUT NEW LOWER PRICES
But wait! We’re not even close to being done (this next one is good so pay attention). We’ve lowered the prices on all our shirts! Starting right now you can get any “Bear” (Yellow, Red, Grey, Gold, Bronze) or “Heart, Mind, Soul” (coming soon!) shirt for only $9.99 each. Original shirts are now priced at $14.99 each and the NEW Fall/Winter line is just $18.99 each.
Also, most shirts are now available in 2XL for all you fat guys teddy bears and giants. And, just for giggles we will be adding some new art work to the Gallery so don’t forget to check that out too. Hope you’re feeling the love. Now spread the word.
Don’t forget to follow up on twitter.
And check-out our NEW fan page on Facebook.
A CHANCE ENCOUNTER
This is how it went down… I was in downtown SLC at a store called Fice. I walked by and saw three individuals working on the side of the building, between Gallensons and Fice. I recognized some of the skillz so I went in to talk with the shop owner to find out who it was. I was told it was Mac and Retna. Immediately I was like, “crap I don’t have my sketch book on me”. I really wanted to share some of my stuff with these guys and talk to them about their art, inspiration and motivation so I spoke with Corey Bullough (Fice shop owner) who agreed to let me come back later to meet Mac and Retna. That night we chatted for a while and I showed them some TFL#! threads and got some great feedback. They were down and even signed my book. Cool dudes for sure.
What were they doing in SLC you ask? Well, working on a mural outside of Fice. If you’re in the area I’m sure you’ve seen the new 40 foot tall Virgin Mary on the SLC skyline. It’s quite a work of art. Below are some pictures of their work and here’s a link to their website.
DETAILS: A WILD NIGHT OUT WITH TFL#!
Since we first announced plans for a Wild Night Out With The Forest Lab back on October 5th we’ve received over-whelming positive support and excitement about the event… so, we’ve made it even better. TFL#! will now be hosting two separate events and we’ll be dropping the remaining “Wild Things” inventory at the “Wild” Night Out events for the special price of $20. Quantities are limited and once these tee’s are gone they’re gone forever so be sure to come early and get yours.
THE PLAN – is to get our friends and fans out to see “Where The Wild Things Are” with us. Garrett, Troy and the rest of The Forest Lab is going to be out and on hand to watch “Where The Wild Things Are” with you on opening night wearing TFL#!’s own limited edition “Wild Things” tee. If you have one wear it! If you don’t have one get one at the event!
THE LOGISTICS – We are now hosting two separate events. The first will be this Thursday late night for the 12:01am premiere of WTWTA at the AMC 30 at The Block of Orange. The second will be this Friday night, October 16th for the 8:00pm screening of WTWTA at the Edwards 21 at Irvine Spectrum. We highly recommend buying tickets ahead of time to ensure you’ll make it to the specific showtimes with us. Both theaters anticipate the movie selling-out well in advance. Info below…
THURSDAY LATE NIGHT @ 12:01am
The Block of Orange – AMC 30 at the Block
20 City Blvd West Orange, CA 92868 - map
Get Tickets – MovieFone.com
FRIDAY NIGHT @ 8:00pm
The Irvine Spectrum – Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21
65 Fortune Drive Irvine, CA 92618 – map
Get Tickets – Fandango.com
We’re super pumped and ready to have a “wild” time. Hope to see you there.
A WILD MASHUP
TFL#!’s “Wild Things” is a celebration of youth. In our lifetime we’ve seen a dramatic cultural shift. And as a child of the 80’s I believe my peers were raised in a rather unique set of circumstances. At the very beginning of our lives media and it’s consumption were about to seriously change. Now, like all other late twenty-somethings the transition from analog to digital in the world around us has been about growth, maturity and new realizations. We are old enough to briefly remember the analog, a time before Nintendo, cell phones, the internet, CD’s or DVD’s, but young enough to embrace the digital frontier (unlike some older folks who just don’t “get” it.).
This gives us a certain perspective that is lost to older and younger generations. There is no way to manufacture our reality – old school sensibilities and simplicities mashed with new school technology and information. Would the “Wild Things” of the analog world tear down the computational forest’s the digital world created? Or would they embrace it?
“Wild Things”, at least in part, represents who we are as individuals who grew-up in the midst of the digital revolution and mash’s our youthful imagination and urges of defiant independence with the freedoms, realities and dependencies that come after almost thirty years of life.
TFL#!’s “Wild Things” is inspired by Maurice Sednak’s book, “Where The Wild Things Are” (obviously), and the 1986 arcade game, “Rampage“ and is a journey from childhood to adulthood as portrayed by Maryland artist Guy Haiden. It visualizes what happens when books and video games unite.
A “WILD” NIGHT OUT WITH TFL#!
Hey kids. No need to be scared. It’s just me. Here’s the deal – we’re planning something big. It’s gonna be tons of fun but for now here’s what you need to know… if you’re in the southern California area keep the night of October 16th open. TFL#! wants to hang out with you and watch “Where The Wild Things Are” together on opening night. We’re working on finalizing the time and location but we wanted to give you the heads up now. We do it because we care.
In the meantime check-out TFL#!’s “Wild Things” tee. Inspired by Maurice Sednak’s book, “Where The Wild Things Are” (obviously), and the 1986 arcade game, “Rampage“, “Wild Things” is an epic mashup by Maryland artist Guy Haiden that visualizes what would happen if books and video games united as one.
More to come…
STAR WARS: IN CONCERT
Okay, here’s the deal. Im a fan of Star Wars. No, I don’t dress-up or have lightsaber duels with other TFL#! staff members but I DO know a little more about the films and culture than your average moisture farmer. I especially appreciate the the films’ musical score by John Williams (and the London Symphony Orchestra). So, when “Star Wars: in Concert” came to town I of course procured tickets to the event. Seriously… live orchestral music, a giant hi-def screen showing Star Wars montages, movie props, costumes, concept art…. ok, calm down.
Anyway, last night was the big event so I ventured out to the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA on a man-date (not even my fiance would go with me) to geek-out and take-in all that George Lucas and Co. have to offer. I could go on about how remarkable the concert was, how funny and talented Anthony Daniels (aka C-3P0) is as host or how breathtaking Binary Sunset is in person but, if you’re a fan of the films I’d just be preaching to the choir and if you’re not a fan of the films then I’d just be making myself look like an idiot. So, if you’re a fan – go see it! If you’re not a fan – you’re missing out.
CORPORATE STREET CRED
Im not sure if it’s a contradiction for the largest media conglomerate in the universe to own and operate what is suppose to be a unique boutique featuring the stylings of real street artists with real credentials, however, Vault 28 at Downtown Disney in Anaheim, CA might just be an exception to the rule.
The store isn’t new nor ground breaking but it is the physical manifestation and embracement of pop cultures’ most recognizable icon – Mickey Mouse – in an underground artistic street scene kind of way. The prowess of the Disney brand is such that it transcends the normal boundaries of effective iconography. The Walt Disney Company, especially Mickey Mouse (and to a slightly lesser degree Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto), have captured not only the minds, imaginations and passions of children but of artists from all forms of media, including those less conventional. Walt Disney’s creations have influenced our culture to such a devastating degree that no matter who you are you’re likely to relate to or have have some emotional connection (no matter how faint) to his personified fantasy characters.
Featuring the works of such artists and designers as Red Monkey, King Baby, Chip & Pepper, Level 27, David Flores and more, Vault 28 is able to showcase the talents of a wide array of relevant contemporary artists that bring a new, exciting and welcomed perspective to a brand that isn’t suffering from a lack of relevance. I guess the point is – kudos to the man for allowing the interpretations of others to be heard and embraced. Disney’s mainstream is full of niche’s and we dig that.
Vault 28 also hosts special events, product launches and artists signings. Disney even produces several of their own avant-garde private collection lines: Kingdom Couture, DV Twenty Eight, Bloc28 and Vinylmation. If you haven’t had a chance to check-out Vault 28 I highly recommend it. Their inventory is always changing so visit often.
TFL#! @ Thresh Hold Today!
BREAKING NEWS – Today, September 26th from Noon-3pm The Forest Lab will be at Thresh Hold rock climbing gym in Riverside, CA (map). Thresh Hold is the Inland Empires premier indoor rock climbing gym featuring top roping, sport climbing and bouldering routes. In addition, Thresh Hold boasts a yoga studio, a wi-fi lounge, pro shop, training classes, youth programs and more. Thresh Hold is perfect for beginner, casual and serious climbers.
Today Thresh Hold is hosting an ABS Comp called “Thresh Hold Throwdown” and TFL#! will be on hand to promote the event by selling select TFL#! shirts for just $15 or 2 for $25. The “Throwdown” is the perfect chance to come check-out what Thresh Hold has to offer, watch some crazy climbing competition and score some sweet TFL#! merch. including some exclusive tee’s not available for purchase on our website. The competition is from 9am-7pm but the special TFL#! sale is only good from noon-3pm so don’t be late!
Hit us up on twitter or facebook if you have questions or need other info. Also, below are the shirts you might find on sale tomorrow. See ya then. Peace.
TAKE A HIKE
If you ever want to spend a day in the great outdoors there’s few places to take in what nature has to offer like Zion National Park in southern Utah. Last weekend some friends of TFL took such a trip and sent us pictures of their experience.
The scenery seemed too beautiful and the adventure too cool to not share with you guys. These kids chose to hike through what’s called the Virgin River Narrows. Basically, the Narrows is a 16 mile stretch of the Virgin river that rushes between 3,000 foot tall sandstone walls. Imagine being in a canyon that is not much wider than the river itself (15-100 feet) and over a half-mile deep and you’ll get the idea. Most people hike up the river as far as they’d like and then turn around and hike out.
The adventure is in navigating up the river in rushing, (almost) freezing river water without losing your balance or falling over a break in the riverbed. The opportunity for broke ankles is tremendous. However, the danger pays off because the scenery is breathtaking and ever changing. As the river bends and winds through the narrow canyon walls you’re never quite sure what’s gonna happen next. Waterfalls, hanging gardens and unusual water carved rock formations are other-worldly and amazing to behold.
On this particular hike the fun was cut short by dark storm clouds and rolling thunder that moved in rather quickly. With the threat of flash floods ever present no chances were taken and our friends made it out safely. This of course only leaves plenty to be explored next time.
-Click on an image to make it big sized.
Thanks to Deon, Gina, Joe, Kim and Wes for the pictures, the story and of course for sporting TFL#! and representing.
Michael Jordan vs. Old Jazz Player
A friend of mine (@RyanSMiller) tweeted earlier today, “…Jazz can’t let it go. $100k offer for Jordan/Russell rematch”. Have things gone completely out of control in the Jazz front office since Larry H Miller’s demise? According to Brandt Anderson, owner of the Utah Flash, he wants to pay $100,000 to charity in MJ’s name for a one-on-one rematch against… Bryon Russell… in Utah… at half-time of a Flash game!
Let’s be fair. The Jazz don’t officially own the Flash so their front office didn’t have anything to do with scheming this horrible idea. But, they could have tried to stop it. Seriously though, why? Why call it a re-match? Did Jordan play Russell one-on-one to win the NBA Championship all those years ago? Why would Anderson think a guy like #23 would lower himself to a half-time spectacle at D-league game? It’s like Anderson woke-up today and thought of the absolute dumbest thing he could say and then issued a press release about it.
There’s only one reason this could have happened and it’s because Jazz fans really just can’t let it go. Michael Jordan has nothing to prove… especially during half-time of a Utah Flash D-league game.
FREE SHIRT!!!!
Here’s the Deal… from now until the end of September you’ll receive a FREE* Red Bear shirt with any order of 5 TFL tees! It’s our way of saying thanks for being one of the first kids on the block to visit our site and buy stuff. TFL#!
COMPARE & CONTRAST
Here’s something for you free lance graphic artists ripping off the real ones to consider… I sat in a hot, sweaty room in 2005 and created this Bear design (the one on the left) for a t shirt with my boy DRFTR when he was just 17 years old. Talk about up and coming. My first thoughts about the Bear were less than satisfied but it grew on me and soon I was impressed with the innovation and genius behind it’s simplicity and with us as young TFL designers.
I figure the “creation” of the bear on the right (first spotted in 2007/8) went down like this. The monster had a deadline and some kid found his “inspiration” after either seeing my shirt around town or after visiting some myspace galleries. It must have been getting late and he/she needed to make that deadline. I never actually saw anyone wearing this shirt and in fact the only shop where I saw it had only one and it just sat on the shelf. Anyway, Im not saying I was ripped off but I’ll let you be the judge whether my design was swiped or not. I love this game. Expect me to beat the dead bear. I will always print this design in different colors and in different ways as long as TFL is around. Imitation is the finest form of flattery after all.
What do you think? Post your thoughts in the comment section after the jump. I’d love to get your take on the situation.
