Foot Locker Foundation, Inc. joined together executives from the sports industry, professional athletes and celebrities on Tuesday, October 20, at New York City's Gotham Hall, to celebrate the ninth annual "On Our Feet" fundraising gala.  For the past six years, the event has benefited UNCF (the United Negro College Fund) through a scholarship program to provide deserving students the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.

"It is rewarding to know that our efforts are directly impacting students by providing them with an opportunity to further their education," said Ken C. Hicks, President and Chief Executive Officer, Foot Locker, Inc.  "These young people truly appreciate the value of an education and we are proud to invest in them and their future."

Footwear companies -- Nike, adidas, Reebok, Converse, to name a few -- lent their support to this important cause.  Celebrity guests including Prince Marketing Group’s Dennis Rodman, who was a fan favorite for autographs and photos.  All guests wore traditional black-tie attire while sporting their favorite pair of athletic shoes.

Through the years, this event has raised the funds for the scholarship program in support of UNCF which has provided more than 300 students with the opportunity to obtain higher education.

Foot Locker Foundation, Inc. works closely with organizations to address issues that concern the communities in which it serves.  In addition to the "On Our Feet" program, the Foundation provides support for educational and sports programs across the country that empowers young people to achieve their goals and be successful in life.

Posted Oct 22, 2009 12:00PM By Tim Povtak at http://nba.fanhouse.com

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Thursday, there are 5 days remaining.

It takes five years of retirement for a player to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Make it 10 for Dennis Rodman, who always did things differently. He did win five NBA titles.

If you think that Michael Jordan caused a commotion with an unconventional acceptance speech last month when he headlined the Class of 2009, just wait until Rodman shows up in 2010 wearing a dress and lipstick.

Think of the theater. Think of the much-deserved attention it will bring to the greatest names in basketball history. Think of the fun.

Eligible for the first time now – those who have served their five years away – are Karl Malone, Scottie Pippen and Mark Jackson among others.

Malone, the second leading scorer in basketball history with 36,928 points, will join former Utah Jazz teammate John Stockton, who was inducted this year along with their coach, Jerry Sloan. Stockton and Malone formed one of the best tandems the game ever has seen.

Because Malone stayed in the game a year longer, trying unsuccessfully to chase a championship with the Lakers at age 41, he likely will enter the Hall a year behind his assist man.

Pippen, sidekick to Jordan through six NBA titles in Chicago, also is expected to follow his teammate by a year. Unlike Stockton and Malone, there was a clear distinction between the talents of another one of the league's finest dynamic duos.

Pippen, one of the most versatile players in basketball, may have benefited from Jordan's presence, but it also overshadowed his own greatness. He was an eight-time All-Defensive first-team selection, playing Robin to Jordan's Batman in Chicago.

Jackson didn't get the attention of Malone or Pippen, but he also left his mark on the game. He played for seven teams during a 17-year career, recording 10,334 assists, second most in NBA history behind Stockton.

After Jackson, though, the potential candidates in their first year of eligibility are thin. There is Charles Oakley, who played 14 years and collected more than 12,000 rebounds; Horace Grant, who won four NBA titles; and Avery Johnson, the point guard who won a title in San Antonio.

Which brings us back to Rodman, whose absence is as glaring as anyone not in the Hall of Fame today. Easily the best non-center rebounder in history, he won seven consecutive rebounding titles, most by wide margins.

He also was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year twice. Added to his five NBA titles, and – based on his basketball accomplishments -- it's almost impossible to deny him the honor.

Maybe it's time to look past his often zany, sometimes bizarre behavior, and focus on the way he played the game – with a passion that produced championships.

Original Article - Tip-Off Timer: Five Titles Should Put Rodman in Hall of Fame

Springfield, Mass. - Michael Jordan, maybe the greatest of them all, has taken his place alongside basketball's other greats. And he never forgot anyone who motivated him to get there. Jordan was enshrined in the Hall of Fame on Friday night, a final honor that followed all the championship rings and MVP trophies he collected during his career. Overcome with emotion before an entertaining induction speech Friday night, a teary-eyed Jordan singled out former adversaries for bringing out his competitive fires that became legendary. Prince Marketing Group’s Dennis Rodman was in attendance, along with former teammates that included Scottie Pippen, Charles Oakley, Toni Kukoc and Steve Kerr, for what was really the culmination of a two-day celebration of Jordan's career.  The ceremonies could return to Symphony Hall next year as Rodman and Pippen, along with Karl Malone, will be eligible.

Dennis Rodman and Hulk Hogan hosted a private event for Miller-Coors distributors on Saturday, September 12th in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay casino resort (the Mandalay Beach concert venue) and met & greeted fans from 8:00 pm-11:00 pm.

On April 1, 2009, Prince Marketing Group’s Dennis Rodman appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to promote his new comic book and t-shirt collection. Dennis looked back at his stint on Celebrity Apprentice.  Afterwards, Rodman discussed Gersh: The Clandestine Order, a 62-page comic issue premiering the Five-Time NBA Champion as the Rod-Man, a formidable adversary with super-natural powers. He has arms of steel and can leap like a bionic man.  His soul has been captured and he’s forced to serve the bad guys in the series – the Men of York.  The comic and t-shirt collection can be found at www.rodmanink.com 

Dennis Rodman appeared on Jay Leno “Tonight show” on April 1st

Over the last several months, Scottie Pippen, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Isiah Thomas and the New York Times have expressed their opinion that Dennis Rodman belongs in the NBA Hall of Fame upon reaching eligibility. AOL's Fanhouse reasons that "he belongs in, and I don't think it's even close." They provide the following statistics to support their claim: 5 NBA championships, 2-time All-Star, 2-time Defensive Player of the Year, 7-time NBA 1st team All-Defensive Team, 10th All-Time in NBA history in rebounds per game, 33rd in NBA history in all-time Field Goal percentage, led the NBA six times in offensive rebounds, three times in defensive rebounds, all-time leader in NBA history in Rebound Rate (the percentage of missed shots rebounded while a player was on the floor, kept since 1971) with 23.44. No one is within 2.5 percentage points of him, all while doing all of this at 6'8".

By Janis Carr - The greatest athlete according to Phil Jackson

After receiving an honorary doctor of letters degree from his alma mater, University of North Dakota, Lakers coach Phil Jackson touched upon a range of subjects from the school’s nickname to the greatest athlete he has ever coached.

And it wasn’t Michael Jordan. Or Kobe Bryant. Or Shaquille O’Neal. Not Karl Malone, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr, Bill Cartwright or Smush Parker (OK, so he might not belong).

No, the player Jackson called the greatest that he has coached is that wedding dress aficionado and Newport Beach police’s favorite basketball bad boy, Dennis Rodman.That’s right. No need to rub your eyes.

“He could probably play a 48-minute game and play the 48th minute stronger than the first minute of the game,” Jackson told the crowd at UND. “He was that terrific an athlete.”

Jackson credited Madonna for helping Rodman overcome his “shy” personality. “Madonna saw what was in there and wanted him . . . to do what she does: be outrageous, and kind of talked him into opening up his character,” Jackson said. “And Dennis didn’t know how many ways he could open up his character.”