140 pound Chipper Shredder in a box

Wait a minute, is that right? You can use the hole as a hold but if you do, their not responsible if it doesn’t stand the weight? Huh? No way, let me take a closer look…

Yes your hand can fit but don't put it in here

An access hole to access what? I can use it but if I do, you’re not responsible for anything that happens as a result? So why’d you put it there? You know, if a manufacturer is going to make something for you to use, then make it right. Don’t put it there and then tell us you can use it but whatever happens is on you!

What happened to accountability? Responsibility? Safety? Doing the right thing? It was a convenient place to put a hole but inconvenient to reinforce it so it could handle the weight of the contents? Then why put it there at all?

I’m done!

I posit that even if you could take the defense into account that it can’t possibly take into account the complexities of the dependencies that develop between players on a team and therefore cannot truly predict the performance differences/improvements. I don’t think that Network theory can actually model the behavior of a team but I do however think that mixing it up by not having the best player in there can really help the other players and would actually force them to “step up” in game situations. Unfortunately, unless the coach sees basketball as a way to help build character rather than one more notch closer or farther away from the championship, keeping the best player off the floor will not be a strategy most coaches are willing to employ.

One might think that keeping the best player off the practice floor may yield the same thing but without “game pressure”, I doubt you can really hope to have the players make tough decisions that will actually lead to significant changes in behavior/performance. Certainly there is a lot more to be said about this and I am admittedly NOT a coach, nor claim to be one and can therefore in no way know the pressures a coach and administration face when it comes to putting a team on the playing field. These are only my musings.

Everything seems to be driven by money these days. Few sporting events would even happen if the possibility of winning weren’t on the table so “character building” will have to be found elsewhere I suppose. Of course, we all want to win and if you are a coach, you are being paid to win — but is that the way it should be? Perhaps coaches and sports would help produce nicer, more thoughtful people if during their formative years, children were taught:

• how to make the best of things (such as when your best player is injured)
• how/when to make that extra pass (how to share)
• how to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the players on both teams (pay attention)
• how to assess their own strengths and weaknesses (how to be objective and work on their weaknesses while also building on their strengths)
• why we shouldn’t give up (or perhaps when to give up so as to save some energy for the next game)
• why winning isn’t the only thing (though it does feel great, sometimes it feels just as great to spread the wealth by letting all the kids play — even the ones that may guarantee another loss)

There are many other things to gain from sports, this was just a short list that I wrote off the cuff.

Again, everyone wants to win. How much would you pay someone to teach your children these things? What do you think that would be worth? Would you prefer to have a perfect season if the cost was having your son or your friend’s daughter, cousin or anyone’s child just warming the bench and being a spectator for the entire season?

In my opinion, few people are going to put any significance on whether their son’s/daughter’s team dominated the entire 6 and under league! On the other hand, just a few of the things children can be taught at an early age:

• that the concept of playing on/for a team and the team’s record far outweighs personal records and goals (while playing on the team)
• how to evaluate situations with the team’s benefit in mind even if it means passing up taking the shot themselves because someone else has a better shot at making it
• sitting out a play so that someone else can feel what it’s like to play can feel just as good or better than being out there for another 15 seconds
• how about a little thing called “sportmanship”? Winning is great but is it the end of the world to lose?

My 2¢

Your thoughts? Why don’t you add what you think children should/could learn from sports at an early age that can/will help teach them later on in life?

Have a look at these and you’ll see what i mean:

http://www.dunkthefunk.com/basketball/what-is-the-difference-between-basketball-shoes-and-normal-shoes

http://tbsportsblog.com/what-is-the-difference-between-basketball-shoes-and-normal-shoes/

http://www.jerseyfaves.com/index.php?main_page=more_news&news_id=1582

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081002210314AATNoEA

http://www.letsplaygamesnow.com/what-is-the-difference-between-basketball-shoes-and-normal-shoes

Come on, if you’ve taken the time to get yourself a domain or set up a blog account somewhere, why not come up with original content???

Your thoughts?

How to choose a traction product

Update: One company, “Fast-Brake.com”, has made some major upgrades to their white plastic base – they now have a decal on it with their company name. Their press release also announces that:

• As an upgrade, their new bases will be even stronger AND LIGHTER! If you read our previous post, the imitation Slipp-Nott bases in our opinion, were too light to begin with.
• They will be offering a new “base customization” option for teams, businesses and individuals. Which is odd since they’ve always had that on their site (though like Bigfoot and the Loch  Ness Monster, we’ve never actually seen a picture of one)
• They have also made changes to the color of the mat. It used to be white but the new color is going to be…wait for it, wait for it…WHITE!

Compare the offerings and do the math on how much a sheet is costing you and then make your decision. Our bases are made of either molded or machined ABS sheets covered by a sheet of rubber bonded to the bottom to completely protect your floor. The competition uses a die-cut plastic sheet with soft foam or a few patches of rubber stuck to the bottom. Sure cutting up patches of rubber to stick to the bottom of the base saves them money but it also makes the base lighter and more likely to lift off the floor when walked on by an athlete.

The safety and well-being of your athletes depend on the equipment they use. How and what you spend your money is up to you.

Feel free to send us links to any other comments or reviews on Slipp-Nott products.

Ok, back to Shakin’ n Bakin’!

S-N Gripp is a revolutionary solution that eliminates the adverse effects of palm perspiration, while enhancing your grip and repelling moisture. It performs like “liquid chalk” that can be applied under gloves. It is environmentally friendly, non-sticky, non-tacky, does not clog pores, and will not “cake up.” S-N Gripp is also hypoallergenic.

S-N Gripp can be used wherever wet hands are a problem, including: Archery, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Batons,Billiards, Mountain/Rock Climbing, Bowling, Cheerleading, Football,Golf, Gymnastics, Hockey, Lacrosse, Pole Vaulting, Polo, Racquetball, Rowing, Rugby, Softball, Squash, Table Tennis, Team Handball, Tennis, Tug-of-War, Under Gloves, Volleyball, Weight lifting…

Visit our website for a video demonstration: http://www.slipp-nott.com/S-N-Gripp.html

Feel free to email or call us at 1-800-776-6754 if you have any questions.

If you are ready to try this amazing product, pay just $5 for shipping and handling and we will ship you TWO FREE 2 oz. bottles for you to try! Offer good while supplies last.

Thank you for your continued interest in Slipp-Nott products.
With best regards from the Slipp-Nott sales team

By combining the box for:

• a single set,
• a single set + extra Slipp-Nott traction mats
• 1 to 8 mats of TM1518 or 1 to 6 mats of the SM60 or SM75…

We were able to in fact save cardboard. The design allows us to ship a single mat or several without the need for an extra sheet of cardboard on top that used to prevent mats from drooping over the formed air cells of the previous box if the box was inadvertently turned upside down.

In addition, since we can use the same box for a small Slipp-Nott set, we could order more boxes of the same type as opposed to a smaller amount of each of the mat and set boxes. Prior to the new box we were forced to use the boxes designed for 6 sets and modify them with a mat cutter to hold a single set (an extra mats if those were ordered).

The new box can hold a set as well as replacement mats

The new box is creased midway, has finger cut-outs and can therefore serve as both mat storage and convenient dispenser. The finger cut out on the left side makes it easy to reach in for the radiused corner of the SM60 and 75 sheet mats. What about clients who purchase the square cornered TM1518 mats? Those mats will reach all the way to the edges and will require a blade or knife to reach in and under to get the last one up. Well, we notched out an additional piece from the right side specifically to allow easy access to the very last mat even if it has a square corner!

Half the cover is held closed by side tabs and the front of the box is a modified clam-shell and thus requires very little tape to keep closed and therefore ship.

These tabs help keep the box closed

Lastly, you can be creative in just how you can use the box. Today I chose to use it as a book stand.

Use it creatively!

What do you think? Send us your ideas, thoughts or comments!

• Reduce the amount of cardboard used
• Hold one or up to 6 small mats only or…
• Also hold a small base in addition to 1-4 small mats
• Be sturdier yet require less tape to keep closed
• Serve as storage for extra mats and also give the end user easy access to said mats
• Look as good a Slipp-Nott box should

Whew! That’s quite a list. Is that even possible? We’ll see…

Slipp-Notts New box sketch

While the boxing is supposed to get the product to you safe and sound, who says it can’t look good and be super-functional too?

We’ll let you get a glimpse of our madness and what we go through to come with products and packaging for you, our clients.

concepts are first sketched out

More to come along with additional renderings. What more? Considerations such as contents, weight, ease of assembly, can the box be used to dispense? The list is long and we had to draw the line somewhere. Where? How do you set your priorities?

Stay tuned…

rough sketch

3D renderings to see how things will fit together

Highlander Fencing

• NBA,
• University,
• High School,
• Fencing Clubs,
• Fitness Centers or
• AAU team
• Sponsors such a Powerade, Adidas, ESPN…

Ever wonder why those teams get a Custom Slipp-Nott set?

PAC-10 logo

Teams purchase custom sets for many different reasons. Some reasons are obvious some are not. Customs are just that, sets that can be designed to look EXACTLY the way YOU want them. It is this flexibility that makes Customs special because all custom artwork is designed and approved with the help of the client before we ever go to into production.

Stores and facilities buy them for branding clout. Fewer than 1% of the sets we ship out are customized and we ship thousands. When a team has a Custom — they’re NOTICED and ADMIRED.

What are the benefits to you when stepping out onto the court with a Custom Slipp-Nott?

Seton Hall Pirate's Logo

• Stores/Sponsors are provided with instant recognition in various ways depending on how the team acquired their Custom:
  • If it is store subsidized/donated, it could be a sponsorship while providing valuable store/brand promotion
  • If purchased, it could be advertising
• You can design your own, one of a kind set with your team colors, text and team logo, mascots even sponsors
• boost team morale
• put the fear of God in the other team
• a custom Slipp-Nott is much less likely to grow legs since it is so easy to see who it belongs to!

Why should you get a Custom from Slipp-Nott?

NCAA Women's Div I Volleyball Championships

• Store/Sponsor/Conference branded customs could be offered as prizes or gifts. The Custom would not only serve as a welcomed piece of equipment but a constant reminder to the team and their competition as to where to purchase their Slipp-Nott traction supplies
• Slipp-Nott customs have been color-matched to PMS colors from the start so all logos we product are EXACTLY the right colors.
• Slipp-Nott has been producing customs in-house since 1996, which means…
• Fast turn-around: turn around relies on how quickly clients respond to the mockup artwork we email to them. Typically customs can be ordered and shipped in less than a week. If clients are quick to respond, it is not unheard of to have a custom ship out the NEXT day!
• Large format digital printing, makes it possible for Slipp-Nott to offer FAST printing for as few as 1 custom base or as many as 20!
• All Slipp-Nott bases come with a Lifetime Guarantee!

Still need more?

How about this one – we are the only ones who can make a custom!

You still there? What are you waiting for?

Wheatland HS Custom

Sunbelt Conf. Championships

Hot Springs Resort