ESPN.com - What's hot, not for the week

ESPN.com: Page 2

Wednesday, September 11, 2002
Updated: September 12, 11:51 AM ET
What's hot, not for the week

By Dan Shanoff
Page 2 columnist

Johnny Unitas made black high-top shoes hot before the Fab Five were even born. His flat-top was legendary (more on that in a sec). His No. 19 Colts jersey deserves a spot in the Retro-Jersey-As-Fashion Hall of Fame. But for those fans too young to see him play live, Johnny U's pop-cultural "cool" factor hit its peak in 1995, on "The Simpsons," of all places.


	Forget Nair or electrolysis, Johnny Unitas knew the hip way to get rid of unwanted hair.

In a February episode, Unitas made a cameo, poking fun at ex-sports stars who dispassionately hock products on TV infomercials. His brief pitch for the "Lady Krusty Mustache Removal System" was a classic. Then, in a November episode, show writers paid tribute to the signature Johnny U. look during a flashback sequence as Grandpa Abe sat on his couch watching Super Bowl III. He announced his disgust with flashy Joe Namath: "Look at them sideburns. He looks like a girl," Abe growled. "Now, Johnny Unitas ... there's a haircut you could set your watch to!"

So feel free to go get that flat-top you've been thinking about; it should be the look for September. And for more on what's hot (and what's not) this week, check out the list below:

What's Hot, What's Not this week
Category	Hot	Not
Obstruction/interference under scrutiny	NHL players	Wall Street players
Pete and Andre	Davis Cup snubbery	Aging greats put on show
MJ's potential new line	Shoe orthotics	Casual wear
Jersey to be seen in	Michael Vick	Kordell Stewart
Trash-talker	Wide receivers	Kick holders
Lakers' four-peat chances	Toe-kay!	Toe-no!
Jamal Anderson watch	Healthier, but Pats don't want him	Pats want him, but he's not healthy
Jeremy Bloom watch	Can I still get me some of that endorsement loot?	Oh, it's just a broken toe
Kansas Jayhawks	NASCAR paint job	College hoops power
NHL cover boy	Simon Gagne	Alex Tanguay
Keith Hernandez	Spineless "analyst"	On-target critic
Naming rights	Skateboard parks	Football stadiums
Mr. Sponsor-Friendly	Tom Brady	Tony Stewart
Athletic shoes	Yoga kicks	Zip-ups
Shanghai surprise!	Anna K. escapes first round!	Anna K. launches beauty-product line!
Holdout	Quentin Jammer	Bryant McKinnie
"I got set up"	Chris Webber	Ray Buchanan
Heisman bandwagon	Marshall QB Byron Leftwich	Florida QB Rex Grossman
Weekend flick	"Barbershop"	"Stealing Harvard"
Tom Hicks picks	The loser	The winner
Who'll-get-the-shots? debate	Jordan vs. Stackhouse	Hamilton vs. Billups
The Gino Toretta Trophy winner	Eric Crouch	Andre Ware

Dan Shanoff is a columnist for Page 2. His "What's Hot, What's Not" trend-spotting list appears Thursdays. Got inside scoop on an up-and-coming trend? Want to declare something passé? Send this glimpse of your hipness to hotnotlist@yahoo.com. For more List mania, check out "What's Hot and What's Not" for the NFL season.