Rare game-worn Michael Jordan shoes sell for huge price

Michael Jordan's Nike Air Jordan series of shoes have become part of the imagery attached to many of the biggest moments of his career. Which is why the latest pair of game-worn Michael Jordan shoes sent to auction fetched such a big price, but they weren't Air Jordans. A pair of Nike Air Ships worn by Jordan during a 1984 game against the Lakers fetched $71,553 over the weekend, the second-highest bid for Jordan shoes next to the Air Jordan 12's he wore during his famous flu game in the 1997 NBA Finals, which were sold for $104,765. Part of the reason for the huge bid was the fact that Jordan was wearing Air Ships instead of his signature shoe, which launched during the same season. A Lakers ball boy named Khalid Ali had kept the shoes in a closet at his mother's home in the years since. Ali told ESPN.com how he acquired the shoes.

Ali originally asked Jordan for the shoes that were on his feet during warm-ups that night at the Great Western Forum -- red, black and white Air Jordans. Jordan, Ali said, switched into the Air Ships for the game, signed those and gave that pair to him instead.

Those original Air Jordans would have been cool, but the pair Ali got literally paid off in a big way.

We told you last week about Bubba Watson pulling off an awesome trick shot, and an amateur miserably failing when he tried to do the same. Well, it turns out that Watson himself is prone to epic fails on trick shots, too. Watson tried to recreate his viral moment right-handed with his wife's driver, and promptly snapped the thing in the process. Better luck next time, or maybe retire from trick shots while you're still somewhat ahead.

Few athletes are as open and candid on social media as Dale Earnhardt Jr., and he added to his legend on Sunday when he shared a few texts from his mom. Earnhardt finished 14th at Richmond and never really contended, but his mom was there to pick him up afterward, even if her analogy wasn't perfect. It led him to share another great text from her where she compared him to Dale Sr. Yet another reason it's hard not to root for the guy.