Men's Journal's Blog, page 52

Nike Is Selling Its $80 Low-Top Basketball Shoes for Just $49, and Shoppers Say They're 'Extremely Comfortable'

Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services.  If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

The NBA season might be over, but there’s no off-season for pickup games in the park or at the local Y. And no matter how good (or bad) you are, you need a solid pair of basketball shoes to play your best. Right now, Nike is knocking up to $21 off one of the more beloved basketball sneakers in its lineup, and you can still get a pair if you hurry.

The Nike Precision 7 Basketball Shoe is just $49 at Nike right now, 38% off its normal $80 price tag. That price applies to the Black/Iron Grey/Smoke Grey/White colorway, but a few others have slightly less generous discounts, including the White/Black version for $8 more. Regardless of the color you choose, you’ll be getting a shoe with nearly 50 five-star ratings that customers have called “great-looking,” “extremely comfortable,” and “very light.”

Nike Precision 7 Basketball Shoe, $49 (was $80) at Nike

Courtesy of Nike

[image error]

This shoe was specifically crafted for the game of basketball, which should come as no surprise. The plush foam and the collar and tongue balance ground control while changing direction and comfort when running on the floor. The breathable mesh upper fits snugly but allows warm air and moisture to escape, the sculpted foam midsole absorbs the impact of pounding the hardwood or asphalt, and the herringbone pattern on the rubber heel provides multidirectional traction essential to gaining separation from defenders.

One shopper wrote that they “would recommend these sneakers to basketball players looking for a light and comfortable pair of kicks.” Another added that they “fit great and look great.” Taken together, these comments cover pretty much any concern you might have about buying a pair of basketball shoes.

Nike Precision 7 Basketball Shoe, $57 (was $80) at Nike

Courtesy of Nike

[image error]

Another shopper agreed, writing that they would “definitely buy again” because these are “honestly one of the most comfortable and functional pairs of Nikes I've ever had.” Another wrote that they’ve “played at the park and in the gym wearing these” and they are “real comfortable on both surfaces.”

Nike Precision 7 Basketball Shoes are far from the most famous basketball shoes Nike makes, but the construction and reviews prove that they are one of the best. Several size-color combinations are already sold out, so if you want to save money and have the upper hand at your next game, make sure you snag a pair ASAP.

Sign up for Men's Journal's Recommended By newsletter to get gear, fitness, and more deals delivered straight to your inbox.

Iconic Portland Bar Closing in August After 21 Years

Residents of Portland, Oregon will sadly be saying goodbye to a beloved local bar next month.

Last Thursday, Slow Bar shared a bittersweet post on its official Facebook page. The bar, known in part for its famous onion ring–topped Slowburger, was celebrating its 21-year anniversary on July 10--the same day it announced it would be closing.

After more than two decades in business, Slow Bar will shutter for good on August 9, the Facebook post said.

“This beast ran hot until the wheels came off, and we gave it everything we had,” the post reads. "With Steve stepping into a new career and Rob hanging up his bar apron for good, we knew it was last call."

The bar added that it still wasn't an easy decision before outlining a number of factors that led them to this point.

"COVID damn near killed us, but we clawed our way back. Since then, we've battled a declining neighborhood, inflation, and the relentless rise of costs from ingredients to labor," the bar wrote. "The hits just kept coming. To say we're heartbroken doesn't even scratch the surface."

Steve Carder, Slow Bar's general manager, said in an interview with KGW8 that getting people to through the door "has been a little bit more difficult lately," adding that drug use in the area has also harmed business.

"Fentanyl's been a whole other beast. It used to be you could run off the people who were drunk outside pretty easily, give them a cigarette and tell them to buzz off, and they were fine, but they're a little more aggressive than they used to be," Carder explained. “It seems like every time we take a step forward, it’s another step back."

The small silver lining here is that with over three weeks left until Slow Bar closes for good, patrons have some time for a true sendoff.

"We've always been proud to say we worked here, and we've always felt the love and respect from the city in return," said Slow Bar on Facebook, adding that plans for a closing party will be announced later. "Thank you, Portland, for a wild 21 years."

Tennis Star Claims Jannik Sinner's Wimbledon Victory Has 'Asterisk'

Jannik Sinner continued an incredible year of tennis with his first Wimbledon victory on Sunday. Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz to win his third major title and second of the year.

The win comes after Alcaraz defeated Sinner in an incredible marathon French Open final, the longest in the event's history. Sinner has been the World No. 1 for a little over one calendar year, but one controversial tennis star says his victory has a dark mark.

After Sinner defeated Alcaraz in London on Sunday, Nick Kyrgios posted an asterisk on social media.

His message was a reference to Sinner's positive drug test earlier this year, a result that gave him a three-month doping ban. Sinner's win is his first at a major tournament since serving that ban.

Living in my dream ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Thank you!!! 💜💚 @Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/CHINH6DyAU

— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) July 13, 2025

*

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) July 13, 2025

According to Sport Bible, “the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) found Sinner was inadvertently contaminated with the banned substance clostebol by his physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi during a massage" in March of 2024.

The New York Times also reported that Sinner "twice tested positive for clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, in March" of 2024.

The NYT noted that the ITIA absolved Sinner of any culpability for those positive tests, but the controversy persisted.

The BBC reported that Sinner accepted the three-month ban as part of a "controversial agreement" between his "legal team and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) officials."

Critics of the agreement and the ban have said that Sinner is receiving favorable treatment, and that some players are "questioning their faith in clean sport" after the relatively inconsequential ruling.

Sinner's ban did not keep him from participating in any major events, and if he had beaten Alcaraz in France he would still be on track to win all four Grand Slams this year.

Sinner and his team argued that the banned substance entered his body "through inadvertent contamination" during the massage, and the World Anti-Doping Agency accepted that explanation.

WADA originally sought a one to two-year ban for Sinner, but a combination of the agreement and the results previously put forth by the ITIA led to the three-month ban.

We'll see what Sinner can do for an encore in Queens at the US Open next month, but it's clear that Kyrgios and others will not accept him as a legitimate champion amid the continued controversy.

Archaeologists Unearth Dinosaur Fossil in Incredibly Ironic Location

Dinosaur discoveries are nothing new in Colorado, but this one took scientists by surprise because it was found beneath a dinosaur museum’s own parking lot.

While drilling 763 feet into the ground as part of a geothermal energy study, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science unearthed a fossilized vertebra belonging to a small, plant-eating dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period. 

The bone, roughly hockey puck-sized, was buried for an estimated 67 million years, NBC News reported.

“Finding a dinosaur bone in a core is like hitting a hole in one from the moon,” said James Hagadorn, curator of geology at the museum. “It’s like winning the Willy Wonka factory. It’s incredible, it’s super rare.”

The odds truly were astronomical. 

Bore samples that are narrow, just a couple of inches wide, rarely yield fossils, let alone a dinosaur vertebra beneath the museum’s own lot. According to museum officials, there have been only two other similar finds from bore holes anywhere in the world.

The fossil’s characteristics suggest it came from an ornithopod—likely a duck-billed dinosaur or thescelosaurus. Nearby fossilized vegetation points to a lush, swampy environment once covering the area.

The irony of the discovery isn’t lost on museum staff. The DMNS is a popular destination for dinosaur enthusiasts, featuring full-size skeletons of species like the T. rex. Now, one of the museum’s most recent fossil additions was sitting directly beneath the cars of visiting guests.

While the find is generating buzz, not everyone is calling it a scientific game-changer.

“It’s a surprise, I guess. Scientifically, it’s not that exciting,” said Thomas Williamson, curator of paleontology at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science.

Still, local paleontologists celebrated the moment. “It’s absolutely legit and VERY COOL!” said Erin LaCount of Dinosaur Ridge.

As for excavating deeper? That’s unlikely.

“I would love to dig a 763-foot hole in the parking lot to excavate that dinosaur, the rest of it,” Hagadorn joked. “But I don’t think that’s going to fly because we really need parking.”

Related: Physicists Just Found a Way to Make Your Devices 1,000 Times Faster

'Actually HBO Max.' Beloved Streaming Service Rebrand Hits a Snag

HBO Max can’t catch a break. 

After months of public confusion, and plenty of memes, the streaming giant reversed course on its rebrand, shifting away from the simplified Max and back to its original, more iconic name. But now, the company is facing an unexpected hurdle: it can’t get its X (formerly Twitter) handle back.

Yes, really. HBO Max—now officially HBO Max again—wants to reclaim its original @hbomax X handle. 

The only problem? The platform won’t let it. The brand’s social media team announced the issue with a tongue-in-cheek post: “twitter won’t let me change my name back,” it read, lowercase and unbothered, like a tweet from a Gen Z intern in crisis mode.

twitter won't let me change my name back

— Actually HBO Max (@StreamOnMax) July 9, 2025

It’s a perfect storm of branding confusion, digital bureaucracy, and irony, especially considering Twitter’s own chaotic rebrand to X has been just as polarizing. 

Now, HBO Max finds itself in the kind of weird identity limbo that even its most experimental scripted series couldn’t have written better.

The streamer originally rebranded from HBO Max to Max in 2023 as part of a broader strategy to distance itself from the “prestige-only” reputation of the HBO name and appeal to a wider, more mainstream audience. That move was met with confusion from loyal subscribers and head-scratching from branding experts. 

By mid-2025, the company walked it back, acknowledging that dropping “HBO” might not have been the power move they hoped for.

But now, despite having corrected course, the company can’t even update its social media handle, leaving it stuck at @StreamOnMax while promoting a brand called HBO Max. Or, "Actually HBO Max" as the account currently reads.

It’s a small thing in theory, but in practice, it highlights the larger branding identity crisis the platform has faced over the past two years. The fact that its new (old) name can’t even be reflected across its official channels is just the latest chapter in what’s become one of the most publicly clumsy rebrands in recent memory.

Time will tell whether @hbomax ever makes its official return. For now, the irony writes itself.

Related: Beloved Netflix Series' Future in Question After 7 Seasons Due to Major Creative Exit

Netflix’s Black Mirror Faces Uncertain Future Without Original Duo

Black Mirror may be headed into uncharted territory. 

The creators of the dystopian sci-fi anthology, Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones, have officially parted ways with their Netflix-owned production company Broke & Bones, raising real questions about whether the show can continue as we know it.

The move marks the end of a five-year exclusive deal with Netflix, which began in 2020 when the streamer invested $100 million into the duo’s new company. 

Brooker, the show’s creator and lead writer, and Jones, its longtime executive producer, had been the driving force behind Black Mirror since it first launched in the U.K. in 2011. Netflix acquired the series in 2015, turning it into a global hit with a signature mix of tech-driven paranoia, social commentary, and psychological horror.

According to Deadline, Brooker and Jones are now free to pursue new projects with other studios. Their departure from Broke & Bones doesn’t necessarily mean the end of Black Mirror, but it certainly throws its future into doubt. 

Season 7 dropped earlier this year with solid reviews, but without its original creators at the helm, fans are already bracing for a potential drop in quality if Netflix continues the series without them.

It’s unclear why the two chose to leave, but after 14 years of Black Mirror, the decision could be as simple as wanting to explore new creative ground. Brooker has hinted at other ambitions in the past, including a potential interest in writing for Doctor Who, which he once turned down due to scheduling conflicts.

While Black Mirror might survive as a brand, its soul may prove harder to replicate. The series has always been uniquely tied to Brooker’s voice—satirical, bleak, and uncomfortably prophetic. Losing that could fundamentally alter what the show is.

The good news? The duo’s exit frees them up to build new worlds, possibly outside the Netflix ecosystem. Whether those worlds will rival Black Mirror in cultural impact remains to be seen, but whatever they create next, it’s worth keeping an eye on.

Related: CBS Quietly Pulled a Major Show From Its Fall Lineup

Walmart Is Selling a 'Smart' $300 Air Purifier for Only $80, and Shoppers Say It’s 'Really Effective'

Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services.  If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Between fires, allergies, smog, and pet hair, keeping the air clean in your home can be pretty challenging. A reliable air purifier can really make a huge difference, able to clean smoky air, alleviate allergies, and improve your overall air quality.

The Kloudic Air Purifier is an excellent candidate, and it’s made even better with Walmart’s Deals event, giving you over 70% off the $300 asking price, making it just $80. Sitting at a nearly perfect 4.8-star rating, Kloudic owners are saying, “It actually surpassed my expectations,” with some going beyond that, calling it “the best air purifier I have ever had.”

Kloudic Air Purifier, $80 (was $300) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

This compact air purifier can deliver up to 176 cubic feet of clean air each minute in spaces up to 1,900 square feet, making it a great pick for both large and small rooms. It’s equipped with sensors that constantly monitor the space, allowing the unit to automatically adjust itself to maintain ideal air quality, so you don’t need to constantly fuss with the settings. Adding to this convenience, the activated carbon filters can be washed to cut down on replacement costs. The purifier is also designed to run quietly, and the countless reviews praising how quiet it actually is can verify the claim.

“It really made a difference in our home as far as performance is concerned,” one reviewer started. “This purifier works well and cleans a large room in 10 - 20 minutes. It’s easy to get started and super easy to clean.”

Related: Walmart Is Selling an 'Amazing' $180 Air Purifier for Only $66, and Shoppers Say It's a 'Game Changer'

Not only is this air purifier great for day-to-day use, it has other benefits as well, with one shopper saying, “I have been renovating the house. Demolishing walls, plastering, and repainting. There is a lot of dust! Bought two to help with dusting. They are very good.”

For just $80, the Kloudic Air Purifier is truly a steal, but Walmart’s summer deal event is coming to a close this Sunday, and this deal is ending with it.

Carl’s Jr. Drops Surprising New Ad With a Familiar ‘That’s Hot’ Cameo

Paris Hilton and Alix Earle are bringing the heat and the queso to Carl’s Jr.

The fast food chain just launched a new campaign for its limited-time Queso Crunch Burger, and it’s tapping two of the internet’s most recognizable faces. 

Earle, the 24-year-old TikTok star, leads the cheeky new commercial, which features a surprise cameo from Hilton, nearly 20 years after her infamous 2005 ad for the brand.

“I honestly couldn’t believe it,” Earle told E! News of Hilton’s appearance. “It’s the perfect little cameo moment in there.”

Hilton’s return is short but iconic, nodding to her original role in one of the most talked-about burger ads of the 2000s. 

According to Earle, the collaboration just made sense. “She’s someone who has such an inspiring trajectory,” she said. “She’s always giving me words of wisdom and advice, and she’s a great role model.”

The new campaign isn’t just a nostalgia trip—it’s also part of a broader push to reintroduce Carl’s Jr. to a new generation. Earle previously starred in the brand’s Super Bowl spot earlier this year, and this time, she’s not just front and center. She helped craft the burger itself.

The Queso Crunch Burger, available through September 2, features a beef patty topped with creamy queso, pepper jack cheese, pico de gallo, and a layer of crunchy, seasoned tortilla strips, Earle’s favorite chip, on a toasted bun.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “It is delicious.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carl’s Jr. (@carlsjr)

Earle also used the shoot as a chance to flex a new skill: acting. “I’ve been taking some lessons, so hopefully it’s paying off,” she said. “This is a very funny, cheeky commercial. I’m excited for people to see that side.”

With Hilton bringing back her signature “That’s hot” energy and Earle serving modern influencer charm, the campaign bridges old-school and new-school cool—one queso-smothered bite at a time.

Related: Beloved Disney Sandwich Spot Is Closing Its Doors, But There’s a Twist

Why 'Superman's' Rotten Tomatoes Score Dropped 8 Points After Debut

Without question, the new Superman is a hit. Not only is the film on track to make $120 million domestically, but it will also probably make $210 million globally, following early screenings on July 9. In terms of big summer openings, this puts it slightly behind Jurassic World Rebirth, which earned a staggering $318 million worldwide during the long Fourth of July weekend, and is now at $378 million after its second week. Superman may yet surpass Jurassic World Rebirth, and it has one thing going for it that those cloned dinosaurs don't: More positive reviews than negative.

Currently, as of Saturday, July 12, Superman is sitting with an 82 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics. If that seems lower than you heard initially, don't worry, you're not under some kind of kryptonite spell; Superman's critical rating has dropped a full eight points since the initial "official" reveal of the movie's RT score. So, how could a movie with a score of 90 suddenly, in just a few days, drop down to 82?

Related: Early 'Superman' Reviews Turn Heads as Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Revealed

The short answer is twofold: More critics have reviewed the movie, and the movie has been out longer. Something casual moviegoers should never forget is that Rotten Tomatoes generally does their big score reveals before the majority of audiences have even seen a movie. This also means that some critics haven't posted their reviews yet, as there's a good amount of serious movies, folks who like to post their reviews around the time the average moviegoer can see the film, too.

So, Superman dipped 8 points because there was a significant number of reviewers who broke with the crowd and gave the film a lukewarm or negative review. (Here at Men's Journal, we felt very mixed about it.)  Writing for The Ringer, in a review posted on July 11, Adam Nayman probably summed up the negative Superman reviews best when he wrote: "Gunn is trying to tear something down and build it up at the same time." 

Most negative reviews of Superman come from critics who wanted to love the movie, but who felt that the movie was simply too overstuffed and rushed to be considered perfect. 

And so, while the audience score is soaring at 93 percent, the critical score is now a more modest 82. Whether or not this movie deserves all the hype is probably a healthy debate, and one that Superman would almost certainly approve.

Superman is in theaters now.

Related: Who Sings 'Punkrocker?' That 'Superman' Ending Song, Explained

James Gunn's 'Superman' Box Office Revealed

Superman hit the big screen on July 11 with all the power of a Kryptonian smashing through a Metropolis high-rise.

The film is a reboot from director James Gunn, who directed the Guardians of the Galaxy series.

The film stars David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as the iconic Lois Lane.

The synopsis of the film, according to IMDb, is, “Superman must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent. As the embodiment of truth, justice, and the human way, he soon finds himself in a world that views these as old-fashioned.”

Superman is quickly rising to the top of the box office, according to reports from CNN. The Warner Bros. Pictures’ film grossed an estimated $56.5 million domestically on its opening day, July 11. That’s on top of $22.5 million it earned the day before from Thursday previews.

Variety reports that Superman was shown in 4,135 theaters across the U.S. Its earnings make it the second-biggest hit for the calendar year so far, just behind A Minecraft Movie, which earned $57.11 million.

So far, Superman is ahead of Lilo and Stitch, which earned $55.94 million.

DAVID CORENSWET as Superman in DC Studios’ and Warner Bros. Pictures’ “SUPERMAN,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Jessica Miglio/Warner Bros./DC

According to Deadline, Superman was a success at international box offices as well. So far, the film has grossed $40 million from offshore sources.

Superman has also garnered great reviews from critics and the general public. Its Rotten Tomatoes critic score sits at 82% and it has an outstanding audience score of 93%.

A critical review from Glen Weldon stated on Rotten Tomatoes, “It makes you want to cheer. That’s it, that’s the secret ingredient that’s been missing from so many superhero movies for so long.”

Audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes included praise such as “James Gunn knocked it out of the park! Superman had a little bit of everything. Felt much more like the comics again!”

Related: Tom Holland Announces Exciting Update On Next Spider-Man Movie