Boyz n the Hoodies

When the Miami Heat had a picture of the whole team taken in hooded sweatshirts, they weren't making a fashion statement, they were making a social statement. The pose was a tribute to teenager Trayvon Martin, who was wearing that garment when he was gunned down by a neighborhood watch vigilante who thought he was a thief, while walking back to his father's gated community in Sanford, Florida, on February 26, the same night LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were participating in the All-Star Game in nearby Orlando. The Heat have followed up by writing supportive messages on their sneakers before Friday and Sunday's games. Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire have also been seen or snapped dressed in hoodies. We've never took stock in the superficial saying that, "Clothes make the man." They certainly don't make a man - or any person - guilty of a crime.

While it's not the iconic image of Tommie Smith and John Carlos on the podium at the 1968 Olympics, it's still a brave and bold move. It may seem like a minor gesture, but it's a powerful one for the simple reason that athletes seldom express their opinions on contentious issues - or on anything outside the sphere of sports - remaining neutral enough to be confused with the Swiss*. In fact, they're often advised against it by their agents, who don't want a stance to cost their clients sponsorships or increase the scrutiny of already over-analyzed stars. In the picture, the Heat have their heads bowed down, but they are a group worth looking up to. Although LeBron will receive reproach for this act from some, this is by far his best "decision" to date.

*Does this mean Thabo Sefolosha is doubly neutral? We're not sure.