Some were brand new.

Some were broken in a bit. Some a lot.

But most, well, most of them looked like they’ve walked behind a lawn mower a little too long or spent about five years playing two-on-two against a pair of penny loafers in the back of the closet.

They say you can tell a lot about a man by his shoes. And, boy, were some stories being told this weekend at the fourth annual Dave and Jeff Lebo Father-Son Basketball Camp.

While the sons were decked out in the latest Nike high tops, basketball shorts and favorite Auburn T-shirt, the dads were a little less dapper. OK, a lot.

A fashion show it was not. It was more like a yard sale than a J.Crew catalog.

“I always look forward to what the dads wear,” AU head men’s basketball coach Jeff Lebo said. “Some need shorts that are a little longer and shirts that are a little newer.

“I look around and see some of the shoes and am like ‘I didn’t know they still made those.’ And they don’t.”

See, this a is a full-contact, hands-on hoops camp, where both son and father participate. Layups. Jumpers. Ball-handling. Running. Father. Son. Together.

Quick, someone get an ice pack.

Before the camp even began, a father introduced himself to Jeff Lebo and thanked him for the camp. Then, just before he walked away, he made sure that two very important things were on the premises — a trainer and some ibuprofen.

Each son had to fill out a physical form prior to the start of the camp, but as Lebo joked, it wouldn’t have been a bad idea to make the fathers do the same thing.

“We’ve had some injuries before,” Lebo smiled.

So that’s why there were about five dads stretching out prior to the first whistle. Nothing says Father’s Day like a pulled hamstring.

First-time camper Dan Lovell, 40, who was there with his son, Jay, 8, came to Beard-Eaves all the way from Birmingham with a set of gym clothes, an idea of what he was in for and and some anti-inflammatories.

“I talked to some guys who have been here before and they told me what to expect,” Lovell said. “That’s why they make Advil.”

It’s also why the Lebos created the camp. Not to torture dads — although, that can happen — but to give them an opportunity to experience a memorable two days with their sons.

There’s just something about a father high-fiving his son after a made basket.

That’s what it’s all about. Connections.

“It’s neat,” said Jeff, whose father, Dave, is an assistant on his staff and runs the Father-Son Camp. “This gives them a chance to come back and get down on the floor with their kids and spend some time with them.

“It’s something we as a staff always look forward to all year.”

And the camp’s not just all about bounce passes. Its main focus is to help cultivate and/or strengthen the bond between a father and son.

“We do a lot more than just basketball,” said Jeff Lebo, who also participated in the camp with his 6-year-old son Creighton. “We do a lot of fun things on and off the court. We really focus on relationship-building.”

With some never-forget moments sprinkled in along the way.

“We give them the full Auburn Experience,” Jeff Lebo said. “We turn off the lights and call each kid and their dad’s name, and they meet at half court, just like we do at the beginning of basketball games. It’s fun to see them run out of the tunnel and experience that together.”

It’s way better than a tie. Any day.

“It’s all about spending time with their pop,” Jeff Lebo said.

And those are the best shoes to be in.

MIKE SZVETITZ is sports editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He may be reached at or 737-2513.