The worldwide sports shoe business is an oligopoly. Nike dominates. Adidas and Reebok jockeyed for years for the number two spot, until they gave that up in January 2006, when Adidas bought Reebok for $3.8 billion. That gave Adidas a greater presence in the U.S. market.

Last February, Nike sued Adidas for infringing Nike's "Shox" cushioning technology, also in the Eastern District of Texas. Consider Reebok's suit something of a counterclaim.

Expect both cases to settle.