What Does the Holy Grail of Kicks Look Like?
Shield your eyes or you may go blind!
A nondescript cardboard box unleashes the Holy Grail of Kicks, the Air Jordan XI “Concords”.
shoes
Air Jordan 11 Madness
#23. December 23, 2011. Air Jordan 11 retro. Concords. Black patent leather. The release date for the most iconic Air Jordan has been on every shoe head’s calendar.
Leading up to the release, original design sketches were released by The Architect, Tinker Hatfield. All MJ wanted was a shiny shoe.
Then, December 23, the clock hits midnight, the shoe drops virtually and physically.
Tinker made it shine. Mike made it fly. You made it iconic. Retro 11 #Concords are now available http://t.co/01zvJcip
— Nike.com (@nikestore) December 23, 2011
Pandemonium. Across the nation, fights and riots ensue to own the Concords. By now, you’ve seen the news reports.
Online, you felt the Nike servers melt under the onslaught.
#Concords update: We are experiencing heavy loads of traffic in our checkout. Hang in there and keep trying.
— Nike.com (@nikestore) December 23, 2011
You wondered, “What does a blank checkout screen really mean? Â Did the order go through?” Nike.com is inaccessible. Â In an instant, the holy grail of kicks is no more. Good try. Move on. Catharsis.
And then…
Kicks Love at First Sight
Though I am a kicks fanatic, I must admit that there have only been a few pairs that were truly love at first sight. The iconic Air Jordan XI was definitely not love at first sight. Â That black patent leather confused me for a long time, and even though I have owned several Air Max 95, I slept on those for years due to all those “layers.”
So what was kicks love at first sight? It was these Air Max Uptempo 95, especially the teal colorway.
When I saw these at Footlocker Phase 2 Pearlridge aka Downtown back in the day, I absolutely had to get them. No hesitation, no ruminating, just pure wanton craving. The image doesn’t do justice to the teal accents, but the black and white colors really set off the teal. For my feet, these weren’t the best balling shoes. All the air cushioning obliterated court feel, but it didn’t matter. They looked great. In fact, even with the imperfect fit, I owned two more colorways over the years, an all black version and a black and white version without accent color. As additional colorways have been produced over the years, I usually stop, pickup the Uptempo, and admire the design.
Rookies in the Wild
Shortly after posting about the forthcoming Nike Zoom Rookie attributed to Penny Hardaway, I actually see a pair in the wild. A dad was rocking the Rookies at Windward Mall waiting for Santa.
Christmas must have come early!
Michigan State’s Carrier Classic Look
I thought the digital camo unis worn by North Carolina were distinctive, but those of challenger Michigan State aren’t too bad either.
And the Spartan’s Carrier Classic Hyperdunks are downright hot.
You might be able to find these special Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 Supremes on Nikestore.com now, but they won’t last long, even at $140.
Nike Zoom Rookie, Team Shoe for 2012?
Even though I’m a fan of Penny Hardaway’s kicks, I don’t know how many different styles he wore in his rookie year in the League. Whatever they were, design elements from each were taken to create this new takeoff, the Nike Zoom Rookie.
Now, I think this Zoom Rookie could be the Nike-sponsored team shoe for college basketball 2012. It shows well in various color combinations, and they are definitely eye-catching. But, the price is probably too high to outfit collegiate teams across the country.
You can get your own pair starting November 12.
Concords. Coming. Christmas.
What else do you need to know except that the Air Jordan 11 aka the “Concords” are coming back on December 23, 2011.
I’ve had other colorways of the AJ11 but never the OG version. Maybe it’s time…
The House of Hoops is a Welcomed Addition
I had heard of the House of Hoops designation for select Foot Locker retail locations. The Ala Moana Foot Locker recently became a new member of the House of Hoops (and probably the only one for Hawaii). So what does that mean? It means more kicks!
We’re talking more basketball shoes, colorways, and baller gear that’s limited to House of Hoops locations. The back of the Ala Moana store has been carved out and transformed into the House of Hoops. If you’re walking on the court floor, you’re in the right place.
In the House of Hoops, you’ll find crazy colorways of Nike shoes. And of course, for all you pickup ballers, you know the advantage of colorful kicks and apparel right? That’s right, your ad hoc teammates will notice your flash and pass you the rock more. It’s true. You can’t pass to a teammate you don’t see. So when your PG see these colors in the corner of his eye, you know the rock is coming your way.
When you talk hoops, His Airness must be represented.
Off the court, you still need to come proper so the AF1 must be part of your shoe rotation.
For the out-of-state visitors, a must have are these 808 tees.
The Honolulu House of Hoops is definitely a welcomed addition to the Islands.
Kicks at Disneyland Are Bright and Bold
If you’re going to visit Disneyland any time soon, be sure to bring your brightest and boldest pair of shoes you own. Don’t worry, you won’t stick out. In fact, you’ll merely fit in with the rest of the masses.
What did I see during a recent visit to Mickey’s hood? Many Nike running shoes, primarily from the Lunar and the Free family. And like I mentioned, these were bright, but their vibe resonated with the Happiest Place on Earth theme. Of course, Michael Jordan’s jumpman silhouette was easily found from Jumpman-branded shoes to retro Jordans to contemporary Jordans. What surprised me was the plentiful presence of Reebok’s ZigTech. Creative colors combined with the telltale wavy sole make Zigs easy to spot. Bravo to Reebok!
So of course, inspired by these bright and bold kicks, I was in the game to pick up a new pair. And you know there’s a Nike Factory Outlet at the Block at Orange just a few minutes away from Disneyland right? So what do you think happened when I spied some Nike TR Vapor Trainers with Hyperfuse technology? Sure they’re half a size smaller than normal, but at only $50, it was a must buy!
Bid on Your Nike Mag NOW!
It’s now Day #7 of the Back for the Future auction for Nike Mags worn by Marty McFly in Back to the Future. There’s only three more days to get the Mag, limited to 1500 pairs in the world. Thus far, over $3.6M has been collected for the Michael J. Fox Foundation to fight Parkinson’s Disease, and your winning bid will only further this inspiring total.
Now is definitely the time to strike. Overall, Day #6 brought in the lowest donations meaning bids were low. The most expensive Mag went for a paltry $4K and the day’s average price was $3.2K. But as we get closer to the final tenth day, you know prices are going to soar once again. So take advantage right now!