Friday Flashback Update!

This won't take long, I am working at a Church camp this week so I probably won't be able to update often. However, I did want give you a little update on the first Friday Flashback. I went with the Converse All Star Springfield. I mentioned that there was a retro release in the Asian market, I want to say in China but I am not for sure. Anyway I found an auction for a pair over at TaoBao.

Converse NCAA's Friday Flashback

Hi all, welcome to the first ever edition of the Friday Flashback. I know it's not a very original name, but I want to challenge all of you to come up with a better name. When I find one I like, I'll replace it and give you the credit. So what is the Friday Flashback? Well I am going to post some pictures of Converse shoes from back in the day. Hopefully something will come up that will spark some discussion. So with limited further stalling here is

Converse NCAA's Friday Flashback.

Converse All Star Spring Field

This happens to be my favorite picture of Dennis Rodman. In fact this is the picture that should be used to define Dennis Rodman the basketball player. This picture is from the 1996-1997 season. From what I could find out it was a home game against the Pacers. I only remember seeing the picture, but I feel pretty comfortable in saying that Rodman got that ball and that Bulls won the game.

This was the first season that Rodman wore Converse. This is before his first Converse signature shoe was released, which I am sure will make on the Friday Flashback someday. However today's Friday Flashback will focus on Rodman's shoes in the picture above.

The Converse All Star Springfield was released soon after the famous All Star 2000 that saw the return of the Chuck Taylor patch to modern basketball shoes. This shoe also featured React Juice for cushioning.

I wish I had more pictures of these shoes, but the truth is I haven't been able to get my hands on a pair of these. A retro version of sorts has been released in China, I believe. It has the same upper with the exception of the logo which is replaced by the Chevron and Star. If I can find a picture I will post it later. If you had these shoes please share your experience in the comments section below.

I tried to not be too predictable here and go with the Weapons or the Run n' Slams. So I am going to try and keep it interesting. Thanks for reading my blog and come back throughout the week and again on Friday for more Friday Flashbacks.

Converse at Nike Stores?

Last Friday, I went with my family on a day trip to Pigeon Forge, TN. We went for a few reason. We went to eat lunch with some family we hadn't seen in a long time. We love this area and visit it there 5 or 6 times a year. Finally, not long after I returned home from a year of college I discovered Blueberry Cider. Now if you've never had Blueberry Cider you really haven't lived. I get mine from Atkins Orchard.

Anyway, during our shopping I went to the Nike store in the Tanger Outlets. I never buy anything since I only wear Converse. Although, since Nike is Converses' parent company it wouldn't be that bad. I was getting ready to leave when it happened. In the area between Men's and Women's shoes was four stlyes of Converse. Three styles were low-top Chucks and the other stlye were some Jack Purcell's.


I still don't know how I feel about this. Obviously, there are many more Nike stores than Converse stores. So in that aspect it means more exposure to the brand and for some people it will validate the brand because it is at a Nike store. However shallow or flawed that thought process may be, I am not naive enough to realize people think that way.


However, I am worried about where this could potentially lead. Up to this point, this is the most public representation of Nike owning Converse. So I am sure the average person is confused about seeing Converse in a Nike store. For so many that lace up their Chucks, Converse is the Anti-Nike. With that being said, these people probably won't be going into a Nike store anyway.

As a hardcore Converse fan, the last thing I want to see is Converse shoes with Nike Air or Shox. It just isn't right. Bringing back energy wave, helium, or React for a 3rd round would be a better solution. Even having no real cushioning technology now, is better than adding existing Nike tech. To me it is about brand integrity. If I wanted a Nike shoe I'd buy a Nike, but I want a Converse shoe with Converse technology.


I have no reason to believe this will ever happen. I know it is probably irresponsible to make such a giant leap. Mainly I just wanted to flesh out some of my feelings on this as a potential crisis for me. Let me know how you feel about any of the issues I raised here.

Acie Law

Hi all, great news. Acie Law has officially signed with Converse, at least that is what an article from Sports Page Weekly. Here what they had to say.

"With Kimball and Texas A&M guard Acie Law IV signing with the Atlanta Hawks, it was his Converse shoe contract that had the most immediate impact to many area basketball players. Law supplied several players and coaches with new shoes for this summer's hoops tournament schedule and a lot of Converse were on display last weekend as nearly 300 teams competed in the Great American Shootout in Denton. Law will wear Kirk Hinrich models this season, but, according to Kimball coach Snoop Johnson, Law will get his own Converse-made shoes if Law makes the All-Rookie team next year"

This is great news because there weren't any Converse players on the Hawks until now. This reminds me of when Jason Terry was drafted by the Hawks and signed with Converse. Hopefully this time things work out better. Law joins fellow rookie Alando Tucker in signing with Converse, The First School.

TAOBAO is your friend.

Sometimes searching eBay isn't enough. When I would get bored with eBay I used to go and search at http://www.ebay.de/, yes it's still eBay but a varied selection. Then there are times when I just really need to see something new. For a sneaker freak like myself it's kind of like a child knowing where their parents hide the Christmas gifts. So for when I feel really mischievous I go and search http://www.taobao.com/ for some Converse sample shoes that I haven't made it here yet. Thanks to "Me Too" and the other user of the "The First School" sneaker.

Tonight I found something really interesting. Two colorways of the soon to be release Heatseeker.

These are the white/black colorway.

Now for the grand prize. I have never seen these before, I am not sure how I feel about them yet. Let me know what you think.

Durant Inks Nike Deal

www.sportsbusinessradio.com is reporting that Durant is going with Nike. So we should see more announcements from the other players in the draft threw the rest of the week.

Converse in the Summer League.

While this post is more about the NBA than college ball, the focus is on Converse. It seems like the whole sneaker world is waiting on Kevin Durant to make his mind up. According to reports floating around the current deals are $40 Million from Adidas and 30 Million from Nike. He likes Nike, his agent and Mother like Adidas. As a result of this elongated event only a few other players have shoe deals that are sign and announced.

One of them is Mr. Oden, who signed with Nike. The other is Alando Tucker who signed with Converse. I fully expect once Durant picks his brand that other deals will start getting done and released to the public. That being said here are a few summer league players wearing Converse.

Alando Tucker - Suns, as mentioned before Tucker has a multi year deal with Converse already. Here he is wearing the white/white colorway of the 099's

Daequan Cook - Miami

Here Daequan Cook is wearing the Wade 1.3. Trying to earn some brownie points with Dwyane I'd say. He wore them for two games and has also wore Adidas.

Nate Funk - Warriors

Seriously, Nate Funk is a pretty cool name. Here he is wearing the 099's in a white/navy team colorway.

Sergio Sanchez - Celtics

How great is it to finally see someone from the Celtics wearing Converse again, I sure hope the sign him up and he signs with Converse.

Larry Owens, James Hughes, Jarrius Jackson , Acie Law , Russell Carter, DaShaun Wood, Robert Hite have all worn Converse either during pre-draft workouts or during the summer league. There are more players I have seen but haven't been able to identify yet. By the way all pictures are from Yahoo sports, which got them from www.Gettyimages.com

Not really an update, but I just got back from Vacation in Orlando. I hit up the Converse store in Lake Buena Vista. Very nice selection and the prices were amazing. This was the third Converse store I've been to since they started reopening them. I've also been to stores in Las Vegas, NV and Williamsburg, VA. There used to be Converse stores in Nashville, TN and Pigeon Forge, TN, I am hoping they open up new stores there soon. There are quite a few of the stores out there but for a complete list visit http://www.converse.com/.

A week or so ago there was press conference at Marquette and a lot of the people over at http://www.muscoop.com/ thought it was going to be about the rumored Converse deal. However this was not the case, it was about coach Crean and family donating money to the new soccer stadium. Oh well hopefully we'll hear something soon.