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Monday, June 30, 2008

The Converse Blog: Converse Ad

Hi all, I am sorry for the late post today, I was waiting to see if anything official came out about Rose and or Beasley. Alas, at 1:58 on Monday afternoon I think it is safe to assume we won't be hearing anything today. I am going crazy waiting to hear or see anything on who Converse has signed from this years draft. It's a good thing I've at the Championships Wimbledon to help pass the time today. So I decided to go with a Tennis Ad for today's post. Below is the whole ad, followed by larger views of the ad in parts.


The ad reads as follows....
Since 1919, the game, the clothes, rackets, balls…all have changed. Names and fads have come and gone. But one thing has been consistent: the Star trademark on our shoes still indicates a shoemaker whose basic goals have been to give an athlete the best support and fit possible. The fact is we think we put more protection under foot, have an excellent weight/support ratio, and develop style that considers comfort as well as good looks. The ’74 edition of our tennis All Star reflects all of this. New styling, in suede, smooth leather, and canvas uppers, padded ankle collars, lace-to-toe and U-throat models, light weight soles, and more styles for women including a new blue suede model. If you aren't playing in Converse already, take a step on the right sole and in the direction of a more enjoyable game. Get into Converse and see how a star performs on the court.

While the ad offers a lot of details about the new tennis shoes, it also has a pretty ridiculous run on sentence. I have seen the pair on the top right, with the out lined star, re-issued by Converse. You can find them at Size?, which is where this picture below came from.

Thanks for stopping in and checking out the blog. I hope to break in with some news on Rose and Beasley soon. Keep checking back for those updates.

Friday, June 27, 2008

The Converse Blog: Even More Breaking News...maybe....Derrick Rose to Converse!

It seems like I've been doing this a lot lately. First with reports on Kevin Love and Michael Beasley, now with a report on Derrick Rose. Again I haven't heard anything official, and he was photographed wearing Fila's the day before the draft. But this is the day after the draft, in a very public appearance. How public, throwing out the first pitch in the White Sox Public. He is also wearing a navy colorway of the Pro Leather Ox which I don't believe has been released yet. So accept this as pure speculation.






This is very exciting. I do have an update on the Kevin Love signing, it also being reported through Sole Collector. If you would have told me that Converse signed just one of these three rookies I would very pleased. If they have actually signed all three, well I am not sure how I would respond. To put this perspective, Converse hasn't signed a number one draft pick since Larry Johnson in 1991. They also haven't signed the rookie of the year since Larry Johnson either. And while neither Rose, Beasley, or Love are locks for the award I like their chances, even with Oden being a rookie too. With the other brands reportedly shy about passing out endorsement dollars, Converse has the chance to make a big splash with this class.

The Converse Blog's Friday Flashback: Converse Spectre

I am dragging this morning, after a late night of the NBA Draft with a few games of Rook mixed in for good measure. Still no official word on who Converse has signed from this years draft, but hopefully something will come out soon. Today's Flashback is a clean and classic pair from the 80's. The Converse Spectre!







It is a pretty simple design, but would allow for a nice dash of color to be mixed in, depending on the colorway.








I really like the look that gives off, sort of like a low top shoe with a high shoe growing out of it. I hope that makes sense, at least it did in my head. Well that's it for today...at least the flashback, I hope to hearing something on the rookie front later on. Speaking of rookies, Derrick Rose went first in the draft and first in the poll here. With Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo, and Kevin Love rounding out the top 4 in the poll. I hope to have a new poll up soon.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

The Converse Blog: More Breaking News...maybe....Michael Beasley with Converse.

Last night after I posted the pictures from Kevin Love wearing the Converse Pro Team I started to get really excited about what else Converse might be up to with this Draft Class. I had hoped for O.J. Mayo to slip to Converse since he had fallen out of the top spot in the draft but word has came out and Mayo is with Nike.

Then this morning I was looking at Dime Magazine' website and they had a few pictures of Michael Beasley, wearing Converse. Here they are below, pictures by Matt Brown.





I was then at my local books-a-million and noticed Beasley on the Cover of the current ESPN magazine. He is wearing a suit with a pair of Chuck Taylor's, pretty cool pictures by the way. I wouldn't have thought much about it if not for the pictures above. Then later on in the magazine there is a picture of him wearing the new John Varvatos Jack Purcell's, that I am not even sure are out yet.

This really got my mind working and then I started looking other places to see if I had missed something a long the way. That's when I found this clip from ESPN







Again, I haven't heard anything official but I like the evidence. Stay tuned for more.



Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The Converse Blog: Breaking News....maybe....Kevin Love with Converse?

I love the NBA Draft. In fact it might be my favorite sporting event of the whole year. I can't explain my love for it, I just know that inside I look forward to this day all year long. I love even more now that Converse is back to being a major player in NBA. Last year news broke a few days before the draft that Converse had signed Alando Tucker. Then a few weeks later news surfaced that linked Acie Law to Converse.

Like last year the players invited to the Green Room during the draft participated in an NBA Cares event. Also like last year many of the players wore sneakers of the brand they signed with. So I was looking forward to the pics to come out and I love what I found. In the bottom right hand corner of this picture you can see someone wearing the Converse Pro Team Black/White colorway, (for sale at Converse.com).



You can't really see as well as I'd wish, but if you look at the large photo here, you will see that Kevin Love is wearing Converse.





However, I don't know for sure that this means he is signed to Converse, nothing official has been released, to my knowledge. Also Derrick Rose has on some Fila casual shoes, and I am not sure Fila even makes basketball shoes anymore. So take this info at your own risk, however I feel pretty good about assuming Kevin Love is with Converse.

The Converse Blog's Weapon Wednesday Kirk Hinrich PE

Welcome to the Converse Blog's Weapon Wednesday. Today is a special Weapon Wednesday with a pair of Kirk Hinrich PE weapons. For lack of a better explanation, these are in 3/4 in cut, something I've never seen before in the Weapons. Enjoy!




They feature the initials FBH which are his Grandfather's initials.



Below is Kirk's logo on the heel, you can see the K and H that make up the logo.



Well that's it for today, I hope you enjoyed these unique kicks. There are only a few days left to vote in the poll and anything can happen between Rose, Beasley, and Mayo. Also, keep those Your Cons, Your Story submissions coming in, hopefully I can get some of those up very soon.

Monday, June 23, 2008

The Converse Blog's Your Cons, Your Story. Plus some Sole Candy

And now for something new and fresh. I am more than pleased to announce The Converse Blog's YOUR CONS, YOUR STORY. I've been saying for a while that I wanted to hear from all of you, well now I really mean it. This is a chance to not only participate, but to be featured here at The Converse Blog. Here is how it works, send a picture of you wearing your favorite pair of Converse and your answers to a mini interview below. I'll post up the picture and your answers, or simply Your Cons, Your Story. Here is a list of what I need from you to participate.



1. Send a picture of you wearing your favorite pair Converse.

2. Your name, name of the shoe (if you know), and your location (optional) if you want to rep your city.



3. Your Story: Why do you wear Converse? What do you Love about Converse? What makes your favorite pair, your favorite pair? What do you want to see from Converse in the future? Feel free to write anything else you want to say about Converse, this is your chance to have your voice heard. Write as much or as little as you want, just keep your responses PG, this website is for everyone.

email them to Conversencaa@hotmail.com
____________________________________________

So I can't have two post without a picture. So here is a picture taken back during game 1 of the NBA Finals. I am pretty sure I got this from Yahoo. Anyway, these Celtics fans went all out gearing in short shorts, wigs, and even black/white Converse. At first I was bummed, because they weren't wearing Weapons. Then I thought it was pretty cool that a lesser known shoe like the Maverick got some love. Plus they haven't released a pair of Mavericks in like 3 or 4 years, so they've been holding on to these.






Thanks for stopping in and I look forward to posting up all of the Your Cons, Your Story content.

Friday, June 20, 2008

The Converse Blog: Converse Mini Websites.

Good Friday morning to you all. I am in a little bit of a time crunch this morning because I am helping some family friends move. So instead of a Flashback this Friday, I am going to point you to a new set of Converse mini website. There are 13 of the mini websites, well 14 if you count the index page.

To start your journey visit This is The Index Page. This will take you to the index page, as you probably figured out. From there you can make your selection in a scrolling screen of websites.

There are two basketball centered websites, the first is Marquette Will Be Back. When you go to this page you will see a count down that leads up to the first day of the 2009 NCAA Basketball Tournament. If you click on the date it will take you to a wikipedia page for the event. If you click on We Are Marquette, you will be taken to Marquette's website.

The other page is Weapresent.com, which is a combination of the two Weapresent shirts from the finals. There isn't much to this site, but there doesn't really need to be. Less is more and this site says it all. These shirts would be great on Converse One, I really want one that Says Weapresent The Converse Blog.

My favorite of the websites is You Should Do It Now. You should watch this once a day, at least. I won't explain, you just have to experience it.

Well that's it for today, take care and have fun this weekend. Thanks for stopping in and I'll see you on Monday.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

The Converse Blog's Weapon Wednesday OG Red Colorway

Last night was an good old fashion NBA beat down. Boston finally woke up and realized what I've been saying all along, that they were the superior team. This isn't a knock against the Lakers, well maybe it is, but Boston was just the better team. I just wonder how long it will take for Kobe to ask for a trade this offseason?

Anyway, today I wanted to bring you an Original Weapon from the 80's. Luckily I found an eBay auction for this mint pair below. They're size 13, for those that are interested just search on eBay and you'll find them.

So how do I know that they're Original?, well the first clue is the Silver Box, which is a classic 80's box from Converse. The second piece of evidence is a few pictures below with the Choose Your Weapon Card, that features Magic and Bird.

I also have to say the white portion of the upper looks soft enough to sleep on. Just flat out beautiful.















That's all for today, thanks for stopping in. There is just a little over a week before the NBA draft and I can't wait. Rose is still in the lead over Beasley and Mayo, but there is plenty of time for the poll to be switched.

Monday, June 16, 2008

The Converse Blog: Kentucky All Stars in What If Pack Wade 3.0

Over the weekend the Kentucky - Indiana All Stars took the floor for the second game of their two game series. I was unable to see any pictures from the first game but I did see some video. It was clear to me that the Indiana All Stars were wearing New Balance Zips from a few years ago. However, I couldn't tell for sure what the Kentucky All Stars were wearing.

As it turns out they were wearing the Converse Wade 3.0, and not a normal colorway either. In fact they are from the What If Pack, which isn't even being sold here in America. The pack also includes the Converse 0100 and the Converse Revolution.


Kentucky's Monique Reid, center, drives to the basket as Indiana's Deja Maddox, right, blocks her way during first-half action of the Kentucky Indiana All Star Classic at The Gardens, Sunday June 15, 2008, in Louisville, Ky. Timothy Easley / AP


Kentucky's Janae Howard shot over Indiana's Felisha Johnson in Louisville Gardens on Sunday. Howard, a Louisville signee, had 15 points and the Kentucky All-Stars led by as many as 44 points in the second half. Photo by Matt Barton





So it goes: Kentucky Miss Basketball Tia Gibbs (left) gets past Indiana All-Star Maggie Boyer during Kentucky's dominating win Sunday. - Timothy Easley / Associated Press



Indiana's Tyler Zeller and Kentucky's Darius Miller, the states' Mr. Basketballs, went for a rebound. Photo by Matt Barton


If you click on any of these links you'll see that the Kentucky All Stars won both games last night for the first time since 1991. It's pretty cool that they got these exclusive kicks for the game and the red really pops out on them.

Anyway, I thought I'd show some love for my state today. Thanks for checking out the blog and don't forget to vote the NBA draft is coming very soon.

Friday, June 13, 2008

The Converse Blog's Friday Flashback: Jogging.

This time tomorrow I will be rocking out with NEEDTOBREATHE. Which means I'll be doing a lot of standing and walking around Ichthus Festival. I've even had to run a few times to make the start of a concert. So I thought I'd I bring a walking/jogging/running shoe today.


They're simple in a nice white/blue colorway. They're appear to have an upper of suede and nylon.




I hope I was able to catch the game last night, but I don't know yet. Either way I'll be Weapresenting Boston. Thanks for checking out the blog and remember the vote on your way out.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

The Converse Blog's Weapresent Weapon Wednesday!

Welcome to the Converse Blog's Weapon Wednesday. Today is all about Weapresenting. I mentioned last Thursday about the Weapresent Boston T-shirts, well thanks to Paul, one the fine people at Converse I have some shirts to Weapresent to you today. Oh, before we get to the goods, go check out CelticsBlog.com, they have this awesome Weapresent banner.





Below are the two Weapresent Boston shirts, the white shirt is sort of distressed and extremely soft, very nice. They also have the Chevron and Star on the back of the shirt as you will see below. After that you'll see the Green Weapresent Boston Shirt.





Also I just found a picture of the Weapresent Los Angeles shirt from KLAC's website.

Even more Weapresent goodness below. In the recent press kit on the "My Drive Thru" song, they have profiles from some other recording artist, this shot features Chad Hugo of N.E.R.D., Kid Sister, and Frank Carter from Gallows. It is in this shot that Chad Hugo is wearing a Weapresent Virginia Beach shirt, very cool. Hopefully this means more Weapresenting past the finals.




Well that's it for today, thanks for stopping in and please remember to vote on your way out. Derrick Rose is starting to pull ahead of Beasley and Mayo. I am off to the Ichthus Music festival tomorrow so I may or may not be able to post on Friday, or I may post tomorrow before I leave. You'll just have to come and see.


Monday, June 9, 2008

The Converse Blog: My Drive Thru feat. Pharrell, Santogold, Julian Casablancas




NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (June 9, 2008) - Converse, the creator of iconic shoes including the Chuck Taylor® All Star®, Jack Purcell® and One Star®, announced today that it had brought together the talents of Pharrell Williams, N.E.R.D., Santogold and Julian Casablancas as part of the brand’s Century celebration. The artists recently joined forces to create a brand new, all original music track, “My Drive Thru,” that will be distributed digitally free of charge to a global audience exclusively on converse.com and authorized Converse web sites around the world. The track will be released on Tuesday, June 10.


“I’ve always wanted to work with Julian and I’m a big fan of The Strokes. Santogold is super-talented and she cares about music so much that it’s not just about sound, it’s a visual aesthetic,” said Pharrell Williams, the track’s producer. “Working together on original music that crossed all of our inspirations was completely refreshing and I love the track. As for partnering with Converse, I only wear and support the things that I like. The Chuck Taylor is the golden goose egg.”


Converse has long been associated with the worlds of music, sport, art and fashion. The brand’s current Century celebration is largely inspired by its role in disrupting the status quo over the last 100 years. The Chuck Taylor shoe has been worn by musical icons ranging from Sid Vicious to current artists like Common and M.I.A.


“Converse has been embraced by an amazingly diverse group of musicians and artists over the years,” said Geoff Cottrill, Chief Marketing Officer of Converse. “As we celebrate the brand’s first century, we thought it would be fun to bring together Pharrell, Santogold, and Julian, to create new music together that bridges the styles they are known for. The results are everything we hoped for and we’re excited to add ‘My Drive Thru’ into the mix of music that fans will listen to this summer. We are also providing a platform for a number of emerging artists from around the world. The music industry is changing and this partnership is about the music and sharing it with fans for free.”


“As an artist that is just breaking, being asked by Pharrell and Julian to join them on this project was a dream,” said Santogold, whose debut CD was released in May 2008 to rave reviews. “My inspirations come from sources ranging from singers like Nina Simone and Grace Jones to bands like Devo. Working across musical genres was like creating a patchwork where I got to weave together various influences and allow them to co-exist in a fresh and original way.”


In addition to collaborating on the track, the artists also participated in the creation of a music video that will be released during the summer. The song will be promoted, in part through Converse print, outdoor and online advertising tagged Three Artists, One Song. The advertising features the three artists as well as a range of emerging musical talent from across the globe, including MGMT, Bradford Cox of Deerhunter and Atlas Sound, YACHT, Kid Sister, Eleanor Friedberger of the Fiery Furnaces, Frank Carter of Gallows; Does It Offend You, Yeah?, and Sophie of Care Bears on Fire.

My Drive Thru - The Line Up:

Pharrell Williams: He can see sounds. Pharrell Williams has already made history for being one of the most successful and prolific producers to emerge during the last decade. As a part of the beat-making duo The Neptunes, Pharrell and his partner Chad Hugo have helped A-List pop stars sell millions of albums and even earn Grammy Awards for the likes of Justin Timberlake, Nelly, and Usher.

N.E.R.D. Funk rock class is now in session. "N*E*R*D* is who we are. “It's our life," Pharrell would say in 2000, in describing the group that includes him, Chad and longtime friend and creative wunderkind, Shae. The three of them together combine for uninhibited explorations of sounds, emotion and truth, adhering to no agenda, subscribing to no rules. N*E*R*D* is the way they live their life, the way they see the world.


Santogold: Worth more than her weight in gold. Her genre of music can only be described as Santogold. She’s a true alchemist in the music lab where she’s crafted a liquid mix of new wave, Wall of Sound era pop, dub and twisted beats. Santi White’s singular sound doesn’t bow down to the expectations of mainstream radio. So if you’re listening, Pop music, here’s your cue.

Julian Casablancas: The underground front man. If you’re looking for synchronized dance moves, you’ve got the wrong guy. Julian Casablancas may front indie rock superstars, The Strokes, but he always lets the music take center stage. With an obsession for songwriting that’s borderline psychotic, it’s his infectious hooks that take the spotlight.

Friday, June 6, 2008

The Converse Blog's Friday Flashback: Scatback Turf Ox

Hello world, welcome to the Converse Blog's Friday Flashback. Today we're going to return to the Psycho Training series. I actually didn't even notice that these were Psycho Trainers until I loaded up the pics. The name is Scatback Turf Ox, which can only mean that these trainers were designed for Football players.









You have to the love these as only a shoe from early 90's can be loved. I am a sucker for the logo used on these, they remind me of my childhood which is always good. That's it for the week, cheer on Big Brown this weekend. Thanks for checking out the blog and don't forget to vote on your way out.

The Converse Blog: Weapresent Boston T-shirt NBA Finals

So I am sitting at my friends house watching the game, enjoying myself rooting for the Celtics. Then the ball goes out of bounds and ABC shows the stands for a split second. Out of the corner of my eye...is that....it sure looked like a....YES!!!!


So I ran home to get online to see if I could find out for sure, and thanks to getty images I can bring you a solid picture of the Weapresent Boston t-shirt. It features the Converse Weapon in the classic Boston Celtics colorway.




I sure hope one these shows up on eBay because I need one in my life. I can only assume that there will be a Weapresent LA t-shirt too.