Converse The Smooth - My Birthday Holy Grail

Today is my birthday...I'm now 27...and I am not more nostalgic then ever.  I miss things of my childhood...like when Converse was in the NCAA...or in this case when Converse used React Juice and later React 2, which was more of Gel that didn't have to be contained.
If I were ever fortunate enough to be able to collaborate on a Converse shoe, this would be one my choices to bring back...but really anything from 90's with React would be on that list. 

The truth is, I have many favorite shoes from Converse, but The Smooth is my all time favorite...(at least this week). 
It featured React II and also had the Shoe-in-a-shoe construction.  The inner booty would come out and you could wear it around the house or on the court in between runs.  The outer shell had this ultra smooth cushioning upper with the mesh circles for ventilation.

The construction aloud for a lower to the ground design which provided a more responsive shoe that just seemed to play faster then anything I'd worn before. 



The shoe-in-a-shoe design would be used only 3 more times in another React II shoe, which I can't remember the name of, and the first two Helium shoes the He:01 and He:02.  These were some really innovative times at Converse, which hopefully are returning. 

Below are two ads that ran for The Smooth both featuring Brevin Knight's signature as an NBA player wearing the shoes, and then I found a picture of Jason Terry wearing them his rookie year when he was signed to Converse.

 Big thanks to DefyNewYork.com for the pic

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Bobby Jackson Converse Ad.

Bobby Jackson was drafted in the 1997 by the Sonics with the 23 pick and was traded to Denver before the season began.   Jackson was one of three first round picks that Converse signed along with Brevin Knight and Jacque Vaughn.  Ron Mercer, also from the 1997 draft, would later on wear Converse in the NBA after previously wearing Converse at Kentucky. 

I remember seeing this ad in a Sports Illustrated when it first came out, but I had forgotten about it until recently.  This was during the "Stay True" campaign during the time that all Converse basketball shoes featured the Chuck Taylor Ankle patch. 

I love this ad because it's straight forward and it works well using the idea of less is more.  It's just Bobby Jackson sitting in a locker room with the tag line, "Is, Was, Will be."  While all three of players never went on to be stars in NBA, they've all expereinced long careers in the L.  I always love this time of year because the finals are coming and right after that we get the draft.  The draft is a chance every year for teams and company's to experience growth, potential, and youthful energy.  I am already looking forward to see who Converse will sign from this class.    

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