Slim's Sneaker History

It's been a while since I've written about kicks, as nothing new has really caught my eye enough to inspire a post. So I've decided to take a moment to let you in on how my sneaker obsession began. I'm sure you're just dying to know. I trace the obsession back to my days in the first grade, when my good friend Ryan, of Half Court Heave fame, moved in next door to the Mayfields on good ole Shuman Lane in Finneytown.

Up until this point, I had never owned a pair of Nike Airs and it wasn't until I saw Ryan and his older brother rocking them that I began to covet them more than anything else in the world. My desire to own a pair grew so strong that one time, while eating at a restaurant with my family, I noticed a waitress wearing some and loudly exclaimed, "She's wearing Nike Airs!"

One morning after a sleepover at Ryan's house, I noticed a pair of black and white Nike Air trainers sitting in the basement. They were an old pair of Ryan's brother's shoes and they fit me perfectly. I asked if I could buy them, despite being pretty worn in, and before long a deal was struck for $5-10. It should also be noted that after Alonzo Mourning was traded to Miami, I bought my second Starter jacket from his brother which was a Miami Heat pullover.

I remember walking around in my used kicks and looking at the Nike Air logo on the back of my heel to soak in the glory of wearing a true pair of Nike Airs. Yeah, I was a dweeb. From this point on, an obsession was born. The obsession wouldn't be fully realized until after graduating college, but the seed had been planted nonetheless.

If I still have your attention, take a moment to marvel at some of the freshest sneakers I rocked during my formative years.

Converse SBs

Like my fellow Dank Game sneaker colleague Sean, I have lost any ambition of posting the flyest new shit in the sneaker world. In fact, I never really had that ambition in the first place. I just like to post stuff that I think is sweet. One thing that I think is pretty sweet is Converse's recent skateboarding shoes. I'm no skateboarder, so I can't comment on how they perform on the half-pipe, but I can comment on how dope they look. And let me tell you, these shoes look pretty fucking dope. Unfortunately, I can't find any information about when or where these will be released. Any help with this would be appreciated.

This is the Converse SB Revere Mid from the Converse Red Suede Series. I'm really feeling the simple design and red suede with navy trim. Check out Nice Kicks for more photos of the Converse Red Suede Series.

This is the second pair from the Red Suede Series, which are obviously Chuck Taylors. I've always liked when Chucks use the material of the shoe for the toe rather than extending the rubber sole. Check the link above for more photos of these shoes.

This is the Converse CTS Mid Navy Blue Waxed Canvas. Another nice looking Chuck Taylor. I'm definitely feeling the look of the waxed canvas. Check out Nice Kicks for more photos.

D-Wade & Jordan Brand

It's pretty old news that Dwyane Wade has made the jump from Converse to Jordan Brand. I was initially uninspired to write about it because he was building up the impending news via Twitter right around the time Odom was feigning an interest in signing with Miami (I know, I just can't get over it). When the news finally broke, I was pretty disappointed it didn't involve free agency, but I was intrigued by the possibilities of Wade being endorsed by Jordan brand. Now, thanks to a post from Nice Kicks, I'm suddenly looking forward to seeing what D-Wade will be sporting on the hardwood next season. I mean, it will obviously be better than this or this. Sorry Converse, but no amount of React Juice can make those shoes any better.

NiceKicks.com: "There is no doubt that both of these sneakers coincide with the Miami Heat jerseys; however, both of them may be a little too loud for the NBA’s preference. For example, the black Air Jordan 5 seems like a no-brainer, yet when the bright arena lights hit the 3M upper it will seem like Wade is sporting an all-silver sneaker. As for the red pair, it may be a little to eye-catching and head-turning for David Stern. If you recall, Stern fined MJ for wearing the Air Jordan 1 because of its vibrant color."

That's some old bullshit right there, Stern.