LeBron James - Nike 'RISE' Commercial

So... LeBron James has essentially thumbed his nose at the world, especially those talking greasey about him after his announced move to the Sunshine State. Nike clearly has put a lot of marketing dollars into King James. Though they could give two flying Cavaliers about where Bron Bron suits up, it's refreshing to see them take a tongue-in-cheek approach to the controversy. James has tweeted numerous times that he's got a bone to pick with all of the haters and hate that's been flung his way. With the NBA season looming (check out my NBA Season Previews if you haven't already), it's only right that the best player in the world right now would end his silence on such a grand scale. Of course, there still are 82 games to prove the move's worth, but with such a profound statement and the way James has been playing in the preseason, it would be unwise to bet against the King and his court. Check out the best Nike commercial I've seen in a while...

Nike Air Max 1 Premium (Crepe/Sail)

Fall is always such a weird time for footwear. The changing weather makes keeping your heaters clean a challenge that only the most dedicated of sneakerheads can fathom. While some turn to boots, loafers, mocs and the like, I prefer to stay with some sneakers. Clean colors and simple designs are the name of the game with this Air Max 1 Premium slated to drop this holiday. The sail colorway has a very light gray tint to it, with the upper made of premium leather with canvas accents, and topped off with a horse hair swoosh. The soles take after a traditional fall chukka with a crepe sole that provides a different look from the regular soles on Air Max 1's. The result is a sneaker that can brave the elements of the colder months as well as be a fresh look when Spring comes back around. Check out some closer pictures and be on the lookout for these when they drop come Christmas...

Nike Air Force 1 - Borough Pack & Block Party

From top to bottom: The Bronx (*shots lick off*), Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island & Brooklyn

If there ever was an iconic sneaker in the culture of New York City, it's the Nike Air Force 1. Uptowns, as we call them were one of the first kicks to have a cult following (aside from Shelltoes), and that's before Nelly made the world go ape shit for them with his track 'Air Force Ones'. Overexposure aside, it seems only right that the Air Force 1 get some colorways specifically about New York. That's why Nike and DJ Clark Kent combined their forces to create the Borough Pack. The pack gives a different style for every borough in the fair city of New York, each with a fabric and tumbled leather upper to mimic a varsity jacket, and gum bottoms for the old school sneakerhead in us all.

The best part about this release is that Nike is also sponsoring a block party at their 21 Mercer Street location in New York to commemorate the release, as well as the World Basketball Festival going on. All boroughs are invited as an initiative to bring New Yorkers together under one banner. I love what Nike's doing here. They're making every effort to appeal to people, and it's a great look for sneakerheads, basketball fans and everyone else in between. The block party is tomorrow, July 31, starting at 6. To top it off, DJ Clark Kent, along with DJ King Solomon and Miss Banks will be hosting the party. This might very well be the spot to be at in NYC tomorrow. Hopefully you can make it. Check out some flicks of the 'Borough Pack' as well as a flyer for Nike's All-Borough Block Party...

Nike Dunk SB 'Iron Man' & 'War Machine' (by Diverstile)

Peeped these on SneakerNews and from the homies at RecruitZero...

Fan memorabilia is always a tricky subject, because you can never have too much discretion at drawing the line behind healthy fanhood and ridiculous fanaticism. Some people feel a certain type of way when you call them out on what may be an overzealous idea of what fanhood is. Even so, a creation like this makes me realize the line is blurrier than ever. I considered myself a fan of Iron Man and the entities surrounding the franchise, but never thought I would find myself wanting to rock a pair of Iron Man sneakers. Guess that doesn't hold true today, because these are TOUGH. From the plated-on 'armor', to the custom arc-reactors in Iron Man and War Machine's suits (yes, they both ACTUALLY light up), this might damn well take the cake for any type of themed-sneakers (sans the Skunk Dunks). Unfortunately, these aren't production Nike Dunks, and are customs from sneaker designers Diverstile. If you want to get your hands on a pair, you should probably hit the website link and hope they have a pair left. Check out some more pictures of the coolest Dunks I've ever seen...

Nike Soccer - Write the Future

It's almost here!!!

Every 4 years, the World Cup is played. And every 4 years, we get bombarded with commercials and advertising based around soccer. That's not a bad thing. It would just be cool if soccer got a little more press in those 3 years in between. Commercials like this show us why. Nike brought in pretty much, the most popular football players on the planet for an epic 3-minute spot about those players making their way into history books through game-changing plays. Along with appearances on the pitch from Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Franck Ribery, Cannavaro, and Cesc Fabregas, to name a few, they had Kobe Bryant doing his best Ronaldinho impression after hitting a game winner himself. The action is crazy! I hope Nike and the rest of the world keep the spots like this coming...

Nike Air Foamposite Pro 'Pearl'

#shoutout to MarqueeSole for the pics...

It seems like Nike is trying its best to relive it's basketball hayday of the late 90's and early 2000's, when literally everything they touched turned to gold. I remember being in 8th grade and thinking that Foamposites would be the end-all, be-all of sneaker technology. Obviously, that wasn't the case, but the Foams still are one of the prettiest and functional sneakers, both for basketball and to wear casually. Last year, Nike brought the Pearls out for a limited run, with few heads able to get their grubby paws on them. This year, they're breaking them out for a much wider release, although they'll only be a Foot Locker House of Hoops exclusive. I honestly wouldn't mind rocking these on the court, though outside might be a stretch for these babies. Whatever the case, check out some choice flicktures and keep your eyes peeled, because they're starting to pop up all around the interwebs...

Nike Air 180 - White/Infrared

I guess since Jordan Brand is going apeshit with their whole infrared craze, Nike had to follow suit and drop a few infrared-themed sneakers. They're already dropping the Infrared Air Max 90's this summer and threw in a brand new infrared colorway for the Air 180. This one has cream-colored canvas and nylon on the toebox, and throws the bright red in for the air bubble and the heel tab. Honestly, this is a really dope sneaker. The Air 180's getting some much needed TLC from the folk over at Beaverton, and I, for one, am not mad at all. Check out some more flicks...

Nike Air Pippen - White/Silver/Black

#shoutout to Sneakernews for the pictures

Scottie Pippen is (next to Dominique Wilkins) the most underrated and overlooked player in the NBA. Not only did he play 15 seasons compared to Jordan's 12, he was a legitimate MVP player while Jordan was gone for his first retirement. Funny that his signature sneakers from Nike get overlooked and underrated as well, though they still are pretty hot. Nike went with one of the original colorways for their re-release of the Air Pippen this summer. I can't even front, these are a clean pair; made for summer. They may not be an automatic cop, but if there ever was a time to stock up on rare re-releases now would be the time. These babies are available now, too. Check out some more detailed flicks of the kicks...

Nike Trainer 1 – Vintage Box Edition

The sneaker box is one of the most overlooked pieces of sneakerhead memorabilia out there. Everyone loves what is inside the box, but the actual boxes often times get tossed out, used for female memories or in extreme cases, used for Myspace and Facebook pictures. Nike decided to pay homage to their iconic sneaker box by releasing an Air Trainer one in the classic orange colorway with a grey and white stripe on the midsole. Also, they featured materials like nubuck and ballistic mesh on the upper. While these might not be the sneakers you wear everywhere, they're definitely a must have for those die-hard collectors out there. Check out some more pictures...

Nike Shoes Make Music

The disclaimer at the end will not keep most people from trying to do the same thing... the same way that Dragon Ball Z being a cartoon didn't keep most 10 year old boys from trying to bring out their Chi like Gohan. Anime nerdiness aside, Nike+ and Nike Free teamed up with the breakbeats (beats to break to) crew Hifana to make this spot. Using 12 pairs of sneakers that they twisted and hit, the Japanese duo cooked up a beat to behold. The commercial shows at the end a runner syncing his Nike Free sneakers and the Nike+ iPod system, so that he could track and view his running stats on his iPod. Probably wouldn't buy it, but the commercial will definitely get about 100 more spins...

#shoutout to Meezyy and John from SwaggerDap

Nike Sportswear - "I'm the Michael Jordan of..." T-Shirt

Everyone wants to be the best at something. Be it dominoes, criminal litigation, flagpole sitting or, writing in my case, excellence is something people will eternally strive for. The pursuit of excellence drives everything in life. Why do something if you don't aspire to excel? That's the spirit that an athlete like Michael Jordan embodied and is the same spirit exemplified in this Nike Sportswear t-shirt. Yes, it's simple. Yes, it's open for wide interpretation what exactly the wearer is the 'Michael Jordan' of. Yes, it's even an arrogant statement to wear the shirt. Even so, the concept is dope. It'd probably be a good idea to write what you're the MJ of in the box. That's actually a pipe dream waiting to happen. Check the shirt out and figure out what you're the Michael Jordan of, so maybe you can rock the tee too. #shoutout to Freshness Mag for the flicks...

Nike Air Max 180 'Lemon'

Now that Gucci's made the lemon aesthetic into the epitome of a fad in hip-hop, I suppose it's only right for there to be a sneaker for that very tenet. Nike's Air Max 180's slowly become one of my favorite silhouettes, because of how simple and clean it is. It also has a very casual feel to it, without looking like your typical Nike sneaker of late. Not a lot of bells and whistles here. I like where 2010 is going so far. Hopefully, Nike keeps with a demure profile like this. Check out some alternate flicktures...

Nike Air Max 90 'Infrared'

Just when I thought there were only going to be Jordans and nothing else released this summer for the sneakerhead clientele, saw these bad boys floating around the interwebs. What's probably the most famous colorway of the Air Max 90s is going to be re-retroed again. They should be dropping on July 20th (right around the corner for my birthday, if anyone cares to add to my fund/collection) at most Nike retailers, including Foot Locker. Props to Sneakernews for the info. Keep your eyes peeled for more drops and news...

Nike Air 180 (Spring 2010)

Groundhog Day was 3 weeks ago, meaning there are still about 3 more weeks until winter meets its end for the year. That said, it's never too early to think about new threads for the spring. Nike's bringing back more colorways of its Air 180, starting with this one. It's clearly made for spring with the teal and orange (Miami Dolphins, anyone?), and should be out in April or May...

Dear NBA

via the NY Times

An advertisement featuring the NBA’s two biggest superstars includes a gun reference, the same week two players were suspended for carrying firearms to the locker room. The Nike ad, which appears in several publications including Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine, has LeBron James on one page and Kobe Bryant on the other. Along with the slogan, “Prepare For Combat,” is a quote from each player showing how tough he is.

Bryant’s blurb says: “I’ll do whatever it takes to win games. I don’t leave anything in the chamber.”

“The Nike print ad featuring Kobe Bryant was intended to illustrate his all out play and commitment on the basketball court,” Nike said in a statement. “It is a commonly used reference for shooting the basketball and no offense was intended.” NBA commissioner David Stern is sensitive to the issue of gun violence, and the NBA criticized the ad.

“We had no prior notice of this ad,” spokesman Tim Frank said. “We think it is inappropriate.”

Brandon Roy is a shooting guard. Daniel 'Boobie' Gibson is a gunner from three. The Magic had all of their guns drawn last night. Kobe Bryant doesn't leave anything in the chamber. NBA, what do all of those statements have in common besides being associated with basketball? Take your time...

Dingdingdingding!!! You got it!! They all have to do with guns or ammunition! NBA, and more importantly David Stern, you guys have some serious issues with rhetoric, evidenced by the overreaction from a damn Nike ad. Okay, we get it.. You don't want more Gilbert Arenas' running around making jokes on Twitter and during pre-game warmups. That's all well and good. But at what point does your discretion turn into a witch hunt? At what point are you shooting at a straw man? At what point are you going too far? It's one thing to have an (un)loaded gun in an NBA locker room and to have an ammunition-filled altercation. It's something completely different and nowhere near as destructive to have a Nike ad that references guns as a euphemism for a player's drive on the court. When you can't draw a delineation between the two, there is a problem.

NBA, it seems every year like you guys are trying to find ways to water down the personality of the game and the characters involved. Whether it's dress codes that are directed at black players, increased technical fouls for simply looking at a referee, or clamping down on players who make 'gun references', there won't be any personality in the game in the next decade! That's not to say David Stern has been a bad commissioner. At the same time, trying to regulate the language used in the NBA's advertising seems pointless, especially when it's the game's two (almost) pristine superstars. In fact it's even funnier that it's Kobe and LeBron, because if anyone was above the machinations of the security-crazed league, it would have been them. I suppose when you've got a league full of shooters, it's a thin line to draw between gun references and full team shootouts shootarounds...

Dear Nike

Who knew one release could tell so much about a company??

It's a funny thing about sneakers. Everyone loves to hate on them, and the fact that everyone is copping them, but no one ever takes into account who releases them. Nike, you released the first Air Jordan XI's in 1995. It was crazy because Michael Jordan himself got fined $5000 a game during the playoffs for wearing them. That fact only served to hype the sneakers up even more. The original Space Jam XI's were released in 2000, to even more hype, with sneaker collectors lining up for days to get their hands on a pretty nice colorway. Today, Twitter, the blogs and every mall in America were filled with 'sneakerheads' all looking for the same thing: another shot at those Space Jams. Therein lies the problem: another chance.

Nike, for the past decade, you've been giving people 'another chance' to get all of your more popular releases from the previous decade. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I relish the opportunity to get a sneaker that I was too young, or dumb to see the value in, or even afford. However, Nike, it is a HUGE problem when EVERY hot release you guys come out with is a retro. Think about it. What was the last sneaker you guys came out with, that people were lining up for, that WASN'T a retro?? I racked my brain for about 20 minutes trying to find one original sneaker from the past ten years. I couldn't find anything. Dunks and Uptowns are from the 80s, all the Jordans after XVI suck and Air Maxes stopped being hot after 2000. Even the Nike Basketball sneakers get rehashed. Penny's, KG's and other signature kicks are getting retroed too.

Here is some simple economics, Nike: rarity drives prices up. If you can't get something, that makes its value that much more for you. That said, I can understand why you guys keep retro-ing sneakers. You won't see a cent of the value of OG sneakers after retail (eBay and sneaker forums killed that profit), which is why you guys keep re-releasing them. Even so, you guys are tarnishing your legacy like that. 1/2 Cents and Sharkleys suck, as do the rest of your recent releases. Maybe you should focus more on R&D, and less on recapturing the magic of the past. Yeah, the Jams are a good sneaker, but how many times can you re-do a good thing before it gets (gasp) old???

Nike Blazer Mid - Light Chocolate / Black

This is honestly one of the cleanest releases I've seen in a minute. On a personal note, I've been looking for a pair of brown shoes/sneakers for a long ass time, and these might just be the one. There's suede on the upper, canvas on the interior, leather on the swoosh, and the laces are Timberland-esque. In fact, if I had one other shoe to compare these to, it would be Timbs. Check out what's probably going to be my next cop...

Nike Big Nike "LBC"

I've always had a part of me that wished I could be from California. If there's a 'New York State of Mind' then there is definitely a 'California State of Mind'. I suppose the closest I'll be able to get to it, until I actually hit the West Coast, is these sneakers. The Nike Big Nike has been getting a lot of colorways lately. I feel like this might be Nike's way of telling us that they're getting tired of Dunks, in the same way that they started releasing dope Dunk colorways when the Air Force 1 got played out. Check the flicktures of the Big Nike 'Long Beach'and if you're in California, make sure to check out the release tomorrow at Proper in the LBC...

Nike Big Nike "Eggplant"

Simply saying the Nike Big Nike out loud sounds foolish. Come to think of it, the idea of this sneaker itself is ridiculous. Mixing the classic eggplant colorway with a sneaker that's barely a year old? What's even funnier is that the Big Nike is a mash-up of the Dunk. The whole concept is insane! Too bad the sneaker is too. Check the pictures of the Eggplant Nike Big Nike (cringe)...

via www.footlockerunlocked.com

Nike Air Structure Triax 91 - Electric Green - Spring 2010

Forget 2012. The world might end after 2010 with all of the dope happenings going on. Along with NBA free agency, the sneaker game is looking like it's gonna hit a serious resurgence in 2010. With the exception of the SB division (everything I've seen looks like garbage), Nike has a lineup that might put it back on top next year. Check some more pictures of what's becoming one of my favorite shoes these days, the Air Structure Triax 91...