20 years ago a documentary was made called "Jordan & Company".
A detailed look behind the scenes at the 87 - 88 Chicago Bulls season.
This video is a great look back at Mike way before the championships. For a true Jordan head this video is amazing, I thought I had seen it all, Come Fly with Me, Michael Jordan's Playground, Rare Air, etc etc....
But this doucumentary really shows what it was like to be on the same team as Michael Jordan way back in the day before the dynasty was established.
The documentary follows the teams through all the day to day routines.
The 87/88 season was both Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant's rookie year in the NBA and Phil Jackson was still the assistant coach.
Follow the team as they go on the road, to the hotel rooms, practice sessions, closed door locker room meetings, going golfing, even a full blown fight with the Detriot Pistons.
See how rookie's get treated in the NBA when Charles Oakley smacks around Pippen.
Watch Mike and the rest of the team gambling in the airport.
On part 3 Jordan and Oakley go to the Nike factory on a little shopping spree.
Can you imagine going on a free shopping spree at the Nike factory with Michael Jordan in 1988 ? ? ?
This has to be every sneaker heads wet dream.
Crazy!
Here is the 4 part youtube version of this documentary.
If you Like Mike your gonna love this classic video of Renee Ferguson interviewing Michael Jordan for the Channel 5 news back in 1988.
The interview is filled with all kinds of vintage footage of Mike on and off the court.
From classic commercials to personal photos of Mike and Juanita before they were married.
We even get to see Mike rocking the Nike "Revolution" in the video, the sneaker that was part of the inspiration for the Air Jordan III's.
In the interview Mike talks about being a role model and maintaing a positive image for the public, grocery shopping, how he met Juanita, and to top it all off, Mike has the flu so he sounds like a frog for the whole interview.
Back in December of 07' Mike hit the practice court with the Charlottle Bobcats to help motivate the team. Heres a short video of Jordan playing a little one-on-one with the Bobcat players, also a short interview with the coach, players, and even Mike himself.
Watching that video reminds me of how much I really miss watching that guy play ball.
To read more about this, copy n paste the link to check out my blog entry from 12/19/07 about this story.
Enjoy this interview with Michael Jordan from late 07' talking about his day to day role as managing memeber of basketball operations for the Charlotte Bobcats franchise.
Mike also talks about his competitive nature, todays young players vs. yesterdays younger players, his childern, and what he brings to the table to make the Bobcats a better team.
The only thing better then seeing the new Air Jordan's for the first time is seeing the new Air Jordan commercial for the first time.
The Air Jordan's commercials have a rich history of there own.
Jordan Brand recently aired the new Air Jordan XX3 commercial.
The commercial features old footage of Brand Jordan athletes such Derek Jeter, Terrell Owens, Ray Allen and even features a quick clip of what looks like a very young Michael Jordan from his elementary or middle school days.
The concept of the the commercial is shifting the focus from the classic Spike Lee line: "It's the shoes", to "It's not the shoes, It's what you do in the shoes."
No other basketball shoe has changed the face of business, athletics and marketing like the Air Jordan. This month, Nike releases the 23rd edition, and it is expected to be just as venerated as its predecessors.
The sleek design and link to Michael Jordan's jersey number make it a touchstone in the line. It's also Nike's first basketball shoe designed under its "Considered" ethos, which aims to reduce waste and use environmentally friendly materials wherever possible.
The Air Jordan XX3 will be released in three hyped-up rounds from January to February, starting with a limited edition to be sent to only 23 retailers to be sold for $230 and concluding with the national launch at $185.
There had been talk at Nike about retiring the shoe at No. 23, because of his iconic jersey number. But company officials won't say whether this will be the last of the line. Neither will Jordan. "You'll just have to wait and see," Jordan said in an e-mail to the Associated Press, responding to questions about the upcoming release.
Before launching the first shoe in 1985, Nike had just signed Jordan for $2.5 million over five years. Nike won't say what Jordan's current contract with the company is worth.
Jordan's deal with Nike opened the door for sneaker manufacturers to chase after athletes, signing them up — sometimes just out of high school — for multimillion-dollar contracts in hopes of being able to cash
in on the next superstar. It sent sneaker prices to new heights, which has since generated a backlash against selling pricey shoes to basketball-loving kids. Unlike most basketball shoes to date, which were often white and utilitarian, the Air Jordan was a shock of black and red. It was initially banned by the NBA for not conforming with other players' shoes.
Jordan continued to wear them and was fined $5,000 a game, which Nike paid.
"Nobody expected the mass hysteria created by its release," Jordan, who has been a part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats since 2006, said in his e-mail to The AP.
A new edition was launched each year, and release dates had to be moved to the weekends to keep kids from skipping school to get a pair. The frenzy got dangerous. People were mugged and even killed for the shoes.
Jordan said he never expected the shoe would become an icon.
"Like every kid growing up, I dreamed of making winning shots at the buzzer and I was fortunate to live out that dream, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever entertain the idea of the success of the Air Jordan franchise."
The Air Jordans moved basketball shoes from true high-tops or low-tops to a middle range and used unheard of styles, such as patent leather toes and elephant print.
As Jordan's success grew on the courts, so did Nike's in the shoe industry.
People from the streets to the suburbs were wearing $100-plus basketball shoes, which was unheard of at the time.
That price is the norm today, but it has launched a backlash, such as the partnership between New York Knicks player Stephon Marbury and the Steve & Barry's store chain to sell basketball shoes for $14.98 — a direct stab at pricey sneakers like Air Jordans.
At that time, the Air Jordan captured a mix of design, marketing, athleticism and player charisma that hadn't been seen before in the industry — everyone wanted to "Be Like Mike."
"Athletes had been endorsing products for years prior to this," said Tinker Hatfield, Nike's Vice President of Innovation Design and Special Projects.
"But they were just signing their name to the shoe. I think there was a very understandable difference ... Michael's personality and even the changes in the game and inspiration from other walks of life were all sort of being designed into this product and that made it more interesting."
Jordan and Hatfield work together on the design and function on many of the Air Jordan shoes. Jordan has final say on design matters.
Air Jordan was the lightning in the bottle that every company hopes for.
Nike quickly moved from a running company and newcomer to the basketball category to the market leader. Some industry estimates put Nike's current share of the basketball shoe market at about 85 percent. Far behind are Adidas and Reebok.
Jordan's original deal seems like a pittance compared to multimillion-dollar contracts inked these days, such as Nike's $90 million agreement with LeBron James.
"The beginning of the Jordan era marked a new and more sophisticated approach to leveraging an athlete," said Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.
Like any bet, athletic companies take their risks — some pay off, like Tiger Woods or LeBron James. But some don't, a la Michael Vick. Nike terminated its contract with Vick last August after his plea agreement on dogfighting charges.
The Air Jordan remains the pinnacle piece for shoe collectors. The original Air Jordan 1 can sell for thousands of dollars, depending on various factors.
Jordan said: "It blows my mind that even after five years removed from the game the shoe would be stronger than ever and I would still be greeted by fans as if I had just won a championship all over again."
To introduce something new; make changes in anything established.
I love the new AJ XX3's, but the black version needs a little "innovation" in my opinion.
I wish the white stitching on the sides was a darker color like black or even a dark grey. I made a quick photoshop version of what the black AJ XX3 might look like without the white stitching.
What do you think?
Leave a comment on which version of the XX3 you like better.
Pinel & Pinel, a luxury goods manufacturer out of Paris, has created a series of trunks used primarily for stereo and office storage inspired by the golden age of train and ocean liner travel.
The most recent addition to the collection, a sneaker storage trunk on wheels, is designed especially for those of you who have been waiting for the perfect means of organizing – and displaying – your favorite shoes.
In 1985, the entire world stood on its ear with the release of the AIR JORDAN
-a white, red and black fashion statement that revolutionized the athletic footwear industry.
Much like Michael Jordan in his rookie season, the original AIR JORDAN was the beginning of something legendary. From Rucker Park to Park Avenue, from Hollywood to Wall Street, the AIR JORDAN sneaker has consistently been the most sought after athletic luxury basketball shoe. Sneaker enthusiasts have credited the shoe as the impetus behind "sneakerhead" collectible market.
Twenty-three shoes later, the Jordan Brand introduces a product truly worthy of being called the "Greatest Basketball Shoe Ever," the AIR JORDAN XX3, is poised to tilt the world once again.
Introducing the Air Jordan XX3.
For each iteration of AIR JORDANs created, inspiration is everything.
The F-22 stealth fighter jet served as inspiration for the XX2.
The muse behind the design of the XIII was the Black Panther and the XIV paid homage to the Ferrari 550 M.
The AIR JORDAN XX3 simply embodies the belief held by Michael Jordan and Tinker Hatfield, Vice President, Innovation Design & Special Projects, that the AIR JORDAN XX3 must be the best ever.
To accomplish this, new technological advances were built into the shoe to create the first Nike Considered, high-performance basketball shoe in NIKE, Inc. history in a beautiful handcrafted silhouette the world has ever seen.
In the spirit of sustainability, the AIR JORDAN XX3 is the first basketball shoe for Nike to embrace the Nike Considered design ethos, where details in the development and design of the shoe seek to reduce waste and allow for the use of environmentally preferred materials wherever possible-all without compromising athletic performance.
The Nike Considered design ethos is one of several company-wide corporate responsibility targets that NIKE, Inc. has implemented to sustain long-term growth and innovation.
Enjoy this video featuring Michael Jordan, Tinker Hatfield and Mark Smith discussing the new Air Jordan XX3.
AIR JORDAN XX3 Technical Components
Nike Considered:
• AIR JORDAN XX3 is the first basketball shoe in Nike's history to be designed according to Nike Considered ethos. • The design of the AIR JORDAN XX3 minimizes waste and use of solvent based cements. • Automotive quality painting process on the backside of the Thermo Plastic Urethane (TPU) chassis is completed by an efficient robot arm to maximize the quality, consistency and durability of the paint and component. • Outsole uses environmentally preferred rubber that reduces toxics and incorporates Nike Grind material from footwear outsole manufacturing waste. • The construction of the shoe emphasizes the use of environmentally preferred materials.
Upper:
• A newly engineered, patent-pending, stitching machine stitches the upper in 3-D form. • Dual density sock liner. • Internal dual density slow recovery foam around the heel conforms to foot shapes to create a more custom fit. • One shot compression molded phylon midsole. • Full length sleek internal bootie maximizes comfort while complimenting the sleek profile. • Nu-foam collar/tongue lining package for sleek low profile comfort. • New quilted pattern molded sock liner that provides quality arch support.provides quality arch support. • Reinforced quarter panels to form and hold the exact shape of the last to provide the best fit possible. • Breathable tongue allows air to escape helping to keep the foot cooler. • The upper is bladder pressed on the last two times during the construction to form the upper shape exactly to the last shape.
Midsole / Outsole:
• Full length Zoom Airsole unit for superior cushioning. • Carbon fiber/acrylic weave shank plate adds structure and support in key areas. • High performance TPU chassis built for stability and support. • Light weight - 15 ounces. • One of the lowest midsole profile thickness made for a basketball shoe (19mms in the heel and 9mms in the forefoot) allowing for players to be as close to the ground as possible and feel the court. • The shank plate is inserted into the TPU chassis mold and the TPU is directly shot over the entire plate. This process is the most efficient for production because it enhances durability, reduces waste, and minimizes our solvent cement usage. It is a new innovation for performance footwear. • Advanced cushioning system contains a low profile IPS system with a large pillar in the heel combined with a low profile modified IPS in the forefoot.
AIR JORDAN XX3 Unique Design Features:
• An imprint of Michael Jordan's finger print traction pattern on outsole. • Precise stitching to reveal external heel moccasin stitch. • Michael Jordan signature on toe cap. • High performance TPU chassis. • Michael Jordan thumbprint on back of tongue lining. • Handcrafted MJ stitch pattern offers beautiful detailing and function.
