Retro..or Not Really

I have had this discussion with many friends and others about the debate about Retro Kicks. I mean..I have seen it in every magazine, every blog, and every site about kicks and about the "bringing back" the retro joints. What made me write this entry was the recent release of the Air Jordan Countdown Pack 4 & 19. I keep my eye on everything that has to do with footwear..and mos def sneaker related. I was into both skate and basketball joints back growing up. The Jordan 1's my Pops got for me in the AAFES for straight up $25 bucks!!! Anybody knows about AAFES was the shit. Hella cheaper and had no tax..the least Uncle Sam could do right..word! So yeah you read right..I got offical Jordan 1's for $25 bucks!!Yeah and they were real Red/White/Black..if you where wondering..I was one of three dudes at school who had them my boys Davon had Black/Red, and Seth had the Blue/Black ones. Anyways, I have a really good memory and to see what Nike is producing know it's not same. I mean I know it's all good when you can get back a piece of your childhood by scooping up the kicks..either you missed out on, they fell apart over the years, or you destroyed by playing in them.

I like most skaters back in those days, skated in what ever shoe we had. You know Vision Street Wear, Madrid Flys, Airwalk Prototypes and Reflexs didn't wear Vans because they would get a ollie hole like in a 3 days. I skated also in Court Force Nike because they were cheap but durable. I skated in my J's because of this photo of Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero,
Mike McGill, and Lance Mountain on the Animal Chin Ramp.

So I skated in them..but they were still good condition thou. It was about 87' when my parents split up..my Mom had moved to a different state and my stuff in boxes. I know it was about 1990 when I asked my Mom for that box..with my J's and old skate shoes in there. My Mom tells me that the storage that she had alot of the furniture, my sister's stuff, and mine was in this fire and burned down. So no more Jordan 1's..anyways that's besides the point. I just keep seeing these "retro" kicks that keep coming out and they don't look anything like the O.G's. Okay I can finally understand with the whole Jordan and Nike Air thing why there is a Jumpman logo instead of the original Nike Air stamp on the back or wherever. Well, to me the last real retro..(well let me rephrase that) the last retro that is in my closet. I haven't purchased any of the retros since my J 4's ..cuz they don't look the same. I always buy a pair of kicks for my birthday in May..and my favorite shoe of all time was being released..oh yeah had to have it.







I call these my "Dwayne Waynes" because he had these on "A Different World" tv show..the "Ron Johnsons" are the "Carmines"..when Dean Cain was on the episode about the racial stuff at the football game..he had those on..just what I call them personally. Damn, so off subject..anyways on that day I didn't even go to the Eastland to pick these up, I headed on down to Carolina Place in Pineville. There was no line plus nobody was jumping over me to get a pair. Nice, smooth, easy, and J's were not as expensive like now. Hell, they are pretty damn pricey to look like everybody else..no thanks. As I have been trying to say these are on the money for real. Everything is straight from what I can tell..Nike Air was on the back..and the label in the tongue was upside down. I don't even wear these anymore they just sit in there snug as hell. I have a lot of Jordans from the mid 90's to early 2000..all first run..funny they retroed them..and they don't even look the same.
So yeah I'm kinda hatin' on the new retros..don't like them...well until..The 11's come out..because you can't fuck those up too much...and only if the bring back the Nike Air Command Force
"David Robinson's"..whew..
those would be a sight to see.