60 http://www.sneakerplay.com/blogs/DBiz/ DBiz's blog RSS 1.0 Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:22:56 -0500 en © 2007 Sneakerplay http://www.sneakerplay.com/blog/DBiz/7593/ Fri, 9 May 2008 05:19:40 -0500
Think about the success the Silver and Pink boxes had in comparison to the Black boxes. Now that we're into the Gold box era, it's easy to see that Nike has realized the lack of demand post-black box.

Because of this lack of demand, they've since (and this is all speculation) stepped up the amount of releases with ACTUAL limited amounts. The Skate or Dies! were simply a 'Pro' release, yet they are by far the most expensive, hardest to find (Dunk SB) gold box thus far. Speaking of hard to find, other releases (Donatello's, and now Piet's and Thrashin's) are becoming harder and harder to come across upon release. In contrast, the black box era releases seemed flooded, readily available, and in general underwhelming.

Perhaps it's that the gold box (Dunk SB's) are more appealing. Better designs, better materials, and perhaps more hype has increased the demand, and thus made it harder to find basic releases. Maybe they're not actually releases lesser numbers of a certain shoe, but perhaps the popularity of the SB Dunk has decreased the chance of getting a pair on release day.

So... is it that Nike IS choosing to release them in fewer numbers, or do people want SB Dunks that much more?

It'd be interesting to hear anyone's thoughts...]]> http://www.sneakerplay.com/blog/DBiz/7586/ Wed, 7 May 2008 17:38:07 -0500
The Thrashin' was also made available today, but seeing as I'm not a huge fan of highs and I think they're a little too loud for my tastes, I went with JUST the Piets. The shoe is composed of canvas and nubuck, with red, yellow, and blue paneling to represent the artwork of Mr. Mondrian himself. The shoe comes with a spare bag of white laces, and black laces on out of the box.

The Piet is a quickstrike for the month of May, which means there aren't going to be TOO many, although if you try you'll be able to get your hands on a pair. I'd suggest getting some sooner rather than later, as it's a release that's worth your time and money.

Just my two cents...

And check my gallery for detailed pics.]]> http://www.sneakerplay.com/blog/DBiz/7561/ Mon, 5 May 2008 01:52:58 -0500
A lot of people, especially around Sneakerplay, ISS, and NikeTalk have an affection for Jordans that I don't quite understand. Now before I get jumped on and flamed, let me elaborate.

I understand the impact that the Jordan I had on shoe culture. It's the single most important shoe ever created, and for a multitude of reasons. Without the Air Jordan, I wouldn't be posting this blog on a website called 'sneakerplay', you wouldn't have your collection of Jordans, SB's, or ALIFE's, and I'm willing to be that Nike wouldn't be where they are today.

Of course the Jordan brand sneaker has become an annual release in Nike's lineup, and has an offshoot of their own. There have been 23 releases of the official Jordan shoe, but countless, and I do mean countless variations.

Now that I've established my knowledge on the shoe, and let you all know I understand how important Jordan's are to Nike and the shoe culture in general, let me let you all know my personal feelings.

Jordans are overrated, over hyped, and in general over appreciated.

There are a select few Jordans that I like (III's, XI's, XII's, and XXIII's), but every other release can go to hell in a hand basket. Why? Because tools camp out to re purchase a shoe that's been released for a third time now. We have the original release (which if you're collecting more power to you), the retro's (eh), and now the packs that everyone goes ga-ga over. There's really no way for me to say this delicately, so I'm forced to be blunt.

Don't think I'm trying to hurt your feelings, but please, know that these are my true thoughts...

The Jordan brand is making each and every one of you fools. You're constantly buying re released sneakers at marked up prices, waiting in line for them, and creating little to no exclusivity when it comes to shoe collectors. Part of the reason people collect Jordans is because there are only a certain number of releases they can collect. There are 23 signature shoes, and regardless of if you bought the original or retro, you're being screwed over with 'packs'. In all honesty, the Jordan brand is laughing in their castle made of cash while you shell out $400 for a pack of two shoes, and in some cases... a pair of god damn jeans. You're all fools for buying 'New Love/Old Loves'. You all look like assclowns when you buy a pair of shoes with jeans packed in, and show little to no willpower each and every time you line up for a shoe that's on its third release.

Buy the originals. Stop encouraging re-releases, and quit padding Michael Jordan's pockets with retarded amounts of cash because you get two shoes in one box, and even then... you're paying more than retail.

I laugh at each and every Jordan release, and can't wait until the 'These kids are retarded/Will collect my feces in a box' pack to come out.

You'll probably pay $350 for that one too.]]> http://www.sneakerplay.com/blog/DBiz/7552/ Sun, 4 May 2008 05:23:56 -0500
Robert Downey Jr. was the clear-cut standout, and his acting was as on point as could be. He was funny, smart, even charming at times, and it all came together perfectly. Pacing was on point, the action was of course awesome, and seeing Iron Man fly through the sky was a treat. I couldn't help but want a suit of my own just to experience the freedom that was portrayed in flying from one country to the next whenever one felt obliged. If you're going to see one movie in theaters right now, make sure it's Iron Man.

I also wore my Futuras, and... dang they're cool. The mix of materials, colors, and feel of the shoe forces me to look down every few seconds, and I couldn't help but smile. No one recognizes Futuras like they do Diamonds or U.N.K.L.E.S., but that's OK because I know the shoe is incredible, and I appreciate them beyond words.

That's all for now, just wanted to throw in my two cents and say 'GO SEE IRON MAN!' It's incredible, and you won't regret it (although I did pay $10.25 for a ticket... can you believe that?).

Go see it, and lastly, wear your Futuras.]]> http://www.sneakerplay.com/blog/DBiz/7515/ Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:21:45 -0500
2. The wait for Futuras has become unbearable. I also ordered some Jason Markks shoe cleaner, ($25, available here: jasonmarkks.com) and am willing to test the results on a pair of shoes I paid $375 for. Risky? Maybe, but from the evidence I've seen it's going to work out just fine. I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures for all of you, and we'll see how it turns out.

3. I also have two other pairs of shoes on the way; the E.T. Lows and the 720 Lows. While I'm not too excited about the 720's, the E.T.'s I'm really looking forward to. While I can't see myself wearing them, (simply because of the whole red patent leather idea) I know they're going to be a gorgeous shoe.

I'm off for the night. It's 2:21 AM and I'm still playing Call of Duty 4. I'm 152 kills away from 50,000 total, and I still have no plans on putting the game down anytime soon.

Be back soon.]]> http://www.sneakerplay.com/blog/DBiz/7500/ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 01:46:11 -0500
Believe it or not, it started with collecting P. Rod II's. I came across the first P. Rod by chance, and saw the II coming out, thought the design was great and went from there. I didn't know it at the time, but it would eventually lead to collecting SB's.

And now I've run into a problem.

I've accomplished the SB's that are decently priced (C&K's, Slams, J. Packs, De La Highs, etc) and started wanting the second and third series SB's. Shoes like the Takashi 1's top my list. However, just recently I found and purchased a pair of VNDS Futura's that I'd been looking for since my SB collecting began. That's an entire year waiting for one pair of size 12 shoes to pop up, and even then, they're been worn a little bit and need some cleaning. In fact, I'm so obsessed with the Futura's that I bought some Markk's cleaner so I can properly clean them up and give them the attention they deserve.

This brings me to my next point: How long is it going to be until I run into another pair? Of course, the goal is to get a pair of DS Futura's and put them away so I can take them out of the box and cuddle with them whenever I wish, but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.

Do you ever feel that your 'grail' just may be too rare/far off/crazy to find? The frustration can be too much, and while I feel relieved to finally have a pair, I'm still searching for that special someone who wants to part with the DS pair I long for.

In a way, this is kind of an advertisement... If you see any size 12 DS Futuras, by all means let me know. Problem is: I don't think that will happen anytime soon.

I know from experience.

Thoughts?]]> http://www.sneakerplay.com/blog/DBiz/7494/ Sat, 26 Apr 2008 05:10:20 -0500
C'mon.

I'll start by saying I do own some pretty hyped SB's. Diamonds, Slams, De La Highs, UNKLEs... but these are all SB's that stand out for different reasons. Now we have people on the other side of the fence: These people buy SB's like they're baseball cards. A new release appears, they buy one of each simply to say they have them. We're talking everything from premium releases to CCS Dunks (ya know, the ones you can find anywhere?).

Now, while these people bother me, they don't even compare to the self proclaimed 'sneakerheads' who buy every shoe, but OUTSIDE of their size. You know the guy, he bought the last size 12 at the skate shop simply to have one, and you were the unlucky bastard who walked up next and asked for the 12 to actually wear. Too bad he bought the last one to either re-sell or trade.

These people are the worst.

I've never understood the appeal of buying a shoe you can't wear because you can't fit into it. On all the message boards, kids advertise the size 13 they picked up, and they want to trade for a size 8 they can fit in to. I see people with collections, and their collection pic has boxes ranging from size 9 to 11.5, and we all know your foot doesn't vary that much.

So I request: Please, please, please stop buying shoes outside of your size.

My collection is not disgustingly big... I buy what I like when I can get my hands on it. However, when you buy the last size 12 simply because you made a trip to the shop and wouldn't feel right without shoes, think of the guy who will actually want those, and leave them for him. We appreciate it.

Let me know the next time you see me advertising a size 8 when I wear a 12. You won't, because I buy what a wear, please do the same.]]> http://www.sneakerplay.com/blog/DBiz/7468/ Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:03:01 -0500
A lot of people really dislike the colorways, materials, and overall design of recent SB's, and reminisce back to the days of Loden's and Flash's. The SB's Nike are coming out with today are better than the originals, and for multiple reasons.

Let me explain...

A lot of people simply think Dunks are too flashy. Skate or Die!'s, 720's, even the new E.T. Lows are being labeled as 'too flashy' and 'terrible materials'. While yes, they are much flashier than say the Sharks, Loden's, and even the Supreme Lows, there is good reason behind this. The reasoning behind the flashier Dunks is two fold. First off, Dunks aren't meant for skating anymore. People who think Dunks are solely for skating, and are still being produced for skating are kidding themselves. Is there a way that an all patent shoe can be skated, and still look respectable and hold up after a few sessions?

Absolutely not.

The other reason behind the 'flashy' look as of late are the 'themes'. We had the cologne pack (Brut's, Old Spices, and Peacocks), and as of late we've had the 80's pack (Skate or Die!s, 720's, and even Ferris Buellers). Perhaps it's because I grew up in the 80's (Born in '84) that I can appreciate these more than the average person. Most people I come across are 16-18, and have no idea what it was like to be an 80's baby. Looking forward to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Saturday's, watching The Land Before Time, and eating different colored popcorn was a normal routine. The people at Nike who are designing these shoes now are people my age. These are people in the 23-31 age group, and are socially aware of what is going on.

These people want to live their childhood on their feet, and perhaps it's because I grew up at the same time they did that I want to as well. I love looking down and thinking of E.T. when I see the white patent fade to red, and can recall what it was like the first time I did a 720 in Skate or Die!

Maybe I'm off base here, and maybe the packs are just coincidence, but everything as of late has looked back at the 80's, a time I am very fond of.

I'm sure when the 90's kids (people who are 14-20 now) are looking at SB's, and see the 'SNICK Nickelodeon pack', they too will start gushing, regardless of the colorway and design. (Hell, even I wouldn't mind it)

In the end, these 'packs' are a good thing. They inspire creativity, take some folks back to their childhood days, and allow those who weren't present during these times the chance to live a different era. One day your 'Nickelodeon' pack will pop up, and when others start complaining, just point them to this post... They'll understand.]]>