Well the whole experience was enough to make me question if its really worth all the time and effort for shoes.
So i got there at like 4 in the morning on the day they were giving out bands. First off a girl who works at the shop comes walk past the line before they open and 10 minutes later strolls out in a pair.
The staff don't tell anyone anything, so when they do open grown men start acting like kids, pushing and shoving to the front. The security is picking random people to come in. Then 10 minutes after they opened they close and say theres no more bands till tomorrow. I had just seen a guy who turned up 40 minutes ago get a band and I didn't!
Stayed away from trainers for a while after that. I'm never shopping there again, wanted the undefeated dunks but refuse to give my money to a shop like that!
For some reason when i read this i felt like i was watching a documentary/ autobiography on the most interesting man in the world... "lived largely on my own since 16".. that sounded pretty boss sir
So, did I miss anything good? Had some really bad food poisoning and have been out of commission for about 2 days, and there's 10+ pages of stuff to read through! I'm seeing some of y'all talking about slowing down with the kicks. That's the exact opposite for me, as I just got back into copping kicks again not too long ago. Fortunately, I'm pretty selective about what I buy (to keep), so my collection hasn't spiraled out of control, at least in my opinion; my girlfriend's? Now that's another story... I'm not really the guy that's gonna cop a new release or two every month. I'm strictly about knocking off stuff that I really want. In the last 2 months, I've copped the HFs and McRads, and that's it, as far as newer stuff. On the other hand, I've copped Huxtables, Bratruds, Guccis, Brain Wrecks, and Feelgoods in that same amount of time. I don't have anything against the more simpler/subtle colorways that Nike SB has been putting out, but I have that game locked with my Js, so I'd rather cop the louder Dunks with my money, if that makes any sense. I've even been letting go of a lot of the OG Retro Js of late, ones that aren't Top 20 favorites. I'm keeping a pair of Grape's, but I've let go of a ton of stuff that I probably would've kept a year ago. The other thing I'm starting to realize is if I regret letting go of a pair of Js, I'll have about 3 or 4 more chances to cop throughout the year; look at the '88 3s dropping, again, in a couple weeks (along with the handful of other Js dropping as well). It's getting out of hand with the JB restocks, but that's for another thread.
Noticed BIP's 33. That's about what I figured, judging by taste in kicks and music. I would've been shocked if you were 23. I'm 3 years behind you. I'd be curious to know the average age of the various NT thread/forums. I'm guessing the two Bs (SB and NB) are probably 28 to 30, while Jordan is 16 to 20.
1. For me the shoe game just recently shifted. I am pretty new to sb's (concords) but am going to turn into an enthusiast (i have bought 3 pairs since the concords). I am pretty much a Jordan and Penny Collector. About 125 pairs in the closet. For years I could pick up the phone around 11:45 and call Eastbay to get my shoes. You would have to call a lot and wait on hold but my success rate was pretty much 100%. Then they moved to online only. That is pretty much a crap shoot. I haven’t bought a bot yet and don’t think I’m going to. I also live in Orlando so I was here for the all-star weekend riots that were just ridiculous. It used to be about finding the money so you could buy the shoes. Now it’s all about trying to find the shoes. You can’t be a casual sneakerhead and get anything. You have to dedicate a ton of time to it to be successful or pay over retail. This hobby has turned into something crazy.
2. For most hyped shoe I really don’t have an expert opinion but from someone new to the SB game I would have to say the Tiffany’s. The premier are pretty dope to me because of the elephant print. The pigeons are pretty basic so those can go in the over hype category as well.
Going forward knowing my addictive personality I will be pretty involved in this thread. I think now I am going to sell off my DS Jordan’s and buy some SB’s. The culture in here seems more inviting and people seem to help people instead of just talk ish to each other.
For some reason when i read this i felt like i was watching a documentary/ autobiography on the most interesting man in the world... "lived largely on my own since 16".. that sounded pretty boss sir
I grew up with one foot in each of two worlds. I always went to "gifted" schools and all that, so I had exposure to a culture of achievers. At the same time, most of the dudes I grew up with were starting to see their first taste of the legal system by the time they were 14 or 15. It was a real sort of eye opening experience because you saw with young eyes how social class defines so much. I knew rich kids whose parents were foreign diplomats who basically had their own apartments in high school and were given hundreds of dollars a week as allowance. These kids did drugs like crazy. Meanwhile, dudes from my neighborhood basically did the same stuff, but they didn't have the same resources. No home to hang out and throw a drug party, so they did it outside... and got caught and got arrested. No high-priced lawyers to be retained when they got caught selling drugs. No check book to make a donation to a school or chosen charity when they were going to get kicked out of school or whatever.
It was also an eye-opener to see how police treated you in different neighborhoods.
Around my junior year of high school, my mother essentially moved out of our place. My parents divorced long before that, and my dad actually died before I was 20. I wasn't completely financially independent in high school, but I certainly lived essentially without parental supervision. I went to school. I worked. And, I hustled. I let the hustler side overtake me in the 90s/early 2000s and got jammed up with some cases and what not. I was able to get out of it with minimal damage, but realized I was jeopardizing my future and left that behind me.
Quote, Kiss:
I know a few dudes doing life bids in jail
And they way smarter than them white kids in Yale
...The line between the two can be a lot thinner than many people think.
I grew up with one foot in each of two worlds. I always went to "gifted" schools and all that, so I had exposure to a culture of achievers. At the same time, most of the dudes I grew up with were starting to see their first taste of the legal system by the time they were 14 or 15. It was a real sort of eye opening experience because you saw with young eyes how social class defines so much. I knew rich kids whose parents were foreign diplomats who basically had their own apartments in high school and were given hundreds of dollars a week as allowance. These kids did drugs like crazy. Meanwhile, dudes from my neighborhood basically did the same stuff, but they didn't have the same resources. No home to hang out and throw a drug party, so they did it outside... and got caught and got arrested. No high-priced lawyers to be retained when they got caught selling drugs. No check book to make a donation to a school or chosen charity when they were going to get kicked out of school or whatever.
It was also an eye-opener to see how police treated you in different neighborhoods.
Around my junior year of high school, my mother essentially moved out of our place. My parents divorced long before that, and my dad actually died before I was 20. I wasn't completely financially independent in high school, but I certainly lived essentially without parental supervision. I went to school. I worked. And, I hustled. I let the hustler side overtake me in the 90s/early 2000s and got jammed up with some cases and what not. I was able to get out of it with minimal damage, but realized I was jeopardizing my future and left that behind me.
Quote, Kiss: I know a few dudes doing life bids in jail
And they way smarter than them white kids in Yale
...The line between the two can be a lot thinner than many people think.
I wish even 1% of posts on NT were as insightful as this one. I will say, i had a similar experience in being able to witness both sides first hand and I agree completely with what you're saying.
My main reason for reconsidering keeping some of my stash is just that, while I'm in a decent place in life, especially at my age (turn 27 on the 27th), I want to be better than just good before i somewhat abandon my frugal ways. Even then, why let a hobby overtake your life? It's just material ish.
There are periods where I'll wind up copping a dozen shoes in a month, then I'll go through a 6 month period where I'll cop maybe 6 pairs total. It's a lot easier to maintain whrn your interests vary so much from Jordans to SBs to Frees to Lunarglides. Just buy what everyone else overlooks at bargain basement prices. I always bluff about selling off my shoes, but its always the ones that I didn't necessarily love in the first place.
My BHM Bruins from Martini S&S just arrived which I paid 49 shipped for. Was it a mistake that they only charged me 6.50 for USPS Priority Mail where in actuality they paid $16+ to ship it to me?
I actually know someone who has a pair cause her sister in law randomly signed into the contest. She has little to no appreciation for sneakers but thinks they're cool as an artistic piece.
I grew up with one foot in each of two worlds. I always went to "gifted" schools and all that, so I had exposure to a culture of achievers. At the same time, most of the dudes I grew up with were starting to see their first taste of the legal system by the time they were 14 or 15. It was a real sort of eye opening experience because you saw with young eyes how social class defines so much. I knew rich kids whose parents were foreign diplomats who basically had their own apartments in high school and were given hundreds of dollars a week as allowance. These kids did drugs like crazy. Meanwhile, dudes from my neighborhood basically did the same stuff, but they didn't have the same resources. No home to hang out and throw a drug party, so they did it outside... and got caught and got arrested. No high-priced lawyers to be retained when they got caught selling drugs. No check book to make a donation to a school or chosen charity when they were going to get kicked out of school or whatever.
It was also an eye-opener to see how police treated you in different neighborhoods.
Around my junior year of high school, my mother essentially moved out of our place. My parents divorced long before that, and my dad actually died before I was 20. I wasn't completely financially independent in high school, but I certainly lived essentially without parental supervision. I went to school. I worked. And, I hustled. I let the hustler side overtake me in the 90s/early 2000s and got jammed up with some cases and what not. I was able to get out of it with minimal damage, but realized I was jeopardizing my future and left that behind me.
Quote, Kiss: I know a few dudes doing life bids in jail
And they way smarter than them white kids in Yale
...The line between the two can be a lot thinner than many people think.
Man that kiss quote drove the point home so well,i see exactly what youre saying. Fortunately i always had a job to keep me out of trouble, but i knew dudes who werent as fortunate but i noticed every time they got in trouble instead of cleaning of up their act they just sat back felt sorry for themselves and got in more trouble. You should do some motivational speaking. I think we already spoke about this but your write, professionally. If im correct?
It is hella funny. Dudes "Echo Park" comment stung though, lol. That was a good one. Whoever it is that's going back and forth with them should be repped immediately, because he knows what he's talking about. I see what he's doing though, he got them to admit publicly that they dropped the Concords early, check mate. He continues to @ nikestore, nikesb and niketown in every tweet. I see what he's doing.
Flip side, I don't believe Nike is doing build outs with them. But, sadly, if any shop in the States were to become the "Civilist x Nike SB" of the US, it would probably be them.
I spoke about Nike SB bringing that HOH feel to skate shops (it actually was the Civilist x Nike SB post come to think of it) in a previous post of mine, I didn't think BP would be in the running. I think other shops were offered the opportunity and turned it down. I refused to believe that SB would think so highly of these clowns that they were first on the list. ...I've seen stranger partnerships though.
Edit: The post I referred to was the Civilist x Nike SB post.
#1.) It was a combo of 2 releases that made me think that I was done with this whole thing. The Galaxy Foamposite and Concord11 release. My Gawd. The Concord release was pure chaos! I happened to end up at NTSM for them. The line became SO unruly that the store decided to do a raffle. Once that was decided and announced by the store manager, there were people STILL trying to cut in line and FIST FIGHT over raffle tickets! Raffle tickets my dude! Not a actual spot in line for a guaranteed pair. A raffle ticket! I witnessed a overgrown wannabe thug attempt to push a old sneaker head out the way to get in line. He didn't know the old man had a razor on him though, and was willing to pull it and put in work. If that kid wouldn't have let up, that old man would have cut him like a Kansas City pimp. Then when I got home, I saw all the videos of people running kids over to break into malls for the Concords. Stupid s**t! (vid in spoiler)
Kids catching Ammonia tho?
The Galaxy craze was mind boggling to me. Everyone that knows me, knows that I HATE Foams. So the fact that a shoe that I knew NEVER really sold or flew off shelves before could cause this much of a stir, annoyed the f*ck out of me. I remember watching this video (spoiler) and thinking, some grown *** man has brought this kid out here and left him out here on his own for a week to get some fu*king Foamposites! Nike's marketing for this shoe was downright sinister. SMH.
Jordan Galaxies tho?
#2.)
1. Jedis - This fu*cking SB is JUST PLAIN ugly! I've never understood the hype behind it and I never will.
2. Pigeons - Not because I don't think it's a great shoe, but because Jeff Staple is whoring out this color way and concept. I've seen him use it like a BILLION times since the release of the Pigeon and I'm tired of it!
3.Concord SB - I actually like the sneaker, but come ON! What that sneaker did to this thread for a week was comical. I fear what BRED SBs will bring.
