- 3,415
- 3,309
Question for some OGs: did the original black toe I's have a black or white tongue? I've seen pics of both...
Official "When did MJ wear those??" post and FAQs!!
- Thread in 'Jordan Brand' Thread starter Started by ijapino,
- Start date
The Fresh Prince
formerly airsakuragi
- 13,534
- 9,570
The PEs had the Black Tongue but I believe the original 1985 version had the white tongue like the Retro High OGs.
- 3,415
- 3,309
Repped, thank you! I really prefer the black tongue.
- 2,924
- 914
there's always one cw that's specific for the all-star game, but whether MJ wear them or not it's another story. obsidian blue xii and the flint xiii were meant for all-star games but MJ never wore them because probably due to those two year NBA decided to just use regular jerseys.
the 8 only had 3 og cw probably because it was a hard shoes to put different cw on and look good.
Last edited:
The Fresh Prince
formerly airsakuragi
- 13,534
- 9,570
You're welcome and I do too, hope the next time they retro JB does the Black Tongue.
- 10,838
- 20,094
FWIW There was a sample for a 4th colorway of the OG VIII run that never got a release...
Here's pics of a preschool pair I found...I remember a very long time ago, maybe around 2000 or so, an adult pair was posted up on the boards but I cant seem to find the pictures now...It had a different tongue patch and the side panels had a design similar to the "Playoffs"...
Likely never got a release, or made it out of sample form for that matter, because Nike was essentially finished with Jordan brand when MJ first retired...I imagine a pair similar to these would have released in the fall to coincide with the start of NBA season and MJ would have worn them for the first part of the '93-'94 season before switching over to the IX during the All Star Game...
You have to keep in mind that Tinker begged his higher ups to allow him to continue the line which they viewed, at that time, as un-marketable without MJ actually playing professionally...The lackluster sales of the IX essentially cemented the cancelation of all things Jordan for Nike but Tinker managed to get them to go along with the X as a kind of "tribute" to MJ and his accomplishments...Had Mike not returned in '95 then the line may have essentially ended with the X's...
Fun fact...When Tinker started the design process for the X's he was literally the only person at Nike working on the project...Nike pulled all the regular Jordan project personnel off and reassigned them to other projects, again because as far as they were concerned the line was a dead end...
Last edited:
- 32,830
- 24,897
^^^^ wow! simply amazing. repped
- 327
- 94
repped +1. thanks for the backstory. very interesting stuff.
KanyIZZY
formerly j o 19
- 18,650
- 49,494
BACK STORY… 
ALSO REPPED.
PICS BELOW REMINDS ME OF WHEN I USED TO COLLECT CARDS BACK IN 97-98
ALSO REPPED.PICS BELOW REMINDS ME OF WHEN I USED TO COLLECT CARDS BACK IN 97-98
blco02
Banned
- 3,932
- 1,281
Didn't the IX's release in the Fall of 93? IMO that's the reason there were only 3 VIII colorways. It had nothing to do with MJ retiring, it's just that the VIII's released in February of 93 and they moved up the release of the IX's to the fall of 93. There was a shortened timetable for the VIII so they only released 3 colorways.
- 10,838
- 20,094
That's absolutely right, there was a shortened timetable for the VIII (February to November 1993) and it was caused by the shifted release schedule for the IX...
To say that MJ retiring had nothing to do with it however is a little off...Why would Nike change a guaranteed model for success in moving the standard Jordan's debut from early year (February usually) to end of year (November in this case)? Answer..."Johnny Kilroy"...
MJ announced his retirement, to the public that is, in October 1993...Nike gets notice that MJ is retiring, what do they do? They've already spent considerable time and money developing the IX and are feeling like it won't move a good amount of numbers to keep them in the green...Well Nike, being the hype factory they are and always have been, decide to try and spin it in their favor...Simply cut the product cycle short on the outgoing model (VIII) and move up the launch of the incoming model (IX)...Mikes going to go public with his retirement just prior to the '93-'94 season so lets launch the IX in the fall (What would eventually end up being November), this way Mr. Jordan is still fresh in the minds of the consumer...A consumer that will by and large never see the products signature athlete actually wearing the shoe...
Not only do they bump up the release to November while MJ is still fresh on all of our minds, they create an entire product campaign centered around a now retired Mike playing basketball as "Johnny Kilroy"...
The ultimate end result ended up proving Nike's earlier assessment right however...They wound up with a shortened product cycle for the VIII, a less than stellar reception for the IX, and a failed run of retro products...Finally poor Tinker was left to carry on with X alone as Nike was in the process of moving on from a, greatly less marketable, Michael Jordan...
- 7,837
- 4,851
Man....I remember when Mike came back for Pip's charity game and people went nuts 
We analyzed shoe pics of the game up and down for hours (I think it was in SLAM)
We analyzed shoe pics of the game up and down for hours
(I think it was in SLAM)
- 4,444
- 5,561
As far as the VIIIs are concerned, all the points mentioned are likely right. Another possible factor could be MJ's foot problems associated with the "stuffy" nature of the shoes. I think he suffered from some kinda toe infections throughout that '92-'93 season, if I'm not mistaken, and just toughed it out for the sake of promotion until the campaign was finally over. Don't know for sure, but just my two cents.
- 13,411
- 11,923
You can tell Jordan needed to retire when he was ruining his legacy wearing garbage like this on the court....
Last edited:
- 4,444
- 5,561
Fans were more inclined to buy those team Js if they saw the man wearing them. All strategy my friend lol
- 32,830
- 24,897
I remember those! They were in eastbay I can't remember the name exactly but that era takes me back. I used to be in my eastbay magazines all day, just me and my imagination
- 11,959
- 6,203
Don't think that marketing plan worked out too well! LOL
- 2,924
- 914
Those actually sold pretty well back then.
- 11,959
- 6,203
Pretty well is subjective. If by pretty well you mean on clearance, then I absolutely agree.
- 2,924
- 914
nope, ppl did bought them in store and at outlets. they weren't flying off the shelves, but better than recent JB generics.
Last edited:
- 2,924
- 914
Jumpman Team FBI.
- 32,830
- 24,897
That's the name!!! Man these and the team Jordan work'm were the only team Jordan's I ever wanted! Man those 2 shoes take me back to a special time
- 2,924
- 914
yea, i liked these. never bought them tho. i spent it all on the 18s and the 12s 13s retro of that year when i was in college. lol a lot of friends did buy these tho.That's the name!!! Man these and the team Jordan work'm were the only team Jordan's I ever wanted! Man those 2 shoes take me back to a special time
Last edited:
- 11,959
- 6,203
I'm def surprised. Team Jordans got no play in my area unless your moms or aunt copped em thinking they were looking out for you LOL
The Fresh Prince
formerly airsakuragi
- 13,534
- 9,570
I had the AF1/Jordan Fusions back in Middle school (think they were the Taxi colorway) before everyone realized retros were the "real" Jordan I use to turn heads. They use to call me the King of Jordans back then.
