Pics of the XIV + IX Countdown Pack

[ps2child]

dont see whats so special about them. the last retro 14s still look better imo.

 

[thekid973]

Those are crack. If we get a shadow ix to match, we might just have a problem on our hands...

 

[yimoney23]

I passing on this pack. Those XIV looks like a poorman verison of the last shot.

 

[yungpyro07]

Probably rock em about 3 times then back in the box they go

 

[p1n0y1nvas10n]

decent at the least. im not all too crazy about these...pass

 

[rico7jt]

PooFyo101..
Hey are you getting the packs on your site and when also how much ????

 

[Methodical Management]

Not bad. If they are inspired by the 96-97 Bulls Road Alternate then they should've used RED pinstripes andprobably a white outsole, as Ijapino mentioned, to be better reflect the color balance of the actual jersey. Gold tipped laces to represent the gold 50thanniversary NBA logo would've been a nice touch as well.

Of course, if they were going to use the 96-97 road alternate as their inspiration, they should've probably used the XII instead of the XIV. Black nubuckXII with red contrast stitching? You might actually have something there.

These XIVs aren't bad, they're certainly better than most of the horrible Retro + colorways the brand cooked up a couple of years back, but the wholepoint of collector packs, I thought, was to include shoes that had some meaning or at least a common theme. Random X play Random Y = 23 doesn't exactlyblow me away. I might pick up a pack if I can eke out a discount, but there's no way I'd pay retail for it - especially considering how much worse theXIV retros were in terms of comfort compared to the originals, which ranked among the more comfortable basketball shoes ever made.

 

[william rivera 3]

This shoe is

 

[Methodical Management]

Originally Posted by blco02

I seriously doubt they were inspired by those jerseys.

I hope I didn't start anything by saying that. I just think they wanted to use contrast stitching, and the stitch pattern of the XIV's against the black upper happens to resemble those jerseys.

And yea Method, why didn't they use RED stitching instead of white if they were inspired by those jerseys? They weren't inspired by those jerseys...

I'm sorry, I didn't realize the designer was in our midst. You'll notice I prefaced my comments by saying "IF they are inspired..." I didn't make an assumption; you clearly are.
I really don't get the need to be so dismissive. If it's coincidence, so be it - but you're speculating just as anyone else.

 

[dnice901]

I would prefer an OG color way over these, they remind me of flea market knock offs with bad stitching... Hopefully these are not the final model

Ask me am I copping anyway though... I mean they're Jordans, hell yeah I amcopping

 

[gregzzy23]

These are a no go

 

[rwfanatic]

I'm disappointed they they are releasing them in that color again

 

[Methodical Management]

Method Man - Therefore, in your estimation, how much blame would you assign to MJ for letting Jordan Brand slip as far as it has? Or should blame be asserted to him at all? If MJ really wanted to, I feel that he could re-establish the ideals that the brand was once based upon and restore the glory of the 'Air Jordan' legacy as it once was during his playing days. I can't help but to ponder whether MJ is letting his own company becoming what he most despised to be as a player which is finding comfort with mediocrity. MJ has always been about being the best and I agree that Jordan Brand has certainly lost its luster. Hopefully, someone within the Jordan Brand hierarchy will be sympathetic to the sneaker aficionado and will revive the glory days of Air Jordans.
I've never really gotten the sense that MJ himself is all that involved with the brand. From what we've seen, he may reviewdesigns/colorways at a certain point, though not always early enough to change the product (as with the white/black/steel X), but there's no way he'sthe one green lighting Dead Serious knockoffs. Is that a failure on his part? That depends on what he wants out of it.

If nothing else, MJ is a highly competitive person. Of his many commitments, I imagine turning the Bobcats into a winner takes precedence over ensuring fansatisfaction with Jordan Brand. His measure of success for Jordan Brand may be the same as it is for most of the suits: profits and nothing else. He may noteven know what a joke much of the line has become to the fans, he may take people at their word when they say that the Dead Serious knockoff is "hot inthe streets" or that Dub Zero, as a name, was relevant, correct use of slang in 2005 - not at all patronizing. We know that those statements are untrue,but that's because we ARE the consumer - we're not trying to figure out what the consumer wants by proxy, focus groups or by parroting what's on TVor the web. Is MJ in touch with what we, as long time sneaker fans, want? Probably not, because it seems fairly clear that this isn't part of his day today life.

If what we've seen and heard is accurate, I get the sense that his role is to review products etc. at a glance and simply say "yes,""no," "make the sole white," etc. I can't really see him saying, "well, that's NOT the material we used on that shoe when itoriginally came out, the tag on the inside of the tongue is upside down on this sample, you're missing the "Nike Air" logo on the heel - and Idon't care about the product cost because in the long run this brand is dead in the water if consumers don't consider it a premium product." COULD he do so? Of course. If there's one person who could turn the whole company around, in terms of its direction, it's Michael Jordan. I wouldconsider it in his best interest individually to do so, since it looks like the brand is dead set to bleed it completely dry by the time MJs contract runs up,and then bring the shoes back out sans Jordan name the way they're dropping other players from retro releases - assuming they don't re-up at terms morefavorable to Nike.

A lot of sneaker fans fantasize about MJ swooping in to save the day, but he's not the one immersed in sneaker culture, reading NikeTalk every day. Ifchange is to occur, it's probably going to emerge as a result of people actually deciding AGAINST purchasing product X rather than just talking about howmuch the hate it, then "only" getting two pair, or an infusion of new blood into the company as they're now, FINALLY, casting a wider net whenrecruiting talent as opposed to good ol' fashioned Oregon nepotism / ol' boys' network. We're seeing more and more people recruited to theindustry from THIS network, from the online sneaker community, based on talent and passion - people who are actually young and in touch with the unique needsof many different types of consumers through REAL interaction and immersion as opposed to assumption generated from stale focus groups or canned media. So,though I wouldn't give up just yet I also wouldn't let my hopes ride on MJ himself. If the changes we're looking for are to occur, it'lllikely need to come from within - from members of this community wielding influence over the decision makers or, eventually, becoming the decision makers.

Originally Posted by blco02

I'm sorry, I didn't realize the designer was in our midst. You'll notice I prefaced my comments by saying "IF they are inspired..." I didn't make an assumption; you clearly are.
I really don't get the need to be so dismissive. If it's coincidence, so be it - but you're speculating just as anyone else.

Easy there, chief.

I wasn't being dismissive-you misread my comments. I wasn't talking just to only you, I was reffering to the fact that there have already been several posts already calling these these "pinstripe" XIV's. These should not be called that.

And the second part of my comments were in agreement with you. I was on your side, agreeing that they should have used Red stitching if these were reallly inspired by the jersey. I was backing you up.



But to sum up, stop calling these pinstripe XIV's people. I don't want to be responsible for another dumb name in the long list of dumb nicknames-"Breds", "Raptors", "Playoffs, etc.

I never should have said these looked like those jerseys.

Here's the problem: you're proceeding as if you are DEAD CERTAIN that these aren't inspired in any way by the road alternates. That'sopinion, not fact.

You made it a point to state that "And yea Method, why didn't they use RED stitching instead of white if they were inspired by those jerseys? Theyweren't inspired by those jerseys..." I accounted for the commonsense possibility that they may not be inspired by the jersey, hence the IF.
You don't want people to jump the gun and make assumptions, which is fine, but you're really doing the same thing by suggesting with anycertainty that you know what did or did not drive the color placement on this particular shoe.


Whether Jordan brand intended to do so or not, the now obvious fact of the matter is that this is how they're being perceived. To that end, there'slittle sense in blowing against the wind and trying to tell thousands of people that what they see is "wrong." If that's the vibe they get fromthis product, so be it. They're entitled to their interpretation as you are to yours. I'm simply suggesting that IF this is what Jordan wanted, theycould've handled it far more faithfully and, if the intended something else, they should consider the possibility that a great many people will and arealready connecting these to the road alternates - which is a point that bears mention considering all we're looking at is a sample and there's ampletime for them to tweak the product as they see fit. Perhaps it didn't start out as an homage to the 96-97 road alternate, but it could end up that way ifthey choose.

 

[killajay209]

I guess JB ran out of color Ideas / but they are okay but waitin to see wut the ix's will look like

 

[Methodical Management]

I think red and black are always used so much in the contrast that it'd be OD.
As opposed to black and white?

If I were forced to choose only one word to represent everything lacking in Air Jordans today, it would probably be "authenticity." It's nolonger about producing the best product, it's about creating something that's "good enough." It's no longer about producing an exactreplica of a classic, but a product that's "close enough." They get the dates of his championships wrong, they get the colors on the sneakerswrong, they don't even use authentic Air Jordans in all of their advertisements or even on their apparel. So, to have a product that's "looselybased" on something Jordan fans remember fondly is just another example, to me, of the mediocrity that's come to represent Jordan brand these days.

It's amazing that a company so obsessed with its past could be said to have lost touch with its roots - but it's not the product they've forgottenso much as the passion and philosophy behind it. Tell me that Michael Jordan ever, during his playing days, represented "good/close enough."

This could've been a special product, but instead it's just another decent, but not remarkable, shoe at a premium price.

I expect better but, then again, that's why I'm no longer their target consumer.

 

[mjmoney23]

Though those are not an OG colorway, they definitly could pass for one if they released back in 98. They are "bulls" colors, and I think that that iswhat JB is going for on these packs. None of the non-retroed xvis are "bulls colors" so these are new bulls colors. Nice shoe imo.

 

[kingcrux31]

Nice touch on the contrast stitching

 

[jonathan0389]

To plain for my liking

 

[sohi 23]

They look nice

 

[downyboy]

kinda dissapointed in this, was hoping some blk/charcoal. oh well cant get enough of these.

 

[bush man 2002]

they look aight

 

[shadydatguy]

Last shots>those

 

[vood99]

passing on this pack. Those XIV looks like a poorman verison of the last shot.

sure you did not post photos of FAKES?

They sure looks like FAKES. the shape exact match the Fakes.... Where is the original shape for the XIVs?

Is JB factories in China buying molds from factories that make fakes?

they're too plain and do kinda scream FAKES!!

SMH @ JB AND myself...
Don't SMH @ yourself dude. Take that $300 and bank it or put it to better use. This shoe is straight trash - must've taken two minutes toblack out the red on the last shots, and throw in some contrast stitching.

What does this whack shoe have to do with MJs accomplishments? Some of the prototype XIV colourways would've better suited this package.

Why not a Carolina theme for this package? Powder blue XIVs with Powder blue IXs - would've made for an amazing pack. Instead we get his bland uninspiredcrap. Another easy pass for me.

 

[chitown4eva]

weak

 

[aeyj23]

nice