Nike was founded by coach Bill Bowerman and track athlete Philip Knight of the University of Oregon in January 1964. Initially Nike was known as Blue Ribbon Sports. In Greek mythology Nike means Goddess of Victory. When Nike started its operations, it acted as a distributor for Onitsuka Tiger (Japanese Shoe Maker).
Nike (Blue Ribbon Sports) opened its first retail store in 1966 which was located in Santa Monica, California. Later in 1971, Philip Knight realized the importance of design ideas and for this he approached Davidson who created the logo which is globally known as Swoosh. This was first used in the running shoes at the US Track & Field Olympic Trials (Oregon – Eugene).
Nike was first introduced as a football shoe in 1971. Later in 1978 Nike Inc. emerged and was endorsed by the professional athlete Ilie Nastase. In 1980, Nike Inc went public after it had established nearly 50% of the market share in USA athletic shoe market. In 1982 Nike ran its 1st national commercial on television.
With offices located in 45 countries, Nike has bonded with more than 700 shops world wide. It has its factories located in Asia – Pakistan, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and India.
Nike today manufacturers a wide array of sports equipment and accessories for both men and women. Track running shoes were their first products and today Nike’s portfolio includes baselayers, shoes, shorts, jerseys, etc for sports such as cricket, tennis, basketball, football, ice hockey, cycling, wrestling, baseball, cheerleading, golf etc. A few examples are skateboarding Nike NYX and Nike SB shoes, Air Zoom Yoker for cricket and Air Jordan XX3 for basketball.
Nike has recently joined with Apple Inc to manufacture its product called Nike +. This shoe is used to monitor the performance of a runner through a radio device which is implanted in the shoe. This in turn is linked to the iPod (Nano).
Nike air force 1's are high-quality designed sneakers that are famous for their cushioning and support mid soles. These are best suited for basketball players to help them absorb the shock and provide them with superb support for their ankles. There is a huge collection of different colors and designs of air force 1's. The Air Force 1’s has now emerged as a casual foot wear, which was early known as a sports shoe.
Air Force 1's have been in the market for quite a long time now and are available in different styles for men and women. A2Z Shoes offers you the most widespread range of air force 1's shoes that covers an entire range of sizes.
Just like any other shoes, buy only those Nike Air Force 1 shoes that are neither too tight nor too loose and that provide more comfort to your feet besides being fashionable. There is no point buying a shoe that will give you nightmares the moment you wear them. Therefore, when you want to buy your Nike Air Force 1 shoes, it is advisable to buy them in the evening as your feet would be slightly swollen and you can get the right size.
So if you are looking out to buy Nike Air Force 1's sneakers, you can check out the entire range at A2Z shoes and enjoy a wholesome shopping experience. Make the right decision now and buy original sneakers from A2Z shoes – an online store that brings in quality, latest designs, great offers, and provides you live support to make your shopping more easy!
http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Nike---The-Story-Continues-With-Nike-Air-Force-1/765481
The youngsters of today possess of wide variety of interests. Traditionally, many young people tend to stick with just one sport or hobby. Today, you find youngsters involved in many different activities - street ball, basketball, hip hop dancing, etc.
When there is such a wide range of interests, a problem arises. It becomes difficult for the young to find suitable clothing and shoes. For example, if you wear basketball shoes to meet your friends, you can only play basketball. You can't really wear the shoes to play street soccer or any other games. You can if you really want to, but you risk injuring your feet.
Understanding the lifestyles of the young today, Nike has come up with a series of shoes that can be worn anywhere, any time. The labels for these shoes are known as Air Force 1, Air Force One, Air Force Shoes, Nike Air Force 1, or Nike Air Force One. These labels all refer to the same series of shoes.
The 2009 Air Force one selections come in a wide variety of colors. Since the series is targeted at the young, the shoes are meant for three types of occasions - (1) for school, (2) for sports, (3) for casual outings. These are the activities that keep the young occupied most of the time.
The designs are pretty straight forward. You will see the giant and prominent Nike logo at the sides of the shoes. The logo rests on top of one color (usually white), or a combination of two to three colors. Popular colors include grey, black, orange, yellow red, beige, and lime (a very refreshing color).
At first glance, one may mistake the Nike Air Force 1 as an ordinary canvas shoe. But unlike conventional canvas shoes, Air Force One can be worn for street sports. Therefore, the soles are much thicker (for impact absorption), and the in soles are well lined with comfortable cushioning.
With built in comfort, you can wear a pair of Nike Air Force One for the entire day without feeling tired. Perhaps that is why this series is rising in popularity among the young very quickly.
If you are looking for a pair of school shoes, a pair of white colored Air Force 1 will be ideal. But if you are thinking of playing a wide variety of sports, try on a pair of mid cut Air Force 1. A pair of mid cut shoes help to protect the ankles, and they are perfect for sports that require jumping.
If you are not the active type, you can still invest in a pair of Air Force 1. After school, you may want to go on some casual outings with your friends. Since Air Force 1 shoes look like outing shoes, that saves you the trouble of having to change into another pair of shoes.
http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Nike-Air-Force-One--09-Selections/782425
Air Force One
Created by Bruce Kilgore, in 1982, Nike Air Force 1 sneakers were created nearly one hundred years after the first sneakers were designed. Made with comfort in mind, Nike provided the first shoe with small pockets of gas for cushion during sport activities. During this year, Nike created the first shoe made for the popular court sport, basketball. Before these, sneakers were mainy made for comfort and stability while walking. Made from canvas and rubber, sneakers got their name because people could sneak up behind another person without being heard. It wasn't until sneakers became more popular that Nike created the shoes that they have today. Named after the plane that carries the American president, Air Force 1 was meant to be popular from the start. Even though the shoe was retired only a year after being created, Nike re-released them in 1986.
The footwear is still used today and just as popular as ever, if not more. A single was written about the product by rappers Nelly and The St. Lunatics. Famous hip-hop artist find them stylish and professional atheletes use them in the courts. Inner-city youth follow their role models in this trendy fashion, wearing them for their sleek, cool looks and the comfort that they provide. Not only is Air Force 1 stylish, they are comfortable! They have to be, for top performance during the big game or kickin' it back with your friends. The high-top of these Nike shoes help in bracing your ankles for those big jumps, helping in reducing injury upon landing. For added support, they can also provide you with a high strap, keeping you from rolling in your shoes during a tight turn and sudden stops that are required in a fast paced basket ball game.
To further improve performance, Nike provides great rubber grip that is sure to keep you in game. All though Air Force 1 are created mainly in black or white with a colored Nike swoosh and heel, Nike provides you with many more options. Nike provides you with three different types of shoe heights including low, midway and high-tops. As if that wasn't enough they give you plenty of patterns, textures, colors and forms for you the chose from. Are all of these options still not enough for you? Nike also allows you to customize your shoe to how you want them. Your sneakers can be unique and stylish that first your personality. If playing on the court isn't your thing, the low or mid cut shoe is great for a sleek style that is sure to impress your friends. Nike has a great product in Air Force 1 sneakers; these can be worn by the young, hip, fashonable or even the older people looking for great comfort and support. Buy them from the shelf or have them custom designed to fit your new hip style. Once you try these sneakers.
http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Nike-Air-Force-One-25th-Anniversary--09-Edition/769558
Nike signed a contract with Michael Jordan to be its brand ambassador when the Nike Jordans were first released. Though he has retired from active basketball, Nike still projects him as their brand ambassador, cashing in on loyal fans.
Nike Jordan shoes turned out to be a great hit when they were launched. People ranging from sportspersons to health enthusiasts opted for these attractive shoe wear. Users were mesmerized by the comfort provided by these shoes. They also felt they are wearing a quality brand as Jordan was associated with this line of shoe brand. More particularly, people into basketball and enthusiast fans went crazy over these shoes. Their response was tremendous as these shoes instilled in them the confidence to play a good game and made playing comfortable too along with providing a good fashion accessory.
The most distinct characteristic of Nike Jordan line was the Nike Air technology. This technique allowed extra air into the sole of the shoe. This, in turn, provided a better cushion for an athlete’s foot. All Nike Jordan shoes had this unique technology, though it was more visible in those lines that came much later. The technology adopted provided a shoe pump which could be squeezed. This was placed into the tongue of the shoe. A wearer was able to change the firmness of the shoe by pressing the pump and was able to adjust it according to his comfort level.
Nike Jordan come in all sizes and numerous models. You can pick and choose according to your favorite color, size, design and price. Choose those models that are comfortable yet look fashionable and trendy. Nile Jordan shoe lines are sold by many famous retail stores all over the world. They can be purchased online also, though there are some authenticity hassles in doing so. They are competitively priced and there are lots of discounts on prices all the times. By opting for Nike Jordan, you get a technologically innovative product at a very competitive rate, not to forget the brand value of Jordan that comes attached to this brand. In any case, verifying the originality of your air jordans is vital before you make your purchase.
http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Nike-Jordans---The-Best-for-the-Best/584990
All sneaker enthusiasts love to wear a nice pair of Nike Air Force Ones. Still, one of the disadvantages of the popular AF1's is that many people own them, especially the popular all black and all white styles. Because of this, it is easy to just blend in when you are wearing them.
For the people who like to be flashy and get noticed for their nice sneaker collection, the best choice for them may be a pair of customized airbrushed Air Force Ones. Getting your sneakers airbrushed by professional artists has been popular for years, and the art and practice of airbrushing Air Force Ones will never go away. This is because being original and unique will never go out of style.
There are many ways that you can get your AF1's customized with airbrushing. Many people get things like brand logos, emblems, and other fancy designs on their sneakers. They get movie characters, celebrities, and many other characters and items as the subject of their custom designs.
Getting your AF1's airbrushed is not cheap though. You can expect to pay anywhere from one hundred to five hundred dollars or more to get your sneakers painted. Still, the benefits of this are that you know that your shoes will be very exclusive and unique, and that you will be viewed as an original, stylish person with your customized Air Force Ones.
The key to getting an artist is to get a great airbrush artist with lots of experience working on sneakers to design your AF1's, choose an original concept or design, don't go cheap (you are going to have to spend a few hundred dollars minimum) and you will come out with an amazing addition to your collection of sneakers. You will see once you get a pair, that it is absolutely worth it when you are out getting all the attention in your own pair of custom airbrushed Air Force Ones!
http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Be-Original-With-Airbrushed-Air-Force-Ones/802853
Theron Wilson, like much of the basketball-playing world, would love to follow in the footsteps - and fill the shoes - of Michael Jordan. The Bradley senior forward is doing something about it too.
Wilson is just one model short of having the complete collection of Jordan shoes, from the original Air Jordans through today's.
“I'm definitely the Jordan ‘king’ around here,” Wilson says with some certainty and a laugh. “My teammates tell me that if I’d sell all my Jordans, I could get myself a nice car.”
True, but for the time being, the shoes are more important to the kind of driving he’s doing. Wilson, from Topeka, Kan., quietly has emerged as one of the elite all-around players in the Missouri Valley Conference, in which Bradley begins tournament play Friday against Southern Illinois in St. Louis. He is the only MVC player to achieve the levels of 400 points, 200 rebounds, 50 steals and 50 assists, and he joins Bradley legend Hersey Hawkins as the only Braves to achieve those feats in two seasons.
With the departure of last season’s top three scorers -Jeremy Crouch, Daniel Ruffin and Andrew Warren -Wilson has stepped up to lead the Braves in scoring at 13.7 points a game and has done it on 46.1 percent shooting.
He leads Bradley in rebounds at 7.1, and his 1.8 steals per game are also a team high. He ranks in the Top 10 nationally in free-throw attempts.
Not surprisingly, Bradley has lost the only four games this season in which Wilson has not scored in double figures. In his final regular-season game, Wilson dominated Drake with 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists, clinching fourth place for Bradley.
“Theron has the ability to fill up a stat sheet, and his activity and energy have a real positive impact on our team. Guys just seem to follow his lead,” coach Jim Les said.” He understands the urgency coming down the stretch and that he only has a few more times to throw on that jersey. He’s trying to make the most of them.”
Wilson’s role has changed, and so has he. With Crouch, Ruffin and Warren, Wilson was the fourth or fifth option, not only for the Bradley offense but also in terms of how defenses schemed to stop Bradley.
“Now teams are trying to take away his opportunities and make sure it's tougher for him to fill up the sheet,” Les said. “He has done a great job … of trusting his teammates, recognizing opportunities, not forcing shots. And he really gets us going on the defensive end.”
He and Les, a veteran of seven NBA seasons, have talked about Wilson's chances to play as a professional.
“Most kids who dwell on that have bad years, so I haven’t,” Wilson said. "[Being a senior] kind of hits you, and now I want to enjoy every bit of it as much as I can.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-06-bradley-basketball-theronmar06,0,6594257.story
Now here’s my story of how I could have gone from being a lucky teenager to a dead one. I was 12 years old in 6th grade when the Air Jordan XII originally came out. At that time I was lucky enough to get uptowns from my mother so I didn’t try to ask her for Jordans even though I wanted them. Moving forward to high school I quickly realized I needed to step up my game in the sneaker department. My aunt told me about an after school program that would pay me to learn. I quickly signed up and found out I would get paid $100 dollars every two weeks. I was excited and because of this I now was buying Jordans every month, fresh!
As I became a senior I knew about every sneaker spot in Queens. I lived in Jamaica so the “Ave” was about 10 minutes from me. One day I found out that a spot in “the colliseum” was releasing the Air Jordan Retro 12 “Playoff’s” months before the official release. Everyone knew that they were coming out on February 14th for Valentine’s Day in 2004, but very few knew that some places already had them. So I quickly started saving and purchased them and ended up buying them in November 2003.
I was so happy, the first one in all of NYC to be wearing the Air Jordan XII colorway that eluded me so many years ago. I went home and showed everyone, my younger sister and my mother who was proud of me. I was on the basketball team so I had practice at 7 a.m. the next day, and as I lay in bed I started to think about my friends and how they will be amazed when they see I got these shoes so early. I wake up at 5:30 to shower and get ready but with all my excitement I doubt I slept much. As I reach for the box, I take out the famous shoes and put them on.
I didn’t tie them tight because I wear my Jordans very loose. As I walk out the door with MP3 player in hand I take a look at the time, its 6:15. On my way to the E train I stopped to turn on my MP3 player, I then see two guys walking towards my direction and stop in front of me. One of them was my height, about 5′4, and the other was a towering 5′11. I tried to move to the side, but it was too late. The shorter of the two says, “Oh man nice sneakers, where did you get them?”
I immediately got the feeling this wasn’t your regular “stop me on the street to ask me where I got my kicks” question. I told him on the Ave and quickly I tried to step away. As I did, he pulled out a knife and said, “Give them to me now!” The place where I was standing is filled with factories and people around so I ran. I took five steps and my right shoe came off due to how I had it laced. They quickly picked it up, got to me and the bigger of the two threw me onto a fence.
I didn’t fight back because I knew the knife could have ended my life. So I did as they said and took off my other shoe. The hardest part was that I was getting robbed for the one pair of sneakers that I worked so hard for, and it was only two blocks away from my house. All those months of saving filled with anticipation and excitement was now lost. The robbers were disgustingly happy and giddy as if they were taking candy from a baby. I was in my socks, and people around were staring but no one helped.
After they took my shoes the shorter guy had the sass to ask me if I wanted his “Tims.” They were a beat up pair of brown suede 6-inch construction style boots. I didn’t say anything though I just stood there in anger and frustration, no words could have explained how I felt. I headed back home in just my socks trying to fight off the cold and hold back my tears. That short two block walk was the longest of my life, but I finally made it to my house.
My younger sister asked me what happened and I just sat on the couch speechless. She then looked at my feet and saw my dirty socks, which explained it all. I didn’t bother to make a police report because I knew that would lead to nowhere. I never thought to myself that I’d come close to death and get robbed for my sneakers, but it happened. Now this didn’t mean I was going to stop buying them, not at all. But that morning I had a feeling that didn’t leave me for months. Every time I put on a pair I just felt weird.
I know there are people getting killed for a particular pair every so often which is very unfortunate, but I felt lucky to be alive. My mother felt so bad she bought me another pair when they officially released. I was very grateful and I no longer cared if I was the first to have them or the last, I was just happy to have them. All I cared about was being alive to see another day and getting to have the chance to lace up and shoot my jumpshot and hear the net swoosh for a long many years to come.
Thank you for taking the time out and reading my story, a true story that has made me believe that life is a blessing and you cannot take it for granted. I have about 25 Jordans to this day and am very careful where I walk, learning from my past experience. To every reader, remember we are fortunate to have what we have but our lives are only one so be careful. Thank you Sole Collector!
http://solecollector.com/shoes/nike-shoes/jordan-shoes/shoes/jordan/my-shoes-my-story-readers-archive-pick-for-jan-2009/
This page will discuss two key collectibles from Michael Jordan memorabilia - Air Jordans and basketball cards. The Nike Air Jordans are great shoes and the basketball cards from Michael Jordan are great collectibles and are paramount to a collection of his famous memorabilia. Owning these items can keep you in fashion as well as provide you with a great investment for upcoming years as he was one of the best if not the best basketball player of all time.
My baseball card space will be providing an in-depth look at many Michael Jordan Nike Air Jordan shoes encompassing a vast array of different styles. Bookmarking the home page of this site is a great way to access all of the articles free and subscribing to the news feed will ensure that you are updated daily when more things are added. The site, however, is a dedicated baseball card, sports card and basketball card site which means that you can find many Michael Jordan rookie card listings, descriptions of game used jersey cards and autographs as well as authentic jerseys.
Michael Jordan was a great player and is a basketball legend. Starting in college, he was a hero on the North Carolina Tarheels and helped them win a national championship. He then starred for many years on the Chicago Bulls and was the center of attention for many years. First, he obliterated scoring records and was a slam dunk artist. Then he put it all together in a team fashion and on the court, orchestrated a number of championship seasons as he was the leader on a very talented team. Scottie Pippen lead his supporting cast as the Chicago Bulls, with Phil Jackson as coach, won several championships in the NBA beginning with their dethroning of the Los Angeles Lakers who, at the time, were the epitome of longevity in championships. Upon defeating the Lakers in that first championship season, they started their run of unparalleled success. All of this time, Nike Air Jordans were coming out once per year and were the hottest things on the market for basketball shoes. They still, to this day are very popular (and to some extent even more popular now) and command higher prices now than they did then. This all bodes well for their possible future value, as it is clear that collectors cherish these items.
Where does this leave basketball cards of Michael Jordan? This leaves them in a very good position in my opinion. Beginning with the value rookie cards of Michael Jordan, there is a long line of valuable cards including autographs and game worn jersey and patch cards, some of which can sell for upwards of $100,000. You might think that you cannot afford to get his cards, but that is not true. There are many of his cards and inserts that can be purchased routinely for $5 or less, and can give you a card of a legend that has the possibility of rising in value in the years to come. His rookie was in 1984-85 Star Company basketball and in 1986-87 Fleer. The reason for the disparity in the years is due to the fact that the Star Company cards are very hard to come by and were not distributed in unopened packs as most cards are. They were issued in bagged team sets on a very limited basis which did not include mainstream issue in retail stores. The 1986-87 Fleer cards were very limited as well, though they were released to retail stores in unopened packs and boxes. Nowadays, an unopened box of 1986-87 Fleer can bring upwards of $10,000 easily. Current year cards are still being produced and the higher end ones include autographs and pieces of game worn jersey and patch cards including logomans with high end jerseys from his prime years. Regular issue cards can have a book value of $1-$10 or so, and are still very affordable. There is really a lot of room for purchasing Michael Jordan basketball cards and Nike Air Jordan shoes for the serious collector. I hope this inspires you to purchase some Michael Jordan memorabilia, it can be exciting to say the least.
Also, there are several items on this page that can be purchased from Michael Jordan items from his basketball cards including rookies from the 1980’s.
http://www.mybaseballcardspace.info/air_jordans_and_basketball_cards
