words by Todd Krevanchi
We’ve all seen it before: movies documenting history or moments in time in which some director felt the need to make a true tale into a motion picture. Trailers and even the pre-movie disclaimer almost always come with the preface, “Based on a true story” or “Based on actual events.” In effect, this really means, “What we’re gonna do is take a few parts here and there which are true and then we’ll take license with the rest to spin some sensational yarn around everything else.” You think Titanic is all about a ship? Ask Jada Pinkett-Smith how she feels about All Eyez on Me.
Well, the same can be said for storytelling in the sneaker space. Last week’s Jordan x Converse “Alumni” Pack ruffled feathers not because of its design but because of the shoes chosen, the details depicted and ultimately the story told. Focusing on facts, this is why Jordans and UNC mean so much to me but why this pack could’ve meant so much more.
The Sneakers
Let’s face it: there’s nothing really wrong with either of the shoes in this pack. In fact, individually, I find them each to be great shoes — but when grouped collectively and touted with this backstory, they really make no sense with each other. Allow me to give the history and also offer my take on what would’ve been even better.
Air Jordan 2
The Air Jordan 2 “Pro Alumni” as we’ll call them was an MJ-created custom for The North Carolina Pro Alumni Game that was played on September 6, 1986. The Air Jordan 2 wouldn’t release for another two months in November in time for the NBA season, the last time his earliest signatures wouldn’t coincide with the NBA All Star Game.
In fact, in this game, Michael debuted the Air Jordan 2 altogether. It would be the first time the public saw an Air Jordan 2, let alone the general release, “Away” colorway though Mike personally painted up his pair to match the Carolina colors.
A year later, playing on June 28th, 1987, Michael would play in another Alumni Game and sport yet another custom created at his own hands — an Air Jordan 2 Low with Carolina blue paint.
As illustrated in previous posts, the individual shoes and the dates of the games do not match up.
While two games are supposedly being honored, it’s being done so by redoing what they think a shoe looked like for a game played on one date, but then labeling that shoe with the date of another game which took place almost a year later when an entirely separate shoe was worn. When my Mom did her scrapbooking of high school, my guess is that she didn’t “honor” both times I went to the prom by labeling the photos of my date and I my Junior year with the date the prom was held my Senior year. The concept doesn’t work but more importantly it snubs the UNC and MJ die-hards like myself who truly do care.
Converse Fastbreak
The Converse Fast Break “Carolina,” as we’ll call them, has been the name adopted for the silo in the pack over the last few months as it has gotten a few retro treatments in its “Summer of Sport” tonal releases as well as the “’83 retro” set. I gotta say, it’s a REALLY great silhouette. But the shoe’s colorway in this pack has no historical representation in the stable of shoes Jordan has worn throughout his career at Carolina.
During Jordan’s college career we’ve seen him in two Converse silhouettes: The Pro Leather and The Pro Star, each in a White/Carolina colorway. While the Fast Break is a great shoe, this arrangement reminds me of the brand’s release of the “Banned” Air Jordan 1, when in fact it was the colorway, not the shoe which was banned, and it was the Air Ship not the Air Jordan 1 which was in question.
The Converse Fast Break, originally released as a high top in 1983, was a shoe that incorporated nylon into the upper to offer a lighter ride and breathability. While the shoe Jordan and many of the other Olympians wore would resemble the Fast Break in a mid cut version, the actual Converse release in 1984 was the called the Court Star.
So, not only are we celebrating a colorway Mike never wore, but we’re not even calling it by its right name. This unfortunately is something that has happened before with several brands over the years by not having a well established archive or in the case of Converse being a brand that was acquired by another as Nike purchased Converse in 2003.
For historians out there, Jordan wore two separate colorways of the Court Star during the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles en route to winning his first Gold Medal. The first pair being a white/natural colorway which he added personal customization and darkened the chevron to navy, as well as a standard white/navy pair – the one which recently sold at auction for $190,000.
For the Love of the Game Clause
When Michael Jordan signed his first professional contract it came with a unique clause allowing participation in competitive off-season pickup games. Specifically, this clause allowed for Jordan’s “Love of the Game” – a desire to play anywhere, anytime, regardless of potential liability of injury.
Jordan’s relentless pursuit of off-season competition was solidified before his pro career even began. During high school, he spent countless summer days at Wilmington’s Empie Park challenging anyone who would accept. This embrace of playground hoops also continued during trips home from the University of North Carolina.
The most memorable examples of the “Love of the Game” contract clause are the famous UNC alumni games that took place in 1986 and 1987. While the September 6, 1986 game was played between Tar Heel alumni during the Dedication of the Dean Edward Smith Center, the June 28, 1987 game raised the stakes by making it against a star-studded rival alumni team. Never missing an opportunity to compete, MJ shined in both games while wearing his second signature sneaker. Not only did MJ put on a show, he also unknowingly debuted his original player edition, or PE colorway. In the 1986 game, he wore the Chicago home colorway of the Air Jordan II that featured a never-before-seen detail — Carolina Blue on the heel. In the 1987 game, he opted for a low version of the II in his alma mater’s team colors, as mentioned earlier.
MJ’s refusal to skip the 1984 Olympic Games is another classic example of his “Love of the Game.” Having just been drafted, it was arguably in his best interest to decline, but instead he helped lead the USA Men’s Basketball Team to a Gold Medal at the Los Angeles hosted Olympic Games.
Let’s remember that Olympic basketball regulations restricted the participation of professional athletes in 1984 and the attitude towards competing in the games was completely different then. Invitations were sent out by Coach Bob Knight to select college players to “try out” for the team in March of ’84. SIX of the 74 who received invitations were still in-season as their teams had reached the Final Four. Only 4 of the 74 felt it was in their “best interest to decline”, and only two of those did so to based on draft implications (sorry Sam Bowie, should’ve reconsidered). Tryouts were then held over the next two months to secure an Olympic roster. And the NBA Draft was not until June 19.
While the Olympic Games began on July 28 of that summer and ended on August 12 of that summer, Jordan signed this “first professional contract” on September 12 of that summer… a full month AFTER the closing of the Los Angeles games. Up until then, this clause was simply a request Michael made of ProServ for the negotiating table.
What Would’ve Been Better
Michael’s “Love of the Game” clause could’ve really been celebrated with the two shoes he wore in North Carolina Alumni games while under pro contract. The Air Jordan 2, as released in this pack (with the appropriate date) along with the Air Jordan 2 Low done in the PE colorway, as worn in the June 28, 1987 game at Pauley Pavilion. There’s really no better way to get this Jordan 2 out than on a 30th anniversary.
While I’ll never be able to supply proof or directly take credit, I have to think that the inspiration for at least the Air Jordan in this pack started because someone at Nike read a blog entry I made back in 2014 as that photo that you’ve all seen by now of Jordan soaring in for a dunk during the Pro Alumni game wearing this release is a picture I took of a photo in my copy of the 1987 North Carolina team book, “Carolina Court.”
I understand that a lot of today’s sneakerheads really aren’t interested in the history or backstory shoes of the past. That’s fine. To each their own. However, when details are blurred it does a disservice to those who do care about the history and even those who don’t know the history but are led to believe what their being told is real.
As one who has been in this game on various levels for over 30 years, I am always interested in the history. I am always wanting to know the back story if there is one. But when it is all said and done, I’d rather they bypass the story altogether for the sake of integrity and get a product right.
