Nike Air Force Operate

This weeks post brings back memories of a feeling that I will never forget. I feeling that basketball may take me somewhere. I owned this shoe in 8th grade. This was the year that 8 other scrawny middle school kids and I made a scene at every tournament we showed up to. The focal point of this blog, however, is the player that made me feel like I needed this shoe. Adam Morrison.

While nearly everyone in college basketball wore this shoe in 2005 or 2006, it was Adam Morrison that got me hooked. This dude was a white, slow, lanky, diabetic stud who got buckets! Nearly all of these were traits I possessed (I'm not diabetic). Looking back, this shoe and I crossing paths was destiny. A shoe fit for big men and guards alike - just what I needed. I felt like this shoe was made for me, not only was it comfortable, it offered lockdown with the midfoot strap and the full leather upper - which is nearly unheard of nowadays in a basketball shoe.

Long story short, I will most likely pay whatever price necessary to get my hands on some operates in a size 12. I have spent hours online looking - from ebay, to kixify, to a basic google search - all have left me empty handed. So, if anyone happens to find this in a 12, let me know!

As always, thanks for reading along.

@akallday21

Nike Zoom Turbine

Post # 2 brings me into my 7th grade basketball year. The shoe of choice for this year is the Nike Zoom Turbine. If my first post left some speculation about my shoe/color taste, this one should erase some doubt.

The turbine was a masterful creation by nike - one of the first non Gary Payton shoes to have the full sock/shoe combo. This creation was a nearly unparalleled basketball shoe in the early 2000s. While it remained fairly unpopular, the performance was near perfection. That is, unless you were one of the unlucky bastards (like myself) that had to sluff around the court with bulky ankle braces bulging out of your shoes. Nonetheless, I loved this shoe, a perfect combination of patent leather outer with mesh highlights and a fit that perfectly hugged any foot.

I must give credit where due, though. My older brother had a pair before I did, in the white/Columbia colorway. I went with a less flashy version - white and silver. Man, does this shoe bring back some of my fondest basketball memories. As a 6 foot tall seventh grader, it goes without saying that I got buckets in these shoes.

It was in this shoe that I found a ceaseless love for the game. I would carry them to school nearly every day, let them stink up my locker and the lockers of those unfortunate adolescents who possessed the slots next to me, then proceed to walk across town to the rec center and play with the college kids after class. I always felt unstoppable there. I mean, a 7th grade kid holding his own with 20 year olds? What a confidence boost it was, I felt like I had found something that was more than just a phase, something I could identify with. From this point on, I was a basketball player - and nobody could tell me otherwise.

Thanks to the 14 of you who read post # 1 and those who came back for seconds. Next post will feature the shoe that I will be scouring the web to get ahold of until the day I die. Cya next week.

@AKallday21

Where It All Started

Humble Beginnings

I'm 24 now, I played ball in college at a high level NAIA program and had a successful college career. This is my new outlet, a way for me to express myself on a subject that I'm passionate about. I will attempt to release a blog each week, mostly dealing with shoes, but might sprinkle in an NBA or NCAA rant every now and then. I'll try to keep them short, short enough to read while you're supposed to be working.

2001 - where it all began.

I'm in my room holding a photo shoot with the first shoes I had purchased with my own money. Nike Signature Player, and a pair of DaDa Cdubbz,  what an ugly combo(!!!), but they were mine. I worked for them. I paid for them. They were mine - and, thus began an obsession.
I didn't care that they didn't match my 5th grade school colors, I was proud. I couldn't think of anything I would have rather spent my first paycheck on. (Of course, I bought two pairs with my first check). Right on queue, here comes my brother, waltzing into my (our) room laughing at the sight of his younger brother snapping photos of his new shoes with a disposable camera left over from family Christmas.

If only Instagram was a thing in 2001...



I told you they were ugly.

I couldn't wait until my next practice, or game, or open gym. I was gonna ball out in my new shoes. My new, ice cream looking, shoes. I don't remember if the shots went in or not, but I will always remember the way I felt. I had the nicest, newest, shiniest kicks on the court - and I had paid for them myself. What an invincible feeling.

This blog is going to take me back. Back through a time that brought a love of basketball through some tough times - times that taught me to work for everything I got.


Thanks for following along.

@AKallday21