"Your Sneakers or Your Life" - Sports Illustrated Cover story in May 14th 1990

[northside7]

Nike re-released the Air Jordan XIs early this morning, which led to mini riots, gun shots, babies trapped in cars, and lots of blown paychecks (they run about $180 retail). But it wouldn't be a Jordan sneaker release day without a wash of mall crime across the country, would it? Here's a roundup of today's Nike-related crime.

• In Richmond, Calif.: "At the Hilltop Mall in the city of Richmond, shots rang out at around 6 a.m. An estimated three thousand were in line waiting for the new Nike's new Air Jordan 11 Retro Concords. (The shoes, it seems, appreciate in value.) That's when someone fired a gun into the air. According to KRON 4 Morning News, no one was hurt and a suspect is in custody." [SFist]

• In Atlanta, Ga.: "Police had to smash the windows of a car to get two toddlers out after a woman had left them there to go buy the shoes. She was taken into custody when she returned, according to the AP." [ABC]

• In Lithonia, Ga.: "...at least four people were arrested early Friday at a mall after a crowd of customers broke down a door at a store selling the Air Jordans before it opened. DeKalb County police told Fox 5 Atlanta that up to 20 squad cars responded. Officers said they escorted most of the people outside but took four into custody." [AP]

• In Pembroke Pines, Fla.: "At about 2 a.m. Friday, customers said police pepper sprayed a crowd of people waiting in the front of the line at the Foot Locker at Pembroke Pines mall. 'They're pepper-spraying people, pushing people on the ground, everything,' said one customer. 'It's crazy up there.'" Another customer said police had pepper-sprayed "a little girl." [WSVN]

• In Charlotte, N.C.: "Police and Medic were called to three Charlotte-area malls before daybreak Friday, after shoppers seeking Air Jordan shoes became unruly. No injuries were reported, but at least one fight broke out, and a door was damaged at a mall." [Charlotte Observer]

• In Annapolis, Md.: "A shopper at Westfield Annapolis mall received minor injuries in an altercation this morning, county firefighters said. Shortly after the mall opened, firefighters were called to transport a person who had been injured, apparently while involved in a dispute over a new Jordan sneaker that went on sale this morning..." [Maryland Gazette]

• In Indianapolis, Ind.: "Impatient shoppers tore a door off its hinges at Lafayette Square... 'The door broke and was hanging by a hinge and people were squeezing in anyway,' Asia Coates said. 'People were falling down.'" [Indy Star]

• In Seattle, Wash.: "Police used pepper spray on about 20 people at a mall near Seattle..." [AP]

• In Burlington Township, N.J.: "Burlington Township police confirmed to Fox 29 that a stampede happened after 8 a.m. at the Burlington Center Mall on Mount Holly Road. Several people were hurt as the crowd tried to get the limited-release sneakers." [Fox Philly]

• In Sturbridge, Mass.: "A Milford man stopped for speeding on Interstate 84 was traveling with a .38-caliber revolver and ammunition concealed in a pair of Nikes, police said... Poking out of one of the sneakers, the trooper saw what he believed to be the butt of a revolver. The trooper withdrew the weapon from the shoe, and observed that it was a D&R Model 925 five-shot .38-caliber revolver, according to the police report. In the other shoe, the trooper located 10 rounds of 38-caliber ammunition in a small plastic bag, the police report states. [Worcester Telegram]

• In Louisville, Ky.: "The rush to get the latest re-release of Air Jordan sneakers ended in a huge brawl at this Kentucky mall early this morning. Local news station W-D-R-B reports up to 100 people were involved in the fight at this Louisville mall." [KTVQ]

• In Austin, Tex.: "At least three people were injured at area stores overnight as crowds gathered to be among the first to buy Nike shoes that went on sale early this morning... Emergency crews treated an adult and a 14-year-old who suffered assault-like injuries." [Statesman]

• In Detroit, Mich.: "The release of the much anticipated Nike Air Jordan XI Concord lead to an early morning riot at Southland Mall and resulted in the arrest of a 21-year-old Detroit man who is accused of inciting a riot. Taylor police said Southland Mall security called police for assistance at around 5:30 a.m. this morning when a large crowd of about 300 people were lined up outside. The mall, located in Taylor, was not scheduled to open until 8 a.m." [Detroit Free Press]

• In Jersey City, N.J.: "A 20-year-old Jersey City man was stabbed seven times last night during a fight among several of the 300 holiday shoppers lined up to buy the coveted Nike Air Jordan XI Concord sneakers at the Newport Centre Mall, police said. The Duncan Avenue man, attacked at about 10:19 p.m., suffered non-life-threatening wounds, police said." [Jersey Journal]

• In Ironyland: "One girl said she lost her shoes in the midst of all the pushing and shoving." [Charlotte Observer]

Careful this Christmas. It's hard out there for a sneakerhead.

Jordan-"Dance puppets, dance. Hahahahahahahahaha"

 

[S2J]

to a fool its suttin special but to people who can afford it, its just another sneaker.

shit i used to play in those till the sole wore out.

they were a good sneaker to play ball in lol

its only ignorant niggaz that put a basketball sneaker's value over their own life lol.

i can't believe this nigga said XI's like its some magical fuckin creature spoken about in hidden circles lol

its a basketball sneaker lol play basket ball in em lol

If you are buying a shoe for $150-$200, you obviously care about shoes...smh

whether its to keep in the box for posterity, wear w/ a new outfit, or to hoop in them, you care

ESPECIALLY when u consider Jordans in comparison are NOT better than Nikes from a functional pov

gtfoh w/ the 'white people dont care about them' angle, b/c if you are buying 'new Jordans', you care.

smh @ u thinkin black people dont ball in Jordans tho

 

[nycest_1]

If you are buying a shoe for $150-$200, you obviously care about shoes...smh

whether its to keep in the box for posterity, wear w/ a new outfit, or to hoop in them, you care

ESPECIALLY when u consider Jordans in comparison are NOT better than Nikes from a functional pov

gtfoh w/ the 'white people dont care about them' angle, b/c if you are buying 'new Jordans', you care.

smh @ u thinkin black people dont ball in Jordans tho

lol my fault, when i meant niggaz i meant hood people not black people
but back to the basics, niggaz do not ball in jordans, i've been in the park plenty of times when dickheads wearing jordans had to go home and change, because the basketball shoes they were wearing apparently weren't for paying basketball.

and i disagree about those sneakers, i think they were good to play ball in.
most jordans from a design standpoint were meant to provide good support to ball in.

and people buy them not because they care, but because its a nice new pair of kicks.
believe it or not, outside the hood some people don't believe jordans are high fashion

 

[S2J]

lol my fault, when i meant niggaz i meant hood people not black people

but back to the basics, niggaz do not ball in jordans, i've been in the park plenty of times when dickheads wearing jordans had to go home and change, because the basketball shoes they were wearing apparently weren't for paying basketball.

and i disagree about those sneakers, i think they were good to play ball in.

most jordans from a design standpoint were meant to provide good support to ball in.

and people buy them not because they care, but because its a nice new pair of kicks.

believe it or not, outside the hood some people don't believe jordans are high fashion

No, just no.

Not high fashion? So they dont care what brand they wear? Then why dont they have on Asics?...or Saconies? or Voits?...

No. If you buy Jordans...not just Nikes, but JORDANS...you know what the hell they are lol

And people who dont ball in Jordans outdoor just have common sense. Go to an indoor gym, that's all you see. Or excsue me, thats all I see, b/c w/ the shyt u sayin I dont know where you from fam lol Black and white, everybdy hoops in Js.

 

[WhoisDonG???]

Yall niggas bringing back memories. My Cousin had the longhorns starter jacket and got robbed for it. Man the Chi was no joke back in the day for those J's especially those red and black 11's. 95 was the best year in shoe history the Jordan 11's, Grant Hills, and the Penny's. Can't forget about the CWebb, Airmaxes, and those Pippens.

 

[Darius]

...............

 

[Mrslim1]

3's , 4's 6's > 11's

 

[GettinLo]

3's , 4's 6's > 11's

original colorway 5's > 11's > 2's > all other Jordans

 

[Mrslim1]

original colorway 5's > 11's > 2's > all other Jordans

I like the 2's . 11's ( especially the red and black ) but sole turns yellow after a while . Thats always ruined it for me with that shoe

 

[#1 pick]

matt showing his true colors. One day Matt gonna come home and his wife is getting piped by a young brother with no sense of morality.

 

[S2J]

matt showing his true colors. One day Matt gonna come home and his wife is getting piped by a young brother with no sense of morality.

Or perhaps its already happened, thus the gimic...

But dude been showed his colors, just too many young dudes and coons to say anything

 

[DaFifthElement]

5s>>all other Jordans. Real life.

 

[Darius]

matt showing his true colors. .

no, i'm just showing you yours

[video=youtube;jYs4tjuIAlw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYs4tjuIAlw&feature=player_embedded#![/video]

video of the year

 

[#1 pick]

no, i'm just showing you yours

[video=youtube;jYs4tjuIAlw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYs4tjuIAlw&feature=player_embedded#![/video]

video of the year

Never been a buffoon, but you will likely have your wife piped by a young brotha. I bet you would like it too. Matt, you heard of cuckold? What cha wife think of it?

 

[Say What]

Niggas waiting on a bus but they got $200 shoes. Fail

 

[I.B. Blackman]

.......Bump.

 

[windycity2117]

It's about that time of years for the Jordan fans

 

[D.D.S.]

lmfao...

 

[dalyricalbandit]

It's about that time of years for the Jordan fans

was just about to say this

 

[greenwood1921]

Slightly off-topic, but I was just talking to a high school friend of mine reminiscing and shit, and we remembered when a dude at our school got shot and killed over a starter jacket.

Then we laughed at the etherous irony that they sell Starter apparel at Wal-Mart now.

Are we going to hell?