Why The Kickback Tour Was (And Can Continue to Be) Amazing

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I pray that March 26th becomes an annual event. Not in the sense that every year we have to put the Kickback Tour on that same exact day but I would like for it to be every year in Sacramento. What started out as an idea grew like wildfire from word of mouth. To the point that I was having people I know ask me if I was going to, "the sneaker event". The word is out now nearly four days later. This was and can continue to be something special. If I had to do it over again maybe I wouldn't have worn the same pair of Cement 4s 1 in 4 people had on but other than that no regrets. It's hard to pinpoint an exact subject I'd prefer to write about in regards to the event. So I just preferred to list what made it so special in detail. Happy day, and remember that the French 12 is coming this weekend. Salud. (Big thanks to Laura Allen for the pictures)



#1. I really, really, like BODYARMOR

There were a lot of tents and companies who invested their time into having a spot for their items and merchandise for the event. For that the gratitude is endless and when I say my next sentence it isn't meant to disrespect anyone.

(

BODYARMOR may have one of the best products to hit the scene these next couple of years. They say that the best way to test out your product out is to bring it straight to the customer's hand. That's exactly what their team did last Saturday. I was not like everyone else who waited in line because I was able to walk in early and tour everything. Within five minutes I was handed one of their drinks by a kind woman and had broken the seal on the top. I first tried the Tropical Punch flavor and was blown away.

The drink didn't taste like a Gatorade or Powerade in the sense that it wasn't overly doused with flavor. Yet it tasted smooth and clean, while at the same time giving enough taste to the point that you were satisfied but left wanting more. Then I was able to try the Fruit Punch later in the day (and by later I mean I went and got another one twenty minutes later because I didn't want to be greedy but it tasted too good for me to pass up) and loved that one even more. If they had let me I would've walked out with the entire barrel.

With athletes sponsoring the drink from promising Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis, to NBA Champion Klay Thompson, the company is already getting more than enough backing. Bottom line is this.

Drink BODYARMOR. You won't regret it. 



#2. The Champ (and more) were there. 

(Don't worry Steph I have the same problem when I go outside too)

I'm going to ruin the surprise for everyone that came Saturday.

I knew ahead of time that Steph was going to be there. No one spread it or told anyone about it because had they done that we would've had to have been escorted in with three times the security that was already at the event.

(On second thought, maybe someone should have spilled the bomb that he was coming).

 All jokes aside it was amazing to walk in as a spectator and see the star power that was in that building. Anyone knows the game of basketball and sneakers go hand in hand. I'm never surprised at the creativity and
unique personas NBA players share on their feet by rocking a pair of sneakers. They wear a revolution on their feet with the amount of TV and general media cameras they bring to their feet. As William Shakespeare said, "All the world's a stage".

As I walked into the building it started with Riley Curry (who quickly is becoming a celebrity in her own right), then you would see Sonya Curry helping out at the Kick'n It table. In walked Willie Cauley-Stein and he was soon to be followed by Seth Curry. Then came Boogie Cousins, Caron Butler, Rudy Gay and it seemed like everywhere you went there was someone there. A friend of mine turned to me and said, "What's next, Steph ?".

(Wille Cauley-Stein had one heck of a weekend after coming to the KickBack Tour, where he proceeded the next day to score 21 points coming off the bench in a win against Dallas)

When Steph walked in the entire room collectively turned to the stage. Only a few people that have ever existed could get that kind of reaction. Elvis, MJ, Wilt Chamberlain, and Steph. What made it better was that no one was on an ego trip. Long as you were polite and kind (which everyone that came was) they would take pictures with you, talk to you etc. That's always a great feeling when you're able to meet someone and are able to leave with a positive experience.

Which is what the purpose of the event was. To have a positive experience. So to those who came thanks you for your involvement and keep doing your thing on the court, off the court, and just life in general.



#3. Play Bang Bang Ball If you Have the Trash Cans

Created when Seth Curry's friends and family threw him a birthday party, Bang Bang Ball came to the Kickback Tour and was given a close up experience to the Sacramento public.

The game is basically a bigger, larger version of beer pong (minus the beer because this is family friendly). The KickBack Tour had three teams. Team Sacramento Kings consisted of a group of the Kings in attendance such as Boogie and Caron Butler aka Tuff Juice. Team Kick'n It received a special cameo appearance from Riley Curry alongside her mom Ayesha and dad Steph. Meanwhile Team Sac Town was created from five random guests at the event.


Bang Bang Ball I find entertaining for the sheer fact that it's a bigger game of beer pong which allows for more arch on your shot from a farther distance as you watch the balls float on a magic rainbow towards the trash cans. Not only that, but since it's family friendly everyone can play (as shown by Riley) which means you can get the kids vs the parents etc.

(Devontee performed the Kick'n It theme song during the Bang Bang Ball portion of the event)

#4. Everyone had a good time

This topic would be #1 on my list if I had actually wanted to organize these points in order.

Everyone had a good time. Isn't that the point of events such as these? Look we can sit here and talk about certain shoes and styles all day when we go to these venues. The purpose remains the same, that everyone enjoy themselves and have a good time.

That's why I as not just an ambassador to the City of Sacramento, but as a citizen to the sneaker game in general in America think we need more events like this. Where we help people in the process and are also enjoying being around others who like the same things that we do.

It's amazing to go to sneaker conventions like a DXC and now a KickBack Tour Event and see, interact with other sneakerheads to share opinions on certain pairs, collections, and etc.
Otherwise what are we buying, selling, and trading these shoes for? There'd be no purpose if you can't share them with others (don't be a hoarder). Thankfully we do have a purpose and hopefully we continue to have this event around the Country and convince more sponsors and people to hop on board.

The more people to get going with it the better, and hopefully I'm able to see all of you at next year's Kickback.

(The 2k Station also featured Ronnie 2k to stop by, as well as games that involved Trill and Seth)

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NCAA Tournament in Sneakers (Round 1)

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The NCAA Tournament is a Basketball Festival for all who enjoy watching, playing, and discussing the game. It allows over 60 teams a fair shot to cut down the nets and bring home the Championship. It also over the years has become a platform for the teams and players involved with the media market and Television exposure to display their favorite sneakers. And with that I  will be providing pictures to some of my favorite sneakers round by round. Enjoy.






(Lamonte Bearden from the University of Buffalo in the KD 8 "Aunt Pearls" showing us that real men aren't afraid to wear pink. A lot of people slept on this model but obviously it wasn't by enough to keep Bearden from rocking this cool and fresh model. Even in a tough loss to 3rd seeded Miami the pink reflects good with the blue socks and black uniforms)



(Grayson Allen of Duke sporting another KD 8 colorway, this time the Blue and White. A solid colorway and not too flashy while matching that traditional Duke Blue. While Duke avoided an upset in the First Round against UNC-Wilmington Allen was sporting one of the most loved colorways of the KD 8.) 



(Jalen Adams of UConn sporting the Kobe Elite 11 Low black and white during the Huskies upset against 8 seed Colorado was a perfect blend. The white on the back of the heel meshes well with the white trim on Connecticut's uniform, while the black is around the shoe just enough to where it is technically still looking and feeling like a black shoe from afar)



(UConn was so nice in the opener they had to make it twice. As Sterling Gibbs brought out the Air Jordan 13 "Bred". One of my all time favorite shoes you can never go wrong with the AJ 13. Gibbs could easily make my All-Tournament Sneaker First Team when this whole thing is over with even if UConn doesn't make it far in the tourney. Well played Mr. Gibbs indeed)


(Isaiah Whitehead of Seton Hall was in the spirit for St. Patrick's Day by busting out a unique pair of Under Armour Clutchfit Drive 2 Lows in green and gold. By far one of the most dazzling and eye popping sneakers of the tourney so far. And while Seton Hall being upset by Gonzaga last night signals the last time this season at least Whitehead brings them out on an NCAA court he definitely set the bar high for the rest of the field)



(Matt Thomas of Iowa State is hidden by Iona's Isaiah Williams. Those Air Jordan Columbia 11's however are not. You can't go wrong with any pair of Jordan 11s on the hardwood regardless of any level and Thomas shows us his variety in his collection. Meanwhile the entire Iowa State team is getting bonus points for busting out a cult throwback in the Nike Air Zoom Hurrache 2k4)

 

(Austin Peay's time in the tourney was short lived to top ranked Kansas. However they did manage to include some style as Kenny Jones sported the Air Jordan 11 "72-10"s on court. While they won't be bringing home the trophy, Jones makes sure that they at least leave the field with some swag points)




(Like Father, like Son. Gary Payton II came out in the KD 8 "Woven Black and Gold" for his Oregon State Beaver's First Round Game against VCU. Just like his Dad revolutionized the sneaker game with his own trademark shoes, could we ever see a day where his son pays homage to the Glove's kicks by wearing them in the tourney should the Beavers get far?)




(Alex Poythress kept the Jordan 13 First Round trademark going with his pair of the "He Got Game" Air Jordan 13s. A smooth shoe that transcends well into Kentucky's known history these past couple of seasons with a huge sneaker tradition in the Calipari Era. Somewhere Tyler Uliss has to make this list during the Tourney)

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Tournament Throwbacks: How Mike Bibby Put the Foamposite on the Map

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After Penny Hardaway reached into his Nike Reps' Bag and asked about the Nike Air Foamposite One prototype and before he ever stepped onto an NBA court with the shoe on his feet, it was a young Point Guard at the University of Arizona named Mike Bibby who put his stamp on it forever. In the 1997 NCAA Tournament #4 seed Arizona was firing on all cylinders on their way to facing the top seeded Kansas Jayhawks in the Sweet 16 regional. 

It was the Wildcat's Nike Rep, Eric Lautenbach (now Nike's Director of College Basketball Sports Marketing) who would present one of the most iconic shoes in entire sneaker game. Where the Freshman Bibby would see an opportunity to put his mark in both the sneaker and College game, most guys on the team decided to pass. 

Miles Simon, who would soon become the Most Outstanding Player of the 97' NCAA Tournament, would decide to pass on the sneaker and stuck with his 1997 Nike Air Max Uptempos.

" I wore them in practice, but they were too slippery on the bottom" said Simons,

"But Mike did not care he thought they were hot and he was going to wear them regardless". 

The foams on Bibby's feet would see a lot of TV time as the Wildcats knocked off A loaded Jayhawks team in the Sweet Sixteen (a team that would feature future NBA Pros Paul "The Truth Pierce" and Scot Pollard) and then both North Carolina and Finally Kentucky in the National Championship. 

In the process Arizona beat three number one seeds to win the program's first Title, an impressive feat that we possibly may never see again in the Tournament. Bibby would see his name plastered onto the All-Final Four team and capped off a Tournament run for the ages with 19 points in the Championship game against UK. 

Nowadays seeing a Foamposite to a sneakerhead is as common as walking down the street and watching cars drive by. A lot of that has to do with the max output of numerous colorways from the Radars to the recently dropped University Blues. But at the time what Mike had put on his feet was revolutionary. NO ONE had seen those. It was different, it was cool, it was unique. And it had first been seen on one of basketball's biggest stages.

"Cats in the streets wouldn't say 'oh those are the foamposites', they'd say 'Oh he got the Arizonas!"


And while Bibby would go on to an impressive sneaker run in the NBA with multiple Jordan Brand PE's and colorways, it all started back in '97 when he put on the Royal Foams before anyone else (including Penny) ever saw them in a store.

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Year of the 12

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If there’s one thing that Jordan Brand has made clear in the first three months of the 2016 Calendar Year it’s this  

They have, and will plan on continuing to flood the market with new Jordan 12 releases.

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