Sights from Shoetopia

The Wells Fargo Center played host to sneaker show Shoetopia Saturday afternoon, as sneaker connoisseurs from all over ascended upon the arena for the trade show. 

Shoetopia is Philadelphia's biggest buy, sell, and trade sneaker show to date. 

The mission statement of the event is as follows:

SHOE+TOPIA aims to showcase the powerful popular & underground cultures of the sneaker game. The sneaker game is one of the most pervasive industries in the world. Camping out days for the latest Jordan release? Drive hundreds of miles for those hard to find SB's? Yes this event is for you. Or maybe you're just curious as what exactly an event like this entails, yes this event is for you. We combine "the culture", with music, food & drinks; and the result is SHOETOPIA: a low pressure, high fidelity environment to see and be seen. We will feature some of the most exclusive sneaker vendors from the area and beyond! All aspects of the culture will be showcased and the event will include restoration booths, appearances by special guests, raffles for prizes (usually an upcoming or unreleased rare pair!), and style/brand collection contests! Have kicks to sell, trade, or showcase? Hit us up - but do remember, our vendor tables ALWAYS sell out so please contact us in a timely manner. Sellers/vendors: We have nominal fees in place for vendor tables. Contact us directly AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, we cannot stress how quickly tables will go. Looking for a rare pair to cop? We are certain you will find what you are looking for.

After being cultivated and expanded over the last 3 years with tremendous "home-grown" support, we moved SHOE+TOPIA from the DC suburbs in Northern, VA, into the heart of the city, and now we're taking our passion to Philadelphia.

More information about the event can be found at the website Theshoetopia.com, and a complete write-up of the event will be coming later. But for now I wanted to share some sights from the event, which brought out several hundred sneaker fanatics for a rainy Saturday showcase. 

Check out some of the pictures after the jump. 

A graph of the Sixers losing steak

A lot has happened, in the sports world and elsewhere, since the Sixers last won a basketball game.

We touched on a lengthy list of things that have occurred since their January 29th victory over the Boston Celtics in this post from yesterday. 

Now, we have a graphical representation of the franchise's futility, courtesy of Ballerball.com.

Since the Sixers won

Check out the original article from Philly.com here. 

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It has been quite a while since the Sixers won a basketball game; 55 days to be exact.

Their 25 consecutive losses is now the second longest losing streak of all time, behind only the futility of the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers, who dropped 26 straight the season directly after LeBron left.

The Sixers will have an opportunity to tie that mark on Thursday evening in Houston, and to break it Saturday at home against Detroit.

While the Sixers have been busy trying to get a win, a lot has happened elsewhere throughout the course of their nearly two-month long losing streak.

Here is a brief list of things that have happened since the Sixers played a better game of basketball than their opponent:

Michael Jordan apologizes (not really) to Tony Wroten after shoe malfunction

Update: So since this article was originally published early Friday afternoon, Tony Wroten has sent out a tweet stating that the apology never actually happened, and that he was just joking around with a reporter.

MJ NEVER called and apologized. I was joking around with a local reporter saying "yea he should call me agent" not knowing I would be quoted
— Tony Wroten (@TWroten_LOE) March 21, 2014

Oh well. The story is still interesting, as players continue to wear vintage Jordans on the court, and people continue to complain about quality. 

Check out the original article, from Philly.com, here. 
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It has been over 10 years since Michael Jordan played in an NBA game, but the shoes he inspired are as popular as ever.

New iterations of the infamous Air Jordan shoes drop almost every weekend, as people save up, line up, and camp out for the kicks modeled after the ones Jordan competed in on the court. The price tag on the shoes has risen steadily over the past decade as the sneaker culture has gained popularity, but that doesn’t stop most models from selling out instantly.

Fans of the infamous footwear range from young kids that didn’t even have an opportunity to watch Jordan play in person, to NBA players that grew up idolizing MJ. 

Sixers guard Tony Wroten is one player who is known for his expansive kick collection, and he often pulls pairs, old and rare especially, from his own stash to hit the hardwood in.

He has been seen sporting several 76ers-themed colorways of popular Air Jordan retro models this season, but apparently not all of them were durable enough for Wroten’s demands.

In a recent game against Indiana, while wearing a pair of ‘Red Steel’ Jordan 10’s, Wroten planted to pivot and his shoe blew apart. The sole of the shoe was basically ripped from the upper by the impact of Wroten’s movement.

Play was stopped momentarily, and Wroten, who keeps several reserve pairs in his locker, ran back and switched up the shoes, no big deal, it seemed. 

However, the malfunction was a concern to a certain somewhat whose name and likeness is stitched into the suspect shoe.

“I got an apology from Jordan. Yeah, he called my agent,” Wroten stated to the Delaware News Journal in regards to the incident.

It is nice to see that Jordan is at least somewhat concerned about the perception of his product, which has recently faced criticisms of decreasing quality. 

How did it feel to get a call from the world’s best [retired] basketball player?

“It was more embarrassing than anything,” Wroten stated.

“But things happen.”

The incident didn’t stop Wroten from wearing Jordan Brand shoes in-game, as he wore a pair of Red Jordan 4’s during the Sixers loss to the Bulls on Wednesday, without issue. 

Thad Young could be a keeper for the Sixers

Trade speculation has circled Thaddeus Young for almost a year now. When fellow pre-Hinkie Sixer Jrue Holiday was traded on Draft day, some wondered whether Young would still be around at the start of the season. When he was, that speculation shifted to the trade deadline, where many figured he was as good as gone. But, while two more pre-Hinkie Sixers were traded from Philly, Young remained on the roster.

Young is a Sixer for the rest of the season, but the speculation is far from over. As the only remaining Sixer from the 2011-12 campaign that ended with a second-round playoff appearance, Young’s future with the franchise, which has all but started from scratch, is still uncertain. He is an attractive asset, and the organization has demonstrated its’ desire to have as many picks as possible in the upcoming deep Draft. 

In the face of the season-long speculation however, the longest-tenured Sixer by a mile is enjoying (although considering the Sixers’ struggle of a season, enjoying may not be the right word) career highs in points, assists, and steals in Brett Brown’s up-tempo system. Young has really gotten to flex his versatility muscle this season, especially since his counterparts, Turner and Hawes, were dealt on deadline day, and make his value visible to all the teams across the league’s landscape.

The 76ers want Wiggins

At this point in the season, it’s safe to say that the Sixers are going to land in the lottery, and, in all likelihood, they are going to have a pretty good pick.

This is a good thing for the Sixers, as the 2014 Draft class appears to be teeming with talent, and has been consistently lauded for its depth.

The decisions made on Draft day this year will drastically shape the future of the franchise, and it is important that the Sixers use their picks, especially the prominent ones, wisely.

With that being said, it seems that the Sixers have their eyes on a particular player.

Why the Sixers want Wiggins

It is pretty easy to understand the hype around Andrew Wiggins after watching the recent ESPN Sports Science clip on him (below).

The video shows that Wiggins has a stride length of 8.0 feet - a full foot longer than that of Kevin Durant, despite being several inches shorter than KD. Wiggins can get from the three-point line to the basket in two steps!

The Sports Science clip also shows that Wiggins' speed can top 20 miles per hour; a speed on par with the NBA's quickest point guard, Chris Paul.

Wiggins has a reported 40+ inch vertical leap, and can get his hands on balls that are over 12 feet in the air! Dude can jump out of the gym.



After watching the video, it is easy to see why this kid has been projected to go first overall in the 2014 Draft, and why there has been so much hype around him. Dude is drool-worthy. I've wanted to see the Sixers select Wiggins this summer all along, and the ability displayed in the Sports Science video only further solidify that desire.

If the Sixers can secure Wiggins this summer, it might just make this long, struggle of a season worthwhile.

Fresh from prison, Lil Boosie learns what a selfie, Instagram is

A lot can change in a short period of time.

What is new and popular today won't be in a year, as it will just be replaced by something newer, and different. Keep that in mind.

At this point, most members of modern society know what a 'selfie' is. The sheer number of selfies that are taken and posted is alarming, but that is a whole other issue entirely.

Anyway, most people are familiar with the concept of taking a picture of yourself with your smartphone and posting it to the internet to share with the four people who may be interested in such a thing.

In prison they don't have smartphones. The ability to take a picture of yourself whenever you want is just another right you may forfeit when committing a crime.

For those not up on hip-hop culture, Southern rapper Lil' Boosie, of Zoom fame, was recently released from prison after serving five years on drug charges.

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In prison terms, five years isn't too long of a stint, but dang, a lot can change in five years. You probably do different things than you did five years ago, and your life is likely impacted by different devices than it was five years ago. Technology especially, is constantly evolving, and changing.

So you can understand Boosie's confusion when someone suggested that he take a post-prison selfie.

"What that is," he asked, before being given a tutorial on the practice of self-picture taking by a caring individual, looking to help Boosie Bad Azz assimilate back into modern society.



"Oh, okay," Boosie, government name Torrence Hatch, responded, sounding like he was beginning to understand the art of selfie.

Maybe his next album cover will be a selfie shot.

Self-picture taking popularity wasn't the only area where Boosie was behind the times. Instagram didn't exist when he was originally booked behind bars, and neither did FaceTime, a concept that was both crazy and exciting to the recently-released rapper.

Welcome back, Boosie.

2014 NBA Draft is the Sixers chance to secure a scorer

Be sure to check out the original article from Philly.com here. 

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The Sixers have a lot of issues to address this off-season and beyond. They need talent and depth at every position, and they certainly need to improve upon their defense, which has been dismal.

There has been a ton of speculation about what the team should do with its two potential lottery picks in the stacked 2014 Draft. While this struggle of a season, and their financial flexibility gives the franchise options going forward, one move that will be central to the Sixers’ climb back into contention, is securing a scorer.

By scorer, I don’t simply mean someone who can put the ball in the basket, as there are a lot of those floating around, but rather, a go-to guy. The guy that gets the ball (and everyone knows he is going to get the ball) in the closing seconds of a close game and is expected to make a play. The type of guy you go to when you need a basket, or when the offense breaks down because he can generate his own.

Kobe Bryant to sit for the rest of the season

You know Kobe still wanted to try to play, but with the Lakers completely out of contention, his sitting makes more sense for both sides.

Check out the original article from Philly.com here.
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It looks like Laker fans will have to wait a little longer to see their superstar back out on the court.

Despite his initial desire to return, Kobe Bryant will stay sidelined for the remainder of the 2013-14 NBA season, according to multiple media reports.

Sixers add another number to the banner

I have had a Mitchell & Ness Banner depicting all of the jerseys the Sixers have retired hanging on my wall for a long while now.

Those seven numbers (6, 10, 13, 15, 24,32, 34) remained unchanged through the years, waiting for a new name to be added on. I believe the banner was made around the year 2000, and as I kid I remember watching Sixers games (particularly that 2001 Finals season) and wondering when Allen Iverson's number would finally be added to the banner. I had all the respect in the world for the past players of the franchise, but being born in 1987, I didn't have the opportunity to watch them play much.

While watching Iverson, I knew I was watching a legend. I also knew that it was only a matter of time before his number would join the others on my bedroom banner.

Now, after the events of last Saturday evening, Allen Iverson's number three hangs in the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center like it has been there all along, sandwiched in-between Sir Charles and Maurice Cheeks.

Looks like it is finally time to update that bedroom banner.

Expectations sink lower for Sixers

Check out the original article from Philly.com here.
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Not only have the Sixers been unable to win as of late, they have been unable to even keep it close.

The team, which is currently on a 15-game losing streak, has lost those 15 straight games by an average of almost twenty points per (19.8)!

They haven’t won a game since the end of January, and even that took a last second shot by Evan Turner, who has since been traded.

Not only are the Sixers getting beat, they’re getting blown out. It has become difficult to watch even for the most diehard fans of the franchise, and there’s no real reprieve in sight this season.

Adrian Peterson wants Vick as a Viking

On this Thursday afternoon, we'll take a brief break from basketball in order to touch on some new NFL news.

After a strong season, Nick Foles is the Eagles' unquestioned starter heading into the 2014 season, which leaves Michael Vick searching for a starting spot, and there happens to be a certain all-pro running back that wants Vick as the starter on his squad.

Check out the original article from Philly.com here.
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Michael Vick may no longer be seen as a starter in Philadelphia, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be the top-signal caller somewhere else.

Vick turns 34 this year, and he hasn’t played in more than 13 games in a season since 2006, but he has ample athleticism and NFL experience, and he could still be serviceable in the right situation.

The Minnesota Vikings are searching for a quarterback to pair with their all-pro running back and push the team back into the playoffs. Could Vick fit with the Vikings?  

Image from Metro.us

One player that certainly thinks so, is that all-pro running back, Adrian Peterson.

“Michael Vick would intently make the Vikings a playoff team!” Peterson tweeted on Wednesday.

After being paired with Tarvaris Jackson, Brett Favre, Josh Freeman, and Ponder, among others, Peterson is thirsty for someone he feels can help the team contend.

While Vick as a Viking is far from a done deal, such a move might make sense for both sides.

Christian Ponder is the only Viking quarterback currently under contract, and the free agent quarterback class, which consists of Josh McCown and David Garrard, among others, isn’t all that appealing.

Since Vick is not slated to start for the Eagles this season, he may want to explore his options elsewhere while he still has some sort of opportunity, and the Vikings could be a viable destination for the former Pro-Bowl quarter. 

Tupac spotted at Celtics game

So the theories are true after all.

Tupac has been alive all along, biding his time in Cuba, or hiding in Los Angeles, to eventually re-emerge at a regular season Warriors- Celtics game in Boston.

Image from SBNation.com

Okay, that's not really Tupac. He's long-gone, but dang, this dude certainly channeled his inner-'Pac, all the way down to the way he tied his bandanna. The fans in Boston even got a Tupac chant going during the game. Nice work.

Image from foundwalls.com

R.I.P Tupac. 

Sixers shoe game strong

The Sixers are becoming increasingly difficult to watch, but it isn't all bad.

Check out the original article, from Philadunkia, here.

The Sixers haven’t played the best basketball over the past couple seasons, but they have remained relevant in the shoe game. The team has had a couple of the league’s most notorious sneakerheads in today’s NBA on the recent roster; from Nick Young, who has his own sneaker butler, last season to Tony Wroten this season. The team has also inspired some cool colorways on some popular sneaker models.

Tony Wroten has a deep kick collection, and pulls out new heat almost every game. Wroten is in only his first season with the Sixers, and his long-term future with them is uncertain, but that hasn't stopped him from repping the franchise with his footwear.

Tony Wroten represents the Sixers franchise with his footwear

Tony Wroten is in only his first season with the Sixers, and his long-term future with them is uncertain, but that hasn't stopped him from repping the franchise with his footwear.

Wroten has one of the league's best kick collections, and he has had custom work done on a couple of his Jordan's to incorporate some Philadelphia flair. 

Image from sneakernews.com

Pictured above is a pair of the infamous Jordan 'Flu Game' 12's, which Wroten had customized with the Sixers' blue-and-red color scheme. Notice the emphasis on the 8 of the 97 (:P) 38 logo on the lower left outside, as Wroten is #8 on the 7-6. Nice detailing.

Below is a picture of custom Jordan X '76ers'. The 76ers theme is slightly more obvious on this one.

Photo take by Michael Kaskey-Blomain

It's nice to see the team representation, as well as the shoe variety, as opposed to the over-abundance of Nike Hyperfuses. Rock on, Tony.

Following in his footsteps with the franchise, Michael Carter-Williams can learn a lot from Allen Iverson

Check out the original article from Philly.com here.
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Perhaps he shouldn’t adopt Iverson’s approach to practice, but, Michael Carter-Williams could learn a lot from the guy whose number three was raised to the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center Saturday evening, both about the game of basketball and how to thrive in the city of Philadelphia. 

The Sixers tried to keep their focus on the Washington Wizards on Saturday, but the distractions were evident. There was the expanded media presence. There were the celebrity guests, and a packed and passionate Wells Fargo Center; something the Sixers haven’t seen all season. All of this of course, was to acknowledge one of the organization’s all-time bests in Allen Iverson, and for an evening, the current Sixers’ struggles were secondary.