recently sold at auction for $190,000<\/a>.<\/p>\nFor the Love of the Game Clause<\/h2>\n 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\u2019s \u201cLove of the Game\u201d – a desire to play anywhere, anytime, regardless of potential liability of injury.<\/p>\n
Jordan\u2019s relentless pursuit of off-season competition was solidified before his pro career even began. During high school, he spent countless summer days at Wilmington\u2019s Empie Park challenging anyone who would accept. This embrace of playground hoops also continued during trips home from the University of North Carolina.<\/p>\n
The most memorable examples of the \u201cLove of the Game\u201d 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 \u2014 Carolina Blue on the heel. In the 1987 game, he opted for a low version of the II in his alma mater\u2019s team colors, as mentioned earlier.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nMJ\u2019s refusal to skip the 1984 Olympic Games is another classic example of his \u201cLove of the Game.\u201d Having just been drafted, it was arguably in his best interest to decline, but instead he helped lead the USA Men\u2019s Basketball Team to a Gold Medal at the Los Angeles hosted Olympic Games.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s 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 \u201ctry out\u201d for the team in March of \u201984. 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 \u201cbest interest to decline\u201d, and only two of those did so to based on draft implications (sorry Sam Bowie, should\u2019ve reconsidered). Tryouts were then held over the next two months to secure an Olympic roster. And the NBA Draft was not until June 19.<\/p>\n
While the Olympic Games began on July 28 of that summer and ended on August 12 of that summer, Jordan signed this \u201cfirst professional contract\u201d on September 12 of that summer\u2026 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.<\/p>\n
What Would’ve Been Better<\/h2>\n Michael\u2019s \u201cLove of the Game\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
While I\u2019ll 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<\/a>\u00a0as that photo that you\u2019ve 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, \u201cCarolina Court.\u201d<\/p>\nI understand that a lot of today\u2019s sneakerheads really aren\u2019t interested in the history or backstory shoes of the past. That\u2019s 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\u2019t know the history but are led to believe what their being told is real.<\/p>\n
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\u2019d rather they bypass the story altogether for the sake of integrity and get a product right.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
words by Todd Krevanchi We\u2019ve all seen it before: movies documenting history or moments in time in which some director…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3328,"featured_media":543587,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1218760],"tags":[],"cultivate_rss":[],"class_list":{"2":"type-post"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Opinion \/\/ Why The Details Shouldn't Be Blurred on Storytelling | Snkrs Day<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n