SB Republic: Member Spotlight 1

member spotlight thesportsaddict mike brad interview —

Member Spotlight 1 - 'thesportsaddict'

The first SBR Member Spotlight is focusing it's crosshairs on Mike AKA 'thesportsaddict'. If you have posted a legit check on ISS, chances are Mike put in the work to let you know if what you were looking at was legit or not. His large contributions to the Jordan price check thread, comprehensive guide on how to spot fake Freddy's & his design contests in the SB thread are all notable contributions Mike has made to ISS and in turn the sneaker community on a whole, all in the year he has been a member. Not to mention the first member to be accepted into 4 UG's all within his rookie year!

- Can you tell everyone a little bit about yourself?

My name is Mike, I'm from Philly.. I have been around skating and shoes since I was 7yrs old. (which was 23 years ago).

- When did you get into collecting skate shoes?

I started collecting skate shoes about a year and a half ago... But have always followed them. Being in the Military and always being deployed, there was not a lot of resources for getting the shoes I wanted.

- What was one of the first stand out shoes that got you into collecting skate shoes?

Well the first Skate shoe that did it in for me was the Original Vans Half Cab.. and Vision's.. I remember seeing Steve Caballero tearing it up with the Checkered pairs and it was a love ever since.

- What's your favourite skate shoe brand? Around how many do you have in your collection?

That would be Vans and Nike SB... Close Tie.. And combined I have around 50 pairs.

- What are your favourites in the collection?

My love's are Sole Collector Vegas Highs, Jedi's, SBTG's, Kaboom's and Skate Mental Mids. If I had to choose one I couldn't.

- Don't you have 3 pairs of the Kaboom's? They didn't receive a very good reception when they dropped!

I do have 3-4 pairs of Kaboom's... Maybe more haha... No they didn't get any love.. But I am a huge comic fan and they appealed to me directly from that. One day they will be looked upon differently.

- What was it that attracted you to Nike SB in particular?

The way that they first made the shoe to be Comfortable, most skate shoes when I was younger and skating were very uncomfortable and would tear your feet apart. Then the designs. How could you not love a shoe that put 8 shoe desings on one or the shoe having immense character.. some of the SB releases are a thing of beauty.

- Do you have any particular shoes that you like to wear on a day-to-day basis?

I wear my Kabooms, Dark Army's, Unfuturas, Unkles and Skate Mentals all the time.

- What are some of your all time favourite SBs that you don't own?

Chocolates.. OMG Chocolates.. I love those.. Black Melvins, EC Lunars and SC Vegas Competition Lows.

- What are your least favourite Nike SB's?

I'm gonna catch some heat on this one.. HAHA.. I can't stand the look of the Paris' and Purple Pigeons.. I have seen both in person and have had multiple oppurtunities to buy them for cheap, but couldn't do it.

- Least favourite/favourite box colors?

Favorite Box Color's are Gold and Black. Dont have a least Favorite.

- Favourite shoe from gold and black eras?

Gold Box Era - What the Dunks all day

Black Box Era - ?? Hmm almost all of them haha

- A lot of people tend to refer to black box as one of the 'slower' box eras, so you don't agree with that?!

No, I don't.. People from different generations and area's of the worlds are accustomed to different taste's. But I like almost all as I see what they really are.. Look past the meaning of the design and see the thoughts and feelings.

- What shoes are you currently looking for?

Currently on the hunt for Chocolate's, Tweed's High and Low, Boba Fett's, EC Lunars, White/Black Melvins and another pair of What the Dunks.

- What's the best steal you ever got on a skate shoe?

Hmmm, probably my Pusheads.. DS Pusheads OG everything for $80 from neighbor that was selling them.

- Who are some of your favourite skaters?

The one and only Steve Caballero and Bucky Lasek.

- If you could design a skate shoe what sort of thing would you go for?

I have done a few iD's, but what I would love to make would be a dunk low of course and it would be a Christmas Low.. Green and Red with a little gold or a few of the designs from the SB Battles.

- Any last words? Also, what's your blog address? Your freddy post alone is definitely worth a read!

http://tsa-thesneakertruth.blogspot.com/

Thanks for having me on the first spotlight and everyone stay away from Fakes.. Buy Legit..

- Thanks Mike

Thanks Brad.