https://twitter.com/heidiburgett/status/1019583297670639617
The above tweet showed up on my timeline this morning. My first response was, “Wait Russell Wilson has a signature shoe and Serena doesn’t?” In the words of every internet meme, “dafuq?” I’ve tried to be as civil as possible on this blog. I really attempt to maintain an above the belt attitude, but Russell Wilson might be the most (not a word coming) unsignature shoe dude in the sports world. Well maybe not the most, but dude is just not that engaging.
I can see the internet memes and nicknames coming:
The “I’m After Future” 1s… and I have a host of other nicknames but my wife won’t let me post those because they are offensive and slightly disrespectful. You better believe there is someone out there who has less tact than I do and they are going to point the gun right at the Air Sloppy Seconds idea. The least offensive idea is that Wilson, in my mind, will forever be a volleyball with a face on it.
Is Russell the type of guy that I’d want my son to be like? Yes. The guy is a great teammate (well, except to the departed Richard Sherman), he stepped up to bat for a drug-popping, non-rapping baby daddy, who single handedly ruined King’s Dead with the worst verse ever. Russell has never had a run-in with the law (which is huge considering he’s an NFL guy (wow, I am really hitting below the belt) and he is definitely as clean cut as any professional athlete in sports. Even with all of that this just rubbed me the wrong way. Serena just pulled off an incredible tournament appearance and a Wimbledon Runner-Up and she still doesn’t have a lifestyle or performance signature shoe. As a matter of fact does Nike even have a women’s signature shoe at all for any current women’s athlete? And you – Nike – (insert television curse word like mickeyfingers) give dry ass Russell Wilson a Signature?
It’s not that the shoes are bad. They look great for the upcoming fall/winter season. There are elements of the Hyperposite, Jason Kidd, Air Max 1 and Kommuter evident and the materials are actually really nice… but there is a reason Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have never had signature shoes. There is a reason why Victor Cruz’s line was stopped after one pair and Odell doesn’t have a signature line. Football players don’t really sell shoes unless there is a unique approach to that player.
There is a reason why Deion Sanders did have a signature line. The reason Deion made a great pitchman was the introduction of a new training method: Cross Training. Bo Jackson didn’t have a signature, but he was so closely aligned to the Air Trainer that it may as well have been a signature. It helped that both guys played two sports and gave Nike an unlimited amount of ammunition for ad campaigns. Russell could possibly be a two sport professional athlete, but he isn’t right now. Victor Cruz got a shoe because he was well known in sneaker circles, but outside of the sneaker community football fans are more conservative and his shoe was basically a knock off Nike Yeezy (they are also still sitting in stores after 3 years).
OBJ is one of the most recognizable athletes in the NFL, but even he has only been granted a player exclusive. This is all because football is the only sport that a guy can play, be a multimillionaire and still walk into a restaurant or store and not be noticed. The NFL has made sure to make their sport about the team and in doing so they have thwarted the individual which diminishes the ability for athletes to brand themselves.
I like Russell, but seeing this just sheds more light on the bias in sneaker companies. The first comment about a woman athlete not getting a signature shoe is that it won’t sell. This shit ain’t selling and quite frankly Nike, you’re dead wrong for this. (Man I am way too personally involved in this post, Kanye Shoulder Shrug – capitalized because I’m humping my shoulders way in the air). Dangeruss? Nah. I’m not mad at Russell, I’m mad at Nike.