Best Foot Forward: A Sneaker Series (Part 1)

Today I am excited to start what I hope will be a successful series of posts on this blog which will highlight one of my biggest hobbies and passions, which is sneakers and footwear. In these posts, I will select 4 sneakers, boots, or shoes from my collection that are not entirely similar to one another and share something about each pair whether it be why they are special to me, the history of the shoe, or a funny story that occurred while I was wearing that pair. I’m fortunate in that I have been able to cultivate a diverse and sizable collection of shoes to post about, so this series should last a good while. Once I write about every shoe in my collection, I will then have to wait until more pairs join the shoe-family to continue posting. Let’s start, shall we?

Pair 1 (Upper Left): Air Jordan 1 Retro “Bred”

I’ll start by saying that the Air Jordan 1 is my favorite sneaker silhouette of all time. As this series continues that will become evident as I highlight different colors of the “same shoe”, all which are extremely different to me. The “Bred” (black + red) colorway of the Air Jordan 1 may just be my favorite shoe of all time overall, as well. Iconic for its infamous banning in the 1985 NBA season when Michael Jordan debuted a sneaker which had colors contrary to his Chicago Bulls dress code, the Jordan 1 in black and red has become one of the most culturally significant and easily recognizable shoes with its distinct university red swoosh. One of the more versatile sneakers in my collection, the Bred 1 is a go-to for any season and will forever be a sneaker that I cherish dearly, and will hopefully double-up on sooner rather than later.

Pair 2 (Upper Right): Nike X Off-White Presto - The Ten

While it may look like an ordinary or even somewhat strange sneaker to the average person, this sneaker is one of the most highly-coveted in my entire collection. The Nike X Off-White Presto released in 2017 as a part of Nike’s collaboration with Off-White label founder and Rockford, Illinois native Virgil Abloh. Virgil's series, The Ten, redesigned and reconstructed classic Nike silhouettes such as the Air Jordan 1, Nike Blazer, and pictured here, Nike Presto. The deconstructed and very literal aspects of this sneaker make it unique, such as the detached tongue, quotation marks on the shoelaces and back velcro tab, and the zip tie (more info here) which I refuse to wear on feet as I think it looks a bit over-the-top. I enjoy the street appeal of this pair, but mainly enjoy them because of their comfort and am a big fan of the color blocking and interchangeable neon laces on these shoes.

Pair 3 (Bottom Left): Adidas Yeezy 350 Boost V2 “Sesame”

While there is a lot to be said about artist and pop-culture icon Kanye West, it is undeniable that he had made an everlasting impact on music, of course, but more recently sneakers and fashion as well. West’s promise to make Yeezy’s available for everyone seems to finally be coming true as adidas has upped production numbers on recent releases, especially for certain colorways. I was lucky to have scooped a pair of the “Sesame” 350s the morning that they released on YeezySupply.com, and since then I have worn they fairly regularly. I have owned a fair share of Yeezys throughout my sneaker collecting time which have come and gone, but the “Sesame” 350 is the one pair that I have left. The comfortability of Mr. West’s collaboration is incredible, and the neutral tones and gum sole featured on this specific pair make it the perfect casual summer sneaker, or a nice fall switch-up when paired with a button-down shirt and overcoat for a sophisticated urban look.

Pair 4: (Bottom Right) Saint Laurent Paris Wyatt Harness Boot in Black Leather

These rival my “Bred” Air Jordan 1s for favorite shoe in my collection. Perhaps these are my favorite non-sneaker footwear of them all. The iconic statement piece featured here is one that I am extremely lucky to have as a part of my collection. The quality of Saint Laurent footwear is incredible (I have another pair which will be featured in a future post) and the craftsmanship is remarkable, as well. This boot makes me feel like an absolute rockstar when on foot, and its heel gives me just enough height to be able to say that I am actually six feet tall without having to round up. Pairing this boot with an all black outfit or oversized sweatshirt in the winter makes me feel like I can conquer any task in front of me, and they are certainly a conversation starter, as well. Forever love my Wyatts.

I’m excited to continue this sneaker (and boots, etc.) series over the coming weeks and months. I find great value in cherishing dearly the possessions you have in your life, and reflecting upon why I love every single pair in my collection on this blog will allow me to do just that. Stay tuned.

2019 NBA Finals Game 6 Recap + Series Recap

Well, it actually happened. The Toronto Raptors are our 2019 NBA champions, and it’s beginning to look like the beginning of the end of the Golden State Warrior dynasty. Though the Warriors were as injured as they have been since the beginning of their yearly championship tradition, they fought their hardest and left everything out on the court against an extremely talented and spirited Raptors team who were able to earn their first NBA title. Any of the doubters who said the Kawhi Leonard acquisition last summer was ill-advised and wouldn’t pay off have been silenced. Hopefully there isn’t an asterisk placed next to this championship, because the Raptors completely earned it - fair and square.

It was hard watching Klay Thompson writhing in pain on the floor during the 3rd quarter of what seemed to feel like a winnable Game 6 for Golden State. He had played a fantastic game up until that point. As soon as he fell, I knew that the season was effectively over. Golden State played a very good game up until then, but losing one of the splash brothers along with Kevin Durant being out of the game was simply too much of a mountain to overcome, even for such a talented and explosive Warriors team on their home court. Now 2X Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, and Fred VanVleet (shoutout 815) proved that they are worthy of winning a championship by playing smart basketball, making difficult shots, and remaining composed and focused as the prize got closer and closer. If Kawhi Leonard stays in Toronto next season, it’s hard not to call them the frontrunner for next year’s championship as of right now before free agency. The Warriors are going to be going through changes and the Western Conference is still taxing on its playoff teams, so it seems like the Raptors may have good odds of returning to the biggest stage next season.

I thoroughly enjoyed this series and this year’s NBA Playoffs as a whole besides all of the injuries that occurred. I am extremely happy for the Toronto Raptors for finally getting over the hump and winning their first title, and it will be very exciting to see what kind of moves teams make over the summer which will directly affect next season. I will be covering and analyzing all of those moves on this blog. Hoping that my predictions are slightly more accurate next season, but until then, the grueling wait begins.

2019 NBA Finals Game 5 Recap + Game 6 Prediction

Perhaps sports predictions aren’t my calling in life. I have been incorrect about the last three NBA Finals games. I could chalk that up to unpredictable variables like injuries, which have plagued this year’s ultimate series, but I’ll just own the fact that I may not be a basketball genius. That being said, my analysis has proven to be fairly accurate, so let’s do some more of that looking back at Monday night’s Game 5 before predicting tonight’s game 6.

What a bummer for all (except maybe not some questionable Toronto-based) NBA fans. Seeing any player go down with what looks to be like a severe injury, such as KD’s ruptured achilles, is heartbreaking. Injuries cast a cloud of doubts and “what-ifs” from sports analysts and fans alike. Watching the first quarter of Game 5 proved how truly dominant Golden State’s offense is when operating at full health, as they made their first five three-pointers and just seemed looser on both ends of the court. As soon as Durant fell again, the Warriors’ offense got tight and so did their lead. Although the splash brothers were able to make some clutch shots down the stretch to give the Warriors the push they needed late, the game was uncomfortably close. As home-court advantage has proven not to make much of a difference in this series, with the road team winning the last four games, it will be interesting to see how things go down tonight. If Nick Nurse manages his time carefully, the Raptors protect the basketball, and Kawhi stays as cold-blooded as he has been as of late, it’s possibly that the Raptors will close out the series tonight. I just can’t see that happening.

Tonight’s Game 6 of the NBA Finals is the last game that will ever be played at Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA. All of the Warriors players know the significance that this game has - to send off their legendary arena properly, to avenge KD, and to keep three-peat hopes alive. I said in my last post that the Warriors’ “backs-against-the-wall” mentality would eventually not get them to where they need to go, but Game 6 Klay may have something to say about that. I predict another nail-biting game that forces a must-see Game 7 on Sunday night, which I don’t even know how I will predict if it happens. Coin flipping may be a very real possibility.

Prediction: GSW 116, TOR 113

How Chess Has Impacted The Way I See The World

I am beginning to think that if you were to give a complete stranger a list of my hobbies, they would come to the rational conclusion that, even though I am really only 20 years old in reality, that I am an elderly person. These hobbies include reading, writing, keeping up with current political happenings, listening to classical or lyrically complex music, and playing chess. I play a lot of chess and always have. In elementary school there was a chess club that I happily joined and quickly realized how truly complicated yet enjoyable chess is, with supplementary lessons being given by my parents. Being as competitive as I am, I dedicated a lot of my free time to it and became one of the better players in the club. Continued playing led me to eventually participating in some over-the-board tournaments, even placing (but never winning) in them and holding my own against others who had made chess a focal point in their lives. As the years went on basketball became more of a priority for me, but chess has always been an enjoyable hobby. Since I’ve been in college, I’ve played less basketball and a lot more chess. I’d consider myself an intermediate player who can hold his own against anyone in person, but there’s still so much to learn as just a ~1700 rated player. Chess is not only just a very enjoyable and thought-encouraging game, but it parallels life in many ways, and teaches players lessons such as discipline and focus, planning, and time-management which I will talk about in this post.

To get good at anything, especially anything competitive, you need discipline. It is easy to mindlessly play chess while doing other things like watching TV or talking to people as they come and go in and out of the room, but that will not lead to improvement. Approaching other tasks such as work, assignments, or even workouts without giving complete attention will lead to also diminishing returns and stunted progress (I need to get back into the home gym soon!). Instead, I play chess the same way that I approach the other to-do list items in my life — by tracking progress, giving them my complete undivided attention, and never biting off more than I can chew while accepting that some days will simply be more productive than others.

To simplify effective chess strategy to its most minimal form is to advise players to simultaneously attack and defend, while keeping in mind a plan of their own while anticipating their opponents potential responses. As a student of English rhetoric, I’ve learned that this approach is often a good one to take in conversation and writing as well. Anticipating rebuttals to your own assertions and arguments makes you a better debater and communicator in general. Understanding that your actions have concrete and irreversible consequences encourages you to think more carefully before acting whether it’s on the checkered board or in real life. Making a plan and sticking to it while adapting to the challenges being thrown your way is the recipe for good chess play, and for intelligent behavior in the outside world.

Chess also teaches careful time management. During my days as a basketball player I was almost paranoid in my awareness of the clock and of the protocols around it. This trait of mine has translated well to chess in that I am able to use my time as a form of currency and spend it wisely, and understanding that it is non-renewable (unless you’re playing with an increment, of course). Playing chess has taught me to give the proper amount of time to things that are more complicated in real world tasks, and to trust myself to not have to overthink when I find something easy, but to simply act on that initial gut feeling. All of these strategies when combined have absolutely changed the way that I view the world for the better.

Chess boards are typically thought to symbolize intelligence which is a stereotype that I can’t complain about as a player myself. Chess is a worldly game that doesn’t judge its players on anything but strategy and willingness to win, which is made much easier when employing all of the tactics listed in this post. Chess has led me to new friendships, fun interactions with who would otherwise be strangers (who sometimes who have destroyed me like the man pictured below at Whole Foods), and has taught me valuable lessons that have impacted and changed the way that I see the world. I strongly recommend giving chess your full attention and looking for ties to the outside world yourself - you too will see why it is one of the world’s most popular games.

2019 NBA Finals Game 4 Recap + Game 5 Prediction

Tonight, the Toronto Raptors have the chance to achieve any franchise’s or player’s ultimate goal by securing an NBA championship title. Confident after stealing two games at Oracle Arena in Oakland and coming into game 5 with a “Just hold on, we’re going home” mentality, it seems likely that Toronto will close out the series tonight regardless if Kevin Durant makes a return to action which is still in the air, considering that he is listed as questionable as of the time of this post.

It isn’t lost on me how poetic it would be for Kevin Durant to avenge himself by coming back from being down 3-1 to win an NBA finals, but that just doesn’t seem likely against such a strong and confident Raptors team. As we saw in game 4, the return of Klay Thompson had little impact on the game overall, and almost none in slowing Toronto’s offense. Though Danny Green didn’t show up in game 4 as much as he did in game 3, other Raptors like Kawhi Leonard and Serge Ibaka gave their best effort and sustained momentum enough to put this series just out of reach for Golden State. The Warriors’ lack of depth is being exposed in this series, especially in the frontcourt. DeMarcus Cousins is still rusty, Kevon Looney’s return had little impact, and Andrew Bogut is an absolute liability defensively. The Raptors need to be given the credit that they deserve so far in this series - they are simply playing better basketball than their opponents, which is all that is being asked of them.

Instead of hedging my bet and saying that Golden State will win if Kevin Durant returns for game 5, I’m going to double down and say that the Toronto Raptors will secure the NBA title tonight even if Kevin Durant returns. Nick Nurse is demonstrating hyper-efficient coaching through the adjustments he’s willing to make, and the Warriors’ “backs-against-the-wall” mentality simply isn’t cutting it. I expect Jurassic Park to erupt with excitement this evening, and Kawhi Leonard, now certified dynasty-killer (see Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs Finals in 2014), taking home another finals MVP.

Prediction: TOR 109, GSW 102