Tinker Hatfield comment

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I was watching a quick video interview of Tinker where he talks about the Air Max 1 and says something that really sticks out to me in terms of JB. He said "you know your on the right track when people start to criticize" ie the invisible window, the patent leather on the XI's. Juts an observation I thought id share
 
It's too bad he can't observe production when the shoes he created, are being butchered when they are retro'd nowadays.
 
I concur with that statement. I love the 2010's. Always loved the XI's too. Since '95 when they were sitting on shelves and being sold at sportmart.
 
Originally Posted by FrenchBlue23

It's too bad he can't observe production when the shoes he created, are being butchered when they are retro'd nowadays.


 
thumbsup.gif
 to this guy! I don't even look forward to retro IV's and VII's anymore. Shapes are too ugly and outta whack!
 
Originally Posted by diazTWENTY3

I wonder how Tinker feels shame at what JB is heading in terms of quality...



At an event in Niketown London 3, maybe 4 years ago, someone asked him about how JBs direction was changing,
and he said something along the lines of how he tries not to think about the past.

Perhaps that's about as tacfully as he could put his thoughts on the matter.
 
It's not his concern anymore. Every original Tinker shoe has amazing quality and technology, even the most recent ones; ex. 20's and 23's.
When they get retroed, they're wack. He's the creator, not the mass producer. What's sad, is that he cares more for his Nike running and cross training ideas than he does for Jordan Brand.
Could it be a relationship problem with Mike himself......................?
 
Originally Posted by RaptorNation

It's not his concern anymore. Every original Tinker shoe has amazing quality and technology, even the most recent ones; ex. 20's and 23's.
When they get retroed, they're wack. He's the creator, not the mass producer. What's sad, is that he cares more for his Nike running and cross training ideas than he does for Jordan Brand.
Could it be a relationship problem with Mike himself......................?
quality yes, design wise....sometimes...idk? well this is only recently with the design of the jordan 2010s....but if he continues "putting in his two cents"' to making a design like that......tinker may just be a legend, sorta like mike....IMO...
 
Originally Posted by JaORiDArN

Good questions..... im sure deep down inside he knows JB is going down hill.


He's still a viable part of JB though. I'm sure he's not satisfied seeing the models of the past he has worked on being slaughtered at the factories when they retro, but he continues to still put out innovative products for JB such as the 2010. Personally, I think the shoes are ugly, but even Tinker himself mentioned in an interview that the 2010's were made more with the emphasis of basketball play rather than just on fashion.
 
But the idea that Tinker cares doesn't make sense. He made a piece of history how many years ago.
No matter how many times someone makes a replica (ie Gentry and his new "developers"), it doesn't change the fact that HE made that piece of work.
He can look back and say "hey, that was a damn good idea! I did that" and moves on to the next *starts drawing sketches for AJ 2020*

P.S Although the AJ2010 parallels the AJ 15 in terms of style, you can't refute the fact that the technology is there.
      The separate toebox area allows for better and more efficient movement.
      The outsole mirrors the XX which was a great basketball shoe.
      And the ankle cut actually makes sense in terms of mirroring the ankle bone structure.
 
I just admired the idea HE had for the shoes and what made him think they would be iconic. Im sure he does not have control of mass production
 
Originally Posted by airdhazzal

Originally Posted by FrenchBlue23

It's too bad he can't observe production when the shoes he created, are being butchered when they are retro'd nowadays.


 
thumbsup.gif
 to this guy! I don't even look forward to retro IV's and VII's anymore. Shapes are too ugly and outta whack!
Lets see what you say when the Cement IV come out 
smokin.gif
 
Originally Posted by RaptorNation

It's not his concern anymore. Every original Tinker shoe has amazing quality and technology,



The quality on the OG XIII was average at best, and the quality on the first colorway of the OG XVI was lousy.
 
Originally Posted by RaptorNation

But the idea that Tinker cares doesn't make sense. He made a piece of history how many years ago.
No matter how many times someone makes a replica (ie Gentry and his new "developers"), it doesn't change the fact that HE made that piece of work.
He can look back and say "hey, that was a damn good idea! I did that" and moves on to the next *starts drawing sketches for AJ 2020*

P.S Although the AJ2010 parallels the AJ 15 in terms of style, you can't refute the fact that the technology is there.
      The separate toebox area allows for better and more efficient movement.
      The outsole mirrors the XX which was a great basketball shoe.
      And the ankle cut actually makes sense in terms of mirroring the ankle bone structure.
The 2010 parallels the XV? Lol, I have to disagree. The XV was the ugliest J to ever come out. Right next to the 2K9. The first colorway of the 2010 wasn't so hot, but the All Whites, and the upcoming colorways blow the first colorway out of the water. Just like with the XII, the right colorway will set this shoe right.

I remember the XII's, and when the Taxi colorway came out, everyone was mad hating on them. I was the only person in my high school to rock these. Peepz were saying how wack they were, etc etc. Once the Obsidians and the Playoffs dropped, instant classic. It really depends on the colorways for the shoes.

Tinker is way ahead of his time. He just keeps doing his thing. I'm starting to appreciate his innovations more and more. And like he said, it must be a good thing if people are hating...
 
Dont get me wrong: without Tinker and ALL of his designs, we wouldn't have shoes like the 3, 4, 11, 12, 23 etc;
but I just don't feel that he personally cares about the brand like he used to.
And I have no problem with the 2010, because if you take the foamposite 1 as an example, when that shoe first came out, people were probably appalled by it.
So innovation is not the problem, it's the keeping up of the legacy that seems to be getting lost
 
If you consider the XX, XX3, and the 2010, I'd say Tinker is still working his magic. Notice the trend in J's? If Tinker doesn't have a hand in it, it really isn't that great. XIX, XX1, XX2, 2009... JB tries to go with their newer designers, but they always go back to Tinker because he always has an amazing design.

Think about it, The XX, The XX3, and the 2010 not keeping up with the legacy? I'd say the XX1, XX2, and 2009 didn't even come close to these in terms of the legacy. All of those NOT designed by Tinker. So yeah, if you think Tinker doesn't care anymore then hell, I'd rather take his half-!@+ed care that still produces nice designs then some other guy's 10000% care that is whack as hell.

I feel like the "legacy" isn't there because we aren't seeing MJ wear them on the court. That's what makes the 1-14 so special. But hey, at the end of the day, to each his own.
 
I didn't like the 2010's until I saw them in person. I've collected J's since '92 (starting with the Bordeaux VII's) and I got to say with the exception of a few J's (VIII, XXI, XXII, XXIII) they all had to grow on me.  But that is the sign of a great design, when it's so out of the box that you don't quite get it at first. 
 
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