I grew up the youngest in my family where my oldest brother is 13 years older than me and my middle brother is 8 years older than me.

Growing up with such a large age gap, my brothers and I were always at such different stages of life. When my oldest brother was graduating high school, I was starting kindergarten. I am now 23 and both of my brothers are deep into their careers and married with children. I’m barely graduating grad school and trying to start my career.

But one thing that has always brought me and my brothers together is sports. We did it all-baseball, football, karate, soccer, volleyball, dance and together we went surfing snowboarding, wake-boarding, dirt bike riding and more. As a family we have attended many baseball games, Supercross events and watched plenty of MMA and Super Bowl’s together.

Even now we are able to talk about everything going on in sports. I update them or they tell me something new. But no matter what, sport is something that connects the three of us.

Sports means uniting people from different backgrounds. When people get together to watch a game together they are getting to enjoy something as one. When a game is exciting they celebrate together. When their favorite team loses, they mourn together. Millions of people gather together to watch the Super Bowl, the World Cup, the Olympics and more. People of all different backgrounds are brought together through sports.

Sports will forever be special to me for the bond it has brought me with my brothers.

In commemoration of the newly released ESPN documentary, “The Last Dance,” I thought I should write about the 7 sneakers that Michael Jordan wore during each NBA finals game he won to get his 6 NBA rings that were shown during the documentary.

Michael Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1984 and won the NBA championship 6 times, all while playing for the Chicago Bulls. He won in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998. Though Michael Jordan won 6 rings, he actually wore 7 different sneakers at each NBA finals appearance.

One of the most anticipated documentaries will be airing this Sunday on ESPN called, “The Last Dance.” This documentary is a 10 part mini series about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, specifically the 1997-1998 NBA season.

I am extremely excited to watch this documentary. So here are a few of my favorite Jordan inspired sneakers in honor of the premiere of this documentary. Not only are these some of my favorite sneakers, but these are some Jordan sneakers that viewers should expect to see throughout the mini series.

From 1985 to 1998 alone, there were about 14 models that Michael Jordan played in. Though the documentary isn’t about sneakers, I thought I should talk about the potential sneakers that may be shown because that would help the viewers relate some of the most coveted sneakers today to the sneakers’ history/story.

During Michael Jordan’s first NBA season with the Chicago Bulls, these sneakers were debuted and were banned by the league due to the white accents all around the shoe where Michael Jordan was fined every time these sneakers were on the court.

The Jordan 4 “Cement” will definitely be shown during the documentary because these are the sneakers that Michael Jordan wore during his most iconic “free throw line dunk” and where his Jordan Brand logo is inspired.

The Jordan 4 “Bred” were designed by Tinker Hatfield for Michael Jordan and Jordan wore these sneakers in 1989 during his first MVP season where one of his famous iconic shots over Craig Ehlo occurred during the playoffs.

The Jordan 6 “Infrared” were worn by Michael Jordan during the Chicago Bulls’ first NBA Championship win in 1991.

The Jordan 11s in general were worn the most during 1995-1996 NBA season by Michael Jordan where the Chicago Bulls won their fourth NBA Championship.

The Jordan 14 “Last Shot” is the sneaker that Michael Jordan played in during the 1998 NBA Finals, Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz game, where he made his last shot on the Chicago Bulls to win the 1998 NBA Finals in the last 6 seconds of the game.

Space Jam is an iconic movie that probably most sports and non-sports fans remember. For those who don’t, here is a quick recap. The Looney Tunes gang enlisted the help of Michael Jordan to win a basketball game against the MonStars that would ultimately lead to their freedom.

The movie came out in 1996, a year before I was born, but I remember watching that movie on repeat.

But one of the coolest things to come out of that movie is that it inspired a Jordan sneaker collection. There has been many variations of Bugs Bunny inspired shoes.

So in honor of Easter and the Easter Bunny, here are a few of my favorite shoes from this collection:

These shoes were originally released in 1992 during the Michael Jordan and Looney Tunes advertisement campaign. They were then re-released in 2015 and were a collaboration between Nike, Michael Jordan, Warner Bros and Bugs Bunny. The color on these shoes became known as the ‘Hare’ colorway. These shoes released as part of the 23rd release of the Air Jordan 7’s. The main thing that I like about these shoes is the funky colors that remind me so much of the Space Jam movie.

Now, another shoe will be releasing on April 8, 2020 in honor of everyone’s favorite cartoon bunny, the “Air Jordan Retro 7 ‘Hare 2.0’.” I really like the Hare sneaker color way releasing this week because of all of the loud colors and because of the pony hair upper material. The pink accents on the tongue and ankle collar reminds me of a bunny’s tongue and ears which makes me love the shoes even more.

Of all of the Looney Tunes inspired sneakers that have released, my favorite looney tunes sneakers have been the Jordan 1 “Hare” that released in 2015. The reason why I like these shoes the most is they are really easy to wear, very fashionable, and also I love the Bugs Bunny dunking add-on the sneaker designer placed on the tongues of the sneaker. I think that was an extremely creative touch by Jordan Brand and anyone who looks at the tongue and recognizes the Air Bugs Bunny logo will get a little chuckle out of it.

People have been panic buying masks and gloves due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The panic buying has left healthcare workers and firefighters without masks.

These workers on the front-line are being forced to reuse masks and other protective gear. Since this news has become so widespread, New Balance has decided to help make masks to distribute to healthcare workers.

New Balance first announced on March 24th that they would donate $2 million to help with COVID-19 efforts. They then sent out a tweet saying “Made shoes yesterday, making masks today.” The tweet featured a picture of the mask which is shown below.

As of now they are producing prototypes of the mask at their factory located in Lawrence, Massachusetts. As soon as they have the prototypes approved they will begin production at their other factories.

I am thankful for companies like this who are taking the time to help our healthcare professionals. The only way we can get through something like this is if we all work together and help in our own way. So thank you New Balance.

We are roughly three months into 2020 and so far we have seen the death of a sports star and now a worldwide pandemic.

Since the day of Kobe and Gianna’s death, everything has felt weird. I feel like I’m in a never ending episode of the Twilight Zone. It has been difficult for me in the past few weeks because I am worrying about everything from school to work to life and more.

But this pandemic has given me a lot of time to think. A lot of time to reflect. And this is what I’ve learned.

1. Don’t take anything for granted.

It’s cliche, but it’s true. I found out over spring break that I would finish out the rest of my graduate program at USC online. At first I was excited. I wouldn’t have to wake up at four a.m. to get ready and drive to school. I wouldn’t have to sit in two hours of traffic to get home. But the more I thought about it, I was bummed.

I didn’t realize that Tuesday March 10 would be the last time I would set foot on campus and sit in class. I have been on the SC campus since July, and this is a school I dreamed of attending. Now, I don’t get to go back. I try not to have regrets, but I regret that I didn’t enjoy sitting in class more, even if it meant that I had to wake up early.

I even miss the drive to LA. It was a time to talk to my mom. It was a time for me to be in my own thoughts or listen to music. Now, I can’t.

During the school year, I work on weekends and rarely get to go out with friends. I have always been focused on saving money or making sure that I complete my assignments since I had been at work all day. Therefore, I was the person who never went out or never did anything with my classmates. Now, everything is closed and I can’t. I’m not saying I should have partied, but I should have taken at least one night to bond with my classmates or my friends.

At this point, I have no clue if my work will shut down. There are many times I go to work and I have to deal with customers and I dread it. But now more than ever I look forward to the day I can work. I look forward to greeting customers with a smile and trying to be positive for them in a time of such negativity.

I have learned to be thankful for the little things. School. Driving. Working. Eating out. Going out. Being more present.

2. There is good in the world.

In my lifetime, I have been hurt a lot and seen a lot of the negative things in the world. Sometimes the bad can be overwhelming. Even right now. I almost wrote a blog post about all the bad things that I have learned from this pandemic. But, I don’t want to be someone who adds to the negativity.

Since the outbreak became a pandemic, I have seen many people come together in a time of need. My professors at USC have been more understanding and empathetic than I could have ever imagined. Each professor has given us a time to talk about how we are dealing with everything. They have made sure to accommodate each of our needs. I know it’s not surprising to most, but it surprised me. It was such a relief to know that my professors are on my side and are here to help.

I have also heard stories of people helping elderly or at-risk populations get groceries or supplies. My brother is a firefighter and puts his life on the line everyday for us. Grocery stores have offered to help him get groceries if he can’t find anything for his fire station.

I work in fast food and someone even thanked me for working. I don’t think I am a hero by any means, but I appreciate that they appreciate me. I am still going to work and putting myself at risk for the virus. It’s little and insignificant but it means a lot to me. It’s nice to know people care because many times people think that fast food workers have no skills.

People have also been more appreciative of janitors, grocery store workers, truck drivers, delivery drivers and restaurant workers. I have always believed that everyone is equal and no matter what job you work in that you are vital. Everyone has realized that our country and our world would not survive without these people doing these jobs.

On social media, people have also been trying to spread positivity. Whether it’s inspiring messages, or tips on how to stay busy in quarantine it is such a relief to see.

3. We (I) need to rely on God more.

Some people may not like this or want to hear it. But I believe that God has allowed this pandemic to happen because He wants our world to come back to Him.

I believe that He is wanting everyone, including myself, to put our faith in Him. Instead of just hoping this will go away we should be turning to God. Turning to Him to ease our anxiety, our worries and give us hope for the future. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.“

Yes, we should still listen to medical experts, but for hope and stress-relief we need to turn to God.

I am not an expert by any means, so for more information on this topic, here is a link to Pastor Greg Laurie’s message about God and the Coronavirus: https://harvest.org/resources/gregs-blog/post/god-is-bigger-than-the-coronavirus/

I hope that we all take the time to look for the positive things right now. Take this time to learn something about yourself or life. I believe this pandemic is a learning experience. I need to learn to appreciate everything, I need to realize that there is good in the world and I need to put my faith more in God.

What will you do differently after this pandemic is over?

COVID-19 is taking the world by storm. The world is panicking. People are unnecessarily stocking up on food and toiletries. Businesses, amusement parks and schools are shutting down. It feels like I am in the twilight zone.

All I hear about and read about is how terrible the coronavirus is and how it’s destroying the world. Although, I haven’t personally stockpiled like all of the other doomsday preppers out there, I have been concerned. I am concerned because the entire sports world is shut down and I am currently in graduate school getting a degree to work in sports. My job could shut down, and it’s the only way I can provide for myself. There is so much uncertainly and so much I cannot control, and that is difficult for me to deal with.

I am prone to worry and stress. But instead of falling into that same old pattern right now, I am trying to find the good things in the world.

Since the NBA season has been postponed, that means every stadium is being shut down and the hourly workers cannot work. But so many of the basketball players including Zion Williamson, Kevin Love, Rudy Gobert, Giannis Antetokounmpo and more are donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to the team and stadium staff. Even NBA team owners like Marc Cuban and Ted Leonsis are putting programs in place to support their staff. Steph and Ayesha Curry are donating a million meals to students in Oakland who cannot attend school and rely on school to provide them with meals.

These are just a few examples of the many people that are helping and spreading goodness in this chaotic world. I don’t like that I am adding to the virus talk, but I had to talk about the good in the current state.

I think this is also a sign that instead of thinking about yourself in this moment of crisis (this is to everyone unnecessarily stockpiling and not leaving food for others) make sure you are looking out for those less fortunate that you. No matter how much or how little you have there is a way to help someone else. Whether you help an elderly neighbor with food, donate money to those that don’t have jobs, share a kind word or smile with someone… just one act of kindness right now can make a huge difference in someone’s world.

‘I want those,’ I thought as I looked at the Nike Air Force 1 ’07 Limited Edition. I liked it mainly because of the colorway which is White/Pink Quartz/Galactic Jade/Black. The tongue, heel and insole has a floral design.

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As I looked through the sizes, I realized they only came in mens sizes. At first glance the colorway looks like it could be for women. Although I believe anyone can wear any color they want and they can even wear flowers, I think it’s a little disheartening that these shoes don’t even have an option for women’s sizing.

But if you take a look through the majority of sneakers released they only come in mens sizes. I then have to hope the sneakers come in a kids size or in a small enough size in mens. There are some releases that are for both men and women and sometimes they even come in women sizing only.

I have noticed over the years that they have gotten better about being more inclusive of women. There have even been more women sneakerheads which is great. But I think when it comes to some big sneaker releases that there should be more options for women.

As we all know, the month of February is known as “Black History Month.” This month celebrates African American history and acknowledges important people and events . Mainly Nike, but other shoe brands as well, release a Black History Month (BHM) sneaker line every February. New BHM inspired colors are shown on older or trending sneaker models ranging from Jordans and current NBA player shoe lines, to running shoes and lifestyle models.

One of the shoes in the collection is a Converse style shoe that was originally made famous by NBA icon Julius “Dr. J” Erving. Nike took the shoe and updated it with a new color called oil green and stitching that says “BHM.”

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Another shoe in the BHM collection from Nike is the “Air Force 1 Low BHM.” This shoe features colorful patterns and stitching. Nike’s vision for this years line states “this year’s Black History Month release is about more than honoring African-American history. It’s about acknowledging a world community made up of individuals with shared stories, struggles, and triumphs.” The AF1’s feature threads hanging from the shoe which is said to represent the connection shared through sports. There is a mirror-like section on the toebox which is supposed to reflect the person wearing the shoes.

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New Balance also came out with a Black History Month collection for 2020. Their collection features shoes primarily from Kawhi Leonard’s line. All of the shoes come in a colorway that is navy blue/red/grey/gold. The shoe styles include the Omni1’s, the 997’s, the 850’s and the 574’s. The collection has the slogan “Inspire the Dream,” with “Inspire” and “Dream” written on a strap on the front of the shoe. New Balance says that their collection “honors the impact and achievements of African American culture.” Inspire the Dream is “a nod to challenging convention and changing the game.”

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I love that every detail in these sneakers has a meaning and honors different parts of Black History Month. That’s what I love about sneakers is that in one pair of shoes a story can be told.

Dwyane Wade, a three-time champion, retired from the NBA in 2019. He was drafted fifth overall in 2003 by the Miami Heat. By 2006, he had led the Heat to their first NBA Championship and was named MVP in the 2006 NBA Finals. Wade even competed in the 2008 Olympics and led the USA basketball team to win the gold. On Saturday February 22nd, 2020 the Miami Heat retired Wade’s jersey #3.

Unlike your typical NBA star, Dwyane Wade’s signature shoe line is with Li-Ning. Most athletes partner with well-known shoe companies like Nike, Adidas, or Puma. But just like the spelling of his first name, Dwyane Wade is not conventional.

The “Way of Wade” shoe line made its debut in 2013. His sneakers are not difficult purchase due to the limited supply, but they are difficult to obtain because of the distribution. They were originally only sold on a private website called sunlightstation.com but are now available on wayofwade.com. They aren’t even available for purchase on Li-Ning’s website.

His most recent release was the “Way of Wade” (WoW) 8.0 Infinity. The shoes come in a colorway called “Chinese New Year” and a few other colors. The shoes look a little bit futuristic with an intense pattern of colors, but maybe the coolest part is that each different colorway comes with its own distinct packaging.

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One of my personal favorites is a pair of shoes called the “Way of Wade 4.0 USA Pack.” The pack comes with two shoes that are each a different colorway. The orange pair represents Chicago where Wade was born. The insole has a map of the city of Chicago. The blue/white shoe represents Miami, where he played most of NBA career. The insole has a map of the city of Miami. I love the thought that went into these two sneakers and how it represents two cities that mean so much to Wade.

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