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... The title of this blog has to do with a Will Bruder quote I heard while attending the University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (CAPLA) during the Fall of 1999 - "Learn to master the trash can and you might become something" - It really resonated with me and has stuck with me to this day. I suppose for me the concept hit hard that although you can discard an idea, concept, sketch, design, whatever for a certain project you may be able to revisit it at a later date under different circumstances - In other words designs never die, they evolve, they hibernate, they circle-back but they never die...Or maybe he was just telling us to quit our ideas of becoming Architects and to go live in a public park somewhere; which, given the current state of the industry probably would not have been such a bad idea...

That is what this Blog will be for me - With over a decade in the industry I have come to realize that what I thought I would be doing on a daily basis and what I actually do are pretty darn different - BUT - I still have ideas, I still have hopes and I still have my creativity; So, I figured this would be a good outlet...I will share my thoughts on work and the industry as well as whatever moments of creativity I can muster - And, yes, at the direction of my Wife I will keep the swearing to an absolute minimum.

Cheers...B.

Monday, November 25, 2013

DEAR DERRICK, PLEASE GET WELL SOON:

... So, in case you have not yet heard Derrick Rose tore his right meniscus Friday Night in Portland - The Bulls had just started their famed and annual "Circus Trip" and...Well, for those of you that are uneducated this trip happens every year and the Bulls and Blackhawks have to vacate the United Center for a week or so while the Circus comes to town and all the Chicago Natives get a break from the early brutal Chicago Winter - Well those that buy tickets anyway.

AND.............

For those of you that are FURTHER uneducated I happen to be a STAUNCH Chicago Professional Sports Fan (...My Wifey would probably say 'Fanatic' - But...Hey, whatevs) - Anywho...Having grown up in New Mexico with NO Professional Sports for miles and having a Father born and raised on the South Side of Chicago - Evergreen Park STAND UP! - I really did not have much of a choice.

But I digress.

Derrick's injury is very upsetting to me.

Actually, Derrick's injury is very upsetting to a lot people.

You can read about it here:


But, if you simply Google "Meniscus" most of the hits will include Derrick's story...Yes he is Chicago's Native Son (...South Side born and raised BTW), yes he was once the youngest MVP in the history of the NBA and yes his career seems very much in doubt now after sustaining two separate and devastating, season-ending knee injuries in the last three years.

As a life long Bulls Fan this makes me sad.

Very sad actually.

So much so that I cried - Not really - But still, "I has sad" as the kids say.

... It got me thinking about the Glory Days of Chicago Bulls Hoops and an article I came across a few weeks back - Bleacher Report interviewed Michael Jordan and asked him what his favorite Jordan Brand Shoes of all time were (...or J's as the kids say).

"What does this have to do with Design, Benjamin?" - You might be asking yourself...Well, actually - More than you think.

In my opinion, there has not been a more perfectly balanced synergy (...yeah, I said 'Synergy' - Get over it...) between design, marketing, performance and pop-culture than the 'Jordan Brand' - So, in this article The GOAT lists his favorite J's of all time...And as I read this article I found myself lamenting about the "Classic Days" of Professional Basketball in Chicago - When the Bulls were unstoppable in style, performance and world-wide popularity; simply larger than life in every way...

Think today's Miami Heat on steroids - And it all centered around MJ...

... Michael Jeffrey Jordan was a transcendent athlete; he was insanely popular not only on the court but off it as well - Kids with Hoop Dreams worldwide simply wanted to "Be Like Mike" - Yes, myself included - And in the middle of it all was the Jumpman Logo...The most easily recognizable, iconic and classically simple image that sparked a revolution in sports marketing and made Jordan and Phil Knight (Nike's Founder an CEO) millions upon millions of dollars - Kids flocked to shoe stores every year to "Cop" the latest Jordan's - And the funny thing is, it was more about style than sports performance - It was the perfect marriage between athletic performance equipment and off-court style worthy of a runway...In fact most J's owned and collected by Sneakerheads have never seen the hardwood - They just sit collected in boxes neatly packed away in closets - Crazy when you really think about it.

Jordan was the catalyst for all of this - So much so that Nike has struggled to reach the sales it saw via the Jordan Brand with any of their current custom shoe designs (LeBrons, Kobes, Durant's etc...) - So, much so that Nike and Jordan re-release his shoes at different times throughout the year in both the original and unique colorways and Sneakerheads buy them AGAIN!!! - Yes, His Airness was at the center of the whole thing offering his unique blend of raw talent, polished skill set and overall charisma...He was a selling machine; any company's dream and the prefect balance of backboards and boardrooms...

So, here is the Bleacher Report Article:


For the most part his list is no surprise - The Jordan 11's (...or 'Bread's' as the kids say) - Are probably the most famous and recognizable basketball shoes ever sold...They even make versions in Baseball and Football Cleats...But I was glad my all time favorites made the list - I just love the 12's - Also known as "Taxi's" or "Flue Games," etc...So simple and classy.

Here are some shots of the Jordan 12's:






MJ was a GOD.

Anyway.............

Here is to Derrick's #Re-Return.

#LeSigh,
B.
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