Michael Jordan’s son, Marcus, is a freshman at the University of Central Florida, where he plays on the basketball team. UCF currently has a three-million-dollar contract with Adidas which stipulates that all of the university’s coaches and players wear Adidas shoes and equipment. This isn’t a problem for most players, but for the son of Mr. Air Jordan himself, it’s clearly an issue. He refuses to trade his dad’s shoes for the team shoes.
The folks at Adidas—who, remember, paid the school three million dollars—are pretty upset, but Marcus isn’t about to budge, even if it means the school loses its contract.
“When I was being recruited, we talked about it,” he told the Orlando Sentinel. “They said they had talked to the Adidas people, and it wasn’t going to be a problem. I think everybody understands how big of a deal it is for my family.” Adding that he meant no disrespect to Adidas, he said he’d happily wear the rest of their gear, “but the shoes are going to be Jordan brand.”
What do you think? Should Marcus Jordan stay true to his dad’s brand or just be a team player and put on the damn Adidas? Or… should the Jordans just shut up and pay UCF three million dollars to put the entire school in Nike gear?
I think that if everything else is Adidas, and just the shoes are Nike, I actually think that’s a nice compromise, because I mean, he IS a Jordan, does anyone really expect him to wear anything else? I don’t know that he’s in the right here, but I don’t know if any one of the parties is in the right; but he IS a Jordan, does anyone expect him to wear anything else?
andrea
commented on
Oct 23 09
at
2:05 pm
What this? The 1800s? Who cares who his father is? Either wear the adidas or get off the team. Douchebag.
MK
commented on
Oct 23 09
at
2:22 pm
This is like..a one and a million exception. Family pride (especially when it is the best player of all time) comes before corporate greed. Also, I am guessing MJ could probably pay Addidas 3 mil from the dough stuffed in his pillowcase.
jmh
commented on
Oct 23 09
at
2:56 pm
Waah, I’m a whiny little brat who is using my name to try to get my way.
Cry. Me. A. Goddamn. River.
Luke
commented on
Oct 23 09
at
3:39 pm
Hmmm…. What strikes me is that he said it was discussed and the compromise agreed on while he was being recruited. If he had a deal in place, it’s not cool to just turn around and be all ‘oh, yeah… we didn’t really mean what we said’. I’d be pissed too - even if family wasn’t involved.
jct
commented on
Oct 23 09
at
7:40 pm
I agree with JCT. According to the story, UCF told him this wouldn’t be a problem, that he’d be able to wear his father’s brand and that Adidas was okay with it. He’s not in the wrong. He cleared this with the university beforehand. If they lied to him, the fault lies with them, not the kid.
Joeyp
commented on
Oct 23 09
at
8:19 pm
Yeah, I can imagine telling Coach I’m not wearing the shoes because of who my father is. . .
nick danger
commented on
Oct 23 09
at
8:20 pm
1. He cleared it with the university beforehand, so it’s their problem, not his.
2. Is anyone else bothered by the concept of a manufacturer paying a university to force its unpaid athletes to become advertisements for the manufacturer? How about the UCF players put themselves up for the highest bidders and get the money for themselves? College basketball and football are the last plantations.
profrobert
commented on
Oct 23 09
at
11:51 pm
Colleges have become money grubbing whores, not just for athletics but for everything used and sold on campus. I have worked for a major state university for 12 years and i’m sick of regularly having a total provider switch. Vending machines, all the food vendors and even who gets the bookstore contract. Fuck Adidas, wear what you want. And UCF? You’d think MJ’s kid could do better.
geez loueeze
commented on
Oct 24 09
at
12:31 am
It’s not like Michael Jordan made the shoes. He just sold his name to Nike. Is that really something to be proud of? “Hooray, my daddy whored out his name and reputation for more money (as if he needed it).”
Luke
commented on
Oct 26 09
at
10:02 am
Mandy
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maibe
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