analysis

As with 2013, sneakers of 2014 continue the bright-is-better theme with matching team colors optional.

I think Kentucky has a distinct look with the Wildcats sporting the high tops of the Kobe 9.

Baylor’s brightness cannot be ignored especially when your kicks don’t match.

The Oregon Ducks have their (un)fair share of cool, custom Nikes like these matching KDs.

Retros were plentiful especially anything branded Jordan. Seemingly, there were more Jordan retros than contemporary models.

Air Jordan 11 Concords with pink socks (and blue and yellow uniform).

Air Jordan 8 on Wichita State.

Air Jordan 14 on San Diego State and HyperRevs on North Dakota State.

Here’s an actual current Air Jordan (the XX8) sighting on Delaware.

The Glove retro.

LeBron James’ signature shoe didn’t make major appearances unlike his Zoom Soldier. Here’s the LeBron 11.

But the LeBron Soldiers and HyperRevs are a popular pairing.

More traditional Adidas that matches Michigan’s uniforms.

Rare Under Armour sighting on Stephen F. Austin State University.

I can’t identify those wheat colored Nikes on the Buffaloes from Colorado.

Which do you think are championship caliber kicks? The Nike HyperRev seems like a hit with most Nike teams.

The Sweet 16 breakdown was 10 Nike and 6 Adidas. From there, one more round leaves a surprising mix of eight that includes a 7th, an 8th, and an 11th seed. All three of these surprises rock the Nike along with three more teams for six of the Elite 8. Michigan and Wisconsin defend the Adidas brand.

Seed, Team, Shoe
8, Kentucky, Nike
2, Michigan, Adidas
1, Arizona, Nike
2, Wisconsin, Adidas
1, Florida, Nike
11, Dayton, Nike
4, Michigan St., Nike
7, Connecticut, Nike

Credit the Dayton Flyers for doing some serious damage in the tournament decked out in Nike HyperRev, KDs, and Kobes.

The Sweet 16 of 2014 looks like this:

1. Kentucky (Nike)
2. Louisville (Adidas)
3. Tennessee (Adidas)
4. Michigan (Adidas)
5. Arizona (Nike)
6. San Diego St. (Nike)
7. Baylor (Adidas)
8. Wisconsin (Adidas)
9. Florida (Nike)
10. UCLA (Adidas)
11. Dayton (Nike)
12. Stanford (Nike)
13. Virginia (Nike)
14. Michigan St. (Nike)
15. Iowa St. (Nike)
16. Connecticut (Nike)

That’s ten teams for Nike (63%) and six for Adidas (37%). From the beginning distribution of 70% Nike and 28% Adidas, the numbers for the Sweet 16 look better for Adidas. Though I’m not intimate with Adidas’ shoe lineup, I must say that their sheer uniforms made for Baylor have incited interest during the tournament.

The Midwest regional is fruitful for Adidas with half the teams sporting the three stripes. Sadly, with even odds, Kentucky’s surprise run as the eighth seed wearing Nike eclipsed the resurgence of Michigan and their Adidas.

With knowledge of the Final Four teams, Wisconsin (#2 in the West) is the sole Adidas team still standing. Looking at pictures from the games, many Nike teams are wearing the new HyperRev and LeBron’s Zoom Solider 7.

In 2013, three of the top regional seeds wore Adidas. 2014 is all Nike in the top spots. Florida, Wichita State, Arizona, and Virginia all bow to the goddess Nike.

The three seeds and a run from 7 to 10 all belong to Nike yielding six locks this year. The second seed has the most (and highest ranked) Adidas (Kansas, Wisconsin, and Michigan).

How’s the sneaker distribution look across the different conferences in 2014?

The Big 12 brought the heat this year, leading with seven nods. The Atlantic 10, the ACC, and the Pac-12 also flexed their muscles with six teams each. The Big Ten brought in the most Adidas teams with three (Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Michigan).

Had Hawaii made a run in Big West, there would be one more Adidas entry instead of Cal Poly’s Nike. For the 2014-2015 season, I’m thinking Hawaii should rep these Adidas to showcase the Aloha State.

Wait, wait, wait, what’s going on here? On the surface, the kicks sponsorship of this year’s NCAA tournament looks favorable for Nike.

Seventy percent of the dancing 64 are adorned with the swoosh, followed distantly by Adidas’28%, and the single team (Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks) with Under Armour. Seventy percent of the teams is darn good right? Hold up NKE stockholders, let’s check the trend over the years.

With a high point in 2011, Nike’s numbers have been dropping year after year, slightly, but dropping nonetheless to Adidas’ gain. A concern or a just the craziness of March Madness?

It’s all wins for Adidas, and the victory for Adidas was already determined before the actual game as both Louisville and Michigan were decked out in Adidas gear.

Even with its NBA pedigree and support from Kate Upton, the Wolverines couldn’t hold off the talented and relentless Cardinal squad. Props to Louisville and their Adidas camo uniforms.

Going back to 1999, the championship kicksology looks like:

• 1999 Connecticut (Nike)
• 2000 Michigan State (Reebok Answers)
• 2001 Duke (Nike)
• 2002 Maryland (Nike Shox Stunners)
• 2003 Syracuse (Nike Shox)
• 2004 Connecticut (Nike Lebron Zoom Generation and Air Force Operates)
• 2005 North Carolina (Nike Retro Jordan X)
• 2006 Florida (Nike)
• 2007 Florida (Nike)
• 2008 Kansas (Adidas)
• 2009 North Carolina (Nike)
• 2010 Duke (Nike)
• 2011 Connecticut (Nike)
• 2012 Kentucky (Nike)
• 2013 Louisville (Adidas)

From these 15 years, the championship score is 1 for Reebok, 2 for Adidas, and 12 for Nike.

And of course, the obligatory One Shining Moment.

From a sneaker perspective, it is over. Adidas has done it again, beating the odds. Representing 20% of the teams in the field of 64, Adidas now represents 100% of the 2013 Finalists with both Michigan and Louisville playing for the championship.

Talk about “All in for March,” Adidas got it right with their teams all in for the championship.

It’s deja vu all over again. Like in 2012, the odds highly favored Nike, yet the Final Four yielded a tie with two teams each representing Nike and Adidas.

The same has happened in 2013. Starting with three quarters of all the teams wearing Nike, the Final Four comes down to Wichita St. and Syracuse representing Nike and Louisville and Michigan wearing Adidas.

Can Adidas and their camo-based looks prevail?

Continuing the trend of bright and bold team colors of 2012, twenty thirteen also mixed in retro kicks, primarily from a guy named Jordan. Overall, I like the chance Adidas took with their camo-based unis. I particularly thought the mint green of Notre Dame was something you had to stare at (for good or bad). Here’s the matching Crazy Fast in Green Zest.

Miami rocked crazy colors with no one team shoe.

And if your team colors happen to match that of the Chicago Bulls, it’s BRED all day baby!

The 2013 Sweet 16 featured 11 Nike teams, 4 Adidas team, and one sole Under Armour team. The Elite 8 numbers go 6 Nike and 2 Adidas.

Seed, Team, Shoe
1, Louisville, Adidas
2, Duke, Nike
9, Wichita St., Nike
2, Ohio St., Nike
4, Michigan, Adidas
3, Florida, Nike
4, Syracuse, Nike
3, Marquette, Nike

Adidas is represented by the sole and overall number one seed Louisville so there’s a good chance the three stripes will beat the swoosh-y odds.