NCAA Men's Final Four Logos

If you remember from about a month ago, I compiled all the 2010 NCAA men's basketball conference tournament logos (view post here). Well, this time I was interested in reviewing the NCAA Final Four logos for next year, this year, and the previous decade. Thanks to one of my favorite websites (sportslogos.net) for assisting in my doing a little research on the manner. What are your thoughts; which year/destination has the best AND worst Final Four logos? Personally, I like this year's Indianapolis logo because it is so simple. Last year's logo for Detroit is NOT one of my favorites - it looks more like a hockey Frozen Four logo more than anything else. Plus, it just looks dirty...resembling Detroit a little too much, ha.

More WWES Articles

My sister turned me onto this latest article about Wes (click to read). I still am amazed about a number of things concerning such. The first and craziest is that I am blessed enough to be called "nephew." Personally I would say nothing but great things about him. He's Uncle Wes. Like family, he is always looking out and desires nothing in return. And that is truly sincere too, not just a figure of speech. The second amazing thing about it is that so many people are still so interested in finding out what he does. For example, this article links to previous articles, which also links to previous articles concerning the "mystery" behind Worldwide Wes. I mean, really people?? One GQ writer spent months and who knows how much money trying to conduct research on him. I admire his desire for privacy and respect Uncle Wes even that much more because of it. I told him in an email recently that my long-term goal is to one day become the next Worldwide Wes, of design. Will it come true?...I guess we will have to wait and see. As my good dude Joe Buys says, "Dream Impossible."

Educate Yourself

What I love most about every new day, is that it's an opportunity to learn something new. Here are a few videos that you should dedicated a few minutes of your day today to educate yourself a little more. Personally, I've already watched them a few times and get something new from them each time.

Local High Schooler Shatters Backboard

Two Great Young Role Models

No intros needed, just watch this great piece and reach for your dreams.

Maestro Knows - Episode 6 (Johnny Cupcakes) from Maestro Knows on Vimeo.

In this episode Maestro stops into Boston via Los Angeles and visits his friend Johnny Cupcakes. Tune in to see some of your favorite arcade games & witness firsthand the amazing Johnny Cupcakes legacy....history in the making.



maestroknows.com
johnnycupcakes.com
twitter.com/maestroknows
twitter.com/johnnycupcakes

Trip to Cleveland

A good friend of mine works for the Cleveland Cavs breaking down the video footage of their own games as well as all the other NBA games (let's just say, he watches A LOT of basketball). He invited me down to Cleveland for the game against the Pistons, which was obviously very fitting. If anyone knows me well enough, I'd never turn down an opportunity like that. Sunday night I was able to catch the game, even though Detroit got absolutely destroyed; but that's a whole different story.

It was my first game at The Q, and maybe even my first NBA game at an arena other than the Palace. It was a great experience just soaking up all that the Cavs organization does in and around the arena. Most of the time I was walking around analyzing their marketing, execution, and crowd participation. That organization is doing everything in their power to make their games an exciting experience. I would go into much more detail but for time's sake, I'll keep my analysis to myself for now.

The morning after the game, Ryan showed me around the Cavs $33 million practice facility. It was ridiculous. I thought the newly remodeled Pistons practice facility was nice, but this one is just that much better. Once again, for time's sake I won't digest too much on it. But I will say that the Cavs are doing everything right to keep LeBron after this season. If he decides to leave Cleveland, it would not be because of anything the Cavs did or did not do - that's for sure.

Here's a sneak peak into LeBron's locker. He had some exclusive LeBron VIIs in colorways I haven't seen before. They were nice, but still nothing compared to the custom MVP sneakers he received from yours truly, haha.

This room kinda blew me away. This is where they have all the trade, free agent, and draft info mapped out. Once this season ends I'm sure they will be spending a lot of time in this meeting room not only preparing for the draft, but also to consider all sorts of trade and free agent dealings. Hopefully that does not include LeBron?

Thanks a bunch to my dude, Linney, for not only showing me around but also for allowing me to crash on his couch. He had some great stories (most of them involving Shaq, ha). All of the Cavs people I met were cool as heck. Coach Brown is a great guy. I sincerely hope the best for the Cavs this year, and more importantly: next year (Bron Bron).

Smartest Pandas Ever

Wow, these pandas are doing big things! Check it how one of them distracts the trainer while the other one sneaks out the back door, then the second one broke loose too. Haha. Funny 'ish.

Hunter House of Hamburgers

After Adrienne and I dropped the collab shirts off at Revive and visited with them for awhile, we decided to hit up my new favorite hamburger joint. It's located right near downtown Birmingham and looks very, very old school. It's just a little box of a restaurant, but they have the best burgers. It's amazing. Hit it up next time you're in the Detroit/Royal Oak/Birmingham area for shooooo.

Revive x T.Way Collab

Not too long ago I completed a collab project with Revive, the high-end streetwear boutique in downtown Birmingham, MI. The effort included three shirt designs featuring their logos and #154 representing their street address. These were very limited and could already be sold out by now...? But hit up Revive on-line or give them a call to see if you can still get your hands on one, or two, or three, etc.

"Put it in writing, because it is not yet time for it to come true. But the time is coming quickly, and what I show you will come true. It may seem slow in coming, but wait for it; it will certainly take place, and it will not be delayed."
- Habakkuk 2:3

JBiZzNys Concert (Amateur) Pictures

Here are a couple pictures from the JBiZzNys show taken from various people's Facebook pages. In case you cannot tell, these are very amateur pictures, haha. So amateur, that heads were completely cut off! And yes, JBiZz did pull out the SpaceJams for his hometown. I promise you, they have to be the first and last pair of SpaceJams ever to be seen in Ionia county, haha.

And whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted. - Matthew 23:12

JBiZzNys Home from LA Concert - Video

Before the show we all kicked it at Joe's mom's house (the original home of JBiZzNys) and JB, A.G.E., and Binks threw around a little freestyle warm-up while we were chowing down on some beautiful home cooking!

Here's a quick video put together by Sizz (SizzleNation.com) from the JBiZzNys concert back in his hometown of Ionia. More pictures from the evening will probably surface sooner than later. There was a strong representation of the T.Way 'We Run WMU' shirts in the crowd - which was real cool considering it was hours away from Kalamazoo.

Diggy

Have you seen or heard Diggy yet?? I had not idea Rev Run's dude did it like this. Surprisingly much better than expected. And he is like what, 14 or 15??

Diggy - Made you look Freestyle (Flow Stoopid) from Diggy Simmons on Vimeo.

FLOW STOOPID! (Oh I made you look)



Directed by Phil the God

2010 NCAA Conference Tournament Logos

As it reaches the championship rounds of the men's 2010 NCAA Conference Tournaments, I've been watching a lot of the games. As always, I'm always analyzing different designs and I could not help myself but to do so for each conference tournament logo. It was a bit difficult to find all the designs of each court, so I had to settle with compiling just the logos. What's your vote for the best and worst logos?

My vote for worst logo is a tie between the Big West and Big Sky conferences. They are just plain ugly and look like clip-art. My favorites are: Big East, Mountain West, and maybes for the SEC and SWAC conferences. If I absolutely had to pick a favorite, I would have to give it to the Mountain West conference.

Ro Spit - Over (freestyle)

JBiZzNys Home from LA - 1 Night Only, Concert

My good, good friend Joe Buys (aka: JBiZzNys) is flying back from LA to put on a concert in his hometown, Ionia. Ionia? Yes, Ionia, haha. All the information needed is on the flyer below. I will see you there!

"For the vision is for its appointed time, it hastens towards its end and it will not lie; although it may take some time, wait for it, for come it certainly will before too long."
- Habakkuk 2:3

Golden Birthday Sneakers

These were some very special sneakers for a very special person on a very special birthday. This year Adrienne celebrated her 21st birthday on the 21st of February - which makes it her Golden Birthday. Obviously with such a unique celebration, I had to come up with a just as unique gift...and freehand painted and custom-designed sneakers just happens to be what I do...so I simply put two and two together, and BOOM!

The design inspiration behind these is a collage of all of our inside jokes. Actually we had so many inside jokes that I couldn't even fit them all on the shoes, so I had to pick the funniest of the funniest. The gold color scheme is obviously in celebration of her Golden Birthday, and the white patent leather adds a little more shine. The other part of the gift was a custom built display case in which she can show off her greatest birthday gift EVER to anyone and everyone she knows.

It Shall Be Provided

"Then He said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). "Then Jesus said to his disciples:"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" (Luke 12:22-26).

There is not doubt that times are very tough for a lot of people, including myself and many others I know. Every time money becomes such an anxiety, I have to take a step back and remind myself of not only what is truly important in life, but also that as long as I am doing God's will for me, he will provide all of my needs. It may not be all of my wants, but it will be all of my needs. I encourage those of you who may have been laid off, or even for the college student that is stretching their loans and working 25 hours a day, although money may be important in this life, it is not the most important. Do what is right and things will fall into place and be provided for you.

There have been multiple times when I was literally down to my last $100. And yes, I would panic about it, but then a calming sensation would come over me as if I was protected. I wasn't getting any bail out money, but I knew I would be provided for. For example, Tayshaun Prince's sneakers bought my college textbooks for a semester and a couple months of rent. Tayshaun had no idea that those sneakers that are now sitting in his home office played that important of a role in my life - but I bet someone upstairs knew. If I was to look back at everything that has happened to myself and this business, I could easily connect the dots and see where and why things had happened the way they did. Believe me, it is not fate. Each and every one of us has a path laid out in front of us, and sometimes all it requires of us is to take that first step of faith. So I encourage you to do so today. Do not worry about the money or stresses of life; instead, just take that step of faith and it will be provided for you.

T.Way 'We Run MSU' shirts - $15 SALE - Today Only!

To celebrate Michigan State's blow out victory over UofM today and yet another Big Ten regular season title, I decided to put the T.Way 'We Run MSU' shirts on a special 1-day sale for only $15. Hurry and shop now because there are only a few left (if any) in some sizes. This sale includes the NEW white colorway of the shirts as well! Get to it.

Haiti Sneakers

Johnny Nguyen from the Footraffik sneaker/streetwear boutique in Saugus, MA asked if I could donate a custom pair of sneakers to auction off to benefit the Haiti relief efforts. It was kind of a last minute decision for me because of other projects I was working on, but I was happy to come up with something for the cause. It was the quickest turn around time I've ever had to deal with, but it was well worth it. My inspiration was the quake-print, which obviously is very relevant to the cause. Congrats to the Footraffik team for putting on such a great event, and thank you for allowing me to be a part of it. Check out the Footraffik website and if you're ever in the Boston area, make sure to stop in.


Here is a brief video from the Haiti sneaker auction event produced by BloodlineFresh, Inc.

Adidas: Horrible Marketing Mistake

Anyone who has watched an NBA game this season has seen that Adidas is this year's athletic partner, which means they do all the teams' jerseys, warm-ups, and apparel. This week they made a HUGE marketing mistake with the NBDL, which is the NBA's version of the minor leagues. Long story short, Adidas banned all non-Adidas brand shoes to be shown - which means any other brand marks must be covered up by masking tape. That's STUPID! If anything, people are going to look harder and longer at the shoe that has a censored piece of tape over it! By bringing attention to the banning of the other branded shoes, they are making themselves look like little punks who go crying to their mom when their big brother is overpowering them. Adidas has some nice products, but this was a horrible decision on their part. No one would have ever noticed any of it if they had not brought everyone's attention to it. There is a small write-up on NiceKicks.com where there are over 69 comments by people sharing my same disgust at Adidas. They shot themselves in the foot on this one - no pun intended.

Have You Met Mike Posner Yet??

Yes, here is yet another post about the Mike Posner concert at CMU, but this time it is not directly from me. Instead, consider me the middle man. Adam Graham from the Detroit News wrote a great piece and put together a nice interview with Mike. Click HERE to view the article, and obviously, the video is posted below.

Big Sean Video Premier

Mike Posner CMU Concert (Part II)

The evening's venue: Warriner Hall


The crowd

Mike Posner and myself (T.Way). Some people say we slightly resemble each other??


I ran into David at the concert, and guess what he was wearing?! GVSU Sweetness.

One of the lucky fans that caught the T.Way 'We Run CMU' shirt

Posner rocking some Pumas and Big Sean in some Jordans