The Patriot - February 7, 2019

Letter from the Editor

Dear Patriots,

Welcome to February, the shortest month and oddly enough also the month of love. It seems as if the cold has left us (for now) and we are beginning to enter the transformative process that is spring. While the weather is gearing up to allow us to enjoy time with those we love outdoors and in the sun, take heed, as this is about the time of the semester where the first big exams take place. Make sure you are all studying so you can get ahead of your grades and not put yourself in a hole. We can do this, I know we can.

Remember a couple of issues back when I said it was my new year’s resolution to not overwork myself? Yeah, that isn’t working for me, but I sincerely hope you all are finding the time to relax and take care of your mental health. At this very moment, much of my staff is working on assignments and studying while simultaneously putting this issue together, because bringing you fun and engaging content is important to us. When you are finding time to take a study break, we hope this issue brings you some cultural enlightenment and exploration.

This week we take a dive into the world of sneakerheads, which is basically someone who takes pride in collecting shoes. During our research and interview process, we were able to meet some awesome people on this very campus that all collect some unique and “dope” shoes. I know for many people, shoes are just something you wear on a daily basis and do not put too much thought in to, but for these people, it is a lifestyle and cultural statement. It’s interesting to find out about another person’s passion, especially those who were just random people just a week ago.

We sincerely hope you get a good “kick” out of this issue. Whether you are into fashion or not, we all wear shoes on a day to day basis and take consideration into the ones we buy and wear. Who knows, maybe even reading this issue may influence you to start a collection of your own, whether it is shoes or not.

Fire it up,

Mike Krzyston, Editor-in-Chief

Editor-In-Chief

Mike Krzyston

Faculty Adviser

Jeremiah Massengale

Staff

Emilee Agee

Haley Bullock

Taylor Duke

Leanne Gregory

Tyler Kohn

Rebecca Lewter

Jessica McFerron

Nichole Nantz

Alex Nunn

Jenna Rose

Tara Todd

Hunter West

Dan Williams

Maranda Young

Front cover by Mike Krzyston

Back cover by Mike Krzyston

Email comments, concerns or tips to: thepatriot@ucumberlands.edu or call us at 606-539-4172

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The Patriot is the student publication of the University of the Cumberlands. Our goal is to provide timely and original content by highlighting campus news and views.

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Sneakerhead Hacks

Tips on how to preserve and clean your sneakers

BY HALEY BULLOCK Staff Writer

It’s no secret that the price for new shoes has skyrocketed in recent years, making it seem like each new shoe that comes out is more expensive than the last. So, with these expensive shoes comes the task of maintaining them. It’s hard to find the right option of caring for them because it all depends on the specific needs of the shoes. Whether it’s the lack of shape, dirtiness, or a bad smell.

Shoe trees, though they seem high-maintenance, are very useful for the sneakerheads that like for their shoes to keep a good shape. Over time, when shoes are worn, they wear down and can lose their initial shape in the toe and the heel. Shoe trees are the easy and effective way to prevent this from happening to your favorite pair of kicks. If you want to opt for a cheaper option, while still getting the function that the shoe trees bring, Forcefields are the best option. Forcefields are basically the same as shoe trees, but they are just a piece of plastic fitted to the foot of the shoe and does not contain the part that helps the heel of the shoe keep its shape. Either way sacrifices have to be made when purchasing a shoe tree or a Forcefield, the question is quality of the item over the quantity of money spent on it.

It’s easy to get your shoes dirty. That’s something that can happen easily depending on the weather that the shoes are worn in. So, to save your shoes from that mud puddle you stepped in earlier in the day, it may be a good idea to invest in a shoe cleaning and water repellent kit. These kits usually come with shoe cleaner, a brush, and water repellent to try and keep your shoes clean.

The cleaners work well on different shoe surface types, are easy to use, cause no damage to the shoes, and they work well depending on the extent of the stains on the shoes.

For keeping your white shoes pristine, a simple mixture of baking soda, peroxide, and water can do the trick. Adding even amounts of 1 tablespoon of each ingredient into the mixture, then applying and scrubbing with an old toothbrush is the most effort this hack takes. Once the mixture is fully dried on the shoes, all you have to do is smack the bottoms of the shoes together outside to get the excess baking soda off and then use the dried toothbrush to scrape off the rest of the shoes. You are then left with whiter and brighter white shoes.

Whether people want to admit it or not, many of our shoes smell and that is a common thing that shouldn’t be stressed about. An easy way to save your shoes and everyone’s noses is put dry green tea bags in your shoes overnight. This soaks up any leftover moisture and the bad smell from the day before.

These hacks are small but can be life-changing when it comes to taking care of your shoes. Whether it’s just a small change you incorporate every once in awhile or it’s put into a routine, these hacks cover the basics of shoe care that the average shoe owner would need to know to keep their kicks kicking.

Photos by Mike Krzyston

Meet UC’s sneakerheads

Name: Nick DiFranco

Hometown: Cleveland, OH

Year: Senior

With a collection of roughly 70 pairs of sneakers, senior Nick Difranco considers himself a to be a sneakerhead. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Difranco credits the community he grew up in for getting him hooked.

“Growing up, everyone always wore Lebrons, Jordan or Nike shoes. So one day, I traded my friend a pair my Jordans for a pair of his Lebron 5s in 5th grade. I never looked back,” says Difranco.

With the numerous amount of shoes Difranco owns, he can’t seem to decide whether the Air Jordan 11 “Bred” or the Lebron 5 in the midnight navy hue is his favorite. Nike owns the Jordan Brand, which also happens to be Difranco’s favorite brand.

When talking about the Jordan Brand, Difranco says, “I just love the clothes, the shoes, everything about the brand.”

While getting ready in the morning, Difranco decides his outfit based on the shoes that he will wear for the day.

Unlike most sneakerheads, he only collects shoes now and does not resell or trade any. To Difranco, there is an importance to claiming the sneakerhead title.

When talking about why it is important, Difranco says, “Rewind maybe 5-6 years ago everyone thought my shoes were ugly or overpriced. Sneakerheads influence culture in a very unique way. The importance is all what the sneaker head thinks it is. Me personally, I love shoes so that’s a good enough reason for me.”

BY TAYLOR DUKE Staff Writer

Name: Chase Brown

Hometown: Knoxville, TN

Year: Freshman

UC freshman Chase Brown found his love for shoes at an early age, stating how his mom got him into the fad when he was a child. “When I was young, my mom always hooked me up with some cool shoes. I’ve always had cool shoes thanks to her, so growing up I decided to keep pursuing it. It’s fun to collect, for me,” says Brown.

Brown has an impressive collection of not only street shoes, but wrestling shoes as well, being a member of the men’s wrestling team. While he is not loyal to one specific brand, he hones an admirable collection of the popular Adidas “UltraBoost” line, owning over ten different color ways of the shoe. Other brands in his collection include Vans Hi-tops, Nike Air Force 1’s, and multiple pairs of the rare discontinued line of Nike Inflict wrestling shoes.

Beyond enjoying the design and colors of certain shoes, Brown believes collecting shoes is important for modern culture and self-expression, whether one is into fashion or not.

“Collecting shoes is important because it gives you the opportunity to express yourself. Some people like to go with some bold shoes to reveal a little bit of their personality; you can really express yourself through your sneakers and your collection,” says Brown.

BY MIKE KRZYSTON Editor- In- Chief

Name: KJ Mann

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Year: Freshman

Atlanta-native KJ Mann owns an impressive collection of high end fashion sneakers, his favorite pair being the Nike Air “off White” Prestos. Mann owes his love for collecting sneakers to his parents, who would always dress him in nice shoes growing up.

“Ever since I was growing up, having some cool shoes, I always wanted to keep up with my collection, keep it growing and getting as many as I can,” says Mann.

While not being overly loyal to one particular brand or designer, Mann has a collection that includes Nike “Air Jordan’s” and Adidas. Perhaps the most impressive shoes he owns is his “off White” Prestos, the brand that is designed by Virgil Abloh, a fashion designer most known for his artistic direction of Kanye West and Louis Vuitton.

Mann believes that being a sneaker head is important to modern fashion, and making a statement through his shoes is key in his aesthetic. “It gives people something to look at; sometimes it is the first thing that people look at. I like to keep up with today’s fashion,” says Mann.

BY MIKE KRZYSTON Editor- In- Chief

Hometown: Tifton, GA

Year: Senior

Georgia homegrown Jaelon Benjamin is all about the sneaker collecting lifestyle. For the UC senior, the term “sneakerhead” has received a different connotation due to the shift in culture.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m a sneaker head because the word has gone out of context since everybody now likes shoes due to the hype. I’ll go with shoe fanatic,” says Benjamin.

He got into sneakers through his parents who would buy them for him when he was younger. Over the years, he has collected a great deal of Nike shoes and Jordans (a subsidiary company under Nike). With all those shoes, Benjamin still has not decided which brand is his favorite. Although he trades and resells shoes, Benjamin still finds it hard to part with some of his sneakers. His favorite sneaker happen to be the Jordan 1’s. For Benjamin, the look of the shoe is just as important as the feel and vibe of the shoe.

When reflecting about the shoe collecting community, Benjamin says, “The shoe community is interesting alone. You meet so many people throughout it who share the same interest. Some people put you on to a new shoe, some open your eyes to new ways to getting shoes and etc. so it’s all a great process.”

BY TAYLOR DUKE Staff Writer

Name: Jaelon Benjamin

Photos by Mike Krzyston

Color coordination

Sneakerheads who color coordinate at UC

BY JESSICA MCFERRON Staff Writer

Color coordination is the act of matching your shoes, shirt and pants. It’s also a way that sneakerheads make their signature looks. Here at UC many male students around campus like to arrange their clothes by color for many different reasons. Those reasons for color matching include impressing people around campus, finding their personal aesthetic, and fitting into the current trends around the world.

Trevor Lawson, a UC freshman, says, “I try to color coordinate my outfits with my shoes in order to impress any of the ladies around campus.” Many males on campus do this, but it’s not always in order to impress the ladies. Color pairing is often something that girls can look for in guys because it shows that they at least try to put in effort into what they look like. Ambur Trammell, a UC freshman, says, “If a guy puts in the time and effort into color coordinating his shoes with his outfit, that really shows that his cares about how he looks.”

To many individuals on campus their personal aesthetic is a signature look that means a lot to them. If they wear something that totally messes up their aesthetic, they feel as if they won’t have the same image

around campus. It sometimes takes a while to find your personal aesthetic, but once you find it that’s just what you do. Nyre Holden, a UC freshman, says, “ I color match because it’s my style and it’s something I love to do”. Holden adds, “If I don’t color match I feel as if people won’t see me the same.”

A major reason for color matching your shoes is so that you include yourself in the current trends going on around the world. Trends are always changing around the world. For example, in the ‘80s the sneakerhead trend was to have really bright shoes or just solid white shoes and in 2019 it is to color mesh your shoes with your outfit for the day. Alyssa Dixon, A UC freshman says, “I follow the trend of color coordinating my shoes with my outfit because I feel like it just looks better, rather than having shoes that don’t match at all.”

As the years continue there will be new sneakerhead trends to follow, but for now it’s all about color coordination. After all, whether you’re a sneaker connoisseur or not, it’s important to know the current trend.

Graphic by Mike Krzyston

A cultured sole

A look into some of the most iconic sneakers in pop culture history

BY LEANNE GREGORY Staff Writer

They accept the wear and tear of life without complaint. No matter the distance, circumstances, or weather, they are there, providing comfort every step of the way. From the tip of their aglets to the striations of their soles, sneakers have a way of ensuring that every outfit has an impact, and that every individual’s personality shines through. Sneakers have so great an impact upon the way human beings live that they’ve made their way into every facet of human culture from movies to video games. They’re also referenced in plenty of songs like RunDMC’s “My Adidas,” Nelly’s “Air Force Ones” and “Classic” which featured both Kanye West and Nas. Here are four of the most beloved sneakers of all time, as seen across pop culture.

Chuck Taylor All Star - Launched in 1917 and patented by M.L. Paterson in 1931to fulfil the company’s goal of having the grippiest shoe soles in the world, these well-known Converse sneakers earned their name from the basketball player who helped to improve and sell them. With a sleek iconic design, they have appeared across the entertainment landscape. In the 2004 movie “I, Robot,” Will Smith’s character dons a pair of black leather Chuck Taylors to fight robots in the year 2035.

PF Flyers - The PF Flyers got their start when, according to New Balance Athletics, Hymen L. Witman, applied, and received, a patent for posture foundation arch support in 1933. B.F Goodrich then created a shoe designed around Witman’s invention in 1937, which then deviated into their kid-friendly design during the baby boomer generation. PF Flyers appeared in the 1993 film “The Sandlot,”

becoming synonymous with the coming-of-age comedy. In 2018, PF Flyers created a reissue of the sneaker shown in film, to celebrate the film’s 25th anniversary.

Nike Cortez – One of the most important innovations in the history of Nike was the Cortez. Introduced to the company in 1972 by its co-founder Bill Bowerman, an award-winning track coach. The running shoe’s main purpose was to provide all terrain support to runners, something Bowerman felt was lacking in other sneakers of the time. The iconic 1994 movie “Forrest Gump,” starring Tom Hanks, features the Cortez prominently as a part of Gump’s run across America. Forrest is gifted a pair of the sneakers from the character Jenny which he calls “the best gift anyone could ever get in the wide world.”

Air Jordan 1 – One of the most famous shoe designs of all time, without a doubt, is the Air Jordan 1, which was created as a part of Nike’s first multi-million dollar endorsement deal with Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan. In 1985, the NBA banned the original Air Jordan color way for not meeting the league’s stringent policy on uniforms and colors. Jordan wore them anyway and faced a $5,000-pergame fine as a result. Recognizing a unique marketing opportunity when it presented itself, Nike happily paid the fine. Since then, the Air Jordan 1 has shown up time and time again in pop culture. Most recently, it was featured prominently in “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” as Miles Morales’ sneaker of choice before, and after, suiting up to save the multiverse as the new Spider-Man.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures