web analytics
SneakerFiles > Flashback Friday: Olympic 1992 Dream Team

Flashback Friday: Olympic 1992 Dream Team

by Brian Betschart on September 30, 2011

September 30, 2011 - 10 comments

Karl Malone: LA Gear Catapult

Long before APL produced performance enhancing sneakers, Karl Malone rocked the LA Gear Catapult. With its spring loaded ‘Power Feedback System’, LA Gear actually had been a contender with major brands in the early 90′s. Nike even filed suit against the brand which they claimed infringed on their patented ‘Spring Moderator’ technology. Pretty crazy for a brand who ended up being sold at Pay-less towards the end of its lifespan.

Karl Malone with Stockton LA Gear 92 Olympic Team

Karl Malone with Olympic and Jazz teammate John Stockton
Karl Malone LA Gear going for a Layup 92 Olympic

Karl Malone and the L.A. Gear Catapult going for a Layup
Karl Malone Scoring another 2 Points 1992 Olympic
Karl Malone Scoring another 2 Points

Karl Malone L.A. Gear Catapult

Karl Malone L.A. Gear Catapult

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

10 Responses to "Flashback Friday: Olympic 1992 Dream Team"

Big Mase October 1, 2011

I was 14 years old watchin’ the Dream Team put in the most serious work on a basketball floor this planet has ever seen. I also had a pair of the shoes worn by one of the dream-teamers–the best pair. NO it was not the Jordan Olympic 7′s. It was the Barkley Olympic 180′s, a shoe this website doesn’t even recognize as being one of Barkley’s signature models…fools. Never mind that the second best nike commercial ever–the cartoon Barkley wearing the 180′s–seems to be on my side of the argument. Regardless, those shoes were so beautiful. They were on a white platform with mainly blue accents. They were tinged with red and had a red liner. And in just the right spots they used the most beautiful golden thread I haven’t seen them use before or since on any shoe besides the olympic Nikes of that year. The 180 on the velcro strap really set the shoe off. Man I loved those shoes; it was a sad day when they had to meet the trash can. Shoot, I remember even Clyde got himself an Olympic themed pair of Avita’s…..Magic’s pair was pretty weak sauce too….I think the only player that didn’t have a pair of sick shoes was Christean Lattner–I always hated that dude. Why did he have to make that lucky ass shot? Had he missed it just think of who they would of put on the Dream Team instead of him…..

Reply

jason October 2, 2011

wow, i admire your love for kicks, but honestly i think Jordan had the best shoes on the dream team, just my opinion.

Reply

K2 October 3, 2011

I loved reading your comment – great post.

Reply

J Who October 3, 2011

i agree. the air force 180 is in my all-time favorite shoe. unfortunately i didn’t have it back then, when the original dream team was playing. i did though have the nike air ballistic high that david robinson rocked in those olympics, and it sir charles actually rocked them in the blk/wht colorway during the upcoming nba season.

1 minor correction though, the “180″ was stitched on the tongue while the strap had “force” stitched on it.

back to the subject at hand, i had an opportunity to pick them up the air force 180 when they retro’d in 03 or so, in the og colorway. i still have them today, only worn a few times, but the last time i wore them the paint from the sole around the 180 air pocket began to crack and peel off and i could tell the sole was breaking down. that was a couple of years ago. saddens me greatly as this is the only pair of shoes i have had do this. i still have several retro jordan’s from this same time period that i have worn, and even played in HUNDREDS of more times, however they are still in great shape… guess i just got a bad pair….

i wish nike would retro these once more along with another one of my all-time favorite shoes from that time period (1991 to be exact), a shoe that scottie pippen wore just before he got his own p.e. and a shoe that nike to my shock and dismay has never retro’d, the nike air dynamic flight (part of the hurrache line). the wht/blk/red colorway was soooo HOT!!! if they ever retro these, i am all over them!!!

Reply

J Who October 3, 2011

forgot to mention about that air ballistic force that robinson is wearing (and i had in the 7th grade), and some of you might remember, but barkley actually switched to this shoe at the beginning of the following season after the olympics. this was the shoe he did the nike godzilla campeign with if i recall correctly…

Reply

DURANT October 1, 2011

man i love this. the dream team is in comparable to any other olympic team. i remember wheni was like 5 they had full merchandise wheaties puzzle boxes poster toys and all that. these days they wouldnt.

Reply

Big Mase October 1, 2011

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lm6yz0lNT31qa3sjco1_500.jpg

compare these to the Jordans and you’ll see what I mean.

Reply

da sniper October 1, 2011

does anyone else think it is ironic that laettner wore a shoe that fab5 made famous?

Reply

RenoBrown October 3, 2011

I like the bottom picture on page 4. Mike wearing his 6′s unlaced.

Reply

StoneyJacson September 8, 2012

Why aren’t they selling these shoes for the dream team collection instead “uptempo” that scotty clearly didn’t wear.

Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *