B/R Kicks Madness 2017: Sweet 16
Our inaugural B/R Kicks Madness tournament has already seen the first round come and go and with it 32 pairs of kicks that couldn't best their competition. Now it's time to cut the field in half again. It's Sweet 16 time, folks. See below for the results and be sure to let us know how you feel via Twitter, Instagram and/or Facebook.
THREE STRIPES REGION
The Three-Stripe Region’s Sweet 16 was all about upsets.
First up on the docket was the No. 8-seeded Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 "Pirate Black" prevailing against the No. 1-seeded Adidas Yeezy 750 Boost "Chocolate." This Yeezy on Yeezy crime was a match-up everybody debated over. When the final buzzer rang, the "Pirate Black" won based on the fact it has become synonymous with West’s mainstream sneaker appeal.
Continuing its rise toward the Final Four, Pharrell’s NMD x Human Race—slotted into the No. 12 position—was able to advance past the super-popular Adidas NMD "OG." This wasn’t easy, but based on exclusivity, a series of dynamic colorways and Pharrell’s towering influence, the ingredients for an upset were all there.
On the same grounds, No. 10 seed NMD x Bape took down the No. 2-seeded Yeezy Boost 350 V2 "Beluga." We went from complete Yeezy madness to having one pair left vying for a championship.
The only contest that didn’t produce a shocking result was the Ultra Boost "Triple Black" cruising past the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 "Zebra." Considering the entire Ultra Boost lineup produces sell-outs—despite being delivered in large quantities—what the "Triple Black" did was more impressive than what the hyper-limited "Zebra" Yeezy release did in early 2017.
SWOOSH REGION
Fans were left running out of the building when the No. 8 Nike Special Field Air Force One beat down the No. 1-seeded Air Mag. When you start a conversation about why the result makes sense.
Let’s be clear: The Nike SF-1 helped redefine the Air Force One product. For years it remained stagnant—minus John Geiger’s "Misplaced Checks" series. With the SF-1, the shoe is now back to shifting the culture. The Air Mag’s limited release schedule—through raffle entries—doesn’t compare to what the SF-1 has done for Nike this year.
Other than that dramatic downing of a No. 1 seed, the rest of the bracket fell into place. The Nike x Acronym Air Presto, Kobe 11 "Fade to Black" and HyperAdapt 1.0 all went about their business and advanced.
JUMPMAN REGION
The closer we edge toward the Jumpman Region’s Elite 8, the more we begin to see classics take control. There wasn’t a genuine surprise in the Sweet 16. Based on seeding alone, you could say the "Space Jam" XI beating out the "Black Toe" I qualifies. But who really thought the "Space Jam" XI was going down this early?
As expected, the Air Jordan I "Bred" and "OVO" XII managed to keep venturing forward. Both sneakers—seeded No. 1 and 2, respectively—are in the running to win the whole thing.
From upset city to legit contender, the Air Jordan III "True Blue" continued to soar as the No. 11 seed. The shoe conquered its predecessor, the Air Jordan IV "Cement," in what turned out to be a thrilling duel.
MEGA MIX REGION
The Mega Mix Region is shaping up to be the most exciting portion of the bracket. Conflicting matchups pitting various companies against each other has made for serious debates and full email inboxes.
In the Sweet 16, two prominent Reebok Questions faced off. The winner turned out to be the No. 5-seeded Reebok Question "OG"—the defining sneaker of Allen Iverson’s professional career.
There weren’t too many upsets to be had this time around. In fact, all of the higher seeds moved on. What we now have is two Reeboks and two Asics left. Which company will emerge from the highly decorated Mega Mix Region? You'll just have to follow along and see.
Stay tuned for the Elite 8!
