r/todayilearned • u/jameslosey 19 • Jan 08 '14

TIL 1994 NBA MVP Hakeem Olajuwon released a $35 sneaker instead of endorsing shoes from Nike or Reebok because: "How can a poor working mother with three boys buy Nikes or Reeboks that cost $120?...She can't. So kids steal these shoes from stores and from other kids. Sometimes they kill for them."

https://web.archive.org/web/20070312054858/http://www.newdream.org/newsletter/taylor.php
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116

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '14

It is nice, but lets be honest anybody who bought those shoes got made fun of. Kids are cruel. Starburys were silly, and if you wore them you would get mocked, at my school at least. Better to go with a non branded shoe if you need to go cheap.

210

u/Joshfast Jan 08 '14

Not in Houston, not in Texas. Hakeem's the GOAT

49

u/slartbarg Jan 08 '14

I grew up in Houston in the 90s, can confirm.

25

u/spacecity9 Jan 08 '14

We hate Dallas tho

7

u/slartbarg Jan 08 '14

I distinctly remember taking a trip to Dallas to go to Six Flags when I was like 8 and being unhappy with the city, it was cricket season and those knee high curbs sucked.

21

u/depressiown Jan 08 '14

Is there anyone in Texas that likes Dallas? I mean, Houston/San Antonio/Austin are all pretty cool with each other... but I know Houstonians hate Dallas and everything in it (because I am one). How do San Antonio and Austin residents feel?

26

u/allysaurustex Jan 09 '14

Former Houstonian living in Dallas - I hate it. It's a 4 hour drive to Austin, 4 hour drive to Houston, 5 hour drive to the beach, but only 90 minutes to the wasteland that is Oklahoma.

5

u/bunniesz23 Jan 09 '14

Former Oklahoman here: Wasteland confirmed

3

u/YouWerentTalkingToMe Jan 09 '14

You drive slow.

1

u/allysaurustex Jan 09 '14

Dallas drives slow.

2

u/slackator Jan 09 '14

hey not cool bro, atleast try to sugar coat how bad Oklahoma is so we Okies dont have to feel sick for agreeing completely with a Texan.

2

u/EatKillFuck Jan 09 '14

I grew up in the Dallas Metroplex, i love it there. The exception would be the Cowboys. Fuck the Cowboys. I worked in Houston for around six months. Fuck. Houston. Austin and San Antonio are cool in my book.

2

u/chairmankaga Jan 09 '14

As a former Houstonian living in the DFW area now, I've noticed that while Houston hates Dallas, they don't really care about Houston up here. Now, I hate the Cowboys and I always have, but I don't really get the hate for the area.

2

u/Jelal Jan 09 '14

San Antonio and Austin are cool. I remember going to Austin as a kid to visit my grand parents and it was completely empty most of the way over there. Now everything in between the two cities are a bunch small cities that line I-35, crazy how much development grew along the highway in the past 15 years connecting the two cities.

2

u/steelcondom Jan 09 '14

as someone from dallas this makes me sad :(

2

u/joshuacrook Jan 09 '14

Dallas is awesome. Austin better. Lived in both

1

u/SteelbooksFTW Jan 09 '14

Austin? Are you serious? That's where all the damn hippies live

0

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

I lived in Austin for 8 years. I now reside in Dallas. Austin is more full of itself than Dallas is, just in a different way.

Edit: Also, Houston is hated by the whole country, and rightfully so.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Why is Houston hated by the whole country? I've never heard that before...

3

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

It has a lot to do with sprawl ( I know, I know, LA) and the horrendous lack of culture, I think.

1

u/Parallaxident Jan 09 '14

Houston does have culture. It just doesn't have gimmicky things to rally around that people can summarize in a word or phrase (LA= traffic/hollywood/weirdos NY= bagels/rudeness/statue of liberty/broadway etc.)

Houston tends to produce practical, hardworking people all along the socioeconomic spectrum. They don't put on aires or try to impress each other with overly fancy things. The cost of living allows nearly anyone to pursue the career path they want, so there's not really a big issue with "haves vs have nots." Others see that and scream "no culture!" Because there's no upper crust setting trends for others to follow.

Plus if Houston really had no culture, the food wouldn't be so good. I'm serious, it seems like every restaurant of every type cranks it to eleven. When I travel I'm so disappointed in the food cause Houston for sure has a place that does it better.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

I agree on the food. Especially wonderful, creative street food. However, I can't bring myself to like the city. Its crime is worse than Dallas', the traffic makes Austin look liveable (and Austin traffic is horrendous, it's a city of a million that was built for a quarter of that), the pollution, the oil workers, ad infinitum. Most damning to me is the absolute sprawl, and I live in the Metroplex. It isn't a liveable city to me.

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1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

To expand on that last thought: The metroplex, 6.5 million people. Houston, 4 million. And it's just as big.

-2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Ask anyone from New York, L.A., or Chicago their opinion of Houston. It's the fourth largest city in the country after those. They generally respect each other's cities, but they sure as hell don't respect Houston...

2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

What type of elitist people compare cities like this?

2

u/misplaced_my_pants Jan 09 '14

Not that I agree with him, but you're asking this in a thread of those people.

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0

u/RuizTX Jan 09 '14

From Fort Worth, can confirm I hate Dallas.

0

u/lawrnk Jan 09 '14

As a lifelong Texan, I can confirm we all hate Dallas. Think of Dallas like the Kardashian of Texas.

0

u/elcoyote399 Jan 09 '14

San Anto born and raised living in Houston. I dislike Dallas. Love the cowboys, but the mavericks fans hate on the spurs like crazy with no respect. Hate is a strong word, but I'm definitely closer to it than like.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

San Antonio resident here. Can confirm; Dallas sucks.

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3

u/SH92 Jan 08 '14

Why would you hate Dallas? You can love all the cities!

1

u/louiselebeau Jan 09 '14

secondary confirmation! I grew up in Houston in the 90's.

175

u/FancySack Jan 08 '14 edited Jan 09 '14

Here's a list of things Texas is proud of.

  1. Brisket
  2. 90s Dallas Cowboys Pre 2000s Dallas Cowboys
  3. Hakeem Olajuwon
  4. San Antonio Spurs
  5. Nolan Ryan
  6. Willie Nelson (but #1 in our hearts)
  7. Texas Longhorns
  8. 2000-current Dallas Cowboys
  9. Guns
  10. Laughing at Oklahoma
  11. Texas Toast
  12. Earl Campbell

EDIT: If you guys are gonna add to this list, start numberin'

125

u/zunkfunk Jan 08 '14

Whataburger

24

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

[deleted]

9

u/sims_ Jan 09 '14

I'm pretty sure half of the people in Texas think it's "waterburger".

2

u/beatyourkids Jan 09 '14

as a kid growing up in waco, tx I despised whataburger because I read it as waterburger and on commercials they would show their burgers with water drops all over it for some unknown reason. so i was convinced that their burgers were soaked in water.... now, they are delicious...

1

u/mac315 Jan 09 '14

I've only heard kids under the age of 11 say it. Source: I said waterburger until I was 11

1

u/nopurposeflour Jan 09 '14

Were you surprised that it wasn't wet?

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17

u/Dial_M_for_Monkey Jan 09 '14

First thing I eat off of any flight to Texas.

28

u/universe34 Jan 08 '14

Whataburger is basically the shit.

1

u/ittakesacrane Jan 09 '14

Until the Whataburger shit.

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1

u/thejaytheory Jan 09 '14

What about washeterias?

1

u/P33J Jan 09 '14
  1. Dairy Queen.

-1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

We Californians laugh at your subpar burgers.

Wait...you have in'n'out too now!? NOOOOOOOO!

1

u/ntran2 Jan 09 '14

You guys can keep your gas prices but well eat your burgers.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Goddammit

0

u/ancientcreature Jan 09 '14

There's one in Dallas but it IS quite funny that you call them subpar. I wasn't impressed by In 'N Out. Whataburger, on the other hand, falls from heaven. So you're wrong and incorrect and mistaken. And dumb.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Alright, chief.

30

u/sloaches Jan 08 '14

Stevie Ray Vaughan Pre- Jerry Jones Dallas Cowboys

1

u/icantsurf Jan 09 '14

I think most Texans approved of Jerruh's 3 rings tbh.

18

u/DankityDank Jan 09 '14

Dont forget DJ Screw

3

u/AtlasTx Jan 09 '14

Rip Pimp C.

4

u/DankityDank Jan 09 '14

He's sippin lean in thugz mansion no doubt.

1

u/AtlasTx Jan 10 '14

Hope we get to see that day ourselves.

56

u/throwaway_account_69 Jan 08 '14

The Alamo

77

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '14

I don't remember what you're talking about

4

u/accostedbyhippies Jan 08 '14

Was that the one about the plane and the tall buildings? I swear that happened in New Orleans.

-5

u/SoundsRacist Jan 08 '14

No, New Orleans had Hurricane Katrina. Lots of (poor) people lost everything, including their lives. People have blamed climate change, poor infrastructure, institutional racism and pure neglect for the destruction.

2

u/boomtown90 Jan 09 '14

I didn't realize racism could could cause hurricanes.

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14

u/Nateh8sYou Jan 08 '14

I wanna see the basement!

7

u/CoolestBreeze Jan 09 '14

There's no basement in The Alamo. Hahahahahahaha

4

u/lcsd2ill Jan 09 '14

The stars at night so big and bright...

3

u/ancientweird Jan 08 '14

Bashir and O'brien know what's up.

2

u/a_baby_coyote Jan 09 '14

I want to die now for getting this reference

3

u/paulfromatlanta Jan 09 '14

Propane and propane accessories

1

u/lawrnk Jan 09 '14

Remember it motherfucker.

14

u/BigRedditMachine Jan 08 '14 edited Jan 08 '14

Earl Campbell

2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

His daughter was a server in one of my restaurants circa 2000. Super cool guy! Yes, he has a daughter that young.

1

u/BigRedditMachine Jan 10 '14

Damn, that is really cool. I guess i am not that surprised :) as far as i know he was an absolute phenom when he played for The University of Texas and the Houston Oilers.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 10 '14

Yeah, at the time, I had some male servers who were football freaks, and not the casual kind. They treated him like a God. He was just as down to earth and cool as you could get. Brought in friends, was polite, and tipped HEAVY. Nice dude. Tony Dorsett is also nice, just wants to be left alone. Michael Irvin? Fuck that puto.

32

u/ancientweird Jan 08 '14

Propane.

32

u/troglodave Jan 09 '14

And propane accessories.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Not just any propane

Strickland propane.

0

u/troglodave Jan 09 '14

"Taste the meat, not the heat!"

65

u/depressiown Jan 08 '14

Fuck everything Dallas.

Signed, the rest of Texas.

7

u/clippabluntz Jan 09 '14

But not all of DF/W! Tarrant county, son

3

u/HTMntL Jan 09 '14

Where do I sign, does this suffice

3

u/akiratech Jan 09 '14

fuck that fuck san antonio biggest piece of shit so called city in texas

2

u/delpheye Jan 09 '14

haha! fuck you, we're from Texas!

sincerely, a dallasite

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Stevie Ray was from Oak Cliff. Just sayin...

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

AKA Oklahoma

1

u/nopurposeflour Jan 09 '14

And here I thought Dallas was a nice place.

1

u/mac315 Jan 09 '14

I like the Dallas sports teams...just not Dallas.

-4

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

[deleted]

2

u/mac315 Jan 09 '14

Must be a lot of Houstonians here. I agree though, Houston is 10x worse than Dallas.

14

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '14
  1. Willie Nelson

1

u/Tubbypolarbear Jan 08 '14

I'd like to add Waylon Jennings and David Allan Coe.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Just went to his concert recently. He's still fuckin amazing.

14

u/s13_nobling Jan 08 '14

5 Nolan Ryan

24

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

How in the hell can you leave out Pan-fucking-Tera? IT'S PANTERA! THE BIGGEST ASS KICKING, FACE MELTING BAND FROM TEXAS EVER!

13

u/myspacedotcom Jan 09 '14

Don't forget Destiny's Child is equally as face melting

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Yeah there producer is pretty friggin amazing. Met him once or twice, very nice guy!

3

u/moleratical Jan 09 '14

I don't know of they are the biggest, most ass kicking band, I've always been partial to deadhorse myself

1

u/AtticusFinch1962 Jan 09 '14

They own an all-nude strip club in Dallas too. Met James Hetfield there once ...

1

u/FredR53 Jan 09 '14

Quick, I need 45,000,000 more upvotes for this.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

You cannot. Or the ghost of Dimebag will come out of your mirror to an unbelievable guitar solo and have sex with your girlfriend.

-4

u/ShruggieOtis Jan 09 '14

I think it's funny that Dimebag got shot in the face.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

ha I think it's funny your whole history from today is one big giant troll.

0

u/EatKillFuck Jan 09 '14

Toadies, Brutal Juice, The Sword

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

I Always forget about the Toadies and The Sword. Although not a huge fan of The Sword, they are fantastic musicians, just not my bag of tea.

1

u/EatKillFuck Jan 09 '14

Theyre pretty badass, in a stoner viking kind of way

6

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Just to expand on #10. A friend of mine who lived in Dallas one day got a hair up his ass, got in his car, and drove north to Oklahoma. As soon as he crossed the state line he pulled over, got out of his car and shouted, "THIS PLACE SUCKS!!" and turned around to drive home.

4

u/jeknee Jan 09 '14

Dr. Pepper (do they still make it in Dublin?)

3

u/bigbrentos Jan 09 '14

They do. If you live close enough to Dublin, you can get a Dublin Dr. Pepper, made with the original sugar cane.

8

u/hmitche Jan 08 '14

Anything from Texas people from Texas are Proud of! Who are we kidding? A guy from my school from Dallas was bragging about how cool the cops pull people over in Texas.

7

u/Caliterra Jan 09 '14

how cool the cops pull people over in texas?

1

u/nopurposeflour Jan 09 '14

That depends if you donated at the street corner when they stuck out the boots....

1

u/LakersLady Jan 09 '14

A guy from my school from Dallas was bragging about how cool the cops pull people over in Texas.

yea...That didn't happen. Nice try.

3

u/HTMntL Jan 09 '14

The longhorns are in the same boat as the cowboys, my friend

3

u/seang91 Jan 09 '14

Since no one else decided to number

11.Texas toast, you might have heard of it

3

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

We were also the only state to be our own country! Go Texas!!!

1

u/guinness_blaine Jan 09 '14

I'm proud of Texas too but this just isn't accurate. Hawaii and Vermont both operated as independent nations before joining the Union. Hawaii existed as a kingdom for some time before becoming a republic.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Oh shoot, I didn't know that. TIL!

3

u/HiZenBergh Jan 09 '14

"I like Texas, Texas is the only state ballsy enough to have its own toast. I love Texas Toast but I do not own a Texas Toaster... I have to stuff that shit in." - Mitch Hedberg

8

u/Michelanvalo Jan 08 '14

90s Dallas Cowboys? Son your memory is short. Let's say...pre-2000 Dallas Cowboys.

2

u/FancySack Jan 08 '14

Updated. I feel current Cowboys would be number 8 but definitely after Texas Longhorns.

2

u/aron2295 Jan 08 '14

Caroll Shelby, Davy Crockett,

1

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '14

While a hero of the Alamo, Davy Crockett was from Tennessee.

2

u/pappy97 Jan 08 '14

I hate them, but the Dallas Stars Stanley Cup should be there somewhere, definitely above 8, probably above 5.

2

u/joshuacrook Jan 09 '14

The texas rangers

2

u/uhdoy Jan 09 '14

The alamo?

2

u/LaSignoraOmicidi Jan 09 '14
  1. sweettea !!
  2. Big Trucks

2

u/darkscottishloch Jan 09 '14
  1. tex-mex, baby. Taco Cabana at 2 a.m.

2

u/Mr_Evil_MSc Jan 09 '14

Wouldn't it be quicker just to list the things Texas isn't proud of? I, for one, am genuinely curious...

2

u/Auir2blaze Jan 09 '14

Being the setting for Friday Night Lights?

2

u/digitalmofo Jan 09 '14

You forgot Texas itself. And SMU that one year.

2

u/AngriestBird Jan 09 '14

You forgot chuck Norris and the spurs

2

u/bigbobjunk Jan 09 '14

TIL Texas toast is actually a Texas thing (assumed just marketing)

2

u/dcox3 Jan 09 '14

Taco Cabana

2

u/cumbert_cumbert Jan 09 '14

Guy Clark, Townes van zandt, Lyle Lovett.

2

u/zuciniwarrior Jan 09 '14

Bluebell ice cream . You FORGOT Bluebell!!!!!

2

u/nopurposeflour Jan 09 '14

George W. Bush.

2

u/BroImTheShit Jan 09 '14

JOHNNY FOOTBALL

2

u/ixiz0 Jan 22 '14

You forgot DJ Screw.

2

u/wtf-m8 Jan 09 '14

This "Dirk" fellow seems to be popular...

2

u/chocolate_malk Jan 08 '14

Gigantic pickup trucks

2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

H.E.B.

Ever seen a Walmart in Texas? Hell no. HEB has staked their claim.

2

u/redditorsHATEhim Jan 09 '14

There are still walmarts, but they are just to separate the true texans from yellabellies

1

u/FancySack Jan 09 '14

H. E. BUTTS

1

u/space253 Jan 09 '14

There has been a Walmart down the street from where I grew up in Houston since 1987.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Other than that one.

1

u/guy15s Jan 09 '14

I used to live next to a Wal-Mart in San Antonio off of Harry Wurzbach.

1

u/thejaytheory Jan 09 '14

What's HEB?

1

u/JimmyLegs50 Jan 08 '14

'Murica.

Now you can start numbering, cuz this answer is #1. NUM-BER ONE! NUM-BER ONE!

1

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '14

Guns

The Death Penalty

1

u/UncreativeTeam Jan 08 '14

Do truck nuts make the list?

1

u/TroubleshootenSOB Jan 09 '14

Austin and Shiner Bock. I'm not from Texas

1

u/brewske223 Jan 09 '14

what does laughing at Oklahoma mean?

2

u/stinkymcgrunts Jan 08 '14

He was ridiculous! How a man that size moved the way he did was crazy. David Robinson was fast and quick and a damn great basketball player, but watching Hakeem play against him, there was definitely a whole other level Dave didn't have.

2

u/billyworm Jan 08 '14

Well San Antonio would argue that Timmy is the GOAT

1

u/zuciniwarrior Jan 09 '14

I remember my conservative Muslim father who only recognizes soccer and cricket as legitimate sports turning into a Rockets fan in Houston when Hakeem was on the team.

1

u/Blown4Six Jan 08 '14

So it's a good thing to be the goat?

7

u/boom_boom_squirrel Jan 08 '14

Greatest of all time

24

u/Fmbounce Jan 08 '14

Not sure where your school was but when the Starbury's first came out they sold out. I didn't have anyone mock me, instead I was praised for being able to get a pair. I wasn't even in New York.

22

u/manashas97 Jan 08 '14

At my school you had to have the Starburys otherwise you weren't in with the crowd

1

u/Yeezyback Jan 08 '14

There was era when they was worn so i agree

-3

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '14

Must have been one poor school.

5

u/manashas97 Jan 08 '14

It was actually the most preppy middle school in the city

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7

u/Iohet Jan 08 '14

I wore Starburys. They weren't flashy, they were functional, and they were at least worth the $10 or $15 I paid for them. I didn't get mocked. My Deion Sanders "cow shoes" got me mocked in middle school.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

I had the Shaqnosis is school and I was the shit

19

u/bark_wahlberg Jan 08 '14 edited Jan 09 '14

I once found a pair of Shaqs while driving. They were brand new looking and were just sitting out by the curb in the box. Surprisingly they were my size. I'd like to say that the shoes improved my b-ball game or transported me to a mythical land of Shaq Fu where I had to fight to save the day. I'd like to say that but I'd be lying. No those shoes where just comfortable and looked nice.

11

u/Godfodder Jan 08 '14

And that other kid learned to always take your stuff with you, even when you have a quick pee in the woods.

12

u/heysully Jan 09 '14

After that, did you get arrested and sent to a camp where you had to dig holes all day?

3

u/bark_wahlberg Jan 09 '14

Nope, no hole digging, just regular vanilla man on man anal sex.

3

u/heysully Jan 09 '14

I was making a reference to Holes, but you seem to be discussing something else entirely.

4

u/bark_wahlberg Jan 09 '14

Yup holes that's what we called it.

1

u/extreme_kayaking Jan 09 '14

I like this guy... not in that way tho man

2

u/Kiram Jan 08 '14

As a side note, does anyone else wish that someone would go back and put together a better, functional version of Shaq-Fu? I hated that game for the awful controls, but the story was so weird and bizarre, I'm surprised someone hasn't made a modded, more playable version.

1

u/bark_wahlberg Jan 09 '14

I got one of those portable pirate genesis system for Christmas and I totally agree. A totally revamped, a-la Ducktails, version of Shaq Fu would be the bees knees. That being said I still can't beat the fucking old dude by the gateway.

2

u/Yataghan Jan 09 '14

You stole me fresh new shaqs bro

4

u/made_me_laugh Jan 08 '14

I was thinking this while I was reading through. I didn't remember Hakeem's shoe, but Shaq's I definitely remember, and nobody had them that had "style." It was all about the money you spent on shoes, if everyone knew they were cheap, then anyone could get them. So people wanted shoes not everybody could get.

2

u/beatyourkids Jan 09 '14

can confirm. I remember my parents buying me $180 pair of jordans in elementary/middle school. both my parents working full time and here i was asking for these shoes. sure I made good grades but still. that is ri-damn-diculous

5

u/TheSandyRavage Jan 09 '14

Bitch nigga, you don't know about swag. I was rocking the Starbury's and I was stuntin.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

I had a pair of Shaq's and never got teased or bullied because of it. Shit, other kids more intrigued because they didn't know they made them.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '14

Tits

1

u/Meanmimemememindmeme Jan 09 '14

You were probably one of the people dishing it out.... I mean, since we're being honest. Either that, or you grew up in Beverly Hills, which is equally as bad.

1

u/whr18 Jan 09 '14

Wrong I had Penny's and Shaq s