Man, I’ve always been hyped about those Jordan 12 “Flu Game” kicks. Those black and red beauties scream iconic, right? But I never really dug deep into why they blew up so big. Felt like a gap in my sneaker knowledge, so this week I decided to fix that. Here’s how I tackled it.
Starting With That Viral Moment
First thing I did? Went straight to YouTube. I mean, everyone talks about MJ dropping 38 points sick as a dog in Game 5 of the ’97 Finals. But I needed to see it. I watched all the highlights, the shaky footage of him looking totally wiped out, leaning on Scottie Pippen like he couldn’t stand. Crazy stuff. Seeing how drained he was, but still dominating… that’s where the legend truly started brewing. I felt like I was right there feeling his pain.
Digging Into The Design Backstory
Okay, so MJ powered through the game, but what about the shoes themselves? Time to hit the books – well, the internet. I scoured old interviews and articles. Found out Tinker Hatfield actually designed the AJ12 before that Flu Game! Wild, right? People just naturally link the design to that specific game because he wore ’em then. The black/red colorway, which they call “Cherry” or “Flu Game,” wasn’t even the main release color! It was more understated than the originals. I stumbled across forums where old-timers talked about how the design, with that cool lizard skin look and carbon fiber, was supposed to feel kinda luxurious and tough. Not a ton changed specifically for MJ being sick; the shoe was already made. Its fame came purely from what MJ did in them while sick.
Trying To Understand Their Journey
Here’s the part that surprised me the most during my digging. Those Flu Games? They were kinda… slept on when they first dropped! Seriously. I found old magazine snippets and collectors talking about how you could find them sitting on shelves back in ’97. Not the instant sell-outs like later Jordans. The legend took time to cook. Seeing MJ do the impossible in them planted the seed. Then, as MJ won the championship again, and the years rolled on, that game became this massive story passed around. Re-releases in 2003 and 2009? That’s when the hype machine really kicked in. Suddenly everyone wanted a piece of that iconic story. The scarcity, the history, the sheer guts of MJ’s performance – it all fused together. That’s when I realized it wasn’t just about the shoe, it was about the whole damn movie attached to it.
The Reality Check Today
So where does that leave us? After spending days swimming in articles, videos, and forum rants, the picture got real clear. That AJ12 “Flu Game” is peak sneaker culture. Its value skyrocketed purely because of MJ’s insane, fever-dream performance captured forever on tape. It wasn’t the flashiest release, but that genuine, raw moment is the gold dust. Now, everybody and their grandma wants them, prices are wild, and fakes flood the market like crazy. The craziest part? Seeing pairs from ’97 locked away in vaults, treated like holy relics. Some pairs cost more than a decent used car! Insane how a shoe that nobody went crazy for initially turned into this untouchable status symbol just because of the story glued to it. Makes you wonder about the so-called “collector market,” doesn’t it?
Yeah, finished my deep dive. Got way more respect for the story behind the sneaker than just the sneaker itself. Felt like I uncovered the real juice.
