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Rod Thorn, the former general manager of the Bulls, called Falk and complained, "Dammit, David, you're turning the guy into a tennis player." "Exactly," said Falk. The league office backed the Bulls. And although all the principals deny that the confrontation was choreographed in advance, the result was a Punch and Judy show in which the team and the league played heavies and everyone - Jordan, Nike, the Bulls and the league - benefited from the publicity.
While Nike quickly supplied Jordan with a pair of red and white Air Jordans, the Chiat/ Day agency just as quickly produced new spots for the original shoe: "On Oct. 15, Nike created a revolutionary new basketball shoe. On Oct. 18, the N.B.A. threw them out of the game. Fortunately, the N.B.A. can't keep you from wearing them. Air Jordans. From Nike."
Martin Farricker, who follows the footware market for the trade publication Sporting Goods Business, believes the controversy insured the success of the line. Kids, he says, got the impression that it was some performance factor that led the N.B.A. to ban Air Jordans, as if they had springs in their soles.
THE DREAMS