Nichols Won’t Sell Soul to adidas: Arkansas State officials have told senior swingman Jerry Nichols he must wear adidas shoes or not play. For now, Nichols has chosen the latter. The school has signed a deal with adidas that requires all student-athletes to wear adidas shoes, and the school’s athletic director said he considers the shoes to be part of the uniform. Nichols is so adamant against lacing up his adidas shoes because he was wearing shoes from that company when he tore his ACL in 2001.
Obviously, basketball players suffer knee injuries all the time, regardless of the brand of shoe on their feet. But schools have gone too far when they refuse to let a student-athlete play because of a personal preference. What message do schools send their students when they cater to a corporate client before their own students? Nichols has mentioned the possibility of taking the matter to court if Arkansas State officials refuse to accommodate him. With any luck, the judge will be a Nike man. [10/19/05]
