By Wit-E Beats

"Its what you all been waiting for ain't it?" (c) Kanye

Early last year Nike SB presented the idea of an Anniversary Dunk to commemorate SPoT's 20th year in business. The sneaker was presented in the form of a sample designed by the legend himself, Lance Mountain. He was brought on to do the artwork for the 19th Annual Tampa Pro Presented by Nike Skateboarding. The Dunk's design incorporates Lance's iconic doughboy imagery in a black all over print that is embossed onto the black nubuck upper. The design is very subtle from afar, but when the light catches the print it gives off a shimmer that makes them pop. I would have liked to see 3M used for the print to give an even more dramatic effect.

The heel tag is Lance Mountain blue (?) suede and features metallic platinum stitching which matches the tongue tag and interior lining. The insoles are black with the SPoT 20 Year Logo on the heel. I wish the logo and kix used the same shade of blue, but that is a minor detail. A white midsole and black outsole finish off the design.

Those buying from SPoT Ybor will receive their kix in a special box lined in the same all over print that is featured on the uppers. Each pair will have a wooden hang tag which is laser engraved with the SPoT 20 Year Logo. In place of the standard tissue paper inside the box there will be a mini-mexican blanket to represent the crusty tapestry that has been used to block the front door of the park's Pro Shop during off hours for the last 20 years.

Overall I am both hyped and disappointed with the final result. There's no denying this is a fresh ass pair of dunks, and Nike SB and Lance Mountain certainly brought forth a stylish effort, however I feel they should have been more representative of SPoT and Tampa in the same way the Moat Dunks and Cigar Dunks were. When I look at these sneakers, I see a rehashed version of the Lance Mountain x Moca collaboration blazers, not really anything repping SPoT aside from the doughboy holding a flag with SPoT's logo, and as a Tampa native and SPoT affiliate, it is a bit of a let down.

Nike SB, Brian, Nick, Rob, Justin...next time there's a collaboration, I would love to be a part of it. [/shameless plug]

We still don't have the sneakers in our possession, which doesn't seem possible considering they have already popped up in some random ass shop in Hong Kong. How does that happen? But, if all goes as planned, they will be releasing this coming Saturday, March 2, noon, at SPoT Ybor for $150. We are all sending positive vibes and hoping the shipment comes in prior to Saturday, but worst case scenario if they don't arrive in time the release will be pushed back to March 16th. If the Cigar City release is any indication of how this one will be, I would suggest lining up early. The great thing about camping out at SPoT Ybor is the fact you are lining up in Ybor on a Friday night, which is never dull. I was in the Cigar City line all night and witnessed everything from a freaks leaving the club who put on a twerk show for the back half of the line at 3:30 in the morning, to watching Ybor transform from a bustling night scene into a ghost town after 4am, and being entertained by some of Ybor's finest vagrants. I also met some really cool people who had come from all over Florida to cop the Dunks. Basically, it was a party all night and memories that I will always have. The only thing we ask is for everyone who comes out to please respect each other and follow the county ordinance which states we have to leave enough room for pedestrians to pass by. When the line forms, please extend it towards the west and keep against the wall so the po-po has no reason to harass anyone. As long as everyone is cool to each other and keeps things civil, it will go smooth. Just make sure you bring a comfortable chair, a cooler full of sauce and snacks, and some friends. Don't stress if you can't find any homies willing to camp all night with you, there will be plenty of time to make new ones during the night.

Wit-E