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From six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan to Gold Glove recipient Alex Rodriguez, it may seem that almost every athlete has their own shoe.It raises the question of whether the athletic shoes of today play any role in the performance of an athlete.

With new advances in technology, athletes across the board-from runners to tennis players-have come a long way from wearing the old-school PF Flyers.

“As times are changing, the shoes are getting incredibly light,” said five-year volleyball player Ben Paik, an American history major, “as well as giving better support for the feet and ankles.”

In the Nike “Over and Under” commercial, the Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger is seen fixing the new shoes of Lebron James, the NBA’s 2010 Most Valuable Player.

The commercial, aimed at advertising the All-Stars’ new line of shoes, shows none of his highlights or game play.

But it does beg the question: do the shoes make an athlete?

“I just think it’s another way for the shoe industry to rip people off and make money off of them,” said YMCA fitness instructor Jeanette Ayala, a nursing and business major.

With recent studies showing that running with new performance shoes might cause more harm then running barefoot, athletes are left with doubt.

“I have completed a two mile race barefoot before, and it actually felt pretty good,” said former state-ranked runner Ian Lewis, a business management major.

“This was on a rubber track where I knew I wasn’t going to encounter anything that could puncture the bottom of my foot,” he added. “I think the problem with barefoot running is that we litter too much, and a lot of the stuff we have out there is sharp, which makes it not too feasible to run barefoot. Plus, there are also a lot of sharp rocks out there.”

What about sports like basketball that require a lot of jumping, which can cause stress on the ankles?

“If you look at the history of sports, shoes have evolved as much as its athletes and maybe even have a direct impact on the evolution of the modern-day athlete,” said outdoor basketball player Randy Ruvalcaba, an architecture engineering major.

“Think about it: would an NBA player would make it through 82 games wearing Chuck Taylors, versus wearing the newest pair of Nikes?” Ruvalcaba asked. “I don’t believe it actually changes the way an athlete performs, but it sure makes a difference.

“When I wear my basketball shoes for running, I get annoyed because they are heavier and not as comfortable,” he added.

Others still believe that athletes can be just as high-performing, regardless of their footwear.

“Let’s say NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant wears chucks while playing. He would still be Kobe,” said Paik. “Just because he’s wearing chucks, it doesn’t mean he can’t play like he does when he wears his regular basketball shoes.

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