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Name: (T)SGT Alex Tiggs
Branch: United States Air Force
Originally From: Birmingham, AL
Current Station: Lackland Air Force Base – San Antonio, TX
Nice Kicks: What made you start collecting shoes??
(T)SGT Tiggs: I fell in love with kicks back in 1985, the same year my mother bought me my first pair of Jordans. It was the “Sky Jordan” Air Jordan I. It was a wrap after that. I always wanted to have the freshest pair of kicks. People couldn’t understand it then, but they really see my passion about it now.
Nice Kicks: Which shoe is your holy grail?
(T)Sgt. Tiggs: It would have to be the 1990 David Robinson 180 Pump, the same joints Woody Harrelson rocked in White Men Can’t Jump.
Nice Kicks: Do you notice a difference in the shoe culture at the different places you are stationed?
(T)SGT Tiggs: Korea was definitely on it. Japan was like the mecca of kicks when I was out there. They have the craziest sneaker culture. You can find a lot of rare gems there. It’s easy to find some of the older retro Jordans there. When I was stationed in San Angelo, TX, it was much harder to find what you wanted. You either had to travel or overpay online.
Nice Kicks: Which shoe do you consider the most prized of your collection?
(T)SGT Tiggs: It would have to be my OG 1994 “Steel” Xs and my “South Beach” LeBron 8 because my wife knew how much I wanted that shoe. She surprised me with them on Valentine?s Day.
Nice Kicks: How has being in the military helped/hurt your shoe collecting?
(T)Sgt Tiggs: It’s been a dual-edged sword. It’s been a combo of both. It?s helped (Korea/Japan) and hurt (Goodfellow/deployment).
