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Sneaker History Podcast - Sneakers, Sneaker Culture and the Business of FootwearThe business of sneakers for sneakerheads by sneakerheads. Author: Sneaker History - Retrospect Podcasts
Nearly 600,000 downloads and still here! A show about sneakers for sneakerheads, by sneakerheads. We're not here to bring people down or play gatekeeper, we are here to show the positive side of sneakers and connect with like-minded sneaker enthusiasts. We talk about sneakers and the footwear industry, interview footwear industry professionals, designers, and creatives who share our passion for sneakers. To advertise to our audience: podcast@sneakerhistory.com A part of the Retrospect Podcast Network. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/ Language: en Genres: Arts, Fashion & Beauty, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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The Shoe Is the Story: Amado Rodriguez Jr. on ZX Series, Osaga, and the Running Technology Nobody Talks About
Episode 7
Monday, 2 March, 2026
Amado Rodriguez Jr. started his blog, The Official Encyclopedia Sneakérica, with one goal... to do for sneakers what Encyclopedia Britannica did for everything else. No hype. No "buy it now" buttons. Just the deep cuts, the real history, and the stuff that gets lost when everybody's chasing the algorithm.He's @SneakerProfiler on Instagram, a B-boy whose parents came from Puerto Rico, a military veteran who ran constantly during his time in the Army, and a marathon runner who might know more about the ZX Series than most people at adidas right now.We talked for a long time over video. He had shoes. A lot of them. Here are some of the places we went.Amado traced the entire modern running shoe back through the Osaga cantilever outsole, the dual-density foam on the SL 72, and the torsion system in the ZX 1000, making the case that most of what we consider revolutionary in 2015 was figured out in 1972. He held each one up to the camera to prove it. He also showed off a Wales Bonner SL 72, an adidas Rivalry 414 collab from a Milwaukee shop, a Saucony Jazz 81 he wore the day his daughter was born, and an Osaga that the brand's founder's grandson sent him.We got into the ZX 8000 and the AZX collaboration series, and why adidas doesn't do enough to connect the dots between their performance history and the retro shoes sitting on boutique walls right now. We talked about Jacques Chassaing and why someone needs to keep crediting him, because he's too humble to do it himself. And we talked about Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl... not the shoes specifically, but the moment, and what it meant for people who understood the full context of what was happening on that field.This is one of those conversations where the shoes are almost beside the point. Almost.In this episode: The NBA knockoff shoes that started everything. What Puma Suedes have to do with b-boy culture. Why the Osaga cantilever outsole from 1976 feels better than most shoes made today. The ZX Series as the skeleton of every running shoe that came after it. Jacques Chassaing and what adidas owes him. Why brand copywriting for sneakers is just a "brick of text" most of the time. Bad Bunny, Residente, and why adidas going quiet during the Super Bowl halftime show might have been the right call after all. And why the stories being built now, the blogs, the podcasts, the substacks, are the encyclopedia that the sneaker world actually needs.Find Amado: Instagram: @SneakerProfiler Blog: The Official Encyclopedia SneakéricaSUPPORT THE SHOW:Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistoryBuy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nickengvallEarly Access, Exclusive Videos, and Content On Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistorySubscribe on Substack: https://substack.com/@sneakerhistoryIf you are interested in advertising to our audience, contact us: podcast@sneakerhistory.comCHECK OUT OUR OTHER SHOWS:For the Formula 1 Fans - Exhaust Notes: https://exhaustnotes.fmFor the Fitted Hat Fans - Crown and Stitch: https://crownandstitch.comFor the Cars & Sneakers Fans - Cars & Kicks: https://carsxkicks.comFor the Creators & Creatives - Outside The Box: https://podcasts.apple.com/id/podcast/outside-the-box-convos-with-creators/id1050172106[Links contain affiliate links; we may receive a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. A great way to support the pod!]—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––Our podcast is proudly...Recorded on Riverside: http://www.riverside.fm/?via=sneakerhistoryHosted & Distributed By Captivate: https://bit.ly/3j2muPbGET IN TOUCH:Robbie - robbie@sneakerhistory.comMike - mike@sneakerhistory.comRohit - rohit@sneakerhistory.comNick - nick@sneakerhistory.comDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/
