The shoe has become more that just footwear, it some circles it is a right of passage, in others it holds more value than the paper used to pay for it, to some its just a shoe, but the world laced up their billionth pair of MJ's this year, which according to reviewaccess.com makes Michael Jordan the first billion dollar athlete....a billion dollars of basketball....I need to start dating taller women....I need a baller....

The news makes us want to celebrate the achievements of one of our own, yet we can't help but wonder, is celebration really the answer.....for the most part kids in impoverished neighborhoods can't afford a pair of the $150 and up pair of basketball shoes, and many kids have been killed for a pair of the coveted Air Jordans..... and after hitting a billion dollars Mr. Jordan, shouldnt we celebrate with a price reduction, even gas went down for a litttle bit....can we get some love. 

According to SportsOneSource, through Rovell, the Jordan brand holds twice the clout in the country’s shoe market that adidas does. Jordan’s reputation makes the brand 10.8 percent of the shoe business nationally.

Plus, Rovell reported, 86.5 percent of all basketball shoes that are sold for more than $100 come from the Jordan brand.

So, should we thank Jordan, or should we criticize him? Consider that $100-plus percentage. Could Nike have decided (or Jordan pushed) to ease back on those price-tag numbers just a bit to help out the youngsters idolizing him?

There will be more $1 billion athletes, of course, and likely soon. But for as much as Jordan did for basketball and interest in the sport, he hasn’t been the best in aiding access to his products.

When Stephon Marbury, who once sold sneakers for $14.98, makes you look like the bad guy, something’s very wrong.