Stop Asics!

Yeah, you heard right: Stop Asics! Or to be more precise, stop buying Asics. Stop buying company shares, stop buying their shoes, stop buying into their philosophy.

Before you start defending this Reebok-of-the-running-world, hear me out.

I don't ask for much in life, although some of my requests may be unreasonable. When I make a purchase from a store within the #1 economy in the world of a product produced by the #2 economy in the world, I expect a certain level of quality assurance. Sure, here in Thailand, I'll let it slide if some food and I don't agree (already happened) or if two of the three pairs of pants a lady sells me are bell-bottoms (happened the second day I was here) or if a cab driver agrees to take you to a place that he didn't know existed before you mentioned it (happens most every cab trip back to the university).

Instead, I go out on a limb in Raleigh, North Carolina and purchase a pair of Asics running shoes for my peaceful foray into the Land of Smiles and how am I rewarded? Tread slowly peeling off with each step I take. I need all the help I can get trying to impress the Thais and crappy shoes do nothing to improve my already deficient athletic prowess.

So here's the deal Asics. I'll finish off this pair, but only on two conditions. One, I never have to buy another pair of your shoes. Two, the Elephant Supra Glue I purchased from the 7-Eleven here holds the tread on and allows me to actually wear them. For now, and the rest of time, you're being relegated to a tie with Reebok for worst shoe brand ever.

Oh, but one last thing, thanks for sponsoring the US Olympic marathoners Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor. Just be thankful that neither they nor the rest of your customer base will probably ever read this.