By Aaron Zielinski
Old Dominion Football didn’t just win 10 games in 2025. They did it with grit, culture, toughness, togetherness . . . and apparently the correct footwear protocol.
Let’s rewind.
Act I: The Shoes That Broke the Press Conference
On the evening of October 4th, 2025, immediately after ODU's 47-7 dismantlement of Coastal Carolina at SB Ballard Stadium, Head Coach Ricky Rahne casually changed the trajectory of the entire year.
During the postgame press conference, Coach noticed my shoes. The Hudson and Monarch Blue Wally Tri Varsity Mesh Hey Dudes that I had been sporting for a few games. He called them out publicly. Not to shame them. Not to ban them. To admire them.
Coach said, “I would like to say those are some sweet shoes. I could not pull those off. But you want to talk about some Monarch … Those are pretty sweet right there. Yeah man, those are awesome.”
Tap in 👇to hear straight from Ricky:
That was the moment we should’ve known these shoes were powerful. Possibly dangerous.
Act II: Huntington, West Virginia (The Dark Timeline)
Fast forward to the seven plus hour road trip to Huntington for the game at Marshall . . . thanks again Brandon Johnson State Farm for sponsoring the trip and allowing Mike, Justice, and me to cover the game. That’s when it happened.
Both Aaron and Justice wore the shoes. To The Union Pub and Grill. To Fat Patty's. To Tudor's Biscuit World. To the tailgate. To the stadium. Into the game.
Together. At the same time.
Memorial Fountain before the game (w/ shoes)
We all remember how that game went. We don’t need to relive it. The trauma is still fresh. Down bad and desperate, I made an executive decision mid-game:
“Justice. Take the shoes off.” And Justice did. Immediately. No questions asked.
Justice then proceeded to walk around the stadium, up and down the stairs, through the concourse, to the bathroom … all in socks. Wherever he needed to go in the stadium, he went in socks. Justice finished the game shoeless . . . in Huntington, West Virginia.
Justice in the stands after removing "the shoes"
That’s commitment. That’s culture. That’s love for ODU Football. Did it change the tide? Absolutely not! But legends aren’t always about results. Sometimes they’re about sacrifice.
Act III: The Rule Is Written
After Marshall, a rule was born: we cannot wear "the shoes" at the same time. EVER. Not home. Not away. Not neutral site. One pair. One person. Maximum.
Act IV: Orlando. Trust the Process.
When ODU punched its ticket to the Cure Bowl in Orlando, we tested the system. It was 5AM on December 16th and I pulled up to Justice's house to pick him up on our way to get Mike on the way to the airport. I jumped out of the truck to help with his bags and noticed he had "the shoes" on . . . and so did I.
On the flight to Florida? We both wore the shoes. Safe territory.
Game day? Only Justice wore them. I pivoted to my battle-tested green Oboz hiking shoes - the kind worn by a man who understands responsibility. Result?
ODU 24, USF 10.
A bowl win. A 10-win season. Absolute validation. Look, is it weird? Yes. But it’s only weird if it doesn’t work. And this clearly worked.
The Final Word (and a Question for Monarch Nation)
Are the shoes cursed?
Blessed?
Neutral but petty?
We don’t know. What we do know is this:
- Coach Rahne noticed them.
- Wearing them together caused chaos
-
Wearing them apart brought victory
So now we turn it over to you, Monarch Nation:
- Were the shoes the problem… or the solution?
- Should Aaron and Justice never wear them together again?
- Or should we retire them like an undefeated jersey?
👇 Drop your thoughts in our social media by clicking any of the icons below or the comments in the YouTube video embedded above.
📷 If you bought (or buy) the shoes, take a photo with them and tag us in social media!
And for anyone brave enough to tempt fate themselves, here are the shoes in question:
👉 https://www.zappos.com/product/9960037/color/3672
It’s not superstition. It’s science. Go Monarchs!
🔒Exclusive to Pride of ODU members. Be sure to bookmark and visit the following two pages to be the smartest Football Monarch in the room!
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