When New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury brings his sneaker revolution to Pittsburgh today, he'll be accompanied by a man who kicked off the first big sneaker movement more than a decade ago -- Pittsburgher Erin Patton.

	The Starbury One basketball shoe. Click photo for larger image.

The Homewood native and Peabody High School grad is head of The Mastermind Group, the marketing firm behind Mr. Marbury's line of ultra-affordable sneakers and sports apparel.

Nothing in the line, carried exclusively at Steve & Barry's stores, costs more than $15.

"I come from a place where I understand the significance of this movement and what we're doing," Mr. Patton said.

But back in 1995, he was recruited by Nike just as the company was beginning its affiliation with Michael Jordan.

Mr. Patton, who has a degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, was handpicked by Mr. Jordan to develop the business plan and marketing strategy for the Jordan product line.

"For me it was a dream come true," Mr. Patton said of joining Nike. "Being from Pittsburgh, sports is obviously in our DNA."

Now, he's returning to his hometown to lead another sneaker movement, one that's seems to be the antithesis of the Air Jordan line.

"I understand the difficulty that parents face and kids face to keep up with trends," said the 37-year-old father of three.

His mother, Connie Robinson, was a single mother working two jobs to raise Mr. Patton and his two brothers, Joe and Brian.

He credits his success to his mother, "who really reinforced the necessity for education and looking beyond our environment to reach our goals and our dreams."

All three men graduated from college. Mr. Patton received his MBA the same day his brother Joe picked up his law degree from George Mason University near Washington, D.C. -- creating for his mother the dilemma of which ceremony to attend. (She chose Joe's because it was closer and because Mr. Patton was married and had his immediate family in attendance.)

Two years ago, his mother returned to school, earning a bachelor's degree from Carlow College.

When Mr. Patton joined Nike, he became manager of public relations for basketball. It was in that position that he met Mr. Jordan.

"They knew I had an understanding of the urban marketplace, and because I was a product of the hip-hop generation but had market savvy and skills, Michael asked me to lead," Mr. Patton said.

He oversaw all aspects of Michael Jordan's product line, deciding which products would be developed, marketing strategy, ad development, etc.

"What I think I've been able to achieve and what I've been recognized in the industry for is marrying marketing with hip-hop culture," he said.

In 2000, he left the swoosh to work for Edelman Public Relations Worldwide in New York as senior vice president of diversity marketing. A year later, he founded his own company, The Mastermind Group, which is headquartered in New York and has offices in Dallas.

He's worked with numerous companies such as Motorola and Pepsi as well as with a host of noted athletes, including tennis' Williams sisters and LeBron James of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers.

Of his hometown, Mr. Patton said, "It's a unique place to come from. If you make it out of the 'Burgh, you can make it anywhere. We're battle-tested. It takes a lot to break our spirit. It takes a lot to have us waver."

Of all the cities he's scheduled to visit on the Starbury tour, he said, coming back to Pittsburgh today will be the most significant -- especially his stop at Peabody.

"Being able to bring something positive that I'm affiliated with and being instrumental in making it happen with someone of Stephon's character -- that's truly an amazing thing," he said.

"It's important to remind youth that it is possible," he said. "If it's possible for me, it's possible for them."