Other Dream Team – Greg Speirs
Creator of Iconic Slam-Dunking Skeleton speaks about his major sponsorship of the 1992 Lithuanian Basketball Team, politics and describes his inspiration behind the icon skeleton image in an audio interview
©1992 Greg Speirs ©1992 Greg Speirs
Check out the audio interview:Audio Interview
The origin of the Slam Dunking Skeleton – from the artist himself: “The 1992 Lithuanian Basketball Team represents what happens in freedom…people excel. The struggle of the Lithuanian team struck a chord with me so I decided to come up with an image which I believed represented them. I came up with the Slam Dunking Skeleton because it symbolized the team, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes and coming up from nothing, and rising up to overcome the obstacles, which are represented by the hands reaching up in the image. The image is one of breaking out of oppression. This was my interpretation in 1992 and the real meaning of the image. Instead of a representation of being dead, this skeleton represents rebirth and a new life. Also, you can’t have freedom without free enterprise”-Greg Speirs. Hear the audio interview from the artist himself: Audio Interview at www.gregspeirs.com
The shirts seen by the world on the podium in the 1992 Olympics, became a sought after collectible and started selling. The artist then acquired the status as the major sponsor of the team by donating 100% of his profits generated from the sales of the famous t-shirts which were sold through a charitable organization to fund the Lithuanian Olympic basketball team beyond the 1992 season to 1996 Olympics and Lithuanian children’s charities. Recent news reports state millions were given to Lithuania from sales of the T-Shirts, which featured the artist’s Slam Dunking Skeleton Trademark. The reports of millions of dollars given to charity generated from Slam Dunking Skeleton T-shirts were given on behalf of the artist, the creator and licensor of the trademark. His donation eclipsed all of the initial funding by the big names and others. The public is now slowly discovering these previously unknown facts about the story. Other Dream Team movie bio: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3998173 The shirts have been reissued & are available at:: www.skullman.com
Check out the 23 second video of the skeleton's creator:
YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9ITlbG55ug Although he is represented in the documentary only for a few seconds his contribution came to become the identity of the team as well as the main image representing the documentary itself. So look carefully, you may miss it. The fact that the image was an independent creation that came from the artist and was not an icon of a musical group still may not have been made totally clear in the movie. Go to www.skullman.com for more info.