The first collaboration of Spike (as in filmmaker Lee) and Mike (as in hoopster Jordan), set the irreverent tone. "Traditionally, sports ads had taken an inspirational, athlete-as-hero route," says Nike's Chris Zimmerman. "We broke ground in [laughing] at ourselves." Lee, who also directed, played motormouth Mars Blackmon; Jordan his reluctant stepladder. The 10-part series made Air Jordan No. 1 and popularized the slang term money.