Saturday, February 28, 2009

Don't just Fly - SuperFly





In their ongoing quest for lightness, Nike offers the

The Mercurial Vapor Superfly Soccer Boots


Uncompromising Lightweight Performance


Ultra-thin Teijin material covers the top of the foot, with the Flywire technology attaching to the outsole and holding the foot in place – key to a runner, a basketball or a football player. As the game is getting faster, keeping control of the ball at speed is crucial for the Mercurial player. Gathering insights from our key assets, we’ve identified the key speed touch area and have applied a special coating to the upper of the boot in order to improve grip.



Vapor Traction: Carbon fiber outsole



Weighting a mere 190g, the 2009 Mercurial Vapor Superfly combines the best materials and technologies available in the industry. Hand-crafted in Italy , it is another example of NIKE’s obsession for weight reduction that started long before most of today’s best players were born

The strength of Nike Flywire technology can be found in strategically placed filaments acting like cables on a suspension bridge and offering support precisely where a foot needs it. These strong filaments allow for a minimalistic shoe upper, reducing weight to help create Nike’s lightest shoes ever.

Further refinement with help from biomechanics experts in the Nike Sports Research Lab resulted in optimal placement of the filaments. Ultra-thin Teijin material covers the top of the foot, with the Flywire technology attaching to the outsole and holding the foot in place – key to a runner, a basketball or a football player.

The Mercurial Vapor Superfly is the lightest football boot Nike has ever made. Flywire technology allowed the shoe to be stripped of all unnecessary pieces without compromising durability.

10 grams lighter than the first generation, the Mercurial Vapor Superfly’s revolutionary outsole combines a 3 layers / 12 bars carbon fiber TEPEX® thermoplastic chassis engineered for flexibility (forefoot) and stiffness (arch), with direct Injection molded studs.

The 12% weight reduction was achieved by coring-out the 4 heel studs as well as 4 of the forefoot ones. The direct injection process becomes clearly visible with the studs structure being called-out in the signature NIKE Max Orange. Not only these studs are lighter, but they also are stronger and more durable.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Rayados Get Swoosh Treatment





And they've never looked better!

The Official Monterrey Club de Fútbol Home Short Sleeve Soccer Jersey by NIKE

Now the striped ones can compete with their 'regiomonteño' archrivals, Tigres, who recently got kitted out by Nike's arch-nemesis - adidas.

This is a huge step up for north Mexico club, who were previously outfitted by local manufacturer Atletica, and suddenly see themselves as the second team in the Mexican top-flight to have a Swoosh on their shirts. The first of course, is the richest team in Mexico - América.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Who's Afraid of Dragões





Continuing with our UEFA Champions League theme of the week -

Mere hours after they managed a 2-2 draw at the Calderon against Atletico in their round of 16 UEFA Champions League match - we give you the:

The Official FC Porto Home Short Sleeve Soccer Jersey by NIKE

FC Porto Fun Facts:

More than a soccer club, FC Porto is an institution. After going public in 1998, FC Porto created several satellite companies around the club to improve its efficiency.

FCPorto - Junior football, handball, rink hockey, atletism, magazine, etc.
FCPorto - Futebol SAD and FCPorto - Basquetebol SAD (professional football and basketball)
PortoEstádio (Estádio do Dragão)
PortoMultimédia (official site and multimedia products)
PortoComercial (Merchandising)
PortoSeguro (Insurances)

They were the shock winners of the 2003/2004 UEFA Champions League under Jose Mourinho.

On 4 June 2008, a decision was taken to exclude Portuguese champions Porto from the UEFA Champions League, after the club was found guilty of bribing referees in the Portuguese Liga during the 2003-04 season. However, after Porto appealed the decision, the decision was referred by UEFA's Appeals Body back to the Control & Disciplinary Body for re-assessment. The meeting to re-assess the situation took place on 16 June 2008, with the decision being reversed and Porto being allowed back into the 2008-09 Champions League.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Los Colchoneros are Here





Better late than never is what I always say. And I say that as we bring in the Atlético Madrid Home Soccer Jersey

Yeah, the 08/09 season doesn't have much left but the Colchoneros are still in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, and maybe this shirt will see them playing their best football yet - maybe even in Rome.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The Champions Return





Just a few minutes ago I had to look back through previous blog posts because I was sure I'd done what you're about to see before. But I hadn't. Which is good because it's about the biggest thing going on in soccer right now.

Yes, I'm talking about the -

The UEFA Champions League

The knockout stages are set to kick-off this afternoon and the gear for those top clubs is waiting to be gotten!

Today 2/24/09

Roma

@

Arsenal
_______________________________________________________

FC Porto

@

Atlético Madrid
__________________________________________________________________

Man United

@

FC Internazionale
___________________________________________________________________
FC Barcelona

@

Lyon
___________________________________________________________________

Tomorrow - 2/25/09

Juventus

@

Chelsea
___________________________________________________________________
Liverpool

@

Real Madrid
___________________________________________________________________
Bayern

@

Sporting
___________________________________________________________________
Panathinaikos

@

Villareal
___________________________________________________________________

Friday, February 20, 2009

Want to Play in the Confederations Cup?





You might be asking yourself: Just what in the world is the Confederations Cup? And why would I want to play in it?

I will answer the first question in hopes that the second question will answer itself.

About the Confederations Cup

Founded in 1992, fhe FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships (CAF, CONMEBOL, UEFA, AFC, OFC, CONCACAF), along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host country, to bring the number of teams up to eight. The previous winners are: Argentina in 1992, Denmark in 1995, Brazil in 1997, Mexico in ’99, France in 2001 and 2003 and Brazil again in ’05. The teams and matchups for the 2009 tournament are below:

Group A

1. 14/06 - 16:00 - Johannesburg

South Africa - Iraq

2. 14/06 - 20:30 - Rustenburg

New Zealand - Spain

5. 17/06 - 16:00 - Mangaung/Bloemfontein

Spain - Iraq

6. 17/06 - 20:30 - Rustenburg

South Africa - New Zealand

9. 20/06 - 20:30 - Johannesburg

Iraq - New Zealand

10. 20/06 - 20:30 - Mangaung/Bloemfontein

Spain - South Africa

Group B

3. 15/06 - 16:00 - Mangaung/Bloemfontein

Brazil - Egypt

4. 15/06 - 20:30 - Tshwane/Pretoria

USA - Italy

7. 18/06 - 16:00 - Tshwane/Pretoria

USA - Brazil

8. 18/06 - 20:30 - Johannesburg

Egypt - Italy

11. 21/06 - 20:30 - Tshwane/Pretoria

Italy - Brazil

12. 21/06 - 20:30 - Rustenburg

Egypt - USA

Now that you know all about it, surely you want to play in it, right? Well, if your audition for one of these great national soccer teams fails and like the rest of us, you have to be a spectator, then you can at least buy one of these awesome official Kopanya FIFA Confederations Cup balls.

adidas Kopanya Official Match Ball

adidas Kopanya Replique Soccer Ball

Finally

adidas Kopanya MINI Soccer Ball

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Go Back to (Old) School with Nike





Yes, we all know Spring is just around the corner; so not many people are buying jackets and sweatshirts. Unless you’re living way up north, in which case, you still got lots of snow to wade through before the trees and flowers bloom again. Regardless, you have to check out Nike’s new Retro range of products, including jackets, sweatshirts and—something you could wear in the Spring—t-shirts!

You can find some of them HERE and you can also check out the Soccer Sweatshirts Section and finally, In this t-shirt department for more of these wild old school designs.

They all have a classic team crest, for such giants as Arsenal, FC Barcelona, Juventus, Club America and Premier League and UEFA Champions League Winners Manchester United, with a throwback Nike logo.

And if their unique retro style isn’t enough incentive, they’re all on Sale, like a great deal of our current inventory. So, get yourself a Blast from the Past with some amazing style!

Friday, February 13, 2009

EVER (STEVIE) WONDER …





WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO HAVE STEVIE G’S FACE ON YOUR JACKET?

Well, wonder no more

He’s the face of English Football, and now his face could keep you warm, so put on this Steven Gerrard Jacket and let the world know who you love.

I wish we had a Stevie Wonder shirt but alas ….

Perhaps the big face craze began with Che Guevara or Charles Manson, neither of whom I would wear, but Stevie G’s alright with me, especially when he’s playing well for the Three Lions.

There’s more to come, as Kaka and more are getting their handsome mugs – or Big Face - on a soccer tee or jacket coming soon!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Official Review: Pachuca Home Jersey





A Mesh of Sponsors

That’s what you get the most of when you put on the new Pachuca home shirt from Puma.

Having never worn a Puma soccer jersey, I didn’t know what to expect. But I’m pleasantly surprised. You can see why the Tuzos (gophers) have risen to the Mexican elite in the past few years, wearing top-notch gear like this. I believe they’re the only top flight squad to be sponsored by Puma, which has the rubberiest logo anywhere—on the right side of the chest and over both shoulders.

This jersey is well perforated for maximum venting, which is good when you’re running around a Mexican soccer pitch, or ‘cancha’. The only place that’s not mesh is the center back, where presumably the number/name would go (and we will soon offer basic customization options for this jersey). That’s not all. The shirt has a lining underneath, made of, yes, mesh, to give you an extra layer of sweat control, and a little added thickness and durability.

The 7 sponsors mostly sound familiar:

  • 1. Gamesa – center chest
  • 2. Uniroyal – right chest
  • 3. Mobil – left chest
  • 4. USAcell – sleeves
  • 5. Pepsi – sleeves
  • 6. Office Depot – upper back
  • 7. Martí – lower back

    A small FMF patch is on the right sleeve.

    Some information from the tags. If you don’t believe me that this is all from the tags, buy the shirt and see for yourself.

    Tag 1:

    SPORTLIFESTYLE

    PUMA has been in the Helps-You-Look-Good business since 1948.

    We know what we’re doing. People in magazines wear this stuff. Fashion people, sporty people. People who don’t have to wear a suit everyday.

    So, we know it works.

    Tag 2:

    CORPORATE MESSAGE

    So, you’re interested in PUMA? Nice move. You’re obviously smart, confident and know what you want in life.

    Sure, you work hard, but you’re no slave to the rat race. You know the score. You call the shots. You make the most of your chances.

    So buy this, it suits you.

    SUITABLE FOR

    Training
    Napping
    Eating
    Driving
    Sports
    Whatever

    There’s more but it’s too small. I would’ve liked some details on USP, the small sublimated tag on the lower back.

  • Wednesday, February 11, 2009

    Cheer for Team USA with DTOM





    No, DTOM is not some hip-hop morphing of a dude named Tom’s name, though it might make him way cooler. DTOM stands for Don’t Tread On Me, a phrase which USA national soccer fans know well, along with the snake design. And it so happens to be on this cool special edition tee from Nike.

    All this made me wonder, where did the Don’t Tread On Me phrase and the snake design come from? My next move was to go to the web for some research, and I inevitably ended up in the most trustworthy informational site on the planet: Wikipedia. When you read it, you’re bound to be filled with a great spirit of patriotism and said spirit will undoubtedly move you to buy this awesome shirt, if not for today’s World Cup 2010 qualifying match against bitter rivals Mexico, then for the remainder of the US’s qualifying campaign.

    Don’t Tread On Me – The History

    The use of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake as a symbol of the American colonies can be traced back to the publications of Benjamin Franklin. In 1751, he made the first reference to the rattlesnake in a satirical commentary published in his Pennsylvania Gazette. It had been the policy of Britain to send convicted criminals to America, and Franklin suggested that they thank the British by sending rattlesnakes to England.
    In 1754, during the French and Indian War, Franklin published his famous woodcut of a snake cut into eight sections. It represented the colonies, with New England joined together as the head and South Carolina as the tail, following their order along the coast. Under the snake was the message "Join, or Die." This was the first political cartoon published in an American newspaper.

    As the American Revolution grew closer, the snake began to see more use as a symbol of the colonies. In 1774, Paul Revere added it to the title of his paper, The Massachusetts Spy, as a snake joined to fight a British dragon. In December 1775, Benjamin Franklin published an essay in the Pennsylvania Journal under the pseudonym American Guesser in which he suggested that the rattlesnake was a good symbol for the American spirit:

    ‘I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids—She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance.—She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage.—As if anxious to prevent all pretentions of quarrelling with her, the weapons with which nature has furnished her, she conceals in the roof of her mouth, so that, to those who are unacquainted with her, she appears to be a most defenceless animal; and even when those weapons are shewn and extended for her defence, they appear weak and contemptible; but their wounds however small, are decisive and fatal:—Conscious of this, she never wounds till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.—Was I wrong, Sir, in thinking this a strong picture of the temper and conduct of America?’

    Tuesday, February 10, 2009

    What's New About Beckham's Shoes?





    He's been playing so well, Galaxy fans may want to know why he didn't have it at the Home Depot Center.

    Maybe it's in the shoes ...

    We won’t know until March 9th if the Galaxy will allow Golden Balls and his travelling show to remain at the San Siro.

    Would you want him back?

    Whether he gets to stay at Milan like he wants or has to go back to LA, one thing’s for sure: he’ll be comfy in The Predator PowerSwerve ClimaCool Soccer Boots

    It’s a new version of the Predator exclusively designed with ClimaCool (hi-tech material engineered to reduce heat and moisture build-up, allowing increased comfort and performance) technology, pairing ventilation with Beckham's signature style and Predator power.

    So, kids, always uphold your contracts. But if you still want to be like Becks, then this is the boot for you.

    Monday, February 9, 2009

    Swerve, Power and Control: The Meaning of a Predator: Part III





    How to Control a Predator

    Predator PowerSwerve Control Soccer Boots

    What’s the same

    SmartFoam

    The introduction of SmartFoam technology (adapts to offer increased power and/or shock absorption on ball strike as your needs change throughout the match) and a re-designed PowerPulse system gives this boot increased ball spin for accuracy and masses of power when you need it. The world’s top boot gives you cushioned power and control behind every shot. How? An extra 10 grams of tungsten have been added to the PowerPulse sole to increase the power of your shots.

    Predator PowerPulse

    You already know about the super soft K-leather which offers added durability, lightness and a glove like fit.
    But, did you know this boot provides a reengineered dynamic PREDATOR featuring POWERPULSE technology for more power, swerve and control?

    You also get a 2nd density asymmetrical external heel counter for optimal comfort, fit and stability with asymmetrical loop lacing added to increase better ball contact.

    Dynamic

    The inlay of the boot has a new exchangeable Dynamic Power System for more flexibility and increased shooting power.

    The Dynamic PowerPulse technology in the sole of the boot and the special hi-tech foam in the forefoot upper material make these improvements possible. The PowerPulse element filled with tungsten powder, which shifts weight toward the point of impact, enables players to put more power behind every shot. The hi-tech foam in the Predator® element ensures added power, more swerve and better ball control.

    Lastly, the split outsole for the Predator Power optimizes the weight and flexibilty of the boot, while the X-Traxion fixed stud system will give you adaptable grip on any terrain.

    What’s different

    The Control is made separately from the rest of the Predator collection: additional vamps have been added around the fore-foot area and outside of the boot further enhancing ball contact, which consequently add to your control.

    Let’s Review

    If you want Swerve


    Predator Swerve Soccer Boots

    If you want Power


    Predator Power Soccer Boots

    And if you want Control


    Predator PowerSwerve Control Soccer Boots

    However, anyone of these boots is extremely high-quality and will enhance your game. You just can’t go wrong with a Predator!

    PS: This was our 100th Blog Post! Here's to hundreds more (I'm raising an invisible toast, as it is Monday morning and drinking at such an hour would be stronly frowned upon).

    Sunday, February 8, 2009

    ¡Aquí Está Pachuca!






    No, this won’t be a blog in Spanish, though I’ve got the skills for it. Maybe bilingual though.

    We’re proud to bring back one of the best teams South of Border: Pachuca Club de Fútbol


    And we’ve got both home and away jerseys. I ordered my sample of the Tuzos’ home shirt a few days ago so stay tuned for my official review, when I wear the multi-sponsored jersey around the hallowed halls of 365 Incorporated.

    Meanwhile, feel free to buy your own.

    WARNING: do not read below unless you speak Spanish or are looking to learn some.
    Nos enorgullece darle la bienvenida de regreso a uno de los mejores equipos de fútbol mexicano:

    Pachuca Club de Fútbol

    Y tenemos ambas camisetas de local y visitante. Ya ordené un jersey de los Tuzos para darle mi critica oficial, así que estén al tanto a este sitio.

    Hasta luego,

    Friday, February 6, 2009

    The Lowest Prices of the Season





    Of any season.

    Even the Beautiful Game isn't immune to the economic crisis, which seems to be worldwide. As such, we are forced to seriously, ludicrously, reduce the price on some current jerseys. Under $35 for a Man United jersey, in its current season - heretofore unheard of, but it's happened.

    Just take a look HERE.

    We understand that you're strapped for cash, but if you happen to have a few $ to spare, maybe from an IRS refund or recent inheritance, you just have to take advantage of these amazing deals, never before seen, and maybe never to be seen again.

    Wednesday, February 4, 2009

    Meet Arsenal's Newest Weapon





    Yes, it finally happened. It seemed that prying Andrei Arshavin from Zenit St. Petersburgh was about as hard as ending the Cold War.

    Well Gooners, you finally got your man; and before you even see him on the pitch you can get his official Arsenal Home Soccer Jersey. And it's on SALE!

    Tuesday, February 3, 2009

    Inside Nike's Design Lab - Nike 5



    Nike's been kind enough to give us a glimpse into what goes on when they are designing a new boot, specifically the new line of Nike's Indoor and Turf shoes. Definitly worth the watch if only to see some of the sketches of possible upcoming boots. Oh, and some fancy footwork from Javier Mascherano, Denilson, and Nike's Standard Ronaldinho.

    More Nike Boot Sketches