Worth Checking Out

Our Opinion- 1998 Vapor IX

May 15th, 2013
by Jim.
1 comment

Old made new

As everyone on the boot world knows by now Nike have recently released a modernized version of the original 1998 vapor. They have taken the design of the original Vapor and have given it all the modern tech we see in the Vapor IX. The release was met with open arms by fans and was very well received. Here is what a few members of the SC101 team have to say about Nike’s most recent limited edition release!

Initial Reaction

Jimthesoccerguy Says

First thoughts were “Didn’t they just release a bunch of other limited edition boots” and “They are really starting to capitalize on the amount of vapor heads out there”. I absolutely love the fact that nike have decided to pay homage to the first boot in what is the most popular boot series of all time but the fact that they have once again made it limited edition with a sky high price tag kind of irks me.

Tyler Says

I was 6 years old when the Mercurial Vapor debuted. I had just started playing soccer at the developmental level and even at such a young age I could tell that Ronaldo was something else. I love the design of the boot and the modern innovations including the one piece upper and much lighter chassis add substance to the flash. I think this is an awesome boot with an awesome history.

Richard Says

The originator of the speed boot is back. The original edition still looks modern today and I’m sure there are a few people who wish that the originals were still being manufactured by Nike. I’d actually be one of them, whereas the Volt colourway gives it a bit of a 2013 makeover, I’m not sure the design fully needs it, it was bang tidy in 1998 and it’s still bang tidy now.

Colin Says

Is this real? Have Nike really reached into their “vault” to bring back one of their most iconic boots? To say I was in shock may be overkill, but I just can’t get over how good of an idea it is to bring back classic boot designs. We always hear a clamoring for Nike to bring back the Vapor II or Adidas to bring back the Predator Mania, and I was never sure how they could do that in an ever-evolving boot market. Obviously the folks at Nike have figured out a way to bring back the classics by applying old colors and designs to new boots, and we can now have the best of both worlds.

Joe Says

To me, this boot just looks like a great color way on a strange version of the mercurials due to the fact that I was just 4 when this boot was first released. I think it looks great though and I would love a pair if I could get my hands on them.

Nike-Vapor-XV retro look

See what else we have to say after the break!

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5 Reasons Why Borussia Dortmund Should Be Your Favorite Soccer Club

May 9th, 2013
by Charlie Whiteman.
5 comments

We still have two weeks to wait for what I’m calling the “Changing of the Guard” Match.  For the first time in history two German soccer clubs will faceoff in London for the UEFA Champions League title.    On paper, Bayern Munich seems to be the clear favorite.  But, for me, Borussia Dortmund is the team to watch. This is a club that has overcome several big hurdles to reach the finals for only the second time.  Keep in mind, this is my opinion, boosted with a little humor.Jurgen_Klopp

Source: Getty Images

5.  Smart Coaching:   Jurgen Klopp might be one of the best young coaches in the world.  At least that’s what many of the world’s soccer pundits want to tell you.  In my opinion he’s got the hot hand, so why not ride his wave of success?  He has the support of club management and has lots of young players to mold with his own vision in mind.  He brought a free-flowing style of soccer to a very rigid league.  Germans usually play one way and dare you to stop them.  Klopp decided to allow his young players be creative, move the ball, and take advantage of their speed.  Because of his success Klopp is now being mentioned for several high-profile potential openings.

dortmund_yellow_wall

When was the last time you supported your team with this many fans in the entire stadium?

4. The Yellow Wall:  Let me preface this one with the notion that all clubs have great supporters.  They all have their own distinct style and it is all good.  However, Dortmund’s renown South Stand, home to the Yellow Wall, is shocking.  Think about this, the South Stand can hold 25,000 die-hard fans… one section at Westfalenstadion.  It is a never-ending show of color, song, and movement.  Imagine being the visiting team.  You just can’t compete with that.  To me, that is one of the best home field advantages in the World.

dortmund_last_names2

Yep… shoulder to shoulder

3. The Best Last Names in the Game: Weidenfeller, Hornschuh, Gundogan, Gotze, Lewandowski, Rues, Blaszczykowski, Grosskreutz.  That is a lot of letters for the back of your jersey.  I love it.  You can keep your Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney, Cole, Terry, and Xavi.  Give a name that touches each sleeve on your uniform.  This also leads me to my next point.

borussia-dortmund-training-514

2. Homegrown Players: For me, training players from a young age gives you an edge on other teams.  It allows you to groom their skills, teach them temperament, and understand how to play with the other players.  Yes, all big clubs have youth programs and many of them are very successful.  But, when you can merge all of those elements you can take home titles.  Barcelona has grabbed International attention for their success over the past fews.  Dortmund has that same kind of success right now.  It is a shame that Mario Gotze (and possibly others) will be leaving the club at the end of the season.  I always like to see players give a “hometown discount” and honor their playing roots.  But I also understand the “money game” that is popular right now.

dortmund_pregame_picture

No overpriced stars here.

1.  Affordable Salaries / High Value Transfers: Speaking of the “money game”, I saw an astonishing graphic on the internet a few days ago.  It laid out some of the transfer fees for a couple of the “big” transfers recently.  At the top of the list was Fernado Torres with $74 million attached to his name.  Andy Carrol made the list at $54 million.  Luka Modric… nearly $51 million.  The ENTIRE starting XI for Dortmund… $43 million!  That is an owner’s dream.  That means Dortmund has much more money at it’s disposal when it needs to pay bills.  For a team still recovering from near bankruptcy a few years ago, that is a big benefit.

What do you think about Borussia Dortmund?  Is there another team you feel has the same qualities?  What are your predictions for the UEFA Champions League Finale?  Feel free to comment.   I always like to hear what other fans are thinking.  Feel free to send me your feedback on Twitter @C_Whiteman_51 or on G+

Humanity and Football: Atticus Lane-Dupre visits the Portland Timbers

May 3rd, 2013
by Richard Wyatt.
No comments yet

12665476-essayEvery once in a while you see something in football which grabs you, at the blog we tend to write about boots and equipment, but sometimes there’s a story that’s too good not to be told . Yesterday it was the story of Atticus Lane-Dupre and the Portland Timbers. For those not in the know Atticus is an 8 year old boy who felt pain while playing for his youth soccer club The Green Machine (Mount Tabor Soccer Club), after some tests Atticus was diagnosed with cancer. The fight against cancer forced Atticus to miss the remainder of his season. His teammates on the The Green Machine stood by the youngster as he went throughout his treatment.

When Make-A-Wish Oregon approached Atticus and his family to see what kind of wish Atticus had, he asked if it’d be possible to have a scrimmage match for him and his teammates against Portland Timbers. When most kids would take a trip to Disney Land, this young man showed some judgement wise beyond his years so that he could include his friends who had stood by him during his treatment.  The Timbers were onside opening in Jeld-Wen Field for the occasion, and the supporters group Timbers Army went all out to make it a day to remember.

Read more about what transpired after the break!

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Soccer Magazines in the USA; Zinio Giveaway

Apr 19th, 2013
by Jim.
20 comments

Zinio Soccer

This one is for those looking to get a new subscription to a soccer magazine, but don’t know which one to get. Unfortunately, most of us here in the US, including myself, are only privy to the monthly Eurosport Catalogue. There is one site that has a very decent offering of soccer specific magazines called Zinio.com.

Lets quickly go over what they have, plus check below for an opportunity to win one of these magazines!

1 and 2 – FourFourTwo and WorldSoccer

These two are very similar in their coverage of topics and are probably the most wide ranging. If there are big things happening in the soccer world, they got it covered.

3 – Champion

This one focuses mainly on the UEFA Champions league and keeps you up date with everything the worlds biggest club competition has to offer. It gives you more of a  complete and specific view of what is going on.

4 – SoccerAmerica

For fans of the game here in the US, this is the magazine you need to be reading. A complete MLS and USMNT soccer focused magazine.

5 – Howler

New to the market, Howler is a magazine that takes your passion for the game to a whole new level. It is basically a magazine focused toward soccer fanatics who love great design and imagery. If you like reading about anything to do with soccer this one is a must have.

Zinio has been kind enough to reach out to us and we are offering up 5 free subscriptions to any of the above listed magazines. If you want to enter, just comment below with the name of the magazine that suits your style best. We will select and contact 5 winners at random on Friday, April 26th.

About Zinio

  • Thousands of top magazines from around the world. You can browse and purchase subscriptions or single issues instantly from your computer or mobile device to read wherever and whenever you like.
  • Explore section lets you read – even without a subscription – thousands of articles from your favorite magazines and share them with friends.
  • Use on iPad, iPhone, Android mobile phones and tablets, laptop or desktop.

Soccket: Using Soccer to Produce Power

Apr 13th, 2013
by Ethan.
No comments yet

Using Soccer to Produce PowerWe live a world where there are still many communites and even some countries without power and light. Fortunately we also live in a world where football is played in every town and village across the globe. A company that goes by the name Unchartered Play has come out with a product to balance the scales.

The Company

If you are not familiar with Uncharted Play it is basically a company that is dedicated to improving lives through play.  Their flagship product is Soccket, an energy harnessing soccer ball.  By using kinetic energy to generate electricity, they hope to bring light to remote areas around the world that would be without it otherwise.  When they first introduced their prototype they received overwhelming public interest and demand.  Unfortunately the assembly process is mainly physical labor and as a result they were limited to producing a few hundred per week.  To help reach demand and to reach more people around the world they launched a project on Kick Starter which asked the public to pledge money to help reach their goal. It turned out to be a great success and $92,296 was pledged, well over their goal of $75,000.

Find out more about the Soccket after the break!

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Goal Line Technology Enters The Premier League and The World Cup

Apr 11th, 2013
by Colin.
1 comment

Goal ControlTop flight clubs in England have officially voted to implement goal line technology for the 2013-14 season. Hawk-Eye is a British based company who will provide the technology that aims to end goal line discussions for good. The stadium specific system takes around six weeks to install and will debut in Wembley for next season’s Community Shield. With the 2014 world cup staged in Brasil, decisions are being made, and stadiums are being completed as we speak. One of the most important decisions recently made is the idea that goal line technology will be implemented for the first time in World Cup history. It was announced earlier this month that the company in charge of such technology will be the German company GoalControl. According to FIFA president Sepp Blatter the goal shown below  sparked the charge for a change in goal line technology.

Two of the most important soccer events in the world now have agreements with separate companies to end one of the biggest debates in the game. The technology may be similar from both companies, but are by no means the same. See how they compare after the break.

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Cleats and Culture, Part 1 – USA

Apr 11th, 2013
by Kevin.
No comments yet

imageDifferent countries and cultures have always fascinated me, I don’t like to stereotype but when you think of certain cultures you can’t help but think of certain things. For example, if you were asked to describe Italy the vast majority would say stylish and fashionable. Or when asked to describe Germany, common answers would be efficient and solid.

I was researching some football boots one day last week and I noticed an occurring theme; the cultures and the boots seemed to go hand in hand. I will try and do a little break down of some countries and the boots that originated in that country to support my theory.

imageI will start off with the United States, a common view of American’s are that they are colorful, innovative, loud and confident. Some of the most colorful boots we have ever seen have come from American companies. I will start with the biggest and most well known of American brands.

Read more about the companies in the football industry after the break!

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Boot Tech: Speed Boot Stud Configurations

Apr 7th, 2013
by Ethan.
2 comments
David Beckham slips while taking a free kick without cleats

David Beckham slips while taking a free kick without cleats

In a new series called boot tech, I cover the different technology we see on the market today.  I will break down a variety of technology types such as control elements, power elements, stud configurations, and uppers.

When buying new boots, the stud configuration is often overlooked and disregarded.  However, traction provided by the stud configuration is vital to performance.  Cutting, turning, and accelerating are all a key part of playing every position on the field.  One slip could lead to a loss of possession, or worse, a goal conceeded.  In this article, I will focus on firm ground stud patterns specific to speed boots.

It seems as if modern “speed” boots are designed to give players an advantage by shedding weight.  But there is another area that companies focus on when designing speed boots; the stud configuration.  The concept is that if a better stud configuration can increase acceleration, then that will add to a player’s speed.  Different factors can affect performance, such as how flexible the sole plate is, or how well the studs dig into the ground.  In addition, the studs also vary in shape, as some are bladed, conical, or even a blend of both.

Find out more about about speed boot stud configurations after the break… (more…)

Flight of the Bumblebee; Hummel, An Exercise in Corporate Karma

Apr 6th, 2013
by Richard Wyatt.
No comments yet

HummelMost of you will be a little familiar with hummel and their retro inspired boots such as the Old School Stars, and the Roma. Some of you may even be familiar with their slightly more modern Rapid (a boot made from recycled materials). As hummel isn’t the easiest company to find product for in North America, not many people know about where the bumblebee came from and the interesting direction they’ve been going in the last few years.

Hummel-Old-School-Star-Detailed

A Condensed History: Hummel, which as it happens is actually German for bumblebee, was founded by the brothers Messmer in Hamburg Germany in 1923. Albert Messmer was a shoemaker by trade and the brothers offered a number of athletic products. The early years of hummel were not the most kind as the brothers were forced to sell the company to their lawyer in the 1930′s after going bankrupt and the original factory was decimated by bombing during World War II. The factory was rebuilt after the war and the company in 1968 signed an endorsement deal with MSV Duisburg, their first foray into club football. 1969 saw the release of the now iconic Bumblebee logo, the 70′s saw the company move to Denmark where they are currently located, and the 1980′s saw the club make a series of kits for Real Madrid, before nearly disappearing from the landscape in the 1990′s.

Read more about hummel and how they are making a difference in the world after the break!

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Beyond the Boots: An Exploration of the Tifo Phenomenon

Apr 4th, 2013
by Colin.
No comments yet

Portland TimbersIn a new series I call Beyond the Boots, I take a look at different ideas that are important to the soccer community. These posts may not always be boot related, but I hope they will provide any and all fans with an interesting read.

Tifo is a word that gets thrown around a lot in the soccer supporting community, often without explanation. It is entirely possible this is the first you have heard the word, but I assure you that even a casual observer of a game in Italy, Spain, or even the MLS have experienced the tifo phenomenon.

A quick background: The actual word tifo comes from the Italian word tifosi where it described the support of any sports team. The idea expanded outside of Italy, and tifo is now used world-wide to describe any choreographed event performed by fans in a stadium or arena. The most impressive choreographed event involves the use of colored paper held up in unison to display a name, word or number in support of the home club. Another common current example of involves a massive flag or picture that covers an entire section of fans. Take a look at the impressive example below where fans at Camp Nou used almost 10,000 pieces of paper to cheer on Barcelona.

barcatifoKeep reading for a look at the biggest tifo rivalry in MLS…

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