What do soccer balls and prison breaks have in common? In 2006 soccer balls were used to create digging tools to build a 40 meter tunnel under the prison. Four soccer balls, a broomstick and some fan parts were used to create the tunnel that led 23 people to freedom.
The report said the tunnel went down 3 meters below the prison cell in the Political Security Headquarters in San’a, Yemen, and then continued for 44 meters before ending in the women’s bathroom of the nearby al-Awaqaf Mosque.
The Yemeni government report said digging tools included four soccer balls and shovels made from broomsticks and fan parts.
The prisoners made mud from the dirt, and hid it in different ways throughout their cells.
“One of the inmate bathrooms was filled with dirt to the ceiling,” the report said. “The accumulation of dirt in the prisoners’ cells demonstrated the negligence and disregard of some of the detention center officials, because they failed to routinely search the prison cells.”
Filed under: Soccer Balls: The Facts | Tags: Adidas, Adidas Fevernova, soccer balls, soccer history
In 1970 Adidas began supplying official soccer balls starting with the World Cup in Mexico. The Adidas ball for that World Cup game was the classic black and white pentagon / hexagon pattern. That Telstar soccer ball was innovative and thought groundbreaking at the time, but since then, Adidas has pushed the envelope of soccer ball desighn further and further.
The Adidas Telstar soccer ball became the basis for many recreational balls that followed and Adidas kept improving upon its design. Adidas followed with the first waterproof synthetic-leather Soccer ball in 1986 and the Questra in 1994.
In 1998, Adidas introduced the Tricolore in France. The soccer ball used a gas-filled synthetic foam under the covering. The new design delivered a more responsive surface and added stability.
In 2002, Adidas used that same technology in the Adidas Fevernova ball. The Adidas Fevernova was the official ball of the 2002 Japan / Korea finals. The Adidas Fevernova, abandoned the ball design that was used for over 2 decades and replaced it with a more colorful design
The Adidas Fevernova went on to become one of the most popular balls in play for many years to come. Up untill 2006, the Fevernova was the Adis premier ball.
pictures of the Adidas Fevernova and other Adidas balls
Adidas Fevernova
Adidas Euro 2008
Euro Italia
Filed under: Soccer Balls: The Facts, Soccer Trivia | Tags: buckminster, buckyball, soccer balls, soccer history, Soccer Trivia
So how did the modern design of a soccer ball come about? well check this out…
It seems an American architect named Richard Buckminster Fuller came up with the soccer ball design when he was trying to find a way for constructing buildings. How do buildings end up soccer balls? Seems it’s all about the shape.
Buckminster Soccer Ball or BuckyBall as it is also called is a ball exterior that is made up of a series of hexagons, pentagons and triangles. These Buckyball Geometric shapes can actually be sewn together to make a round surface when inflated. The modern football is essentially a Buckminster Ball consisting of 20 hexagonal and 12 pentagonal surfaces. After the geometric shapes get sewn together and the inside inflated, we get the round soccer ball we are so used to.
Filed under: English Soccer | Tags: English Soccer, futball, hammers, London Soccer, soccer history, west ham united
Founded in 1895, this East London club was originally called Thames Ironworks FC but changed the club name to West Ham United after five years. West Ham United has been playing at Boleyn Ground since 1904. West Ham has created a reputaion for itself in which it seems to generate some of the league’s top players.
In 2006, the hammers ran into a problem and ran into a slump but after changing managers, they seemed to bounce back. The West Ham United new manager Alan Curbishley took the reigns and the hammers escaped relegation on the very last day of the season. Curbishley backed that up with a 10th place finish in the 2007/08 campaign in what was seen as a season of consolidation.
West Ham have never played outside football’s top two divisions since joining the Football League in 1919.
Some more history on the club… In 1980, West Ham upset Arsenal to win the FA Cup. They won promotion in 1981 and spent eight seasons in the top flight – including a club-best finish of third in 1986 – before getting relegated in 1989.
Recent history of West Ham United
1992/93 – Join Premier League
1994/95 – Harry Redknapp replaces Billy Bonds as manager
2001/02 – Glenn Roeder becomes manager
2002/03 – Trevor Brooking installed as caretaker manager
2002/03 – Relegated from Barclaycard Premiership
2003/04 – Alan Pardew appointed manager
2004/05 – Promoted to Barclays Premiership via play-offs
2005/06 – Reach FA Cup final losing on penalties to Liverpool after 3-3 draw
2006/07 – An Icelandic consortium fronted by Eggert Magnusson buys the club
2006/07 – Alan Curbishley takes charge
2007/08 – Magnusson sells his stake in the club and Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson takes over as Chairma
Filed under: David Beckham, US Soccer | Tags: David Beckham, soccer stars, US Soccer
So did David Beckham disappoint his US fans? well maybe. He came in with a huge bang into the airport. Every photographer in the city may have been there trying to catch a shot of the man that will put Los Angeles onto Soccer’s world map.
All the hype and glitz… but they end up loaning him out to Italy? O.K. lets check it out. Seems Dave may be pre-occupied with other things since in 2 seasons he has only managed to get 5 goals for the team and… the team has not done all that well.
However, I do hear he may have a great underwear modeling career ahead of him as David Beckham posed in his tighty whities for for a well known designer.
LOS ANGELES (Oct 30)
The LA Galaxy and AC Milan announced an agreement late today which, among other things, will send England star David Beckham to the Italian club beginning January of next year.
In accordance with the new agreement Beckham will continue to practice and play with the MLS club for the 2009 season (not concurrent with European season).
Beckham has been a member of the Galaxy of MLS since January of 2007, and competed for the club in the past two seasons.
Despite setting records in the league for transfer fee and compensation, Beckham’s two seasons with the Galaxy have produced just 5 goals and 10 assists. The Galaxy have also failed to make the league playoffs in both years.
Filed under: David Beckham, US Soccer | Tags: David Beckham, LA Galaxy, New Zealand Soccer, US Soccer
Is Beckham fever dying out a bit? well, in the U.S. it seems to have. Some time back back it was that you couldn’t even flip the TV channels a few times without running into David Beckham or his wife Victoria on one TV show or another.
Today, I can’t even remember the last time I saw an interview, in the US that is.
So is David Beckham fever dying a slow death? hmmm.
Recently in New Zealand..
International football star David Beckham and his LA Galaxy team were greeted by hundreds of cheering fans and a traditional Maori welcome when they arrived in New Zealand on Wednesday.
A tired-looking Beckham, 33, signed shirts, posters and footballs after the team were welcomed by about 200 fans in Auckland ahead of an exhibition match against an Oceania All Stars team.
Beckham fever appeared to be at a lower pitch than on the Galaxy’s first visit to New Zealand last year. Really? yeah, I guess Dave may need to get out more.
More than 31,000 fans saw the US team beat the Wellington Phoenix 4-1 in a friendly and 15,000 turned up to watch the team train in New Zealand’s capital.
I guess David Beckham is not selling as many tickets as he used to. I know New Zealand is not known for its population, but only 200 fans? wow… what is going on.
Do people bet on soccer games? oh yeah they do, check out some of those betting odds below for Friday, 27/02/2009
11:30 Singapore – S L. Young Lions – DPMM FC 2.10 3.40 3.50
12:30 Israel – Division 2 Hap Kfar Saba – Hapoel Jm 2.40 3.00 3.10
12:30 Israel – Division 2 Hap Beer Sheva – Hapoel Acco 2.40 2.95 3.10
12:30 Israel – Division 2 Mac Herzlia – M. Ahi Natzeret 2.70 3.00 2.75
13:45 Qatar – Division 1 Al Wakra – Al Sailiya 1.55 3.75 5.50
14:00 Friendly Inter. Odd Grenland – Ham Kam 2.20 3.35 3.25
15:45 Qatar – Division 1 Al Garrafa – Al Khuraitiat 1.17 6.00 13.01
16:00 Ukraine – Premier Met. Donetsk – Kryvbas K Rog 1.45 4.20 8.20
16:45 Poland – Ekstraklasa Polonia Bytom – Wisła Kraków 7.20 4.20 1.59
17:00 Germany – Bundes. 2 Nurnberg – Mainz 2.37 3.45 3.35
17:00 Germany – Bundes. 2 Wehen – Freiburg 3.90 3.55 2.14
17:00 Germany – Bundes. 2 Hansa Rostock – RW Ahlen 1.85 3.80 5.40
17:00 Romania – Divizia A Poli Lasi – Uni. Craiova 3.35 3.45 2.40
17:30 Finland – Cup HJK Helsinki – Honka 2.65 3.40 2.90
18:00 Germany – Bundes. 3 Braunschweig – Stuttgart 2 2.00 3.55 4.20
18:00 Turkey – Super Lig Besiktas – Buyuksehirspor 1.43 4.70 10.50
18:30 Austria – Bundesliga Altach – Austria Vienna 4.60 3.80 1.93
18:45 Swiss – Challenge L. Stade Nyonnais – Locarno 2.12 3.45 3.45
18:45 Romania – Divizia A Steaua B. – Vaslui 1.57 4.00 7.20
19:00 France – Ligue 2 Bastia – Boulogne 2.15 3.25 4.10
19:00 France – Ligue 2 Brest – Amiens 2.06 3.25 4.55
19:00 France – Ligue 2 Chateauroux – Tours 2.28 3.22 3.85
19:00 France – Ligue 2 Clermont Foot – Ajaccio 2.06 3.30 4.46
19:00 France – Ligue 2 Dijon – Guingamp 2.35 3.05 3.85
19:00 France – Ligue 2 Sedan – Montpellier 2.50 3.15 3.49
19:00 France – National Laval – Sannois SG 1.50 3.50 8.50
19:00 France – National Cannes – Gueugnon 2.11 3.20 4.40
19:00 France – National Libourne – Paris FC 2.66 2.90 2.73
19:00 Holland – Jupiler Excelsior – EVV Eindhoven 1.58 4.30 6.60
19:00 Holland – Jupiler Den Bosch – Haarlem 1.87 3.70 4.80
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Bayern Munich, Juergen Klinsmann, rafael benitez, soccer, soccer balls, soccer news, youssi benayoun
Bayern Munich trainer Juergen Klinsmann is absolutely thrilled that his team got their biggest Champions League win, I am talking about the 5-0 total annihilation of Sporting Lisboa.
Juergen Klinsmann of Bayern Munich had this to say…
“That was an impressive performance and nice to watch, but I am sure we will keep our feet on the ground and not over-estimate this result”.
From Soccernews.com we get this piece of soccer ball excitement
Rafael Benitez enjoyed an unforgettable Madrid homecoming as a late Youssi Benayoun header helped Liverpool defeat Real Madrid 1-0 in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League duel at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
