ISO50

Same here, Scott. I haven’t watched one ga—BBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
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Italy! Though our team won’t be able to repeat 2006’s success.
Keep up the great work Scott, 100% pure daily inspiration.

_ christian

Simulation by players has become a horrible part of the game, trying to buy free kicks by diving, and something has to be done to make these guys stay on their own two feet. Its when the most popular players like Christiano Ronaldo have all the limelight on them and then publically flop and flip and make it an acceptable trait in the game.

your hurtful comments made me fall off my chair, in the process tweaking an old table tennis wrist injury, which lead to my mum bringing the stretcher in and carrying me to the next room where I managed to make a rapid recovery. phew.
I think you just have to play along with the fouls and dramatics. Its a sucky part of the game, however if you have played the game you know that ‘sometimes’ refs dont pick up (actual) fouls unless you end up on the ground, so most of the time when players look like a Kim Jong Il sniper has penetrated their chin they are really just trying to make sure the ref sees the offense.
It is very lame when players overdo it and fake fouls though, but when you see ronaldo smash it from 35 yards against the post its easily forgotten. Cmon Australia, just a goal would be nice.

First of all it’s called football (and no, I’m not talking about american football). Second: it’s the greatest sport ever no questions asked. Third: I’m gonna play football today with the guys after work. Life’s good.

As for the whole pretending to be hurt thing… Some players are faking it, yes, but I truly believe that in most cases they’re actually feeling pain after being tackled. I’ve tried it myself (maybe that’s why I believe it). Yes, it hurts like a b*tch right after you’ve been tackled, but you just have to get up and start moving around a bit and a couple of minutes later you’re good to go (or “sprint” if you will).

I agree with you on construction videos though. They’re awesome! ;)

Portugal!!!

Really interesting and in-depth look at how this process work.

Mexico!

I’m really just rooting for good play and people who don’t bitch, whine and flop all over the place. (here’s looking @ you Argentina, Italy, Portugal, etc.)

Argentina FTW!

ok, i understand that the graphics on the balls should change every year, but i don’t understand why in the world they would change the construction/manufacturing process for it. to me that’s insane. could you imagine if every baseball season there was a different stitch pattern on the ball? that would destroy pitchers, as i imagine it’s really annoying shooters.

i don’t really care about soccer but i do appreciate it as a unifying sport. anybody can play it anywhere in the world and all you need is one ball. it’s a common language and that’s awesome. also, it requires every player to have a level of athleticism that is rare in the most popular sports in the states. so it’s refreshing to see even if i don’t seek it out.

that being said, hockey is the only sport i pay attention to. if you get caught diving on the ice, you’ll have hell to pay next time your out there. well-regulated violence keeps ’em honest!

Laura, I’m sorry but Ginobili is the biggest pussy I have ever seen play basketball…I don’t care for teh soccer-esq acting that he’s brought to the sport. It’s shameful really. He should play volleyball, tennis or some other sport where you’re divided by a net from your opponent. And all this being said, I love Argentina…amazingly beautiful place and the people are great.

Not sure how that sun snuck in there, should be an 8. My apologies.

i know everyone poopoo’s on the jabulani.. but i still want one :)

I am South African and am obviously supporting my home country. It is truly a fantastic honour to have so many international visitors in my beautiful country all enjoying the sights and the games. I’ve been to a few games and will be going to a few more still and the sound of the Vuvuzela’s is really not that bad. A cheap set of foam earplugs reduces the impact quite substantially. As for the incessant diving, I find that far more annoying and it needs to be rooted out.

Thanks for the great site and the wonderfully diverse nature of your postings!

SWITZERLAND FTW!!!
Now, that they defeated spain, they will continue :)

The Netherlands.

but besides that, i totally feel you Scott, when you talk about the faking, what we famously call “schwalbes”. Football always tries to sell itself (or the FIFA, for that matter) as a ‘fair play’ game, while mostly its not. I know this can apply for every sport, but i have yet to find a sport that causes greater irritation than a football player throwing a schwalbe, making the other player receive the red card en win the game, and still smile.

one of the most famous schwalbes of all time comes from Rivaldo as you can see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgfRCa71Kmw

Hockey. Nuff’ said…

Stick to doing design stuff…your opening comments about soccer sound like a kid who probably got beat up by jerk jocks and therefore forever has a taste of sports hate in his mouth. Since you self admit that you know little about the sport but comment on those of us who love the game (and P.S. the FIFA World Cup is every 4 years, but the game is huge year round in cups (tournaments) around the world except in America where I also am from) – Its not “fake injury” is attempting to draw a call out of a ref for your advantage – same as in i dont know car accidents, fake that your in pain, you can sue for a million bucks and a lifetime of roxies….lol…who wouldn’t!?

Chris, thanks. hope you feel better! Sorry your feelings got hurt, the suckers are on the way….

xoxo

This video was really interesting. Especially as a casual soccer watcher. I shared your sentiments about watching soccer on TV for the first game against England; but by myself I was able to enjoy something more about the Slovenia game. There was the simple drama of, “We must overcome and win! Seriously… who the f is Slovenia..!?!” Which, like you said, makes unimportant passes or tackles into a pouring of effort to put your entire energy and life into fighting for you country and honor. (Which in the end becomes unimportant after time passes.)

It’s weird to me that I pay so little attention, but DID hear about this ball. I really like the first image you highlight that shows the ball in a blue machine looking like an evil drone space warrior. I also like seeing what is done by hand, and what they decide to do by machine. It’s interesting what requires mechanical exactness — because it seems like some things that should, don’t get it. But maybe they just couldn’t afford the machine that does that particular thing?

I used to do video work for a lacrosse manufacturing company, and it was always curious to me the discrepancy between how awesome they thought their equipment was – and all the technologically advanced engineering they put into their gear. And then some stoner lacrosse player comes along like, “Dude, this sucks.” or even legitimate complaints like, “You made this very light, but now it breaks very easily.” And all the effort is in the trash can.

We’ve designed a World Cup game tracker for those who like nice design and football / soccer : http://www.think-positive.net/

Hello. I just wanted to point out that the ball is called “Jabulani”, not “Jubulani”.

Yes, that vid detailing the whole production process got me going as well. Definitely something about big weird cold machines creating something that’s cherished to such a high degree. I was also surprised by the amount of “actual” hands involved in the process.

Also hailing from the lovely sunny South Africa, i can assure you that those $3 plastic horns a.k.a Vuvuzela’s add something insanely electric to any football match (or soccer for that matter), truly something to experience in multitude. One = annoyance. 94 000 = Nostalgia inducing joy. Buuut for those who cant seem to stand the noise, go into your sets EQ and dial that 300 (or closest neighbors) right down and boost the rest. Vuvuzela drone dissapears by like 50%

Sick.

Wow, that is just insane. I’ve seen manufacturing videos, but all that for a soccer ball. Makes you think…