adidas Predator X - power redefined

Global football is dominated by three brands - adidas, Nike, and Puma. These brands battle it out each year with new innovations being the trump card for product releases. The most famous name from the adidas brand is the Predator which built its name on a simple innovation. In 1992 the brand brought out the boot incorporating rubber strips that were designed to increase swerve and bend on the ball. The boots quickly became best sellers and adidas went about signing up the most exciting players at the time to be their ambassadors. Klinsmann, Gasgoine, and Del Piero were three of the first players to wear the iconic and Del Piero, who is still playing today, continues to wear the Predator.

Over the last 15 years adidas has released a total of 9 versions of the famous boot, all being an improvement on the last. This November sees the release of the tenth generation of the boots, the Predator X. Ahead of the World Cup adidas needed to an impact with this release and improvements to the boot make it sound as though it'll be a certain winner. The official techical breakdown lists two key features;

1. The Powerspine  - a revolutionary centre to the boot that minimises the energy lost when a player strikes the ball, transferring this energy to ensure maximum connection with the ball.   The result of this innovation is an additional 7% extra power versus the previous generation of Predator boots.

2. A newly designed Predator zone - containing a mix of rubber and silicon the re-positioned zone increases swerve in all weather conditions. A Taurus leather core combined with Thermoform memory foam and Optifit technology creates a lightweight fit that lasts.

Alongside the usual bout of player testing and involvement, the Predator X was crafted by one of the most technically gifted players of all time - Zinedine Zidane. Zidane has worn Predators throughout his career and for the Predator X he was heavily invovled in the R&D for the boot. The image below is a still from the link above which shows Zidane being interviewed about his famous Predator moments and then shows him testing the boots. By the look of the film he is still absolutely world class.

adidas symbols wearing the Predator X will include Steven Gerrard, Karim Benezema, David Beckham, and Michael Ballack. The worlds most famous boot is back, with a bang.

Go to http://www.adidas.com/football to find out more information.

Two Champions in two years - the British ruling F1!

This weekend in Brazil Jenson Button sealed his first Formula 1 Drivers title, the second year in a row a British driver has taken the Championship. The link above takes you to the BBC Iplayer coverage of Button taking 5th place in the weekends race which was enough to give him the title he had waited so long for.

The 29 year old had a difficult time with the Honda team during the last few seasons and when Ross Brawn took charge of the new Brawn GP team no one was sure how Button would fair. Some thought that the forgotton man of F1 would continue to struggle and waste another season, others thought that his true class would shine through in the Mercedes powered car. In the end, the genius of Ross Brawn, combined with the excellent debut Brawn GP car gave Button the edge and confidence to achieve his life-long goal.

But where now for Brawn GP and Button? Sponsors will be lining up to jump on the success of the team and Button and both deserve all the opportunities that come their way after a fantastic season. However, will the fabulous performance be a flash in the pan? Firstly Barrichello will almost certainly leave the team and they will require a top replacement to give the team the strength they had this season. Secondly McClaren and Ferrari will not be happy with their 2009 seasons and will look to really step it up next year. The drivers they have in Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are some of the most naturally talented drivers in F1 history and they will be battling it out with Button to take control of next season. Brawn GP certainly won't have it easy and its sure to be close run thing in 2010.

the art of stand up comedy

Stand up comedy has got to be one of the strangest professions in the world. As a sucessful stand up comic members of the general public will pay quite large sums of money to come and see you stand on a stage and talk for a few hours. As a band or solo artist people will pay money to see you because they are fans of your music. As an athlete people will pay money to see you because they are a fan of your team or because what you are doing consitutes performance at a higher than average level. As an actor people will pay to see you use your talent to portray a character and tell a story. As a comedian people are paying to see you be funny, to largely just be yourself which must be a fantastic but at the same time baffling feeling.

I recently saw Michael McIntyre at Wembley Arena as part of his 2009 Arena Tour. He is a fantastic comedian, one who doesn't rely on being crude or picking on audience members for laughs. A genuinely hilarious and intelligent stand up. However it was still difficult to get my head around the amount people (around 12,000) who had paid £30 to come and see him "be funny". I feel jealous of his friends who get him being funny all the time, for free!

Anyway if you haven't come across him yet click on the link above for a 5minute highlight reel.