New style and colors for AC Mantova 2008/09

Diadora presented the new official uniform of AC Mantova for the upcoming 2008/09 Italian Serie B season on Sunday.The new jerseys have been created by applying the very best of Diadora's technology and style to guarantee extreme lightness and the best possible moisture management.The colours are those dear to the team, respecting their tradition: a white home jersey with a oblique red stripe in the chest area, a red away jersey with a white stripe in the chest area and a nautical blue third jersey with a white stripe in the chest area and a white/red tail.Then, compared with last year, a collar has been add to all the three V-neck jerseys.In addition to competition and training apparel, footwear and accessories, Diadora will produce most of AC Mantova merchandising.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Those golden arches just got a little more stylish. The fast food chain McDonald’s is outfitting its employees in brand new uniforms designed by the Italian footwear brand Diadora. Since July employees of more than 360 Italian chains have been wearing the uniforms, created exclusively from natural hypoallergenic and breathable cotton and with a sporty twist. The range includes polos, shirts, waistcoats, trousers and skirts in McDonald’s signature brown, orange and white.

adidas Group announces preliminary half year sales and earnings

line with adhoc regulations stipulated by §15 WpHG (German Securities Trading Act), Management is providing preliminary half year and second quarter figures which are materially above market expectations. In the first half of 2010, Group revenues increased 7% on a currency-neutral basis or 11% in euro terms to € 5.6 billion. In the second quarter, adidas Group sales increased 11% currency-neutral or 19% in euro terms to € 2.9 billion. Net income attributable to shareholders reached € 295 million (2009: € 13 million) in the first six months and € 126 million in the second quarter (2009: € 9 million). Diluted earnings per share amounted to € 1.41 for the half year (2009: € 0.10) and € 0.60 for the quarter (2009: € 0.06), respectively. More detail on the Group’s performance in the first half and outlook for the remainder of the year will be given with the publication of quarterly results on August 4, 2010.

he Mexican Football Federation and adidas announce the extension of their partnership until 2018

Mexico City/Herzogenaurach, August 10th, 2010 – The Mexican Football Federation (FEMEXFUT) and adidas are proud to announce the extension of their successful partnership until the year 2018. This extension agreement comes as a result of the great relationship between both parties and a successful co-operation - both on and off the field. The jersey of the Mexican Football Federation was the best-selling adidas jersey of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South AfricaTM with more than 1 million pieces sold.




“The extension of our partnership deal with the Mexican Football Federation confirms our commitment to long-term and successful partnerships. This is a great alliance between a team full of young stars with a bright future and the leading football brand in the world. We at adidas are already very much looking forward to shaping the future of football together with Mexico and preparing jointly for the next FIFA World CupsTM”, commented Herbert Hainer, CEO of adidas Group.



“We feel honoured to have adidas as our official partner. We enjoy a fantastic partnership and our alliance has proven to be an extraordinary support for our teams, our federation and football in Mexico,” said Justino Compean, FEMEXFUT’s President.



adidas is Official Sponsor, Supplier and Licensee of the FIFA World CupTM. adidas thus provides the Official Match Ball and supplies the equipment for all officials, referees, volunteers and ball kids. In the recent World Cup in South Africa, adidas equipped more than 200 players and 12 teams: the World Champions Spain, host nation South Africa, Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay, Japan, Nigeria, Germany, France, Slovakia, Denmark and Greece. In addition, adidas is Official Partner of the European Football Union UEFA and the Confederation of African Football CAF. adidas is also Official Supplier to Major League Soccer (USA) and the UEFA Champions League. Moreover, adidas is Official Supplier to prominent football clubs including AC Milan, Chelsea FC, FC Bayern München, Liverpool FC, Olympique Marseille and Real Madrid. Additionally, stars such as Michael Ballack, David Beckham, Diego Forlán, Kaká, Lionel Messi, Arjen Robben, Bastian Schweinsteiger and David Villa represent their respective clubs wearing state-of-the-art adidas football equipment.

Jamie Foxx and Gridiron Greats Team Up to Bring You the 'Night of Champions' Event at Miami's Fillmore Jackie Gleason Theater

The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund (GGAF), a nonprofit organization providing financial grants and 'pro bono' medical assistance to retired NFL players in need, today announced tickets will go on sale for the organization's annual Super Bowl event in Miami, Florida.


In what is sure to be a 'landmark' event, the GGAF will celebrate Super Bowl XLIV with a blockbuster evening featuring NFL Hall of Fame players and legends along with Grammy� nominee and Golden Globe�/Academy Award� winner Jamie Foxx, titled the 'Night of Champions.' Foxx will serve as a headline host and entertainer for this year's event which will take place at The Fillmore Jackie Gleason Theater Friday, February 5 on South Beach in Miami, Florida; home of Super Bowl XLIV. GGAF has secured Laser Spine Institute (LSI) as its presenting sponsor for the event. Laser Spine Institute, headquartered in Tampa, Florida is a medical partner of the GGAF and the leader in minimally invasive, outpatient spine surgery. LSI provides 'pro bono' laser-assisted surgical procedures to retired NFL players who apply to the GGAF for medical and financial grants. Due to the short recovery of LSI procedures and the extensive restrictions of open surgery, many professional athletes choose LSI for their spine care needs. Chief Spine Surgeon Dr. James St. Louis explains,"We are thrilled and excited to offer much-needed surgeries to some of the NFL's greatest players. While they may not be actively playing anymore, we feel it is still vitally important for these players to be able to live out their retirement without suffering from chronic pain."

Miller Lite, GGAF's year long partner, will be presenting sponsor for GGAF's VIP Party at 7PM featuring players and celebrities on the red carpet as well as having 15 local appearances with GGAF players in the Miami market the week leading up to Super Bowl. An appearance schedule will be posted on . Other GGAF 'Night of Champions' corporate partners include: Captain Morgan, Gallo, Weber Shandwick, Yesteryear Fantasy Sports, 100 Year Art and Star Voicemail.

"We are really excited about this year's event in Miami," said Chairman Mike Ditka. "We appreciate the opportunity to create further awareness during the NFL's largest stage - the Super Bowl - and generate fundraising capital for the organization; funds which will go directly back to the players in need."

The event will feature the talented Oscar winning Actor, Grammy winning artist and Platinum selling musician Jamie Foxx. Additionally, GGAF board member and former New Orleans Saints All-Pro player - Kyle Turley - will be performing with his own band and donating proceeds from his album sales going directly to the GGAF. Turley will embark on a 15-city U.S. tour "Outlaw Roll to the Bowl" in support of his debut album, "Anger Management" and donating proceeds from the tour to GGAF (). Special honorees will be acknowledged and awarded during this star studded event.

Tickets for the 'Night of Champions' (NOC) range in prices between $95-$625 and can be purchased at . If you purchase a VIP ticket to the show the player/celebrity meet and greet will begin at 7:00 PM and show will start at 9:00 PM on February 5. This will be the marquee event of the GGAF's presence on South Beach during the weekend of Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. In addition to the 'NOC' event, the GGAF will be part of a 4-day weekend outdoor Festival on Lincoln road themed 'Eats, Beats & Cleats Gridiron Festival'. The festival will feature an exciting line-up of programming including live music, laser light shows, and food including interaction and autograph signing opportunities with the many 'Hall of Fame' players and other stars that support the mission of the GGAF. Proceeds from passports purchased to the festival will be donated to the GGAF. For tickets to the festival visit .

In addition, former two-time Super Bowl winning Dallas Cowboy head coach and fellow GGAF board member - Jimmy Johnson - will chair and host his annual fishing tournament, which will now be called the 'Gridiron Greats Billfish Bowl.' A portion of the proceeds generated by the Gridiron Greats Billfish Bowl will be donated to the GGAF.

In addition to the 'NOC' and the festival, the GGAF will take part in this "ultimate fishing tournament," by providing GGAF player appearances and support as well as the presence of GGAF chairman, Mike Ditka who will co-host the event with Johnson which will take place February 4 -6, 2010 at Jimmy Johnson's Big Chill, a waterfront resort and restaurant in Key Largo, FL.

The three-day event will bring together some of today's best-known football personalities and sail fishing aficionados. The competitive fishing tournament will involve retired NFL players who support the GGAF and include competition from world-class fishing experts. For tickets to the GGAF's Billfish Bowl events, interested parties can visit or by calling toll free (866) 203-2720 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (866) 203-2720 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

In conjunction with the Super Bowl, GGAF has teamed up to conduct a 'Legends of the Gridiron' sweepstakes where all proceeds will be equally split between the GGAF and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Players Enshrinees Trust. The Grand Prize for the sweepstake includes: 2 tickets to the Super Bowl, 2 roundtrip airline tickets provided by AirTran, one double room for four Nights at new Miami Airport Comfort Inn, 2 tickets to GGAF Night of Champions with Jamie Foxx, 2 playing spots in Hall of Fame Players Classic and 2 tickets to Eats Beats and Cleats Gridiron Festival. Raffle tickets range in price from $10 - $100 and only a limited amount of tickets will be sold. To purchase raffle tickets go to: to help assist retired players in need.

ABOUT THE GGAF

The GGAF is a non-stock, nonprofit corporation that has been very active in retired NFL player assistance. The organization has provided over $1.75 million in financial aid and medical assistance to retired NFL players. The organization focuses on the humanitarian side of post-football related issues, which include coordination of social services to retired players who are in need due to a variety of reasons including inadequate disability and/or pensions.

The GGAF's mission is to assist these dire need players who are pioneers of the game and have greatly contributed to the NFL's status as the most popular sport in America. GGAF provides hands-on assistance to help retired players and their families deal with hardships they face after football. The services include medical assistance, financial assistance for utilities, medication, food, automotive payments and childcare.

The GGAF's Board of Directors includes: Mike Ditka, Jimmy Johnson, Marv Levy, Gale Sayers, Matt Birk, Kyle Turley and Greg Brown, CEO of Motorola. The President of the organization is Ken Valdiserri while Shannon Jordan is the organization's Executive Vice President

Team of Leading US Coaches Announce: Gold Medal Lacrosse Recruiting Service

WAYNE, Pa., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- David Metzbower, previously the Associate Head Coach of Princeton University and John Nostrant, Athletic Director and Head Lacrosse Coach of The Haverford School announced the creation of Gold Medal Lacrosse Recruiting (), the first professional recruiting consulting service run by coaches. The initial team also includes Kevin Giblin, the head lacrosse coach of Georgetown Prep. in Washington D.C.. This team has over 70 years of high school and college coaching experience and has produced over 55 High School All-Americans and 27 First Team College All-Americans. John and Kevin were involved in coaching the U19 men's world team to a gold medal in 2008. David helped drive Princeton to 6 NCAA Championships and 10 final four appearances. Kevin's team has been ranked number one in the US twice.

The consulting firm was designed to give high school student-athletes a significant advantage in the NCAA college lacrosse recruiting process. This team has a deep understanding of the academic and athletic requirements for the successful placement in all levels of NCAA programs. They have the personal relationships and personal credibility, based on their prior interactions, to have gained the confidence of nearly all of the DI, DII, and DIII NCAA college coaches.

"John Nostrant and David Metzbower will make a fantastic team to help high school athletes find the right college. John is one of the most reliable coaches out there when it comes to recommending student-athletes to college coaches," said Michael Murphy, Head Coach Penn Men's Lacrosse. "David had vast experience in recruiting at the highest level and knows the process from the college coach's perspective as well as anyone. Their collective knowledge will provide young athletes with invaluable guidance in their search for the right school."

They have placed student-athletes at over 70 colleges including 100% of the ACC, the Ivy League, the Big East and the Top 20 Teams in the final 2009 Nike/Inside Lacrosse Media Poll. The schools in which they have been successful include Syracuse, Cornell, Duke, Virginia, Princeton, North Carolina, Johns Hopkins, Maryland, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Brown, Harvard, and many others.

Many parents are looking at lacrosse as a critical differentiator in supporting their son or daughter's ability to get into the right college. With over 610 college programs and universities fielding approximately 24,000 athletes, their instinct is correct.

This team will put together a multi-year program around skill development, club team participation, summer camp participation, tournament participation and academic requirements. The most important service provided is the direct contact and ongoing communication with the top college coaches in support of the student-athlete.

"John is liked and respected greatly by college lacrosse coaches and they know that when John sends a player their way, he will succeed in the classroom and on the field," said Bill Tierney, Head Coach Denver Men's Lacrosse. "David has spent a career understanding, recruiting, and living in the world of college lacrosse. There is no school or situation he doesn't understand. His ability to help inform and influence good decisions is second to none."

There is no other program available that combines this degree of lacrosse experience, personal relationships with college coaches and personal hands-on service.

"Metzbower and Nostrant understand the recruiting game better than anyone," said Matt Striebel, three-time Princeton Division 1 First Team All American and MLL professional with the Chicago Machine. "As far as opportunities and advantages go, this one is unbeatable."

Their plans are to expand the service into women's lacrosse in the near future.

They also plan an aggressive expansion geographically to include Long Island N.Y., Upstate N.Y., the southern states, Midwest states, the western United States and Canada.

About Gold Medal Lacrosse Recruiting

Gold Medal Lacrosse Recruiting is a professional, hands-on, consulting firm designed to give high school student-athletes a significant advantage in the NCAA college lacrosse recruiting process. The team creates a multi-year program around skill development, club team participation, tournament participation and academic requirements. They have a unique college coach outreach program supported by a formal two-way communication program. In addition, they provide decision assistance around college academic requirements, lacrosse program and coaching styles and potential playing time.

Contacts

Gold Medal Lacrosse Recruiting

David Metzbower (267) 386 2192 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (267) 386 2192 end_of_the_skype_highlighting John Nostrant (267) 386 2192 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (267) 386 2192 end_of_the_skype_highlighting



Gold Medal Lacrosse Recruiting

Special Olympics Minnesota Weathers the Economic Downtown

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to an Associated Press story that ran nationally Jan. 6, 2010 regarding funding difficulties for Special Olympics programs around the country, Special Olympics Minnesota is pleased to report continued success in 2009 and a firm plan for maintaining programming this year.

"Obviously, 2009 was a tough year for nonprofits," said Special Olympics Minnesota President Dave Dorn, "but we were able to tighten our belts here, and thanks to tremendous support, we weathered a fairly difficult fundraising year. While we did freeze open staff positions and salaries in 2009, we did not reduce or suspend any programming, and we did not turn away a single athlete."

Special Olympics Minnesota receives funding from a hundreds of individuals and corporations throughout the state. The nonprofit currently has a budget of $3.8 million and serves more than 6,500 athletes with the help of 27 staff people and more than 14,000 volunteers.

"While we certainly would have liked to have been able to expand our programs this year or last," continued Dorn, "we are very happy to have ended 2009 on budget and to have achieved the goals we had in place. This year we are again cautiously optimistic that we will be able to replace any lost funds with additional funding sources and provide our top-quality programs to every interested athlete in Minnesota."

Special Olympics Minnesota offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round sports training and competition. Through Special Olympics' athletic, health and leadership programs, people with intellectual disabilities transform themselves, their communities and the world.

Special Olympics Minnesota

Another Ryder Cup Another Loss

The United States added to their legacy of not being able to win international events as we lost another Ryder Cup. It really doesn’t shock me when the guys we bring over just don’t have the drive we ned. We need to start to bring guys that are hungry for wins. Alot of times we […]

The 2010 World Cup is Over

And it seems such a long time ago I was watching and rooting for Japan to progress beyond the Quarter Finals when they were beat One-Nil (1-0) in a bitterly disheartening Sudden-death Shootout. After having played Paraguay to a scoreless 90 minutes, then a further 30mins of Overtime, Japan would lose on the basis of one missed shot, defeated 5-4 in penalty kicks…




And thus the round of Sixteen became Eight, with one Team looking nearly unbeatable? As Germany simply rolled over first England 4-1, albeit a controversial Goal that would have seen the match tied at 2-2 just before Halftime’s call was blown by the Referees! Germany next crushed Wildman Diego Maradona’s Argentina squad 4-1, although German Striker Thomas Muller seemingly received a bogus Yellow-card for an inadvertent Handball, thus giving him a second Yellow-card and eliminating him from playing in the all important Semi-final against Spain.



Meanwhile the other side’s bracket saw the Netherlands shockingly defeat the Tournament’s favourites Brazil 2-1, having come back in the second half after trailing 1-0, as this unexpected loss saw Brazil’s Coach fired upon the Team’s arrival back home from South Africa. Then the Orange Crush, Err Holland defeated Uruguay 3-1 in its Semi-final, becoming the first Team to clinch its birth in the World Cup Finals, as Uruguay was forced to await the outcome of Germany vs. Spain to determine who it would play for the less coveted title of Third-place.



Yet once again, Spain played its methodical game of mesmerizing footwork and fancy passing to defeat Germany One-nil and advance to their inaugural World Cup Finals berth, facing the Netherlands, who were making their third appearance, having lost twice previously in 1974 and 1978, thus ensuring a first time winner of the Finals.



And after playing a scoreless 90mins, a further 15mins was played to a draw, before Spain’s Andres Iniesta scored the winning Goal in the 112th minute of this exceedingly tense 120 minute Football match held at soccer City, seeing Espana hang-on to its somewhat precarious lead to notch its Country’s very first ever World Cup victory, becoming only the eighth Nation to achieve this feat.



And having added insult-to-injury, a German Octopus named Paul had previously predicted that Spain would defeat Germany, causing Death Threats on the Octopus, demanding it be cooked after choosing Spain! Yet Paul-the-Octopus gained some respect by correctly choosing his Home team over Uruguay, in what was a thriller, seeing Germany narrowly defeat Uruguay 3-2…

front pagearchivesaboutRSS Mariners tell Wakamatsu: You’re Out!

So apparently the King of the Tour’s reign is now officially over… As Lance Armstrong, riding in his final Tour de France, the only rider to ever have won the storied event a record Seven times, has seen his Swansong go from bad to worse. Having previously fallen on some Slippery liquids to puncturing a tyre on the Cobblestones, the Texan has now uncharacteristically faltered in what was once his Domain, known as the arduous Mountains portion of the Tour…




Thus it was on Stage 8 that the Austin native fell an amazing three times and unceremoniously finished a dismal 61st, putting him some eleven minutes behind the Tour’s leader. Yet Armstrong’s demise wasn’t his alone, as the Tuesday’s Stage 9 Tour leader Cattle Evans of Australia grimaced his way to the finish with a previously undisclosed shattered elbow, after Monday’s Rest-day, leaving Luxemburg’s Andy Schleck to seemingly battle reigning and Two time tour winner Alberto Contador for the overall victory. As the two riders will continue to go head-to-head thru the grueling Pyrenees Mountains, while Armstrong rebounded to 18th place overall, but fell further back, some 13+ minutes adrift of the Tour’s new Yellow Jersey (leader) rider Schleck, after the completion of Stage 9.



Yet perhaps Lance’s luck has turned the corner? As it was Team RadioShack claiming its Tour’s first Stage win on nine other then Bastille Day, when Team rider Sergio Paulinho of Portugal ccaptured victory in Stage 10 on Wednesday, July 14th.



But will it be Schleck claiming his first Tour or will Spaniard Contador Join the select company of Three-time Tour de France winners, giving Espana a World Cup and Tour Double? And will Armstrong’s RadioShack Team rider Levi Leipheimer manage to claim the tour’s final Podium step by finishing in Third-place? We’ll soon know when the Tour wraps-up this year’s daunting grind in Paris on July 25th…

Contador wins third Tour de France

August 10th, 2010 · No Comments


Somewhere in the Pyrenees Mountains, on Stage 15, Spaniard Alberto Contador seemingly left Luxemburg’s Andy Schleck in his dust and then held on all the way to Paris to capture his second consecutive Tour and third overall Tour de France victory, (2007, 2009-10) by the narrow margin of 39 seconds, as Schleck was to learn the errors of his ways, having been earlier Trash-Talking Contador, before once again finishing runner-up to the Spaniard, while Russia’s Denis Menchov finished on the final podium step in third place. Menchov began the penultimate stage in fourth place, a scant 21 seconds behind Spain’s Samuel Sanchez, before finishing ahead of him in the final Time Trials.



Meanwhile Lance Armstrong, who once used to simply crush opponents in the Time Trials – finished a lowly 67th and will end his tour de France career with a substandard 23rd place Overall finish; 39:20 behind Contador, although Armstrong’s RadioShack Team looks set to claim the Team title in Paris…



Then a few days after claiming his third overall victory, albeit without having won a single stage, Contador surprised some by announcing his decision to leave his current Espana Team in order to ride for rival Team SunGard-Saxo Bank, having signed a two-year contract. Look for Contador and to resume their duel for tour supremacy in 2011

The Football splendor rolls on

While Diehard Football, Err Soccer enthusiasts wait to see if the USA National Team will retain current coach Bob Bradley for a further four years in order to make another run in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, ironically Bradley & Co. were playing an exhibition match in the Meadowlands recently, being Billed as a “Friendly” vs. Brazil Tuesday night. (August 10th) As Team USA lost 2-0 in front of 77,000+ adoring Fans, while speculation surrounds Bradley’s future, who claimed he’d resume talks with the US Soccer Federation after the Brazilian match, albeit his named has been mentioned and linked as a possible candidate for Aston Villa’s vacant Manager Position for the English Premiere League.Meanwhile in the rush to snap-up National Team members, the Seattle Sounders FC have just acquired two new players, Switzerland National Team member Blaise Nkufo. And Uruguayan National Team Midfielder Alvaro Fernandez, as the MLS squad’s second and third Designated (Franchise) Players (DP’s) before trading away its first Designated Player, Swedish Star Freddie Ljungberg to the Chicago Fire for a future MLS Draft pick, as it appears the Sounders took on the younger Fernandez as his possible replacement.

Mariners tell Wakamatsu: You’re Out!

Most likely, you know that the Seattle Mariners with the third worst record in Major League Baseball recently fired Manager Don Wakamatsu, who seemingly faltered from fallout in the Locker Room and with a show of No-confidence from the very Management that had previously hired him.

Wakamatsu, MLB’s first Asian Manager led the Mariners to an impressive winning season in his first season, last year, yet Wakamatsu who apparently never emerged from the shadow of perennial All Star Ken Griffey Jr. who unexpectedly retired Mid-season this year, seems to have been the Mariners Manager’s unraveling, as the Team now seems set to incur its second 100-loss season in the past three years…


And it seemingly was coincidence that I caught a part of a game broadcast earlier this summer where Rick Riz and the voice of the Mariners Dave Niehaus, were joined by ex-Mariner standout Jay Buhner, who once was the catalyst for Buhner BuzzCut nights, who dipped into the Wayback machine, fondly recalling his playing time for the legendary Lou Piniella, who’s just announced his retirement from MLB after nearly a half century.

Arguably the Mariners best-ever Manager, Piniella (1993-2002) led the team to four 90 win seasons, along with an electrifying 116 win season with such players as Buhner, Griffey Junior, Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez and Alex Rodriguez, as “Sweet Lou” is the only Manager to ever lead the Mariners to the Playoffs along with being responsible for seven of it’s eleven winning seasons.


Meanwhile it seemed pretty funny that Barry Bonds, the all time Home Runs “leader*” would call and congratulate A-ROD to the 600 Home Run club… As with Piniella’s and Griffey’s retirement this year, is possibly the final ex-Mariner still playing from those Mariner Glory years…

Products That Are Earth-and-Profit Friendly

As the world’s greatest soccer players take to the fields at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, many are wearing jerseys made almost entirely from plastic bottles rescued from landfills in Japan and Taiwan.

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Nike, via Business Wire

The Nike shirts modeled by World Cup players are made from recycled plastic bottles.



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It is, if nothing else, good publicity for Nike, the maker of the jerseys and the official sponsor of nine teams, including the United States, Brazil and Portugal.



Yet what many might view as a gimmick is also part of a broadening effort by the company to incorporate sustainability, or environmentally responsible practices, into its product design. Around the globe, a growing number of manufacturers are including more recyclable or biodegradable components into products.



Companies making changes run the gamut — there are furniture makers, carpet manufacturers, clothing retailers and makers of shampoos and household cleaners. And with big-box retailers like Wal-Mart joining in, industry analysts say the sustainable philosophy is no longer viewed as the province of high-end sellers like Nike or Herman Miller, the furniture maker.



In 2008 alone, American consumers doubled their spending on sustainable products and services to an estimated $500 billion, according to a survey that polled more than a 1,000 people by Penn Schoen Berland Associates, a market research firm that studies the green economy.



The movement can be confusing to navigate and goes by many monikers — ”cradle to cradle,” eco-efficiency, life cycle improvement, closed-loop production. In its most utopian form, it envisions a world in which all products are made from natural materials and are 100 percent reusable, recyclable or biodegradable, never ending up in landfill.



At its most pragmatic, it is mainly about cutting costs — by reducing waste, selling recyclable components and reusing byproducts like rubber or plastic to create a new product. For a large company, this can mean millions of dollars in annual savings.



“When sustainability burst onto the scene, it was in the responsibility category, something that a company should do because it was the right thing to do,” said Beth Lester, a vice president at Penn Schoen Berland Associates. But now it is equally about saving money, she said.



For example, Wal-Mart attributed more than $100 million of its 2009 revenue to a decision to switch to a recyclable variety of cardboard in shipments to its 4,300-plus stories in the United States. Now it sells the cardboard to a recycler rather than paying to ship the waste to a landfill.



The company also sells photo frames made from its polystyrene waste and recycles plastic scraps leftover from producing Wal-Mart-brand diapers into material used in building new Wal-Mart stores.



“It’s coming from economics,” said Marc Stoiber, vice president for green innovation at the Chicago-based business consultancy Maddock Douglas. “If you look at the big guys like Wal-Mart, they embrace green because it’s all about efficiency.”



Matt Kistler, the senior vice president of sustainability at Wal-Mart, agreed. “If this was not financially viable, a company such as ours would not be doing it,” he said.



In its most ambitious project, Wal-Mart, after surveying more than 100,000 suppliers worldwide, has embarked on a yearlong effort to tag every product it sells with information about its production and life cycle.



Nike first dipped its toe into sustainability in 1993, when it began grinding up old shoes and donating the material and other manufacturing scraps to builders of sports surfaces, like tracks and basketball courts. That program continues, but the company has shifted gradually from one-of-a-kind initiatives to a long-term plan to “minimize or eliminate all substances known to be harmful to the health of biological or ecological systems.”



In the last four years, the company’s sustainable design group, known as Nike Considered Design, has brought shoes and athletic clothing to market that incorporate waste from the factory floor and a less toxic type of rubber. Some of Nike’s clothing incorporates zippers and cords made from old shoes.



The company has also reduced its use of solvents, the toxic glue used to cement soles to the bottom of shoes.



”Our customers expect this from us,” said Lorrie Vogel, general manager of Nike’s Considered group. “It’s not about two or three green shoes — it’s about changing the way our company does things in general.”



As companies move to reduce waste and analyze the components of their products, many are turning to outside consultants for help. Among the most prominent is William McDonough, co-author of a 2002 book called “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things.”



He runs a consultancy that evaluates companies’ policies in areas like toxicity, renewable energy, water stewardship and sustainability and awards corporations Cradle to Cradle Certification if they make the necessary changes.



His firm, McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, has worked with Nike, Herman Miller and Shaw, the world’s largest carpet maker. Herman Miller says that 50 percent of its revenue now comes from products that are Cradle to Cradle-compliant, and it is aiming for 100 percent.



Shaw has collected 300 million pounds of used carpet in the last three years and reused 85 percent of it.



“I’ve never met one C.E.O. who said ‘Give me a toxic product,’ ” Mr. McDonough said. “But they need business models that are effective for them.”



Still, companies can be reluctant to make trade-offs when performance or aesthetics suffers.



Method, a maker of household cleaning products, shuns chemicals like ammonia, bleach and phthalates and maintains a list of earth-friendly ones. But when it came to the design of its bottles, the company stood firm, declining to reduce the plastic content beyond a certain point because it believed that it would make them less visually attractive, according to a recent report in The McKinsey Quarterly, an online business management journal.



Companies may also have to weigh a product’s toxicity level against its longevity. The retailer Patagonia is viewed as environmentally conscious — 75 percent of the clothing it sells is recyclable — but it has had difficulty finding nontoxic dyes. For now, Patagonia prefers to stick with colorfast dyes, although not all are harmless to the earth.



“It’s super-easy to find an environmentally friendly dye that will fade in three washes,” said Jenn Rapp, a spokeswoman. “But a garment that lasts 20 years is much more friendly than one that lasts five months.”



Even champions of sustainability say that consumers should be wary of giving companies too much credit or accepting all of their claims. Makers of cleaning agents in particular may offer an expensive “green line” of offerings but leave the rest of their products untouched, some say.



“I think the cradle-to-cradle concept is great,” said Wood Turner, executive director of Climate Counts, a nonprofit group that scores manufacturers of consumer products makers on their track records. “The problem is that most companies are not as inclined to push that into all their products and all their brands.



“I have to ask, is this really just an example of green tokenism, or does it reflect deep thinking on a company’s part?”

Design and the World Cup: Best and Worst

LONDON — Rollercoaster though the results of the opening games in the 2010 World Cup have been, the winners and losers are now emerging both on the field and behind the scenes in an equally ferocious design contest.




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.No sooner does one World Cup end, than the designers at sports brands like Adidas, Nike and Puma start to develop new boots, balls, shirts, socks, towels and whatever else might be needed for the next one. The investment is huge, but so are the rewards, though World Cup design flops can be equally spectacular. So what are the winning and losing designs in this tournament?



1. The boot



Let’s kick off with a winner — the best-designed soccer boot. All of the boot manufacturers devote years of research and mountains of cash to trying to ensure that their World Cup designs will be lighter, stronger and so on than their competitors’. They then present the results in seemingly endless lists of technical specifications that make NASA’s safety manuals seem slack.



Yet Nike carries off the boot trophy for the 2010 World Cup, not because its boots are any lighter or stronger than its nemesis, Adidas’s, but thanks to its cunning color strategy. Nike designed four boots for the tournament, each for a different type of player, but colored them all in specific shades of purple and orange, chosen to create maximum contrast. This helps the players spot their teammates’ positions, and to pass the ball more accurately. It also enhances Nike’s branding. “It seems that ‘everyone’ is wearing Nike boots, just because they’re so visible on television,” said the German designer Konstantin Grcic.



2. The shirt



Nike again. Firstly, it scores eco-points for making its 2010 World Cup shirts from recycled polyester. Each shirt is made from up to eight plastic bottles, rescued from landfill sites in Japan and Taiwan, then melted down to produce polyester yarn. Nike claims that this will save as many as 13 million plastic bottles from clogging up landfill sites, as well as using 30 percent less energy.



Secondly, Nike scoops my personal prize for designing the most stylish shirt. Infuriating though it was to see its wearer play quite so well in his team’s opening game against (my favorite) England, it goes to the graphically patterned orange and black shirt of the American goalkeeper, Tim Howard. Even the patterned sleeves have a practical purpose. The contrasting colors and shapes were designed to attract the attention of menacing strikes, and then to distract them, because the fragmented pattern distorts the goalie’s silhouette. This makes the striker — or so Nike’s color theory goes — likelier to kick the ball nearer to the keeper.



Although Nike also wins the booby prize for lumbering the rest of the U.S. team with the ugliest shirts in the tournament — those dreary blue ones with white “sashes” that make the players look like wannabe cheerleaders.



3. The logo



On to another loser. As a Londoner, I’m treading on thin ice here, given that my city is threatening to unleash one of the direst logos ever designed for the 2012 Olympic Games, but this loser is the official symbol of the 2010 World Cup.



The designer — Gaby de Abreu of the Johannesburg design group Switch — did at least try to liven it up by depicting a map of Africa in the colors of the South African flag. But the end result is too fussy, and blunders by showing a soccer player doing an illegal “bicycle kick.”



That said, this logo isn’t as bad as London 2012’s atrocity. It commits the lesser design crime of being as mediocre as its predecessors. Can you remember any of them? Thought not. Depressingly, it has been all of 40 years since the design of the most memorable World Cup logo — the deconstructed ball and trippily striped lettering of the emblem of the 1970 tournament in Mexico.



4. The ball



Now for that ball. FIFA, the World Cup organizer, commissions a new ball for every tournament in return for a multimillion-dollar licensing fee from the manufacturer — usually Adidas. A blazing argument over the ball’s design has become a World Cup ritual as the players adjust to it. The loudest grumbles come from goalies, who usually complain that it swerves, spins or slips too much.



That is exactly what happened in 2006, and has happened again with Adidas’s new Jabulani ball, though the criticism has been unusually fierce this time. That said, some experts believe that the problems stem not from the ball, but the dramatic difference in altitude between the South African cities where the games are played.



“I’ve yet to see anything to suggest that the ball is behaving erratically, but the change in altitude and air density — 20 percent between Cape Town and Johannesburg — will make a difference,” said Steve Haake, professor of sports engineering at Sheffield Hallam University in England.



“The ball is likely to swerve less in Johannesburg, fly higher. Its position could change by two diameters in a typical goal shot, which is confusing. We saw the same problems in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, the last one when altitude was a key factor.”



Mr. Haake is confident that the players will adjust to the impact of changing altitude as the tournament continues. But it will take rather longer for sports scientists and designers to crack the underlying problem — the extreme complexity of the aerodynamics of spheres, including soccer balls. Brace yourself for another storm over ball design at the 2014 World Cup.



Finally



Any skeptics who’re wondering what design has to do with sport should consider the following. What was the best-designed World Cup? Mexico in 1970, not just because of the logo, but the Telstar ball that has been the default design for soccer balls ever since. And which World Cup treated us to the best soccer? Ditto.

The Game and the Shoe

A POP-UP museum and store have opened in Harlem to celebrate basketball and sneaker heritage, as part of the World Basketball Festival hosted by Nike, Jordan and Converse. The store is selling T-shirts highlighting the national basketball teams competing in exhibition games (left, $30 off the rack, $35 customized).


Enlarge This Image
Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times

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Scouting Report (August 12, 2010) Hyperdunk 2010 sneakers are $120. BLVD 134, the store, is at 2504 Fredrick Douglass Boulevard (at 134th Street); (646) 380-0259; Ballroom, the gallery, is at No. 2490, (646) 380-0257 (above, the Jersey Wall at the gallery). Open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; closing Sept. 15. Downtown, Nike’s 255 Studio at 255 Elizabeth Street (at Prince Street), (212) 625-3504, is dedicated to basketball.

Arsenal confirm signing of Sebastien Squillaci

Sebastien Squillaci will be available for Arsenal's Champions League campaign. Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA

Arsenal have completed the signing of the French defender Sebastien Squillaci from Sevilla.
The Gunners manager, Arsène Wenger, has confirmed that the deal for the 30-year-old centre-back has been sealed after the Spanish club accepted an offer last week.

"We needed a centre-back of quality and experience if possible, and at the right price – he was all of that," said Wenger. "He is a real defender and is good in the one against one, good in the air, and can score goals on set-pieces as well. I believe he will be suited to the English game."
Squillaci will not play in Saturday's Premier League game at Blackburn but will be eligible for the Champions League campaign.
The former Lyon centre-half, who joined Sevilla two years ago, asked to be left out of the side for the Champions League play-off against Braga last week so he would not be cup-tied for European competition.

Squillaci will strengthen an Arsenal rearguard weakened by the departures of William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre, Sol Campbell and Philippe Senderos.

Arsenal are also keen on the Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, with the Cottagers turning down two bids for the 37-year-old. Wenger refused to rule out bringing in any more players ahead of the transfer deadline, but insisted no deals were imminent.

"We are where we are – we have four great keepers and it is important we give confidence to them for the next game," Wenger said. "I do not rule it out, but at the moment I say I am not in a position to sign anybody. At the moment, it is all dead."

Wenger, though, indicated players could still move overseas, with full-back Armand Traoré looking set to leave for Benfica.

"I believe the transfer window should have been over already for a long time, because it should stop when the championship starts for domestic transfers, internationally it should go on until 31 August because not everybody starts at the same time," he said.

County cricket – live!

Yorkshire managed to hold out for a draw at Scarborough after a Hampshire declaration on 498 for six had put them 176 runs in front with a minimum of 71 overs remaining on the fourth day of the County Championship match.

Although the visitors tried hard to achieve an unlikely victory, Yorkshire were never put under any undue pressure and the game came to a close when they were able to declare on 225 for four.

The result was still a big disappointment for Yorkshire, who were only able to pick up seven points. Although they remain in third place in the table they may now need to win both of their remaining matches - against leaders Nottinghamshire and Kent - if they are to snatch the title.

In contrast, Hampshire will feel quite happy travelling home with 11 points which were sufficient to move them further away from any relegation fears.

Jimmy Adams and James Vince had already put on 215 for the fourth wicket when they resumed their partnership on the final morning with Hampshire on 367 for three and leading by 45.

They continued to exact a heavy toll on the bowling, both batsmen striking sixes off Adil Rashid, and Vince swept the leg-spinner for four to raise the 400 in the 106th over and bring Hampshire a fifth batting bonus point.

The stand overtook the previous record for the fourth wicket at North Marine Road of 258 between Phil Robinson and David Byas for Yorkshire against Kent in 1989 and it went on exceed the previous Hampshire highest for the fourth wicket of 263 by Roy Marshall and David Livingstone against Middlesex at Lord's in 1970.
It had reached a massive 278 when opener Adams finally departed for 196 from 343 balls with 27 fours and a six after occupying the crease for 113 overs. He failed to connect while trying to hit Steve Patterson through midwicket and lost his middle stump

Champions League 2010-11: have your say on the draw

Harry Redknapp's Tottenham face Inter in the Champions League. Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images
After a ceremony that lasted approximately 10 hours, we have the Champions League draw for 2010 and there are some intriguing match-ups in Europe's top club competition.
Spurs were delighted to go through against Young Boys last night, their reward is a date with the competition's holders, Internazionale. Will Inter be a different proposition now that José Mourinho has gone or will Rafael Benítez's experience against English opposition come to his aid?

There's a British element to Group C as Manchester United face Rangers. Valencia and Turkey's Bursaspor are also in what looks like a tricky group. The Premier League champions, Chelsea, should go through from a group that also features Marseille, Spartak Moscow, MSK Zilina. Arsenal face a long trip to Shakhtar Donetsk in Group H.

Group G perhaps provides the biggest clash of the group stages. Milan will play Real Madrid and another former champion, Ajax, make up the group along with Auxerre.

Do you see any potential upsets in the group stage? And which one so you think will provide the most entertainment?

Men's Jeremy Scott License Plate

Jeremy Scott redefines the hi-top again for this season, representing for the east coast. Using an '80s classic in the shape of the Instinct, a hip-hop and court favourite, the exaggerated tongue size harks back to a period of sneaker bravado with an instantly recognisable metal licence plate detail that represents for New York, finished with a laser engraved signature and a Jeremy Scott logo sockliner. Beyond street level, Jeremy's taking it to the roads this year.

Men's Jeremy Scott Biker Tux Jacket

Inspired by a classic biker jacket, Jeremy Scott brings some glamour to the grit for this soft fleece creation, with touches of tuxedo, via a satin lining and tuxedo tail alongside the belts and straps for something that's utterly unique.


•80% Cotton/20% Polyester

Men's KZK Shell Jacket

No KZK OByO collection is complete without Kazuki's eyecatching vision of the ultimate technical outerwear, and this is no exception. This shell jacket cleverly combines an updated 3D body construction, lighter waterproof 2L Diaplex fabric, waterproof zippers and ventilation inserts with an outstanding graphic design inspired by our iconic footwear outsoles.








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PF Flyers Astor

Owww, PF Flyers getting fancy. Sometimes you have to give a big “F You” to toning it down, and throw a shoe together using a bundle of materials and a couple different colors. Patent leather, suede and infrared and metallic silver makes this Astor model a definite attention-getter. Look for them to hit PF Flyers retailers soon.


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Chuck Taylor Suede

Anything done-up in suede is better right? That’s the case as far as this aptly-titled Converse All Star Suede goes. The sneaker has all the DNA of a regular Chuck Taylor, but the upper is just a little more classy than usual. Cop ‘em now HERE for $60

Nike Sportswear BW/TN

What do you get when you combine a Nike Classic BW with a Nike Air Max TN? This Nike Sportswear BW/TN—a retro hybrid that looks like the two sneakers could’ve been combined from the start. No hard release date for these yet, so consider this a preview, but check for them to hit Nike Sportswear retailers in the next few weeks.

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