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Why the New Balance 991 is Good For Football
Last Updated on Friday, 02 April 2010 03:04 Written by Nay Saturday, 07 July 2007 09:54
Why the New Balance 991 is Good For Football
By Scott M Beshenich
The New Balance 991 is a great shoe for many sports. The shoe is known for being great for running and for walking. What a lot of people may not know is there is also a version of the shoe for football. The football 991 has many great features and I'll be talking about them in this article. Football is a rough sport and requires a lot on your legs and feet. So be sure to read this article before you head out onto the field and start butting heads.
One of the first thing that makes the New Balance 991 good for football, is the trademarked lock down liner. This is integrated into the lacing providing a snug fit without smothering your foot too much. Football requires a lot of running and the lockdown liner will keep your shoes feeling great the whole time.
Another thing that makes the 991 good for football is, the patented lightning dry liner. This other liner will keep your feet dry and comfortable through your entire workout. So even if your training on a wet field your feet will remain dry even after you take them off.
Also, some of the other features on this shoe make it one of a kind. The TPU detachable cleats, the stability web which provides mid-foot support and reduces the weight of the shoe. You can't forget the EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate) foam mid-sole for even more cushioning.
So if your looking for a great football shoe, look for the New Balance 991 men's team sports football shoe. It'll keep your feet comfortable in all conditions as well as keep you dry. Above I've named some reasons that the New Balance 991 is a great football shoe. All you have to do now is go buy a pair and you'll see exactly what I mean.
This article was written by the Webmaster of Shoechampion.com - Scott Beshenich
Shoe Champion.com New Balance 991 articles and buying guide.
For another great article about the New Balance 991 go to Advantages of the 991.
2010 Fantasy Football Auction Draft Values
Last Updated on Friday, 02 April 2010 03:05 Written by Nay Saturday, 07 July 2007 09:54
2010 Fantasy Football Auction Draft Values
By Josh Reitan
Fantasy Football auctions have to be the most fun 2-3 hours one can spend. So much of the season rides on those decisions. The auction has so much more potential for smashing success and dismal failure then a draft does. In an auction the price for any player is set by the market and when the market is 10-12 guys pounding beers it has the potential for wild variations. Meaning you can easily extremely overpay for a player or underpay and steal a player. When you do a draft these extremes just do not exist. Sure someone can reach for a player too early and another player can fall a little ways but the peak to valley difference in a draft no way approaches that of an auction. The other great part is because everyone is on equal footing you all have the some potential for success and failure. Where in a draft you may know a player has dropped way too far but if you are still 3 picks away and you can not act on it.
So with that preamble out of the way lets look at the 2010 fantasy football auction values produced by us as Fantasy Fortunes. The full list with player descriptions is at the website below. These values are based on a 10 team league with everyone starting with $100. If you are in a 12 team league take these numbers times 120% and I would also weight RB a little more heavily do to the diluted RB pool.
Atop the list is Chris Johnson $44, he finished strong and after the first several weeks was clearly the guy everyone wished they had. There is no reason to think he will not repeat next season. Every other RB has some level of baggage which Chris Johnson has none of.
Next is Adrian Peterson at $40, he is $4 less for a reason, FUMBLES. This is a major problem and MN is getting tired of it. He is still the man and has huge upside but turnovers cost them the Superbowl and Peterson gets benched when he fumbles.
The next two MJD and Ray Rice are at $35 and $34 and I think could be the steal of the auction at that price. Both should have great years and have very limited baggage. Next is Turner at $30 here is where the real baggage starts. The injury issue is a big deal but so are his TD totals. Big risk big reward potential.
I feel like there is a tier break here Frank Gore and Steven Jackson round out the top RBs at $27 and $25 both have good upside but both disappeared at times. Gore also seems to get nicked up each year.
Next we get into the WR's we like Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald at $24 and $23. Johnson gets the edge as he keeps his QB though both are animals and should produce good safe numbers.
Now we round out the 1st round of what would be a draft if your a caveman and still prefer drafting to auctions, we have Cedric Benson, Ryan Grant, Jamall Charles and DeAngelo Williams all for $22-$21. All have similar upside though I think the later two have the most. They all should be safe and do well but also have the potential for big games I think one of these 4 will finish in the top 3 of RBs for 2010. I like the idea of taking 2 of these guys and if they go at these prices and still have half my discretionary money left to round out my team.
The next WR on the list is Vincent Jackson at $20. Everyone knew this guy had it in him and he finally showed it. I would not be surprised if he is the #1 WR next year. Really like him and really like him at this price.
Now we get into the $19 grab bag of WR, QB and RB we have Mendenhall, Wayne, Rodgers, Brees, Desean Jakson, and Brandon Marshall. All with tremendous upside albeit Mendenahall. Wayne scares me a little he disappeared at the end of last season, though losing the Superbowl makes me think Wayne and Manning come out next season with an air of "The last ride of Wyatt Earp and his immortals." Which brings us to Manning, Austin and Moss at $18. One WR on the way up the other on the way down. The only question is who would you rather have?
The $17 level gives us Thomas Jones and Ronnie Brown. One guy who you think will get hurt (Jones) and one who is a lottery ticket winner if he does not (Brown). If your picking between these two the gambler takes Brown the guy who holds 95% bonds in his portfolio goes Jones. For me I would take Brown.
We take a $2 price drop for Calvin Johnson and Beanie Wells. Both these guys are a throw of the dice though Megatron does OK even when a Junior College transfer is throwing him the ball, the only problem is I don't see the situation improving next year. If the Lions get a QB move him up the list. As for Wells if the job is his he could be huge. Training camp should be interesting here.
$14 will get you your choice of Moreno or Boldin to be honest they both scare me. I could see either one having a terrible season though their upside warrants this price.
Addai $13 That Superbowl may have moved him up a bit. I keep thinking ok this is his last good year. He and Thomas Jones surprise me every year. Next is the $12 teir we have Kevin Smith, Pierre Thomas and Tom Brady. I think Pierre has the most upside of the bunch but man do they throw a lot and with Bush still there I don't like it. This is officially the point where I will not allow myself to spend any less on my starting running backs. If I am being completely honest the lack of quality RBs in 2010 makes me sketchy about anything below the Ronnie Brown level. Tom Brady could be a good buy here if he returns to form. I think Kevin Smith benefits as well if the Lions get a real QB.
We drop $2 again to the $10 WR bin. Sidney Rice, Greg Jennings, Roddy White and Steve Smith. If Farve is back Rice is the best of the bunch if he is not then I like Smith the best if not only based on the Vikings game at the end of the season. He still has it and has great upside. Jennings and White scare me, I liked both of them a lot coming into 2009 and was very disappointed, with the year Rodgers had Jennings should have been a monster. Perhaps he will sync better with Rodgers next year.
$9 gets you some sexy options Matt Schaub Dallas Clark and Antonio Gates. All the sudden there are so many good plays at TE. If you are forced to play a TE in your league make sure you get Clark, Gates, Gonzo, Davis or Daniels. For me personally I'll leave Gonzo to someone else but the crop of TE is so good that you should not have to over pay: but don't get stuck without one of the elite.
Next we get Vernon Davis as good as the others just a $1 cheaper.
The $7 pool is all over the place Ochocinco, Rivers, Daniels (amazing value), Forte and Jonathon Stewart (minus $1 for how he spells Jonathon). I really like Forte at this price. He has tremendous upside. I actually like Rivers at this price as well. I don't advocate spending a lot on QB since you can fish the waiver wire all season and do OK but I think you get good point separation over the waiver wire strategy with Rivers.
Rounding out the list at $6 is Colston, Steve Smith, Holmes and Romo. Colston is the value of the bunch. He will go for more in your auction so if you really want him be prepared to drop $10 or more. I fear Smith will not be the best WR on the Giants next season though that might be OK I just think Nicks could be great. Holmes is all over the place some love him some hate him so he will probably go for more but I think this is the right price. As for Romo I think the only reason he made the list was so we could make our peacock joke (see the list).
That is it. Check out the list at the website below.
http://www.FantasyFortunes.com
Smart Stadia in Football
Last Updated on Friday, 02 April 2010 03:05 Written by Nay Saturday, 07 July 2007 09:54
Smart Stadia in Football
By Steve Beecroft
Many stadia managers and clubs are investigating smart technologies such as multi-application smartcards, cashless payment, near field communications (NFC), and short message service (SMS) to provide a better customer experience, generate additional revenue and deliver cost efficiencies. The stadia sector can use any combination of smart technologies to provide a more enjoyable experience for customers, including easy access to the event, convenient ticket purchase, shorter queues within the stadium - which will also provide opportunities to generate additional revenue for the club.
On the surface, these time-saving technologies sound like the way forward, and indeed the growing view from early adopters is that they are. However, it is important to understand that clubs and their customers will not receive the maximum benefits from these technologies without a holistic approach to the underlying customer relationship management (CRM) system within the organisation.
Some stadia have already deployed single-use smartcards, some have piloted dual-use cards and one or two have small NFC trials. However most are not moving beyond using the smartcard for season tickets, with access to the stadium only. They are, therefore, missing out on the extensive benefits that could be achieved if they adopted a fully integrated smart technology scheme and interfaced that with an existing CRM system.
CRM is not necessarily needed for a smart technology scheme to deliver many of the customer benefits. However, if the club is to realise the scheme's benefits around increased revenue, then a fully integrated CRM is essential. A fully integrated CRM system that is planned and implemented well can help stadia managers ensure the security of the stadium and the safety of customers. It will also provide clubs with data that can be used to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy.
Benefits for customer and club
Implementing a multi-application smart technology scheme with a card management system (CMS) that interfaces directly with the CRM gives customers access to a number of functions via a single smartcard or mobile phone. These functions can include access to the stadium, cashless payment, an information and club news service in the stadium and other locations (such as train stations and shopping centres), ticket purchasing from smart posters (which can again be positioned both in the stadium and in other locations), e-ID and e-booking.
Besides improving the customer experience, benefits to the club can include better marketing information enabling more targeted marketing campaigns, efficiencies in back office processing, increased revenue, cost reductions (including savings on tickets and merchandise), increased attendances and help in resolving the 'half-time challenge' of serving all customers.
Marketing opportunities
It is simply not possible to develop a truly comprehensive-customer centric marketing approach without a smart technology scheme. Until all the interactions the customer has with a club are recorded in a central repository for analysis, the full picture is not understood. For example, if a club knows that a customer purchased a child's shirt it is able to offer related children's products at a discounted rate or a family-oriented matchday experience. If a commuter downloads a fixture list from a non-integrated smart poster in a train station but did not purchase the item, a club can offer them a reduction on a matchday ticket for the next home game or a fixture that is known to have low attendance. If it is known that a customer has an NFC-enabled phone then it is possible to promote the day's kick-off to them. Deliver that promotion via SMS along with a 'bring a friend' offer, and it can be transferred to a friend or family member via NFC. Throw in an offer on a club-branded NFC phone from the club shop or website and this may generate even more revenue. If a season ticket holder missed a game or a number of games the club could then use this information in future communications to the customer - alerting them to a different ticketing package that better meets their needs, thereby securing the support of a customer that was potentially thinking of leaving, and improving customer relations.
Community initiatives
Linking with activities beyond stadia turnstiles has long been the ambition of many clubs. Activities such as the promotion of healthy eating in schools, already a key goal for some clubs, and harmonising with local transport are especially interesting for clubs planning new out-of-town stadia. Not only do such initiatives demonstrate the club's social conscience, they also promote healthy living and green programmes. The most impressive thing about adopting the use of a smartcard operated by a third party is that other organisations are promoting the club and its activities.
As part of the UK government's national project 'Building Schools for the Future' many schools already have or are implementing smartcard schemes for access, registration, and cashless catering. Once even a simple smartcard scheme exists within a school, it is simple to include a reward scheme for attendance, merit, healthy eating and so on that can be recorded at the school and rewarded by the club, for example with a stadia tour, or the chance to meet a player or manager for the day.
The Department for Transport's National Transport Ticketing Strategy has issued eight million smartcards through every local authority in the UK for free travel on local buses. Therefore the underlying infrastructure would be compatible with a stadia smart technology scheme, thus linking with local transport is also technically straightforward and has already been considered by at least two English Football League clubs.
Revenue gains
The cashable benefits available from a smart technology scheme within a stadia environment can be better understood by looking at an example of a customer's experience as they interact with an integrated CRM system.
Firstly the customer would need to register various bits of information with the club's supporters card scheme and select specific services such as NFC, SMS and so on. On match day, they could receive an SMS alerting them to an early bird offer at the stadium. The SMS could also include travel information. Once at the stadium, the customer could access the car park, pay for parking and access the stadium via a smartcard or NFC-enabled mobile phone, eliminating the need to produce paper tickets. Once the customer is in the stadium, they could be alerted of a discount in the stadium shop through a smart poster or SMS message. The message could even be targeted to that specific customer - for example, wishing them a happy birthday and offering a free drink at a stadium kiosk.
Ricoh Arena
This example may seem futuristic to some, but actually the technology exists today and most clubs are missing out on significant benefits. For example, Daniel Gidney, chief executive of the Ricoh Arena (the home of Coventry City Football Club) explained to the delegates of Stadia Design and Technology 2008 how, by just introducing cashless payment, the average transaction time dropped from over a minute to between 20-30 seconds. In May 2009 Gidney reinforced this in reference to catering kiosk sales. "The biggest change has been an increased penetration - which is the number of transactions as a percentage of the retail audience - from 45% to 55%. This in itself represents an average increase over the season, year on year, of 22%. Our current match record is 63%," he said. "We are now targeting an increase of the average from 55% up to 60%. Our record 'spend per head' was £2.67 for the Chelsea cup game, where the average is normally £2.10 to £2.20. So the key for all of this is a dramatic increase, in the teeth of a recession, of people buying at the kiosk. This gave us a double benefit of increased transactions and turnover, and a happy fan who doesn't have to queue that long."
Let's assume that an element of this average spend increase is due to better transactional-based data. However, if targeted marketing encouraged every customer to spend just £2 more per game, on all merchandise, the annual revenue for a Premiership football club would increase by £780,000, if on average 20,000 customers attended every home league match. That figure increases for Championship and League clubs (as clubs in these tiers play more League games) and also when home cup matches are considered.
The use of simple smartcard schemes in the stadia environment has increased over the past two years. Although significant revenue-generating opportunities exist, some clubs that are adopting the smart technology are justifying the investment on the need to improve the customer experience. "The primary aim is to reward the fans," said Michael Jones from Watford Football Club, when asked about smart technologies and fully integrated CRM systems.
In summary, smart technologies linked through a fully integrated CRM system would enable clubs to increase their revenue, reduce their overall operational costs, and improve the customer experience. Although it may have been difficult in the past for clubs to integrate their systems, the technology solutions and specialists are now available to help them navigate the smart technology pathways and allow them to achieve maximum benefit for themselves and their customers from smart technology schemes fully integrated with the club's existing CRM system.
Steve Beecroft is a smart technologies consultant with Consulting Smart Ltd. Beecroft founded the company in 2006 to meet the needs of clients within local authorities and financial services sectors. Since its start, Consulting Smart has expanded into the transportation and sports stadia areas, offering advice from concept and feasibility through to design planning, build, implementation, and benefit realisation. +44 208 123 0811,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, http://www.consultingsmart.co.uk, http://www.smartstadia.com
Football Socks - Show Your Colors and Stay Comfortable
Last Updated on Friday, 02 April 2010 02:56 Written by Nay Wednesday, 20 August 2008 10:11
Football Socks - Show Your Colors and Stay Comfortable
By John Parkhamson
Football socks are a necessity if you are on a team. Most times you will need these in the team's colors, although for practices you will likely be allowed to wear whatever color you would like to. Some teams are more strict on regulations than others are, so be sure to talk to your coach (or the coaching assistant) if there is any question on the uniform code. Many teams have a company that they use to order uniforms, including all accessories. Some teams though, will let you order spare apparel and backup equipment from the company of your choice as long as it meets the uniformity requirements. This route is usually a lot more economic than direct ordering from the team's choice company, so it is certainly something to ask about if budget is a concern.
You can find football socks to fit all sizes of feet. They come in youth sock sizes 4 to 9 for both boys and girls. Those sizes correspond to shoe sizes 5 toddler through 5 youth. They are available for men in sock sizes 9 to 18. These correspond to shoe sizes 4.5 through 16. The women's sock sizes range from nine to 13. This corresponds to women's shoes sizes 6 through 12. You will find that there are rainbows of colors available. There solids colors, striped colors and even patterns. No matter what your uniform looks like, you should be able to find numerous colors and patterns that will match! If you have checked with your coach and it is okay to deviate a little on practice days, it is fun to mix it up and wear a pair with a pattern or image on them.
Football socks are made from nylon, acrylic and elastic. These materials lend the sock structure, staying ability and breathability. Structure is good for helping hold any necessary pads or straps that may be part of the uniform. You must have a sock that is going to stay in place. Can you imagine watching a game and seeing the player continually pulling at his sock? No, imagine trying to play like that! Impossible! Or, at the least, extremely annoying. Even though nylon and acrylic are both synthetic, they still allow feet a bit of breathing room thanks to new technology that helps wick moisture away from feet. Dry feet means less odor, less chance of injury and less chance of athlete's foot! Pick up some football socks with this ability. That is something you will not regret!
The cost of football socks will vary by company. Most will fall in the three dollar to twelve dollar range. Some may be higher priced, but they may also offer increased performance. It is probably not a good idea to but the least expensive pair just due to price. They may not last as long, stay up as well or keep your feet as dry as a pair that is only a couple of dollars more.
Football sock styles vary more than one would think. Footbal socks are a must for any serious football players
Best Young Players in Football Manager 2010
Last Updated on Friday, 02 April 2010 03:06 Written by Nay Saturday, 07 July 2007 09:54
Best Young Players in Football Manager 2010
By David J P Smith
With the release of Football Manager 2010 on the PC men everywhere around the world have once again become glued to their computer screens as they try to take their football club to the top. One of the most exciting and most rewarding things that you can do in Football Manager is to find a great young player (promising 'young players' are usually less than 20 years old), train him up and turn him into a world beater.
This is easier said than done, however, since finding youngsters with great potential can often be quite difficult. Luckily, I've compiled a list of the best young players in the game:
Romelo Lukaku - Playing for Belgian club Anderlecht, Lukaku is just 16 at the start of the game, but is already showing signs of turning into a world class striker. He can be bought for as little as £1.5m and is an absolutely essential signing.
Mario Balotelli - Described as 'Super Mario' by in the Inter Milan fans, Balotelli is an exceptional young striker. To capture his signature you'll need to pay around £30m at the start of the game, so for small clubs it's often best trying to sign cheaper players.
Nicolas Otamendi - One of the best young defenders in the game. Otemendi can be bought for around £3.5m at the start, and his speed and strength mean he can slot into almost any team straight away.
Joe Mattock - While not the flashiest player in the game, and one that will rarely grab any headlines, Mattock is one of the most reliable players in the game and is one of the few players that can be developed into a genuine world-class left back (there are many good attacking left backs in the game, but few can defend half as well as Joe can).
David has been writing articles for nearly 4 years. Come visit his latest websites about the Artificial Topiaries and his other website about Paintball Pods.
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