Orthodox Priest Condemns Puma's World Cup Tricks

Alexander Shumsky, a Russian Orthodox priest who is also a member of the Russian Writers Union, gave the foot fashion on World Cup players the boot.   

Shumsky's critique is centered on the bright colors of the Puma Trick shoes, which were designed for the 2014 World Cup being held in Brazil.

Puma's reasoning for the exotic color palate for the football boots was because Brazil is all about vibrant colors. The context for Shumsky condemning the World Cup as anathema has not been widely circulated outside of Russia.  However, the thrust of the critique does mirror the homosexual tolerance controversy which shrouded the 2014 Winter Olympics. 

Shumsky's perspective on FIFA had better lighten up, considering that Vladimir Putin has secured the 2018 World Cup in Russia, with the finals being held in Sochi.  Maybe by then the hotels in Sochi will be finished.

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FIFA Follies

Kudos to Mark Stobbart, an English actor who combined surreal cartoon sensibilities from Monty Python shorts with his love of football to create 442oons as a way to satirize the soccer community. 

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Out of This World World Cup Fanaticism

It seems that World Cup fever has spread out of this world.  Astronauts on the International Space Station are following the F.IF.A. World Cup championship.

 European Space Agency Astronaut Alexander Gerst of Germany offered a non-partisan message of encouragement to participants in the 2014 World Cup being held in Brazil.

One wonders if this good will holds for the Germany-Team USA match up in Recife on June 26th.

In the meanwhile, the ISS Astronauts showed their soccer skills in space.

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What the "L" NFL ?

The National Football League is taking a hiatus on its classical finish to a season in 2016. Since 1971, the NFL championship game known the world over as the  Super Bowl has been marked by Roman Numerals.  However, when the Super Bowl is played at the San Francisco Giant's new stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 7, 2016, the game will be marketed as Super Bowl 50.

The reason for the change is neither Common Core compliance nor a concession to fans struggling with concussions.  The reason is purely aesthetic.  Keith Bruce, the president of the San Francisco Bay Area Host Committee, lobbied for a change from the "L" as it was time.  However, there is also speculation that contemporary audiences may equate the "L" with Loser.

For it's part, Jaime Weston, the NFL Vice President of Brand and Creative, noted that her team had tried 73 different versions of the Super Bowl 50 logo but could not find a design which was pleasing to the eye.

The NFL will market two types of logos for Super Bowl 50. Both will feature the Arabic Numerals "50" in gold, as a nod to Northern California's history when James Wilson Marshall striking gold at Sutter's Mill in 1849 and sparked a gold rush of prospectors to the Golden State. 

Both the national and the regional logos will feature the Lombardi Trophy.  The regional logo will also include Bay area landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, the TransAmerica tower as well as Levi's Stadium.

While Latin teachers and classic scholars may be dismayed at migrating away from Roman numerals, it should be noted that traditions associated with the Big Game have evolved over time.  The championship game was not even called "The Super Bowl" until its third iteration.  In fact, the NFL did not even trademark "The Super Bowl" for a few months afterwards. The touch of the Roman Numerals followed in 1971.

The NFL insists that this will be a one year hiatus, and that it will return in 2017 for Super Bowl LI.  If it is true that NFL branding was worried about unfortunate associations with the big "L", what will they do in 2025, which it is Super Bowl LIX?

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Giving 2 Cents on 50 Cent's 1st Pitch

The ceremonial first pitch is a longtime baseball tradition  in baseball when a celebrity throws a ball to mark the end of the pregame festivities and the start of the game.  This guest of honor can be a politician, a sponsor of a giveaway or a celebrity.  Hence, Presidents, Wookies, and Rappers have taken to the mound for the ceremonial first pitch. 

It used to be that the guest of honor would throw a ball from the grandstand.  However the ceremonial first pitch changed after Ronald Reagan took to the field for a Baltimore Oriole game.  Now it is sine qua non for the honoree to take to the mound to perform the ceremony.  Taking to the center of the diamond draws more attention and more pressure for the guest of honor to perform.  It was important for the national morale after the terror attacks on America that the Commander in Chief threw well for at the World Series at Yankee Stadium --fortunately, President George W. Bush delivered. 

This season, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was lambasted for a blasé first pitch for the Met's Opening Day.  Alas, for Mr. Met, that is not the only throw at Citi Field in 2014 which will live in infamy. Curtis Jackson a.k.a.  the rapper 50 Cents was asked to make the ceremonial first pitch at the Mets-Pirates game.

It was a struggle for the Mets announcer to put a positive spin on this ceremony. Jackson may find confidence attractive but giving my two cents, 50 Cents should not give up his day job.  

The Washington Post developed a tongue-in-cheek infographic charting the best and worst ceremonial first pitches.

The chart was informative and entertaining, but there was no need to include T-Rex, Santa Claus or the Cookie Monster, when Chewbacca has actually made ceremonial first pitches.