Chewie's Universe

End of the line....

2008-02-05T20:36:00Z

Had two sessions in the past 5 days (last Thursday, and Monday), and I can honestly say I am beat! I have tendonitis in both feet, and it really took a toll this week. Last Thursday was our last session with Buschy, and he made it fun yet imformative. We worked on our angle play, and footwork coming accross the goal. My hands are there, I hold on to the vast majority of shots, and my footwork has improved, but still not to the level I would like. I am going to start doing basic footwork drills in my basement to keep the momentum going. I still have a weakness pushing off to my left, but I think in time it will become easier for me.

Since Jon had to go to his real job this week (MLS spring training in Florida and Mexico...lucky bugger), Andy Brinkman who is the goalkeeper coach at Ohio State University took over. Man, I have not sweat and worked that hard in long time. Andy mixed in some plyometrics with some footwork, which absolutley killed me (and especially my feet). I struggled to keep up for the first 5-10 minutes, but was then in the swing. Did very well on the extension dives, and holding on to the ball, but still am a little slow to making the power moves to my left. We finished up with some straight on shooting drills, which I did fairly well. The only stuff that beat me was corner type stuff, but I was still disappointed I did not snag one or two that went in.

All in all it was a fantastic experience, and I have to thank Jon, Andy G, and Andy B for great sessions. All really know their stuff, and the training was instructional, but very enjoyable. I have lost about 15 pounds, so I am on my way to meeting my goal. Three or 4 of the adult keepers in my group have expressed interest in doing a similar camp in April, and we will also be training on our own to keep the learning/fitness process alive. It was great to get some real training, and to be honest, I could do this week in and week out until I am unable to strap on the boots! Thanks for reading, and everyones positive comments.

Cheers,

Greg (Fat Nick, soon to be Svelt Nick!)

Making good progress

2008-01-29T03:42:00Z

I thought tonight was by far my best showing. I felt light on my feet, and my hands were pretty quick. I was able to use my footwork more tonight, and felt my steps were quicker and lighter for sure. I am still having some problems pushing off my left foot, but with each session, I feel more confident, and sure of my technique.

Buschy still embarassed me a few times with some good serves to the corner, but I think I let in a total of two all night, which I was proud of. One thing I will say for Jon is that he strikes a perfect ball. Enough pace to work you, but spot on target 95 out of 100 serves. His legs may be the size of a 13 year old girl, but he really gets some punch on the ball when needed (I will pay for that one later im sure!!)...

I really enjoy seeing these guys get better. None of the adult GK's have had ANY proper training (minus myself), and most are converted field players. They have all show vast improvements, and that is a credit to how well Buschy trains us. With each week they all are a step quicker, catch more balls cleanly, and show improved technique.

We have another session Thursday before Jon heads off to pre season training, and I am looking forward to stepping it up to the next level.

Cheers,

Greg (slightly less Fat Nick)

Footwork, and the NSCAA

2008-01-22T04:17:00Z

Well tonight was better, but I am still relying on diving more than I should. I am focussing on improving my footwork first and foremost. As tonight went on, it did get better, but I still let in a few I was not happy with. Andy Gruenebaum (goalkeeper for the Crew) did our session tonight. He was very positive, and really knows his technique. I will continue to work hard, and hopefully will show some real improve ment next week.

On to the convention. It was much larger than I thought it would be. The first night was insane. It seemed like I spoke to hundreds of people about Sells and Quik Hands, which was fantastic. It gave me an opportunity to meet lots of folks in the industry, and talk about Goalkeeping Products, and Goalkeeping in general. The vast majority of the folks I met were very knowledgeable and freindly. I have to say the Nike/Brine booths were the exception. No one in the Nike booth seemed to interested in the products themselves, and focused on the marketing behind the products. The Brine rep tried real hard, but really did not seem to have any idea about the market, or the products outside of Brine.

The Sondico rep spoke to Vic and I for about an hour, and really seemed interested in our opinions. It was great to see them back in the game. I had a great raport with them in the past, and I think it will be promissing in the future. I was also impressed with the knowledge at the Reusch, and Reebok booths as well. I did not like some of the design aspects of the higher end reebok, or reusch, but the reps explained the reasoning behind the designs, and it seemed like they did their research. Even though I did not like the Uhlsport line, they were very friendly, and it was really good to see Uhlsport back in the states after a long abscence. I should clarify that the only Uhls I did not like were the two High end Akkurat gloves, the rest were well built, and felt very good. Their new hard ground glove was very impressive, although a bit expensive.

Other products that caught my eye were some of the boots. Kelme, Umbro, Puma, Adidas, Diadora, Joma, all had some clean simple, K leather, and Calf leather designs that were quite appealing. They all also had a bunch of plasitc looking boots that I would avoid like the plague.

Overall it was a fantastic experience. I have to thank Jeff Duback at Sells USA, and Dieter Thellman of Quik Hands for having me, and taking good care of me while I was there. It was great to meet OldUS, and I had a great time hanging out with him, and hope to do it again next year. If you get an opportunity to go, do not pass it up.

Cheers,

Greg

Unlearning Bad Habits

2008-01-15T03:25:00Z

I apologize for no blogs...I have really been at a loss for words lately. I will have an updated weekly blog for at least the next 6 weeks covering the NSCAA convention, and my current GK training with Buschy.

So I am in awful awful shape, and I am not ashamed (but embarassed to admit it). I have several freinds who I play in a recreational league who approached me about pulling together a weekly training session so they can learn some technique (none of which are keepers by choice, more out of necessity). I approached Buschy who works at a facility in Columbus called SuperKick (http://www.superkick.com/columbus/index.htm). It is really a fantastic, state of the art training and instruction facility. It is owned by former Ohio State Goalkeeper Jim Waters. Buschy cleared it with Jim, and we were off. We are getting fantasitc training and instruction at an incredibly reasonable rate.

I wanted to be a part of the training for several reasons. One, to get into shape. My goal is to lose 65 lbs this year. It is not going to be easy, but I am on the right track to do so. I also wanted to improve my goalkeeping. I have always been a good indoor keeper, so much so that I was very close to playing professionally, but I have never been completely happy with my outdoor performance. I was so indoor focused after College, that I learned some terrible habits. With Jon's help, we have put together a 6 week "back to basics" course that I am hoping will assist me in my goals.

Tonight was the first session. I was pretty awful, but I can already say I feel like I will improve immensely over the next six weeks. Tonight was just easy footwork, and some begining handeling. My feet felt like anvils. I have never had proper, modern footwork training, and I can already tell that this will be the hardest thing for me to learn. I felt like I had two left feet, but made tiny improvements after each drill. We then moved on to some colapse diving, which I was ok at, but still room for improvement. My greatest asset has always been my hands (from a technique perspective), but I even struggled a bit with that tonight. I look forward to improving, and learning a lot from Jon. I have already earned a self imposed nick name of "Fat Nick" after Nick Rimando. I was called out several times tonight for making the fancy diving save (WHICH I DESPISE) instead of using footwork to get to the ball without diving. I a ready to learn, and look forward to the challenges ahead. I will update everyone next week. Good to be back.

Cheers,

Greg/Fat Nick

My Favorite time of year…..

2007-08-14T18:37:00Z

My Favorite time of year….. With the start of the EPL season, I find myself in a euphoric state of mind. Is there really anything better than this time of the year? All of the Big European leagues have started, or about to, and that feeling is in there air. EPL for me is by far the most entertaining, and exciting league in the world, and I am more than happy it is back. The summer months in the US are a little tough for a non-baseball fan. No American Football, no college sports of any kind, and very little Football on that I truly enjoy. I prefer the European style of play (especially the GK’s) to that of South America or MLS. MLS has taken lots of forward steps in the past few years, but it is hard to compare EPL and MLS. The speed, intensity, and quality is amazing. You just have to look at the first week to see what I mean. Arsenal, Chelsea in barn burners, Liverpool winning on an amazing free kick by Stevie G in the last minute, and Marcus Hannehman almost single handedly earning a point for Reading. Here are my predictions for EPL…Manu winning the league on the last game of the year. Chelsea 2^nd, Liverpool a distant third. I would love to see Villa 4^th, but I think Arsenal or Tottenham will take that spot. My beloved Newcastle, and Blackburn are my tips for Uefa cup spots, and I think Bolton, Derby, and Wigan will go down…I think the Keepers to watch are Tim Howard, Craig Gordon, and Robert Green. Keepers that may struggle this year are Jens (not just because of this past weekend’s Gaff), Jussi, VDS (I think he will lose his spot by the 5^th game), and Reina. Martins to win golden boot (biased pick) with Drogba second due to injury. I think we will see an influx of foreign keepers before the end of the two transfer deadlines, and maybe some of the big name keeps calling it the quits VDS, Given (if injuries continue), and maybe Big Brad Friedel. All in all I think it will be another fantastic year of EPL football. I also love the Bundesliga, French League 1, Eridivise, etc, but nothing seems to get my blood going like a Saturday morning match. Even the lowliest of teams rarely disappoint, and the speed and standard are just amazing. I also like the fact that the weather will soon be cooling, and playing a match on a Sunday will not cause heat stroke…I like to see kids training for school matches, and the smell of fresh cut pitches. I wish fall lasted all year, instead of 3 short months. Till next time, Cheers, Chewie

Chewie's Crystal Ball

2007-07-17T15:21:00Z

So what will the future bring in regards to Football/Soccer equipment….Well I have given this a lot of thought, and here are my predictions.

1. Gloves: I think there will be a continued push to design Fingerprotection style gloves, but with a twist. I think someone will perfect (or as close as you can) the bio mechanical movments of the hand, creating a REAL FP glove. One that not only protects from hyperextension, but jamming/stubbing, and stamped hands as well. I envision some sort of shock absorption type spring at the tips of fingers to prevent stubbing, and a harder exterior shell on the glove that will protect the goalkeepers hands from stamping, or other stepping injuries.

Latex…I think the next several years will finally see a breakthrough in a new palm material (maybe 5-7 years away, if not sooner). Do not get me wrong, their have been lots of breakthroughs in palm materials over the year, but the one consistent ingredient to a high end palm has always been natural latex rubber. I think this is about to change. Plastics and Synthetic rubber materials have come a long way since the first gloves were worn in the early 70’s, and I think that a company will finally “crack the code” in making a durable, shock absorbing, grip enhancing material soon. I honestly doubt the discovery will be meant for GK gloves, but a bi-product of other fields. Folks have mentioned silicon palms, so maybe somewhere along those lines.

Glove Cut’s…I think we have 5 or 6 legitimate glove cuts now (Flat, Negative, Roll, Semi Roll, Semi Negative, Bowl, and other variants), so I can not see the actual cut of gloves changing radically. I do think that companies have made strides on making each cut more functional, and comfortable.

2. Footwear: I can honestly see leather being a think of the past in 10 years. I shutter at that thought, but companies have really begun the push of synthetics materials since the real first high end Synthetic Soccer Boot. (Nike Ronald Mercurial I think)…If you look at each companies top of the line shoes, you will generally see an equal number of synthetic boots (if not more) than traditional leathers. Adidas has the F50 line, along with a synthetic version of its widely popular Predator line. Nike has the T90’s and Vapor’s in mostly synthetic offerings. Lotto, Umbro, Puma, Diadora all have shoes in the mid $100’s to $300 range in pure synthetic boots. I envision a company finally creating a synthetic that stretches…This will be the nail in the coffin for leather shoes. That is the one real reason synthetics have not overtaken leather shoes already. You have to have a perfect size D width foot to fit in the vast majority of synthetics today. Companies can not afford to create a variety of widths, so they keep several leather shoes in the lineup to appeal to those of us with Fred Flinstone feet. If they were to break this barrier, what would be the point in making leather shoes? Leather tanning, and processing is far more expensive than synthetics…You may ask why companies charge more for synthetic boots then….good old fashion profits, that’s why! They know if they slap a fancy name on it, and have Becks showing you how great a shoe it is, that people will buy it in droves….I also see a shoe on the horizon that prevents injury. Not a exo-skeleton per-say, but maybe materials that become stiff or semi rigid when great force is applied to them (sort of like Sells D3o for shoes?). I also see companies producing shoes in the 4-5 oz range. I think the rounded stud will actually make a comeback due to the injuries blades apparently cause. Maybe a different style conical stud will make an appearance in the near future. I prefer playing in bladed studs, but I also prefer someone kicking me has rounded studs…

3. Football/Soccer Balls: This one scares me the most. It is shocking what some of the new balls on the market do when they are struck with any kind of pace or bend now. Can you imagine what the future will bring? The new line of adidas thermo bonded balls are simply shocking to play with when there is a hint of moisture. I think the coatings are now designed specifically to be slippery when wet. Of course adidas, nike, puma would never admit to this, but lets face it, people want to see goals. The easiest way to make the games higher scoring is to make it difficult on the goalkeepers. The new balls do precisely that, and will only get worse. I see a ball that will offer a much higher rate of impact rebound in the future, causing greater velocity and swerve (I think this has been here already for years folks, but it will only get worse).

4 . Textiles: This is going to sound really out there, but I honestly think someone will create a kit that has programmable temperature control. Crazy huh? Obviously it will not have a thermostat, but I can honestly see Under Armour, or a similar company creating a Hot Weather shirt, and a Cold weather shirt that will have a max/min temperature built in to the garment. Hot weather shirt would not reach a temp of 90f +, or Cold weather shirt would not drop below 70f etc…I also see a permadry shirt that will wick away moisture instantly. UA is very close to doing that now, but I think it will dramatically improve in the next several years.

Well what do you think people? Any other soothsayers out there? Please post your thoughts!!

Cheers,

Chewie

Horrible equipment gimics

2007-05-31T18:59:00Z

I first apologize for the time between blogs...no excuse...Every year I get more an more excited for what the equipment companies pass off as the latest and greatest ideas in football gear. Her are some of the WORST ideas ever!

Brine QED: Really? A split toe is going to help you accelrate better? Cut better? this has to be the worst soccer shoe ever produced. Oh yeah, one more thing, did you think about what players would do for socks?

Reebok "the Pig" boot?:

I do not think this was ever released, but I include it none the less. What kind of touch would you get with a boot like this? From the inventor of the predator, it was meant to take the next step...The next step was backwards apprently.

Reusch Terminator and Gauntlet:

The two worst gloves Resuch, and possibly anyone else has created. Pictures = 1000 words.

Uhlsport Vulcan/wide Cut...I have to admit, I thought these looked cool, but could they really be beneficial at all?

Adidas Ball Grip: It was supposed to offer a super tight seal on the ball, but it really offered horrible fit, and feel:

Spalding Infusion:

Well not a bad idea, is it really necessary?

While I respect every company I have listed, you often have to wonder what exactly they were thinking! If anyone has used the above, please report back (good or bad)...Please add your own misfits as well!

Cheers!

Chewie

Make or Break year for MLS?

2007-04-16T15:15:00Z

Well this is the year MLS will either start a new chapter in North American Professional soccer, or will begin its decent into obscurity. I know there is probably some middle ground the MLS could occupy in the fabric of American professional sports, but I honestly think MLS could be a very successful league.

Many things have to happen this year to ensure the long term success of the league. LOOSE the single entity system. MLS will never be taken seriously if teams can not pick and chose their own players, negotiate their own business deals, or operate as they see fit. There were lots of benefits to a single entity league in the beginning, but MLS has been here 11 years, so it is now time to see if teams can stand on their own feet.

Every team needs its own "soccer specific" stadium. You can not have 10,000 people in stadium designed for American Football that holds 70,000...Each club needs a permanent home with proper training facilities, supporters clubs, fan activities, etc....Crew stadium started it off, and it appears each new stadium has improved upon that formula. Lets get it done, and get KC out of Arrowhead (I know Kevin Hartman reads TGB, so I hope he chimes in!).

Stop bastardizing MLS for the US market. No more All-Star game, no more, no more draft, no more playoffs. I do not mind the idea of a grand final, or championship, just make it the two teams who played the best soccer throughout the entire season. Two teams with the most points at the end make the final. Simple as that. No more cheer teams, no more half time shows, no more explanations of how Soccer differs from American Football by the commentary teams. It belittles the intelligence of the hard core fans who are watching the game in the states, and at the same time, it demeans the game itself by comparing and contrasting soccer to sports it has almost nothing in common with, other than name (football).

MLS does not have to solve every problem this year, but they do have to acknowledge them, and improve upon the overall product. Not just the play on the field (which I think shows improvement over last year, but still has a way to go). With the signing of Beckam, Reyna, Wattreus, Schelotto(rumored to be heading to the Crew today) , they have taken a larger step towards improving the overall quality of play.

I think MLS has taken some baby steps into improving the league. More reserve games, the start of a academy system, more corporate sponsorship (especially shirt deals), are all positives, but we need to continue to improve, and emulate the traditional international game, and not a splintered MLS version.

I have to say even with the debacle of Buschy leaving the Crew, and the fact that I swore them off, I find myself more excited about this year than years past. Not just as a Crew fan, but as an American Soccer fan/MLS fan as well. If we have made it this far as a league, we need to make the last leap to become a legitimate league power. I am hoping this is the "make" year, and that all of the things put in place by the league will continue it's improvement.

Till next time,

Chewie

Weekend Internationals

2007-03-26T14:01:00Z

Why are England so poor? I mean, you look at that lineup, and half of the players could play anywhere in the world. Lampard and Gerrard are probably two of the best players I have ever watched play for their respective clubs...Rooney is a maniac, and scores amazing goals, with skills that remind me of greats like Pele, Maradona, etc... John Terry is probably in the top 5 defender in the world, and maybe the best. So why cant England win even against teams that they have no business tying to, let alone losing to? (no offense to Israel, as it appears they have some fantastic players and spirit). Here is my theory. TOO MANY Stars. Most successful teams have roll players who do one thing very well. England has a team of stars, and in my opinion, play HORRIBLY together. No team flow, no sense of urgency, and almost an arrogance on the field that I can not put my finger on. Almost like they expect teams to just step aside and let them win the game...Here is the first thing I would do...Drop either Lampard or Gerrard. One or the other...Than can not seem to play together in the Mid. Not sure why, but they results are proof alone. Next thing I would do, and I hate to say it, is drop McClarren. Only reason I hate to say it, is I think the players are the ones who win or lose matches, not the manager (especially in internationals). What does everyone else think?

Now on the the US performance. Landon Donovan infuriates me. He shows absolute streaks of brilliance, yet in the games that REALLY matter (World Cup comes to mind) he absolutely disappears. The game Sunday was a testament to his ability, but I will not drink the Kool Aid yet. He needs to have consistency in every game he plays, not just great games here and there.

Tim Howard looked so so. Made a great save to start the game, but then had some minor mistakes throughout. I still think he could be a fantastic keeper, but still needs to concentrate on technique, and consistency. I think the US team played well overall. I know I was not happy when Bradley was made the interim Head Coach over Klinsmann, but I have to say I was wrong. I think 3 wins in three games is enough to give him the job, even if for two years, so in case he turns to rubbish, we can get a new coach before the 2010 World Cup.

Favorite player this weekend had to be Maarten Stekelenburg. The Dutch keeper really played well, and will challenge Van Der Sarr for the No1 Shirt in the near future. All in all it was a great weekend of games for the fan (unless your English!)

Cheers!

Greg

I wash my hands of the Columbus Crew (especially that fat *** Sigi Schmid).

2007-03-02T01:08:00Z

There was not a happier day for me in my Soccer Supporter life than the opening day of MLS in 1996. My Beloved crew beat DC united 4-2 on two goals from Brian Mcbride...I have been a ticket holder for the crew ever since. Some years good, but most bad. I was very hopeful after the aquisition of Sigi Schmid as our Manager last year. He has a good soccer pedigre for the US, and has won at every level he has coached in. I was very hopeful as I attended several training sessions last year. We picked up Richie Kotschau who was a national team Deffender, and a Buschy would be back between the pipes for the 2006 season.

Then the bad times began. Jon went down with a tear in his ACL for a second straight year. The Crew brought in several keepers to try and plug holes but nothing seemed to work. 6 different keepers tried their best, but to no avail. The Crews deffense was tired, and hurt most of the year, and the contstant changes in the lineup seemed to destin the Crew for another season without coming close to the playoffs. In the papers, and media, Sigi publicly questionned the players ability, players HE brought to the crew. In some ways he was correct, players were not playing to the best of their abilities. What bothers me about Sigi Schmid is that he never seems to take responsibility for HIS mistakes. Lets face it the players play the game, but if your ripping your players in the media, and not giving them any positive feedback, they will not perform well. The only thing Sigi cares about is his own image. In years past the focal point in Pre-Season marketing has always been the players....Not the past two years...Sigi has claimed the spotlight ALL to himself, almost wallowing in it like a pig in a mud puddle. Sigi is now basically the General Manager in charge of all player personel, even though he could not pick a squad last year that could make it into the playoffs in probably the Weakest year of MLS on history.

So how does Sigi FIX the Crew this year? He waives Jon Busch....The career leader in almost every single goalkeeping catagory...The ONE Crew player (minus Duncan Oughton and Frankie Hejduk) that actually bleeds Black and Gold. Now obviously I am biased. Jon is a great friend of mine, so I may not be 100% constructive in my critisim....But there is one thing I know about football more than anything else, GOALKEEPING. Lets check some facts. The Crew Currently have 3 Goalkeepers on the roster. Will Hesmer, Bill Gaudette, and Andy Greenbaum. Will Hesmer was Bo Oshoniys backup in KC last year. Bo (Bo is a longtime favorite of mine for the record) has been awful for two years. What does that say about Will? He could not beat out a 36 year old keeper who had some of the worst stats in the league. Will has potential, but was hurt on the first day of camp, and did not play a single preseason game before Jon was waived. Bill Gaudette . I have met Bill and he is a nice guy, but he is a perenilal back up keeper. He does not posses the footworking, or technical ability you need at this level. He is also prone to some horrible breaks in judgement. I never see Bill as a Starter in the MLS. Bill was also hurt during half of pre-season. Andy is another matter. He WILL be a good MLS GK. What I have seen of him, he has been impressive. He is strong and athletic. What he lacks in experience and leadership, he compensates with good solid ability. If I were the manager, Andy would have been playing right behind Jon this year..Sadly I am not the manager. The combined three golden boys of Columbus Crew goalkeeping have a staggering 26 games of professional experience behind them.. Jon has 84 in MLS and 100's as a professional goalkeeper.

So your probably thinking that Jon's knee injury would have effected him adversly. My goodness, two blown knees in two years? He has lost a step, he is skiddish, he is damaged goods! NOPE!! Jon was the leader in every catagory (minus endurance beep testing, pretty useless for a gk anyway) in his pre-season fitness trials. Best vertical, longest broad jump etc. This is a guy who blew away guys 5-8 years younger in FITNESS for heavens sake! ALL of the keepers mindus Jon were injured pre-season...Jon was the only GK to not miss training...

So how do the Crew thank Jon for his dedication and service? They waive him. No warning, 3 weeks before the season starts. Sigi, are you serious? Your going to rest your future on three GK's with a combined 26 games? Is all of the fat on your gut going to your head? We have not made it to the playoffs for the last two years...Two years running, we have the worst, or second worst record in MLS. So you think dropping the keeper who once had a 16 game streak without a loss seemed like a good idea? The only thing more powerful than your arrogance is your ignorance. You have made horrible move after horrible move in regards to personel, and this is by far the WORST. You waive a player who is absolutely ingrained in the community, who salutes the fans after game, who at the drop of a hat takes a phone call from me, and gets a buddy of mine tickets to two games, gives him his gloves after the game, and has a ball signed by the entire crew team for his daughter? A guy who was your GK for the only hardware the crew have ever won (US open cup), and a guy who shows intensity, and leadership EVERY time he steps on the field? Well done Sigi. Ill be honest. The Crew have lost me. Not just because of Jon, but because they have no idea how to run an orginization. Since Mark Mcullers has become GM, the crew have put a terrible prodcut on the field, the season ticket holders have erroded away, and the city of Columbus has forgotten the crew. I know I will probably attend at least one game this year. I know a club will pick up my freind Jon, and he will shove it down our throats. Whatever shirt Jon wears, is who I will be rooting for that day. Not just because he is my friend, but because he represents what the Crew USED to be. Classy, hardworking, and loyal. Sigi, Mark...You sicken me. The only thing Sigi cares about is his ego. Columbus is a stepping ground for him..He thinks he is better than Columbus. He would have left if Klinsman would have been the US national team coach. I PRAY everyday that US soccer does end up hiring Klinsman so we can be finally rid of Sigi. I hope Sigi realizes one day that he probably made the worst move ever in Crew History, and owns up to his endless mistakes, but I doubt it. You have to have a soul to admit mistakes, and I am not sure he qualifies.

I wanted to post this pic of Jon. Fitting he is wearing the captains arm-band. TGB wishes Jon the best of luck, though he will not need it.

Chewie's Hot or Not list...

2007-01-16T14:25:00Z

Chewie’s hot or not list….

I love this time of year. Seeing tons and tons of new football/soccer products always puts a big fat smile on my face. Here is a rundown of what I like, and what I do not like so much so far this year:

Hot…

New Uhlsport line. I like the fact they are willing to do something a little different each year. I love the new roll finger model, and the inclusion of a NC glove.

Not…

Lanzera line fro Eurosport. The gloves are not that bad I suppose, but they are charging premium prices, for gloves that are generally unproven. I do respect the fact they do not want to put out a “budget” line, but do they really think if it comes down to choosing a Sells, Sondico, or Reusch FP glove, that I will choose a Lanzera for the same price, or above?

Hot…

Removable Finger Protection. I like the idea that if I have to use FP, I can use it on an as needed basis. Adidas, Uhlsport, Reusch, Sondico, Sells etc…All have removable FP. Some companies are apparently going the reverse direction (HO) which seems backwards to me.

Hot…

New nike and adidas lines. I think both have made strides this year with their line. By all accounts, the new nike spyne, and other gloves in the line are all improving. Adidas has made lots of progress this year with latex backhands, and removable protection.

Not…

Nike and Adidas lack of respect for the little guy. They refuse to work with clients who do not carry their entire product line, or have a brick an mortar store. Soccer is a very grass roots sport, but nike and adidas choose to ignore the small mom and pop operations that want to sell their goalkeeper equipment online, but do not want to order a insane amount of crap tops with the Beckham logo smattered all over it…Shame on the both of you.

Hot…

Mid priced all leather soccer boots. Tons of great options out there, some even with K leather that are under $75. Kelme, Puma, Umbro, Nike, Adidas…All have a great mid priced boot that will offer fantastic value for the money.

Not…

Insanely expensive boots. Nomis, Lotto, Hummel (amongst others), all have boots well over $250! Will they help your game, probably not, have people been buying them? Not really. Learn a lesson folks, when you start the season selling a boot for $300, and then 9 months later it is on sale at soccer.com for $89, your experiment probably did not work…Let it go already!

Hot…

Clothing available in hefty sizes! Ok, I need to lose weight, I know this…But damn it, if I want a XXXXL adidas shirt, and I now have the option J

Not…

Slim fit, ultra tight fitting shirts, pants, shorts, etc….Now I am not talking about the under armour type stuff, I am referring to the alarming trend of tight kits (kappa, althletica, diadora)…I have no desire to see this on any football player, especially in bright orange (I am looking at you Werder Bremen). Also, when I order an XXL in a Kappa shirt, it basically fits like a painted on lycra half shirt.

Hot…

Sells…In shops in Spain, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, etc….Great line, great management, and fantastic product development.

Not…

HO. It seems the new line did not do so well, and you see lots of folks trying to get rid of HO. Also seems like they have lost markets instead of expanding in them.

Well thats it, please feel free to curse at me!

Cheers,

Chewie

What I want in 2007

2006-12-21T15:11:00Z

Here is what I want to see in 2007:

US national team actually hires a high profile foreign coach to take us to the next level. Bradley will not get it done, and we need a new perspective. Someone who has a high level of tactical experience, and someone who can draw the best out of our players.

My Columbus Crew actually making it to the playoffs…We have had a miserable run over the last 2 years. Tons of injuries, questionable player moves, lack of real marketing and promotion. Tons of guys on the team deserve success, and I am hopeful 2007 will give them that chance.

I want to see Fox Soccer Channel bring back Bundesliga, Dutch Eredivise and Le Championat. We actually have better luck than most of the world when it comes to football on cable (not pay per view), but we no longer have the privilege of watching German Bundesliga , Dutch soccer , and the French league, which I really miss.

More choices when it comes to plain old, black boots. I feel the quality of boots is faltering for anyone who does not have a perfect size D foot. Companies are going away from leather for synthetics, and color for simplicity.

I want to see a brand new, truly original glove maker. No rip offs of sells, no Pakistan cheap reproductions…I think there is still a lot of possibilities in the world of Glove crafting, and would like to see an upstart take it to the next level.

On the other hand, I want to see Sells, Sondico, One Glove, and all other GK specific companies REALLY stick it to nike and adidas. I am still not convinced Nike or Adidas gives a rats ass about the consumer, and I KNOW Sells and Sondico do, so Id like to see them kick the big boys straight in the marbles!

I want to see stores like Great-Save.com, betweenthesticks.com, keeperstop.com really take it to Eurosport. I have to admit, I love eurosport, and I have a good relationship with them, but I generally root for the underdog, and want to see the members of this board do well!

More Retro stuff! Adidas has a whole frickin line of kick ass retro based track tops, jerseys, shoes, etc…Hey morons, MAKE SOME GLOVES and GK SHIRTS!!! They will sell like hotcakes. If I saw reusch make a re-issue of the Pfaff, or Uhlsport the 034, I would spend HEAPS of cash.

A stronger MLS…This year has been the worst in my opinion for the standard of play. We need to pay our players better, and grow talent instead of relying on the Collegiate ranks to supply players.

I want to see TGB take over the online Goalkeeper community. I think we have the potential to be the biggest most exciting site out there for real Goalkeeper discussion…Good luck to everyone in 2007!!!

Cheers,

Chewie

Fav's and Duds of 2006

2006-12-05T09:32:00Z

Ok, we are at the end of the year, and I thought I would list some of my favorite products I have used this year, and also some of the duds I tried.

Favorite retail glove of the year…..

Sells Contour supersoft from Great-Save….I will do a full review this week, but here are a few of the highlights. Best fitting sells glove I have ever had. Brilliantly consistent supersoft latex palm. Fantastic backhand and glove body.

Favorite SMU of the year…...

Adidas Response 2002 NC. This was basically the glove that every adidas endorsee wore but with a negative cut, and bandage wrist closure. Adidas supersoft instead of Es3. Just a brilliantly simple glove. Latex Backhand, bandage closure, and a good palm. That’s all I really need! Honorable mention….Nike Tiempo Roll with SS palm. Great fit, great palm, and very hard wearing.

Surprise glove of the year…..

Jako Thunder. Nice roll finger glove, with a great padded feel, and surprisingly durable. All red color is a bit much, but it is still a fantastic glove for the price.

Gloves I despised this year…..

Any adidas other than the Fingertip. They were just terrible. Fingersaves fit horribly, and performed poorly. The Fingersave Ultimate palm is just a joke, and the entire line is overpriced. The lack of a retail NC glove makes adidas one of the companies not following a trend of having a wide range of fits.

Nike Mercurial vapor was a big disappointment as well. I though the previous Vapors were among the best gloves ever, but these were really bad in my opinion. The closure is poor, as is the general fit. I will say the latex is top notch, but on this glove, it is wasted.

Trends I love…..

LOTS of inexpensive choices in the market. I love the fact that I can purchase a “one” glove, or JA for a decent price, and not be disappointed. I will say, I do not find it terribly creative by companies like JA, and Zapkam to basically copy leading brands designs. I would hope they could create something a little more unique, and still be able to keep costs down.

The mind numbing number of choices we have now a days. I could literally pick from over a hundred companies that produce gloves, balls, textiles, shoes…

Trends that I just do not care for….

Flex channels….The uhlsport molded range and chimera, adidas fingersave ultimate, and boatloads of others. The only one I really did not mind was the Sells D3o as it is minimal, and is really not noticeable.

Lack of a true NC glove from the big guns. Adidas and Nike need to look at Sells, Sondico, Reusch who listen to their GK’s. A solid NC glove should be a must in the lineup.

The continuing reliance on finger protection gloves. We all know that every company HAS to have a finger protection glove now, but adidas and reusch have like 20! Give us one or two good FP gloves, and develop the rest of your line. Look, we know why you do it (profit), but give us some credit, we are not idiots.

2007 is going to be even better for the stuff we love. Cannot wait to give it all a go!

Cheers,

Chewie

You might be a goalkeeper if.....

2006-11-14T18:35:00Z

What makes a good goalkeeper? I often wonder how so many different types of athletes end up as world-class goalkeepers. What do they do different from one another? What qualities, if any, do all good goalkeepers share with one another? I came up with the following list of things that I think all good goalkeepers have, or should aspire to have in no particular order:

Good Communication Skills…I would honestly take a goalkeeper who can organize a defense with his/her exceptional communication skills, than a goalkeeper who can dive from post to post, that keeps his/her yapper shut the entire game.

Someone who can bounce back from humiliation and ridicule VERY quickly. Paired with this superhuman power, is a flipside. A keeper who can make a world class save, and immediately go back to doing his/her job without fanfare. I once saw Shay Given make a save that no human should have been able to make…while all of his teammates were jumping all over him he was more worried about where he should position folks for the ensuing corner, than taking the praise. On the other side of that coin, I once saw Jorge Campos make a ridiculous save, only to have his concentration lapse in his after glow, and let in a softy 30 seconds later.
Good, quick feet. I do not care how tall you are, how powerful your dives are, how good your catching ability is, a goalkeeper must have good quick feet. I often watch the pro guys before games in Columbus, and one thing is constant, the good ones all have fast feet.

Good hand eye coordination. I think that’s why American GK’s seem to do pretty well. We group up playing lots of sports that require massive amounts of hand eye coordination. If you notice the really good goalkeepers, like Seaman, Shilton, Buffon, they always seem to watch the ball into their hands. One save that really demonstrates this is Seaman’s wonder save, where he literally palms the ball out of the goal. His eyes are incredibly focused.

Willingness to take physical punishment day in and day out. Lets face it, Goalkeepers are masochists in a way…We voluntarily step in front of pounding shots, strikers legs, elbows, and rock hard craniums to protect our fortress. If you are not willing to set your body on the line on a daily basis, you’re probably not playing between the pipes.

A willingness to learn. Goalkeeping is the most technical of football positions. It demands constant practice and tweaking. Something as simple as an un-tucked elbow, or a missed step on a dive forward can sink your play into the doldrums. A goalkeeper who is willing to learn, willing to constantly strive to improve, will generally be very successful.

A general disdain for all outfield players from the opposing team. When I play, even if my ailing father was on the other team, and his dying wish was to score a goal, I would still do my best to keep the ball out of the net. That is just the goalkeeper’s way.

I think if you have a portion of all of the traits above, and more importantly, have a passion to learn the traits above (amongst dozens of other things) you will be a good goalkeeper. Until next time…Cheers!

Chewie

Choices

2006-11-01T12:30:00Z

Too Many Choices…..When I was goalkeeper in my earlier years we were not spoiled for choice when it came to anything soccer….We had limited choices in shoes, shirts, and most of all gloves. I find myself agonizing over glove choices now. There are SO many to choose from, that it almost becomes annoying trying to find JUST the right glove. In the mid 80’s to early 90’s, we really had two choices. Reusch, and Uhlsport…Sure others existed, but they were few and far between. Reusch and Uhlsport absolutely dominated the market. In the few soccer shops that did exist in the US, they all carried 2 or 3 from each brand, and that basically was your only option. Do not get me wrong, we were happy to have those choices, and I still count some of the gloves from that era (Reusch Pfaff, Uhlsport 034) as some of the best ever.

My Point is this…Sometimes we focus sooooo much on the gloves that we think will make us better goalkeepers, that we forget about the little things that make us better. Kids especially (unless they are properly trained) assume that having a pair of Adidas Fingersaves will make them better goalkeepers. I witnessed a scene in a soccer shop here in Columbus that seems very typical of young keepers today…”Mom, I need a pair of Fingersaves for indoor”…”Well, $100 seems very expensive, what about these here that are $45?”…”MOM, those are NOT Fingersaves”…..”Well why do you need fingersave gloves?”….”Because that’s what my friends told me I needed”….Of course the shop owner was more than happy to sell them the fingersaves because he also did not know better…Incidentally, the glove the Mom suggested was the Adidas Fingertip, a far better glove than any fingersave in my opinion. We tend to assume that in the myriad of gloves available, that one will grip just a little better than the other, or help us make that fingertip save, or maybe, just maybe, help us save that penalty to win the game.

Of course it is all rubbish….At last check I have counted over 100 brands of gloves on the market. Granted, some of them are junk, but for the most part, most of them are almost identical in material and construction. Good gloves have a soft latex palm, fit properly, and offer shock absorption, and that rarely, if ever, changes. Why are we so focused on trying all of these gloves, when really they are all about the same? Being one of the biggest offenders, I will say this. Coming from an era where we did not have lots of choices, and there were ONLY two brands, I can say that I get a rush when I find a new pair of gloves that I have been dying to try…It almost gives you an inebriated feeling when finding that PERFECT pair of gloves. In the last year I have used the following brands: Sells, Sondico, Puma, Reebok, HO, Jako, Derby Star, The One Glove, Umbro, Nike, Adidas, JA, and countless others….Two brands conspicuous in their absence, Reusch, and Uhlsport….There are far too many choices in gloves today. THANK GOD.