The Sports Archives – 5 Best Football (Soccer) Players of 2012!

Posted on January 5, 2013 by thesportsarchives

As far as football goes, 2012 has been a great year with many players on the world stage shining, so to single out just five is challenging. However the fact is that some players are so talented that even when surrounded by other top talent, they shine through consistently and have the greatest influence on their club and country’s successes.

Lionel MessiTop of the list, perhaps a little predictably is Barcelona and Argentinian attacker Lionel Messi. 2012 has been a great year for the 25-year-old, he has become his club’s all-time top scorer and with 14 goals in the 2011-12 season, he scored more goals in the Champions League in one season than any other player.  He recently broke Gerd Muller’s record for most goals in a calendar year, after scoring his 86th goal and is in contention to win the coveted Ballons d’Or award, which he has already won three times in a row.

Cristiano Ronaldo

A close second to Messi is ex-Manchester United favourite Cristiano Ronaldo. His 46 goals from mid field helped his current team Real Madrid win the Spanish title and he helped his country Portugal do well in EURO 2012, where they earned a very respectable semi-final spot. His move from England to Spain saw the highest price paid for a player ever at over 93 million Euros and he receives 12 million Euros a year, making him one of the highest paid players of all time. In 2012, Madrid fans will be convinced that the 27-year-old is worth every penny as a result of his great performances throughout the year and he looks set to continue his great form well into the future.

Gianluigi BuffonItalian and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has had yet another stunning year and comes in at third place. He led his country to the final of the EUROS, and helped his club finish the 2011-2012 season as unbeaten champions. Captain of both club and country, the veteran goalkeeper is known as one of the best shot stoppers around and is a key figure on the field, and in the dressing room.

Arturo Vidal

Arturo Vidal comes in at fourth place as a result of his consistent performances in the Juventus midfield. Vidal is widely hailed as the most complete footballer around as he is equally comfortable protecting his back four as he is driving forward and getting goals. The Chilean international joined Juventus from Bayer Leverkusen in 2011 and was an integral part of the unbeaten team of the subsequent season.

Sergio RamosThe fifth best football player of 2012 goes to the influential Madrid defender Sergio Ramos. Usually a world-class right back, Ramos has spent much of the last twelve months as a centre back. His partnership with Barcelona’s Gerard Pique was formidable in EURO 2012 and helped Spain coast to victory in the 4-0 demolition of Italy in the final. Ramos joined Real Madrid in 2005 at just 19 years old and became an overnight sensation at the club.

Morgan is a web enthusiast and football lover. He loves playing football with his friends and some times he writes about the Australian Football League in his AFL tips blog that he created some time ago.

Photo Credits: Wikipedia

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The Sports Archives – Why Do Baseball Players Chew Tobacco?

Posted on January 4, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Chewing TobaccoWhen we think about chewing tobacco, we think about baseball. Well, baseball, mouth cancer, and bad breath. Chewing tobacco used to be the method of choice for Americans who wanted their nicotine fix, but nowadays it’s not quite as glamorous as it used to be. Cigarettes largely replaced chewing tobacco in the general public, and education on the harmful health effects of smoking has led to its recent decline in popularity.

Why, then, is baseball so associated with chewing tobacco? If there’s any group that’s most fond of the stuff, it’d be baseball players. The players of “America’s pastime” have many traditions, and one of them happens to be chewing and spitting wads of black tobacco. Why?

Long-Standing Tradition

The tradition of chewing tobacco in baseball is actually the main reason baseball players do it. They used to do it so much, that it became a tradition. Now, they continue to do it often just because it’s a tradition. Oh, the irony! Chewing tobacco helps polish off the image of the quintessential baseball player, and modern players desire to emulate the greats of the past, like Babe Ruth. Unfortunately, Babe Ruth was an amazing baseball player who also died of throat cancer.

Times of the Past

Baseball became a popular sport in the 1880’s, at the same time that chewing tobacco was popular among mainstream Americans. It was the thing to do, and that’s why many baseball players were doing it. When smoking cigarettes became popular, chewing tobacco use declined amongst baseball players. But after the 1960’s, when the harmful effects of smoking were widely publicized, chewing tobacco use once again increased among baseball players, many of whom mistakenly thought that it was a less harmful method of nicotine ingestion than smoking.

Convenience

For baseball players, chewing tobacco remained popular because it was a way that they could get their nicotine fixes without smoking on the field, which wouldn’t be allowed or convenient. It was also a way to keep their mouths moist on the dusty baseball fields, and it helped them prep spitballs and buff their mitts. All those “uses” for chewing tobacco helped it remain a popular activity among baseball players, even as it became extremely unpopular in the mainstream.

Why Baseball?

Why isn’t chewing tobacco as notably popular among other athletes? Besides the time in which baseball became popular, chewing tobacco wouldn’t be convenient or appropriate for other sports. For example, football players have to wear mouth guards, and hockey players wouldn’t be able to spit on the ice. Tennis players have to run so quickly that trying to chew or hold tobacco in their mouths at the same time wouldn’t be possible.

Even though chewing tobacco is often synonymous with baseball, that association might continue to decline as many baseball players take their jobs as role models for young fans more seriously. Well, that and the fact that the minor leagues banned chewing tobacco in 1993, and the major leagues have just followed suit, banning chewing tobacco in 2012.

Carlos Garza plays baseball and is currently trying to quit with the help of smokeless e-cigs. He lives in Puerto Rico with his wife and two children who are his main inspiration for quitting.

Photo Credit:  http://www.rubylane.com

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The Sports Archives – Five of the Most Expensive Sporting Tickets!

Posted on January 3, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Sports and Money

Arsenal may have hit the headlines for the wrong reasons with their recent home clash with Chelsea setting the cash tills ringing with the cheapest match tickets coming in at a pocket-money busting £62. A hefty price to pay for even the most committed fans, but even £62 seems a snip compared to some of the fortune paid at other sporting occasions in recent years. Here are what some of the most in-demand matches could cost you:

1. New York Yankees Legends Suites, $2,500 per game

After splashing out $1.5bn on their new Yankee Stadium in 2009, the world’s most famous baseball side have to recoup the funds somewhere. The Legends Suites are composed of 122 front-row seats in the best spots in the stadium and also allow access to a private club and a personal food and drink service straight to the seat. If you think $2,500 doesn’t sound too bad for a special occasion, then you’ll have to stretch even further as the seats have to be leased for a minimum of three years, at an eye-watering $600,000.

2. Super Bowl XLV, $9,000

One of the biggest sporting moneymakers not only in the USA but anywhere on the planet, with ticket prices on both the primary and secondary markets often reaching almost sickening levels. In 2011 seats in the prestigious 100 Section sold out three months in advance at $9,000 each. That pales in comparison to the $16,480 paid by one fan on the NFL Ticket Exchange for the 2012 final. Of course if you just want to sample the atmosphere outside the ground then you could always pick up a ‘tailgating’ ticket for the car park party – a snip at $1,500.

3. London 2012 opening ceremony, £2,012

The ‘cleverly’ priced category AA hospitality tickets for the spectacular opening ceremony were priced at a marketing friendly £2,012, but that didn’t help them sell-out too far in advance of the £27m Danny Boyle-led showpiece. Perhaps a bargain compared to Super Bowl tickets but considering it didn’t actually include any live sports action, still a little pricey. The show was certainly one to remember however.

4. Arsenal league matches, £100

It may be nearly a decade since they last lifted the Premier League title, but Arsenal still top the table when it comes to standard ticket prices. With a swanky new stadium in London to fill, complete with padded seats and all mod cons, the prices for regular tickets have been set somewhat high, not that they are short of people willing to pay. But with non-hospitality seats reaching as high as £100, they are wallet-busting prices for ‘regular’ fans. Still, match tickets for in-demand teams like Arsenal still make great gifts for men or women with a real passion for their team. Or you could try a stadium tour if you want to treat someone to a unique look around this pricey sporting arena for a fraction of the cost.

5. Wimbledon 2012 final, £5,500

While tennis in the UK may have something of an elitist reputation, the surging ticket prices for the showpiece Wimbledon final this year did nothing to alter that perception. Andy Murray making the final provided a sharp spike in demand from tennis fans, with secondary ticket websites seeing tickets changing hands for more than £5,000 to see the Brit take on Roger Federer, who eventually broke home hearts and reduced Murray to tears. Murray had his revenge at the Olympics though.

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The Sports Archives – The Dangers of Cheerleading!

Posted on January 2, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Extreme CheerleadingThe perils of most sports are obvious and well documented. The governing bodies of the disciplines evolve and enforce safety regulations and referees penalize participants for dangerous play. In many activities protective clothing is worn like head guards in rugby, shin pads in soccer and helmets in ice hockey. There is an activity, however, where highly complex and dangerous stunts are performed often with no protective equipment and with little regulation. Surprisingly cheerleading is more dangerous for girls than any other high school or college sport in America and catastrophic injuries are on the rise.

Popular

Cheerleading is an important part of school and college life in America with 3 million participants. Many take part in tournaments and the competitive nature of these together with the desire to produce ever more spectacular displays in support of the teams, has led to a dramatic increase in the complexity of the stunts performed. The increase in the popularity of the activity could also be partly the result of many schools dropping their gymnastics teams in the 80’s due to penal insurance policies. The gymnasts migrated to cheerleading as outlet for their skills. The routines are getting more gymnastic and increasingly extreme; leading to many severe injuries and even fatalities.

Injuries

In 2008 there were 30,000 emergency room admittances related to cheerleading. Between 1982 and 2007, 73 catastrophic injuries and 2 fatalities were reported. A catastrophic injury is one resulting in severe neurological damage or paralysis such as that sustained by Rachel Sneath in 2004. Rachel, who was 18 years old at the time, fell during a practice session and was paralyzed from the waist down. In 2005, 14-year-old Ashley Burns from Massachusetts died after being thrown in the air during a stunt. She landed on her stomach and ruptured her spleen. In the 25 years to 2007, 65% of catastrophic injuries in female school and college sport were as a result of cheerleading. Participants often wear no protective equipment and outside of competitions rarely use mats.

Regulation

CheerleadingUnfortunately cheerleading is not officially recognized as a sport in many US states and therefore has the status of an activity which puts it in the same class as chess! If it is not recognized as a sport there are no regulations governing training and good practice leading to inadequate coaching and few safety procedures. The situation is further complicated by the sheer number of different cheerleading organizations across the states which have varying regulations. There is a body who oversee coaching, The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators, but they only recommend safety guidelines which the various governing bodies can choose to adopt as regulations if they wish. There are increasing calls for more stringent regulation but the fact that many cheerleaders do not cheer competitively is an obstacle to declaring the activity as a sport and taking it under the wing of existing sporting authorities. The USASF (United States All Star Federation) have recently introduced new safety rules but this body govern only competitive cheering which still leaves issues with the schools and colleges.

Changes

Clearly changes need to be made. Critical injuries are becoming more common as the activity gets ever more extreme. Cheerleading must gain sporting status everywhere, introduce official coaching qualifications and establish unified safety regulations to ensure the well-being of all its participants and eventually, cheerleaders may indeed have to wear rugby styled head guards!

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Sally S writes on a wide range of subjects – everything from extreme sports to music.

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The Sports Archives – Athletics Are All in the Hips

Posted on January 2, 2013 by thesportsarchives

What makes the difference in an elite athlete over a weekend bagger? Aside from millions of dollars of annual income, a lot of it has to do with proper training in the gym that leads to having a level of explosive power and agility many of us only dream about. That is not to say that with proper training anyone can suddenly become the next Emmitt Smith, but we sure would be a lot closer than we are now.

One area that elite athletes often crush us mere mortals is explosive power in the hips. Any time you are running, pivoting, twisting to throw or catch, kicking, or similar motions you are using the hip and groin muscles for stabilization. That stability is key to then having your body lined up and ready to explode into the next motion using the rest of the muscles in the body.

Imagine someone like Emmitt Smith when he would plant his feet, crouch and pivot, then explode in a quick change of direction. That stability makes it all possible.

Training the Hips

If you are an athlete or play sports regularly then you need to train your groin and hips. Along with the glutes and hamstrings, these muscles help during critical points of stabilization and changing direction. The best exercise for doing this is the Split Squat.

Basically a split squat is a lot like doing a lunge. You can do this exercise with a barbell or dumbbells. The position is to start with one foot forward and one backwards. You bend both knees and descend straight down focusing on lowering your hips straight down. At the finish point both legs will be at 90 degree angles.

The rear knee should almost be touching the ground a little bit behind your spine. The front knee should be squarely over the middle of your foot. You do not want the knee to travel further forward over the toes or beyond because it puts more emphasis on the quadriceps as well as stress on the knee-joint.

You pull your body straight down and then use all of your leg muscles to push yourself back upright. Keep your back and abs flat to support the torso and head looking forward. A good range would be 3 sets of about 8 to 12 reps for each side (with each leg forward). You can use more weight with a barbell but sometimes dumbbells are easier to learn with because the weight placement reminds you to go straight down and there is less concern on balance. This also makes it easier to get the foot placement correct.

The Bottom Line

You hear announcers talk about the ability to cut, pivot, or turn quickly and what a difference it makes to an athlete. It doesn’t matter if you are talking football, baseball, soccer, or basketball; having strong and stable hips and groin muscle will pay big dividends on and off the field. Stabilizing muscles like the core, hips, and groin are used so often each day that ensuring that they are in the best shape possible will only help you in the long run.

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For more training and diet information, as well as reviews of the top supplements in the bodybuilding industry like Optimum Nutrition Protein, please visit us at Nutribomb.com. You can also follow us at our google plus page.

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The Sports Archives – Lefty Nefty: Left Handers in the Golf World!

Posted on January 1, 2013 by thesportsarchives
Left-Handed Golfer Phil Mickelson

Left-Handed Golfer
Phil Mickelson

There aren’t a whole lot of left-handers in the world of professional golf. Maybe this shouldn’t be too surprising when we consider that only about ten percent of the world population is left-handed. Add to that fact the number of young left-handers that switch to golfing right-handed in order to avoid the scarcity of good left-handed equipment options and the percentage of left-handed professional golfers dips below global average to about seven percent. If they didn’t already have enough disadvantages, it is also important to remember that nearly all published golf instruction is directed toward a right-handed swing and many golf instructors struggle to coach left-handers. Despite there being such disadvantages, however, lefties have started to make a name for themselves in professional golf.

Phil Mickelson is easily the most well-known left-handed golfer (so much so that many refer to him simply as “Lefty”) because he is by far the most successful. Mickelson has been a force on the PGA tour for years, amassing 40 PGA Tour wins total (ranking him 9th all time) and 4 major championship victories. That’s not just good for a left-hander, that’s just good.

Mickelson is far from being the only successful left-handed golfer however. Just this year, left-handed golfer Bubba Watson added two Tour victories to the two he had already earned in his young career and is considered one of the more promising players on tour. In addition to Mickelson and Watson here is a short list of some of the more successful lefties in professional golf:

  • Mike Weir – eight time PGA Tour winner, including the 2003 Masters
  • Russ Cochran – finished in the top 10 on 60 different occasions on the PGA Tour.
  • Bob Charles – first left-hander to win on the PGA Tour (1963 Houston Classic) and first left-hander to win a major championship (1963 British Open)

A large number of studies have been done to determine behavioral connections to handedness and some of them have interesting implications that relate specifically to golf. A good body of information indicates that left-handers tend to be more creative and spatially adept. Experts connect this to brain hemisphere usage and this might possibly explain Phil Mickelson’s well known creative shot making style or Bubba Watson’s eccentricity on (and off) the course.

Other connections seem to be less founded, such as theories about driving distance and left-handedness. Bubba Watson is a prolifically long hitter and currently leads the PGA Tour in driving distance at just over 315 yards per drive. Mickelson and Weir were long hitters in their primes as well. These cases seem to be coincidental, however, and not justifiably linked to any advantage that swinging at the ball from the left side might have. Case in point, while Watson tops the list for driving distance, lefty Nick O’Hern comes in dead last, ranked number 191 and averaging less than 270 yards per drive.

Phil Oscarson is not left-handed, but does love golf. After researching and being around so many left-handed golfers, he decided to write about it. If you’re left-handed, you can find discount golf in your area. If you’re a right-handed golfer, you can find other cheap golf deals in your area.

Photo Credit:  twitter.com

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The Sports Archives – Top 7 Most Popular Sports Played in the World!

Posted on January 1, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Sports Equipment

Whether you are a player or a spectator, there are sports crazy fans throughout the world. It is the fans that have made many sports grow in popularity. Sports generate an enormous amount of money through ticket sales and sponsorship deals. They also encourage physical activity amongst children and help many community groups.

Soccer

Also known as football in certain part of the world, it is a sport that originated in England. Soccer, as a sport, is enjoyed by school children and adults alike. One of the greatest soccer playing countries is Brazil, where teams actually use tennis balls to practice soccer. Soccer has a following of millions of passionate people. These fans are the reason why this sport is so popular. 32 teams participate in the World Cup.

Tennis

Tennis competitions are played between two players or teams of two players on each side. This is one of the most popular recreational sports and it also has a following of millions who follow the Grand Slam tournaments with obsession. Equipment needed is a tennis ball and racquet and specially stabilized tennis shoes for play on hard, clay or grass courts.

Cricket

Played with a bat and ball with two teams of 11 players, cricket originated in England. Cricket has a huge world following, especially in India which has produced many legendary cricketers. Until 1775, batsmen defended 2 stumps, not three. Teams of women also enjoy playing cricket at World Cup level.

Table Tennis

Also known as ping-pong, table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1988 at the Seoul summer Olympics. It is the most popular racquet sport in the world with over 10 million players competing in tournaments each year. Players achieve speeds of up to 100km per hour and games between elite players usually last 30 minutes.

Volleyball

Originally called mintonette, volleyball was invented in Massachusetts USA in 1895. Volleyball is based on a combination of tennis and handball. It consists of two teams of six players each. In 1964 it became an Olympic sport with two person beach volleyball added to the Olympics in 1996. Volleyball is the world’s most popular sport, just being eclipsed by soccer and cricket.

Hockey

Hockey is a team sport where players use a stick to shoot a ball into a netted goal. This is a very popular game in Denmark where it is played all year round. Hockey can be played both indoor and outdoor. This is definitely a team sport based on technique.

Baseball

In 1845 the first game was played in New York and this game is considered the national sport of the USA. Statistics show that fans have a 1 in 300,000 chance of being hit by a baseball while sitting in the stands. The main objective of a game of baseball is ‘to go home’.

The definition of a sports fan is ‘an enthusiastic devotee’. Millions of people throughout the world live and breathe sports. They follow every movement and every news article of their favourite team with unrestrained passion. Sports fans often spend a lot of money on tickets, custom t-shirts and merchandise which has made sport what it is today.

Tara Blair is a business professional based in Brisbane, Australia. When she is not busy conducting her daily business duties you will find her actively participating in many social and competitive sports. Tara’s love for sport initiated from growing up in a household with 3 brothers. She also designs and distributes custom t-shirts and uniforms for her social clubs as a side business.

Photo Credit:  lmc-tv.org

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The Sports Archives History Lesson – Popular American Football Defenses!

Posted on December 31, 2012 by thesportsarchives

If you’re getting ready to play football for the first time, or if you just want to have a better understanding of the game, you need to know the most popular football defenses. These are the defenses that are commonly used by teams at all levels.

4-3 Defense

Football 4-3 DefenseThe 4-3 defense is one of the most popular defenses in football.  This defense uses:

Four defensive linemen (two tackles and two ends)

  • The defensive linemen stay within five yards of the line of scrimmage. Their primary job is to protect against the run, but they may also be called on to protect the flats.

Three linebackers

  • Typically, one linebacker will have a specific role, and the other two linebackers will react as the play unfolds. For instance, one linebacker may go in for a sack, while the other two hang back until they determine if they need to guard against the run or the pass.

Four defensive backs (two cornerbacks and two safeties)

  • Typically, the defensive backs protect against pass plays. However, they could split jobs, where some guard against the pass and others rush the passer.

Some teams have some trouble with this defense because it only uses four down lineman. If the linemen are small, the team will have a hard time protecting against the run. That changes with bigger teams, though. If your team has large down lineman, this is a powerful defense, especially since it can be modified.

Nickel Defense

Football Nickel DefenseThe nickel defense gets its name because it uses five defensive backs instead of four. The fifth defensive back is referred to as a nickelback.

Some teams put in a third wide receiver in place of a fullback when playing offense. When that occurs, a team may run the nickel defense to defend against the pass play.

The nickel defense uses:

  • Four down lineman (two tackles and two ends)
  • Two linebackers
  • Five defensive backs (two cornerbacks, a nickelback and two safeties)

Two defensive ends sit on each end of the line, with two defensive tackles in between them. Two linebackers sit behind the defensive line.

Two cornerbacks and a nickelback cover the wide receivers.

If this defense is run correctly, it’s very difficult for the offense to complete a pass for yardage.

Goal Line Defense

Football Goal line DefenseThis defense is used to stop the run right by the goal line. The middle two linebackers are used to stop the running back. They stay back to stop him as he runs toward the goal line. They are prepared to modify their strategy if the running back leaves his feet and dives for the end zone. Since they are back, they are also able to protect against a pass play to the middle of the end zone. The two cornerbacks guard against the run first, but also work to contain any other plays that may occur. If a pass occurs, the cornerbacks will fall back to the corners of the end zone. The six down linemen push into the offensive back field. The safety’s job is to read the quarterback and play the ball.

Now, you can use this information to play or watch football. Be sure to tell your family and friends about the most popular football defenses. You’ll be certain to impress them with your knowledge.

A football fanatic, Tommy Albrecht writes blog post and articles related to sports and health topics, he also loves staying fit by working out from home.

Photo Credits:
www.firstbasesports.com

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The Sports Archives – Rugby Sevens – What’s It All About?

Posted on December 26, 2012 by thesportsarchives

what_is_rugby_sevensFirst played in 1883, Rugby 7’s is referred to by many different names which include the Borders Game, the “Short Game” or Seven-a-side.  Rugby 7’s was the brainchild of 2 butchers from Melrose who initially thought up the tournament as fund-raising event for their local Rugby Club, Melrose RFC.  A tournament is still held every year in Melrose, and it is a popular game at all levels, with amateur and club tournaments held throughout the year.

Rugby 7’s is a variant of Rugby Union except each team fields 7 players instead of the usual 15 and the games are shorter consisting of 2 halves of 7 minutes and a half time break of 2 minutes.  The game is one of the most well-distributed forms of Rugby and is popular across the world.

The first Rugby 7’s World Cup was held in 1993 in Scotland the home of Rugby Sevens, this tournament was won by England who beat Australia 21 – 17; unlike the full Rugby World Cup, Australia and New Zealand have never won the Rugby Sevens world cup.  The winning team of the Rugby 7’s World Cup is presented with the Melrose Cup.  Named after the birthplace of Rugby 7’s

Rugby 7’s is now recognised as an Olympic sport and is due to make its debut in the 2016 Olympic Games scheduled to be held in Rio de Janeiro.

The following are some variations on the laws of the game:

  • There are only five substitutes, with only three interchanges instead of 7 and 7.
  • Teams are only given one minute half-time, two minutes in finals instead of ten minutes.
  • Matches that are drawn after regulation are continued into Extra Time, in 5-minute periods.
  • All conversion attempts must be made by a drop-kick and kicks must be taken within 40 seconds of scoring a try, in major competitions, there are additional official’s present to judge success of kicks at goals and ensuring that the game is not delayed, by waiting for touch judges to move into position to judge the conversion attempts.
  • There are only three players to a scrum instead of eight players.
  • In Rugby 7’s, the team that scores restarts the game, unlike Rugby Union when the conceding team restarts the game
  • Yellow cards net a 2-minute suspension in the Sin Bin.
  • Referees decide on advantage quickly where one play usually ends advantage, not true in fifteens.
  • Rugby 7’s is a much faster sport than the normal 15 a-side game which results in less handling errors in during the game.

Unlike your usual run of the mill Rugby Game this game is a lot easier to get involved in and can be a fun way to spend your time.

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Brian Johnstone plays for his local amateur rugby team and has played in several tournaments to help raise funds to purchase new Rugby Kit for the team.

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The Sports Archives – Too Much Debate; Not Enough Football!

Posted on December 24, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Football Soccer MatchLet’s get one thing straight. I am an avid football fan and my team (Liverpool) have been on the wrong end of as many bad refereeing decisions as any other. I get as incandescent as anyone else about penalties not given, ridiculous red cards and bad offside calls. I also understand that the debates in the aftermath of such atrocities keep us all interested. To an extent controversy does fuel interest in the game but even I have now had enough. The magnificent theatre that is football is getting lost behind an ocean of debate and media coverage, not about the sporting action but about refereeing decisions and player’s antics off the ball.

Media and Social Networking

At first glance it is difficult to imagine what can be done about the situation. We live in a world dominated by media outlets and social networking. The nano second after any incident occurs there are journalists and broadcasters queuing up to dissect it and the tweets and Facebook posts have started. Within minutes there has been a forensic analysis of the episode that any crime bureau would be proud of and then the recriminations start. Never mind the fantastic football match what about that yellow card? These insidious debates are now powering a hatred of referees and bitterness between players that just goes on and on and it is spilling over onto the terraces. I can see the bad days of 1970’s hooliganism rearing its ugly head again.

Technology

I believe a lot of the current troubles could be put to bed almost before they have started with the use of modern technology. I don’t mean the goal line camera variety either, although that would help. Lately most of the big talking points have surrounded the issue of what has been said on the pitch. The Mark Clattenburg controversy is a perfect example. Did he make a racist comment or not? If he did what was the provocation? Perhaps if he was wearing a recording device or even a video camera the matter would be solved instantly. The small helmet cameras used in other sports are now readily available and would not only immediately reveal the truth of a situation, their use would also probably stop a lot of the bad behaviour in the first place. The footage would not even have to be broadcast live, merely reviewed after an issue has arisen. Microphones around the pitch would be a great help as well. The incident between John Terry and Anton Ferdinand is another case in point. Nobody knows who said what to who and why, It is possible that even the two players involved have inaccurate recall. This argument has run for over a year, caused untold disruption and is appears to be still escalating. Recording devices would have settled this the same day, apologies could have been made, punishments handed down and then on we go. I don’t want to belittle the issue of racism in the game, it has to be wiped out, but as it stands players can accuse anyone of saying just about anything and whilst nothing can be proven the mud certainly sticks.

Decisions

Helmet type cameras would also stop the avalanche of criticism that drops on a referee’s head after an incorrect decision. It is all very well reviewing the incident in the television studio from 20 different camera angles but isn’t it time to have a look at exactly what the poor official could actually see? The referee may be closer to the players than the TV camera but his line of sight may be blocked and he doesn’t have slow motion replay. Let’s get people talking about the drama of the sport after the match, not the officials. In view of the amount of post-match discussion there is about offside decisions it might be a good idea to equip the referees assistants with cameras as well.

The Fans

Maybe, just maybe, if we knew what was actually being said on the pitch and why referees make the decisions they do we could halt a tsunami of ill will and recrimination flattening our beautiful game. If the players behave themselves and broadcasters shut up, the fans are more likely to follow suit and we don’t have to be looking over our shoulders at past times coming back to haunt us all over again.

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S. Stacey is a guest blogger with a passion for sport, especially her favourite team Liverpool FC.  This post has been written in association with Vision MX who sell helmet cameras suitable for multiple sports.

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