$400 Nike soccer cleats designed to dazzle opposing players

Cristiano Ronaldo's Nike CR Mercurial Vapor Superfly III shoes are designed to mislead opposing players as t which way he's going to move:







The pattern is reminiscent of dazzle camouflage:





They come in yellow, too:





Via these sites.

If the Jackass guys played soccer

This first video is charming - - just lots of impressive soccer shots:

Inspired by Rémi Gaillard, professional football player Rafa Marquez took to the streets of Mexico City to be the ambassador for this challenging urban football event.

But here's Rémi Gaillard, well, being a jackass (and showing off impressive soccer skills):

Real Madrid versus 109 children

Watch Real Madrid play 109 children in China.

Devastating sucker karate kick

Devastating sucker karate kick by soccer goalie. Via these sites.

Link roundup

1. Some useful commentary about the current federal budget negotiations. (I tend to discount any commentary that presumes that Obama and his aides are stupid.)

2. It's going to be so hot in Qatar during the World Cup that they might play three 30 minute periods instead of two 45 minute halves. That's right, the games were awarded to a country where playing the game by the established rules will likely be impossible.

3. There's no self service gas stations in New Jersey? All gas has to be pumped by an attendant? In Los Angeles you almost never see full service advertised.

Link roundup

1. Wild tales of cheating in Italian soccer. And this ballot is hilarious (if you like gallows humor).

2. 11 minutes of movie insults. (NSFW language.)

3. Gizmodo's tablet advice: "If you're not a nerd, you shouldn't buy an Android tablet."

*Buy iPads at eBay.

Buffoonery turns free kick into a goal

Watch as two soccer players trip each other to distract the other team during a free kick. Via.

Link roundup

1. A recipe for hardtack. (If you don't know what that is, you really should run out and buy a couple Patrick O'Brian novels.)

2. (New, specific) Assertions that FIFA demands massive bribes from potential host countries.

3. "Frank McCourt's motives and methods for potentially putting the Dodgers into bankruptcy."

I wish I followed the Portland Timbers

Downloadable papercraft game schedule for the Portland Timbers (MLS team).

*Buy trophies at eBay.

Link roundup

1. Little Prince paper toys.

2. Arnold Kling, writing specifically about Central California, and America in general:

My guess is that those in the informal economy do not get to send their children to elite primary and secondary schools, and they have little in the way of health insurance. But otherwise, they enjoy what I call Diamond Age access to the more basic goods and a few luxuries.

When I took the subway home the other night, I noticed how many people wearing clothes that signified low incomes were playing with smart phones. A few years ago, the smart phone went with a business suit. Now it goes with lots of tattoos and grubby t-shirts.

3. Major League Soccer (and not individual teams) sets player salaries. Compare LA and NY to two small market teams:

NY Red Bulls: $13,397,087.04
LA Galaxy: $12,205,725.12
Real Salt Lake: $3,517,856.76
Colorado Rapids: $3,173,078.64

Via.

Link roundup

1. Despite the huge negative press, Leno is tied with Letterman and his total audience is 44% higher than Conan's.

2. AMC kid's packs will now feature Matt Hawkins's art (but unfortunately won't also turn into paper toys).

3. "During a match for promotion to the top tier of Peruvian soccer, one team handed the other 'energy drinks.' How friendly. Four players collapsed, and the drinks turned out to contain tranquilizers." Video link.

*Buy soccer jerseys at Amazon.

Formula One meets Podracers

SciFi promotional video for Formula One by Kotoc (a few years old, but new to me). Here's another campaign, featuring armored soccer players taking on deadly robots:




Via.

*Buy podracers at eBay.

Soccer goalie celebrates stopping the ball, forgets to account for the extra spin...

Watch as a soccer goalie starts prematurely celebrating stopping a penalty kick. Via.

Retro soccer t-shirts

T-shirts for the Brooklyn Wanderers, Washington Whips and other defunct US soccer teams on sale at Bumpy Pitch.

Video of Spain's goalie kissing a reporter during post-game interview

During a post-championship match interview with Telecinco reporter Sara Carbonero, Iker Casillas, goalie for Spain, said some nice words about his family and how happy he was, and then kissed Carbonero (who is his girlfriend). Via.

Delivery truck of the retro-future (link roundup)

Giant delivery truck via these sites.

And a few more links:

1. The North Korean player who weeps during the anthem at the World Cup was born in Japan and lives in Japan.

2. Ben Templesmith when he was still a struggling artist: "I did lots of odd little things for few bucks, art wise, and was also a janitor in my time."

3. Why is race and gender discrimination tolerated at night clubs, but not country clubs?

*Previously: Burning Man big rig sculpture.

*Buy World Cup posters at eBay.

How to make jam exciting (link roundup)

Anarchy in a Jar - - current flavors include Hot Fireman’s Pear Jam. Via.

And a few more links:

1. "Vincenzo Natali (Splice, Cube) has been tapped to direct the upcoming motion picture adaptation of William Gibson's seminal science fiction novel Neuromancer." Via.

2. The G-8 and G-20 summits are later this month in Ontario, Canada, which will spend $950 million on security.

3. The 11 dirtiest players in the World Cup.

*Previously: $5000 for a slightly reworked anarchy logo seems a little steep.

*Buy Neuromancer at Amazon.

Dutch World Cup Merchandise

Some of the Dutch World Cup merchandise available at Nike. Via.

*Previously: Yellowman cycling jerseys.

*Buy soccer jerseys at Amazon.

Oil-covered Little Mermaid (link roundup)

Oil-covered Princess Ariel on sale as a t-shirt here. Via.

And a few more links:

1. Dunny, video game, and and comic book giveaway.

2. Useful photo editing tips, including making photos black and white and turning photos into pop art.

3. North Korea tried to sneak an extra forward onto their World Cup team.

*Previously: Annie Leibovitz photographs Julianne Moore as The Little Mermaid.

*Buy Dunnys at eBay.

Video roundup

Worst fill of dead air time ever as anchor asks, "So she's enjoying penis a little bit more, is she?" Via.



Ad for the free download of Portal and teaser for Portal 2.



Squirrel fending off a murder of crows intent on eating a dead squirrel.



Blatant soccer dive.

*Previously: Amorous dogs disrupt a news broadcast.

*Buy condoms at Amazon.