Sports and Technology: Recap

What might have begun as simple recreation has developed into an industry of its own. Once limited to newspapers, then radio, followed by local television coverage, and now entire networks, sports has evolved with the technological media advancements. The equipment to each sport has also seen improvements. In American football, protecting the head has resulted in safer helmets. In an effort to be quicker, sports across every spectrum are utilizing undergarments that do not weigh the player down. On-the-field cameras are now being applied to correct errors that the human eye might could not detect along. Since its beginning, the aim for stronger, bigger, and faster has resulted in sports and technology emerging together.

Soccer Could Adopt Other Sports' Technology

Hawk-eye is a ball-tracking technology used in tennis to resolve controversial line calls. What may appear as an "out" to the umpire could possibly be in by five millimeters after reexamination. Hawk-eye uses ten cameras to clarify an "in" or "out"; thus, reducing the chances of errors occurring by the system. If FIFA chooses to use a Hawk-like technology, cameras installed at the goal-line in cooperation with a camera-crew could review shots that are not called correctly by the officials. It could slow down the speed of the match but errors would be eliminated. Another possibility to eliminate faults such as offsides is to employ Instant Replay as used in American football. The National Football League allows more than just touchdowns to be reviewed; it allows challenges to made on fumbles, passes (complete or incomplete), and ball placement on the field. The same crew that would manage the goal-line cameras would also oversee field position of players. FIFA should explore both Hawk-eye and Instant Replay to eliminate errors not just pertaining to goals but to players being offsides.

Soccer Needs Technology

Ever since the Fall, human beings have been full of error and in sports this is no more evident than in soccer. Football has been reluctant to adopt technology to make the game as error-free as possible. In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it was clearly shown that referees are limited in judgment based on what they see. They need assistance--especially in determining if shots cross the goal line or not. One example for the need of Goal-Line Technology occurred in the "Knock Out Stage Round of 16." Germany was up 2-1 over England when Frank Lampard (Eng) shot towards the opponent's goal post, the ball hit the crossbar, appeared to bounce on the goal-line, and Germany's goalkeeper was able to scoop the ball and remove it from his perimeter. Upon further review, it was shown that the ball had crossed over the goal-line but from the referee's viewpoint it was not possible to distinguish. Another incident that demonstrated the need for technology in soccer was when Argentina played Mexico in the "Round of 16." Argentina's Carlos Tevaz headed the ball into the net for what first appeared as a goal. Again, replay showed that the referees made an error as Tevaz was offside--there were no defenders between him and the goal when he received a pass from his teammate. Perhaps technology already used in other sports could have avoided such errors and changed the outcome of both games.

Under Armour E39

Even with a possible lockout looming, the National Football League still plans to have its annual draft of college players in April. With that said, the Under Armour Scouting Combing was held held in the last week of February for scouts to view potential draftees. What was unique about this combine was the new Under Armour E39 "bug." This device, attached to the player's Heatgear compression shirt and below his chest, is able to measure heart rate, breathing rate, skin surface temperature, and the accelrometry of the athlete. It does all this while transmitting the data to a computer wirelessly. Previously, several wires were attached to the players to measure such properties. Now, the E39 eliminates all that. The purpose of the device is to help players, recruiters, and trainers improve an athlete's physical capabilities. It can also guage, with a trainer's assesstment, the mental state of the player by his heart and breathing rate. Outside the realm of athletic's, another possibility for the E39, as one person commented is, "Future application for technology monitoring the elderly as well as transplant and heart patients." As for now, look for this technology to be adopted by other sports.

Uniforms

With the increased coverage of professional sports, younger athletes have received more attention as well. In particular, high school football players get more of the interest with two all-star games held annually in the month of January. During this time, college recruiters have the opportunity to scout out future talent for their programs. At the same time, with plenty of national exposure, companies such as Under Armour can exhibit their latest innovations.

For the Under Armour All-America Football Game in 2011, the company unveiled a uniform technology comparable to Nike's Pro Combat used by top football programs across the nation. Branched off its original compression shirts, Under Armour's uniforms were equipped to be a tight-fit on the players. The concept behind this was that players would have fewer probabilities to be grabbed and dragged by an opponent. Also, the jerseys were thirty-three percent lighter than the previous year's uniform--making the players faster. Furthermore, a mesh-fabric integrated on the interior of the pants allowed for more breathability and reduction of heat. However, what made the Under Armour uniforms distinctive from Nike's were the Muscle Performance Panels across the hamstring. From the looks of it, the MPPs are made from a different material than the rest of the uniform. No details could be found other than Under Armour's statement of, "it provides the muscle with stability." In the future, expect other brands to put out uniforms with similar designs and Nike and Under Armour to develop more lighter uniforms.

Soccer Ball Revolutionized

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup 2010 soccer ball, the Jabulani, changed the speed of soccer forever. When kicked, the ball could reach speeds up to fifty miles per hour--up from the thirty miles per hour reached by previous balls. Unlike other models, the Jabulani had no stitching which caused the aerodynamics to change. Whether fans realize it or not, sport balls are vital to any game. For example, a basketball produced by InfoMotion Sports Technologies has an interior circuit board installed to gather data on dribbling and shooting. The data from the circuit board is transmitted wirelessly to a computer which analyzes a player's performance. It measures the angle of release, ball rotation, and many more components crucial to a basketball player's skills. This ball was designed for the purpose of creating a "perfect practice." Currently, this new sports technology is being used by five top-20 college basketball programs. The company plans next to create a soccer ball with the same technology by 2012. If the Jabulani made shooting faster, the InfoMotion Sports Technologies soccer ball will make shooting more accurate.

Under Armour Charged Cotton

The original Under Armour compression shirt was designed for several purposes that include: "wicking away body moisture, helping the body coordinate the muscles, reducing muscle fatigue by condensing and reducing muscle movement, and increasing power by means of aligning and supporting the muscles" (Kraemer). Later, this innovation gave rise to Coldgear--the same concept as Heatgear but for colder climates. Now, as the company looks to expand, it is looking into Charged Cotton--its latest invention expected to go on sale nationwide starting March 9, 2011.
Surveys show that an overwhelming majority of consumers prefer cotton over the tight-fitting synthetic materials. Under Armour, being the innovator it is, decided to experiment and combine its Heatgear technology with the comfortable, soft cotton fibers. The Charged Cotton shirt blends hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibers to make it dry five times faster than a regular cotton shirt. The hydrophilic fibers absorb the sweat from the body while the hydrophobic fibers repel it so the shirt will not get heavy in perspiration. Cotton will be truly revolutionized if Under Armour's claims about its new products are true.

Under Armour Beginnings

Kevin Plank made the Special Teams for the Univeristy of Maryland's football program as a walk on. He described himself as "short and slow" and looking for any advantage he could on the field. His cotton t-shirts (worn under his jersey and shoulder pads) retained too much moisture and weighed him down. For that reason, he experimented with a synthetic fabric t-shirt that would wick away moisture. With the synthetic material Kevin was lighter and quicker. It was then that Under Armour was born and an industry revolutionized not just for American football but for many sports.

Intro to Sports Apparel

On my very first post I mentioned that players were getting bigger, stronger, and faster. However, I followed that with several blogs discussing how helmets were becoming safer for American football. Now, I want to focus in on how players are developing into more elite competitors. One of the main contributors for athletes becoming more exclusive has been the improvement in players' gear across several sports. With the next few postings I will be discussing uniforms, shoes, and apparel worn under sportswear regarding multiple sports.

Helmets: Xenith X1

Born out of a desire to reduce concussions after having experienced several throughout middle school and college, Vic Ferrara, a former Harvard quarterback, decided to start Xenith, a football helmet designer. The Xenith X1 is very unique because of the technology it employs--a custom fit seeker and shock absorbers. The fit seeker is a tool of the X1 that allows the helmet to adjust to the player's head for a custom fit. The fit seeker is integrated with the shock bonnet (interior padding) and the chin strip. When the player pulls the chin strap and buckles it, the interior padding snugs down on the player's head. No pump is required--a feature exclusive to Xenith. The second feature of the X1 is that instead of using firm padding in the inside it uses shock absorbers. These shock absorbers work by compressing and releasing air as impact occurs to the helmet's shell. By utilizing both the fit seeker and shock absorbers Xenith has contributed to reduced concussion percentage for football players. In a 2009 on-the-field study, an outstanding only 20 of 534 players wearing a Xenith suffered a concussion. Xenith, like Riddell, has started a race for safer helmets in a gladiator sport.

Super Bowl XLV: Part II

Apart from the camera improvements my second observation was that many players including Green Bay Packers' Clay Matthews wore a Riddell Revolution helmet. Opposite the line of scrimmage of Clay Matthews was Pittsburgh Steelers' starting quarterback Ben Roethilsberger who also wore a Revolution. These two impact players wearing this company's helmet shows the advancement and the excellence of the model. On the other hand, Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers once wore a Riddell during the regular season but switched brands after suffering a concussion prior to the playoffs. It should be noted that Rodgers did not wear a Revolution but the standard older models when he got a concussion. Super Bowl XLV encompassed my previous blogs with demonstrating the coverage football gets and the use of helmet technology.

Super Bowl XLV: Part I

Many people watched Super Bowl XLV this past Sunday played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. In fact, USA Today reported, "Sunday's Super Bowl on Fox helped the game set a record as the most-watched TV Show with 111 million total viewers" (Hiestand 1A). That is more than last year's Saints-Colts game that I had reported on in an earlier blog. For these next two entries I want to switch the focus away from helmets to point out two observations I made about the game. First, I want to call attention to the quickness of NFL cameras. Once a play was completed the replay was given instantly. I once watched an NFL Films Presents episode in which Steve Sabol discussed how NFL cameras had improved. After first, he said, it was not until after the game that they were able to process the film to show it on television. Later, with advancements in cameras, they were able to show game clips during halftime. That was followed by highlights before commercial breaks. Now, technology has made it possible for replays to be immediate. Media technology has improved the speed of the game which has led to more coverage.

Helmets: Riddell Part II

After some time, Riddell improved its design by adding a quick release face guard to reduce the time of helmet removable if a concussion did occur. Later, Riddell experimented with placing monitors in the helmet to record where and how many times a player received impact to the head. As a result, the Riddell 360 was designed. Since most collisions involve the front of the head, the 360 employs a flexible facemask that is supported with four hinge clips. According to Riddell this facemask should absorb more energy and reduce concussions. Fall 2011 will determine how well the 360 does with its new technology. Riddell truly started a revolution when it first released its Revolution helmet back in 2002.

Helmets: Riddell Part I

Riddell introduced the Revolution helmet in 2002 after a three-year on-the-field study. The results showed "there was a 31 percent decreased relative risk for sustaining a high concussion among athletes wearing the Revolution helmet" (Collins 5). One of the key, concussion-reducing features of the Revolution helmet was the extended protective shell and padding around the mandible area. Riddell, after studying film of game-time concussions, noticed that one of the most vulnerable areas was the jaw and side of the head. This research and new design was just the beginning of Riddell's emerging helmet technology.

Football Helmets Introduction

A game of high collisions, American football exposes players to an assortment of injuries--especially to the head. Peter King with Sports Illustrated reported:
Dr. Ann McKee, an associate professor of neurology and pathology at Boston University, has been studying the brains of deceased football players. She says, 'In fact, I have never seen this disease (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) in any person who doesn't have the kind of repetitive head trauma that players would have (35).
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a disease in which a toxic protein called tau chokes of cellular life in the brain. Long before this research's results were published, head injuries have been a concern. Far removed from the early, useless, leather helmets of the young days of football, helmets have improved vastly to reduce head injuries.

The Sports Choice of America

Breath-taking hits, leaping catches, and game-winning field goals all make American football the leading sport in the United States. In 2010, Super Bowl XLIV was the most-watched broadcast of television history. Americans are passionate about football and that has carried over into the Friday night lights and college football Saturdays. As teenagers and college-age adults thrive to be in the largest sports platform of the United States, an ample amount of money, preparation, and time has gone into equipment and training. In the upcoming post look for information concerning the present and future technology of helmets, jerseys, compression shirts, and various other equipment for American football.

Sports and Technology: Emerging Together

With the increased coverage of sports, athletes are more driven than ever before to compete than to solely enjoy sports as an extracurricular activity. Athletic directors, coaches, owners, and players desire to win and stay in the spotlight of a 400 billion dollar industry. Players are getting bigger, stronger, and faster. Coaches are working longer and smarter desiring to have the edge over their opponents. Sports companies are continually researching ways to improve their products to be lighter and safer. Cameras and headsets are being utilized by officials wanting to make the precise call. Technology and sports will be inseparable as the second decade of the twenty-first century begins.