World Cup sidelights coloring the big event

CEBU, Philippines - Let me acknowledge Miguel Larrauri for pointing out a glaring error I made on my column last Friday.  Diego Maradona did not play during the 1978 WC in Argentina.  He played during the ’82, ’86, ’90 and ’94 WC editions.  It was Mario Kempes, who starred for the Argentines in 1978 where, aside from winning the WC, he won the Golden Boot for scoring the most goals and the Golden Ball, FIFA’s version of the MVP.  Maradona captained Argentina in the WC 1986 at Mexico.  My apologies for the mess, and thank you, Migs.  We get careless sometimes.

Have you ever been to Freedom Park and check the flowers being sold there?  Have you been to Busay to see the flower plantations with all the vibrant colors greeting your visual senses?  Ever since the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 started last week, the green football pitch might as well look like a flower garden with all the colors of the rainbow going wild.

Traditional football brand Adidas usually dominates the event but Nike and Puma plus other lesser known brands are making themselves felt with really flourescent colors.  Adidas offered something looking like a lizard with bright blue and orange stripes.  Nike unveiled cleats with sock-like inserts in bold pinks and yellows.  Puma went further and presented a mismatched option in blue and pink.

From the shoe manufacturer’s standpoint, it’s all about marketing.  All the major players in the football shoe industry focus on the youth, the young players.  Sure, they maintain expensive relationships with the pros but the young majority wants to be like Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Beckham and kids wear what the stars are wearing.

Several players like the bold and daring colors as it speaks of individuality as everything else is uniform while they’re on the field playing.  There’s the option also of customization.  A  good  number though prefer the traditional black as they think the bright colors don’t favor the attackers as they get noticed easier if they’re slightly offside.

Endorsers, if they do prefer tradition, can’t do anything.  They have contracts to honor and the shoe boxes find their addresses, they wear what’s given to them.  This FIFA World Cup, only the refs wear black cleats, all else looked liked they crashed into a paint delivery truck.   (FREEMAN)