Off the cuff

When it comes to organized team sports, there certainly are enough out in the world to keep everyone entertained. When we lived in the States, my dad was never left wanting because when one season ended another one began, so whether it was basketball, football, soccer, or baseball blaring through the house there was always something to watch. Personally, I was more of a baseball fan (I guess that’s the American influence), but I admit, I also enjoyed tuning into the many soccer (or football) games that my friends loved watching mainly because of all the hotties playing the sport!

Yup, for some reason when it comes to team sports, soccer scores all the Baldwins. That’s something I’ve noticed ever since high school when all my football-playing classmates were drooling over the gorgeous Brazil team and the good-looking Spanish ball players and bringing their pictures to school. And of course, there’s the ever-famous metrosexual David Beckham who gives a new meaning to the phrase "polished gentlemen." Indeed, if you want to catch a sport that will entertain you with amazing athletic prowess and good looks at the same time, soccer is the sport for you. It remains a guilty pleasure of mine even until now as I channel surf with nothing to watch, I’m not as up-to-date as actual hardcore football fans (my real sports interests lie elsewhere) but I still enjoy catching a few games because I know that every now and then I’ll come across an athlete that would capture my atten-tion.

One such athlete is the good-looking talented Fulham player Carlos Bocanegra (black mouth?) who actually caught my attention in a rather roundabout way. Nicknamed ‘Los by his teammates this defender’s no-nonsense, "battle" approach to every game makes him a valuable asset to his team and a force to be reckoned with by his opponents. After an impressive collegiate career with UCLA, Carlos was snapped up right after graduation to play pro and quickly earned the 2000 rookie-of-the-year award which is saying a lot for a defender in a sport loaded with offensive star power. This wasn’t the last award ‘Los received though. With his blistering speed and positional sense he was named 2002 and 2003 defender-of-the-year.

If I’m not mistaken, I’ve actually seen this MLS Defender awardee play on television, but to be quite frank that isn’t quite where I took notice of him. It was the other week when I was checking out watches with my friend who wanted to check out an interesting sports watch at L Time Studio she thought her brother might like. It was the Nike Cuff, the latest addition to a large roster of Nike Timing sports watches available on the market. Taken from the ubiquitous sweatband ever present on skaters, sports stars, and tennis players Nike combined a digital detachable watch nugget with the three-inch stretchy sports icon. The watch caught her attention because her brother is an avid tennis player. What caught my attention on the other hand though was the artistically shot photo of an otherwise rather unassuming Bocanegra sporting the latest Cuff watch, which according to my girlfriend was the reason she wanted to check out the watch to begin with.

Apparently, ‘Los is the latest to join the many pro-athletes who wear and support Nike gear. As far back as the Jordan basketball line, Nike sponsors talented and promising athletes to use and promote their sporting equipment making sure they’re top-of-the-line and applicable to the sport. Bocanegra sporting the cuff is just one of the many reasons sports lovers (soccer, basketball, and tennis players specifically) might love wearing it as well. After all, I’ve seen several athletes already sporting the sweatband, why not take it a step further and add a watch to it as well? It’s sleek, stylish, multi-purpose, and best of all, machine-washable to ensure that the signature "just-stepped-off-the-field" smell doesn’t remain. Not to mention the watch comes with three different cuffs to ensure that it’ll match any outfit! I’m sure David Beckham would appreciate that.

So, it comes full circle. An avid soccer player familiar with Bocanegra’s impressive career and skill on the field prompted my friend to check out the ever-present cuff on his left arm and the Nike Cuff ad prompted me to learn more about an interesting soccer player who’s apparently been making waves in the world of football. Isn’t it nice how these things work out?