Goal-Line Camera Technology Trials Come To Football

After years of anger, relief, frustration and torment caused to fans, and just as many years of back and forth discussion with FIFA, the Football Association has agreed to trial Hawk Eye goal-line technology in an upcoming football game.

Having been a fundamental and vital part of sports such as tennis and cricket for some years now, many angered and amazed football fans have spent decades watching FIFA blow off requests for the technology to find its place in the beautiful game, but weeks of talks between the association and Haw

k Eye – the technology’s originators – has finally seen it brought to the table – or rather the field.

The technology has actually already been trialled once before in the Hampshire Senior Cup final earlier this month, though there were considerably less critical eyes paying attention than there will be at the expected 85,000 capacity Wembley sell out of England v. Belgium on June 2nd.

How it works

The technology will work through six cameras installed at each goal line feeding video footage through to a small collection of testers who will be analysing the results. Even the game’s officials will be kept ‘out of the loop’ … Read more at FryingPanSports

Top 3 Inspirational Sporting Figures

When it comes to sports, inspiration figures are truly sights to behold. When riding solo, they emulate brave knights, talismanic in battle. When part of a team or squad they resemble army generals, victorious due to their war conduct. Here is a celebration of sport’s most inspirational figures over the years.

Muhammad Ali

The first sportsman to coin the quote ‘I am the greatest’, Muhammad Ali owns this phrase because he simply is the greatest ever boxer to had lived. In fact it wouldn’t even be possible to begrudge Ali claiming he meant the greatest ever ‘sportsman’, when he uttered what was to become his infamous catchphrase.

His speed was incredible, precision tremendous and power mind boggling. Ali was a man of extraordinary talent and charisma. The most entertaining in and out of the ring, Ali’s title as ‘the king’ is hard to dispute.

Sportsmen are often appreciated for their worth away from the actual sports cameras and in front of the interview cameras. Ali also excelled tremendously in this aspect, giving viewers limericks, poems, banter and some truly memorable quotes.

Arkle

Three Cheltenham Gold Cups, Two Hennessy Gold Cups, the Whitbread Gold Cup, Irish Grand National, King George VI … Read more at FryingPanSports

XI Gifted Footballers

When it comes to talented footballers there have been many and this XI is by no means definitive. These guys are picked for their footballing gifts rather than achievements, which means there is one or two you might not normally find in fantasy line-ups and as such, there are a few controversial omissions too. There is no denying they are amongst the best to have ever played the game. However this team, if it were to play together it would probably be considered a little temperamental. I’ve gone for a basic 4-4-2 line up, plus a keeper.

Keeper – Lev Yashin

This Polish cat between the sticks was known as the Black Spider because of his black kit and unbelievable ability. He is the only goalkeeper to have been named European footballer of the year. He played for Moscow Dynamo in the 50s and helped them to win five league titles and three cups.

Left Back – Roberto Carlos

Tough choice, but for his attacking flare, apocalyptically powerful left foot and love of a freekick he makes the starting XI. Closely pushed all the way though by Paolo Maldini who is the epitome of Italian football in his defensive solidity.… Read more at FryingPanSports

Preparing for Each of Your Soccer Games

When you decide that you want to play soccer, you should take the time that you need to be sure that you are safe.  There are a lot of people that get injured playing soccer and you want to take the time that you need to research how you can ensure that you are preventing soccer injuries.

First, you should be sure that you take the time that you need to understand how you are going to be wise about the way that you are going to prepare for a game.  Whether you are playing indoor soccer, outdoor soccer or street soccer you want to be sure that you are ready for the game.

To ensure that your body is ready you will want to make sure that you can stretch out your muscles.  When you are stretching you want to make sure that you are also warming up your muscles so that they are able to stretch as far as they can before you start playing.

Soccer is full of quick movements that can be very detrimental to tight muscles.  Make sure that you take the time that you need to understand how you are going to stretch out … Read more at FryingPanSports

The State of English Football Today

The English Premier League is widely regarding as one of the most competitive leagues in world football. And yet, since it’s inception in 1993 only four teams have managed to win the title: Manchester United (12 times), Arsenal and Chelsea (3 times) and Blackburn Rovers (once).

Other teams have attempted to break this domination, usually with the help of some hefty foreign financial backing, including Liverpool, Tottenham and, most recently, Manchester City. As the form begins to settle down for the 2011/2012 season the old familiar faces are appearing at the top of the table and the rest will be left fighting for scraps or desperately trying to avoid relegation.

So where do we get this complacency about our league? Is it the influx of foreign players? Perhaps. But the novelty of watching the biggest names on the international stage plying their trade at Stamford Bridge or Old Trafford has surely worn off. The effects on our national team have been well documented with no sign of a trophy to add to our 1966 World Cup. Hopes of anything appearing in the trophy cabinet any time soon will have taken a dent with our recent scrambled qualification for Euro 2012 … Read more at FryingPanSports

Public Displays of Terrible Sportsmanship

Credit: bc-fotografie

Throughout history, many professional sports personalities have taken their competitive edge to the next level, by not being able to keep their frustrations and anger sealed. Usually, such unsavoury acts of sportsmanship are witnessed by the public eye and, as a consequence, their careers are forever tarnished. Here’s a look at the sporting personalities who have committed foul play, a heinous hack, or generally flipped out in front of the cameras for the viewing world to see.

 

Mike Tyson

This is perhaps one of the most notorious displays of terrible sportsmanship – the infamous WBA heavyweight championship match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. It was to be a fight which was expected to see an end to Mike Tyson’s career, and one which neither fighter nor referee, Mills Lane, will ever forget. The first two rounds were like any other heavyweight title fight, with both men looking very hungry for the big shots and the even bigger win. There was an accidental, stray head-butt from Holyfield in the second round, cutting Tyson just above is right eye, which he didn’t take kindly too. In retaliation, Tyson resorted to feasting on of Holyfield’s ears in the third … Read more at FryingPanSports