Thursday, October 21, 2004

I love the smell of Kangaroo leather in the morning. It smells like... like victory.

I am not a religious person. One could describe my spiritual polarity as agnostic, just this side of atheist. I've been this way most of my adult life.

I DO recieve a religious publication that I subscribe to, however. EuroSport. Fabled Soccer Outfitters. It is mostly a catalogue, but also has articles concerning the soccer world and it's players. FF , I'll pass on the newest publication to you via LBG when I'm finished with it.

In perusing this issue, I found something very interesting. While checking through the Adidas section, I found that the Copa Mundial, a molded stud shoe for dryer pitch, and the World Cup, a screw in stud shoe for softer, deeper, damper pitch, are still offered prominently, 89.99 and 124.99 respectively. These two shoes have been worn by more players in more World Cup Tournaments than any other shoe by any other shoe manufacturer.

Here is the interesting part. These shoes were introduced by Adidas as their Flagship models, over twenty five years ago. Today, they are still offered at their original top dollar amounts. Adidas has introduced newer, more high tech shoes, some looking like something from NASA, as it's flagship shoes over the years since, but these two shoes still sell, and more importantly, still command top dollar.

The reason for this is the Kangaroo leather, and their timeless design. These shoes break in at first wearing, and I cannot describe in words your touch on the ball in them. Something like playing barefoot, if your feet were made of Kangaroo leather, of course.

My greatest goal ever was in a pair of Copas. Playing left winger for my Battalion squad against a much loathed Navy squad, I was sprinting down the left side on a run to meet a through-ball one-touched forward by the center-middy. I met the ball in open space five meters outside the penalty area and blasted it one-touch with the outside of my right foot. The ball never rose higher than a foot above the pitch, heading wide of the left goalpost, then curling in just inside the post, beating the keeper, who misjudged it and layed out for it too late.

I still have that pair of Copas, and a pair of World Cup screw-ins. I don't slip them on much any more, but I should. I know this. I also know that if these two pair, ten years old now and still in the same shape, should ever wear out, I can go out and plunk down a bundle for a new pair of the same world class shoe.

2 Comments:

Blogger lilblackgirl said...

don't put them on much?
what about those two dozen times you've come home from work, strip down to your boxers and undershirt and then put your copas on and kick back on the couch with them up on the coffee table while watching the simpsons? or do you mean actually using them in play? my bad

October 22, 2004 at 6:53 AM  
Blogger Any Clime and Place said...

Always a comedian...Hey, I'm trying to do a tribute piece here. Sheesh!

October 24, 2004 at 6:52 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home