ImaginativePRO Blog

THE TAGA BIKE TRANSPORTS KIDS EASILY AND CAN CONVERT FROM A BIKE INTO A STROLLER

I’ve written about our Taga Bike before, and how it can convert in under a minute (even with me doing the converting) from a bike to a stroller. Taga sent us their wooden double seat to review, and it has gotten a lot of use carting Lily to and from preschool!

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This sturdy seat has a rain cover, which is also great for keeping the kids warm on chilly mornings. You can either hook it together quickly with the elastics on the ends (what we usually do for cold weather):

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Or you can zip the sides securely shut for when you really need to keep the rain out. In a full-on rainstorm, a little water will get in through the wooden handles you see in the photo above – but only in a real downpour.

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When the weather is nice, Lily and Anna prefer to ride with the sides rolled up. They wave and yell hi to random people (and cars) that we pass on the street. About half the time people ask what kind of nifty contraption they are riding in.

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Taga also offers a second seat that attaches to the blue seat at the end of this post (which was featured in my first post about the taga bike). You can still use the Taga in stroller mode with the second fabric seat, but not with this wooden seat. I still prefer the wooden seat since it allows enough space to fit backpacks or other items in addition to kids – and because it has the rain cover for wet or cold days. Right now, Taga is even offering the wooden seat for free when you purchase a Taga Bike-Stroller!

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This seat was a little challenging to put together – I put the hood on backwards (the pocket should be facing the rider) – but we left it that way because it fits (although that’s why the fabric is wrinkled) and it allows more room for taller riders like Mike – who at 6’2” is definitely on the taller end for riding this bike. He makes it work, though! I’m about 5’7”, and the seat is about perfect for me when it’s at its tallest height. Here is a video clip of it in action:

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I also wanted to add a few photos showing how the bike transforms from bike to stroller mode with the single seat. Here it is in bike mode.

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You can lift the seat off without having to unstrap your child, and sit them on the ground – so they remain strapped in (and unable to run off into the street). Then you lower the seat:

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Lift a handle with the press of a button, flip the back wheel into the front, and snap the handle back in place. Notice that this happened so quickly (even with me photographing the steps) that Anna isn’t remotely worried about sitting on the ground.

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Snap the seat back into place, and you’re good to go. This works if you have the single mode basket on, also (see the photos in my original taga review post) – but I had taken it off to use the wooden seat, and didn’t bother to put it back on to photograph these steps. Anna prefers using the bike in bike mode because she likes to go fast, but she prefers riding in the Taga in stroller mode over our actual stroller, so the seat must be pretty comfy.

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What is your favorite way to get around with kids?

COMMENTARY:   Love the Taga bike.  I have a feeling that it will be very popular with moms and dads.  It's a great way for parents to get a good workout and have fun with their young kids. BTW, Taga bikes are priced at $1,495.00.   Accessories are extra.  Click HERE to order one.

Courtesy of an article dated March 12, 2014 appearing in MamaSmiles

CHEVROLET UNVEILS THE 2015 CORVETTE Z06 AND Z07 PERFORMANCE PACKAGE

The 2015 Corvette Z06 will deliver unprecedented levels of aerodynamic downforce, at least 625 horsepower from an all-new supercharged engine, and an all-new, high-performance eight-speed automatic transmission, and the suite of advanced driver technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray.  (Click Image To Enlarge) 

 

WITH THE TRACK-FOCUSED Z07 PERFORMANCE PACKAGE, THE 2015 CORVETTE Z06 BECOMES A TRUE ALL-AMERICAN MADE SUPERCAR THAT CAN COMPETE ON ANY TRACK. 

 

 

The 2015 Corvette Z06 will deliver unprecedented levels of aerodynamic downforce, at least 625 horsepower from an all-new supercharged engine, and an all-new, high-performance eight-speed automatic transmission, and the suite of advanced driver technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray.

 

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The 2015 Corvette Z06 is distinguished from the Corvette Stingray by unique color schemes that emphasize the driver-focused cockpit, and a unique, flat-bottomed steering wheel.

 

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With track-focused Z07 performance package, 2015 Corvette Z06 delivers faster lap times than 2013 Corvette ZR1.

 

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The heart of the 2015 Corvette Z06 is the all-new LT4 6.2L supercharged V-8 engine, expected to deliver an estimated 625 horsepower (466 kW) and 635 lb-ft of torque (861 Nm). To balance performance and efficiency, the LT4 leverages the same trio of advanced technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray: Direct injection, Active Fuel Management, or cylinder deactivation, and continuously variable valve timing.

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The new 1.7L Eaton R1740 TVS supercharger spins at up to 20,000 rpm – 5,000 rpm more than the supercharger on the Corvette ZR1’s LS9. The rotors are shorter in length, too, which contributes to their higher-rpm capability – and enables them to get up to speed quicker, producing power-enhancing boost earlier in the rpm band. That boost is achieved more efficiently, thanks to a new, more direct discharge port that creates less turbulence, reducing heat and speeding airflow into the engine.

 

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The 2015 model is the first Corvette Z06 to offer a supercharged engine, an automatic transmission and, thanks to a stronger aluminum frame, a removable roof panel. The new, supercharged 6.2L engine is expected to deliver at least 625 horsepower (466 kW), and can be matched with either a seven-speed manual or an all-new, high-performance eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters for manual control. The aluminum frame carries over from the Corvette Stingray and will be used essentially unchanged for the Corvette Racing C7.R.

 

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The 2015 Corvette Z06 will deliver unprecedented levels of aerodynamic downforce, at least 625 horsepower from an all-new supercharged engine, and an all-new, high-performance eight-speed automatic transmission, and the suite of advanced driver technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray.

 

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The 2015 Corvette Z06 (bottom) and the upgraded version equipped with the Z07 performance package (top) for the serious racer.

 

 
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More images of the 2015 Corvette Z06:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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COMMENTARY:   No that's what I call an out-of-the-box, true all-American sports car that can compete on the race course without any problems.  A true American made super car that can compete on any course.   Sorry, don't have all the performance specs yet, but they will be incredible for sure.

 

Courtesy of an article dated January 18, 2013 appearing in Luxurious Magazine

NIKE REDEFINES BASKETBALL FOOTWEAR WITH THE KOBE 9 ELITE FEATURING NIKE FLYKNIT, $225 A PAIR, FOR SALE ON FEB 8

A first in running, now a first in basketball, Nike Flyknit breaks the rules and brings superior lightweight strength to one of the game’s greatest players.

The first time you slip on a Nike Flyknit--technology that weaves together a shoe’s upper half--you may swear that you’re really wearing a sock.

And so as Flyknit technology makes its way to hightops for the first time in Nike’s newly announced Kobe Bryant’s latest shoe, the Kobe 9 Elite, it's pretty fair to say that Nike has built the first hightop sock.

 

Mark Parker, President & CEO of NIKE, Inc., said.   

“We are just scratching the surface of the potential of Nike Flyknit to transform the way we design shoes to meet athletes’ needs.  The Kobe 9 redefines the basketball shoe by combining power, strength, and flexibility with lightweight materials and a whole new method of manufacturing.” 

The Kobe 9 Elite's aesthetic details that have won us over. Specifically, the sole is shaped after Bryant's own foot, and rear red lacing represents his recent achilles surgery. (Click Image To Enlarge)

The Kobe 9 Elite may fit like a sock, but it's not 100% cozy footwear. (Click Image To Enlarge)

Eric Avar, Nike Creative Director and VP of Innovation, who has worked closely with Kobe on his shoe designs for a decade, said.  

"Nike Flyknit acts as a second skin for Kobe, giving him engineered strength similar to the design of a spider web – tension and strength just where it’s needed."

The Kobe 9 Elite Flyknit upper leads to a Flywire midsole (the firmer, Flyknit predecessor) to lock the foot on the sole. Why? (Click Image To Enlarge)

Kobe reflected when asked about the inspiration for his latest shoes and about getting back into the game. 

"I draw inspiration from where I am as a player, as a person, and where my career is at this moment.  I'm trying to do something that the majority of people think is impossible to do.  I let my emotions out when I step on the basketball floor, it’s always been my escape, and these shoes will touch a nerve on the court in the same way I do."

You can read more about the technology at play here in the slide show above. But honestly, it’s not the unique Flyknit construction that makes the Kobe 9 so fascinating. It’s the highly personal, anthropomorphic detail hiding inside the shoe that make it something more than yet another fancy hightop. The Kobe 9 is a portrait of Kobe himself.

Frankensteinian twist, the nine red embroidered laces on the back of each shoe don’t just mark that this is the ninth iteration of Bryant footwear, they actually represent the sutures from his recent achilles tendon surgery--the repair of an injury that could have ended his illustrious career.

We went back and forth and decided it would be a really unique detail to add to the shoe. To him, it very much represents the journey, from a point of extreme challenge to coming back.

Whereas a Flyknit weave alone may be enough to stabilize a running shoe, Nike tells us that basketball is far more explosive, and requires more tensile support from Flywire. (Click Image To Enlarge)

Then below the midsole, the shoe ends in liberal cushioning and a super light, super strong carbon fiber heel. (Click Image To Enlarge)

In this sense, the Kobe 9 is highly reminiscent of Derrick Rose’s recent comeback campaign with Adidas. But the Kobe 9 goes a step further. It’s not just a cool shoe wrapped in a smart marketing campaign. It’s actually a mass-produced manifestation of Bryant’s battle back into basketball. The Kobe 9 is truly Kobe Bryant in the year 2013. Or at least, his feet.

Look for the shoe on sale February 8 for $225.

COMMENTARY:  Reverting back to a higher cut for the first time since his third signature shoe in 2007, Kobe’s ninth signature shoe features a knit collar for the proprioceptive feel of a low-top with the support of a mid-top.

With the lead colorway dubbed ‘Masterpiece,’ the KOBE 9 Elite uses the intriguing visual patterns allowed by Nike Flyknit to create a piece of art on the upper, nine red embroidered details on the heel give a nod to Kobe’s Achilles sutures. The design on the outsole is based on the pressure mapping of Kobe’s own foot, creating a beautiful pattern while providing traction on court.

DYNAMIC FIT

Nike Flyknit and Flywire technologies are a one-two punch, leading to a dynamic fit for Kobe’s intricate footwork. 

• The single layer Nike Flyknit creates a seamless engineered upper that is the ultimate in superior lightweight performance integrating areas of high breathability, stretch and support where it’s needed most. 

• Nike Flywire technology is strong yet dynamic for lockdown through the midfoot; its cables loosen and tighten with the natural motion of the foot.

• The carbon fiber heel counter provides strong and lightweight lateral stability when moving from side to side, while the heel remains stable.

RESPONSIVE RIDE

Eliminating bulk and distraction was a focus for Avar. The idea of ‘simplifying without compromise’ helped shape the design of the KOBE 9 Elite.

• Nike Lunarlon cushioning insert provides responsive cushioning that keeps the foot connected to the court.

• The pressure mapping designed, minimal rubber outsole delivers durable traction and mimics the natural contours of the foot.

DESIGN WITH A PURPOSE

Nike Flyknit technology introduces a new way to construct a shoe upper by knitting strands of yarn. Nike Flyknit is better for the planet because it drastically reduces waste and materials from typical upper construction. The KOBE 9 Elite upper reduces waste by nearly 50% compared to traditional high-top basketball shoes that use multiple segments and cuts of material in the construction process.

Courtesy of an article dated December 5, 2013 appearing in Fast Company Design

RECON, A GOOGLE GLASS COMPETITOR, HAS ALREADY SHIPPED 50,000 DEVICES, TARGETS ATHLETES LIKE CYCLISTS AND SKIERS

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RECON, WHICH BILLS ITSELF AS A GOOGLE GLASS FOR ATHLETES, HAS ALREADY SHIPPED THOUSANDS MORE DEVICES THAN GOOGLE AND SECURED INVESTMENT FROM INTEL CAPITAL TO BOOT.

Recon, maker of a $600 Google Glass-like wearable device marketed toward athletes,  reports it has already shipped 50,000 of its "Snow" model, geared toward skiers. That's many thousands more than the number of Glass devices Google has shipped to date. Google has instead chosen to roll out its device very slowly, to only a few thousand people to start.

 

Recon has also secured an investment from Intel Capital to continue development on what Recon calls "the world's most advanced wearable computer." Although the debate over which wearable device can claim the title of "most advanced" is still up for discussion, Recon's current niche is high-performance athletes, which means it's more durable than the shatter-prone  Google Glass.

Intel VP Mike Bell, who manages the corporation's new devices group, said.  

"In Recon Instruments, we see compelling technology and a solid strategy to capitalize on the wearable revolution.  This is an area of significant focus for Intel Capital, and our investment in Recon Instruments is a key part of our approach to innovation in this emerging space."

COMMENTARY:   In terms of design, Recon glasses are reminiscent of the futuristic  Oakley sports shades that are so popular with many top tier sports professionals. An interesting difference between the Recon Jet and Glass is that the former puts the display lens at the lower part of the wearer's vision rather than at the top.

According to a statement on the Recon Jet website,

"Research has shown that looking down is an easier eye movement than looking up. Jet is also designed for outdoor use, where looking up could result in looking directly at the sun, something we want to avoid."

Another important difference is that the Recon Jet is controlled only by a touch-pad on the side of the device, no voice control feature is included.

As for the technical specifications, the Recon Jet is equipped as follows:

• 720p HD video camera. 
• 3D accelerometer. 
• Built-in microphone and speakers. 
• 8GB of flash memory. 
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capability 
• Micro USB port. 

The device functions on an open platform that anyone can develop apps for, but right out of the box, the Pilot Edition of the Recon Jet comes with software that allows users to track their speed, distance, and heart rate. Users can also connect the glasses to their smartphone to see SMS alerts and caller ID.

And while you might think that Google wouldn't want to give exposure to a potential competitor, it appears that the company's reps were welcome at a Google recent conference. Recon Instruments CEO, Dan Eisenhardt, said,

"We introduced Recon Jet to the developer community at the Google I/O tech conference last month. To say the response exceeded our expectations would be a massive understatement."

Pricing for the early adopter Pilot Edition was $499, a deal that expired on July 21, to coincide with the end of this year's Tour De France event.  Delivery of the device is expected to be December 2013 through early 2014.

RECON Jet Pilot Edition

The advantages of the Recon Jet over Google Glass are apparent:

• Cheaper price (for now). 
• First to market. 
• Open platform (no worries about Google controlling your personal data). 
• Targeting athletes is smart. 

Athletes have been looking for something like this for a while now, particularly now that wearable performance trackers are taking off.  But the notion of a normal personal walking around wearing Glass in the same way that they might utilize a smartphone has struck some as impractical at best, and a capital offence against fashion at worst.

George Hincape wearing a pair of RECON Jet glasses (Click Image To Enlarge)

And, beyond all the other considerations, Recon Jet is simply the best alternative for anyone who wants most of the facility of something like Glass, but without having to lock yourself into Google's cloud apps that spread your data throughout the search company's software ecosystem.

Given those factors, the Recon Jet has a lot going for it.  However, the major advantage Google has is that scores of people have been enthusiastically testing Glass in the public eye for months now. In fact, in July Google uploaded a video of Wimbledon tennis pro Bethanie Mattek-Sands training with Glass, a clear indication that the company is trying to get more sports pros to adopt the device.

RECON Jet Features (Click Image To Enlarge)

Tour de France veteran George Hincapie testing out the Recon Jet in the video below.

 

RECON Jet Technical Specifications

Recon Jet is a powerful standalone microcomputer with the onboard processing power, suite of sensors and networking capabilities you would expect from a tablet or smartphone. It's open platform and SDK allows developers to create apps for any activity where information, relayed direct-to-eye, changes the game.

ONBOARD SENSOR FRAMEWORK	9-Axis sensors • 3D accelerometer • 3D gyroscope • 3D magnetometer Pressure sensor • Altimeter & barometer application Ambient temperature sensor Optical touch sensor for UI control Works in all weather conditions, and with gloves on
PROCESSOR SUBSYSTEM	1 GHz Dual-Core ARM Cortex-A9 On-board memory • 1GB DDR2 SDRAM  • 8GB flash
ULTRA-COMPACT DISPLAY	Wide screen 16:9 WQVGA display Virtual image appears as 30" HD display at 7' Power-saving sleep mode High contrast and brightness for readability in high ambient lighting
NETWORKING SUBSYSTEM	Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11a/b/g/n) Bluetooth 4.0 (Bluetooth Smart) • Apple MFi Bluetooth support GPS • MEMS GPS/INS Kalman filtering fusion algorithm ANT • Support for connectivity of up to 8 ANT+ peripherals Micro USB • Device charging/power • Data transfer
EMBEDDED  AUDIO & VIDEO	HD camera Integrated speaker and microphone

Courtesy of an article dated September 27, 2013 appearing in Fast Company and an article dated June 27, 2013 appearing in DVICE

THE "FOOTLOOSE" BY MANDO, IS THE WORLD'S FIRST CHAINLESS FOLDING ELECTRIC BIKE

Click images to visit the Mando Footloose website

The Footloose by Mando is doubtless going to make you want to test ride it. Asserting that it is the world’s first chainless hybrid electric folding bike, Korean auto suppliers Mando Corp and Meister Inc have collaborated to bring us this beautiful design.

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Designboom states it can go up to 18.6 miles with the motor alone, and farther with pedaling by the rider.

“By directly transforming electricity via an alternator connected to the crank, power is generated directly from the user. The energy stored in a lithium-ion battery, which is then used to actuate the engine. Using an electronic control unit (ECU), the ‘footloose’ works with sensors and an automatic gear changer to monitor terrain and adjust the motor’s output as necessary. It monitors the system for problems, which it displays via a handlebar-mounted human machine interface (HMI).”

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It will apparently be available in the European markets starting 2013.  Here is a video illustrating the bike a bit more:

 

COMMENTARY:   This is a paradigm change in the e-bike world for sure.  It is a clean and simple design.  It removes all of the typical bicycle drivetrain components: the chain, chainrings, cogs, derailleurs, and shifters.  This also removes the dirty, greasy chain!    

Of course it adds the alternator and some other electronic components but overall it appears to be a system with less components.  As long as it proves to be reliable, the series hybrid system could be a great e-bike drive system for the future.

 

The Footloose was developed in a partnership project of Mando Corp. and Meister Inc. (automotive suppliers in South Korea).  British designer Mark Sanders and Dutch e-bike expert Han Goes were very involved in the design.

Footloose Design By Mark Sanders

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Footloose Advanced Technology

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Footloose Specifications

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Footloose Color Options

Mando Footloose in white and black colors (Click Images To Enlarge)

Mando Footloose in grey and light blue colors (Click Images To Enlarge)

Courtesy of an article dated November 26, 2012 appearing in FeedBox

A LOOK AT THE RIDDELL 360 FOOTBALL HELMET, AND WHY NFL HELMENTS WILL NEVER BE CONCUSSION-PROOF

The Riddell 360 football helmet could help reduce brain concussions sustained by football players (Click Image To Enlarge)

EXPERTS AGREE, EVEN IF A CONCUSSION-PROOF HELMET WERE POSSIBLE, SUCH A SOLUTION WOULD BRING NEW INJURIES OF ITS OWN--TO THE SPORT AND ITS PLAYERS.

Imagine that you drive a car straight into a building at 40 mph. Despite airbags and seatbelts, you’d probably feel lucky to be alive. But when an NFL wide receiver meets a safety head-on, we expect them both to get back up to play second down.

What’s the difference?   One expert tells me.

“In a car crash, you stop in a matter of feet. In an NFL impact, you stop in inches.”

In the eyes of physics, a big hit on the field can be just as devastating as a car crash--or in many cases, worse. We’re expecting a mere 1.5 inches of foam and candy shell to decelerate a player’s head gently enough to prevent their brain from bouncing around inside their skull and causing poorly understood, but permanent and devastating injury. After talking to some of the brightest minds in helmet design, helmet testing and football physics, the elephant in the room became clear: A concussion-proof helmet is a pipe dream. If the NFL wants concussion-free football, they’ll need to redesign football.

That said, conditions have never been riper for disruptive technologies to increase player safety. And for the first time in football’s 200+ year history, we’re finally developing the methodology to separate our best helmets from the decorative chunks of plastic.

TESTING EVOLUTION

Just two years ago, a team led by Dr. Stefan Duma from Virginia Tech released the first ever five-star crash rating for football helmets (PDF). It’s one reason that Duma likens the NFL of today to the auto industry in the 1970s. Originally, all cars were rated by a basic pass/fail crash test, and it wasn’t until Congress passed legislature for a five-star crash rating system that car companies had the impetus to do better.

Before Duma’s testing, the same was true for helmets. The industry’s only concern was whether football players could take a hit without fracturing their skull or sustaining subdural hematoma. Concussions--or any other traumas--weren’t part of testing. So designing helmets became a limbo bar. If a manufacturer came in anywhere below crushed skull territory, their helmet was thrown in the approved pile.

Duma says.

“Our rating system is the first that actually shows people that some helmets are better.  One of the things we wanted to do was provide a mechanism for improved design. You’ll never have a concussion-proof helmet because injury is all about risk. But the better helmets lower your risk. That can be substantial. We found the best helmet lowered risk of concussion by 85%.”

THE WORLD’S BEST HELMET

Duma’s top-rated helmet today is the Riddell 360. Priced at about $400, it features a hard polycarbonate shell to bounce off an impact and an energy absorbing foam lining to absorb the aftershock. The pièce de résistance is its huge, spring-like facemask optimized for forward-facing collisions. The entire ensemble is so effective that it can cut the peak force of a head-on-head impact in half when compared to the league’s worst helmets. (And it just so happens, Riddell’s VSR-4, discontinued in 2010 but still supported for factory refurbishing, is one of football’s worst rated helmets.)

But why should players wear helmets at all, one might ask. In the mid 20th century, as many as 30 players were dying a year due to head injuries. Helmets were the byproduct of the NFL’s first head-trauma scandal. The first were thin, hard leather. Then they adopted plastics, padding, and face masks. As we learned more, the focus quickly became, not just hard protection, but the shock absorption of softer materials. This approach worked. Since the 1980s, we haven’t had a single skull fracture in the NFL. Today’s Riddell helmet is bigger than its predecessors, but it’s ostensibly the same design we’ve been building on for decades.

The Riddell Football Helmet (Click Image To Enlarge)

Each product Riddell releases follows about two years of R&D. They create a prototype. They fill it with a human head surrogate (complete with a brain-like liquid center) used in pass/fail certification testing. They smash it to simulate a head hitting the ground. Then they use another human head surrogate called the Hybrid III (found commonly in the auto industry’s crash test dummies), then they pummel the helmet again, focusing on specific angles of impact more like one might expect in an NFL game. Following that, Riddell seeds their new line to teams to test out in real-world conditions.

But with all this research and testing, can Riddell promise a concussion-free helmet?

Thad Ide, SVP of Research and Product Design at Riddell says.

“I wish we could.  With current technology and understanding, we’re just not there.”

The problem is ultimately one of physics. All helmets work under the same principle. The force striking one’s head--acceleration mixed with mass--can’t actually be prevented. Physics says that energy has to go somewhere, right? What good helmets do is lengthen the duration of the impact itself (in the hundredths of a second range), reverberating energy through various structures and materials, to smooth a hit from a sharp, high-g strike to a relatively smooth curve of deceleration. Consider landing on a concrete floor or a pile of pillows. Which impact takes longer and which impact hurts more?

Dr. Timothy Gay, University of Nebraska physics professor, writer, and industry helmet consultant said. 

“I think that it’s true that football helmets are 85% as good as they’re ever going to get.  The optimal football helmet won’t be much better than the helmet you can buy right now because there are just physics restraints on the kind of padding you can use. We have a pretty good micro, nanotechnological understanding of how materials work. And basically, there are limits on what padding materials can do for a given thickness.”

That’s an interesting point--what if we just increase the padding’s thickness?

MAYBE WE NEED A NEW PARADIGM

Gay tells me later, countering his own argument that had just sounded so convincing.  

"You can certainly make a helmet that’s concussion-proof.  All you have to do is put 15 inches of foam rubber on the outside of the helmet.”

This idea may seem as ludicrous as wrapping a fully padded football player in one of those novelty sumo suits. But it just so happens, there’s a company doing pretty much just that.

ProCap is a soft wrapper for football helmets that’s actually been around since the late 1980s. Most famously adopted by San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Steve Wallace, this extra layer of padding is a means to further slow the impact of the blow. Its known downfall? The soft outer padding can look a bit silly. There are also claims--though no studies that I could find--that the friction generated by a soft outer shell could lead to a neck injury.

ProCap’s inventor wasn’t available for comment, but when I asked Duma about the potential of foam-wrapped helmets, he said that his lab hasn’t tested any, as the ProCap has generally existed as an add-on, not a self-contained helmet in its own right. But he did have the first reasoned red flag to this cult-worshipped design. In the 1990s, Duke researched the possibility of adding padding to the ceiling of cars to protect passengers in the case of a rollover. What they found was precisely on-point with football’s current fear, that the softness actually distributes pressure to the neck, which can cause horrendous spinal injuries. Duma says.  

“The notion was out there, ‘Let’s put 4 inches of foam in the ceiling!, but you may just end up with a bunch of quadriplegic people.”

It makes sense. Just look at your car. You have side doors full of foam or even airbags, but the ceiling is covered by a glorified sheet.

SO … ANOTHER NEW PARADIGM

Another, equally enticing possibility is to model football helmets, not after football helmets, but after motorcycle helmets. Most football helmets are designed to be reworn until they’re refurbished. They have to serve play after play. But motorcycle helmets are designed differently. They use a more drastic energy-absorbing foam and a hard shell that isn’t afraid to crack. The downfall is that these helmets completely disintegrate upon impact--they’re totally ruined--with the interest of absorbing every bit of energy possible.

But David Rogers, VP of Concept Development at Gentex, the leading manufacturer of helmets for the Air Force (that owns companies that have designed everything from football helmets to special ops helmets), argues that single-use helmets are not the panacea they appear to be. Beyond the fact that players would need to pause each play to swap out helmets, even our best motorcycle helmets are only designed for 18 mph impacts (not our theoretical 40 mph maximum hit of two players running 20 mph). And as Rogers puts it,

"Should you have a head-on collision in a motorcycle helmet at 18 mph, you probably still have a concussion, but you’re not dead.”

“Not dead” isn’t really any sort of improvement.

THE NFL CAN DO WHAT HELMETS CAN’T

After going back and forth with experts with every conceivable conspiracy theory I could imagine, the consensus was obvious: A concussion-proof helmet is either impossible, or its requirements would affect play so drastically that it would either impair the sport or lead to other injuries. Even if we can mitigate the impact of the average tackle (and current helmets actually do this exceedingly well), the worst hits in the NFL are exponentially harder than the baseline. I’ve heard estimates that 5 to 10 hits in any given professional game are of concussion caliber. It’s no wonder so many of our players have been out this year with brain injuries.

Dr. Duma tells me, when I ask what can change.

“The helmet is the third barrier of defense.  You have to work on the rules, and you have to work on the coaching.”

Football is a brutal sport, and it always has been. The hits seem big only because they are. Sooner or later, driving a car into a wall at 40 mph is going to hurt you, with or without a $400 piece of plastic on your head. Every single helmet expert agreed that we can redesign football much more quickly and effectively than we can redesign the football helmet--in fact, most suggested the idea to me. The only question that remains is, are we actually willing to change football? Or do we value the spirit of the game more than the lives of the people playing it?

COMMENTARY:    The fact of the matter is that the human brain was never meant to take the brutal hits of football players.  It is vicious sport where just one well placed hit can put you in the hispital, give you a concussion or make you a paraplegic for life.   There is not helmet that can be designed to protect the brain from that kind of damage. The brain is a jellatinous material that was never designed to take that kind of physical punishment.

Courtesy of an article dated February 2, 2013 appaearing in Fast Company Design

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A MAPPING OF FACEBOOK DATA SHOWS WHICH NFL TEAM WINS THIS YEAR'S SUPER BOWL XLVII BASED ON POPULARITY

Drawing on millions NFL team page “likes,” Facebook reveals every county’s favorite Super Bowl team

Thirty-five million U.S. Facebook users have “liked” the page of at least one of the NFL’s 32 teams. Combine that with location data and you’ve got, as Facebook says, “one of the most comprehensive samples of sports fanship ever collected.”

Facebook used the data to determine which team was the most popular in every county in the country. Here’s how it looks, mapped:

Facebook Map of NFL Team Popularity By Geographic Location (Click Image To Enlarge)

Unsurprisingly, most counties devoted to given team are concentrated in that team’s region of the country. The fanbases of few teams, though, are apparently not as bound by geography. The Dallas Cowboys are often referred to “America’s team,” and the data do indicate that the team’s fanbase covers an impressively large area of the country, stretching from Virginia to California, and pro-Cowboy counties appear in nearly every region. The Pittsburgh Steelers fan footprint is also fairly large and dispersed. Tim Tebow’s New York Jets, meanwhile, are the most popular team in only one county on Long Island. 

Facebook went further in its analysis, removing teams from the mix as they were eliminated from Super Bowl contention, either when they failed to make the playoffs or lost a playoff game. You can check out each of the resulting maps here.

So who wins the Facebook likes-per-county Super Bowl? The San Franscisco 49ers defeat the Baltimore Ravens in a landslide:

Click Image To Enlarge

COMMENTARY:    Very interesting that America's Facebook users predict that the San Francisco 49ers will win Super Bowl XLVII.  However, Jimmy Fallon used a complete different way for predicting who will win this year's Super Bowl:  PUPPIES.

 

If you haven't already done so, please read my blog post dated January 31 2013 about this year's Super Bowl XLVII teams, the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, and find out which team the pro football experts think will win the Super Bowl, and my own prediction.  

  Courtesy of an article dated February 1, 2013 appearing in MIT Technology Review

THE ROAD TO SUPER BOWL XLVII: HOW THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AND BALTIMORE RAVENS MATCH UP

Super Bowl XLVII, between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers, has the potential to be one of the greatest Super Bowls in recent years — not just because of the level of play these teams have demonstrated in the playoffs, but mostly because of the story lines all over the field.

Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens linebacker, will play his final NFL game (Click Image To Enlarge)

Ray Lewis, one of the greatest linebackers in history, will play his final NFL game, retiring after 17 seasons, hoping to win his second Super Bowl ring, making a return to the big stage after 12 years. The 49ers’ head coach, Jim Harbaugh, was Lewis’ teammate in the late 90′s, not to mention the brother of the head coach on the opposite side, John Harbaugh.

Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers quarterback, runs for a 30-yard touchdown versus the Green Bay Packers during the NFC Playoffs (Click Image To Enlarge)

There’s the obvious quarterbacks angle: Colin Kaepernick, beginning the season as the backup to Alex Smith and emerging as an explosive runner and very patient and accurate passer in the playoffs, and Joe Flacco possibly proving he’s part of the elite group of QBs in the NFL after years of criticism. One of the two — Randy Moss (49ers) and Ed Reed (Ravens) — will finally win a Super Bowl ring.

The 49ers enter the Super Bowl as the favorites, but as you can see by the roads both teams have taken to the big game (see the infographic below), there isn’t that much of a difference between them in quality.

This is probably the best ingredient to make sure Super Bowl 47 will be among the most exciting we’ve seen in recent years.

Click Image To Enlarge

Harbaugh Bowl, Harbowl, Harbaughl, Brobowl, SuperBaugh or my own personal favorite, Super Bowl XLVII. Whatever you want to call it, come Sunday the only thing that will matter will be what happens on the field between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens in New Orleans. With that in mind, here's how the teams will match up against each other this Sunday.

The Harbaugh Brothers - San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh (Click Image To Enlarge)

Baltimore Ravens offense vs San Francisco 49ers defense

The Baltimore Ravens' expectations have changed on offense since the beginning of this playoff journey. The Ravens were the 10th-best scoring offense in the regular season, but their production from week-to-week fluctuated dramatically throughout. But those regular season statistics mean next to nothing for the Ravens after sweeping through the AFC playoff bracket scoring 90 points in three games.

 

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (Click Image To Enlarge)

Much of that is due to quarterback Joe Flacco once again bringing a greater level of consistency, composure and focus to the field in the post-season. Flacco's individual performances have improved significantly for multiple reasons, but maybe the most publicized is the impact of Jim Caldwell. Caldwell took over the offensive co-ordinator role from Cam Cameron at the beginning of December. He has improved the offense in almost every conceivable way. The Ravens' play-calling is less predictable, the execution is sharper than it was under Cameron and Caldwell has an understanding of how to best utilize his weapons, something Cameron consistently failed to do.

Flacco's statistical production has sky-rocketed in the playoffs. He has completed just 54.8% of his passes, but thrown for 853 yards with eight touchdowns and zero interceptions.

However, the Ravens' three playoff victories so far have come against less than stellar defensive opposition. The Indianapolis Colts' defense ranked 21st in points allowed during the regular season. A soft regular season schedule juked the statistics for the Denver Broncos defense, while on the day they played the Ravens, Champ Bailey had maybe the worst game of his career and Rahim Moore failed to make a routine play that would have ended the Ravens' season. A poor Patriots defense awaited in the Championship game, and a very limited Chandler Jones and injured Aqib Talib turned that poor unit into a downright awful one.

In the Super Bowl, the Ravens will face a much stiffer challenge.

For the past two seasons the San Francisco 49ers have ranked second in the NFL in points allowed. They are the most physically intimidating group in the league and the most consistent from week-to-week. The unit combines a rare mixture of superstars leading the way, with high quality depth throughout the whole defensive depth chart and the type of coaching that keeps every player clued into their responsibilities on every single play. Unlike the Colts, rarely does this unit need to be bailed out by their offense. Unlike the Broncos, this defense doesn't need a soft schedule to rank amongst the very best in the league. Unlike the Patriots, one or two injuries to key players won't stop them from being competitive.

Chicago Bears quarterback Jason Campbell (2) is sacked by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith (99) as defensive tackle Justin Smith (94).  These two have terrorized opposing quarterbacks during the 2012 regular season (Click Image To Enlarge)

For the first time this post-season, the Ravens offense will face a defense of equal or arguably greater talent and depth. The Ravens may have Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and Dennis Pitta, but the 49ers have Justin Smith, Aldon Smith, NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis. The Ravens can add Torrey Smith, Anquan Boldin and Jacoby Jones, but the 49ers can counter with Carlos Rogers, Dashon Goldson and Tarell Brown. This balance of superstars and depth is going to force the Ravens offense to be creative. With two weeks to prepare, the responsibility falls on Caldwell to introduce that creativity.

San Francisco 49ers defense ranked No 2 in the NFL in points allowed during the regular season (Click Image To Enlarge)

Flacco's production for the Ravens has primarily come on throwing the ball downfield. He is averaging over nine yards per completion, while Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones are averaging over 22 yards per reception in the playoffs. Even Anquan Boldin and Ray Rice are averaging over 17 yards per catch. According to Pro Football Focus, Flacco throws over 25% of his attempts further than 20 yards downfield and has completed over 50% of those during the playoffs. That won't intimidate the 49ers. Through a combination of an excellent pass rush and quality coverage, the 49ers only gave up 38 passes of more than 20 yards during the regular season, good enough for third fewest in the league. Of course, during the regular season you don't see a player like Torrey Smith every week. Smith has the speed to beat any defensive back in the NFL on any given play. However, that speed is only valuable when teams leave him in one-on-one situations like the Denver Broncos did in the Divisional round. The 49ers don't typically expose themselves like that, nor are they under pressure to inadvertently do so by focusing elsewhere.

Atlanta Falcons' superstar wide receiver Julio Jones was able to expose the 49ers' deep coverage in the NFC Championship game. Jones finished the game with 11 receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns. However in the second half he only had three receptions for 23 yards before catching a 24 yard pass on the final play against prevent coverage. It took a monumental effort from Jones to take over the first half of that game, but once the 49ers adjusted their coverage his way in the second half, he was limited to short gains. With two weeks to prepare, they should take the same approach towards Smith. When teams do that, they expose themselves to Dennis Pitta, Jacoby Jones and Anquan Boldin. Boldin and Pitta are able to overpower most defensive backs/linebackers in single coverage, while Jones is always a threat to go deep with his speed. However, Boldin and Pitta won't be able to bully the 49ers' defenders the way they have most this post-season. Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman are two of the most physically intimidating coverage linebackers in the league, not to mention the two best all-around inside linebackers in the NFL. Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner are big-bodied safeties who can run and hit in space, while cornerbacks Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers play consistently physical football. Jones was able to expose the 49ers' physical approach in the NFC Championship game, but outside of Smith, who the defense can focus their coverage on, none of the receivers present the same matchup nightmare that Jones' athleticism and straight line speed did.

San Francisco 49ers linebackers  Patrick Willis #52 and NaVorro Bowman #53 are two of the most intimidating linebackers in the NFL (Click Image To Enlarge)

The receivers should be able to get some success – they are still a talented group - but will it be enough? An obvious solution would be to run the ball, but that will be playing into a 49ers strength. Jim Caldwell must get creative with his receivers to free them from the 49ers' secondary. Maybe more importantly, he must also be creative in how he approaches running the ball.

Baltimore Ravens runing back Ray Rice #27 runs for a touchdown in the AFC championship game against the New England Patriots (Click Image To Enlarge)

Ray Rice, arguably the best all-around running-back in the NFL, and explosive rookie Bernard Pierce have combined to create a very productive rushing attack in the playoffs so far. Pierce is a home-run hitter who has longs of 78 and 43 yards in this season's playoffs. Although he is averaging more per carry in the playoffs than Rice, Rice's ability to make defenders miss in space and his receiving talents could see him become the focal point of the whole offense. Rice has been featured prominently in the offense since Caldwell became the offensive co-ordinator, but hasn't produced to his potential. Excluding the final week of the regular season when he was rested for most of the game, Rice has averaged 22.6 touches (receptions + rushes) for 94 yards per game since Caldwell was promoted. The last time he faced the 49ers, he had similarly ordinary-looking numbers, finishing the game with 24 combined touches for 83 yards, although that game was called by former co-ordinator Cam Cameron. On the biggest of stages however, teams typically look towards their biggest performers to carry them to glory. While it doesn't always work out that way, Caldwell should still gameplan to ride Rice as much as possible.

San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Justin Smith #94 celebrates after making a quarterback sack during in a game versus the New Orleans Saints (Click Image To Enlarge)

The 49ers' front seven is a special group, led by all-pro defensive end Justin Smith. Smith is the kind of interior defensive lineman that plays so fast it often appears he knows what play the offense is running before the ball is even snapped. He has the ability to stack blockers at the line of scrimmage while still stopping running-backs up the middle and his ability to chase down plays designed to run away from his area of the field. Smith has been dealing with a serious triceps injury, but it hasn't affected his ability to stop the run in recent weeks. In New Orleans he will have a very favourable matchup against the inexperienced Kelechi Osemele. Osemele is a rookie right tackle who recently became the Ravens' starting left guard. His ability to contain Smith, even with double team help, will play a major role in deciding the outcome. As a tackle, Osemele is better in space rather than fighting off bigger defenders at the point of attack. Therefore, it makes sense that the Ravens will look to put Rice in space with short passes taking the play away from Smith. Rice consistently turns short passes into big gains, not just that famous fourth down in San Diego.

San Francisco 49ers offense vs Baltimore Ravens defense

Just like the Ravens offense, not a huge can be learned from the 49ers' regular season statistics. With Alex Smith starting the first 10 games of the year, the 49ers not only had a different quarterback under center, but also a less aggressive offense as a whole and a completely different schematic approach. Having replaced Smith with second year professional Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers offense went from a conservative unit working hard to adequately complement a dominant defense, to an offense that has all the capabilities of blowing out an opponent.

Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball against the New England Patriots in the second quarter at Gillette Stadium on December 16, 2012 in Foxboro, Mass (Click Image To Enlarge)

Kaepernick barely played as a rookie and has only started nine games this season. In fact, outside of two quarterbacks forced to start because of injury, Jeff Hostetler and Vince Ferragamo, Kaepernick has the fewest starts of any quarterback to start in Super Bowl history. Theoretically, Kaepernick's inexperience should work against him in this game. However, his track record says otherwise. Kaepernick made his debut in Week 11 of the regular season in a convincing victory over one of the best defenses in the league, the Chicago Bears, on Monday Night Football. A few weeks later, he made his Sunday Night Football debut against the New England Patriots in Foxboro. Kaepernick threw for four touchdowns and had the game wrapped up by the end of the third quarter. He did make a nervous start to his playoff debut, throwing an interception on his first drive against the Green Bay Packers, but after that he led his offense to a 45 point day with four total touchdowns and over 400 total yards. In the NFC Championship game, the Atlanta Falcons sold out to stop Kaepernick from running and keep him in the pocket. By doing that they allowed the rest of the 49ers offense to produce, before Kaepernick threw the offense to a comeback victory in the second half.

Frank Gore #21 of the San Francisco 49ers scores a 5-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game (Click Image To Enlarge)

The 49ers' young quarterback has the ability to beat the Ravens with his arm or his legs, or a combination of the two. However, when it comes to stopping the 49ers' offense, the Ravens must remain disciplined and not focus too much on Kaepernick. That was the downfall of the Atlanta Falcons, as they allowed Frank Gore and LaMichael James to combine for three easy rushing touchdowns at the cost of containing Kaepernick. Considering the Packers did the opposite, allowing Kaepernick to run for 181 yards with only six coming after contact, the Ravens must find a balance between the approaches.

LaMichael James #23 for the San Francisco 49ers runs for a touchdown versus the Atlanta Falcons during the third quarter of the NFC Championship game in Atlanta, Ga (Click Image To Enlarge)

Stopping the 49ers offense begins with stopping the run. Gore, Kaepernick, James and Anthony Dixon have have combined for 472 yards and seven touchdowns on just 72 carries in the playoffs. If the 49ers were any ordinary rushing team, the fact the Ravens are giving up 128.3 yards per game in the playoffs would be key, but the 49ers run the ball unlike any other team in the NFL. Kaepernick has the option to take the ball and run with it himself on many of the 49ers' running plays. The 49ers also have the most dominant offensive line in the league. No other team in the league combines that level of talent in the trenches and at the quarterback position when it comes to running the ball.

Baltimore Ravens DTs Ma'ake Kemoeatu and Terrence Cody (Click Image To Enlarge)

Much of the 49ers' running success comes from the option offense: the key aspects of this are that the offensive line deliberately doesn't block the last defender to one side of the field. Instead of blocking that defender, the quarterback reads and reacts to what he does after the snap. If the defender moves inside, the quarterback takes the ball away from the running-back and sprints outside. If the defender stays outside, the quarterback gives it to the running-back who runs up the middle against less defenders. This offense puts a huge amount of pressure on the defensive linemen and outside linebackers. The Ravens tend to flip between a 4-3 and 3-4 formation, but should primarily play 3-4 in this game to counter the 49ers' running game. The 3-4 will allow the Ravens to keep three of 340 lb defensive end Haloti Ngata, 340 lb nose tackle Terrence Cody, 315 lb defensive end Arthur Jones and 345 lb nose tackle Ma'ake Kemoeatu on the field as often as their fitness allows, while Terrell Suggs and Paul Kruger primarily start as outside linebackers. On any given option play, one outside linebacker will be left unblocked and it will be that player's responsibility to contain Kaepernick. Presuming he contains Kaepernick, the Ravens' big bodies inside must then swallow Gore by beating the 49ers' excellent offensive linemen. That is the best way to stop the option, but it requires discipline. The Atlanta Falcons attempted the same approach in the NFC Championship game, but they didn't have the talent or size on their defensive line to stop Gore and the team's other backs. The Ravens will feel comfortable asking their defensive linemen to make plays consistently enough to contain the 49ers offense in those situations.

Baltimore Ravens DT Arthur Jones (Click Image To Enlarge)

What makes the 49ers offense so dangerous, is that even if the Ravens successfully stop the run, Kaepernick has proven capable of connecting with his receivers consistently from the pocket. During the regular season, Kaepernick completed over 62% of his passes for 1,814 yards, with 10 touchdowns and only three interceptions. In the last two playoff games, he has further improved to 63.5%, 496 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The 49ers may have lost explosive wide receiver Mario Manningham to injury earlier in the season, but Michael Crabtree emerged into a star receiver when Kaepernick came into the offense, a 35-year-old Randy Moss has made a number of receptions in the playoffs and tight end Vernon Davis awoke in the playoffs after slumbering through the regular season.

49ers pass receivers Vernon Davis #85 and Michael Crabtree #15 will be big targets for quarterback Colin Paeternick when the Niners play the Ravens (Click Image To Enlarge)

The 49ers' receiving options are horrible matchups for an injury-plagued Ravens' defense. Superstar cornerback Lardarius Webb would have been the perfect matchup for Crabtree. Webb is probably the best tackler in space in the whole league and Crabtree does most of his best work running after the catch, 626 of his 1,281 yards on the season came that way, but Webb tore his ACL earlier this year and hasn't played since the regular season. Cary Williams, a solid but not great cornerback, will likely take on the responsibility of stopping Crabtree depending on the health of Jimmy Smith. The Ravens are also without starting inside linebacker Jameel McClain because of injury. McClain is more consistent in coverage than his replacement Dannell Ellerbe, while being much more athletic than Ray Lewis at this point in their respective careers. Lewis is too slow to cover Vernon Davis, while the Ravens likely won't trust Ellerbe or Bernard Pollard to do it consistently. Those injuries will force the Ravens to play a lot of zone coverage because they simply can't match the athletic ability of the 49ers' weapons.

Ravens cornerback Cary Williams, center, celebrates his interception and touchdown with teammates cornerback Lardarius Webb, left, and defensive back James Ihedigbo during the second half against the Browns (Click Image To Enlarge)

Since Kaepernick became the starter, the 49ers have only been held under 24 points twice. Both times they faced off against talented defenses who played disciplined football on the day. However, even in those games, against the St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks, Kaepernick only turned the ball over twice. One of those turnovers was a missed pitch that was recovered in the endzone by the Rams' Janoris Jenkins, but Kaepernick was also forced into a safety in that game. The Rams were able to pressure Kaepernick into making two game-changing plays because they were disciplined and aggressive. That is the style the Ravens need in order to win this game. Game-changing defensive plays do come from pressure more often than not, but the Ravens normally look to Ed Reed for their game-changing defensive plays. Reed has had a relatively quiet season - dealing with a torn labrum in his shoulder hasn't helped - but he has proven to be a big-game player.

San Francisco 49ers defensive back Perrish Cox, Michael Thomas and Darcel McBath answer questions during media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in New Orlean (Click Image To Enlarge)

There are two contrasting matchups within this game. The Ravens offense needs to get creative and knock the 49ers defense off balance. The 49ers offense knows exactly what it is going to do, as does the Ravens defense. One side should see plenty of creativity, while the other will simply come down to who can execute better on the day.

Special Teams

Baltimore Ravens field goal kicker Justin Tucker #6 scores a field goal in a game during the 2012 NFL season (Click Image To Enlarge)

After kicker Billy Cundiff prematurely ended the Ravens' 2011 season, he was promptly replaced by rookie Justin Tucker. For one so inexperienced, Tucker has consistently shown up when the Ravens needed him this year: in Week 3, he kicked the game-winning field goal against the New England Patriots as time ran out, he kicked all of the team's points in a 9-6 victory in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs, he kicked a game-tying field goal with three minutes to go against the Chargers in Week 12 before kicking the game-winner in overtime. Most importantly, he kicked the game winning field goal in overtime against the Denver Broncos from 47 yards in the divisional round of the playoffs. Tucker only missed three kicks all season, none of which came when the Ravens were tied or behind, and also set franchise records.

49ers field goal kicker David Akers celebrates with teammates after making a 63-yard field goal and tying an NFL record (Click Image To Enlarge)

49ers' kicker David Akers is in a different place entirely. Akers has dealt with different injury issues throughout the season, which have led to him having his worst ever season. The 49ers have stuck with Akers, keeping faith that he would return to his record breaking form of 2012 in time for the Super Bowl. In 2012, Akers set the record for points and tied the record for the longest field goal ever kicked.

As NFL Network's Rich Eisen will tell you, punters are people too. Not only are they people, but they are very important players even if they are rarely appreciated by fans. Both of these teams understand the value of a quality punter. Andy Lee has been considered a valuable weapon in San Francisco for some time now. Sam Koch isn't on the same level as Lee in terms of leg power or accuracy, but he has been a consistently reliable performer.

Baltimore Ravens. Jacoby Jones #12 returns a kickoff for a touchdown in a game versus the Dallas Cowboys during the 2012 NFL season (Click Image To Enlarge)

Jacoby Jones vaulted the Ravens' special teams returns to the top of this year's rankings, as well as adding three touchdowns. Jones' ability to break free at any moment could make the difference in a tight game, but Ted Ginn and LaMichael James offer similar potential to the 49ers' special teams. James and Ginn have incredible straight line speed, while Jones has the elusiveness to make defenders miss in open space.

Head coach

Jim and John Harbaugh first faced off against each other back in November 2011, when John's Ravens came out on top in Baltimore. That was the first time in NFL history that two brothers competed against each other as head coaches. Obviously that means that this is the first time ever that two brothers will face off against each other in the Super Bowl. This being the Super Bowl, most of the focus will be on the Harbaugh family and the relationship between the siblings. Once the game begins little of that will matter.

Head Coach Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers embraces his brother Head Coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens prior to the game at M&T Bank Stadium, Nov. 24, 2011, in Baltimore (Click Image To Enlarge)

The eldest of the brothers, John, has much more experience as a head coach at this level of football and at this time of the year. Since he was appointed head coach in 2008, John's Ravens have made the playoffs every season. The consistency of the team from season-to-season has been incredible, resulting in a 54-26 record in the regular season and an astonishing 8-4 record in the playoffs. It's difficult to fathom years later, but John was actually the Ravens' second choice to be their head coach after Jason Garrett initially turned the opportunity down. John was almost unknown to fans, who were disappointed not to sign the highly thought of Garrett. His career had been spent primarily coaching special teams, with little specialty as an offensive or defensive coach. Instead, Harbaugh brought accountability, discipline and an ability to unify a locker-room. It is that part of his coaching that Ravens players pointed to as the reason they made the Super Bowl this year.

What Jim Harbaugh lacks in coaching experience, he makes up for in expertise. Jim has only been an NFL head coach for two seasons, but he also started 140 games as an NFL quarterback, developed an extensive relationship with Bill Walsh (a coach who played a major role in developing the passing ideals that many teams live on in today's NFL) and a very successful four-year stint as head coach at Stanford. That expertise has allowed Harbaugh to turn the 49ers from a 6-10 team in 2010, into a team with a regular season record of 24-7 over the past two seasons, two NFC Championship games and now a Super Bowl.

Much like his brother, Jim is able to unite his players and get the very best out of them. Although he is known for his work developing quarterbacks, most notably Andrew Luck, and the rebirth of Alex Smith's career from 2011 onwards in the NFL, Jim has also elevated the 49ers' defense into arguably the best unit in the league. The 49ers ranked 16th in points allowed during the final season of Mike Singletary's reign, but since then they have finished second in both of Jim's seasons as head coach. He and his staff's ability to identify key free agents such as Donte Whitner and Carlos Rogers, while drafting/developing key contributors Aldon Smith, NaVorro Bowman and Chris Culliver allowed the defense to grow around superstars Justin Smith and Patrick Willis.

COMMENTARY:  The Super Bowl game between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens is going to be a historic defensive battle.  If this holds true, the game will turn into a low scoring affair, dominated by the defenses of both teams.  Special teams will be critical.  49ers field goal kicker David Akers must come through for the Niners to have a chance to win.  The team that can create scoring opportunities with their special teams and commits the least turnovers and mistakes will win.  I think the game will be decided by a field goal or touchdown.  My prediction: San Francisco 49ers 20, Baltimore Ravens 17 in double overtime.    

Super Bowl XLVII has been scheduled for Feb. 3 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The San Francisco 49ers will face the Baltimore Ravens, and the game is being nicknamed the Bro Bowl because of coaches John and Jim Harbaugh. The following is a complete TV schedule for the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl XLVII TV Schedule

• 6 a.m. EST, NFL Total Access (NFL Network)
• 7 a.m. EST, First on the Field (NFL Network)
• 9 a.m. EST, NFL GameDay Morning (NFL Network)
• 11 a.m. EST, Road to the Super Bowl (CBS)
• 12 p.m. EST, New Orleans: Let the Good Times Roll Sponsored by Pepsi (CBS)
• 1 p.m. EST, Phil Simms All-Iron Team: Super Bowl Edition (CBS)
• 2 p.m. EST, The Super Bowl Today (CBS)
• 5:30 p.m. EST, A Football Life: Ray Lewis (NFL Network)
• 6 p.m. EST, Super Bowl Kickoff Show (CBS)
• 6:30 p.m. EST, Super Bowl Kickoff, San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens (CBS)
• 10 p.m. EST, NFL GameDay Overtime (NFL Network)
• 10:30 p.m. EST, NFL GameDay Final (NFL Network)
• 10:30 p.m. EST, Toyota Super Bowl Today Post Game Show (CBS Sports Network)

Courtesy of an article dated January 30, 2013 appearing in Visual.ly and an article dated January 28, 2013 appearing in The Guardian

NEWDEALDESIGN'S NFC COURT CHALLENGES THE BARRIERS TO WORKING OUT AT A GYM, WITH A FREE OPEN-AIR MODULAR WORKOUT COURT

The NFC court is a modular, rapidly deployable, outdoor gym (Click Image To Enlarge)

WE KNOW OBESITY IS AN EPIDEMIC, BUT GYM MEMBERSHIPS ARE EXPENSIVE. SO MAYBE WHAT WE NEED ARE NEW GYMS.

There are a lot of reasons not to go to the gym. The membership is pricey. It’s far away. You have no idea how to use half the equipment anyway. It’s yet another place you’re going that’s inside.

The National Fitness Campaign’s (NFC) court, designed by NewDealDesign, challenges each of these barriers to working out at a gym. It’s a low-cost, open-air space that is constructed in factories, then modularly assembled on-site in just half a day. The idea is that any community could set up, customize, or relocate a gym in a public space--without any money at all. Communities can actually request a gym to arrive for free, and locals needn’t buy memberships.

The NFC court uses passive equipment structures--resistance training--to enable workouts without lots of weights and complicated moving parts (Click Image To Enlarge)

The NFC court's most innovative aspect may be its business model -- The gym is free to bring into a community. Corporations subsidize the cost (Click Image To Enlarge)

How? The NFC courts are corporately subsidized. The platform is pursuing a model in which businesses can use the space as an advertisement, subsidizing community fitness while scoring some solid PR in the process. It’s actually an old idea, one that started by Mitch Menaged back in 1979. It was quite successful. The decade-long, international campaign reached 4,000 cities in three countries. Now, Menaged, along with Sam Lucente, is launching the idea again, updated with 30 years of innovation. The first NFC has arrived in San Francisco already, and more than a dozen others are planned for the area in 2013.

 

The design concerns of such a project are numerous.

• Materials had to be durable enough to withstand outdoor weather. 
• The components had to be easily transported, assembled, and even rearranged. 
• The equipment had to offer a full body workout for all fitness levels.

Off-the-shelf solutions wouldn’t work, so NewDealDesign brought on seven personal trainers to help develop and test what’s all-new (or highly modified) equipment. What they quickly decided on was to ditch weights--they’re heavy, and they’d be difficult to tether to the platform--and rely on a body’s own mass for resistance training. But while exercises like pull-ups may offer a great workout, not everyone can do a pull-up. The solution? Make exercises tweakable by designing equipment to work with various postures and grips. Then, put many of the hardest exercises along the structure’s single wall.

The NFC court does not charge memberships, meaning it doesn’t cost anyone $50 a month to not use their gym membership (Click Image To Enlarge)

The NFC court comes with a  podcast, developed by personal trainers, that will take you through the whole workout circuit (Click Image To Enlarge)

NewDeal Director Gadi Amit explains. 

“The wall was a major enabling factor, allowing us to hang devices, but also give a few steps for people who are weaker or not trained enough to come onboard and enjoy the space.  You can lessen the stress level by standing on slats, then slowly reduce the support of your legs.”

Menaged and Lucente developed prototypes in a basement near NewDealDesign’s HQ, also bringing in trainers to constantly test and assess the designs. Once the NFC was complete, the trainers turned the circuit workout into a seven-minute podcast, so any couch potato can show up to be guided through each exercise by a virtual personal trainer. The idea is kind of like a museum audio tour, that is, if museums could give you 20-inch biceps.

COMMENTARY:   I like the NFC court's overall simplistic, modular and modern design, durability, and ability to provide the user with a complete body workout.  This is not an exercise court designed to build bulging muscles, but to provide a good, solid aerobic workout that each individual can customize for their specific needs, requirements and limitations.  The free cost is a big plus.  This sort of remends you of some of the beach exercise courts that I have seen in Rio De Janeiro around Leblon and Ipanema beach.  If NFC can get enough corporations to buy into the advertiing concept, I think they can gain traction very quickly.  

I loved the using San Francisco's Marina Green as a backdrop to demonstrate the NFC court and test bed.  It's a great place to hangout and soak in the liberal San Francisco culture.  If they can incorporate free WIFI at each NFC court, then they will really have a social watering hole.  Just love it. 

Courtesy of an article dated December 12, 2012 appearing in Fast Company Design

RUSSIAN ALEXEY MOLCHANOV SETS NEW CWT FREEDIVING WORLD RECORD AT SUUNTO VERTICAL BLUE AT DEAN'S BLUE HOLE

Alexey Molchanov poses after setting a new CWT freediving world record at Suunto Blue Dive at Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas (Click Image To Enlarge)

It is the world's deepest blue hole of its kind. Plunging to 203m (666ft) just a few metres from the shore, Dean's Blue Hole in the Bahamas is an awe-inspiring natural wonder. It's also the perfect venue for the sport of freediving. Last month it was home to the Suunto Vertical Blue, the largest freediving event of its kind. It saw 56 athletes from 21 countries battling to reach incredible depths on a single breath of air.

Close-up view of Dean's Blue Hole, Bahama Islands (Click Image To Enlarge)

Over ten days, two world records and 65 national records were broken in the course of 252 individual dives. On the first day of the competition on November 21, Ashley Futral Chapman (USA). broke the Constant No-Fins (CNF) women's world record with a dive to 67m in 3'15. The North Carolina native dived without fins and used a modified breastsroke technique to achieve her third world record. 

Dean's Blue Hole, Bahama Islands (Click Image To Enlarge)

The Russian freediver Alexey Molchanov raised the bar to a new level with a world record dive to 126m in Constant Weight (CWT), in a time of 3'46. This is the discipline of diving with just a monofin for assistance.

Alexey Molchanov after completing world record CWT 126 meter freedirve (Click Image To Enlarge)

 

Mid-competition the Suunto Vertical Blue looked set to turn into a clash of the titans as just minutes after Molchanov's dive, organizer and Suunto ambassador William Trubridge sought to recapture the record. 

On this occasion, the multiple record-breaker made a technical mistake and turned back too early. Two days later Trubridge made another attempt but in the end the fates were not on his side.

However, by diving to 121m on the penultimate day of the competition he achieved a new national record for New Zealand.

William Trubridge back from a deep 121 meters dive and a new record for New Zealand (Click Image To Enlarge)

 

Each freediver accrued points for each dive during the competition and Trubridge also finished top of the overall rankings.

Afterwards he said:

"I'm a bit disappointed with my own performances but given the enormity of Suunto Vertical Blue I can't be too disgruntled. The results speak for themselves. We had the most performances of any depth competition ever and I have had more athletes tell me that this was the best comp they've ever attended!"

"Alexey, Ashley and many other athletes all gave outstanding performances."

He added:

"I will take a break at Christmas and get back into training in January.  One of the surprises of the competition was the Japanese freediver Tomoka Fukuda who achieved a national record of 65m in Free Immersion (ascending and pulling on a rope) as well as an 80m dive in CWT despite the fact she's only been competing for a year. "

Alena Zabloudilova - another national record of 90 meters (Click Image To Enlarge)

Ashley Futral chapman wins the bronze medal for overall freediving (Click Image To Enlarge)

Other national records fell to France, Britain, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Spain, Mexico, Israel, Tunisia, Finland and Venezuela.

The Suunto Vertical Blue champions for 2012, Men - William Trubridge (gold), Alexey Molchanov (silver) and Robert King (bronze), Women - Alena Zabloudlova (gold), Ashley Futral Chapman (silver) and Tomoka Fukuda (bronze) - Click Image To Enlarge 

Overall Winners Men and Women

Women:

• Gold: Alena Zabloudilova (Czech Republic)
• Silver: Ashley Futral Chapman (USA)
• Bronze: Tomoka Fukuda (Japan)

Men:

• Gold: William Trubridge (NZ)
• Silver: Alexey Molchanov
• Bronze: Robert King (USA)

The overall winners each received a Suunto D6is and a wetsuit from Orca. Suunto, the world's leading dive computer brand, is the official depth gauge used at all AIDA World Record freedive attempts. Mika Holappa, Dive Business Unit Director at Suunto, says:

"With so many of the world's top athletes taking part and so many fantastic World and National Records, Suunto Vertical Blue has been an amazing festival of freediving and we are proud to have been involved. William Trubridge should be congratulated not only for his inspiring dives but for organizing such a successful event."

William Trubridge, organizer, added:

"What makes Vertical Blue so special is that it gives the athletes free reign to mine their aquatic potential. If you left your diamonds in the basement of a 40-story skyscraper that flooded up to its roof then these guys could freedive down the lift shaft and collect them for you. The deepest dives last in excess of four minutes, but that's not four minutes of holding your breath in your bathtub — it's four minutes of propelling yourself through the water column, while combatting pressures that would crush a soccer ball to the size of a tennis ball and which exert mind-numbing narcosis on neural circuitry. It's four-minutes that takes place in another dimension, where time is drawn out into an eternity — an eternity that lasts but a single breath."

Suunto Vertical Blue 2012 - Women's Final Ranking

Click Image To Enlarge

Suunto Vertical Blue 2012 - Women's Final Ranking

Click Image To Enlarge

IMAGES AND VIDEO

A selection of high res images from the Suunto Vertical Blue can be downloaded at the following link: media.z3om.net/Suunto/press_suuntoVB.zip

All images are free for editorial use in connection with the Suunto Vertical Blue. We only ask that you send us a copy or link to any published article. Shots beginning SV should be credited ©zooom.at/samovidic.com, otherwise underwater shots as ©IgorLiberti as per filename. 

A selection of the record dives are available on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/VBFreediving

Breathe, a documentary by nine-time Emmy award-winning producer Martin Khodabakhshian, follows Trubridge as he explorers his physical limits. A limited number of preview DVDs are available upon request.

More results and reports can be found on www.facebook.com/verticalblue and www.deeperblue.com.

For more information, contact:

Tarquin Cooper (zooom productions)

[email protected], cell: +436645449241

COMMENTARY:   

About William Trubridge 

Freediving is in Trubridge's blood. Born in Britain, the first few years of his life were a nomadic existance sailing around the world on his parents' yacht before the family settled in New Zealand. He learnt to swim at the age of 18 months, and was freediving to 15m by the age of eight, competing with his older brother to see who could bring back a stone from the deepest depth. But it was not until he was 22 that he discovered competition. Since then the 32-year-old has broken numerous freediving records. He was the first man to break the 100m depth barrier completely unassissted — without the use of fins, rope or weights in 2010. He also holds the record for ‘Free Immersion’ — 121m — where divers descend and ascend by pulling on a rope. In 2011 and 2012 he received the World's Absolute Freediving Award (WAFA), which ranked him as the world's top freediver.

In April 2010, William Trubridge broke a free-diving world record in a blue hole       reaching a depth of 92 metres (302 ft) without the use of fins (Constant Weight Without Fins).  I learned about the dangerous sport of freediving and New Zealander William Trubridge's amazing world record he had set in this sport and instantly became a fan.  In a blog post dated October 18, 2011, I recounted the story of how William Trubridge on December  14, 2010, set a new CWT freediving world record of 101 metres at Dean's Blue Hole on a single breath using only his hands and feet for propulsion.

Russian Alexey Molchanov Sets A New CW Freediving World Record

Russian freediver Alexey Molchanov has done it again. On the last occurring Saturday in November, Alexey improved upon his own World Record in Constant Weight (CWT) by one meter to set the plate a little deeper to 126m at Suunto Vertical Blue 2012.

In a clash of the “Neptunes”, extraordinary depth announcements made by both William Trubridge and Alexey Molchanov stunned the freediving community as both athletes announced they would dive to an unimaginable 126m in CWT on the very same day. A coin toss ensued, which Molchanov won and down the line first he did go. Freedivers and fans around the world could almost be heard audibly gasping in unison as they wondered to themselves: Who will take the world title? Which champion will successfully hit the mark nearly 420 feet into the abyss of Dean’s Blue Hole? Might one of these competitors black out?

Anticipation also ran high amongst the spectators on the shore and at the surface at the event in the Bahamas as the gazed upon the two aquatic gladiators warming up simultaneously on opposite sides of a smaller platform.

In the end a a failed alarm foiled Trubridge’s dive and the formidable but humble host of the last stop on the AIDA world cup acknowledged Molchanov’s incredible performance,

“Alexey Molchanov set an amazing world record of 126m this morning, but I couldn’t join him today.”

Alexey was very calm on the main dive platform as he collected his thoughts and composed himself for an epic descent. As he gently slipped into the water and moved over to the line, everyone watching knew that either way history was about to be made.

Wearing no dive weights, a golden wet-suit, a simple nose clip and no protective eye equipment Alexey successfully complete his dive to 126m in 3 minutes and :46 seconds. Capable of a breath-hold in excess of 8 minutes and :31 seconds, barring any equalization issues Molchanov has the capacity to go even deeper.

About Dean's Blue Hole

Dean's Blue Hole is the world's deepest known blue hole with seawater.  It plunges 202 metres (663 ft) in a bay west of Clarence Town on Long Island Bahamas.

White sand beach next to Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas (Click Image To Enlarge) 

Blue hole is a term which often is given to sinkholes filled with water, with the entrance below the water level. They can be formed in different karst processes, for example, by the rainwater soaking through fractures of limestone bedrock onto the watertable. Sea level here has changed: for example, during the glacial age during the Pleistocene epoch (ice age), some 15,000 years ago, sea level was considerably lower. The maximum depth of most other known blue holes and sinkholes is 110 metres (360 ft), which makes the 202 metres (663 ft) depth of Dean's Blue Hole quite exceptional.

Aerial view of Dean's Blue Hole (dark blue area in top of bay inlet), Long Island Bahamas (Click Image To Enlarge)

Dean's Blue Hole is roughly circular at the surface, with a diameter ranging from 25 to 35 metres (82–115 ft). After descending 20 metres (66 ft), the hole widens considerably into a cavern with a diameter of 100 metres (330 ft).

Some water-filled sinkholes are deeper than Dean's Blue Hole, Zacatón in Mexico (335 metres (1,099 ft)) and Pozzo del Merro in Italy (392 metres (1,286 ft)) among them. Dean's Blue Hole though is the deepest known sinkhole with entrance below the sea level.

Courtesy of a press release dated December 7, 2012 issued by Tarquin Cooper for Zoom Productions for Suunto Vertical Blue, an article dated May 10, 2011 appearing in Droompleken, and an article appearing in Vertical Blue News