Puma, Golf’s Newest Competitor

             When I think top golf brands, I think TaylorMade, Cobra, Callaway, and PING just to name a few. Then when I think of Puma, I think running, Usain Bolt, and Soccer. But, what do I think of a combo of both golf and Puma? I think, the beginning of modern golf fashion.

The past few years, Puma made a name for themselves when they landed a deal with top golfer Rickie Fowler. They didn’t just make their name as an up and coming golf brand. No, they put their stamp on the golf world when they came in with bold fashion statements. Golf is a classical sport. Players must wear collared shirts that are tucked into nice khaki dress pants and either a baseball type hat or a visor. As Rickie Fowler moved his ways up the rankings, he didn’t just make waves with his great play, but also took the golf world by storm with the new style he was bringing to the course. I feel like his signature piece of clothing that sets him apart from anyone else would be his flat-bill style hats that are rising in popularity among young people across the nation. With the help of Puma, Fowler is keeping with the classic rules of an appropriate dress code, but he is adding a modern twist that attracts the likes of young people, making golf a more desirable game for a younger generation of kids.

I really like how Puma has put their own stamp on the golf world. They didn’t just follow in the steps of all other top sports brands by keeping with the original design of golf clothing. Puma stepped outside the box, put themselves in their own category of golf style, and has made a big name for themselves in the golf world in only a few years. I can’t wait to see what new and bold ideas will be coming from Puma in the future years, but with the help of a young athlete like Fowler, I feel like anything is possible for Puma Golf.   

Under Armour: Best Place for Thermal Clothing

                 Under Armour’s Cold Gear has no competition. Nike tried to compete by creating their Pro-Combat series, but it doesn’t even compare. Under Amour says it themselves on their website, “Beware of Imposters.” Under Armour has held the monopoly on this type of product for years, even other sportswear powerhouses such as Nike can’t figure out the secret behind Under Armour’s success of a thick yet lightweight compression long sleeve shirt that can keep you warm for hours. I’ve been a fan of Under Armour’s Cold Gear thermal wear since day one. Living in Iowa and playing soccer into the middle of November and then starting the spring season in middle March, I know what it is like to play in freezing temperatures. I’ve even played a game while it was snowing out and it was Under Armour’s Cold Gear that kept me focused in on the game and not how I was freezing my you-know-what off.

Currently for club soccer, I wear a white, long sleeve half turtle neck thermal shirt which is part of Under Armour’s Cold Gear. Even though I’ve worn Under Armour since the beginning, I still have worn some of Nike’s Pro Combat gear here and there, so I’ve had experience with both. For high school soccer we are required to wear Nike gear which led me to buying a white long sleeve Nike Pro Combat thermal shirt, and from the minute I put it on I could already tell the difference. Even though Nike’s thermal shirt was a little more lightweight and it was somewhat shear, it in no way whatsoever kept me nearly as warm as I am in Under Armour’s thermal. With Under Armour, I like the material the shirt is made of because it the outside is smooth and the inside is warm and fuzzy, yet the shirt it not too thick like a jacket, which is what makes it more comfortable and warmer than Nike’s thermal shirt. The only complaint I would have about my Under Armour thermal shirt would be that sometimes the neck area can be constricting and I think part of the reason for that is because it is a turtle neck, which is something I don’t wear daily so it is a different feeling for me. Anyways, I would highly recommend buying Under Armour’s thermal Cold Gear over that of Nike’s Pro Combat thermal gear when having to deal with cold temperatures for a long period of time.

I really hope my review and experiences with both brands has helped you come to a more clear decision on what thermal gear may suit you best!

Are Trends in Basketball Beginning to Take Hold in Volleyball Fashion?

                 Many of my friends are avid volleyball players and aspire to one day play in college. Spending countless hours with them while hanging out and sometimes playing a little pick-up game in our backyards here and there has led me to hear the latest gossip in the volleyball world. From the ribbons all the way down to the kneepads, I learn all about what’s hot and what’s not. Lately as I have gone and watched a few of my friends’ games I have realized that a new trend in volleyball fashion has begun and it seems to have stemmed from volleyball’s sister sport: basketball.

In the past year Nike has revamped its original design of their volleyball shoes and taken an entirely new approach. But the thing about this new design approach, is that the new shoes resemble a basketball shoe. Nike’s Zoom Volley Hyperspike seems to take on the same type of design as the Nike Zoom Kobe Venomenon 4 basketball shoe. When I first saw my volleyball friends wearing the Nike Zoom Volley Hyperspike, I was confused as to why they would be wearing basketball shoes, when I know that companies such as Asics make great volleyball shoes. Then I realized that a majority of volleyball girls were wearing these new Nike shoes, so it must be the new trend in volleyball. I think that a reason for the similarity between the volleyball and basketball shoes can be attributed to the fact that in both basketball and volleyball ankle support is a big issue, so by creating shoes that use the same type of sport technology, it has led to a similar design.

 

 

Left: Nike Zoom Kobe Venomenon

Right: Nike Zoom Volley Hyperspike

 

 

 

Other trends that are also beginning to rise in popularity in the volleyball world that have also been seen in basketball, are the accessories worn by players. In basketball, wearing long socks up to your calves is like an unspoken rule of what MUST be worn during the game. For volleyball this rule seems to be taking hold. When I went to watch my friends play their high school volleyball match last week, I noticed how every player on the team wore matching black Nike Elite socks, which is a trend you see with basketball teams across the country. Another trend with accessories that is beginning to ignite in the volleyball world as well as basketball, is the “Skylar Diggins” headband. This headband is worn by and named after one of the best women’s basketball players of the past 5 years.  The “Skylar Diggins” headband has just began to gain popularity in the world of girls basketball and it seems as if almost simultaneously the same boost of popularity of the headband is happening in volleyball. I think that the reason for this heightened popularity of the headband in both sports is due to the fact that girl athletes want to be taken seriously; and how could that happen when you are wearing ribbons in your hair? This headband still provides the same functions of that of a ribbon, but gives an edgy more sophisticated look to the girl athlete.

I think it is interesting how trends that seem to be associated with a specific sport begin to take hold and grow into another, which has been seen here with basketball and volleyball. By no means am I trying to say that volleyball has copied what trends have occurred in basketball, I just think it is interesting that even though two sports may be completely different, there are still some similarities in what the athletes find to be the popular fashion trend in their particular sport.

Kevin Durant Pulled Between Under Armour and Nike in a Deal Worth Millions

             It was the deal of a lifetime for the kid who grew up having no idea he could make it this far. Kevin Durant, the 2014 NBA MVP, was offered with one of the biggest deals in sports history. Deciding to take the $300 million from Nike over Under Armour's $265-$285 million offer was possibly the best decision he ever made, besides the choice to play for OKC Thunder, my favorite team.

             Nike Basketball. They support Michael Jordan's clothing line, and have deals with top players in the world such as Lebron and Kobe. How could Durant not want to rejoin the company of such greats? But the first one to announce their offer was Under Armour and how could a $265-$285 million deal be met be anyone else? I didn't want him to choose Under Armour because they don't have the hype and ability to produce gear in basketball like Nike can. They don't have deals with big names of basketball like Nike does. I view Under Armour more as a clothing line, and not a leader in the sports shoe industry. With Nike, they have it all; the resources, the technology, and the prestige. Now I'm not saying that Under Armour isn't a good sportswear company, because I see them as part of the Top 3 sports companies worldwide, I just don't feel like they are as great in certain sports such as basketball. Now one day can Under Armour reach the gold standard of basketball that is Nike? Yes, but that day is not going to happen in 2014 with the likes of Kevin Durant. Under Armour needs to expand its basketball technology and resources and gain deals with the up and coming greats of basketball to get rolling in the right direction to one day reach and possibly surpass the powerhouse of Nike Basketball.
            In the end I feel like Kevin Durant made the decision that any player that understands the world of basketball would. Then with Nike topping Under Armour's offer with $300 million it was the icing on the cake. These past few years Durant has created one of the top clothing and shoe lines with Nike and  I'm excited to see what he has in store these up coming years!