Daves On Soccer11 November 2005
Banning Blades?
There's been a lot of discussion and debate over "blades" recently. In case you've missed it, blades are a new type of cleat that have become quite a fad among some players. Check out the Nike Mercurial Vapor and the Adidas Predator to see what these new, thinner and grippier studs looks like.
There is a perception among some that the new traction system is reponsible for higher incidence of injury. Sir Alex Ferguson, never one to sidestep a controversy, has come out boldly againt blades. Some argue that the increased traction these shoes offer transfers more force to ankle and knee joints. Others point out that the blades themselves are more prone to produce lacerations.
Remember all the hullaballo in the golfing world over square grooves? This stikes me as a very similar situation- a tempest in a tea cup. I find it very implausible that these new cleats increase the risk of injury appreciably. And all the attention just helps fuel the craze. Give me a pair of molded Copa Mundials any day.
There is a perception among some that the new traction system is reponsible for higher incidence of injury. Sir Alex Ferguson, never one to sidestep a controversy, has come out boldly againt blades. Some argue that the increased traction these shoes offer transfers more force to ankle and knee joints. Others point out that the blades themselves are more prone to produce lacerations.
Remember all the hullaballo in the golfing world over square grooves? This stikes me as a very similar situation- a tempest in a tea cup. I find it very implausible that these new cleats increase the risk of injury appreciably. And all the attention just helps fuel the craze. Give me a pair of molded Copa Mundials any day.
// posted by David Landry @ 10:21 
