SOCCER BALLS SAVE LIVES
We take our soccer balls for granted here in the US, unaware of thier potential for saving lives…but one person smart enough to figure it out is Steve Kosier. Kosier is a DynCorp International advisor to an Afghan explosive ordnance disposal team, and when faced with the task of finding the unearthed weapons, he turned to the kids living among dangerous ordnance left from several decades of warfare. “After 35 years of war, there have been a couple of generations raised around these items that have been laying around. [The children] know where they are, and the best we can do is to educate them and get them to participate to help make their country safe again,” said Steve.

But the kids weren’t talking-until he offered soccer balls for info. “The villages and children have been talked to by many other organizations and, as far as they were concerned, we were just another one on the long list. So, I was thinking, what could we do to make us different and stand out to the kids to make an impact in their minds?” After his normal presentation to villagers about explosive ordnance disposal, Steve asked the kids to raise their hands if they knew the location of any unexploded ordnance. The kids were mum. Steve then produced two soccer balls. He asked the children if they wanted to learn how to earn a ball. It was simple, he said. Lead his team to unexploded ordnance and earn a soccer ball…So far, the team has recovered or destroyed more than 150 explosive remnants of war. In one month, they distributed 50 soccer balls and trained more than 2,200 children not to tamper with any of the dangerous devices they find. “[The kids’] faces light up when they see the balls, and when we drive around we always see numerous kids playing in the fields with our soccer balls, where previously there were no children,” Steve said. (Foxbusiness) It really is so much more than a beautiful game…

SPIELBERG VERSUS CHINA
Yesterday, Visa introduced a group of 15 U.S. Olympic athletes and its ‘08 Olympic marketing program; ‘The Fastest Way to Beijing’. The athletes include swimmers Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff, track star Allyson Felix, beach volleyball ace Kerri Walsh, gymnast Paul Hamm, and taekwondo expert Steven Lopez. Later, Walsh, Lopez and Hamm appeared on Fox Business, where Lopez addressed the controversy surrounding athletes speaking out on China’s human rights record: “We are all ambassadors to our countries and we go out there to represent our countries the best way we possibly can. As far as everything else, that’s something that’s out of our hands.” Out of your hands? Are you insane? It’s exactly that kind of thinking that impedes progress. It certainly wasn’t out of Steven Spielberg’s hands. After he pulled out of the event, an editorial appeared in the Chinese Communist Party’s official paper: “A certain Western director is very naïve and has come out with an over-the-top act that defies common sense. Perhaps that’s just the special temperament of Hollywood figures.”

Don’t worry, I wont come out with an ‘over-the-top-act’ and go on a rant. You know what’s happening in China. Aside from the bloodline leading from China to Darfur, I’m sure you’ve heard about the displacement of the Chinese people who were forced to move because their homes were in the path of Olympic construction. I’m sure you’ve heard about those arrested for complaining. Maybe you even read about Yang Chunlin, a local land rights activist, who was “tried for inciting subversion” after he gathered thousands of signatures from disaffected farmers and protested against the Olympics, saying: “We want human rights, not the Olympics.”

HE’S ONLY 13

How cute is this kid, Thomas Daley? The precious Brit started diving at the age of eight; is a member of Plymouth Diving Club; won the 2007 BBC Sports Young Personality of the Year Award; is considered a medal prospect for the 2012 Games in London; is being tracked through the years leading up to London 2012 by the BBC television series Olympic Dreams; and its now expected that Daley will make his Olympic debut in Beijing. If he does so, he will become the youngest ever male British Olympian. What a mighty-mighty-fine ah, kid?

NIKE TEAMS WITH TOWER RECORDS JAPAN

Nike and Tower Records Japan have come up with a great marketing campaign, which launched last month. Not sure if it’s the music fans love, or the covers-but they’re already sold out. Tower Records Japan offered limited editions of six new albums from Japanese record companies-complete with specially designed cardboard cases featuring artists posing with Nike shoes. For South Korean pop group Tohoshinki, Tower made two editions of the cover, one featuring the five band members “holding Nike shoes with their eyes open; on the other, their eyes are closed.” Hidetoshi Ohata, who created the campaign at Tower, said, “We’ve seen more buzz about the Nike editions than we imagined.” (Wall Street Journal).

JOE LOUIS
Saturday night at 8:00 pm ET, HBO will premier “Joe Louis: America’s Hero… Betrayed.” The 75-minute documentary contains carefully researched film clips and explores what Louis’s victories brought to black America. I, for one, will be front and center since my grandfather once fought on the same card as Louis. In a perfect world, I’d like to think my undefeated grandpa (right photo, left) would have found his way into this little film, as his victories were notorious in his time. But if not, the documentary is worth watching…at least according to those who’ve seen it.

Sports Illustrated: “The film is a moving portrait of an athlete who truly transcended his sport.” In Detroit, Mike Brudenell: the documentary is a “poignant study of a simple man who became a symbol of strength, courage and goodness in America in the 20th Century.” In Milwaukee, Bob Wolfley: the film “captures the glory of how Louis’ emergence as a boxer carried the hopes of both black America and white America.” In Akron, George Thomas writes the “subject is compelling and edgy and the filmmakers do a masterful job of placing Louis into context culturally and historically.” In Ft. Worth, Ray Buck writes the film “shouldn’t be missed. It’s that good. … You owe it to yourself to see such a well-conceived, unabridged version of the Joe Louis story.” In California, Chuck Barney: “The film is a must-see, even if you’re not into boxing or sports.”

As always, thanks for reading.
delinda@athlebrities.