Drogba’s Broken Arm

It’s admirable how Didier Drogba played with a broken arm. I’m familiar with such an injury myself, having fractured both bones in my left forearm in a freak hurdling accident 4 years ago.  The accident happened a month before UAAP. Drogba’s injury occured weeks before their World Cup debut.

I guess when the stakes are high, one is willing to risk permanent injury just to have that shot at glory. Despite the fact that Drogba suited up with FIFA approval (and a lightweight cast), he still has a fractured arm, for Pete’s sake! Remarkable. Truly, remarkable.

I harbored similar sentiments during my own bout with season-ending injury. Days after I broke my arm, I read about two American hurdlers (Mark Crear and Greg Foster) who competed with fractured forearms. My hopes were buoyed by such great news. Thank heavens I heeded the sound advice of the people around me for I swear,  I was quite determined to compete.

I’m not a football fan at all. The only football games I watch are those of the Blue and Lady Booters. Nevertheless, I recognize greatness across the wide boundaries of sport.

Didier Drogba, I salute you.

Sources:

http://a123.g.akamai.net

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/afp/20100615/capt.photo_1276622475893-3-0.jpg

Great Nike Ads!

I like the Three Stripes better than the Swoosh. There’s just something elegant about Adidas. But then again, Nike makes the best sports ads.

Here are some of the Nike Ads I love best:

1.) Write the Future (2010) –
I’m not a football fan, but this somehow gets me into the World Cup groove. I like how the clip explores the various outcomes of a football match – and the touch of humour as well. The fact that Kobe and Federer are featured in the campaign bridges the football divide.

2.) Nike South Africa (2006) –
I used to recite the lines uttered in the video back in college. It exudes the gung-ho, no-fear attitude one has to have to succeed in sports. I’m not familiar with most of the South African athletes in the ad, aside from Godfrey Mokoena and the Blade Runner, Oscar Pistorius, nevertheless, it’s a quite a powerful commercial.

3.) Nike Training –

Liu Xiang and Manny Pacquiao in one commercial. Need I say more?

4.) Nike Courage (2008) –

The following ad is short, but the awesome soundtrack and classic sporting moments (Liu Xiang, Carl Lewis, Derek Redmond, Michael Jordan!) featured in it contribute to one inspiring, bad-ass ad – the best among the three.