Let's start today with a new marketing campaign by an advertising agency linked to ESPN. The premise is simple. Wieden+Kennedy New York create a spoof heavy metal band called The Group of Death. Content on Facebook, YouTube and MySpace is followed by a special gig and a "rockumentary". Think Spinal Tap on a cold Sunday morning and you've got the idea. Click to continue reading...

A few weeks ago I introduced you to The Group Of Death via a video showing a special package from ESPN that was delivered to my doorstep. But now, in homage to Spinal Tap and for a little bit of fun on a Friday, we have a video of The Group Of Death rock band playing the first song off their EP entitled "Welcome To The Group Of Death" (see above).

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Comment on the Facebook page for Group of Death, the heavy metal, footy-powered band:

"I was inspired to give my first wedgie to a nerd after listening to this album!!"

Can a band aspire to higher praise than this? I think not. But with songs like, "Your love is like a boot to the face," I'm pretty sure this will not be the last time they receive this kind of accolade.

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The above image is the rumored jersey that the United States team will be wearing in the 2010 World Cup. The red, white and blue shirt features a Nike logo and US soccer crest, but is it real or not? We'll find out soon when Nike and the USSF officially unveils the jersey.

If this actually the shirt, what are your thoughts about it?

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Is it me or does Philadelphia Union's soccer jersey looks very similar to the Shrewsbury Town jersey worn by Derek Smalls in the cult classic movie, This Is Spinal Tap?

In the 1984 film, there's a hysterical scene where Harry Shearer who plays the fictional character Derek Smalls tries to get through airport security.

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1. Dinamo Tbilisi, FC Tbilisi, Lokomotiv Tbilisi, Dundee, Rangers, Blackburn Rovers (current club). Whose career?
2. Jermain Defoe has never played a full 90 minutes for the English national team. True or false?
3. Three players share the record for red cards received in the Premier League: Patrick Vieira, Duncan Ferguson and which other player? Click to continue reading...

Remember back in 2006 when the U.S. men ranked in the top five, and everyone agreed that was way too high?
Then after the 2006 World Cup, FIFA changed the rankings system. Between the system tweaking and the USA's first-round exit that year, a tumble was inevitable. Toward the end of the year, the USA's ranking was #31. Click to continue reading...

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been thinking a lot about inventions and inventors. We grow up being taught about Leonardo da Vinci and Ben Franklin and Thomas Edison and all the remarkable contributions to society that are still in use today, and I was wondering who and what the modern equivalents are.

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