NIKE/ Project RED Partnership VIRAL VIDEO & Press Release

THE EMIRATES TURNED (RED) TO ‘LACE UP. SAVE LIVES’

The Emirates Stadium turned (RED) last Sunday, the 31^st of January as Arsenal played host to Manchester United, in a game which saw both clubs show their support for the NIKE (PRODUCT) ^RED ‘Lace Up. Save Lives’ partnership that generates funds to help fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.

(RED) goal-nets – a first in the Barclays Premier League, sat between the posts for the match and a giant (NIKE)^RED lace hung around the middle tier of the stadium to ‘tie the stadium together’.

Players from both clubs, including Cesc Fabregas, Andrei Arshavin, Theo Walcott, Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand, wore (NIKE)^RED laces in their boots during the game and both sides ran out onto the pitch wearing (NIKE)^RED track jackets to show their commitment to the partnership.

And fans too showed their support for the initiative by raising (NIKE)^RED ‘Lace Up. Save Lives’ cards as the players took to the pitch before kick-off, uniting both sets of supporters and the global TV audience to raise awareness of the partnership through the power of football.

The Nike and (PRODUCT)^RED™ partnership invites people to ‘Lace Up. Save Lives’ by purchasing a pair of (NIKE) ^RED laces. One hundred percent of its Nike’s profits from the sales of (NIKE)^RED laces goes to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which funds AIDS programs that provide medicine for those living with HIV, and football-based community initiatives that deliver education and understanding around HIV/AIDS prevention.

Speaking ahead of last weekend’s match Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: “Arsenal Football Club understands the importance of the HIV/AIDS issue globally and with the world’s fans focusing on Africa in this World Cup year there is a great opportunity to make a real difference through the power of football in 2010.  Arsenal Football Club is proud to support the (NIKE) ^RED ‘Lace Up. Save Lives’ partnership.”

On the (NIKE) ^RED partnership Arsenal’s Andrei Arshavin says: “If life gives you a little bit more than it does other people, then you must give something back. Football is the most popular sport in the world. It shows that everyone can help, regardless of where they are from.”

Leo Sandino-Taylor, Nike UK Head of PR & Communications said, “Nike has a proven history of elevating global causes through sport.  With the continued support of our athletes and clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester United we can play a major role in amplifying this important issue.”

On 30^th November 2009 Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Andrei Arshavin (Arsenal), Denilson (Arsenal), Marco Materazzi (Inter Milan), Lucas Neill (Everton), Clint Dempsey (Fulham) and Seol Ki-Hyeon (Fulham) joined U2 front man Bono at Niketown to announce the partnership between NIKE, Inc. and (RED).

(Nike)^RED laces are available to buy now at Nike Store locations, key retailers and www.nikefootball.com/RED at a cost of RM15 per pair.

WORLD’S TOP FOOTBALLERS JOINED BY KOBE BRYANT AND MARIA SHARAPOVA TO LACE UP AND SAVE LIVES IN NEW SHORT FILM FROM NIKE

Football Rivals, Tennis and Basketball Stars Show Creative Ways to Wear Red Laces In Fight Against HIV/AIDS In Africa

In support of Nike and (RED)’s unique two-pronged partnership approach to fight HIV/ AIDS in Africa, leading footballers Didier Drogba, Andrei Arshavin, Clint Dempsey, Denilson, Marco Materazzi, Javier Mascherano, Fabio Cannavaro along with Maria Sharapova and Kobe Bryant came together in a new viral film released by Nike this week to encourage fans globally to “Lace Up Save Lives”.

The film is part of the (PRODUCT)^RED™ partnership. Nike produces (RED) branded laces, with 100% of Nike’s profits from the sales of (NIKE)^RED laces going to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria – which funds medication for those living with HIV – and football-based community initiatives that deliver education and understanding around HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa.  This unique partnership, first announced on November 30^th, the day before World AIDS day in London last year, delivers programs that both medicate and educate.

Bringing together athletes with global appeal across football, tennis and basketball through this film provides another way to elevate awareness and unite people in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa.

The film features a cast of global athletes using the (Nike) ^RED laces to lace up in unusual and imaginative ways.  Premier league rivals Drogba and Arshavin pay each other the ultimate respect lacing each other’s boots, as do Serie A competitors Materazzi and Cannavaro.  Maria Sharapova and Kobe Bryant add their personal touches, while all the players use the RED laces in distinct ways to encourage support for the campaign.

Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, the leading global ambassador for (Nike)^RED, has been wearing the (RED) laces in Premier League and at The African Cup of Nations, comments: “Filming was a lot of fun, but all of us are aware of the seriousness of the problem of HIV and AIDS in Africa and it is something I have seen first hand when I go back there. Maybe people aren’t aware but AIDS is treatable and we want to encourage players and fans around the world to by the laces and help fight this disease.”

The (Nike)^RED short is available at nikefootball.com starting at 5pm GMT on Friday, January 29^th.

(Nike)^RED laces are available to buy now at Nike Store locations, key retailers and www.nikefootball.com/RED at a cost of RM15 per pair.

Date : February 13, 2010 by PY Chan

Press Release, Information and Video Clip for TSGB courtesy of: Kristian Lee (Nike Representative, Malaysia)

“Yeah right, Bolton would have stopped play”

Okay, I want to move pass this episode of Owen Coyle’s nonsense a.s.a.p but somehow everyone seems to bring up Gallas’ tackle everywhere ever since after the match (newspapers, twitter, facebook, the radio, etc, etc…) and it is, quite frankly, frustrating! It probably doesn’t matter what I think but to all you Arsenal-haters and neutrals who seem to think Arsenal are all of a sudden a team with no integrity, no fair-play and a bunch of hypocrites, here’s a message.

I will of course be biased towards the incident and believe me, had it gone the other way around, I would have been angry and probably would complain about it for a couple of hours…yup, after that, I’ll forget about it. Not because I have a poor memory or anything like that, I guess it’s simply because it’s so usual now to Arsenal fans. Yeah, too many times – last season, this season, big games, lesser games – that we’ve been denied obvious free kicks, penalties, been kicked around by more physical teams and see their players go unpunished…in fact, sometimes (wait, most times) I feel injustice always and only happens to Arsenal.

Need I remind you of that time just the other day in the Bolton match when Fabregas went down in the box and the CLEAR PENALTY was not given? Well, you could argue the ball was going out but our skipper got the first touch, took the ball away and Jaaskelainen tripped him. Why didn’t the ref blow? Is it because Cesc & co. didn’t raise their arms and yell stuff in protesting fashion like the MU and Chelsea players always do? Or because Eduardo dived earlier this season which now makes every Gunner a diver? Funny too, I don’t see tabloids making a big story out of our denied penalty. I’m sure it will when Almunia trips Rooney and escaped the punishment.

It also makes me wonder, had Everton scored last week when they continued play with Denilson lying in the middle of the pitch, would they get the same treatment as we’re getting now? Or is it gonna be “Well, Denilson gave the ball up…there’s no reason Everton should stop.” Yes, it’s out of sportsmanship to not stop play when a player is down injured and requires treatment, but so many have gone down uninjured these days (the minute play stops, they pop up theatrically), if the ball is kicked out, it ruins the flow of attack which could potentially lead to a goal. I’m sorry that Davies was really injured on Wednesday, but I’m just stating the point.

If the press wanna make a big deal out of Gallas’ mishap instead of focusing on what a comeback we’ve made and the fact that we’re sitting at the top of the table currently, I hope they do remember to do the same when Darren Fletcher make 30 crunching tackles in a single game and escapes unscathed or when Drogba goes down like a sack of potatoes even before anyone has touched him and the ref awards a penalty for that (in this case, injustice to the opponents). Yeah, there would probably be a line or two about it in the papers, or maybe none at all…but definitely it won’t go on for days, not if it doesn’t involve Arsenal.

So, you might not agree with this post even if you’re a Gooner. Fine. But there’s definitely something we can all agree upon – that Arsenal maintain their current sensational form and win us those crucial games ahead. Next up, Stoke City (FA Cup fixture). =)

p/s:  Question is, being as physical as they are normally, would Bolton have stopped play if they were in our position?

Bolton 0 – 2 Arsenal : Celebrate the Spaniards

Arsenal kept in touch with league leaders Chelsea after an ‘anything-but-easy’ win against Bolton yesterday in a match that clearly highlighted the importance of having captain Cesc Fabregas back in the team.

The Gunners also started with 19-year-old Craig Eastmond in midfield, and he would have had a superb Premier League debut had he converted his scoring chance from a Fabregas corner into a goal when we were already 1-0 up, but that wasn’t to be as his shot saw the ball went through Arshavin’s legs and into the arms of Jaaskelainen. But as promising as he is, there were some moments when he lost the ball and Bolton pounced, so naturally there are still signs that he is yet to be ready for first team football with Arsenal. Wait, I’m getting ahead of myself here. Anywayzz….

Bolton started off well, fierce to be exact and had the ball in the back of the net courtesy of Klasnic with the clock showing only 1 minute and 29 seconds, only for the goal to be ruled offside. Lucky us because it really was a close, close call.

The home side continued with their up-tempo attacking and some display of beautiful and threatening football, and had their shots gone better, Arsenal would have had to come from behind right in the early stages. Having said that, Arsenal were not short of attacks upfront as well (although not as dangerous) and in the 28th minute, Arsenal were given some breathing space when Fabregas did a neat one-two with Eduardo before hitting a low shot into the bottom corner of Bolton’s net. The goal heated up the atmosphere as the Bolton players soon target Fabregas with their tackles and the Arsenal had a soft penalty claim when he went down in the box, but the ref was not interested, neither were the Arsenal players and Fabregas himself, I suppose. With the lead taken and as the game moved closer towards half-time, Arsenal definitely looked more superior than the home side (Cesc had another scoring opportunity with the goal gaping), save for one slip up which allowed Klasnic a glorious chance to shoot from close range but he misfired.

In the second half, Bolton came out with all guns blazing as they did in the beginning of the first, but Arsenal rode the pressure along with whatever luck that came their way. From what I saw, only the blind would deny we needed a second goal. Wenger made some substitutions, most notably Clichy on for Rosicky, presumably to strengthen the left side which was obviously dominated by Bolton’s Lee Chung-Yung. Truth to be told, prior to yesterday, I wouldn’t have imagined seeing Clichy and Traore playing on the same pitch in different positions. It obviously worked.

Then Fran Merida came on for newbie Eastmond. Not to demean the latter or anything, but as soon as he was taken off and Merida was introduced on the pitch, Arsenal did looked a bit stronger, despite the fact that Bolton kept on pressing. Taylor wasted a few more good chances for Bolton and then it happened for us. A good run from Fabregas found Eduardo and the Croation crossed a perfect ball for substitute Merida to slot home, putting the game to rest. There and then, it was a job well done. Not easy, but 3 points nonetheless.

So, what’s going on with the Merida – Athletico Madrid issue? Or has it been settled now? Has he confirmed he’s happy with Arsenal and all the news were just rumours? I don’t know, mostly because the only place I trust to get Arsenal transfers from is the official website, and right now there isn’t anything new about this. Only the latest that Sol Campbell and Galindo have signed for the club. Was hoping if anyone of you do know about Merida, please share and keep me in the loop. Personally, I’d like him to stay. Right, who doesn’t?

So, I guess that’s all for now. With Bolton out of the way, I’m super excited for our next match against….ah, Bolton. Well, if it’s any similar to the match yesterday in terms of entertainment value and of course, the result, then I can’t wait for our boys to face them again. Mind you, there’s extra motivation for us to win this one, another 3 points will see us move above Chelsea. Go Gunners!!!

TSGB’s Man of the Match

Francesc Fabregas

Just a little message to all (I almost completely forgot), I have changed my twitter account username to PYtsgb (from thesilentgunner). So if you are not a follower of my tweets, I’d love it if you would follow me and tweet yours truly a ‘hello’ over there =). If you already are a follower, please don’t freak out if thesilentgunner doesn’t tweet to you anymore and thanks a million for your support.