I grew up watching tennis in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s when champions like Bjorn Borg, Guillermo Vilas and John McEnroe ruled the courts. So cool they were with their long hair, headbands, and short shorts, adorned in brands like Fila, Tacchini and Ellesse. No titanium or graphite for them… they played with wooden racquets.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal but I do miss the style and swagger of those days gone by. So while your flat screens are tuned to the US Open, this final grand slam tournament of 2012, I leave you with these images of an era when our tennis players were gods among men.
JOHN MCENROE AT WIMBLEDON 1981 (SI VAULT.COM); GUILLERMO VILAS AND BJORN BORG EARLY 1980’s; JOHN MCENROE,BJORN BORG AND VITAS GERULAITIS IN CENTRAL PARK IN 1981(AP); DUNLOP MAXPLY; ILIE NASTASE EARLY 1970’s; BJORN BORG AND JOHN MCENROE; BJORN BORG AND JOHN MCENROE AT THE START OF THE 1981 WIMBLEDON MENS SINGLES FINAL
When developer Bruce Ratner embarked on the journey to buy the New Jersey Nets and build a new home arena in Brooklyn, he recruited Jay-Z, who grew up in public housing just a couple of miles from the site, to join his group of investors. Despite his relatively small 15% ownership of the team, Jay-Z has become the face of the Brooklyn Nets, in particular helping to design the team’s new logo and uniforms.
The look is surprisingly simple compared to other NBA logos and while we know Jay-Z loves “Black”, he says his inspiration came from old New York subway signs… “They were a strong, beautiful, iconic black and white. I just wanted something to withstand the test of time and be here forever.
As the much anticipated Barclays Center, home of the new Brooklyn Nets, nears it September opening, I thought I would share some of these new logos and old signs. This simple retro design seems quite fitting for the new hipster style of Brooklyn.
Welcome to the first installment of Sunday Night at the Movies. I will be highlighting many of my favorites in the weeks to come, but tonight we begin with six classics. Click title to see preview.
Astonishing alpine locations, action-packed photography, a young Robert Redford in one of his earliest starring roles and the gorgeous Camilla Sparv, are just a few of the visual splendors of this Downhill Racer. Redford plays a ruthlessly ambitious skier competing in Europe for Olympic gold and Gene Hackman is the coach who tries to temper his narcissistic drive for glory.
This skateboard documentary chronicles the glory days of the Z-Boys, a team of hard-core surfers from the Zephyr Surf Shop in Venice Beach, California who sought to translate surfing moves onto their skateboards. In the mid-1970’s, skateboarding was widely seen as a fad of the 1960’s, but the radical moves and gnarly streetwise style of the Z-Boys changed skateboarding as a sport and blazed the trail for the extreme sports movement. Directed by former Z-Boy Stacy Peralta and narrated by Sean Penn, this might be my number one sports documentary.
This 1977 docudrama about the world of bodybuilding focuses on the 1975 Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia competitions. Shot during the 100 days leading up to the competitions, the film focuses on the rivalry between Arnold Schwarzenegger, the five-time Mr.Olympia going for his sixth consecutive title, and his primary competitor, Lou Ferrigno. Schwarzenegger’s larger than life physique and persona are impossible to deny and with the box office success of the film a star was born. Lou Ferrigno also went on to star as The Hulk in “The Hulk”
As with boxing there are so many fantastic surfing movies like Endless Summer, Five Summer Stories and Point Break, but none of those star the incomparable Jan-Michael Vincent, along with William Katt and Gary Busey. Funny and poignant, this coming-of-age drama captures the tumultuous 1960’s with the California surf as the backdrop.
It is very hard to choose one boxing movie with such other greats as Raging Bull, Rocky and The Fighter, but the combination of Muhammad Ali and William Klein makes this my first choice. In William Klein’s fascinating documentary, photographed with his inimitable point of view, Ali demonstrates why he is known as “The Greatest,” both in and out of the ring. Events such as his defeat of Sonny Liston, transformation from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali, and resistance to the Vietnam War draft were all captured during filming.
This film starring a young Mariel Hemingway centers on a group of women trying to qualify for the 1980 US Olympic Track and Field team. Their dreams are thwarted when the United States announces its boycott of the Games for political reasons. The movie was praised by critics for providing a realistic look at the world of women’s athletics and for exploring the complex relationships that can exist among teammates and their coach. It is probably most noted for its portrayal of the lesbian relationship between Hemingway’s character and her older teammate. For me, the 1970’s track and field apparel, Adidas’s finest era when shoes like the SL 72, Gazelle and Orion were born, makes this movie a style of sport classic.
As we get closer to September, I’m thinking about a new fall bag. The back to school promotions are everywhere and a backpack is a classic. Whether toting gym clothes, a laptop, magazines, or an extra layer should the temperature shift, backpacks need not be for school kids only. Above are my 8 grown-up picks for fall in sophisticated autumnal colors, high to low, all sporty, all chic!
Feeling a bit zapped in between a double spin class at Soul Cycle this weekend, I bought a bottle of coconut water hoping to revive myself for the next class. It was the most delicious I have ever tasted. It had none of the sour tanginess of other deli brands, but a silky sweetness I found perfectly tasty and refreshing… like a coconut that had just been cracked open and poured in a bottle. The brand is Harmless Harvest and I must say the design and illustrations on the label and on their website are as sweetly crafted as the beverage. I was ready to go for round two!
Now if you dont already know, coconut water is nature’s Gatorade. Its packed with potassium (twice as much as a banana), as well as those electrolytes and minerals your body needs to rehydrate after big workout.
So drink up… this really is good and good for you.
This fall 2012 architectural shoe of wonder by Alexander McQueen defies the laws of fashion and gravity. Only the most experienced fashionistas should dare to wear… trained professionals like Lady Gaga and Daphne Guiness or perhaps a prima ballerina. Despite the claim of stability due to the elongated base, the rest of us better hit the gym fast because I’m guessing 1 minute in these shoes equals about 60 calf raises. I wouldn’t worry too much though. With a price tag of $6395, I dont think too many of us will have to start training.
Photographs from left: Daphne Guiness by Bryanboy, Lady Gaga by Nick Knight, Veronica Tennant by David Street
Not much to say other than express my admiration for two great champions and take my hat off to Vuitton for celebrating their achievements. Gymnast Larisa Latynina, left, had been the record holder of most Olympic medals won (18) until Micheal Phelps, right, broke her record in the London Summer Olympic games, winning 22. The mutual admiration captured in this image by Annie Leibovitz is a testament to their sportsmanship and her ability to capture it on film. And what a treat it is to see Michael Phelps looking as comfortable in a three piece suit as he does in a Speedo!
Last night Jamaican Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce defended her title as the world’s fastest woman edging out Carmelita Jeter of the US by .o3 seconds to win the 100-meter final. I love this image of the photo finish which NBC flashed on the screen.
The photo finish uses a special camera that exposes only a sliver of the image by light coming through a vertical slit. Any still object along that slit appears as a streak and thus these beautiful abstractions emerge.
Photo-finish cameras are used at track meets, horse racing, swimming and anywhere else where the winner is determined by competitors crossing a finish line. In track, any part of the torso which hits the tape first wins, which is why you often see these dramatic lunges at the finish. The margin of victory is often hundreths of a second and only the camera knows the winner.
Below are some other famous photo finishes…
BEJING 2008
In 2008 Michael Phleps outtouched Milorad Cavic by .01 seconds in the 100 meter Butterfly to win his seventh of eight record breaking medals. This image is by Heinz Kluetmeier of Sports Illustrated, who was the first person to put an underwater camera in the pool at the 1992 games.
1956 HOTHAM HANDICAP
Perhaps the most famous photo finish of all time was a triple dead heat with three horses hitting the finish line simultaneously at the Aqueduct Racetrack in New York.
Before we had Phelps and Lochte, we had Mark Spitz. At age 17 he looked more like the clean shaven swimmers of today. By 1972 however, the year he won his then record 7 gold medals at the Munich Olympics, with his long hair and trademark mustache, he was so indomitable he didn’t even need a swim cap or goggles!
PHOTOS: From top: 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany by Tony Duffy /Allsport; 1972 by Rich Clarkson; Sports Illustrated cover, Sept.4 1972 by Heinz Kluetmeier; 1967, Mark Spitz At 17, Crystal Palace London by Central Press
Internationally recognized photographer, Martin Schoeller, was commissioned by Time magazine to shoot three covers for their Olympic issue, featuring gymnast Gabby Douglas, hurdler Lolo Jones and swimmer Ryan Lochte as the subjects. All the images and behind the scenes stories can be seen on the TIME LIGHTBOX.
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