Suck...Er, Ball

Adidas dropped some big bucks to be an official World Cup sponsor ,and maneuver into the position where they're making the official match ball - and more importantly, the angle for manufacturing and distribution worldwide. The only problem is, some players have been pretty vocal about what a piece of shit it is.

"The ball is dreadful," said England goalkeeper David James. "It's horrible, but it's horrible for everyone. It will allow some extra goals, but leave some goalkeepers looking daft." Top net minder Julio Cesar (Brazil) called it "terrible" and even compared it to a cheapo balloon-ball you'd find in a supermarket. Italian striker Giampaolo Pazzini called the ball a "disaster," and Cesar's teammate, striker Luis Fabiano, also complained about the ball's unpredictable trajectory. "You are going to kick it and it moves out of the way...I think it's supernatural. It's very bad."

This World Cup ball is called "Jabulani", which means "to celebrate" in the Bantu language isiZulu, one of the official languages of South Africa where the tournament is being held. Adidas raves about Jabulani, calling it "the most innovative ball ever made," and claims that its "Grip N' Groove" technology makes the ball "the most accurate and roundest" in history. Ready for some of their PR? "The Jabulani has been extensively tested to meet FIFA standards and is 27% more accurate than match balls on the market today. We feel confident that the World Cup will be a success and the ball will be one of the most visible icons of the event."

The sporting giant used only 8 different panels to build this ball, a far cry from the 32 they introduced on the 1970 Telstar model, but the company insists it keeps the shots straight. Tiny grooves on the ball also capture wind currents, keeping air off the surface, resulting in a more true flight, they say. Adidas has pointed out that many top pro teams have used the ball since December without complaint, and the most vocal complaints have come from teams outfitted by their rivals Puma and Nike. And on that note, feign surprise that Germany has been super complimentary - they're sponsored head-to-toe by Adidas and home to company's headquarters.

The company insists that the controversy will subside once the matches start, but athletes are temperamental and don't like playing with other peoples balls. Especially if they're used to playing with their own.