The Beauty of the Power Game

This New York Times video slideshow of top female tennis players hitting their strokes in slow motion is utterly beautiful. Elena Dementieva slice is more of a ballet move than a tennis stroke. The brief second Kim Clijsters takes to get back on her feet is a story onto itself.

Watch it.

Guillaume Nery base jumping at Dean’s Blue Hole

Wow! World champion freediver Guillaume Nery dives into pure darkness.

(via Duncan)

La partita lenta (The Slow Game)

http://www.dailymotion.com/videox8xecs

Director Paolo Sorrentino‘s film is about a rugby match as a metaphor in order to show how self confidence allows, even in a difficult situation, to move towards the goal.

13 Eme Rue – Biathlon

Dock Ellis & The LSD No-No

Fantastic story. The official website.

The Big Picture – Tough Guy Challenge 2009

Is it just me when I laugh instead of admiring these competitors? I think #14 has something to do with that.

The Photos.

Kicking It

Feature length doc.

In the summer of 2006, while the football world’s attention was focused on Germany, thousands of players around the globe were training hard and competing to be part of another World Cup … The Homeless World Cup. It had been a wild idea by a Scot and an Austrian—to give homeless people a chance to change their lives through an international street soccer competition. Five years later, the annual Homeless World Cup had become an internationally recognized sports competition. 500 homeless players from 48 nations would ultimately be selected to represent their country in Cape Town, South Africa – coming from such disparate parts of the world as war torn Afghanistan, the slums of Kenya, the drug rehab clinics of Dublin, Ireland, the streets of Charlotte, North Carolina, the overflowing public shelters of Madrid, Spain, and the unforgiving city of St. Petersburg, Russia, where the homeless have no rights or identity. Win or lose, for these players it would be the journey of a lifetime.

Watch it.

Long Jump

Here’s the new film by Ian Mackinnon and Dominic Parker made for Short and Sweet and Getty Images.

The challenges aim was to highlight the breadth and depth of content available at the Hulton Archive, which offers a unique resource to filmmakers and creatives alike.

Watch it. (Flash Video)

More? Adjustment is Ian’s graduation film at the RCA.

Adam Kimmel: Claremont HD

Wow. Better than any rollercoaster.

Watch it.

Beijing Paralympic Games Photo Slideshow by Sports Illustrated

Captivating images that highlight how wonderfully heroic people are.

Watch it.

Video of 4×100 Mens Relay, Beijing: USA wins Gold

I had zero interest in the Olympics before it began. I happened to catch this relay when I was taking a break from work. It just sucked me in, how can it not? This is easily one of the great moments in sports history. The favorites France were ahead by at least half a body length at the turn with the World record holder at the helm. Somehow, somehow, American Jason Lezak managed to nip the Frenchman to win the gold. Incredible race by both teams.

Video is available on NBC but requires Microsoft Silverlight (WTF!!!!!!!!!!), if somebody is able to find it somewhere else, please leave a comment.

Update: Here is a link, with Italian commentary. Thanks Dek.

Average athlete vs Olympic athlete

I spent many evenings at the same east river track during my High School track days. I would have loved to seen this.

Watch it – via Kottke

Hoop Dream (entire film available)

This film is constantly voted the best documentary of all time. It is available in full at Hulu in 420p HD. Cannot get better than that online.

The film remains relevant just like it did when it first came out. Two young basketball players struggle to fulfill a common dream which is to make to the NBA. The two kids have contrasting styles and personalities, each story could have made a great documentary in of itself. But together, the stories highlight the hi’s and lo’s of each story even better. Once in a lifetime kind of movie.

Watch it (via Kottke)

Minor League Giants

A photo slideshow by Porter Gifford about little league baseball. Lovely.

Watch it (via Shoot the Blog)

Covering Euro 2008: Video technology

Pretty cool stuff.

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