Patent ID: 8196322

Claim:
An article of footwear comprising: an upper including a ball control portion; the ball control portion comprising a plurality of protrusions that are configured to bend; each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions including a major axis, a minor axis, and a normal axis, the normal axis being approximately perpendicular to the major axis and the minor axis; and each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions further including a planar gripping portion that extends in a direction along the major axis and in a direction along the normal axis; wherein the plurality of protrusions are disposed in an arc-like configuration along an arc; wherein adjacent protrusions along the arc are arranged with the major axes of the adjacent protrusions in substantial alignment with each other; and wherein non-adjacent protrusions along the arc are arranged with the major axes of the non-adjacent protrusions in substantial non-alignment with each other.