Why You Should be Using and Who to Follow on Periscope

Periscope is a relatively new app for both iOS and Android.  It was released initially for Apple about 2 months ago and for Android last week.  The app allows you to live stream video out to the World (both followers and anyone else that finds you in the Live broadcast feeds).  Right now those videos are saved and can be viewed for 24 hours after broadcast (although you can save them to your phone to keep forever).

Your first question is how is that different from Youtube?  The answer is because it is Live, in the moment.  Youtube has become dominated by professional channels of broadcasters.  Which is good when you want to watch a show, but if you are looking for spontaneous news or entertainment, Periscope has stepped in to fill that void.  These are not professionally made videos and that is what gives them their charm.  You are a voyeur into whatever it is the broadcaster wants to share.

You second question is why should I care?  There are two important reasons to care.  First, it is a new kind of entertainment that has grabbed me and millions of others that have become instant addicts.  Second, if you have a product, service or "personality" to share there are ways to promote it through Periscope that could dramatically increase your exposure.

Let me give you an example of some of the coolest things I have seen on Periscope to give you a feel for its appeal.

The Script improv music jam with Colton Avery - The drummer of The Script, Glen Power, mans the Twitter and Periscope handle @thescript for the band.  Power is also a talented guitarist and last night in his dressing room, he and Colton Avery (a musician from AZ currently touring with The Script) did an impromptu jam session for fans.  They asked fans to give them 2 random words and they would create a song revolving around those words which turned out to be Thunder and Lightning.  Avery is a very talented guitarist and both provided amazing harmonies together.  The two came up with a fantastic song on the spot that sounded radio ready.  You cannot find that kind of spontaneous, behind the scenes access from any other source!

The Ellen Show - Every afternoon, writers from the Ellen Degeneres show take us inside their Viral Video meeting where they hash out the funniest videos for the taped show that day.  If that is one of your favorite parts of the Ellen Show, then you will really enjoy seeing all the videos they reviewed to come up with the 2-3 that they use on the show.

Do you have a desire to see Paris, but can't afford it.  Two of the most followed scopers are two Parisians who broadcast walking and biking tours of Paris.  Euro Maestro (@euromaestro) and Claire Waddington (@clairewad) have been transplanted from the US and Britian, respectively.  They provide amazing tours and insights from probably the most beautiful city in the World.  They are definitely worth the follow whether you have never been or your heart aches to get back to Paris.

What could you do with Periscope to create a unique name and personality for yourself on the app?  Here are some of my favorite uses for the application and ways you could use it.

Tours - I would have expected more people to take Euro and Claire's lead to create tours from fascinating cities around the world.  Surprisingly, I cannot find that many other city tours yet.  Do you live in an interesting place like London, Cairo, Istanbul, Barcelona, San Francisco or Shanghai?  Almost any city in the world has interesting aspects but if you live in a fascinating city, then you are sitting on a potential goldmine for gaining.followers.  Make sure to write your descriptions in English as it is the universal language of the Internet and most of the Periscope users are still from the US.  So if you want to gain traction, you have to do it in English!

Real Estate Tours - Whether you are a real estate agent trying to sell a property or a homeowner with a really cool property, Periscope can be an amazing tool.  I think in the future, a Periscope tour of the home will be almost a necessity for selling a home.  It is so easy to do and provides a much better feel for the home than photos.  I also think we will get many more tours of celebrities homes in the future.  We all want to see how the "other half" lives and these would make fascinating scopes.

Cooking Shows - If you are a good cook and/or creative in the kitchen, there is no reason you can't become a star on Periscope.  You can highlight unique recipes or lifestyle choices (e.g., gluten free, etc).  If you have a food product, you can highlight interesting ways to use it while preparing meals or snacks.

Quick Training and How-To Videos - We all have some unique talent, why not share it with the world.  Have you found some interesting hacks that make life easier for you?  Why not share those with the world.  This category is almost limitless.  You can also save your videos to your phone and upload them to Youtube to create a lasting channel of the videos.

Share your Expertise - If you are a consultants, this may be the perfect medium for you to expand your reach.  Why not create a weekly broadcast on your topic of expertise.  You can provide your own insights and also interview other industry figures to further enhance the experience for followers.  I think this would be great for Public Relations, Head Hunters, Social Media consultants, Tax advisors, really any knowledge worker whose expertise can benefit others.

News and Events - Much the way Twitter became the place to break news stories, Periscope is going to be the place first hand video of these news events.  In the near future, We are going to see amazing live video right on the scene of the biggest news stories from around the World.  We often get this footage later on Youtube, but now you can get it or provide it real-time on Periscope.

So get out there and start scoping and finding great scopers to follow.

It's Lollapalooza Time Again, Who You Following?

Updated 8/4/14

Once again, I am publishing a list of some of the best musicians and artists to follow on Instagram during Lollapalooza 2014.  Each year, the number of artists using Instagram grows so you can now follow many of the top bands, as well as the up and coming artists.

Also check out 5 Must Have Music Apps or hardcore music fans.

So without further adieu, here are some of my favorites.

EDM Artists

Skrillex - As one of the 3 most notable EDM artists, Skrillex has moved to the main Bud Light stage this year instead of Perry's, expect a huge crowd for the Skrillex set on Sunday night!!
@Skrillex
660 photos
1.4 million followers

Zedd - He has quickly become one of the top selling EDM artists with his collaborations with Hailey Williams and Little Foxes.  He writes very catchy melodies that you can't get out of your head.  He is headlining Perry's tonight.
@Zedd
336 photos
560,000 followers

Calvin Harris - Calvin Harris has become completely mainstream with hits such as "Summer" and "I need your Love", so while you might consider him Pop, he started as an EDM artist and will be headlining the Bud Light stage Saturday night and will probably have the biggest headlining crowd on Saturday.
@CalvinHarris
1200 photos
1.3 million followers  

Krewella - From Chicago, you would expect Krewella to pull out all the stops at Lolla 2014 as the Perry's headliner on Saturday night.  This three member group brings a lot of energy and will have the ground shaking on Saturday night.
@Krewella
380 photos
216,000 followers

Sebastian Ingrosso - Another member of the Swedish House Mafia, Ingrosso will try to follow up Steve Angello's amazing set at Lolla 2013.  He is playing in Perry's on Sunday night.  He is new to Instagram, but is quickly building followers.
@Ingrossoofficial
16 photos

The Glitch Mob - This 3 member EDM artist hails from Los Angeles where they have built up the largest LA following among electronic artists.  However, they are just starting to gain attention across the US and Lolla should really lift their exposure.
@TheGlitchMob
1150 photos
28,000 followers


Rappers

Eminem - Eminem is back at Lolla but this time he is not just a rapper, instead he is one of the biggest pop stars on the planet.  He is touring with Rhianna and many expect to see her as a guest on a few songs.  Eminem is headlining the Samsung stage tonight.
@Eminem
60 photos
2.3 million followers

Iggy Azalea - Hardcore fans have known of Iggy for a couple of years but most of us just learned about her as she burst onto the scene this summer with not one, but 2 number #1 hits, her "Fancy" and her collaboration with Ariana Grande "Problem".  Keep in mind that Arianna is not currently touring so there is a possibility of a surprise appearance today during Iggy's afternoon set.
@Thenewclassic
1500 photos
3.7 million followers

Chance the Rapper - Another artist that hails from Chicago, Chance absolutely tore it up at Lolla last year.  His set on the BMI stage was packed and led to his headlining Perry's this year.  Perry's will be rocking on Sunday night and likely packed with hardcore rap fans.
@ChancetheRapper
700 photos
460,000 followers


Childish Gambino - Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, is an actor, writer and rapper from NYC.  He has been a comedic writer on 30 Rock and other series, but created the Childish Gambino moniker as a stage name for his rap.  He is performing on Sunday night on the Bud Light stage before Skrillex so he should get a big crowd.
@ChildishGambino
87 photos


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Also Follow these 50 Music Stars on Instagram

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Alternative
Cage the Elephant - These guys put on an amazing show everytime they get on stage.  This is their third time to Lolla and it seems to rain everytime they show up.  However, that doesn't get them down, they relish in it and Matt Schultz ended up covered in mud by the end of this year's performance
@Cagetheelephantofficial
300 photos
45,000 followers


Grouplove - These guys had one of the best sets at Lolla this year.  They worked a huge crowd into an absolute frenzy.  If you get a chance to see them live, take it!  I have also included Hannah Hooper's instagram, one of the two lead singers with Christian Zucconi.
@Grouplove
700 photos
56,000 followers
@LadyGrouplove
650 photos
27,000 followers

Young the Giant - Hailing from Irvine, California, Young the Giant is a blend of Alternative and Indie Rock.  Their hit song, "My Body" has recently hit the top 5 on the US Alternative charts and they ended up in the early evening slot on Sunday at Lolla.
@YoungtheGiant
720 photos
177,000 followers

Fitz and the Tantrums - Unfortunately, Fitz played opposite Grouplove so I missed them but friends said they put on a great show.  They have two singles that have hit #1 on the Alternative charts.
@FitzandtheTantrumsofficial
140 photos
12,000 followers

Bleachers - An up and coming have exploded this summer with their hit song "I Wanna Get Better".  It was an impressive site to see 10,000 fans singing I wanna get better.
@Bleachersmusic
45 photos
9,000 followers


Pop/Rock
Kings of Leon - Hailing from Nashville, Kings of Leon passed on country to follow their roots in traditional rock.  They were one of the Headliners on Sunday night.
@KingsofLeon
70 photos
105,000 followers

Outkast - Outkast is a hip hop and pop duo from Atlanta.  They have had two #1 Billboard 100 hits including "Hey Ya" and "The Way You Move".  They headlined the Saturday night show at Lolla.
@Outkast
50 photos
54,000 followers

Lorde - Quickly becoming one of the best-selling female artists this year, Lorde is killing around the World.  She was not yet a headliner, mostly because of when they set the lineup her fans packed the North fields to see her show in the early evening Friday.
@Lordemusic
380 photos
1.4 million followers

Foster the People - Foster the People has a unique pop sound that blends electronic, alternative and indie sounds.  Their hit "Pumped up Kicks" made it to #3 on the Billboard 100 in 2011.
@FosterthePeople
200 photos
67,000 followers

Chvrches - An electronic pop band from Glasgow, Scotland, Chvrches are gaining huge popularity in the US this year with their interesting covers of popular artists such as Lorde and the Arctic Monkeys.
@Chvrches
730 photos
49,000 followers

15 FIFA World Cup Stars to Follow on Instagram

Much like the Olympics, the rarity of FIFA World Cup events (every 4 years) makes these International happenings a great place for Instagram sharing.  At both of the last two Olympics in Sochi and London, we saw a wide range of amazing photos on Instagram from some of the best athletes from around the world.

I expect the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil to be the same kind of photo bonanza on Instagram. The World Cup is one of those rare times when the very best football players from around the world will be playing for their home country with other top players that they are usually playing against as rivals.

This article will highlight some of the best World Cup players to follow on Instagram.  I have highlighted 3 players from each of the Top 4 favorites; Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Spain.  Then I also provided a player from several other notable teams.  You can also follow the National Team for any of your favorite countries on Instagram.


BRAZIL
Follow national team @cbf_futebol
Host Country (Odds to win it all 3:1)
As usual, the Brazilian team is stacked with talent.  Brazil is the winningest team in World Cup football with 5 Championships but they struggled in each of the last two World Cup's and did not finish in the top 4 spots either year.  They last won in 2002 and many feel a win at home in 2014 would be a fitting end to the event.

Thiago Silva, Defender, Captain
Silva is the glue for this talented team of football stars.  It will be critical for him to make sure that teamwork is the foremost thought on everyone's mind to create the poetry needed to win the World Cup.
@thiagosilva_33
700 photos  978,000 followers

Shirtless Brazilians from @neymarjr

 
Neymar, Forward
Probably the greatest overall talent on the Brazilian team, Neymar is looking to leave a big mark on the 2014 World Cup.  In past Championships, one player produced a spectacular offensive performance to catapult the Brazilians to the top (think Pele and Ronaldo).  This could be Neymar's year.  Neymar is a prolific IG user having shared over 2,100 photos so you definitely want to follow him.
@neymarjr
2,100 photos  5.3 million followers

Oscar, Midfielder
Oscar is a talented midfielder who plays for Chelsea FC in the Barclay's Premier League.  Like Neymar, Oscar is one of the other young, 22, but highly talented players on this Brazilian team.
@oscar_emboaba
330 photos  800,000 followers 


ARGENTINA
Follow national team @teamoargentina
(Odds to win it all 4:1)
This other South American team is the runner-up in Odds to win the World Cup.  Argentina has the best player in the World in Lionel (Leo) Messi and a host of other very talented players that round out the team.  Any team with Messi, has to be considered a serious contender to win the Cup, but couple that with the games being played in their neighbor country, Brazil, and Argentina looks good to at least get to the Semi-Finals.  Argentina has won the Cup twice but the last time was in 1986.

Leo Messi, Forward, Captain
At 26, Messi is already one of the most prolific international football stars of all time.  While some might debate whether he is be best overall player in the World, few would debate that he is the absolute best ballhandler.  Few have the body control that Messi possesses and his ability to see a wide range on the field creates amazing pinpoint passing and goal scoring.  He has won a Gold Medal for Argentina in 2008, but he has yet to get a World Cup trophy in two attempts.  He has not been a very active IG user but hopefully that will change on the international stage.
@leomessi
49 photos  3.4 million followers 

Team Argentina on plane to Brazil from @marcosrojo

Sergio Aguero, Forward
At only 21, Sergio Aguero is a young left wing forward.  Aguero was on the 2008 Gold Medal winning Olympic team and also earned a Barclay's Premier League Championship with his Manchester City team last year.  He knows how to win and will be one of the key players if Argentina is able to get to the title game.  Aguero is also the son-in-law to one of the greatest Argentina football players, Diego Maradona.
@aguerosergiokun16
147 photos  430,000 followers

 




Marcos, Rojo, Defender
This will be Marcos Rojo's first World Cup experience.  He has become a solid piece of the Argentine defensive unit during 2014.  Rojo plays for Sporting Lisbon when he is not playing for the Argentina National Team.
@marcosrojo
400 photos  23,000 followers


GERMANY
Follow national team @dfb_team

(Odds to win World Cup 6:1)
Germany has been a very strong and consistent competitor on the international stage over the last twenty years.  Last year, two German teams made it to the Championship of the European EUFA Champions League.  Germany has won 3 World Cup titles but the last one was in 1990.  In each of the last two World Cup's in 2006 and 2010, Germany took 3rd.  They hope to improve on that finish to get to the Championship game with all of they talent they have on the 2014 team.


Thomas Muller, Midfielder/Forward
Thomas Muller is a very dangerous scoring Midfielder.  He was the overall top scorer in the 2010 World Cup with 5 goals helping Germany to its 3rd place finish.  He also was on the Bayern Munich team that won the EUFA Champions League in 2013.  He does not share many photos on Instagram, but we are hoping that the World Cup is the type of event that will change that.
@officialmuller
33 photos  40,000 followers

Team Germany enjoying some boating from @official_m11

Mesut Ozil, Midfielder/Forward
This will be Mesut Ozil's second World Cup after helping Germany to a 3rd place finish in 2010.  His play in the 2010 World Cup got him picked up by Real Madrid where he played for 3 season before moving to Arsenal FC this past year.  Ozil was born in Germany but is of Turkish descent.  He is an exciting, fast player who can light up the defense at any moment.  Ozil is also a huge Instagram user having shared over 1,000 photos.  He is a great follow for football fans.
@official_m11
1,000 photos  38,000 followers

Bastian Schweinsteiger, Midfielder
Another talented Midfielder that plays both for Germany and FC Bayern Munich, Schweinsteiger knows what it takes to win.  He has been part of both of the last two 3rd place finishing German teams and will be a key piece of the puzzle if Germany is able to advance on to the Championship game.
@bastian_schweinsteiger
83 photos  30,000 followers


SPAIN
Follow national team @sefutbol

(Odds to Win World Cup 13:2)
Spain has only won one World Cup title but it came in 2010 making them the defending champions.  Spain is still loaded with talent including many of the players from that 2010 team.  They should be in the mix to battle for one of the 4 semi-final spots.  They are an experienced team but with several key players over 30 years old, one has to wonder if they will be able to keep up with the World Cup pace.

Xavi Hernandez, Midfielder
Considered one of the best passers in the World, Xavi was a big part of the team that won in 2010.  What's more as a member of FC Barcelona he has won three EUFA Championships.  Clearly, he knows what it takes to win.  He will be competing in his 4th FIFA World Cup.
@xavihernandezoficial
30 photos  194,000 followers

Some of Team Spain in Brazil from @andresiniesta8

Andres Iniesta, Forward
Another FC Barcelona player who was also a member of the 2010 World Cup Championship team, Iniesta actually scored the winning goal to cap that Championship run.  At 30, he is another of the experienced but a bit older players on this Spanish team.  He is also a winnner, having scored many of the same trophies as Xavi with FC Barcelona.
@andresiniesta8
55 posts  787,000 followers

 






Cesc Fabregas, Forward
One of the youngers starters on the Spanish team at 27, Fabregas was also a key member of the 2010 Championship team.  Cesc made the pass that setup Iniesta's game winning goal in the Championship game.  In club play, Fabregas has played for both Arsenal FC and more recently FC Barcelona.  This will be his 3rd World Cup event.  He is also one of the more prolific IG users on the team sharing over 400 photos.
@cescf4bregas
400 photos  1.45 million followers


OTHER NOTABLE WORLD CUP PLAYERS
Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) - Portugal 25:1 odds to win
Mario Batelli (@mb459) - Italy 25:1
Vincent Kompany (@vincentkompany) - Belgium 25:1
Robin Van Persie (@robinvanpersie) - Netherlands 25:1
Karim Benzema (@karimbenzema) - France 25:1
Wayne Rooney (@waynerooney) - England 25:1

Team Portugal is in the house from @cristiano

50 Winter Olympic Athletes to Follow on Instagram

Snowboarding women from @aimee_fuller

Just as in London in 2012, you can follow a lot of the Sochi athletes on Instagram and other social media to dramatically improve the fan experience for the Winter Olympics.  From Twitter to Facebook to Instagram, you can follow Olympians to get a behind the scenes glimpse into the Winter Games.

On Twitter, you can follow hashtags that are of particular interest such as #sochi #winterolympics #teamusa or #teamcanada.  The stream when you search for these or other common Olympic hashtags will be full of interesting tweets, photos and videos from fans and athletes making the trek to Sochi.

For me, the most fun is following the athletes on Instagram.  Since they always have their smartphones with them, you get amazing photos from athletes right in the heart of the action.  There will be photos from athletes just before and just after they compete.  Some will take photos at the awards ceremony, maybe even right on the Medals Podium.  You really can't get any closer to the athletes than their own cellphones, which makes Instagram such an amazing tool for following the Olympic Games.

Here now is a list of some of the most interesting athletes, coaches and media sources for following the Sochi Olympics on Instagram.  I generally tried to include the most active IG sharers on the list, although with certain sports (c'mon hockey players), I had to post anyone I could find because none of them share many photos.  Sorry so many TeamUSA competitors but they are the largest team in Sochi, they are the most active users of IG as a group and, I admit it, I am a bit biased.  I will continually update and add to this list during the games.

Alpine Skiing
Speed, speed and more speed -- that is what makes Alpine Skiing so exciting.  Flying down the mountain at over 90 miles per hour at times, these speed demons are pure adrenaline.

Bobby Brown (USA)

Chillin' it at the top of the Mtn from @bobby_brown1

Brown is a 22 year old freestyle skier from Colorado who has taken Gold several times in Winter X Game competitions.  He is one of the favorites to medal in the freestyle Slopestyle event in Sochi
@bobby_brown1
400 photos  56,600 followers

DuFour-LaPointe Sisters (Canada)
An amazing story, three DuFour-LaPointe sisters are competing in Freestyle Moguls events at the Sochi Winter Olympics.  Justine and Chloe finished 1st and 2nd in the first event to capture Gold and Silver.  19 year old, Justine, is the most active on IG but you can follow all three below.
@justinedufourlapointe
200 photos  6,000 followers
@chloedufourlapointe
2 photos  980 followers
@maximeduflap
42 photos  1,200 followers

Cool olympic shot from @keriherman

Travis Ganong (USA)
Competing in his first Olympics, Ganong surprised everyone with a 5th place finish in the Downhill competition in Sochi.  He is looking to surprise again in the Super G later in the competition.
@travisganong
332 photos  3,700 followers

Keri Herman (USA)
Keri is a freestyle skier competing in the new Slopestyle event.  She has won several medals in multiple Winter X Games and now hopes to bring that success to the Olympics.   She is a very active Instagram user and is sharing lots of great shots from Sochi.
@keriherman
 435 photos  18,700 followers

Mayer with his Gold medal from @mothl

Matthias Mayer (Austria)
Matthias is a 23 year old speed demon from Austria.  His father, Herman Mayer, won a Gold for Austria in the Slalom back in the 80s.  Competing in his first Olympics, Mayer surprised the World to capture Gold in the Downhill and will be competing in the Slalom and Super G later in the Winter Olympics.
@mothl
 97 photos  6,500 followers

Bode Miller (USA)
Already a highly decorated Olympic skier with 5 medals including one Gold, Bode is competing in his 5th Winter Olympics.  At 36 years old, it is an amazing feat and will be fun to watch.
@millerbode
46 photos  26,600 followers

Dominik Paris (Italy)
An Italian skier, Paris will be competing in his first Olympics in Sochi.  He is an exciting skier that will be competing in both the Downhill and Super G events.
@dominikparis
82 photos  3,500 followers

Shot of the downhill course from @asvindal

Mikaela Shiffrin (USA)
Mikaela is an 18 year old ski racer for Team USA.  She will be competing in the Slalom and the Giant Slalom.
@mikaelashiffrin
255 photos  37,000 followers

Aksel Lund Svindal (Norway)
At 31, Svindal is at the high end of the range for downhill racing but he is still winning at an amazing rate and remains a favorite for Gold in Super G in Sochi.  He won the Gold in that event in Vancouver 2010.  He is a prolific IG user so a great follow for skiing fans.
@asvindal
425 photos  113,600 followers

David Wise (USA)
Fresh off a Gold medal win in the Winter X Games in the freestyle halfpipe event, this 23 year old is hoping to duplicate that success with Gold in Sochi.  He is an active IG user.
@mrdavidwise
210 photos  6,500 followers


Figure Skating
Combining grace and beauty, figure skating is one of the most watched events at the Winter Olympics.  There is always high drama either from the pressure on the favorites to the young upstarts that often steal the show.  Here are some active Instagram users to follow from Figure Skating.

Patrick Chan (Canada)
Chan is an 24 year old, 3 time World Champion for Team Canada.  He is considered one of the best Men's skaters in the World and a favorite to compete for Gold in Sochi.
@pchan31
100 photos  7,500 followers

Meryl and Charlie from @meryledavis

Carolina Kostner (Italy)
An Italian figure skater from Italy.  She competed in each of the last two Olympics for Italy but has never finished higher than 9th.  She hopes to improve on that and grab a medal in Sochi.
@carokostner
81 photos  2,100 followers

Meryl Davis and Charlie White (USA)
Meryl Davis is one half of the US Ice Dancing pair with Charlie White.  The pair won the Silver Medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics and hope to improve on that by winning the Gold in Sochi.
@meryledavis
280 photos  9,900 followers
@charlieawhite 
47 photos  7,800 followers


Gracie Gold (USA)
Gold is an 18 year old US skater who will be competing in her first Olympics.  She placed first in the US Olympic Championships and is a favorite to compete for a medal in the Women's competition in Sochi. 

Figure skaters at the Team event from @ashwagner2010

@graciegold95
300 photos  34,000 followers

Evengi Plushenko (Russia)
Competing in his 4th Olympic Games, Plushenko has a Gold and 2 Silver medals already and will now look to grab one more in Sochi.
@plushenkoofficial
21 photos  27,300 followers

Ashley Wagner (USA)
Wagner is a 22 year old skater who will be competing in her first Olympics.  She has been on Instagram for several years and has built a strong following by sharing lots of photos.
@ashwagner2010
300 photos  17,900 followers



Hockey
Like basketball in the summer games, hockey is the galvanizing team sport for the winter games.  Every country hangs on every minute of each game of the team's games in the Winter Olympics.  In general, the hockey players do not share as many photos as the other sports so I had to list some players that share very few photos.  Here are some of the top competitors from many of the competing countries.

Photo day for TeamUSA from @meganebozek

Nicklas Backstrom (Sweden)
Backstrom plays for the Washington Capitals in the NHL but he will be representing TeamSweden in Sochi.
@nicklas_backstrom19
40 photos  4,600 followers

Megan Bozek (USA)
The favorites to win Gold in Sochi, the US Women's will face stiff competition from Canada.  This 22 year old anchors TeamUSA's staunch defense and she is one of the few hockey players that shares a lot of photos.
@meganebozek
175 photos  750 followers
 



Sidney Crosby (Canada)
Sidney Crosby is the Captain of TeamCanada and a big reason why they won the Gold in Vancouver.  He will be trying to bring home another Gold with one of the most talented group of hockey players ever assembled for Canada.
@sc_87
10 photos  26,000 followers

Cool fan art from @88p_kane

Pavel Datsyuk (Russia)
Datsyuk is considered one of the best passers in the world and plays with both the Detroit Red Wings and TeamRussia.  He will need to be a key component if TeamRussia hopes to grab a medal on home ice.
@datsyuk13hockey
83 photos  35,600 followers

Patrick Kane (USA)
Patrick Kane is one of the anchors of TeamUSA and one of the points leaders in the NHL for the Blackhawks.  His expert skating and passing will create a lot of scoring opportunities for the young USA team.
@88p_kane
54 photos  10,600 followers

Amanda Kessel (USA)
Amanda is one of the most dynamic forwards on TeamUSA.  She is the sister of Phil Kessel, who plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the USA Men's team.  Amanda's skating really sets her apart giving her the ability to create space when she drives to the net.
@amandakessel8
75 photos  1,100 followers

From Kopecky's feed @kopec_82

Hilary Knight (USA)
Hilary is going into her second Olympics after helping TeamUSA win the Silver medal in Vancouver.  TeamUSA is favored to win the Gold but the competition is stiff and the women will have to perform at their very best to win it.
@hilary_knight
170 photos  3,200 followers

Tomas Kopecky (Slovakia)
Kopecky is a forward for the Florida Panthers and TeamSlovakia.  He has been a member of two Stanley Cup winning teams for the Blackhawks and the Red Wings.
@kopec_82
28 photos  1,900 followers



Lamoureux Twins (USA)

TeamUSA strategy session from @moniquelam7

Two adept skating forwards for TeamUSA, Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureax, play on the same line for the Americans and know each other so well they are great passing partners.  They will put a lot of pressure on opposing teams defense.  Monique is the more active IG user having shared over 300 photos.
@moniquelam7
314 photos  2,000 followers
@jocelyneusa17
105 photos  1,700 followers

Evgeni Malkin (Russia)
Malkin is the third of the 3 NHL All Stars on TeamRussia.  Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins has a Stanley Cup Championship and won the Conn Smythe trophy that year.  He is active on Instagram and should post lots of interesting photos from Sochi.
@evgeni_malkin
75 photos  25,000 followers

Ovechkin and Malkin from @ovi_caps8

 Alex Ovechkin (Russia)
Ovechkin is one of the stars of Team Russia and one of the all stars from the NHL that will be competing in Sochi.  Ovechkin and the Russian team have a lot of pressure to try to bring home the Gold competing in Russia.  While not impossible, it will be an uphill battle for the Russian team.
@ovi_caps8
12 photos  11,500 followers

Patrick Sharp (Canada)
Patrick Sharp is a leading scorer for the NHL Champion, Blackhawks,
and a member of TeamCanada.  This will be Sharp's first Olympics so he should share some great photos during the journey.
@10psharp
37 photos  7,600 followers


Hayley Wickenheiser (Canada)
Hayley is the leading goal scorer in Olympic hockey history and she is back to add to that tally in Sochi.  She is new to Instagram but has begun posting pictures from Sochi so check her out.
@hayleywickenheiser22
4 photos  100 followers


Snowboarders
One could really put together a list of 50 Snowboarders because these guys and gals seem to have more fun at the Olympics than any other group.  Always interesting, this alternative X Games group of athletes post a lot of photos from the top and the bottom of the mountain.

Amazing shot during training from @jamieandersonsnow

Jamie Anderson (USA)
Jamie Anderson is a 23 year old Slopestyle snowboarder from Utah.  Landing two 720s during the finals, she grabbed the Gold medal in Slopestyle on Day 2 of the Sochi Olympics.  She also loves to share on IG and you will not be disappointed in following her.
@jamieandersonsnow
590 photos  40,000 followers

Greg Bretz (USA)
Competing in his second Olympics, Bretz hopes to improve on his 12th place finish in the Halfpipe in 2010.  He is an epic IG user having shared over 400 photos.
@gregbretzz
419 photos  17,700 followers


Kelly Clark (USA)
At 30, Kelly is one of the senior members of the Snowboarding community.  Competing in her 3rd Olympics, she already has a Gold and a Bronze medal in the Halfpipe and will try to add to that tally in Sochi.

TravelinDan going off trail from @travelindan

@kellyclarkfdn
486 photos  21,000 followers

Danny Davis (USA)
Travelin Dan always delivers with his Instagram photos.  You can see his sense of humor through some of his shots and unbelievable terrain in others.  With over 680 photos shared, his extensive feed is fun to browse through.
@travelindan
682 photos  42,100 followers
   
Aimee Fuller (Great Britain)
Aimee Fuller is a 22 year old snowboarder from the UK.  She is a huge IG user having shared over 650 photos so a great follow for the Olympics.
@aimee_fuller
650 photos  18,000 followers

Amazing Sochi shot from @nateholland

Nate Holland (USA)
Holland competes in the epicly cool event of Snowboard Cross -- Racing on Snowboards.  He also is an amazing amateur photographer and takes some unbelievable shots going "off trail".  He has shared over 300 photos on IG so you will want to follow Nate.
@nateholland
300 photos  2,800 followers
   
Jenny Jones (Great Britain)
At 33 years old, Jenny Jones is the oldest Snowboard competitor but age did not seem to slow her down as she threw down excellent runs in Slopestyle and grabbed the Bronze medal on Day 2 of the Sochi Winter Games.
@jennyjonessnow
265 photos  9,800 followers

Sage and Aimee Fuller from @sagekotsenburg

Sage Kotsenburg (USA)
Kotsenburg grabbed the first US Gold medal in Sochi competing in the Slopestyle Snowboard event.  Big air and amazing tricks are the mainstay for Sage and he might also be one of the most active Instagram users in the game.  Definitely follow this interesting athlets on IG.
@sagekotsenburg
650 photos  43,000 followers

Mark McMorris (Canada)
McMorris was the favorite to win Gold in the Slopestyle Snowboarding event until he broke a rib in a practice run.  Despite that injury he is still competing and coming off a Gold medal performance in the Winter X Games.  He is a prolific IG user and a must follow for snowboarding fans.
@markmcmorris
595 photos  204,700 followers

Snowboarders at practice from @siljenorendal

Silje Norendal (Norway)
Coming off a Gold medal performance in the 2014 Winter X Games, there is a lot of hope for Norway to grab a few medals in the Snowboarding events.  She will be competing in both the Slopestyle and Halfpipe events in Sochi.
@siljenorendal
274 photos  72,000 followers

Max Parrot (Canada)
Parrot is a 19 year old Slopestyle snowboarder from Canada and the reigning X Games Champion.  He is one of the favorites to medal in Sochi.
@maxparrot
227 photos  16,700 followers



Shaun White (USA)
Shaun White has done more for the growth of snowboarding than any other athlete.  Having won multiple Golds in two Olympic Games, he is back in Sochi for his 3rd games to continue to set all the records for snowboarding.
@shaunwhite
175 photos  190,000 followers


Other Events
There are so many other events in the Olympics and I will try to capture other interesting athletes to follow from these other events such as Speed Skating, Bobsled, Nordic sports and more.

Jorrit Bergsma (Netherlands)
Another of the strong Dutch skaters, Bergsma won the Bronze medal in the first speed skating event the 5,000 meters in Sochi 2014.
@jorritj
35 photos  350 followers

Celski on the Short Track from @celskeet

Marit Bjorgen (Norway)
Marit is a Skiathlon competitor and one of the best ever.  She retained her Gold medal status in Sochi after also winning the Gold in the marathon event in Vancouver.
@mabjoerg
24 photos  32,500 followers

Havard Bokko (Norway)
Bokka is a Norwegian Speed Skater competing in the shorter Speed events.  This is his second Olympics and he hopes to improve on his Bronze medal performance in Vancouver. 
@havardbokko
125 photos  7,200 followers

J.R. Celski (USA)
JR is a 23 year old from Salt Lake City.  Competing in his second Olympics, he has taken the mantle from Apollo Ohno as the best hope for medals on the Speed Skating Short Track.
@celskeet
177 photos  8,300 followers

TeamUSA competitors from @k8ertotz

Kate Hanson (USA)
Hanson is a 21 year old Luge competitor from California.  She is also now better known from viral videos of her pre-race dancing to Beyonce.  She is taking full advantage of Instagram to document her journey in Sochi for all her fans and friends.
@k8ertotz
108 photos  3,500 followers

Lolo Jones (USA)
One of those rare Olympic athletes that competes both in Summer and Winter Olympics.  Lolo will be in Sochi competing in the Bobsled events this time after competing in the Hurdles in the 2012 London Games. 
@lolojones
118 photos  132,000 followers
 




Sven Kramer (Netherlands)

Tutt and Tanaka from @speedsk8ter92

Kramer is a Dutch long distance speed skater and already a Gold Medal winner in the 5,000 meters in Vancouver 2010.  However, after racing what would have been a Gold Medal time in the 10,000 meters, he was disqualified for his foot going over the top of a cone during a lane change.  He is back to avenge Vancouver and hopes to win Gold in both events this time.
@svenkramer
56 photos  18,000 follower

Atsuko Tanaka (Canada)
In the first ever Women's Ski Jumping event, Tanaka will be flying through the air for TeamCanada.  She is also a great photo sharer on Instagram and you will find lots of behind the scenes pics.
@japanada01
296 photos  500 followers

15 Top Defensive NFL Players on Instagram

Dontari Poe sack from @poemans_dream

Okay, so we have had our fun with the best offensive players using IG, but now its time to turn our attention to defense.   If you relish the big hits, forced fumbles and interceptions of great defensive squads in the NFL, then I am about to rock your world.  You can follow many of your favorite NFL defensive players on Instagram to get a glimpse into their lives.

I have put together a list of some of the best known defensive player that are also active using IG.  I am not going to include any players that have just a couple of photos, these are also top players that have shared lots of pictures with fans.  They share shots of the team, press and media events as well as personal shots with their family and friends.   As with offense, the list is skewed toward younger players as they are much more likely to be active on IG than older players.

So without further ado, here are some of the best defensive players to follow on Instagram organized into defensive categories (in alpha order within each category).

Defensive Linemen

Cameron Jordan, Defensive End (New Orleans Saints)
A 3rd year player in the NFL, Jordan is a big part of the resurgent Saints defense in 2013.  Jordan has been a solid force in both the run game and pass rush for the Saints.  Through just 5 games, he has already logged half the sacks (4) that he had in all of 2012.
@camjordan94
180 photos  9,700 followers

Dontari Poe, Defensive Tackle (Kansas City Chiefs)
Kansas City has put together one of the stingiest defenses in the NFL in 2013 and 2nd year player, Poe, is one of the keys to that defense.  He has logged 4.5 sacks through 5 games of the seasons and over 19 combined tackles.  This exciting young player out of University of Memphis is definitely worth following.
@poemans_dream
265 photos  4,300 followers

Robert Quinn, Defensive End (St. Louis Rams)
In just his 3rd season in the League, Quinn has established himself as one of the sacks leaders in the NFL.  He logged 10.5 sacks in 2012 and has already achieved half that number through 5 games in 2013.  He is also an active IG user.
@rquinn94
266 photos  4,800 followers
 

Ndamukong Suh, Defensive Tackle (Detroit Lions)

Playing in just his 4th season in the NFL, Suh has been a lightning rod for media attention.  His aggressive personality has helped him log 137 combined tackles during his first 3 years but also left him fined several times for questionable behavior.  If he can control his aggression within the rules, he may just end up a hall of fame DT.

@ndomukong_suh

67 photos  33,000 followers

Demarcus Ware, Defensive End (Dallas Cowboys)

Playing in his 9th season in the NFL, Ware has 115 sacks during that span, and over 550 combined tackles.  Ware continues to be a dominant pass rusher and is off to another good start in 2013. 

@demarcusware

230 photos  85,000 followers

 

Watt at Wisconsin game from @justinjames99

J.J. Watt, Defensive End (Houston Texans)

In just his third season in the League, JJ Watts has established himself as one of the most dominating Defensive Linemen in the game.  He lead the NFL in sacks in 2012 with 20.5, won NFL Defensive Player of the Year and became the first player in NFL history to have at least 16 sacks and 15 blocked passes in a single season.

@justinjames99

92 photos  100,000 followers

Linebackers

Lance Briggs, Middle Linebacker (Chicago Bears)
With the retirement of Brian Urlacher in 2012, the Bears staunch defense became Briggs squad and he has relished the challenge and was leading the league in tackles through 5 games.  In his 11th season in the League, he is no longer the fastest linebacker but he makes up for that with brains and a nose for the football.
@lancebriggs
104 photos  10,000 followers

Clay Matthews, Middle Linebacker (Green Bay Packers)
With the retirement of Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher, Matthews becomes the most well known Linebacker in the NFL.  As the anchor of the Green Bay defense, Matthews is fun to follow.  He has not yet started to share many photos but hopefully he will soon.
@clay_matthews52

Victory plane ride home from @rmathis_the1st

15 photos  12,500 followers

Robert Mathis, Outside Linebacker (Indianapolis Colts)
Mathis is playing in his 11th season in the NFL and yet he is still has one of the quickest pass rushes in the League.  He has logged over 100 sacks in the NFL during his career and is off to a blistering pace in 2013 with 9.5 sacks through 5 games.
@rmathis_the1st
180 photos  7,100 followers

Shaun Phillips, Outside Linebacker (Denver Broncos)
The Broncos are on a roll this year and currently #1 in the power rankings.  While the offense is amazing, their defense has been incredibly good this year too.  Phillips is one of the reasons why the defense is so improved.  Coming over from San Diego this year, Phillips has brought an aggressive pass rush and has already logged 5.5 sacks through 5 games.  He is very active on IG having shared over 600 photos.
@shaunphillips90
620 photos  8,200 followers

Aldon Smith, Outside Linebacker (San Francisco 49ers)
Smith has quickly become one of the best pass rushers in the game.  In just his 3rd year in the league, he has already registered over 38 sacks.  He was second in 2012, with 19.5 sacks.  He has a bright NFL career ahead and a good player to follow on Instagram.
@aldonsmith
133 photos  165,000 followers

Defensive Backs

Thomas DeCoud, Safety (Atlanta Falcons)
DeCoud is in his 6th year in the NFL and has anchored the Falcons defensive backfield during that time.  He is a hit master logging over 330 tackles during his career.  He is also one of the most active NFL Instagram users sharing over 1,800 photos.
@twentyate28
1837 photos  16,500 followers

Patrick Peterson, Cornerback (Arizona Cardinals)
In his 3rd year in the NFL out of LSU, Peterson is widely considered one of the best cover corners in the NFL.  He has 12 interceptions over 2.3 years in the league and is an exciting player to watch.  He has not started sharing many photos yet but hopefully he will increase it in the near future.
@patrickpeterson21
21 photos  9,200 followers

Troy Polamalu, Safety (Pittsburgh Steelers)
In his 11th season in the NFL, Polamalu is probably best known for his long hair that he wears loose during games.  He has been the anchor of the Steelers defensive backfield for all 11 years and has over 30 career interceptions and over 660 combined tackles.
@tpolamalu
16 photos  62,000 followers

Verner on game day from @atv20

Alterraun Verner, Cornerback (Tennessee Titans)
One of the key reasons for the Titans resurgence in 2013 has been defense and Verner is a key part of that defense.  In his 4th years in the NFL, Verner has developed into top notch DB and already has 4 interceptions over the first 5 games of the year.
@atv20
313 photos  3,500 followers

Major Wright, Safety (Chicago Bears)
In his 4th season out of University of Florida, Major Wright is a key factor in the Bears takeaway-oriented defense.  During his 3.5 years, he has logged over 198 combined tackles, 9 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles.
@lilmade21
191 photos  9,800 followers