Tag-Archive for ◊ Sports & Recreation ◊

Author:
• Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

One of the greatest methods to improve your overall golf performance is striking solid iron shots. Nonetheless, hitting solid iron golf shots requires a good golf swing. If you want to strike good iron golf shots, then the following are a couple of golf swing drills to assist you to to better your golf swing and therefore your capability to hit solid iron golf shots.

The divot drill is the one that will help you to strike much better iron shots. This particular drill can be useful particularly when you’ve got good form however you are striking the golf ball fat or thin. Using this drill, you’ll also learn the place you should position the ball in your stance to be far more accurate. To learn this drill, you should take a swing, without the golf ball on the ground and take a divot. Give specific attention to the positioning of the divot in connection with your stance. To guarantee ideal positioning of the golf ball, position the golf ball right before the divot. When you have situated the ball in the correct manner, it will be easy to execute a downward ball striking golf swing and you’ll create optimal contact with the ball, that’s mandatory to strike good iron golf shots.

One other way that you’ll be able to improve your iron shots is by mastering the extension drill. In this drill, you’ll want to push your club parallel to the ground up until the toe of the golf club is pointed up and is parallel to your target line. Once you have extended the golf club as much as achievable without changing your stance or beginning your actual backswing, hold this extension for a minimum of two counts and then swing to the very top of your backswing. Next you will need to swing through till you have got a well-balanced finish. While swinging through, let the club to move across the particular position where you held your extension point.

One more approach in which you’ll be able to improve your iron golf shots is simply by practicing hitting golf shots with both of your legs together. Having your feet together when striking iron shots will help you to know the purpose of the hands as well as arms in the swing. It will furthermore allow you to realize whether you lose stability while hitting iron shots. In the event you lose your balance, then it shows that your body is contributing a rediculous amount of to the shot therefore you need to practice to avoid this.

The transition drill is yet another drill that you can practice to improve your iron golf shots. To use this kind of drill, you have to get into your golf stance along with your golf iron and set a soccer ball in between your knees. After the soccer ball is positioned in between your legs, try practicing a few swings. Whenever you practice, see to it that you simply hold the ball in between your knees throughout your backswing. Push your left knee towards the particular target at the beginning of the downswing. At that time, the soccer ball between your knees will need to fall to the ground, given that the opening between your knees will get larger. This particular movement is regarded as the golf swing lag. The swing lag will assist you to put the golf club on the proper swing plane and will ensure that you strike a good iron shot. You will probably find this golf swing drill a little odd, however as soon as you get into a rhythm, you may strike the golf ball without the assistance of the soccer ball. It is best to begin with a short iron to practice this particular drill just as soon as you are accustomed to it you can certainly start working on another golf club of your choice.

Above was various golf swing drills, that when mastered, will help you to strike solid iron shots. Once perfected, you’ll never again allow your iron shots to spoil your score. Nonetheless, you have to practice far more on how to arrive at impact using your body as well as arms simultaneously. Refrain from swinging the club faster or harder in order to get more distance. These are the fundamentals, you have to know in order to strike great iron golf shots.

Learn more Drills For The Golf Swing and get other Golf Swing Drills And Tips so you can improve your golf game and lower your scores.

• Friday, August 26th, 2011

Pool and billiard products can be found at a wide variety of price points and levels of manufacturing workmanship. Most hardcore players shooting billiards more often than once a week will almost always prefer to get a billiard cue, and perhaps quite a bit more importantly, a cue shaft, of higher performance levels. Whether you choose a Meucci cue, a Predator cue stick, or the performance pool cue shaft now being manufactured by Lucasi or McDermott is largely just individual preference, and often determined by the opinions from within the league you happen to be shooting in, or just generally the individuals you happen to be playing billiards with.

Whatever brand you do decide to buy, one thing is absolutely certain: the higher performance billiard cue sticks and cue stick shafts can be really expensive. For that reason budgeting well can indeed be a wise choice in the long run. Spend time doing your homework prior to jumping out and making that purchase to ensure you don’t wind up spending more than you have to all because you got on the line with a good salesperson.

One really good tip for making sure you’re not, in fact, spending way more than you have to is to search around for discounts that might apply to you before you go for that jump to a brand new billiard cue or billiard cue shaft. Make sure to verbally inquire, particularly at your regional leagues, to discover whether or not they actually have discounts with a specific billiard distributor.

If you happen to be in the armed forces, you might, indeed, even consider asking pool players that you happen to know are also in the military where they buy billiards products. Chances are they have already done their homework, if they’re serious players, and can help navigate you in the right direction for finding a pool supply store that will help you out with a discount.

As mentioned previously, it’s a really good idea to have a clear image in your mind of what type of billiard cue stick you’re looking to purchase before you ever walk into that pool supply. If you can manage to do this before hand and you also make sure that you are actively budgeting for it you will probably make a wiser decision. One final tip: look around on the web page called eBay. eBay is notorious for having great deals, but be forewarned: sometimes shopping on eBay can void the manufacturers warranty. However, if the deal is good enough that might not be a real concern.

Thanks for reading over this article! We hope you’ll also take the time to visit a few of the following pages: Billiard Balls, and Players Billiard Cues.

• Thursday, August 04th, 2011

Ladies jodhpurs have come a long way, Baby. Once flared like hoop skirts above the knee, they now fit like a second skin. Modern fabrics make it possible to have form-fitting comfort, while changing times bring on a whole new array of colors in both sober and outlandish combinations.

Horsemen of the Far East developed riding trousers that fit loosely above the knee and tightly below. The British brought the style back to England from India, copying the design in heavy khaki. Polo players in the mother country adopted the style, which soon spread to horse people everywhere. Jodhpurs were considered informal wear, good for children, grooms, and hacking in the country. Breeches were always worn for more formal occasions that dictated highly-polished tall boots.

In those days, only certain shades of tan and brown were acceptable as colors for informal riding pants. Formal hunting attire and show wear for hunter and jumper classes demanded breeches – short pants worn with tall black boots – while jodhpurs were for children, grooms, and people wearing tweed coats and low, brown boots.

Well, these rules still apply in some strict hunts and in upper-level shows. However, today jodhpurs have lost their ‘flare’ and gone to a form fitting profile that would have been considered scandalous in the mid 1900s. New stretch fabrics make it possible to ride in tight fitting clothes with complete comfort.

The new fabrics – blends of natural fiber with a small percentage of Lycra or other elastic material – allow a free range of movement even though the pants are tight fitting. The fabrics are easy care, with older leather knee patches often replaced by washable fabric ones. Seams go on the outside of the leg and are reinforced at all stress points.

Jodhpurs, once strictly functional and proper, now have sex appeal. If the mere fact that they hug every curve is not enough, there are ones with brightly contrasting colors, wild seat patches, and stripes down the leg. Designers make their fashionable lines and even put their name on here or there. Even full-figured ladies sally forth in skin-tight riding gear that fits like a glove.

The full seat models can have panels that match the rest of the outfit to be unobtrusive or can be in wild contrast, as if to shout “Look at me!” Those pants are decidedly sexy. There are classic styles as well, for the times when personality must take a back seat to professionalism. All of the styles can be seen online, as the manufacturers have photo galleries and details with a click of your mouse.

Once you know what you want, you order by waist measurement and inseam length. Riding outfitters in many countries have large inventories for you to browse through until you find just what you want.

Jodphurs are ankle length riding pants. The Jodphurs we have are really stylish, yet comfortable at the same time. It is definitely something you need to try for.

• Saturday, June 11th, 2011

Despite the fact that gas golf carts are clearly more powerful than their electric counterparts, most people today prefer the quiet, easy to operate and environmentally friendly electric cart. A new electric golf is not necessarily cheap however and can easily set you back anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000. As a result a growing number of people today are looking at used rather than new golf carts.

One of the best selling points for electric carts is the fact that they are so environmentally friendly. Also, unlike gas carts, upkeep is very easy and they require next to no maintenance. There are very few moving parts and they are largely computer controlled so you do not have to worry about changing such things as filters and oil. Of course they do require the occasional tune up and batteries do need to be replaced.

Nowadays there is a huge range of accessories available to customize electric golf carts and one benefit of buying a pre-owned cart is that many used electric golf buggies have already been customized, often at considerable expense to the original owner.

One potentially negative aspect of electric carts is that they do not last as long as gas models if they are in use continually. Typically, modern electric carts will run for about six hours of continuous operation before they grind to a halt and require re-charging. Another side-effect of this limited battery life is the fact that electric carts do not generally support the addition of anything which draws heavily on the battery, such as heaters or air conditioners. The reason is because each additional draw on the power supply makes it decrease at a faster rate.

One feature of the electric buggy can be either good or bad depending on how you choose to view it. That particular feature is the ability to simply plug your cart in to re-charge its battery. If you choose to see this as a positive feature then you will view this as being both simple and convenient. If however you choose to see this as a negative feature then you will view this as being an expensive option once you see your first electricity bill.

Having decided just what you want your search for suitable used electric golf buggies should be neither long nor difficult. There are a large number of used carts for sale these days and, if you are prepared to take your time and look around, you can pick up some great bargains.

Discover a great deal more about the present new electric golf carts available and such things as shopping for used electric golf buggies

Author:
• Wednesday, November 03rd, 2010

Description

Air Jordan sneakers are a variety of sneakers that were around for a long time. Thinking about these Air Jordan sneakers was put forward by none other than Michael Jordan himself. There have been over 20 pairs of Air Jordan sneakers released through the years. And even the most die-hard Michael Jordan fan would have had some trouble getting their hands on all these kind of sneakers. Now however the Air Jordan clothing range been specifically released and they fit in well with some Air Jordan sneakers on your feet.

Availability

Availability for some Air Jordan sneakers can be an issue. Looking to find the perfect pair of Air Jordan sneakers can take you sometime. You may know which pair you want but you will have trouble looking for a good option to purchase them. Depending on what sort of Air Jordan sneakers you’ll be wanting availability might be an issue. There are a few pairs of these Air Jordan sneakers that have sold out very quickly straight after they are released. However there are companies that still have certain sets of Air Jordan’s available for purchase. If you need to buy these Air Jordan sneakers in bulk then you’re more than welcome to create a purchase at our website. It is almost always better to purchase a set of Air Jordan sneakers online, as they may be cheaper in price. High street shops stores want to lower their prices in a bid to win the battle with these online stores. But it would appear that they are losing this battle as many more people are turning to the Internet so as to get cheaper products.

Materials

The materials used for a set of Air Jordan sneakers will greatly depend on what sort of Air Jordan’s you would like to buy. The earlier pairs were crafted from plastic, while the later pairs of Air Jordan’s were made of leather, thus making better Air Jordan sneakers. This can then justify the high cost that is on nearly every pair of Air Jordan sneakers. Once a new pair of Air Jordan sneakers hit the industry, they seem to always start at the retail price of $150. This isn’t extremely expensive for some, plus if you wish to keep yourself updated you’ll not mind spending these kinds of money on some Air Jordan sneakers.

Summary

Overall a set of Air Jordan sneakers is worth the money. It’s not a clear case of a supreme sports player just putting their name onto some brand so that they can make some money. Instead it is a product that Michael Jordan can take huge pride in. He has given his name to a product that is greatly received by the public. The prosperity of these Air Jordan sneakers will expand for many more years.

walking shoe tips and hints. How it works, for those that want to know. Our site provides essential information on men’s shoe.

Author:
• Friday, October 29th, 2010

Even when the games don’t count and the starters play little, if at all, the Baltimore Ravens hate to lose. Despite the Atlanta Falcons starting QB Matt Ryan playing only one series and with the Ravens third string signal caller John Beck playing the entire game it was apparent that Baltimore wanted the victory more. The former BYU standout threw for 232 yards and a pair of touchdown passes as the Ravens easily beat the Atlanta Falcons 20-3 at the Georgia Dome. The victory gave the Ravens an undefeated NFL preseason mark at 4-0, while the Falcons finished the exhibition campaign with a 2-2 record.

Sports enthusiasts who bet on NFL preseason action were rewarded for their investment in the Ravens, as Baltimore won outright as +3 road underdogs. Baltimore also finished the NFL preseason with a perfect 4-0 mark against the spread, while Atlanta finished 2-1-1 against the number.

Ravens QB Beck hasnt had much playing time in the NFL since his ill fated rookie year in Miami in 2007. After the game, he expressed how pleased he was to showcase his skills for the entire game:

“He (coach John Harbaugh) told me a few days ago that I would play the whole game. It was very exciting to get to play the whole game.”

Beck made the most of his opportunity, finishing with 232 yards on 16 of 28 passing and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions. The Ravens defensive reserves did their part by holding the Falcons to just 175 yards of total offense.

Despite the lackluster effort, Falcons coach Mike Smith was nonplussed:

“You’ve got to understand in these games, you’re going to call things defensively and offensively to put players in certain situations to evaluate them. You’re not game-planning in a game like this. You’re going to put players in certain situations to see how they handle certain techniques and coverages.”

Falcon cornerback Chris Houston was a little more concerned after a poor showing by the Atlanta defensive secondary:

“We’ve got to work on everybody getting to the ball. We’ve got to try to be more aggressive in our techniques. We made some plays tonight, but other than that, we still have a lot to work on as a defense.”

The Ravens will get the 2009 NFL regular season underway at home, hosting the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, September 13th. The Falcons, meanwhile, will welcome the Miami Dolphins to the Georgia Dome to get their campaign started. Baltimore will head west to San Diego for a game against the Chargers in week 2, while Atlanta will remain at home for a key NFC South matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Author:
• Thursday, October 28th, 2010

The Montreal Canadiens have gotten off to a slow start this season, and entered Thursday night’s game against the New York Islanders having gone thirteen games without a win in regulation dating back to last season. Apparently, all they needed to cure their ails was a team that was struggling more than they are. The Islanders only have one win on the season, and the Habs jumped on them early scoring three goals in the first two periods en route to a 5-1 victory at the Bell Centre.

NHL hockey betting devotees who weren’t scared away by the -180 home favorite price tag on Montreal cashed their tickets with the Canadiens’ big win. It was the sixth win for the Habs in their last eight meetings with the Islanders. The six goals scored just managed to go OVER the posted total of 5′. The Canadiens went OVER for only the fourth time in nine games, while the Islanders have gone OVER in five of their nine contests.

The struggling Montreal offense finally woke up, helped by a 43-22 shots on goal advantage. When Montreal opened a 2-0 lead in the first period it marked the first time this season that they’d led by more than a goal, a fact that surprised left winger Mike Cammalleri:

“We’re making it hard on ourselves. That’s something — I didn’t realize that until right now but that makes sense. Every game’s been so tight, and it’s important to try and win in tight games and find ways to win those games but at the same time you can’t do that 82 times a year and then however many games in the playoffs, so it was important to get out to a little bit of a lead and hang on to one tonight.”

Montreal goaltender Jaroslav Halek played well in relief of starter Carey Price, but lost his shutout bid when he misplayed a puck just seconds into the final period. Cammalleri described a conversation he had with Halek after the game:

“After the game I went to give him a hug and he said, ‘I don’t like shutouts. And I said, ‘Well, you better like shutouts!’ But he played great when we needed him tonight, made some solid saves, and we’ll let that one go.”

Islanders’ coach Scott Gordon admitted that his team’s poor play made it easy for the Habs’ to dominate:

“We were a pretty easy team to play against. Defensively we were on our heels because of all our turnovers and it wasn’t just in one area, it was coming out of our zone, it was situations where we had full control of the puck and we’re not making plays. It’s probably the worst that I’ve ever seen it tonight and it’s something that we’ve got to get better at.”

Montreal plays their next two games at home, hosting the New York Rangers on Saturday night and welcoming the Islanders back to the Bell Centre for another game next Monday night. They’ll then head to Pittsburgh for a game against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Penguins on Wednesday. The Islanders have a Saturday night home game against the Washington Capitals before their return engagement with Montreal. They’ll then return home to play their regional rivals the New York Rangers on Wednesday.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on baseball betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Category: Sports & Recreation  | Tags: , , , ,  | Comments off
Author:
• Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

Quarterback Tony Romo had another solid game, and the Dallas Cowboys made short work of the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon in a 38-17 victory. Romo threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, and receiver Miles Austin caught a touchdown pass for the third straight game.

The Cowboys also got on the winning side of the NFL pointspread ledger with the win and cover as -10 home favorites. Dallas is now 4-3 against the spread for the season, while Seattle fell to 2-5 versus the number.

Romo has made greater patience in the pocket a priority this season, and it’s paying dividends. Sunday’s game was his third straight without an interception and he’s stayed interception free in five games this season-more than he did all of last year. Romo couldn’t resist a joke at his own expense:

“Shock! I’m seeing things. It’s as simple as that. I’m not throwing and hoping.”

Head coach Wade Phillips expressed his pleasure, but didn’t want his team to start believing their own press clippings:

“I feel good about the progress we’ve made, but we’ve still got a ways to go.”

Team owner Jerry Jones was happy with the performance and already looking ahead to next Sunday’s game at Philadelphia:

“I’m just glad to see as many people really do as well and play as well as they did today. Philadelphia is the kind of game that I think we’re ready for. … Plus, I think we all remember so much — I know I do and so many players on this team remember — how we left Philadelphia last year.”

Seattle quarterback Todd Hasselbeck played well, amassing 249 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions but didn’t get much help from a defense that couldn’t put the necessary pressure on Romo. He sounded frustrated in his postgame comments:

“We put two weeks into this game plan. I felt like we were ready. We just didn’t get it done. …. I feel physically drained, emotionally drained. I’m frustrated. We’re all searching for answers.”

The big game for the Cowboys that Jerry Jones alluded to is next Sunday night as they travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles. The Cowboys have been installed as +3 underdogs with the total set at 47′. They’ll head to Green Bay to take on the Packers the following Sunday. Seattle will host the lowly Detroit Lions next Sunday, with the Seahawks a -10 home favorite and the total set at 43. They’ll hit the road for their next two games, facing the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Author:
• Friday, September 24th, 2010

Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre may get all of the headlines for the Minnesota Vikings, but NFL insiders are well aware that running back Adrian Peterson is the key to the teams offensive success. Peterson’s threat alone is enough to open up options for the passing game. After winning the NFL rushing title last year hes already off to a great start with 272 yards and four touchdowns in only two games.

There’s been a good deal of concern this week in the Twin Cities media about Peterson’s health. Specifically, there are questions about the severity of a back injury suffered last weekend. Peterson has been limited in his practice activities all week as a precaution, though both he and QB Favre as listed as probable on the NFLs official injury report. Peterson’s back is the reason for his inclusion, while Favre is dealing with a minor finger sprain.

Peterson minimized the significance of his injury in comments to reporters:

“God willing, I will be out there playing. Not a big deal at all.”

He turned into a standup comic when asked for details on the injury. Asked when the injury occurred, Peterson quipped:

“It happened, like, a week back. But that’s all behind me now.”

Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell didnt sound too concerned, but he wasnt playing a comedian either:

“I’m comfortable with where he’s at. I know he’s been working hard to rehab. … Right now, I think he’s going to be OK, but we have to continue to go throughout the week with that.”

Peterson ran for 92 yards and a touchdown against the Detroit Lions last weekend. His presence alone makes things much easier for the Vikings passing attack”opposing teams often put 8 or 9 men along the line of scrimmage to try and stop him, giving QB Brett Favre a great opportunity to get the ball downfield to his receivers in single coverage.

The Vikings host a team known for their own potent running game this weekend, as the San Francisco 49ers come to town. The Vikings are a 6 point home favorite with the total set at 39. The line for the first half is Vikings -3, with a total of 20. Theyll remain at home the following week as the Green Bay Packers pay a visit for a game on Monday Night Football. A road game will follow, as the Vikings will head to St. Louis to face the lowly Rams on October 11th.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and noted authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Author:
• Friday, September 10th, 2010

South Carolina’s Darlington Raceway is an egg shaped terror that has become known as the track too tough to tame. If thats true, David Pearson came pretty close–during his illustrious career, he posted 10 victories and 12 poles at Darlington. These are both records for one of NASCAR’s most unforgiving tracks. Pearson’s ability at Darlington bordered on the unreal, and he was able to follow the conventional wisdom about performing well there better than anyone. The old saying is that you need to race the track, not the other drivers, but that’s a lot easier said than done. Pearson, however, made it look easy.

David Pearson was born on December 22,1934 in Whitney, SC–a textile town near Spartanburg. Like most of the locals, his parents worked in the local cotton mill and did their best to provide. David dropped out of school after the 10th grade to work in the mill, but soon quit that life as well–he was drawn to racing cars and began running at short tracks in the Carolinas. He ran his first race on 9/19/52 in Woodruff South Carolina. Within a few years, he won his first championship at the Greenville/Pickens Speedway in’59.

Pearson never sought out stock car racing immortality, but some of his friends had other ideas. They began raising money to buy a car to race in the NASCAR Grand National series (the forerunner to today’s Sprint Cup). With a patchwork of financial backing, David began racing a limited schedule on the Grand National circuit and was named the’60 rookie of the year. In’61, he became the first driver in history to win on 3 of the 4 superspeedways in the same season (Charlotte, Atlanta, Daytona). This attracted sponsors, and before he knew it he was a top NASCAR driver winning Grand National titles in’66,’68 and’69.

In’72, he started driving for the Wood Brothers in the #21 car that he was to make a legend. In’73, he won 11 races in’ starts”an incredible feat even by today’s standards. He cut back his schedule in those years to focus on superpeedways. Through the end of the’70s, Pearson won 43 races. In addition to his mastery of Darlington, he posted remarkable numbers all over the circuit. He is one of two men to have won more than 100 races, and his 105 is second only to The King Richard Petty’s 200 wins. Hes also second on career poles (113) to Petty. Head to head, however, he has a slight edge over NASCARs legendary King: in races where he and Petty finished 1-2, Pearson won 33 to Petty’s 30. His 11 consecutive poles at Charlotte is a feat that will likely never be matched. Another record that may never be broken is his’.29% winning percentage, as well as his record of starting from the pole in 20% of the races he ran.

In March, 2000, SC Highway 221 through Spartanburg County was renamed David Pearson Boulevard in his honor. He lives in Spartanburg to this day. Pearson still takes to the track occasionally–he and current NASCAR driver Carl Edwards were the first to race on the newly repaved Darlington Raceway last Spring. And he’s still known as ‘The Silver Fox’, a nickname given to him for his prematurely gray hair.

Ross Everett is a widely published widely published freelance sports writer and respected authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Author:
• Friday, September 10th, 2010

The New Orleans Saints used a 14 point fourth quarter to defeat the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 on Sunday to win their first Superbowl in franchise history. Drew Brees broke open a tight game midway through the final quarter with his touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey, and Tracy Porter scored on a 74 yard interception return as the Colts were driving on the next series to secure the victory. Brees was named Superbowl MVP on the basis of his 288 yard, 2 touchdown, 0 interception performance. He completed 32 passes in the game, tying New England’s Tom Brady for the all time record in that category.

After enthusiasts had come in early on the favored Colts, a good deal of buyback on the Saints had pushed the line to -4′ and the New Orleans backers were enriched by their team’s outright victory. The underdog has now covered three straight Superbowls and taken the money in five of the last seven games. The 48 points scored stayed well under the posted total of 57, which was the highest over/under number in Superbowl history.

In his postgame interview, a jubilant Brees gave much of the credit to the city of New Orleans:

“We play for so much more than ourselves. We played for our city. We played for the entire Gulf Coast region. We played for the entire Who Dat nation that has been behind us every step of the way. It means everything. We’re here because of their strength and everything they fought through here the last few years. They’ve given us so much support, so we owe it all to our fans.”

“Just to think of the road we’ve all traveled, the adversity we’ve all faced. It’s unbelievable. I mean, are you kidding me? Four years ago, whoever thought this would be happening? Eighty-five percent of the city was under water. Most people left not knowing if New Orleans would ever come back, or if the organization would ever come back. We just all looked at one another and said, ‘We’re going to rebuild together. We are going to lean on each other.’ That’s what we’ve done the last four years and this is the culmination in all that belief.”

Never known for his elocution, Peyton Manning had little to say after the game particularly about the decisive interception return:

“Made a great play. Made a great play. Corner made a heck of a play. Certainly disappointing, very disappointing. Disappointing.”

Saints’ coach Sean Payton made a bold call at the beginning of the second half when he called for an onside kick. Saints linebacker Jonathan Casalis suggested it was a game changing play:

“We were really excited when he made the call. That changed everything.”

Payton explained the diva-like decision:

“We’re going to be aggressive. We’d seen the onside kick all week and guys executed it well. It turned out to be a big change of possession.”

The city of New Orleans will celebrate their team’s victory with a parade. With Mardi Gras celebrations already scheduled to begin shortly thereafter, it could be quite some time before New Orleans returns to business as usual. New Orleans is usually as fabulous as flamboyant skater Johnny Weir emerging out of a gold Faberge egg, but will be even more so now.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Category: Sports & Recreation  | Tags: ,  | Comments off
Author:
• Tuesday, September 07th, 2010

In the’60′s, the NHL was almost entirely made up of Canadian born players. There were a few US natives, but players from other countries were unheard of. Stan Mikita, born the country formerly known as Czechoslovakia, started to change that. While he was sometimes overshadowed by teammates like Bobby Hull, most hockey experts consider Mikita the best NHL center of the’60′s. He was born in what is now Slovakia, and sent to live in Canada as a young boy. Like most boys his age, he began playing the national sport of hockey.

As a teenager, Mikita starred for the St. Catherine Teepees of the junior league Ontario Hockey Association. In’59, he made the jump to the NHL for good joining the Chicago Blackhawks. He played sparingly in his first partial season in the NHL, but quickly became an important part of the Chicago offense in his first and second full seasons as a pro. In’61, he led the team in playoff scoring as they won the Stanley Cup”his only championship during his career and the last time the franchise would win the NHLs highest team honor.

The following year was when Mikita really began to make a mark in professional hockey. Centering the dangerous Scooter Line with Ken Wharram on the right wing and Ab McDonald or Doug Mohns on the left wing, he became one of the most feared offensive scorers and playmakers in the league. While he played in the media shadow of Bobby Hull, Mikita was considered by most hockey cognoscenti to be the real offensive catalyst of the team.

Mikita wasn’t a one way player by any means–he was a tenacious defender and one of the best faceoff men in the sport. He’s also responsible for introducing the curved stick blade to the NHL. It was a radical innovation at the time, but now players who *don’t* play with a curved blade are a rarity.

Early in his career, Mikita played a tough, rugged style of hockey that made him one of the most penalized players in the game. In the mid’60s, however, he began to play a much cleaner and more sportsmanlike style that would earn him the Lady Byng Trophy for most gentlemanly player twice. The story goes that he had a change of heart when his young daughter asked why he spent so much time sitting in the box on televised games.

Mikitas career accomplishments are among the most impressive in the history of the sport. He won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHLs leading scorer four times (1964,’65,’67,’68), the Hart Memorial Trophy for Most Valuable Player twice (1967 and’68) and the Lady Byng Trophy in’67 and’68. He remains the only player in NHL history to win the Ross, Hart and Byng trophies in the same season (1967).

Mikita suffered from back injuries in his last years as an active player, finally retiring in’80. He played his entire career for the Chicago Blackhawks, and was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in’83. He became something of a trivia answer for a younger generation when a donut shop called ‘Stan Mikita’s Donuts’ was featured in the popular movie ‘Wayne’w World’.

Ross Everett is a freelance writer and noted authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Author:
• Sunday, August 22nd, 2010

For those who have a hard to shop for teenage boy within your house, Christmas shopping can be frustrating. From the toy phase and too much into the video game phase, you might be agonizing over what to get him for Christmas. Teenage boys who like sports will love some custom Jordan sneakers as a gift this holiday season. Teenage boys who hate sports will like these sneakers since they’re fashionable right now. Popular in schools from coast to coast, these custom sneakers will make the boy that you experienced happy on Christmas morning.

These sneakers were named for Michael Jordan, the legendary basketball player. They were custom made for him while he was playing basketball. There are 24 versions of custom Jordan sneakers in the marketplace. These sneakers are “high-top” basketball shoes, made of light-weight materials that provide excellent support for playing basketball. When they were first released, they were innovative in that they didn’t go as far up the leg as traditional high-top sneakers. When the Air Jordan 3 was released, the height of the sneaker was barely above the ankle.

The Air Jordan’s became famous when Michael Jordan started wearing them on the court. They were not the traditional white high tops that basketball players traditionally wore, and National Basketball Association officials banned him from wearing them. Michael Jordan ignored the ban and was fined $5000 each time he wore them during a game. The controversy made the sneakers even more popular and they quickly became the most sought after footwear in this country and round the world.

The Air Jordan 5 version of the sneaker is actually the best selling shoe of the entire line, as many people actually buy these for their support while playing basketball, rather than just for their appearance. Boys wanting to mimic Michael Jordan’s moves on the basketball court will especially appreciate these sneakers.

The sixth release of the Air Jordan sneaker was a little crazier, as the manufacturer designed them with much brighter colors than previously. This sneaker is typically known as the “flower-power” version of Air Jordan’s. For those who have a child who wants to produce a statement, development of the child Air Jordan’s for him.

Air Jordan 10 was released together with Michael Jordan’s retirement. Avid Michael Jordan fans will treasure these sneakers, as the soles have Mr. Jordan’s achievements listed.

The Air Jordan Spizikes are another pair of popular custom Jordan sneakers. They are a variety of the third, fourth and sixth versions of the sneaker. They are marked with a characteristic Velcro strap that fastens across the surface of the sneaker.

Air Jordan’s are a timeless style for teenage boys nationally, whether he wearing them on the basketball court or on the street. They are made in every color imaginable. From solid black to multiple-colored, you will discover a great pair of sneakers that will please that hard-to-please boy in your lifetime.

cheap sneakers tips and hints. How it works, for those that want to know. Our site provides essential information on babies shoes.

Author:
• Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Fedor Emelianenko will make his debut for the Strikeforce MMA promotion this fall, facing undefeated prospect Brett Grim Rogers. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker made the announcement at a Showtime promoted Fedor open workout in New York City. The promotion has yet to announce a date or a venue.

Fedor is considered by most experts to be the best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world, if not the best of all time. He snubbed the UFC following Afflictions exit from the MMA promotion business, choosing to sign with the up-and-coming Strikeforce promotion. Strikeforce agreed to co-promote with M1 Global, a Russian based promotion company owned by Fedors manager Vadim Finkelchtein and to allow the fighter a non-exclusive deal that would enable him to compete in Japan and Eastern Europe. These had been major stumbling blocks to signing with the UFC.

After signing with Strikeforce, Fedor gave his usual low key comment:

I am looking forward to going back to work and fighting at the highest level. STRIKEFORCE is a top fight promotion that houses some of the greatest fighters in the world. I am prepared to fight any of them.

Emelianenkos manager, Vadim Finkelchtein commented:

I am very happy and excited about the upcoming collaboration with Strikeforce. We are very pleased that we found a reliable partner and I feel that Strikeforce and M-1 can support each other on many things. This will create big opportunities for both parties to test their fighters against worthy opponents.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker shared his excitement:

We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to work with M-1 Global and Fedor. Fedor has been the reigning king of MMAs heavyweight division for quite some time now so being able to work with M-1 and Fedor will substantially increase the level of competition amongst the athletes in this weight class.

Fedor will put his 26 fight winning streak on the line against Brett Grim Rogers, who himself will enter the fray with an unblemished 10-0 record. The Minnesota native was originally being groomed by Elite XC as an opponent for street fighting phenom Kimbo Slice. After the demise of that promotion, Kimbo ended up on the UFC reality show The Ultimate Fighter while Rogers went to Strikeforce. His stock shot up precipitously following a first round knockout of former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski in his last fight, and now he takes an even bigger step up in class against The Last Emperor.

Considering that Emelianenko was a -500 choice at many books in the ill fated Affliction matchup against Josh Barnett(ranked the #2 heavyweight in the world at the time), he could be a -750 chalk or higher against the tough but inexperienced Rogers.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer and noted authority on baseball betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Author:
• Thursday, July 08th, 2010

It’s obvious that the San Francisco 49ers are heading in the right direction under Mike Singletary, but you couldn’t tell by watching their game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. The Falcons scored six touchdowns against the Niners, with running back Michael Turner accounting for three of the scores as Atlanta routed San Francisco by a lopsided 45-10 final score. It was the Niners’ worst defeat since a 41-0 loss back in 2006 under former coach Mike Nolan. San Francisco fell to 3-2 with the defeat while the Falcons improved to 3-1.

The NFL betting lines had the game listed as a ‘PICK’, giving the Falcons the ATS win with their easy straight up victory. It was the 49ers first loss against the spread this season, while Atlanta upped their record to 3-1 to the money. The combined 55 points went OVER the posted total of 39′. It was San Francisco’s second OVER of the year in five games, while Atlanta has split their NFL totals with a 2-2 mark.

After the game, the fiery Singletary apologized for cussing out former 49er and current Falcons’ lineman Harvey Dahl:

“I’ll put it this way: I wish I had more coaching etiquette. I don’t. I love my players and when someone responds about my players in a particular way, I may do some things I shouldn’t do. I have to get better at those things as time goes on. Even though the player was talking to me, I should not have said what I said. It wasn’t anything bad, it was just something that shouldn’t have happened.”

Roddy White set a Falcons’ record with 210 receiving yards, and was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on his second touchdown of the day. With his team in full control, Atlanta coach Mike Smith had to be amused:

“He didn’t hit the landing because if he hits the landing it’s not a 15-yard penalty. I told him if he’s going to do it, it needs to be Olga Korbut. And he looked at me like he doesn’t know who Olga Korbut is. Then I told him, ‘Well, maybe Mary Lou Retton.’ And then I figure that’s ’86, he doesn’t know who Mary Lou Retton is. It went right over his head and my head.”

Smith admitted that he hadn’t been in top form so far this season:

“I felt like I haven’t been playing well up to this point in the season. Me and coach Smith had a talk. He was like, ‘You gotta get back to being yourself again. You gotta go out there and be the old Roddy. No pressure. Just go out there and play.’”

The Falcons will return home on Sunday to host the Chicago Bears. They’ll play their next two on the road, traveling to Texas for a game against the Dallas Cowboys the following week and to New Orleans to face the Saints on Monday, November 2. The 49ers will have a bye this week before traveling to Houston to play the Texans on October 25. They’ll play at Indianapolis the following Sunday before returning home to take on the Tennessee Titans on November 8.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on World Cup soccer betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and betting odds sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Author:
• Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Jake Delhomme struggled on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and was fortunate that his running backs bailed him out. Delhomme threw for only 65 yards with two interceptions, but D’Angelo Williams (152 yards) and Jonathan Stewart (110 yards) kept the chains moving as the Panthers won their second straight game defeating the Bucs 28-21. Tampa Bay has now lost ten straight dating back to last season and are 0-6 for the first time since’85. The fact that they ended up starting that year 0-9 on their way to a 1-15 record doesn’t bode well for the rest of the season.

NFL sports bettors were faced with a choice between two teams with dismal ATS records in this game, and those who had the guts to take a 1-3 team as a -3 road favorite were rewarded with the cover. It was Carolina’s first NFL pointspread cover of the season and left them with a 1-4 record against the number. Tampa Bay has covered one of their six games this year. The 49 points scored went OVER the total of 40′.

Delhomme attempted only seven passes in the second half, but the way Williams and Stewart were running there was no reason to put the ball in the air. Williams said that even though Tampa Bay knew what was coming they couldn’t stop the Panthers’ running game:

“I’m sure everybody in the stadium knew what we were going to do. There were times they had nine in the box and we were still getting 7 or 8 yards.”

There’s been little impatience locally with Bucs’ rookie head coach Raheem Morris, but his weekly habit of explaining the obvious to rationalize yet another loss is starting to wear thin:

“We got overpowered at the end, and really throughout the game.”

Carolina safety Dante Wesley was ejected after clobbering Bucs’ return man Clifton Smith after a fair catch call. After the game, Wesley gave this defense for his actions:

“I was just trying to make a play. You can check my record. I’ve never really tried to hurt anybody. I’ve never tried to take a cheap shot on anybody.”

Wesley could face a possible fine or suspension from the NFL but, in all fairness, it did appear to be a momentary mental lapse as he was trying to make a big play and not a deliberate attempt to injure Smith.

Tampa’s schedule has the look of them going from ‘the frying pan into the fire’ as they host the New England Patriots next Sunday-fresh off of their 57 point drubbing of Tennessee. The Bucs are +14 home underdogs to the Patriots with the total set at 45. They’ll get a week off after that contest and return to action on November 8 as they host the Green Bay Packers. Carolina has an easier draw, hosting the Buffalo Bills next Sunday.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

• Friday, March 12th, 2010

There are 2 main ways to go with Anchor rode for Powerboats or Sailboats. You can use anchor line/rope or anchor chain. I was a fan for many years on the line/rope with a 20 foot length of chain from the anchor. I felt the length of chain from the anchor protected the line from getting chafed from dragging on the bottom as the boat would swing in the wind or change of tide. The chain would scrape along the bottom to a new position instead of your bare anchor line as it bumped or snagged shells, rocks, or debris on the bay or sea floor. By using the chain off the anchor, you’ve added weight which keeps the anchor line parallel along the bottom, making your boat anchor always bite deeper into the bottom.

As my cruising brought me to more areas, I noticed other new or old boats and yachts using all chain to anchor. That Clack-clack-clack of the chain going overboard is a unique sound, and as years went by, I recognized this sound more and more. You can also use much less anchor rode if you have all chain, and I noticed another factor in direct relationship between the two. With rode of line/rope, you move around on the anchor a lot more and also feel more movement when the wind picks up. With an all chain anchor rode, you seem to swing less and as the wind picks up, you also seem to just ease back slightly as the wind blows. It’s like slow motion.

When diving below the water, I have found a difference between the all chain anchor rode and the line/rope anchor rode. With the all chain anchor rode, you can see it go right for the bottom and then head in the direction of the boat anchor. As your boat eases back from a puff of wind, pull makes the chain lifts off the bottom. It is a lot of weight when the chain has to lift off the bottom, which in turn doesn’t let you move back too much. With line/rope anchor rode, that same puff of wind pushes your boat or yacht back quickly becuase there is no weight to the line/rope. It then pulls the chain by the anchor and sometimes gives you a jerk as it tugs on the anchor. Also when anchored and swinging in the wind, the anchor rode with line/rope takes on a full swing of the line you have out. With the all chain rode, its weight alone keeps you in a tight swing so you don’t feel the motion.

In bigger blows it is good to use all chain rode to keep that anchor biting the bottom, but with this kind of wind you can be putting more stress on the chain links and the boat or yacht by the jerking. Here is where you should hook a line/rope right to the chain, maybe 20 feet or so and tie the line/rope to a cleat. This section will now allow the stretching abilities of the line/rope to create less strain and stress to the boat and on the chain links themselves.

Anchor chain does come in various sizes and tensile srength to match your boat or yacht needs. There maybe some considerations to take on the storage and weight of chain, but you will find that most boats and yachts today, (even yours) are equipped with anchor windlass to aid in the ease of letting out and/or bringing in the anchor chain. When looking around the harbor, you will now see the different reactions of boats and yachts on all chain rode and line/rope anchor rode.

Douglas Malat is a licensed captain, sailor, powerboater, and co-creator of Yacht Authority.com, where you will find numerous boat services and yachts for sale in your area.

Author:
• Monday, March 08th, 2010

Sports book futures bets are an increasing popular and potentially profitable way to wager on the outcome of a full season. There’s a few common mistakes that novice players make that can be easily avoided by paying attention to the following:

Don’t bet at the first place you look: In other words, shop around for the best price. This is essential to all aspects of sports betting, but especially important with futures wagers. You’ll find more disparity between prices from book to book on futures than any other betting proposition. From a theoretical standpoint, a little work can yield much better value. From a practical standpoint, that means a higher payout should you win. The reason for this is that individual sportsbooks’ aren’t as worried about what the other guys are doing as they are with most other bets. Once the futures “market” is set books move the lines almost exclusively on their own financial position. The market simply doesn’t respond as quickly to futures wagers as it does to individual game lines so it is essential to do the extra work to get the best price on your proposition.

Don’t try to pick the winner in a competitive marketplace: This may sound sort of counter intuitive since the general idea of betting on futures is to determine the actual winner but it’s really not. Like everything else, its essential to always be mindful of the value you’re getting. In a futures market with several legitimate contenders at the top the price offered is seldom high enough to properly compensate for the risk you’re assuming. Here’s an example: in a hypothetical NCAA hoops tournament Duke is +200 to win the national championship. They’ve certainly got a shot, but at a payback of only 2/1 its hard to justify a wager at this point with the potential for so many interceding events that can make a championship more problematic. Such events as injuries, a tough tournament draw or even just going into a slump at the wrong time can happen to any team but when you bet a higher priced team–a ‘dark horse mid major at 15/1 for example–you’re getting “compensation” for assuming the “risks” of betting on a proposition with so many unknown variables.

To put this in more theoretical terms, the “true odds” of Duke winning the NCAA Championship are almost certainly higher than the price we’re getting. Obviously, determining the “true odds”, or actual probability of a future event is an inexact science but think of it this way: if the NCAA tournament was played 100 times would Duke wind up winning 50 of those? Given the number of other good teams and the propensity for upsets along the way, its doubtful. For the sake of argument, lets say that Duke has a 33% chance to win the tournament. That means that I wouldn’t consider a bet on Duke to be a good value unless I was getting a price that a) accurately reflected the true probability of their winning and b) gave me some compensation for assuming the “risk of the unknown” inherent in taking the position so far in advance. At +500 I might be interested, but at +200 the value just isn’t there.

Note that the more competitive the market, the more difficult it is to find good value on the favorites. Since you can make a case for quite a few teams to win the NCAA tournament at this point this particular futures market is clearly a very competitive one. In a less competitive marketplace it might be possible to “pick the winner” and have it be a good value though you will pay a price for this. Here’s a (thankfully) hypothetical example: let’s say the UFC decided to hold a one night round robin tournament with 5 competitors. Competitor #1 would be heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. The other four competitors would be professional figure skaters Elvis Stojko, Rudy Gallindo, Brian Boitano and Evgeni Plushinko. Even if he didn’t bring his “A game”, Lesnar would be essentially have a 100% certainty of beating the four untrained fighters, who also happen to be rather effeminate. If a sportsbook installed Lesnar as a -1000 favorite a bet on the 63 265 pound takedown would still be theoretically a good value. It’s always difficult to risk so much to win a little, but from a strictly theoretical standpoint its a good play.

Don’t go for the big killing: Sports wagering is not a good arena in which to make a ‘big killing’. It may happen from time to time, but it is extremely rare. A perennial doormat can come out of nowhere to win a championship at a big price, but the fact that it happens from time to time doesn’t make it a good value. If you’re a recreational player and want to throw a few dollars at a big long shot, no real harm. If you aspire to any degree of seriousness as a sports better, however, you need to maintain your discipline and commitment to value at all times. If you want to hit a big jackpot play the lottery or the slot machines, but don’t try to do it in a sports betting paradigm.

Wagering value is just as important at the bottom of the barrel as it is at the top. Just because you’re getting a huge potential payback on a big dog doesn’t make it a good value. Make sure that the payback you’re getting presents an overlay situation–even on a huge underdog.

Don’t bet one-sided futures or propositions: Though many of these are not futures per se, a lot of sportsbooks offer silly propositions on nonsport events as a way to get publicity, or just to be funny. Its important to make a distinction between this type of silly bet and more realistic nonsport propositions which frequently present good wagering value. Im talking the really outlandish stuff here. Not too long ago, a sportsbook posted a line on Martians landing on earth and painting the White House red by the end of the year. The “YES” was +2500 or thereabouts, which is far from reflective of the “true odds” of this unlikely event. Even if you’re the type that collects classic Art Bell shows on tape and believes in UFOs you wouldn’t place the probability of this happening at more than a fraction of a percent. The book only offered the “YES” side of the proposition, meaning that you couldn’t lay even a huge price on the more likely outcome. Another book had a futures offering for what would happen first with Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore and Bruce Willis. All of the options were very unlikely–Ashton and Bruce fighting on PPV and my favorite–and the longest odds–Ashton, Bruce and Demi hopping in bed together and releasing a porno video documenting the event. You’d receive a sizable payback if any of the events ever transpired, but I’m not exactly sure how to compute the “true odds” on “when pigs fly.

Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer who covers travel, casino gambling and sports handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and scuba diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.

Author:
• Saturday, February 06th, 2010

The Washington Redskins are a mess right now. Head coach Jim Zorn has a tenuous hold on his job at best and has recently been stripped of his offensive play calling duties. Management installed newly hired \’offensive consultant\’ Sherman Lewis as the new offensive play caller and the team has set up an awkward arrangement for him to get the plays to the quarterbacks. For that reason, starting QB Jason Campbell has some serious misgivings about the efficacy of the setup.

Lewis has only been out of retirement and with the team for two weeks, and has spent this week trying to ingest a crash course on the Redskins\’ offensive schemes. While he was learning on the job, head coach Zorn was trying to put the best spin possible on the situation\’:

\”I need to have composure. I need to understand what the reality of the situation is, and I think our players expect me to rise up. We expect them to play under adverse conditions. We expect them to risk it all. … I\’m conscious of what\’s going on. I\’m not naive about what\’s going on, and yet I have to just hold back on any feelings and make the decisions.\”

Quarterback Campbell is more concerned about the convoluted system of getting plays from Lewis to him:

\”There\’ll probably be a couple of plays I have in my head just in case if some reason it doesn\’t get in on time.\”

Here\’s how things are supposed to work-Lewis will sit in the coaches\’ box above the field and read the plays off a sheet. While Lewis has years of experience working in the so called \’West Coast Offense\’, Zorn left doubt that he really knows what he\’s doing at this point stressing that Lewis \”doesn\’t know the protections\” and \”doesn\’t know the blitz schemes.\” Nevertheless, he\’ll be running the offense when the Redskins take on Philadelphia this Monday night.

Once Lewis figures out what to call, that\’s when it really gets tricky. He\’ll relay the plays via headset not to Zorn but to offensive coordinator Sherman Smith. Smith will then inform the quarterback what to run. Zorn is left in the role of a passive bystander on offense, though he will listen in to the playcalling on his headset.

Backup quarterback Todd Collins also shared his concern with the new arrangement:

\”It is unsettling. I\’ve never gone through this before. I\’ve never had a play caller get changed in the middle of the season.\”

Lewis didn\’t exactly evoke a lot of confidence upon his hiring, where he revealed that he\’d been calling bingo games at a seniors\’ center to kill time since his retirement in 2004. Still, Collins gave him a guarded vote of confidence;

\”I know he\’s been studying last year\’s game against the Eagles and seems to have a pretty good idea how he wants to call the game this week. It\’s the same plays. He might coach them a little differently or highlight some different areas, but the offense hasn\’t gone under an overhaul or anything like that.\”

The Redskins haven\’t scored more than 17 points in a game this season, so maybe the thinking is that things can\’t get any worse.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

• Saturday, January 16th, 2010

The 2010 Winter Games are being held in Vancouver, British Columbia from February 11 to March 1, 2010. It is going to be a time of fun, celebration, and excitement. With so many people from around the world coming to Vancouver for the Games, the city of Vancouver is proud to be home to many exquisite hotels that will make every visitor’s Olympic experience even more memorable.

The following is a list of Vancouver’s most popular accommodations, which are used within the 2010 Winter Games packages:

The Sutton Place Hotel, 845 Burrard St.: The Sutton Place Vancouver is a 5- star hotel that radiates European elegance. It features a pool, steam rooms, fitness center, and whirlpool. The rooms of this stunning hotel are elegant and the sophisticated Fleuri serves exquisite cuisine.

Suburban First Class Vancouver Hotel: Nestled in Vancouver’s peaceful suburbs, the stylish and cozy rooms of the Suburban First Class Vancouver Hotel feature all of the amenities including high-speed internet access. Delicious dining meals are available at their hotel and downtown Vancouver is only a short taxi drive away.

Cascadia Hotel and Suites Vancouver, 1234 Hornby Street: Located in downtown Vancouver, the Cascadia Hotel and Suites is a luxurious hotel that features a business center, swimming pool, and fitness center. The MiBistro offers tasty lunch and dinner dishes. The hotel is also located close to all of the venues and the hotel has a strong commitment to the environment. Cascadia Hotel and Suites is a smoke-free hotel.

Loden Vancouver, 1177 Melville Street: As a 77 luxury boutique hotel, the Loden Vancouver markets themselves as a home away from home. It features the popular Voya restaurant and lounge, entertainment center with 42″ flat screen TV, fully stock private bar, and it located near most Vancouver venues.

Coast Coal Harbour Hotel, 1180 West Hastings Street: The Coast Coal Harbour Hotel is an elegant hotel that features 24-hour room service, business centre, health club, whirlpool, heated outdoor pool, wireless internet, 220 stylish guest rooms, and it has a spectacular view of the city and water.

Four Seasons Resort Whistler: Located in Whistler Village, the Four Seasons Resort Whistler’s has 273 guest rooms, townhouses, and luxury suites. It features a pool, whirlpools, fitness centre, spa, and balconies with inspiring views of the mountains and valley. For those who are looking to make the most out of their Winter Games experience, they can take advantage of amazing accommodation packages at the Four Seasons Resort Whistler.

The 2010 Winter Games will be attracting many visitors and bringing more than 5000 athletes from all over the world. Vancouver is a beautiful cosmopolitan city resting on the mesmerizing Pacific Ocean that is filled with fun activities, stellar dining, many entertainment choices, a rich diverse cultural heritage, and first-rate hotels. Celebrate the spirit of the Winter Games in Vancouver by staying at one of the city’s luxurious hotels. The Winter Games will be much more than just watching the athletes perform at their best, but also a wonderful stay at a warm and welcoming city.

Don’t miss out on this momentous occasion by purchasing 2010 Winter Games tickets right now. Also, it is never too early to consider the upcoming 2010 World Cup packages either.

Author:
• Friday, January 15th, 2010

Gina Carano put womens MMA on the map, but Cris Cyborg Santos may have become the sports first dominant female champion by virtue of her overwhelming TKO victory in the main event of Saturdays STRIKEFORCE event. Cyborg simply was too physically strong and her punches too powerful for Carano, who fought valiantly before succumbing to a barrage of ground and pound punches with one second remaining in the first round.

Before a near capacity crowd at San Joses HP Pavilion, Carano and Cyborg made history as the first women to headline a major US mixed martial arts event. Cyborg entered the cage first to a mostly negative reaction, stopping along the way to shadow box and throw kicks on the entrance ramp.

Despite the fight being scheduled for five rounds of five minutes each, the women set a frantic pace from the opening horn. Cyborgs size and strength advantage was apparent from the outset, as she landed an immediate flurry of punches before taking Carano to the canvas. Carano landed in top position, but quickly found herself in trouble as Cyborg worked for a kneebar and then a heel hook. Carano was able to extricate herself, and get to her feet but Cyborg took her back and immediately took her down again. Carano landed in top mount, however, and was able to score with some big punches from the top. Inexplicably, she backed off and let Cyborg get to her feet instead of pressing what may have been her best opportunity to win the fight.

Cyborg once again took her opponent to the mat and after an unsuccessful armbar attempt mounted Carano and began a brutal punching assault that eventually forced the stoppage at 4:59 of the first round.

Despite Cyborgs triumph the most dominating performance of the evening belonged to former DREAM middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi. In his first fight at 205, Mousasi destroyed STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight champion Renato Babalu Sobral via TKO at the 1:00 mark of the first round.

Earlier in a card full of decisive finishes, Gilbert Melendez became STRIKEFORCE interim lightweight champion with a third round TKO victory over the double tough Mitsuhiro Ishida. Though Melendez dominated the fight, Ishida gained the respect of fans with his toughness and heart. Melendez will now face Josh Thompson to unify the belts once Thompson is medically cleared to resume fighting.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Author:
• Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

The Clemson Tigers used a touchdown pass on their first possession of overtime to upset the Miami Hurricanes 40-37 on Saturday night to cap a back and forth game. Miami kicked a field goal on their first possession of overtime to take the lead, but Clemson responded with a seldom used play on third and 11 to get the victory as quarterback Kyle Parker completed a 27 yard touchdown pass to Jacoby Ford. Clemson improved to 4-3 with the win while Miami slipped to 5-2.

College football betting devotees who backed Clemson as +4 road underdogs eventually cashed their tickets, but they definitely earned their money in a game that saw twelve lead changes and two ties. Clemson improved to 5-2 against the spread with the cover, while Miami dropped to 4-3 against the money. The 77 combined points sailed OVER the posted total of 43. It was only Miami’s second OVER of the season against four UNDER verdicts while Clemson has gone OVER in three of their seven games.

After the game, Jacoby Ford explained the logic for his suggesting the surprise play in the huddle:

“We knew this game was going to come down to who made more plays. And we did.”

Miami has a history of winning when their offense is clicking-this loss was only the second in 115 games when the Hurricanes score 37 or more points dating back to’85.

For his part, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is glad this one is over:

“I have a birthday next month and I think I’m going to turn 50 instead of 40. We had to put on Superman capes. We made plenty of mistakes that could have lost us the game, but they played with poise and confidence. We just kept battling.”

CJ Spiller was also a big factor for the Tigers as he set a school record with 310 all purpose yards including a 90 yard kickoff return for a touchdown. He also added 81 yards rushing and 104 yards receiving with a 56 yard touchdown catch.

Clemson QB Parker suggested that last week’s win over Wake Forrest was a turning point for his team:

“I think last week we realized that we could be really good and this week we acted on it. I thought we really got some explosive plays and we played well.”

Miami’s quarterback Jason Harris sounded a markedly different tone in his postgame comments:

“This has to be my toughest loss here. We fought so hard throughout the game as a team and didn’t come out with the victory. We let Clemson outwork us, we turned the ball over too much — little things that made us get to this point.”

Clemson will host FCS foe Coastal Carolina next Saturday before resuming ACC play the following week at home against Florida State. They’ll travel to North Carolina State on November–. Miami plays two of their next three on the road, starting next weekend at Wake Forest. They’ll face the University of Virginia at home the next week before traveling to Chapel Hill for a game against North Carolina on November–.

Ross Everett is a freelance writer specializing in boxing, NHL hockey and NHL hockey and NBA basketball betting. He serves as a consulting handicapper for Sports-1 Sportsbook in Costa Rica and is a noted authority on Internet sportsbook betting of all forms. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and several pet salamanders.

Author:
• Saturday, January 09th, 2010

The Florida Gators rampage through the SEC reached its culmination with a 31-20 victory over #1 ranked Alabama in the conference championship game. The Gators scored– 4th quarter points to secure victory in a contest that was an epic struggle for three quarters with five lead changes and two ties. This victory set the stage for the Gators’ appearance in the National Championship Game.

The Gators struck first, taking a 7-0 lead on a three yard Tim Tebow TD pass to Carl Moore. The Crimson Tide quickly counterpunched, tying the score on an eighteen yard run by Glen Coffee and taking their first lead of the game at 10-7 several minutes later on a 30 yard FG by Leigh Tiffin. Florida responded in the second quarter, tying the game on a Jonathan Phillips’ yard FG and taking a 17-10 lead into the halftime break on another Tebow TD pass, this one to David Nelson from five yards out. Alabama regained the momentum in the third quarter, tying the score on a 2 yard Mark Ingram touchdown run and then regaining the lead at 20-17 in the final seconds of the period on another Tiffin field goal. Florida put them down for the count in the fourth, however, on a 1 yard Jeffrey Demps TD run followed by Tebows third touchdown strike of the day.

As was the case so often during 2008, Tim Tebow was the big star for the Gators. The junior QB had 216 yards passing with 3 TDs and no interceptions plus fifty seven yards on the ground. Florida head coach Urban Meyer praised Tebow effusively in his post game comments:

“I’ve had some great players, and I’ve got some great players on this team. But I’ve never had one like this. Tim’s got something special inside him. I’m not talking about throwing. I’m not talking about running. I’m talking about making everyone around him better. That fourth quarter was vintage Tim Tebow.

Alabama coach Nick Saban concurred:

“He’s a great competitor. He takes his teammates on his shoulders a lot. They have a lot of confidence he’s going to make plays, and they play that way. They scored two touchdowns where we had them covered about as well as we could cover them.”

According to cornerback Joe Haden the football world underestimated the Gators’ toughness:

“Our team is a tough team. The only reason they look past our toughness is our speed. They said we were a speed team and they were a tough team. We’re just as tough. We can still be pretty and fast and tough at the same time.”

Even in defeat, it was impossible to overlook the remarkable resurgance of Alabama football. The team was only two years removed from a 6-7 record in their last year under Mike Shula. In only two years at the helm, Nick Saban has amassed a’-7 record at Alabama with no signs of slowing down.

Ross Everett is a freelance writer and highly respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.