Sport news

Venezuela Sports

2012-01-18T00:36:00.001-08:00

Like most South American countries, Venezuela has always taken an active interest in all sporting activities. Sports are not only played as a freedom activity, but also serve as a full-time profession for many.

Baseball is a tremendously popular sport in Venezuela and the country has produced world-renowned players of the stature of Luis Aparicio, who has even found a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame in New York. Football is also found to be gaining popularity in the country, with many youngsters taking an active interest in the sport and the national team receiving some laurels.

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Canyoning is an adventure sport that has been taken up by many an enthusiast. Merida in Venezuela is the exquisite place to try out this adventure sport. The sport promises unlimited thrills and a great adrenaline rush to all its participants. It is very enjoyable to abseil from a high waterfall or jump into narrow currents using super fast natural slides. The sport is very recommended for individuals who would like to enjoy the natural attractiveness of the Andes.

Another sport that is a popular of both tourists and natives is horseback riding on the high Paramo grasslands. Western Venezuela with its great landscapes, waterfalls and mountains is a fantastic place to go riding as the scenic attractiveness of the place keeps the rider enthralled all along the trail. Nature lovers are advised to carry their cameras along to capture the picturesque landscape in print.

Paragliding in the Andean area of Western Venezuela is an predicted experience. Individuals can get an actual bird's eye view of the entire mountain range from the glider. Unlike bungee jumping, which lasts for a short duration, paragliding offers an exhilarating and thrilling sense that can last for up to an hour or so.

With the sporting world becoming more and more competitive with each passing day, the government of Venezuela is giving a helping hand to some other sporting activities in the form of finance, infrastructure, and training.

Venezuela Sports

DirecTv Sports box - How Does it assess to the Dish Network Sports Package?

2012-01-14T14:00:00.001-08:00

First of all, if you want to watch sports with the DirecTv sports package, you would have to start with their 150+ channels package. This has the basic cable channels that will show some sports, like Tnt, Tbs, and Usa. Sports channels like Nfl Network, Espn, Espn2, and Espn News are also included (Espn classic comes with the 200+ channels container as does your regional Fox Sports Net channel). Then, if you want even more sports you should get the Sports Pack. Extra premiums like a pay movie channel or the Sports Pack start at but it could be a bit less if you order more premium packages.

This container has everything the sports lover craves. You will get more Nba games with Nba Tv, horse racing action, Espnu, Cbs College Sports and all the regions of Fsn (although some Mlb and possibly other games will be blacked due to broadcasting proprietary agreements). For soccer lovers (I know, if you want to watch soccer you have to spend more since it's not too favorite in the U.S.) there is the Fox Soccer Channel, GolTv and, importantly for some, Fox Sports En Espanol. You can also order Setanta Sports for a lot more soccer, rugby and a few others sports for a month though I will not use that in my calculation as I will assume most readers will not buy it. So, using the DirecTv 220+ channels container and the Direct Tv sports package, if you got all of this it would cost about every month to get all the sports you want. It would cost five dollars less if you do not care to watch Espn Classic.

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As for the Dish Network Sports Package, it is more or less the same but with a few different variables. With Dish Network, you just get more sports channels the more channels you get. With the Top 100 container you will get Espn, Espn2, Espn News and the other basic channels that show some sports like Tnt, etc. Next, the Top 200 container gives you a lot more like Espn Classic, Nfl Network, all the Comcast Sports and Fsn channels, the Big Ten Network and basically everything you would get in the Sports Pack minus the soccer channels.

If you want the Fox Soccer Channel and GolTv, you will have have to get the Top 250 and if you legitimately wanted Fox Sports en Espanol you could only get it by adding a Spanish channels container for a month (you can also add Setanta Sports for the same price as DirecTv). So, basically if you want all the sports you can get with the Top 250, it is going to cost you about for that package. Alternatively, you could just get the Top 100 and get the Dish Network Multi-sport Pack (lots of sports for a month, which is the only way to get Nba Tv surface of getting a extra Nba package). So you see there are ways the Dish Network Sports container can be more or less than DirecTv depending on what you want.

So, should you get the DirecTv sports container or the Dish Networks sports package? It's legitimately up to you. If you want all of everything, DirecTv is cheaper. There are many sports channels these days, and each supplier has just a consolidate channels that the other will not have, and they each put some channels at different levels of their packages. You have to conclude what sports you want to watch the most and if you conclude on price you have to do the comparisons yourself. There are a lot of variables involved with everyone's different tastes but I hope I have you a good summary to help you in making your decision.

DirecTv Sports box - How Does it assess to the Dish Network Sports Package?

Why Do Athletes Use Steroids and What Can Be Done to End This Problem?

2012-01-11T03:18:00.001-08:00

The baseball season is about to begin, and once again, steroid use is dominating the sports news in the print media and in the electronic media. I have counseled many athletes who have used steroids or doing improving substances and I have helped a number of them to end this destructive and illegal behavior.

In my view, there are a number of psychological, sociological, financial and cultural soldiery which are driving steroid use:

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1. Some athletes are quite frightened and insecure. They are afraid of performing poorly, letting others down and embarrassing themselves.They feel that steroids will give them the edge they need to achieve at a very high level.

2. Some athletes are very invested in the size of their muscles as well as the shape and appearance of their bodies. If they don't look big and powerful, they can feel unsafe and weak. Also, in their minds, if they are bigger, they are somehow best than the persons they are competing against.

3. The huge financial rewards can encourage habitancy to cheat with doing improving drugs. Some athletes feel the rewards make the risks worthwhile.

4. Coaches, owners, league officials and teammates have looked the other way where steroid use is concerned. And, in some instances, they have encouraged players to engage in this drug use. A football player who was a sick person of mine what told that he needed to gain twenty pounds of muscle while the summer. His coach winked at him and said, "You need to do it, no matter what it takes, if you want to play on my team." If there were stricter rules and more severe penalties, steroid use would decline.

5. We live in a culture where habitancy are always looking for short cuts and quick fixes. Steroids are an example of an additional one of the request for retrial of immediate solutions to life problems.

6 .Some athletes enjoy living on the edge and pushing themselves to the limit. Provocative in risky steroid use and the possibility of being caught generate a kind of adventure which some habitancy seem to enjoy.

7. In some cases, athletes who have been on top in their sport can not seem to tolerate losing or being out of the number one position. Steroids can help them to remain on top and avoid the bad feelings they sense when they achieve poorly. They feel they will keep their star status as long as they achieve well. If they achieve poorly, they are fearful that they will no longer be loved and admired.

8. The habitancy who form these substances are getting very sophisticated and it is getting harder to detect practices like blood doping and some doing improving substances.

9. Some athletes who I have counseled are addicted to steroids, alcohol, and other drugs. They are relying on these substances to carry on their feelings, their problems and their stress. Athletes who are using all of these substance are in danger and need professional help.

10. There is a allembracing and prevalent culture of cheating which is prevalent in sports, firm and relationships. I am not sure if this is new or if cheating has been allembracing throughout history. Some would say that man has looked for advantages and edges since the starting of time.

However, I do believe that sports, coaches, athletes and community will be best off, if we operate steroid use and restore as much honesty and integrity as we can into our society.

Why Do Athletes Use Steroids and What Can Be Done to End This Problem?

The Sport of Cheerleading and Its Evolution

2012-01-07T16:36:00.001-08:00

Before cheerleading became an integral part of pro sports as a way to help fans cheer on their team, it had its beginnings at the collegiate level. Straight through many decades it has evolved not only as a competing sport in its own right, but has served as an emissary to bring attentiveness to charitable causes and offer support in a collection of ways.

Cheerleading had its origins at the University of Minnesota. The very first cheerleader was a University of Minnesota trainee named Johnny Campbell. While a football game he stirred up the crowd by cheering, "Rah, Rah, Rah! Ski-u-mah, Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah! Varsity! Varsity! Varsity, Minn-e-so-Tah!" The date was November 2, 1898. The university later put together a cheering squad made up of six male students who prolonged using Campbell's former cheer. Although cheerleaders were originally all-male squads, by 1923 females were being incorporated and eventually made up the majority of participants. Cheerleading soon began along with routines such as tumbling, gymnastics, and the use of megaphones While football games.

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In 1948, a old cheerleader at Southern Methodist University named, Lawrence Herkimer, formed the National Cheerleaders Association. It was created to hold cheerleading clinics, and by the 1960's, college cheerleaders hosted workshops across the nation teaching the fundamentals of cheering to youthful girls in High School. In 1965, Fred Gastoff, invented the vinyl pom-pon which was introduced in competitions hosted by the International Cheerleading Foundation. Today it is known as the World Cheerleading Association. Organized cheerleading competitions sprouted anywhere until 1978 when Cbs broadcast the first Collegiate Cheerleading Championships, bringing wider attentiveness to the sport. Although cheerleading rarely got much attentiveness While the 1960's, and cheerleaders were not exactly a hypothesize to watch football, what did begin to emerge were organized pro cheerleading teams.

Before they became the famed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, the Dallas Cowboys had a cheer squad made up of male-female high school students called CowBelles & Beaux. While the 1970 football season, Cowboys manager, Tex Schramm, decided to thoroughly overhaul the cheerleaders, making them an all-female squad over the age of 18, redesigning the uniforms, creating new dance style cheer routines, and forming an widespread sexier look in hopes of boosting attendance. The women not only had to be fascinating and have athletic abilities when they auditioned, they also needed to possess raw talent as performers. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders made their first appearance on the sidelines While the 1972-1973 Nfl seasons. Since then, they have appeared on many television shows, toured throughout the U.S. And overseas, and have made regular appearances in the Uso tours to support our troops.

Modern cheerleading has changed dramatically from its former function of spurring an audience to show their support for the team. It has come to be a sport in itself, competing exterior of sporting events as well. Cheerleaders are found in most American middle schools, high schools, and colleges with organized squads made up of students. Cheerleading scholarships are even offered by colleges that compete at cheerleading competitions.

Cheerleading squads began to emerge in the 1980's that didn't have an connection with a school or sports league. Their main objective was solely competition. Divisions and teams were created and sponsored by many separate organizations and companies. The competitions are judged based on the difficulty and performance of the routines that include jumps, stunts, tumbling, creativity, showmanship, synchronization, and widespread disposition performance. These all-star team competitions are broadcast to global audiences that have led to thousands of cheerleading participants from countries worldwide.

Professional cheerleading has taken cheerleaders beyond the sphere of cheering at games. It has broadened their horizons doing charity work and philanthropy, television performances, advertising, modeling, and motivational speaking. Cheerleading has come a long way.

The Sport of Cheerleading and Its Evolution

A Brief History of Swimming

2012-01-04T06:00:00.001-08:00

Basically humans are well-known with the water from inside the womb. In other words, while in the womb human has been able to float in water. So basically all humans can swim. Only, because many children are not introduced to the world of water so they are afraid to play with water.

As the basis of this statement, you can see the history books note those human beings de facto been able to swim since prehistoric times. There is abundance of evidence that supports this fact. The earliest evidence we can find out through the paintings of swimmers from the Stone Age have been discovered in the 'cave swimmers' in the area of Wadi Sora, Gilf Kebir, southwest Egypt. In addition, we also can note about this oldest of the Epic of Gilgamesh, Odyssey, Iliad, Beowulf, and Bible. You can read this topic in the book of Ezekiel 47:5, Acts 27:42, the Book of Isaiah 25:11. Nikolaus Wynmann is the first man who write book about swimming in 1538. The title of this book is "Der Schwimmer oder ein über die Zwiegespräch Schwimmkunst" or in English "Dialogue on Art Swimmers."

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Swimming race was first held in Europe in 1800 after the construction of swimming pools. Most participants had time to swim with the breaststroke. In 1873, John Arthur Trudgen introduces front crawl style or a style called trudgen in the race pool. Trudgen imitates the techniques of freestyle in the South American Indian tribes. Swimming is one sport in the 1896 Athens Olympics. In 1900, backstroke was included as a new amount the Olympic pool. The Federation Internationale de Natation (Fina) was formed in 1908. Butterfly style which at first is one divergence of the breaststroke was appropriate as a cut off style in 1952.

A Brief History of Swimming

Brain Concussions in Sports: What's the Fuss?

2011-12-31T19:36:00.001-08:00

If you're having mystery understanding what a brain concussion is, and how your son or daughter's head-injury affects their supplementary participation in sports, then you're in good company. The nature and effects of concussions are still poorly understood by many athletes, parents, coaches, news reporters and, to a positive extent, even the medical community. But because the brain is a treasured organ--one that athletes should want to keep in good working order for the rest of their lives--a good understanding of concussions is crucial.

Neurologists and neurosurgeons cringe when they hear sports-reporters make comments like, "Johnny had a Cat scan and it showed that he didn't have a concussion." The truth is that Cat scans don't show concussions. They do show other serious consequences of head injuries, like bleeding within the brain, or hemorrhages that compress the brain. But concussions--while no less real--are indiscernible to brain-imaging tests like Cat scans and Mris.

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So what is a concussion? If a blow to the head caused unconsciousness, a concussion occurred. Most people know this. But a concussion can occur even when there is no loss of consciousness. Other symptoms after a head-injury indicating a concussion include:
impaired attention, e.g. Vacant stare, slowness to respond, easy distractibility slurred speech, or speech that doesn't make sense clumsiness or unsteadiness disorientation, e.g. Walking in the wrong direction, forgetting the day of the week excessive emotional reaction, e.g. Easy tears, overly upset memory impairment, e.g. Asking same demand repeatedly, can't memorize new facts

Other symptoms can found hours or even weeks after the injury, along with headache, dizziness, poor concentration, irritability, impaired memory, fatigue, disrupted sleep, anxiety, depression, and a lack of good judgment or insight.

You'll observation that all these symptoms share a common feature--an alteration in brain function. The general brain processes, which depend on allowable signaling among the brain's 20 billion brain cells, are out of whack.

There can also be bodily damage to the brain's cells. Because brain-cells are so tiny, brain scans don't detect them. Injuries causing more severe concussions can tear apart the cells' axons (the long filaments that carry coded messages over long distances within the brain). As you can imagine, these rips in the very fabric of the brain can cause persisting impairments in brain function or wish long periods of time for recovery.

One certainty about sports-related concussions is that they are very frequent. The Centers for Disease control estimates there are at least 300,000 of them in the U.S. Per year and they comprise about 20% of all head injuries. Explore also indicates that the brains of high school athletes are more vulnerable to concussion than those of older athletes, and wish longer periods of time to fully recover.

Individuals who have had one concussion are at greater risk for another. For example, in one study of high school and college football players, concussions occurred about six times more oftentimes in student-athletes who had experienced prior concussions than in those who had not. Moreover, repeated concussions can have more severe outcomes than first concussions.

A rare but particularly scary phenomenon has been called the "second impact syndrome" in which a second concussion occurring within days or weeks of an earlier concussion can yield catastrophic consequences--including death--way out of proportion to the apparent severity of the re-injury.

Because of the potentially serious consequences, athletes, coaching staffs and parents need to have a heightened awareness of head-injuries and their need for allowable evaluation, along with by medical personnel. Varied guidelines have been created for decisions about when it is safe to resume participation in touch sports. These guidelines, while based more on expert opinion than on medical evidence, are still the best benchmarks we have until more studies are done.

All guidelines agree that an athlete needs to come to be symptom-free in all areas--thinking, memory, emotions, coordination, balance, etc.--before resuming play. After a first concussion, the athlete should have been general for at least a week, and after a second concussion, for probably two weeks.

When should an athlete hang up his or her cleats and retire from the sport? How many concussions are too many? No one has a definite retort to whether question. As Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry" might ask, "Are you feeling lucky?" Three concussions in the same season--or even in an entire sports career--should as a matter of fact raise concern about long-term damage to the brain.

Of course, student-athletes often pressure their parents to allow them to return to play sooner than might be wise. In these circumstances it is beneficial to recall that many pro athletes in football, hockey, boxing and other sports have retired from their lucrative careers rather than suffer supplementary concussions. If these high-profile individuals were willing to give up their big paydays in order to safe their brains, then maybe your son or daughter will be able to succeed their examples when less money is at stake. However, if you are the parent and are being pressured to allow an early return to play, you just might have to stand tall, do the right thing, and say no.

For more information about traumatic brain injury see the websites of The Brain Matters and The Brain Injury connection of America.

Brain Concussions in Sports: What's the Fuss?

Sports and Politics Should Not Be Mixed

2011-12-28T09:00:00.001-08:00

Apparently Arizona's legislature didn't learn their lesson. For those that don't recall, Super Bowl Xxvii was scheduled to be played in Arizona in 1993 but the game was moved because of Arizona's controversial position on Martin Luther King Junior's birthday. Every state in the union besides Arizona and New Hampshire recognized the slain civil possession leader's birthday as a holiday. Arizona voters finally approved the holiday in 1992 but too late to stop the Super Bowl from being moved and only after a traveler boycott crippled the state's economy.

Now Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has signed into law an immigration bill which according to this article on cbsnews.com says:

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"Arizona's new law, slated to go into consequent in July, requires immigrants to carry documents verifying their immigration status. It also requires police officers to interrogate a man about his or her immigration status after a "lawful stop" if there is "reasonable suspicion" that man may be illegally in the country."

Of policy this has caused quite the stir nationally. With the Mlb All-Star game scheduled to be played in Phoenix next summer, calls for Major League Baseball to move the game out of Arizona have already been voiced. Senator Robert Menendez (D - New Jersey) has called for the Major League Baseball Player's Union to officially boycott next year's game. The director of the union, Michael Weiner, has already come out publicly against the law.

Chicago White Sox manager, Ozzie Guillen, has said that he would decline an invitation to be part of the Al coaching staff (though he probably wouldn't be chosen anyway given his squads start this season). Players along with Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres, who is of Mexican descent, have indicated they would at least consider not participating in next summer's event unless this law is repealed.

I try to keep my sports writing to sports for a reason. Sports are an escape from the negativity that we all see in every-day news. Politics is the worst. Politics by nature is divisive, is designed to originate seminar and in action, creates animosity. I watch and write about sports because I enjoy it. If something I believe or write about sports creates amiable discussions with man who has a different view than me then so be it. We can all agree to disagree and still be amiable about it. That isn't ordinarily the case with politics.

I won't even enter into my personal feelings on this particular issue. I will say that I see the validity of both arguments. I also understand how this particular issue has created so much controversy. Living in California, I know first-hand that illegal immigration is a political hot-button issue right now. I just don't think the consider should be broadcast or argued in the world of sports.

I get that baseball players, or athletes in normal and the habitancy that rehearse them are also habitancy with views, feelings and opinions. I don't begrudge them for expressing those feelings.......on the allowable stage. Keeping the fans hostage by threatening to boycott the All-Star game in order to justify their political platform is wrong. And yes, that is exactly what they would be doing.

Think about it; I vote for Adrian Gonzalez, for example, to be the starting 1B in next year's All-Star game. If he wins but he boycotts the game, how am I supposed to feel? As a fan, we help pay the salaries of these players and when we make the exertion to show our appreciation for the player by voting for his All-Star candidacy, don't they owe us at least the courtesy of appearing in the game condition permitting?

Save your protestations for later. March in a demonstration before or after the game. Sign as many petitions or make as many collective speeches against the law as you want. That's all well and good with me. But let's keep sports isolate from politics. Just play the game, that's all I ask.

Sports and Politics Should Not Be Mixed

Football News - Saturday Evening Sports Paper

2011-12-24T22:00:00.001-08:00

There is one newspaper that football supporters look transmit to reading more than any other. Most towns and cities up and down the country have a Saturday night sports paper. These newspapers are bang up to date with all the newest news from the day's football action. They are full of match reports and comprise articles and coverage of all the local football teams.

In terms of football news, the Saturday evening sports paper has everything a football fan needs. It includes a full rundown of all the football results, detailed match reports as well all the newest league tables. The fixtures for the following weeks are also included. If your team is enjoying a good run of form and results, it will make enjoyable reading.

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Many of these sports papers are printed on coloured newspaper such as green or pink which makes them surely identifiable. It is no surprise that because of their colour they commonly end up with names such as the Sports Pink or the Green Un. As soon as these publications hit the streets you can see football fans swarm around the road seller, kiosk or newsagent eager to get their hands on a copy. In terms of sports connected newspapers this is as fresh and up to date as it gets.

For many supporters, it is all part of attending a football match on a Saturday. The sports papers are commonly on sale around one hour after the games finish. Some habitancy even refuse to go home until they have a copy. Once they are armed with their soccer news fix they will enjoy mulling over the events of the day and reading expert football prognosis in print.

In modern years some regional newspapers have decided to scrap their Saturday night sports paper. This was due to the growth of the internet and football news websites. Newspapers also have their own websites which can release everything digitally instead of in print. Not everyone has entrance to the internet and even those that do would prefer to read their sports paper in a original printed format.

Despite the loss of some Saturday evening sports papers, plentifulness of others are still going strong. For the newest post match football news, reports and prognosis they naturally cannot be beaten. These sports newspapers are original among followers of the game who will not welcome their demise. Regardless of digital alternatives the vast majority of football fans will always be keen to keep their favourite sports paper.

Football News - Saturday Evening Sports Paper

Sports Card Values - Fortunes Found In Cards

2011-12-21T11:36:00.001-08:00

Sports card values depend predominantly on the popularity of the player on the card- the more flourishing the player, the higher is the worth of the card. Rarely available cards and ones in pristine or mint health are also very valued. To an ardent collector, correct sports card news with regard to the value and authenticity of the card is of great significance to ensure that card trades are truly profitable.

The origin of sports cards can be dated back to the beginning of the 20th century when cloth strips with the names of baseball players were circulated among fans. The size and form of these collectibles were experimented with during the Second World War and it was only after this duration that such collectibles were artificial on a regular basis. Today, they feature many of the sports played in North America together with baseball, basketball, soccer, boxing, golf, hockey, racing and tennis. What started as a easy hobby for avid collectors has now grown into a full-fledged enterprise investment with discrete online communities listing their values in information thereby enabling online trading.

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Sports card values estimate to just as much as a collector is willing to pay. This in turn is carefully by the card condition. Any imperfections, such as color spots, blurred images and creases, lead to a decline in its value. Content of the card is the second determinant of the values. Card Content includes the vocation statistics of the player on the card. Rather than the sports or the team played for, an excellent individual article of the player contributes the greatest to the value of these collectibles. The ones that are scarce or printed in minuscule edition also boost the sports card values. In fact, the earliest baseball cards printed on cloth strips today fetch as much as Usd 800 owing to their scarcity, the rare Content and the good health of these cloth cards.

For an avid sports collector, obtaining the most authentic sportscard news is of absolute importance. Particularly, those curious in buying vintage cards for investment purposes, need to be well-informed before they indulge in trading sports cards. Any sites and magazines such as Beckett and Sports Lizard, Tuff-Stuff, Rookie stars and Sports Collectors absorb are available that give detailed and updated information on Sports card values. By collecting information with regard to the source of the card, the credibility of the seller and authenticity of the card, one can avoid purchasing fake cards.

Sports Card Values - Fortunes Found In Cards

The Youth Sports Coach

2011-12-18T01:00:00.001-08:00

Coaching youth sports is a challenge. Most of our kids are really happy to have us step up to the plate and coach and, despite the time we give up, most parents find the contact equally rewarding. However, there are some major things that every coach needs to do and understand before they start the season: 1) coach with the proper attitude; 2) coach with the proper fundamentals; and, 3) learn and teach the inequity between the "Dad Hat" and the "Coach Hat".

Coaching the Right Attitude

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We all love our kids and, let's face it; we also love playing sports with our kids. For me, it's the way that I spend most of my free time and it is right up there as one of my beloved things to do. That being said, I also need to perceive that statistically, none of the kids that I coach will ever play professional sports, nearly all of them will not play sports in college, and many of them will not even play varsity sports in high school. So, what does this mean for us as a coach? We need to emphasize all the other aspects of sports and the life lessons that make us love playing the game. Mostly, we need to make the contact fun!

In 1988, Robert Fulghum wrote the book "All I really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten". I've often told habitancy that you can learn all you need to know by playing sports - especially youth sports. Many of the same lessons apply, but on an even bigger scale where kids learn success and failure, wining and losing, sportsmanship and teamwork, and how to talk in many pressure situations. None of these are easy lessons. Winning with grace is just as hard to teach as losing with dignity. How can you do this and make sure that every person has a great season? That's the trick.

Every team you ever coach, especially teams with younger kids, will be split between kids that are talented and kids that are not. The goal that you have as a coach is to make sure that every one of those kids has a great contact and wants to play again next year. I take the most pride in the job I did as a coach when the worst kid on the team loves the sport and keeps playing year after year. The way that I do this is to emphasize things other than on field doing - I try to stress effort, trying your best and hustle.

There are any practical things that you can do to emphasize these "other" characteristics. In basketball, for example, instead of emphasizing and keeping stats for scoring, keep stats on hustle, picks set, good defense, rebounds, filling a lane, or just being in the right position. After every game, point out something definite that every kid did while the game. Award a point for each time a kid does something you emphasize and give stars or sew on patches when points are accumulated. You'll see that these kids will do whatever to get a star on their uniform, even pay attentiveness in practice!

Coaching the Right Fundamentals

Kids of any age can learn to do things properly. They may not have the motor skills developed yet, but they can at least try to do it right. One of my beloved misconceptions is that "practice makes perfect". That's totally wrong; convention doesn't make perfect, convention makes Permanent. What I try to teach is: "Perfect convention Makes enduringly Perfect". That's a pretty big difference!

Of course, this really changes things for a youth coach because we need to teach the exact fundamentals or we'll naturally be reinforcing the bad habits kids develop. The hardest thing to do as a coach is to try and exact a flaw that a kid has developed over years of "practice". This is even harder when the kid is good, because correcting the underlying flaw commonly means that getting worse before getting better. That means the kid is going to be reluctant to try this "new" way and may not stick it out. In the long run, the inequity could be huge. While we've already acknowledged that that we're not developing professional athletes, there is no surmise to limit the ceiling on how well each child may develop. Coach's Corner, Continued

The clarification is simple: we need to learn the right fundamentals before we start coaching. It's a responsibility that we accept when we volunteer to coach. Now, up front, I want to make sure to state that most of us think we know much more about sports than we really do. We think that because we played and we were pretty good that we clearly know how to teach a kid to play baseball or basketball. That's naturally not true. Much of what we learned was wrong. We may also not know the right way to characterize what we know to kids. Or, we may not know whatever about the sport if we're stepping in and coaching soccer or another sport that wasn't "big" when we were young.

Fortunately, there is help. Many leagues do a good job teaching their coaches the fundamentals of the game. Some leagues even offer mandatory coaching clinics for their coaches. These are really good starts, but commonly not sufficient - especially as the kids you coach get older and better. Before every season that I coach, I'll watch any instructional tapes to characterize the fundamentals and also learn new material. I re-watch tapes, often with my kids that we've seen before and buy a incorporate of new ones to add some wrinkles. Of course, at SportsKids.com, we do offer 1,000's of instructional books and videos, but the point of this section is to naturally say to use whatever formula you pick to make sure that you teach exact fundamentals. Every kid, even young kids, can learn with good coaching and remember: "Practice makes Permanent".

The "Dad Hat" and the "Coach Hat"

There is a huge inequity between being a "Dad" and being a "Coach". Each has distinct responsibilities and relationships with the kids. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of overlap between the two roles. I really have two hats: one says "Dad" and the other says "Coach". Over the years, my kids and I have learned to detach the two so I don't wear the hats too often, but it does make the inequity more literal. Coaching your own children is one of the real challenges of youth sports because sometimes, you child wants or expects to have a dad when you're the team's coach. If you can detach these roles, and both of your expectations, you and your child will have a much best youth sports experience.

The Youth Sports Coach

Sports descriptive Magazine

2011-12-14T14:36:00.001-08:00

Although Sports illustrated is an very favorite magazine (primarily with a male readership) these days, there were similar magazines called Sports illustrated which failed before the current incarnation of the magazine that arrives on news stands and in mailboxes over the country. Hard as it may be to believe, sports journalism was once thought about beneath other forms of writing. That was before writers like Frank Deford, Robert Creamer and others came along and proved that writing about sports could grab readers and have them debating the pros and cons of varied aspects of basketball, football and..yes.. Even swimsuit models. Reporting on the Olympic Games was also in inquire and some of those covers featuring Olympic athletes have become collector's issues.

Ironically, an early publisher of the magazine, Henry Luce, was not even an avid sports fan. He could probably be called lukewarm (at best). Still, he managed to ignore those who scoffed at the idea of a magazine focused only on sports reporting and photos. His instincts served him in good stead and Sports illustrated was ready to take off.

Sport News

Of course, timing is everything. It didn't hurt that television was about to help Americans sit in the relax of their dens or living or family rooms and watch a baseball or other game. It was a natural move to buy a magazine to read during the commercials and Sports illustrated filled the bill. If there was any inquire about a single batting average, the magazine could be consulted. Besides, it was just plain fun to read - and it only became best through the years.

Sports illustrated was responsible for many innovations in sports reporting. Their noted "Sportsman of the Year" was favorite from the start. Everyone loves a good competition so readers were eager to see who'd grace the cover each year - and why. Winners have fulfilled, such feats as breaking the four minuscule mile (Roger Bannister) or some other athletic feat. If the covers are representative of the popularity of definite sports, then Major League Baseball seems to be the most favorite sport, followed by Pro Football and Pro Basketball.

It would be impossible to mention the magazine without mentioning the infamous and sometimes controversial swimsuit issue. The first one was published in 1964 and men found photos of supermodels posing in often very skimpy, barely there swimsuits impossible to resist ( a fair share of women bought the swimsuit issues, too, perhaps to see how they measured up in comparison with the models). While the swimsuit edition of Sports illustrated flies off the magazine shelves, there are some readers who write protest letter or even cancel their subscriptions every year - all because of this issue.

It isn't only athletes or swimsuit models who have graced the cover of Sports Illustrated. Predominant celebrities have been used to promote sports. These comprise Ed Sullivan, Arnold Schwarzenegger and even Big Bird. Sports illustrated has even spun off a special edition of the magazine for children, Sports illustrated Kids.

Since sports has its share of controversy and a wide aggregate of athletes, there have been some who have been featured in the magazine for sad reasons. Sports illustrated even has had memorial covers. Ted Williams was featured after he died of a heart attack. Pat Tillman, who played for the Arizona Cardinals, appeared on the cover after he died in Afghanistan.

Even with the coming of sports television stations like Espn, Sports illustrated remains popular. Close to 20 percent of American males read it. Articles from the magazine form the basis for spirited debates at parties, work and home. It seems to have become a part of American life.

Sports descriptive Magazine

High School Sports Injuries - Shoulder Injuries

2011-12-11T03:54:00.001-08:00

A high school athlete should never shrug off a shoulder injury. The shoulder is one of the most leading joints on the body. Athletes need the shoulder to throw a ball or other object, block an opponent, mouth their balance, and so on. Unfortunately, all of these activities can result in a collection of shoulder injuries, fluctuating from miniature to major. The key is to recognize such injuries, treat them properly, and to the best of a high school athlete's ability-prevent them.

What makes the shoulder joint special? One of its main features is that there's less bone-to-bone perceive within the shoulder joint, than with other joints in the human body. What does that mean? There's a greater dependence on muscle, cartilage, and so on, in reducing the impact of stress on the joint's motion. And that means that there's a greater risk of soft tissue becoming damaged. The shoulder's bones contain the humerus, the shoulder blade, and the collarbone. Arguably, the breastbone should also be included as a shoulder bone. Essentially the shoulder consists of four separate joints that function as one unit.

Sport News

Different causes of shoulder injuries exist. One is an overhead motion. This involves the athlete's hand and forearm being stretched as far as possible from the body. Another major cause of shoulder injuries in high school athletes is repetitive movement. This can result in injuries such as rotator cuff injury, tendinitis, and over time--osteoarthritis. Another shoulder injury involves a shoulder being struck, such as via a shock or a fall.

A rotator cuff injury is particularly tasteless in high school sports, which it occurring most often among baseball pitchers. Other tasteless athletes who perceive it contain golfers, swimmers, and football quarterbacks. Shoulder injuries can also contain a dislocated shoulder, a separated shoulder, and the most tasteless shoulder fracture: fractured collarbone.

One of the most crucial steps to take after suffering from an acute shoulder injury is to rest the shoulder. And if obvious movements are causing the pain, the high school athlete should cease those movements immediately! Within the first three days after suffering the injury, the athlete should ice the shoulder for 20 minutes, on many occasions throughout the day.

Then he or she should seek assistance from a corporeal therapist. Within time, the athlete should start doing some basic motions needed in the sport, at a gradual pace. More severe shoulder injuries will want one or more operations. These operations can be quite involved (and pricey), so an athlete should first consult his or her physician before undergoing an operation.

The good news is that you can take steps to cut your likelihood of suffering from shoulder injuries. For instance, you can increase the vigor and flexibility of your upper body. Also, when using your upper body to perform obvious movements in your support, make sure to use the exact body mechanics. That will not only help to forestall shoulder injuries, but will also heighten the quality of your game! And finally, always perform stretches and warm-ups before a practice session, game, or match.

High School Sports Injuries - Shoulder Injuries

Sports illustrated - The Leader in Sports Publications is As beloved As Ever

2011-12-07T17:00:00.001-08:00

If you are looking for the leader in sports publications, you need look no further. Established over seventy years ago, Sports descriptive is still going strong. With over twenty three million subscribers, there is no other sports publication that can come close to captivating Sports Illustrated. Nearly twenty three million adults spend their time reading this very favorite magazine, where over eighteen million of those are men. That constitutes nineteen percent of the adult male habitancy in the United States. That is a expansive following and there is no sign that things are slowing down. It is as favorite as ever.

If there is a story that relates to sports, you will find it in Sports Illustrated. anyone from football to hockey to soccer or lacrosse, you will find them all in the many sports publication ever. Sports descriptive has twice been very recognized by receiving the National Magazine Award for general Excellence. This is one of the highest honors any magazine can receive. Receiving it twice is a rare feat. Other features that annually draw readers are the Sportsman of the Year segment, as well as the very coveted Swimsuit issue. These things make for an exquisite magazine that proves its worth with every issue.

Sport News

No matter what the cheaper is like, sports can reinvigorate a weary soul. Sports contribute a connection for any class of habitancy and Sports descriptive delivers a way to bring those sports stories to anyone and everyone. Now is the time for an si subscription for you or your loved ones. A subscription is an easy way to stay up on sports and keep your mind off of your worries. There will always be a story to tell in sports and this is the magazine that knows how to tell the story.

When you want to stay on top of your favorite team or the best stories, Sports descriptive can be your magazine. This magazine is still the leader in sports news today and an si subscription is the only way to stay in the game. Join the over twenty three million other subscribers today and get in on the action.

Sports illustrated - The Leader in Sports Publications is As beloved As Ever

The gorgeous Sport!

2011-12-04T06:36:00.001-08:00

'This time in Africa'! 6 billions of them, the citizen of the world, roughly all of them went Waka Waka in the year 2010 with the world cup football tournament which was never so full-size and yet as always seemed to be time and again.

Football craziness is a global phenomenon and they try to make it even bigger by integrating it with streamlined broadcasting lines and viral news feeds. Over the top of all it is the internet segment which makes it bigger than ever with it's over the board competent services and concepts.

Sport News

Football was never as integral part of human living proposition as it went with the internet explosion and became so accessible and redeemable with the technological virtues of internet.

It made all of them, also the one who were not that addicted to the sport to integrate with soccer in dissimilar ways possible and buy the idea of virtual gaming sportingly.

Eminently furnishing the lines of 'Fantasy football', the view that grew and found with the rules way back in 1962 was the idea that bought along beaming shaft of excitement in the world of football lovers seamlessly with the integrations of internet technology.

Fantasy Football went professional from its elementary level to national swirl in 1989 when over 100,000 participants competed in the Pigskin Playoff tournament.

Fantasy football is a virtually conceptualized interactive competition in which citizen conduct football players in a competition against one another. It is more of a pseudo football tournament which is equipped with the soccer sport norms and established to let citizen perform various football events and activities like drafting, trading, adding or dropping players, and changing rosters etc.

With the integration of internet it has come to be far more compliant with the formats and far easier to advent which makes it wider phenomena and accessible throughout the world.

Another important facet to the sport comes from the virtual reality games and video games which act as the catalyst to significantly affect world with the charm that this sport holds.

Kicks, dives, saves, headers, dibbling and handling, getting ruled out and facing tackles and threats of penalties and raptures of winning the matches... All the charming essence of the sport has been delivered most dynamically and in the high definition format with the new era gaming technology and internet transportation system it is viably available in proximities of all.

To me, every 4 year held world cup football tournament is absolutely just a piece of reverence that the entire globe dedicates for the celebration of this entire phenomenon which seamlessly became a part of our lives instilling the electrifying moments of the beautiful game in our veins.

With even more profound proponents of technology and concepts like internet gaming and fantasy football the monster sport is and will always be in the religious and rebellious books of its beautiful fans throughout the world.

The gorgeous Sport!

How to Showcase Sports Memorabilia Collections

2011-11-30T19:54:00.001-08:00

Sports memorabilia collectors are finding more innovative and creative ways to showcase their collections as the fame of collecting these sports things is lasting to grow at high speed.

For easy access, some of the collectors are simply satisfied to retain their things in some angle and some of the collectors who absolutely love the games know that, it is worth collecting and also worth protecting those things and doesn't like mention their collections with much pride.

Sport News

As these Sports memorabilia sellers have ultimately realized the display importance of both the serious and casual collectors and as a consequent of this, most of the retailer's today offer great range of collections in their shops.

Whether it could be a very easy "Plexiglas case" for an autographed football or an spellbinding shadow box used for sports display cases to hold one of your favorite team jerseys or any other displays for that matter. These sports display cases formulate a great gifting stuff for those who are hard to buy the sports nuts or memorabilia collectors. Even the habitancy who are not the fans of Sports memorabilia collections can take delight in displaying their personal displays in case that is absolutely designed for that purpose.

A display which is mind stunning can even turn one of your easy sports item like your first football that you played at home, into a attractive art which looks attractive. habitancy investing in some of the autographed items such as cricket bat or ball, hockey sticks, footballs etc want to keep it safe and retain its integrity by displaying it in a displaying case.

Daily sports collectors who regain all sorts of sports item and news say that, in recent days display cases are no new to them but the range and capability of this stock has multiplied immensely.

If a sports fan regain "Nfl football helmets" or a "die cast Nascar replica", there are capability made display cases made for them alone. Both "Major League Baseball" and "The National Football League" have licensed lines of their own display cases and these are ready with team logos. Some of he major licensed Mlb things are mini batting helmet or full size, gloves, baseballs, baseball shoes, baseball bats, baseball hats and caps, sports cards, tickets, bases, home plates and many more. It's pretty foremost that you save these items in a very extra case that are made exactly for them.

These sports displays cases add more value to those collectibles that you have collected and many of them highlight your choice of materials that consist of glass and wood trims, personalized engraving and Plexiglas. Some of these displays come with ready to mount on the wall or in the showcases.

One of the complex display cases is the "4th dimension football display" because it is one of the displays which is specially built cases that uses mirrors and reflection inside to display each and every side of he football which is autographed. If this display case is seen from far, it looks like as if it is carrying several footballs.

This enterprise of sports memorabilia collections will definitely show not a single sign of slowing down and for the habitancy who are very much involved about their collections, display cases is very smart idea.

How to Showcase Sports Memorabilia Collections

Sports Handicap - Why You Don't Need to Be a Sports Fan to Start Winning Money From Sports Betting

2011-11-27T09:18:00.001-08:00

Contrary to popular beliefs, sports handicap betting is not something that should only be enjoyed by the die hard sports fans. In fact, to coming sports handicap betting from a fan's point of view can be highly deadly and result in heavy losses as many sports fans can testify. The question with sports fans is their confidence that their in-depth knowledge on the various sports rules, team rosters and player conditions would result in their potential to predict strict match results, but the result of such information can become a double-edged sword in actual sports handicap betting.

Sports betting is more a matter of mathematics than star players

Sport News

The reason why the most knowledgeable sports fan would only gain minimal benefit in sports betting, is plainly because the nature of handicap betting revolves around statistics, probabilities and complex mathematics than breaking news from the sports sections. Sportsbooks pay top dollars for statisticians and analysts to create match handicaps that can procure as close to a 50/50 bet spread on both competitive teams as possible, therefore it does not matter if you have information that a exact team has a small known hidden weapon sitting on the bench, because the habitancy at the sportsbooks have already factored that in and adjusted the handicaps accordingly.

The uninformed one takes all the money

Sports fans tend to have pre-conceived notions about determined players, teams, match conditions and other factors based on past results, but this is nothing more than gambling on chances. After all, we are not pitting robots against each other, so the same teams can play each other 100 times and the statistics of every match would not be exactly identical. Sure, there are ways for sports betting experts to use past match data to their advantage, but if you are merely looking at what goes on in the stadiums, then you are just one of the hopeful,speculative and ignorant fans that end up losing all your hard earned money on the deceivingly straightforward game of sports handicap betting.

Sports Handicap - Why You Don't Need to Be a Sports Fan to Start Winning Money From Sports Betting

ultimate Sports And science of mind

2011-11-23T22:54:00.001-08:00

Every year, people get seriously injured in ultimate sports. Some of them even die. But, do you think this prevents other athletes to accomplish next time?

Think again. But, then what is it that drives some to take ultimate risks while the rest just prefer to stay away?

Sport News

Lester Keller, a coach, and sports-psychology coordinator says that not every person has the psychological makeup to do very well in perilous pursuits.

"It takes a certain kind of person," Keller says.
Most of us limit our appetite for astronomical risk and, as a result, our capability to do well in perilous situations.

But, some people have a much higher tolerance.
"The high element of risk makes you feel alive, tests what you are made of and how far you can take yourself," Rahlves says.

"I'm not looking for danger. I'm in it for the challenge, my heart thumping as I finish, the feeling of being alive," he said. "I without fail get scared on some of the courses. It just makes me fight more. That's when I do best."

Read has taste of climbing over 40 years. He says he no longer pushes to the extremes as he once did.

"I can remember when I was getting into situations where I view that at any moment I could be killed," he told National Geographic News. "I'm not particularly religious, but I would say, Oh God, don't let me be killed here. I'll never do this again."

Shane Murphy at Western Connecticut State University has worked with athletes. He gives this statement.

"I've worked with groups climbing Everest, including one group without oxygen. To me that just seems like the height of risk. But took every precaution they could think of. They weren't going out there to get hurt."

Murphy said the viewpoint of ultimate athletes is very diverse from our own. "We look at a risky situation and know that if we were in [that situation] we would be out of control," he said. "But from the [athletes'] perspective, they have a lot of control."

The above cited quotations, thus, make it clear that it is the psychological makeup of a person that decides whether or not he can do well in ultimate sports.

ultimate Sports And science of mind

extreme Sports - The Odds of Dying in a Bungee Jump accident

2011-11-20T12:18:00.001-08:00

An Introduction to Bungee Jumping

Bungee jumping is one of the most extreme sports that habitancy take part in worldwide. The first exertion at this extreme sport was in 1979 when a 'dangerous sports' team from England devised the bungee gadget that is still in use today. The first bungee jump was made successfully from the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

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In 1986 a man named A.J. Hackett did his first jump in New Zealand. He went on to jump off a whole of important buildings along with the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Not long after this, bungee jumping undoubtedly came into its own as an extreme sport and is now a popular activity throughout the world for extreme sports lovers. But how safe undoubtedly is it? And what are the odds of dying in a bungee jumping accident?

Bungee Cords

Due to the high risk element connected with the sport, chemists and physicists are enduringly striving to make improvements in the make up of bungee cord. The bungee cord that is used today is predominantly made up of rubber and artificial materials. When creating the equipment, the height and weight of distinct habitancy are taken into account in order to ensure survival. distinct cords are used for distinct weighted habitancy to ensure maximum safety. It is up to scientists to make sure they use a medium in the middle of flexible and stiff in order to let the extreme sportsman enjoy the sport and keep him alive.

Safety

Before even mental about doing a bungee jump 99.9% of habitancy will want to be fully assured that they will be safe from harm. Statistics show that there is only a two in one million opening of dying from this sport, making it pretty safe especially when compared to other extreme sports like scuba diving and rock climbing. Adding to this, it may (or may not) be reassuring to know that practically all accidents that have happened have not occurred due to the actual bungee, but due to the operators not attaching the cord to the man or the construction correctly. The producers of bungee cords are more than effective at their job.

Perceptions

When compared to other sports it is not uncommon for many habitancy to believe bungee jumping is more dangerous. Take sky diving for instance - due to the high numbers of 'ordinary' habitancy that take part in this sport, many habitancy believe it is relatively safe. It is a ordinarily safe sport but when compared to bungee jumping the odds of dying are much higher. The same can be said for parachute jumping and scuba diving. If you've belief about doing a bungee jump, why not investigate it further? The odds of dying are very small!

extreme Sports - The Odds of Dying in a Bungee Jump accident

The History of Tennis

2011-11-17T01:54:00.001-08:00

Knowing history of the sport you are curious in never hurts. If you are mental about getting into tennis here are somethings that you maybe curious in knowing.

It's a sport that has been played for hundreds of years. It is notion that maybe European monks created the game. There were many dissimilar forms of racquets used and the ball also evolved with the racquet. The game was very well liked among the monasteries in Europe, but at one point the church notion about banning the game.

Sport News

Major Walter C. Wingfield patented tool and rules for a game very close to the game of tennis we play today. That same year tennis courts were made in the U.S. The year after that tool could be found in many countries.

Because croquet was a favorite game at that time, population took the croquet courts and set them up for tennis.

The first Wimbledon tournament was held in 1877. The court was a bit dissimilar from the court that is used today. The rules were basically the same as they are today though.

In the 1930's the game of tennis became rather chic. The outfits for tennis were a exiguous dissimilar from what is commonly worn today. The outfits were longer and more constricting. Shorts were not worn in the game until 1933 by Bunny Austin.

Throughout the times there have been many champions in the game of tennis. The game became so favorite that in 1986 the yellow ball was introduced for the first time to make the balls easier to see on television!

The History of Tennis

Mma, Cagefighting, Combat - These Sports Should Be Embraced by Mass Media

2011-11-13T14:54:00.001-08:00

Recently, Mixed Martial Arts, or Mma, has established itself in the forefront of sports. So why aren't broadcasters embracing it like boxing or the others? Why don't you catch Mma news alongside the latest home run count update, or the results from the Nascar race? Some may say it's because until recently Mma hasn't been developed into a viable mass media product.

Mixed Martial Arts has had a bad reputation since its inception and the very first Ufc type events. The first match ups in the Ufc were poor. Pitting a sumo wrestler against a black belt in karate doesn't exactly make sense. While the sumo wrestler is big, there is no way he can defend against someone trained in striking. These preliminary fights were marketed as more of a freak show than actual sport. Still to this day, media outlets recall these terrible images from the sports distant past.

Sport News

Currently, Mixed Martial Arts is on par with boxing, baseball, or other sports as far as viewing audience. 200 million population paid to watch the Ufc on Pay Per View in 2006. Smaller local events like Xtreme Total Combat still prove to garner big crowds.

The sport is safer than most population think too. There have only been two deaths from Mixed Martial arts to date, and those were in smaller unsanctioned events. With the onset of permissible sanctioning, Mixed Martial Arts will only become safer and more competitive. Sanctioning will also bring an end to the "backyard blood baths" that bring such a negative image to the sport.

Mixed Martial Artists are some of the most extremely conditioned and well trained athletes in existence. The stamina needed to last an whole five rounds is incredible. Astonishing is very demanding, and so are the assorted throws and ground maneuvers valuable to win a fight. Most athletes train 6 days a week for between 3-5 hours a day. Because of the uncertainty of what could happen inside the cage, fighters need to train for all scenarios.

The dark days of Mma have ended, and with the new emphasis on permissible match ups, marketing, and athlete conditioning, this sports deserves the attentiveness of the mainstream media. It demands recognition comparable to the other big sports, and with time it should get it.

Mma, Cagefighting, Combat - These Sports Should Be Embraced by Mass Media

Sports Fan Or Fanatic?

2011-11-10T04:00:00.001-08:00

A sports fan as defined in the dictionary is "an enthusiastic specialist or follower of sports." A sports fanatic, as I am, is "a man with an ultimate enthusiasm or zeal for sports." The discrepancy in the middle of a fan and fanatic is a matter of degree. A fanatic will follow, watch and annotation on any and every sport that is on the forefront for the day.

A sports fanatic will know something about every sport played. They know either a sport is presided over by a referee, umpire, official, timer or judge. They know which sport requires the players to police and levy their own rules. When asked in what sport do the game officials run around in shorts, a fanatic will know the answer. They know that some sports officials are "zebras," and they know why.

Sport News

A sports fan or fanatic will try his or her best to attend every sport in person. Most of the time that is impossible. Therefore, sports fans and fanatics need a minimum set of tools to improve their passions. The first tool is old school, the Am/Fm radio. Of course, satellite radios with many sports channels are an advancement that is often pursued. The next tool in the set is the discrete kinds of computers and hand-held electronic devices that can send text messages, pictures, e-mails, news flashes, surf the web, etc.

The ultimate and most vital tool is the television, but not just any commonplace one. The television must be Hi-Def with a screen as big as a drive-in movie theater. The sound principles must be multi-speaker surround sound that will rattle the walls. The theater furniture must comprise big soft couches, recliners and footstools-enough for all your sports-watching friends. You cannot claim to have been there "to see it" unless at least you watch it on Tv.

To unblemished the ambiance of the sports watching sense you also need food, chips, dip, peanuts, pizza, nuts and of course the basic hot dog with mustard, catsup and onions. The last item is the beverage. Canned beverages are okay, but just like being at the ballpark, the draft beer would be the ultimate.

Today, there are many options for draft beer at home. Some associates offer mini-kegs that certainly slip into the refrigerator, if there is room. A best solution is to purchase one of the many keg refrigerators, coolers or dispensers now available on the market. There are mini, pony and approved keg refrigerators that can cope pressurized or non-pressurized products. Some keg coolers are set up to dispense more than one type of beer, are insulated for indoor as well as outdoor use and can turn to keep other beverages cool as well.

Whether you are a sports fan or a rabid fanatic, the enjoyment is the sense of looking the "big play" or the "once in a life time match up." My home theater is fully adequate and ready for use with my sports friends. I was lucky in life because I found and married other sports fanatic. Actually, I'd have to say she is more like a sports "nut," which is even more severe than a fanatic is.

Sports Fan Or Fanatic?

The Role of Media in Sport

2011-11-06T17:36:00.001-08:00

Sport is one of the well-published issues in the Net. Sport issues gain a lot of publicity and discussions in the media. The examples are numerous: thousands of football news narrative depict the reactions of trainers to a particular event. Leading soccer games are an daily issue in Tv channels. New technologies are used anywhere in coverage of sports: tennis streaming video presents the particular strokes of favored tennis stars, such as Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova. At the days of serious matches, fans enjoy watching the game of their favored teams in tennis or football online. We might ask ourselves: what is the role the Media plays in Sport?

One probable acknowledge would be that the media successfully exploits the collective need for entertainment. People have all the time felt the need to be entertained, beginning from the days of gladiators, when the public' general inquire was to see People die in front of them in change for their money. As the years went by, the forms of the entertainment changed and became less cruel, but the principle of the crowd request for Panem et circenses (i.e. "bread and circuses") remained the same. In this matter, sports news is the best possible entertainment, and watching sport online or on Tv is the best possible way to observe the actual thing happening.

Sport News

And here comes the next possible answer: media adheres to the needs of the wide public, fulfilling the desire to watch the "actual thing" on-line. Although a football match might occur in Milano, and tennis game may take place in Moscow, media brings the tennis game and the football match straight to your living room, without the need to get up from sofa and buy the ticket to Milano or wherever you want to get to. Media makes use of our need to observe the actual thing by serving as a mediator in the middle of the sporting event, which happens somewhere out there, and us, the viewers.

Being a central part of our daily experience, media brings sports coverage to our living room and shows it to us whenever we choose. I'd say it's a good thing, but you - choose for yourselves.

The Role of Media in Sport

News About American Football - Football Sports News Coverage in any place Any Time

2011-11-03T07:46:00.001-07:00

Football is extremely leading in America! Fans are extremely excited about their teams, either they are high school, college, or pro football. As you might imagine, sports American football news is in high question during football season and even more so during the play offs.

There are different sources that everybody knows they can turn to. Espn is a big one. They carry many football games each week, and scores for even more. There are other channels that do the same thing during football season. You can even subscribe to magazines that are full of news about football.

Sport News

High school football is leading to students, teachers, parents, and others in the community. Ordinarily the best place to get news about high school football is the local newspaper or news channels. Some news channels may show local scores on their website, too. Often scores and other data about high school football tour by word of mouth. High school football is more society based than college and pro football.

College football is a popular pastime in America, particularly in obvious regions of the country. Sometimes high school students who are considering attending obvious colleges are particularly interested in the scores. In addition, students and alumni, teachers, parents, and just fans all want to know the college football scores.

During bowl season, college football scores come to be even more important. Fans want to know which team will be named the national champion, and where their team ended up in the rankings. Many population pay a lot of money to get tickets for these leading games.

So where can you get your sports American football news during this leading time during football season? There are numerous sources. You can check newspapers, radio stations, websites, and both local and national news channels. There are special sports channels dedicated just to college sports that will give you all the college football scores you want!

Pro football is popular in America, too. The Super bowl is one of the biggest each year events in sports in America. Almost everybody has an thought about who will win, and even the commercials are news.

During the regular season, fullness of population are sitting in front of their televisions or sitting in the stadiums on Sundays, watching pro football. during the play offs that estimate increases. There are so many sources for pro football news. Newspapers, radio, and television all carry pro football scores. The Internet is someone else great source.

As you can see, there is no shortage of methods for finding out sports American football news. either you like high school, college, or expert football, you will be able to get news about the sport twenty-four hours a day, no matter where you are in America.

News About American Football - Football Sports News Coverage in any place Any Time

Octopus picks winner for World Cup 2010

2010-07-10T05:33:00.000-07:00

As the international tug of war between the German desire to eat him and the Spanish death trying to protect a little less than angry, Pablo octopus Oracle has continued its winning ways and got both charlatan match for third place and the World Cup final.

Given Paul's perfect record in selecting their food out of the box covered with the flag of the team that will win the World Cup, these options have already reached the status of gospel. The television networks in Germany, Spain and the Netherlands interrupted its programming to broadcast their live octopus Mr decisions Friday. And then waited, anxious and nervous. For an octopus eating a piece of food.

The first on Germany vs Uruguay match for third place. And according to Reuters, Paul is becoming a kind of showman:

On Friday Paul settled first on the top of the container from Germany, but after a few minutes did the container Uruguay. Then after 15 minutes turned into a container around Germany, quickly opened the lid and ate the piece of food inside.

Fifteen minutes to make a selection? Come on, Paul. Do not be like LeBron.

Picking Germany was probably a smart move, however. Maybe they suffocate to death threats and allow Paul to finally return to a normal life. However, we know that Paul did not make its selection under pressure because, well, he is an octopus and do not know what these people are doing with it.

Anyway, it would be Paul humbly selection box when asked to make the selection a second special game not German? Who will win everything, Pablo - Spain or the Netherlands? Tell us so we can bask in your glory tentacles! Spanish television personalities awaited his decision with a mild interest ...

Spain! Octopus Paul is trying to strengthen his bid to become the new king of Spain - the first step in his calculated plan to seize absolute power over the entire universe - by picking them to win their first World Cup. And as predicted, and thus it is written.

Also featured in this video report from Reuters on top is that predicting parakeet threat to the crown of Paul, and Paul captor speaking casually on the octopus' impending death quickly. Assuming, of course, that Paul is like any other mortal octopus and not, in fact, the Highlander.

FIFA WORLD Cup 2010 Match Schedule #2 (Group Stage)

2010-06-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

See Group A - C schedule here

Group D:

Jun. 13
Germany vs. Australia
10:00 am, Durban

Jun. 13
Serbia vs. Ghana
2:30 pm, Pretoria

Jun. 18
Germany vs. Serbia
7:30 am, Port Elizabeth

Jun. 19
Ghana vs. Australia
7:30 am, Rustenburg

Jun. 23
Ghana vs. Germany
2:30 pm, Johannesburg

Jun. 23
Australia vs. Serbia
2:30 pm, Nelspruit

Group E:

Jun. 14
Netherlands vs. Denmark
7:30 am, Johannesburg

Jun. 14
Japan vs. Cameroon
10:00 am, Bloemfontein

Jun. 19
Netherlands vs. Japan
10:00 am, Durban

Jun. 19
Cameroon vs. Denmark
2:30 pm, Pretoria

Jun. 24
Denmark vs. Japan
2:30 pm, Rustenburg

Jun. 24
Cameroon vs. Netherlands
2:30 pm, Cape Town

Group F:

Jun. 14
Italy vs. Paraguay
2:30 pm, Cape Town

Jun. 15
New Zealand vs. Slovakia
7:30 am, Rustenburg

Jun. 20
Slovakia vs. Paraguay
7:30 am, Bloemfontein

Jun. 20
Italy vs. New Zealand
10:00 am, Nelspruit

Jun. 24
Slovakia vs. Italy
10:00 am, Johannesburg

Jun. 24
Paraguay vs. New Zealand
10:00 am, Polokwane

Group G:

Jun. 15
Ivory Coast vs. Portugal
10:00 am, Port Elizabeth

Jun. 15
Brazil vs. North Korea
2:30 pm, Johannesburg

Jun. 20
Brazil vs. Ivory Coast
2:30 pm, Johannesburg

Jun. 21
Portugal vs. North Korea
7:30 am, Cape Town

Jun. 25
North Korea vs. Ivory Coast
10:00 am, Nelspruit

Jun. 25
Portugal vs. Brazil
10:00 am, Durban

Group H:

Jun. 16
Honduras vs. Chile
7:30 am, Nelspruit

Jun. 16
Spain vs. Switzerland
10:00 am, Durban

Jun. 21
Chile vs. Switzerland
10:00 am, Port Elizabeth

Jun. 21
Spain vs. Honduras
2:30 pm, Johannesburg

Jun. 25
Switzerland vs. Honduras
2:30 pm, Bloemfontein

Jun. 25
Chile vs. Spain
2:30 pm, Pretoria

South Africa FIFA WORLD Cup 2010 Match Schedule (Group Stage)

2010-06-20T07:13:00.000-07:00

Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France.
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea, Greece.
Group C: England, United States, Algeria, Slovenia
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana.
Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon.
Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia.
Group G: Brazil North Korea, Ivory Coast, Portugal.
Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile.

Group A

Jun. 11
South Africa vs. Mexico
10:00 am, Johannesburg

Jun. 11
Uruguay vs. France
2:30 pm, Cape Town

Jun. 16
South Africa vs. Uruguay
2:30 pm, Pretoria

Jun. 17
France vs. Mexico
7:30 am, Polokwane

Jun. 22
Mexico vs. Uruguay
10:00 am, Rustenburg

Jun. 22
France vs. South Africa
10:00 am, Bloemfontein

Group B

Jun 12
Argentina vs. Nigeria
7:30 am, Johannesburg

Jun. 12
South Korea vs. Greece
10:00 am, Port Elizabeth

Jun. 17
Greece vs. Nigeria
10:00 am, Bloemfontein

Jun. 17
Argentina vs. South Korea
2:30 pm, Johannesburg

Jun. 22
Nigeria vs. South Korea
2:30 pm, Durban

Jun. 22
Greece vs. Argentina
2:30 pm, Polokwane

Group C:

Jun. 12
England vs. United States
2:30 pm, Rustenburg

Jun 13
Algeria vs. Slovenia
7:30 am, Polokwane

Jun. 18
Slovenia vs. United States
10:00 am, Johannesburg

Jun. 18
England vs. Algeria
2:30 pm, Cape Town

Jun. 23
Slovenia vs. England
10:00 am, Port Elizabeth

Jun. 23
United States vs. Algeria
10:00 am, Pretoria

Which martial arts style fits you best?

2009-05-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

In the vast expanse of martial arts, you can have almost any flavor you want: fast or slow, hard or soft, full-contact or no contact. Unfortunately, like everything else, you also may be good or bad grade.

In the process of selecting the system becomes even more complicated, because almost all of these subsystems and options.

Example: Wun Hop Kuen Do, developed by Grandmaster Al Dacascos, includes elements of kung fu, karate, aikido, judo, jujitsu and escrima, Filipino empty hands and stick fighting systems.

Promising martial artists must know that, for example, Tae Kwon do in two different styles, which have little resemblance to each other. The "new" style, designed for the Olympic Games in 1988, was designed to attack, full contact competition. The traditional style has limited contacts, and emphasizes the form of spiritual development and self-defense, the elements missing from the sport style.

Here's a brief rundown of the most popular types of martial arts:

Karate: a rigid, linear Japanese style, which emphasizes striking techniques. In the course of its evolution, karate adopted elements of Zen Buddhism. Buddhist influence (whether meditation belongs to the class of normal) varies from school to school. Styles also vary. Karate is also competitive in sports matches held in a format similar to boxing.

Kung Fu: Chinese system of hands, more fluid than the style of karate. It emphasizes the various strikes, kicks, try the methods, throws and weapons. Physical and mental discipline are key elements of kung fu. There are several varieties. Kung-fu became popular in the United States during the 1970's, largely due to Asian martial arts movies and television show Kung Fu with David Carradine.

Tae kwon do: a very popular Korean martial art which is based on kicking and jumping techniques. As mentioned earlier, the traditional style stresses the development of character and fitness. New sport style is competitive full contact.

Judo: from Jiu-Jitsu, Judo was developed by Professor Jiguro Kano in the late 1880-ies. Ju-jitsu is considered a fairly dangerous system because of the risks associated with its joint locking and choking techniques. Judo, on the other hand, stresses the shoulder and throwing techniques designed to shock opponents off balance and then put them on the ground.

Tai Chi: Another very popular system, Tai Chi is a style that focuses on inner strength, self-defense, re-directs the energy and defensive units. Tai-chi, as well as many other systems, in different styles. Chen Tai Chi is a difficult style emphasizing a low posture. Yang Tai-chi is a gentle, flowing style that some may think resembles a ballet (minus tutus and pointy shoes). There are many other forms. Word of caution: Tai Chi is easy, because it is very slow moving meditation, if you will. It is not easy.
They are among the most well-known forms, but many more exist.

To USC's Maualuga, similarities to Troy Polamalu don't bear out

2009-04-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

USA TODAY analyzes the inside linebackers available in the April 25-26 NFL draft. Also in this article: Cream of the crop among inside linebackers and teams in need.
It has happened too many times for comfort.

Some people, Southern California's Rey Maualuga (pronounced Mah-wah-LOO-ga) says, have approached him in public thinking he's Troy Polamalu.

MOCK DRAFT: Our analysts project the first round
PHOTOS: Best linebackers available
THE TOP 500: Track the risers and fallers

Same school. Same Polynesian heritage. Similar long, soft hair flowing from the helmet (sometimes). And relentless motors that drive sideline-to-sideline presence.

"It offends me," Maualuga, the top-rated inside linebacker in the draft, says of being mistaken for the Pittsburgh Steelers' all-pro safety. "It's an honor for people to think that I'm Troy. He's a great guy, a phenomenal athlete, but I'm my own man."

NFL teams have a pretty good ID on the Trojans' tackling machine, projected to go in the middle of the first round. Maualuga won the Bednarik Award as the nation's top defensive player, another way to strike an identity.

Still, during the NFL combine someone asked Baltimore Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome if Maualuga (6-2, 254) compares to his Hall of Fame-credentialed linebacker, Ray Lewis.

Newsome laughed.

"They're both named Ray, that's the comparison," Newsome said. "Maualuga's a lot bigger. Ray was only 230 pounds when he came out. Maualuga's been as much as 270."

Maualuga grew up in Oahu, Hawaii, but his family moved to Oxnard, Calif., before high school. He embraces the notion of proving himself at every step. It plays into his ultra-competitive reputation. When he pulled a hamstring during the 40-yard dash (4.85) at the combine, it did not sit well. Unable to finish the workout, he packed his belongings and bolted to the hotel rather than watch other linebackers workout.

"I couldn't watch," he remembers. "It made me more upset. From then on, I wondered why it happened and at that time and place."

Despite a resume including Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year, Rose Bowl Defensive MVP and Trojans' MVP awards, there was more to prove.

The hamstring improved, as well as his 40 time (4.65) for his pro day earlier last week. Now it's wait and see. Mock drafts have him going anywhere from 10th to 25th. Whatever happens, he'll celebrate with family and friends at a draft-day barbeque at his mother Tina's house in Eureka, Calif.

"As long as my mom is happy, I'm happy," he says.

He wishes his father were there as well. Talatonu Maualuga, a minister diagnosed with brain cancer before Rey's first college game, died two days before USC's national championship game in January 2006.

"I don't think you can ever get over losing a loved one," Rey says. "To never be able to see him again, it crosses my mind. But I've accepted the fact that he's in a better place. But he's still there, guiding me, helping me out."

Maualuga, who has five tattoos, looks at his left arm for another reminder of his dad. That's the first tattoo, a tribal mark that pays homage to his Samoan-American heritage.

"My parents were against tattoos," he says, "but as long as it was tribal, my dad was for it. …Now that my father's gone, every time I get a tattoo, my mom might get a little upset, but at the same time she accepts it."

Los Lakers, Los Spurs and other Noche Latina jerseys

2009-03-05T02:21:00.000-08:00

No, your eyes do not deceive you, charro ...

The kickoff of the third annual conference of the Association Noche Latina event - a program that recognizes the fans and NBA players from all over Latin America and the Hispanic communities of the United States - Los Kobe and the Lakers wore jerseys in celebration of their front-running victory over the Grizzlies 99-89 on Tuesday.

Note: DJ Mbenga was also shaken floating wide-brimmed hat. Very spiffy.

Announced in February, Noche Latina frenzy to take place in eight of the top 10 markets in Latin America this season (against four in 2007-08): Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, San Antonio, Dallas, Chicago, Houston and New York.

While "Los" uniforms are fashionable, Noche Latina NBA teams will also host the theme stage in activities ranging from Latin music and giveaways to performances, I am not able to go there progress ...

But here's a fun twist: Instead of literally translating the name of the team ( "Los Sols", "Los Espuela" What you), a market survey has apparently concluded that Spanish-speakers in the United States refers to a little differently. The Miami Heat, for example, is called "El Heat", the San Antonio Spurs are "Los Spurs." I'll have to take their word.

Anyway, if you like what you see, Latin nights jerseys, t-shirts, and caps (excluding floating Mbenga's awesome wide-brimmed hat, sorry), are available at the NBAStore.com.

Sad story of tight end Brian Mandeville

2009-02-23T22:26:00.000-08:00

Northeastern University is not exactly a football factory. Dan Ross and Sean Jones came by here, but after that, the cabinet of the nude.

The Huskies were 2-10 last year and have not had a winning season in five years. So when a guy from North itself is an invitation to the combine, this is a big problem ... which, unfortunately, this is even more sad.

Tight end Brian Mandeville expected and waited for his invite to the combine, and finally he came. He ventured to California to prepare for the Velocity Sports Performance Center. And when it came time to attend the combine and impress everyone, instead of the doctors told him he should retire before it began.

How the soul as for grinding? A guy is an invitation to the combine, which is essentially an audition for a career playing football, and when he gets there, the first thing that happens is that they tell him he n has no chance to make a career of playing football. It's like getting a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Dance right before your advisor takes a baseball bat to your knees.

Doctors to conduct a routine examination discovered a problem with one of Mandeville of heart valves and informed him that he should give up football. The questions, according to his agent, are not life-threatening, but they are killing career. Even Grant's agent that it is now unlikely that Mandeville will have a career in football.

It is a shame. By all accounts, it has a bright and capable young man, then I am sure he will carve a place for him in the world. And of course we all wish him good luck with that.

Transfer of football player: February 2009

2009-02-12T09:58:00.000-08:00

12 February 2009

Billy Bingham [Crystal Palace - Dagenham & Redbridge] Loan
James Henry [Reading - Millwall] Loan
Seb Hines [Middlesbrough - Oldham] Loan
Scott McGleish [Wycombe - Leyton Orient] Loan

11 February 2009

Terry Dixon [unattached - West Ham]
Ben Gill [unattached - Crawley]
Jai Reason [Ipswich - Cambridge] Loan
Matt Robinson [Salisbury - Totton] Undisclosed

10 February 2009
Rob Elvins [Aldershot - Woking] Loan
Tony Kane [Blackburn - Carlisle] Loan
Jake Robinson [Brighton - Aldershot] Loan
Jason Shackell [Wolves - Norwich] Loan

9 February 2009

Paul Lloyd [unattached - Forest Green]

7 February 2009

Rob Beckwith [unattached - Grays] non-contract

4 February 2009

Stephen Kelly [Birmingham - Stoke] Loan

3 February 2009

Andrei Arshavin [Zenit St Petersburg - Arsenal] Undisclosed
Shane Killock [Huddersfield - Oxford] Free

2 February 2009

Charlie Adam [Rangers - Blackpool] Loan
Charles Ademeno [Southend United - Salisbury City] Loan
Leon Andreasen [Fulham - Hannover 96] Loan
Semih Aydilek [Birmingham - Motherwell] Loan
Angelos Basinas [AEK Athens - Portsmouth] Undisclosed
Christophe Berra [Hearts - Wolves] Undisclosed
Chris Todd [Torquay - Salisbury] Loan
Paul Caddis [Celtic -Dundee Utd] Loan
Henri Camara [Wigan - Stoke] Loan
Michael Carr [unattached - Kidderminster] Free
Francesco Carratta [Royal Antwerp - Blackpool] Free
Aleksandrs Cauna [Inverness - Watford] Loan
James Chester [Man Utd - Peterborough] Loan
Iyseden Christie [Stevenage - Torquay] Free
Jamie Clarke [Blackburn - Rotherham] Free
Simon Clist [Forest Green - Oxford] Undisclosed
Michael Chopra [Sunderland - Cardiff] Loan
Don Cowie [Inverness CT - Watford] Undisclosed
Olivier Dacourt [Inter Milan - Fulham] Loan
Calum Davenport [West Ham - Sunderland] Loan
Craig Davies [Oldham - Brighton] Undisclosed
Claude Davis [Derby - Crystal Palace] Loan
Liam Feeney [Salisbury - Bournemouth] Undisclosed
Adrian Forbes [Millwall - Grimsby] Loan
Scott Gardner [unattached - Mansfield] Free
Alan Gow [Rangers - Norwich] Loan
Julian Gray [Coventry - Fulham] Undisclosed
Michael Gray [Wolves - Sheffield Wednesday] Free
Mike Grella [unattached - Leeds] Free
Gianluca Havern [unattached - Mansfield] Free
Mark Hughes [Chester - Barnet] Free
Peter Gulacsi [Liverpool - Hereford] Loan
Adam Hammill [Liverpool - Barnsley] Loan
Khaleem Hyland [Portsmouth - Zulte Waregem] Loan
Jo [Manchester City - Everton] Loan
Robbie Keane [Liverpool - Tottenham] £12m
Rune Lange [Valerenga - Hartlepool] Loan
Henri Lansbury [Arsenal - Scunthorpe] Loan
Adrian Leijer [Fulham - Norwich] Loan
Andy Lindegaard [Cheltenham - Aldershot] Loan
Zoltan Liptak [Ujpest - Southampton] Loan
Matt Lockwood [Colchester - Barnet] Loan
Doug Loft [Brighton - Dagenham & Redbridge] Loan
Arturo Lupoli [Fiorentina - Sheffield United] Loan
Alex McCarthy [Reading - Aldershot] Loan
Sean McConville [Skelmersdale - Accrington] Undisclosed
Clayton McDonald [Manchester City - Chesterfield] Loan
Cody McDonald [Dartford - Norwich] Undisclosed
Jim McNulty [Stockport - Brighton] £150,000
James McPake [Livingston - Coventry] Undisclosed
Juan Carlos Menseguez [San Lorenzo - West Brom] Loan
Jacob Mingle [Horsham - Eastbourne] Undisclosed
Michael Mifsud [Coventry - Barnsley] Loan
Jamie Mole [Hearts - Dunfermline] Loan
Youssouf Mulumbu [Paris St Germain - West Brom] Loan
Richard Naylor [Ipswich - Leeds] Free
Lee Novak [Gateshead - Huddersfield] Undisclosed
Charles N'Zogbia [Newcastle - Wigan] Undisclosed
Padraic Ormsby [Bohemians - Hamilton] Undisclosed
Tomas Pekhart [Tottenham - Sparta Prague] 12-month loan
John-Paul Pittman [Crawley - Wycombe] Undisclosed
Ricardo Quaresma [Inter Milan - Chelsea] Loan
Rocco Quinn [Celtic - Hamilton] Loan
Anton Robinson [Weymouth - Bournemouth] Loan
Cillian Sheridan [Celtic - Motherwell] Loan
Dean Shiels [Hibernian - Doncaster] Undisclosed
Jimmy Smith [Chelsea - Leyton Orient] Loan
John Sullivan [Bohemians - Hamilton] Undisclosed
Ryan Taylor [Wigan - Newcastle] Undisclosed
Jonathan Tehoue [unattached - Huddersfield]
Andranik Teymourian [Fulham - Barnsley] Loan
Chris Todd [Torquay - Salisbury] Loan
Jared Wilson [Birmingham - Chesterfield] Loan

1 February 2009

Tal Ben Haim [Man City - Sunderland] Loan
Theofanis Gekas [Bayer Leverkusen - Portsmouth] Loan
Shay Given [Newcastle Utd - Man City] Undisclosed
Chris Killen [Celtic-Norwich] Loan

Beckham makes Milan Serie A debut

2009-01-18T08:23:00.000-08:00

On-loan AC Milan midfielder David Beckham made his competitive Serie A debut against Roma on Sunday.

Beckham played 89 minutes in the Olympic Stadium before he was replaced by Mathieu Flamini as Milan drew 2-2.

The England international had been expected to start on the bench, but Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti played him on the right of a three-man midfield.

Beckham had not played a competitive game since the end of the MLS season with Los Angeles Galaxy in October.

"I found out I was going to start before the game during the team meeting," said the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player.

"I was very happy that the manager kept me on for as long as he did because it is important for me to get match fitness. To be honest, I felt better than I thought I would feel.

"I was surprised to have started the game but I am happy. Playing out there is what I love doing and I enjoyed it.

"I didn't think I would last that long but I felt so good. At half-time I felt really strong. I think the manager saw that I felt good, that I still had energy and he kept me on.

"Now I just hope to start some more games, but I will take one step at a time."

Ancelotti said Beckham, 33, had been rewarded for his commitment in training.

"I decided to start with Beckham because he had demonstrated over the last few days that he was intelligent, serious and committed," said the Italian.

"This was his reward for settling in so quickly. I will never tire of pointing out that he is an exemplary professional who works hard."

Mirko Vucinic put Roma ahead midway through the first half with his third goal in three games against Milan when he blasted home.

Just after the interval, Alexandre Pato equalised when he tapped in Kaka's cross - and the 19-year-old Brazilian striker soon clipped in a superb second.

Montenegro striker Vucinic again netted with a diving header on 72 minutes to secure Roma a point.

Beckham's stint with the Italian club ends in March, when the Major League Soccer season resumes, but it has been suggested that he may be tempted to extend his stay at Milan if his spell goes well.

The midfielder added after the match: "The contract and the agreement is that I go back to LA on March 8th or 9th so I'm going to enjoy it up to then and we'll see.

"It is great to play at this club and to be out there with some great players.

"I'm enjoying being part of this team and training with these players but I will take it one step at a time.

"It's pretty amazing to be among some of those players and I'm glad to just give them the ball and they'll deliver."

The Italian press gave Beckham average marks for his performance.

"Ninety minutes that nobody expected," reported the Gazetta dello Sport, which gave the player six out of ten. "He played hard, crossed, shot and helped with humility. For his debut it was enough."

The Rome-based Corriere dello Sport, which also gave Beckham a six for his display, was less complimentary.

"He made few errors, without shining, in the first half," the paper commented. "In the second half, he exited nearly completely from the scene."

It added that Beckham "seemed disorientated, and had trouble understanding where his position on the field should be".

One of the reasons Beckham moved to Italy was to help him maintain his fitness as he seeks to prolong his international career.

England's next game is a friendly against European champions Spain on 11 February.

If selected, Beckham would equal Bobby Moore's outfield record of 108 caps.

Eagles victory ends Giants' reign

2009-01-12T08:21:00.000-08:00

NFL highlights - Ravens 13-10 Titans

Philadelphia beat Super Bowl champions the New York Giants 23-11 to reach the NFC title decider against Arizona.

Donovan McNabb threw for a touchdown and scored one, and David Akers added three field goals, extending his NFL record to 18 straight in the play-offs.

Arizona reached next Sunday's showdown with the Eagles thanks to a surprise 33-13 win at Carolina on Saturday.

Baltimore reached the AFC game with a 13-10 win at Tennessee and Pittsburgh advanced by beating San Diego 35-24.

The loss ended the Chargers' bid to become the second team after the Giants to appear in a game at London's Wembley Stadium and then the Super Bowl in the same season.

Philadelphia will fancy their chances against Arizona, having beaten them 48-20 on Thanksgiving Day.

But the Cardinals are on a roll, guided by quarterback Kurt Warner, a Super Bowl winner with St Louis nine years ago.

He threw for two touchdowns against Carolina, and the Cards made it a miserable 34th birthday for Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme with five interceptions.

Carolina, who had not lost at home this season, scored the game's first touchdown, but then yielded 33 consecutive points to the Cardinals.

Receiver Larry Fitzgerald hauled in eight catches as Arizona posted their first play-off road win 10 years to the day of their last one in 1999 against Dallas.

Warner finished 21-of-32 for 220 yards with two TDs and an interception and Neil Rackers kicked four field goals.

In Nashville, Matt Stover's 43-yard field goal with 57 seconds remaining sealed Baltimore's victory.

The Ravens, NFL champions in 2000, will now face the Steelers, who have beaten the Ravens twice this season, for a place in the Super Bowl.

The Titans, who won their opening 13 games of the regular season, paid the price for a string of errors including three turnovers and 12 penalties.
Stover's kicking cooked Tennesse's chances of Super Bowl glory

They took the lead in the first quarter through Chris Johnson, who ran eight yards for a TD but was injured in the process and unable to return to action.

The absence of their key running back was a major blow to the Titans, who were unable to penetrate offensively.

The Ravens fought back before the end of the first half with Derrick Mason collecting a superb 48-yard pass from rookie quarterback Joe Flacco.

In a bruising encounter dominated by defence, there was no addition to the score in the second and third quarters.

Field goals were always likely to determine the outcome, and in the final period the Ravens edged in front through a 21-yard effort from Stover.

The Titans levelled with three points from Rob Bironas but when Flacco found Mark Clayton with an eight-yard pass on a third down, Stover converted from 43 yards.

Ben Roethlisberger, who threw 181 yards including a touchdown, and Willie Parker, who rushed for 146 yards with two touchdowns, were the standout players for the Steelers.

It was Parker who put Pittsburgh ahead with a three-yard run with 40 seconds left in the first half to make it 14-10.

The speedster then tacked on a 16-yard scoring run with just over four minutes to play to seal it for the Steelers and end the Chargers' five-game winning streak.

For San Diego, Philip Rivers completed 21-of-35 passes for 308 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

Pacquiao proves he is the best boxer in the world

2008-12-07T21:47:00.000-08:00

LAS VEGAS - As it ended, with Oscar De La Hoya rising from his stool to congratulate the man who had beaten him so badly, he didn't look like the Golden Boy.

I never thought I'd see De La Hoya like that. It's not that he wasn't pretty anymore. It's that he looked like they all do, eventually. After all these years, I had begun to suspect that De La Hoya might be exempt from the rules. But there he was: just another fighter, beaten and old, with that dented crease across his nose and his left eye all but closed.

The fight had been billed as "The Dream Match." If so, it was a dream imagined by few but Manny Pacquiao and his trainer, Freddie Roach.

"Freddie," said Oscar, who had unceremoniously fired the trainer after his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. "You're right. I don't' have it anymore."

For months now, you have heard that a good big man beats a good little man. But what of a great little man?

What of Manny Pacquiao?

He made his debut at 106 pounds, and has spent most of this decade under 130. He fought but once, last June, at 135 pounds. Now it will be said that his accomplishment — dismantling the 35-year-old De La Hoya — will accord him consideration in boxing history with the great Henry Armstrong, who simultaneously held the titles in three weight classes in the late '30s.

I don't know from Henry Armstrong. But I now count myself lucky to have seen Pacquiao — his bravery and skill in full measure — and stupid not to have listened to his trainer.

"We're going to knock him out in nine," Roach told me back in October.

If I should've listened, I'm not the only one. The late money came in De La Hoya, elevating the odds in his favor from 8 to 5, to 2 to 1. And who could blame us? As it began, with the fighters coming together for the first time in the center of the ring, it looked like the mismatch that had been so widely forecast. De La Hoya was that much bigger and longer, geometry all wrong for Pacquiao. How, I wondered, would the smaller man ever solve that distance?

Of course, it wasn't a question that bothered Pacquiao. "I knew right way I could win this fight, most likely by a stoppage," he said. "I controlled the action. I was able to defend against his jab. I was able to move around."

Pacquiao was able to demonstrate not only that he's the world's best pound-for-pound fighter, but for the first time, how good he really is. In the process, he ended the idea of De La Hoya as anything but a commercial proposition.

"I trained really hard," said De La Hoya. "My style is to go forward. But he was boxing on his toes all night and waiting for me to make my mistakes. I didn't have the strength to stop him."

The pattern became apparent early, as the southpaw Pacquiao moved in and out of Oscar's range with impunity. He hit De La Hoya with right jabs and straight lefts. The bigger man seemed befuddled and returned to his corner with a cut on his nose.

In the second round, Pacquiao added right hooks and a right uppercut to the jabs and straight lefts. De La Hoya's own jab — his most formidable weapon — was rendered useless by Manny's speed.

By the fourth, Oscar's face had become puffy. By the fifth, the fight was a one-sided display of dominance. Pacquiao still looked like the smaller man, but he was no longer fighting like one. He had begun to stand and trade with Oscar, to push and punch on the ropes. Oscar tried to hold and hit, but to no avail. The sixth saw Pacquiao land an impressive left uppercut. De La Hoya's eye was almost closed now.

I scored the seventh 10-8 for Pacquiao. Now the little man looked big, and the bigger man brave. Pacquiao landed 45 punches, more than De La Hoya had ever absorbed in a single round of his career. It was a wonder that Oscar managed to score with an uppercut of his own. A bigger wonder still was how he could still be standing.

It would end after the eighth, a round shy of Roach's prediction. The enswell was of no use pressed against Oscar's eye. His trainer, Nacho Beristain, informed the referee that the fight was over.

"I had to protect him," said Beristain. "I had to stop the fight."

So it ended, the fight, and in all probability, De La Hoya's career. Some weeks ago, he had said: "I will be extremely, extremely disappointed if this fight doesn't end in a knockout. It will be a total disaster for me."

Let it be said, then: for Oscar De La Hoya, the dream match proved a nightmare.

The Golden Boy was unavailable for the post-fight press conference. "Oscar has been taken to the hospital," said a lawyer. "It's a precautionary measure."

In his place, the world's best fighter — the great little man — ducked a question asked about his presumptive match with Ricky Hatton. Then he nailed one about the man he had just beaten.

"He's still my idol," said Pacquiao.

History of swimming sport

2008-08-01T04:32:00.000-07:00

THE ORIGINS AND ROOTS OF SWIMMING - FACTS AND INFORMATION ABOUT COLLEGIATE SWIMMING AND DIVING
The English are considered the first modern society to develop swimming as a sport. By 1837 swimming competitions were being held in London's six artificial pools, these competitions were organized by the National Swimming Society in England. As the sport grew in popularity many more swimming pools were built, and when a new governing body, the Amateur Swimming Association of Great Britain, was organized in 1880, it numbered more than 300 member clubs.

In 1896, swimming became an Olympic sport for men with the 100 meters and 1500 meters freestyle competitions held in open water. Soon after, as swimming gained popularity, more freestyle events were included, followed by the backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, and lastly, the individual medley.

For a variety of reasons, women were excluded from swimming in the first several Olympic Games.

In 1896 and again in 1906, women could not participate because the developer of the modern games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, held firmly to the assumption, common in the Victorian era, that women were too frail to engage in competitive sports. It was only at the 1912 Games when women's swimming made its debut at the prompting of the group that later became known as the International Olympic Committee.

The first modern Olympic Games had only four swimming events, three of them freestyle. The second Olympics in Paris in 1900 included three unusual swimming events. One used an obstacle course; another was a test of underwater swimming endurance; the third was a 4,000-metre event, the longest competitive swimming event ever. None of the three was ever used in
the Olympics again.

From this humble beginning with four swimming events, the Olympics have now developed to 32 swimming races, 16 for men and 16 for women. The Special Olympics includes competitive swimming for people with disabilities and has 22 events for men and 22 for women.

Who's hot, who's not: Euro 2008 team-by-team guide

2008-06-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

By Glenn Moore, Football EditorSaturday, 7 June 2008
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Change font size: A A AGroup A
Sat 7 June Switzerland v Czech Republic (Basle, 17.00) Portugal v Turkey (Geneva, 19.45)Wed 11 June zech Republic v Portugal (Geneva, 17.00) Switzerland v Turkey (Basle, 19.45)Sun 15 June Switzerland v Portugal (Basle, 19.45) Turkey v Czech Republic (Geneva, 19.45)
CZECH REPUBLIC (Fifa ranking: 6) Who is their key player? Petr Cech (Chelsea). Had a difficult, injury-hit season but still among the best. He conceded four goals in 10 qualifiers.And their rising star? Martin Fenin (Eintracht Frankfurt, age 20). The striker is threatening Milan Baros's place.What's their manager like? Canny. Karel Bruckner, 68, has never worked outside the old Czechoslovakian borders, but he took the Czechs to the semis in 2004.Based in Britain? Cech (Chelsea), Baros (Portsmouth), Matejovsky (Reading), Rozehnal (Newcastle, on loan to Lazio) What's their pedigree? Fair. 1996 finalists. Winners, as Czechoslovakia, in 1976.And their 2008 form? Improving. Lost to Greece and Poland but beat Lithuania and Scotland (reserves).What are their chances? Tomas Rosicky is injured, Pavel Nedved retired. They lack the depth and may even be edged out by the Swiss.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "There Are More Questions Than Answers", Johnny Nash.
PORTUGAL (11)Who is their key player? Who else? Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd). Should be knackered but seems inexhaustible.And their rising star? Miguel Veloso (Sporting Lisbon, 20). Holding midfielder with good passing range, but lacks pace.What's their manager like? Big Phil, Luiz Felipe Scolari, has a very good record, and he knows it. Won 2002 World Cup with Brazil, took Portugal to Euro 2004 final and 2006 World Cup semi-final. Much-coveted.Based in Britain? Ronaldo, Nani (Man Utd), Ferreira, Bosingwa, Carvalho (all Chelsea). What's their pedigree? Improving. 2004 Finalists. And their 2008 form? Patchy. Lost to World champions Italy and defending Euro' champions Greece, but beat Georgia.What are their chances? Good. Should cruise the group, but may be sunk by Germany in the semis.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "Your Time Is Gonna Come", Led Zeppelin.
SWITZERLAND (44) Who is their key player? Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer Leverkusen). Only 23 but his pace and versatility are central to Swiss prospects.And their rising star? Eren Derdiyok (Basle, 20 on 12 June). Promising striker who scored a smart goal on debut against England at Wembley.What's their manager like? Embattled. Kobi Kuhn has been with the Swiss FA since 1977, which might explain his survival. Retires after the finals. Based in Britain? Senderos, Djourou (both Arsenal), Degen (Liverpool), Fernandes (Manchester City) What's their pedigree? Poor. Only qualified twice, in 1996 and 2004, never past group stages. And their 2008 form? Fitful. Lost to England and, at home, 4-0 to Germany, but have since beaten Slovakia and Liechtenstein.What are their chances? Home advantage may help them reach the quarter-finals, but no further.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "It's My Party (And I'll Cry If I Want To)", Lesley Gore.
TURKEY (20)Who is their key player? Nihat (Villarreal). Quick, skilful goalscorer coming off a fine season – but he needs physical support. And their rising star? Kazim (Fenerbahce, 21). Better known in England as Colin Kazim-Richards, this son of Leytonstone is now flourishing after a bold move from Sheffield United and he has earned an unexpected call-up. What's their manager like? Fatih Terim became a hero when leading Turkey to Euro 96, their first finals. Returned as coach in 2005. Was briefly at Milan.Based in Britain? Emre (Newcastle), Tuncay (Middlesbrough).What's their pedigree? Discouraging. Reached the quarter-finals in 2000.And their 2008 form? Haphazard. Lost at home to Uruguay, but beat Finland and Slovakia.What are their chances? Facing a struggle with Swiss and Czechs for second.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "Say Hello Wave Goodbye", Soft Cell.
Group B
Sun 8 June Austria v Croatia (Vienna, 17.00) Germany v Poland (Klagenfurt, 19.45)Thu 12 June roatia v Germany (Klagenfurt, 17.00) Austria v Poland (Vienna, 19.45)Mon 16 June Austria v Germany (Vienna, 19.45) Poland v Croatia (Klagenfurt, 19.45)
AUSTRIA (Fifa ranking: 92) Who is their key player? Martin Stranzl (Spartak Moscow). Austria will spend much of their time in defence and the 6'4" centre-half will be busy.And their rising star? Sebastian Prodl (Sturm Graz, 21 on 21 June). Stranzl's defensive partner, who will join Werder Bremen after the finals.What's their manager like? Sanguine. "Suffering is part of my job," said Josef Hickersberger. Lost to Faroe Islands in first spell.Based in Britain? Pogatetz (Middlesbrough). Manninger (ex-Arsenal) and Macho (ex-Sunderland) contest the goalkeeping spot.What's their pedigree? A great team once, but long before the competition began. Never qualified.And their 2008 form? Held Nigeria and thrashed Malta to climb to 92nd in Fifa rankings, between Mozambique and Thailand.What are their chances? Zero. Hoping just to avoid humiliation at home.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "Loser", Beck.
CROATIA (15) Who is their key player? Luka Modric (Tottenham). Even Arsène Wenger raves about Spurs' new signing, a gifted playmaker.And their rising star? Nikola Kalinic (Hadjuk Split, 20). Striker given his debut last week, a possible answer to post-Eduardo goals shortage. What's their manager like? Cool. Slaven Bilic: multilingual, plays in a rock band, a trained lawyer, and he can build a football team. All this and he is just 39 years old. Are we jealous?Based in Britain? Modric (Tottenham), Kranjcar (Portsmouth), Corluka (Manchester City).What's their pedigree? Limited. Third time qualifiers, made the last eight at Euro '96.And their 2008 form? Worrying. Thumped by Dutch, held by Scots and Hungarians. They did beat Moldova... 1-0. What are their chances? Badly damaged by Eduardo's injury. Quarter-finalists.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "Under Pressure", Queen.
GERMANY (5) Who is their key player? Michael Ballack, 31, has two Champions League finals and two World Cup semi-finals behind him but Germany's driving force still lacks a major winner's medal.And their rising star? Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart, 22). Big, mobile striker of Spanish descent who would suit Premier League. What's their manager like? Joachim Löw was billed as the coaching brain behind Jürgen Klinsmann's brio. He took over after the World Cup.Based in Britain? Ballack (Chelsea). What's their pedigree? Very good. Five-time finalists and winners in 1972, 1980 and 1996. So that's 12 years of hurt.And their 2008 form? Decent. Put seven in total past joint-hosts without reply, beat Serbia but were held by Belarus last week.What are their chances? Excellent. In a weak group, almost playing at home. Finalists. What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now", McFadden and Whitehead.
POLAND (28)Who is their key player? Jacek Krzynowek (Wolfsburg). Quick left-winger with an eye for goal who can also play centrally.And their rising star? In the absence of the injured Jakub Blaszczykowski, Tomasz Zahorski (Gornik Zabrze, 22) could impress.What's their manager like? Wily. Sexagenarian Dutchman Leo Beenhakker has coached in eight countries and frightened England with Trindad & Tobago in last World Cup.Based in Britain? Boruc (Celtic), Kuszczak (Manchester Utd), Fabianski (Arsenal), Saganowski (Southampton). What's their pedigree? Non-existent. Never qualified before. And their 2008 form? Packed in seven games, winning four including a victory away to Czechs, but single loss was by a startling 3-0 at home to US.What are their chances? Outsiders, but they have a smart coach and technically skilled players. Must defeat Croats to escape the group.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "Like a Virgin", Madonna.
Group C
Mon 9 June Romania v France (Zurich, 17.00) Netherlands v Italy (Berne, 19.45)Fri 13 June Italy v Romania (Zurich, 17.00) Netherlands v France (Berne, 19.45)Tue 17 June Netherlands v Romania (Berne, 19.45) France v Italy (Zurich, 19.45)
FRANCE (Fifa ranking: 7)Who is their key player? Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich). Came to notice during the World Cup and has continued to shine at Bayern.And their rising star? Karim Benzema (Lyons, 20). The striker has just signed a deal until 2013. If he shines Jean-Michel Aulas, Lyons' tough-negotiating president, will have to choose between £30m and an assault on the Champions League.What's their manager like? Unusual. Raymond Domenech admits team selection is influenced by astrology. Enjoys antagonising friend and foe alike.Based in Britain? Gallas (Arsenal), Evra (Man Utd), Makelele, Malouda, Anelka (all Chelsea), Diarra (Portsmouth).What's their pedigree? Strong. Winners in 1984 and 2000.And their 2008 form? Decent. Beat England, Ecuador and Colombia, but lost in Spain. What are their chances? Bright, despite the tough draw, but could meet Italy again in the semi-finals.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "We All Stand Together" Paul McCartney and the Frog Chorus.
ITALY (3)Who is their key player? Andrea Pirlo (Milan). Runs the Azzurri from the quarter-back position and is deadly at set-pieces.And their rising star? Alberto Aquilani (Roma, 23). If he plays he should show why Arsène Wenger, and others, admire him.What's their manager like? Cerebral. Roberto Donadoni was a surprise successor to World Cup winner Marcello Lippi but has overcome a dicey start to prosper.Based in Britain? None, but Simone Perrotta was born in Cheshire.What's their pedigree? Ordinary. The four-time World Cup winners have reached one final, in 2000.And their 2008 form? Mixed. Beat Portugal and Belgium but lost to Spain.What are their chances? Excellent. Donadoni is confident enough to base the team in Vienna – they only play in Austria if they win the group, and keep winning.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "Can We Fix It?", Bob the Builder
NETHERLANDS (10) Who is their key player? Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg). And their rising star? Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven, 22). Creative midfielder of Moroccan descent.What's their manager like? Contradictory. Marco van Basten has fallen out with several players but agreed to demands to change the formation from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1. Based in Britain? Van der Sar (Man Utd), Ooijer (Blackburn), Bouma (Aston Villa), Melchiot (Wigan), Van Persie (Arsenal), Kuyt (Liverpool), Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic), Boulahrouz (Chelsea, on loan to Seville). What's their pedigree? Winners, with Van Basten scoring, in 1988.And their 2008 form? Imposing. Beaten Croatia, Austria, Ukraine and Wales, scoring 12 goals to three.What are their chances? Tricky. If they get out of the group they can win it, but first they must qualify.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "Slammin (Flash Harry Remix)", Dutch Courage.
ROMANIA (12) Who is their key player? Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina). The cocaine-taking party animal claims to be a reformed character after being fired by Chelsea, then re-marrying. His form suggests he is.And their rising star? Stefan Radu (Lazio, 21). Versatile defender already billed as the successor to Inter's Christian Chivu (who is only 27 himself). What's their manager like? Principled. Fired prior to Euro 2000 finals for standing up to Gheorghe Hagi, Victor Piturca returned to oversee Romania's first qualification since, twice outsmarting the Dutch en route.Based in Britain? Niculae (Inverness Caledonian Thistle).What's their pedigree? Thin. Reached the last eight in 2000.And their 2008 form? Improving. Lost to Israel, but since beat Russia and Montenegro.What are their chances? Slight, but they have the talent to upset one of the big three.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "The Kids Don't Stand A Chance", Vampire Weekend.
Group D
Tue 10 June Spain v Russia (Innsbruck, 17.00) Greece v Sweden (Salzburg, 19.45)Sat 14 June Sweden v Spain (Innsbruck, 17.00) Greece v Russia (Salzburg, 19.45)Wed 18 June Greece v Spain (Salzburg, 19.45) Russia v Sweden (Innsbruck, 19.45)
GREECE (Fifa ranking: 8) Who is their key player? Angelos Basinas (Real Mallorca). Outstanding in 2004, the deep midfielder is the team's pacemaker.And their rising star? Vasilis Torosidis (Olympiakos, 23 on 10 June). The left-back is a rare youngster in an old team.What's their manager like? Shrewd. German Otto Rehhagel emphasises defence and teamwork. Not pretty, but effective.Based in Britain? Samaras (Man City, loaned to Celtic). Giannakopoulos has left Bolton. What's their pedigree? Impeccable. They are the holders – but have only qualified twice, going out in the group stage in 1980. And their 2008 form? Dipped. After beating the Czechs, Finland, Portugal and Cyprus they lost to Hungary and were held by Armenia.What are their chances? Eighth in the world and in a weak draw, but no longer unknowns. Quarter-finals but no more, surely.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "Do It Again", The Beach Boys.
RUSSIA (24) Who is their key player? Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg). The holding midfielder and reigning Russian player of the year has a crucial role as Andrei Arshavin will miss first two matches. And their rising star? Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow, 22) Young for a 'keeper but already a seasoned pro. CSKA captain.What's their manager like? Cunning. Dutchman Guus Hiddink picks the right jobs, and usually executes his task well.Based in Britain? None. What's their pedigree? Won inaugural competition in 1960, finalists in 1964, 1972, 1988.And their 2008 form? Well beaten by Romania but have since defeated Kazakhstan, Serbia and Liechtenstein.What are their chances? Hamstrung. As well as playmaker Arshavin being out, striker Pavel Pogrebnyak is injured for the first match. By then their defence may have been exposed.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "Help!", The Beatles.
SPAIN (4) Who is their key player? Marcos Senna (Villarreal). Spain will score goals, with or without Torres, but unless the naturalised Brazilian protects the back four even Iker Casillas may concede.And their rising star? David Silva (Valencia, 22). Canary Islander who caught the eye at Chelsea last season and is now making a splash internationally. What's their manager like? Irascible. Luis Aragones, 69, does not care for others' opinions, as Raul, Thierry Henry, Joaquin, the Spanish federation and numerous journalists have discovered.Based in Britain? Reina, Torres, Arbeloa, Alonso (all Liverpool), Fabregas (Arsenal).What's their pedigree? Winners in 1964, finalists in 1984.And their 2008 form? Outstanding. Unbeaten for 16 months in 2008 they have beaten France, Italy, Peru and the US. But only by the odd goal each time.What are their chances? Always contenders, always fall short. Will qualify, but likely to have to beat the Group of Death's top two to reach final.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "The Great Pretender", Freddie Mercury.
SWEDEN (29) Who is their key player? Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Internazionale). Unpredictable genius who has all the tools except consistency.And their rising star? Sebastian Larsson (Birmingham, 22). Youngest player in the squad, the talented midfielder has the chance to put relegation behind him.What's their manager like? Sober. Lars Lagerback began as co-coach in 2000, has been on his own since 2004, and always qualifies. Very organised.Based in Britain? Isaksson (Man Ctiy), Ljungberg (West Ham), Larsson (Birmingham), Granqvist (Wigan, on loan to Helsingborgs).What's their pedigree? Mundane. Semi-finals, on home soil, in 1992. And their 2008 form? Average. Beat Costa Rica and Slovenia, lost to US, Brazil, Ukraine.What are their chances? Experienced, but unless Ibrahimovic is fit and refreshed after injury they will struggle to get out of the group.What should be their Euro 2008 anthem? "I Have A Dream", Abba.

Moscow final 2008

2008-05-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

Sir Alex Ferguson was already looking to the future as the celebrations drifted into the early hours of Thursday morning at the Luzhniki Stadium. The Manchester United FC manager had just won his second, and the club's third, European Champion Clubs' Cup, but there was no question the 66-year-old would be letting anyone rest on their laurels.
'Euphoria evaporates'Having reclaimed the continental crown against Chelsea FC, the challenge was now to defend it. "I feel proud, very, very proud," Sir Alex said. "Sometimes you have to pinch yourself, but we won't get carried away with it. Tomorrow I'll be thinking of next season. It drains away quickly for me. The euphoria evaporates almost immediately. The moment of that final penalty save from Edwin van der Sar, that was my moment, my euphoria and excitement, then you just carry on."
Hunger still thereAfter 34 years as a manager, the thrill of victory – "to create that drug again" – is as great as ever, the drive to succeed undimmed. The Scot will check to see if the "hunger in the eyes of the players is still there" in pre-season then start all over again. He has been doing so since taking his first managerial job, aged 32, with East Stirlingshire FC, and he will not be stopping any time soon. Sir Alex was talked out of retirement by his wife in 2002 – and what a debt of thanks the thousands of travelling fans in Moscow owe Cathy now.
Question markOnly three years ago some supporters were calling for his departure. Arsenal FC were champions, winning the league playing the sort of free-flowing, attacking football United pride themselves on, while Chelsea FC and their brash young manager José Mourinho, boosted by Roman Abramovich's wealth, were on the point of establishing Stamford Bridge as the powerbase of English football. Suddenly questions were being raised about Sir Alex, his tactics and his choice of players.
New generationHow wrong the doubters have been proved. From the ashes of the 2005/06 campaign, when United finished eight points behind two-in-a-row champions Chelsea, another great side has risen – one arguably even better than the team Sir Alex took to the treble in 1999. It is 22 years since he landed at Old Trafford and in that time he has built three great sides: the Premier League winners of 1993 and 1994 who ended the club's 26-year wait for the title; the vintage crop that brought the European Cup to Old Trafford for a second time in 1999; and now this generation which may even eclipse the achievements of their predecessors.
Silver streakThe players change yet the manager remains the same. In an era demanding instant success, his longevity is remarkable. It is a quarter of a century since the Glaswegian first lifted European silverware – the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with Aberdeen FC in 1983 – and after the glory of Moscow, his is a record time span of success in continental football. With Aberdeen, he was up against the great Alfredo Di Stéfano, coach of Real Madrid CF, but typically he met the challenge head on. "I didn't shrivel," he said. "I gave [Di Stéfano] a bottle of whisky and thanked him for being part of the occasion."
Lucky breakAnother Cup Winners' Cup triumph followed against FC Barcelona in 1991, before Sir Alex finally fulfilled his dream of claiming the European Cup on an amazing night at Camp Nou. Fate was on Sir Alex's side as United hit back twice in stoppage time to beat FC Bayern München; fortune favoured United again this week, with John Terry's slip giving United a lifeline in the shoot-out when a goal would have given Chelsea the title.
Trust in youthSir Alex, though, has arguably made his own luck down the years. It was he who stressed the importance of the youth academy at Old Trafford back in 1986 and who built up the scouting network. David Beckham, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs – the only player to have featured in all ten English championships Sir Alex has won – are just some of the fruits of that labour. "People like Scholes, Giggs and Neville, it is not by accident that they have stayed so long," Sir Alex said. "They know what professional football means and they know what Manchester United means." DrainedIf United's manager had been in high spirits on the eve of the final, come the finish at almost a quarter to two on Thursday morning, he was drained and exhausted. As always, he had played out every header, shot and tackle, and extra time and penalties had clearly taken their toll. "Ninety-nine was so sudden and unexpected, tonight it was in our hands. If we kicked all our penalties correctly, we would win. Unfortunately we missed one so it was nail-biting stuff. But it's the same feeling. It's an exceptionally emotional occasion, a European final. It gets to you. It tires you. I think we're all tired." Even so, you can be sure he is already planning the defence of the UEFA Champions League crown with all the energy of a man half his age.

The World's Most Popular Sports

2008-04-26T01:21:00.000-07:00

The results are shown below. Estimates are directly from the International Sports Federations themselves. The Number of Affiliated National Federations comes from the International Olympic Committee. Only the sports who laid claim to the title of most or second-most popular were included in the study. I left out Auto Racing/F1, who for obvious reasons won't even be comparable in participation numbers to the rest of the sports involved. For your inormation, though, the FIA has 119 affiliated national federations.

Formula One Racing has the largest television viewing audience in the world with just the Formula One championship bringing in 40 billion viewers annually. Considering there are only 6 Billion people in the world, less than half with television sets, and only a fraction of those caring about Formula One racing, that's quite a few... When questioned, the FIA did not respond.

FIBA claims over 400 million people play basketball in the world, or one in every twelve men, women, and children, and senior citizens (over 500 million worldwide). This seems a little odd... When questioned, FIBA did not respond. The Jr. NBA states that they feel that the number is "a little high".

FIVB claims nearly 1billion people play volleyball in the world. One out of every six people. That's really interesting... When questioned, they backed off that statement to say that there are 33 million registered players, but that there are many more than that who are recreational players (obviously, but not 1 billion...). They also stated that there are definitely not four times the amount of volleyball players as soccer players in the world, which basically refuted their initial statement.

Welcome

2008-04-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

welcome and get info about sports, fitness, tennis and football very soon.